The album, produced by Daniel Ledinsky, who has worked with chart-toppers such as Tove Lo, Rhianna and Shakira, will be released 10 September 2021, and  follows on from their 2018 record “Combat Sports.” The Vaccines have so far released two singles from “Back In Love City,” including the track of the same name and the already acclaimed “Headphones Baby.”

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Lead vocalist Justin Young revealed the inspiration for their forthcoming record “Back In Love City” was a combination of a house swap in Los Angeles and Ridley Scott’s futuristic interpretation of the city in “Blade Runner.” He commented: “In some obvious ways we’re more connected than ever But we’re also more polarised than we’ve been for 100 years and the world is getting colder. What if there was a place where love and other emotions had run dry – but you could go to Love City to get them?”

In an interview with NME in late 2020, Young said: “The new Vaccines album is heavier than anything we’ve ever done and it’s quite brutal in places. I’m sure that’s a consequence of having made a pretty record”. He continued: “There’s lots of riffs. Yeah actually, there’s two punky songs on there. It’s weird, it’s the poppiest and most colourful record, but – actually, I’m gonna stop myself there. It just feels really heavy, it’s quite face-melting in places. Lots more screaming. It’s good, I think”.

In March, The Vaccines celebrated the tenth anniversary of their debut album “What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?” which featured the 2011 hits “If you Wanna,” “Norgaard,” and “Post Break-Up Sex.” To celebrate, the West London band released previously unheard raw demos of their debut hits.

The indie-rock band announced their first show in two years earlier this week, playing via There Is Light non-ticketed livestream on 18 July 2021. 

The 33-year-old’s departure comes just three months after he described, in a since-deleted Tweet, controversial journalist Andy Ngo’s latest book as “important.” The musician was quickly in the firing line of what he has now described as “libellous” headlines and an onslaught of furious online commentary.

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Reminiscing of his “exhilarating” time in the band, the banjo player made the revelation via a Medium post entitled “Why I’m Leaving Mumford & Sons.” He wrote: “At the beginning of March I tweeted to American journalist Andy Ngo, author of the New York Times Bestseller, Unmasked. “Congratulations @MrAndyNgo. Finally had the time to read your important book. You’re a brave man”. Posting about books had been a theme of my social-media throughout the pandemic. I believed this tweet to be as innocuous as the others. How wrong I turned out to be. Over the course of 24 hours it was trending with tens of thousands of angry retweets and comments. I failed to foresee that my commenting on a book critical of the Far-Left could be interpreted as approval of the equally abhorrent Far-Right.”

He continued: “I’ve had plenty of abuse over the years. I’m a banjo player after all. But this was another level. And, owing to our association, my friends, my bandmates, were getting it too. It took me more than a moment to understand how distressing this was for them.”

Citing cancel culture, Churchill and clarifying his controversial actions, the musician concluded that he will continue to speak and write on various challenging issues, as well as working with his non-profit organisation Hong Kong Link Up. “For me to speak about what I’ve learnt to be such a controversial issue will inevitably bring my bandmates more trouble. My love, loyalty and accountability to them cannot permit that. I could remain and continue to self-censor but it will erode my sense of integrity. Gnaw my conscience. I’ve already felt that beginning. The only way forward for me is to leave the band. I hope in distancing myself from them I am able to speak my mind without them suffering the consequences. I leave with love in my heart and I wish those three boys nothing but the best. I have no doubt that their stars will shine long into the future,” he wrote. 

The remaining members of Mumford & Sons, Marcus, Ben and Ted; wrote on Instagram: “We wish you all the best for the future, Win, and we love you man,” alongside a picture of the group posed on the bank of the River Hudson at Pier A Park in Hoboken, New Jersey. Meanwhile, fans have commented on their support and sadness at Marshall’s departure. 

Kicking off the second leg of his tour in Frankfurt, Germany, in May next year, John will stop off at the major stadiums of the UK, Europe and North America. The 74-year-old will take his’ final bow’ at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in November 2022 to commemorate his iconic performance there back in October 1975.

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The Rocketman announced his Farewell dates in a video posted across his social media and YouTube channel. He said: “Hello, all you wonderful fans out there. I’m coming to you today with an announcement I’ve been working towards for, well, all my life: the shows that I announce today will be my final tour dates ever in North America and Europe. I’m going to go out in the biggest possible way, performing at my very best, with the most spectacular production I’ve ever had, playing in places that have meant so much to me throughout my career.”

He continued: “Whether it’s next summer in Frankfurt or at the legendary Dodger Stadium for the grand finale in the United States, I can’t wait to see you all on the road one last time. This has been an incredible tour so far, full of the most amazing highs, and I look forward to making more wonderful memories with you at these final shows. To all my friends Down Under, we’ll be seeing you too. Thank you and I look forward to seeing you in your town.”

Sir Elton John will formally conclude his epic four-year-long tour down under, announcing two shows in Auckland, New Zealand for January 2023 and dates for an Australian stopover are soon-to-be-announced.

Farewell Yellow Brick Road: The Final Tour was announced back in 2018, with John explaining his step away from life on the road: “It’s time to come off the road so I can fully embrace the next important chapter of my life. I need to dedicate more time to raising my children.” Whilst the tour is not a retirement from the industry altogether, Elton can say goodbye to his touring life with solid icon status. In 2018, the artist was named the Most Successful Male Solo Artist in Billboard Hot 100 chart history with a total of 67 entries, championing nine number ones and 27 top 10s. He has one diamond, 38 platinum or multi-platinum and 26 gold albums, selling over 300 million records around the globe.

Rocket Club members will have access to an exclusive pre-sale on 25 June 2021 for North American tickets and on 28 June 2021 for European tickets.

Main sale tickets for UK dates go live 30 June 2021 at 10 am.

UK Tour Dates

15/06/22 – Carrow Road – Norwich
17/06–  Anfield Stadium – Liverpool
19/06 – Stadium of Light – Sunderland
22/06  –  Ashton Gate Stadium – Bristol
29/06– Liberty Stadium – Swansea

After cancelling their 2020 event due to the Covid-19 pandemic, organisers have called the cancellation of what would have been the festival’s 15th-anniversary show “heart-breaking” and “infuriating.”

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Announcing the cancellation across their social media, the festival organisers wrote: “Last Monday saw the delay of the so-called ‘Freedom Day’. As Kendal Calling sits outside of this delay, we would still be in a strong position to proceed. But Monday also saw a less publicised delay; the release of the long-awaited research from the Event Research Programme (ERP) and with it, crucially, the publication of safety guidance on how we run events.”

They continued: “Without this safety guidance, there are numerous aspects of the festival we cannot plan, and which could lay us wide open to last-minute unforeseen regulations or requirements which could scupper an already built festival. Capacity or density restrictions, track and trace protocol, testing regime, covid certification – a host of unknown actions required yet potentially requested too late to be implemented. “

Describing the past 16 months as “frankly devastating” to the festival and live music industry, the organisers highlighted the government’s failure to heed calls for a backed insurance for UK festivals and publicise the ERP findings. They wrote: “Our understanding is that the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) are keen to publish the ERP findings and guidance, but that it now does not fit around No. 10’s communications plan. This is insulting to our entire industry, who have been awaiting the results of a pilot event that took place almost 2 months ago to inform our approach to staging events safely this summer.”

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has said they were “working flat out to support festivals and live events” and had given organisers £34m as part of the Culture Recovery Fund. A spokesperson for the DCMS advised they they are “aware of wider concerns” around insurance and indemnity cover for organisers and explained: “We are exploring what further support may be required when the sector is able to reopen.”

Kendal Calling is now due to take place from 28 to 31 July 2022, and any tickets will automatically rollover.

Radiohead’s bike raised a whopping $24,000, making it “the most expensive Brompton ever sold,” and proceeds from the auction went to Live Nation’s Global relief fund set up to support live music crews affected by COVID-19.

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Brompton Bicycle, announcing the grant total on Instagram, wrote: “Together with 13 Global artists and over 250 of you lot from all over the world, we raised $142,200 for Crew Nation! With Radiohead’s bike at $24,000, making it the most expensive Brompton ever sold.’ The idea was born out of a simple goal; to help as many live music crews as possible affected by the pandemic. What started as a small project quickly gained momentum into something much bigger with an incredible line up of some of the world’s biggest artists involved. The music scene has always had a close connection with Brompton, and we’ll continue to support the people and venues that make it such a spine-tingling industry to be involved with.’- Tevis Jory, Music Project Lead at Brompton. A massive round of applause to everyone involved and we will see you in the mosh pit very soon!”

The artist who has created Radiohead’s record artwork since the 90s, Stanley Donwood, said on the project: “I’m ridiculously happy to have been asked to design a Brompton bike that’ll be auctioned to raise money (and awareness) for Crew Nation. Brompton bikes are fantastic zippy folding freedom machines and crews are the unsung heroes of every gig, festival or live events that you’ve ever been to.”

Auctioned via Greenhouse Auctions, bidding took place between 28 May 2021 and 12 June 2021. Alongside Radiohead, Foo Fighters and Enrique Iglesias, other artists involved were: Phoebe Bridgers, LCD Soundsystem, Khruangbin, Nathan East, Dinosaur Jr, Oh Wonder, Underworld, Sub Pop, Rise Against and Neko Case.

Earlier this week, Radiohead joined other UK music stars who donated to a raffle supporting Gig Buddies, which is a project set up to pair together “people with and without learning disabilities (and/or autism) to be friends and to go to events together.” The band donated a test pressing of “Kid A” and 100% of the proceeds from the raffle will go to Gig Buddies Bristol and Gig Buddies Cymru.

 In a teary Instagram post of the artist softly singing her latest track, accompanied by a series of stories, Jessie J has opened up about her struggle with the nodules for the past four to five months, which has meant she has had to refrain from singing and talking. The 33-year-old wrote: “I want to start by explaining this video. I was asked to send a speech therapist a video of me singing something quietly, so she could hear my voice.” 

 She continued: “The first song I sang was I want love. Just hearing myself sing it and feel so vulnerable whilst singing bought me to tears. I have never ever to this day (since recording it) been able to to sing it because of the pain I am experiencing. Man it’s been hard not singing. It’s literally my life line and my happiness. Being quiet is not something I’m good at. Or makes me feel like myself. Lord knows I’m loud af.”

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Jessie explained how she is “still in the same pain every day” despite varying treatments in a series of Instagram stories that followed the video. She stated that although the nodules have “melted away, “ doctors advised that they will return if she continues to sing. However, even with the “agony,” she still pushed for her latest record, believing it was important to give her fans new music. Concluding her posts positive that she will “find the reason to all of this.” She said: “I don’t always get it out but I am honest and I hope you can respect that. Love you all… Stress will only make it worse. And speaking my truth since I was a little girl helps with my stress of anything.”

The London singer has also revealed the inspiration behind her latest track and video: “I had an argument with a bf once after a major red carpet. I went to a bar where I didn’t know anyone and I danced alone until sunrise. I took a shot with strangers and I talked to myself in the mirror in the bathroom. My tough exterior that I so often use as a defense mechanism went away, my heart softened. My fear left the room and I just let go. That’s what this song this video means and represents to me. A simple moment in time. Where I just let go in the REAL world. It’s where I like to be. I like to face life head and heart on. I don’t live in a fantasy,” she wrote on Instagram. Continuing, ” I wanted this video to feel like I felt like that night. I’m so grateful (and honestly intensely emotional) that you can all finally see it and Channel this same energy in your own lives in your own way.“

You can watch Jessie J’s latest music video for ‘I Want Love’ now on YouTube.

The growth of British music abroad rose by 6% last year, as music streaming generated £519.7 million in export earnings, statistics have now revealed. The BPI has put this exponential growth down to British artists and labels successfully “harnessing the global reach of streaming,” noting that there are currently 300 British artists already achieving more than 100 million streams annually. They have also reported that UK recorded music revenue rose by 3.8% in 2020, which is the highest total since 2006. However, the rate of revenue growth slowed in 2020 (compared with the 7.3% rise in 2019), which they have highlighted is due to the pandemic’s effects.

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Citing some of the big names in UK music, Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive at BPI and BRIT Awards, said: “The explosive growth of music streaming around the world represents an unprecedented opportunity for British music. With global competition intensifying, now is the time to push hard, to actively promote our artists to a global audience and maximise our share of global growth, with artists such as Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, Lewis Capaldi, Stormzy, The 1975 and Mabel, among many others, now leading the way alongside the likes of Ed Sheeran Adele, Coldplay and Arctic Monkeys.” He continued: “As the UK builds back from Covid-19 and forges its future as an independent trading nation, music can play a pivotal cultural and economic role. We call on Government to seize the moment and make music a champion of our global trading ambitions.”

 The BPI has also once again called on the Government to “strike a new strategic partnership with the music industry to seize the exceptional opportunity” of the UK’S growing music exports, to reap the “the full economic and cultural potential of British music.” You can read the five-point list of recommendations here. 

‘David Bowie World Fan Convention’ has been announced. It will be across Liverpool venues next June on the anniversary weekend of the release of  “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust,” celebrating the “Man Who Fell To Earth.”

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Presented by Sound City and David Bowie Glamour. The event, which is due to take place between 17-19 June 2022 in Liverpool, will celebrate the icon’s legacy with live performances, exhibitions, and talks from photographers and designers who worked closely with Bowie. Fans will also get the chance to “brush shoulder to shoulder” with some of the names who collaborated with the star man, including bandleader for 30 years, Carlos Alomar and the last musician to play with Bowie saxophonist Donny McCaslin.

In a statement, the convention is described as a “complete cultural immersion into the life, work and legacy of one of the planet’s greatest musical exports; the convention should be the first plan in the 2022 calendar for fans of all ages and interests.” 

David Bowie’s official Instagram account announced their excitement for the event: “While not an official event, we are happy to exclusively announce the coming together of Bowie fans in Liverpool next year for the grandly titled DAVID BOWIE WORLD FAN CONVENTION.” 

‘David Bowie World Fan Convention’ will also feature a ‘Bowie Ball,’ a party where fans will be encouraged to dress up in their favourite Bowie get up.

Sound City’s, Dave Pichilingi, who are organising the event,  said: “There will only ever be one David Bowie and we all still feel the gap left by his presence in the world of music and wider popular culture. His status is confirmed, not only by his incredible back catalogue, but by the fact we still find so much to find out and say about him.” He continued: “It’s a story that goes on, not only through his work, but the mark he left on the people he encountered along the way. We’re delighted to have so many of those people with us next June.”

Tickets for ‘David Bowie World Fan Convention’ are available now.

Featuring on the show alongside his bandmates from Highflying Birds in promotion of their latest project, “Back The Way We Came: Volume 1 (2011-2021,” compiling on the band’s greatest hits from the past decade.

Noel Gallagher and The High Flying Birds also sat down for a chat with This Morning host Anthony Mason. Noel said of his time on the scene: “Well, I came out of a band with a very strong identity, a very famous band, a band that fans really, really loved, and I didn’t want my solo career to be a sugar-free version of that. Like Diet Oasis,” He continued: “I’m allowed to work at my own pace, I’m not writing songs for a brand; we were a stadium rock band, therefore I was writing stadium rock songs. And I was writing for another singer.”

“Don’t Look Back In Anger” reached Number One in the UK charts back in 1996 and claimed a position in the top ten spots across several other European nations, ultimately going three times platinum in the UK. The track featured on Oasis’ second studio album “(What’s The Story) Morning Glory,” which won Best British Album at the 1996 Brit Awards and bagged the Gallagher brothers a second Brit in 2010 for Greatest British Album Since 1980.

Earlier this week, Noel intimated in an interview with The Sun newspaper that a solo Oasis tour is on the cards. He said: “ It is a privileged position to be in. I will probably get round to a tour of mostly Oasis songs when I do the acoustic thing. There is always a plan to take that out properly with an orchestra on tour, but I am not sure when that will happen because of the COVID shit.”
You can watch Noel Gallagher and The High Flying Bird’s performance on CBS This Morning now.

CEO of Music Venue Trust (MVT) Mark Davyd said in a statement: “Dependent on public health factors, and the government’s approach to them, this announcement could finally kickstart the process of reviving live music… we also have to acknowledge that the announcement runs an equal risk of undoing 16 months of work by tens of thousands of people to Save Our Venues unless the government carefully manages any decision to delay reopening. Failure to take immediate action to support the sector could tip many hundreds of grassroots music venues into the abyss.”

Calling for provisions to be put in place to protect and support grassroots music venues, the CEO said: “This is not an exaggeration; with no funding in place to mitigate any delay in reopening we will see mass evictions and foreclosures by landlords and creditors who ran out of patience a long time ago. The risk of business closures, widespread redundancies and the decimation of our sector is as real now as it was in April 2020.”

Earlier this week, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) called on MVT to collect data from more than 900 venues across the UK to assess the impact if step four in the roadmap out of lockdown did not proceed. They concluded that there would be immediate financial challenges, and 93% of grassroots venues (879) face “likely eviction resulting in the closure of the business.” Davydd told TheTicketingBusiness: “If the Government decides on a delay on the basis of evidence about the risk to public health we would like to see and review that evidence, especially the evidence from the Social Distancing Review and the Events Research Programme, both of which were due to be published before the end of May and neither of which have been made available.”

Music Venue Trust’s Save Our Venues Campaign has so far raised over £1million of their £1.7million goal they have estimated it will take to save the remaining venues on their ‘Red List.’ The impact of the MVT’s work and the Save Our Venues campaign has been impactful, as in March last year, over 500 venues were at risk, and now only a handful remain; however this is feared to be in jeopardy should venues not be allowed to reopen on 21 June 2021.