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Robert Smith is among the soccer purists who are outraged that the FIFA World Cup Final between Argentina and Spain will feature a halftime show. Unlike the NFL’s Super Bowl, the World Cup Final has never featured any kind of flashy halftime entertainment. That changes with this year’s event, which is being held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The Melvins and Tomahawk launched their A Huge Waste of Your Time and Money tour Saturday night in Nashville. You can see the complete set list and fan-shot video from each band below. Tomahawk, which in addition to Faith No More / Mr. Bungle singer Mike Patton features Duane Denison of the Jesus Lizard, John Stanier (Helmet, Battles) and Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle, Melvins and Melvins Lite), was playing their first show since 2013.

Freddy “Boom-Boom” Cannon, best known for the 1959 hit single “Tallahassee Lassie” and 1962 follow-up “Palisades Park,” died after a brief cancer battle, it was confirmed. He was 89. Born Frederick Anthony Picariello Jr. in 1936, he became a regular face on music TV, notching up more appearances on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand than any other performer. He was also known for delivering his high-energy songs on Shindig, Hullabaloo, Where the Action Is and The Midnight Special.

L7 bassist Jennifer Finch died on Saturday (July 18) at the age of 59, her family announced. Her passing came days after it had been revealed she was suffering from an aggressive form of brain cancer, which meant she wasn’t going to be able to take part in the band’s farewell tour. A GoFundMe campaign launched to assist with her medical bills reached $200,000 12 hours after opening on July 13, and had surpassed the $350,000 target by nearly $50,000 at the time of writing.

There are many ways to pursue rock 'n' roll. Nico, a singer, songwriter, actress, model, muse and more, chose one of the most interesting paths. Most fans came to know Nico through her work with the Velvet Underground. It was Andy Warhol who insisted she join the group. Lou Reed resisted, then wound up writing songs for her and, briefly, became her lover. Nico's career after her time with the Velvets wasn't necessarily designed for the mainstream.

Metallica began thinking about a residency at the Las Vegas Sphere after Lars Ulrich attended U2’s opening night there, he revealed. The Irish band opened the 20,000-capacity venue in 2023 with a 40-date run. After considering the possibility for a while, Metallica will commence their own run in the fall, delivering 24 performances between Oct. 1 and March 13.

Motley Crue kicked off their Return of the Carnival of Sins tour Friday night outside of Pittsburgh. Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee and John 5 reportedly played a 17-song set that included their first performance of the Generation Swine track "Afraid" in 14 years. Extreme and Tesla opened up the show with sets that included hits such as "More Than Words" and "Signs." You can see the set list and fan-shot videos for all three bands below.

Dogs in a Pile, an indie jam quintet that is amid a robust summer tour and coming off the November release of their album, Distroid, is on a steady ascent and leveling up in real time. Diffuser sat down with Jeremy Kaplan (keys) and Sam Lucid (bass) to chat about life on tour, music, the Dogpound, and more.

AC/DC singer Brian Johnson said he was having much more fun as an older musician than he’d had in the past. His comments appear to be at odds with those of Mick Jagger, who recently said there was nothing good about ageing. Perhaps four years is all it takes to make the difference – Johnson is 78 while his Rolling Stones counterpart is 82. In any case, Johnson recently told USA Today that hitting the stage was more enjoyable now.

The slate of August 2026 rock music releases is highlighted by new albums from members of Heart, Genesis and Marillion. John Fogerty will also expand his best-selling solo project, while Kiss returns to a signature live '70s-era show. Ann Wilson is set to unveil the nine-track Consecrated Ground, a second studio collaboration with her solo band Tripsitter. She's been on the road with a Q&A tour in support of the documentary In My Voice.