Just months after the release of their acclaimed album Rushmere, British folk-rock stalwarts Mumford & Sons are back with their sixth studio album, Prizefighter, out today, February 20th . The band—Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, and Ted Dwane—has delivered a 14-track collection that feels both like a triumphant homecoming and a bold step forward .

Reuniting with producer Aaron Dessner of The National at his Long Pond Studio in New York, the band crafted Prizefighter in a burst of creative energy . The result is an album that fully embraces their signature sound. After years of experimentation, the stomping beats, soaring harmonies, and the glorious return of the banjo are front and center once again . Tracks like "The Banjo Song" and "Run Together" are destined to become festival anthems, embodying the vintage Mumford energy that fills fields and stadiums .

What truly elevates Prizefighter is its impressive roster of collaborators. The album opens with the country-tinged "Here," a powerful duet with Chris Stapleton . Irish sensation Hozier lends his magic to the infectious first single, "Rubber Band Man" . Elsewhere, the band explores fresh dynamics with younger voices: Gigi Perez soars on the dramatic "Icarus," and Gracie Abrams brings a whispery intimacy to the standout track "Badlands" .

Lyrically, the album finds the band in a reflective yet hopeful state. From the tender parental ode "Conversation With My Son (Gangsters & Angels)" to the serene closer "Clover," there's a sense of hard-won peace . Marcus Mumford describes the band's current mindset perfectly: "We're comfortable in our skins these days... We're nowhere near done yet" .

With its rich blend of heartfelt songwriting, collaborative spirit, and rootsy energy, Prizefighter is a triumphant statement from a band hitting their creative prime.

Tracklist

1. Here (with Chris Stapleton)

2. Rubber Band Man (with Hozier)

3. The Banjo Song

4. Run Together

5. Conversation With My Son (Gangsters & Angels)

6. Alleycat

7. Prizefighter

8. Begin Again

9. Icarus (with Gigi Perez)

10. Stay

11. Badlands (with Gracie Abrams)

12. Shadow Of A Man

13. I'll Tell You Everything

14. Clover

Celebrated Austin roots-rock mainstays The Band of Heathens have officially released their 10th studio album, Country Sides, just in time to commemorate a monumental milestone: their 20th anniversary as a band. Out today, February 20, via their own BOH Records, the album serves as both a raucous celebration of their journey and a heartfelt thank you to the fans who have stuck with them through two decades of independent music-making .

Self-produced with longtime collaborator Jim Vollentine (known for his work with Spoon and Patty Griffin), Country Sides was tracked in just over a week at the band’s own studio, The Finishing School. The result is a collection that captures the raw, livewire energy the quintet is known for . As the title suggests, the album leans heavily into country territory—frontman Gordy Quist jokes that they "put more pedal steel on this record than we have with anything"—but it still delivers the greasy guitar licks, barroom piano, and soulful swagger that define their sound .

Lyrically, the album unintentionally evolved into a concept piece tracing the arc of a long-term relationship. Founding members Quist and Ed Jurdi reflect on the early days of wonderment, the challenges of a creative plateau, and a hard-won sense of resolution. "It is like any long-term relationship—everybody changes and has different seasons," Jurdi explains . Tracks like the swampy "Take The Cake" and the contemplative "Pleasing People" showcase a band comfortable in their skin, while the anthemic "Lead Don't Follow" doubles as a manifesto for their fiercely independent career .

The first single, "High On Our Own Supply," perfectly encapsulates the band’s current headspace. According to Jurdi, the song is about the joy of plugging into music and letting it sustain you . This theme of gratitude runs deep on Country Sides, which follows the band achieving their first platinum certification for the fan-favorite track "Hurricane" .

“We’re grateful to be 20 years into this and to have a fan base that has hopped on the creative journey with us wherever we have decided to turn,” says Quist. Ed Jurdi adds, “We’re in a really great space creatively after all these years. The songs reflect both our inner world and the stories living between the lines of our lives” .

Fans won’t have to wait long to hear the new material live. The band is currently on the road for their extensive Country Sides Tour, with upcoming stops in Chicago, Atlanta, New Orleans, and many more cities through April .

With Country Sides, The Band of Heathens prove that the main course is good, but sometimes the sides are what truly steal the show.

Tracklist :

1. No Direction 

2. High on Our Own Supply 

3. She's the Night 

4. Lead Don't Follow 

5. Forever's Not a Long Time 

6. Finish Something I Started 

7. Pleasing People 

8. Good as I Can Be 

9. Take the Cake 

10. Just as Much 

11. Letting Go 

Legendary Irish rockers U2 have surprised fans with the release of Days of Ash, a powerful six-track EP that arrived February 18—Ash Wednesday—via digital platforms . The collection marks the band's first new music since their 2023 single "Atomic City" and serves as a precursor to a full studio album expected later in 2026 .

Described as "an immediate response to current events," Days of Ash finds Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. doing what they've done for decades: confronting injustice through their art . The EP pays tribute to specific individuals whose lives were cut short, including a mother killed by ICE in Minnesota, an Iranian schoolgirl who died protesting, and a Palestinian teacher murdered in the West Bank .

Frontman Bono explained the urgency behind the release in a heartfelt statement: "These EP tracks couldn't wait; these songs were impatient to be out in the world. They are songs of defiance and dismay, of lamentation. Songs of celebration will follow, we're working on those now" .

The centerpiece "Yours Eternally" features British superstar Ed Sheeran and Ukrainian musician-turned-soldier Taras Topolia . Born from Bono and The Edge's impromptu 2022 subway performance in Kyiv, the song takes the form of a letter from a soldier on the frontlines . A companion documentary will arrive February 24, the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion .

The EP opens with "American Obituary," honoring Renée Good, a 37-year-old mother of three killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis this January . "Song of the Future" remembers 16-year-old Sarina Esmailzadeh, who died during Iran's Woman, Life, Freedom protests . "One Life at a Time" mourns Awdah Hathaleen, a Palestinian activist killed in the West Bank last July .

The collection also includes the meditative "The Tears of Things," imagining a conversation between Michelangelo's David and his creator while advocating for Israeli-Palestinian peace, and "Wildpeace," a poem by Israeli author Yehuda Amichai read by Nigerian artist Adeola over music by U2 and Jacknife Lee .

To accompany the release, U2 has rebooted their legendary fan magazine Propaganda with a 52-page digital and limited print edition titled "Six Postcards From the Present… Wish We Weren't There" . The band will make contributions to Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and the UN Refugee Agency .

Drummer Larry Mullen Jr., who missed the band's celebrated Sphere residency due to injury, affirms the music's quality: "I believe these new songs stand up to our best work" .

U2 - Days of Ash EP Tracklist:

1. American Obituary 

2. The Tears of Things 

3. Song of the Future 

4. Wildpeace – by Yehuda Amichai, read by Adeola, with music by U2 and Jacknife Lee 

5. One Life at a Time 

6. Yours Eternally (feat. Ed Sheeran & Taras Topolia) 

Americana favorites The Lone Bellow have released their sixth studio album, What a Time to Be Alive, out now via their own Burley Bellow Music in partnership with Thirty Tigers . The 12-track collection arrives just days before Valentine's Day, a fitting release date for an album so steeped in themes of love, friendship, and human connection .

The album marks a bold new chapter for the Nashville-by-way-of-Brooklyn trio. For the first time, founding members Zach Williams, Brian Elmquist, and Kanene Pipkin collaborated fully with their touring band—drummer Julian Dorio and multi-instrumentalist Tyler Geertsma—during the writing process . After a writing retreat at a converted firehouse in Henderson, Kentucky, the group traveled to the legendary Muscle Shoals, Alabama, to record live off the floor at Ivy Manor Studios . "People just sat at whatever instrument they were feeling, and then we'd jam until we had a song," Elmquist explains. "It felt like we were teenagers again playing in a garage" .

What makes the album's arrival so remarkable is the adversity the band overcame to create it. While on tour in Chicago, thieves broke into their van and stole equipment, clothes, and most devastatingly, a hard drive containing early mixes of the record . "We were actually mixing the record while we were on the road, and we lost a lot of the information," Williams recalls . When news of the theft broke, fans rallied immediately, raising $25,000 within hours to help the band replace their gear and return to the studio . "It's very humbling," says Pipkin, "but it's also very motivating. It pushed us to be even more honest, brave, and present" .

From the gritty, Stones-tinged opener "After the Rain" to the soul-stirring title track that closes the album, What a Time to Be Alive channels the ecstatic energy of the band's renowned live shows . Standouts include the stirring anthem "Common Folk," the intimate "You Were Leaving," and the band's long-requested studio version of the Bee Gees cover "Islands in the Stream," which has become a crowd favorite during live performances .

The album also showcases the band's willingness to experiment. "Staring at the Sun" injects unexpected humor into their typically serious lyrical approach, while "Say" contains only 18 words—a first for the band . Williams notes that the album represents a shift toward creating more space in their arrangements, allowing the music to breathe .

"This record encapsulates everything we love and respect about each other," says Williams. "It's a snapshot of the friendships we've built over the last decade-and-a-half, of how far we've come and how much we've grown" . With its themes of resilience and gratitude, What a Time to Be Alive stands as a testament to the enduring bond between the band and their devoted community .

The Lone Bellow is currently on tour in support of the album, with dates scheduled across the Midwest and beyond .

Tracklist:

1. After the Rain 

2. I Did It for Love 

3. You Were Leaving 

4. Common Folk 

5. No Getting Over You 

6. Say 

7. Staring at the Sun 

8. Night Goes Black 

9. Honeysuckle 

10. Islands in the Stream 

11. I'm Here for You 

12. What a Time to Be Alive 

In the living history of American music, Bob Weir represents something far greater than a guitarist or a founding member. He is the enduring keeper of a fundamental and resilient principle: the idea that music is a living organism, an infinite conversation, and a collective journey, not a destination. As the last surviving core member of the Grateful Dead, he is the final, direct bridge to the source of one of rock's most mythologized and communal adventures.

Weir was never a traditional lead guitarist. His genius lay in "the art of space." While Jerry Garcia wove lyrical, aerial melodies, Bob constructed the harmonic architecture. His playing—syncopated, jazzy, and rhythmically complex—provided the skeletal framework and the dynamic push for the band's improvisational explorations. He was the rhythmic engine that never repeated a pattern the same way, constantly nudging the group into the unknown during defining jams like "Dark Star" or "The Other One."

With the passing of Jerry Garcia in 1995, the Grateful Dead as a creative entity ended. But Bob Weir became the steward of the flame. Through subsequent projects like RatDog, Furthur, and the massively successful Dead & Company, he has tirelessly perpetuated and evolved the Dead's musical "source code." He ensured the songbook did not become a museum piece, but a living, breathing language spoken to new generations.

Today, at 78 years old , Weir's energy remains formidable with Wolf Bros and other ventures. His legacy is now actively carried forward by the vast community of Deadheads, his numerous collaborators, and the generations of musicians he inspired. The "long, strange trip" continues unabated.

Bob Weir holds the secret to that unique pulse, that improbable "feel" that made the Grateful Dead more than a band: a sonic ecosystem in perpetual motion. While the original heartbeat is his to remember, he has successfully passed on the conversation. The music lives eternally in recordings, in the hearts of fans, and in the next chord played by someone, somewhere, thanks to the boundless musical architecture he helped to build.

NOW PLAYING

Chris Rea (March 1951 – December 2025) remains one of the most distinctive and enduring voices in classic rock, and a cornerstone of the sound we proudly broadcast on K-SUN CLASSICS. Over a career spanning nearly five decades, Rea built a catalog defined by restraint, atmosphere, and an unmistakable blend of blues, rock, and road-worn storytelling.

Rea first gained international attention with Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? (1978), featuring the hit “Fool (If You Think It’s Over).” While that early success leaned toward soft rock, his true artistic identity emerged in the 1980s with albums such as Water Sign (1983), Shamrock Diaries (1985), and On the Beach (1986). These records introduced the elements that would define his sound: smoky guitar lines, mid-tempo grooves, and lyrics steeped in distance, memory, and travel.

The late 1980s and early 1990s marked Rea’s commercial and creative peak. The Road to Hell (1989) and Auberge (1991) are widely regarded as career highlights, producing enduring tracks like “Road to Hell,” “Texas,” and “Looking for the Summer.” These songs exemplify Rea’s gift for simplicity—minimalist arrangements that allow melody, mood, and narrative to carry the weight.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Rea turned increasingly toward the blues, releasing ambitious projects such as Blue Guitars (2005), a box set exploring multiple blues styles with remarkable depth and authenticity. Even later works retained his signature feel: reflective, grounded, and timeless.

Chris Rea’s discography is not about trends or excess. It is about consistency, craftsmanship, and songs built for long roads and late nights—exactly why his music continues to resonate with K-SUN CLASSICS listeners around the world.

Chris Rea – Studio Discography

• 1978 – Whatever Happened to Benny Santini?

• 1979 – Deltics

• 1980 – Tennis

• 1981 – Chris Rea

• 1983 – Water Sign

• 1984 – Wired to the Moon

• 1985 – Shamrock Diaries

• 1986 – On the Beach

• 1987 – Dancing with Strangers

• 1989 – The Road to Hell

• 1991 – Auberge

• 1993 – The Silencing

• 1994 – Espresso Logic

• 1996 – La Passione

• 1998 – The Blue Café

• 2000 – King of the Beach

• 2002 – Dancing Down the Stony Road

• 2003 – Road Songs for Lovers

• 2004 – Stony Road

• 2005 – Blue Guitars (11-disc blues collection)

• 2008 – The Return of the Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes

• 2009 – Still So Far to Go: The Best of Chris Rea (includes new material)

• 2011 – Santo Spirito Blues

• 2014 – The Road to Hell & Back

• 2017 – Road Songs for Lovers

• 2019 – One Fine Day

Alright, rock fans — buckle up, because the Rolling Stones’ Black and Blue just got the deluxe treatment it’s always deserved. This Super Deluxe 4 CD + Blu-ray box set is a full-on celebration of a 1976 album that marked a major turning point: it’s the first record where Ronnie Wood really settles in as a full member, weaving his guitar into the Stones’ fabric.

Now, some critics—especially back in the day—raised eyebrows when Black and Blue leaned more into grooves, jams, and soulful experimentation than straightforward rock & roll. But let’s be real: that’s part of what makes it so damn fun. The set includes a fresh 2025 mix by Steven Wilson, giving the album new clarity and punch.

CD 2 brings previously unreleased outtakes and jams — think steamy sessions like I Love Ladies, Shame, Shame, Shame, and improvisational jams with Jeff Beck. It’s like being backstage in ’76, without the cigarette smoke (we hope).

CDs 3 and 4 deliver the live goods: a full Earls Court 1976 show, with songs like Honky Tonk Women, Fool to Cry, Midnight Rambler, and more. The Blu-ray rounds it out with high-res stereo, a Dolby Atmos mix of the album, live TV footage from Paris, plus the Earls Court concert — all remixed for a modern sonic punch.

And, because the Stones know about style points, the box set comes with a 100-page hardcover book filled with rare photos and a thoughtful essay by Stones expert Paul Sexton, plus a Paris concert poster.

So, sure, Black and Blue might not always hit you with fist-pumping riffs — but sometimes the best Stones moment is just feeling the groove. This super deluxe edition isn’t just a reissue: it’s a deep dive into that experimental spirit, capturing a band in transition — and having a hell of a good time doing it.

If The Hurting was a deep dive into emotional storms, Songs from the Big Chair is the moment Tears for Fears stepped out of the rain, shook themselves off, and decided to turn therapy into chart-topping magic. Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith were still inspired by primal scream ideas, but this time the result felt more like a musical exhale than a breakdown.

The band moved far beyond the “synth-pop” label that stuck to their debut like gum on a sneaker. Instead, they delivered a richer, warmer, more expansive sound. With the help of keyboardist Ian Stanley, their songwriting jumped to a whole new level, mixing soulfulness, emotional honesty, and hooks strong enough to lift anyone’s mood. Every track has its purpose, like pieces of a puzzle that finally snaps together.

And let’s talk hits. This album didn’t just make waves, it brought a tidal surge to radio. Shout blasted in with its anthemic stomp, daring listeners to let it all out. Head Over Heels shimmered with pure pop sweetness. And Everybody Wants to Rule the World? That song didn’t just capture the mid-’80s vibe, it bottled it, gift-wrapped it, and sent it straight into music history. Dreamy, catchy, timeless — it’s no mystery why it’s still a staple on Classic Hits & More Radio playlists.

Some critics once thought the band took themselves too seriously, but listening today, the album just feels honest, confident, and downright irresistible. It’s a rare mix: commercially massive, artistically bold, and emotionally resonant.

Songs from the Big Chair isn’t just one of the best albums of the ’80s — it’s one of those records that never gets old, no matter how many times you spin it.

And yes, you’ll hear all these gems right here on Classic Hits & More Radio.

In 1975, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy hit number one straight out of the gate, the first album ever to debut at the top of the Billboard charts. For Elton John and Bernie Taupin, it wasn’t just another record, it was their story, told in music. A semi-autobiographical concept album tracing their climb from struggling songwriters to international fame, Captain Fantastic marked both a creative peak and a turning point.

The magic lies in how seamlessly it all fits together. From the swaggering rock of “Tower of Babel” and “Bitter Fingers” to the wistful introspection of “Someone Saved My Life Tonight,” every track feels connected, a full-circle reflection on ambition, friendship, and the price of chasing the dream. Taupin’s lyrics are some of his sharpest, poetic and self-aware, while Elton’s melodies flex from country twang to glam-rock punch without missing a beat. It’s less a collection of singles than a true album, designed to be experienced from start to finish.

The 2025 reissue brings Captain Fantastic back into focus, remastered and expanded with rare extras, classic singles like “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” and “Philadelphia Freedom,” six never-before-heard session demos, and seven songs from a 2005 live show. Fifty years later, Captain Fantastic still feels like the sound of two artists in perfect sync, capturing lightning in a bottle and telling the world exactly who they were.

The ghosts of 1982 just got louder.

In 1982, Bruce Springsteen sat alone in a small New Jersey bedroom, hit record on a four-track cassette, and accidentally changed the shape of American songwriting. Now, more than forty years later, that moment gets the treatment it deserves with Nebraska ’82: Expanded Edition, a deep dive into the shadows and brilliance of Nebraska.

This new five-disc box set (4LP/Blu-ray or 4CD/Blu-ray) goes way beyond the original. It includes 17 extra recordings, most of them unheard until now, including the mythical Electric Nebraska sessions with the full E Street Band. There’s also a 2025 remaster that brings new warmth to those lonely cassette takes, and a new concert film capturing Springsteen performing the album front to back at New Jersey’s Count Basie Theatre.

One highlight is the early, raw version of “Born in the U.S.A.”, first born from the same haunted soil as Nebraska. “We played it like punk rockabilly,” Springsteen said, “trying to drag Nebraska into the electric world.”

The expanded set also unearths long-whispered demos like “Losin’ Kind,” “Child Bride,” and “Downbound Train,” songs that would later echo across his career.

Paired with Deliver Me From Nowhere, the new Scott Cooper film starring Jeremy Allen White as the Boss, this release doesn’t just revisit Nebraska, it lets us step back inside it, dusty tapes, dim light, and all that quiet magic.

Already in the Classic Hits playlist.

When the journey turns inward.

Brandi Carlile has been everywhere these past few years, producing Grammy-winning albums, singing with her heroes, even sharing an Oscar nod with Elton John. But on her new record, Returning To Myself, she takes a rare detour inward, trading big stages for quiet rooms and bright lights for bare honesty.

It’s her first solo album since In These Silent Days (2021), and maybe her most personal yet. Ten songs, no filler, just Carlile surrounded by people who get her: Andrew Watt, Aaron Dessner, Justin Vernon, Phil and Tim Hanseroth, SistaStrings, and more. Together they’ve built something raw, tender, and human.

The title isn’t a victory cry, it’s an uneasy confession. “Returning to myself isn’t something I want to do,” she admits. “It’s lonely. It’s boring. And that’s exactly why I need to.” That push-and-pull between solitude and connection runs through every lyric, every breath.

From her roots in rural Washington to life on the road with her family, Carlile writes like someone trying to make peace with stillness. The sound of gravel under tires, the hush between two people breathing, that’s where her stories live now.

Returning To Myself feels less like a comeback and more like a quiet arrival, Brandi Carlile, unguarded, unhurried, and completely at home in her own heart.

Now spinning on Classic Hits

A smooth turn down jazz’s side streets.

Boz Scaggs takes the scenic route on Detour, his first album in seven years — and what a ride it is. Teaming up with pianist Seth Asarnow, Scaggs delivers a stripped-down, soulful trip through the Great American Songbook, full of warmth, ease, and quiet surprises.

“It all started casually,” Boz says. “I didn’t plan to make a record — I just wanted to sing these songs I’ve always loved.” But what began as a relaxed session turned into something deeply personal. The set drifts between the familiar — Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald — and the unexpected — Irma Thomas, Lonnie Johnson — blending eras with the kind of grace only a seasoned voice can pull off.

Scaggs doesn’t imitate; he inhabits. His voice, worn and wise, turns every phrase into a conversation. The opener, Allen Toussaint’s “It’s Raining,” is pure late-night magic — just piano, space, and soul. Every track feels like a moment shared, not performed.

Fans of Silk Degrees or Lowdown will find that same golden touch here, only in a softer, jazz-lit glow. Detour isn’t about perfection — it’s about feel. It’s Boz and Seth, two artists savoring the simple beauty of playing.

Sometimes the best roads are the quiet ones.

Take the Detour — now playing on Classic Hits.

When great voices meet, the magic happens.

Chrissie Hynde has always done things her own way — and her new project Duets Special proves it once again. Released under the name Chrissie Hynde & Pals, the album is a stripped-down, soulful collection of songs built on melody, emotion, and pure connection.

She’s joined by a dream lineup — Rufus Wainwright, k.d. lang, Mark Lanegan, Lucinda Williams, Cat Power, Dave Gahan, Brandon Flowers, Debbie Harry, and Shirley Manson. The first single, a beautiful version of “Always On My Mind” featuring Rufus Wainwright, sets the tone — intimate, timeless, and full of heart.

The project began almost by accident — just a casual phone chat that turned into something real. “It started as something fun and unplanned,” Chrissie says. From there came a handwritten list of songs and an open invitation to friends who share her love of great melodies.

Each duet brings its own vibe — haunting, warm, or quietly powerful — all carried by Hynde’s unmistakable voice. Following The Pretenders’ Relentless and her acclaimed live shows, Duets Special keeps her creative fire burning bright.

No nostalgia here — just artists connecting, soul to soul, song to song.

Listen, feel, and rediscover the art of the duet on Classic Hits.

John Lodge, the celebrated bassist and vocalist of the iconic British rock band The Moody Blues, has died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 82. His family announced on October 10 that he peacefully slipped away surrounded by loved ones and the sounds of The Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly. No cause of death has been reported. Lodge's passing marks the end of a remarkable six-decade career that helped shape the sound of progressive and orchestral rock.

Birmingham-born Lodge joined The Moody Blues in 1966, two years after the band's formation, alongside fellow singer Justin Hayward. This lineup would go on to create some of the most enduring music of the psychedelic and progressive rock era. Lodge penned some of the band's most memorable songs, including "Ride My See-Saw" and "Isn't Life Strange", which showcased his distinctive bass playing and melodic sensibility. His contributions were instrumental in developing the band's signature orchestral sound that blended rock with classical elements, influencing countless musicians who followed.

Beyond his work with The Moody Blues, Lodge maintained an active solo career, releasing albums including Natural Avenue (1977), 10,000 Light Years Ago (2018), and Days of Future Passed – My Sojourn (2023), with his most recent EP Love Conquers All released earlier this year. He continued to tour throughout 2024 and 2025, demonstrating his enduring passion for performing. As a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Lodge leaves behind a rich musical legacy and is survived by his wife Kirsten, daughter Emily, son Kristian, and extended family members.

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram isn’t just carrying the blues forward — he’s steering it into a brand-new lane with confidence, personality, and the kind of fire that makes you stop what you’re doing and listen. With Hard Road, the 26-year-old guitar phenom blends blues tradition with rock muscle, funk bounce, soulful depth, and smooth R&B flavors. It’s his most personal album yet, and you can hear the intention in every riff, every lyric, every breath.

Recorded for his brand-new label, Red Zero Records, the album finds Kingfish fully in charge of his sound. Teaming up with Ric Whitney, Patrick “Guitar Boy” Hayes, Nick Goldston, and longtime collaborator Tom Hambridge, he builds a landscape that stretches far beyond the Delta dirt he grew up on while still honoring the roots that shaped him. From the hypnotic groove of “S.S.S.” to the spiritual stomp of “Crosses,” and the stripped-down honesty of “Memphis,” the record moves wide and hits deep.

Kingfish makes it clear: this album isn’t just about guitar fireworks. “I’ve always wanted my voice and songwriting to stand right next to the guitar,” he says — and he delivers. Tracks like “Clearly” and “Hard To Love” show a young artist grappling with sacrifice, identity, and the weight of a life lived on the road.

Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, he shocked the blues world with his 2019 debut Kingfish, which ruled the Billboard Blues chart for an incredible 91 weeks. His follow-up, 662, earned him a Grammy and proved he wasn’t a one-album wonder. Then came Live in London, another explosive moment that brought yet another Grammy nomination.

Launching his own label marks a new chapter. It’s not just creative freedom — it’s a chance to lift up other emerging blues artists who haven’t had the same opportunities. “We’re just trying to be that helping hand,” he says.

With Hard Road, Kingfish isn’t just evolving — he’s inspiring a new generation to step into the blues and feel the real thing.

Back in 1974, Genesis was cookin’ up something weird, wild, and wonderful—The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. But with Peter Gabriel writing an entire surreal story about a New York street kid named Rael, tensions were high, especially between him and Tony Banks. Add a stressful pregnancy at home and a side flirtation with a Hollywood director, and Gabriel was basically one foot out the door. Fast forward 50 years, and surprise: the big, fancy anniversary box set got delayed—but not from band drama this time (maybe), just some technical hiccups. All good now, and both Gabriel and Banks are credited as “supervisors” on the new Dolby Atmos and hi-res audio mixes. What could possibly go wrong this time, right?

So, what do you get? Basically, a sonic overhaul that makes the original album sound like it just came back from a luxury spa. This thing breathes. You’ve got swirling keyboards, raw emotion, insane guitar licks, and vocals that shift from tender to totally unhinged in seconds. The whole double album feels like a fever dream scored by a prog-rock orchestra. Plus, they've thrown in a remastered live show from '75, unreleased demos, a chunky photo book, and even a replica tour program and ticket for the full fan experience. It’s part museum piece, part space opera, part “What the heck is going on?”—and that’s exactly why fans love it.

Critics called it “pretentious” back in the day (which, to be fair, it kind of is), but it still climbed the UK charts and went gold in the US. Now, with all five classic members finally on the same page—miracle!—the 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition is here to blow new minds and rewire old ones. Whether you’re a long-time fan or just discovering the magic of talking lamias and supernatural anesthetists, this is Genesis at their most gloriously weird. And yeah… it was totally worth the 50-year wait.

Iconic stages don’t come much more legendary than Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium—the “Mother Church of Country Music.” But London’s Royal Albert Hall isn’t far behind. With a capacity of 5,272, the Albert Hall is more than twice the size of the Ryman, and British country fans filled every seat on Friday night as the Grand Ole Opry made its international debut, 100 years into its existence. The broadcast-taped Oct. 4 BBC2 special featured Opry members Marty Stuart, Luke Combs, Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce, and Darius Rucker, joined by UK guests Breabach and Mumford & Sons.

Inside the storied hall, the energy was electric: pockets of fans in snappy Western shirts and others in bold cowboy hats—think goth-meets-my‑Chemical Romance at a Halloween show. Back in Nashville, they’d be tourists; here, they were craving a piece of Americana they’d waited a century to hear. Ten minutes before showtime, the venue rang with a singalong to “Take Me Home, Country Roads” blasting through the PA. Then, with a roar, Darius Rucker kicked things off with a blazing version of “Wagon Wheel”—a moment that felt fit for a thousand Nashville bachelorette parties and more.

Paul McCartney opened his 2025 North American tour with a last‑minute warmup gig at the Santa Barbara Bowl in California on Friday night. He kicked things off by performing the Beatles classic “Help!” in full for the first time since 1965.

The Santa Barbara Bowl holds just 4,562 people—about a quarter of the size of the arenas he’ll play on the rest of the run. The show was announced only two weeks ago and sold out within minutes, with fans required to lock their phones in Yondr pouches for the night. That’s why no full video of “Help!” has surfaced online yet. One enterprising fan did shoot about 30 seconds of the song during soundcheck, giving a rough sense of how it sounded.

McCartney last staged only a portion of “Help!” during the final leg of his 1989–90 Flowers in the Dirt tour, when he performed a medley of John Lennon songs that included snippets of “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Give Peace a Chance.” The “Help!” segment at that time lasted under a minute. He hadn’t played the song in full since December 12, 1965, at the Capitol Theatre in Cardiff, Wales.

The revival of “Help!” is notable because McCartney usually avoids Beatles songs primarily written by John Lennon. “When ‘Help!’ came out in ’65, I was actually crying out for help,” Lennon told Playboy in 1980. “Most people think it’s just a fast rock ’n’ roll song. I didn’t realize it at the time; I just wrote the song because I was commissioned to write it for the movie Help!. But later, I knew I really was crying out for help. It was my fat Elvis period…I was fat and depressed and I was crying out for help.”

There weren’t a lot of other surprises in McCartney’s Santa Barbara set. The program leaned hard on Beatles staples like “Getting Better,” “Lady Madonna,” “Hey Jude,” and “Helter Skelter,” alongside Wings favorites such as “Jet,” “Live and Let Die,” and “Let Me Roll It,” plus solo picks like “My Valentine,” “Coming Up,” and “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty‑Five.” He also dropped the “new” Beatles track “Now and Then,” and delivered a virtual duet with John Lennon on “I’ve Got a Feeling” using footage from the 1969 Apple rooftop performance.

The tour continues Monday night at the Acrisure Arena in Thousand Palms, California. If “Help!” stays in the set, we can expect more footage to surface online soon after the show wraps.