Warner Music Group Intends to Buy French Digital Music Company Believe SA, Owner of Nuclear Blast Records and Tunecore


One of the largest record labels in the world, Warner Music Group (WMG) has announced it intends to purchase Believe SA, a French digital music company. Among the many companies Believe owns includes a controlling stake in Nuclear Blast Records (acquired in 2018) and its offshoot Blood Blast Distribution, as well as Tunecore a Brooklyn, New York–based digital music distribution, publishing and licensing service founded in 2006. Tunecore distributes music through online retailers such as iTunes, Deezer, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Google Play, Tidal, Beatport. According to the press release you can read below, Warner “would provide Believe with strategic support and financial stability to help the development and growth of the Company, including by accelerating its expansion into new geographies.” Nuclear Blast founded in 1987 in Germany, is home to some of the greatest bands in Metal such as, Slayer, Anthrax, Testament, C.O.C., Nightwish, Sepultura, Sabaton, In Flames, Lamb of God (Europe), and countless others. In addition to their legendary main brand known for Rock, Pop, Country, and Dance music, WMG owns a ton of sub labels boasting some of the biggest names in Hard Rock, Metal and Punk like 10K Projects, 300 Entertainment (Highly Suspect, Waterparks), Asylum, Atlantic (Shinedown, Halestorm) Big Beat, Elektra Entertainment (formerly: Metallica, Slipknot & Paramore – current: twenty one pilots, Brandi Carlile, Sturgill Simpson) Erato, First Night, Fueled By Ramen (Fall Out Boy, Jimmy Eat World, A Day To Remember), Nonesuch, Parlophone (Iron Maiden), Reprise (Lamb of God in the USA, Deftones, Disturbed, Crosses), Rhino (boxed sets, vinyl and CD reissues, and countless legacy releases), Roadrunner (Gojira, Turnstile, Motionless In White, Trivium, newly signed Deafheaven, Coheed and Cambria, Stone Sour), Sire, Spinnin’, Warner Records, Warner Classics, and Warner Music Nashville. WMG’s music publishing arm, Warner Chappell Music, as well as artist management and services divisions. If the sale goes through, it remains to be seen what shape the deal would have and what impact is might have for Nuclear Blast and Tunecore. Stay tuned for more news on this story.Continue reading


Aftershock 2024 Books Slayer, Slipknot, Iron Maiden, Motley Crue, Pantera, Judas Priest, FFDP, Disturbed, Biohazard, Shadows Fall and More!


Aftershock, it’s happening! Our 2024 lineup is here and holy sh*t, this one will go down in the history books. Not only do we have Iron Maiden’s only U.S. festival play and the exclusive West Coast performance of Slayer, but also Slipknot, the first Mötley Crüe appearance at Aftershock, plus Disturbed, Five Finger Death Punch, Judas Priest, Pantera, and 130 more of your favorite artists. Continue reading


CONCERT REVIEW: John 5 – Sticks N’ Stones Live at The Gramercy Theatre


The artist known as John-5 has had an impressive career playing behind David Lee Roth, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, and most recently has become a permanent member of Mötley Crüe. He didn’t find himself playing in these positions because he could support anyone but because he is an amazing guitar player in his own right. Versatile is the word that best describes his style and his true talent lies in his ability to switch to any style needed, a musical chameleon if you will. Continue reading


Metallica, Paramore, and Boygenius Sweep the Rock and Metal Grammy Awards for 2024


Metallica Paramore, and Boygenius swept the major Metal, Rock, and Alternative music awards at the 66th annual Grammy Awards. Taking place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles all of the Rock Music awards are given earlier in the day and only televised on YouTube and not the main broadcast. In no surprise, Metallica won the only Metal Grammy award – “Best Metal Performance” for the song “72 Seasons” beating out other contenders Disturbed, Slipknot, Ghost (for their Iron Maiden cover), and Spiritbox! Robert Trujillo accepted for Metallica commenting “This is like family. When you’re making an album like this you’re jamming and collaborating and the spirit of 72 Seasons is the youth and creating music together. Keep those instruments in your hands and let’s keep the youth making music and keeping the dream alive!” Continue reading


Sonic Temple 2024 Books Disturbed, Misfits, Pantera, Slipknot, Kerry King, Judas Priest, Evanescence, Limp Bizkit, and More!



The wait is over. Your Sonic Temple ‘24 lineup is finally here! This year in Columbus, Ohio we’re bringing the temple to new heights with 4 stages and 120 bands (that’s 40 more than last year)! Join us on May 16-19, 2024, at the iconic Historic Crew Stadium: America’s HOME of ROCK.
SonInk (Sonic Temple + Inkcarceration) Combo Passes, Field Passes, Stadium Passes, VIP, and Suite passes go on sale exclusively via presale this Wednesday at 10am EST. AND, for the first time ever, indulge in the sweet life with a Sonic Temple suite for you and up to nine friends. Sign up for our Sonic Temple email list, and you’ll be the first in line when Presale passes drop this Wednesday, December 6 at 10am EST. You won’t want to miss the best party in rock and art! Sonic Temple 2024 features headliners Disturbed, Misfits, Pantera, Slipknot, along with Kerry King of Slayer, Judas Priest, Evanescence, Limp Bizkit and more. Continue reading


Metallica Slipknot, Disturbed, Foo Fighters, Queens of The Stone Age, Spiritbox, Ghost, Boygenius, and More Nominated for Rock and Metal Grammy Awards for 2024


 

Metallica Slipknot, Disturbed, Foo Fighters, Queens of The Stone Age, Spiritbox, Ghost, Boygenius, Greta Van Fleet, Paramore and others have been have been announced as the “Best Metal Performance” nominees at the 66th annual Grammy Awards, which will air live on Sunday, February 4, 2024. Taking place from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The event will air live on the CBS television network and stream on Paramount+ from 8 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. ET / from 5 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. PT. Ozzy Osbourne won the Grammy in the “Best Metal Performance” category in the pre-telecast ceremony at the 65th annual Grammy Awards 2023. Check out the full list of rock and metal nominees here.

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Welcome To Rockville Books Mötley Crüe, Slipknot, Foo Fighters, Judas Priest, Disturbed, Limp Bizkit, Queens Of The Stone Age, Greta Van Fleet, Evanescence, and Kerry King Among the Confirmed Acts For 2024


 

After record-breaking attendance of over 170,000 music fans over four days in 2023, Welcome To Rockville returns to Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida to kick off the festival season bigger and louder than ever May 9-12, 2024! Produced by the vaunted Danny Wimmer Presents organization, the fest will be headlined by Mötley Crüe, Slipknot, Judas Priest, Foo Fighters Disturbed, Limp Bizkit, Queens Of The Stone Age, Judas Priest, Greta Van Fleet, Evanescence, and Kerry King among many others. Tickets and more info along with the full lineup can be seen below.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Disturbed – Breaking Benjamin – Jinjer Live at St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheatre


 

St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheatre at Lakeview played host to an epic evening of music featuring three bands: Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin, and Jinjer. Opened as the Lakeview Amphitheater in 2015, the venue is perched on the shores of Lake Onondaga and boasts 5000 seats under cover in the pavilion and a capacity of another 12,500 on the lawn. Being conveniently located at the intersection of two major area highways, driving there is relatively easy and the $20 for parking seemed reasonable compared to most other similar venues. It should be noted that the geography of being between the lake and the highway dictates that the parking lot be long and narrow. It can be a long walk to and from the stage and coming and going can take some time so plan accordingly. The staff did an excellent job moving everyone quickly and efficiently through the process.

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: Download Festival 2023 Part 2, Live at Castle Donnington


 

Saturday, and as will be of no surprise to anyone, it was pretty damn hot today too, people were noticeably moving much slower through the arena, and people were checking their phones for the forecast of tomorrow’s storm with excitement.

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: Download Festival 2023 Part 1, Live at Castle Donnington


 

After hearing horror stories about the queues I was pleasantly surprised to arrive at the hollow turn of Donington for Download Festival 2023, and was parked up within 10 minutes. Not to dismiss the stories is it close the rather excellent download festival app a tool which I would find invaluable during my visit constantly advising incoming travellers of reach to avoid owing to congestion.Continue reading