When We Were Young Festival organizers announced on Friday (Feb. 27) that they are canceling the 2026 event but will return to Las Vegas in October 2027. The Y2K indie rock festival has run annually at Las Vegas Festival Grounds each October from 2022 through 2025, featuring headliners like Green Day, Blink-182, My Chemical Romance, and the Killers. Festival organizers stated, “After an unforgettable run in Las Vegas, we’ve decided to take 2026 off to give this festival the care it deserves and to make sure what comes next feels just as special as what came before.” They did not provide specific reasons for the hiatus. The 2025 lineup included Blink-182, Avril Lavigne, Taking Back Sunday, Social Distortion, the Offspring, and a reunion of Panic! at the Disco. Organizers added, “This isn’t goodbye — it’s just a pause. We’ll see you in 2027.” (Rolling Stone)
Neil Sedaka, the distinguished singer behind chart-topping hits like “Bad Blood,” “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” and “Laughter in the Rain,” died on Friday (Feb. 27) at the age of 86. His family confirmed the death in the following statement posted to Instagram: “Our family is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Neil Sedaka. A true rock and roll legend, an inspiration to millions, but most importantly, at least to those of us who were lucky enough to know him, an incredible human being who will be deeply missed.” TMZ reported Sedaka was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital Friday morning after feeling unwell.
The Brooklyn-born musician began his career as a teenager in the 1950s, scoring three Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits and 30 charting singles throughout his legendary career. Michael Buble paid tribute to Sedaka by commenting, “A genius. A gentlemen. A hero. How lucky are we to have had your light shared with us.” While 16-time Grammy winning songwriter David Foster wrote, “A giant even amongst the giants!! He proved melody is king!!” Sedaka leaves behind wife Leba, daughter Dara, son Marc and three grandchildren. (Billboard)
A five-day “Celebration of Life” event has been planned to honor Prince ten years after his death. Prince Celebration organizers announced the event will run from June 3rd through 7th across multiple locations in Minneapolis and St. Paul, along with Paisley Park, Prince’s illustrious home, recording studio, and performance space. The tribute aims to celebrate “the music, artistry, and cultural impact” of Prince through concerts, screenings, boat cruises, and panel discussions. Opening festivities include a DJ Dance Party at First Avenue – the legendary nightclub where much of Purple Rain was filmed – and a Downtown Block Party at the iconic Prince Mural. Attendees will receive “exclusive access to unreleased music and rare concert footage” plus special celebrations for a variety of album anniversaries including Parade (1986), Emancipation (1996), and 3121 (2006). VIP packages offer guided tours, Sunday Gospel Brunch, and VIP lunch access. Complete programming details will be released on March 25th, with tickets available through the event website. (Consequence of Sound)
Olivia Dean swept the 2026 BRIT Awards, claiming four victories in the ceremony’s most prestigious categories, including Album of the Year for The Art of Loving, Artist of the Year, Best Pop Act, and Song of the Year alongside Sam Fender for their collaborative hit, “Rein Me In.” The event marked the first time the BRITs were held outside London, taking place at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena. Dean delivered an emotional acceptance speech, saying “This album is just about love, and loving each other in a world that feels loveless right now.” Other winners included Wolf Alice for Group of the Year, Fender for Alternative/Rock Act, and Noel Gallagher for Songwriter of the Year. Global honors went to Rosalía for International Artist of the Year and Geese for International Group of the Year. Mark Ronson received the Outstanding Contribution award, while Ozzy Osbourne was honored with a posthumous Lifetime Achievement award. (Variety)
On Friday (Feb. 27), Nine Inch Nails unveiled TRON Ares: Divergence, a remix album reimagining material from their TRON: Ares soundtrack. The 20-track collection features previously unreleased NIN material alongside remixes by Arca, Mark Pritchard, Boys Noize, Lanark Artefax, Chilly Gonzales, Danny L Harle, Jack Dangers, Pixel Grip, Working Men’s Club, The Dare, and Schwefelgelband. Physical pre-orders are now available. The original TRON: Ares soundtrack debuted in September 2025, cracking the Top 5 on the Billboard 200 and reaching No. 1 on both Top Rock & Alternative Albums and Top Dance Album charts. Lead single “As Alive As You Need Me to Be” won a Grammy for Best Rock Song. Nine Inch Nails continues their Peel It Back Tour with upcoming shows scheduled in Tulsa, Austin, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco, with a special “Nine Inch Noize” collaborative set with Boys Noize planned for Coachella in April. (Consequence of Sound)
Elijah Blue Allman, the 49-year-old son of Cher and Gregg Allman, was arrested Friday evening at St. Paul’s prep school in Concord, New Hampshire. Police responded around 6:51 p.m. to reports of an unwanted male guest causing disturbances in the school’s dining hall and “acting belligerently.” Officers charged Allman with two counts of simple assault, criminal trespass, criminal threatening, and disorderly conduct. He had no connection to the elite boarding school. Allman was processed and released on personal recognizance with a future arraignment scheduled. His recent legal troubles include ongoing divorce proceedings with wife Marieangela King, who filed for divorce in May 2025 after twelve years of marriage. Cher previously attempted placing him under conservatorship in 2023, citing mental health and substance abuse concerns, before dropping the filing in September 2024. (Story URL)