On Wednesday (Feb. 25), the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame revealed its 2026 class of nominees. The list includes ten first-time nominees, featuring Jeff Buckley, Phil Collins, Melissa Etheridge, Lauryn Hill, INXS, New Edition, P!NK, Shakira, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan. Mariah Carey, Iron Maiden, and Joy Division/New Order each earned their third nominations after previously not receiving enough votes for induction. Oasis, the Black Crowes, and Billy Idol are nominated for the second time after making their debuts last year, while Sade returns to the nominee list after first appearing in 2024. Inductees will be announced in April, with the ceremony scheduled to take place this fall. John Sykes, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation chairman, said “This diverse list of talented nominees recognizes the ever-evolving faces and sounds of rock & roll and its continued impact on youth culture.” In order to qualify, nominees had to release their first commercial recording at least 25 years prior to the nomination year. (Rolling Stone)
On Wednesday (Feb. 25), Metallica announced a series of eight performances at the Sphere in Las Vegas this October, marking the heavy metal legends first residency at the state-of-the-art venue. The shows, dubbed Life Burns Faster after a lyric from “Master of Puppets,” are scheduled for October 1, 3, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29, and 31. Each two-night pairing will feature unique setlists continuing Metallica’s “No Repeat Weekends” policy from recent tours. Drummer Lars Ulrich said in a statement, “About 12 seconds into the opening night of Sphere with U2 back in ’23, I thought, ‘We have to do this; it’s completely uncharted territory!’” He added, “This residency gives us another chance to reinvent how we interact with our fans in a live setting.” Tickets go on sale March 6 at 10 a.m. PT. The band joins other major acts like Eagles, Phish, and Dead & Company who have performed residencies at the venue featuring wraparound 16K screens and immersive sound. (Rolling Stone)
Dave Grohl revealed that he found out his 19-year-old daughter Violet had signed with Republic Records when she surprised him with the exciting news at dinner. Grohl recalled the special moment during a recent appearance on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X: “I had no idea. I knew she was looking to sign a record deal, and she was like, ‘Hey dad, can I come over for dinner tonight?’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, sure. What do you want me to make?’ And she came over and told me, ‘I signed my record deal today.’ I’m just like, ‘Oh my God!’ So, I’m totally uninvolved.” Violet, who turns 20 soon, created her forthcoming debut album independently with producer Justin Raisen. She just released a pair of new singles, “Applefish,” and “Thum,” which was named Record of the Week on Radio X. Grohl praised her work as “amazing” and said it inspired Foo Fighters‘ upcoming album, Your Favorite Toy. (NME)
The Eagles announced on Wednesday (Feb. 25) that they have added three stadium dates to their 2026 farewell tour, The Long Goodbye, Act III. The band will perform at Atlanta’s Truist Park on May 5th, Nashville’s FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University on May 9th, and Arlington’s Globe Life Field on May 16th. Tedeschi Trucks Band will be the opening act for all three concerts. These stadium shows follow the Eagles previously announced Sphere residency dates in Las Vegas from February through April. The current Eagles lineup includes Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit, Vince Gill, and Deacon Frey. Artist pre-sale for the stadium shows begin on Tuesday (March 3rd), followed by a general on-sale on Friday (March 6th). Henley recently told CBS Sunday Morning the band’s “miraculous run” will “probably” end this year, adding “I feel like we’re getting toward the end. I’m okay with that.” (Consequence of Sound)