In 2021, Taylor voiced his regret for the decision to perform at Sun City, saying that “we went with the best intentions, but I still think it was kind of a mistake.”
In 2021, Queen received the Japan Gold Disc Award for the fourth time (having previously won it in 2005, 2019 and 2020) as the most popular Western act in Japan.
King Crimson toured North America and then Japan in 2021. Recordings from dates on the American leg of the tour were released as the “official bootleg” live album Music Is Our Friend: Live in Washington and Albany , featuring music from across the band’s lifetime plus two new Tony Levin…
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Following the band’s 2021 tour dates, King Crimson ceased activity without expressly announcing a breakup. Fripp cited practical reasons for concluding the band’s touring career, such as the old age of several of the members and the rising cost of services during the COVID-19 pandemic .
The 2021 retirement of King Crimson’s “Seven-Headed Beast” line-up, and Fripp’s subsequent statement that the band had finished, left a certain amount of written/performed King Crimson music unrecorded in the studio, although some of that material had appeared on live recordings from the time.
On 31 December 2020, Queen performed on the Japanese New Year’s Eve television special Kōhaku with composer Yoshiki and vocalist Sarah Brightman .
On 21 December 2020, “Flags” was released internationally, the song was originally included as a Japanese bonus track of Everyday Life .
A live album from their 2018 Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino Tour concert at the Royal Albert Hall entitled Live at the Royal Albert Hall was released on 4 December 2020. All proceeds from the album, as with the concert, went to the charity War Child .
For the Music was released worldwide on 4 December 2020.
“Goosebumps” was released on the same day and features Kenny Beats .