• Kevin Spacey, Tony Bennett and Boyz II Men Honor Billy Joel for Library of Congress Special [WATCH]

    An all-star lineup showed up to pay tribute to Billy Joel in November and the PBS special aired last night (Jan. 2). The singer-songwriter received the prestigious Gershwin Prize for Popular Song by the Library of Congress. Boyz II Men, Kevin Spacey and Tony Bennett performed a few choice numbers while LeAnn Rimes, Josh Groban and Natalie Maines also joined in on the celebration. Joel took the stage for some of his tunes as well.
  • AC/DC's Brian Johnson Joins Billy Joel for 'You Shook Me All Night Long' at NYE Gig [WATCH]

    Billy Joel rang in the New Year at the Amway Center in Florida, saving one big surprise for midnight. AC/DC's Brian Johnson joined the New York native on stage for a heavy rendition of his band's classic "You Shook Me All Night Long." The crowd could not have been happier. Joel got up from his piano for this one and slung a guitar around his body for the 1980 tune from "Back in Black." Johnson howls in the clip below, via Ultimate Classic Rock, as Joel and his band play a spot-on cover. The crowd freaks out at the end of the song, knowing too well that they just witnessed two of rock's best slay an awesome song. Previously, Johnson stopped by Madison Square Garden in March to perform the tune with Joel. The Piano Man also took on "Highway to Hell" in August with Dead Daisies frontman Jon Stevens. Everyone in the rock realm seems to be showing some love for AC/DC as of late. Gov't Mule collaborated with Slash and Myles Kennedy New Year's Eve on an entire set made famous by the Australian rockers. The setlist included "Shoot to Thrill," "T.N.T." and "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap." Check it out here.
  • The Hollywood Reporter's Best Music Books of 2014: Nonfiction(?) on The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac and More

    Happy New Year! If you're anything like us, you've about had enough of every website publishing its own Top 10 of everything for the year and of certain Sirius stations playing the same countdowns every day during your commute and watering down an otherwise diverse channel. The Hollywood Reporter has down the unthinkable and published a list of the best books (?!?) of the year, all of which deal with the topic of music. Check out a brief summary below and then head to your local library or bookstore.
  • Lady Gaga, "The Boss," Usher Perform for Sting, Al Green at '14's Kennedy Center Honors

    Sting, Al Green and Tom Hanks were among some of the artists who received recognition at last night's Kennedy Center Honors ceremony Dec. 7. The 2014 class also included ballerina Patricia McBride and comedian Lily Tomlin. Earth, Wind & Fire, Jennifer Hudson, Usher and Mavis Staples performed a few of Green's hits, while Lady Gaga and Bruce Springsteen celebrated Sting. According to "USA Today's" coverage, Stephen Colbert opened the show by taking a respectful jab at politics and pop culture, which he is always ready to do. "Tonight, Washington puts the arts above politics, because no matter what party you belong to, everyone wants a selfie with Tom Hanks," he said.
  • AC/DC SiriusXM Channel Goes Live Nov. 26 Before 'Rock or Bust' Release

    AC/DC will be the next act to get its own, temporary SiriusXM channel. AC/DC Radio will air tomorrow, Nov. 26, through Sunday, Dec. 7, on Channel 25. Midway through the exclusive run, the band's new album, "Rock or Bust," will be released Dec. 2, and the station will be playing cuts from it, the band's back catalog and tunes usually heard on the Classic Rewind rock channel, Blabbermouth noted. A conversation with frontman Brian Johnson and legendary axeman Angus Young will air Thursday, Nov. 27, at 12 p.m. The Town Hall installment will have the boys answering questions about their career from a SiriusXM audience of die-hard fans. It will be moderated by producer Brendan O'Brien, who worked on "Rock or Bust" and 2008's "Black Ice." Visit the Town Hall website for more information. AC/DC dropped music videos for "Play Ball" and the title track recently, and fans can stream the new album over at iTunes in advance of its release.
  • Billy Joel Defends Taylor Swift as New York City's Tourism Ambassador

    Hey, New York, Billy Joel wants you to be nice to Taylor Swift. The "Piano Man" is not happy with the way some of The Big Apple's press have been treating the "Shake It Off" singer after she became the city's tourism ambassador last month. Joel, a Long Island native, does not care that Swift is from Pennsylvania and spent the majority of her career in Nashville. He welcomes her with open arms. "I see the New York press going, 'Taylor Swift is going to be the new New York representative?'" the singer told "USA Today." "You snoots. Let her in. That's what New York is all about. I say, 'Welcome.'" Swift made the announcement in October about her new position on "Good Morning America," "Rolling Stone" noted. "I'm still learning, but I'm so enthusiastic about this city that when I love something, I'm very vocal about it," she said. "New York was a huge landscape for what became this album. It's affected my life in ways I'm not even aware of fully."
  • Billy Joel Growls 'Maybe I'm Amazed' for 'The Art of McCartney' [LISTEN]

    Billy Joel brings some New York swagger to the classic Paul McCartney jam "Maybe I'm Amazed" in the latest shared audio from "The Art of McCartney." The Piano Man picked a winner for the tribute album of tunes the former Beatle wrote. Joel adds a little growl to the rendition with his aged voice, but the track still maintains its subtle gentleness. When he starts out, Joel sounds like his 1977 self on "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," but it does not take long for the singer to turn it up a notch. Listen to the cover below. Joel also took on "Live and Let Die" for the album, out Nov. 18, bringing the same ferocity to the tune, "Rolling Stone" reported.
  • 8 Pairs of Songs with the Same Title: Which is Better?

    While musicians can be sued if they plagiarize lyrics or melodies, song titles are pretty much fair game, resulting in a ton of songs with the same name. I’ve decided to stack up some of the best songs that share titles and see which is better. These might seem like arbitrary comparisons based on a coincidence, but so are “Best of the Year” lists, and those are cool.
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