Month: April 2026

Pittsburgh is gearing up for the 2026 NFL Draft with a free, three-day Entertainment Series from April 23–25 at the Draft Theater next to Acrisure Stadium. The event, presented by Bud Light, will feature major performances as part of the city’s Draft celebrations, with entry available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Country star Kane Brown, Pittsburgh-born rapper Wiz Khalifa, and rock icon Bret Michaels will headline the series. The festivities kick off with a performance of the national anthem by Pittsburgh-native, jazz-trained musician KELS, accompanied by the James Weldon Johnson Foundation’s National Hymn Choir and The Heritage Gospel Chorale of Pittsburgh, conducted by Grammy Award-winner Dr. Jeffery Redding.

Wiz Khalifa and Bret Michaels take the stage on April 24 at 5:15 p.m., just before rounds 2 and 3 of the Draft. “Coming home to Pittsburgh for the Draft is pretty special,” said Wiz Khalifa. “This city raised me, and the energy here is different. Being back with the fans and representing the city in a moment like this just feels right.”

Bret Michaels added, “I cannot be more honored, excited and fired up to be asked to perform at the Pittsburgh 2026 Draft on Friday night. As a Pittsburgh native and a diehard fan of the Steelers, the NFL and all things Pittsburgh, this is a dream come true.”

Kane Brown will close the series on April 25 after the Draft selections. “The Draft is one of those weekends where you can feel how much the game means to people,” Brown said. “Fans, players, the whole city, everyone’s part of it. Being here for that is going to be unforgettable.”

Fans hoping to attend the free performances are advised to arrive early, as standing room is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Collective Soul is set to debut a brand-new album, Touch and Go, arriving exclusively at independent record stores for Record Store Day on Saturday, April 18. The release will not initially be available outside participating shops, with no confirmed plans for a wider rollout.

The 10-track record marks a notable shift in sound for the band, blending their signature style with clear inspiration from The Cars and the broader New Wave genre. Touch and Go will be pressed on 180-gram colored vinyl and packaged with a 12”x24” poster, making it a collectible for longtime listeners.

Frontman Ed Roland shared his enthusiasm, saying, “We’re excited for everyone to hear our new album Touch and Go. It has a New Wave sound. You can get it on Record Store Day and we appreciate your love and support!”

The band—also featuring Dean Roland, Will Turpin, Jesse Triplett, and Johnny Rabb—continues to evolve decades into their career. Known for hits like “Shine,” “December,” and “The World I Know,” they’ve sold more than 15 million albums worldwide and earned multiple Gold and Platinum certifications.

Beyond new music, the group recently released a documentary, Give Me A Word: The Collective Soul Story, which explores their journey, creative process, and family dynamic. Filmed during sessions at Elvis Presley’s historic Palm Springs estate, the project blends behind-the-scenes recording footage with archival moments from their early days through today.

On the road, Collective Soul remains active, having just completed a Las Vegas residency and gearing up for more U.S. tour dates this summer, along with appearances on major events like the “Summer of ’99 and Beyond Cruise.” For tour info head HERE.

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A new collaboration between the Goo Goo Dolls and electronic music producer Steve Aoki is giving the band’s legendary hit “Iris” a fresh spin for a new generation of listeners. The updated version transforms the emotional rock ballad into a high-energy dance track built for massive festival crowds, blending the song’s familiar intensity with Aoki’s electronic production style.

The partnership began unexpectedly at the 2025 Stagecoach festival, when Aoki invited Goo Goo Dolls frontman John Rzeznik onstage to perform the song together. The crowd’s reaction was immediate and overwhelming, turning the moment into one of the standout highlights of the weekend. Inspired by the response, Aoki later brought the track into the studio to create a version designed specifically for live festival sets while still honoring the spirit of the original.

Rzeznik said in a statement: “Joining Steve onstage during his Stagecoach set was an unforgettable moment. The energy from the crowd was remarkable and the mixture of our two genres was amazing to witness live. We’re thrilled to release this new version of ‘Iris’ with Steve and share that magic moment with our fans around the world.”

Aoki said the experience convinced him the song could take on a new life in a different musical setting: “Performing ‘Iris’ live with Goo Goo Dolls at Stagecoach was one of those rare, unforgettable moments. You could feel the connection everyone had to the song, but also this incredible rush as we brought it into a completely different environment. That feeling stayed with me, and I knew we had to take it into the studio and build a version designed for festival stages, while preserving the heart of the original.”

Originally released in 1998 for the film City of Angels starring Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan, “Iris” has remained one of the most recognizable rock songs of its era. Nearly three decades later, it continues to reach new audiences. The track has accumulated more than 5.5 billion streams worldwide, including over 1 billion streams in 2025 alone. Its renewed popularity has also been fueled by viral moments on TikTok and strong chart performance on Spotify’s U.S. and Global Daily rankings.

See the video for the ‘Iris’ remix: HERE.
Stream: HERE.

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Nine Inch Nails are set to drop ‘Nine Inch Noize’ on Friday, April 17 via Interscope Records, unveiling a bold, electronic-leaning rework of their catalog created alongside producer Boys Noize.

The 12-track project reshapes familiar material into a cohesive live-inspired experience, mirroring the group’s Coachella setlist. Among the songs revisited are “Closer,” “Came Back Haunted,” “Copy of A,” “Heresy,” “She’s Gone Away,” and “Vessel,” along with “As Alive as You Need Me to Be” from the Tron: Ares soundtrack. The album also branches out with a fresh take on “Parasite” by How to Destroy Angels and a cover of Soft Cell’s “Memorabilia.”

The collaboration brings together Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross with Boys Noize, while Mariqueen Maandig joins the lineup for live performances.  Frontman Trent Reznor shares:  “The creative fulfillment of working on the Challengers and Tron scores with Boys Noize led me to think that including him in the Peel It Back Tour could be an interesting way to express NIN in more purely electronic terms live – a concept I’ve wanted to explore for some time. The result was so much fun for us we felt it was worth expanding and formalizing in some way. On a whim, I mentioned it would be cool to play a whole set as Nine Inch Noize in the Sahara tent at Coachella. Careful what you wish for…the next thing I knew we were designing a whole new show to present in the way it deserved. There’s no surprise tour announcement – this Saturday is it. I’m taking Sunday off and excited to be working on new Nine Inch Nails music Monday – I’ll see you when I come up for air. We recorded this album all over the place – some of it’s live, some in studios, hotels, planes, etc. We had a lot of fun revisiting these songs and hope you enjoy. Listen LOUD.”

Following their Coachella performance, Reznor indicated his focus will shift back to creating new Nine Inch Nails material, signaling that ‘Nine Inch Noize’ is both a creative detour and a bridge to what comes next.

Presave Nine Inch Noize – HERE.

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The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has unveiled its 2026 inductees, with the announcement made live during American Idol by Ryan Seacrest and Lionel Richie. This year’s selections highlight a wide-ranging mix of influential artists across genres, along with notable figures honored for their broader impact on music.

Leading the Performer Category are Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan. Collins earns a second induction, having previously been recognized as part of Genesis. Notably, Collins, Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan were all first-time nominees, while several others had been considered in prior years before finally securing a spot.

Additional honors extend beyond performers. Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Gram Parsons will receive the Early Influence Award. The Musical Excellence Award goes to Linda Creed, Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller, and Rick Rubin, while legendary television host Ed Sullivan is being recognized with the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

“Induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is music’s highest honor. We look forward to celebrating these remarkable artists at this year’s ceremony – it’s going to be an unforgettable night,” said chairman John Sykes.

To qualify for induction, artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years prior to nomination. While several acts broke through this year, others—including New Edition, P!nk, INXS, The Black Crowes, Jeff Buckley, Shakira, Lauryn Hill, Melissa Etheridge, and Mariah Carey—did not make the final cut. Carey, in particular, remains among a small group of artists with multiple nominations but no induction.

The ceremony is scheduled for November 14, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, and will later air in December on ABC and Disney+ (with the event set to return to Cleveland in 2027.) Ticket details are expected to be announced at a later date.

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