Always a pleasure to talk with Rhiannon Giddens about whatever she has going on. In this case, it's about a beautiful album she has coming out in September, "Hope Is the Thing With Feathers," that is quintessential Rhiannon. variety.com/2026/music/n... @rhiannongiddens.bsky.social @variety.com

My review of Dylan's great new tour (which is like the previous tour in most key ways, and that's not a bad thing)... Bob Dylan Erects a Watchtower in the Desert With Moody, Magisterial Show at Palm Springs’ Acrisure Arena: Concert Review variety.com/2026/music/c... via @variety.com

Jimmy knew a joke could only surprise an audience once. If something was off en route to a great line he'd shout "Bup bup bup!" to cut the actors off, then go back so a big laugh wasn't wasted on a bad take. Writers loved him for that. And for lots of other reasons too. We will all miss him. 5/5

Happy birthday Paul. This is an 80 best songs list I did when he was turning 80. I meant to update it to 84 picks today, and thought about adding my favorite from "Dungeon Lane," but I didn't get it done. Is there anything from the album you would add? variety.com/lists/paul-m... via @variety.com

An accounting of a great John Prine tribute I headed east to catch... At ‘Songwriters Salute John Prine’ Tribute at Wolf Trap in Virginia, Emmylou Harris, Margo Price, Allison Russell and Others Press the Case for Prine as America’s Poet Laureate variety.com/2026/music/n... via @variety.com

Glad to catch up with Sara Bareilles and her director to discuss this terrific film... Sara Bareilles and Director Josh Alexander on Turning Loss Into Musical Magic in the Tribeca-Premiering Documentary ‘Good Grief’ variety.com/2026/film/ne...

Scott Pelley has provided @status.news a statement blasting current CBS News management and even accusing them of having tried (and failed) to "inject falsehoods and bias" into his stories. www.status.news/p/scott-pell...

Scott Pelley is no fool. He could have left earlier. He could have stuck around. He picked the most opportune moment to strike the biggest blow on behalf of truth and journalism. Whatever happens next, hijackers of CBS and 60 Minutes can’t wrap themselves in the brand’s hollowed out credibility.

I long for the 1940s, when children could walk around unattended at night, and attend — witttingly or otherwise — jazz improv sessions

The Onion has labored for decades now under the delusion that headline writers don't use contractions. For me that's just a comedy killer...

My review of 'Brigadoon' at the Pasadena Playhouse... variety.com/2026/music/r...

Bob Dylan turns 85 Sunday. Five years ago, some of us came up with a list of the 80 best cover versions of Dylan songs for Variety, so this seems like a fine time to resurrect that... And here's a bonus list of 50 more! 50 More of the Best Bob Dylan Covers Ever Recorded variety.com/lists/best-b...

I reviewed the Paul McCartney album... variety.com/2026/music/a...

This is wonderful

An excerpt from an NPR interview with Stephen Colbert, in which Colbert describes why he loves Elvis Costello's "Jump Up," performed tonight on the last Late Show.

Got to talk a little with Al, Bruce and Mike this week... variety.com/2026/music/n...

Has Raye Already Broken Into the Pantheon of Great 21st Century Entertainers? This Year’s Smashing Tour Has Told the Tale variety.com/2026/music/c...

Variety reports some good news variety.com/2026/music/n...

My chat with Rita Wilson about her new album and many things musical. ... Rita Wilson on Her ‘Sound of a Woman’ Album, Growing Up a Music Lover in L.A. and the Advice From Nora Ephron and Bruce Springsteen That Kickstarted Her Second Act variety.com/2026/music/n...

I had a few late thoughts about the wonderful Lily Allen tour that just wrapped up in the States (and will resume in bigger venues in the fall)... Lily Allen’s One-Woman Show Is the Least Populous Pop Tour of the Year. Is It Also the Best? variety.com/2026/music/c...

Here he is @cwillman.bsky.social open.spotify.com/playlist/2cc...

It's not too early to embrace Kacey Musgraves as one of the greats. Here's my cover story on her and her excellent sixth album... Kacey Musgraves’ Country Homecoming: The Singer on New Album ‘Middle of Nowhere,’ Ending Miranda Lambert Feud… and Embracing Self-Pleasure variety.com/2026/music/f...

Super interesting pop culture piece here about how (not) to depict pop stars in music. (Can confirm The Ballad of Wallis Island and Stereophonic were both excellent.)

My interview with Ringo about his very enjoyable, T Bone-produced "Long Long Road" album, which came out Friday, and a few other fun topics we got onto, like the origins of his name (which he insists was not actually cowboy movie-inspired). variety.com/2026/music/n...

Here's my essay about why nearly every fictional music movie is a dud — the latest being "Mother Mary." If, like me, you spend time wondering why "Hurry Up Tomorrow," "The Moment," "Trap," etc. are such an insult to music fans' intelligence, read along and commiserate... variety.com/2026/music/c...

A guide to some of the hotties you can pick up at Record Store Day today. (Scroll past the annotated list of about 35 highlights if you want to see the full list of 355 titles.) variety.com/lists/record...

Here's my report on the Paul McCartney listening session at Andrew Watt's place, for you Macca-heads out there, you know who you are. variety.com/2026/music/n...

I did a profile of a high school... Hollywood High, which this week has been hosting Mitski's five-show residence. I was fascinated to get access to the school's museum, devoted to alumni ranging from Lana Turner and Judy Garland to the Real Don Steele to Edward Dmytryk. variety.com/2026/music/n...

Noir City Hollywood starts tonight at the Egyptian. Here is the detailed preview I did with Eddie Muller and Alan K. Rode about the entire festival, ICYMI. Music figuring prominently on-screen in most or all of these films truly gives this year's festival a unique spin. variety.com/2026/film/ne...

So exciting to announce and talk about Tift Merritt's first new album since 2017, "Sugar." If you love her, as I know many of my friends do, you'll want to read all about it. variety.com/2026/music/n...

Here's an exit interview I did with @RockyCOfficial about coming to terms with leaving the "NCIS" cast after 18 years... ‘NCIS’ Shocker: Rocky Carroll Tells All on His Unexpected [SPOILER] and Playing Director Vance for Nearly Two Decades variety.com/2026/tv/news...

Glad to have Pacific Electric coming on to the L.A. club scene as a potentially valuable addition at the 750-capacity level. I talked with the man behind it, Ben Lovett, who divides his time between running a live business and being keyboardist for Mumford and Sons. variety.com/2026/music/n...

My review of an excellent Shaggs documentary that premiered at SXSW this weekend. variety.com/2026/music/r...

Rest in peace, Steve Hibbert. variety.com/2026/film/ob...

What a singer, what a performance... In a Thrilling U.S. Headlining Debut at the Troubadour, Sienna Spiro Shows Why She’s About to Become the World’s Next Pop Vocal Superhero: Concert Review variety.com/2026/music/c...

Who's going to the United Theater in L.A. tonight to see Al Jardine and the Pet Sounds Band perform "The Beach Boys Love You" in its entirety for the first time? Here's a Q&A I did with Al and Darian Sahanaja about the road to playing some or all of this material live... variety.com/2026/music/n...

I loved the "Amadeus" that is now running at the Pasadena Playhouse. Here's my Variety review. I hope you get a chance to see it before March 15 if you're at all inclined. variety.com/2026/music/r...

My semi-epic Q&A with Baz Luhrmann about "EPiC." Read it and see it... Viva Baz Vegas! Baz Luhrmann on the Burning Love That Went Into ‘EPiC’: ‘We Are Giving Elvis the World Tour He Dreamed Of, Playing on the World’s Biggest Screens’ variety.com/2026/music/n... via @variety.com

I love "Here Lies Love," and even without the full-immersion production that was done on Broadway in 2023, the show stands up. I was glad to write about the Mark Taper production that just opened, even if I didn't go quite as crazy on the reporting as three years ago... variety.com/2026/music/n...

It'd been a long time, a really long time, since I talked with @amygrantofficial.bsky.social, and I was glad to catch up, finding her at least as thoughtful and conscience-driven as ever. variety.com/2026/music/n...

The Beach Boys love you, and I love the Beach Boys loving you. variety.com/2026/music/n...

Glad to have talked with August Ponthier again. Do yourself a favor and check out their new album. variety.com/2026/music/n...

Megyn Kelly just shouting “FOOTBALL IS OURS” at Piers Morgan about Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl show is the perfect example of this moment in time. Put it in a time capsule and send it out into space.

I'm grateful Brandi Carlile took time in advance of the Super Bowl to talk about about what "America the Beautiful" means to her, as an American, queer person, activist, person of faith and Seahawks superfan. variety.com/2026/music/n...

My story on Elon Musk cutting safeguards at xAI is on the front page of today's @washingtonpost.com. I’m also among 100’s of reporters laid off. I absolutely loved my job my brilliant coworkers & the thrill of reporting @ the center of forces upending the world: AI & Silicon Valley’s political power

Ok y'all. Whats going on is making me cry on the regular. It feels weird to be here at the GRAMMYs - but I want to honor the music of my ancestors by playing it- we gonna do some busking tomorrow, come say hello if you’re in town for the shindig.

I made predictions in the top four categories at the Grammys. I'm foreseeing some love being shared, between Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, "Golden" and Olivia Dean. ... Final Grammy Awards Predictions: variety.com/lists/2026-g... via @variety