Foreigner was (finally) inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame a few months ago, and now the band has received another laurel. It was announced last week that Foreigner has joined Spotify’s “Billions Club” with one billion streams of the 1984 ballad “I Want to Know What Love Is.” The press release noted that the song is “one of the few tracks by a heritage [I suppose that means ‘old’] act to reach a billion streams milestone.”
That makes sense when one considers that Spotify users tend to skew younger, demographically speaking. The Beatles, the Stones, Queen, AC/DC, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles all have over one billion Spotify streams, but legendary acts like Pink Floyd, The Who and Bob Dylan have yet to surpass the one billion mark.
So, you may wonder, which of the whipper-snapping young punks have the most streams on Spotify? Glad you asked. Topping the list at 4.6 billion streams is The Weeknd (“Blinding Lights”), followed by Ed Sheeran (“Shape of You”) and Lewis Capaldi (“Someone You Love”). The first “heritage” band (OK, I’ll use Spotify’s terminology) to appear on the list is Queen (“Bohemian Rhapsody”) at number 36 with 2.6 million streams.
Back in my day (“Here we go, Boomer,” the kids are saying), we didn’t have streaming services like Spotify to quantify listenership, we just had the Billboard charts. But if we had data on turntable activity, I bet I would have counted for at least 10,000 spins with “Exile on Main St.” alone. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go holler at some kids who are on my lawn.
Ticket Alert
Here’s some big news! If you didn’t get enough Beyoncé during her halftime show during the Texans game on Christmas Day, her “Cowboy Carter” tour will hit NRG Stadium for two nights, Saturday, June 28, and Sunday, June 29. You can register for the artist presale until 7a.m. this Thursday. Those presale tickets will go on sale Tuesday, February 11, with the general sale on Friday, February 14. The sign up link is right here. Good luck!
Bill Kirchen (formerly of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen) and The Hounds will perform on Saturday, April 19, at the Mucky Duck. If you swoon to the sound of a twangy Telecaster, this is the show for you. Tickets are on sale as we speak.
It must be frustrating for a musician to have terms like “best kept secret” and “unsung” applied to him. Such is the case with guitarist Greg Koch, a guy who can do it all – rock, blues, country chicken picking and even a bit of jazz fusion to keep things interesting. You gotta like a guy whose signature Reverend guitars are available in colors like Kochwork Orange and Blucifer. Tickets are available now for Koch’s show at the Continental Club on Thursday, May 1.
This just in: Blues guitar phenom Christone “Kingfish” Ingram will play at the House of Blues on Thursday, May 15, along with Samantha Fish. Those with the proper presale codes or a Live Nation decoder ring can access the presales now, and the rest will be able to purchase tickets on Friday.
The Willie Nelson Outlaw Festival bypassed Houston last year, but this time around we get not only Willie but Bob Dylan, the Avett Brothers, the Mavericks and Tami Neilson all on one bill at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. The concert is set for Sunday, July 6, which makes me think that some folks may need to take Monday off to extend the holiday weekend. A gaggle of presale opportunities is available now, with the general sale on Friday.
After slogging through the British post-punk landscape of the late ‘70s, the Psychedelic Furs emerged as darlings of MTV with songs like “Love My Way” and “Pretty in Pink,” which was featured in the John Hughes film of the same name in 1986. The Furs will perform on Saturday, July 12, at the House of Blues, with presales in progress now and peasant sales on Friday. And feel free to dress up as either Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer or Andrew McCarthy. I doubt that you will stand out in the crowd.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that country singer Lainey Wilson has been blowing up over the past several years. She has released of string of best-selling albums (most recently Whirlwind), won an armload of awards (Country Music Association, Grammy, Academy of Country Music), and appeared on the television series “Yellowstone.” You can catch her act on Saturday, September 20, at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Presales are up now, with the general sale set for Friday.
Concerts This Week
Adventurous music fans will want to check out Zoë Keating’s performance on Thursday at the Heights Theater. Keating plays the cello, but this won’t be any Yo-Yo Ma concert. She utilizes a variety of modern electronics to layer the sounds of her instrument, producing music that is both atmospheric and compelling. Keating has shaken up the classical music world over the past decade or so, and that’s not a bad thing.
A Carolyn Wonderland show is, at this point, much like having a favorite cousin come to visit. Well, that is, if your favorite cousin sings up a storm and plays the hell out of the guitar and lap steel. The whole Hee-Haw gang will be gathering on Saturday at the Continental Club, and a seated section will be available for those who are of a certain age.
The story of Los Tigres del Norte began many years ago, but it is totally relevant today. In the late ‘60s, the members of the band crossed the border from Mexico into California, settling near San Jose, where they began making records. The band’s name comes from the term “tigres” that immigration officers used to characterize them. Throughout a successful career, much of the Tigres’ material has realistically reflected the experience of Mexican immigrants coming to the United States. Los Tigres perform on Saturday at the Smart Financial Centre.
Those who came to know Larry Gatlin’s music during his multi-platinum days during the ‘80s will welcome the opportunity to hear the country music legend in an intimate environment on Sunday at Main Street Crossing in Tomball. Gatlin may be in his 70s, but he can still bring it.
