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noticed this the other day — how many album covers feature a watch or clock somewhere in the design? not even time-themed albums, just random ones. like is it supposed to say something about the passage of time or are they just... there for looks? idk it feels weirdly common and im not sure if its intentional or just a design crutch thinking about picking up an old wind-up alarm clock too, the kind that ticks loud enough to drive you nuts at night might help me ditch the phone from the nightstand, cant stand how it glows. anyone else do this? cant decide if its nostalgic or just impractical these days...

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have kicked off their 2026 European tour in Dublin, and broke out a fitting cover of The Pogues‘ ‘Rainy Night In Soho’. Check out the full setlist and fan footage from the gig below.

• READ MORE: Nick Cave: “There’s no metric that says virtuousness makes good art”

The gig was the first of the 2026 tour dates the iconic Australian singer has planned with The Bad Seeds across Europe, and was held last night (Wednesday June 10) at Malahide Castle in Ireland.

Their first UK and European tour since 2024, the opening night saw them break out a stacked 24-song setlist, featuring an assortment of fan favourites and rarely-played deep-cuts.

Opening with back-to-back renditions of ‘Get Ready For Love’, ‘From Her To Eternity’ and ‘Wild God’, Nick Cave and co. mixed things up with the Dublin setlist by playing ‘Train Long-Suffering’ for the first time since 1989.



Other rarities included ‘Hiding All Away / White Elephant’ being aired out live for the first time since 2013, and ‘Stranger Than Kindness’ for the first time since 2015. To close out the gig, Cave covered The Pogues’ ‘A Rainy Night In Soho’ – the first time he has played it with The Bad Seeds since 1997.

The cover wasn’t only fitting as the gig was held in Dublin, where Pogues frontman Shane McGowan passed away in 2023, but it also comes as Cave had a longtime friendship with the late singer.

The two of them collaborated together multiple times – most famously on the 1992 cover of ‘What A Wonderful World’ – and Cave even performed ‘A Rainy Night In Soho’ at McGowan’s funeral, and hailed him as “the greatest songwriter of his generation”.

Find more footage of the show below, including fan favourites ‘Red Right Hand’ and ‘Into My Arms’, as well as ‘Carnage’, where Cave substituted the line “Listening to Sinead O’Connor” for “Reading Flannery O’Connor”.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds setlist was:​

‘Get Ready for Love’
‘From Her to Eternity’
‘Wild God’
‘O Children’
‘Train Long-Suffering’ (First time since 1989)
‘City of Refuge’
‘Nobody’s Baby Now’ (First time since 2017)
‘Tupelo’
‘Carnage’ (Nick Cave & Warren Ellis cover) (Substituted “Listening to Sinead O’Connor” for “Reading Flannery O’Connor”)
‘Joy’
‘Rings of Saturn’
‘Bright Horses’
‘Henry Lee’
‘The Mercy Seat’
‘Red Right Hand’
‘Into My Arms’
‘Hiding All Away / White Elephant’ (First time since 2013)
‘Hollywood’
‘Stranger Than Kindness’ (First time since 2015)
‘Papa Won’t Leave You, Henry’
‘Jubilee Street’
‘The Weeping Song’
‘Wide Lovely Eyes’
‘A Rainy Night in Soho’ (The Pogues cover) (First time by The Bad Seeds since 1997)

The tour continues with a show at Open Air an der Emslandarena in Germany on June 16, followed by more stops in Denmark, Austria, Belgium and Italy throughout the month.

More shows in Europe continue throughout the rest of summer, including festival appearances at NOS Alive, Rock En Seine, and more. UK shows include a date at Preston Park on July 31. Visit here for tickets.

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Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ 2026 UK and European tour dates are:​

JUNE
16 — Open Air an der Emslandarena, Germany
18 — Heartland Festival, Denmark
20 — Metronome Prague , Czech Republic
21 — Burg Clam, Austria
24 — Release Athens Festival, Greece
26 — La Prima Estate, Italy
28 — Live is Live, Belgium
30— Waldbühne, Berlin, Germany

JULY
06 — Jazz Open, Germany
09 — NOS Alive Festival, Portugal
14 — Festival de Nîmes, France
15 — La Belle Soirée de Vienne, France
17 — Les Vieilles Charrues, France
31 — Preston Park, UK

AUGUST
02 — Filmnächte am Elbufer, Germany
05 — Arena Pula, Croatia
07 — Donji grad Kalemegdan Fortress, Serbia
09 — Summer Well Festival, Romania
13 — Øyafestivalen, Norway
18 — Kalnai Park, Lithuania
21 — Cabaret Vert, France
23 — Königsplatz, Germany
25 — Kunst!Rasen, Germany
28 — Rock En Seine, France

The 2026 dates follow a homecoming tour in Australia in support of the Bad Seeds’ acclaimed 2024 album ‘Wild God’. That album was given four-stars when it was released, with NME writing: “Bad Seeds records are infamously loaded with gothic doom and gloom. Of course, this ain’t a poptastic LOLfest, and still coloured with the many shades of a life so challenging and weathered.

“But never has Cave been so freewheelin’ than on the giddy ‘Frogs’, “Jumping for love and the opening sky above” as “Kris Kristofferson walks by kicking a can in a shirt he hasn’t washed for years“. With a lust for life, the once-dark prince is letting the light in.”

Last month, Cave revealed The Bad Seeds were “messing around” in the studio with the “vague idea of making a new record” as the follow-up to ‘Wild God’.

“This morning, I am going to Islington to mess around in the studio,” he told a fan on his Red Hand Files blog, saying that he would be in the studio with Bad Seeds members Martyn P. Casey, Thomas Wydler, Jim Sclavunos and Warren Ellis.

The post Watch Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds cover The Pogues’ ‘Rainy Night In Soho’ as they kick off summer 2026 European tour in Dublin appeared first on NME.

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Here’s a roundup of recent tour news. Check the Tour Dates category for more.

NICK HAKIM

Nick Hakim will be touring this fall in support of his new album I Can See. Dates include Brooklyn club Warsaw on September 19.



SYLVAN ESSO

Sylvan Esso have announced a full band tour, beginning on October 1 in Atlanta and running through 2026 and into 2027.

LETTERKENNY LIVE

Great Canadian sitcom Letterkenny concluded its 12-season run in 2023 but the cast are reuniting for “Letterkenny Live,” a 2027 North American tour.

BEDOUINE

Bedouine is supporting excellent new album TITLE on tour this year — she plays Brooklyn’s National Sawdust on Thursday and just announced new tour dates which includes another NYC show at Le Poisson Rouge on November 10 with Steady Holiday.

JEFF TWEEDY / CASE OATS

Jeff Tweedy’s great solo album Twilight Override turns one in September, and he’ll continue supporting it on the road with a new round of solo shows. They happen in October and November, and he’ll be joined for them by Case Oats, the duo of Spencer Tweedy (his son) and Casey Gomez.

MÚM

Icelandic art-pop vets múm have announced new North American shows in support of History of Science which was their first album in 12 years. Dates kick off in NYC on September 24 at Le Poisson Rouge, and from there they head to Albany, Cincinnati, Chicago, Mexico City, and Guadalajara.

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PITCHFORK LONDON (RADIO DEPT’S FIRST SHOW IN 8 YEARS) / PITCHFORK PARIS

Unlike the US edition (RIP?) that was only one day, Pitchfork’s music festivals in London and Paris happen over a week’s time at numerous clubs around each city. The London edition runs November 2-8 and the lineup includes The Avalanches, Sweden’s The Radio Dept (their first show in eight years!), Tortoise, Gred Mendez, Los Thuthanaka, Mandy Indiana, Robber Robber, Working Men’s Club, Actress, Noname, and more.

Pitchfork Paris, meanwhile, happens November 2-8 and the lineup includes Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul (who are playing NYC in September), AMORE, ear, Iceage, Robber Robber, and more.



LORD HURON / THAO

Lord Huron are on tour and opening is THAO who just released her first new music in six years.

HELADO TROPICAL

Helado Tropical, aka the duo of Helado Negro and Reyna Tropical, have announced a fall tour in support of their upcoming self-titled debut album. It begins in Washington, DC on October 23 and wraps November 26 in Mexico City.

THE MOUNTAIN GOATS SAN FRANCISCO RESIDENCY

The Mountain Goats have announced a six-show San Francisco residency happening at The Fillmore on November 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, and 21. Each night is a different theme which include “Stump the band” (Night 3), “Six Long Songs” (Night 4), and “Cast of Thousands” (Night 5).

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RODRIGO Y GABRIELA

Rodrigo y Gabriela have announced a massive tour for their just-announced new album, with North American shows this fall and UK/EU dates in 2027.

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Check our Tour Dates category for more.

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So many artists, so many songs, so little time. Each week we review a handful of new albums (of all genres), round up even more new music that we’d call “indie,” and talk about what metal is coming out. We post music news, track premieres, and more all day. We update a playlist weekly of some of our current favorite tracks. Here’s a daily roundup with a bunch of interesting, newly released songs in one place.

EARTHEATER – “CROWN JEWEL”

“I wrote this love song for my baby girl but I guess it’s subplot is about good posture,” Eartheater says of this new single. “I was very tall at a young age — taller than all the boys and sometimes taller than grown ups. My girl is probably going to be taller than me and I just want her to shine as bright as she can and not feel self conscious about it. One of my retorts when people would feel the need to remark on my hight was ‘it’s like I’m in a penthouse in Dubai’ — hence the Dubai line.” New album Heavenly Body: If I’m The Bottle You’re The Message is out July 14.


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PROUN – “WALL”

Austin, TX band proun will release their debut album, Maybe Luck, on June 26 and here’s an early taste. ““The chorus harps on the idea that attempting to come to terms with your trauma can bring you closer to a version of yourself that existed before those things happened, returning to an almost idealistic sense of self that experiencing trauma can destroy and the nearly impossible nature of radical acceptance and moving forward,” says the band’s Jamie Weed.


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MARCI – “BUTTERFLY STICKER”

Marta Cikojevic, who has played in TOPS, will release her second album as Marci, Mask Lady and Late Night Girl, on August 28 via Arbutus Records. The album was co-produced and co-written by TOPS guitarist David Carriere and this is the very catchy, very ’80s first single.


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GRAHAM HUNT – “WAITING FOR YOU TO COME HOME”

Wisconsinite Graham Hunt has announced new album American Pyramid which will be out August 28 via Run for Cover. It was made at legendary Pachyderm Studio (Nirvana’s In Uetero) with a eight-piece band and this is the first single.


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THE MOUNTAIN GOATS – “SHALLOW GRAVE”

“I got the idea for Shallow Grave at a stoplight and recorded the first bits of it a capella into my phone,” says John Darnielle. “Came home and blazed through the rest old school style. Got very excited! Sent it to friends! Everybody bopped! Carrie White’s mom, or Carrie White’s arm? The jury is still out! Poetic license strikes again! Please enjoy what has already been called, by me, ‘the song of the summer’: Shallow Grave! Shallow Grave! Shallow Grave!” New album Days is out August 7.


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NICK HAKIM – “I CAN SEE”

Nick Hakim will release new album I Can See on July 24 and he’s shared the title track. Nick says, “I can’t imagine beginning this album without this track. It’s the entry point of this collection of songs. This took 4 years to finish. It felt like an experiment of how time moves, and we change, but how you can retain a feeling from the sound or tone of music you’ve made or love. The initial demo of this song took 20 minutes to make, but the patience and time it took to “finish” was worth every moment.”


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MORGAN NOISE (MEM FAT DOG) – “SILLY ME”

Fat Dog’s Morgan Wallace leads Morgan Noise who will release their debut album Something built, Something remembered on August 28. She says of this song: “Silly me started with an overlapping scale going up and up. I remember trying to sing it in the shower and not being able to pitch it quite right and having to run to the piano. I wanted it to have an almost nursery rhyme feel, especially with the doo doos in the chorus. A nursery rhyme turned heavy.”


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MO TROPER – “LET’S GET BACK TO MUSIC”

“This song was partially the response to a prompt Kitty of Teen Suicide et al. gave me when I was at my absolute lowest–to try and write a yacht rock song,” Mo says. “It was tracked with Dan and Jon from the Father John Misty band at New Monkey in Los Angeles, and Jon’s arrangement ended up sounding like Abba meets Doobie Brothers meets Randy Newman, per my request.”


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GB – “STARSOUND”

GB, aka Copenhagen artist and musician Gustav Berntsen, will release new album Herzsprung on August 12 via AD 93. First single “Starsound” lightly trippy guitar pop served with a side of soft rock.


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JACK WHITE – “DOLLAR BILL”

It’s the first single from Jack White’s upcoming album Frozen Charlotte.


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THAO – “FOSSILS”

Produced by Tune-Yards’ Merrill Garbus, “Fossils” is slinky funk, in an indie rock kind of way, with a very positive message in the face of insane times. It’s her first new music in six years.


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SLOW PULP – “BETTER MAN”

Slow Pulp’s third album Melodie is out September 18. This is the first single.


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OPEN MIKE EAGLE & KENNY SEGAL – “UNFINISHED CONCRETE INITIALS” FT HEMLOCK ERNST

Open Mike Eagle and Kenny Segal have collaborated on new album DOOMED! which will be out August 14. This first single features Hemlock Ernst, aka Samuel T Herring of Future Islands.


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BRIAN FALLON – “PEARLS”

The Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon has announced new album Not Bad for New Jersey which will be out physically September 10 and on streaming services the next day. “Pearls” is the latest single.


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L’RAIN – “SOULLESS CYCLE”

L’Rain has announced new album fata morgana which will be out August 14 via Mexican summer. Billed as the final piece of a quadrilogy — preceded by 2017’s L’Rain, 2021’s Fatigue, and 2023’s I Killed Your Dog — and was made with regular collaborators Ben Chapoteau-Katz and Andrew Lappin. The first single is an awesome, searing, hazy rock song.


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RODRIGO Y GABRIELA – “MONSTER”

Rodrigo y Gabriela have announced new album OurHome which will be out September 18. The first single from the album is “Monster,” which comes with a video made by famed manga artist Naoki Urasawa.


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Looking for even more new songs? Browse the New Songs archive

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The best songs of the 50s. It wasn’t easy to construct such a list, we’ll admit. And we must begin by saying that this list is not the definitive top 100 songs of the 50s. What we’re trying to do here, instead, is set you up with some incredible music from the 50s that you can use as a jumping off point to explore the decade further. That’s why we only included one song per artist in this list. (That way, we could squeeze as many artists into this as possible.) So, without further ado, enjoy the list!

Buy the best 50s songs on vinyl and CD now.

101: The Four Aces – Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing​

Commissioned for the 1955 film of the same name, this Four Aces song eventually won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It’s since gone on to become a pop culture touchstone, appearing in movies across the decades.

100: Bob Lee – Wanted for Questioning​

“Wanted For Questioning” was the only single Bob Lee ever recorded with the Mike Moore Orchestra. It was released on the Dot label in 1957, with a swaggering, grooving drum beat and an infectious piano line that sounds pulled straight from a different era.

99: The Chords – Sh-Boom​

Long before the term “one-hit wonder” had been coined, The Chords were known for their breakthrough smash “Sh-Boom” and…little else. The group never again reached the same heights, but this song’s outstanding impact is more than enough to solidify their legacy.

98: Ilunga Patrice, Misomba Victor and Friends – Mamwana Kufika Munda (My Love Is Upset)​

“Mamwana Kufika Munda” was a powerful piece of rumba music, a tune that Ilunga Patrice, Misomba Victor, and friends recorded and were eventually remastered by Hugh Tracey. The song is the centerpiece of a Dust-to-Digital reissue in conjunction with the International Library of African Music.

97: Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry – Ain’t Got No Home​

“Ain’t Got No Home” by Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry manages to simultaneously be one of the definitive songs of the blues era, and a kitschy, playful ballad of a bygone era. The first verse of the song is sung in Henry’s natural voice, the second in a falsetto, and the third in a frog’s voice.


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96: Tony Bennett – Because of You​

Long before Tony Bennett was celebrated as one of the defining voices of the 50s, he was a struggling singer. “Because of You” was his first major hit song, reaching No.1 on the Billboard charts and staying there for ten weeks. From humble beginnings, “Because of You” helped launch one of the biggest careers in music.

95: Johnny Burnette & The Rock’n’Roll Trio – Train Kept A-Rollin​

Tiny Bradshaw created “Train Kept A-Rollin,” but Johnny Burnette and his group turned it into one of the best songs of the 50s. It’s widely cited as a rock and roll staple, plus Burnette’s innovative guitar work introduced distortion as a thrilling, intentional artistic choice.

94: Julie London – Cry Me A River​

Long before Justin Timberlake was around, Julie London popularized the phrase “cry me a river” thanks to her hit of the same name. A performance of the song by London in the 1956 film The Girl Can’t Help It helped to make it a bestseller, though it likely was destined for 50s notoriety regardless.

93: Rodgers and Hammerstein – Shall We Dance?​

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Shall We Dance?” is the rare show tune that appeals to both Broadway diehards and the casual music consumer. There’s just something about the playful yet tension-filled ambiguity in the track that appeals to confused lovers across the world.

92: Miklos Rozsa – Overture (Ben Hur)​

The melodic refrain of Miklos Rozsa’s “Overture” likely could have been a powerful music moment of the 50s on its own. But set alongside the film Ben Hur, the composition took on a new life, accompanying one of the best films of the classic Hollywood era.

91: Paul Anka – Diana​

“Diana” is one of the biggest songs of the 50s, but songwriter Paul Anka’s visionary style spanned multiple eras of popular music, including multiple comebacks in later decades with songs like “(You’re) Having My Baby” and “Hold Me ‘Til the Morning Comes.”

90: Jean Bosco Mwenda – Masanga​

Jean Bosco Mwenda’s “Masanga” showcases the renowned guitarist in full flight. His unique style of playing would make its way to just about every corner of sub-Saharan Africa.

89: Tito Puente – Ran Kan Kan​

Tito Puente didn’t need vocals to create a hit. “Ran Kan Kan,” from his 50s smash hit album, Mamborama, features little aside from staggeringly innovative arrangements. The solos by members of his orchestra occasionally steal the show, but it’s Tito’s skills as a vibraharpist on “Ran Kan Kan,” that carries the tune.


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88: Marius Constant – Twilight Zone Theme​

French composer Marius Constant wrote the indelible parts of The Twilight Zone theme song for a song library the network was compiling for the show. When they put two of the strange pieces together, it became one of the most memorable TV theme songs ever, and an iconic bit of 50s music.

87: Bernard Herrmann – Scene D’Amour​

Bernard Herrmann was one of the most important soundtrack composers ever, and Vertigo was among his greatest achievements. It was just one of the films that Herrmann worked on by iconic film director Alfred Hitchock.

86: Sonny Boy Williamson – Don’t Start Me To Talkin​

When Trumpet Records folded, Sonny Boy Williamson was without a home. Checker Records gave him a flyer, and in his first studio session, Williamson churned out “Don’t Start Me To Talkin,” one of the best songs of the era. The song was a cultural force, a Chicago blues hit that helped define 50s music.

85: B.B. King – 3 O’Clock Blues​

B.B. King’s version of “3 O’Clock Blues” was one of the best-selling R&B songs of the 1950s, and proved to be the launching pad for his vaunted career. The tune was first popularized by Lowell Pulson in the previous decade.

84: The Diamonds – Little Darlin’​

The Gladiolas and Elvis Presley both released staggering renditions of “Little Darlin’,” but it was The Diamonds’ version that became one of the best-remembered songs of the 50s. It’s one of the finest doo-wop songs ever recorded.

83: Lloyd Price – Personality​

Lloyd Price’s “Personality” has obvious lasting power. Not only was it a hit upon its release in 1959, but it served as an integral moment in the 2011 film The Help. A result of the 50s R&B music craze, the song’s power remains to this day.


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82: The Crests – 16 Candles​

While this doo-wop 50s song didn’t directly inspire the film of the same name, we like to think that John Hughes’ 1984 classic took some ideas at the very least. The song gained a second life when Jerry Lee Lewis released a country rendition of the track in 1986.

81: Domenico Modugno – Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)​

In 1959, at the 1st Annual Grammy Awards, Modugno’s recording of “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blue (Volare)” became the first-ever Grammy winner for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. The Italian singer, songwriter, and actor was considered the first true singer-songwriter from Italy.

80: The Monotones – The Book of Love​

Whoever says commercials are bad for the brain has clearly never heard the story behind “The Book of Love.” Lead singer Charles Patrick heard a Pepsodent toothpaste commercial with the line “You’ll wonder where the yellow went/when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent,” which inspired him to come up with, “I wonder, wonder, wonder who, who wrote the book of love.”

79: Jackie Wilson – Lonely Teardrops​

“Lonely Teardrops” was one of five songs that Jackie Wilson debuted between 1957-1958. This run turned Wilson into an R&B superstar, although odds are he probably would have gotten there thanks to “Lonely Teardrops” on its own.

Listen to our best 50s songs playlist on Spotify here.

78: Joe Cuba and His Orchestra – Joe Cuba’s Mambo​

In this 1956 recording, Joe Cuba and His Orchestra managed to foreshadow a generation of raunchy, exhilarating tunes thanks to their triumphant and evocative performances of raw, unfiltered mambo. Apparently, the session was fueled by liquor and pizza. A greater musical lubricant has still yet to be discovered.

77: Marilyn Monroe – Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend​

Diamonds as a subject in pop songs are perhaps as ubiquitous as the genre itself. But few sung of the shining finger accessories quite like Marilyn Monroe. Aside from her unfathomable celebrity, Monroe was a wonderful singer, which she proved on “Diamonds,” from the Howard Hawks film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

76: Dion & The Belmonts – A Teenager In Love​

“A Teenager In Love” has some serious credentials as a great moment in 50s music. The song was covered in 1965 both by Bob Marley and the Wailers and by Lou Christie. It was performed by Simon & Garfunkel in 1970 in their final show as a recording duo at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in Queens. But the Dion & The Belmonts’ version remains the standard, a delightful song that helped bridge the gap between jazz and pop.


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75: Tennessee Ernie Ford – Sixteen Tons​

Merle Travis’ hit “Sixteen Tons” is about a coal miner, based on life in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. Its iconic line, “I can’t afford to die. I owe my soul to the company store,” became an emblem of worker solidarity in the hands of Tennessee Ernie Ford, who gave the song a unique empathy.

74: Franco & TPOK Jazz – On Entre OK, On Sort KO​

In 1956, Franco and a band of five other musicians agreed to accept a regular, paid gig at the O.K. Bar in what is now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo. A few weeks later, needing a name for a contract, the band settled on OK Jazz, eventually releasing a brilliant rumba written by Franco that would become the band’s motto: “On Entre O.K., On Sort K.O.”

73: The Coasters – Searchin​

Not “Yakety Yak”? Well, not only is “Searchin’” one of the best songs of the 50s, it’s also likely one of the first postmodern pop songs, citing law-enforcement figures from popular culture such as Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan, Joe Friday, Sam Spade, Boston Blackie, Bulldog Drummond, and the North-West Mounted Police (the Mounties).

72: Louis and Bebe Barron – Main Titles (Overture) – Forbidden Planet​

Louis and Bebe Barron are innovative musicians, but their intuitive knack for earworm melodies was what made them special. They are credited with writing the first electronic music for magnetic tape, and the first entirely electronic film score for the MGM movie Forbidden Planet.

71: E.T. Mensah & The Tempos – Nkebo Baaya​

E.T. Mensah’s original “Tempos” band was formed in 1946 as an impromptu group of European soldiers stationed in Accra. The group played a number of clubs in Accra, and Mensah slowly replaced the European members until it was an all-African band. The group grew huge across the continent, with “Nkebo Baaya” becoming one of the best songs of the era, earning them accolades in the States, including a performance with Louis Armstrong.

70: Bobby Freeman – Do You Want to Dance​

It’s hard to beat the Beach Boys on the charts, but back in 1958, Freeman’s version of “Do You Want to Dance” reached No.2 on the charts, while the Boys’ cover version from 1972 (retitled as “Do You Wanna Dance?”) peaked at No.12. The song would go on to be covered by countless others over the years.

69: Patti Page – Tennessee Waltz​

“Tennessee Waltz” was originally a B-Side, but it was too popular to be denied. Patti Page’s 50s hit song entered the Billboard pop charts and established a 30-week run that peaked at No.1 on the December 30, 1950 chart; the track would remain at No. 1 for a total of nine weeks.


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68: Verna Felton – Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo​

Verna Felton was one of Disney’s go-to voice actors, but she perhaps had her finest moment with Cinderella and “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo,” which tells the famous story of the Fairy Godmother transforming an orange pumpkin into a white carriage. The song was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1951.

67: Mighty Sparrow – Short Little Shorts​

Mighty Sparrow is a helluva good name to write songs under, but Sparrow’s birth name, Slinger Francisco, ain’t half bad either. The Trinidadian helped bring Calypso music to the United States, lacing his sweet, feel-good jams with raunchy lyrics and good-time vibes.

66: Danny and the Juniors – At The Hop​

“At The Hop” was released in the fall of 1957 and reached No.1 on the US charts on January 6, 1958, becoming one of the top-selling singles of 1958. Aside from its early success, the song gained renewed interest after its inclusion in American Graffiti in 1973, a movie released when nostalgia for the 50s in the United States was at a peak.

65: Machito & His Orchestra – Asia Minor​

Machito & His Orchestra’s Asia Minor was less a hit of the cha-cha craze than it was an early defining moment of the genre itself. The song, like the entire album, plays with a varied group of jazz and Latin orchestrations highlighted by Machito’s soothing, brilliant singing style.


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64: Elizabeth Cotten – Freight Train​

Elizabeth Cotten wrote “Freight Train” between 1906 and 1912. It was only first properly recorded and released in the 50s, though, with artists in the United States and the United Kingdom seeing chart success with their own versions.

63: Mongo Santamaria – Para Ti​

The Cuban-born Mongo Santamaria had a massive impact on the music in the 50s, thanks to his innovative playing style, called Pachanga, which blended son montuno and merengue. “Para Ti” is his best song, a delightful tune built around a relentlessly powerful downbeat.

62: Shirley & Lee – Let The Good Times Roll​

If you recorded an R&B or rock and roll song in the 1950s and needed a steady drum beat, odds are Earl Palmer was at the top of your list. The all-time session drummer lent his impeccable rhythm to Shirley & Lee’s upbeat, grooving rock-R&B hybrid.

61: Sheb Wooley – The Purple People Eater​

Sometimes novelty songs transcend their nature and become defining hits. Sheb Wooley’s “The Purple People Eater” is one such tune. The premise of this classic 50s song came from a joke told by the child of a friend of Wooley’s. Sheb found such joy in the joke that he finished composing the song within an hour.


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60: Cliff Richard – Move It​

Funny how things work out: Cliff Richard’s “Move It” was slated to be the B-side to “Schoolboy Crush,” but was eventually put out as Richard’s debut single in the UK. It became his first hit record in a career full of them. The track is widely cited as one of the first rock and roll songs recorded outside of the United States.

59: Martin Denny – Quiet Village​

Next time you’re on vacation, listen to the band playing at your resort…They may just be working on a defining song of the era. That’s precisely what happened with Martin Denny and his band in the 50s, who wrote the song while performing at a restaurant in Oahu, eventually incorporating the jungle sounds surrounding them into the recorded version.


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58: Nina Simone – My Baby Just Cares For Me​

It’s hard to believe that Nina Simone, one of the biggest stars of the 50s and every other era of American music, would ever need a renaissance, but “My Baby Just Cares For Me” gave her one. The song was a top 10 hit in the United Kingdom after it was used in a 1987 perfume commercial.

57: The Platters – Only You (And You Alone)​

If at first, you don’t succeed, try again. It’s a cliche, but The Platters are proof. The group first recorded “Only You” for Federal Records on May 20, 1954, but the recording was not released. In 1955, after moving to Mercury Records, the band re-recorded the song and it became a major hit.

56: Howlin’ Wolf – Smokestack Lightnin​

Despite its popular recording the in 50s, Howlin’ Wolf had performed “Smokestack Lightning” in one form or another during the early 1930s in small Mississippi Delta communities. The song was celebrated for its hypnotic one-chord drone, and Wolf’s unmistakable, well…howl.

55: Gene Kelly – Singin’ in the Rain​

There’s a worthy debate as to whether Gene Kelly’s “Singin’ in the Rain” or the film Singin’ in the Rain is the most iconic cultural touchstone of the 50s. Each has a solid argument. The song, originally from The Hollywood Revue of 1929, is symbiotically tied to the film, but it also stands on its own as a perfect soundtrack moment.

54: Tito Rodriguez & His Orchestra – Mambo Manila​

Tito Rodriguez and Tito Puente had a respectful rivalry during their careers, and “Mambo Manila” is a perfect response to Puente’s sprawling instrumental arrangements. The track, taken from Mambo Madness, helped to usher in the mambo craze, one of the defining 50s music trends.

53: Johnny Mathis – Chances Are​

Johnny Mathis’ “Chances Are” plays with a delicate piano line to highlight Mathis’ deep, gorgeous voice and dramatic telling of being unable to control his love for a woman. It’s an ode to rapturous devotion and the risk of heartbreak that accompanies life’s most exciting chance.

52: Johnny Cash – I Walk The Line​

With an honorable mention to “Folsom Prison Blues,” “I Walk The Line” takes the Johnny Cash spot here, not least because it rose to the No.1 spot on the charts, and eventually gained a second life after it was chosen as the name for the 2005 Cash biopic starring Joaquin Phoenix.

51: Harry Belafonte – Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)​

“Day-O” is one of those songs that transcends its creator, its era, and its style. Sure, it was performed by Harry Belafonte, one of the biggest music stars of the 50s. And yes, it brought calypso music to American shores. But it’s also the sort of melody that exists outside of time and place. Its duration is eternal.

50: Les Paul & Mary Ford – How High the Moon​

For a while there, Les Paul was more famous for his songwriting than for the iconic guitar named after him. That’s because he teamed up with Mary Ford, in the 50s, to create some of the best music of the era, including “Vaya Con Dios” and this one. “How High the Moon” spent nine weeks at No.1 on the Billboard charts.


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49: Ricky Nelson – Poor Little Fool​

Ricky Nelson turned “Poor Little Fool” into one of the best songs of the 50s, but it wouldn’t have existed without songwriter Sharon Sheeley. Sharon had met Elvis Presley, and he encouraged her to write, which resulted in “Poor Little Fool.” It was based on her disappointment following a short-lived relationship with Don Everly of The Everly Brothers.

48: Dinah Washington – Teach Me Tonight​

Dinah Washington turned the jazz standard “Teach Me Tonight” into one of the best R&B songs of the 1950s. Her powerful voice gave the song a shimmering, tender feel, in turns subtly complex and monumentally anthemic.


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47: The Champs – Tequila​

The Champs’ 50s classic helped bring Cuban mambo beats to a wider audience, but the song’s playful, party-starting mentality has stood the test of time, making it one of the best songs of any era.

46: Hank Williams – Your Cheatin’ Heart​

Getting over a cheating heart is never a fun time, but Hank Williams turned that ache into one of the best songs of the 50s. After describing his first wife Audrey Sheppard as a “Cheatin’ Heart,” he dictated the lyrics in minutes to Billie Jean Jones while road-tripping from Nashville to Shreveport, Louisiana.


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45: Ray Charles – What’d I Say​

R&B classic “What’d I Say” emerged from an unlikely jam session. The tune was improvised when Ray Charles, his orchestra, and backup singers had played their entire set list at a show and still had time left; the response from many audiences was so enthusiastic that Charles announced to his producer that he was going to record it.

44: The Five Satins – In the Still of the Night​

“In the Still of the Night” outlived the 50s. The song was only a moderate hit when first released, but years later became known as one of the best-known doo-wop songs, recorded by artists such as Boyz II Men and Debbie Gibson. It is also featured in a number of movies, including The Buddy Holly Story, Dirty Dancing, and Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman.

43: Dean Martin – That’s Amore​

“That’s Amore” first appeared in the soundtrack of the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis comedy film The Caddy. The song allowed Martin, born Dino Crocetti, to lean into his Italian heritage, and has since gone on to be regarded as not just one of the best love songs of the 50s, but the 20th century.

42: Celia Cruz / La Sonoroa Matancera – Burundanga​

“Burundanga” was Celia Cruz’s first gold record in a career that saw her eventually become known as the “Queen of Salsa.” Cruz’s songs from the 50s, like this one, propelled her to international stardom.

41: Link Wray and his Ray Men – Rumble​

Give your average artist all the words in the world, few could produce a song as cathartic and evocative as Link Wray’s instrumental classic, “Rumble.” The song utilized such heavy doses of distortion and feedback that it was the only instrumental ever banned from radio in the United States.

40: Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers – Why Do Fools Fall In Love​

Frankie Lymon and the Teenager’s massive 50s hit “Why Do Fools Fall In Love” was almost about birds. The tune was originally called “Why Do Birds Sing So Gay?” The song’s title was eventually changed based on a recommendation from record label owner George Goldner.

39: Judy Garland – Come Rain or Come Shine​

Even without the golden touch of Judy Garland, “Come Rain or Come Shine” was a landmark song in the 50s. The list of artists who performed versions is almost as long as this list. Billie Holiday, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, and Bill Evans all took cracks at it, but few matched the charm and joy that Garland brought to the standard.


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38: Roy Orbison – Ooby Dooby​

Roy Orbison was so unsure of his career path that he enrolled in college after writing “Ooby Dooby.” The song ended up becoming a hit, and Orbison’s time at Odessa Junior College in Texas was short-lived. He made the right choice, becoming one of the seminal voices of both 50s rock and pop music.

37: Carl Perkins – Blue Suede Shoes​

While Elvis Presley turned “Blue Suede Shoes” into a mega-hit, Carl Perkins’ original version was a breakthrough track in its own right, thanks in part to its unique sound. Today, it’s regarded as one of the first rockabilly songs in American history.

36: Elmore James – Dust My Broom​

“Dust My Broom” changed the course of 50s blues in a number of ways. It featured an early use of a boogie rhythm pattern, which is seen as a major innovation in the genre, as well as a repeating triplets figure, which would go on to be adopted by many in the decades to follow.

35: Fats Domino – Blueberry Hill​

Fats Domino’s rollicking piano-led rock rendition of “Blueberry Hill” is one of the best songs of the 1950s, a standout tune in a discography full of hits. With a heavy drum groove and Domino’s deep, emotive voice, it reached No. 2 on the Billboard charts.


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34: Big Bopper – Chantilly Lace​

Big Bopper’s “Helllllllo Baaaaby!” may be one of the most memorable openings to any 50s pop song. “Chantilly Lace” was sadly one of the few hits for early rock ‘n’ roller, as he passed away in the same airplane crash that killed Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens in 1959.

33: The Flamingos – I Only Have Eyes For You​

Originally released in 1934 for the film Dames, “I Only Have Eyes For You” became a hit thanks to the doo-wop sensibilities of 50s stars, The Flamingos. The group recorded a soulful version of the song in 1958, which remains the definitive version.

32: Muddy Waters – Mannish Boy​

With “Mannish Boy,” Muddy Waters was both paying tribute and trying to one-up his peer, Bo Diddley. First recorded in 1955, “Mannish Boy” is an arrangement of and answer to Bo Diddley’s “I’m a Man,” a blues conversation between two legends calling back and forth from adjacent porches.

31: Bobby Darin – Mack The Knife​

Bobby Darin never wanted “Mack The Knife” to be released as a single, but in 1959 it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It ended up taking home two Grammys, and earned an accolade from Frank Sinatra, who called it the definitive version of the song.

30: Big Joe Turner – Shake, Rattle & Roll​

“Shake, Rattle & Roll” is one of those songs that ended up finding a home with a number of different artists. But while Bill Haley and Elvis Presley recorded it, Big Joe Turner’s version is the one that stands out, with his rambunctious vocals and record label executives Jerry Wexler and Ahmet Ertegun shouting the chorus.

29: The Drifters – There Goes My Baby​

Shortly before The Drifters released “There Goes My Baby,” the group was in turmoil. The first single by the second incarnation of the group, it quickly became a hit with a stirring vocal by Ben E. King and an incredible string arrangement by Stan Applebaum.

28: Eddie Cochran – Summertime Blues​

While rock music is rife with stories of in-fighting between managers and artists, Eddie Cochran and his manager, Jerry Capehart bucked the trend, teaming up to write the monumental 50s hit “Summertime Blues.” The rockabilly tune did well across genres, becoming a country hit in the hands of Alan Jackson.

27: Nat King Cole – Mona Lisa​

Everything Nat King Cole touched turned to gold, but “Mona Lisa” was both a hit and a history-changing painting long before he gave the tune his own spin. But in Cole’s hands, the song became one of the best of the 50s, a charming and delightful big-band rendition of a standard.


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26: The Penguins – Earth Angel​

The Penguins had formed a year before releasing their seminal “Earth Angel,” recording the song as a demo in a South Central Los Angeles garage. From those humble beginnings, it took off, eventually selling 10 million copies.

25: Buddy Holly & The Crickets – That’ll Be The Day​

Buddy Holly’s 1957 hit with The Crickets broke through to the top of the charts, thanks to Holly’s swaggering introductory guitar lick and the rollicking swing provided by his backing band. With a jangling drum groove and enchanting backing vocals, the song became one of the definitive hits of the era.

24: Sam Cooke – You Send Me​

Beginners’ luck certainly exists, but Sam Cooke quickly dispelled the notion after his debut single, “You Send Me,” reached No.1 on both Billboard’s Rhythm & Blues Records chart and the Billboard Hot 100. It’s some of the best music of the 50s, but Cooke’s discography proves that “You Send Me” was only the beginning.

23: Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – I Put A Spell On You​

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins had originally intended to record “I Put a Spell on You” as a love ballad, but producer Arnold Maxin had other ideas. Armed with ribs, chicken, and a bunch of liquor, the group set out to record “I Put A Spell On You” and churned out the version we love today. Says Hawkins, “Before, I was just a normal blues singer. I was just Jay Hawkins. It all sort of just fell in place. I found out I could do more destroying a song and screaming it to death.”

22: Everly Brothers – Bye Bye Love​

Like many of the artists here, choosing just one Everly Brothers tune feels difficult. “All I Have To Do Is Dream” was certainly in the running, but “Bye Bye Love” wasn’t just one of the catchiest songs of the 50s, it’s also historically important. The track was the first song Paul McCartney performed live on stage, with his brother Mike at a holiday camp in Filey, North Yorkshire.

21: João Gilberto – Chega de Saudade​

João Gilberto’s “Chega de Saudade” is one of the most important pieces of 50s music. It’s widely considered the first bossa nova song ever recorded, a standard Gilberto established and continued to innovate over his storied career.


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20: Lonnie Donegan – Rock Island Line​

While “Rock Island Line” has been tackled by everyone from the inmates of the Arkansas Cummins State Farm prison to Johnny Cash, it was Lonnie Donegan’s version that helped spur the skiffle storm. Donegan recorded his fast-tempo version of the track with Chris Barber’s Jazz Band. It was the first debut record to be certified gold in the UK.

19: Frank Sinatra – All The Way​

Frank Sinatra’s “All The Way” is one of dozens of Sinatra tunes that could end up on the list. He’s obviously a giant of 50s music. But there’s something about his rich timbre and the swelling strings on “All The Way” that could make even the coldest hearts melt. The woodwinds are faint but accent his voice with delicate grace.


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18: Isley Brothers – Shout, Pts. 1 & 2​

“Shout” is one of the biggest songs of any era, not just the 50s. Despite its giant footprints, the song emerged from modest beginnings, as an improvisational interlude after a set from the band, inspired by the audience’s rapturous applause.

17: Patsy Cline – Walkin’ After Midnight​

Patsy Cline didn’t want to make “Walkin’ After Midnight,” but after a compromise with her label, she eventually recorded it. Luckily for us, the deal produced one of the best songs of the 50s. Cline’s vocal gave the song an edge that simply didn’t exist in most music from that era.

16: Bo Diddley – Bo Diddley​

It’s not often that a beat gets named after a songwriter, but that’s exactly what happened with “Bo Diddley.” The iconic rhythm, mimicked countless times afterward, is just one of the reasons that this is among the best songs of the 50s.


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15: The Dave Brubeck Quartet – Take Five​

“Take Five” is perhaps the most famous jazz standard in the history of American music. Dave Brubeck’s Quartet turned the Paul Desmond tune into a defining song of the 50s. Released in 1959, it actually became a surprise, massive hit in 1961, eventually becoming the best selling jazz song of all-time.

14: Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong – Dream a Little Dream of Me​

It’s hard to overstate the impact Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong coming together had on the course of 50s music. They were bigger than popular musicians, they were icons. Both individually and together, they created some of the best songs ever. “Dream a Little Dream of Me” is among their finest.

13: Ritchie Valens – La Bamba​

Ritchie Valens took “La Bamba,” a Mexican folk song originally from the state of Veracruz, and turned it into an international hit. Valens was a pioneering figure in Mexican-American culture, introducing rhythms and melodies from Mexico’s deep-rooted traditions to an eager audience.

12: Wanda Jackson – Let’s Have A Party​

Pioneering rock ‘n’ roller Wanda Jackson recorded “Let’s Have A Party” for her first album, Wanda Jackson, released in 1958. Two years later, the song was released as a single and entered the UK chart in September of that year. The song had a third life when her version was featured in the 1989 film Dead Poets Society.

11: Peggy Lee – Fever​

“Fever” doesn’t have much to it, instrumentally. But with Peggy Lee’s iconic vocal, it didn’t need it. The song was a commercial smash, but her smooth jazz delivery also endeared her to professional jazzers who appreciated her deft, brilliant touch.


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10: Billie Holiday – Lady Sings The Blues​

“Lady Sings The Blues” helped define the blues jazz crossover style of the 1950s. The song became such an anthem – almost becoming a metonym for Billie Holiday’s impact – that the track became the title of the iconic 70s biopic on her life, starring Diana Ross.

09: Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats – Rocket 88​

While the facts may be up for debate, many attest that this was the first-ever rock and roll song. Whether or not it was the first, it’s certainly one of the best songs of the 50s, with its rollicking vocal line and unimpeachably joyous instrumentation.

08: Gene Vincent – Be-Bop-A-Lula​

The average person probably isn’t productive when laying up in a hospital recovering from a motorcycle accident. Then again, 50s music icon Gene Vincent isn’t the average person. “Be-Bop-A-Lula” originated in 1955, when Vincent was recuperating from a motorcycle accident at the US Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia. A happy(ish) accident.

07: Big Mama Thornton – Hound Dog​

Big Mama Thornton helped usher the R&B era into rock ‘n’ roll territory, thanks to her electric vocals on “Hound Dog.” The song eventually landed in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame thanks to its outsized impact on American music in the 50s and beyond.

06: Jerry Lee Lewis – Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On​

“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” or “Great Balls of Fire”? It’s impossible to pick just one Jerry Lee Lewis 50s song, but we’ll go for “Shakin’,” which was recorded at Lewis’s second recording session for Sun Records in early 1957. Lewis radically altered the original song, adding an electrifying boogie piano that turned the track into a hit.

05: James Brown – Please, Please, Please​

According to the singer Etta James, James Brown and his group came up with the idea for “Please, Please, Please” because Brown “used to carry around an old tattered napkin with him, [on which] Little Richard had written the words, ‘please, please, please’ on it and James was determined to make a song out of it.”

04: Bill Haley and his Comets – Rock Around The Clock​

A giant in 50s music, Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock” was first issued in May 1954 as a B-side. It was considered a commercial disappointment and a flop upon release, but in 1955 the track was used in the opening credits of the film Blackboard Jungle and it took off, eventually becoming one of the best-loved songs of the 50s.

03: Elvis Presley – Heartbreak Hotel​

Despite his monumental stature in 50s music, Elvis Presley liked to take inspiration from stories he read in the newspaper or heard on the radio. “Heartbreak Hotel,” for instance, was inspired by a newspaper article about the suicide of a lonely man who jumped from a hotel window. With humanity and empathy, Elvis turned it into one of his most memorable songs.

02: Little Richard – Tutti Frutti​

Almost everything in Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti” could have been described as absurd in the 1950s. With its wild refrain, consistently transcribed as “A-wop-bop-a-loo-mop-a-lop-bam-boom!” (a verbal rendition of a drum pattern that Little Richard had imagined), the song is quite literally a rhythmic onomatopoeia.

01: Chuck Berry – Maybellene​

Chuck Berry‘s first hit, “Maybellene” is considered one of the most seminal rock and roll songs in history. In fact, Rolling Stone magazine once went so far as to say “rock & roll guitar starts here.”


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KPop Demon Hunters is returning to UK cinemas to celebrate the first anniversary of the Netflix worldwide hit.

The animated production has smashed records as it became Netflix’s most watched film ever following its release last year. The movie told the story of a K-Pop girl group, HUNTR/X, who are music stars by day while hunting demons by night. The movie was praised for its humour, action, and memorable soundtrack.

The song ‘Golden’ from the movie has won two Oscars, a Grammy, and two Golden Globes, as well as topping the charts in more than 30 countries. The film recently launched a highly-anticipated collaboration with McDonalds in the US, and a live concert tour is on the horizon.

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The reception to the movie prompted Netflix, who generally avoid theatrical releases, to release the film for one weekend only in a series of cinema screenings, which generated over $24million (£17.9million) worldwide at the box office. Now, to celebrate one year since its release, the film is coming back to the big screen.

Between June 10-18, there will be sing-along screenings of the movie across the country, you can find your nearest showing here.

Last month, Netflix announced a global live tour which promised “a live experience that will bring elements of the two-time Oscar-winning film to life in spectacular ways.” The film also received the prestigious honour of getting a physical media release as part of the Criterion collection, one of the few animated movies to be included.

The singing stars of KPop Demon Hunters recently won a Women Of The Year Award at an event held by Billboard. During their acceptance speech, Rei Ami gave a blunt criticism of the music industry. “Being a woman in this male-dominated industry is honestly ass,” she said. “Sometimes we have to work twice as hard with a smile on our faces as the world nitpicks every part of our being”.

The post ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ returning to UK cinemas for one-year anniversary appeared first on NME.

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All the games coming to PlayStation Plus this June have been revealed – check out the full list below:

• READ MORE: How drone metal forged the year’s most stressful game soundtrack

As well as being able to access certain online features, PlayStation Plus subscribers get access to a constantly-evolving library of games that is updated every month.

After a controversial price hike that saw many users cancel their PlayStation Plus subscription, the Essential tier (which lets players access a select number of games) will now set you back £7.99 a month. Extra is available for £11.99 and gives subscribers access to Game Catalogue, a library of “hundreds of games from genre-defining blockbusters to innovative indies”. Premium adds more classic titles and game trials to the offering for £14.99 a month.

Earlier this month, a trio of games were confirmed for Essential subscribers – Grounded: Fully Yoked Edition, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 and Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. Now Sony has confirmed the Premium and Extra titles coming to PlayStation Plus this June.

PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium welcome a host of games this June:

Final Fantasy XVI

Sonic X Shadow Generations

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Life is Strange: Double Exposure

…and more. Full details: https://t.co/SJSgkp718b pic.twitter.com/VCPZidU7tN

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 10, 2026

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“This month, explore the once-prosperous dark fantasy world of Valisthea in the grip of a blight in Final Fantasy 16, spin dash through the dark past of the one known as the ultimate lifeform in Sonic X Shadow Generations, work your way up from a humble blacksmith’s forge in medieval Bohemia in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, or forge allies and pursue suspects across two versions of reality in Life Is Strange: Double Exposure,” reads a blog post.

The games coming to PlayStation Plus’ Premium and Extra tier this June 2026 are:​

• Final Fantasy 16 (PS5) – June 16 for Premium and Extra
• Sonic X Shadow Generations (PS4, PS5) – June 16 for Premium and Extra
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance (PS4, PS5) – June 16 for Premium and Extra
• Life Is Strange: Double Exposure (PS5) – June 16 for Premium and Extra
• Farming Simulator 25 (PS5) – June 16 for Premium and Extra
• Blades Of Fire (PS5) – June 16 for Premium and Extra
• Black Desert (PS5) – June 16 for Premium and Extra
• Gitaroo Man (PS4, PS5) – June 16 for Premium

The increased cost of PlayStation Plus has been blamed on “ongoing market conditions”.

In other news, Microsoft have revealed they’re struggling to make their new Xbox console (known as Project Helix) affordable due to a hardware “crisis”.

The post PlayStation Plus games confirmed for June 2026 appeared first on NME.

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There’s an old adage that says “all actors want to be rock stars and all rock stars want to be actors.” And in the case of Disclosure Day lynchpins Josh O’Connor and Eve Hewson, who play a couple on the run from government agents in Steven Spielberg’s gripping new sci-fi blockbuster, it’s certainly true.

• Read more: Disclosure Day review: Spielberg remains the master of sci-fi blockbusters

For proof, you only have to dig into their past. Hewson, daughter to a little-known musician by the name of Bono, formed several bands with her childhood friends in Ireland – before deciding she’d rather be in films than soundtrack them. And O’Connor’s teenage ensemble Orange Output (named after the garish guitar amplifiers at his Gloucestershire school) suggests a dormant desire to hit the road in a clapped-out Ford Transit van.

Read on, for more details on Hewson’s near-miss musical career and the drug-addled lyrics O’Connor cribbed from Pete Doherty – or watch the full video interview above.

Hey guys, what’s a notable note you got from Steven Spielberg?​

Josh O’Connor: “I’ve got a funny one… We were talking about a scene where [my character] Daniel’s emotions are really present – and I was questioning whether he allows them to come through. We were going back and forth [via text one evening]. And [he sent] this text saying “the door is on the latch. Just push.’ And I was like: ‘Wow, that’s perfect. His emotions are just there and I have to just push to let them come out.’

“But the next day I was telling Steven how inspiring his note was. And he looked so confused – and checked his phone… That message was for his wife about how to get in [to where they were staying!]”

And you, Eve?​

Eve Hewson: “Steven was always trying to get me to cry… I remember there was one day where I had to cry and… he asked Josh just before the take: ‘Will you give her a hug?’ He knew that I just needed a moment to relax and de-stress… He knows actors so well.”

JO: “Now I know that if you ever hug Eve, she bursts into tears! [laughs]”


Josh O’Connor and Eve Hewson in ‘Disclosure Day’. CREDIT: Universal Pictures

Speaking of Spielberg, have either of you ever had any close encounters of the third kind?​

JO: “I had a false alarm a few years ago. I was camping with my brothers and my best pals for a birthday. It was late at night and we were quite remote. We were looking up at the sky and we saw six stars, perfectly distant, moving straight across the sky. We freaked and then the next day we were looking it up and it was… the Tesla Starlink!”

EH: “I have never had any kind of alien experience. I’ve never even been visited by a ghost.”

Paul Mescal once told us a story about a haunted hotel he visited in Sligo, Ireland…​

JO: “Was he joking? He’s my friend, so… we’ll get to the bottom of it.”

EH: “The two of them together are like this beautiful little romance. They went for dinner every Sunday night when we were filming.”

@nme

Settle in for a Paul Mescal ghost story

#paulmescal #paulmescaledits #allofusstrangers #allofustrangersedit #paulmescalinterview #ghost #ghoststory #andrewscott #actor #film #fyp #foryoupage

♬ original sound – NME

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Josh, we read about your school days indie band Orange Output…​

JO: “Oh no… [O’Connor puts his head in his hands]. I was the singer-songwriter. I grew up in a place called Cheltenham Spa, in a very middle-class… perfectly lovely household. I had lovely parents and two very kind brothers.

“And at the age of 14, I wrote a lyric that went: ‘I’m addicted to crack, motherfucker.‘”

Where did you get that from?​

JO: “I didn’t know what crack was! I’d heard it on a Babyshambles record.”

Did you write any other lyrics?​

JO: “Yeah, I also wrote: ‘Sex and drugs and rock and roll/Kids walk past but walk too slow.’”

EH: “Profound.”

JO: “It is something that annoys most of us, right? Walk quicker!”

Eve, were you in any embarrassing bands?​

EH: “I was in bands, but I wasn’t in any embarrassing bands! They were really cool! It’s out there already but I was in a band called Ten Past Two, which was the time that I got out of primary school, with my best friend Sorcha Richardson who actually is a really successful singer-songwriter now. So I was onto something.”

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What kind of music did you play?​

EH: “We had a song called ‘She Only Wants You for Your Money’. And that was a big hit.”

Is there a reunion on the cards?​

EH: “I had a birthday party a few years ago in my backyard when COVID opened up again. It was, like, 50 people. All the festivals weren’t happening, so I threw my own festival. Everyone had to come dressed as their favourite rock star.”

Who did you go as?​

EH: “I was Björk. It was iconic. I had a headpiece. And my friend [Sorcha] came dressed as Ozzy Osbourne. And she got to do a few songs… She surprised me [on stage] and was like: ‘All right Eve, we’re getting the band back together. Get up here!’ And we did a rendition of ‘She Only Wants You for Your Money’.”

‘Disclosure Day’ is in cinemas now

The post “I’m addicted to crack, motherfucker!”: Josh O’Connor and Eve Hewson’s “embarrassing” school bands appeared first on NME.

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Taylor Swift and the Haim sisters have been spotted celebrating the Knicks’ victory after attending the NBA finals Game 4 against Spurs.

• READ MORE: Taylor Swift – ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’ review: magical when the songwriter just lets herself be

The moment took place yesterday (Wednesday June 10), as the New York basketball team overcame a 29-point deficit and secured a 107-106 win against the San Antonio Spurs – one of the biggest comebacks in NBA Final history.

In attendance at the game was Taylor Swift and her close friends and fellow pop icons Haim. They were seen with floor seats at the event, and wearing custom-made matching t-shirts that celebrated the team.

Swift’s shirt read “Stevie Knicks” referencing Fleetwood Mac icon Stevie Nicks, while Alana Haim’s read “Knickelback” in reference to the Canadian rock band, and Este Haim’s was a nod to Australian actress “Knickole Kidman”.

Taylor, 2/3rds of Haim, and Benson…

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— Danny Parlay (@Danny_Parlay) June 11, 2026

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Taylor Swift celebrating with the Haim sisters after the Knicks pulled off a 29-point comeback

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— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 11, 2026

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@taylorswift13! pic.twitter.com/PNvH7Uhc4B

— NBA (@NBA) June 11, 2026

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After the victory, the three of them were seen celebrating by jumping up and down and hugging, before going into a backstage part of the venue and partying with the crew. They also shared a video from the night, with them sat side by side in their matching t-shirts and singing along to Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’.

Others in attendance at the Madison Square Garden Knicks v Spurs game included Law & Order star Mariska Hargitay and Hollywood stars Ben Stiller and Timothée Chalamet.

Swift has been a longtime fan of the Knicks, spotted numerous times at their games throughout the mid 2010s, and more recently seen with fiancé Travis Kelce – tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs American football team – at the Eastern Conference Finals when the Knicks took on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Taylor Swift is hyped after the Knicks' 29-point comeback

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— espnW (@espnW) June 11, 2026

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security trying to protect her and meanwhile she dgaf shes too happy and too drunk

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— caio* (@mclr4n) June 11, 2026

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In 2014 she told Time that she would “love” the team regardless of how well or how poorly they were performing, and also added that she became a fan after she won a kids talent competition when she was 12, which allowed her to perform at one of their halftimes shows at Madison Square Garden.

In other Taylor Swift news, last week the singer shared ‘I Knew It, I Knew You’, a song she wrote and produced alongside Jack Antonoff specifically for the new Toy Story 5 film.

The track is written from the perspective of cowgirl Jessie, and it sees Swift going back to her country roots. Earlier this week, she joined Randy Newman to perform a duet of the classic song ‘You’ve Got A Friend In Me’ at the movie’s premiere.

Before the song dropped, it emerged that Disney had created a “decoy version” of the film to keep Swift’s involvement a secret, even from the cast and crew.

The post Watch Taylor Swift and Haim celebrate as they attend Knicks vs Spurs NBA final appeared first on NME.

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Foo Fighters have officially kicked off their 2026 European tour – take a look at the setlist and fan-filmed footage below.

• READ MORE: Foo Fighters – ‘Your Favorite Toy’ review: back to brawny basics

Following a series of intimate UK gigs – including a show at Shepherd’s Bush Empire – Dave Grohl and co. have officially begun their European tour in support of their brand new album ‘Your Favorite Toy‘.

The 2026 ‘Take Cover’ tour includes two nights in Liverpool set for June 25 and 27, and will also include their festival appearances at Mad Cool and NOS Alive festival. Support across various dates will include Royel Otis, Inhaler, IDLES, Otoboke Beaver, Fat Dog and Die Spitz. Get any remaining tickets here.

Now, the Foos have made their first stop at Norway’s Unity Arena yesterday (Wednesday June 10), where they opened with ‘All My Life’.

After playing crowd-pleasers such as ‘The Pretender’ and ‘Learn To Fly’, the band launched into an acoustic portion, which the band kicked off by playing ‘Wheels’. It was here that the Foos also brought back ‘Marigold’, the first time they’ve played the tune since 2010.

Grohl went on to play a solo acoustic version of ‘Big Me’, along with the beginning of ‘Times Like These’, before the song transitioned into the full band playing back as usual.






After that, they went on to play a number of cuts from ‘Your Favorite Toy’ including the title track, ‘Caught In The Echo’ and ‘Window’.

During ‘Tap Dancing in a Minefield’, Grohl also switched instruments with new drummer Ilan Rubin, so that Grohl was seated behind the kit and Rubin on the guitar. Fans of Rubin won’t be surprised at his talent on guitar, as he played every instrument on his solo album as The New Regime.

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After ending with ‘Best Of You’, the Foos returned to the stage for their encore, where they gave ‘The Teacher’ its tour debut and also played it for the first time with Rubin on drums. They rounded off their set with ‘Exhausted’ and their classic ‘Everlong’.

See the full setlist for their Unity Arena gig below:

Foo Fighters’ Unity Arena setlist is:​

‘All My Life’
‘Of All People’
‘The Pretender’ (with “Do It” jam in the middle)
‘Rope’
‘Stacked Actors’
‘These Days’
‘Walk’
‘My Hero’
‘Learn to Fly’
‘No Son of Mine’ (with Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades” snippet)
Acoustic
‘Wheels’ (Tour debut; full band acoustic)
‘Marigold’ (Late! cover) (first time live since 2010; full band acoustic)
‘Big Me’ (Acoustic; Dave solo)
‘Times Like These’ (Acoustic with Dave solo, then transitioned into full band)
‘Caught in the Echo’
‘Generator’
‘Your Favorite Toy’
‘Invincible / Tap Dancing in a Minefield’ (band introductions; Dave on drums and Ilan on guitar during “Tap Dancing”)
‘Monkey Wrench’
‘Hey, Johnny Park!’
‘Window’
‘Breakout’ (Tour debut)
‘Aurora’
‘This Is a Call’
‘Best of You’
Encore:
‘The Teacher’ (Tour debut; first time with Ilan)
‘Exhausted’
‘Everlong’


Last April, the Foo Fighters released their latest album ‘Your Favorite Toy’, which NME gave 3 and a half stars.

‘Your Favorite Toy’ is a few more tracks of that depth away from being the most vital Foo Fighters record since 1997’s ‘The Colour and the Shape’,” we wrote. “For now, at least, they have remembered that no-frills punk, played fast and loud, suits them much better than middle-of-the-road dad-rock.”

This is the Foos’ first tour with former Nine Inch Nails drummer Ilan Rubin, who became the Foo Fighters’ new sticksman following the firing of Josh Freese. Shortly afterwards, Nine Inch Nails confirmed that Freese had rejoined their band, having previously played with them from 2005 to 2008.

Rubin said playing with the Foo Fighters was an “obvious great fit”, adding: “As far as I knew, my contract ended on a date. After that, it was, what am I doing next? And when this happened and the opportunity presented itself and it was just an obvious great fit and a great thing for me.”

Elsewhere, watch Dave Grohl join Sepultura on stage for ‘Kaiowas’ jam as band announce last ever gig.

The post Here’s what Foo Fighters played as they kicked off 2026 European tour – bringing back ‘Marigold’ and switching up instruments appeared first on NME.

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