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Ryan J. Downey

Longtime journalist and manager, as seen and/or read: Billboard, MTV News, The Hollywood Reporter, MSNBC, Loudwire, and more.

OZZY OSBOURNE ‘Honored’ By Second Rock Hall Induction

OZZY OSBOURNE is among the 2024 Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame inductees, this time in recognition of his solo career.  It's the second such honor for Osbourne, who was inducted alongside the rest of the original BLACK SABBATH line-up in 2006. (Ozzy, rather famously, once asked to have Sabbath removed from consideration in 1999, calling it "meaningless.")  In an email to Billboard, the 75-year-old heavy metal icon said that becoming one of Rock Hall's multiple nominees "feels big. I'm more than honored."  “I definitely wouldn’t say I was confident” about solo success, he added, noting that the 2021 induction

April 21st, 2024|News Updates, Rock|

GREEN DAY Land Ninth Mainstream Rock No. 1 with ‘Dilemma’

GREEN DAY scored their ninth No. 1 single on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart with "Dilemma." It marks the Bay Area, California trio's second consecutive number-one hit after "The American Dream is Killing Me."  Both songs appear on the band's fourteenth album, Saviors, which arrived on January 19.  Watch the "Dilemma" music video here. 

April 21st, 2024|News Updates, Rock|

BAD OMENS Goes Platinum

The BAD OMENS single "Just Pretend" was just certified platinum by the RIAA for digital sales and streams in excess of 1 million.   The smash rock hit, which originally went gold in July 2023, has continued to be a success on Billboard's Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, among other places.  "Just Pretend" was written and produced by the band's own Noah Sebastian and Joakim Karlsson. Sebastian revealed in an interview with NME that it began as a parody of "butt rock" radio hits:  "At the time, I was frustrated with people in my ear talking about, 'Oh, you need to

April 18th, 2024|News Updates, Rock|

Kansas City’s 101 The Fox Mourns Brian ‘Slacker’ Adams

Earlier today, 101 The Fox (KCFX-FM) in Kansas City released a statement about the passing of longtime afternoon host Brian "Slacker" Adams, who died last night (Tuesday, April 16th) after a valiant battle against cancer. Slacker, a 33-year veteran of Kansas City radio, was on-air at 101 The Fox for the last 16 years. He was 59.   "It is with a broken heart that we share with you that our friend Slacker has passed away due to complications from AML.   His wife Jennifer and daughter Brianna were with him at home as he left this life. We know you’ll

April 17th, 2024|News Updates, Rock|

POP EVIL Now Have FIVE Gold Singles

Pop Evil adds another gold plaque to their proverbial wall with “Waking Lions.”    The lead single from the Michigan Hard Rockers' 2018 self-titled album was just certified gold by the RIAA.    The complete list of Pop Evil's gold singles is as follows:  “Waking Lions” (MNRK Music Group) released 2017 / certified gold 2024 “100 in a 55” (Republic Records) released 2008 / certified gold 2022  “Trenches” (eOne Music) released 2013 / certified gold 2021  “Footsteps” (eOne Music) released 2015 / certified gold 2021 “Torn to Pieces” (eOne) released 2014 / certified gold 2020  All but “100 in a

April 16th, 2024|News Updates, Rock|

FIREHOUSE Classic Enters Digital Sales Chart

As fans mourned the passing of C.J. Snare, who died on April 5, his band’s biggest hit entered Billboard’s Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart for the first time.    “Love of a Lifetime,” co-written by the FireHouse singer and guitarist Bill Leverty, appeared on the group’s 1990 self-titled debut.    FireHouse’s third single (and first-ever power ballad) broke into the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1991 and peaked at No. 5 a few months later.   It was also a hit in Australia and Canada and cracked the Billboard Adult Contemporary Top 40.    “Love of a Lifetime” was

April 16th, 2024|News Updates, Rock|

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Leaps Up Active Rock Chart

Five Finger Death Punch is the biggest gainer on the Active Rock chart this week, jumping 19 spots to No. 16 with “This is the Way,” the Las Vegas hard rock band’s collaboration with the late DMX. "This is the Way" is also No. 1 this week on Billboard's Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart.  Linkin Park’s “Friendly Fire” is No. 1 with 2206 spins, according to the Mediabase chart for April 9 - 15.  Foo Fighters' “The Glass” falls from No. 1 to No. 3, with Green Day’s “Dilemma” moving up a single spot to No. 2.  This week’s

April 16th, 2024|News Updates, Rock|

Week of 04/15/24

Happy Birthday wishes to Andie Cox (RIAA/GRAMMYs), Patrick Judge (Demon Hunter), and rock photographer Kevin Estrada (04/15); Kat Corbett (SiriusXM) and Niki Baldinger (Warner Music Group) (04/16); booking agent Tobbe Lorentz (04/17); Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), Jeff Tortora (Bang Tango), and Glenn Drennen (Fireflight) (04/20); and Christian "CC" Coma (Black Veil Brides) (04/21). 

April 15th, 2024|Birthdays, Rock|

BILLY MORRISON & OZZY OSBOURNE ‘CRACK’ Mainstream Rock Top 30

BILLY MORRISON's collaboration with OZZY OSBOURNE cracked Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart this week.  "Crack Cocaine," which also feature's Morrison's longtime BILLY IDOL bandmate, STEVE STEVENS, debuts at No. 28.  Other new entries on the chart include P.O.D.'s "Afraid to Die" (featuring JINJER's TATIANA SHMAYLUK) at No. 38 and SET IT OFF's "Fake Ass Friends" at No. 40.  Earlier today, the Ozzman and ex-THE CULT bassist Morrison announced a forthcoming series together called The Madhouse Chronicles. The show will see the pair talking about conspiracy theories, UFOs, drugs, and rock n' roll. Head over to osbournemediahouse.com for more information. 

April 9th, 2024|News Updates, Rock|

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