Allbutforgottenoldies.net Music News Digest: Week Of July 1, 2018

July 9, 2018 by Amy Gold

During the week of July 1, 2018, Cher debuted on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart at number 22 with her rendition of ABBA's 1976 smash hit, "Fernando," from the soundtrack of the upcoming movie musical, "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again."

Also that week, Rolling Stone released its list of the "100 Greatest Songs Of The Century So Far." "Blackstar" by David Bowie, the title song from his final studio album (2016), is among one of the top entries at #18. Bob Dylan comes in at #30 with his 2001 song, "Mississippi," and Johnny Cash's 2003 cover of "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails appears at #41.

A number of classic oldies albums made the Top 10 in the vinyl category of the latest edition of Nielsen Music's Mid-Year Report which tallies the best-selling music releases for the first half of 2018. Among the entries are Michael Jackson's "Thriller" (1982) at #4, Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" (1977) at #5, and The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band" (1967) at #10. Coming in at #3 is the soundtrack album, "Guardians Of The Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1," featuring songs by such top bands and artists from the 1970s as Blue Swede, David Bowie, Norman Greenbaum, and The Jackson 5.

Paul McCartney will soon launch a tour dubbed "Freshen Up" in support of his latest album, "Egypt Station." The first four shows will take place in Canada starting September 17, 2018 in Quebec City, QC and ending September 30 in Edmonton, AB, also covering Montreal, QC and Winnipeg, MB. Bad Company and The Marshall Tucker Band are among those to join Lynyrd Skynyrd as an opening act during the band's final run of farewell tour dates beginning September 28 in Rogers, AR. Also, Foreigner, Grand Funk Railroad, and Leo Sayer are among the many featured acts in the upcoming third annual '70s Rock & Romance Cruise which will set sail March 25, 2019 from Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Bruce Springsteen just officially released "The Roxy West Hollywood, CA," a widely bootlegged album that features a four-hour concert from July 7, 1978 at the famous venue. Also, a new live album titled "A Paranormal Evening With Alice Cooper At The Olympia Paris" that captures a performance by the shock rocker from December 7, 2017 will be coming out on August 31 in various formats.

Also that week, it was announced that a sing-a-long version of the classic animated Beatles movie, "Yellow Submarine," will be shown this July in select theaters across the country in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Also, "Wembley Or Bust," a concert film that captures a June 2017 show that ELO gave at Wembley Stadium near London, will make its TV premiere July 27, 2018 on Showtime.

Finally, fans bade a final farewell to Alan Longmuir (June 20, 1948 - July 2, 2018) and Vince Martin (March 17, 1937 - July 6, 2018). Longmuir was a founding member of the 1970s pop group, The Bay City Rollers, and served as the band's bassist. Martin was an early folk rock pioneer who had a hit with The Tarriers in 1956 with "Cindy, Oh Cindy."

(For more information about the above news items, please see below for a list of sources with links.)

Alice Cooper makes a surprise appearance in a new commercial for the 2018 Dodge Durango.