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The Rolling Stones Team Up With Marvel For A Superhero Vinyl Series Built Around ‘Foreign Tongues’

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The Rolling Stones are about to land in your comic shop and your record store at once. The rock legends have joined forces with Marvel for a collector’s series celebrating their forthcoming album ‘Foreign Tongues,’ with five collectible U.S. vinyl variants inspired by iconic Marvel characters, each paired with a custom comic book insert matching its edition. Foreign Tongues x Marvel arrives July 10.

The collection spotlights Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine, Thor, and The Hulk, each reimagined through exclusive album artwork created by Marvel illustrators for the release.

The crossover ties into one of the year’s biggest rock releases. ‘Foreign Tongues,’ out July 10 via Capitol Records, is a vibrant 14-track set that follows the band’s Grammy-winning ‘Hackney Diamonds,’ which topped charts worldwide and went multi-platinum. The album was introduced by the infectious lead single “In the Stars” and opening track “Rough and Twisted.”

Recorded in under a month at Metropolis Studios in West London during a remarkably creative stretch, the record reunites Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood with Grammy-winning producer Andrew Watt, who also helmed ‘Hackney Diamonds.’ The result is a dynamic, forward-looking record that pushes into new territory while keeping the band’s unmistakable sound front and center.

The album leans on standout performances from Jagger, Richards, and Wood, alongside core collaborators Darryl Jones, Steve Jordan, and Matt Clifford. It also carries a special appearance from Charlie Watts, captured during one of his final sessions before his passing in 2021. The guest list is stacked too, with Steve Winwood, Paul McCartney, The Cure’s Robert Smith, and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers all turning up.

Portugal. The Man Mark 15 Years Of ‘In the Mountain in the Cloud’ With A Deluxe Edition

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Portugal. The Man are reaching back to the record that started it all. The Grammy-winning rockers announce a July 17 digital release of ‘In the Mountain in the Cloud (Deluxe Edition)’ via Rhino Records, marking 15 years since their 2011 major-label debut and giving newer fans a reason to dig into one of their most foundational albums.

The expanded edition pulls together long-sought remixes that have been missing from streaming, including a Björn Yttling remix of “Got It All (This Can’t Be Living Now)” making its streaming debut. Those sit alongside instrumental versions of every album track and a classic live take of “So American” from KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic.”

There’s a visual piece too. A stunning 4K upscale of the band’s short film ‘Sleep Forever’ arrived this week, marking 15 years since its original June 6, 2011 release. The 13-minute film doubles as a joint music video for “Sleep Forever” and “Got It All (This Can’t Be Living Now).”

Originally out July 19, 2011, the album marked Portugal. The Man’s move to the major-label stage and laid down the expansive pop-rock architecture that would later carry them to global stardom with their 2017 multi-platinum smash “Feel It Still.” Produced by John Hill and mixed by Andy Wallace, it features breakout singles “So American” and “Got It All (This Can’t Be Living Now),” showcasing frontman John Gourley’s signature falsetto and ambitious vision. It’s a rich, rewarding listen that more than earns the second look.

The reissue kicks off a heavy touring year. The band heads out on a North American run with Muse in August, plays several marquee summer festivals, and returns to Portland for a pair of hometown shows with the Oregon Symphony at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall before a European headlining tour carries them through the end of the year.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

July 10 – Oxford Stomp (Calgary, Canada)

August 1 – Sandpoint, ID

August 10 – Charlotte, NC w/ Muse

August 11 – Charleston, SC

August 12 – Atlanta, GA w/ Muse

August 14 – Dallas, TX w/ Muse

August 15 – Austin, TX w/ Muse

August 18 – Greenwood Village, CO w/ Muse

August 19 – Grand Junction, CO 

August 20 – West Valley City, UT w/ Muse

August 22 – Ridgefield, WA w/ Muse

August 23 – Auburn, WA w/ Muse

August 24 – Jacksonville, OR

August 26 – Wheatland, CA w/ Muse

August 27 – Mountain View, CA w/ Muse

August 29 – Chula Vista, CA w/ Muse

August 31 – Los Angeles, CA w/ Muse

September 6 – Sun Valley, ID

September 18 – Grand Point North Festival (Burlington, VT)

September 19 – XPoNential Music Festival (Camden, NJ)

September 20 – Iron Blossom Music Festival (Richmond, VA)

September 27 – Bourbon & Beyond (Louisville, KY)

November 11 – Portland, OR (with the Oregon Symphony)

November 12 – Portland, OR (with the Oregon Symphony)

November 17 – Lausanne, Switzerland

November 18 – Milan, Italy

November 19 – Munich, Bavaria

November 21 – Prague, Czechia

November 23 – Warsaw, Poland

November 24 – Berlin, Germany

November 26 – Vienna, Austria

November 27 – Zurich, Switzerland

November 28 – Cologne, NRW

November 30 – Copenhagen, Denmark

December 2 – Tilburg, Netherlands

December 3 – Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

December 4 – Paris, France

December 5 – Paris, France

December 7 – London, England

December 8 – Manchester, England

December 9 – Glasgow, UK

Ed Sheeran Teams With Orange Amps For Grassroots “Play It Home” Initiative And A New Amp Line

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Ed Sheeran is taking music back to where it starts. The pop hitmaker has teamed with Orange Amps to launch Play It Home, a global initiative celebrating grassroots music, community, and the stories behind the songs, arriving alongside Outlowd by Ed Sheeran, a new series of guitar amps and Bluetooth speakers available worldwide.

The campaign centers on local musicians, emerging talent, and giving something real back to the towns and cities it visits. At its heart sits the new Outlowd ES Series, a range of portable, approachable amps built to make playing feel social and joyful.

It kicked off June 5 in Ipswich, Suffolk, Sheeran’s hometown, where an estimated 2,000 fans got a surprise busking set from Ed himself, six songs alongside local musician and songwriter Lianne Kaye. At the end, he handed his amp to a delighted nine-year-old local schoolboy named Felix, and the campaign is funding Felix’s next 12 months of music lessons, making him its first beneficiary.

From there, Play It Home travels the globe through local sessions hosted with Orange Amps and their retail partners in Guildford, Toronto, Paris, Sydney, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Bamberg. Each stop supports local music through equipment donations, youth programmes, rehearsal space, or direct funding for community projects.

Sheeran speaks about it from experience. “Music doesn’t start in arenas or on streaming platforms. It starts in bedrooms, youth clubs, pubs, schools, parks, living rooms and street corners. That’s where I found my voice,” he says. “I wanted this project with Orange to feel honest to that, celebrating local musicians, local communities, and the idea that anyone can start somewhere.”

The whole thing is built to feel human, a nod to the era before algorithms ran music culture. Fans are encouraged to share their own musical memories online through a companion “Play It Back” movement.

Orange Amps managing director Sarah Yule sees it as bigger than a product launch. “Music has this incredible ability to connect us to memories, friendships, confidence and identity,” she says, framing the goal as leaving every city with more opportunity and visibility for local talent.

The ES range itself runs from the ES3 premium Bluetooth speaker to the ES60 busking amp and the flagship ES100 performance amp, pairing Orange’s analogue expertise with portable design. It’s a genuinely appealing lineup built to make music happen anywhere.

Finn Wolfhard Shares “Tunnels” Ahead Of Sophomore Album ‘Fire From The Hip’

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Finn Wolfhard keeps building a real catalog. The indie rocker shares “Tunnels,” the latest single from his forthcoming sophomore album ‘Fire From The Hip,’ out July 10. Following “I’ll Let You Finish,” the new track offers another window into his evolving songwriting and the bigger sound shaping his second solo record.

“Tunnels” captures the spirit running through the album, pairing Wolfhard’s melodic indie rock instincts with a deeper emotional pull. Built around memory, connection, and personal growth, the song traces the progress of a musician carving out an identity well beyond the projects that first introduced him to the world. It’s a confident, melodic step forward.

The release lands in the middle of a landmark year. His debut ‘Happy Birthday’ has racked up more than 56 million streams, and since launching his official Spotify profile in 2025, Wolfhard has grown to more than 433,000 monthly listeners and over 515,000 followers, all while completing a sold-out U.S. tour and headlining his first sold-out London show at Electric Brixton.

For Wolfhard, every release works as a snapshot of a moment in his life, and “Tunnels” is one more chapter before he reveals the full picture on ‘Fire From The Hip.’

The single also arrives ahead of his largest North American headlining run yet, kicking off July 17 in Washington, D.C. The tour hits New York, Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Vancouver, plus festival stops at Lollapalooza, Osheaga, and Austin City Limits.

Fire From The Hip Tracklisting:

  1. I’ll Let You Finish
  2. Common Side Effects
  3. Lights Go Down
  4. Follow
  5. Tunnels
  6. Trail
  7. Crater
  8. Oscilloscope
  9. Maggie
  10. Nice To Meet You Again
  11. Good Morning
  12. The Climb (Not That One)

Rush Icon Alex Lifeson Gets His Own Epiphone With The 1976 ES-355 “Whitey” Reissue

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Alex Lifeson’s most iconic guitar is finally within reach for the rest of us. Epiphone has unveiled the Alex Lifeson 1976 ES-355 Reissue, a stage-ready, Custom Shop-inspired recreation of the Rush guitarist’s famous 1976 ES-355, known to fans as “Whitey.” It’s available now worldwide at authorized Epiphone dealers, Gibson Garage locations, and online.

Lifeson is thrilled with how it turned out. “The ES-355 has always been a really special guitar for me, it’s got this incredible balance of elegance and power,” he says. “What I love about this Epiphone ‘Whitey’ recreation is how faithfully it captures that original spirit while still feeling fresh and alive in your hands. It’s a guitar that invites you to explore, to take chances, and to find your own voice.”

The build is serious. The reissue features a five-ply semi-hollow body of maple and poplar with multi-ply binding, a solid maple centerblock for sustain and reduced feedback, and a three-piece maple neck that mirrors the original 70s-era instrument, complete with a volute for added strength. The Slim C profile and ebony fretboard make for a fast, luxurious feel, finished with mother-of-pearl block inlays and 22 medium jumbo frets.

The appointments lean upscale throughout. Gold hardware includes a harmonica-style Tune-O-Matic bridge and gold pickup covers, with a gold Maestro Vibrola for expressive pitch control. A pair of USA-made Gibson T-Type humbuckers bring Lifeson’s voice to life, wired through CTS potentiometers, Mallory capacitors, a Switchcraft three-way toggle, and a mono Varitone switch that opens up the tonal range. The truss rod cover carries Alex’s engraved name, and the whole thing ships in a custom black hardshell case with his signature, a plush red interior, and gold hardware. It’s a gorgeous instrument built for players who want both heritage and adventure.

Lifeson co-founded Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Rush, where his guitar textures and adventurous harmony helped define progressive rock across 19 studio albums. An Officer of the Order of Canada, he keeps pushing into new territory, including the alt-rock collective Envy of None, whose 2025 sophomore album ‘Stygian Wavz’ arrived via Kscope alongside singles “Not Dead Yet,” “Under the Stars,” and the title track.

He’s also back on stage this summer. Lifeson reunites with Geddy Lee for Rush’s Fifty Something Tour, a limited run celebrating the band’s legacy and honoring Neil Peart, with Anika Nilles on drums. The dates open June 9-13 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles before stops in Mexico City, Fort Worth, Chicago, New York, Toronto, and Cleveland, with more legs slated into 2027.

Bluegrass Icon Ricky Skaggs Breaks A Decade Of Silence With New Single “Say A Prayer”

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Ricky Skaggs is back in the studio for the first time in over a decade. The 15-time Grammy winner releases his new single “Say A Prayer” on June 26 via Skaggs Family Records, distributed by Virgin Music Group, his first new music in more than ten years.

Written by Gordon Kennedy and Ben Cooper, the song blends country, bluegrass, and rock, with instrumentation that runs from sitar to fiddle, mandolin, and banjo. It came together as a response to the struggles facing communities around the world, built on themes of faith, reflection, and unity.

“I’m incredibly excited to share my new single, ‘Say A Prayer,'” Skaggs says. “The song addresses a world carrying a lot of grief right now, serving as a universal call for everyone to stop and lean into faith. It’s got a chorus that resonates with faith, country and rock audiences alike.”

The release arrives in the middle of a packed touring stretch. Skaggs and his band Kentucky Thunder join Dierks Bentley on select dates of Bentley’s Off The Map Summer Tour starting June 12, and Skaggs returns to Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium to close out the Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman series on July 21.

He’s coming off one of CMA Fest’s most talked-about moments too. This past Saturday night, Skaggs made a memorable appearance during Carly Pearce’s Nissan Stadium set in Nashville, joining her and Grammy-winning bluegrass star Molly Tuttle for a performance of “From Now On.” Pearce introduced it as a tribute to her Kentucky bluegrass roots, and the collaboration brought three of the genre’s most respected names together for one of the night’s standout moments. The packed stadium ate it up, a reminder of how much pull Skaggs still has across traditional bluegrass and today’s country crowd.

Metal Heavyweights Unite As Sebastian Bach Fronts All-Star Cover Of Rainbow’s “Man On The Silver Mountain”

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Sebastian Bach just delivered a knockout, and it’s the last piece of one of the year’s biggest tributes. The former Skid Row frontman, who now leads Twisted Sister, fronts a devastating cover of “Man On The Silver Mountain,” the final single from ‘Ride The Rainbow,’ the all-star tribute to Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow that lands June 19 via Cleopatra Records.

The track itself goes back to Rainbow’s epochal 1975 debut and stayed a concert favorite for years after. Bach’s version stacks the deck, pulling in Rainbow’s own Bob Daisley, Uriah Heep’s Mick Box, Journey’s Jonathan Cain, Whitesnake’s Doug Aldrich, and the super-legendary Carmine Appice of Vanilla Fudge and Beck Bogert & Appice.

Appice has a story to go with it. “I was supposed to be in Rainbow back in the day. Ritchie asked me to be in it, but I couldn’t do it, so I was very pleased to play on this track,” he says. “I love all the musicians, too, they are all fantastic players and all good friends. So this track kicks ass!”

Cain came to it with warm memories of the band’s golden era. “Rainbow with Ronnie James Dio were one of the truly melodic and memorable metal bands,” he says, recalling a chance to party with Dio late in his touring days after a Sweden Rock Festival. “His soaring voice and melodies will be remembered for decades to come.”

The full album is a star-studded trip through every era of the Blackmore-led legend, featuring no fewer than six Rainbow alumni. Daisley is joined by Ronnie Romero, Graham Bonnet, Don Airey, Joe Lynn Turner, and Doogie White, plus Steve Morse, Blackmore’s successor in Deep Purple, and Ritchie’s Blackmore’s Night partner Candice Night. The 14-song set earns its billing as the ultimate tribute to Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow.

Queen Drummer Roger Taylor Returns With Solo Album ‘Violence Insane In A Beautiful World’ And A UK Run

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Roger Taylor has plenty left to say at full volume. The Queen drummer, singer, and songwriter announces his seventh solo album ‘Violence Insane In A Beautiful World,’ out September 18 via Columbia Records, his first since 2021’s top-three record ‘Outsider.’

Leading the way is the exuberant single “Come On Summer (It’s Party Time),” featuring a stunning turn from The Ndlovu Youth Choir of Limpopo, South Africa, the same group that earned worldwide attention for their Zulu-language version of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Taylor was so taken by them that he brought them onto three tracks. “I was really happy when I became aware of this amazing South African choir, who sing in Zulu. They’re just wonderful,” he says. “It gives them a whole new dimension.”

The album carries a clear message without tipping into concept-record territory. “There is a theme, you know, it’s in the title really, what a beautiful world we live in, don’t fuck it up,” Taylor explains, pointing to the violence, plastics in the sea, and wars he sees around him. The tone, though, lands on hope. “It’s a beautiful world, you know. And kindness is very important, I think. It seems to be forgotten quite a lot.”

Taylor wrote, produced, sang, and performed nearly everything himself, with help from long-time collaborator Joshua J. Macrae and members of his live band. The one outside song is a cover of “Jealous Guy,” which he calls one of the greatest ballads ever written.

The artwork came with its own cosmic twist. While Taylor was finishing the sleeve, built around lead song “A Beautiful World” and imagined from the view of an alien orbiting Earth, NASA’s Artemis II photographed the planet from a distance on its mission to the dark side of the Moon. The Queen fans at NASA in Houston called it kismet.

His solo work has never dodged politics, and tracks like “Chump” speak for themselves. Asked if he feels optimistic, Taylor doesn’t sugarcoat it, naming Nigel Farage and drawing a direct line to Trump-era populism. The eclecticism, meanwhile, is the point. “I like the idea of different things,” he says, citing the Beatles from ‘Revolver’ onward as the model. “I think people are really going to like the surreal stuff.”

The Violence Insane In A Beautiful World Tour opens in Newcastle on September 21, with album pre-orders unlocking first access to tickets. Taylor’s band features keyboardist Spike Edney, supporting drummer Tyler Warren, multi-instrumentalist Tina Keys, Neil Fairclough on bass, and Christian Mendoza on guitar.

Violence Insane In A Beautiful World Tracklisting:

  1. A Beautiful World featuring The Ndlovu Youth Choir
  2. Violence Insane
  3. What Really Matters
  4. Don’t Photograph Food
  5. I See You Now
  6. Chump
  7. Spit In His Eye
  8. Jealous Guy
  9. Come On Summer (It’s Party Time) featuring The Ndlovu Youth Choir
  10. A Great Big Beautiful World (Reprise) featuring The Ndlovu Youth Choir

Roger Taylor 2026 Tour Dates:

Sept 21 – Newcastle, UK @ O2 City Hall

Sept 22 – Edinburgh, UK @ Usher Hall

Sept 24 – Birmingham, UK @ The Alexandra

Sept 25 – Manchester, UK @ Opera House

Sept 28 – London, UK @ Roundhouse

Sept 29 – Swansea, UK @ Building Society Arena

Taylor Swift Channels Her Inner Jessie With New ‘Toy Story 5’ Song “I Knew It, I Knew You”

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Taylor Swift grew up with the ‘Toy Story’ films, and now she’s part of one. The global superstar has lent her voice to the ‘Toy Story 5’ soundtrack with an original song, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” and she’s telling the story behind it in an exclusive ABC sit-down as part of a new special.

‘Toy Story 30 Years and Beyond – A Special Edition of 20/20’ airs Friday, June 12 from 8-9 pm ET/PT on ABC and streams the next day on Disney+ and Hulu. The hour charts Pixar’s rise from making shorts and TV commercials to becoming an animation superpower, told by the people who lived it.

A longtime admirer of composer Randy Newman, Swift says the movie’s message hit her so personally that it inspired a song bringing her back to her country roots. She channels her inner Jessie on the track, joining the long line of fans who can’t picture these films without Newman’s iconic music.

The two turned the LA premiere into a moment. Swift and Newman surprised the audience by performing after the end credits, with Swift playing “I Knew It, I Knew You” and joining Newman for a duet of the classic “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” the song that opened the very first film back in 1995.

The special digs into how the original ‘Toy Story,’ voiced by Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, was so challenging it almost wasn’t made, and how that first full-length computer-animated feature paired technical innovation with real storytelling heart. It also looks ahead to ‘Toy Story 5,’ with exclusive footage and a behind-the-scenes look at Pixar’s Emeryville campus.

The lineup of voices is deep. Interviews include Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, Joan Cusack as Jessie, Greta Lee as Lilypad, Tony Hale as Forky, Ernie Hudson as Combat Carl, Craig Robinson as Atlas, Blake Clark as Slinky Dog, Jeff Bergman as Mr. Potato Head, and Wallace Shawn as Rex, plus Pixar chief creative officer Pete Docter, director Andrew Stanton, and co-director Kenna Harris.

Open Mike Eagle And Producer Kenny Segal Drop The First Half-Whimsical Breakup Album On ‘DOOMED!’

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Two friends of nearly 20 years finally built something whole together. Open Mike Eagle and Kenny Segal announce their first full collaborative album ‘DOOMED!,’ out August 14 via Backwoodz, with worldwide physical distribution through Rhymesayers / Secretly. The duo shared the first single, “Unfinished Concrete Initials” featuring Hemlock Ernst, alongside the news.

The record runs 15 songs and lands somewhere none of us have been before, what the duo calls the world’s first half-whimsical breakup album. It’s five years in a blender, every misunderstanding of a long relationship stretched into an absurdist black comedy on wax, the sound of every fight playing at once.

It’s also Los Angeles. Both Mike and Kenny arrived in the city as young, aspiring artists pulled toward the scene around the groundbreaking rap crew Project Blowed, and they’ve been friends and occasional collaborators ever since. ‘DOOMED!’ marks the first time they’ve built a full body of work together, and the timing made it click. Mike was processing the end of a turbulent relationship and hungry for catharsis. Kenny, fresh off acclaimed collaborations with billy woods, K-the-I???, Human Error Club, and Benjamin Booker, was looking for his next challenge.

“In recent years, Kenny made it very clear that he wasn’t trying to keep having one or two beats on my projects; he wanted to build something,” Open Mike Eagle explains. “Then my relationship fell apart right when we started working, and it was like, ‘Perfect, I have a lot to say about this.'”

Mike frames the album like prestige TV. “Out To Lunch” is the pilot, introducing a man whose head is still stuck in yesterday. From there it moves through fights about the color of a rental car, a prayer for the strength not to check an ex’s social media, a doomed attempt to carve lovers’ initials into wet concrete, and an Adventure Time character he describes as someone he uncomfortably identifies with.

The writing is vivid and strange in the best way. “Each vision is a crashed airplane halfway on the border of dream and nightmare, bitter and sweet, sadness and freedom,” Mike says. “Every one of Kenny’s beats is a chunk of ore from a different comet. I used each one as a canvas to paint my impression of a dead world.”

DOOMED! Tracklisting:

  1. Out to Lunch
  2. Streets of Rage: Public Arguments Edition feat. Gothic Tropic
  3. DOOMED!
  4. Unfinished Concrete Initials feat. Hemlock Ernst
  5. Don’t Go Look (Battleworld Focus Prayer)
  6. She Swear I’m Colorblind feat. billy woods
  7. Science Fiction/Fantasy
  8. The Irredeemable Magic Man
  9. The Many Hustles of my Lonely Time Traveling Uncle
  10. Trying to Remember What I Aimed At
  11. Shrodinger’s Green Room (There but Uninvited)
  12. It Happens in Every Universe (interlude)
  13. Sweetheart Jail
  14. Infinity War Spoliers
  15. Watching a Movie Called Freedom By Myself