The Ongoing History of New Music, episode 1069: 2025 in memoriam

What’s that line from Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon? “Shorter of breath / one day closer to death.” Eventually, though, that day will come for us all. The longer the age of rock continues, the higher the attrition rate. We’re seeing a slow acceleration of musicians leaving this world as old age, the results of decades of a not-so-healthy lifestyle, and other infirmities take them away. Occasionally, too, they’re taken by accidents and, occasionally, crime. I think we first noticed the beginnings of a slow-moving mass extinction in late 2015, when we lost Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots and Lemmy from Motörhead in less than a month. Then came 2016: David Bowie, Prince, Glenn Frey of the Eagles, a couple of members of Jefferson Airplane on the same day, Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, George Michael, and so many more. It was probably then that it dawned on us that our musical heroes were mortal. They were getting older. And looking back over my calendar from that year, I did dozens of media interviews about musicians who had passed on. Radio stations also started having me produce obituaries in advance so they could be ready with tributes the moment one was needed. I created about a hundred of them, and at least a third have been used. Last year, reality continued to tap us on the shoulder. And it’s time again to remember who we lost over those 12 months. This is 2025 in Memoriam, a tribute to rock stars who aren’t here to see 2026. Songs heard on this show:

• • Julee Cruise, Falling
  • The Jam, Going Underground
  • Rough Trade, High School Confidential (Fame Whore Mix)
  • Blondie, One Way or Another
  • The Alarm, Rain in the Summertime
  • Nitzer Ebb, Join in the Chant
  • Soft Cell, Tainted Love
  • Stone Roses, I Am the Resurrection

Eric Wilhite has a playlist for us. The Ongoing History of New Music can be heard on these stations. Don’t forget that there’s a podcast version, too, in case you miss any episodes. Get them for free wherever you get your podcasts.

• • 102.1 The Edge/Toronto – Sunday night at 7pm
  • Q107/Toronto – Sunday night at 9pm
  • Live 88-5/Ottawa – Saturdays at 9am and Sundays at 6pm.
  • 107.5 Dave-FM/Kitchener – Sunday nights at 11pm
  • FM96/London – Sunday nights at 8pm
  • Power 97/Winnipeg – Sunday nights at 10am and 10pm
  • 107-3 The Edge/Calgary – Sundays at 10am and 10pm
  • Sonic 102.9/Edmonton – Sunday at 8am and 8pm
  • The Zone/Victoria – Sunday at 8am and 9pm
  • The Fox/Vancouver – Sundays at 10anm and 10pm
  • The Goat Network/Interior BC
  • Surge 105/Halifax – Sunday at 7pm
  • WAPS/WKTL The Summit/Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Youngstown – Mon-Fri at 9pm

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