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Dolly Parton, the queen of country music, has died, aged 80, at her home in Nashville.

A statement from the singer’s PR reads:

“Global icon and humanitarian, Dolly Parton, known to the world as a beloved singer, songwriter, philanthropist, actress, playwright, and author died peacefully today in Nashville, Tennessee. She was 80 years old.

“Dolly is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 59 years Carl Thomas Dean (1942 – 2025), her mother Avie Lee Caroline Owens (1923 – 2003), and father, Robert Lee Parton, Sr. (1921 – 2000).

“A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family. Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place.

“Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages, and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact.”

The iconic singer’s death was announced by her nephew Brian Seaver.

“I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now,” he stated on Instagram. “It is an honour, an honour that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness.”

One of the world’s most recognised entertainers, Parton was one of the biggest and best-loved stars in country music. Born one of 12 children on January 19, 1946, the singer grew up “dirt poor” in the small town of Pittman Center, Tennessee. She was gifted her first guitar, aged seven, by an uncle, and made her debut at legendary country music mecca the Grand Ole Opry in 1959, aged 13, introduced onstage by Johnny Cash.

An exceptional songwriter, Parton famously wrote the worldwide hits Jolene and I Will Always Love You in a single day. Over the course of a career spanning six decades, she released 50 albums, and sold more than 100 million records. Covered by Whitney Houston in 1992, I Will Always Love You remains the best-selling single of all time by a woman, with over 20 million sales.

Parton was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, even though she initially declined her nomination.

“I’ve been rockin’ since the day I was born,” she told Classic Rock magazine the following year, “listening to Elvis, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and all these people that I loved in my youth.”

That same year, Parton surprised the music world by releasing her first ever rock album, Rockstar.

The singer’s 49th solo studio album, Rockstar featured collaborations with a host of rock superstars, including Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Judas Priest’s Rob Halford, John Fogerty, Stevie Nicks, Steven Tyler, Steve Perry, Debbie Harry, Peter Frampton, Joan Jett, and Elton John. The album featured original songs plus Parton’s take on rock classics Stairway To Heaven, We Are The Champions, Free Bird, Let It Be and more.

“My husband Carl is a big rock fan,” Parton explained to Classic Rock. “I’ve heard so many of the great rock songs over the years, because that’s the only thing he ever plays. We’ve been together for fifty-nine years now, so you can imagine how embedded that is. But of course, I had some personal favourites as well. I also had to pick songs that I thought I could sing well, that Ithought I could do justice to. Or at least to try to be as impressive as I could, because I wanted the rock field to be proud of me. I wanted them to say: ‘That’s pretty good! I didn’t know she had it in her!’”

“Rock is not just a sound,” Parton wrote in her memoir Behind The Seams: My Life In Rhinestones. “It’s an attitude. Doing things your way, being a rebel. That’s why I think I’ve always had some rock’n’roll in my soul.”

Former US President Bill Clinton is among those who have paid tribute to the iconic star.

“Dolly Parton was one of a kind,” he posted on X, “a great songwriter and performer who told the stories of everyday Americans with honesty, humility, and heart. She rose high from her East Tennessee roots and never forgot where she came from. And she always believed in giving back, especially in her efforts to promote literacy. Hillary and I were big fans and first saw her in 1974, and will always be grateful for the music and the memories. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, her legion of fans, and everyone who loved her.”

Paul McCartney also expressed his sorrow at Parton’s passing.

“The magnificent star Dolly Parton has died and it is so sad,” McCartney posted. “Her songwriting, her singing, and her philanthropy were unrivaled in the world of country music and it is hard to imagine living in a world without Dolly. She was a very clever business woman who understood the value of music and, most importantly, the effect that she had on the people of the world.

“There was no greater honour for me than to have her sing my song Let It Be and, even though I only made a small contribution to it, I am so honoured that she did it. I am so proud to have known her and admire her unique talents.

“Thanks Dolly for the beautiful music you gave me and the whole world. We will always love you, god bless and rest in peace. You were the best.”

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Ancient beliefs, pre-Christian mythology and raw extreme metal take on a fittingly old-school physical form as Wrathcult, the debut album from Polish death/black metal act SHINE, receives its first cassette edition. Originally released through Dark Descent Records in January 2026, Wrathcult will arrive on tape on August 28, 2026, courtesy of Selfmadegod Records. The edition […]

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Booked around their festival appearances and their set opening for My Chemical Romance at the Hollywood Bowl.

The post The Used Announce Fall West Coast U.S. Tour appeared first on Theprp.com.

Dolly Parton, the legendary country music icon who shaped generations of fans, has passed away at 80 in Nashville. Continue reading…

Nothing on Hell’s Thorns Attack is designed to soften the impact. SARDONIC WITCHERY return with a fifth full-length steeped in savage riffs, hostility and the uncompromising spirit of old-school satanic black/thrash metal. The album will be released on September 1, 2026, with Firecum Records handling the European edition and JEMS Label LLC overseeing the North […]

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Gene’s gonna be a busy boy.

The post Death To All & Dark Angel Set For January 2027 Australian Tour appeared first on Theprp.com.

In Flames and Trivium are teaming up for a sprawling European run in spring 2027, with Paleface Swiss and Vola joining as support on every stop. It’s one of the heaviest packages hitting the continent next year, pairing two bands with decades of influence behind them alongside two of the scene’s fastest-rising acts.

Billing will shift depending on where the tour lands. In the U.K. and Ireland, Trivium headlines with In Flames as special guest. Once the run reaches Scandinavia, the roles reverse, with In Flames on top and Trivium in support. Everywhere else in mainland Europe, the two bands will split the marquee as true co-headliners, with Paleface Swiss and Vola opening throughout.

Artist pre-sale tickets go live Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, at 10 a.m. CEST (9 a.m. BST), followed by general on-sale Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at 10 a.m. CEST (9 a.m. BST). Purchase tickets here and here.

“We are excited to return to Europe with our old friends in Trivium!” In Flames said. “Paleface Swiss and Vola round out an amazing bill. You don’t want to miss this epic night of metal coming your way! See you soon…”

“We’re beyond stoked to be joining forces with our longtime friends In Flames once again for another legendary run across Europe and the U.K.,” Trivium said. “With Paleface Swiss and Vola joining us, this is going to be one hell of a bill. A new era of Trivium is about to begin. We’ll see you out there.”

In Flames comes into the run on a high note, having just torched its own Göteborg Brinner festival in Gothenburg following a two-month summer tour. The band is currently writing new material for its next studio album, with more details expected soon.

Formed in 1990, In Flames has spent more than three decades building a reputation as one of the genre’s most influential bands, known for pairing hook-driven songwriting with relentless heaviness. The band’s catalog now runs fourteen albums deep, and its résumé includes tours alongside Black Sabbath, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Judas Priest and Slayer. Starting with 1994’s Lunar Strain, the band’s twin-guitar interplay and melodic vocal work have carried through every era of its sound.

Trivium — fronted by vocalist and guitarist Matthew K. Heafy alongside guitarist Corey Beaulieu, bassist Paolo Gregoletto and drummer Alex Rüdinger — has spent more than two decades as one of the genre’s steadiest forces. The band’s breakout record, Ascendancy, earned Album Of The Year honors from Kerrang!, went gold in the U.K., sold half a million copies worldwide and later cracked Metal Hammer‘s list of the 15 greatest metal albums of the century. Since then, Trivium has picked up two more gold and silver certifications, landed six straight Top 25 debuts on the Billboard 200, and racked up a quarter-billion streams. With 2025’s Struck Dead EP hinting at what’s next and Rüdinger now behind the kit, this tour marks a fresh chapter for the band.

Zurich’s Paleface Swiss has broken out of the underground into one of Europe’s most buzzed-about live acts, mixing punishing riffs with raw emotional weight. Fronted by Marc “Zelli” Zellweger, the band’s 2025 album Cursed and its 2026 follow-up EP The Wilted have built a reputation for brutal songwriting and electric live shows.

Vola, hailing from Copenhagen, blends tech-heavy riffing, atmospheric songwriting and electronic textures into a sound all its own. Since breaking through with 2016’s Inmazes, the band has built a devoted global following and racked up tens of millions of streams. Its 2024 album Friend Of A Phantom, which featured a guest appearance from In Flames‘ own Anders Fridén, further showcased the band’s genre-blending approach.

The post TRIVIUM & IN FLAMES Set Co-Headline Dates Across Europe And The U.K. appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Jethro Tull’s first five studio albums introduced a band that would radically redefine the boundaries of rock, blending blues, folk, classical, and hard rock into a singular progressive vision. Rhino High Fidelity captures the meteoric rise and creative peak of that era in a new audiophile vinyl boxed set, Jethro Tull 1968-1972. It arrives today, along with a reel-to-reel edition of the band’s biggest album, Aqualung. Available now here: https://www.rhino.com/

The Jethro Tull 1968-1972 (Rhino High Fidelity) boxed set includes This Was, Stand Up, Benefit, Aqualung, and Thick as a Brick, all cut AAA from the U.K. analog master tapes by Kevin Gray and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Optimal in Germany. The set is housed in a leatherette slipcase. Each album comes in a glossy gatefold jacket with new liner notes featuring commentary from Ian Anderson. The set is limited to 3,000 individually numbered copies and available exclusively at Rhino.com and select Warner Music Group stores internationally.

Aqualung (Rhino High Fidelity R2R) was duplicated in real time from a 1:1 copy of the original U.K. analog master tape. The result is a master-quality listening experience that captures the full dynamics of the recording. The 15 i.p.s. half-track 1/4” tape is produced to the IEC equalization standard on premium RTM LPR90 tape stock and stored on a 10.5” metal reel. The Reel-to-Reel edition is limited to 350 copies worldwide and available exclusively at Rhino.com.

In just five years, Jethro Tull evolved from a club-circuit British blues band into a global stadium headliner, completely reshaping their musical identity with every record. Led by visionary frontman, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Ian Anderson, the journey began with the jazz-tinged blues of 1968’s This Was. The arrival of guitarist Martin Barre for 1969’s Stand Up prompted a shift toward intricate English folk melodies and classical structures—a formula that sent the album straight to #1 in the U.K. By 1970’s Benefit, Anderson expanded the band’s sonic textures further with keyboardist John Evan, leaning into darker, heavier rock arrangements that laid the groundwork for their mainstream breakthrough.

That success came in March 1971 with Aqualung, a multi-platinum milestone featuring new bassist Jeffrey Hammond. Driven by the enduring rock radio staples “Locomotive Breath” and the title track, the album balanced blistering hard rock with delicate acoustic poetry, solidifying the band as international stars. When critics labeled Aqualung a concept album, Anderson subverted the entire genre with its follow-up, 1972’s Thick as a Brick. Introducing Barriemore Barlow on drums, the single, continuous 43-minute epic combined symphonic ambition with satirical wit, earning Jethro Tull their very first #1 album in the U.S. It capped an extraordinary five-year run, launching a legendary, Grammy® Award-winning career that still thrives today through more than five decades of global touring, continuous recording, and over 60 million albums sold.

1968-1972
5LP Track Listing

LP One: This Was
Side One
1. “My Sunday Feeling”
2. “Some Day The Sun Won’t Shine”
3. “Beggar’s Farm”
4. “Move On Alone”
5. “Serenade To A Cuckoo”

Side Two
1. “Dharma For One”
2. “It’s Breaking Me Up”
3. “Cat’s Squirrel”
4. “A Song For Jeffrey”
5. “Round”

LP Two: Stand Up
Side One
1. “A New Day Yesterday”
2. “Jeffrey Goes To Leicester Square”
3. “Bourée”
4. “Back To The Family”
5. “Look Into The Sun”

Side Two
1. “Nothing Is Easy”
2. “Fat Man”
3. “We Used To Know”
4. “Reasons For Waiting”
5. “For A Thousand Mothers”

LP Three: Benefit
Side One
1. “With You There To Help Me”
2. “Nothing To Say”
3. “Alive And Well And Living In”
4. “Son”
5. “For Michael Collins, Jeffrey And Me”

Side Two
1. “To Cry You A Song”
2. “A Time For Everything?”
3. “Inside”
4. “Play In Time”
5. “Sossity; You’re A Woman”

LP Four: Aqualung
Side One
1. “Aqualung”
2. “Cross-Eyed Mary”
3. “Cheap Day Return”
4. “Mother Goose”
5. “Wond’ring Aloud”
6. “Up To Me”

Side Two
1. “My God”
2. “Hymn 43”
3. “Slipstream”
4. “Locomotive Breath”
5. “Wind-Up”

LP Five: Thick as a Brick
Side One
1. “Thick As A Brick”
i. “Really Don’t Mind/See There A Son Is Born”
ii. “The Poet And The Painter”
iii. “What Do You Do When The Old Man’s Gone?/From The Upper Class”
iv. “You Curl Your Toes In Fun/Childhood Heroes/Stabs Instrumental”

Side Two
1. “Thick As A Brick”
i. “See There A Man Is Born/Clear White Circles”
ii. “Legends And Believe In The Day”
iii. “Tales Of Your Life”
iv. “Childhood Heroes Reprise”

Aqualung
R2R Track Listing
1. “Aqualung”
2. “Cross-Eyed Mary”
3. “Cheap Day Return”
4. “Mother Goose”
5. “Wond’ring Aloud”
6. “Up To Me”
7. “My God”
8. “Hymn 43”
9. “Slipstream”
10. “Locomotive Breath”
11. “Wind-Up”

The post Jethro Tull first five studio albums released as new Rhino High Fidelty Boxed Set appeared first on The Prog Report.

Dolly Parton, one of the greatest singers and songwriters in the history of American popular entertainment, has died. Parton’s family announced her passing in a video statement from her nephew Byran Seaver that was posted on Parton’s social media channels this afternoon. According to a statement from her representatives, Parton passed away “peacefully” in Nashville today. No cause of death has been reported. Parton was 80. This is a developing story.

The post Dolly Parton Dead At 80 appeared first on Stereogum.

Look for it in the spring.

The post In Flames & Trivium Announce European/UK Co-Headlining Tour, Paleface Swiss & VOLA To Open appeared first on Theprp.com.