During a recent appearance on the Bruce Springsteen Archives’ Conversation With Our Curator podcast, Kenny Chesney reflected on the profound influence Springsteen has had on his songwriting and live performances. Chesney shared some personal anecdotes about The Boss, including a memorable 2005 encounter when he nervously requested Springsteen play “One Step Up,” a song Chesney covered on his chart-topping 2002 album, No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems, which marked a turning point in his music career. Though Chesney grew up without much exposure to Springsteen’s music in East Tennessee, discovering it in college deeply impacted his artistic approach, inspiring him to give his all on stage much like Springsteen does. “Bruce set a standard and set a bar so high, it's hard to reach it,” Chesney shared. “I do feel like there are some parallels, as far as loving their audience...From the first note, everybody is in this together, and that really struck me. It's how we like to do things out here too.” (Holler)

Billboard’s 2025 year-end Boxscore charts just revealed the top-grossing rock tours of the year, with Coldplay once again leading the way, earning $464.9 million from 59 shows throughout Oceania, Asia, North America, and the United Kingdom. The second highest-grossing tour was Imagine Dragons ($241.6M), followed by Iron Maiden ($150.9M) and Linkin Park ($150.6M). Stadium and arena rock acts like Bruce Springsteen ($124.8M), Metallica ($136.2M), Paul McCartney ($104.5M), and Guns N’ Roses ($95.6M) were also among the top tours of 2025. Two groups who had extensive residencies at the Sphere in Las Vegas ranked in the Top 10, as the Eagles grossed $150.3M from 32 shows, while Dead & Company pulled in $105.5M over 21 shows, with their totals boosted by three concerts in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park in August to celebrate the Grateful Dead's 60th anniversary. Rock accounted for 30.2% of the Top 100 tour grosses in 2025, marking a continued decline from its dominance in previous decades despite still being a major live music revenue generator. (Billboard)

On Thursday (December 11), Creed announced the lineup for the 2026 ‘Summer of ’99 and Beyond Festival,’ which is set to take place on July 18-19 at the Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, Illinois. Creed revealed that they will co-headline the event alongside Limp Bizkit, putting to rest their longtime feud that dates back to 2000. Limp Bizkit will headline Saturday’s lineup, which includes Cypress Hill, Sevendust, Kittie, Puddle of Mudd, and Magnolia Park, while Creed will close out Sunday with support from Bush, Mammoth, Candlebox, Hoobastank, Sleep Theory, Big Wreck, and The Verve Pipe, among others. Ticket pre-sale starts Tuesday (December 16), followed by a general on-sale beginning Friday (Dec. 19). Meanwhile, Creed is gearing up for their annual “Creedmas” tour where they will be joined by Sevendust and Hinder over the course of five dates throughout the holiday season in December. (Consequence of Sound)

The Who’s Roger Daltrey was knighted by Prince William at Windsor Castle on Wednesday (December 10), joining fellow rock legends like Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, and Sir Mick Jagger in receiving the honor. The 81-year-old singer was recognized not only for his iconic musical career but also for his charitable work with the Teenage Cancer Trust. Reflecting on the ceremony, Daltrey described it as a "double honor," accepting the knighthood on behalf of those involved in the charity. “I was born in the Second World War and grew up in the streets in London. For a kid like me, achieving this, it’s a dream,” Daltrey said of his knighthood, which was announced back in June though the ceremony didn’t take place until this week. Meanwhile, The Who just completed their farewell U.S. tour this past October, with worldwide dates expected to be announced soon. (Consequence of Sound)

On Thursday (December 11), Guns N’ Roses officially announced the support acts for their Summer 2026 North American tour. Public Enemy will be opening the first eight dates of the tour from July 23 to August 16, while The Black Crowes will provide support for four shows between August 22 and September 2. Pierce the Veil will open select dates in September, while The Barbarians of California will join for two dates in August and September, and Ice Cube is set to perform in front of a hometown crowd at GNR’s high-profile show at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on September 5. The tour kicks off with earlier spring dates in Mexico and Florida before hitting U.S. and Canadian stadiums and amphitheaters throughout the summer, concluding on September 19 in Atlanta, with no support act yet announced for that final show. (Consequence of Sound)

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival will feature the premiere of Antiheroine, an “unfiltered and unapologetic” documentary about Courtney Love. The film is co-directed by Edward Lovelace and James Hall, and includes a tagline describing the project as, “Now sober and set to release new music for the first time in over a decade, Courtney is ready to reveal her story.” Love is also included in Broken English, an intimate film about the late Marianne Faithfull’s life and legacy that will make its U.S. debut at the festival, which also features appearances by Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, Jehnny Beth, Suki Waterhouse, and Beth Orton.

The festival’s lineup also includes two films featuring Charli XCX: The Moment, an A24 film which she conceived and stars in that explores the complexities of pop stardom, and I Want Your Sex, where she appears alongside Olivia Wilde. Other notable music films debuting at the festival include Tamra Davis’ The Best Summer, documenting a pivotal music era with footage of iconic bands like Beastie Boys, Foo Fighters, and Beck, and The Disciple, which offers a rare glimpse into the making of Wu-Tang Clan’s notorious album, Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. The festival runs from January 22-27. (Consequence of Sound)

Billy Corgan surprised teenager Matthew by joining him onstage at his Bar Mitzvah celebration held at Corgan’s Madame ZuZu’s Tea Shop in Highland Park, Illinois, over the weekend. Corgan joined the local ‘90s cover band, the Buzz Worthys – who performed a live set earlier in the festivities – while Matthew got behind the drum kit, and they all jammed together on a stripped-down version of The Smashing Pumpkins’ 1993 hit, “Today.” Prior to the performance, Corgan thanked everyone for taking part in Matthew’s special celebration, while adding, “This is my first Bar Mitzvah. Maybe my last.” The party organizer, Events By Tess, shared a since-deleted Instagram video capturing the performance which featured the caption: “Matthew absolutely SMASHED it playing the drums with THE @billycorgan at his Bar Mitzvah! What an amazing night 🤘🎸🥁🎃.” Madame ZuZu’s was opened by Corgan in 2012, and it now hosts special events and private parties, while providing a memorable setting for this special occasion. (Consequence of Sound)

Kurt Cobain’s classic Martin D-18E guitar, famously played during Nirvana’s legendary 1993 MTV Unplugged performance and believed to be the last guitar he used before his death, has been donated to the London Royal College of Music. Sold in 2020 for a record-setting $6 million to Peter Freedman, founder of RØDE Microphones – becoming the most expensive guitar ever sold at auction – the iconic instrument will now join the college’s historic collection, including the oldest surviving guitar from 1581. The RCM Museum previously held an exhibition titled, Kurt Cobain: Unplugged, which drew over 15,000 visitors, with James Williams, Director of the Royal College of Music, stating, “This asset opens future opportunities to share the Kurt Cobain: Unplugged exhibition with an international audience.” Freedman hopes that his donation allows fans to “realise the guitar’s value and profile for the benefit of young musicians at the RCM and reach people around the world.” (NME)

During a new interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Sharon Osbourne revealed the final words that her husband Ozzy Osbourne said to her before his death on July 22 from a heart attack. Sharon disclosed that Ozzy “was up and down to the bathroom all night,” eventually asking her to “wake up” at around 4am. “I said, ‘I’m already bloody awake, you’ve woken me up’,” Sharon recalled, before sharing his final words: “And he said, ‘Kiss me’, and then he said, ‘Hug me tight’.” Ozzy then “went downstairs, worked out for 20 minutes and passed away,” Sharon revealed, while adding that she felt regret that the conversation ended up being their last. “I can’t help wondering if I should have, could I have?,” Sharon told Morgan, before adding, “If only I’d have told him I loved him more. If only I’d have held him tighter.” The full interview aired on Wednesday (December 10). (NME)

Coldplay rules the 2025 year-end Billboard Boxscore charts with their record-setting Music of the Spheres World Tour, which grossed $464.9 million between October 2024 and September 2025. This marks the band’s second consecutive year at No. 1 and fourth straight year in the Top Five, with total earnings surpassing $1.5 billion and 13.1 million tickets sold – the most in concert tour history. The tour spanned four continents and included a record-breaking 10-night Wembley Stadium residency that grossed $131.4 million, setting the highest single-venue engagement for a headline artist.

Coldplay also led the Top Rock Tours and Top Ticket Sales charts for the third consecutive year, completing another clean sweep of major year-end touring honors. Boxscore’s Top Tours year-end tally was rounded out by Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour at $407.6 million, Kendrick Lamar & SZA’s Grand National Tour at $358.7 million – the highest-grossing co-headline tour ever – followed by The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn Tour at $336.7 million – the highest-grossing and best-selling R&B tour ever – and Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour at $327.4 million. 2025 saw five separate tours surpass the $300 million milestone, a new all-time record. (Billboard)

The first trailer for Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming film, EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert, premiered on Tuesday (December 9). The movie will offer rare, long-lost footage from Elvis’s legendary 1969 Las Vegas residency, along with archival 16mm and 8mm film from Elvis on Tour and Graceland, synced with restored audio including a 45-minute recording of Presley reflecting on his life. Luhrmann says of the project: “I wouldn’t call it a documentary, or a concert film; our aim here is to make something new in the Elvis canon … to bring something to the screen that befits the magnitude of Elvis as a performer but also offers deeper revelations of his humanity and inner life.” The film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, and will have advanced screenings at Graceland on January 8, before releasing exclusively in IMAX on February 20 and widely on February 27. This project follows Luhrmann’s critically acclaimed 2022 Elvis biopic starring Austin Butler, which garnered eight Oscar nominations and grossed over $288 million worldwide. (NME)

In a series of recent social media posts, Liam Gallagher confirmed that Oasis will not be touring again until at least 2027, ruling out any shows in 2026 despite intense fan speculation, including rumors of a Knebworth concert. One fan asked Gallagher to announce dates for next year, with the singer replying on X: “We’re not doing anything in 2026 sorry.” Another fan reached out to ask about Knebworth, causing Gallagher to reply: “Nothing going on next year except the WC (World Cup).” And when a fan account claimed that Oasis were odds-on favorites to headline Knebworth in 2026, Gallagher emphatically responded, “ITS NOT HAPPENING,” putting those festival rumors to rest once and for all. These comments follow Oasis’ extensive Live ’25 reunion tour, which concluded in Brazil on November 24 after 41 dates across the UK, Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. After the tour, the band officially announced “a pause for a period of reflection,” leaving their future plans uncertain for now. (NME)

On Tuesday (December 9), ZZ Top announced a 2026 US leg of their ongoing “The Big One!” Tour. The new dates will run from late March to mid-May, kicking off on March 21 with their performance at the Outlaws & Legends Music Festival in Abilene, Texas. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers will visit cities throughout America, including Amarillo, New Orleans, San Antonio, and Madison, Wisconsin. The new dates will run concurrently with ZZ Top’s co-headlining “Dos Amigos Tour” with Dwight Yoakam, which was announced last month. Current members of ZZ Top’s Tres Hombres Fan Club can get early ticket access starting on Wednesday (December 10), with general on-sales beginning on Friday (Dec. 12). Following their US dates, ZZ Top plans to embark on a European leg of “The Big One!” Tour, which will run from June through July. (Consequence of Sound)

Legendary Canadian rock band Triumph has announced their first North American tour in over 30 years to celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2026. The 24-date jaunt kicks off on April 22 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and runs through June 6 in Boston, with stops in Toronto, Calgary, St. Louis, Houston, Tampa, and Atlanta along the way. Triumph’s classic lineup featuring Rik Emmett (guitar, vocals), Mike Levine (bass, keyboards), and Gil Moore (drums, vocals) will all be taking part in this tour. The band – known for hits like “Lay It on the Line” and “Magic Power” and the platinum-certified 1981 album, Allied Forces – has been inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (2025), the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame (2007), the Canadian Music Hall of Fame (2008), and Canada’s Walk of Fame (2019). Ticket pre-sale starts on Wednesday (December 10), followed by a general on-sale on Friday (Dec. 12). (Consequence of Sound)

Raul Malo, the soulful frontman of The Mavericks known for blending Latin flair and lively rock into ’90s country music, died on Monday (December 8) at the age of 60, following a battle with Stage 4 colon cancer. Malo, celebrated for his rich baritone and dynamic stage presence, co-wrote many of the band's hits and also enjoyed a diverse solo career and work with the supergroup Los Super Seven. Formed in 1989, The Mavericks gained fame with albums like 1994’s What a Crying Shame, and were known for their energetic performances and genre-blending sound. After a split in 1999, they reunited in 2011, touring and releasing new music including their 2024 album, Moon & Stars. “Anyone with the pleasure of being in Raul’s orbit knew that he was a force of human nature, with an infectious energy,” the band wrote in tribute to Malo on Instagram. “Over a career of more than three decades entertaining millions around the globe, his towering creative contributions and unrivaled, generational talent created the kind of multicultural American music reaching far beyond America itself.”

The Mavericks just played a series of tribute shows for Malo at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium over the weekend, where special guests like Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, and Maggie Rose honored his musical legacy. Malo couldn’t attend the shows due to his failing health, but wrote in a heartfelt message: “Music has been the guiding force of my entire life. It carried me from my Cuban American childhood in Miami to stages across the world. It introduced me to my brothers, the Mavericks. It gave me a home in Nashville, Tennessee. It allowed me to raise my three incredible sons, Dino, Vincent, and Max, who are my greatest pride and joy. And it connected me to you fans whose love has sustained me through every chapter of this journey.” (Variety)

On Tuesday (December 9), Robert Plant announced the dates and details of his 2026 “Spring Fever” US tour with Saving Grace and Suzi Dian. The 16-date jaunt is in support of their recent album, Saving Grace, which features covers of various artists including Memphis Minnie, Moby Grape, Blind Willie Johnson, The Low Anthem, Martha Scanlan, Sarah Siskind, and Low. The tour kicks off on March 14 in Albuquerque and concludes on April 7 in New York City, including stops in Dallas, Austin, New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville, Philadelphia. Fans can access early tickets via an artist pre-sale starting on Wednesday (December 10), with general on-sales beginning Friday (Dec. 12). This new run of shows follows Plant’s fall U.S. tour with the same lineup, and the group is also set to finish out 2025 with a UK tour throughout December. (Consequence of Sound)

Bob Dylan has announced that he is extending his Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour into 2026 with a 27-date U.S. run from March 21 to May 1. The jaunt kicks off at the Orpheum Theater in Omaha, Nebraska, on March 21, followed by stops in smaller towns across South Dakota, his native Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, before finishing up at the Abilene Auditorium in Abilene, Texas, on May 1. At the age of 84, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer continues on his signature Never Ending Tour with a series of shows in support of his 2020 album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, and follows Dylan’s summer appearance alongside Willie Nelson at the country legend’s Outlaw Music Festival and a headlining tour of Europe this past fall. Tickets for Dylan’s newly announced dates go on-sale on Friday, December 12. (Billboard)

Robert Smith of The Cure is curating the 2026 Teenage Cancer Trust concerts at London’s Royal Albert Hall, assembling a star-studded lineup that includes My Bloody Valentine, Garbage, Placebo, Elbow, Chvches, Manic Street Preachers, the Joy Formidable, Mogwai, Wolf Alice, and more. Running from March 23 to 29, the series will feature both music and comedy with notable acts performing special sets, such as a stripped-back Placebo performance for their 30th anniversary and Chvrches first show since 2023. Smith, who took over from longtime event curator Roger Daltrey, said in a statement: “Teenage Cancer Trust does absolutely amazing work, and l am very proud they asked me to be ‘Cureator’ of their March 2026 concerts at the RAH." Smith said he "wanted to make it a truly unforgettable, unmissable week" featuring "a run of shows to dream about," while adding that he is "so grateful to all the artists who accepted my invitation to perform." Tickets go on-sale on Friday (Dec. 12). (Billboard)

On Tuesday (December 8), the Goo Goo Dolls announced the dates and details of their Summer 2026 US tour, where they will be supported by Neon Trees. The 26-date trek will hit amphitheaters and arenas across the country starting on July 24 in Lincoln, California, stopping in cities like Boise, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Tampa, and Charleston, before concluding on September 6 in Uncasville, Connecticut. Artist presale begins on Tuesday (December 9), followed by a public on-sale on Friday (December 12). Prior to the summer trek, Goo Goo Dolls will take part in a previously announced Canadian tour with Dashboard Confessional in March and April, followed by a residency at The Venetian Theatre in Las Vegas in May. The tour announcement follows the viral resurgence of the band’s Grammy-nominated 1998 “Iris,” and the recent release of their Summer Anthem EP. (Consequence of Sound)

Two Australian Metallica fans, 20-year-old Beau Rollings and 23-year-old Rory Culbert, received lifetime bans from Perth’s Optus Stadium after they jumped a safety barrier and scaled a central speaker tower during the band’s November 1 show on their M72 World Tour. The duo climbed up to a height of 50 meters for about 20 minutes, prompting a major security response by venue staff and local police officers. Both pleaded guilty to charges of trespassing, with magistrate Ruth Dineen condemning the stunt as “an incredibly stupid thing to do and a good way to ruin your night out,” while adding that what might have “seemed funny at the time” quickly escalated into a serious safety issue. In addition to the lifetime bans, Rollings was fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $308.80 in court costs, while Culbert received a similar penalty. (Billboard)