In 1972, songwriter Bobby Russell penned what would become one of the most famous murder ballads in popular music history. Ironically, Russell wasn't particularly fond of his own creation. The song seemed flat to him, and he lacked inspiration about its potential—so much so that he refused to even record a demo of it.
In 1976, David Soul was at the height of his television fame as Detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson on the hit TV series Starsky & Hutch. While audiences knew him as the blonde half of the crime-fighting duo, Soul had always harbored musical ambitions from his earlier career days.
In the rich tapestry of 1970s soft rock, few songs captured the era’s romantic vulnerability quite like “Do You Wanna Make Love” by Peter McCann. Released in 1977, the gentle, heartfelt ballad became an unexpected smash, giving McCann his biggest — and only — hit, and solidifying its place as one of the decade’s most memorable one-hit wonders.
When you think of 1970s summer vibes — easygoing, romantic, and just a little whimsical — few songs fit the mood better than “Moonlight Feels Right” by Starbuck. Released in 1976, this dreamy soft-rock hit became an enduring staple of the decade’s lighter, yacht rock–adjacent sound and remains one of the most recognizable one-hit wonders of the era.
In the summer of 1978, a breezy, hypnotic soft-rock tune floated onto radio waves and became one of the most memorable love songs of the decade. Walter Egan’s “Magnet and Steel” was a breakout hit, capturing the spirit of the late ’70s California sound — melodic, romantic, and effortlessly cool.
In the summer of 1978, a driving disco-rock hybrid called "Hot Child In The City" exploded onto radio waves across North America, becoming one of the year's most distinctive hits. The song, performed by British-Canadian singer Nick Gilder, would prove to be his biggest commercial success and a defining track of the late 1970s rock scene.
CBS will broadcast two Grammy tribute specials honoring legendary artists Earth, Wind & Fire and Cyndi Lauper. A Grammy Salute To Earth, Wind & Fire Live: The 21st Night of September airs Sunday, September 21st from 8-10 PM ET/PT, featuring the nine-time Grammy-winning group performing at Hollywood Bowl with the LA Philharmonic. Special guests include Stevie Wonder, Jonas Brothers, Jon Batiste and Janelle Monáe. A Grammy Salute To Cyndi Lauper: Live From The Hollywood Bowl follows Sunday, October 5 at 8-10 PM ET/PT, celebrating the Grammy, Emmy, Tony winner and 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee as she concludes her Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour. Guests include Joni Mitchell, Cher, Angelique Kidjo, John Legend, SZA, Mickey Guyton, Trombone Shorty and Jake Wesley Rogers. Both specials stream on Paramount+. (Story URL)
On Monday (September 8), the Eagles took to social media to announce that they have extended their Las Vegas Sphere residency into January 2026. The legendary classic rock band has just added four additional shows to their historic run at the state of the art Vegas venue, with newly scheduled shows set to take place on January 23, 24, 30, and 31. These dates follow the Eagles previously announced Sphere shows throughout September, October, and November. These new dates bring the Eagles total performances at the Sphere to 48, with the ongoing residency beginning back in September 2024. The Eagles current line-up features founding member Don Henley alongside his longtime bandmates Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, joined by country music superstar Vince Gill and the late Glenn Frey’s son, Deacon Frey. An artist pre-sale launches on Wednesday, September 17, followed by a general on-sale starting Friday, September 19. (Consequence of Sound)
Rick Davies, co-founder, singer, and keyboardist of the iconic prog-rock and pop band Supertramp, died on Saturday (September 6) at the age of 81, following a long battle with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer. Davies, who founded the band in 1969 alongside guitarist Richard Palmer, drummer Robert Millar, and vocalist-bassist Roger Hodgson. Davies co-wrote many of the group’s biggest hits – including “Goodbye Stranger,” “Breakfast in America,” and “Bloody Well Right” – and helped propel Supertramp to international success with albums like Crime of the Century and the quadruple-platinum Breakfast in America, which won the band two Grammys as well as earning them an Album of the Year nomination. “The Supertramp Partnership is very sad to announce the death of Supertramp founder Rick Davies after a long illness,” the band wrote in a statement. “We had the privilege of knowing him, and playing with him for over 50 years. We offer our sincere condolences to Sue Davies.” Born in Swindon, England, Davies originally pursued drums before discovering his true calling on the piano, shaping the band’s distinctive sound over five decades. (Rolling Stone)
On Wednesday (September 3), Foreigner made the bold move by publicly asking newly engaged Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce to hire them as their wedding band. In an open Instagram letter, the iconic Eighties rock band offered their services, highlighting their 40-year history of writing romantic anthems that would perfectly complement the couple’s special day. “Dear Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce,” the Instagram post begins, before the band references their chart-topping 1984 hit by adding, “We know what love is. We spent 40 years figuring it out…and now you guys have too. Please accept this as our formal offer to be your wedding band.” While it’s unclear if Swift and Kelce are already fans, the newly inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s pitch has added a classic rock twist to the couple’s recent engagement announcement, though Swift has yet to reveal any details about wedding plans or entertainment ideas. (Rolling Stone)
In a new interview with AARP, Pete Townshend revealed that he plans to continue performing "one-man shows" and has "140 tracks ready to go" after The Who’s farewell tour ends in September. The 80-year-old rock legend believes that he has "another five years" left in show business, and he intends to complete his long-awaited solo album, The Age of Anxiety, and test new material on the road. While Townshend considers The Who’s final scheduled show in Las Vegas on September 28 as the official end of the road for the band, he leaves open the possibility of occasional appearances and collaborations with longtime bandmate Roger Daltrey on charity projects and special shows in the future. “We reserve the right to pop up again,” Townshend said. “But I think one thing is very clear: that at our age, we will not.” The Who’s farewell tour continues with an upcoming show on Saturday night (August 23) in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (Consequence of Sound)
On Tuesday (August 19), The Beatles’ official Instagram account – and those of all four band members – sparked excitement and speculation among fans with a cryptic post featuring slides including each of the numbers, “1, 2, 3, 4,” illustrated with collage-style graphics of the band. The mysterious post has fueled rumors of a possible Anthology 4 release, which would mark the next installment in the Beatles’ renowned Anthology series of compilation albums that have included studio versions, unreleased songs, and bootlegs from throughout their career, alongside companion documentaries and books. Since the band’s Grammy-winning final single, “Now and Then,” was released in 2023, and the announcement of the forthcoming Sam Mendes film projects, such updates from the Beatles official social media channels are rare and significant, especially as the band’s website is also hinting at major news with a “Stay Tuned” message following the same numbered countdown. While details still remain unclear, fans eagerly await any new developments from the Fab Four. (Parade)
A comprehensive 12-disc box set titled, Power to the People, focusing on John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s politically charged early 1970s New York era, will be released on October 10, the day after Lennon’s 85th birthday. Compiled by their son Sean Ono Lennon, the collection spans 1969 to 1972 and includes over 90 unreleased tracks, featuring recordings from their iconic bed-in anthem “Give Peace a Chance,” to Lennon’s final concerts – and only full shows after leaving the Beatles – the One to One shows at Madison Square Garden, along with jam sessions with Frank Zappa, home recordings, and collaborations with Phil Ochs. The super deluxe set comes with nine audio CDs, three Blu-rays, a 204-page book, and memorabilia, and the collection will also be available in 4LP and 2LP formats and a 2CD set, all available for preorder now. To promote the release, Capitol/UMe have shared an unreleased live version of the Beatles’ classic, “Come Together,” recorded during the evening One to One show. (Rolling Stone)
Robert Plant has just released his new single, "Gospel Plough," the second song lifted from his upcoming album, Saving Grace, which is set for release on September 26. The track, a traditional spiritual also covered by Bob Dylan, closes the forthcoming nine-song LP. This marks the former Led Zeppelin frontman’s 12th solo record, and the first with his new band, Saving Grace, formed in 2019 with singer Suzi Dian, drummer Oli Jefferson, guitarist Tony Kelsey, banjo and string player Matt Worley, and cellist Barney Morse-Brown. "It's an impressive collection of people now," Plant said about the group. "I can't tell you how lucky I feel about this. What I am really impressed by is this living, new world of whatever this music is. With this mélange of music, song and voice, anywhere and everywhere is the way to see the road ahead." Saving Grace will embark on their inaugural 14-date North American tour starting in October. (Ultimate Classic Rock)
Daryl Hall and John Oates have privately resolved their bitter legal dispute over Oates' attempted sale of his stake in their creative partnership, Whole Oats Enterprises (WOE), after an acrimonious public feud in 2023. Court filings reveal their claims were adjudicated through arbitration, leading to a voluntary dismissal of the case, though details remain confidential. The conflict arose when Hall, 78, accused Oates, 77, of secretly negotiating with music publisher Primary Wave to sell his half without approval, fearing it would harm their joint assets, including trademarks and royalties. Oates denied Hall's accusations, expressing disappointment over the public fallout, while emphasizing his commitment to protecting their brand. The resolution ends a highly publicized rift between the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame duo known for Billboard chart-topping hits like “Maneater” and “Private Eyes.” (Rolling Stone)
Bobby Whitlock, the Memphis-born keyboardist and vocalist who co-founded Derek and the Dominos with Eric Clapton and contributed to iconic albums like George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass, died on Sunday (August 10) at the age of 77 after a brief battle with cancer. Whitlock was a driving force behind Derek and the Dominos legendary 1971 album, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, co-writing seven tracks on the supergroup’s one and only record, including “Bell Bottom Blues,” “Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?” and “Tell the Truth.” After Derek and the Dominos disbanded due to substance abuse and internal conflicts, Whitlock pursued a solo career and collaborated with notable artists including the Rolling Stones, Dr. John, and Stephen Stills. In later years, he performed acoustic renditions of Layla songs alongside his wife, CoCo Carmel Whitlock, authored an autobiography in 2010, was inducted into Memphis’ Beale Street Walk of Fame in 2024, and developed a career as a painter. He is survived by his wife, three children, and a sister. (Variety)
Roger Daltrey of The Who has concerns about the band's farewell tour due to his various health issues. In an interview with The Times, the 81-year-old icon opened up about his struggles, including hearing loss, complications from contracting meningitis 9 years ago, and incurable macular degeneration affecting his sight. He acknowledged his "potential to get really ill" and admitted he is "nervous about making it to the end of the tour." Daltrey says the meningitis has disrupted his internal thermometer, causing him to sweat profusely when singing in warm climates. Regarding his hearing loss, Daltrey believes it likely originated from his time working at a sheet metal factory at the age of 16, prior to joining The Who. He also can't use Autocue onstage for help with lyrics due to his bad eyesight. Despite these challenges, Daltrey is determined to “give the songs the same amount of passion” as he did in his younger days. (COS)
Veteran rock musician Dave Edmunds, 81, has been hospitalized after suffering a "major" cardiac arrest in late July, according to a Facebook post from his wife of 40 years, Cici Edmunds. She described the harrowing incident, stating that Dave "died in my arms" until a nurse was able to revive him with "heavy CPR." Dave was subsequently taken to an intensive care unit, where he was intubated. Cici revealed that Dave is now experiencing "brain damage and severe memory loss," among other medical complications. Cici expressed the immense difficulty of the situation, but noted that the support from kind-hearted people has made the journey a bit easier. Edmunds found breakthrough success with the blues rock band Love Sculpture in the 1960s. He later embarked on a solo career, releasing his debut album "Rockpile" in 1972, which included the hit cover of "I Hear You Knocking." (People)
