AM Radio Wins One in Washington — and American Idol Is Moving to Georgia

The House votes to keep AM radio in every new car, television's biggest singing competition packs up for the Peach State, and September 16 marks the birthday of the King of the Blues — plus new music Friday from Neil Young, Beck and Bob Seger.

Big news out of Washington this week for everyone who's ever pulled in a ballgame or a storm warning on the AM dial: the U.S. House of Representatives passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act on a voice vote Tuesday evening, a bill that would keep AM radio in every new car sold in America. The measure rolled through with 317 co-sponsors, and National Association of Broadcasters president Curtis LeGeyt called the vote 'a significant step forward for the millions of Americans who rely on AM radio for lifesaving emergency information.' It now heads to the Senate, where a companion bill already counts more than 60 co-sponsors.

Closer to home, Hollywood is packing its bags for our neck of the woods. American Idol is moving production from Los Angeles to the Atlanta area for its milestone 25th season, set to premiere in 2027. Producer Fremantle confirmed the move after more than two decades of filming in Southern California, drawn in part by Georgia's tax credit of up to 30 percent for unscripted productions. Judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Carrie Underwood are all expected back, along with host Ryan Seacrest — which means the biggest singing competition on television will soon be made right here in Georgia.

September 16 is a date with some serious rock-and-roll pedigree, too. It's the birthday of the King of the Blues himself: B.B. King, born in 1925 just up the road in Itta Bena, Mississippi. On this date in 1963, the Beach Boys released Surfer Girl, the first album to officially credit Brian Wilson as producer. In 1970, Jimi Hendrix made his final public appearance, sitting in with Eric Burdon & War at Ronnie Scott's jazz club in London. And in 1978, Boston's Don't Look Back climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — an album that went on to sell seven million copies.

There's plenty of new music on the way as well. This Friday, September 18, brings new albums from Neil Young and his band the Chrome Hearts (Second Song), Beck (Ride Lonesome) and Europe (Come This Madness), alongside Bob Seger's Face the Promise: Expanded Edition, which adds four new songs, and a 45th-anniversary box set of Phil Collins' Face Value. Circle September 25 while you're at it: that's when Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention's Freak Out! arrives in a 60th-anniversary edition.

So happy birthday, B.B., and here's to keeping the radio right where it belongs — in the dashboard, in the kitchen, and in the taproom. We'll keep it spinning for you.

— The Pretoria Fields Radio news desk