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Articles by Alan Light
Rocky fête ses 50 ans : la leçon patrimoniale que Stallone ne vous enseigne pas à l'école
Le 7 novembre 2026, Amazon MGM Studios ressort Rocky en version remasterisée 4K dans les salles du monde entier, pour célébrer les 50 ans du film original. Cette réédition est organisée conjointement avec Park Circus et Fathom Entertainment, et coïncide avec la sortie prochaine du biopic I Play Rocky, attendu en salles le 13 novembre en avant-première limitée, puis le 20 novembre en exploitation nationale.
Grammy Predictions: It’s a Race Between Olivia and Olivia
Illustration by Andrew Archer If you knew a year ago that the next 12 months would yield albums from Taylor Swift, Harry Styles and Bruno Mars, you probably would have placed your bets on Grammy nominations right then. But as the announcement of the finalists for the 2026 awards approaches, none of those juggernauts feels like frontrunners for the big prizes. Instead, the spotlight has pivoted to two 20-something women named Olivia.
Tom Morello Is Still Raging
By Alan Light Tom Morello at Summerside Festival in Grenchen, Switzerland, 2024 (credit: Dario Demarco via Wikimedia Commons) “I didn’t choose to be a guitar player,” says Tom Morello. “That chose me. And it’s been my intention to find a way to weave my convictions into that vocation.
Neil Young and Willie Nelson live review: Outlaw heroes show no sign of fading away Original
Willie Nelson & Family/ Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts In 1961 (or so), Willie Nelson wrote Funny How Time Slips Away, a dozen years later, Neil Young titled an album after his song Times Fades Away. Many decades have passed, but on Tuesday night, these two legends demonstrated their continuing refusal to accept the realities of the calendar as Nelson, at age 93, and 80-year-old Young delivered warm and moving performances at Bridgeport, Connecticut’s Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater.
The K-Shaped Economy Has Come for the Music Industry
5 min read Let me put some numbers behind a trend you might have noticed: More than 10 major musical artists have outright canceled their tours in 2026. Dozens of music festivals have called off their dates. At the same time, the average concert ticket in the U. S. has climbed over $140 while BTS has raked in $1 million in sales per month for several months. What the hell is going on?
The K-Shaped Economy Has Come for the Music Industry
The Music Industry's K-Shaped Economy Getty Image · Getty Image Let me put some numbers behind a trend you might have noticed: More than 10 major musical artists have outright canceled their tours in 2026. Dozens of music festivals have called off their dates. At the same time, the average concert ticket in the U. S. has climbed over $140 while BTS has raked in $1 million in sales per month for several months. What the hell is going on?
The K-Shaped Economy Has Come for the Music Industry
Let me put some numbers behind a trend you might have noticed: More than 10 major musical artists have outright canceled their tours in 2026. Dozens of music festivals have called off their dates. At the same time, the average concert ticket in the U. S. has climbed over $140 while BTS has raked in $1 million in sales per month for several months. What the hell is going on?
Умер легендарный актер из фильмов «Оно» и «Один дома 2»: жизнь и карьера Тима Карри
Тиму Карри было 80 лет Фото: photo by Alan Light Тим Карри, известный по ролям доктора Фрэнк-эн-Фертера в культовом «Шоу ужасов Рокки Хоррора» и клоуна Пеннивайза в экранизации «Оно» Стивена Кинга, скончался в возрасте 80 лет. Актер умер в своем доме в Лос-Анджелесе. В 2012 году он перенес инсульт, после чего передвигался в инвалидной коляске. Биография и фильмография актера — в материале URA.RU.
Dolly Parton, Prolific Songwriter, Beloved Cultural Icon, Dies at 80
One night in 1973, Dolly Parton had a song on her mind. She was thinking about a bank teller who had been flirting with her spouse. “She got this terrible crush on my husband,” Parton told NPR in 2008.
The 10 Best Albums of 2026 (So Far)
Halfway through 2026. Only halfway through 2026? Already halfway through 2026? It’s impossible to know how to feel about time passing when any given day can feel like a week. Olivia Rodrigo had no idea how strong her prophecies would ring out when she warned us, way back in 2021, that it’s brutal out there. It was nonetheless a fascinating six months in music.
The 10 Best Albums of 2026 (So Far)
Tired of low-quality, no-name brands on Amazon? This open-source tool hides them A free browser extension called Knockoff uses device-side filtering and name heuristics to clean up your shopping feed. Follow us on Google DiscoverAdd us as preferred source If you have tried shopping on Amazon recently, you already know the experience has completely degraded. What used to be a …
The 10 Best Albums of 2026 (So Far) Original
7 min read Halfway through 2026. Only halfway through 2026? Already halfway through 2026? It’s impossible to know how to feel about time passing when any given day can feel like a week. Olivia Rodrigo had no idea how strong her prophecies would ring out when she warned us, way back in 2021, that it’s brutal out there. It was nonetheless a fascinating six months in music.
She Couldn't Shake the Story of a Female Killer. Now It's a Musical.
NEW YORK -- Jennifer Nettles can thank a late-night internet search for her new musical, "Giulia: The Poison Queen of Palermo." She recalls coming across an article on female serial killers while surfing the internet about a decade ago. "I thought, surely that can't be a long list," she said.
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load. Jennifer Nettles can thank a late-night internet search for her new musical, “Giulia: The Poison Queen of Palermo.” She recalls coming across an article on female serial killers while surfing the internet about a decade ago. “I thought, surely that can’t be a long list,” she said.
“If It’s Too Loud, Turn It Up”
By Alan Light “If you feel you’re being called to document this time, you need to document this time,” says Tori Amos.
The 25 Most American Songs of All Time Original
20 min read “Of all nations,” wrote Walt Whitman, “the United States with veins full of poetical stuff most need poets and will doubtless have the greatest and use them the greatest.” This prediction in 1855—exactly 100 years before Little Richard recorded “Tutti Frutti”—turned out to be truer than Whitman could have dreamed. He probably didn’t anticipate, though, that the most powerful American poetry would come from its songwriters.
Sting vuelve a capitanear el musical ‘The Last Ship’ con una versión renovada en la Metropolitan Opera de Nueva York
Allá por 2014, ni siquiera Sting pudo salvar su espectáculo de Broadway, The Last Ship. A medida que bajaban las cifras de taquilla, se incorporó a la producción con la esperanza de que sus fans acudieran en masa al teatro para verlo sobre el escenario. Pero su disponibilidad era limitada debido a una gira programada, así que, cuando esa estrategia fracasó, el espectáculo se vio obligado a cerrar tras 105 funciones, lo que le costó a los productores 15 millones de dólares.
Sting Never Gave Up on His Musical 'The Last Ship.' Now It's Back
EDITORS NOTE: Attn: N.Y.); (ART ADV: With photo. Back in 2014, not even Sting could rescue his Broadway show, “The Last Ship.” As the box office numbers dipped, he stepped into the production, hoping his fans would flock to the theater to see him onstage. But his time was limited because of a scheduled tour, so when that gambit fell short, the show was forced to close after 105 performances, costing its producers $15 million. And yet “The Last Ship” has refused to sink.
Sting Never Gave Up on His Musical ‘The Last Ship.’ Now It’s Back
Back in 2014, not even Sting could rescue his Broadway show, “The Last Ship.” As the box office numbers dipped, he stepped into the production, hoping his fans would flock to the theater to see him onstage. But his time was limited because of a scheduled tour, so when that gambit fell short, the show was forced to close after 105 performances, costing its producers $15 million. And yet “The Last Ship” has refused to sink.
Sting Never Gave Up on His Musical 'The Last Ship.' Now It's Back
Back in 2014, not even Sting could rescue his Broadway show, "The Last Ship." As the box office numbers dipped, he stepped into the production, hoping his fans would flock to the theater to see him onstage. But his time was limited because of a scheduled tour, so when that gambit fell short, the show was forced to close after 105 performances, costing its producers $15 million. And yet "The Last Ship" has refused to sink.
Michael Tells the Story Fans Want to Hear. But At What Cost? Original
7 min read What do we want from biopics about pop stars? Are we looking for a thorough and thoughtful retelling of the life of an important historical figure? A psychological examination of a creative force? Or do we just crave a celebration of music that we love and an opportunity to revel in songs that may have changed our lives?
Library books
These new works about music history are available at the Allen County Public Library. “On the Record: Music That Changed America” by Anna Harwell Celenza Across two centuries of American life, this historical analysis traces how influential songs and compositions shaped politics, social movements, and cultural change, underscoring music’s role in challenging injustice and defining national identity.
Amigo de Warhol, Basquiat y Blondie: el rapero que transformó la escena cultural de Nueva York
“Fab 5 Freddy told me everybody’s fly” (“Fab 5 Freddy me dijo que todos son geniales”) En 1981, “Rapture” de Blondie fue el primer sencillo con rap en alcanzar el puesto número 1 en las listas pop de Billboard. Las rimas torpemente entrañables de Debbie Harry comenzaban con una línea curiosa: “Fab 5 Freddy told me everybody’s fly” (“Fab 5 Freddy me dijo que todos son geniales”). Y en todo el mundo surgió la pregunta: ¿Quién o qué es Fab 5 Freddy? La respuesta no tardó en llegar.
Fab 5 Freddy Remembers Hip-Hop’s Global Takeover
3 hours ago AMSTERDAM – In his modest IKEA-furnished apartment, Arthur Brand paces to distract himself. "I'm nervous," he says, with the honesty of a man who has learned that bravado is useless in his line of work. He lights a cigarette, leans out the window, and scans the street below. "The waiting is the …
Fab 5 Freddy Remembers Hip-Hop’s Global Takeover Original
You have been granted access, use your keyboard to continue reading. Nonfiction As his new memoir demonstrates, he himself would achieve fame as a visual artist, filmmaker, TV host and formative tastemaker.
The 5 Best Albums of 2026 (So Far)
4 hours ago The humor of De La Soul has always been one of its calling cards. When DJ Maseo tells the Tiny Desk crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, we're a new group called De La Soul," he means it as a joke. But, in so many ways, one of the most influential groups in hip-hop is new: the duties have been reassessed, …
The 5 Best Albums of 2026 (So Far) Original
Wait—that Bad Bunny performance at the Super Bowl was less than a month ago? In a world where every week feels like a decade, it’s impossible to keep any real sense of time, much less remember album release dates. In the aftermath of that triumphant appearance, Benito went back to the top of the chart, as did Taylor Swift on the singles side, which at least allowed for a moment to pump the brakes and catch our breath.
Megan Moroney is never coming back down to Earth
Alan Light “It's really simple storytelling with really complicated emotions,” says Megan Moroney, trying to explain the passion of the fans who have made her one of the biggest rising stars in country music . “But it's simple in a way that until they hear a song, they didn't realize that that's how they felt—they were just frustrated or sad. I'm not Shakespeare. It's very conversational; it's very honest.
Megan Moroney on New Album ‘Cloud 9,’ Summer Tour, Writing Lyrics
6 min read “It’s really simple storytelling with really complicated emotions,” says Megan Moroney, trying to explain the passion of the fans who have made her one of the biggest rising stars in country music. “But it’s simple in a way that until they hear a song, they didn’t realize that that’s how they felt—they were just frustrated or sad. I’m not Shakespeare. It’s very conversational; it’s very honest.
Megan Moroney Is Never Coming Back Down to Earth
‘I’ll headbang where nobody has headbanged before’: William Shatner, 94, announces heavy metal album Rock me up, Scotty! Star Trek actor William Shatner is about to “boldly headbang where nobody has headbanged before” with the announcement of a new …
Megan Moroney Is Never Coming Back Down to Earth
Megan Moroney Is Never Coming Back Down to Earth amber asaly “It’s really simple storytelling with really complicated emotions,” says Megan Moroney, trying to explain the passion of the fans who have made her one of the biggest rising stars in country music. “But it’s simple in a way that until they hear a song, they didn’t realize that that’s how they felt—they were just frustrated or sad. I’m not Shakespeare. It’s very conversational; it’s very honest.
The Best Songs of 2026 (So Far) Original
How times have changed. In the old days, the superstars saved up their new projects for the end of the year, looking to cash in on holiday gift-giving, and January was a time when smaller acts and baby bands might get a chance for some attention. In a streaming universe, though, such seasonality doesn’t matter—and the top of 2026 saw a blitz of new music from multi-platinum, stadium-filling artists, including some of the biggest stars in the world launching their new albums.
Bad Bunny and Kendrick Lamar Made History, and Political Statements Took Center Stage Original
So the rumors of Bruce Springsteen opening the Grammy Awards with his new anti-ICE protest anthem “Streets of Minneapolis” proved to be unfounded. The night’s big statement still came, though, courtesy of MAGA’s nemesis of the moment, Bad Bunny.
Lucinda Williams Wants to Push Our Buttons
By Alan Light “I’m not trying to cause a riot, but I do want to wake people up,” says Lucinda Williams. “I like to push people’s buttons. I want them to get a little pissed off.” On her eighteenth album, World’s Gone Wrong, Williams—who Time magazine once called “America’s best songwriter”—expresses her outrage at our nation’s current condition.
The 15 Most Anticipated Albums of 2026 Original
Erika Goldring//Getty Images In 2013, Beyoncé changed the game. Though others (most notably Radiohead) had experimented with releasing music with no advance notice, the surprise release of her self-titled album was the highest profile sneak attack the pop world had ever seen. Since then, it’s been tough to predict the schedule for upcoming records too far in advance.
The 15 most anticipated albums of 2026
In 2013, Beyonc changed the game. Though others (most notably Radiohead) had experimented with releasing music with no advance notice, the surprise release of her self-titled album was the highest-profile sneak attack the pop world had ever seen.
Jak dnes vypadá slavný Chuck Norris: Sechlému, vyhublému staříkovi byste na ulici dali poslední korunu
Narozeniny v rukavicích, ale s tváří poznamenanou časem Když Chuck Norris letos na jaře slavil pětaosmdesáté narozeniny, zvolil formu, která k němu neodmyslitelně patří. Na sociálních sítích se objevil záznam, na němž v boxerských rukavicích udeřil do tréninkového pytle. Pohyby měl jisté, rytmus plynulý a držení těla stále překvapivě pevné. Na první pohled by málokdo hádal, že sleduje muže v pokročilém věku. Stačilo však, aby kamera přejela blíž k obličeji, a iluze nezlomnosti se začala rozpadat.
The 10 Best Songs of 2025
The 10 Best Songs of 2025 ©2025 Netflix Sometimes it felt like music in 2025 was never really going to start. The whole first half of the year, the same songs created an immovable roadblock at the top of the charts—Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther,” Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die with a Smile,” Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things.” Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem and Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” were top-of-year releases that wouldn’t let go.
Patti Smith, Paul McCartney, The Grateful Dead: A Survey Of 2025’s Music-Themed Books
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 10: Patti Smith performs the album Horses live on stage during the 50th Anniversary Tour at Paramount Theatre on November 10, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jim Bennett/Getty Images) Getty Images As it has been for at least 20 years now, the popularity of music memoirs and music-themed books in the publishing industry shows no signs of flagging — and 2025 was no different.
Como o 'Rumours', do Fleetwood Mac, ganhou uma 'ajuda' inesperada de 'Glee'
O álbum Rumours do Fleetwood Mac foi um tremendo sucesso quando chegou às lojas de discos em 4 de fevereiro de 1977, e, de várias formas, continua sendo até hoje. Barry Manilow Live, Simple Dreams, de Linda Ronstadt, e a trilha sonora de Nasce Uma Estrela com Barbra Streisand e Kris Kristofferson também foram discos que chegaram ao primeiro lugar naquele mesmo ano, mas enquanto eles praticamente sumiram da nossa memória coletiva, Rumours é maior do que nunca.
Como o 'Rumours', do Fleetwood Mac, ganhou uma ‘ajuda’ inesperada de 'Glee'
O álbum Rumours do Fleetwood Mac foi um tremendo sucesso quando chegou às lojas de discos em 4 de fevereiro de 1977, e, de várias formas, continua sendo até hoje. Barry Manilow Live, Simple Dreams, de Linda Ronstadt, e a trilha sonora de Nasce Uma Estrela com Barbra Streisand e Kris Kristofferson também foram discos que chegaram ao primeiro lugar naquele mesmo ano, mas enquanto eles praticamente sumiram da nossa memória coletiva, Rumours é maior do que nunca.
Explaining Gen-Z’s Mysterious Infatuation With Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours’ (Guest Post) Original
Veteran music writer and editor Alan Light’s latest book, “Don’t Stop: Why We (Still) Love Fleetwood Mac‘s ‘Rumours,'” is out today on Atria Books. Since its release in 1977, Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” has carved out a remarkable place in the pop music pantheon. Created in a cauldron of intraband romantic turmoil as multiple relationships in the band crashed and burned, and fueled by voracious drug intake, the album was an immediate, spectacular success.
Explaining Gen-Z’s Mysterious Infatuation With Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours’ (Guest Post)
This Boho Skirt Is Making a Comeback Just in Time for Fall The boho skirt is making a comeback this fall—thinking of swapping out that undulating, maybe crocheted, maybe swirling-patterned skirt in favor of the textbook, cooler weather-ready wool number? Think again. An icon of the 1970s and beloved by hippies and lead vocals of Fleetwood Mac alike, the …
Why Fleetwood Mac’s Iconic ‘Rumours’ Appeals to Post-Millennials Nearly 50 Years Later
Almost fifty years after its release in 1977, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours is somehow still one of the most popular albums in the world. Created in a cauldron of intraband romantic turmoil and fueled by voracious drug intake, this very week, it sits at Number 19 on Billboard’s album chart.
The Curious, Wildly Uneven Case of Taylor Swift’s 'The Life of a Showgirl' Original
The release of a new Taylor Swift album, like all things in the Taylor-verse, is not a moment for solitude. It is a social event, a time to share hot takes, analyze clues, jump to conclusions. I must have done something right in my life, because I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by brilliant, Swift-obsessed young women brimming with thoughts about the World’s Greatest Pop Star.
Robert Plant, exlíder de Led Zeppelin, a los 77 años: "No estoy intentando estar a la altura de ninguna reputación ni de ninguna época pasada. Solo hago esto porque es bueno"
Cómo Led Zeppelin se convirtió en la mejor banda de los 70 Los 50 mejores discos de la historia Los 10 mejores discos de rock clásico de la historia “Hace un día ventoso”, dice Robert Plant. “Quizá nos estamos preparando para despedirnos del verano”. Con el cambio de estaciones, Plant habla desde su casa en la campiña de Worcestershire, Inglaterra, “a un par de millas de las orillas de nuestro hermoso río Severn, que divide Inglaterra de Gales”.
Grammys 2026: The State of the Race
Illustration by Ana Miminoshvili There are plenty of reasons to be nostalgic for the good old days of 2024. But for the Grammy Awards, there’s been one especially big change.
A joyous celebration Original
Talking Heads’ leader continues to push the performance envelope with spectacular hometown show. David Byrne “Love and kindness,” announces David Byrne, midway through the first of four appearances at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, “are the most punk thing you can do right now.” It’s a summation not just of his current tour’s theme, but also of the evolution of Byrne’s career.
Don’t Stop: Why We (Still) Love Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours’
. Nov. 2025. 288p. ISBN 9781668054376. $29. MUSIC COPY ISBN Drawing on in-depth interviews with fans and contemporary artists inspired by Fleetwood Mac, Light ( Let’s Go Crazy) looks at the lasting popularity of the group’s 1977 album Rumours. He explains why the album still delights teens who otherwise adore the music of their own generation: Rumours plays less like a classic and more like present-day pop.
We Called Robert Plant at His Country Home, and He Told Us the Secret to Staying Inspired Original
8 min read “It’s a breezy day,” says Robert Plant.
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