Month In Rock: May 2025

Isaac Carpenter

5/1 New GN’R Drummer Makes His Debut

Guns N’ Roses kick off its 2025 world tour at Incheon, South Korea’s Songdo Moonlight Festival Park. The concert marks the band’s first live appearance with new drummer Isaac Carpenter, who replaced Frank Ferrer, the longest-serving drummer in GN’R’s’ legendary career.

Green Day

5/1 Green Days Gets A Star

Green Day receive a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. The band’s star is located at 6212 Hollywood Boulevard, near Amoeba Music.

“Green Day’s music has not only inspired generations but also served as the soundtrack to our lives,” offered Walk Of Fame producer Ana Martinez.

Puddle Of Mudd’s “Kiss The Machine”

5/2 Puddle Of Mudd Deliver “Kiss The Machine”

“There’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears in this record,” noted frontman Wes Scantlin (pictured above). “We wanted to mix and match different styles together, have fun, and just create something fresh. It’s all about pushing boundaries and breaking out of the same old vibe.”

Puddle Of Mudd formed in Kansas City in ’91. Scantlin is the only founding member still with the band.

Nothing More

5/3 Nothing More Tops The Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart

“House On Sand” marks the third #1 from Nothing More’s “Carnal” album. The track features I Prevail’s Eric Vanlerberghe. “Angel Song,” and “If It Doesn’t Hurt” were the first two #1s from “Carnal.”

David Lee Roth

5/3 Van Halen’s David Lee Roth Returns

Roth plays his first full solo concert in more than five years at the M3 Rock Festival in Columbia, Maryland.

He opens his set with “Panama” and closes with “Jump.” Both songs are from Van Halen’s “1984” album.

Adam Jones

5/5 Wrestler’s Entrance Music By Tool Guitarist

Mexican WWE wrestler Penta comes to the ring accompanied by the sound of Tool’s Adam Jones on guitar.

The masked wrestler made his walk to the ring while much heavier than the usual music played.

Sharon Den Adel

5/6 Within Temptation Present “Invisible Force”

The documentary “Within Temptation: The Invisible Force” premieres exclusively on YouTube.

The film follows band founders Sharon Den Adel (pictured) and Robert Westerholt as they become increasingly involved with the Ukraine war. A distant solidarity soon evolves into direct action, on stage and beyond.

Brad Arnold

3 Doors Down

5/7 3 Doors Down Singer Battling Stage 4 Cancer

Brad Arnold reveals that he is battling clear cell renal cell carcinoma, or ccRCC, a type of kidney cancer.

“I’d been sick a couple of weeks ago and then went to the hospital and got checked out and had actually got the diagnosis that I had clear cell renal (cell) carcinoma that had metastasized into my lung,” the 46-year-old Arnold stated in a video message.

When ccRCC spreads to other parts of the body, treatment is more difficult and the five-year survival rate is about 10%.

Linkin Park

5/8 Linkin Park Are In The SoundExchange Hall of Fame

The honor recognizes the innovative band who is one of the most streamed acts in the organization’s 20-plus-year history of administering digital performance royalties.

Sean Kinney

5/8 Medical Emergency Cancels Show

Alice In Chains is forced to cancel its concert at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT after drummer Sean Kinney suffers “a non-life-threatening medical emergency.”

A week later, Kinney reports “”The good news is that I’m going to be fine and I’m going to live.”

Arcade Fire’s Pink Elephant

5/9 Arcade Fire Issues “Pink Elephant”

Featuring the track “Year Of The Snake,” it is the Canadian Indie Rock band’s the seventh studio album.

The 10-song set “of cinematic mystical punk,” is their first in three years. It was recorded in New Orleans and produced by bandmembers Win Butler and Régine Chassagne alongside Daniel Lanois (U2, Bob Dylan).

Sleep Token: Even In Arcadia

5/9 Sleep Token’s “Even In Arcadia” Drops

Sleep Token’s fourth album features the single “Emergence.”

Only two of Sleep Token’s pseudonymous members — singer Vessel and drummer II — are credited as having played on or composed music for the band’s three previous albums.

Candlemass: Black Star

5/9 Candlemass Releases “Black Star” EP

Candlemass is celebrating their 40th anniversary with a four-track EP.

“Not all bands get to see their 40th birthday and it certainly hasn’t been an easy ride,” commented the band’s Leif Edling. “But many ups and downs later, we stand here as survivors, veterans even… a bit scarred perhaps? Still ready though to unleash another piece of doom-laden Metal upon an unsuspecting world. It’s been fun recording some new stuff as well as covering a couple of old favorites.”

Lemmy Statue

5/9 Lemmy Immortalized

 Motörhead founder and bassist/vocalist Lemmy Kilmister is honored and immortalized during at the “Lemmy Forever” Stoke-On-Trent ceremony.

 Motörhead’s Phil Campbell attends to place Lemmy’s ashes in a statue created by local sculptor and Motorhead fan, Andy Edwards.

Whiskey A Go Go

5/9 Dump Truck Takes Out The Whiskey

A dump truck smashes into the side of the famed Whiskey A Go Go music venue in West Hollywood.

The truck had been left been in park on a hilly residential road that borders one side of the club when careens down the hill. No injuries are report but the night’s shows are cancelled.

David Draiman & Sarah Uli

5/9 Disturbed’s David Draiman Proposes

The frontman proposes to his girlfriend, Sarah Uli, on stage during the band’s concert in Sacramento, CA.

A surprised and emotional Uli says ‘yes’.

Ghost: Skeletá

5/10 Ghost Tops Billboard 200

Ghost’s “Skeletá” reaches #1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 86,000 U.S. equivalent album units earned in the set’s first week of release. 

The band’s sixth studio album is the first Hard Rock effort to reach the top spot on the album survey since AC/DC’s “Power Up” in ’20.

“Skeletá,” “described as Ghost’s “most unflinchingly introspective work to date” follows the band’s ’22 studio album “Impera.”

Disturbed

5/10 Disturbed Back Top

Disturbed’s “I Will Not Break” had a three-week run atop the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart in April before being knocked off by Nothing More’s “House On Sand.

In something that doesn’t happen all that often, “I Will Not Break” returns to the top of the Mainstream Rock chart.

Crossfade

5/10 Crossfade Returns

Crossfade play their first show since 2012. The Alternative Metal/Post-Grunge band delivers a 45-minute set on the Citadel Stage at the Sonic Temple Arts & Music Festival.

Despite the lengthy spell oof inactivity the band denies they ever broke up. But have reunited.

Kid Rock & Trump

5/10 Kid Rock Shuts It Down

Kid Rock’s Big A– Honky Tonk Rock N’ Roll Steakhouse in Nashville, operated by a separate entity, is shuttered after employees unauthorized to work in the U.S. fail to show up for work and those who turned up are told any undocumented workers should leave the premises to avoid being caught by ICE.

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Scott Shriner & Jillian Lauren Shriner

5/13 Jillian Lauren Shriner, Wife Of Weezer’s Scott Shriner Faces Felony Gun Charges

Shriner – a bestselling author – pleads not guilty to discharge of a firearm with gross negligence and assault with a semiautomatic firearm while police were chasing a person fleeing an auto accident. If convicted, she faces up to 19 years in prison.

Candice Night & Ritchie Balckmore

5/13 Blackmore’s Night is Inducted Into The Long Island Music And Entertainment Hall Of Fame

The former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Balckmore and his wife Candice Night are honored. Night, a Long Island native, accepts the induction on behalf of Blackmore’s Night. Blackmore, who moved to Long Island in the ’80s is unable to attend for health reasons.

Bruce Springsteen

5/14 Bruce Springsteen Kicks Off Tour Slamming Trump

The Boss tells a Manchester, England audience that President Trump is “incompetent and treasonous.”

“Tonight we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experience to rise with us, raise your voices against the authoritarianism, and let freedom ring,” Springsteen tells the crowd.

Andy Bell

5/15 Oasis Tour Announces Addition

The first confirmation of a band member joining the Oasis reunion tour is bassist Andy Bell who was in the band from ’99 to ’09 playing bass, rhythm guitar and finally keyboards.

The tour will launch in July in England, Scotland and Ireland. U.S. tour dates begin in late August.

Brian Burkheiser

5/15 I Prevail Lose Brian Burkheiser

I Prevail announce the “mutual” parting of ways with vocalist Brian Burkheiser.

Burkheiser handled the clean vocals since the band’s formation but was forced to step away from the group’s touring activities due to his battle with Eagle’s syndrome (characterized by pain in the face, neck, and throat).

Seth Meyers & Friends

5/15 Legends Of Classic Rock In Starbucks Commercial

The ad, with Legends of Classic Rock (former members of Great White, Quiet Riot, White Lion, Alice Cooper, David Lee Roth and Winger), appear on an edition of NBC’s “Late Night With Seth Meyers” to promote the introduction of Starbucks’ new iced energy drink line.

Ronnie James Dio

5/15 Dio Honored

A memorial concert for Ronnie James Dio is held at Bibliotek Live in Stockholm, Sweden. The non-profit charity event which supports Cancerfonden, the Swedish Cancer Society, features all-star performances of Dio classics.

Dio died of stomach cancer in 2010.

Sleep Token

5/16 Sleep Token Is #1 (In The U.K.)

The band scores their first #1 U.K. album with “Even In Arcadia.”

Spotify says “Even In Arcadia” is also their top new album.

A BBC host adds the album is “a groundbreaking Rock record”

Bono

5/16 Bono Film At Cannes

“Bono: Stories of Surrender” premieres at the Cannes Film Festival.

The film features Bono performing many of the U2 songs that shaped his life and legacy. It is based on Bono’s celebrated memoir, “Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story,” 

The documentary receives a 6½-minute ovation after its premiere,

Sleep Theory: Afterglow

5/16 Sleep Theory Presents “Afterglow” 

The Memphis band’s debut album contains “Stuck In My Head” their first #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. It was their third song to land on the chart following “Fallout” (#2 last August) and “Numb” (#9) in January ’24).

Sleep Theory formed in ’20 with vocalist Cullen Moore, guitarist Daniel Pruitt, bassist Paolo Vergara, and drummer Ben Pruitt. 

Josh Freese

5/16 Foo Fighters Drop Josh Freese

Two years after he was recruited to fill the vacancy left by the late drummer Taylor Hawkins, Freese shares a statement on Instagram saying the Foo Fighters called him earlier this week to let him know that they had decided “to go in a different direction with their drummer.” Freese adds, “No reason was given. “

Volbeat

5/17 Volbeat Rules

“By A Monster’s Hand” is at the top of Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. It’s the band’s eleventh song to reach #1 on the chart.

“By A Monster’s Hand” is the lead single from “Gods Of Angels Trust,” Volbeat’s ninth studio album. 

Riv’s

5/18 Springsteen Cover Band Gets Cancelled

No Surrender, a Bruce Springsteen cover band, were booked for a May 30th show at Riv’s Toms River Hub in Toms River, NJ. But then the venue owner changed his mind after the real Springsteen openly criticized Donald Trump.

Tony Rivoli, who owns Riv’s, texted the band’s frontman, Brad Hobicorn that the concert would have done well “but now because Bruce can’t keep his mouth shut we’re screwed.”

Beastie Boys

5/21 Beastie Boys Settle

Beastie Boys and Universal Music Group have settled their lawsuits against the parent company of Chili’s that claimed the restaurant used the group’s “Sabotage” in social media ads without permission.

One of the provisions in the late founder Adam Yauch’s will was inserted to block the use of the trio’s music in advertising. 

U2

5/22 U2 Receives Honor

U2 receives the Fellowship of the Ivors Academy at London’s Grosvenor House.

Frontman Bono takes the opportunity to call for and end of the war between Hamas and Isreal.

The Fellowship Award recognizes excellence and impact in the art and craft of music creation.

Daniel Williams

5/22 Fromer Devil Wears Prada Drummer Dies

Daniel Williams, the former drummer for Metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada, dies in a fatal plane crash in San Diego. The 39-year-old was in The Devil Wears Prada from 2005 to 2016.

The small private jet lost engine control and crashed into the residential area.

James Lowe,

Psychedelic Rock Pioneer Dies

Singer James Lowe, of The Electric Prunes, dies at age 82.

The band is best remembered for the 1966 psychedelic song, “I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)” (complete with guitar feedback played backwards), which peaked at #11 on the Billboard pop chart (2/67).

Skunk Anansie: The Painful Truth

5/23 Skunk Anansie Drop “The Painful Truth”

The band’s seventh studio album represents a rebirth.

“I don’t care that we were big in the Nineties,” offers vocalist Skin. “Creatively it’s irrelevant because in my Rock bible the first commandment states, “If thy rest on them laurels, thy shall wither up and die artistically, musically, mentally. And then financially.'”

The album was produced by David Sitek of TV On The Radio fame.

Hinder: Back To Life

5/23 Hinder Is “Back To Life”

Hinder’s seventh studio album is the first without rhythm guitarist Mark King. He left the band in 2021.

“Back To Life” is their first album on Evil Teen Records – after signing with the label last year and their first full-length effort since “The Reign” in ’17.

The set features the singles “Live Without It,” “Everything Is A Cult,” “Bring Me Back To Life” and “Bad Decisions.”

Sleep Token

5/25 Sleep Token’s Fourth Album Is #1

“Even In Arcadia.” is #1 on the Billboard 200.

The set, which is the English Rock band’s major-label debut, garners 127,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release marking it Sleep Token’s best week ever and the biggest week by units for any Rock album in nearly a year, and the largest for any Hard Rock album in two years.

Goo Goo Dolls

Jordan “Jutes” Lutes * Demi Lovato

5/25 Goo Goo Dolls Are A Wedding Band

Linkin Park

5/26 Linkin Park Is An American Music Award Winner

Linkin Park takes the Favorite Rock Song honor at the American Music Awards with “The Emptiness Machine.” They beat out Green Day’s “Dilemma,” among others. Twenty On Pilots won Favorite Rock Artist and Favorite Rock Album.

5/26 Rick Derringer Dies

Remembered for “Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo” and “Hang On, Sloopy” dies “peacefully” in Ormond Beach, FL after being taken off life support. 

He was 77.

5/27 In Flames Part With Drummer

The band announces the departure of drummer Tanner Wayne.

“It is with profound gratitude and appreciation that we announce our creative decision to part ways with Tanner Wayne,” writes the band on social media. “We wish him nothing but the best,” writes the band on social media.

Wayne stepped into In Flames following the departure of Joe Rickard,

Queen

5/27 Queen Honored

Queen is honored during the annual Polar Music Prize ceremony at the Grand Hôtel in Stockholm, Sweden.

For three decades, the Polar Music Prize has recognized pioneering musical legacies.

Simon Dawson

5/27 Iron Maiden Debuts New Drummer

Iron Maiden kicks off their “Run For Your Lives“ world tour in Budapest, Hungary.

It’s the first live appearance with new drummer Simon Dawson, who replaced longtime drummer Nicko McBrain.

Metallica – The Black Album

Master Of Puppets

5/28 Metallica Receives Multi-Platinum Certifications

Metallica’s self-titled fifth album (aka “The Black Album”) has been certified 20 times platinum (sales of 20 million copies) while the band’s third full-length effort, “Master Of Puppets” has been certified eight times platinum (sales of eight million copies).”

“Master Of Puppets,” the last album to feature bassist Cliff Burton, was released in 1986. “Metallica” (“The Black Album”) dropped five years later.

The RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) certification of “Metallica” puts the album on the same level as Green Day’s “Dookie” and Shania Twain’s “Come On Over.

Metallica

Josh Klinghoffer

5/28 Guitarist Josh Klinghoffer Is Sentenced To Probation 

The former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist accepts a no-jail plea deal to resolve allegations he failed to yield while driving and accidentally struck and killed a pedestrian last year. 

He appears in a Alhambra, CA courtroom, and pleads no contest to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.

Garbage: Let All That We Imagine Be The Light

5/30 Garbage “Let All That We Imagine Be The Light”

The band’s eighth album follows the ’21 release “No Gods No Masters.”

“The title of the album is the perfect descriptor for this new record as a whole,” noted singer Shirley Manson (pictured above with the band).

“When things feel dark it feels imperative to seek out forces that are light, positive and beautiful in the world.”

Bono: Stories of Surrender

5/30 “Bono: Stories Of Surrender” On Apple TV+

“Bono: Stories of Surrender,” visual exploration of Bono’s one-man show by the same name, premieres globally on Apple TV+.

The film is based on Bono’s memoir, “Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story,” and the accompanying book/theatre tour.

Linkin Park

5/31 Linkin Park Rises “Up From The Bottom”

Linkin Park’s “Up From The Bottom” owns the top spots son Billboard‘s Alternative Airplay and Mainstream Rock Airplay charts. It’s the band’s 14th chart topper on Alternative Airplay survey.

“Up From the Bottom” is on the deluxe version of “From Zero.”

Aerosmith’s Steven Tylar

5/31 Steven Tyler’s “Dream On” Piano Auctioned

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler’s stage-played “Dream On” keyboard sells for $130,000 during the “Music Icons” auction at the Hard Rock Cafe in NYC’s Times Square. Nearly 700 items are on the Julien’s Auctions block during the two-day event .