Month: March 2026

Foo Fighters have revealed that their 12th studio album, Your Favorite Toy, will arrive April 24 via Roswell Records in partnership with RCA Records. The project marks the band’s first full-length release since 2023’s But Here We Are, and introduces drummer Ilan Rubin as a full-time member following his addition to the lineup last year (Foo Fighters’ current lineup includes Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Smear, Rami Jaffee, and Rubin).

The band has are previewing the album with its title track, “Your Favorite Toy,” a sharp-edged, high-voltage anthem that signals a new creative chapter. Though unmistakably Foo Fighters, the track carves out fresh sonic territory within their catalog.  Grohl said: “‘Your Favorite Toy’ really was the key that unlocked the tone and energetic direction of the new album. We stumbled upon it after experimenting with different sounds and dynamics for over a year, and the day it took shape I knew that we had to follow its lead. It was the fuse to the powder keg of songs we wound up recording for this record. It feels new.”

The album was co-produced by the band alongside Oliver Roman, who also handled engineering duties. Mixing was completed by Mark “Spike” Stent. In addition to the title track, the record includes last year’s blistering “Asking for a Friend” and “Today’s Song,” which first appeared as a standalone single.

The album’s release will also set the stage for the band’s expansive Take Cover World Tour, beginning June 10 at Unity Arena in Oslo – following major U.S. festival appearances at Welcome to Rockville and BottleRock. Additional North American and European stadium dates are scheduled throughout the summer, with select U.S. shows featuring Queens of the Stone Age.

Stream ‘Your Favorite Toy’ – HERE.
Presave the album: HERE.

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Southern California’s beloved waterfront music celebration is set to make waves once again. The BeachLife Festival will take over Seaside Lagoon in Redondo Beach from May 1–3, 2026, bringing together an eclectic mix of legendary acts and contemporary favorites for three days of live music, art, and coastal-inspired experiences.

Leading the bill this year are Duran Duran on May 1, The Offspring on May 2, and James Taylor & His All-Star Band closing out the weekend on May 3. The diverse lineup also features The Chainsmokers, My Morning Jacket, Sheryl Crow, Slightly Stoopid, Fitz and the Tantrums, Grouplove, and Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals.

Fans can also expect appearances from Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Sugar Ray, Switchfoot, Børns, Peach Pit, Flipturn, Mike Watt, Fortunate Youth, Bad Suns, and more, blending classic rock staples, ’80s icons, and modern chart-toppers into one expansive seaside soundtrack.

Beyond the music, the festival continues its tradition of spotlighting local food, art installations, and lifestyle elements that reflect Southern California’s beach culture. As festival founder Allen Sanford said in a statement, “BeachLife’s grateful for the opportunity to continue curating music, food, and lifestyle experiences that celebrate the beach culture of Southern California. This year’s lineup is once again highlighted by a special collection of artists and bands who’ve helped shape the soundtrack of our California lifestyle…from its early days to today.”

Launched in 2019, the annual event has quickly become a staple of the region’s festival circuit. Last year’s edition featured headliners Alanis Morissette, Sublime, and Lenny Kravitz, along with performances by the Beach Boys, Train, Cake, and Jackson Browne.

Single-day and weekend passes are available through the festival’s official website.

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U2 has released the short documentary film ‘Yours Eternally,’ a track featured on their recently-released EP, Days of Ash, featuring Ed Sheeran & Ukrainian singer Taras Topolia.

The four-and-a-half minute documentary film is directed by Ukrainian cinematographer and filmmaker Ilya Mikhaylus and produced by Pyotr Verzilov, with the film’s release marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Shot in December 2025 the short film is part of a full-scale documentary set to be released at the end of 2026.  Documentary director Mikhaylus says, “For four years, Ukraine has been resisting Russia’s full-scale invasion, and the soldiers of the Khartiya Corps are among the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians defending their homeland. In this short film, and in the upcoming full-length documentary, we attempt to show the beating human heart of those incredible men and women, the struggles and sacrifices they are making every day for the most sacred thing on this planet – freedom.”

As previously noted, U2 resurfaced with the surprise six-track EP, Days of Ash, which was released on Feb. 18 to coincide with Ash Wednesday. The project—comprised of five new songs and a poem by Yehuda Amichai—was driven by what Bono described as urgency: “These EP tracks couldn’t wait; these songs were impatient to be out in the world.”

The band had reunited over the past year to create the EP, which tackles flashpoints dominating global headlines, from ICE raids in the U.S. and the Iranian protests to the war in Ukraine and Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Several songs focus on individuals whose lives were tragically cut short, including Minneapolis mother Renée Good, Iranian teenager Sarina Esmailzadeh, and Palestinian father Awdah Hathaleen, a consultant on the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land. (you can watch the lyric videos for the six Days of Ash tracks – HERE.)

‘Days of Ash’ marks U2’s first new music since 2023’s Atomic City, released during their groundbreaking residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Bono emphasized, however, that the tone of Days of Ash differs sharply from the band’s forthcoming studio album, expected in late 2026:  “Songs of celebration will follow. For all the awfulness we see normalized daily on our small screens, there’s nothing normal about these mad and maddening times and we need to stand up to them before we can go back to having faith in the future. And each other.”

Watch the ‘Yours Eternally’ short film: HERE.

Stream ‘Days of Ash’ – HERE.

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A new documentary tracing the origins of the Red Hot Chili Peppers — and the lasting impact of founding guitarist Hillel Slovak — is headed to Netflix this spring. Before securing its streaming home, the documentary was screened at the Cannes Film Festival, followed by private showings in New York and Los Angeles.

The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, directed by Ben Feldman, will premiere March 20. The film revisits the band’s scrappy beginnings in the 1980s Los Angeles music scene, spotlighting the childhood bond between bassist Flea and singer Anthony Kiedis — a friendship that helped spark one of rock’s most enduring careers.

Drawing on interviews with founding members and those close to Slovak, the documentary explores how his creative vision shaped the group’s signature sound before his death from a drug overdose in 1988 at age 26. The film promises a rare, personal look at the relationships that defined the band’s identity long before global fame followed.

Feldman said in a statement: “It’s a true honor to partner with Netflix to bring The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers to a global audience. At its heart, this is a deeply relatable story — about the friendships that shape our identities and the lasting power of the bonds forged in adolescence. What’s less relatable, of course, is that here those friends went on to create one of the greatest rock bands in history. I’m profoundly grateful to the band and to Hillel’s family for their trust and generosity, and to Netflix for helping bring this story to the world stage.Red Hot Chili Peppers”

The band, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, most recently released Unlimited Love and Return of the Dream Canteen in 2022. Meanwhile, Flea is set to unveil his jazz-leaning solo debut, Honora, on March 27.

Editorial credit: L Paul Mann / Shutterstock.com

Rock legends Blues Traveler and Gin Blossoms have teamed up again for a co-headlining summer tour. The 35-date run set to kick off on Monday, July 6th, at the Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park, making stops in Los Angeles, CA and at New York City’s SummerStage in Central Park, before wrapping up on Saturday, September 19th. In addition, returning from last year’s lineup will be legendary alternative rock band Spin Doctors, commemorating this year the 35th anniversary of their multi-platinum debut, Pocket Full of Kryptonite. 

John Popper of Blues Traveler said in a statement: “It’s rare when a package feels so much like home that it carries a spirit which becomes tangible to an audience. That was the case — by all accounts — regarding our summer tour last year with Spin Doctors and Gin Blossoms. We grew up with Spin Doctors as pups in the same litter… ours is a shared origin story. But working with Gin Blossoms was a first. Their music was everywhere when we were coming up, and yet only last summer did we have the opportunity to learn how fun it is playing with them — and to discover how much energy our three bands put out in combination. So, we’ve decided to take this show everywhere we missed last year. We’re excited to bring it to you.”  Guitarist Chan Kinchla added: “Back by popular demand! We had such a blast last summer with Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors and all of you beautiful people that we decided to bring the tour to the half of the country we missed. Can’t wait for another amazing summer!”

Gin Blossoms vocalist Robin Wilson said: “Same tour 2 summers in a row. I’ve never even heard of this happening before. It is a testament to the strength of the lineup. We’re all friends, we’re gonna sell a lot of tickets, and it will be a blast,”  with guitarist Jesse Valenzuela adding: “Let’s do it again, part deux! Another summer of great music with our brothers in Blues Traveler and Spin Doctors.” Guitarist Scott Johnson noted, “Blues Traveler and Spin Doctors is the best package we have ever been a part of, something for everyone!”

Spin Doctor frontman Chris Barron also said: “We are absolutely stoked to hit the road this summer with our old pals and 90s cohorts Gin Blossoms and Blues Traveler. It’s gonna be epic. As far as I know, it’s pretty unprecedented for the same tour to go out two summers in a row. I’m glad it’s happening because it’s nice to know that while we were having a ball, the audiences were as well. For sure it’s gonna be the ticket of the summer.” Drummer Aaron Comess added: “We had so much fun last summer on this tour we’re doing it again. Get ready for lots more collaborations, hit songs, and killer jams.”

For tickets, head to Ticketmaster.com.   Visit the Blues Traveler website or the Gin Blossoms website for more information.

Editorial credit: Geoffrey Clowes / Shutterstock.com

Kid Rock has unveiled details of his “Freedom 250 Tour”, a headlining trek across the nation celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States.

The run begins May 1 in Dallas, Texas and features a 10-show schedule with additional stops in cities such as Raleigh, North Carolina, St. Louis, Missouri, and Tampa, Florida before wrapping June 20 in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania. Opening performances will come from Them Dirty Roses on selected dates, with supporting acts varying by date to include Brantley Gilbert, Parker McCollum, Jon Pardi, and Big & Rich.

The tour announcement arrives alongside Rock’s involvement in the traveling festival Rock the Country, a multi-city event also tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary. The festival lineup includes artists such as Jelly Roll, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and others.

The festival has sparked public debate since its launch, with several artists including Shinedown, Carter Faith, Morgan Wade, and Ludacris later withdrawing from the lineup, citing scheduling confusion or personal concerns. The withdrawal of Shinedown also led to logistical changes, including the cancellation of the originally planned Anderson, South Carolina, stop set for July 25–26, reducing the festival route to seven cities.

Rock himself has promoted the event as a patriotic gathering, saying, “Rock The Country isn’t just a music festival; it’s a movement… a place for hard-working, God-fearing patriots to gather as one.” Meanwhile, citics have described the festival as politically divisive, partly due to Rock’s public support of President Trump and similar messaging surrounding the tour.

For tickets and other information regarding the Freedom 250 Tour, head to Kid Rock’s website.

Editorial credit: Adam McCullough / Shutterstock.com