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.

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.

Whiskey Myers, the six‑piece Texas band, keeps climbing with their seventh album, Whomp Whack Thunder. Recorded in Nashville with Grammy‑winning producer Jay Joyce, the record delivers a high‑voltage blend of blues‑rock and gospel‑tinged country soul, rooted in the band's distinct Southern spirit. Joyce pushes them out of their comfort zone, yielding songs that feel both raw and personal—songs like Time Bomb, Tailspin, and Midnight Woman, the latter pushing into bigger rock territory while still carrying their signature groove. The lineup—Cody Cannon on vocals, John Jeffers and Cody Tate on guitars, Jamey Gleaves on bass, Jeff Hogg on drums, and Tony Kent on percussion—drives every track with a mix of gritty blues, swaggering rock, and soulful strains. True to their indie stance, Whiskey Myers isn’t chasing trends; they’re delivering a record that sounds like a Whiskey Myers record—perhaps their boldest and most fearless album yet.

Robert Plant’s Saving Grace isn’t a single album so much as a long-gestating roots revival. Born during the pandemic and developed over six years with a tight group of collaborators, the project blends blues, folk, gospel, and country into a fresh set of ten reimagined songs—plus a hypnotic take on Gospel Plough. Plant and the band produced the record themselves, recording from 2019 through early 2025 in the English countryside, with voices ranging from Memphis Minnie to Low. He describes Saving Grace as “a song book for the lost and found,” proof that roots music can be living, breathing, and continually renewed.

Buckingham Nicks, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham’s 1973 duo album, arrived quietly in September 1973 and burned slowly rather than exploding. Recorded at Sound City in LA with Keith Olsen, it features ten tracks that blend folk-rock shimmer, intimate acoustic moments, and California swagger, backed by session players like Waddy Wachtel, Jim Keltner, Gary Hodges, and Peggy Sandvig. The nude cover became legendary, echoing the raw openness of the music. Though it was a commercial dud and quickly dropped, its influence was huge: Mick Fleetwood heard a track and invited Buckingham to join Fleetwood Mac, with Nicks along, changing rock history. Long sought after, Buckingham Nicks has now been remastered from the original analog masters and reissued on CD, vinyl, and digital, with new liner notes by David Fricke and special vinyl bundles.

Well, well, well… Led Zeppelin’s turning back the clock and cranking the volume to eleven! To celebrate the big five-oh of their legendary sixth album Physical Graffiti, the band is dropping a brand-new Live E.P., available today (yep, September 12) on 180-gram 12″ vinyl, CD, and digital. Because let’s be honest—if you’re gonna revisit rock history, you might as well do it in style. And while they're at it, they’re also re-releasing the 2015 Deluxe Edition 3LP with a shiny new twist: a bonus replica promo poster for you to proudly hang in your jam room (or, you know, your kitchen—no judgment).

Now let’s talk tracks, because this E.P. is stacked. We’ve got thunderous live recordings straight from Earl’s Court ‘75 (“In My Time of Dying” and “Trampled Under Foot”) and Knebworth ‘79 (“Sick Again” and the mighty “Kashmir”)—all previously seen on DVD back in 2003, but now finally making their way to vinyl, CD, and digital for the very first time. These shows were legendary. Think epic solos, sweaty crowds, and enough guitar power to light up a small country. Bonus: Physical Graffiti itself? It’s a beast of a double album—17x platinum, critically adored, and filled with everything from funky grooves to mystical rock journeys. Jimmy Page basically used his home studio like a wizard’s lab and came out with gold.

And yeah, they had range. “Trampled Under Foot” makes you wanna dance, “Kashmir” makes you wanna meditate, and “Custard Pie” is just delicious chaos. With leftover gems from earlier sessions sprinkled in, Physical Graffiti was a wild mixtape of Zeppelin’s most adventurous sounds. And let’s not forget those sold-out nights at Earl’s Court in ’75 and their triumphant return at Knebworth in ’79. As John Paul Jones put it: this album? It was probably the pinnacle. So whether you're reliving your glory days or discovering Zep for the first time, now’s the perfect time to dive back into Physical Graffiti. Crank it up and annoy your neighbors—they’ll thank you later.

LED ZEPPELIN / LIVE E.P. Tracklisting:
CD / digital
1. In My Time Of Dying (Earl’s Court – 1975)
2. Trampled Under Foot (Earl’s Court – 1975)
3. Sick Again (Knebworth – 1979)
4. Kashmir (Knebworth – 1979)

12″ Vinyl
Side One: Earl’s Court – 1975
1. In My Time Of Dying
2. Trampled Under Foot

Side Two: Knebworth – 1979
1. Sick Again
2. Kashmir

The updated 50^th Anniversary version of the Physical Graffiti Deluxe Edition 3LP vinyl set (featuring the 2015 Remastered double album plus Companion Audio disc) on 180-gram black vinyl, now with a bonus replica poster (sized 443mm x 610mm) is out now
https://lz.lnk.to/PG50A

Brian Wilson, the visionary songwriter and co-founder of The Beach Boys who created the soundtrack to America's California dreaming, has died at age 82. His family announced his passing on Instagram, saying "We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away."

Wilson was the principal creative force behind The Beach Boys, whose early hits embodied the fantasy of California as a paradise of beautiful youth, fast cars and endless surf, making them the most popular American rock group of the 1960s. His groundbreaking album "Pet Sounds" revolutionized pop music and influenced countless artists, including The Beatles.

Beyond The Beach Boys, Wilson pursued a successful solo career, releasing acclaimed albums including "That Lucky Old Sun" (2008) and "No Pier Pressure" (2015). He collaborated with notable artists throughout his career, working with Van Dyke Parks on the legendary "SMiLE" sessions and later completing the project in 2004. His partnerships with lyricists like Tony Asher on "Pet Sounds" and his work with contemporary artists demonstrated his enduring creative spirit.

Wilson had been living with dementia, with his family filing for conservatorship in 2024 citing his "major neurocognitive disorder."

K-SUN CLASSICS "THE ROAD RADIO" has been honoring Wilson's musical legacy since its creation in 2009, regularly featuring his songs both with The Beach Boys and from his solo career, including tracks from "That Lucky Old Sun" and "No Pier Pressure."

He leaves behind a legacy as one of pop music's greatest songwriters and innovators, whose harmonies and melodies continue to define the sound of American summer.

There’s a tendency to think of Paul McCartney’s solo albums as outlets where the musician stands alone. Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, released in September 2005, reads as the inverted certainty: McCartney chooses Nigel Godrich, the producer known for shaping the sounds of major figures in modern rock, to give life to a voice that’s more intimate and taut than the one heard on his earlier solo records. The gamble is ambitious, the result nuanced, and the album has become, for many, one of the most coherent milestones in McCartney’s post‑Beatles catalog.

A collaborative context that changes the game
Since Give My Regards to Broad Street (1984), McCartney had often carried the weight of his projects by himself. Chaos and Creation in the Backyard breaks with that habit by inviting Godrich, a prominent figure in the alternative scene, to inject a different gestural and sonic discipline. This collaboration isn’t about a simple handover of roles; it’s productive creative tension. McCartney remains the beating heart of the album, but Godrich pushes him to step out of comfort zones and explore more nuanced, quieter textures without slipping into decorative academicism.

The artistic approach: simplicity and a search for modernity without gimmicks
The stated objective is clear: unfold a musicality that privileges melody and emotion without hiding behind artifices of artificial modernity or purely technical experiments. McCartney aims to “stay truly simple, truly straight, truly me.” That direction translates into stripped‑down arrangements that let the songs breathe while offering unexpected depth. The duo avoids the traps of a McCartney II or an album overly centered on the producer’s ego; instead, it becomes a true co‑writing effort where electro‑acoustic elements mingle with more elaborate touches.

The sound and the songs: from intentional minimalism to measured orchestration
Chaos and Creation in the Backyard favors acoustic textures and a tight, intimate sound, but it’s not “archive folk.” The production maintains a softness that brings out details often overlooked on more expansive records. McCartney handles nearly all the instruments, from guitar and piano to harpsichord and a duduk on certain tracks, giving the impression of orchestral intimacy. The textures feel delicate, the melodies clear, and even when the arrangement grows, it does so without chasing technical showmanship at the expense of emotion.

Notable arrangement discoveries
One of the album’s strengths lies in subtle touches that reveal real arranging craft: the duduk on Jenny Wren adds an Asian/folk color that gives the track welcome freshness; the strings are used sparingly but with precision, reminding us how well McCartney can inhabit his material without overemphasizing parts. This approach also demonstrates a capacity to trim the décor without cutting the soul from the songs: this isn’t gratuitous minimalism, it’s intentional minimalism.

The studio dynamic: tensions and motivations
Tensions are present, but they serve the bigger purpose. Godrich pushes McCartney toward more experimental directions, sometimes at the expense of familiar rhythm and structure. McCartney, used to near‑total control of his projects, must learn to share creative space and accept challenges that might challenge his usual command. This friction is palpable in the studio narratives: it gives rise to more reflective music, where every decision is weighed not to impress, but to serve the song.

Critical reception and impact
Upon release, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard is frequently hailed as one of McCartney’s strongest solo efforts and as proof that ingenuity can arise without renouncing the artist’s identity. Critics praise its internal coherence, emotional intimacy, and maturity, while noting at times a certain reticence in experimentation compared with other periods in McCartney’s orbit. For many, the album confirms that McCartney can stay relevant without overplaying modernity, and that a balance between comfort and risk can yield results worthy of a contemporary classic.

Legacy and musical memory
Chaos and Creation in the Backyard stands as a reference point in McCartney’s career: it shows that a person can keep reinventing himself while staying true to his identity, without abandoning musical exploration. The album is often cited as an example of how a mature artist can approach pop‑rock with a craft‑oriented yet decidedly modern approach, blending simplicity with orchestral subtlety. For fans and critics, it’s also tangible proof that well‑thought collaborations can renew a voice that has traversed several decades of popular music.

Van Morrison is thrilled to announce his brand new album, 'Remembering Now' out June 13th. This highly anticipated release features 14 orginal tracks, opening with the radiant 'Down To Joy', first featured in Kenneth Branagh's Oscar winning film Belfast (2021).
Blending soul, jazz, blues, folk, and country, the album revisits classic Van Morrison themes with fresh, heartfelt compositions.

Marianne Faithfull, the British singer and actress known for her hits in the 1960s and her remarkable career resurgence in the late 1970s, passed away on January 30, 2025, at the age of 78. Her spokesperson confirmed her peaceful passing in London, surrounded by her loving family.

Career Highlights

Faithfull began her career in 1964 with the release of her debut single "As Tears Go By," which reached the UK Top 10.

She was known for her relationship with Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones and her role in films such as "The Girl on a Motorcycle" (1968).

After battling drug addiction and homelessness in the 1970s, she made a comeback with the album "Broken English" in 1979, earning critical acclaim and respect in the music industry.

She continued to collaborate with notable artists and released several acclaimed albums, including "Strange Weather," "Vagabond Ways," and "She Walks in Beauty."

Personal Life

Born on December 29, 1946, in Hampstead, London, Faithfull was the daughter of an MI6 agent and a Viennese aristocrat.

She was married three times and had two children.

Faithfull struggled with addiction and health issues, including breast cancer and hepatitis C, but continued to perform and create music until her passing.