Pulse Music

Chrissie Hynde says she no longer will perform Pretenders hits in concert. Hynde, who's been busy recording covers projects over the past few years -- including a Bob Dylan tribute set, posted the news on Facebook.

While taking time out to promote Pretenders guitarist James Walbourne's side project, His Lordship, she hipped fans on what to expect from any and all future gigs, posting: "I'm completely dumping any sort of Greatest Hits set for now on. I never wanted to go there in the first place but was trying to keep myself alive and pay the bills. And yes, I know that's no reason to be in a rock band. (I was just too scared to go back to waitressing.) But those greatest hits / ballads days are now behind me."

Hynde went on to write, "If anyone wants to come and see me in the future it's going to be punk rock/no hits."

Chrissie Hynde told us that although rock n' roll is an incredibly important part of her life, being a full-time mother helps her keep things in perspective: "This is, like, my hobby. I mean, I take it seriously and everything, but y'know, I just feel like a guy that goes out on the weekends to watch birds, y'know? Take my binoculars away, y'know, and it would break my heart. Y'know, I think a hobby is real important to people, if it's the thing you love the most. It can't take over your life. And I don't want to be glib about it, y'know? I think this is fantastic, and I make my living out of it, and it's my life's work and everything, y'know? But I have to keep it in perspective, 'cause I've got. . . y'know, I'm like a responsible mother and stuff."

2020 saw the release of the Pretenders' most recent album, the critically acclaimed Hate For Sale.

Drake appears to respond to negative actions about his new album Honestly, Nevermind. Social media reacted to the project as soon as it was released on Friday (June 17th). One person tweeted, "I thought Drake was finna rap his ass off. He gave us Forever 21, Hot Topic, H&M a** music." Another person tweeted, "Drake got my hips swaying like a bad b*tch."

During a clip posted on social media, the rapper said, "It's all good if you don't get it yet." He continued, "That's what we do! We wait for you to catch up. We in here, though, we caught up already. On to the next. My goodness!"

Meanwhile, J. Cole reacted to the album, saying, "Man. This album is phenomenal. Point blank."

Taylor Swift appears to have dropped another hint that 1989 will be the next album to get rerecorded.

During a virtual appearance at the Las Culturistas awards Saturday (June 18th), a chalkboard appeared behind the singer that read, "1989 Secret Session Nashville."

She has already dropped two tracks from 1989 (Taylor's Version), including "This Love (Taylor's Version)" and "I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor's Version)".

Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys celebrates his 80th birthday today (June 20th)!!! Wilson co-founded the group in 1961 with his late brothers Dennis and Carl Wilson, his cousin Mike Love, neighbor David Marks, and high school buddy Al Jardine. It was Wilson's genius for arranging intricate harmonies that first set him apart from his peers, an ability made even more impressive because he is 97 percent deaf in his right ear. He is the sole-surviving member of his immediate family, with his father Murry dying in 1973, his brothers Dennis and Carl dying in 1983 and 1998, respectively, and his mother Audree passing on in 1997.

Between 1962 and 1967 Wilson produced a total of 22 Top 40 hits, including the group's classics "Surfin' U.S.A," "In My Room," "Little Deuce Coupe," "Surfer Girl," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "Don't Worry Baby," "I Get Around," "Help Me, Rhonda," "California Girls," "Barbara Ann," "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "Good Vibrations," and many more.

Brian Wilson -- along with fellow Beach Boys Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin -- is currently on the road with Chicago and performs tonight (June 20th) in Kansas City, Missouri at the Starlight Theater.

Just released is the Beach Boys' deluxe edition of their 2003 Sounds Of Summer: The Very Best Of The Beach Boys collection. The set has now been expanded to include two additional discs boasting 50 additional tracks -- many of which have been completely remixed and/or featured in stereo mixes for the first time. Additionally, all 30 songs on Disc One of Sounds Of Summer have been mixed in immersive Dolby Atmos.

Last November saw the release of Brian Wilson's his latest solo album, At My Piano, featuring instrumental takes from his catalogue of classics.

Now streaming is recent documentary Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road, which premiered at New York's prestigious Tribeca Film Festival to rave reviews. The film was directed by Brent Wilson -- no relation -- and features Brian Wilson talking at length with Rolling Stone editor Jason Fine, with appearances by Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, late-Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, Jakob Dylan, Bob Gaudio, and My Morning Jacket's Jim James, among others. The title of the movie comes from the Beach Boys' 1971 track "Long Promised Road," which was written by Wilson's youngest brother Carl Wilson, and was re-recorded by Wilson for the new film.

Released last summer was the long-awaited Beach Boys box set, Feel Flows - The Sunflower And Surf's Up Sessions 1969-1971. The collection, assembled by producers Mark Linett and Alan Boyd with the help of Brother Records consultant Howie Edelson, features newly remastered versions of 1970's Sunflower set and its 1971 followup, Surf's Up.

Linett & Boyd are best known for their Grammy Award winning work on the Beach Boys' 2011 box set, The Smile Sessions, which took home the prize for Best Historical Album.

Feel Flows includes a whopping 135 tracks, including 108 previously unreleased tracks, live recordings, radio promos, alternate versions, alternate mixes, isolated backing tracks and a cappella versions, culled from the album sessions -- including the majority of the late-Dennis Wilson's unfinished 1971 solo set, tentatively titled, Poops/Hubba Hubba.

Howie Edelson provides the new liner notes, which features new and exclusive interviews with the living Beach Boys -- Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, and Bruce Johnston -- along with archival quotes from the band's late-co-founders, Dennis and Carl Wilson, along with others involved with the band during the 1969-1971 period.

Also out now is Playback: The Brian Wilson Anthology, which features 18 songs -- including two previously unreleased tracks -- "Run James Run" and "Some Sweet Day."

In April 2015, Brian Wilson released his 11th solo studio album, No Pier Pressure. Among the key players on the album are Al Jardine, Blondie Chaplin, and David Marks -- along with such modern stars as Kacey Musgraves, fun.'s Nate Ruess, She & Him's Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward, Peter Hollens, and Capital Cities' Sebu Simonian. No Pier Pressure reunited Wilson with producer Joe Thomas, who was behind the boards with Wilson for the Beach Boys' 2012 Top Three reunion album, That's Why God Made The Radio.

Brian Wilson scored an Original Song Golden Globe nomination for "One Kind Of Love" -- the theme to his 2015 biopic, Love And Mercy. In addition to Wilson, Love And Mercy was also saluted with actor Paul Dano, who portrayed Wilson as a younger man in the film, snagging the nomination for Actor In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture. Both awards went to other nominees.

In October 2016, Brian Wilson published I Am Brian Wilson, his second official autobiography through Da Capo Press. This isn't the first time that Wilson's name has appeared on an "autobiography" -- back in 1991 the heavily ghost-written Wouldn't It Be Nice: My Own Story triggered a flurry of lawsuits from his family and Beach Boys bandmates.

First cousin and primary Beach Boys lyricist Mike Love says that the hit-making team of him and Brian Wilson would often begin with Wilson only needing help with parts of songs before flowing into a full on collaboration: "I remember so many instances where Brian and I would get together and do some songs. He would be stuck for lyrics and I'd come up with a concept or lyrics. . . So that's what works, is Brian Wilson and Mike Love together."

What makes the achievement of Brian Wilson' s work even more spectacular is the fact that he pushed the boundaries of symphonic rock -- working with over a dozen different instruments at a time -- despite his deafness, rendering him unable to understand or hear true stereo: "The advantage of having one ear is you hear everything through one source -- mono. And that goes to your brain, so your brain hears one source of sound. The downside is that you don't get to hear the depth and the beauty of the two-ear thing."

Al Jardine first bonded with Wilson while the pair was playing high school football for the Hawthorne Cougars. Jardine remembers being amazed by Wilson's athletic ability: "He was a great athlete. He could throw the ball a mile! He had the best spiral. He was the same way in baseball. He was just a very athletic person."

In 1976, brother Dennis Wilson recalled the scene around Brian's metal and emotional decline during the latter half of the 1960's: "I would go to his house daily and beg, 'What can I do to help you?' Forget recording. Forget all of it. It got to Brian's health. And then, as the Beach Boys were slowly slipping away, y'know, we're at home trying to take care of our brother."

Producer Don Was has produced both Brian Wilson on his own and with the Beach Boys. He also directed the riveting 1995 documentary on Wilson, called, I Just Wasn't Made For These Times, named after Wilson's 1966 classic from Pet Sounds. Was remains as impressed today as he ever was Wilson: "The sum total of my experience with him is that as an artist, he's, y'know, without peer. He's got a unique vision of music that's had an enormous impact on the vocabulary of rock n' roll. And on a personal level, the guy, he's a man of steel, y'know? I mean, he's got incredible strength, he's overcome some really severe obstacles that have been tossed in his way, and really survived."

Wilson's oldest daughter, Carnie Wilson, told us she's happy her dad has found an even balance between his personal and professional life: "I'm just so happy for him right now. He's just been through so much, and he's at this place, now after doing Smile, he's just really like sitting back going, 'Y'know what? God, I made some really cool records, and now the important thing is for me to enjoy the rest of my life and enjoy what I do what I love to do -- when I wanna do it.'"

Over the past 20 years, Wilson has enjoyed a creative and professional renaissance, releasing eight solo albums, including a completed version of the Beach Boys' long unfinished and unreleased 1967 album, Smile. In 2005, the track "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow" from Smile earned Wilson his first-ever Grammy when it snagged the Best Rock Instrumental Performance award.

Longtime Beach Boy Bruce Johnston says that like most fans, he was fascinated by Smile the first time Brian Wilson played him the backing tracks for it: "I thought it was brilliant. I have two reactions; I have my commercial reaction and my music reaction. I didn't think it was brilliant commercially, but musically -- absolutely fabulous."

In 1999, the notoriously road-weary Wilson became an active performing musician, touring the world extensively, including several tours where he played the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and Smile albums in their entirety.

Central to the success of Wilson's touring career over the past 19 years is Wondermints keyboardist Darian Sahanaja, who along with the other ‘Mints, comprise part of Wilson's world renown nine-piece ensemble. Sahanaja, who helped put the Beach Boys' long unfinished Smile project together for Wilson's live performance back in 2004, recalled to us how producer Joe Thomas planted the seed for Brian Wilson to become a touring solo act with the release of 1998's Imagination album: "Gotta hand it to Joe, he did say to Brian, 'Y'know, maybe you need to go out and perform to promote this record' -- and that got Brian back onstage. But I do remember thinkin', 'Really? Brian Wilson, who had a nervous breakdown in 1964 and set the mold for that musician that couldn't handle the road and wanted to stay home and be the guy writing all the music from home? That guy? That guy's gonna go out on tour?'"

Decades after first being turned on to the Beach Boys, the late, great Tom Petty was still amazed by the power and scope of Wilson's greatest music: "I don't think there is anything better than that, necessarily, y'know? I don't think you would be out of line comparing him to Beethoven -- to any composer. You really wouldn't be out of line, y'know? The word 'genius' is used a lot with Brian; which I don't know if he's a genius or not, but I know that that music is probably as good a music as you can make, as you can write."

Lindsey Buckingham is a longtime Beach Boys and Brian Wilson fan and explained how different the Smile sessions were from the usual pop music sessions of the day: "He was employing larger groups of musicians. And was really, in his own way, taking what Phil Spector had done -- the process of that, which is multiples of instruments, trying to handle probably a large group of persnickety musicians all at once, which in itself can be a task."

Throughout the years Paul McCartney and Wilson have collaborated a handful of times on stage and in the studio. McCartney -- who has called Wilson's "God Only Knows" the greatest song ever written -- was asked if he'd like to do more than just the occasional on stage team up: "Y'know what? I like to watch Brian. I saw him in Los Angeles once -- it was a magical concert and I love watching him actually rather than playing with him. I just wanna sit back and drink it in 'cause I love his music so much."

Brian Wilson says that performing live is both a part of life and a means to an end: "We have to make our money, and we have to live and survive and bring music to people."

Al Jardine told us that even as teenager Wilson's talent undeniable and overwhelming: "Brian was like a divining rod. Whenever he touched the keys to that piano, something happened and I don't even think he understands it."

In 1994 Wilson remarried and has since adopted five children. Since 1998, his wife Melinda has been his chief adviser and manager.

In 2011, the Wilson's announced the adoption of their fifth child -- their third daughter, named Dakota Rose. The couple posted a message on BrianWilson.com saying in part, "And one more makes five! We now have a basketball team." In October 2009, the couple adopted an Asian baby boy, named Dash Tristan.

Kesha opened up about her sexuality in a Pride post on Instagram Thursday (June 16th).

The singer wrote, "I'm not gay. I'm not straight. I don't know what I am. I love people."

She continued, "I refuse to be anything, really, except open for it all."

Kesha previously identified herself as bisexual in a 2019 interview with Attitude magazine.

Sting has reissued his 2021 album The Bridge with four studio bonus tracks and six live selections. The Bridge, which was Sting's first original album in five years, was released on November 21st, 2021 and peaked at Number 15 on Billboard's Top Rock Albums chart.

The new version collects three international bonus tracks -- the traditional "Waters Of Tyne," the original "Captain Bateman's Basement," and a cover of the Otis Redding chart-topper, "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay."

The bonus disc also includes six tracks played live last October 6th in Paris at The Pantheon, as well as "Por Su Amor," the Spanish version of Sting's track "For Her Love," in duet with the Latin American artist KURT.

Sting told us that due to pandemic, which forced him and band off the road mid-tour, The Bridge came as a way to survive the shutdown: "I got my crew and myself back home to England and said, 'Well, now what? Okay -- we'll just move the cycle. I'll just go in the studio.' So, I'd start at 10 in the morning and work through dinner every day, and that kept me sane. My heart went out to people who couldn't do that, who were stuck in a high rise with three kids and no work. That must've been virtually impossible. So I was very fortunate."

Although by no means a concept album, Sting maintains that the songs on The Bridge have a common thread: "When I realized, when I looked at them all individually, they were connected somehow; they were all about characters in transition. All of the characters were looking for a bridge to the future that was somewhere different, somewhere safer, somewhere happier. And I think the whole planet is looking for a bridge at the moment. I am. It's such an anxious time. So 'The Bridge' seemed a useful metaphor that would resonate with people."

Sting kicks off his European summer tour tomorrow (June 21st) in Gothenburg, Sweden at Tradgardsforeningen.

It was 42 years ago today (June 20th, 1980) that the Rolling Stones' Emotional Rescue album was released. The set, which followed the 1978 chart-topping Some Girls collection, was recorded throughout 1978 and '79 at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas. The album marked the fourth straight set produced by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards under their joint moniker "The Glimmer Twins."

Emotional Rescue, which was the Stones' eighth U.S. chart-topper, hit Number One on July 26th, 1980, ending Billy Joel's six-week run at the top spot with Glass Houses. Emotional Rescue spent seven weeks at Number One and spawned two hit singles -- the title track, which peaked at Number Three -- and "She's So Cold," which topped out at Number 26.

Three outtakes from the Emotional Rescue sessions made their way onto 1981's Tattoo You album -- "Hang Fire," "Little T&A," and "No Use in Crying" -- with a fourth track, "Think I'm Going Mad," eventually finding a home as the B-side to 1984's "She Was Hot" single.

During a 1980 chat with Australia's Countdown, Mick Jagger was asked to describe exactly what an "emotional" rescue is: "It's 'rescue,' right? -- as 'knight on a horse' -- but it's mental. So, instead of rescuing the girl physically, you rescue her from her mental traumas."

When asked if Emotional Rescue differed musically from the Stones' previous album, the 1978 chart-topping Some Girls: "No, it's not that much different. If you like Some Girls, you're gonna love this. It's got lots of different styles of music on it. There's kind of some reggae kinda track. And there's a bit of everything. It's a very mixed bag -- or eclectic, you'd call it."

Ozzy Osbourne is reportedly looking to renew his vows with Sharon Osbourne for their 40th wedding anniversary. According to The Mirror, the two plan to travel back to Maui where they first got married 40 years ago.

A friend of the couple told the publication, "Ozzy may have been waiting on getting his neck and back sorted after extended leg pain, which has left him unable to walk for long periods. But while that has been his hope, he always wants to treat Sharon to something special for their 40th. They renewed their vows in Vegas in 2017, but he hoped to fly them to Maui for a break to recall their big day."

The friend continued, "He hopes that his recovery will be short and nerve damage will be removed so that he can treat his wife. Ozzy may have gone through the mill in recent years, but his spirit and desire to show Sharon how much their love burns bright remains."

Ozzy underwent surgery last week.

Once again, Wolfgang Van Halen has chosen to confront his online detractors head-on rather than let personal attacks go unanswered. Loudwire reported a tongue-in-cheek Wolf tweeted to fans: "I wanted to offer my sincere apologies to anyone I may have upset or hurt by being born. I have never meant my existence to be a burden to others, but alas, here we are. I'll try not to exist so much in the future. Thank you for your patience."

He then shared a screen shot of a poster named Jeffery William Jones, who took time out to slam Wolf for participating in the upcoming Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts in London and L.A.

Jones wrote: "Wolf Van Halen just rides in on his daddy's talent and gets invited to remembering a drumming legend? Had you been born to any other parents, you'd be nothing in the music world."

Not one to shy away from harsh words on social media, Wolfgang countered with: "Yes my dad who hasn't been alive for two years had Dave Grohl called (sic) me to participate. Spot on, Jeffy."

Wolf went on to tweet: "The funny thing about people like you who hate me is that you leave me no room for improvement. That my fault is something completely uncontrollable. While I guess me playing music apparently completely hinges on who my family is (which is a completely unanswerable question), I can definitely surmise that had you were born to different parents, you'd most likely still be a miserable ass****."

Although he continues to be trolled and mercilessly blasted on social media -- primarily due to replacing Michael Anthony on bass in Van Halen, Wolfgang told us that he'll never let naysayers stop him: "Yes, at first it's definitely intimidating as a 16-year-old to have the world hating on you, but I just kind of do my thing, because I know that I can do it. And when people tell me that I can't, when I know I'm doing it, it just -- it almost makes me feel better."

Mammoth WVH kicks off its 25-date European tour on November 1st in Hamburg, Germany at Sporthalle Hamburg.

The long wait is over -- the twice delayed "Stadium" tour featuring co-headliners Def Leppard and a reunited Motley Crue, along with Poison and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts -- finally launches tonight (June 16th) at Atlanta's SunTrust Park. The 36-date trek will play through the summer, finally wrapping on September 9th at Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium.

Earlier this year, when the rescheduled dates were all rolled out, the bands issued statements to fans:

Mötley Crüe said in a joint statement: "It's on! We don't think we've ever looked forward more to kicking off a tour than this one. We can't wait to finally see all the fans across North America again. Get ready for a wild ride this summer!"

Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott added: "On behalf of the band, we're beyond thrilled that the stadium tour is finally happening this summer. . . it's been a while coming and we can't wait to get back on stage again & we can't wait to see you in one of the many stadiums soon!"

Poison's Bret Michaels said: "There are not enough words to thank the three generations of fans for making this such an exciting, record breaking, historical tour with the fastest sell outs in history at these stadiums."

Joan Jett added: "We are so excited to be back out on the road! We missed doing what we love most and can't wait to see the fans out there again!"

A while back, Def Leppard's Joe Elliott told us that there's nothing more important than staying healthy on the road and explained how he preps strenuously before each and every one of the band's tours: "I've seen a lot of people start a tour out, and then three days into the tour have to cancel at least a couple of gigs 'cause they've blown their voice out. So what I try and do is make the first gig we do actually the 20th that my body's done, and I have my blowout 17 days before the tour starts. It's a muscle. You've just got to stretch it and get it into shape."

Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars told us a while back that personality has a lot to do with the Crue's appeal: "I think it's something to do with the music, but I think it's just the charisma -- like what the (Rolling) Stones have, or like Aerosmith has, or like Kiss has, or like the Beatles had. It's the charisma of the four people together and, like, the music's okay and it comes in and it's a vital part of everything, but it's just like seeing that together, y'know what I mean?"

Poison's Bret Michaels has long maintained that although Poison might not be deemed "high art" by the rock press establishment, that doesn't mean that their music doesn't matter in a big way for a lot of people: "We don't always know what we're doing, we just do it with conviction. (Laughs) And somehow originality comes from that, y'know? And writing what I think are really, really strong songs both musically but mostly lyrically, like 'Something To Believe In"' or 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn.' They hit people's soul."

At her 2015 Rock Hall induction, Joan Jett spoke frankly about the passion and promise of true rock n' roll: "I come from a place where rock n' roll means something. It means more than music, it means more than fashion, more than a good pose. It's a language of a sub-culture that has made eternal teenagers of all who follow it. It's a sub-culture of integrity, rebellion, frustration, alienation, and the glue that set several generations free of unnatural societal self-suppression."

Foo Fighters have rolled out most of the artists set to perform at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts set for London's Wembley Stadium on September 3rd and in Los Angeles at The Forum on September 27th. Tickets for both concerts will go on sale this Friday (June 17th) 9 a.m. local time via the Foo Fighters' website: https://bit.ly/3xsC7a1

Taylor Hawkins died on March 25th at age 50 after suffering an alleged drug overdose in Columbia.

London's Wembley Stadium tribute will feature Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor, Rush's Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, Stewart Copeland, Wolfgang Van Halen, Liam Gallagher, Josh Homme, Mark Ronson, Rufus Taylor, Omar Hakim, Supergrass, and Hawkins' Chevy Metal bandmates Chris Chaney, Lia, and comedian Dave Chapelle.

The L.A. Forum concert will feature essentially the same lineup with the addition of Gene Simmons, Nikki Sixx, Chad Smith, Miley Cyrus, Alanis Morissette, Luke Spiller, Jon Theodore, Brad Will, and Pat Wilson. Additional performers will soon be announced.

Earlier this month, the band announced the shows in a press release, which read:

Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear and Rami Jaffee will come together with the Hawkins family to celebrate the life, music and love of their husband, father, brother and bandmate with the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts.

Millions mourned his untimely passing on March 25, with passionate and sincere tributes coming from fans as well as musicians Taylor idolized. The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts will unite several of those artists, the Hawkins family and of course his Foo Fighters brothers in celebration of Taylor's memory and his legacy as a global rock icon -- his bandmates and his inspirations playing the songs that he fell in love with, and the ones he brought to life.

Halsey says son Ender is not a fan of their singing, but jokes that he loves the "really bad" singing of his grandmother.

In an interview this week with Jimmy Fallon, the singer called the 11-month-old their "biggest critic." When she sings to him, he gets pouty and looks like he's going to cry. On the other hand, he loves Halsey's mom, who she describes as someone who couldn't carry a tune in a bucket.

Halsey said, "It's really bad and when she sings, his eyes light up like she's the stars and the moon. But when I sing, he's not a fan."

The 27-year-old shares Ender with boyfriend Alev Aydin.

TL;DR:

• Halsey says son Ender gets pouty and looks like he's going to cry, when they sing to him.
• But loves their mom, who she describes as someone who couldn't carry a tune in bucket.

Lizzo posted online to debut her new pink hairstyle. In a video she shared, the 34-year-old busted a move to her new song, "Grrrls." She dressed to match her hair and completed the look with a pair of velour shorts and a t-shirt with a pink heart.

Her upcoming album, Special, will be out on July 15.

TL;DR:

• Lizzo's hair is pink.

Rolling Stones fans -- and no doubt European concert promoters -- are breathing a sigh of relief that the Covid-stricken Mick Jagger is on the mend and gearing up to head back on the road.

Following Jagger testing positive for the virus, the Stones postponed their June 13th Amsterdam show and the June 17th concert at Bern, Switzerland.

Mick Jagger posted a message to fans on social media, which reads in full:

Thank you all so much for your well wishes and messages the last few days. I'm feeling much better and can't wait to get back on stage next week! The Amsterdam date has been rescheduled for July 7 and we'll have news of the new Bern date ASAP. See you soon! Mick

UPDATED: The Rolling Stones tour dates (subject to change):

June 21 - Milan, Italy - San Siro Stadium
June 25 - London, England - American Express Presents BST Hyde Park
July 3 - London, England- American Express Presents BST Hyde Park
July 7 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Johan Cruijff Arena
July 11 - Brussels, Belgium - King Baudouin Stadium
July 15 - Vienna, Austria - Ernst Happel Stadium
July 19 - Lyon, France - Groupama Stadium
July 23 - Paris, France - Hippodrome Paris
July 27 - Gelsenkirchen, Germany - Veltins Arena
July 31 - Stockholm, Sweden - Friends Arena

Beyonce is reportedly planning secret pop-up shows in the UK to promote her upcoming seventh album. According to The Jasmine Brand, the singer's team has been searching for venues in the UK. A source said, "Beyonce's new album is ready but this era will be like no other. She wrote most of the songs during the pandemic, when she was desperate to be with her fans and perform."

The source continued, "This new record and campaign will be her most interactive one yet because she wants to reach out to the fans. It will focus on live experiences outside of touring, including intimate shows and pop-up performances."

The source added, "She is planning to spend a lot of time performing and promoting it in the UK, so there will be unique surprises in store for the British fans. People in her camp have scouted out venues for her to perform at when the music comes out and then there will be another huge tour later on."

UPDATE

TIdal seemingly confirmed that Beyonce's seventh album is coming! Tidal announced on Instagram that the album is entitled Renaissance and that it will be released on July 29th.

In an interview with Essence, Janet Jackson revealed when she will be releasing her next album. The R&B icon said, "It's so funny because I see the fans asking, 'When are we going to get ‘Black Diamond?' 'Will you please release?' Sometimes things happen that you don't expect to happen, and you have to figure things out—or you're in a space in your life when you have to take a step back and take a break for a minute."

She continued, "Even though it's something that I absolutely love, it still is my work, my job. There will be music at some point. Exactly when? I can't say just yet, but there will be. I love it too much not to do it. This is all I know. There's so much that I want to do—but my number one job is being a mama."

Janet also discussed something that people would be surprised to know about her, saying, "When it comes to my personal life, I think mistaking my kindness for weakness. When it comes to my professional life, I would say it would have to be not liking to hear the word 'no.' Especially being a woman, and someone telling you, ‘no, you can't because…'"

JANET SAYS FAME IS NOT IMPORTANT TO HER

Meanwhile, Janet also explained that fame is not really too important to her. She explained, "I've never been that person to have my awards on display. There's nothing wrong with it, that's just not me. Being able to wake up and see my baby another day. The space I might be in at that moment within my soul. What I've accomplished within myself. How far I've come from that child there to the woman that I am today. That's success."

She continued, "If you came to my home, you would never know — if you did not know who I was — that I am an entertainer. I don't have one award on my wall."

Janet added that when she was dating Jermaine Dupri, he wanted her to put her Grammys out, so she did it for him.

She added, "Just the Grammys, nothing else. After we went our separate ways, they went back in the warehouse and haven't come out since."

During an interview with Rolling Stone, Megan Thee Stallion opened up about the July 2020 shooting involving Torey Lanez. Megan recalled the event, saying, "I thought we had a real connection," adding that she and Lanez had bonded over the mutual loss of their mothers. She continued, "I thought he knew me. And I never would've thought he would've shot at me at all." Megan went on, "I want him to go to jail. I want him to go under the jail." If convicted, Lanez faces 22 years in prison.

Megan revealed that after the shooting, she was hospitalized and had to get bullet fragments removed from her feet, saying, "What nobody knows is, I had to get the surgery the same night. I stayed in the hospital in California for maybe four days. Then I was in New York for a while. Both of my legs wrapped up. I could not walk. I still have bullet fragments in my feet right now. I was very scared that I was not able to be Megan Thee Stallion no more. And I was fu**ed up."

Megan revealed that ex best friend Kelsey Nicole met with Lanez two days after the shooting at a hotel room. She said, "I'm like, ‘Kelsey, as my best friend, why would you meet up with the person you saw shoot your best friend?' She said, ‘Megan, y'all wasn't answering my calls. My back was against the wall. I didn't know what to do.' What the f*ck do you mean your back is against the wall? You're the only person in this situation that would clear this up for me."

She continued, "This girl told me out her mouth, ‘He told me, 'Oh, thank you for not saying nothing. Now let me invest in your business. Let me do this. Let me do that.' And all I know was, from that day on, she never said nothing else about the whole situation online."

The rapper also talked about facing backlash after the shooting, saying, "In some kind of way I became the villain. ​I see people saying, ‘Damn, I would've shot that b*tch too.'"

KELSEY NICOLE RESPONDS

Kelsey Nicole took to social media to respond to Megan, saying, "If y'all not catching on to the social media games by now, then I don't know what to tell y'all. But you guys have to pay attention. Like, I knew this was gonna happen. This is just the beginning, y'all. I know y'all want me to talk, but this is just the beginning. So, like, when it's my turn, just know, I'm gonna break everything down, okay?" She added, "And we gon' see who really look bad in the end."

Jonas Brothers are on the cover of People this week and Nick Jonas gave a quick update about their personal lives. He said, he and his wife, Priyanka Chopra, and their 6-month-old daughter, live in Los Angeles. Joe and his wife, Sophie Turner have a 2-year-old daughter and recently moved to Miami and are expecting another child. And Kevin and his wife Danielle have two daughters and still live in New Jersey. Even though they live across the country from each other, he says they connect every day.

Lady Gaga's hit song, "Poker Face," has officially reached a billion views on YouTube. The #1 song charted on the Billboard Hot 100 for 40 weeks, and remains one of the best-selling singles of all-time. Uploaded to YouTube in December of 2008, it's the third song in history to reach the milestone. "Poker Face" became Gaga's first Grammy win.

Megan Thee Stallion is working on her second studio album and there's a chance that it may arrive sooner than originally thought. The 27-year-old says it should be out sometime this summer.

Today, Eminem and Cee Lo Green are releasing a single from the Elvis soundtrack called "The King & I." The soundtrack also features songs by Jack White, Maneskin, Doja Cat, Stevie Nicks, and others.

Sting has extended his "My Songs" Las Vegas residency with a new string of spring 2023 dates. The new shows at the Colesseum at Caesers Palace will play on April 1st, 2nd, 5th, 7th, 8th and 9th, 2023.

According to the announcement: "'My Songs' presents a compendium of Sting's most beloved songs with dynamic, visual references to some of his most iconic videos and inspirations. Throughout the show, the world-renowned musician treats fans to an array of greatest hits spanning his illustrious career, including 'Roxanne,' 'Message In A Bottle,' 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,' 'Every Breath You Take' and several other fan favorites, plus new songs from his latest album, The Bridge."

Sting recently told us that he's especially proud of how adaptable his music is for most any genre he chooses to tackle onstage: "I've always said a good song will survive almost anything. Y'know, I could sit there and play all of these songs on a guitar and just accompany myself, I can do them with a three-piece rock band, I can do them with a slightly larger group with a few jazzers in 'em. Now we can take them to a symphony orchestra and say, 'Well does this work?' And lo and behold, nine times out of ten it does."

Sting will next perform on Thursday and Friday (June 17th and 18th) as part of his Las Vegas "My Songs " residency at Colesseum at Caesars Palace.

It was 55 years ago today (June 16th, 1967) that the Monterey International Pop Festival kicked off at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in Monterey, California. The historic festival, which took place on June 16th, 17th, and 18th, was forever embedded into popular culture with the release of D.A. Pennebaker's documentary Monterey Pop, along with being the first major American appearances by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, the Who, and Ravi Shankar. The festival will also be remembered for its two breakout artists -- Janis Joplin fronting Big Brother And The Holding Company and the mainstream introduction of Otis Redding.

Monterey proved to be the melting pot of pop/rock with historic sets played by Simon & Garfunkel, the Mamas & The Papas, the Grateful Dead, Lou Rawls, Country Joe & The Fish, the Byrds, the Association, Eric Burdon & The Animals, Johnny Rivers, Moby Grape, Canned Heat, Jefferson Airplane, Laura Nyro, Booker T. & The M.G.'s, and the Steve Miller Band, among others. Most notably the festival turned the tide of the record business looking towards the Bay Area for its new signings, rather than limiting most of their prospects to New York and L.A.

Neil Young quit the Buffalo Springfield prior to their performance and the Byrds' David Crosby was deputized to fill in -- much to this dismay of Crosby's bandmates Roger McGuinn -- then Jim McGuinn -- and Chris Hillman.

In one of the most short-sighted decisions in rock history, although originally advertised, Brian Wilson pulled the Beach Boys from performing at the festival, which permanently left them on the wrong side of the counter culture -- especially in the eyes of the burgeoning hipper-than-thou rock press.

The Rolling Stones' Brian Jones made his last appearance in the U.S. at Monterey, when he announced the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

Although she originally hailed from Port Arthur, Texas, Janis Joplin came to embody the San Francisco spirit that permeated Monterey. Joplin made it clear that she finally felt at home within the San Francisco scene. Janis Joplin recalled her long road to personal and creative freedom: "I started singing when I was about 17. I listened to a lot of music first and one day I started singing, and I could sing. It was a surprise (laughs) -- to say the least. About '63, I couldn't stand Texas anymore and I went to California, ‘cause it's a lot freer, and you can, y'know, you can do what you wanna do and nobody bugs you."

A Board of Governors was established for the festival that consisted of: Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Mick Jagger, Smokey Robinson, Andrew Loog Oldham, Donovan, Jim McGuinn, Terry Melcher, Alan Pariser, John Phillips, and Lou Adler.

Steve Miller told us that even today, Jimi Hendrix's talent still manages to floor him: "Y'know, and I was just watching the film of Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival, and just had to stop and sit down and watch and admire what an (laughs) amazing performer he was (laughs) -- just how great."

Pete Townshend recalled that at Monterey there was tension between him and Jimi Hendrix -- who was his labelmate on Track Records -- when Townshend insisted that the Who go on before the Experience in deference to Hendrix's incredible show and musical importance. There was a brief standoff with Hendrix perceiving Townshend wanting the Who to go on first and claim some of the bombast rather than follow Hendrix and his incendiary live show -- much of which had been cribbed from the Who more extreme stage antics.

Today, Townshend remains awed by the organic force of Jimi Hendrix's raw and pure talent: "What Jimi was doing, it was an epiphany in the actual dictionary definition of the word. You felt pained, because in his presence, and in the presence of that music, you felt small and you realized how far you had to go. What was also painful was to meet him afterwards and to realize he didn't know what he was doing and he had no idea of his greatness. So there was also that, y'know, the feeling that one knew -- I knew -- that he was going to burn out very, very quickly. Sweet guy. Really, really nice guy."

Happy Birthday to Lamont Dozier who turns 81 today (June 16th)!!! Dozier and brothers Eddie and Brian Holland formed Motown's legendary songwriting and production team Holland-Dozier-Holland, and have written nearly 300 songs, including the Four Tops' Top Ten hits "Standing In The Shadows Of Love," "Bernadette," "It's The Same Old Song," and their Number Ones "I Can't Help Myself" and "Reach Out (I'll Be There)."

Holland-Dozier-Holland are also responsible for writing and producing Marvin Gaye's "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)," along with Martha & the Vandellas' "Nowhere To Run," "Heatwave" and "Jimmy Mack." However, they are best known for their string of Number Ones with the Supremes, including "Where Did Our Love Go," "Baby Love," "Stop! In The Name Of Love," "Come See About Me," "Back In My Arms Again," and "I Hear A Symphony."

Dozier says that the greatest part of songwriting is the initial buzz from coming up with a new idea: "Y'know, back in the '60s and '70s, the creation part of it, I think was the good thing. When you can create something from nothing. Y'know, starting with a new melody, a new approach to a song, or a new idea for the conflicts between man and woman which is always what we've written about."

He's especially proud of the fact that Holland-Dozier-Holland was able to take people minds off the atrocities of the 1960's: "The '60s were a very terrible time. I think we brought some balance; I like to think we brought some balance to the emotions that people were feelin'. We constantly wrote about love, and being happy, dance music, things like 'Mickey's Monkey' -- that had nothin' to do with the times, but sort of an escape for the people with all of these changes that were taking place. We tried to keep people focused on 'Hey there's a better life, there's good things in life to look forward to' and I like to think we were optimistic in our music."

Ozzy Osbourne says he is" feeling the love and support" from fans following his "life-altering" surgery that involved removing and realigning pins in his neck and back.

He wrote via IG yesterday (June 14th), "I am now home from the hospital recuperating comfortably."

He continued, "I am definitely feeling the love and support from all my fans and send everyone a big thank you for their thoughts, prayers and well wishes during my recovery."

Britney Spears says that her brother, Bryan Spears, didn't attend her wedding because he wasn't invited.

Earlier this week, Bryan's girlfriend, Amber Lynn Conklin claimed they missed Britney's big day because they were attending his daughter's elementary school graduation. But, according to the pop star's now-deleted Instagram rant Tuesday (June 14th), her big brother was a part of the long list of estranged family members who didn't receive an invitation.

She wrote, "You were never invited to my wedding so why even respond ??? Do you honestly think I want my brother there who told me no to a Jack and coke for 4 years … what ???"

She continued, "I know you're my blood and yes blood runs deep but no family of mine would do what you guys did to me … Pssss …I liked your post, brother!!!"

Bryan isn't the only uninvited wedding guest to make headlines Tuesday (June 14th). According to TMZ, Jason Alexander's wedding crasher stunt cost Britney's security team their jobs. The outlet reports that the "Toxic" singer replaced her entire team shortly after her ex-husband crashed Thursday's (June 9th) ceremony.