Welcome to this year’s edition of Rock Music Menu’s “New Year’s Resolutions for Rockers Who NeedThem,” where we offer some help to musicians who may have trouble thinking up goals for the coming 12months.
It’s not an easy job, but one we’re more than happy to take on because, hey, these folks arebusy.
Last year, we had a bittersweet resolution recommendation where we implored Ozzy Osbourne to “end itright” and do one more show in his hometown of Birmingham, England.
“But if he’s up for it and isn’t relegated to sitting down for the entirety of the performances, then it would be a fantastic note on which to end,” the suggestion read, adding that throwing in a Black Sabbath reunion in the mix would be an even better idea.
It all ended up coming to pass, with Rock Music Menu getting no credit, as the Back to the Beginning concert this past summer brought together the elite of rock ‘n’ roll and heavy metal to pay homage to the Ozz Man, from Metallica to Guns N’ Roses to Pantera.
It ended with Osbourne doing a set of solo material, followed by a reunion with the original Black Sabbath.
That he sat for the entirety of the performance only made things that much more powerful. And just over two weeks later, Ozzy was dead.
It doesn’t get any more poetic an ending for the Prince of Darkness.
Now, with such added gravity to go into this year’s proceedings, here are some nuggets of advice for ahandful of our favorite musicians, those who might be trying to figure out what to do, where to go, orwhich path to choose as they enter into 2026.
Metallica
Recommended: Play Sphere
Metallica has achieved almost everything there is possible in its four-decades-and-change career.
The band has won all the awards imaginable and received countless accolades, brought metal into themainstream, and played on all seven continents. Yes, even Antarctica.
But they haven’t played Sphere.
“It’s something that we’re considering. Nothing is etched in stone or green-lit,” Metallica co-founder LarsUlrich told Howard Stern over the summer. “It’s something that we’re looking at some point when the 2026tour is done.”
The drummer went on to praise U2’s opening residency, saying how “completely blown away” he was bythe innovative performance.
Now, Metallica has the chance to add to the groundbreaking legacy of thestate-of-the-art bubble venue in Las Vegas. They can be the first metal band to play Sphere.
“I would [expletive] love to do it,” Ulrich added. “It’s not signed, sealed, and delivered, but speaking to meand asking my opinion, I would [expletive] love to do it.”
It’s time to sign, seal, and deliver it, Lars, before someone beats you to the punch.
Guns N’ Roses
Recommended: Get “Chinese Democracy” Out
Speaking of Guns N’ Roses, last year we recommended they “give us a new album already.” While thatstill holds, it’s become clear after two “new” singles released in 2025 that Axl Rose isn’t doinganything fresh until all those “Chinese Democracy” leftovers are slowly piecemealed out to fans.
The endlessly delayed follow-up to the 1991 “Use Your Illusion” albums finally landed in 2008, with Rosethe only original member left in the group.
Depending on who you believe, there’s either a second album’s worth of material sitting in the can or a batch of extra tracks now being lightly tweaked with overdubs by bassist Duff McKagan and guitarist Slash.
Either way, the songs have been underwhelming. While singles like “Nothin’ ” and “Hard Skool” are fineenough, they sound like artifacts from a different era, and nothing like what Axl, Slash, and Duff shouldsound like together today.
It feels like Rose wants all that material he spent 13 years working on out in the world. Eventually.
But while we wait, precious time is being wasted that could be spent maximizing the talent of the classiclineup. Nobody’s getting any younger here, so let’s just dump all the “Chinese Democracy” in one fellswoop.
Then again, there’s probably a reason the current tour is titled “Because What You Want & What You GetAre Two Completely Different Things.”
Oasis
Recommended: Be Here Now (Again)
One of our 2024 resolutions that came true this past year was the reunion of Britpop titans Oasis, morethan a decade and a half after their breakup.
The reconvening itself wasn’t surprising. There was too much money on the table.
What was unexpected was just how good the “Live ’25” run turned out to be.
As the 41-date tour wore on, it became obvious there was something deeper happening between long-estranged brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher.
It wasn’t just a cash grab. Night after night, it felt like a genuine celebration of songs like “Wonderwall,” “Live Forever” and “Supersonic,” shared equally by the band and the audience.
Most importantly, there was a palpable love joining the notoriously quibbling siblings.
The problem? There wasn’t enough of it.
Only five U.S. shows across three cities left a lot of fans on the outside looking in.
Rock Music Menu even had to venture out to Chicago just to catch a gig. As well as things seem to be going between the Gallaghers, the States need more dates.
Cities like Philadelphia deserve an Oasis takeover where you can’t walk 5 feet without seeing a bucket hat and an Adidas tracksuit top.
Soundgarden
Recommended: Finish the Story
It’s been nearly nine years since Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell took his life, right in the midst of asecond run by the grunge pioneers.
Shellshocked as everyone was, it only made sense to call it a day immediately. There was a fantastic tribute concert, but there’s always been a lingering feeling of unfinished business for the fans.
Reports are that the remaining members of Soundgarden are putting the final touches on an album thatwas already in progress at the time of Cornell’s death, an LP that should see a release in the comingmonths.
Last year, the group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, with vocal duties on a trio ofsongs handled by Taylor Momsen of The Pretty Reckless, Brandi Carlile, and Cornell’s daughter Toni.
Momsen feels like the natural choice if the band decides to tour. She’s not only a massive fan, but alsoclose with Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil, bassist Ben Shepherd, and drummer Matt Cameron, thelatter of whom curiously, and amicably, stepped away from Pearl Jam earlier this year.
“The reality is I’m here for anything they want or need,” Momsen said following the Rock Hall ceremony.“If they call me, I’m there. It’s that simple.”
Putting out the album and making that call is something we can’t recommend enough.
AC/DC
Recommended: Unplug
Three years ago, in this very space, we advocated for AC/DC doing a farewell run. Over the past two years, that’s exactly what the legendary rockers did, playing all over the world, including select U.S. dates.
It could’ve been a storybook ending, closing out 2025 in guitarist Angus Young’s home country ofScotland, followed by 10 dates in the land that spawned the band, Australia.
Instead, they’ve added 28 more shows to the calendar. And that’s just playing with fire.
Young is the sole original member left, and 78-year-old frontman Brian Johnson has already dealt withserious health issues in recent years.
There’s no reason to risk tarnishing what should be a clean ending.
Unfortunately, the tour is scheduled to wrap in Philadelphia in September at The Linc, which makes this a difficult recommendation to make.
We want to see the “Thunder from Down Under” one last time. We also want to hold onto the memories.
If the cannons fire their final shots at the end of “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You),” great.
If not, we’ll be OK with that too.
Vinyl of the Week will return next week.
To contact music columnist Michael Christopher, send an email to rockmusicmenu@gmail.com.Also, check out his website at thechroniclesofmc.com.