Latest news with #Rock&RollUniverse
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fact Check: Claim Paul McCartney visited Phil Collins in hospital hits a bum note
Claim: In early August 2025, former member of The Beatles Paul McCartney visited musician Phil Collins in a hospital and performed "Hey Jude" for him. Rating: In early August 2025, a rumor circulated online that The Beatles legend Paul McCartney visited Genesis drummer and frontman Phil Collins in a London hospital and performed "Hey Jude" for him on his guitar. For example, on Aug. 3, a Facebook page called Rock & Roll Universe shared the claim (archived), amassing more than 88,000 reactions and more than 16,000 shares of its post as of this writing. The post featured two images of McCartney embracing Collins in what appeared to be a hospital room and another showing the former Beatle playing guitar while the Genesis star was resting in a hospital bed surrounded by medical staff. The caption read: This afternoon, London's hospital halls fell unusually silent as Paul McCartney quietly arrived, carrying the same old guitar that had followed him through decades. On the fifth floor, Phil Collins lay still — frail and pale after months battling severe complications from spinal and heart conditions. As Paul entered the room, Phil's eyes slowly opened, his lips trembling without sound. Without a word, Paul sat down and began to strum "Hey Jude" — gently, with deep emotion. Each lyric poured warmth into the sterile room, moving the nurses to tears, while a single tear slid down Phil's cheek. When the final chord faded, Paul took his old friend's hand and whispered, "We're still a band, even if the only stage left is life itself." The story has since spread among musicians like a final love song between two legends. (Rock & Roll Universe/Facebook) The rumor appeared elsewhere on Facebook (archived) and on Instagram (archived). Some posts featured links in top comments leading to articles hosted by WordPress blogs, such as one advertisement-filled story hosted on a website called Snopes readers also emailed us to ask whether the claim was true, with one noting that the social media posts contained "suspicious-looking images." However, searches of Bing (archived), DuckDuckGo (archived) and Google produced no evidence of any news media outlets reporting on a story about McCartney visiting Collins in a hospital and serenading him with "Hey Jude." Prominent news media outlets would have widely reported this moment if it were true. Rather, the person or people who wrote the story fabricated the entire tale as one of hundreds of inspirational tales about music legends. They aimed to earn advertising revenue on websites linked from the aforementioned Facebook posts. As we will lay out later in this article, the story about McCartney visiting Collins in hospital amounted to fiction. An examination of the Rock & Roll Universe (archived) Facebook page's posts revealed multiple indications of images and text generated using artificial intelligence (AI) software. For example, one post (archived) featured an image of singer-songwriter Bob Dylan singing on Collins' bedside. However, Sightengine, an AI-detection website, determined that there was a 99% probability that someone "likely" generated the image with AI. There were also signs that the image of McCartney playing the guitar was AI-generated. First, he was holding the instrument as if he were right-handed, despite being known to play left-handed (archived). Second, the guitar only had five strings, despite acoustic guitars having six strings. In addition, McCartney's right hand only appeared to have three fingers and a thumb. Snopes contacted a manager of the Rock & Roll Universe Facebook page to ask about the fictional stories displayed on its feed and we will update this story if we receive more information. Separately, Snopes also reached out to Collins' representatives to inquire about his current health status. In late July 2025, People magazine reported (archived) that he was recovering from knee surgery, though it did not specify whether he remained hospitalized. We will update this article if we receive a response. These stories all very much resembled glurge, which defines as "stories, often sent by email, that are supposed to be true and uplifting, but which are often fabricated and sentimental." For further reading, Snopes previously reported on another story claiming that Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant built shelters for victims of the Texas floods in early July "Glurge." Accessed 6 Aug. 2025. Huberman, Bond and David Emery. "Snopestionary: What Does 'Glurge' Mean?" Snopes, 21 Aug. 2021, Accessed 6 Aug. 2025. Emery, David and Jessica Lee. "4 Tips for Spotting AI-Generated Pics." Snopes, 16 Apr. 2023, Accessed 6 Aug. 2025. Shan, Cindy. "Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant visited Texas to build shelters for flood victims?" Snopes, 14 July 2025, Accessed 6 Aug. 2025. The Structure of the Acoustic Guitar：Six Strings, Each with a Higher Pitch - Musical Instrument Guide - Yamaha Corporation. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025. Kolgraf, Jackie. "14 of the Greatest Left-Handed Musicians, from Jimi Hendrix to Kurt Cobain." SiriusXM, 9 Aug. 2023, Accessed 6 Aug. 2025. Kaplan, Ilana. "Phil Collins Recovering from Knee Surgery in Hospital amid Hospice Care Speculation, Rep Confirms." People, 28 July 2025, Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
No, Taylor Swift & Bruce Springsteen Didn't Perform After Donald Trump's Comment
After Donald Trump made critical comments about and Bruce Springsteen, rumors regarding the two music stars performing together in defiance of the businessman-turned-politician started spreading like wildfire. However, with both artists having a massive fan following, users on the internet have come out to question if such an event actually took place. So, here's everything you need to know about whether Swift and Springsteen joined hands to conduct a concert in response to Trump's criticizing statements. At the time of writing, Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen have not taken to the stage with one another. Additionally, the two stars haven't shared any information regarding a potential collaboration in the near future. Speculation about the pair coming together for a performance started to take shape after Facebook accounts such as Rock N' Roll Mania and Rock & Roll Universe shared posts claiming that Swift and Springsteen had organized a duet concert. Falsely noting that they did so in order to respond to Donald Trump, the said posts read, 'When Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift took the stage together, it wasn't just a duet—it was a statement. As the two icons stood shoulder to shoulder, the arena erupted in thunderous applause, drowning out the noise of viral criticism that had trailed them online.' The posts even mentioned that the pair received a massive reaction from the live audience, with fans weeping, cheering, and holding up signs that read, 'We Stand With You.' However, such assertions have since been debunked. The photos used in the aforementioned posts actually showcased the artists performing on two separate occasions. While the featured Bruce Springsteen snippets highlighted his performances from his November 2022 and April 2023 concerts, the one highlighting Taylor Swift was from her November 2023 show in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Moreover, the source links provided under these posts either redirected users to random websites or to videos of Springsteen and Swift performing on their own. Such rumors began to make their way onto the internet after Donald Trump took to Truth Social to issue searing remarks about both Springsteen and Swift. While Springsteen wasted no time in replying to the Republican politician, Taylor Swift has yet to provide an official statement regarding the situation. The post No, Taylor Swift & Bruce Springsteen Didn't Perform After Donald Trump's Comment appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fact Check: Photos 'proving' Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen performed together after Trump's attacks taken in separate locations
Claim: Musicians Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift performed on stage together in "defiance" of U.S. President Donald Trump, who criticized them on Truth Social. Rating: In May 2025, a Facebook post claimed popular musicians Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift performed together in a concert after U.S. President Donald Trump targeted them for criticism. Trump had written a series of posts about them on his official Truth Social account. Trump's attacks prompted Facebook posts in mid-May 2025 from accounts like Rock N' Roll Mania and Rock & Roll Universe claiming that Springsteen and Swift banded together in a performance in "defiance" of his criticisms. The posts stated: When Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift took the stage together, it wasn't just a duet—it was a statement. As the two icons stood shoulder to shoulder, the arena erupted in thunderous applause, drowning out the noise of viral criticism that had trailed them online. Backed by the full force of the US Musicians Union, who declared their "solidarity" with the artists, this moment became about more than music—it was about unity, defiance, and respect for artistry. Fans wept, cheered, and held up signs reading "We Stand With You," turning the performance into a powerful rebuke of negativity. In that electric moment, Swift and Springsteen didn't just sing—they roared back with grace, grit, and video below (Facebook user Rock & Roll Universe) The post on Rock & Roll Universe had more than 140,000 reactions and more than 7000 comments as of this writing. In the comments for both posts, the same accounts linked to articles on websites called newsanchor360 and karkpost that automatically redirected us to advertisements and unrelated pages. Swift and Springsteen did not perform a concert together in response to Trump's criticisms or for any other reason. The photographs in the above post don't show a real concert where they were onstage at the same time, but rather show the singers performing on separate occasions, including one of Swift performing in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in November 2023, and two of Springsteen performing in November 2022 and April 2023. As such, we rate this claim as false. A simple search of major newspapers and magazines showed that Springsteen and Swift did not perform together in the aftermath of Trump's comments. Had they performed together as an act of "defiance," it would have made headline news. The claim originated from a Facebook page known for posting incorrect stories and AI-generated images of famous musicians. The articles on newsanchor360 and karkpost also didn't provide video footage of this so-called "performance," linking instead to clips of Springsteen and Swift on different occasions. One of the clips was from Springsteen's concert from May 14, 2025, in Manchester, United Kingdom. In it, Springsteen said: In my home, the America I love, the America I've written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration. Tonight, we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experiment to rise with us, raise your voices against authoritarianism and let freedom ring! The newsanchor360 and karkpost articles also linked to a YouTube video of Swift performing a cover of Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark." The two artists have long expressed admiration for one another. Like Springsteen, Swift has also been critical of Trump. Before the 2020 elections, she wrote on X: "After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence? 'When the looting starts the shooting starts'??? We will vote you out in November." On May 16, 2025, Trump wrote a post on Truth Social calling Springsteen "a pushy, obnoxious JERK" and a "dried out prune of a rocker (his skin is all atrophied)," adding the rock star should keep his mouth shut until he reenters the country. In a separate May 16 post, he wrote: "Has anyone noticed that, since I said "I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT," she's no longer "HOT?" On May 19, Trump criticized Springsteen again, this time for his support of Trump's Democratic opponent in the 2024 election, former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris: "HOW MUCH DID KAMALA HARRIS PAY BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FOR HIS POOR PERFORMANCE DURING HER CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT? WHY DID HE ACCEPT THAT MONEY IF HE IS SUCH A FAN OF HERS? ISN'T THAT A MAJOR AND ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION?" One thing the newsanchor360 and karkpost articles reported correctly was that the American Federation of Musicians labor union stood by Swift and Springsteen in the face of Trump's condemnation. The union wrote in a statement on May 16: The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada will not remain silent as two of our members—Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift—are singled out and personally attacked by the President of the United States. Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift are not just brilliant musicians, they are role models and inspirations to millions of people in the United States and across the world. Whether it's Born in the USA or the Eras Tour, their music is timeless, impactful, and has deep cultural meaning. Musicians have the right to freedom of expression, and we stand in solidarity with all our members. Angermiller, Michele Amabile. "Bruce Springsteen Invites Taylor Swift to Guest on Tour: 'She's Welcome on E Street Anytime.'" Variety, 15 Nov. 2022, Accessed 20 May 2025. "Bruce Springsteen Postpones 8 September Shows over Health Issue." NBC News, 7 Sept. 2023, Accessed 20 May 2025. "'Dried out Prune'? 'Corrupt' and 'Incompetent'? It's Getting Nasty between Springsteen and Trump." AP News, 20 May 2025, Accessed 20 May 2025. "Every Taylor Swift Moment on the "Ellen" Show." The Ellen Show, 10 June 2024, Accessed 20 May 2025. Ibrahim, Nur. "Taylor Swift Endorsed Trump in These Viral Images?" Snopes, 19 Aug. 2024, Accessed 20 May 2025. Kreps, Daniel. "See Bruce Springsteen Deliver Rousing 'Turn Back the Hands of Time' on 'Fallon.'" Rolling Stone, 16 Nov. 2022, Accessed 20 May 2025. "Land of Hope and Dreams." Bruce Springsteen, 14 May 2025, Accessed 20 May 2025. "Statement from AFM International President on Trump Attacking Members Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift." American Federation of Musicians, 16 May 2025, Accessed 20 May 2025. "Taylor Swift Asks Fans Not to Throw Things on Stage During Argentina Eras Tour Show: 'It Really Freaks Me Out'." Accessed 20 May 2025.
