On this day

Bob Marley has been named the most frequently referenced historical figure in song lyrics, according to a new study examining how musicians draw inspiration from history. The reggae icon sits comfortably at number one with 927 separate lyric mentions, placing him well ahead of philosophers, criminals, political leaders and fellow musicians whose names have also been woven into popular music over decades.

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Ringo Starr's compilation album, Blast From Your Past, a landmark release that captured the early solo success of the former Beatle. Released in 1975 on Apple Records, the album represented both Starr's first compilation LP and his final project under his EMI contract, as well as the last Apple Records release until the label's revival in the 1990s.

Bernie Leadon, founding member of the Eagles and one of the main builders of country rock, has released the title track from his upcoming album Too Late To Be Cool. The new video shows an artist who knows exactly where he came from and where he's going.

When Rubber Soul arrived in the UK on 3 December 1965, The Beatles stepped into a new phase of their creative lives, a phase that would soon define the sound and ambition of popular music. The sixth studio album from John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr landed during a frantic period in their global rise, yet the work itself came from a rare four-week window where the group were free of touring, filming and radio commitments, a gift they had never been offered before.

Ace Frehley, the founding lead guitarist and cosmic trailblazer of KISS, has had his cause of death officially confirmed, several weeks after he passed away at age 74. The Morris County Medical Examiner in New Jersey has ruled Frehley’s death an accident, confirming the guitarist died from blunt trauma to the head following a fall.

When Patti Smith walked into Electric Lady Studios in New York in September 1975, she was not trying to chase radio hits or craft a commercial product. She was trying to breathe life back into rock, fuse it with poetry and performance art, and speak directly to outsiders who felt like music had stopped speaking to them. On 10 November 2025, her debut album Horses reaches its 50th anniversary, standing tall as one of the most influential recordings in modern music.

Tangerine Records will continue its mission of honouring the genius of Ray Charles with No One Does It Like… Ray Charles!, a newly remastered collection arriving 21 November 2025. The release gathers together mid-1960s singles, B-sides, and rare non-album cuts that have never before been compiled in one place, capturing the soul pioneer in one of the most creatively explosive phases of his career.