Alright, folks. Grab a beer. Or a whisky. Because 2026 is unfolding like that concert you paid top dollar for, only to find the vocalist never shows up. (Yes, Poppy, I’m looking at you. More on that later.)
The Year Real Life Hit Rock ‘n’ Roll
First, the news that reminds us our idols are, well, human. The world of rock and roll, which has seen everything from overdoses to trashed hotel rooms, seems to be going through a more… prosaic, but no less painful, phase.
Let’s kick off with Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo’s divorce, which Rolling Stone reports was finalized after ten years. Ten years, my friends. Seems not every country-trap fairytale gets a happy ending. It’s like when you find out that band you idolized broke up over “creative differences”—and you know it was just a money fight.
And if divorces are life’s annoying side, illnesses are its cruel side. Lauren Laverne, the beloved BBC 6 Music presenter, revealed her diagnosis of a blood and bone marrow disorder. That line “Talking about this stuff helps people” in the NME summary isn’t just a cliché; it’s a gut punch. Strength to her.
Ozzy Day and the Immortal Prince of Darkness
But it’s not all doom and gloom, of course. There are tributes. And few figures deserve them more than Ozzy Osbourne. The city of Birmingham, birthplace of metal, is set to establish “Ozzy Day” on July 22, the anniversary of his death, to celebrate “the life, legacy and Birmingham roots of the Prince of Darkness,” according to Rolling Stone. It’s proof that, even after they’re gone, some legends just get more legendary. It’s not just a holiday; it’s a reminder that chaos, charisma, and the ability to survive yourself are virtues.
The “Albums” and the Great Collective Yawn
Now, a topic that absolutely grinds my gears: the silent death of the album. Recent research, published by NME, shows that 41% of people in the UK haven’t listened to a full album in a year. Forty-one percent! This isn’t “changing habits”; it’s a declaration of war on the art of musical storytelling. It’s like going to a museum and only reading the captions. Or watching a movie by skipping to the ending.
And what about Poppy, the artist who performed at Upheaval Festival, and her band played the full set without her? If that isn’t the perfect metaphor for our relationship with music today—the packaging, the expectation, and the absence of what truly matters—then I don’t know what is. Rock turning into a product category, where the artist’s presence is optional.
Four-Day Festival and Deep Purple’s Good Humor
To close with a glimmer of hope, Reading Festival is trying to become a four-day event, with music even on Thursday. More music, more rock. That’s what the people want, damn it. And Roger Glover of Deep Purple explained to Roadie Crew that the band’s “curious” album titles (“Bananas,” “Whoosh!”) are pure humor. Humor! In a world where we’re losing the ability to listen to a whole album, having a band still making fun of themselves is gold.
This year’s a tough one. But rock, as always, keeps moving forward. Even if it’s dragging its feet.