NEWS
Howard Stern is urging Meat Loaf’s family to advocate for people to be vaccinated against Covid-19 following the singer’s death on Jan. 20, as Variety reports.
While Meat Loaf’s cause of death has not been confirmed, TMZ reported that he had been “seriously ill with Covid.” The singer had also previously spoken out against pandemic safety protocols. It’s unclear whether he was vaccinated.
In May, Meat Loaf shared a link to Eric Clapton and Van Morrison’s anti-lockdown song “Stand & Deliver” on Facebook, captioning it, “A song of great interest and learning. Listen and Learn.” He also shared his views on the pandemic with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in August. “I hug people in the middle of COVID,” he said. “I understood stopping life for a little while, but they cannot continue to stop life because of politics. And right now they’re stopping because of politics.”
After the interviewer told him, “Oh, God. We’re being controlled by everybody,” Meat Loaf responded, “Yeah, I know. But not me. If I die, I die, but I’m not going to be controlled.”
During Stern’s SiriusXM radio show, the host said, “Poor Meat Loaf got sucked into some weird fucking cult. And somehow really believed that — he made a statement, ‘I’d rather die a free man than take that vaccine.’ And now he’s dead!”
Stern, who appears to believe Meat Loaf died of Covid-19 and was unvaccinated, beckoned Meat Loaf’s family to speak out about it. “I wish the family would come forward and say, ‘Ya know, when Meat Loaf was laying there in the hospital and he couldn’t breathe, he said, ‘I made a mistake. I should have taken the vaccine.’ Like all these anti-vaxxers, they all say, ‘I made a mistake.'”
Over the last few months, Stern has taken to the airwaves to blast anti-vaxxers. Last week, he proposed that hospitals should shun patients who are not vaccinated against Covid-19. Addressing the anti-vax set, he said, “It’s time for you to get it. Now, if you don’t get it, in my America, all hospitals would be closed to you. You’re going to go home and die. That is what you should get. Absolutely.” In December, Stern’s guest Billie Eilish shared that she believed that had she not been vaccinated when she had Covid-19, that she would have died.
Maroon 5 officially launched the second weekend of American Express presents BST Hyde Park with a headline performance on London's Great Oak Stage on Friday, 3 July 2026. Taking a short break from their ongoing global Love Is Like tour, the multi-platinum American pop rock band delivered an energetic sold out concert for thousands of fans. The milestone performance reflected just how far the group has come since making its London debut at the intimate Barfly venue in 2005.
Frontman Adam Levine guided the six member band through an uninterrupted set packed with worldwide hits, kicking things off with "Harder To Breathe" after an opening audio tribute to The Beach Boys. The energy stayed high as the group launched into fan favorites including "Animals" and "One More Night," with Levine making his way along the runway to connect with fans gathered at the front of the stage. As the evening sky over London began to glow, "Sunday Morning" provided one of the night's standout moments, featuring an extended guitar showcase from lead guitarist James Valentine. The audience then joined together for huge singalongs to "She Will Be Loved" and the Cardi B collaboration "Girls Like You." The main performance wrapped up with the instantly recognizable whistle melody of "Moves Like Jagger," before an encore featuring "Payphone" and "Sugar" brought the night to an unforgettable finish.
The main stage also welcomed a crowd pleasing set from pop rock band OneRepublic during the late afternoon. Frontman Ryan Tedder performed a string of beloved hits spanning nearly twenty years, including "Stop and Stare," "Apologize," and the hugely successful European streaming favorite "Counting Stars." He also treated fans to a solo medley highlighting songs he has written for artists including Beyoncé and Adele.
Earlier in the day, Jess Glynne attracted a huge audience with spirited performances of chart hits "I’ll Be There" and "Hold My Hand," while R&B singer Ella Eyre impressed with powerful renditions of "Space" and a soulful take on "Crazy." The day's varied lineup also featured opening rock performances from Reading quartet Only The Poets, along with dynamic alternative sets by Bradley Simpson, Pedro Santos, and electronic pop duo VOILÀ across the festival site.
Photo credit: Sienna Lorraine Gray
