Scottish hard rock band Nazareth have announced a major lineup change, parting ways with singer Carl Sentance and bringing in Italian vocalist Gianni Pontillo as their new frontman. The announcement comes ahead of what founding bassist Pete Agnew has described as “one of the busiest years in Nazareth's history” in 2026.

The Recording Academy has unveiled the lineup for its 2026 Special Merit Awards, highlighting music icons whose influence spans decades and continents. Among the honorees for the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award are Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Fela Kuti, Carlos Santana, Cher, and Paul Simon. The awards will be presented during Grammy Week on Saturday, January 31, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, the day before the main ceremony at the arena.

Morrissey has signed a new recording contract with Sire Records, closing a long and unsettled chapter in which completed albums repeatedly failed to reach the public. The deal places the former Smiths frontman back on a label with deep roots in alternative music and signals renewed institutional support after years of stalled releases.

Steven Drozd has confirmed his departure from The Flaming Lips, ending one of the longest creative partnerships in modern alternative music. The multi-instrumentalist's exit closes a chapter that began in 1991 and shaped the band's most celebrated and experimental work.

NPG Records and Paisley Park Enterprises, in partnership with Legacy Recordings, have announced the tenth anniversary of Prince's HITnRUN Phase One and HITnRUN Phase Two. Marking a significant milestone, both albums will be reissued on CD and pressed to vinyl for the very first time, giving fans a chance to experience the two-part project in physical form for the first time since its original release in 2015.

George Michael's landmark 1987 solo debut, Faith, is set to receive a deluxe reissue in early 2026, including an SDE exclusive blu-ray audio edition featuring a Dolby Atmos Mix, 5.1 surround sound, and 13 bonus tracks. The release promises to celebrate one of the defining albums of the 1980s, cementing Michael's transition from Wham! frontman to global solo superstar.

Canadian rock veterans Finger Eleven have returned with a creative flourish, unveiling an eight-episode social media miniseries to accompany their latest studio album, Last Night On Earth. Released on November 7 via Better Noise Music, the record marks the band's first release with the label and their seventh studio album overall.

AC/DC have brought their Australian stadium tour to a thunderous conclusion in Brisbane, wrapping nine shows across the country with a final night at Suncorp Stadium on 18 December. For a band that began in Sydney pubs five decades ago, the homecoming leg of the Power Up World Tour reaffirmed AC/DC's unmatched scale, endurance and cultural pull, while underlining why the group remains one of Australia's most significant musical exports.

Rainbow's formative years are set to be documented in unprecedented detail with the announcement of Rainbow The Temple Of The King 1975-1976, a lavish 9CD boxset arriving on March 6th 2026 via Edsel Records. Covering the opening chapter of the band's history, the collection stands as the most comprehensive archival release yet devoted to the early vision of guitarist Ritchie Blackmore following his departure from Deep Purple.

One of the most historically significant instrument makers in popular music, Höfner, has filed for bankruptcy in Germany, placing the future of the company behind Paul McCartney's most famous bass guitar under serious question. The filing, lodged with the Fürth District Court in Bavaria, confirms that Karl Höfner GmbH & Co has entered provisional insolvency administration as of 10 December.

Former United States President Barack Obama has included Metal by The Beths in his Favourite Songs of 2025 list. The annual selection has become a closely watched cultural marker. It regularly highlights artists operating outside mainstream pop cycles.

The release of The Beatles - Free As A Bird: A Song Reborn [Short Film] reframes one of the most emotional chapters in Beatles history. Built from never-before-seen studio footage, the film documents the remarkable 1994 reunion of Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. It was the first time the surviving Beatles worked together in a studio since the band's split 24 years earlier.

The legacy of Donna Summer, the undisputed Queen of Disco, has been further immortalised with her posthumous induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place on December 15 at The Butterfly Room at Cecconi's in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, celebrating the singer's extraordinary contributions to music and culture.

Jane's Addiction have formally confirmed the end of the band, issuing a joint statement that closes a turbulent final chapter and reframes the group's legacy around the music created by the original four members. The announcement follows more than a year of public conflict, legal action and a highly publicised onstage altercation that abruptly ended their 2024 reunion tour.

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band will be celebrated with Good Evening Boys & Girls, a major new archival release documenting the group at full flight on stage. The comprehensive 21 CD box set brings together concert recordings spanning the band's most vital years, capturing the performances that built their formidable reputation across the UK, Europe and beyond.

Award-winning British singer-songwriter Blair Dunlop will return to Australia in March 2026 for a major national tour. The visit follows earlier Australian appearances that built a strong connection with local audiences. Dunlop arrives in notable creative form, touring in support of his fifth studio album Out of the Rain released in 2024.

Travis Scott has unveiled a new music video for PBT, featuring Tyla and Vybz Kartel. The visually rich clip was filmed in Tokyo and extends the global reach of Scott's Jackboys 2 project.

After a triumphant run of sold out shows in 2023, The Jane Barnes Band is returning to stages across Australia for an encore tour spanning five states, kicking off in Launceston on Thursday, 15 January 2026.

Irish trad supergroup BIIRD will bring their electrifying energy to Sydney's Oxford Art Factory on January 28, 2026, offering fans an intimate sideshow before joining Ed Sheeran on his AU/NZ Loop Tour. The all-female collective's growing reputation as one of Ireland's most exciting modern trad acts.

Canadian rock heavyweights Arkells have unveiled their new single Money, a collaboration with Portugal. The Man that sharpens the band's long running interest in social commentary while leaning into a bright, synth driven sound. The track arrives as the latest chapter in a productive period for the Hamilton outfit, who are already mapping out a major 2026 that includes a new album, international touring and a high profile hometown appearance at the JUNO Awards.

Langhorne Slim has released a reimagined version of his recent single “Rock N Roll”, recorded with Nashville based collective Lockeland Strings. The new arrangement reframes the song through strings, expanding its emotional range without diluting its core intent. Lockeland Strings works as a community arts organisation, partnering with artists to reinterpret existing songs alongside orchestral players. For Slim, the collaboration adds depth and contrast to a track already central to his current creative chapter.

Robin Trower has revealed a new live recording of Too Rolling Stoned, taken from his forthcoming album One Moment In Time: Live In The USA. The album will be released on 30 January via Artone, Provogue. The performance captures Trower in commanding form, revisiting a cornerstone of his catalogue while reaffirming his ongoing relevance as a live artist.

Biffy Clyro bassist and founding member James Johnston has announced he will not take part in the band's upcoming tours, confirming he is stepping back to focus on treatment for mental health and addiction issues he has lived with privately for some time.

As a Christmas surprise for fans across Australia, the Skyhooks Archives has released a new mini documentary titled In The Heat Of The Night. 50. The film revisits the band's December 1975 In The Heat Of The Night tour, a pivotal run of shows staged just before Skyhooks departed for the United States. The tour was rarely documented at the time, making this release a significant addition to the band's visual history.

The Rions have confirmed a major Australian regional tour for early 2026. The coast to coast run will take place from February through April. It follows a year that firmly established the Northern Beaches four piece as one of Australia's most significant emerging indie bands.

Brisbane South Bank’s Rainforest Green will transform into a tropical, open-air dancefloor this summer as the highly anticipated On The Banks kicks off, featuring the addition of Hawaiian-country and reggae sensation Maoli on 20 March 2026.

After 16 years away from Australian stages, Secondhand Serenade, the acclaimed project of Californian singer-songwriter John Vesely, is returning for three highly anticipated shows this December. Kicking off on Friday, December 19 in Melbourne, the tour will also visit Sydney on December 20 and Brisbane on December 21, with a full symphony string section elevating Vesely's signature acoustic sound.

In a development that has sent shockwaves through Hollywood and the global entertainment community, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced formal charges today against Nick Reiner, 32, in connection with the deaths of his parents, legendary filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner and photographer-producer Michele Singer Reiner.

Manchester-born singer-songwriter Robbie Cavanagh is set to make his long-awaited Australian debut this February and March, performing a series of solo shows and unique collaborative line-ups ahead of his appearance at Port Fairy Folk Festival.

Portland, Oregon singer-songwriter Jeffrey Martin has unveiled plans for his first-ever live album, Alive July 25, 2025, due for release on February 20, 2026, via Fluff & Gravy Records. The record, a document of a single Portland show, arrives just a month before Martin makes his Australian debut, bringing his distinctive folk sound to stages across the country for the very first time.