Events in 2026
- Mass layoffs were announced at the music websites Alternative Press, BrooklynVegan, Revolver and Goldmine. The sites had previously been acquired by Veeps, which is controlled by Live Nation along with Good Charlotte founders Joel and Benji Madden.
- Gary Glitter appeared via video link before Westminster Magistrates' Court over four historical sexual offense charges. The case was referred to the Old Bailey for trial, and Gary Glitter remained in custody.
- ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard died at the age of 77 at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, in the presence of his family. During his 56-year career, he appeared on all 15 of the band's studio albums, from ZZ Top's First Album in 1971 to La Futura in 2012. His death left Billy Gibbons as the last surviving member of ZZ Top's classic lineup.
- Metal band Demon Hunter sued Netflix for trademark infringement in connection with the film KPop Demon Hunters, which produced the No. 1 hit “Golden” and a concert tour. The band said people were confusing it with the Netflix franchise and that it had even received a refund request from someone who bought tickets to a Demon Hunter concert believing it was a K-pop concert.
- The Hollies ended their career after more than six decades of existence when longtime guitarist Tony Hicks announced his departure for health reasons and drummer Bobby Elliott left with him. The group, inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2010, had 30 UK and 12 U.S. singles in the Top 40, including “Bus Stop”, “Stop Stop Stop”, “Carrie Anne”, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”, “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress” and “The Air That I Breathe”.
- Shelley Fabares, who reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962 with the million-selling hit “Johnny Angel”, died at the age of 82. At the height of her fame as a teen idol, she moved into film and appeared alongside Elvis Presley in three films: Girl Happy (1965), Spinout (1966), and Clambake (1967). In addition to other films, she also starred in the television series The Donna Reed Show from 1958 and in the series Coach alongside Craig T. Nelson from 1989. In 1984, she married MAS*H actor Mike Farrell, with whom she remained married for more than 41 years.
- Dolly Parton died at the age of 80 after a short battle with cancer. Rising from poverty through her talent, she became an iconic songwriter, singer and entertainer and used her wealth to support various projects, including Imagination Library, which promotes children's literacy by distributing books.
- Spotify announced that Dolly Parton's total streams worldwide had increased by more than 1,260% compared with the week before her death on August 25. Seven of her songs entered the service's daily most-streamed songs chart, with “Jolene” and “9 to 5” at No. 2 and No. 3, while “Islands in the Stream” with Kenny Rogers reached No. 8.
- Dolly Parton was buried during a private family ceremony at Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery and Mausoleum in Nashville, Tennessee. She was laid to rest beside her husband Carl Dean, with whom she had been married for almost 60 years. Several US cities, including New Orleans, Lexington, and New York, proclaimed September 25 “Dolly Parton Day” in honor of her 1981 hit “9 to 5”.
- Olivia Rodrigo held the Daisy Chain Fields festival at Great Park in Irvine, California. The event was attended by Chappell Roan, among others.
- TikTok named Katy Perry's 2010 song “The One That Got Away” its Global Song of the Summer, with more than 55 billion video views. The next two songs on the list were also rediscoveries: “Cinderella” by Mac Miller from 2016 and “It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over” by Lenny Kravitz from 1991.
- Gary Glitter, 82, pleaded not guilty at a British court to eight counts of sexual abuse of a girl aged between 8 and 11. The alleged offenses were said to have taken place between 1978 and 1981 under his legal name, Paul Gadd. Judge Tony Baumgartner adjourned the case for a three-week trial scheduled to begin on November 22, 2027.