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Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill will add to his already considerable collection of accolades, when he is honored with the 2025 CMA Willie Nelson lifetime achievement award during the 59th annual CMA Awards, slated for Nov. 19 in Nashville and airing on ABC. This year’s CMA Awards, hosted by Lainey Wilson, will be held at Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville, and will broadcast on ABC beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The awards show will also stream the following day on Hulu.
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The CMA Willie Nelson lifetime achievement award is given to “an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in country music,” a release from the CMA states, adding, “The award recognizes those who have achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances, humanitarian efforts, philanthropy, streaming numbers, record sales, and public representation at the highest level,” as well as artists who have “positively impacted and contributed to the growth of the genre over the course of many years.”
Previous recipients of the CMA Willie Nelson lifetime achievement award include Johnny Cash (2015), Alan Jackson (2022), Kris Kristofferson (2019), Loretta Lynn (2021), Nelson (2012), Charley Pride (2020) and George Strait (2024).
Recently, Gill signed a lifetime record deal with his longtime label home, Nashville’s MCA Records, and issued the EP 50 Years From Home: I Gave You Everything I Had, which released Oct. 17.
To date, Gill has won 18 CMA Awards, including four wins for song of the year, for his hits “When I Call Your Name,” “Look at Us,” “I Still Believe in You” and “Go Rest High on That Mountain.” He also shares the record for the most times hosting the CMA Awards, which he hosted from 1992 to 2003. He has previously won other CMA honors, including the CMA’s Irving Waugh award of excellence in 2014, as well as the CMA foundation humanitarian award in 2017, and is a four-time CMA triple play award honoree.
Gill was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007 and honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012. He has also won 22 Grammy Awards. In addition to his accomplishments as a solo artist, Gill has been part of several groups, including Pure Prairie League, The Cherry Bombs and The Time Jumpers. He was also invited to join the Eagles on tour in 2017, and continues contributing his talents to the legendary group.
“Vince embodies the very best of what Country Music stands for,” Sarah Trahern, CMA chief executive officer, said in a statement. “He’s a true trailblazer, one who gives back to the community, honors the roots of our genre, and even now, continues to share his talent with fans across the globe. As a Country Music Hall of Fame member, 18-time CMA Award winner, and former 12-time CMA Awards host, he remains a vibrant force in our industry, and we’re honored to celebrate an artist whose influence is so deeply woven into the fabric of our format.”
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Ozzy Osbourne was hoping to record one more album before his shock death in July at age 76. According to the late hard rock icon’s longtime solo band guitarist, Zakk Wylde, not long after this summer’s all-star Back to the Beginning show honoring Black Sabbath and Ozzy’s solo career, the Prince of Darkness rang Wylde up with some ideas for a potential album.
“He was texting me, ‘Zakk, let’s do another record. Because I really loved it when you were going through your Allman Brothers, Skynyrd phase when we did ‘No More Tears,’ it’s heavy but it’s more melodic, it’s not pummeling heavy,’” Wylde told N.J.com of the vibe Ozzy was in search of that would hearken back to their early 1990s salad days working together on albums including 1991’s No More Tears and 1995’s Ozzmosis. “So I said, ‘Alright Oz, whatever you want.’”
Ozzy took the stage to perform his solo hits and a handful of Sabbath classics at the July 5 show in the rocker’s native Birmingham, U.K., where he shared the stage with Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Alice in Chains, Anthrax, Mastodon and many more. Osbourne passed away just 17 days after the triumphant gig, which was highlighted in the recent Paramount+ documentary Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape From Now. In addition, a 100-minute concert film chronicling the concert, Back to the Beginning: Ozzy’ Final Bow, is slated for release in early 2026.
Despite not getting in the studio to work on the follow-up to his Grammy-winning 2022 album Patient Number 9, Wylde said Osbourne seemed content after the Back to the Beginning blow-out. “We did the show, he ended up finishing his book, they did the documentary, and then he was like, ‘All right, I’m out of here,’” Wylde said of Osbourne. “He finished everything he had to do and then he was like, ‘All right, I’m done.’”
Wylde will be on the road honoring Ozzy’s legacy this fall and winter with his Black Sabbath tribute band, Zakk Sabbath, whose next show is Tuesday night (Nov. 11) at the Bourbon Theatre in Lincoln, Neb.
Trending on Billboard The Foo Fighters will warm up for their planned run of summer 2026 North American stadium shows with a run of U.K. and European stadium gigs. The Foos’ Take Cover European tour is slated to kick off on June 10 at Oslo, Norway’s Unity Arena. Explore See latest videos, charts and news […]
Trending on Billboard The Jonas Brothers will ring in the new year in Florida after a 2025 run of shows celebrating their 20th anniversary as a group. Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas will take the stage at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Dec. 31 for a two-hour show slated to kick off at […]
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Independent music venue Antone’s has been guaranteed another 50 years in downtown Austin.
On Monday (Nov. 10), the club’s owners announced they had signed a 50-year lease for the venue’s current location on East 5th Street, which will see the iconic space through to its 100th anniversary in 2075.
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The Antone’s brand has been in several locations throughout its history, with its most recent ownership group landing on a former glass depot on the busy East 5th Street. The venue’s current edition, which opened on New Year’s Eve 2015, includes the 400-capacity concert hall, a record shop called Big Henry’s and an event space on its upper floor. The long-term lease includes all three spaces, while the event space and bar will be transformed into an Antone’s museum.
This summer, the venue, which originally opened in 1975, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a commemorative merch collection, a touring show and an anniversary box set that included live recordings from the blues club’s history.
“We’ve got to use this milestone and the achievement of the 50th to switch from surviving to thriving,” Antone’s co-owner Will Bridges tells Billboard. “It’s crazy to think that Antone’s would have a 100th anniversary and by having that long of a term, to just be able to think and plan long term.”
When Antone’s took over its current space, the owners signed a 10-year lease with two five-year options, with Bridges noting the landlord has been nothing but supportive of the venue. However, the ownership group saw an opportunity to receive a grant from the local Iconic Venue Fund if Antone’s had a secure position in the city, such as land ownership or a long-term lease agreement. Other Austin venues that have benefited from the fund include Hole in the Wall and Empire Control Room & Garage.
Thanks to the 50-year lease, Antone’s has been selected to receive a $1.3 million investment from Rally Austin (home to the Austin Cultural Trust that controls the Iconic Venue Fund) to create a museum called Antone’s “World Famous” Museum of the Blues. The museum, which will be housed permanently on Antone’s upper level beginning in 2027, will celebrate Austin’s blues heritage and foster educational and community programming. It will donate a portion of its proceeds to the city’s Rally for Live Music Fund.
On Monday (Nov. 10), Antone’s will also launch the Antone’s Forever Fund as part of the Clifford Antone Foundation, to ensure the museum’s educational, cultural and community initiatives are continually advancing.
The museum will be open both during the day and in the evenings, providing additional revenue to support the venue and the Clifford Antone Foundation. The Iconic Venue Fund grant also includes a five-year operating stipend to help grow museum operations.
Given the response to the Antone’s 50th All Stars shows in Los Angeles, New York and Nashville, Antone’s creative and musical director Zach Ernst believes these new developments will help cement the venue’s legacy.
“All this extra activity we did this year under the banner of the 50th really reminded us how important Antone’s is outside of Austin,” Ernst tells Billboard. “We really do deserve this kind of [support] as an institution. It’s hard for worker bees like me and Will to think that way. But it is all thanks to Clifford Antone and his vision back in ‘75.”
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Travis Scott delivered a major surprise for fans during the Japanese leg of his Circus Maximus tour over the weekend, bringing out Kanye West for an unannounced set at the Belluna Dome in Tokorozawa on Saturday (Nov. 8).
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In fan-shot footage circulating online, West — who had his face covered — pulled off his mask mid-show to roaring applause before launching into his 2007 anthem “Can’t Tell Me Nothing.”
Scott remained onstage as a hype man and support act throughout Ye’s mini-set, which included hits like “Runaway,” “Heartless,” “Flashing Lights,” “Stronger,” and “All of the Lights.” The duo performed together in front of a packed Tokyo crowd as part of Scott’s two-night Japan stopover.
Scott previously hinted at a potential reunion with West during a Circus Maximus show in October, telling fans, “We might have to do something special.”
In April, La Flame spoke of his relationship with the controversial rapper in his Complex cover story. “S–t, man. That’s my kid’s uncle,” he said in the interview, which appears to have taken place in February. “That guy took me in when I was young, when I was like 19. He taught me a lot about music. And not even just ‘taught’ me, but he allowed me to experience the creation of music.”
The surprise performance comes just days after West made headlines for a sit-down with Israeli Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto, where he addressed past antisemitic comments and expressed a desire to make amends.
“I feel really blessed to be able to sit here with you today and just take accountability,” Ye told Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto in a video posted on social media.
“It’s a big deal for me as a man to come and take accountability for all the things that I’ve said, and I really just appreciate you embracing me with open arms and allowing me to make amends. And this is the beginning and the first steps, and the first brick by brick to build back the strong walls.”
West’s last major live performance was his Vultures listening event earlier in 2025, while Scott continues to tour globally.
Trending on Billboard The upcoming Michael Jackson biopic Michael has already made history — and it hasn’t even hit cinemas yet. The teaser trailer for the Antoine Fuqua-directed film racked up more than 116.2 million views within its first 24 hours, making it the most-viewed music biopic trailer of all time and the largest trailer […]
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Oasis have officially wrapped their 2025 Australian tour, marking a triumphant return down under with over 320,000 fans attending across five stadium shows in Melbourne and Sydney.
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The Britpop icons played three sold-out nights at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, followed by two shows at Accor Stadium in Sydney, concluding on Saturday (Nov. 8). It’s one of the highest-attended rock tours in Australia this year — and one with lasting impact.
“Thanks for putting up with us. We know we were d–kheads sometimes,” Liam Gallagher told the Sydney crowd. “Your support has put us back on the map. Respect! You’ve got a lovely f–king country. See you again.”
The reunion tour has drawn headlines for more than just nostalgia. In Melbourne, seismic sensors at the Seismology Research Centre reportedly picked up tremors during the band’s performances — a rare but real phenomenon caused by thousands of fans stomping and singing in unison.
One of the city’s most iconic live music venues, Cherry Bar, credited the band with sparking a major nightlife revival. “The darkest hour is before the dawn, Melbourne and Cherry Bar needed a hero and who knew that it would come in the shape of a couple of ‘no f#cks given’ Mancunian larrikins?!” wrote owner James Young on social media, calling it the bar’s “biggest weekend and biggest week on record.”
While the first show had some minor issues, including a fan launching flares into the crowd, the tour’s reception has been overwhelmingly positive.
Billboard said of the rockers’ first Melbourne gig, “Kicking off with ‘Hello,’ into which Liam inserted the lyrics ‘it’s good to be back,’ then ‘Acquiesce,’ and ‘Morning Glory,’ provided an opening combination that hit hard and fast. ‘G’day,’ Liam told the 58,000 gathered fans, Tina Arena and Jelly Roll among them. ‘Did you miss us? Because we missed you.’”
“This tour is off to a blinder, a result for anyone in the place who wanted, waited for this band, and used the opportunity to go let it all out, and sing at the top of their lungs.”
Oasis now heads to South America for shows in Argentina, Chile and Brazil, before continuing their global tour into 2026.
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Australia’s iconic Bluesfest has announced the first round of artists set to perform at its 2026 edition, unveiling a cross-generational lineup led by Split Enz, Earth, Wind & Fire, and The Pogues.
Returning to Byron Bay’s Bluesfest site — the Byron Events Farm — from April 2 to 5 next year, the long-running festival will host a full reunion set from Split Enz. The legendary New Zealand group, featuring brothers Neil and Tim Finn of Crowded House fame, also announced a separate national tour this week. It will mark the band’s first full-scale Australian tour in nearly two decades.
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Joining them are funk and soul trailblazers Earth, Wind & Fire, who last played the event in 2012, and Irish punk-folk icons The Pogues, returning for the first time in 14 years to mark 40 years since the release of their seminal album Rum, Sodomy & the Lash — a tribute to the late Shane MacGowan.
Other international acts on the 2026 bill include Sublime, The Black Crowes, Counting Crows, blues veteran Buddy Guy (on his farewell tour), and Marcus King Band. Local talent includes Xavier Rudd, The Living End, South Summit, Mental As Anything, Skegss, The Dreggs, Pierce Brothers, and Mark Seymour.
The announcement follows a high-water mark for the festival earlier this year. In April, Bluesfest officially confirmed its return for 2026 following one of its strongest post-pandemic editions. Held across the Easter long weekend, Bluesfest 2025 drew more than 109,000 attendees over five days — the festival’s highest attendance since 2019, and the third-biggest turnout in its 35-year history.
“We’re the top-selling festival in the country, and we’ve worked hard to get here,” festival director Peter Noble said in a statement at the time. “We’ve had the highest attendance of any Australian festival since pre-COVID at 109,000 attendances – the third-biggest event we’ve done in the history of the festival… Festivals are back.”
The festival’s second lineup drop for its 2026 event is expected in the coming weeks. Several of the artists announced — including The Pogues, Sublime, and Buddy Guy — will also play exclusive headline shows around the country as part of the Bluesfest touring program.
Bluesfest 2026 takes place from Thursday, April 2, to Sunday, April 5. Tickets and artist information are available at bluesfest.com.au.
Trending on Billboard Tate McRae‘s So Close to What, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 upon its original release in March, is getting the deluxe treatment. A version of the album with additional tracks is coming in two weeks, McRae said in an announcement on Saturday (Nov. 8). Explore See latest videos, […]
