Sharon Osbourne disclosed on Bunnie XO’s podcast that Ozzy knew he was dying before his final ‘Back to the Beginning’ concert. Two weeks prior, doctors warned he could die, but Ozzy insisted on performing. He previously battled sepsis and told doctors “I’m doing my show” despite fatal risks. Ozzy died July 22nd, seventeen days after his last performance, from a heart attack. (Story URL)
On Monday (Feb. 23), Canadian prog rock legends Rush announced the addition of 24 international concerts to their ‘Fifty Something’ reunion tour, with dates spanning South America, the UK, and Europe. The 2027 jaunt covers 13 countries, and kicks off in Buenos Aires on January 15th and concludes in Helsinki on April 10th, with stops in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, and two nights in London. This marks the first time the band has played in Europe since 2013 and 17 years since they last performed in South America. Keyboardist Loren Gold from The Who will join founding members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson alongside new drummer Anika Nilles for these “Evening With Rush” performances. “We can’t wait to get back to all these cities we haven’t played in so long, as well as hitting some new places we’ve yet to play,” Lee said. “We dearly hope you will come along and help us celebrate 50 years of Rush music.” The band’s 2026 North American tour begins in June. (Consequence of Sound)
4 Non Blondes frontwoman Linda Perry will release her first solo album in over 25 years, Let It Die Here, on May 8th via Kill Rock Stars/670 Records. Perry has also unveiled the project’s lead single, “Beautiful,” her own version of the song she originally wrote and produced for Christina Aguilera in 2002, which she turned into a Grammy-winning hit. Perry, 60, explained: “When I wrote ‘Beautiful,’ I had no idea I was struggling inside. ‘Beautiful’ is about self-expression, being free to be whoever you want to be.” The accompanying Sara Gilbert-directed music video features actors Lukas Haas and Shane Powers, along with Linda and Sara’s son, Rhodes Perry. The Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee will perform her new track on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday (Feb. 24th). A documentary sharing the album’s title will arrive in theaters this May, with Perry also planning a new 4 Non Blondes album later this year. (Consequence of Sound)
A burger bar in Preston, England has upset local historians with a fake commemorative plaque claiming that Toto wrote their Hot 100 No. 1 hit, “Africa,” there in 1982. All Hopes No Promises owner Michael Evans installed the blue plaque stating “David Paich and Jeff Porcaro of Toto wrote the song Africa in this building in 1982,” though the restaurant didn’t open until earlier this decade. Evans admits the plaque is fake, telling the BBC: “As a business, we like to have a bit of banter, I just Googled ‘Preston plaque’ and edited it… We wanted to put a smile on people’s faces.” Paich and Toto’s manager Steve Karas called the plaque “completely erroneous” and “comical.” Preston Historical Society chair Patricia Harrison said the organization is angry about the fake marker, revealing “foolishly, one of our members took a screwdriver and tried to remove it” before being stopped by restaurant staff. Evans says they’ll eventually remove the plaque “at some point.” (Stereogum)
The 2026 Louder Than Life festival will feature headlining performances by Iron Maiden, My Chemical Romance, Limp Bizkit, and Tool from September 17-20 at Louisville’s Kentucky Expo Center. Event promoter Danny Wimmer calls the 12th edition “the largest lineup we’ve ever built,” featuring over 200 bands performing across seven stages over the course of four days. Iron Maiden, Pantera, and Megadeth will headline Thursday, followed by My Chemical Romance, Pierce the Veil, and A Day to Remember on Friday. Limp Bizkit leads Saturday’s lineup along with Papa Roach and Sublime, while Tool closes Sunday with Gojira and Danny Elfman. Other notable performers include The Prodigy, BABYMETAL, Alice Cooper, Rise Against, Mastodon, and Coheed and Cambria. “Last year, we took over Kentucky Kingdom and broke rock festival records. This year, we’re back to deliver the ultimate rock escape,” said Wimmer. Four-Day or Single Day passes are available now. (Billboard)
Daughtry has secured their third No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart with “The Bottom,” which climbed four positions to reach the summit on the February 28 survey. The Chris Daughtry-led band previously topped the chart twice in 2024 with “Artificial” in February and “Pieces” in September. Between those hits, “The Dam” peaked at number 7 in 2025, adding to the group’s eight Top 10 entries. Daughtry’s chart presence began in 2006 with “It’s Not Over” after frontman Chris Daughtry finished fourth on American Idol‘s fifth season. The band took a nearly 13-year break before returning with “World on Fire” in 2020. Chris Daughtry personally holds four Mainstream Rock No. 1s, including a featured appearance on Nothing More‘s “Freefall,” which topped the chart last August. “The Bottom” serves as the lead single from September’s Shock to the System Part Two, which debuted at No. 40 on Top Album Sales. (Billboard)