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Watch Richard Hawley join Reverend & The Makers on stage at Tramlines for ‘Silence Is Talking’
Richard Hawley made a surprise appearance alongside Reverend And The Makers at Sheffield’s Tramlines Festival, joining the band on stage for a rendition of ‘Silence Is Talking’. The moment closed out the group’s set on the Sarah Nulty Main Stage at Hillsborough Park on Sunday 26 July, and came during an emotional performance in which…
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3 of the Best First No. 1 Hits of 1980s Synth Pop
American Songwriter has rounded up three synth-pop tracks from the 1980s that share a common distinction: each was the first chart-topping single for the artist behind it. The piece highlights how these breakthrough hits went on to define the acts’ careers, with some carrying unexpected afterlives or origin stories decades on. The selection spans Tears…
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Canadian Music Earned The Spotlight At The Great Escape 2026
The Great Escape festival returned to Brighton, with the Canadian music scene once again given a prominent showcase at the Green Door Store, now a traditional home for the country’s touring artists during the event. The venue hosted a packed programme spanning electronic music, hip-hop, country songwriting and pop, reflecting Canada’s continued strength as a…
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I threw a water balloon at a HUGE guy then sung him my song
This is a short-form vertical video from a creator blending pranks with music, using an oversized water balloon stunt as the hook to lead into a live, on-the-spot performance of one of their own songs for an unsuspecting passer-by. The clip follows a classic “shorts” formula: a surprising, comedic opening moment (soaking a much larger…
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Boy George shares pro-Israel song
Boy George, the Culture Club frontman, has shared a new pro-Israel single, according to reports. The move places the veteran musician amid the ongoing public debate over artists’ positions on the Israel-Gaza conflict, an issue that has divided the music industry and drawn strong reactions from fans and peers alike. Details of the song itself,…
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The “world’s best” singer Ian Anderson knew deserved better
Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson said Luciano Pavarotti, despite being regarded as the world’s best-known opera singer, deserved greater understanding as his voice declined in later life. Anderson argued that performers should adapt honestly to age and changing abilities rather than be forced to reproduce their peak performances for audiences. He contrasted Pavarotti’s situation with rock…
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How ‘Beggars Banquet’ From 1968 Saved The Rolling Stones From Psychedelic Failure
The Rolling Stones’ 1968 album Beggars Banquet marked a turning point for the band, arriving after a difficult period that included drug charges against Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones, and the commercial disappointment of their psychedelic detour Their Satanic Majesties Request. Bringing in producer Jimmy Miller, who took over after the band had…
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Carly Simon discloses Parkinson’s diagnosis after mobility decline
Singer-songwriter Carly Simon has revealed in a letter to fans that she has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, explaining that worsening mobility problems she initially blamed on recovery from joint surgery turned out to be an early sign of the condition. The 83-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, best known for “You’re So…
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ANTHRAX Fill-In Drummer DARBY TODD Shares ‘Among The Living’ Drum-Cam Video From 2026 HELLFEST
Session drummer Darby Todd has released drum-cam footage of himself performing Anthrax’s “Among The Living” at this year’s Hellfest festival in Clisson, France. Todd stepped in as a temporary replacement for longtime Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante, who missed a run of European shows after injuring his right hand, highlighting the wider network of session musicians…