genre rock
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Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan will be playing classics from his beloved group when he hits the road this summer, though his backing group will look a little different.
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Hitting the live trail throughout June, Corgan will be joined by his new band, the Machines of God, for the 16-date tour of North America.
Dubbed A Return to Zero, the trek sees Corgan and his band touring in support of the 30th anniversary of the Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, and the 25th anniversary of the 2000 albums Machina/The Machines of God and Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music. The tour will feature classics and deep cuts from the records, along with selections from 2024’s Aghori Mhori Mei.
Joining Corgan in the Machines of God is nascent Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Kiki Wong, drummer Jake Hayden, and bassist Kid Tigrrr (aka Jenna Fournier of NIIGHTS).
This isn’t the only retrospective look that Corgan is taking in 2025. In early March, Corgan detailed a forthcoming series of performances which sees him and the Lyric Opera of Chicago reimagining Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness in a new operatic light in November. “Opera and rock both tell stories of heightened emotions, and I am excited for both fans of my music and traditional opera fans to hear some truly inspired work; for the balance here is to honor both traditions in a magisterial way,” Corgan explained.
Mellon Collie was issued in 1995 as the band’s third album, and managed to become the Smashing Pumpkins’ first release to debut atop the Billboard 200. The record also garnered seven nominations at the 1997 Grammys, including album of the year and best alternative music album, ultimately winning best hard rock performance for lead single, “Bullet with Butterfly Wings.”
Meanwhile, Machina/The Machines of God arrived in February 2000 as the band’s last studio album to be commercially released ahead of their breakup later that year. The record hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200, and received a Grammy nomination for best recording package.
Its follow-up, Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music, was released in September of 2000 as a free download after plans to release the records as a double album fell through. A long-awaited reissue of the Machina albums is set to arrive later in the year.
Billy Corgan and the Machines of God – A Return to Zero North American Tour
June 7 – Baltimore Soundstage, Baltimore, MDJune 9 – Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MAJune 11 – Kee to Bala, Muskoka, ONJune 12 – History, Toronto, ONJune 13 – Beanfield Theatre, Montreal, QCJune 15 – Irving Plaza, New York, NYJune 16 – Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PAJune 17 – Archer Music Hall, Allentown, PAJune 19 – St. Andrew’s Hall, Detroit, MIJune 20 – Taste of Joliet, Joliet, ILJune 21 – Intersection, Grand Rapids, MIJune 23 – Roxian Theatre, Pittsburgh, PAJune 25 – House of Blues Cleveland, Cleveland, OHJune 26 – Bogart’s, Cincinnati, OHJune 27 – Summerfest, Milwaukee, WIJune 29 – Varsity Theater, Minneapolis, MN
Japanese heavy outfit BABYMETAL are preparing to kick off their latest era, announcing the release of their fifth album today.
As is tradition, news of the group’s latest happenings was shared on Fox Day (April 1, Japanese time), a day typically used by the group to unveil big announcements. The big headline for 2025 is the forthcoming release of BABYMETAL’s fifth album, Metal Forth, which will be released on June 13.
The ten-track release is a heavily-collaborative effort, featuring appearances from the likes of Spiritbox, Polyphia, Bloodywood, and Slaughter to Prevail. The album will also include previous singles released by the band, including the 2023 Tom Morello-featuring “METALI!!”and their 2024 collaboration with Electric Callboy, “Ratatata.” News of the forthcoming record will also be bolstered by the impending arrival of new single “From Me to U,” which drops on Friday (April 4) with guest vocals from Poppy.
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BABYMETAL first formed in 2010, releasing their self-titled debut in 2014. While the record peaked at No. 187 on the Billboard 200, subsequent albums performed better, with 2016’s Metal Resistance hitting No. 39 and 2019’s Metal Galaxy reaching No. 13.
In 2023, the band released fourth album The Other One, which became their first not to chart on the Billboard 200, and their first to be released as a duo following the departure of Yuimetal in 2018. Now, following the inclusion of Momometal as an official member in 2023, the forthcoming record is said to represent a new era for the band, with its title meaning “beyond metal,” and a new signing to Capitol Records being detailed alongside its announcement.
In a statement issued on Monday (March 31), Capitol Records noted that the deal makes BABYMETAL “the first Japanese artist to sign a frontline deal with the label.”
“BABYMETAL’s groundbreaking sound and compelling artistic vision have not only cultivated a worldwide following, but have also demonstrably shifted global music culture,” said Capitol Records Chairman & CEO, Tom March. “We at Capitol Records are privileged to join them in this next chapter as we continue to amplify their international reach and influence with the upcoming release of Metal Forth.”
The arrival of Metal Forth on June 13 will also coincide with the launch of a 24-date North American tour for the band, with dates in Europe, the U.K., and Asia also set to complement their current schedule.
One of Kurt Cobain‘s most iconic instruments is about to go on display for the first time in Europe. The Royal College of Music London announced that its “Kurt Cobain Unplugged” exhibit — which opens on June 3 and runs through Nov. 18 — will feature the late Nirvana singer’s rare Martin D-18E guitar, which […]
Unlike some other artists, Guster did not cancel their booked gig at Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center in the wake of the prestigious venue’s MAGA makeover in which Donald Trump had himself appointed as chairman and filled the organization’s board with loyalists while vowing to fill the stage with “non-woke” musicals such as his favorite, Cats.
In fact, Guster did just the opposite. During their gig on Friday night (March 28), the band staged a subtle protest against the administration’s planned make-over — which has quickly resulted in more than two dozens shows and performers canceling scheduled gigs — by bringing out the cast of Finn, an LGBTQ+ musical whose performances were called off after the Trump revamp.
Finn is a children’s musical that opened to good reviews at the Kennedy Center last year, telling the story of a young shark who “wants to let his inner fish out.” According to a video of the performance , Guster invited out the cast of the musical with trans themes, with singer Ryan Miller explaining, “I have a friend named Michael who wrote the songs for a musical called Finn” in the midst of the band’s show with the National Symphony Orchestra.
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“In the before times they were booked to play here at the Kennedy Center. But as all of you know, things happened, and the show is no longer being presented here,” Miller continued. “As the new administration has made abundantly clear, Finn’s themes of inclusivity, love, and self-acceptance aren’t going to be welcome in this building while they are in control. So tonight our band is here to say our stage is your stage. We are your allies, we stand with the LGBTQ community, and we want you to sing with us. Please welcome the cast of Finn and composer Michael Kooman.”
The six singers from the cast received a prolonged, raucous standing ovation before the performance of Guster’s “Hard Times” and then again after.
Following Finn‘s cancellation at the Kennedy Center — which the venue said at the time was a “purely financial decision” — the show was performed by a cast of Broadway stars for a one-night-only livestream at New York’s Town Hall earlier this month, with a portion of the proceeds earmarked for The Trevor Project. Among the stars who participated in the special event were: Andrew Rannells, Bonnie Milligan, Nikki M James, Kelli o’Hara, Lea Salonga, Michael Urie, Peppermint, Brenda Braxton and more.
To date, more than two dozen events have been canceled by the artists or postponed at the Kennedy Center following the Trump revamp, including shows by Issa Rae, a production of Hamilton, the National Youth Poet Laureate event, Blacks in Wax, as well as shows by Low Cut Connie and Amanda Rheaume, a book event with J. Geils Band singer Peter Wolf and many more.
More than 20 years since it became required listening for any mid-aughts music fan, the artists featured on the soundtrack to acclaimed indie film Garden State have come together in Los Angeles for a one-night only affair.
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Initially released in July 2004, Garden State served as the directorial debut for Scrubs star Zach Braff, and earned itself a nomination for the grand jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Though it avoided much of the Hollywood glitz and glamor, the film developed a cult following, thanks in part to its eclectic soundtrack.
Equally influential and acclaimed, the soundtrack collected names such as The Shins, Coldplay, and Iron & Wine as something of a snapshot of the era’s indie landscape. Ultimately, the soundtrack peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard 200 and won the 2005 Grammy for best compilation soundtrack for visual media.
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In October 2024, it was announced a special concert celebration would take place at Los Angeles’ Greek Theater on March 29, with proceeds from the affair going to benefit The Midnight Mission, a homeless shelter and services provider founded in L.A. in 1914.
Promotion for the event promised appearances from (almost) every artist featured on the soundtrack, along with “very special guests” by way of cast member appearances, and on Saturday (March 29), the full anniversary concert came to fruition.
Artists such as The Shins were on hand to perform the likes of “Caring is Creepy” and “New Slang” (which attained widespread fame thanks to Natalie Portman’s character insisting the song will “change your life; I swear”), while Cary Brothers, Bonnie Somerville, Colin Hay, Thievery Corporation, Cary Brothers, and Sophie Barker of Zero 7 also appeared to perform their respective cuts.
A handful of notable absences did alter the dream lineup, however. While pop heavyweights Coldplay weren’t on hand to perform “Don’t Panic,” neither were Simon & Garfunkel available to run through “The Only Living Boy in New York.” In their absence, Laufey and The Milk Carton Kids got up onstage to cover their songs, respectively. Likewise, Iron & Wine paid tribute to the late Nick Drake by adding a rendition of “One of These Things First” to his scheduled performance.
The event also resulted in a couple of rare performances from the likes of Frou Frou and Remy Zero. While Imogen Heap and Guy Sigsworth of Frou Frou have been active again since 2017, the pair had not performed live since 2019, with the Garden State concert seeing them appear onstage once again.
Remy Zero, meanwhile, broke up in 2010 and reformed exclusively for the Saturday concert. The band largely reunited to play their 1998 track “Fair,” though they also used the opportunity to provide fans with a chance to hear the track “Save Me,” which found fame as the theme to Smallville from 2001 to 2011.
On the non-musical front, the event also featured appearances from both Braff and Portman, while Danny DeVito (an executive producer on the original film), and Braff’s former Scrubs co-stars Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke took to the stage to partake in the festivities and the fundraising efforts.
For those that missed out on the event, the concert will be available to purchase for streaming from April 6. Proceeds from the stream will also be donated to The Midnight Mission.
Longtime REO Speedwagon vocalist Kevin Cronin has taken to social media to share his thoughts on his lack of inclusion in an upcoming one-off reunion event.
Cronin, who has been touring with his own Kevin Cronin Band, addressed a fan on Facebook who noted the singer’s absence from REO Speedwagon’s forthcoming concert in Champaign, Illinois on June 14, responding that organizers of the event could have picked a date when many of the band’s former members were readily available to attend.
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“Instead they chose June 14, 2025, a date where it was public knowledge that I was previously committed to perform with Styx and Kevin Cronin Band in Bend, Oregon,” Cronin wrote. “Bottom line, I am being asked to participate in an event on a date when I can’t possibly be there in-person. And then being falsely accused of turning down the invitation. I am deeply disturbed and hurt by all of this.
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“After all I have done to help build the legacy of REO Speedwagon, I feel I have earned and deserve to be included in any event honoring that legacy. Instead, I have been knowingly excluded.”
Cronin joined REO Speedwagon in early 1972, taking over from Terry Luttrell who reportedly left due to personal issues with guitarist Gary Richrath. Though Cronin was himself briefly replaced by Mike Murphy the following year, he returned in 1976 and remained in the band until their end, performing on tracks such as their two Hot 100 chart-toppers “Keep On Loving You” and “Can’t Fight This Feeling.”
In late 2024, REO Speedwagon announced that they would cease touring as of Jan. 1, 2025. In a note shared to fans, the group explained that bassist Bruce Hall had not recovered sufficiently from previous back surgery and his inability to tour led to “irreconcilable differences” between Hall and Cronin.
REO Speedwagon played their final live performance on Dec. 21 at The Venetian Theatre in Las Vegas, but in March announced they would be playing a special one-off show at the State Farm Center in their hometown of Champaign, Illinois on June 14. Officially titled as an event ‘Honoring the Legacy of REO Speedwagon,’ the show is described as a “concert retrospective featuring special guests & former members.”
Indeed, Hall and Neal Doughty from the final REO Speedwagon lineup are confirmed to attend, as are previous vocalists Luttrell and Murphy. Founding drummer Alan Gratzer and 1969 guitarist Steve Scorfina are also listed as appearing, while a special tribute will be held to late members Gary Richrath and Gregg Philbin.
In his social media comment, Cronin also claimed that the remaining members of the band’s final lineup – who currently perform alongside him in the Kevin Cronin Band – weren’t given the option of appearing at the forthcoming show. “35-year REO veterans Dave Amato and Bryan Hitt were not even shown the respect of being invited to the Champaign event,” he added.
Cronin spoke to Billboard ahead of REO Speedwagon’s final show in December, explaining that the circumstances behind the band’s ending were less than ideal, and admitted there is still a level of acrimony between he and Hall. “It’s kind of like a divorce of sorts,” he explained, “and during a divorce things get a little muddy and things get a little sticky. I wish it could’ve been more amicable, but the minute attorneys get involved it just changes the atmosphere of things.”
“I think it’s unfortunate that some fans were kind of brought into something that I really feel should’ve been kept as a private, personal matter,” he continued. “It’s never thrilling when things are said that are inaccurate and hurtful. My hope is that there will come a time where the dust will have settled. My intention is to ask forgiveness for anything that I’ve done or any hurt that I have caused Bruce. I don’t like to have grudges with people. I like to forgive and be forgiven.”
Congratulations are in order for Dave Navarro and Vanessa DuBasso, who tied the knot in Scotland on Saturday (March 29).
The 57-year-old Jane’s Addiction guitarist and 31-year-old actress and fashion designer exchanged vows at Dunskey Estate in Stranraer, Scotland, People reports. The couple’s gothic-inspired ceremony took place within a castle nestled at the secluded coastal estate, surrounded by lush greenery and views of the sea.
“It exudes a moody, ethereal charm,” DuBasso told the publication. “Surrounded by a towering forest, a serene lake and the ruins of a castle along the shoreline, it felt like stepping into a fairytale.”
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Navarro added, “We wanted our wedding to feel like a dream. It was important to us to find a place that felt unlike anywhere we had ever been, a place that embraced nature and transported us to another world. We wanted our loved ones to share in this intimate experience.”
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The pair exchanged handwritten vows in a forest ceremony officiated by Dunskey Estate owner Ali Orr Ewing. Among the guests was comedian Pete Davidson. It’s unclear if any members of Jane’s Addiction were in attendance.
The Grammy-nominated guitarist, who also played with the Red Hot Chili Peppers from in the 1990s, shared glimpses of the magical weekend on his Instagram Stories the following day. Among the behind-the-scenes moments were photos of the couple skeet shooting in the countryside, a heartwarming video of them exchanging smiles during a candlelit dinner, and a stunning clip of a fireworks display.
Navarro and DuBasso met eight years ago after the veteran musician saw a movie trailer featuring the actress. Navarro reached out to the film’s director, a friend of his, asking if DuBasso would be interested in going on a date with him, according to People.
This marks Navarro’s fourth marriage. He was previously married to Tania Goddard in the early ’90s, followed by a brief marriage to Rhian Gittins in the mid-’90s, and then to Carmen Electra in the early 2000s.
Looks like running — and playing Forrest Gump — runs in the Hanks family. In the “You Better Run” music video for Chet Hanks’ band Something Out West, the singer tapped his famous father Tom Hanks to re-create scenes from Forrest Gump more than 30 years after the actor starred in the iconic film. The […]
Lola Young reigns for the first time on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart, as “Messy” jumps two places to No. 1 on the April 5-dated tally.
“Messy” rules concurrent with its third week at No. 1 on the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, thanks to 4.7 million audience impressions in the week ending March 27, according to Luminate.
Young tops Alternative Airplay with her first entry on the list, becoming the second act in a row to do so, after Balu Brigada’s “So Cold” reached No. 1 the week before. Five acts, via four songs, have earned first Alternative Airplay No. 1s as lead acts in 2025. Prior to Young and Balu Brigada, Justice and Tame Impala on their collaboration “Neverender” and Almost Monday with “Can’t Slow Down” led for the first time.
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Comparatively, just two acts notched first Alternative Airplay No. 1s in 2024. Five newcomers at the top spot as lead acts this year, and as of March, for that matter, mark the most in a single year since six in 2021 (I Dont Know How But They Found Me’s “Leave Me Alone,” Cannons‘ “Fire for You,” Machine Gun Kelly and Blackbear’s “My Ex’s Best Friend,” Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” and Måneskin’s “Beggin’”).
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“Messy” ranks at No. 7 on Adult Alternative Airplay, after reaching No. 5 earlier in March. It also rises 9-8 on Pop Airplay, bullets at its No. 10 best on Adult Pop Airplay and debuts at No. 30 on Adult Contemporary.
On the most recently published, multimetric Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, dated March 29, reflecting data March 14-20, “Messy” placed at No. 2. In addition to its radio airplay, the song earned 9.7 million official U.S. streams and sold 3,000 downloads in that span.
“Messy” parent album This Wasn’t Meant for You Anyway ranked at No. 32, after reaching No. 11, on the March 29 Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart with 9,000 equivalent album units. It has earned 211,000 units to date.
All Billboard charts dated April 5 will update on Tuesday, April 1.
Leigh band The Lottery Winners has bagged its second No. 1 on the U.K. Albums Chart. KOKO follows their previous LP Anxiety Replacement Therapy, which achieved the feat in 2023.
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The indie-rockers praised their hometown of Leigh in Greater Manchester when celebrating the news, and toasted the local scene and small venues where they learned their craft. Speaking to the Official Charts Company, the four-piece said, “This is for grassroots music. This is for the working class. This is for Leigh. This is for anybody who has a dream — go out there and get it. Make it happen!”
It continues the group’s upward momentum on the Official Albums Chart over the past few years following the band’s 2020 debut, The Lottery Winners (No. 23), its 2020 follow-up Sounds of Isolation (No. 61) and 2021’s Something to Leave the House For (No. 11).
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The group has played at festivals including Glastonbury, and supported British pop icon Robbie Williams on tour. KOKO’s guest vocalists include Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger, Britpop band Shed Seven and more.
Elsewhere, Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet completes the week at No. 2, while Scottish band Deacon Blue’s 11th studio album, The Great Western Road, lands at No. 3, and gives the group its seventh top 10 U.K. album.
Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco’s joint LP, I Said I Love You First, debuts at No. 4 and is Gomez’s second U.K. top 10 album, following 2020’s Rare (No. 2). It’s the first top 10 LP for her fiancé Blanco, who has a number of U.K. No. 1 singles to his name as a writer and producer, including Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream.”
Lady Gaga’s MAYHEM finishes at No. 5, Playboi Carti’s Music falls from the top spot to No. 7, while The Horrors’ first album in eight years, Night Life, enters the charts at No. 16.