Welcome to this year’s edition of “New Year’s Resolutions for Rockers Who Need Them,” where we offer some help to musicians who may have trouble thinking up goals for the coming 12 months. It’s not an easy job, but one we’re more than happy to take on because, hey, these folks are busy.
Last year, we had a bittersweet resolution recommendation where we implored Ozzy Osbourne to “end it right” 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 for some reason, as the Back to the Beginning concert this past summer brought together the elite of rock and 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 a handful of our favorite musicians, those who might be trying to figure out what to do, where to go, or which path to choose as they enter into 2026.
WHO: METALLICA
RECOMMENDED RESOLUTION: PLAY SPHERE
Metallica has achieved almost everything there is possible in their four-decades-and-change career. They’ve won all the awards imaginable and received countless accolades, brought metal into the mainstream, 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 Lars Ulrich told Howard Stern over the summer. “It’s something that we’re looking at some point when the 2026 tour is done.”
The drummer went on to praise U2’s opening residency, saying how “completely blown away” he was by the innovative performance. Now, Metallica has the chance to add to the groundbreaking legacy of the state-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 me and 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.
WHO: GUNS N’ ROSES
RECOMMENDED RESOLUTION: GET CHINESE DEMOCRACY OUT
Speaking of Guns N’ Roses, last year we recommended they “give us a new album already.” While that still holds, it’s become clear – after two “new” singles released in 2025 – that Axl Rose isn’t doing anything 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 Rose the 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 fine enough, they sound like artifacts from a different era – and nothing like what Axl, Slash, and Duff should sound 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 classic lineup. Nobody’s getting any younger here, so let’s just dump all the Chinese Democracy in one fell swoop.
Then again, there’s probably a reason the current tour is titled “Because What You Want & What You Get Are Two Completely Different Things.”
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WHO: OASIS
RECOMMENDED RESOLUTION: BE HERE NOW (AGAIN)
One of our 2024 resolutions that came true this past year was the reunion of Britpop titans Oasis, more than 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 damn 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 five feet without seeing a bucket hat and an Adidas tracksuit top.
WHO: SOUNDGARDEN
RECOMMENDED RESOLUTION: FINISH THE STORY
It’s been nearly nine years since Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell took his life, right in the midst of a second 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 that was already in progress at the time of Cornell’s death, an LP that should see a release in the coming months. Last year, the group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, with vocal duties on a trio of songs 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 also close with Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil, bassist Ben Shepherd, and drummer Matt Cameron – the latter 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.
WHO: AC/DC
RECOMMENDED RESOLUTION: 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 of Scotland, 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 with serious 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 this coming 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 okay with that too.
A version of this article appears in this week’s print and online editions of my syndicated Rock Music Menu column under the title “New Year’s resolutions for AC/DC, Oasis, Soundgarden, more“
The Chronicles of Michael Christopher 
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