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Hiss Golden Messenger Returns With ‘I’m People’ And Expansive U.S. Tour

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 12, 2026

Hiss Golden Messenger Returns With ‘I’m People’ And Expansive U.S. Tour

Hiss Golden Messenger, the North Carolina-based project led by MC Taylor, has announced a new album, ‘I’m People,’ arriving May 1 via Chrysalis Records. The record’s lead single, “In The Middle Of It,” is out now alongside a lyric video. Written across New Mexico, California, and North Carolina, the album follows 2023’s ‘Jump For Joy’ and presents a direct, deeply human collection of songs rooted in lived experience.

“The songs on I’m People are about running towards and away from things,” Taylor shares, describing themes that stretch from family and aging to solitude, heartbreak, devotion, and renewal. He calls “In The Middle Of It” a “Santa Fe song,” written at El Rey Court and shaped by desert highways, long drives, and late-night radio. The imagery of open landscapes and interior reflection runs throughout the record.

‘I’m People’ was co-produced by Taylor and Josh Kaufman, engineered by Chris Boerner and Gillian Pelkonen, and mixed and mastered by D. James Goodwin. Recorded at Dreamland, a decommissioned church near Woodstock, New York, the album features contributions from Bruce Hornsby, Sam Beam, Marcus King, Sara Watkins, Amy Helm, Eric D. Johnson, and Taylor Goldsmith, among others.

In support of the release, Hiss Golden Messenger will embark on a full-band U.S. tour beginning in September. The run spans Colorado, California, the Pacific Northwest, the Midwest, the South, and the East Coast before concluding with two nights in Carrboro, North Carolina.

‘I’m People’ Tracklist:

In The Middle Of It
Who You Gonna Run To?
Shaky Eyes
Mercy Ave
I’m People
Seneca (Time Is A Mother, Baby)
Last Orders
Gabriel
Heavy World
Alright
Spirit Cat
Depends on the River

Hiss Golden Messenger Tour Dates:
Sept. 24 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
Sept. 25 – Beaver Creek, CO – Vilar Performing Arts Center
Sept. 26 – Aspen, CO – Belly Up
Sept. 29 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up
Oct. 2 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour
Oct. 6 – Healdsburg, CA – Little Saint
Oct. 9 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theatre
Oct. 10 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
Oct. 11 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
Oct. 14 – Minneapolis, MN – Icehouse
Oct. 16 – Newport, KY – Southgate House
Oct. 17 – Louisville, KY – Zanzabar
Oct. 18 – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
Nov. 4 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall
Nov. 5 – Woodstock, NY – Bearsville Theatre
Nov. 6 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza
Nov. 7 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
Nov. 9 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
Nov. 11 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark
Nov. 12 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
Nov. 13 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway
Nov. 14 – Nashville, TN – Basement East
Nov. 18 – Richmond, VA – The Broadberry
Nov. 19 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
Nov. 21 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
Nov. 22 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle

My Precious Bunny Announces ‘A Moment In My Eyes’ And Shares “I Go Up, You Go Down”

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 12, 2026

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My Precious Bunny Announces ‘A Moment In My Eyes’ And Shares “I Go Up, You Go Down”

My Precious Bunny, the solo project of Lily Wolter from Penelope Isles, has announced her debut album ‘A Moment In My Eyes,’ arriving May 22 via Bella Union. Alongside the announcement, she shares the first single, “I Go Up, You Go Down,” a reflective and emotionally direct track that introduces the album’s tone. Stepping out on her own, Wolter leans into a sound that feels expansive yet intimate, rooted in memory and movement.

“In the peak of lockdown at my parents’ house, ‘I Go Up, You Go Down’ was an observation of everything that was happening around me at the time,” Wolter explains. Written during a period of personal upheaval, the song captures the disorienting shift from closeness to distance in a long-term relationship. She adds that working with Paul Gregory helped define the track’s final shape, praising how he handled its dynamics with care while elevating its energy.

The album was co-produced with Allister Kellaway, Wolter’s childhood friend and longtime creative influence. Recorded with musicians from Brighton’s close-knit scene, ‘A Moment In My Eyes’ blends analogue synth textures, saxophone flourishes, restless guitars, and layered choral elements. The result is a collection that moves between confessional songwriting and widescreen arrangements, shaped by Wolter’s upbringing on the Isle of Man and later time spent in Cornwall.

Wolter began the My Precious Bunny project as a teenager under the name KookieLou, long before forming Penelope Isles with her brother. The material that became this debut album took shape during lockdown, written while living back at her parents’ home in Penzance. Reflecting on the process, she describes it as cathartic and formative, eventually leading her to record the songs properly with Kellaway when the time felt right.

My Precious Bunny will support the release with a run of UK live dates, including shows in Brighton and London and appearances around The Great Escape.

My Precious Bunny UK Live Dates:
March 14 – St Augustine’s Church, Brighton (with Flip Top Head)
March 18 – Paper Dress Vintage, London (with Our Girl)
April 11 – Homegrown Festival, Brighton
May 14 – Swimming In Sound/Slack City at Alphabet, Brighton (Alt Escape)
May 16 – Love Thy Neighbour at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton (Alt Escape)
May 16 – Bella Union at Quarters, Brighton (The Great Escape)
May 22 – Bella Union Vinyl Shop, Brighton

Bella Kay Drops ‘a couple minutes out’ As “iloveitiloveitiloveit” Climbs Charts

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 12, 2026

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Bella Kay Drops ‘a couple minutes out’ As “iloveitiloveitiloveit” Climbs Charts

Rising alternative pop singer-songwriter Bella Kay continues her ascent with today’s arrival of a couple minutes out, a new 3-pack available everywhere now. The project is highlighted by the breakout hit single, “iloveitiloveitiloveit,” along with the brand new fan favorites, “wonder wander” and “steady.”

“iloveitiloveitiloveit” is quickly proving among the fastest climbing hits of 2026, currently charting at #10 on Billboard’s “Hot Alternative Songs” and #16 on “Hot Rock & Alternative Songs” with more than 15M worldwide streams and placement on Spotify Daily Viral Charts in 14 countries including the US and the UK.

Bella will celebrate the immediate popular success of “iloveitiloveitiloveit”with a series of upcoming live dates alongside Ricky Montgomery on his “Montgomery Ricky 10 Year Anniversary Tour.” The intimate three-show trek gets underway March 26 at Saint Louis, MO’s The Pageant and then travels to New York’s Brooklyn Steel (March 28) and Los Angeles, CA’s The Wiltern (April 1). Bella also recently announced two headline shows at Houston, TX’s White Oak Music Hall Rooftop (March 24) and Atlanta’s The Masquerade Purgatory (March 30), all leading to her eagerly awaited debut festival performance at Toronto, ON’s All Things Go at RBC Amphitheatre (June 6). Additional dates will be announced soon.

a couple minutes out follows last fall’s arrival of Bella’s emotionally charged debut EP, sick to my stomach, available HERE. The EP is highlighted by the breakthrough hit single, “The Sick,” now boasting over 100M global streams while peaking at #20 on Billboard’s Hot Alternative Songs chart and #21 on Hot Rock Songs.

Bella Kay is quickly emerging as one of the most emotionally resonant new stars in pop. Born in Texas and based in Orlando, FL, Bella writes songs that dig deep into the complexities of heartbreak, identity, and survival, brought to life by her raw, timeless voice. With a sound that blends the grit of alternative pop with the intimacy of bedroom songwriting, Bella has quickly struck a chord with millions thanks to such tracks as “The Sick,” which proved a viral phenomenon earning over 100M views on TikTok with hundreds of thousands of fan-made videos since release. A biting, charismatic collection that captures a gifted young artist coming into her own in life, love, and sound, Bella’s debut EP, sick to my stomach, sees “The Sick” joined by such future fan favorites as the bold breakup anthem, “Call Me Baby.” Bella marked the arrival of sick to my stomachwith a number of showstopping live dates, including a debut North American tour supporting Mon Rovîa that saw sold-out stops in New York, Toronto, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. “iloveitiloveitiloveit” – and more new music to come – now sees Bella Kay pushing her unfiltered songcraft to the next level, unafraid to showcase her sharp wit, magnetic personality, and altogether unique pop vision.

BELLA KAY

a couple minutes out

TRACKLIST:

1. iloveitiloveitiloveit

2. steady

3. wonder wander

# # #

BELLA KAY

LIVE 2026

MARCH

24 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall Rooftop *

26 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant †

28 – New York, NY – Brooklyn Steel †

30 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade Purgatory *

APRIL

1 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern †

JUNE

6 – Toronto, ON – All Things Go Toronto ^

* Headline Show

† w/ Ricky Montgomery “Montgomery Ricky 10 Year Anniversary Tour”

^ Festival Performance

The Smashing Pumpkins Celebrate ‘Gish’ With 35th Anniversary Vinyl Editions

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 12, 2026

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The Smashing Pumpkins Celebrate ‘Gish’ With 35th Anniversary Vinyl Editions

GRAMMY Award-winning iconic rock band The Smashing Pumpkins will celebrate the 35th anniversary of their seminal debut, Gish, with multiple new 35th Anniversary vinyl variants available on May 29, 2026, the same week as the anniversary.

Frontman Billy Corgan’s Madame ZuZu’s & other independent record stores will be carrying a color vinyl housed in the original 1991 packaging, a limited-edition colorway evokes the classic cover pressed on striking 180-gram gray vinyl, accented with pink and purple splatter. A standard Black 180-gram vinyl in the original 1991 packaging will also be available, honoring the legacy that helped shape an era. Pre-order The Smashing Pumpkins’ Gish, HERE.

The Smashing Pumpkins notably recorded Gish with producer Butch Vig at Smart Studios in Madison, WI. The album channeled spirits of rock, metal, psychedelia, pop, and shoegaze into an alternative conjuration unlike anything before it—or after, for that matter. Released on May 28, 1991, it went on to make history, becoming one of the most successful independently released albums of its era. The 10-track body of work eventually reached Platinum status, anchored by staples such as “I Am One,” “Siva,” “Rhinoceros,” and more.

The influence of Gish continues to noticeably magnify from one generation to the next. In retrospect, Billboard marveled at how “There’s cryptic poetry, jarring dynamic shifts, mammoth riffs, and moments of startling beauty — everything fans around the world would love about the Pumpkins once they grew into themselves.” Rolling Stone cited it among the “50 Greatest Grunge Albums,” going on to observe, “Gish featured 10 dense, ornately crafted tracks — from the intensity of ‘Siva’ and ‘Tristessa’ to the subtle, surreal build-up of lead single, ‘Rhinoceros’ — that showcased the band’s musical ambition.”

Experience Gish again in all of its glory.

TRACKLISTING
A1 – I Am One
A2 – Siva
A3 – Rhinoceros
A4 – Bury Me
A5 – Crush
B1 – Suffer
B2 – Snail
B3 – Tristessa
B4 – Window Paine
B5 – Daydream

Beyond the forthcoming Gish 35th Anniversary vinyl release, Corgan has continued to make cultural waves, most recently producing and collaborating with YUNGBLUD on a powerful reimagining of his song “Zombie,” marking the first time The Smashing Pumpkins have appeared on another artist’s recording. Corgan’s cross-generational influence also extends to his critically praised podcast, The Magnificent Others, which celebrated its one-year anniversary this February and has featured conversations with YUNGBLUD, Gene Simmons, Sharon Osbourne, Tom Morello, and more. Listen to the podcast HERE.

The Smashing Pumpkins are one of the most iconic, iconoclastic, and influential bands of all time, shaping alternative music and culture. Since forming in Chicago in 1988, the group has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and garnered two GRAMMY Awards, seven MTV VMAs, and an American Music Award. Their catalog includes seminal offerings such as the platinum Gish [1991], the quadruple-platinum Siamese Dream [1993], the diamond-certified Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness [1995], the platinum Adore [1998], and the gold Machina/The Machines of God [2000]. Rolling Stone cited both Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness among its “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” It would also be impossible to envision alternative music and culture without their signature iconography such as the idyllic album artwork for Siamese Dream, the black Zero shirt, the laissez faire bliss of the “1979” music video, the gothic metamorphosis of “Ava Adore,” or the multi-dimensional live shows that sell out worldwide to this day. 2018 saw The Smashing Pumpkins unveil SHINY AND OH SO BRIGHT, VOL. 1 / LP: NO PAST. NO FUTURE. NO SUN. and launched the immensely successful Shiny and Oh So Bright Tour, which packed arenas. Maintaining this momentum, the band released their eleventh full-length double album, CYR [2020], representing yet another evolution, and more recently, ATUM[2023], the sequel to 1995’s Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and 2000’s Machina/Machine of God. The band’s 2024 album, Aghori Mhori Mei, written in the immediate aftermath of ATUM, sees a return to form for original members Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, and James Iha, and harkens back to the band’s early 90’s canon; where guitars, bass, drums, and spiking vocals ruled.

Bee Gees Return To The Dancefloor With ‘You Should Be Dancing’ Box Set

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 12, 2026

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Bee Gees Return To The Dancefloor With ‘You Should Be Dancing’ Box Set

UMe announces the release of a new limited-edition box set by one of the biggest and most beloved acts in popular music history, the Bee Gees.

Out February 27, You Should Be Dancing is a four-disc collectors’ item featuring the highly sought-after original 12-inch versions of some of Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb’s most iconic dancefloor-fillers, plus previously unreleased extended versions of five further Gibb brothers’ classics. Additionally, the set also includes the previously hidden 90’s UK club hit, Decadance, as well the long-awaited physical debut of SG Lewis’s viral 2021 remix of More Than A Woman.

Limited to just 1,000 units, the You Should Be Dancing box set will be a prized possession for music fans the world over and is available now for pre-order HERE through the band’s official D2C store.

You Should Be Dancing boasts the 12-inch versions of the Bee Gees’ era-defining late 70s masterworks Stayin’ Alive, More Than A Woman, Night Fever, and You Should Be Dancing. The brothers’ signature R&B-influenced sound is also represented with the inclusion of unreleased extended versions of the smash hits Jive Talkin’, Nights On Broadway, Tragedy, and Love You Inside Out. Elsewhere, there’s the group’s thrilling original take on Yvonne Elliman’s 1978 global chart-topper If I Can’t Have You, the pre-Saturday Night Fever funk of the US top 20 Boogie Child, and the fan-favorite album track You Stepped Into My Life.

Bridging the gap in the Bee Gees’ astonishing multi-decade career is the inclusion of SG Lewis’s TikTok-conquering Paradise Edit of More Than A Woman, pressed on vinyl for the very first time as part of this collection. And rounding out the set is the group’s ultra-rare update of their own You Should Be Dancing, reimagined as the bonus track Decadance for the brothers’ 1993 album Size Isn’t Everything. Previously only available outside of the US, Decadance is featured in both its original incarnation as well as the Ben Liebrand Vocal Mix.

The Bee Gees’ impact on popular music and popular culture is undeniable, both as performers as well as songwriters with no less than 21 different Gibb-written songs topping either the US or the UK charts going back to the 1960s. Add to that global record sales approaching a quarter-of-a-billion, nine GRAMMY® Awards, over a dozen Ivor Novello awards, the only songwriters to place five songs simultaneously in the US Billboard top 10, Kennedy Center honors, a knighthood for Barry Gibb, Brit and American Music Awards lifetime achievements and secured spots in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame®, Songwriters Hall of Fame®, and Vocal Group Hall of Fame®, and a picture is painted of why this band of brothers have long been such an extraordinary phenomenon.

That record-breaking legacy continues into the 21^st Century with over 26-million monthly listeners on Spotify, including a staggering near two billion total streams for the band’s signature blockbuster, Stayin’ Alive. Most recently, SG Lewis’ Paradise Edit of More Than A Woman clocked north of 115 million Spotify streams, boosting the original’s popularity to where it’s now also closing in on a billion streams.

Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb’s genre-spanning creations have stirred hearts, minds and feet in every corner of the globe for almost 60 years. The You Should Be Dancing box set is a celebration of some of the finest, most moving – in every sense of the word – music ever recorded.

TRACKLISTING

LP 1
A1: You Should Be Dancing
B2: Boogie Child
B3: You Stepped Into My Life

LP 2
A1: Stayin’ Alive
A2: If I Can’t Have You
B1: Night Fever
B2: More Than A Woman

LP 3
A1: Jive Talkin’*
A2: Nights On Broadway*
B1: Tragedy*
B2: Love You Inside Out*

LP 4
A1: More Than A Woman – SG’s Paradise Edit
B1: Decadance
B2: Decadance – Ben Liebrand Vocal Mix
*Previously Unreleased Extended Versions

Parker McCollum Drops “Killin’ Me” Video Ahead Of Deluxe Album Release

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 12, 2026

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Parker McCollum Drops “Killin’ Me” Video Ahead Of Deluxe Album Release

Multi-Platinum and chart-topping Country star, Parker McCollum, has released the official music video for his track, “Killin’ Me,” off his critically acclaimed self-titled album, PARKER MCCOLLUM. Written by McCollum, Monty Criswell and Randy Rogers, “Killin’ Me” is a mid-tempo love song about being completely captivated by a woman who can “turn every head and stop a room on a dime.” In the official music video, directed by the award-winning Dustin Haney, we see a special feature from McCollum’s loving wife, Hallie-Ray Light McCollum, as the two take a spin across a smokey dance floor where the world seems to fade away.

Recently, McCollum announced the upcoming release of PARKER MCCOLLUM Deluxe Edition which will feature four additional tracks, including the massive fan-favorite track, “Big Ole Fancy House,” which was released on January 23^rd. PARKER MCCOLLUM Deluxe Edition is out on March 20^th.

Fans can see Parker out on the road through 2026 where he’ll be making his fourth consecutive appearance at the famed Houston Rodeo and will also be returning to Red Rock Amphitheatre where the captivating showman has performed to a sold-out crowd three consecutive years running. For additional information on show dates and tickets, please visit ParkerMcCollum.com.

Singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Parker McCollum has reached the ranks of a bona fide Country music superstar by connecting with fans and critics alike through his relatable and authentic sound. McCollum has been named an ‘Artist to Watch’ by Rolling Stone, Billboard, SiriusXM, CMT, RIAA, and more with American Songwriter noting, “The Texas native teeters on the edge of next-level superstardom.” Music Row listed McCollum as their 2021 Breakout Artist of the Year and Apple also included him as one of their all-genre “Up Next Artists” Class of 2021. A dedicated road warrior, McCollum made his debut at the famed Grand Ole Opry in 2021 and has sold out major concert venues around the U.S. In March 2022, McCollum made his debut at RODEOHOUSTON to a sold-out crowd with over 73,000 tickets sold. In 2026, McCollum will make his fourth consecutive appearance at Houston’s signature event. McCollum has earned an ACM Award for New Male Artist of the Year (2022), took home “Breakthrough Video of the Year” (a fully fan-voted honor) at the 2022 CMT Music Awards and scored two back-to-back CMA Awards nominations (2022 & 2023) for New Artist of the Year. He was nominated for a CMA Award for “Song of the Year” (2024) for his explosive Platinum hit “Burn It Down” – marking his third straight nomination. McCollum scored his second ACM Award for “Visual Media of the Year” (2023) for his music video for “Burn It Down.” The hit single marked his fourth consecutive #1 – following his other chart toppers “Pretty Heart,” “To Be Loved By You,” and “Handle On You.” In 2025, McCollum released his self-titled fifth studio album, PARKER MCCOLLUM, which is a critically acclaimed artistic achievement. The Deluxe Edition of the album, featuring four additional tracks – including the fan-favorite “Big Ole Fancy House,” is slated for release on March 20^th, 2026.

SANAM Brings Viral Bollywood Classics To Life On 2026 North American Tour

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 12, 2026

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SANAM Brings Viral Bollywood Classics To Life On 2026 North American Tour

SANAM, the Indian pop-rock band that transformed classic Hindi film music into a global digital phenomenon, has announced the SANAM North American Tour 2026. The tour will visit both the United States and Canada, responding to years of fan anticipation by bringing songs embraced online into live venues across the country.

Over the past decade, SANAM has emerged as one of India’s most influential independent music acts, amassing over 11.8 million YouTube subscribersand over 3.2 billion lifetime views. Their modern reinterpretations of timeless Bollywood songs have become cultural entry points for younger listeners while continuing to resonate deeply with longtime fans. As nostalgia-driven music continues to unite generations worldwide, SANAM’s live shows create a rare space where memory, modern sound, and collective participation come together.

SANAM features vocalist Sanam Puri, lead guitarist Samar Puri, bassist Venky S, and drummer Keshav Dhanraj, a four-piece band built on collaboration and shared vision. After gaining national attention by winning Times Music Supastars, the band built its audience independently through digital platforms at a time when few Indian artists were doing so at scale. That early adoption positioned SANAM as pioneers of the digital-to-live pipeline that now defines much of the global music industry.

SANAM’s concerts are known for their high-energy delivery and deeply participatory atmosphere. Audiences often span multiple generations, with parents and children singing along to the same songs that entered popular culture decades apart. This sense of collective experience has made SANAM a standout live act among diasporic communities and global audiences alike.

“Many people, especially in North America, first discovered our music through screens,” said Sanam Puri, lead vocalist of SANAM. “But the songs truly come alive when everyone is singing together in the same space. Bringing this tour to North America allows us to turn years of digital connection into a shared experience we have wanted to create here for a very long time.”

In addition to their independent success, SANAM has contributed music to major Bollywood films, including Gori Tere Pyaar Mein, Student of the Year 2, and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (Indian release). The band has also received industry recognition, including the Best Music Content Creator award at the Social Media Summit & Awards.

The SANAM North American Tour 2026, happening this Spring, is produced by Kash Patel Productions, America’s leading South Asian live event company, known for landmark North American tours and concerts featuring globally acclaimed artists such as A. R. Rahman, Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal, and Anirudh Ravichander.

Confirmed Tour Dates:

May 1, 2026: Meridian Hall in Toronto, ON, Canada
May 2, 2026: War Memorial Auditorium, Fort Lauderdale, FL
May 8, 2026: The Bomb Factory, Dallas, TX
May 10, 2026: Paramount Theatre, Oakland, CA

The Digital School That’s Building Real Entrepreneurs

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 12, 2026

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By Mitch Rice

In recent years, people have dramatically changed the way they learn to build businesses. Traditional education systems still rely on textbooks, exams, and theory, but the world of commerce moves fast. Many aspiring business owners realize they need more than just knowledge. They need practical skills, real feedback, and a community that pushes them to take action. This shift has created a new learning model: the digital school designed to cultivate real entrepreneurs.

Modern digital schools focus on real-world application, not just delivering information like standard online courses. They break down complex skills like marketing, sales, copywriting, and client acquisition into step-by-step lessons that students practice and test in real markets. They also emphasize mindset, guiding learners to develop discipline, resilience, and consistency—traits essential for business success.

One of the most talked-about platforms in this space, The Real World, delivers an online training ecosystem created by Andrew Tate and his team. The program promotes itself as a place where people learn high-income skills and entrepreneurial thinking, with structured lessons, mentorship, and a community of learners who push one another to grow. The program encourages students to build real businesses, freelance careers, or other income streams using the practical skills they learn, instead of just studying theory.

Platforms like The Real World set themselves apart with their results-oriented approach. Instead of focusing solely on certificates or exams, they prioritize actionable learning that connects directly to earning potential. For many individuals today, that practical focus bridges the gap between wanting to be an entrepreneur and actually becoming one.

Data and information are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended for investment or other purposes.

14 Songs Inspired by Real Places

Eric Alper

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Feb 12, 2026

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There’s something powerful about geography in music. A street corner, a city skyline, a lonely highway. Real locations give songs texture and truth, grounding melody in memory. Here are 14 tracks rooted in actual places, each carrying the imprint of somewhere you can find on a map.

“Penny Lane” – The Beatles
A real street in Liverpool, complete with a barbershop and a roundabout. Paul McCartney drew directly from childhood memories of waiting for buses there, turning an ordinary suburban stretch into pop mythology.

“London Calling” – The Clash
The title references the BBC World Service wartime broadcasts that began with “This is London calling.” The band channeled the anxiety of late-70s Britain, using the city as both setting and warning siren.

“New York, New York” – Frank Sinatra
Written for Martin Scorsese’s film of the same name, the song became an unofficial anthem for the city. Sinatra’s version sealed its identity with the ambition and bravado long associated with Manhattan.

“Hotel California” – Eagles
While the hotel itself is fictional, the imagery draws heavily from the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. Don Henley has said the song reflects the excess and illusion of Southern California’s music scene.

“Sweet Home Alabama” – Lynyrd Skynyrd
A direct shout to the state, complete with references to Birmingham and Governor George Wallace. The song was partly a response to Neil Young’s critiques of the American South.

“Viva Las Vegas” – Elvis Presley
Written for the 1964 film set in Nevada’s casino capital, the track celebrates the city’s neon excess. Vegas tourism officials have embraced it ever since as a soundtrack to the Strip.

“Detroit Rock City” – KISS
An ode to Detroit’s reputation as a hard rock stronghold in the 1970s. The band often cited the city’s rabid fans as instrumental in breaking them nationally.

“Straight Outta Compton” – N.W.A
Compton, California, is front and center, not just as backdrop but as identity. The group chronicled real experiences growing up there, redefining how place functions in hip-hop.

“Baker Street” – Gerry Rafferty
Named after the London street where Rafferty stayed with a friend while trying to sort out his career. The location became shorthand for uncertainty and urban isolation.

“Born and Raised in Black and White” – Johnny Cash
Cash referenced Dyess, Arkansas, where he grew up in a New Deal farming colony. The physical hardship of that place shaped both the song and his broader catalog.

“Midnight Train to Georgia” – Gladys Knight & the Pips
Originally titled “Midnight Plane to Houston,” the song was rewritten to reflect Gladys Knight’s home state. Georgia becomes the destination of comfort and belonging.

“Streets of Philadelphia” – Bruce Springsteen
Commissioned for the film “Philadelphia,” the track paints a stark portrait of the city’s neighborhoods. Springsteen wrote it to reflect the isolation felt by those living with AIDS in the early 1990s.

“Take Me Home, Country Roads” – John Denver
Though Denver co-wrote it, the lyrics center on West Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah River. The state has since adopted it as an official anthem.

“Boulevard of Broken Dreams” – Green Day
The title references a mural on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. Billie Joe Armstrong has spoken about walking those streets alone, turning a specific strip of pavement into a universal symbol of isolation.

Stephen Wilson Jr. Brings “Gary” And Soulful “Stand By Me” To Howard Stern Studio

Music

Eric Alper

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Feb 12, 2026

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Stephen Wilson Jr. Brings “Gary” And Soulful “Stand By Me” To Howard Stern Studio

Stephen Wilson Jr. made his Stern Show debut this week, performing his new single “Gary” and a stirring cover of “Stand by Me” live in the studio for a Howard 101 special. The singer, songwriter, and guitarist opened up about his path to music, telling Howard Stern he was once a quiet kid who struggled to find his place before discovering the guitar at 16. That gift from his father shifted everything.

“I was pretty much a fly on the wall, and I really didn’t have much to say,” Wilson Jr. said. “So, it was really hard for anyone to imagine me as a singer because I wasn’t a talker.” He recalled practicing up to 12 hours a day, teaching himself Soundgarden songs and adopting a percussive playing style inspired by Dave Matthews. The dedication helped shape the sound that recently earned him a New Artist of the Year nomination at the 2025 CMA Awards.

During the appearance, Wilson Jr. also shared the story behind his weathered Takamine guitar, nicknamed “One,” which he purchased for $400 from the back of a van in a Nashville parking lot. “I shop with my hands, not brands,” he said with a laugh. He knew within seconds it was the right fit. The performance special airs February 10 at 7 p.m. on Howard 101.