All articles tagged with #rock
Caleb Shomo, Beartooth’s frontman, publicly comes out as a proudly gay man, explaining he spent a decade burying his feelings with alcohol and that embracing his sexuality is guiding his work on the band’s forthcoming album Pure Ecstasy, due in August, with support from his wife Fleur Shomo.
The Smashing Pumpkins have announced the Rats in a Cage Tour, featuring two unique sets at each show to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, with guitarist Kiki Wong joining after an open audition; a full North American tour schedule is listed.
Foo Fighters deliver a five-song Tiny Desk set at NPR’s office, opening with Spit Shine and featuring Child Actor, My Hero, Everlong, and Learn to Fly; Dave Grohl calls the moment special and credits Trouble Funk as an inspiration, with the band hinting at nearly two months of North American dates starting in August, kicking off in Toronto.
NASA’s Curiosity rover drilled into a rock nicknamed Atacama, but the entire rock ripped loose and stuck to the drill sleeve. Engineers spent days reorienting the arm, vibrating and rotating the drill, and adjusting angles before the rock finally broke free when it struck the Martian ground.
A roundup of 2026 touring plans shows many veteran acts canceling or postponing dates due to health or personal reasons, including The Psychedelic Furs and Living Colour who canceled their 2026 dates amid a serious medical issue in the band. Other longtime acts—Radiohead, Yes, Jackson Browne, Pearl Jam, Neil Young, Steve Miller Band, Steely Dan and more—are pausing, delaying, or pursuing studio projects, signaling a cautious year for live rock as health, family matters, and strategic rest take precedence over a full-scale return to the road.
During a 2026 drilling attempt, NASA's Curiosity rover pulled the rock named Atacama free with its drill sleeve—the first time a rock remained attached in the mission—before it finally dislodged after multiple maneuvers, highlighting the unpredictability of Martian rocks and the rover team's adaptive approach while Curiosity continues to reveal Mars' geology and history.
Rolling Stone curates a definitive, genre-spanning list of the 100 greatest guitar solos, arguing that a solo should define the song rather than merely repeat the melody, with jazz excluded and both long epic and concise turns celebrated as landmark six-string moments.
Noah Kahan earns his first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 as The Great Divide debuts atop with 389,000 equivalent album units in the week ending April 30, led by 212,000 streaming units, 175,000 in album sales and 118,000 vinyl copies; the rock-heavy set marks Kahan’s biggest first week and the largest streaming week for 2026 to date, plus the biggest rock vinyl week in the modern era. Kehlani debuts at No. 4, and Michael Jackson’s Thriller re-enters the top 10 at No. 7 following the release of the Michael biopic, as Billboard’s chart is calculated by Luminate.
NASA's Perseverance rover photographed a rock in Jezero Crater on Mars that bears a striking resemblance to a dinosaur skull, sparking public fascination and highlighting pareidolia as people see familiar shapes in random geology; the image was taken on April 18 and adds to a pattern of Mars rocks that resemble animals or objects in other public appearances.
Dave Mason, a founding member of Traffic and writer of the classics “Feelin’ Alright” and “Hole in My Shoe,” has died at 79. A prolific guitarist and singer who also contributed to the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and others, Mason led a solo career that included hits like “We Just Disagree” and helped shape late-1960s psychedelic rock. He was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 2004; health issues forced him to cancel tours in 2024. He is survived by his wife and daughter; his son True and sister Valerie Leonard had predeceased him.
Charli XCX confirms a guitar-forward rock album as the proper follow-up to 2024’s Brat, with minimal Auto-Tune and analogue textures. Produced by A.G. Cook and Finn Keane, the sessions took place in Paris during Fashion Week, though no title has been revealed. The piece also touches on her acting work and forthcoming screen projects, highlighting a broader career arc.
Rolling Stone’s interview with Jin covers his rock-infused solo work influenced by Coldplay, his aspirations to extend BTS’s touring to reach more fans worldwide, and the dream of touring with BTS again while balancing the demands of aging and group commitments.
Paul McCartney delivered an intimate 1 hour 40 minute set at LA’s Fonda Theatre with a seven‑piece band, running through a mix of classics and showcasing his enduring range, while hinting at a May release for his new album The Boys of Dungeon Lane and sharing personal moments (including a dedication to wife Nancy Shevell). The show highlighted the thrill of small‑venue magic and McCartney’s love‑driven artistry.
Pitchfork’s New Music Friday rounds up nine new albums across rock, rap, synth-pop, folk, ambient, and more, led by Kim Gordon’s politically charged Play Me and James Blake’s Trying Times. The slate also includes Elucid’s introspective I Guess U Had to Be There, Alexis Taylor’s Paris in the Spring with collaborative flair, Anjimile’s You’re Free to Go, Ora Cogan’s gothic folk Hard Hearted Woman, Cut Worms’ power-pop Transmitter, Laurel Halo’s ambient Midnight Zone soundtrack, and Noémi Büchi’s experimental Exuvie, showcasing a diverse week of releases available on major streaming platforms.
A sprawling roundup shows dozens of artists announcing 2026 tours across North America, Europe and beyond, mixing reunions, solo shows, residencies and festival appearances. Highlights include AC/DC’s 17‑date U.S. leg, Guns N’ Roses’ world trek, The Guess Who’s Canada reunion, ZZ Top’s The Big One! Tour (with Dos Amigos), Iron Maiden’s Run for Your Lives North America, Journey’s Final Frontier world tour, Sting’s North American dates, and appearances by Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart, Journey and many others plotting extensive spring‑through‑fall itineraries (with some cancellations or adjustments noted).