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Halsey announced the dates for her upcoming spring/summer 2025 Halsey: For My Last Trick tour. The 32-city Live Nation-promoted outing in support of last year’s The Great Impersonator album is slated to kick off on May 10 at the Toyota Pavilion at Concord in Concord, CA and criss-cross the country for shows in Phoenix, Los Angeles, Dallas, Nashville, Tampa, Charlotte, Toronto, Chicago and St. Louis, before winding down on July 6 at the Yaamava’ Theater in Highland, CA.
They’ll have plenty of friends along as well, with Del Water Gap, The Warning, Evanescence, Alvvays, Hope Tala, Royel Otis, Sir Chloe, flowerlove, Magdalena Bay and Alemeda joining on select dates. On Thursday morning (Feb. 13), the singer released a playful, minute-long trailer for her first headlining tour in three years.
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It opens with a blue-haired Halsey hopping out of a golf cart as a harried assistant comments on the singer’s Smurf-colored locks and they respond, “I always said I’d be buried in this wig and, figured I probably should be.” The frenzied walk-and-talk then finds them rejecting a selection of black suits and enthusiastically greeting her hair and make-up person before making the executive guest list decision that Joe Jonas is not among the JoBros who will make the cut.
“Joe cannot come honey,” they say while making nice with an adorable grade school choir singer, only to walk away and whisper, “lose the kid, it’s way too sad.” She then spots her photo shoot set-up — an open coffin surrounded by three gigantic bouquets of flowers — dubbing it “perfect! It’s exactly how I pictured it,” before taking a phone call informing her that the whole thing has been called off.
Fans can sign up for the artist presale now through Monday (Feb. 17) at 11:59 p.m. ET here, with an artist presale kicking off on Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. through 10 p.m. local that day. More presales will run throughout the week in the lead-up to the general on-sale beginning on Feb. 21 at 10 a.m. local time here.
Check out the tour promo video and dates below.
Halsey
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You may not always be able to sing them at work in full voice, but over the past half century Saturday Night Live has given us some of the most hilarious, surprisingly tuneful (and often NSFW) musical shorts and original comedy tunes in TV history.
From second season cast member Bill Murray’s smarmy Nick the Lounge Singer’s groovy original Star Wars theme song to Eddie Murphy’s dead-on impersonation of soul legend James Brown and Adam Sandler’s seasonal classic “Hanukkah Song” and howling Opera Man bits, the sketches work because — as former cast member Maya Rudolph said in one of the recent anniversary specials — “when you can really sing, that’s when you’re the funniest.”
Plus, when you really, really love the music you’re spoofing, it shows, as in the legendary “More Cowbell” sketch and, of course, Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg’s ribbon-rung new jack surprise, “D–k in a Box.” Whether they’re parody songs, topical tunes or just left-field jams about crypto currency or airport sushi, the show has always found a way to balance earworm singability with LOL lyrics.
In the recent Questlove-directed Ladies & Gentleman… 50 Years of SNL Music primetime special, Rudolph — an accomplished vocalist herself, and daughter of legendary soul singer Minnie Riperton — explained that Murphy’s eerily spot-on version of Stevie Wonder was so perfectly funny, “not because he’s dressed as Stevie Wonder… it’s funny because he’s pulling off the musicality of Stevie Wonder.”
Parody songs and original musical bits have been a part of the show’s fabric since the Not-Ready-For-Primetime-Players debuted on Oct. 11, 1975 with a cast including future legends Chevy Chase, Laraine Newman, Dan Akroyd, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Gilda Radner and others. But the volume, quality and virality of the show’s for-laughs songs have rocketed to new heights over the past 20 years thanks to a string of stone cold killer tunes from the Samberg-led writing/producing trio The Lonely Island.
Their roster of must-pass-around bits are among the modern era’s most beloved, including such chart-worthy ditties as “Lazy Sunday” — the first SNL digital short to blow up on a then-nascent YouTube — to “Motherlover,” “Jizz in My Pants,” “I’m on a Boat” and “I Just Had Sex.”
The trio’s golden ear for musical comedy gold has continued to keep SNL buzzing in our ears as recent casts have added in such modern marvels as “Murder Show,” “Yolo” and “This is Not a Feminist Song,” as well as former writer and frequent guest host John Mulaney’s bonkers off-Broadway-worthy musical extravaganzas. And if you missed A Complete Unknown star Timothée Chalamet’s 2020 ode to his favorite miniature mount, “Tiny Horse,” the first time — saddle up, it’s a whole ride.
Though the list of our favorites is way longer — and you won’t find any of Belushi’s iconic Blues Brothers bits here, because they featured covers of classic blues songs, not originals — here are our 50 favorite SNL original songs/musical shorts ever, as we prepare for the all-star prime-time SNL 50 special on NBC airing this Sunday (Feb. 16).
“Hotline Bling Parody”
Sum 41 singer Deryck Whibley offered up his sincerest apologies to the pop punk band’s Australian fans in a video posted this week after the group were unable to play what were slated to be the final-ever shows Down Under in December due to his illness. “This is the part that I hate… The fact […]
Kendrick Lamar hid a bunch of Easter eggs in his historic Super Bowl LIX halftime show. But there’s one little nod you may have missed, but Paramore‘s Hayley Williams sure didn’t. The rocker slipped into the comments on the Instagram feed of Good Dye Young earlier this week to jump for joy after see that […]
Sam Fender has extended his 2025 U.K. summer tour with the addition of three new dates. The announcement arrives ahead of the North Shields songwriter’s third LP People Watching, due next Friday (Feb. 21) via Polydor. The record marks Fender’s first full-length release since 2021’s Mercury Prize-nominated Seventeen Going Under. The first of the new […]
The Prodigy’s Liam Howlett has spoken out about the group’s absence from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, urging for their inclusion in the prestigious institution.
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Speaking ahead of the band’s upcoming Disrupta Tour in Australia, Howlett admitted that the Hall of Fame hadn’t been on his radar—until now. “It’s not something I’ve ever thought about, but yeah, as you spoke about it we should be up there. Make it happen!” he told Rolling Stone AU/NZ.
While The Prodigy didn’t make the 2025 class, which features fellow British acts like Oasis, New Order, and Billy Idol, the Essex-born electronic pioneers make a strong case for future recognition. Their 1997 album The Fat of the Land became a landmark moment for electronic music, breaking barriers in the U.S. by debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200—an unprecedented achievement for a band in their genre at the time.
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Two of the group’s defining singles, “Firestarter” and “Smack My Bitch Up,” cracked the Billboard Hot 100 in an era when electronic music wasn’t widely embraced by the mainstream American industry.
“I’ve said before, I never gave a f* about the charts,” Howlett recalled. “But somehow Fat of the Land going to No. 1 in the USA felt different. It had an extra ‘f*** you-ness’ about it as only a few British bands had ever done that. So yeah, you could say it gave me a certain cheeky pride for a while.”
In their home country, The Prodigy have dominated the U.K. charts, racking up seven No. 1 albums, including their most recent studio effort, No Tourists, in 2018. Their career tally also includes 11 top 10 hits on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, with “Firestarter” and “Breathe” both reaching No. 1 in 1996.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame requires nominees to have released their first single or album at least 25 years before the induction year. The Prodigy, who first hit the U.K. charts in 1991 with “Charly,” easily meet the eligibility criteria, making them potential contenders for future classes.
As the group gears up for their first Australian tour in five years, fans are eager to see Howlett and Maxim back on stage. The Disrupta Tour, which kicks off Feb. 13 in Sydney, is also their first major run since the passing of frontman Keith Flint in 2019.
Fountains of Wayne are reuniting for their first full performances since the passing of founding member Adam Schlesinger in 2020.
The power pop band—best known for hits like “Stacy’s Mom”—has announced appearances at Milwaukee’s Summerfest over the July 4 weekend and the Oceans Calling Festival in Ocean City, Maryland, on Sept. 26. Eve 6’s Max Collins will step in on bass for the performances.
The upcoming shows mark the band’s first proper reunion in over a decade. Before this, the remaining members—Chris Collingwood, Jody Porter, and Brian Young—briefly came together for a one-off performance (their first in seven years) to pay tribute to their late band member Adam Schlesinger, who passed away due to complications from COVID-19 at the age of 52. Prior to Schlesinger’s passing, the band’s last official tour wrapped in 2013.
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Fountains of Wayne formed in 1995 and gained a cult following, their mainstream breakthrough came in 2003 with “Stacy’s Mom,” which peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100, earned them a Grammy nomination and became a pop culture staple. The track also reached No. 3 on Alternative Airplay in 2003, while their album Welcome Interstate Managers reached No. 115 on the Billboard 200.
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Despite the song’s success, Schlesinger downplayed its impact in a 2007 interview with The A.V. Club, saying, “Most people in the world still don’t have any idea who sang ‘Stacy’s Mom.’ Everybody knows that song, but most people don’t know who we are.”
Beyond his work with Fountains of Wayne, Schlesinger had a prolific career in film, television, and theater, writing songs for That Thing You Do!, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and Music & Lyrics, among many others. His unexpected passing due to complications from COVID-19 in 2020 was a devastating loss for the music community, prompting an outpouring of tributes from artists across the industry.
Following his death, Saving for a Custom Van, a 31-track tribute album, was released in 2020, featuring covers of Schlesinger’s work from artists such as Nada Surf, Motion City Soundtrack, Rachel Bloom, and Sarah Silverman. The album raised funds for COVID-19 relief efforts through the MusiCares Foundation.
While it remains unclear whether these upcoming performances will lead to further touring or new music, fans eager to celebrate Schlesinger’s legacy will finally have the chance to see Fountains of Wayne live again.
Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher has made his stance on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame crystal clear following the band’s latest nomination, calling the institution “for wankers” in a blunt social media post.
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The Britpop icon reacted to the news after Oasis was named among the 2025 nominees, joining a list that includes New Order, Cyndi Lauper, The White Stripes, Mariah Carey, Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Outkast, Maná and the late Joe Cocker.
“RNR hall of fame is for WANKERS,” Gallagher posted on X under a flyer of the list of nominees on Feb. 12. He didn’t hold back when responding to a fan who asked what he’d do if Oasis were inducted, cheekily replying, “Obv go and say it’s the best thing EVER.”
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This isn’t the first time Gallagher has taken aim at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. When Oasis was nominated last year, he dismissed it entirely, writing, “F*** the Rock n Roll hall of fame its full of BUMBACLARTS LG.” He also told fans not to “waste your time” voting, calling the whole process “a load of bollox.”
Gallagher doubled down in a 2024 interview, scoffing at the Hall of Fame’s inclusions. “As much as I love Mariah Carey and all that, I want to say: do me a favour and f*** off,” he told The Sunday Times. “It’s like putting me in the rap hall of fame, and I don’t want to be part of anything that mentally disturbed. Besides, I’ve done more for rock n’ roll than half of them clowns on that board.”
Like The White Stripes, Oasis seemed like a strong contender upon its first nomination in 2024 but didn’t make the cut. This time, their odds look better after announcing their highly anticipated reunion tour, which sparked near-Taylor/Beyoncé-level demand.
With the possibility of their first new music in over 15 years, Oasis stands out as one of the most likely inductees in the 2025 class—if Gallagher is willing to accept the honor.
Gallagher also recently found himself at the center of controversy surrounding Oasis’ reunion shows after Ticketmaster’s decision to cancel thousands of resold tickets.
On Monday (Feb. 10), Billboard reported that fans had indeed begun to see their tickets being cancelled, with Ticketmaster getting in touch with some ticket holders to inform them that their tickets have been refunded. Ticketmaster’s message to these ticket holders claimed that “it has been identified that bots were used to make this purchase,” meaning they “violate the tour’s terms and conditions.”
With some fans venting their anger on social media, one X user named Karen Kelly reached out to Gallagher, asking “Liam what do you think of the ticket situation? Thinking fans are bots and getting their money returned?”
The rocker was less than sympathetic when asked about the situation, writing, “I don’t make the rules. We’re trying to do the right thing. It is what it is, I’m the singer. Get off my case.”
Oasis’ Rock Hall nomination comes as anticipation builds for their reunion tour, which marks the first time Liam and Noel Gallagher will share a stage in over a decade.
Australian rock veterans INXS are taking a look back in time, celebrating 40 years of their international breakthrough record, Listen Like Thieves.
Originally released in October 1985, Listen Like Thieves was the Sydney sextet’s fifth album, and their first to make a sizable impact on a global scale. Their second consecutive chart-topper in their homeland, it would be their first to chart in markets such as the U.K. and Switzerland, and their highest peak to date in the U.S., with the record reaching No. 11 on the Billboard 200.
It also boasted a number of successful singles, including its title track, “Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)”, “This Time”, and “What You Need”. The latter was the record’s most successful, peaking at No. 2 in Australia and No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
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At the time of the record’s release, the band were already a success story in Australia thanks to their unique sound and relentless touring schedule, with Listen Like Thieves aiming to translate those aspects to the listener’s turntable. “We’ve done the album like a live show and what is there is there,” frontman Michael Hutchence told Rolling Stone in 1985. “We want to present this record as a band – the idea of six people playing together and using traditional sounds.”
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Ahead of the record’s 40th anniversary, the band’s surviving members have announced a new deluxe edition of the seminal album. Arriving on May 9, the 3CD/LP collection features a new remix of the album with Chris Thompson’s original production being overhauled by Giles Martin and Paul Hicks. It also boasts a number of unreleased outtakes and demos; a rare BBC Recording, Live From The Royal Albert Hall, London, 1986; and a new interview with the band by writer Paul Sexton. A 2CD edition pairs the new mix with a selection of B-sides, remixes and live recordings, while a single LP version contains the 2025 mix alone.
“Chris Thomas was one of the most talented and exciting producers we ever had the privilege to work with,” recalled keyboardist and guitarist Andrew Farriss. “From the moment we met, there was no doubt he would bring a new dynamic to our music, his drive and determination helped Michael and I deliver a smash hit in ‘What You Need’. 40 years on, Giles and Paul captured the original raw energy we felt when we first recorded the album and created a sonic depth to give the record an entirely new dimension that we couldn’t be prouder of.”
The BBC’s live recording of INXS’ June 1986 appearance at London’s Royal Albert Hall is also of note, with the band’s audience that evening comprising a number of notable artists such as Mick Jagger, The Cult, and the Psychedelic Furs. Described as a “poignant night” for the band, it wasn’t their first visit to the U.K., but arguably the turning point in their relationship with the region. Almost five years later to the day, INXS would headline London’s Wembley Stadium and perform before a sold-out crowd of 72,000.
INXS’ biggest commercial success would come two years after the release of Listen Like Thieves, with 1987’s Kick turning them into megastars. The album would top the charts in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, and give them a career-best of No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
Though the band would initially split following the untimely passing of Hutchence in 1997, a revolving door of vocalists would precede their eventual permanent retirement in 2012. Despite this, the band are consistently one of the best-selling Australian bands to this day, with the Australian Recording Industry Association’s end-of-year charts for 2024 seeing the band’s 2011 collection The Very Best listed at No. 81 on the album charts – one of only three local records to make the cut.
The Jonas Brothers are feeling nostalgic, with a sweet note to their fans about upcoming plans momentarily leading to fears of an impending split.
The familial trio are diving headfirst into a big 2025, with their 20th anniversary bringing with it some rather sizable plans. On Wednesday (Feb. 12) however, the group shared a lengthy post to their social media accounts, with its formal nature swiftly causing panic that their 20th year may be their last.
“To our incredible fans, as a family, we have been reflecting a lot lately,” the post began. “It’s been 20 years since we started this journey together. To us, it feels like just yesterday we were loading up our family mini-van with a couple of guitars and copies of It’s About Time CDs, en route to an afternoon performance at a local to play for anyone who would listen.
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“We were chasing our dream to play music and connect with others in a deep way that only music can provide,” they added. “We were teenagers then.. actually, Nick wasn’t even old enough to get into a PG-13 movie.”
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Understandably, the opening lines were enough to add some fears into the mix. As it stands, the top comments on their posts all relate to unfounded fears the note was a farewell to their fans.
As their message continued though, it was made clear that the Jonas Brothers weren’t intending to break some hearts, instead they were sharing an appreciation post to the fans that had allowed them to continue their journey for these past two decades.
“In the years that followed, you’ve given us a thousand lifetimes of incredible memories. We wake up each day filled with gratitude that you’ve been on this 20-year journey with us,” they continued. “Together, we have celebrated wins, made mistakes, overcome obstacles, and grieved losses. Put simply: we’ve all grown up together.
“It’s seemingly impossible to put our appreciation into words. None of this would have been possible without you. You’ve shown up for us. Rooted for us. Encouraged us. And inspired us. We’ve made memories with you at shows, bumped into you on the street, run into you at airports, and read your amazing stories on socials. We treasure our connection with you as much today as we did when we played our first show. We are celebrating this wild 20-year journey by doing what we love, and we can’t wait to share it with you.”
Wrapping up their post, the group promised that the coming year will be “a year of music”, teasing new music from the Jonas Brothers, a live concert album, a soundtrack, and solo music.
“Nick returns to Broadway this spring for The Last Five Years. And we are nearly wrapped on our holiday movie that we can’t wait for you to see this fall,” they added.
Initial fears of a split wouldn’t have been unfounded for fans of the Jonas Brothers. After all, 2013 brought with it the news that after eight years together as a band, and four albums, the brothers would be calling it quits.
While Joe and Nick launched solo careers in the interim, Kevin found himself working on music production, appearing in reality television, and even getting involved in a handful of business ventures. The brothers would reunite officially in 2019, however, relaunching their music career and issuing two new records, including 2019’s Happiness Begins and 2023’s The Album.
Having previously teased big plans during their appearance on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest in New York City on Dec. 31, the Jonas Brothers closed out their latest message to fans by promising that formal announcements would be made in the coming days and weeks. Currently, the band’s website boasts a countdown clock which is set to conclude on Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14).
“From the bottom of our hearts: thank you!” they wrote. “Here’s to the next 20 years, and here’s to doing it together. The best is yet to come.”