Louder: Weird Al is enjoying his rock-star moment

July 19, 2025

	By Caryn Ganz

I was lucky enough to catch Weird Al Yankovic at Madison Square Garden last Saturday night (and then the Wu-Tang Clan this past week: Both truly are for the children). Melena Ryzik described the scene at Yankovic’s Bigger & Weirder Tour, as captured by the photographer Peter Fisher in a really lovely feature produced by our photo guru, Amanda Webster.

Our critics were busy explaining the new Justin Bieber album and a major multiday Drake appearance at a British festival (Jon Caramanica), and bringing you 10 new songs and news of a trove of new Woody Guthrie recordings (Jon Pareles).

Grayson Haver Currin profiled Patty Griffin at a pivotal moment; Robert M. Marovich did the same with the gospel star Tasha Cobbs Leonard. And Ravi Mattu caught up with Bob Geldof on the 40th anniversary of Live Aid.

Peter Fisher for The New York Times

Weird Al Is Enjoying His Rock-Star Moment

At his sold-out Madison Square Garden debut, pop culture’s foremost song parodist was feeling the love.

THE CRITICS

In a black and white image, a heavily tattooed man seated on a floral couch holds a diapered baby over his head. Only the baby’s legs and feet are visible.

Renell Medrano

Critic’s Pick

Justin Bieber Awakens His Old Soul

“Swag,” a new album of dreamy beats and unexpected collaborations, eschews formulaic pop to lean into the singer’s R&B instincts.

By Jon Caramanica

Drake onstage holding a microphone to his face, with smoke traces of fireworks around him and fans seen on video screens.

Emli Bendixen for The New York Times

Critic’s Notebook

Drake Returns Robustly, With Reinforcements

The Canadian superstar headlined all three nights of London’s Wireless Festival, showing off his range, reach and a glimpse of how he intends to leave his Kendrick Lamar beef in the past.

By Jon Caramanica

Two men standing beside each other perform on a stage. The man on the right cups a mic in both hands as he sings with his eyes squeezed shut. On the left, a man with long hair looks down as he strums an electric guitar.

Amy Harris/Invision, via Amy Harris, via Invision, via Associated Press

The Playlist

Nine Inch Nails Revisits the ’80s, and 9 More New Songs

Hear tracks by Robert Plant, Amanda Shires, Blood Orange and more.

By Jon Pareles

THE AMPLIFIER NEWSLETTER

A tattooed woman in a cutout top sings into a microphone onstage.

Songs for the Heat of Peak Summer: Welcome to Lizard Season

Hear 10 songs from yeule, Momma, Four Tet and more.

By Reggie Ugwu

FEATURES

Musician Woody Guthrie poses for a portrait with his guitar circa 1941.

Michael Ochs Archive, via Getty Images

More Woody Guthrie Songs? Yes, From a Trove of Homemade Recordings.

A new, intimate album will include 13 previously unheard songs and a rewrite of “This Land Is Your Land.”

By Jon Pareles

Patty Griffin sitting forward with her hands together on a brown leather sofa.

Eli Durst for The New York Times

Patty Griffin’s Life Fell Apart. Rebuilding Gave Her Music a Jolt.

During the last 16 years, the singer-songwriter lost her voice, her parents and her relationship. She captures her period of crisis and rebirth on “Crown of Roses.”

By Grayson Haver Currin and Eli Durst

Tasha Cobbs Leonard smiling in a purple-lit room while resting her hand on a piano.

Will Crooks for The New York Times

The Gospel Star Tasha Cobbs Leonard Takes a New Leap: A Studio Album

Inspired in part by a book she published last year, the singer and songwriter reveals more of herself on “Tasha,” an album blending gospel and pop.

By Robert M. Marovich

Bob Geldof wearing a black T-shirt and white jeans.

Chris Hoare for The New York Times

40 Years After Live Aid, It’s Still Personal for Bob Geldof

The rock star-turned-activist reflects on the 1985 benefit concert and why it could not happen now.

By Ravi Mattu

Putting Stars in the Sky With a Halftime Stage

The men’s World Cup final next summer will feature a halftime show for the first time. So FIFA got some practice during another important match at MetLife Stadium.

OBITUARIES

A black-and-white photo of the Bergmans, seated at a piano and looking at the camera. They both have their left elbows on the piano.

Lennox McLendon/Associated Press

Alan Bergman, Half of a Prolific Lyric-Writing Team, Dies at 99

With his wife, Marilyn, he wrote the words to memorable TV theme songs and the Oscar-winning “The Way We Were” and “The Windmills of Your Mind.”

By Anita Gates

Wearing a red dress, she stands in a record store and holds a copy of what looks like her own album in her left hand. Her right hand rests on her head.

Curt Gunther/TV Guide, via Everett Collection

Connie Francis, Whose Ballads Dominated ’60s Pop Music, Dies at 87

From 1958 to 1964, she was the most popular female singer in the United States, selling 40 million records with tunes like “Who’s Sorry Now” and “Where the Boys Are.”

By William Grimes

An unshaven Billy Jones, wearing a t-shirt, arms outstretched with a record in one hand, sitting in a chair with shelves of records behind him.

Robert Blair

Billy Jones, Impresario of New York’s Indie Music Scene, Dies at 45

He opened Baby’s All Right and three other nightclubs, a restaurant and a record store in a dozen years, helping the city maintain its cultural verve.

By Alex Traub