Latest Music News 16-07-25
by Mike Bell
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From lost guitars and pop-up gigs to major reissues and new museum spaces, it has been an unusually eventful year for fans of classic and alternative music. Today's headlines feature The Rolling Stones, Nick Cave, The Beatles, David Bowie, and Fleetwood Mac—each with a new twist on their legacy. As always, I’ve highlighted how these updates link back to the discography maps I design, offering visual timelines for the music we keep returning to. Here's what’s been happening.
The Rolling Stones – The Guitar That Came Back After 50 Years
In one of the most surreal headlines of the month, a guitar stolen from The Rolling Stones in the early 1970s has resurfaced, on display, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Billboard covered the story, and it’s already a favourite among Stones obsessives.
There’s also word of a new album in the works, though no summer tour is planned just yet. Still, that’s remarkable longevity.
👉 See their journey in my Rolling Stones Music Map, every studio album and every band member’s path traced visually.
Nick Cave – Grinderman Revived, Live in Paris on Screen
Nick Cave remains as active as ever, this time reviving his Grinderman catalogue with a complete reissue series announced in May. If that wasn’t enough, a concert film—Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: Live in Paris, premiered back in March.
Between intense side projects and deep archives, Cave’s career is one that never really stays still.
👉 Follow the arc of his work, from Bad Seeds to Grinderman, in my Nick Cave Discography Map.
The Beatles – Milestones, McCartney, and White Vinyl Incoming
Beatles fans have a lot to digest this season. Paul McCartney played a surprise gig at the Bowery Ballroom in New York—intimate, unannounced, and widely shared. And with the 60th anniversary of A Hard Day’s Night coming up, a white vinyl edition is on the way (October 19, 2025).
The 2023 editions of the Red and Blue compilation albums are still available for those who want to catch up.
👉 Explore their entire discography in one place with the Beatles Music Map.
David Bowie – A New Home for a Legacy
The V&A East Storehouse opens its David Bowie Centre this September, offering fans a permanent archive of his life and work, including stagewear, lyrics, performance art, and everything in between.
At the same time, a moving piece from People magazine quoted Live Aid founder Bob Geldof, crediting Bowie’s 1985 performance with a significant spike in donations.
👉 Relive Bowie’s evolution with my Studio Album Map.
Fleetwood Mac – Celebrating 50 Years of the 1975 Classic
Fleetwood Mac’s iconic 1975 self-titled album, featuring Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham for the first time, is now certified 9x platinum. That milestone is being celebrated widely, with a new book on Rumours coming this November titled Don’t Stop: Why We (Still) Love Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours.
It’s another reminder of how much this band continues to resonate across generations.
👉 Walk through every era visually with the Fleetwood Mac Discography Map.
How Social Media Amplifies the Legacy
To keep fans in the loop, each of these news items has been turned into quick-fire daily posts across X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Threads, and Facebook—always using the right hashtags and visuals to boost reach. Some examples:
Flashback! A guitar stolen from The Rolling Stones over 50 years ago has been found at the Met in New York! #RollingStones #MysterySolved #RockHistory
Happy 50th anniversary to Fleetwood Mac’s 1975 album! Now certified 9x platinum. #FleetwoodMac #MusicMilestone #ClassicRock
These short, high-engagement posts help fans connect with legacy news while also keeping the artists and their discographies visible in the scroll.
Why This Matters Now
Even in a music world dominated by algorithms and streaming, physical moments, such as a museum opening or a vinyl reissue, bring back a sense of connection. They remind us why we care in the first place. The maps I create tap into that same instinct, rooting stories in something visual, tangible, and lasting.
And when major news like this hits, it only reinforces the relevance of these visual timelines. Music history doesn’t fade. It re-surfaces on a wall, in a feed, or at a gig.
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