Rod Lynton did not expect a casual walk through a London park to reopen one of the most remarkable chapters in British music history. Yet that is exactly what happened when the guitarist, quietly living in Muswell Hill, was randomly approached for the A Mug of Life podcast. What followed was a rare, first-hand recollection of how a young guitarist with a growing reputation found himself playing on John Lennon's Imagine album, one of the most important records of the post-Beatles era.

Giles Martin has drawn a clear line under the idea of newly discovered Beatles songs, while acknowledging that a substantial body of music recorded during the Get Back sessions remains unreleased in any formal studio context. After years immersed in the Fab Four's archives, Martin believes the catalogue of fully realised, unheard Beatles songs is effectively complete, even as fans continue to debate what still sits unheard outside the documentary itself.

Bob Dylan's Desire reaches its 50th anniversary as one of the most distinctive and debated records in his vast catalogue, an album that captured an artist in motion, surrounded by collaborators, characters and causes, and willing to place narrative ambition ahead of comfort.

Billy Joel has made an unannounced return to the stage, delivering his first live performance since revealing his diagnosis of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, offering fans a brief but emotional reminder of his enduring presence in popular music. The surprise appearance took place on January 2 at the Wellington Amphitheater in Florida during celebrations marking the village's 30th anniversary.

Just days into 2026, Morrissey has once again found himself in familiar territory, postponing live performances as his long, uneven relationship with touring continues. The former Smiths frontman has delayed two Californian shows, including a Rancho Mirage date that had already been rescheduled once, citing an adverse reaction to prescription medication.

Jill Scott is set to make one of the most anticipated returns in contemporary soul, confirming the release of her sixth studio album To Whom This May Concern, due out on February 13. The album marks Scott's first full-length studio project since 2015's Woman and closes a near-decade chapter in which her creative output shifted largely toward acting, poetry, and select collaborations.

Yungblud has opened 2026 with one of the most significant creative statements of his career, unveiling a reimagined version of his song Zombie in collaboration with Billy Corgan and The Smashing Pumpkins. The new recording marks a rare and symbolic meeting of generations, pairing one of modern rock's most outspoken young voices with architects of alternative rock whose influence still looms large over the genre more than three decades on.

After more than four decades shaping global pop culture, MTV has quietly closed down its remaining dedicated music video channels, bringing an era to a symbolic close with the same song that launched the network in the first place, The Buggles' Video Killed The Radio Star.

Peter Gabriel has opened the next chapter of his long, carefully evolving recording legacy, unveiling the first new song from his forthcoming album O\I. Released on Saturday, 3 January 2026, timed to coincide with the first full moon of the year, the Wolf Moon, the track Been Undone marks the beginning of another year long lunar release cycle, following the format that defined Gabriel's 2023 album I/O.

Six-time Platinum indie favourite Cavetown has unveiled a new single, Sailboat, a luminous collaboration with Chloe Moriondo that signals an emotionally open new chapter ahead of his forthcoming album Running With Scissors. Co-produced with Underscores, the track blends chiptune shimmer, warped hyperpop textures and Cavetown's unmistakably intimate songwriting voice, capturing the nervous anticipation of new love and the quiet fear of leaving a mark on someone you care deeply about.

Ringo Starr is preparing to extend his late career love affair with country music, confirming that a new studio album is in development and pencilled in for release sometime in early 2026. The untitled project will again explore country and Americana territory and reunites the former Beatle with producer T Bone Burnett, the creative partnership that reshaped Starr's recording direction with 2025's Look Up.

Australian music fans have delivered another brutal message to local artists in 2025, with streaming figures revealing that only one genuinely new Australian song cracked the Top 10 most streamed Australian tracks of the year.

As the New Year begins, streaming platforms have revealed the songs that defined 2025, highlighting a mix of blockbuster collaborations and K-pop influence. Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music's Replay charts show a global audience gravitating towards high-profile partnerships.

A$AP Rocky has teamed up with rent-rewards platform Bilt to celebrate the upcoming release of his fourth studio album, Don't Be Dumb, in a partnership that combines music, artistry and community impact. The Harlem-born rapper unveiled a limited-edition vinyl designed by himself, describing it as “my love letter to New York.” The release coincides with a charitable initiative covering rent for residents living in the Harlem building where Rocky spent his teenage years.

The 2025 Kennedy Center Honors has entered the history books for reasons far removed from artistic celebration, with the annual event recording the lowest television ratings since the ceremony began airing nationally. Broadcast on CBS on 23 December 2025, the Donald Trump hosted edition averaged 3.01 million viewers, a figure that represents a sharp year on year decline and has triggered a flurry of explanations from the Kennedy Center's new leadership and the White House.

Brisbane metal punk institution Dreamkillers have marked what would have been the 74th birthday of Skyhooks frontman Shirley Strachan with a new song simply titled Shirley, a heartfelt and deliberately raw tribute to one of Australia's most recognisable and influential rock voices.

Thirty years after walking away at the height of their cultural impact, 4 Non Blondes are officially back on one of the world's biggest stages. The band ushered in 2026 with a performance of What's Up on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest, marking one of the most unlikely and talked about comebacks of the year.

Yungblud has opened 2026 with a significant creative statement, unveiling a heavier reworking of his song Zombie in collaboration with Billy Corgan and The Smashing Pumpkins. The new version of the track is scheduled for worldwide release at midnight on January 2, accompanied by an official music video, marking a rare and deliberate intersection between one of modern rock's most outspoken younger voices and one of alternative music's most influential architects.

The 2026 New Year Honours List has been unveiled, celebrating 1,157 individuals across fields as diverse as the arts, charity, science and community work. King Charles, on the advice of government officials and the prime minister, has recognised those who have made outstanding contributions to their professions and society, with honours including knighthoods, damehoods, and orders of merit. Among the recipients this year, several musicians and entertainers have been acknowledged for their achievements both on stage and off.

Beyoncé has officially joined the billionaire club, cementing her status as one of the most successful musicians and businesswomen of the 21st century. The announcement from Forbes Magazine follows a record-breaking period in her career, highlighted by the global success of her 2025 Cowboy Carter Tour and the commercial achievements of her latest album of the same name.

Amy Louise Taylor, the unmistakable voice and presence at the centre of Melbourne punk outfit Amyl & The Sniffers, has launched legal action in the United States, accusing an American photographer of unlawfully exploiting her image for commercial gain.

Michael Lippman, one of the most influential artist managers and entertainment lawyers of the modern music industry, has died aged 79. Lippman passed away at his home in Santa Ynez, California, surrounded by family. No cause of death has been disclosed.

Richard Smallwood, one of gospel music's most influential composers and choir leaders, has died aged 77. The classically trained singer, pianist and songwriter passed away on Tuesday, December 30, at 12:36am at the Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Sandy Spring, Maryland, following complications from kidney failure.

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is facing one of the most serious crises in its history, as a widening group of artists, performers and cultural organisations cancel appearances in protest over Donald Trump's takeover of the board and the decision to attach his name to the institution.

As the background to the recent Noise11 story surrounding Vincent's high priced single continues to attract attention, his complex legacy inside and outside the Kiss universe deserves closer examination.

Fleetwood Mac's 1977 classic Rumours has emphatically proven that great music endures, securing its place as one of the biggest selling albums of 2025 in the United States. According to year‑end sales tallies, Rumours finished 24th overall in album units across all formats for the year, and impressively ranked 10th in physical sales, the top echelon of CDs and vinyl, with 221,514 units sold. When streaming figures are included, the album's total equivalent sales for 2025 reached 1,064,163.

As 2026 approaches, the global music landscape is gearing up for a wave of major album releases spanning rock, pop, metal, indie and beyond. From long‑anticipated studio efforts by established acts, to fresh explorations from rising stars, the first half of the year promises some of the most eclectic offerings in recent memory. Here's a comprehensive look at the key releases set from January through April.

Singer-songwriter Kate Bush has expressed her heartbreak after the death of a longtime friend during a Christmas Day swim off the coast of Devon. Matthew Upham, 63, a local antiques dealer and one of Bush's dearest friends for 30 years, went missing after entering the sea to assist a woman in difficulty near Budleigh Salterton.

Jeff Buckley's earliest New York performances will return in a newly expanded edition of Live At Sin-é in February 2026. The reissue revisits the intimate East Village shows that first introduced Buckley to a wider audience. Recorded in a cramped Lower East Side cafe, the performances captured an artist still defining his voice, his approach, and his relationship with an audience.

The Paper Kites will return in January 2026 with their seventh studio album, If You Go There, I Hope You Find It, a record that signals another carefully measured evolution for one of Australia's most internationally consistent alternative folk acts. Scheduled for release on 23 January 2026 via Nettwerk Music Group, the album arrives after more than a decade of steady growth, touring endurance and creative restlessness.