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In fall 2023, Deezer announced it was adopting an “artist-centric” royalty model with Universal Music Group (UMG) in an effort to better compensate acts with significant followings and the rightsholders who own their recordings. That move, intended to tackle fraud and reduce royalties flowing to what is essentially noise and “functional music” was intended to rebalance a streaming model that some major players believe needs reform. Other major labels followed, as did Spotify, which made different adjustments to its royalty model toward the same end.
On Wednesday (Jan. 15), Deezer and the French PRO SACEM announced a deal to compensate publishing rightsholders the same way. “We started a year and a half ago with UMG and then the other majors,” said Deezer CEO Alexis Lanternier. “And now we’re doing it on the publishing side.”
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SACEM’s interest in this idea goes back to an analysis of the potential effects of artist-centric royalty payouts that the PRO conducted last year. “The first thing I wanted was to remove noise from the revenue, especially at a time when dilution is an issue” said SACEM CEO Cécile Rap-Veber, “The second thing is that it helps prevent fraud.”
While Deezer will not remove any music from its platform as a result of this agreement, the service will either demonetize or essentially allocate less royalties to some tracks, by boosting the royalties earned by others. The change, which will take effect soon, could help labels and services better prepare for the age of AI, when music executives worry that online services will be flooded by unpopular, low-value music that cuts into their business with sheer scale. “With AI coming,” Rap-Veber says, “we’re afraid that human creation might be affected.”
Deezer’s specific plans are more ambitious than what it did on the recording side. Like other artist-centric models, artists get a royalty boost for hitting a measure of popularity — in this case, double royalties for songs that are actively searched out or those by artists with 1,000 streams a month from 500 different subscribers.
More interesting, the service will impose what it calls a “user centric cap” that will limit how much the listening choices of any individual subscriber can affect royalty payouts, which will also make fraud more difficult and less efficient. Also, Deezer will completely exclude from the royalty pool tracks that consist of noise and “functional sounds,” such as rain on a roof; instead, Deezer will recommend similar music that it owns, which will not count for payout purposes and thus not take royalties from other rightsholders. (Some of these tracks might not even be considered copyrighted works under EU law, at least on the publishing side. While recording the sound of rain on a roof might arguably involve creative choices, there is no composer in the sense of copyright law.) Deezer will also remove tracks that have not been streamed in a year.
Inhaler have shared a new single titled “A Question Of You,” ahead of their forthcoming album, Open Wide (due Feb. 7 via Polydor).
Following recent tracks “Your House” and “Open Wide,” it marks the third preview to be lifted from the Irish band’s third record. The 13-track collection was recorded in London’s iconic RAK Studios with producer Kid Harpoon, who scooped a bevy of Grammy and BRIT awards in 2023 for his work on Harry Styles‘ blockbuster 2022 LP Harry’s House.
“This is love song territory for me,” said frontman Elijah Hewson, describing “A Question Of You” in a press release. “It’s about how in order to be honest with someone else you’ve got to be honest with yourself, like, ‘I’ve gotta sort my own s–t out so I can be around other people’. The choir really changed everything on this [song].”
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The release of Open Wide will coincide with Inhaler’s biggest headline tour to date. Through next month, the four-piece will perform at sold-out venues across the U.K, including two nights at the capital’s Brixton Academy. In May, they’ll perform a huge, 20,000-capacity hometown show at Dublin’s St. Anne’s Park alongside Stockport indie group Blossoms.
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Inhaler’s debut album It Won’t Always Be Like This soared to the summit of the Official U.K. Albums Chart in July 2021. They ended their release week with 18,000 chart sales, according to the Official Charts Company, with 92% of that sum generated by physical sales. The achievement also made Inhaler the first Irish act to top the chart with their debut in 13 years.
Its follow-up, Cuts & Bruises, which arrived two years later, landed at No. 2. Speaking to Billboard upon release, drummer Ryan MacMahon described Inhaler’s sophomore effort as “an album of love songs, about loving your friends,” adding that its songs were made to sound “a lot more loose and like a live band – which is what we wanted to achieve with the record.”
In recent years, the band have gone on to open for Arctic Monkeys, as well as tour the U.K. and European festival circuit extensively with shows at Reading & Leeds and Glasgow’s TRNSMT. Their 2025 live plans include a return to the latter, plus a slot at Warrington’s Neighbourhood Weekender in May.
Watch the “A Question of You” lyric video below.
Timothée Chalamet caused a stir during the red carpet premiere of A Complete Unknown in Paris when he signed a fan’s photo of Australian pop sensation Troye Sivan—as Troye Sivan.
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In a clip shared to social media, the actor, who stars as legendary folk singer Bob Dylan in the film directed by James Mangold, signed a fan’s album of Sivan’s latest album, Something to Give Each Other. The words “Troye Sivan” are then seen scrawled across the cover—prompting laughter and delight among fans on the red carpet.
Sivan wasted no time joining in on the fun, reposting the red carpet moment to his Instagram story, complete with the autographed vinyl in question.
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It’s not the first time the star has signed off as Sivan. In a video taken at the Dec. 13 premiere of Wonka, a fan handed Chalamet the album and requested his autograph, as the actor quipped, “That’s not me, though,” to which the fan replied, “That’s basically you.”
With a grin, Chalamet obliged and added, “In some universe…” The red carpet gag comes after Chalamet’s standout portrayal of Sivan in a Saturday Night Live sketch titled “Troye Sivan Sleep Demon,” aired in Nov. 2023.
In the skit, Chalamet donned Sivan’s signature look from the “Get Me Started” music video, complete with blue pants, a white tank top, and red underwear, hilariously describing himself as “an Australian YouTube twink turned indie pop star and model turned HBO actor…being played by an American actor who can’t do an Australian accent.”
The segment became an instant hit, with the Australian pop star taking to social media following the Nov. 11 episode of the NBC comedy series, during which the Wonka star hilariously portrayed Sivan as cast member Sarah Sherman’s sleep paralysis demon.
“WHY IS LIFE SO WEIRDDDDD RN LMAO IM DEAD,” Sivan captioned a snippet of the Saturday Night Live. skit on Instagram.
Meanwhile, Chalamet himself recently became the subject of satire on Saturday Night Live. During a Dec. 2024 episode hosted by Paul Mescal, a sketch lampooned Chalamet’s appearance on the red carpet for A Complete Unknown.
In a sketch during the Dec. 7 episode, hosted by Paul Mescal, SNL cast member Heidi Gardner plays a fictional BuzzFeed reporter on the red carpet for the debut of the Bob Dylan biopic, which stars Chalamet as the legendary folk musician. The sketch opens with Chalamet (played by Chloe Fineman) admitting he had a “Brat summer,” a reference to the Charli XCX-inspired trend.
“Oh, man, it was crazy. Nuts,” Fineman’s Chalamet says.
As the two continue their conversation, Dylan (portrayed by SNL’s James Austin Johnson) strolls up and is asked if he too had a Brat summer. “What?” the iconic musician replies. “A Brat summer,” Gardner’s reporter repeats. “Did you have a Brat summer?” Dylan, clearly thinking about food, mistakes the question, thinking he’s being asked about bratwurst.
A Complete Unknown, which hit theaters on Christmas Day, also stars Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro and Edward Norton. The biographical drama is inspired by Elijah Wald’s 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric, and focuses on Dylan’s early career in the 1960s, culminating in his controversial performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festiva.
Director James Mangold revealed that Dylan himself gave feedback on the script, while Chalamet performed all the songs live during filming, rather than using pre-recorded tracks. This decision was made after Mangold was impressed by the actor’s live performance of “Song to Woody” early in the production. In total, Chalamet sang about 40 songs for the film.
Fans first spotted Chalamet filming in New York earlier this year. Mangold confirmed that Chalamet will do his own singing in the film, and to prepare, the actor sifted through 12 hours of unreleased Dylan tracks sent to him by the musician’s longtime manager and producer Jeff Rosen.
This week’s ARIA Charts are brimming with milestones, with Sabrina Carpenter and Rosé breaking records while global superstar Bad Bunny makes a splash on the Albums Chart.
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Sabrina Carpenter’s Short N’ Sweet is proving to be a sugar rush for fans, holding strong at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart for 10 non-consecutive weeks. The pop star’s addictive blend of catchy tracks has turned the album into a chart staple since its release in late August.
With 11 of its 12 songs cracking the top 40—including No. 1 hits like “Espresso,” “Please Please Please,” and “Taste”—Sabrina’s got the secret ingredient for success. Even “Bed Chem,” the album’s fourth single, hit No. 10, proving she can keep the hits coming. Short N’ Sweet is truly the gift that keeps on giving.
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Over on the Singles Chart, Rosé and Bruno Mars are holding court with their duet, “APT.” The infectious track secured its 10th non-consecutive week at No. 1, firmly establishing itself as the song of the summer Down Under.
The success of “APT.” extends beyond just the Australian charts. Globally, the track has been a powerhouse, topping the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts for an 11th week each. In November, the song debuted as the stars’ second leader on each list.
For Rosé, it’s her first solo chart-topper, adding to her success with BLACKPINK’s 2022 No. 1, “Pink Venom.” Bruno Mars, meanwhile, continues to rack up accolades, with “APT.” marking his fourth No. 1 single in Australia and his longest-running yet.
Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny is also making noise on the ARIA Albums Chart with his seventh studio album, Debi Tirar Más Fotos.
The record skyrocketed from No. 99 to No. 16, marking Bunny’s first appearance in the ARIA Top 50. A three-time GRAMMY winner and Spotify’s most-streamed artist from 2020 to 2022, Bad Bunny’s influence knows no bounds. His latest album has already made a mark on the Billboard Charts, debuting at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200, marking Bad Bunny’s seventh top-ten entry.
Tim Finn, the celebrated New Zealand singer and songwriter, has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Kobalt.
Announced this week, Kobalt will administer Finn’s entire catalog of songs, which includes Split Enz’s “I Hope I Never,” “I See Red” and “Six Months In A Leaky Boat,” and “I Got You,” which reached No. 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980. Also included is Crowded House’s “Four Seasons In One Day,” “It’s Only Natural,” and “Weather With You,” plus solo works.
“We are thrilled to announce this new partnership with Tim Finn, a legendary figure in the world of music,” comments Simon Moor, managing director of Kobalt for the APAC region. “From his groundbreaking work with Split Enz to his contributions to Crowded House and his illustrious solo career, Tim has consistently showcased his incredible songwriting talent.”
Adds Finn: “Simon Moor and his team at Kobalt are energized music lovers. I’m excited to see what we can do together. It feels like a new chapter is waiting to be written for me and my songs.”
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Finn formed Split Enz in his homeland in the early 1970s. By the time Split Enz called it a day in December 1984, the band had banked a treasure chest of hits, including “Message to My Girl,” “My Mistake” and “Dirty Creatures”.
At that stage, Finn had already launched his solo career. His debut from 1983, Escapade, cracked the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 161.
Finn briefly joined forces with his younger brother and former Split Enz bandmate Neil on the third Crowded House project, Woodface, released in 1991. Woodface hit No. 82 on the Billboard 200.
A told, four Split Enz albums crashed the U.S. albums tally and the band was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2005. Crowded House’s elevation came in 2016.
Finn’s latest work has included songs and soundtracks for film, television and musical theater, including Ladies in Black, for which he received a Helpmann Award for best new Australian work. His most recent solo album, 2021’s Caught by the Heart, is a collaboration with Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera, who produced the Split Enz album from 1976, Second Thoughts.
Boasting 13 global offices, Kobalt serves over 1 million songs, representing the likes of Roddy Ricch, Max Martin, Karol G, Andrew Watt, Stevie Nicks, Phoebe Bridgers, The Lumineers, Foo Fighters, Paul McCartney and others.
Duran Duran has paid tribute to the late American filmmaker David Lynch, whose brilliant and bizarre films laid the inspirational groundwork for a young Nick Rhodes.
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Writing on the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame-inducted band’s Instagram, Rhodes remembers Lynch as “a creative superhero” from “the moment I first saw his film Eraserhead as a teenager.”
The keyboardist continues, “His imagination, innovation, style and humour will remain an enormous inspiration.”
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Duran Duran has a special connection with the auteur, who died has following a battle with ill health. Back in 2011, Lynch directed the Duran Duran episode of American Express’ “Unstaged” concert series. “The stranger it is, the more beautiful it will be,” Rhodes, the group’s founding keyboardist, told Billboard.com at the time. “What appeals to us very much about working with David is that we like the way he thinks about things and how he’s always gone out on a limb to make things different than anybody else. He works completely outside of the system, and that’s what we try to do. I think the combustion between us and David should create something that nobody’s ever seen before, something mysterious and magical and surprising.”
A new cut of Duran Duran: Unstaged was released in cinemas in 2014, starring the original band members Rhodes, Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Roger Taylor, plus guest performers Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance), Beth Ditto (Gossip), Kelis and Mark Ronson. The following year, Duran Duran delivered a three-song finale at a concert tribute to the music of Lynch.
Lynch’s death at 78 comes just five months after he announced that he was housebound over fears he’ll contract COVID-19 after being diagnosed with emphysema from many years of smoking.
A native of Missoula, Montana, Lynch was a master of the surreal, whose dark cinematic touches are known to the creative community as “Lynchian”. Several of his films scored Oscar nominations, including The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive. Though he never won a competitive Academy Award, Lynch was presented with an honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement in 2019.
“Curious about the unknown and never afraid of a dark alley, he was an uncompromising, experimental artist, with a truly unique vision,” writes Duran Duran’s Rhodes, in a post that’s accompanied with a candid photo of Lynch and Rhodes comparing cameras, with the band’s drummer Roger Taylor looking on.
Thanks in part to the inspiration provided by Lynch, Rhodes has pursued the art of photography since his youth, and has exhibited collections and published several books on his works. “Sadly,” Rhodes writes, “the weather today in California is stormy and there is no lucky number.”
Mac Miller’s estate has finally gifted fans with Balloonerism, a posthumous album that has been the subject of speculation for years.
Released on Jan. 17, the album arrives days ahead with what would have been Miller’s 33rd birthday. The Pittsburgh rapper died in 2018 at age 26 of an accidental overdose.
Balloonerism is a 14-track journey that showcases Miller’s experimental side, blending neo-soul and jazz elements. The album kicks off with “Tambourine Dream” and features standout tracks like “5 Dollar Pony Rides,” “Friendly Hallucinations,” “Mrs. Deborah Downer,” “Stoned,” “Manakins,” and “Rick’s Piano.” Notably, the album includes collaborations with artists such as Thundercat, SZA, and Ashley All Day.
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The origins of Balloonerism trace back to 2014, a prolific period for Miller during which he was also working on projects like Faces. Despite its significance, the album was shelved in favor of other releases, leaving fans to piece together unofficial versions circulating online.
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Following the circulation of leaked songs amongst fan communities, the record’s official release was teased with a trailer at November’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival.
Miller’s family previously shared a statement on his Instagram explaining why they’ve decided to release the project. “Many of Malcolm’s fans are aware of Balloonerism, a full length album that Malcolm created around the time of the release of Faces in 2014,” they wrote.
“It is a project that was of great importance to Malcolm — to the extent that he commissioned artwork for it and discussions concerning when it should be released were had regularly, though ultimately GO:OD AM and subsequent albums ended up taking precedence.”
They added, “We believe the project showcases both the breadth of his musical talents and fearlessness as an artist. Given that unofficial versions of the album have been circulating online for years and that releasing Balloonerism was something that Malcolm frequently expressed being important to him, we felt it most appropriate to present an official version of the project to the world.”
Based on the lyrics and music of Miller, and directed by Samuel Jerome Mason, the animated Balloonerism “follows a group of school friends who are transfigured by the music of a chord organ and launched into a shadow world”, a synopsis of the film reads. “Swallowed by the turtle of time, they must plod through the underbelly of adulthood.”
The film was released on Jan. 15 throughout the U.S., with international fans receiving it one day later. A series of “One Night Only” advance theater screenings were scheduled around the world, including in New York City and Miller’s native Pittsburgh, as well as Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Ireland, France, Canada, and the U.K.
Miller’s debut studio album, Blue Slide Park, topped the Billboard 200 upon its release in back in 2011, the first independently distributed debut album to do so since 1995. Over the course of five studio albums, Miller evolved into one of the most eclectic artists of the 2010s, delving into alt-rap, soul and R&B with equal fervor.
Following Miller’s untimely death in September 2018, his music saw renewed interest on the charts. His album “Swimming” re-entered the top 10 of the Billboard 200, jumping from number 71 to number 6.
Fans can cop a physical version of the album, which includes a limited-edition deluxe two-LP pressing that features a rainbow foil-wrapped slipcase with white splatter cloud vinyl and a 32-page color booklet featuring photos and lyrics, as well as a limited one-time pressing that features clear vinyl available now on balloonerism.com.
Stream Balloonerism below.
When Rush walked off the stage in California on Aug. 1, 2015 and closed out their R40 Live Tour, fans remained hopeful it wouldn’t be their last live show. After almost a decade, and the passing of their longtime drummer, the surviving members of the Canadian prog-rock outfit have made peace with there not being another Rush show.
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Earlier this month, Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson and bassist Geddy Lee spoke to Classic Rock about the regret they felt about shortening their final tour, apologizing to the British and European fans who didn’t get a chance to see them perform live. “I really felt like I let our British and European fans down,” Lee explained. “It felt to me incorrect that we didn’t do it, but Neil was adamant that he would only do thirty shows and that was it.”
Ultimately, it was drummer Neil Peart that put an end to the chances of more shows, announcing his retirement from music later that year. While Lifeson confirmed the group’s inactivity in 2018, Peart’s passing in 2020 put an end to any potential future for Rush.
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In 2022, however, Lifeson and Lee reunited in public to perform as part of the tribute shows in Los Angeles and London for late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. Though these performances were well-received and undoubtedly left fans eager for more, Lifeson has explained to Classic Rock that he’s satisfied where Rush left things.
“The energy was fantastic around that show, I know, and some days I wake up wanting to go out and tour again and some days I don’t,” Lifeson explained. “For forty years Rush included Neil, and I don’t think putting some new version together would have the same magic.
“After those two gigs and the months of prep Ged and I went through, I was excited by the response and to be in the dressing room again with so many fellow artists in Wembley and LA I respected and felt a kinship towards. But after a few weeks that wore off and it occurred to me that despite all the pain of loss, Rush went out on a high note playing as well as ever with one of our best stage shows on R40. I guess I’d rather be remembered for that legacy than returning as the top Rush tribute band.”
Since Rush’s untimely dissolution, Lifeson and Lee have remained active in the world of music. While the former performs as part of the Envy of None supergroup, the latter penned a memoir titled My Effin’ Life in 2023. However, the pair still live close by and regularly get together and jam, though there’s no saying if these collaborations will lead to anything.
“It’s good to jam with friends as you get older,” says Lifeson. “I need to play. Once a week I go to Ged’s – it’s in the calendar – keep my fingers moving, play Rush stuff, new jams. We do record it, but I couldn’t even begin to tell you where it’ll go.”
When Devo opened their 1978 album Q. Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! with “Uncontrollable Urge”, few listeners could have foreseen how much money it would generate decades down the line – especially not its writer.
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Fans of Devo would note that “Uncontrollable Urge” was never released as a single, despite its status as one of their most played songs. Nor was it their most successful track on the charts – that honor belongs to 1980’s “Whip It”, which peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 after being issued as the second single from Freedom of Choice. However, it’s far from their biggest earner.
As co-founding Devo vocalist Mark Mothersbaugh told Rolling Stone, even though “Whip It” became a staple of the burgeoning MTV network in the early ’80s, his biggest success has indeed come via the channel, but in a manner that was wholly unexpected: MTV’s ubiquitous Ridiculousness.
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When Ridiculousness first launched in 2012, the viral video series used a cover of “Uncontrollable Urge” by host Rob Dyrdek. Over 12 years later, the program boasts over 1,500 episodes, becoming a staple of MTV in the process. Famously, the show saturates the network so much that in August 2020, The Ringer noted it was played on repeat for 36 hours straight. Two months earlier, Variety noted that 113 of a single week’s 168 hours (or 67.3%) were filled with episodes of Ridiculousness.
For Mothersbaugh – who has penned music for beloved series such as Rugrats and Pee-wee’s Playhouse, and scored films for directors such as Wes Anderson – the revenue from the ubiquity of Ridiculousness generates around $1 million annually, according to estimates from his wife and manager Anita Greenspan
“I’ve written so many other songs for films and television shows,” Mothersbaugh explained. “I would’ve been shocked [years ago] if you told me this is the one that would become this prime source of income.”
“It’s ironic and kind of funny,” adds Greenspan. “In the beginning of MTV you saw a lot of Devo because they were early to make videos, but MTV started questioning the videos Devo were making. [The videos] were subversive, they didn’t like them and wouldn’t play them anymore. Now ‘Uncontrollable Urge’ is easily the most-played song on MTV, so [Devo] wins.’”
Despite the massive exposure the world has had to “Uncontrollable Urge” thanks to Ridiculousness, it’s far from the first big earner that Mothersbaugh has had in the world of music. As Greenspan told Rolling Stone, his theme song to Rugrats managed to pay for their home back in the ’90s.
After more than five decades in the musical game, the touring life has begun to take its toll on Sammy Hagar, with the rock veteran admitting he no longer wants to take his music on the road.
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The 77-year-old Hagar made the admission while speaking to The Miami Herald ahead of a recent guest appearance at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, where he expressed his disdain with the grueling nature of the touring cycle.
“I don’t think I want to go on tour anymore. I hate to say that, because I don’t want to piss my fans off,” Hagar explained. “I’ll go out and do a one-off show and do things like that, but the residency is going to give me a good extension of my career. That’s what I’m hoping for.”
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The Red Rocker’s comments came just months after his The Best of All Worlds Tour, which saw him perform throughout the U.S., Canada, and Japan. Even then, a series of Birthday Bash performances throughout Mexico and Las Vegas followed, with 2025 set to feature a number of performances for Hagar, namely his The Best of All Worlds Tour Residency in Las Vegas throughout April and May.
As Hagar explains, it’s residencies and similar events that work best with his desires to continue within the world of live music.
“With this, I don’t have to travel, I don’t have to unpack and pack and get on an airplane every day,” he continued. “You know, at my age, it hurts my shoulders to do all this. And I have to perform. I’m a performer, at the end of the day.
“I keep telling my manager, ‘Don’t take any tours, let me do this residency,’” Hagar added. “If I like it enough, I’ll do another one. And if that’s successful I’ll do another one, and I can squeeze a few more years out of my career.”
Hagar last released a studio album in 2022, issuing Crazy Times with his band The Circle. That album was also promoted with a series of dates throughout North America, though it remains their last large-scale tour to date.