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A Trip Halfway Around the World Inspired John Denver’s Final No. 1 Single in 1982
John Denver’s 1982 hit “Shanghai Breezes” was inspired by a deeply personal experience during a visit to Shanghai, China, and went on to become the last No. 1 single of his career. The song, which Denver wrote alone for his album Seasons Of The Heart, marked a departure from the Americana themes of earlier hits…
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Watch comedy troupe Broken Lizard raid Limp Bizkit show as Super Troopers to issue noise complaint
Comedy troupe Broken Lizard interrupted Limp Bizkit’s set at a US festival on 18 July, appearing dressed as their “Super Troopers” Vermont state trooper characters to stage a fake noise complaint. The stunt, part of a promotional push for the upcoming film “Super Troopers 3”, initially confused some audience members before the group joined the…
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Rebel Wilson’s ‘The Deb’ Gets First Trailer & Digital Release Date; Pic Sparked High-Profile Legal Battles
Rebel Wilson’s directorial debut “The Deb” has finally received its first trailer and a confirmed digital release date, following a lengthy and litigious road to market. The Australian musical comedy will launch digitally on 25 August in the US via Sunrise Films, with a UK release a day earlier through Vertigo Releasing, after its original…
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The 1988 role Willem Dafoe called the hardest he’ll ever play: “It sounds stupid”
Willem Dafoe has described playing Jesus Christ in Martin Scorsese’s 1988 film *The Last Temptation of Christ* as the hardest role of his career. He said the challenge was not simply the character’s religious significance, but portraying Jesus as a human being experiencing doubt, fear and temptation. The film adapted Nikos Kazantzakis’s novel and sparked…
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How Kansas’ First Top 40 Hit Came at the Last Possible Moment and Rescued the Band’s Career
Kansas, a Topeka-formed progressive rock band, scored their first US Top 40 hit with “Carry On Wayward Son” in 1976, a breakthrough that arrived just as their record label was losing patience and effectively saved their career. Despite a distinctive sound built around Robby Steinhardt’s violin and Steve Walsh’s powerful vocals, plus a gruelling touring…
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The Grand Ole Opry Honors Its Longest-Serving Member With Some “Fresh Hardware”
Country singer Bill Anderson has been celebrated by the Grand Ole Opry as its longest-serving member, marking 65 years since he joined the show on 15 July 1961. The milestone recognises a career that spans classic hits such as “I Get the Fever” and “Still” and songwriting collaborations with artists including Vince Gill, Kenny Chesney…
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Music Industry Escalates Fight Against AI Training as Sony Sues Udio Over Thousands of Unauthorised Recordings
The music industry faces mounting pressure as artists and producers increasingly voice concerns about generative AI tools trained on their work without authorisation. Industry professionals argue that these AI models und
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A Q&A With the Sounds Like Summer Road Ready Promotion Winner, April Sutherland
American Songwriter has published a Q&A with April Sutherland, winner of the publication’s Sounds Like Summer Road Ready promotion, recognised for her unreleased song “Follow Through.” The piece is part of a recurring contest series in which the outlet profiles winning songwriters, offering them a platform to discuss their creative process and career ambitions. Sutherland…
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ACCEPT’s WOLF HOFFMANN: ‘We Released Some Albums In The ’90s That I’m Less Proud Of’
ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann has said he is “less proud” of the albums the German heavy metal band released in the 1990s, describing it as a confusing period when metal seemed to have been eclipsed by grunge and flannel-shirted alternative rock. Speaking to Neil Jones of TotalRock, Hoffmann admitted the band changed its style significantly…