Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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“There are no plans for any physical release of this recording.” Steven Wilson announces new live album Impossible Tightrope and launches hi-res audiophile resource
Headphone Dust will host high-resolution, 5.1, and Atmos/spatial audio editions of Wilson’s work (LouderSound)
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“This isn’t a contest. This isn’t a gimmick. This is your chance to join.” Here’s everything you need to do if you want to become the new vocalist for multi-platinum rockers Skid Row
Skid Row’s announce world-wide search for new vocalist (LouderSound)
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Ghost’s Tobias Forge says it was a relief when he lost his anonymity: “I can’t eclipse what Ghost is. I’m not interesting enough.”
Forge was revealed to be the man behind the band when he was sued by four former members in 2017 (LouderSound)
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The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear right now
Mayhem, Sleep Theory and Green Carnation are among the best new metal songs this week (LouderSound)
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“I have this memory of killing myself, blasting my head off, and then throwing the guitar at the amp over and over.” The story behind the most intense song on the most ambitious rock album of the ’90s
Life isn’t always easy as a perfectionist (LouderSound)
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The March 2026 issue of Dork is now available to order – featuring Louis Tomlinson, Mumford & Sons, Kim Gordon and more
The March 2026 issue of Dork is now available to order now, including the previously mentioned special Louis Tomlinson edition, which sees him become the magazine’s first-ever guest editor. (We have to call him ‘boss’ and get the coffee until next month rolls around – deposed Ed.) It feels safe to say there has never,…
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Hatchie on love songs, liquorice, and singing to cows
On Hatchie’s last album, 2022’s ‘Giving The World Away’, it looked like her pop star ambitions had come to life. Big producers, glossy visuals, a move to Los Angeles, a lot going on; now, on her third offering, ‘Liquorice’, Hatchie is back to her roots but sounding dreamier than ever. ‘Giving The World Away’ existed…
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Maximalism, mayhem and 5 Seconds of Summer
“Someone ripped up the dice at the end of one of the last shows; the dice is in someone’s house,” says 5 Seconds of Summer’s guitarist Michael Clifford. “That was upsetting,” adds drummer Ashton Irwin. “That dice cost seven grand.” They’re talking about the huge inflatable die, each side plastered with a fan-favourite song for…
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Check out Alien Chicks’ Teenage Kicks playlist, feat. Arctic Monkeys, Lily Allen, Nirvana and more
When you load up Spotify, a great big chunk of the time you can’t think what to play, right? You default back to your old favourites, those albums and songs you played on repeat when you first discovered you could make them yours. This isn’t about guilty pleasures; it’s about those songs you’ll still be…
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Arkayla are making Manchester sing it back
Arkayla are in work mode, the kind that comes with amps humming, cables everywhere, and a big night circled in the diary. “We’re in the rehearsal room getting everything sorted for our sold-out headline show at Manchester Academy 2,” says Fin, lead guitarist and occasional singer, speaking from the thick of it. It’s exactly where…
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Kid Kapichi hit breaking point, then made ‘Fearless Nature’
When Jack Wilson envisaged the next Kid Kapichi album, he knew that it would represent a change for the Hastings punk-rock quartet. What he may not have foreseen, though, was that the band would consist of a different lineup, the sound would morph and transform into a completely different landscape, and he would go through…
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In the belly of the whale with Searows
‘Guard Dog’, the 2022 debut album by Alec Duckart (aka Searows), was an almost instant cult classic. A heartbreaking portrayal of fragility, honesty, and vulnerability, tracks such as ‘Roadkill’ revealed a songwriter who could develop multitudes within even the most stripped-back of tracks. He won fans all over the world, gained comparisons to everyone’s favourite…
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“It Didn’t Used to Feel Like This” by Photographer Emmalyn Pure
Emmalyn Pure Emmalyn Pure’s Website Emmalyn Pure on Instagram
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Chloe Qisha is aiming for superstardom, not a slow burn
“I feel like a baby artist right at the beginning of their journey, but I’m already preparing myself for what comes next,” says Chloe Qisha. She has her sights firmly set on becoming a pop titan. “Whether that happens next year, or in five years’ time, I want to be part of that conversation. It…
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Poppy has no interest in proving how metal she is
Poppy is gearing up to release her incredible, swaggering new album ‘Empty Hands’, and she is also, according to a hastily deleted post on social media, already bracing herself for an “Onslaught of questions that are the equivalent of, ‘You like heavy music? Name five bands’.” Since she earned a cult following via a series…
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Nxdia enjoys the moment with new single ‘Cool’
Nxdia has released a new single titled ‘Cool’. This track sees the Cairo-born Manchester-raised artist embracing self-discovery and the exploration of desire. Nxdia says: “I’m in my hoe era and I wanna celebrate that! Seeing what works, what feels good and what doesn’t is a fun process. I hate this whole aversion to casual sex,…
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Swim Deep have announced their fifth album ‘Hum’ and a UK tour
Swim Deep have revealed details of their upcoming fifth studio album, ‘Hum’, which is set for release on 19th June via Submarine Cat Records. The Birmingham-based band have also unveiled the first single from the album, ‘Pieces of You’, along with a video that sees them attempting to plant a flag with their original logo…
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“The BBC showed one minute and 10 seconds of it!” Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter: How a banned, censored and divisive single became Iron Maiden’s only UK number one
Despite a BBC ban, winning a “Worst Original Song” award and being pulled from the band’s setlist, Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter remains one of Iron Maiden’s biggest tunes (LouderSound)
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“I guess people just don’t think like we do”: Maynard James Keenan thinks Puscifer are in the “third side-project category” but is happy on the side of the underdog
The singer believes the band have been “marginalised” due to the greater commercial success of his other two projects, Tool and A Perfect Circle (LouderSound)
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“James says, ‘Kill him!’ This guy looks at the two of us and says, ‘Who’s gonna kill me?’ And James pointed at me.” Dave Mustaine looks back on Metallica’s wild early days
Metallica’s early years were a wild ride (LouderSound)
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Maisie Peters has released ‘My Regards’ with a video directed by Amelia Dimoldenberg
Maisie Peters has unveiled ‘My Regards’, the latest single from her forthcoming album ‘Florescence’, due 15th May. The track follows previous releases ‘You You You’, ‘Audrey Hepburn’ and ‘Say My Name In Your Sleep’, exploring themes of empowerment and love. “My Regards feels powerful, tongue in cheek, sexy and funny, all of which I feel…
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SOMBR has unveiled his new single ‘Homewrecker’ with a Western-themed music video
SOMBR has released a new single titled ‘Homewrecker’, marking his first release since last year’s debut album ‘I Barely Know Her’. The track is accompanied by a Western-themed music video featuring Quenlin Blackwell and Milo Manheim, directed by Gus Black. SOMBR, who wrote and co-produced ‘Homewrecker’, is also nominated for two BRIT Awards: International Artist…
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PUNCHBAG have announced their second EP, ‘I Am Obsessed’
PUNCHBAG have announced the release of their second EP, ‘I Am Obsessed’, due 10th April via Mute. This release will also mark the first physical offering from the South London sibling duo comprising Clara and Anders Bach, available as a Dinked Early Doors vinyl. Of the title-track, Clara explains: “It’s about being completely obsessed with…
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ZAYN has released his new single ‘Die For Me’
ZAYN has unveiled his latest single, ‘Die For Me’, marking the lead release from his upcoming fifth studio album, ‘KONNAKOL’. The album is set to be released on 17th April via Mercury Records / Island Records UK, and will be supported by his largest UK tour to date. The KONNAKOL Tour will commence on 12th…
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Lola Young has announced a headline show at London Palladium
Lola Young is set to make her return to the stage with a special, one-off headline performance at the London Palladium on 4th March. Her first headliner of the year, the intimate show marks a significant moment for the artist after a period of stepping back to focus on her health and well-being. Lola says,…
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“The idea of slowing down is unacceptable to me. I’d rather walk away than be a shadow of my former self.” Twisted Sister cancel 50th anniversary reunion tour as Dee Snider quits due to health issues
The future of Twisted Sister will be decided in the coming weeks (LouderSound)
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A lounge cover of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath was “the creepiest thing” Ozzy Osbourne ever heard: “Which coming from him is the biggest compliment”
Pop-rockers The Cardigans put a chilled-out spin on the Black Sabbath song in 1994, and singer Nina Persson says the Prince Of Darkness was freaked out by it (LouderSound)
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Annie Pendergrast “Taut” @ Megan Mulrooney, Los Angeles
Megan Mulrooney is pleased to present Taut, our first solo exhibition of abstracted still life paintings with Los Angeles-based artist Annie Pendergrast. Flowers, vases, stripes, grids, and looping forms recur across the exhibition, rendered in precise gradients and graphic color combinations. The works feel simultaneously playful and controlled: blooms swell to near-cartoon proportions, stems curl…
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Great new prog you must hear from Green Carnation, Magenta, Exploring Birdsong, A.A. Williams and more in Prog’s Tracks Of The Week
Cool new proggy sounds from Chris Braide & Dean Johnson, HeKz, EchoVerse and more in this week’s Tracks Of The Week (LouderSound)
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“I asked my mum to make me a costume, which I wore all around London. It tapped into the British sense of humour. There’s nothing more ridiculous”: If Death is a rabbit and you’re on TV as a Womble, you’re probably Mike Batt
He recalls the chain reaction from the advert that got Elton John signed through missing a Family credit, a fluke Top Of The Pops slot, working with Steeleye Span and Art Garfunkel, to temporarily joining Hawkwind (LouderSound)
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Steve Hackett’s on the front cover of the new issue of Prog, on sale now!
Plus Big Big Train, Neal Morse, Karnivool, Darryl Way’s Wolf, Happy The Man, Soen, Wolverine, Textures, Tiger Moth Tales, Esoterica and loads more… (LouderSound)
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“The title track features a blistering, grandstanding, once-in-a-lifetime vocal.” Jay Buchanan is captivating and contrary on Weapons Of Beauty
Rival Sons singer Jay Buchanan’s solo album is full of heart, blues and soul (LouderSound)
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“It was a nightmare to mix, but we got it sounding raw and filthy.” The Black Keys announce “primal” new album Peaches!, launch first single
The Black Keys have also announced two UK shows for later this year (LouderSound)
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Erin LeCount has announced a new EP, ‘Pareidolia’
Erin LeCount has announced her new EP, ‘Pareidolia’. The EP will include her recent singles ‘I Believe’, ‘Machine Ghost’ and ‘808 Hymn’, and it’s set for release on 27th February 2026 via Atlantic Records. LeCount shared her thoughts on the project, stating, “‘Pareidolia’ is a self written and produced EP that tells the story of…
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ZAYN has confirmed his largest solo run, The Konnakol Tour
ZAYN is set to embark on The Konnakol Tour, marking his biggest solo tour to date. The 31-date tour will see him perform across North America, South America, Mexico, and the UK, headlining arenas and stadiums for the first time. The announcement follows ZAYN’s recent Las Vegas residency, where he introduced new material from his…
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Mitski has shared her new single ‘I’ll Change for You’ and announced a global tour
Mitski has unveiled her latest single ‘I’ll Change for You’, the second offering from her forthcoming album ‘Nothing’s About to Happen to Me’, set for release on 27th February via Dead Oceans. Alongside the single, Mitski has announced a series of global performances, including residencies in major cities such as New York and Sydney, and…
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Ecca Vandal has unveiled her new single ‘BLEACH’ with a self-directed video
Ecca Vandal has released her latest single ‘BLEACH’, accompanied by a self-directed video. This new track is part of her forthcoming as-yet-unannounced album, which follows her self-titled debut from 2017, and focuses on shedding fears and old identities to make way for new beginnings. Vandal explains, “‘BLEACH’ is the moment you shed the version of…
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“I go onstage, I battle death, I die and I come back to life.” From sword-waving rat queens to alpha bro-baiting metal singers, the new issue of Metal Hammer has four exclusive covers: Castle Rat, Sleep Theory, President and Paleface Swiss
The New Heavy 2026 has arrived, and it’s starring four of the most exciting young bands in metal today (LouderSound)
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“If there was another way around this, I would swallow my pride and say, ‘I was able to find some miracle cure.’” Heavy metal legend and Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine on why now is the right time to say goodbye
Dave would love to continue Megadeth even longer, but it just isn’t on the cards (LouderSound)
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“We are watching people be pushed out of their homes here in America, in Palestine, in Sudan, in Iran, everywhere.” Turnstile reflect on their historic Grammy Awards triumph and vow to keep making music in solidarity with “voices that are buried”
Turnstile reaffirm their commitment to calling out injustice “in a time of heightened state violence” (LouderSound)
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“Queen’s music doesn’t belong to Freddie. It doesn’t even belong to Queen any more.” Writer/comedian Ben Elton reveals why Robert DeNiro’s dream of making a musical about Freddie Mercury’s life was vetoed by Brian May and Roger Taylor
The story behind the Queen musical that never saw the light of day (LouderSound)
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“I was being bombarded with Madonna’s image on TV.” How a beloved rock band took aim at a pop megastar, sampled Simon & Garfunkel and ushered in a genre-mashing masterpiece with a 90s classic
This Faith No More song is so catchy, Disturbed covered it on two separate occasions (LouderSound)
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DJO and more have joined Lorde’s day of All Points East
East London’s All Points East festival has announced some new additions for Lorde’s headliner on Saturday, 22nd August. The festival will also feature performances from newly announced acts, including Djo, Sienna Spiro, Erin LeCount and Erika De Casier. Previously confirmed artists include PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson, 2hollis, Oklou, Audrey Hobert, Rose Gray, Esha Tewari, ML Buch…
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Bastille and The Wombats have booked a Crystal Palace Bowl show for August
Bastille and The Wombats have revealed plans for a show at Crystal Palace Bowl on Thursday 13th August 2026. This one-off event will feature headline sets from both bands, with additional support acts yet to be announced. Tickets for the show will be available to the general public from 10am on Friday 6th February. Additionally,…
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Free Throw have announced a new UK and EU tour for 2026
Free Throw have unveiled plans for a UK and EU tour in support of their upcoming album ‘Moments Before The Wind’. The tour includes a series of headline shows supported by Saturdays At Your Place and appearances at summer festivals, including Outbreak and 2000trees. The album, set to be released on 27th March via Wax…
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2000trees Festival has revealed new headliners and exclusive performances for 2026
2000trees Festival has unveiled a new wave of performers for its 2026 edition, including the announcement of the second main stage headliner, Funeral For A Friend. This exclusive show will mark the band’s return to the festival for the first time in over 13 years, coinciding with their 25th anniversary year. Ryan Richards of Funeral…
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ZAYN has announced his fifth studio album, ‘KONNAKOL’
ZAYN has revealed details of his upcoming fifth studio album, ‘KONNAKOL’, set to be released on 17th April via Mercury Records/Island Records UK. The announcement follows his recent Las Vegas residency, and also includes the release of the lead single ‘Die For Me’, available this Friday. Discussing the album, ZAYN stated, “It’s that time again,…
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Sorry have dropped two new tracks, ‘Billy Elliot’ and ‘Alone in Cologne’
Sorry have unveiled two new tracks, ‘Billy Elliot’ and ‘Alone in Cologne’, through Domino. The tracks follow their third album ‘COSPLAY’, and come ahead of their COSPLAY UK, Ireland and European tour, which begins next week. Sorry comment: “I used to be close to you or somebody that I once knew.” The COSPLAY tour will…
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Audrey Large sculpts ordinary materials into extraordinary forms
IN Residence, 2023 © Audrey Large. Photography by UniversPlaza From molten lamps to virtual reality, the French designer creates objects that play with light, texture and perception in mesmerising ways. “I like fluid materials that play with light, whether they reflect or absorb it, textures that cannot really be described or grasped, and combining contradictory…
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Golden Days: Dabin Ahn @ François Ghebaly, Los Angeles
François Ghebaly is proud to present Golden Days, Dabin Ahn’s solo exhibition at the gallery’s Los Angeles space. Painter and sculptor Dabin Ahn transforms personal objects, Korean ceramic vessels, and other ephemeral still-life elements into sites of passage. Drawing from 20th century art history, Joseon dynasty porcelain traditions, and his own imagination, he creates sensitive, meticulously painted…
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“It was this dream song that just turned up as I was waking up one morning. It came to me fully formed.” The story of the cinematic classic that kick-started Bob Mould’s second life
Bob Mould spent much of 1991 on punishing tours in a bid to salvage his ailing career – then came the song that showed him the way forward (LouderSound)
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Emmy-winning filmmaker Paul Saltzman on how to make art that changes lives
© Paul Saltzman. All Rights Reserved. One of the iconic photos Paul Saltzman took of The Beatles in Rishikesh, India The director of 343 films and counting shares some hard-earned lessons on having a purpose, trusting your instincts and how meaningful work can create ripples beyond measure. In 1968, aged 23, Canadian Paul Saltzman travelled…
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“I’m a grownass woman. I’m a female in the world taking care of myself. I can do whatever I want.” Femme Fatale singer Lorraine Lewis on relaunching the band, skydiving in a bodysuit and joining OnlyFans
Femme Fatale’s original 80s singer Lorraine Lewis returns with a new line-up and the same drive and ambition (LouderSound)
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“It’s intense back there. Everybody is nervous. And everybody’s really emotional because we know it’s the last time.” Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale on Back To The Beginning: The build-up, the show and the aftershow… and the loss of Ozzy Osbourne
When Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale was asked to appear at Ozzy Osbourne’s farewell show in Birmingham, ‘thrilled’ doesn’t even come close to how she felt (LouderSound)
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“There were no rules; ideas could come from anywhere: subtle drum loops, bits of organ or abstract guitar noise, even samples of frogs or crickets.” Long-awaited Slipknot project Look Outside Your Window is finally being released
Look Outside Your Window was recorded while Slipknot were in the studio making 2008’s All Hope Is Gone album (LouderSound)
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“He looked at the lyrics and goes, ‘Rock ’n’ roll cocktail – I think I invented that’!” How Queens of the Stone Age got a metal legend to sing on a single US radio would not touch
Feel Good Hit of the Summer was a commercial flop but became an instant, messy classic (LouderSound)
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Dork’s Here Comes Your Jan @ 100 Club – Night 2: Friday takes over
If any night of the week is going to throw January blues firmly to the curb, it is a Friday. Night 2 of Here Comes Your Jan 2026 returns to the 100 Club with three must-see bands, each carving out their own world for the year ahead. Stacked with ambition and driven by momentum, it…
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“We have the same management, and we both wear masks. Is that it?!” President vocalist blasts comparisons to Sleep Token as “lazy”
Mr President doesn’t see the similarities between his band and the other masked, anonymous, pop-metal sensations dominating heavy music discourse (LouderSound)
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Dork’s Here Comes Your Jan @ 100 Club – Night 1: January doesn’t stand a chance
Okay okay. January can be a long month. Whether it’s holding onto New Year resolutions for dear life, freezing your fingers off waiting at the bus stop or staring in fear at your bank balance, the winter blues can be a nightmare. Helpfully, your friendly neighbourhood music magazine (that’s us) are on hand with two…
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“I started meeting all these really warm, nurturing moms in school…and that wasn’t what I was experiencing at home.”The heartbreaking tragedies behind the rise of metal’s latest sensations
Dayseeker have been on the scene for some time, but have exploded in popularity. We go inside their story (LouderSound)
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“The Shepherd” by Photographer Maurizio Rampa
Maurizio Rampa Maurizio Rampa’s Website
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Peaches is going to headline The Great Escape Spotlight Show in 2026
Peaches is set to headline a Spotlight Show at The Great Escape 2026, taking place at Brighton Dome Concert Hall on 15th May. She will deliver the show as part of her world tour, celebrating her latest album ‘Rub’ and over twenty years of musical influence. The event has also announced over 130 additional artists…
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Arlo Parks looks for euphoria with her new single ‘Heaven’, from upcoming album ‘Ambiguous Desire’
Arlo Parks has released her latest single ‘Heaven’, taken from her forthcoming album ‘Ambiguous Desire’. The album is set to be released on 3rd April via Transgressive Records, with the track embracing her love for underground electronic dance music. Parks explains, “Heaven is about euphoria, community and staying present. Being in a room full of…
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Witch Post have announced their new EP ‘Butterfly’, and shared single ‘Worry Angel’
Witch Post have announced their new EP ‘Butterfly’, set for release on 20th March via Partisan Records. The project continues the themes explored in their debut EP ‘Beast’, with Alaska Reid and Dylan Fraser also unveiling a new single titled ‘Worry Angel’. Speaking about the new EP, the band explain, “Butterfly is the spring thaw…
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Diana Ross and RAYE are going to headline Brighton & Hove Pride’s 35th anniversary
Brighton & Hove Pride has announced that Diana Ross and RAYE will headline the 35th anniversary Pride on the Park event. The two-day celebration is set to take place at Preston Park on Saturday 1st August (RAYE) and Sunday 2nd August (Diana Ross). RAYE has previously performed at Brighton Pride in 2018 and 2022, while…
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Manchester Orchestra announce ‘Union Chapel, London, England’ release
Manchester Orchestra are set to release ‘Union Chapel, London, England’ on 20th March through Loma Vista Recordings. Captured during a sold-out residency at London’s Union Chapel in the autumn of 2023, this 21-track live album showcases Andy Hull and Robert McDowell reimagining several key tracks from their extensive catalogue. Hull says, “The city of London…
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“They all chimed in, ‘We want some crazy Spanish guitar. Improvise!’ I thought, ‘I’ve bitten off more than I can chew’”: When Queen pressganged Steve Howe into appearing on Innuendo
Yes guitarist was minding his own business in Switzerland, then found himself in a studio being handed a guitar and told to record for 1991 hit single (LouderSound)
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“If they ever approached me, of course I would have done it…but I’m kind of relieved they didn’t.” Mike Portnoy responds to rumours he was in the frame to join Rush following the death of Neil Peart
As much as the idea of Mike Portnoy drumming with Rush would be a prog fan’s dream, Portnoy had a very respectful attitude to the idea (LouderSound)
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Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson’s next album features Sepultura members and is being recorded at Dave Grohl’s studio
Sepultura guitarist Andreas Kisser lets some big details slip in a new social media post (LouderSound)
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“The email said, ‘John Cale is looking for you.’ It absolutely terrified me. I thought I was in trouble!” How the Velvet Underground icon voiced a powerful song on Cate Le Bon’s new album
Michelangelo Dying, which she says is more of an exorcism than an album, was nearly released without Cale performing on the track Ride, because she was too afraid to ask him (LouderSound)
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Krzysztof Grzybacz “To Empty Out” @ Mendes Wood DM, Brussels
Mendes Wood DM is pleased to present Krzysztof Grzybacz’s latest body of work in his first solo exhibition at the gallery in Brussels. Behind its seemingly polished framework, To Empty Out emerges as an exhibition beautifully rife with contradictions that overlay serious and playful themes according to Grzybacz, who often sets out to “clash the forces” of…
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“When people hear my versions of pop songs, they’re shocked. They never expect to hear Adele sound like that.” Meet Solomon Hicks, the New York guitarist bringing the blues to a new audience
Solomon Hicks just wants to make you feel good (LouderSound)
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Creatives reveal how they’re feeling about 2026 so far
Image licensed via Adobe Stock From cautious optimism to complete exhaustion, members of our community share their emotions as we navigate towards the year ahead. February has arrived with its characteristic grey skies and stubbornly short days. The new year optimism has well and truly faded, replaced by the reality of winter’s darkest stretch. It’s…
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Why packaging is one of the most powerful spaces in contemporary design
There was a time when packaging was dismissed as functional or forgettable, but now it’s evolved into one of the most emotionally charged and culturally revealing areas of creative work. As Pentawards marks 20 years, its history tells a bigger story about where this discipline is heading. Some might think packaging is one of the…
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Volvo and AKQA pull back the curtain on electric car-making with documentary-led EX60 launch
As audiences grow increasingly curious about how things are made, Volvo’s latest electric SUV campaign leans into transparency and process. We’re living in a time where behind-the-scenes content can generate as much intrigue as the finished product, so it’s no surprise that Volvo Cars has leaned into that cultural shift with its latest global campaign…
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Oakley Meta brings ‘Athletic Intelligence’ to the Super Bowl stage
A star-studded, high-octane campaign introduces Oakley Meta’s Performance AI Glasses as a new competitive tool for athletes. Oakley Meta is making its Super Bowl debut with a campaign by Mother Los Angeles that positions performance wearables as the next frontier in sport. Titled Athletic Intelligence Is Here, the work introduces the Oakley Meta Performance AI…
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“The lyrics were for people on the fringes”: He made a prog album to inspire positivity. Tragically, one song inspired the man who killed John Lennon
1974 album was a deliberate change of approach from a pop-tinged artist known for taking left turns. No one could have predicted how one listener would take it (LouderSound)
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“When Robert Plant introduced me I achieved closure. I had my song back for the first time since 1961.” How Bonnie Dobson’s post-apocalyptic first song finally found its way home via the Grateful Dead, Nazareth, Jeff Beck, the Allman Brothers and more
For over three decades, Morning Dew’s authorship was in dispute, but its author wasn’t afraid to call out the injustice (LouderSound)
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“Not just a world-class guitar player but an all-around creative force.” Nine Joe Bonamassa albums you should listen to, and one to avoid
Since lighting the fuse of the blues boom, reluctant superstar Joe Bonamassa has barely stopped. Here’s a guide to his best albums (LouderSound)
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“This is far and away the best live version of Paradise City I’ve ever seen”: Rare footage of Guns N’ Roses playing live in 1987 surfaces online
The footage of Paradise City was shot on the same night Guns N’ Roses filmed the Welcome To The Jungle video (LouderSound)
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“Iʼm not doing it out of guilt. Even if I didnʼt do it, the poverty would still be there.” How getting stuck in a “rut”, some tempting by Bob Geldof and the most A-list bill in history helped Queen pull off the greatest rock set of all time
Queen’s Live Aid performance has become the stuff of legend – we look back at how the iconic set really happened (LouderSound)
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“Having to resort to writing something like this is so embarrassing.” The story behind the extremely controversial Nirvana song that almost got them banned and made a US President smash up his own daughter’s CD
Kurt Cobain was convinced no one could misunderstand the intent of the lyrics to this track. Sadly, many still did (LouderSound)
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“I shifted from Garbage, Radiohead and Silverchair to black metal.” The classic 90s album that changed the life of the singer who’d go on to front one of her country’s biggest bands
She’s a household name in her home country, and it was the voice of a fellow metal icon who helped her on her journey (LouderSound)
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“I miss Ukraine very much. I missed it even more when I realised that I cannot go back there.” The Ukrainian heavy metal singer who had to flee war to maker her rock star dreams come true
As frontwoman of tech metal stars Jinjer, Tatiana Shmayluk has manifested an incredible career against the odds (LouderSound)
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Inside Adobe’s Creative Collective: A thoughtful look at AI’s role in creative work
Adobe is bringing together the creative industry’s leading lights to navigate what happens after the hype dies down and the real work begins. Getting exhausted by the AI conversation? I’m not surprised: so much of it feels like people shouting into the void. One camp insists robots are coming for our jobs. Another claims AI…
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Check out Brogeal’s Teenage Kicks playlist, feat. Wolf Alice, Black Sabbath, Palma Violets and more
When you load up Spotify, a great big chunk of the time you can’t think what to play, right? You default back to your old favourites, those albums and songs you played on repeat when you first discovered you could make them yours. This isn’t about guilty pleasures; it’s about those songs you’ll still be…
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A day in the life of… Stella Donnelly
You know what’s easier than following around your fave pop stars, day in, day out, to see what they’re up to right that minute? Asking them. This month, we nab Stella Donnelly. 5:30 am → I get woken up by Marcel’s alarm; he works in a bakery, which is worth it for the free bread…
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Jenny On Holiday is back with pop feelings and a hot drink
Jenny On Holiday’s day is neatly divided by drinks. “Today I am at my label office drinking cups of tea and answering your questions,” she says. “Later, I will be going to the pub, so the focus today is on different types of drinks.” Right now, life seems to be made up of small pleasures,…
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“He was a big, burly dude who would go to the beach in a Speedo at 65 years old and hit on women with the most confidence you’ve ever seen.” How the death of a loved one, pig squeals and TikTok helped crown a modern metal classic
It also officially introduced the world to one of the best vocalists in metal today (LouderSound)
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Six powerful ways to make your next rebrand better
Image licensed via Adobe Stock Frontify’s new report, Rebranding Redefined, argues that successful rebrands depend on living systems rather than static assets. Here are the main points of the report, and how you can apply them to your own projects. The rebrand brief lands on your desk. Typeface? Check. Colour palette? Sorted. Logo variations? Done.…
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No rules. No limits. No quarter. Led Zeppelin: 18 months on the road with the biggest band in the world – only in the new issue of Classic Rock
Also in Classic Rock 350: Smashing Pumpkins, Michael Monroe, Jay Buchanan, Joan Armatrading, BB King, Ten Years After, The Mission, The Boomtown Rats, Tyketto, Danny Francis, Peter Capaldi and more (LouderSound)
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Deep Purple announce one-off show at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall
Deep Purple are to return to the scene of their Concerto For Group And Orchestra live album (LouderSound)
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“We have no use for a standalone singer who doesn’t play an instrument, preening themselves like a rock god”: Atomic Rooster guitarist Steve Bolton on reviving the band, changing frontmen, and John Entwistle’s phallic number plate
On the back of their first album in 42 years, Atomic Rooster are about to hit the road (LouderSound)
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Katelyn Ledford “Verso” @ Fredericks & Freiser, New York
Fredericks & Freiser is pleased to present an exhibition of new paintings by Katelyn Ledford. Known for virtuosic trompe-l’oeil and dark humor, Ledford constructs images where artifice, vulnerability, and bravado collide. Working exclusively with oil and acrylic on canvas, she renders wood grain, masking tape, lace, and denim with the charged aura of stage props. In her…
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“The school would kick everybody out with hair that touched their ears. Someone on the board found out we were wearing short-haired wigs!” Steve Morse endured educational woes, dodgy gear and jazz snobbery, but knew he could make it as a guitarist
The ex Deep Purple member recalls how he got started in music, and beginning to write Kansas-style songs – long before he accidentally joined them (LouderSound)
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Li Wang captures life, love and longing in colour
Detail from Apartment 2119, 2025 © Li Wang From sunlit beaches to intimate interiors, the Beijing-born artist explores masculinity, queer diasporic experience and personal memory through vivid, evocative paintings. Sometimes, putting yourself into new situations, like moving to a different country – despite how scary or nerve-racking – can be the best thing you can…
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How dating blunders inspire Kimberly Elliott’s funny illustrations
From awkward first dates to relationship idioms brought to life, the illustrator turns everyday romantic misadventures into bold, humorous works that are instantly relatable. There are many ways that a creative mind can spark an idea. Some might go for a walk, others might do some star jumps or listen to a favourite album on…
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“The aspects of America that are really magical to us are the things it seems to reject, like black music or the Beat poets”: The story of the multi-version David Bowie song that captured his revulsion of American corporate dominance
With input from Trent Reznor and Ice Cube, I’m Afraid Of Americans was rescued from Showgirls ignominy and given a prescient, unnerving video (LouderSound)
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Closer Look: Laura McCluskey photographs the intimacy of returning home
From fashion and street portraiture to a decade-long family archive, the London-based photographer reflects on image-making as a way of staying with people, places and memories. Laura McCluskey first picked up a camera at 14, after choosing GCSE photography alongside art and product design. Her school had a black-and-white darkroom, where she learned the basics…
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“Once you’re comfortable in this space, don’t overthink it, just enjoy it.” A new recording studio at a historic English school has been named after Justin Hawkins
The Darkness frontman attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of The Justin Hawkins Recording Studio (LouderSound)
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“A one-man calamity, catastrophe. No trace of sanity, an empty shell”: Queen’s Roger Taylor releases surprise protest song Chumps and doesn’t pull his punches
Chumps is the latest in a long line of politically-charged songs from the Queen drummer (LouderSound)
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“They’re lining up six hours before the show. They just scream when you go out on stage as if it’s Beatlemania.” Nine Inch Nails and Korn love them and they might have invented metal’s sleaziest subgenre. This is the story of Health
“They’re lining up six hours before the show. They just scream when you go out on stage as if it’s Beatlemania.” Nine Inch Nails and Korn love them and they might have invented metal’s sleaziest subgenre. This is the story of Health (LouderSound)
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New Metallica x Dr. Martens collection are Hardwired to impress… wherever you may roam
Metallica join forces with Dr. Martens for new limited-edition boot and shoe designs – and both are available right now (LouderSound)
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Classic Rock’s Tracks Of The Week: February 2, 2026
Eight songs you need to hear right now, from Skindred, Suzi Quatro, Karnivool and more (LouderSound)
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Artist Spotlight: Su A Chae
Su A Chae Su A Chae’s Website Su A Chae on Instagram
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“Turnstile are the best thing in rock right now. Turnstile are not the best thing in metal right now.” What the 2026 Grammys got right about rock and metal this year – and what they got very wrong
As is so often the case, the rock and metal representation at this year’s Grammys was a mix of deserved recognition and total clangers (LouderSound)
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“We’ve experienced the biggest loss we will ever go through.” Kelly Osbourne reveals why the Osbourne family are “closer than ever” following Ozzy’s death – and has an emotional reaction to the epic Grammys tribute starring Post Malone and Slash
Ozzy not being here any more still feels as raw and surreal as ever (LouderSound)
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“We’re not flower children and we’re not yuppies. We’re somewhere in between – the Van Der Graaf Generation”: They had links to Jethro Tull, Voivod and The Cure. Did you really think Men Without Hats were all new wave and no prog?
The classically-trained Canadians were wearing their influences with pride by fifth album Sideways. And they were making a concept album about UFOs when their label dropped them (LouderSound)
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Brave New World? New report warns generative AI is already costing creators their livelihoods
Creators taking a stand in Granary Square, King’s Cross. Including illustrators Benji Davies, Chris Haughton, Ged Adamson, Momoko Abe and Simona Ciraolo, and AOI Board Member Jhinuk Sarkar. Photograph by Ozzy Nada. Built on evidence from over 10,000 creators, the move lays bare the real-world damage generative AI is already doing to creative careers, and…
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“There was no real sign that it was abig protest song, so most people listened to it and didn’t realise”: The story of the anti-war commentary disguised as a four-minute pop song that set R.E.M. on the path to global success and stardom
R.E.M. countered accusations of selling out to a major by using their commercialclout to promote their political activism (LouderSound)
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Christian Rex van Minnen “Metanoia” @ Nanzuka Underground, Tokyo
NANZUKA is pleased to present “Metanoia,” a solo exhibition of new works by Christian Rex van Minnen at NANZUKA UNDERGROUND. This exhibition marks the artist’s second solo show at NANZUKA following his first exhibition in Japan which was held simultaneously across three venues (NANZUKA UNDERGROUND, 3110NZ by LDH Kitchen, NANZUKA 2G) in 2021.
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“Highly listenable background music.” The Alan Parsons Project bake up the ear candy on Eye In The Sky like punk, NWOBHM and new wave pop rock never happened
Alan Parsons’ most commercially successful album bore fruit with the sports anthem Sirius and the hits Eye In The Sky and Old And Wise (LouderSound)
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Why Verónica Fuerte’s Hey Studio still makes things by hand (and why that matters)
As AI threatens to flatten creativity, the Barcelona designer is putting her faith in craft, curiosity and maybe a little chaos. When Verónica Fuerte compares her 18-year journey running Hey Studio to the career trajectory of Britney Spears, you might think she’s joking. She’s not. Speaking during a session on The Studio (our free networking…
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Fortnum & Mason turns chocolate into music with multi-sensory ‘Bars of Chocolate’ by Otherway
What if chocolate could be heard as well as tasted? For Fortnum & Mason’s newly reimagined chocolate bar collection, design studio Otherway has transformed flavour into melody, pairing each bar with an original piano composition to create a range that’s as much a performance as it is a treat. We all love a nice sweet…
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Behind the serenity, Jesse Zhang is passionate about colour and the meaning it brings to an image
We talk to the Chinese American artist about how she developed her style and the sublime, tranquil imagery she creates. Draw the viewer to the heart of the story. It’s what Brooklyn-based illustrator Jesse Zhang aims to do every time she sets out to create an image. Through her art, she builds mood, feeling, and…
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The loneliness paradox: how working from home is reshaping our creative lives
Image licensed via Adobe Stock As creative professionals grapple with isolation and freedom, many are seeking new ways to balance solitude with connection. It’s 6pm. You’ve been staring at screens all day, moving between tabs and applications, responding to Slack messages and emails. You’ve been highly productive; maybe more so than you’d have been in…
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“We knew costumes wouldn’t be part of it. Phil wouldn’t have been good in a flower mask”: Peter Gabriel’s exit could have finished Genesis. Instead Phil Collins stepped up and they delivered prog classic A Trick Of The Tail
The quartet attempted to continue as an instrumental group, then sorted through hundreds of audition tapes, before realising they already had their new vocalist (LouderSound)
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“The community we found through punk and hardcore music has given us a safe place to swing in the dark and land somewhere beautiful.” Turnstile’s Never Enough wins Best Rock Album prize at 2026 Grammys
Other winners included Yungblud, Nine Inch Nails and The Cure (LouderSound)
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“I was trying to make a butt sex joke and it was dumb.” Maynard James Keenan regrets some of the lyrics he wrote on those early Tool records
Widely regarded as a smart and witty lyricist, Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan thinks he could have done better on some tracks (LouderSound)
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“We ended up getting really, really hammered and commanding the stage. We were terrible, but we knew there was something magical about it”: The US band who stepped out of Bon Jovi’s shadow to become hair metal’s last superstars
How Skid Row made their classic debut album (LouderSound)
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“He asked me ‘Do you have long hair? Are you willing to wear a dress and high heels? Are you willing to wear lipstick?’ Those questions fascinated me.” Peter Criss recalls his first conversation with Gene Simmons and the birth of Kiss
Founding Kiss drummer Peter Criss was intrigued by a strange phone conversation that led to rock and roll greatness (LouderSound)
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“I had a conversation once with William Burroughs about trance music and riff music, and repetition”: Jimmy Page on the secrets behind his most iconic guitar solo – and the solo he found hardest to play live
Led Zeppelin’s legendary guitarist breaks down his most famous solo (LouderSound)
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“I wrote it on a piece of paper somewhere on tour, and I thought, ‘That’s an album!’” A glimpse of how Ian Anderson creates Jethro Tull lyrics
He recalled the spark that ignited Thick As A Brick when he decided to publish a lyric book – which he admitted nobody needed, and feared would be a cringe experience (LouderSound)
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“The ‘bucket’ is all the crap that goes around our head all the time…” Peter Gabriel shares new single Put The Bucket Down
Peter Gabriel will release new single every full moon at midnight in the build-up to new studio album oi. (LouderSound)
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“We played at a punk club in Germany and this guy was pointing a gun at me the whole time. That was uncomfortable!”: The pioneering European metal queen loved by Dio, Lemmy and Gene Simmons
The life and times of Doro Pesch (LouderSound)
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“The two Johns very began to hate doing TV shows that wanted us to mime. For a band that worshipped Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy and UFO, it became a really big problem”: The huge 80s hard rock hit that drove a wedge between the band that made it
The Final Countdown pushed Europe into the pop charts – and not everyone was happy about it (LouderSound)
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“The economy of 80s synthpop made it so attractive. Within us were the seeds of something much more musicianly – whether you like it or not”: Tears For Fears sneaked prog into a run of hit singles in 1984 and 85. So why weren’t they at Live Aid?
As they tried to outdo Trevor Horn, with influences including Genesis and Yes, their second album hit No.1 in the US and No.2 in the UK. But they didn’t contribute to Bob Geldof’s world-changing charity extravaganza (LouderSound)
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“We don’t accept the brutality, the lies, the loss of our simplest pleasures”: Joan Jett joins growing list of musicians to voice solidarity with anti-ICE protesters
Jett read a prepared statement during a show in New Zealand (LouderSound)
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“We didn’t expect to be Bon Jovi. We didn’t go into this band wanting to own 15 houses and have 17 supermodels on speed dial”: The 90s alt-rock superstars who lost half their audience and angered Axl Rose by making the most antagonistic album “in history”
How Faith No More made ‘the least commercial follow-up to a hit record in history’ (LouderSound)
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“Everyone thought we were going to make an album that sounded like Green Day. So we made one that was even heavier than anything we’d done before”: How the reluctant ‘Godfathers Of Hardcore’ wrote the mosh-pit classic that put East Coast punk on MTV
Sick Of It All helped take hardcore into the mainstream (LouderSound)
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“The real ideological Nazis began coming out of the closet and attacked our shows.” How pockets of mindless violence inspired the most important 63 seconds of punk you’ll ever hear
Even 45 years after its release, this 1981 single remains depressingly relevant today (LouderSound)
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“I had the door slammed in my twice. I decided I’d make damn sure it never happened again”: The iconic singer who rose from the ashes twice to make one of metal’s greatest ever debut albums
How Dio made their iconic 1983 debut album (LouderSound)
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“It makes you wanna hurt someone real bad. They always have the most violent pits. Their riffs just bring out the aggression in people”: The three iconic metal albums that changed Ice-T’s life
Riffs, beats and smackdowns – this is the soundtrack to Ice-T’s life (LouderSound)
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Here are 5 ways to watch the 2026 Grammy Awards for less – find out if Sleep Token, Deftones, Linkin Park, Spiritbox and Ghost scoop any gongs this year
With a totally stacked lineup for rock and metal fans, as well as an all-star tribute to Ozzy from Slash, Duff McKagan, Chad Smith and Post Malone, you do not want to miss it! (LouderSound)
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“We got airplay with that song, and that was remarkable. Unless you were Nirvana or Pearl Jam, radio stations weren’t interested”: How William Shakespeare inspired the song which became a surprise grunge-era hit and saved an entire genre
This 1992 classic was a turning point for progressive metal (LouderSound)
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Baby Queen is back with her new single ‘I Hope You Don’t Remember Me’
Baby Queen is back with a new single, ‘I Hope You Don’t Remember Me’, marking the first release from her forthcoming second studio album. Released via Insanity Records, the new record saw Bella Latham seek out new creative avenues by relocating to New York and later LA, where she collaborated with producer Alex Casnoff. Discussing…
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Noah Kahan has announced a new album led by single ‘The Great Divide’
Noah Kahan has released his latest single, ‘The Great Divide’, which serves as the title-track for his upcoming fourth studio album. The album -produced by Gabe Simon and Aaron Dessner, recorded primarily at a secluded farm outside Nashville, Gold Pacific Studio in Nashville, and Long Pond Studio in New York – is set to be…
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My First Time have dropped their fab new single ‘Picture Of Health’
My First Time are kicking off 2026 with the release of their latest single, ‘Picture Of Health’. Following on from recent drops ‘Sippy Cup’ and ‘Brand New’, the track explores the emptiness of modern life via a character (coined The Picture Of Health) desperate to win someone back. “Living vicariously through fitness and financial gurus…
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Kim Gordon has announced some spring 2026 UK and European tour dates
Kim Gordon is set to embark on a series of UK and European live dates in spring 2026. The run is in support of her upcoming album ‘PLAY ME’, which is set for release on 13th March through Matador and features recent single ‘NOT TODAY’. The tour kicks off with performances at the Rewire Festival…
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From reggae/metal mash-ups to riff-stacked prog, these are the 11 new metal tracks that everybody needs to hear this week
Skindred, Sevendust and Møl spearhead a week of amazing new music. Listen to it all and vote for your favourite song here. (LouderSound)
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“I said, ‘Only call me if it’s AC/DC or the Rolling Stones.’ A week in, the phone rings, and it’s my agent saying AC/DC called. What?!” From her dad touring with Aerosmith to singing in The Grinch, Taylor Momsen on her life in music and movies
The Pretty Reckless singer has learned some extremely useful lessons across her unique career (LouderSound)
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Cool new proggy sounds from Arcane Roots, Karnivool, Crippled Black Phoenix and more in Prog’s new Tracks Of The Week
Great new prog you must hear from Hedvig Mollestrad Weejuns, plantoid, Maebe and more in this week’s Tracks Of The Week (LouderSound)
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How to watch the 2026 Grammy Awards: Ghost, Deftones, Sleep Token & Amyl And The Sniffers among this year’s nominees
The 68th annual Grammy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on February 1 – here’s how you can watch the evening unfold live from anywhere (LouderSound)
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“Old Iron” by Photographer Michael Dean Lemon
Michael Dean Lemon Michael Dean Lemon’s Website Michael Dean Lemon on Instagram
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Casablanca Drivers have released their new single ‘Garage’
Casablanca Drivers have unveiled their latest single ‘Garage’. The track marks the third release from the Corsican-born, Paris-based indie-pop band’s forthcoming album. The duo, Nicolas Paoletti and Alexandre Diani, say of the track: “The song moves between softness and intensity, carried by strong synth themes and expressive vocals. With its revival electro-clash vibe, it taps…
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Joyce Manor: “A break did us a lot of good”
FOLLOW UPSET ON SPOTIFY “You always worry when you take a break whether people will just move on and forget about you, you know?” says Joyce Manor’s endlessly engaging frontman Barry Johnson. “You worry that when you come back, you’re gonna be significantly smaller – because that can happen. For us, I think a break…
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Pem is writing songs in the garden, obviously
FOLLOW PLAY ON SPOTIFY Pem has the kind of day that makes you want to change your whole life plan. “I’m well, thank you! I’ve been gardening today, planting up a new design with lots of yellow and blue flowering plants,” she says. “It’s been a busy music week, so it’s nice to get back…
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“Strange people just appeared. We had awful visions of ghosts in the room. There was rustling and scraping at the window. It was happening every full moon”: The creepy tale of Camel’s Moonmadness
Charged with matching The Snow Goose’s surprise success, Andy Latimer’s band wrote a record about themselves – disguising their vocals because they’d been told they couldn’t sing (LouderSound)
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“Every song we came up with was like the greatest thing. Every time we’d write another it was like, ‘Oh my god’”: Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax and more remember how thrash metal took over the world 40 years ago
1986 was the year where thrash metal broke through. We got the genre’s leading bands to look back on those whirlwind 12 months. (LouderSound)
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Israel Campos “Echoes” @ Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles
Charlie James Gallery is pleased to present Israel Campos: Echoes, the artist’s first exhibition with the gallery. Campos excavates the layered cultural histories of Los Angeles using a combined painting and screenprinting technique. In his role as artist-historian, Campos reveals the figures, stories, and myths that echo through the city’s history, folding Mexican folklore into…
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“He came down with this battered old Telecaster and played the best solo I’ve ever heard in my life”: The debauched story of the Britrock classic made perfect by the last guitar solo from a legend
All the elements of the classic rock’n’roll lifestyle fed into a storming tune about a crazy ex-lover (LouderSound)
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“Some other very well-known people were at that first jam”: Adrian Smith on how Smith/Kotzen got started, bonding over British rock and Iron Maiden’s big homecoming
Guitarists Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen are preparing to take their side project on the road with shows in the UK and Europe (LouderSound)
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“I sang Smoke On The Water with Deep Purple when they came to our school for a music clinic”: This is the soundtrack of H.E.A.T frontman Kenny Leckremo’s life
H.E.A.T frontman Kenny Leckremo picks his records, artists and gigs of lasting significance, and talks a lot about Iron Maiden (LouderSound)
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“Some horribly lame moments slip into that horribly twee dad-rock territory that blighted so much of his recent work with Status Quo”: Francis Rossi doesn’t quite return to the pile-driving sound of his old band on The Accidental
Status Quo frontman surprises himself with unexpected fifth solo album (LouderSound)
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“It was something Ozzy was very passionate about: giving young talent a stage in front of a lot of people”: Sharon Osbourne is talking to Live Nation about bringing Ozzfest back
She’s hoping for a return next year, with a lineup that goes beyond rock and metal (LouderSound)
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Wolf Alice are confirmed to perform at the BRIT Awards 2026
Wolf Alice are set to take the stage at the BRIT Awards 2026, joining the lineup with Harry Styles and Olivia Dean. The BRIT Awards 2026, held at Co-op Live in Manchester, will be broadcast live on ITV and ITVX on Saturday 28th February and hosted by comedian Jack Whitehall. Wolf Alice have been nominated…
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“I think we’re headed to some really ugly terrain”: Ice-T explains why he changed lyrics from Body Count’s Cop Killer to ‘ICE Killer’ last year, as government agency faces heightened backlash for 2026 killings
United States Immigration And Custom Enforcement agents have fatally shot two people on the streets of Minneapolis this month (LouderSound)
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“Being in a band with someone is very intimate. You exchange ideas, you have arguments, it’s exciting.” The story behind the Fear City punk rock demo that Madonna recorded before becoming one of the world’s biggest pop superstars
Madonna has a punk rock past, and we have the receipts (LouderSound)
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Deer Shed Festival has added more artists to 2026 line-up
Deer Shed Festival have expanded their 2026 line-up with a new wave of artists set to perform at the summer event. The North Yorkshire festival, taking place at Baldersby Park from 24th to 26th July, will see DEADLETTER, Joshua Idehen, Madra Salach, Lime Garden, Brown Horse, and Murkage Dave joining the bill. These acts are…
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Wunderhorse have announced a trio of August 2026 shows in Belfast, Cork, and Sheffield
Wunderhorse have announced a series of shows set to take place in August 2026 in Belfast, Cork, and Sheffield. The band will kick off their performances at Belfast’s Custom House Square on 25th August, followed by a show at Cork’s City Hall on 26th August, and will conclude by headlining Sheffield’s Rock n Roll Circus…
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Gold Sounds festival has confirmed the 2026 lineup for Brudenell Social Club
Gold Sounds are set to return to the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds for their 2026 edition on Sunday, 3rd May. Known for highlighting emerging talent, this year’s festival will be headlined by TTSSFU, Lots of Hands, and PISS. The festival will also feature local band Gravy, along with other acts including Bleech 9:3 (pictured),…
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“Why would I want to play with those guys?” Dave Mustaine doesn’t want to reunite with certain former Megadeth members because they bad-mouthed him in interviews
It doesn’t help that other ex-members have apparently given up their instruments, as well (LouderSound)
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Outbreak Fest has revealed new additions for 2026’s Manchester edition, including The Front Bottoms and Snail Mail
Outbreak Fest have announced the Friday line-up for their 2026 Manchester edition, featuring headliners The Front Bottoms, along with Balance & Composure, Tigers Jaw, Free Throw, and more. In addition to the Friday line-up, Outbreak Fest have revealed day splits and new additions to the festival, joining acts such as Alexisonfire, Basement, Hatebreed, Suicidal Tendencies,…
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“I’m taking care of myself for the first time ever”: Metallica, Slayer and Kiss members appear in new trailer for Paul Di’Anno documentary Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer
Written and directed by Lemmy’s Wes Orshoski, the rock doc is due to come out later this year (LouderSound)
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“New York is an eccentric city. We met a police officer smoking a cigar outside JFK and got in a cab while Africa by Toto blasted out of the radio.” How memories of a “surreal” first US trip re-lit a fire under one of Britain’s best young bands
Marmozets announce first new album since 2018 (LouderSound)
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Akea Brionne: Time Bends for the Tender @ Lyles & King, NYC
Lyles & King is pleased to present Time Bends for the Tender, a solo exhibition of Akea Brionne’s work on view through February 21, 2026. Drawing inspiration from bell hooks’ Sisters of the Yam, this series explores the interior landscape of black women cultivated in order to survive the psychic, social, and geographic pressures placed upon them.
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Spark 2026: The creative industries converge in Barcelona
Game designers, Netflix executives and the minds behind Tomorrowland are all heading to Barcelona this February. And Creative Boom readers can register for free! Barcelona in February isn’t just about the weather (though that helps). This year, it’s about Spark 2026; the new creative showcase at Integrated Systems Europe that’s bringing together everyone from game…
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Should you be publicly anti-AI? Creatives share their views
Image licensed via Adobe Stock Taking a stance on generative AI might feel good, but could it lose you clients? Here’s what our community has to say about this divisive issue. Welcome to another edition of Dear Boom, our advice series where the creative community tackles the thorniest questions facing our industry. This week’s dilemma…
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Booms & Shakes: The creative industry’s first big shifts of 2026
Quba Tuakli, Creative Practice Lead at GentleForces From executive appointments and creative promotions to studios scaling up and branching out, the year is already shaping up to be a big one for people moves. The creative industry never stands still. And neither do the people shaping it. From agency founders marking major milestones to new…
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The New York pioneers who took pop-rock to new and hugely successful heights: Nine Blondie albums you should listen to and one to avoid
With their sharp songwriting and lyrical flair, Blondie are the pop-punk disco titans who embraced rap before it went mainstream. These are their best albums (LouderSound)
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“He wrote, ‘Eat more shit – 100,000 flies can’t be wrong.’ He hated us”: German prog icon was regarded with suspicion by other artists, the target of vegetables at concerts, and witness to a label boss jumping out a window to escape his band
Accused of being a European “knob-turner,” he faced the music establishment’s rejection attitude with a lesson learned from Salvador Dali, and defied expectations by scaling the charts (LouderSound)
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“Sometimes all your fans want is to keep living the same experience over and over again”: The story of the love/hate hit that split the Judas Priest fan base
Rob Halford recalls how Judas Priest celebrated 1980s materialism – complete with sexy motor imagery and state-of-the-art studio technology (LouderSound)
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“Mars was forced to admit under oath that his statements were false”: Mötley Crüe claim comprehensive victory in legal battle with Mick Mars
Mick Mars must pay Mötley Crüe a portion of the advance he received for shows in which he did not subsequently perform (LouderSound)
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Robbie Williams has released a new video for his single ‘All My Life’
Robbie Williams has released the video for his latest single, ‘All My Life’, which features scenes from his forthcoming documentary ‘Robbie Williams – Thru a New Lens’. Directed by Charlie Lightening and produced by Lorton Entertainment, the video follows his 16th UK Number 1 album with ‘BRITPOP’, released earlier this month. The album includes collaborations…
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SPRINTS have shared a cover of Le Tigre’s ‘Deceptacon’
SPRINTS have unveiled their cover of Le Tigre’s ‘Deceptacon’. The cover coincides with their North American tour, which kicked off this week and is in support of their recent album ‘All That Is Over’. The band’s frontperson, Karla Chubb, comments, “I’m not sure there’s a womxn in the world who plays guitar that hasn’t been…
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Against The Current have booked a series of 15th anniversary shows for spring
Against The Current are set to mark their 15-year anniversary with a series of special shows this spring. The band will perform at six intimate venues across the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States, revisiting some of the cities where they experienced early success. Chrissy Costanza, the band’s vocalist, commented on the milestone, saying,…
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Harry Styles is going to perform at The BRIT Awards 2026
Harry Styles is confirmed to perform at The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard, marking his live TV performance debut at Manchester’s Co-op Live on 28th February. This performance will be Styles’ first at The BRIT Awards since 2023, when he won four awards after the release of his album ‘Harry’s House’, and takes place ahead…
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Field Day have revealed the full lineup and stage allocations for this year’s festival
Field Day have revealed the full lineup and stage allocations for this year’s festival. The latest additions include Patrick Mason, Silva Bumpa, Partiboi69, confirmed to join Floating Points, Honey Dijon, Joy Orbison, Interplanetary Criminal and more for the 2026 edition, which will take place on Saturday 23rd May. The stage splits for the festival have…
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Bearded Theory have announced the full lineup for their 2026’s festival, with Everything Everything, The Horrors and more
Bearded Theory have announced the full lineup for their 2026 festival, set to take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire from 20th to 24th May. The festival will feature headline performances by Garbage, Pixies, and Skunk Anansie, while the latest additions to the lineup include Everything Everything, The Horrors, The Twilight Sad, A Guy Called Gerald,…
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AURORA is going to release a 10th anniversary book for her debut album
AURORA is set to commemorate the 10th anniversary of her debut album ‘All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend’ with the release of a new hardback book of the same name. This publication follows her previous books for ‘The Gods We Can Touch’ and ‘What Happened To The Heart?’, with general availability from Thursday…
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Gretel has announced her debut album ‘Squish’
Gretel has officially announced her debut album, ‘Squish’, set for release on 10th April via Breadcrumb Records / AWAL. The album was recorded live over five days at RAK Studios, and delves into self-protection, exploring themes of desire, jealousy, and resilience across twelve tracks. It’s preceded by the title-track. Gretel says of the record, “It’s…
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“Going back to our roots, we felt that spark in the studio and how we work together”: The Black Crowes announce new single and massive co-headline tour with Whiskey Myers
It’s Like That is the third song to emerge from the Black Crowes upcoming album A Pound Of Feathers (LouderSound)
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“There were bloody footprints where mercy should have stood.And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets, Alex Pretti and Renee Good.” Bruce Springsteen releases moving anti-ICE protest song Streets of Minneapolis
Bruce Springsteen rush-releases song “in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis” (LouderSound)
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“It’s a more sinister sound, because these are sinister times.” Kneecap announce new album Fenian, share its politicised, hard-hitting punk-rave single Liars Tale
Kneecap announce UK shows around release of new album Fenian, share video for single Liars Tale (LouderSound)
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Kneecap have announced their new album ‘FENIAN’
Belfast-based trio KNEECAP have announced their forthcoming album ‘FENIAN’, set for release on Friday 24th April. This follows their 2024 release ‘Fine Art’ and a self-titled biopic, which received both BAFTA and Sundance awards. Produced by Dan Carey, the album features a “more sinister sound” which reflects the current times. The trio, comprising Mo Chara,…
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“He’s always had more to say than can be expressed in just one band”: Every solo album by Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson ranked from worst to best
Even if you take The Beast out of the equation, Bruce Dickinson has had a magical career. Here are his seven albums in reverse-order of excellence. (LouderSound)
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Jeff Buckley finally scores an entry on the US singles chart nearly three decades after his death
TikTok users ensure that Lover, You Should’ve Come Over finally breaches the Billboard Hot 100 chart (LouderSound)
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“There’s no other explanation for how bad we looked”: Basketball fan goes viral after suggesting their team lost because a Ghost concert cursed the arena
One Reddit user implies that the Charlotte Hornets embarrassed Orlando Magic on the court last week thanks to a recent show filled with “Devil imagery” (LouderSound)
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“You guys got more money than God, why do you have to take my money?” Dave Mustaine on his conversation with James Hetfield that ended Metallica’s plan to release their legendary No Life ‘Til Leather demo on vinyl and CD
Dave Mustaine understandably isn’t prepared to be pressured into backing down on his contributions to Metallica’s early success (LouderSound)
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Artist Spotlight: Célestin Krier
Célestin Krier …
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“I wouldn’t say I’m an alcoholic – but then, you know, alcoholics say they’re not alcoholics”: The chaotic and confusing story of Metallica’s abandoned album
In 2001, Metallica hired an old army barracks in California to try and record album eight. The songs were scrapped when James Hetfield entered rehab, but many fans still want to hear them finished. (LouderSound)
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Boomtown 2026 has signed up Kae Tempest, Lynks, Peaches and more
Boomtown has revealed the second wave of its line-up for August 2026, marking a significant step in its Chapter 5: Radical Redesign. With over 50 new artists announced, the festival continues to highlight its dedication to a diverse and genre-spanning musical experience. The festival will see performances from acclaimed poet and performer Kae Tempest, alongside…
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“I knew something was wrong. I went to the bar and my girlfriend was there with another guy.” The dagger-through-the-heart memory which inspired the biggest rock song of its generation
The story behind “the UK’s alternative national anthem”, inspired by heartbreak, David Bowie and Iggy Pop (LouderSound)
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“What we’re doing is more closely related to Lady Gaga than many rock bands.” Ghost frontman Tobias Forge reveals what the Swedish metallers have in common with one of pop’s biggest icons
The singer also sheds more light on the issues his masks have given him over the years (LouderSound)
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“I just want this dementia-riddled sociopath and his cabinet of freaks removed from office”: Lamb Of God, Converge and other leading metal bands speak out following fatal ICE shootings in Minneapolis
Lamb Of God singer Randy Blythe lambasts the “open moral collapse” of the US government, joining the chorus of voices criticising Immigration And Customs Enforcement’s actions in Minnesota (LouderSound)
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“I felt a little bit grubby. I knew it hadn’t come from a place of complete integrity”: Steven Wilson tried to forget his shamelessly commercial Porcupine Tree song, but met it again in a strip club
The band leader learned a valuable lesson about himself after an attempt to do his record label’s bidding (LouderSound)
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The XCERTS are back with their urgent new single, ‘do it to myself’
The XCERTS have returned with their latest single ‘do it to myself’, marking their first original release since 2023 and their debut under the new label FLG Records. Vocalist and guitarist Murray Macleod explains, “There’s a desperate urgency about this song. It’s an admission of my fragility and tendency to self-sabotage when things aren’t good…
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“If you have a sixteen-bar guitar solo, please don’t turn into Yngwie Malmsteen or Joe Satriani”: Ian Anderson on Jethro Tull, the right kind of guitarist, and forgetting what he’s done
Ian Anderson talks about Jethro Tull’s latest album Curious Ruminant and ponders the itch to make another (LouderSound)
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Ayako Rokkaku “SCENERY IN THE PROCESS OF BEING FORMED” @ Konig Galerie, Berlin
KÖNIG GALERIE presents Ayako Rokkaku’s fourth solo exhibition SCENERY IN THE PROCESS OF BEING FORMED, with the gallery, on view in the Nave of St. Agnes. Bringing together a wide-ranging sculptural practice alongside a new body of paintings, the exhibition traces the artist’s movement through places, materials, and atmospheres—and how form slowly emerges through her hands.
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Maisie Peters has announced her third album ‘Florescence’
Maisie Peters has revealed her third studio album, ‘Florescence’, co-produced with Ian Fitchuk. The album features collaborations with Julia Michaels and Marcus Mumford, and is accompanied by a trailer directed by Amelia Dimoldenberg. The follow-up to Peters’ debut ‘The Good Witch’, the album was written and recorded primarily in Nashville, marking her debut as a…
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Why brand consistency matters more than ever, and how Obello can help agencies achieve it
Thanks to Obello, design teams no longer need to choose between creative control and empowering their marketing colleagues to create content at scale. Modern brands need constant content across an endless array of channels. For agencies, the relentless volume and sheer scale of the task can become overwhelming. AI tools promise to help, but most…
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The motion design bottleneck is real… and Typeflow by Algo studio might be the answer
Every design team faces the same challenge: evolving demand for motion, finite motion designers and brand consistency that can’t be compromised. Well, here’s a great solution, powered by Cavalry. Picture this: you’re a creative director at a company with a brilliant design system, a talented team, and perhaps one or two motion designers who are…
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A Cut Above: Chloe Isteed’s collage illustrations
“I love using collage to tell stories about everyday life, mental health, loss, nature or simply a sock that went missing in the wash,” says the up-and-coming British illustrator. There are faster ways of making images. Approaches that deliver more punch. Techniques that achieve more detail. But Chloe Isteed knows that the collage imagery she…
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OFFF Barcelona returns for its 26th year with a stellar line-up celebrating creativity, art and design
Returning to Disseny Hub Barcelona this April, OFFF 2026 once again positions itself as a global meeting point for creative leaders, emerging practices and new ideas shaping design, art and digital culture. One of the most coveted events in the global design calendar, OFFF Barcelona returns this spring for its 26th edition, bringing together some…
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Futurewave’s ÖFY explores a more discreet approach to AI wearables
As the dust settles on this year’s CES, ÖFY offers a case study in a growing design-led push towards unobtrusive technology, signalling a potential shift in how intelligence is embedded into everyday products. If you’re not part of the typical tech crowd, CES probably feels a little overwhelming. Screens stack on screens, demos blur into…
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“There are people who are almost tainted by their knowledge of music. It’s almost like they know too much”: How we got over ourselves and learned to love The Darkness
On October 7, 2003, The Darkness released their debut album Permission To Land. Many were resistant to its obvious charms, including us (LouderSound)
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Olivia Dean and Spiritualized have joined the BRITs Week 26 line-up for War Child
BRITs Week 26, delivered by DHL for War Child, has announced additions to its 2026 line-up, featuring Olivia Dean, Spiritualized and The K’s. These acts join the series aimed at raising funds for War Child, which will run alongside The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard, set to take place on 28th February in Manchester. The…
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“I preferred the Chili Peppers’ cover to what Guns N’ Roses did, but I was really happy about the royalty cheques”: Stooges guitarist James Williamson looks back at the proto-punk ass-kicker David Bowie didn’t understand
Stooges guitarist James Williamson looks back at this proto-punk ass kicker that opened many a show circa ’73 (LouderSound)
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A. G. Cook has released his new single and video ‘Residue’, featuring Charli xcx and Kylie Jenner
A. G. Cook has unveiled his new single ‘Residue’ from the upcoming album ‘The Moment (The Score)’, composed for A24’s film ‘The Moment’ directed by Aidan Zamiri. The music video, also directed by Zamiri, features appearances from Charli xcx and Kylie Jenner, who are part of the film’s cast. The score for ‘The Moment’ is…
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Dead Pony have released a new video for ‘Eat My Dust!’
Dead Pony have unveiled a new video for their latest single, ‘Eat My Dust!’, which is now available via ADA. The new track is described by guitarist Blair Crichton as being “written about moving on from negative things in your past, bettering yourself and letting the haters choke on your dust cloud as you pass…
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Enter Shikari have booked a UK tour for November, including two nights at Ally Pally
Enter Shikari are set to embark on their largest UK and EU headline arena tour this November. The tour will begin on 3rd November at the Sporthalle in Hamburg, including their biggest German headline show at Düsseldorf’s Mitsubishi Halle. The UK leg starts on 13th November at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena, with subsequent performances in Cardiff,…
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The new collector’s edition of Aerosmith’s debut album comes with unreleased music, a satin tour jacket and a 3D pop-up diorama
Dream on and on and on and on (LouderSound)
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“We spend a lot of time stabbing babies, fornicating with dogs, bombing churches.” The dark, twisted, brilliant but largely forgotten grunge band who could have been bigger than Nirvana
The story of the cult Seattle band who should have become superstars but couldn’t catch a break (LouderSound)
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“There was a point where My Chemical Romance were opening shows for us. Quite quickly, they weren’t anymore”: The story of the post-hardcore takeover that didn’t quite happen
As nu metal’s commercial power began to wane, major labels desperately signed a bunch of bands with hardcore backgrounds, from My Chemical Romance to Cave In. A lot of them didn’t work out. (LouderSound)
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“The first song I ever wrote with Ozzy was on that guitar – and then also, the last tribute to him.” Ozzy Osbourne’s longest-serving guitarist Zakk Wylde opens up on the emotional new song he’s written in memory of the Prince Of Darkness
The Black Label Society frontman and longtime Ozzy guitarist penned the tribute in the weeks following Ozzy’s death (LouderSound)
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“The song is about death. It came inside an actual dead person’s skull”: When The Flaming Lips proved they love you with a Halloween track lasting 24 hours
Wayne Coyne and co sold 13 units of 7 Skies H3 in 2011 – and for him, it was just another example of being influenced by Pink Floyd, The Beatles and Radiohead (LouderSound)
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Arcane Roots return with intent (and a bigger line-up)
FOLLOW UPSET ON SPOTIFY Arcane Roots are back with intent. “It feels like some kind of anime montage,” Andrew Groves says. “We’ve kind of all gone away and sharpened our skills, and now we’re back together, and we’re stronger.” He smiles as he speaks, his rugged beard reflecting the years he has spent living in Iceland.…
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The guy who just climbed that skyscraper live on Netflix listened to a lot of Tool on the way up
Alex Honnold made a playlist of his favourite rock songs for his free solo climb up the 11th-tallest building on Earth last weekend (LouderSound)
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“I had 20 kids on my doorstep looking in my windows. I couldn’t go to the grocery store.” Tom Cruise, Eminem, the Twin Towers and a million sales in a week – the story behind the album that made Limp Bizkit the biggest rock band on the planet
For just a moment, this was the record that officially made metal the biggest genre in the world (LouderSound)
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“I am not a great singer who can sing in any band, but I know I’m a better singer than the mask allowed me to be”: Ghost’s Tobias Forge likens performing in his old masks to “running 100 metres in flip-flops”
The singer also says that Ghost’s shows have more in common with Lady Gaga concerts than “many other rock bands” (LouderSound)
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Bombay Bicycle Club are going to headline LIDO Festival 2026 with a special anniversary performance
Bombay Bicycle Club are set to headline LIDO Festival 2026 at Victoria Park, London, marking their 20th anniversary. Scheduled for Sunday, 14th June, the band will perform their debut album‘I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose’ as well as its follow-up ‘Flaws’ in full. This special performance will be part of a one-off…
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Nicolas Party “Dead Fish” @ Karma, New York
In Dead Fish, Nicolas Party surveys his practice through oil-on-copper paintings, each of which is a small-scale reworking of an earlier composition. While copying himself, Party also engages the long art-historical tradition of reproducing paintings by the masters: from Francisco Goya’s Still Life with Golden Bream (1808–12), he has created a direct pastel-on-linen study. The…
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Stills 2026 Trends Report points to the rise of human-centred design
Wide Angle: Distorted © Molly Strohl Tired of safe, generic work? Stills’ 2026 trends empower creative professionals to embrace personality, texture and risk in visual communications. Amid a world drowning in sameness, the work that cuts through isn’t the work that plays nice; it’s the work that gets playful. That’s the core message from Stills’…
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Nike is exploring FLORA for its creative work – should you be, too?
Weber Wong When a sportswear giant lists a creative AI tool in job requirements, it’s worth understanding what caught their attention. When Nike recently posted a job listing for a generative AI design expert, it included an unusual requirement: “Mastery of FLORA.” Not Photoshop mastery, not Midjourney expertise. FLORA, a unified creative environment that’s quietly…
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HIRUKI: a design house betting on emotion in an era of systems and scale
Founded by Julen Saenz, whose CV spans Apple, Google Creative Lab and Collins, HIRUKI is a new collective studio built on the belief that brands should be felt as art. Over the past decade, the design industry has become increasingly fluent in systems, scale and speed. Brands are ‘optimised’, frameworks are refined, and success is…
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Koto evolves GoFundMe’s brand as platform expands beyond individual giving
What happens when a progress bar grows up? Koto’s latest work for GoFundMe transforms an everyday UI element into a flexible brand system that scales generosity. Global creative studio Koto has partnered with GoFundMe on a wide-ranging brand evolution, marking a significant moment for the fundraising platform as it continues to expand beyond individual campaigns…
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“It was the requiem for the kind of life that we all had dreamed would be in the sixties”: More than half a century on, a folk-rock anthem about the souring of the American Dream continues to confound and inspire
The story of the song about America that’s been a global hit for two different musicians (LouderSound)
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“We were a gang. I’d get into fights in bars defending them. But I had my dream taken away”: With Guns N’ Roses, Steven Adler went close to the edge more than anyone – but then it all came crashing down
Of all those involved with Guns N’ Roses, drummer Steven Adler was the one who most lived up to their Most Dangerous Band In The World reputation (LouderSound)
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“If you see any Pink Floyd tribute act there’s an utter po-facedness to them. That seriousness has become the image of Floyd forever. We wanted a sense of fun”: Why Gary Kemp had to be part of Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets
The previously secret fan – who sneaked prog onto a Spandau Ballet album – helped bring Sex Pistols, Clash and Bowie vibes into Mason’s band, and felt intimidated when Roger Waters guested with them (LouderSound)
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“I hope my music and music films will ease some of the unwarranted stress and threats you are experiencing from our unpopular and hopefully temporary government”: Neil Young gifts his entire back catalogue to the residents of Greenland
Neil Young is providing free access to his digital archive to residents of Greenland in protest at US Goverment threats to annex the nation (LouderSound)
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“Wander into Alice’s Attic, a realm of insanity… if you dare!” Alice Cooper announces Alice’s Attic tour
Alice Cooper adds more shows to an already bulging schedule (LouderSound)
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“That world just wouldn’t acknowledge our scene. It was either death metal bands or it was Cradle Of Filth everywhere”: The cult US hardcore band who smashed boundaries to make one of the 21st century’s most influential albums
Converge’s 2001 classic Jane Doe is one of the greatest albums of the last 30 years (LouderSound)
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“And you know what? I’m just sharing ten years of groupies with ya, frat boy!” Why one of the biggest bands in rock music put a major music service out of business (and made one of the 2000s’ strangest comedy sketch videos)
This was certainly a time of change in the music industry (LouderSound)
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“It feels good to have a thousand people flipping you off. Just to see the amount of middle fingers go up when we go into it is amazing”: The alt-rock superstars who trolled their fans with a 70s easy listening cover – and scored a huge hit with it
Faith No More had already covered War Pigs (LouderSound)
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Wolf Alice have announced a major homecoming show at Finsbury Park
Wolf Alice are set to perform a major homecoming performance at Finsbury Park, London, on 5th July, 2026. This announcement comes as the band celebrate three BRITs nominations, for Alternative/Rock Act, Group of the Year and Mastercard Album of the Year for ‘The Clearing’. They are currently completing an extensive world tour that has spanned…
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Martin Garrix, Kneecap and Matt Berninger are among the new additions to Open’er Festival’s 2026 lineup
Open’er Festival has expanded its 2026 lineup to include Martin Garrix, Kneecap andMatt Berninger. Held in Gdynia, Poland, from 1st to 4th July, the festival has also signed up ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U, known for his club performances, and songwriter LP. These artists join an already packed roster that includes The Cure, Calvin Harris, The xx, Nick…
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Overpass join us for this month’s Down With Boring
It’s the last Monday of the month, which means it’s time for the first monthly edition of Down With Boring. Broadcast tonight (Monday 26th January) on Dork Radio, Overpass join as special guests. We get into their debut album, life on the road, what touring actually does to your brain, and whether they’d happily live…
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Sunday (1994) are going to join The Last Dinner Party for their European tour
Sunday (1994) have been announced as the supporting act for The Last Dinner Party’s upcoming European tour. The extensive 17-date tour is set to begin in Lisbon, Portugal on 8th February and will conclude in Oslo, Norway on 6th March. The band have just concluded their own headline UK tour, a 12-date run in November,…
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Classic Rock’s Tracks Of The Week: January 26, 2026
Eight songs you need to hear right now, from the Claypool Lennon Delirium, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Elles Bailey and more (LouderSound)
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“This Much is True” by Photographer Albert Elm
Albert Elm Albert Elm on Instagram
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When smaller is better: creative festival All Flows returns to Milton Keynes this May
Now in its fourth year, the Milton Keynes festival is proving that intimacy trumps scale when it comes to meaningful creative connection. We’re big fans of All Flows, the boutique creative festival, which returns for its fourth edition on 13–15 May 2026. So it’s great to hear that co-founders Richard Wiggins and Simon Wright have…
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“A Russian girl came to my parents’ door with suitcases and said, ‘I have sold everything in my life. I’m going to marry your son and live with you now.” How two unknown European bands changed the face of metal in the 90s – and broke up its boys club
In 1997, two key releases by two emerging bands had a game-changing impact on the metal scene as we knew it (LouderSound)
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Éric Cantona has announced his debut studio album, ‘Perfect Imperfection’
Éric Cantona has announced his debut studio album, ‘Perfect Imperfection’. The 11-track collection will be released globally on 13th March via Barclay (Universal Music France) & Fontana, and is available for pre-order now. The former football star has penned and composed nine out of the eleven tracks on the album. The remaining tracks, ‘Avoir le…
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Hungry heart for music biopics? Here’s how to watch Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere from as little as £3.99 on Disney+ – but you only have 2 days left to grab this deal
The film chronicles the story of one of the most iconic albums in the Boss’s catalogue – and you can watch it from the comfort of your own home (LouderSound)
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“It wasn’t as big as Guns N’ Roses – but it could have been. It just didn’t last long enough.” A member of one of rock’s most celebrated supergroups says things could have got even bigger if the wheels hadn’t fallen off
This band of rock icons were a big deal in the 2000s – but could they have been even bigger? (LouderSound)
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“Let’s not forget he was still learning how to sing as ‘Bryan Ferry.’ I know I captured a fantastic atmosphere, complete with mistakes”: Some of Roxy Music hated Virginia Plain, but its producer loved it
Former King Crimson man Pete Sinfield tried to balance prog and pop sensibilities on the 1972 single, and had answers for the criticisms levelled at it (LouderSound)
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Misfits: Daniel Nuñez Explores a New Freedom @ GR Gallery, New York
GR gallery is pleased to present Misfits, the first New York City solo exhibition by Daniel Nunez. The exhibition brings together a new body of work comprising paintings on canvas and drawings, offering an in-depth look at the artist’s most recent explorations.
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“I said something like: ‘It would be really, really dreadful if that got wiped’ and I found out later that that’s exactly what he did”: The story of the UFO classic inspired by a pair of murderous twins
For a much-loved ballad on 1981’s The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent, UFO turned to the criminal underworld for inspiration (LouderSound)
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Nieves González “Sacred Hair / Capelli Sacri” @ T293 Gallery, Rome
T293 presents Sacred Hair / Capelli Sacri, the first solo exhibition in Italy by Spanish artist Nieves González (Huelva, 1996), curated by Victoria Rivers. The exhibition simultaneously marks the inauguration of the gallery’s new location in Rome’s emblematic Piazza del Catalone, establishing a natural synergy between González’s artistic vision and the experimental spirit that has…
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Is billing your clients in advance ever okay?
Image licensed via Adobe Stock Members of the Creative Boom community explore when it’s okay to accept an advance payment for future work and offer some tips to make it work. Welcome to the latest edition of Dear Boom, our agony aunt series for creative professionals. This week’s dilemma touches on something many of us…
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From sketching to stitching: how and why illustrator Simon McAleese founded his own clothing brand
Simon McAleese The Sunderland-based menswear illustrator explains why frustration with “vanilla brands” inspired him to go it alone. When you spend your days drawing other people’s clothing designs, you notice things. Every seam, every pocket placement, every missed opportunity for something more interesting. For Simon McAleese, a menswear illustrator based in Sunderland, that scrutiny eventually…
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Why you should enter the World Illustration Awards 2026
Guess Who Studio won the New Talent award in Explore last year Get yer giddy-up! The awards close for entries on 17 February, and you’ve got to be in it to win it. It’s surprising how many illustrators don’t enter awards. Sometimes an artist is just too busy, which seems fair enough. However, they often…
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“For five minutes I was thinking I could have ‘guitarist for Genesis and Yes’ on my CV”: Why Steve Hackett didn’t take up the offer to join Chris Squire’s band, and what the late bassist said about his friend’s ego
Hackett was in reflective mood when he released 2019 album At The Edge Of Light – which he described as not remotely progressive, explaining why that was a good thing (LouderSound)
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“We left mistakes in, we didn’t clean it all up – which is a hard thing to do when you’re a musician”: How His Lordship hit the rock’n’roll bullseye with one of the best albums of 2025
Pretenders’ sidemen James Walbourne and Kris Sonne’s second album as His Lordship is a savage blast of high-octane, garage-rooted R&B (LouderSound)
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“Released under a more credible banner, it would have sold millions and been regarded as brilliant”: Sweet rock hard and conjure up a cult classic on Give Us A Wink
Could Sweet still produce after dumping Chinn and Chapman? You bet! (LouderSound)
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Yungblud responds to backlash over controversial Till Lindemann photo: “You all know what I stand for, always. I’ll be more for it in the future”
Yungblud responds to fans’ disappointment after a photo appeared online of him with Rammstein’s Till Lindemann (LouderSound)
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“Lemmy loved them. He was into anything fast and exciting and noisy. And they could play their instruments, unlike the punks”: The trailblazing 80s metal band loved by Motörhead, Iron Maiden and… George Michael
Lemmy-approved metal queens Girlschool should be way bigger than they are (LouderSound)
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“Keith Moon put the piranha in the bath and ordered a raw steak from room service. He told the waiter to throw the steak in the bath.” Shotguns, carnage and exploding drumkits – the insane story of The Who’s very first US tour
When The Who toured the US in 1967, they wanted to “leave a wound” – they succeeded (LouderSound)
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“The truth is that I love Def Leppard, I love Enya, I just loved The Eurythmics and Broadway musicals and pop”: How metal’s ‘mad scientist’ wrote his breakout song – and confused the hell out of a prog legend
Devin Townsend dialled back the aggro with Strapping Young Lad’s 2005 classic Love? (LouderSound)
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“I’d put it up there with any of the greatest ballads that have ever been written. You can’t replicate it”: How one of rock’s most moving ballads was written in 15 minutes with a little help from the Bible
Kerry Livgren’s existential ballad Dust In The Wind gave pomp rockers Kansas their biggest ever hit (LouderSound)
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“I had such dreams that people would see what I saw in them, but it was not to be”: When this prog metal singer had his band’s logo tattooed on his arm, they were already planning to fire him
The disaster of their first album – which remains unpopular with many fans – sent them into a nosedive. Dismissing their vocalist was part of the course correction that made them massive (LouderSound)
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“She understands the history of music, but she’s also pushing it forward. She is the future.” Record company execs expect big things of Dave Grohl’s daughter Violet
Violet Grohl has signed a record contract with Republic Records/Island EMI who say “she represents the next generation of artists” (LouderSound)
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“If we manage to survive the tour, go back to Canada and have a rest, who knows what’ll happen. I suspect some music will eventually come out.” Geddy Lee on the chances of recording new Rush material
With a massive reunion tour on the horizon, Rush icon Geddy Lee is open to making new music with drummer Anika Nilles (LouderSound)
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“A taxi knocked KK over. Glenn became an instant medic: ‘He needs hot water!’ He later told me: ‘Worst part is, I was tripping on acid at the time’”: How Judas Priest “danced with death” to make the album that turned them into superstars
Judas Priest survived cars smashes and epic debauchery to make their US breakthrough album (LouderSound)
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“When our agent heard the song live for the first time, he called me and said, ‘This is a hit!’ And he was right!”: The 80s metal anthem that turned the band who wrote it into global superstars – and the X-rated title it nearly had
Things could have turned out very different if the drummer had his way (LouderSound)
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Debate: What was the best prog album of 1976?
Punk might have been on the rise but Rush, Genesis, Jon Anderson, Van der Graaf Generator, Kansas, Alan Parsons, Camel and Soft Machine released records that became all-time greats. But which one is your favourite – and why? (LouderSound)
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“There was a wishing well, a three-legged black cat, and the live room overlooked the mist-covered countryside.” Meet Cwfen, the Scottish doom witches giving Macbeth a run for his money
Starting out as a synthwave duo, Cwfen pivoted to ethereal doom metal after a fateful stormy night (LouderSound)
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“It fitted with the nastiness of the human condition and war and stuff. I wanted the words to sound violent and aggressive”: The apocalyptic anthem that sowed the seeds for prog – and became “the first heavy metal song” in the process
Everyone from Ozzy to Voivod has covered this groundbreaking masterpiece (LouderSound)
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“I’ve got fame, I’ve got adulation, but I was still in the mental prison.” One of heavy metal’s most iconic stars reflects on the day he knew that he had to choose between sobriety or annihilation
“It started to get very gruesome for me, it was a total train wreck” (LouderSound)
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“I heard that Metallica needed a bass player and brother, I was writing letters, made a tape of myself playing and sent it. Never heard a word back.” The 80s pop culture icon who made an unlikely bid to join the world’s biggest metal band
This week, wrestling icon Hulk Hogan passed away aged 71. We revisit one of the strangest stories involving the Hulkster, which included the world’s biggest metal band (LouderSound)
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“The lift stops. The doors open. And this bloke gets in. And it’s Peter ****ing Gabriel!” What happened when Ozzy Osbourne bumped into the prog legend who made the album he was “obsessed” with
When these two music giants bumped into each other, one of them was a little overawed by the whole thing (LouderSound)
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“It doesn’t feel like anything we’ve done before”: Tedeschi Trucks Band announces new studio album and mammoth tour – listen to first single I Got You now
Future Soul will be released during Tedeschi Trucks Band’s upcoming residency at New York’s Beacon Theater (LouderSound)
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The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear right now
Megadeth, Rob Zombie and Poppy are among the best new metal songs this week (LouderSound)
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Nadia Loren and Charlie Noordeweir are going to support Matilda Mann at her sold-out Dork’s Night Out event
Less than two weeks to go, and Dork’s Night Out with Matilda Mann is already shaping up to be something special. After selling out St. Matthias Church in under 24 hours (honestly: blimey), we’re very pleased to reveal the full line-up for Matilda’s headline show on Thursday 5th February. Joining Matilda on the night will…
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“Commuter” by Photographer Bill Ellis
Bill Ellis Bill Ellis’s Website Bill Ellis on Instagram
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“I said, ‘There are no vocals. It’s an instrumental album.’ The lawyer said, ‘Do you mean we’ve just paid $12,000 for a piano player?’” Rick Wakeman relives the moment he delivered The Six Wives Of Henry VIII to a horrified record label
In 1970 they gave him Scotch in the morning, a big cash advance and a three-ton limousine. Eventually the man who’d hated the resulting album gave him a platinum disc for its sales (LouderSound)
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“I’m scared I’ll get in trouble.” How the teenage son of a Canadian punk rocker sampled Beabadoobee without her knowledge on a song about a young man’s dying words, and racked up two billion streams without leaving his bedroom
The story behind viral hit Death Bed (Coffee For Your Head) (LouderSound)
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Prog’s Tracks Of The Week! Awesome new proggy sounds from Opeth, NMB, Myrkur and more…
There’s cool new proggy sounds from Esthesis, worriedaboutsatan, Holosoil, JeGong and more in this week’s Tracks Of The week (LouderSound)
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“I went from touring to working behind a bar in Manhattan, busting my butt to pay bills.” How one of metal’s most beloved bands reunited with an old friend to get a much-needed new lease of life
These metalcore legends faced an uncertain future following the exit of their much-loved frontman, but all was not lost (LouderSound)
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Former Scorpions / Michael Schenker bassist Francis Buchholz dead at 71
“Though the strings have gone silent, his soul remains in every note he played and in every life he touched” (LouderSound)
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CloseUp Festival has signed up Home Counties, Jimothy Lacoste and more
CloseUp Festival has unveiled the headliners for its 2026 edition, marking the 11th instalment of the London event. Set to take place from 22nd to 24th May at Colours Hoxton in London, the festival will feature performances by Home Counties, Jimothy Lacoste and Pale Blue Eyes. In addition to the headliners, the line-up includes Only…
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Girl Group have announced a new EP, ‘Little Sticky Pictures’
Girl Group have announced their upcoming EP ‘Little Sticky Pictures’, set for release on 20th March via Boys Boys Boys. This marks their first vinyl release, presented as a double A-side with their debut EP ‘Think They’re Looking, Let’s Perform’. The announcement is accompanied by the new single ‘SuperDrug’, which “explores our complicated relationship to…
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Dork cover star Louis Tomlinson has released his third album, ‘How Did I Get Here?’
Louis Tomlinson has unveiled his third album, ‘How Did I Get Here?’. The follow-up to ‘WALLS’ and ‘Faith in the Future’, the record – out today, Friday 23rd January – also sees him take his second Dork cover, for March 2026. Commenting on the release, he says, “I sum up it as ‘The record I…
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Holly Humberstone has announced her second album ‘Cruel World’ and some 2026 tour dates
Holly Humberstone has announced her forthcoming second album, ‘Cruel World’. The follow up to her debut album, ‘Paint My Bedroom Black’, released in 2023, the record covers themes of romantic, platonic, and feminine love and will be released on 10th April. Humberstone’s latest single, ‘To Love Somebody’, is accompanied by a video directed by Silken…
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RAYE has kicked off her tour ‘THIS TOUR MAY CONTAIN NEW MUSIC’ in Poland
RAYE has launched her ‘THIS TOUR MAY CONTAIN NEW MUSIC’ global tour with an opening show at Atlas Arena in Lodz, Poland. The tour began with support from her sisters, ABSOLUTELY and AMMA, marking the start of a 51-date sold-out run. The extensive tour will see RAYE perform across major venues in Europe and the…
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Latitude’s 2026 bill is packing a bunch of new talent, including Alessi Rose, Keo and more
Latitude Festival has unveiled its latest lineup announcement ahead of its 20th edition this July, and while the big names are certainly headline-worthy – David Byrne! Lewis Capaldi! Wet Leg! The Last Dinner Party! – the real magic, as ever, lies in the bubbling under. Held from 23rd-26th July 2026 in the idyllic surrounds of…
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Latitude Festival has expanded the lineup for this year’s 20th anniversary edition with James Marriott, Alessi Rose, DEADLETTER and more
Latitude Festival has extended the line up for this year’s 20th anniversary. The event will take place at Henham Park, Suffolk from 23rd to 26th July 2026, with new additions including: Jalen Ngonda, David Gray, The Undertones, Alessi Rose, The Beta Band, Nathan Evans & The SAINT PHNX Band, James Marriott, Lime Garden, Snapped Ankles,…
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Lime Garden are charging into their mid twenties with second album, ‘Maybe Not Tonight’
FOLLOW PLAY ON SPOTIFY Lime Garden are balancing excitement and nerves as they step into the release of their second album. With ‘Maybe Not Tonight’ arriving very soon indeed, the Brighton four-piece are standing at the edge of a proper step forward, buzzing with anticipation and trying, as Leila Deeley puts it, “to stay grounded…
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Joseph Geagan has a Solo Presentation @ Rubell Museum, Miami
If you happen to be in Miami (and missed the Lomex show) Joseph Geagan has a series of works up at the Rubell Museum. His paintings feature comic scenes that foreground the social sphere around him. A self-taught artist, his work includes his friends, artists, pop figures, and imaginary personalities in various states of socializing…
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Preview: Imon Boy’s “Un poco distraído” @ Yusto / Giner Gallery, Madrid
YUSTO / GINER presents in its Madrid space Un poco distraído, a solo exhibition by the artist Imon Boy. In this new show, Imon Boy translates into artistic form the essence of the “last page of the notebook”, that escape zone where the spontaneous and the everyday take shape. With a trajectory that begins in…
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“We thought we made really good records, but we never envisaged hanging out and playing boules at Elton’s house”: How Therapy? ram-raided the mainstream with an ode to the soap opera of teenage existence
Inspired by Irish punk and the Smash Hits Awards, Screamager brought Therapy? unexpected fame (LouderSound)
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“A man was beheaded there and sometimes you can hear his head rolling down”: The historic Loch Ness manor once home to Jimmy Page and Aleister Crowley is opening to the public for the first time in 260 years
A home with a dark history, Boleskin House has been fully restored after being gutted by fire in 2015 and 2019 (LouderSound)
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Debate: Who is the greatest drummer of all time?
Drummers: Turning good bands into great ones since time immemorial (LouderSound)
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Harry Styles has released his new single ‘Aperture’
Harry Styles has released his new single, ‘Aperture’. The track serves as the lead track from his forthcoming fourth album. ‘KISS ALL THE TIME. DISCO, OCCASIONALLY.’ is set to feature 12 tracks and is executive produced by Kid Harpoon, and will be available on 6th March 2026. Pre-orders for limited edition vinyl, CD, exclusive merchandise, and…
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“It’s hard rock for us. It’s got a bit more of an ‘oomph’ than stuff we’ve been doing for a while”: Def Leppard launch new single Rejoice ahead of Las Vegas residency
Def Leppard say they’ve returned to a rockier sound (LouderSound)
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James Blake has dropped a new track, ‘Death Of Love’, from his upcoming album ‘Trying Times’
James Blake has released a new track titled ‘Death Of Love’, which is featured on his forthcoming album ‘Trying Times’. Accompanying the track’s release is a live video directed by Harrison & Adair, featuring the London Welsh Men’s Choir. The album – due to be released on 13th March via Good Boy Records – captures…
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RAYE has announced her new album, ‘THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.’
RAYE has unveiled her forthcoming album, ‘THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.’, which is set for release on 27th March. RAYE comments: “Music is medicine, I’ve always said that. I guess I’m in the process of making medicine for myself that I can share with the world. I want us all to say to ourselves that…
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“He was praying to the sun and making loud noises. I asked, ‘Do you want to sing at our concert tonight? No rehearsal’”: Radiohead and Primal Scream influencers found their new vocalist on the street, after the previous one went mad on stage
The late Holger Czukay discusses the importance of Can’s groundbreaking second album Tago Mago (LouderSound)
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Harry Styles has announced a seven-city global residency tour, including a six-night stint at Wembley Stadium with Shania Twain
Harry Styles is set to embark on a global residency tour. Titled ‘Together, Together’, the run will feature 50 performances across seven cities: Amsterdam, London – for a six-night stint at Wembley Stadium – São Paulo, Mexico City, New York, Melbourne and Sydney. Styles’ tour will feature special guests Robyn, Shania Twain, Fcukers, Jorja Smith,…
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Madison Beer is shutting out the noise on ‘locket’
Labubu this, Sonny Angel that – 2025 was the year of the trinket girl. But while most were clipping little teddies to their bag handles, Madison Beer was about a thousand steps ahead. As a lifelong trinket trawler, she’s filled her home with a spectacular array of vintage knick-knacks and memorabilia. “People come over, and…
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The Itch have announced their debut album, ‘It’s The Hope That Kills You’
The Itch have announced their debut album ‘It’s The Hope That Kills You’, set to be released on 10th April via Fiction Records and I OH YOU. Alongside the album announcement, the band have shared their new single ‘Aux Romanticiser’, featuring samples from the viral webseries Subway Takes and Pearson Sound’s WAD. The album’s tracklist…
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Footsteps Festival has revealed the first wave of 2026 artists, including Ratboys, Girl Scout and more
Footsteps Festival is returning to venues across London from 18th to 22nd May. Now in its second year, events will take place in notable grassroots venues such as The Garage, The Lexington, Oslo Hackney, The Shacklewell Arms, The Grace, and The George Tavern. The newly announced artists include US indie band Ratboys, headlining at The…
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Savages are marking 10 years of ‘Adore Life’ with two unreleased tracks
Savages are commemorating the 10th anniversary of their album ‘Adore Life’ by unveiling two previously unreleased tracks from that era. The London-based band have shared a piano-led cover of Black Sabbath’s ‘Paranoid’ and an original piece titled ‘Prayer’. The foursome comment: “Celebrating 10 years of ‘Adore Life,’ we’re sharing with you two unreleased songs that…
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“He figured we were gonna get knifed…some guys were swinging pool cues!” From Peaky Blinders bar fights to being Slipknot-endorsed, how four Swedish hillbillies became one of metal’s most exciting bands
Endorsed by Slipknot, Machine Head and Trivium, Orbit Culture are one of extreme metal’s hottest new bands (LouderSound)
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Parklife has unveiled the full lineup for 2026, including Calvin Harris, Zara Larrson, Skepta and more
Parklife is set to return to Manchester’s Heaton Park in 2026. This year’s event will take place on 20th and 21st June. Leading the lineup is Calvin Harris, marking his return to Manchester 13 years after his last tour date in the city, as well as Sammy Virji and Skepta. The festival will also feature…
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Biffy Clyro are going to headline Edinburgh Summer Sessions 2026
Biffy Clyro are set to headline a major outdoor event at this year’s Edinburgh Summer Sessions. Currently on ‘The Futique Tour’, the Scottish trio will take the stage on 21st August 2026 at the Royal Highland Showgrounds. “Edinburgh, we’re coming for you… this is going to be huge, see you in August,” they comment. Joining…
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Shelf Lives have released their new single ‘tone deF’ from upcoming album ‘HypernormaL’
London-based electro-bass punk duo Shelf Lives have released a new single, ‘tone deF’. It’s a cut from their debut album ‘HypernormaL’, set to be released on 25th February 2026 via their own label, Not Sorry Mom Records. The new track is described by the band as “unfiltered, confrontational, and impossible to ignore”. “‘tone deF’ is…
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Arctic Monkeys have contributed a track to War Child Records’ ‘HELP(2)’ album, also featuring Wet Leg, Arlo Parks, Foals and more
War Child Records have announced the release of ‘HELP(2)’, a new collaborative album inspired by the 1995 release ‘HELP’ that will support the charity’s efforts to provide aid, education, mental health support, and protection to children affected by conflict. ‘HELP(2)’ – due on 6th March – features contributors including Arctic Monkeys, Anna Calvi, Arlo Parks,…
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The 1975 have announced a tenth anniversary edition of ‘I like it when you sleep…’
The 1975 have announced a special tenth anniversary edition of their album ‘I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it’. This anniversary edition will be available as a limited edition pink vinyl, packaged in a six-panel triple gatefold with alternative artwork. Additionally, the release includes 17 art…
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“Guns in the house means it becomes a hostage situation.” This is what happened when a Los Angeles SWAT team swooped on ex-Queens of the Stone Age bassist Nick Oliveri – and the stand-off that followed
The former QOTSA bassist faced a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years (LouderSound)
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“We’re gonna come back – it’s gonna be bigger than Oasis.” Kyle Gass reflects on the “highly inappropriate, dangerous” joke that forced Tenacious D to go on hiatus, and reveals his horror over the “tsunami of s**t” that followed
Tenacious D’s Kyle Gass on the joke which caused the group’s world to crumble around them (LouderSound)
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“They got all these Iron Maiden and Ozzy Osbourne albums and burned them…then ran away because they were scared.” Car crashes, Satanism and 28 Years Later: the story behind Iron Maiden’s classic anthem The Number Of The Beast
From ominous omens to a horror film that got everyone talking, the legacy of The Number of The Beast is bigger than ever (LouderSound)
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Sayre Gomez “Precious Moments” @ David Kordansky Gallery, Los Angeles
David Kordansky Gallery is pleased to present Precious Moments, an exhibition of new paintings, sculpture, and videos by Sayre Gomez. On view through March 1, 2026, Precious Moments is the artist’s first solo exhibition with the gallery and will span all three spaces at its Los Angeles location.
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“I’ve loved it and hated it, loved it and hated it”: The story of the breakthrough hit its writer doesn’t want to talk about ever again
Drink cider from a lemon? Grant Nicholas reveals the real inspiration behind Feeder’s hit single Buck Rogers (LouderSound)
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“We all had that feeling that nobody had ever heard anything like this before”: How Iron Maiden got their man and made the album that sent them stratospheric
Iron Maiden’s second album Killers was a powerful statement of intent, but one cog in the momentum-gathering machine was a little loose and needed replacing (LouderSound)
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The best new typefaces for January 2026
Amperspam 2.0 by Allen & Gerritsen The decorations are packed away, we’re halfway through the first month of the year, and normal life has resumed. Here’s what the type world’s been releasing in the meantime. Right now, no one’s quite sure if we should still be saying ‘Happy New Year’ or not. But one thing’s…
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Why studios like In-Col are rewriting the agency rulebook
As rigid agency models continue to give way to smaller, more fluid ways of working, In-Col Studio is part of a growing wave of creative businesses proving that lean structures and trust-led collaboration can be just as powerful as scale. The 2000s and early 2010s were the golden age of the independent agency as we…
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“Like a fantastic beast sprung from Dante’s Inferno”: Meet the 67-million-year-old Triceratops skull named after Ozzy Osbourne
The late Black Sabbath frontman is now the subject of a dinosaur-themed tribute (LouderSound)
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“We are monitoring Mick’s progress daily”: Uriah Heep founder Mick Box to miss first dates of farewell tour after falling ill
Mick Box will miss his first Uriah Heep shows since 1969: Stand-in guitarist announced (LouderSound)
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“Dementia? What is? NO! Trump smart, pass brain test, name giraffe!” Jack White mercilessly mocks Donald Trump over “365 wins in 365 days” claims
The White Stripes’ founder has promised to block any followers who tell him to “stick to music” (LouderSound)
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Lola Young, Olivia Dean and Sam Fender are leading the BRIT Awards 2026 nominations
The BRIT Awards 2026 with Mastercard have announced their nominations. Leading the noms are Lola Young and Olivia Dean, each receiving five nods. Both are recognised for their significant contributions to the British music scene, with Young nominated in categories including Artist of the Year and Pop Act, while Dean’s nominations include Artist of the…
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ZAYN has debuted new single ‘Die For Me’ at his Las Vegas residency
ZAYN has premiered new single ‘Die For Me’ during his seven-show residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM, Las Vegas. He has kicked off the series with a setlist that spans all four of his studio albums, alongside the live performance debut of five new songs, including tracks ‘sHe’ and ‘dRuNk’. Fans attending the residency…
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Grace Inspace explores the space where happiness and sadness coexist for her new single ‘Helium Balloon’
Grace Inspace has unveiled her latest single, ‘Helium Balloon’, the latest preview of her upcoming EP ‘Heavy Hair’. The track joins previously released singles ‘Emergency Contact’, ‘Meteor’ featuring Luna Li, and ‘Unrivaled’, with the full collection due on 27th February. According to Grace, ‘Helium Balloon’ explores “the quiet collisions of emotion that make up the…
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Dork cover star Louis Tomlinson has released a video for his new single ‘Imposter’
Louis Tomlinson has unveiled a video for his latest single ‘Imposter’, featuring actor James Nelson-Joyce. The track, which delves into themes of imposter syndrome, is part of his upcoming third album ‘How Did I Get Here?’, set for release on Friday, 23rd January. “Imposter was written in the jungle in Costa Rica,” Louis notes. “Conceptually…
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“It might be the most words I’ve ever had to sing, which is why you see me reading them off a cheat sheet”: That time Steven Wilson covered a Taylor Swift song, proving he’ll always do what he likes
Ahead of launching The Future Bites, he delivered his version of Swift’s The Last Great American Dynasty, hailing her storytelling abilities (LouderSound)
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Louis Tomlinson: under blue skies
This is an excerpt from our March 2026 cover feature. You can pre-order the full issue, with the expanded Louis Tomlinson interview and full guest edited section right now. Head here to grab your copy. There’s a Costa Rican phrase, “pura vida”, that translates to pure life. It’s more than just a throwaway saying, however.…
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Louis Tomlinson is Dork’s first-ever guest editor in our March 2026 issue – pre-order now
Pre-orders for the first cover from Dork’s March 2026 issue are live now – and they come with a big one. Our biggest one, in fact, as the star of the most-ordered issue of Dork EVER, is back to take the reins. Yep, Louis Tomlinson returns to the magazine as our FIRST guest editor. It’s…
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“There was a lot of tension throughout. I’m surprised they didn‘t fire me early on!” Producer Michael Beinhorn reflects on the “difficult” challenges he faced recording Soundgarden masterpiece Superunknown, and how Frank Sinatra helped
The making of Soundgarden’s fourth album was no picnic for the Seattle band (LouderSound)
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“We expected a few hundred people to be there and it was several thousand. We were terrified!” Deftones, Sleep Token, Bad Omens…The Pretty Wild? Meet the viral metal duo officially embracing that controversial ‘baddiecore’ tag
They’re behind that ‘cough-cough’ mosh call you’ve probably seen all over metal TikTok (LouderSound)
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Leeds-based alt-rockers Artio have released their new album ‘Soul Rot’, and a video for ‘Full On Fight For Fun’
Artio have released their new album, ‘Soul Rot’, through LAB Records. Alongside the album’s release, the Leeds-based alt-rock band have debuted a music video for the track ‘Full On Fight For Fun’, featuring As It Is. They’re also set to tour the UK this March. Vocalist Rae Brazill describes the track as “an ode to…
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Love Saves the Day has revealed the first wave of acts for 2026’s festival
Love Saves The Day is set to return to Ashton Court on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th May 2026. Among the first wave of acts announced are Sammy Virji, Sub Focus, Confidence Man DJs, Rizzle Kicks, Eve, and Hedex, headlining Bristol’s flagship festival during the May Bank Holiday weekend. Tom Paine, Festival Director, says, “We’ve…
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“Landfall” by Photographer Ava Margueritte
Ava Margueritte Ava Margueritte’s Website Ava Margueritte on Instagram
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Lime Garden have confirmed details for their new album ‘Maybe Not Tonight’ and a UK tour
Lime Garden have unveiled their forthcoming second studio album, ‘Maybe Not Tonight’, set to release through So Young Records. The Brighton-based quartet have also shared lead single ’23’, and details of an October UK tour. Tickets for these dates will be available from 10am on Friday, 23rd January. Vocalist and guitarist Chloe Howard says: “’23’…
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“I felt like I’d fallen into the bowels of the earth.” Fears that witches under the spell of Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page had targeted him to help birth the Antichrist led a paranoid David Bowie to store his bodily fluids in the fridge
A fascination with occult magic did nothing to help David Bowie’s sanity in the mid ’70s (LouderSound)
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The Scratch embrace not overthinking with their new single ‘Pullin’ Teeth’
The Scratch have released their latest single ‘Pullin’ Teeth’. It’s a cut from their forthcoming album ‘Pull Like A Dog’, which will be released on 13th March via Sony Music Ireland and Music For Nations. The song began with a riff inspired by an older piece and was performed live the same day it was…
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Miso Extra encourages a ‘glass half full’ mindset with her new single ‘Right Here’
Japanese-British artist Miso Extra has unveiled her latest single ‘Right Here’. The track marks her first release since her debut album ‘Earcandy’, and was produced by harrry and mixed by Grammy-winning engineer Ricky Damian. Miso Extra wrote ‘Right Here’ in Paris, and the accompanying music video was directed by Victor Ivanov in Tokyo, following her…
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Public Service Broadcasting are going to headline Alexandra Palace in September
Public Service Broadcasting have announced their largest headline show to date at London’s Alexandra Palace on 26th September 2026. This event marks a celebration of over a decade since the release of their album ‘The Race For Space’, which chronicles the American and Soviet space race through nine tracks incorporating archival audio from the British…
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Free Throw have announced their new album ‘Moments Before The Wind’
Nashville-based band Free Throw have revealed plans for their upcoming album ‘Moments Before The Wind’, set to be released on 27th March 2026 via Wax Bodega. The record was produced by Brett Romnes, known for his work with Hot Mulligan and The Movielife, and the band recorded the album in two sessions around their touring…
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Gia Ford takes inspiration from a Hermann Hesse poem for her new single ‘How Do I Reply?’
Gia Ford has unveiled her latest single, ‘How Do I Reply?’, released through Chrysalis Records. This track follows her previous release, ‘God’, which came out in October last year. Both singles mark her first new music since her debut album, ‘Transparent Things’, in 2024. Discussing the song, Gia Ford says, “It’s about as no-frills as…
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The demise of wired headphones has been greatly exaggerated – here are 9 pairs still going strong
It’s easy to forget about wired headphones due to the rise in Bluetooth devices, but I’ve picked out a selection worth a closer look (LouderSound)
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“Whoosh! A big flame goes right up under me. My arm, my hand, burnt down to the bone. Hair’s gone.” Inside the night Metallica’s James Hetfield caught fire – and Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose caused a riot
A look back at one of the most chaotic gigs in the history of rock ‘n’ roll (LouderSound)
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“It sounded like the way ice cream on a hot summer day tastes.” How a Marquis de Sade biography, Willy Wonka’s Oompa-Loompas and a bum note helped “a metal girl from Ohio” write a rock anthem that wowed Nirvana and changed Olivia Rodrigo’s life
“We thought no-one would play it.” The story behind one of the great ’90s alt. rock singles, The Breeders’ Cannonball (LouderSound)
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“We’re broke. We can’t get jobs – and we just did two months in arenas and stadiums.” One of the UK’s best young bands have revealed the depressing reality of playing rock music in 2026
These Manchester doom punks are the latest band to reveal the hardships facing touring musicians (LouderSound)
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Glenn Hardy Jr. “Building Identities Through Style” @ Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles
Charlie James Gallery is pleased to present Glenn Hardy Jr.: Building Identities Through Style, the Washington, DC-based artist’s third exhibition with the gallery. With this show, Hardy examines how identity is read, evaluated, and negotiated through appearance—how clothing, hair, and presentation become social shorthand for character, belonging, and value. Rather than treating style as a…
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Experts weigh in on Walkers’ biggest rebrand in 80 years
Walkers crisps. I-Wei Huang – stock.adobe.com As the British crisp giant replaces its iconic crisp with a sun-inspired mark, creatives are asking whether this is a confident evolution of heritage or a risky departure from a much-loved asset. At the start of 2026, Walkers is wasting no time reminding shoppers of its presence. Alongside a…
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Step into Strangehollow: Emily Hare’s enchanted forest is back with a brand-new bestiary
This naiad looks dangerous Shropshire-based independent artist Emily Hare tells us about her upcoming book, Savage Strangehollow, and how that world kick-started a new career. Come. Cross the road, follow the wall and duck through where the stones have fallen. Take the path past the brook and into the shade of the trees. See, the…
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Gü unveils a global rebrand by Derek&Eric
Renowned dessert brand Gü has revealed a global brand transformation designed to sharpen on-shelf navigation, boost standout and reconnect the brand with its original premium DNA, as competition in the indulgence category continues to heat up. For many British households, buying a packet of Gü means more than just dessert. The brand’s iconic ramekins have…
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Wikipedia turns 25 and spotlights the humans behind the world’s knowledge
To mark its 25th anniversary, Wikipedia has launched a new global campaign and docuseries that shifts the focus away from the platform itself and onto the volunteers who quietly keep one of the internet’s most trusted spaces alive. As debates around truth, misinformation and AI-generated content continue to dominate public discourse, Wikipedia has found itself…
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“Ireland’s greatest, man-of-the-people guitar hero”: Nine Rory Gallagher albums you should definitely listen to and one to avoid
Rory Gallagher left a tremendous legacy of albums studded with real gems – and these are the best of them (LouderSound)
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“I thought, ‘I can’t hear guitar. This isn’t right.’ I pushed that fader up. He turned to me, smiling, and pulled it back down. I haven’t forgotten that”: How Alex Lifeson survived the challenge of Rush’s 80s synth obsession
The guitarist was never against the band going in new directions, but feels he had to fight to be heard on every album from Signals to Presto (LouderSound)
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“They took a record that I’d made and erased all my songs, all my vocals. I thought, ‘I won’t let you get away with this’”: From goth glory to bad blood – the Gene Loves Jezebel story
Reflecting on both success and rancour, identical twins Michael and Jay Aston look back on their time in the band – and at each other’s throats (LouderSound)
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“It was a long year with many rewards. A couple of us developed expensive hobbies involving white powder and noses”: The song that turned an English blues outfit into a globe-trotting rock band with high-maintenance habits
All thanks to a warm, evergreen slice of pure pop genius (LouderSound)
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“We’re broke as f*** – and we just did two months in arenas.” Witch Fever speak out on the “crazy” state of the music industry as they struggle to make ends meet
Manchester doom punk outfit are the latest band to reveal the hardships facing touring musicians (LouderSound)
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“I just wish that Rage Against The Machine would make a new record!”: Buckcherry’s Josh Todd on the state of the nation, managing old habits, and going back to school
After 11 studio albums, Buckcherry are on a roll – and Josh Todd is getting good grades (LouderSound)
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Louis Tomlinson has released his new single ‘Imposter’
Louis Tomlinson has unveiled his latest single ‘Imposter’. Written in collaboration with Nico Rebscher and Dave Gibson, the song explores Tomlinson’s personal experiences with imposter syndrome. The accompanying video, starring actor James Nelson-Joyce, is set to premiere tomorrow. Tomlinson says of the track, “Imposter was written in the jungle in Costa Rica. Conceptually it leans…
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Courtney Barnett has announced her new album ‘Creature of Habit’
Courtney Barnett has announced her forthcoming album‘Creature of Habit’, due 27th March, marking her fourth studio release. The album features ten tracks – including the newly released single ‘Site Unseen’, which sees Barnett collaborating with Waxahatchee – and was written following her move from Australia to Los Angeles and the closure of her label, Milk!…
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Noah Kahan has announced his new single, ‘The Great Divide’
Noah Kahan is set to release his new single ‘The Great Divide’ later this month. Coming via Mercury Records, the track is set to arrive on 30th January, having previously been unveiled live during Kahan’s 2024 ‘We’ll All Be Here Forever Tour’. This release follows his 2022 album ‘Stick Season’, which featured the 4x Platinum…
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Bring Me The Horizon have announced a cinema event, ‘L.I.V.E. in São Paulo’
Bring Me The Horizon have unveiled their latest project, ‘L.I.V.E. in São Paulo (Live Immersive Virtual Experiment)’, a cinema event capturing their largest headline performance to date at São Paulo’s Allianz Parque Stadium. This event, presented by Trafalgar Releasing, Sony Music Vision, and RCA, will see screenings in cinemas worldwide on two exclusive dates, 25th…
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Harry Styles is going to release his new single ‘Aperture’ this week
Harry Styles has revealed plans to release a new single, ‘Aperture’. The track will serve as the lead track from his forthcoming fourth album. The single is scheduled for a global release on 22nd January at midnight GMT. The album, titled ‘KISS ALL THE TIME. DISCO, OCCASIONALLY.’, is set to feature 12 tracks and is…
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Snail Mail has announced her new album ‘Ricochet’, and a London show
Snail Mail is set to release her third album, ‘Ricochet’, through Matador Records this spring. Due on 27th March, this marks Lindsey Jordan‘s first album in five years and explores themes of time, mortality, and the transient nature of life. She’s also shared the album’s lead single, ‘Dead End’. Of the video, she says, “We…
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Cardinals have shared their new single ‘I Like You’ from forthcoming album ‘Masquerade’
Cardinals have shared their latest single ‘I Like You’, ahead of their debut album ‘Masquerade’. Set for release on 13th February via So Young Records, the album will be celebrated with a UK and Irish headline tour in March. They will also return to the US in May to perform at Salt Lake City’s Kilby…
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Dead Dads Club accept chaos with ‘That’s Life’, the final single from their upcoming debut album
Dead Dads Club, led by Chilli Jesson, have released ‘That’s Life’, the final single from their forthcoming self-titled debut album, due out via Fiction Records on 23rd January. The album explores Jesson’s experiences following the death of his father, with production by Carlos O’Connell of Fontaines D.C. Chilli Jesson commented on the track, stating, “There…
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A$AP Rocky has announced the ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ world tour for 2026
A$AP Rocky has announced his 2026 ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ world tour, marking the rapper’s return to the live stage with his first full-length release in eight years. The 42-date tour begins in North America on 27th May at United Center in Chicago, before concluding this leg on 11th July at Prudential Center in Newark, New…
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“People worried about their brain should always wear a helmet”: Watch Geddy Lee give celebrity tobogganing advice
Rush’s Geddy Lee, Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson all appeared on Canadian satire show The Mercer Report over the years (LouderSound)
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“We pulled off the impossible. We wanted to do something fun and screw with people’s heads.” How Korn, Snoop Dogg, Lil Jon, Xzibit and David Banner teamed up to make one of the funniest music videos ever
What happens when nu metal legends team up with hip hop icons? Music video gold (LouderSound)
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“The impact he left on art is truly magical.” Dave Grohl’s daughter Violet, and Gary Numan’s daughter Persia, team up to salute one of America’s greatest film-makers on what would have been his 80th birthday
Listen to Violet Grohl’s haunting new single What’s Heaven Without You (LouderSound)
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“They wanted to get us away from the clubs, bars and dark influences. We were going to be good little boys and write an album. And it was just awful”: How Clutching At Straws broke Marillion and Fish apart
Their fourth studio album came at a point of high tension. Instead of taking the break they needed, they were sent back into the studio. It took decades to resolve the issues that blew up (LouderSound)
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“Suddenly I was popular with the record company again – people going, ‘Hello! Where have you been?’” How Mike Oldfield made Maggie Reilly sing in an odd style to make Moonlight Shadow
A bottle of wine, a thesaurus and a rhyming dictionary sent his career out of the doldrums, into the Top 5, and helped make 1983 album Crises a success (LouderSound)
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Rush to release Super Deluxe box set of 1984’s Grace Under Pressure in March
New reissue of Rush’s tenth studio album, Grace Under Pressure, features new Terry Brown mix of the album and a full 1984 Toronto concert recording (LouderSound)
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“People said it was something they’ve never heard before.” A camel, a wedding, the streets of India and seven million views: how one song and a crazy video turned an unknown Indian metal band into internet superstars
Bloodywood went from the underground to being India’s biggest ever metal band (LouderSound)
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“We don’t let many people use our music but we felt it was a calculated risk.” Iron Maiden respond to the jaw-dropping 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple scene that might have already produced 2026’s best needle drop
If you’ve seen the film, you know it has one of the most surprising and bonkers heavy metal needle drops ever (LouderSound)
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“I did my last school exam and played Glastonbury two days later. Two weeks after that we went into the chart at number 11”: The story of the joyous breakthrough hit inspired by Thin Lizzy, Star Wars and Dutch cigars
From school to hellraising in short order – all enabled by a story of a whirlwind intergalactic romance (LouderSound)
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Trey Abdella “Cold Front” @ Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler, Berlin
Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler is pleased to announce Trey Abdella’s first solo exhibition with the gallery. Cold Front presents new work by Trey Abdella that examines how ceremony, tradition, and commercialization intersect within the visual language of winter.
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Jacqueline Colley on why you don’t need big commissions to make it as an illustrator
Rather than chasing editorial work and brand deals, Jacqueline has built a thriving business through markets, wholesale and products. For many illustrators, the dream looks something like this: land an agent, secure regular editorial commissions, work with big-name brands, and watch the Instagram likes roll in. But what if you’re not landing those jobs? What…
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These 10 new AI tools genuinely support creatives
Image licensed via Adobe Stock These intelligent assistants will amplify your craft, handle the tedious stuff, and free you up to do what you do best. If you’re a creative professional, the very word ‘AI’ in this headline may be triggering you. And I wouldn’t blame you. Let’s not mess around: right now, AI is…
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“They used to describe us as the Rush of thrash metal”: Coroner invented a genre. Decades on, they know how to write less complicated songs but they won’t
Back with a new album after 14 years, and on a differentmusical tack to their thrash metal of the 80s and 90s (LouderSound)
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From Blur to clever branding metaphors: how creative studios got their names
ThreeTenSeven Studio Space From Britpop references to cinematic one-liners and philosophy-led wordplay, we asked creative studios to unpack the stories behind their names and what those first impressions really say about who they are. Creating a name for something is always high stakes. Whether it’s your child, your pet, your business, or even your car.…
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Something Savage this way comes: the motion designer reimagining pen plotters
Line by line, sheet by sheet, Daniel Savage creates captivating motion graphics using a pen plotter and his imagination. Something Savage is the studio run by Brooklyn-based motion designer Daniel Savage. But the output here is far from feral. In fact, it has a refined, mesmerising look and feel, backed by Daniel’s fascinating creative process,…
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“All of a sudden, she started biting my tongue and wouldn’t let go. There was blood everywhere. Then she went for my forehead”: How Thin Lizzy made the albums that saved them, only to be plunged into chaos
Thin Lizzy went from being stone broke to recording the two albums that came to define their career, but bad luck always seemed to be lurking in the shadows (LouderSound)
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“This footage is absolutely unbelievable, and nobody can deny it”: Ten minutes of previously unseen live film of Pink Floyd has escaped onto the internet
The footage sees Pink Floyd playing Wish You Were Here, Shine On You Crazy Diamond and Money on their North American tour in 1977 (LouderSound)
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Seven classic metal albums you forgot came out in 2016
From some French metal titans reaching a new peak to incredible bands we wish were still making records, here are some albums that blew our tiny minds ten years ago (LouderSound)
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“I gave away all my records, I started giving away my guitars, I was fantasising about my own death.” The horrifying origin story behind one of the most uplifting rock songs of the ’90s
Out of the darkness, light, and one of the most memorable anthems of the ’90s (LouderSound)
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YouTube turns 20 and unveils a new global marketing identity built for an ‘alive’ entertainment era
For its 20th anniversary, YouTube looks to bring unity, energy and motion to its expanding ecosystem, signalling how far the platform has evolved from a video-sharing site to a full-scale entertainment brand. Two decades after its first upload, YouTube is entering its next chapter with a refreshed global marketing identity developed in-house by YouTube Creative…
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“We invited our families along, not thinking how it would be for them. When we came off, my sister was crying.” How a teen pop duo earned the respect of Slipknot and Rage Against The Machine by getting bottled off stage by furious rock fans
In 2000, one of the strangest festival bookings in history unsurprisingly ended in chaos (LouderSound)
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“Mike is a complicated person, but he is not a thief.” NOFX reveal that guitarist Eric Melvin is suing band leader Fat Mike, accusing him of “financial malfeasance” after 42 years together
NOFX pair may soon be facing one another in a Californian court (LouderSound)
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Classic Rock’s Tracks Of The Week: January 19, 2026
Eight songs you need to hear right now, from The Sheepdogs, Black Stone Cherry, Bryan Adams and more (LouderSound)
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“Are They Peasant” by Artist Émile Brunet
Émile Brunet Émile Brunet on Instagram
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Still to watch The Beatles Anthology or Tron: Ares? Now’s the perfect time with a Disney+ subscription up for grabs from only £3.99 a month
Disney+ is home to unmissable music documentaries, epic live shows, new and classic movies, the entire Star Wars and Marvel universes and much more – and you can grab a sub for as little as £3.99 a month for 3 months (LouderSound)
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“He could send masked men around to shoot me in the head.” Former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters says that his vocal opposition to “evil” US President Trump could get him killed
“Trump is obviously very evil, but now he’s demented as well as being very evil” (LouderSound)
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“It’s not a well-written song by any means but it worked and became what it is…nostalgia.” How one “stupid” song helped put one of the biggest metal bands of the 21st century on the map
How Avenged Sevenfold embraced heavy metal and wrote the song that took them to the next level (LouderSound)
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Wolf Alice are going to headline Eden Sessions this year
Wolf Alice are set to open the 2026 Eden Sessions, performing at the Eden Project Biomes on 16th June. This announcement follows the release of their Number 1 album ‘The Clearing’, which was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Greg Kurstin. “So excited to be playing down in Cornwall at the Eden Project this year!…
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Charli xcx has unveiled her new track ‘Wall Of Sound’
Charli xcx has released a new track titled ‘Wall Of Sound’. The song is set to appear on her upcoming album ‘Wuthering Heights’, which is part of the soundtrack for Emerald Fennel’s feature film from Warner Bros. Pictures. The film, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, offers a fresh take on the classic tale of…
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Bleech 9:3 find clarity with their new single ‘Cannonball’
Bleech 9:3 have released their new single ‘Cannonball’ via Ra-Ra Rok Records. The track is the third single from the band, which is fronted by Baz Quinlan and Sam Duffy, following last year’s ‘Ceiling’ and ‘Jacky’. Discussing the new single, Quinlan explains, “It was written down the back of Sam’s house one day after we…
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Wings of Desire have kicked off a project to release a single on each new moon of the 2026 lunar calendar
Wings of Desire are embarking on a new project for 2026. The duo – Chloe Little and James Taylor – will release a new single on each new moon throughout the lunar calendar, culminating in a full album on 9th December. They’ve kicked off the run with their latest track ‘Whisper’, the video for which…
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“Birmingham has always been embarrassed about its heavy metal heritage – and that’s unacceptable.” The story behind the petition to get Birmingham Airport named after Ozzy Osbourne – and why its founder is refusing to give up
Other musical cities celebrate their musical heritage – so why not the birthplace of heavy metal? (LouderSound)
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Carla Fuentes “The Drivers” @ RÍO & MEÑAKA, Madrid
I never got to meet my grandfather José, but there’s an anecdote about him that perfectly defines who we Fuentes Fuertes are. He got his driver’s license at fifty, and his first car was a 600 that got stolen barely a week after he bought it. When he managed to save up for another one,…
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‘AI isn’t the enemy. Our lack of nuance is’: Liz Seabrook on what comes next for creatives
Is AI the enemy? Really? Photography by Liz Seabrook Photographer Liz Seabrook shares why dismissing AI as “so dull” misses the point, and why creatives need to engage with nuance, curiosity and critical thinking instead of burying our heads in the sand. The other day, while scrolling through the spiritual vacuum that is Instagram, I…
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How LABASAD is preparing creatives for an AI-powered future
Projects by Camilo Güell (Director of the Master in Artificial Intelligence for Creative Industries, Spanish Edition) and Maria Vinagre (Instructor in Artificial Intelligence for Creative Industries, Spanish Edition) The Barcelona School of Arts and Design (LABASAD) is teaching seasoned creative professionals how to master AI… not as a replacement, but as a critical collaborator. When…
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How LABASAD is preparing creatives for an AI-powered future
Projects by Camilo Güell (Director of the Master in Artificial Intelligence for Creative Industries, Spanish Edition) and Maria Vinagre (Instructor in Artificial Intelligence for Creative Industries, Spanish Edition) The Barcelona School of Arts and Design (LABASAD) is teaching seasoned creative professionals how to master AI… not as a replacement, but as a critical collaborator. When…
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“I used to sleep with my guitar next to the bed”: Born in a dream, the guitar solos in one of classic rock’s greatest songs were out of key, but band superstition kept them in
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s down-home anthem was a retort to Neil Young’s Southern Man, but decades on it’s soundtracked everything from KFC to video games (LouderSound)
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Creatives share their tips for beating the Blue Mondays
Image licensed via Adobe Stock From reframing mindset to embracing hibernation, creatives reveal how they’ve learned to love January’s darker days. Blue Monday. The third Monday of January is supposedly the most depressing day of the year. The Christmas decorations are down, the days are short, and the weather is bleak. It’s a marketing invention…
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Playing the part: Inside Roleplay, the studio turning ‘strategic maximalism’ into brand advantage
Founded by Ed Little and Hugo Ross, Roleplay is a young London-based studio helping challenger brands define their role in culture, then play it loudly. From regenerative pasta to premium spices, the agency blends sharp strategy with expressive design to help consumer brands stand out and scale. There’s definitely a unique kind of energy attached…
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FT campaign makes the case for simplicity in a world of noise
Titled ‘For The Why’, the new campaign for the Financial Times strips back marketing complexity to sell premium journalism to overwhelmed audiences. The point of journalism, to my mind, boils down to one thing: simplifying and explaining things to the audience who wants to know. And so it makes sense that a new campaign for…
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“The producer is looking at me across the room, eyebrow askew. Finally he says, ‘I don’t think so’”: The story of how Dream Theater’s Jordan Rudess didn’t play on Pink Floyd’s The Wall
Keyboard maestro admits he gave a “very poor” performance during 1979 session, and Bob Ezrin was right to kick him out (LouderSound)
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“If The White Album had been whittled down to 45 minutes, it would have gone down as one of The Beatles’ definitive statements”: Decades on, The Beatles’ White Album is still igniting pub arguments
The one where the cracks in the Beatles’ armour began to appear and quality control took a back seat (LouderSound)
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“Our state is the best place in the country to bring dreams to life”: A second Sphere venue is coming to the US
Sphere at National Harbor, Maryland, will be a scaled-down version of the groundbreaking Las Vegas venue (LouderSound)
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“I was literally dumbfounded and shocked that it had happened”:John Fogerty sprinkles rock’n’roll magic with songs and stories at intimate Tiny Desk Concert
“I realised I had passed into the land of greatness”: John Fogerty tells the story behind the creation of his first great song (LouderSound)
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“We’re looking forward to incredible crowds, massive energy and more unforgettable nights!” Alice Cooper, Joe Perry and Johnny Depp announce Hollywood Vampires tour
Hollywood Vampires have confirmed a run of European dates for the summer (LouderSound)
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“I was 100 per cent sure I was going to die. They were slamming my head against a railway track”: Leprous’ Einar Solberg faced his teenage demons on his solo debut 16 – and enjoyed the experience
Abandoning attempts to dial down his own drama, he delivered a moving and multifaceted collection of collaborations in 2023. He immediately wanted to do it again (LouderSound)
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“We did it all ourselves. We used vinyl instead of leather, and our bondage outfits were held together with Velcro and glue”: The 70s art-rock provocateurs who stole Alice Cooper’s crown as America’s most deviant band
There was more to The Tubes than White Punks On Dope (LouderSound)
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“One of the guy’s friends came at Joacim from behind and smashed a glass in his face. Then they all ran away like scared rats”: The violence and defiance behind the 2000s metal anthem that accidentally inspired an Olympic gold medal
HammerFall helped keep traditional metal alive during the early 2000s (LouderSound)
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“Here was a song I’d written, and it sounded absolutely magnificent. If I was to fall down a hole and never play again, I’d have that”: The legendary punk single that beat the Sex Pistols out of the gate by a month
The story of the 1976 single that fired the starting pistol on British punk (LouderSound)
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“When I look back, there’s never been any one thing that’s been normal about this band. I’m used to strangeness in my world!”: The controversial dance band who lit a fire under the 90s metal scene
How The Prodigy’s The Fat Of The Land bought aggro to dance music and rave culture to metal (LouderSound)
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“Dream Theater have been completely unchallenged until now. There’s only so much room at the top of prog metal. We intend to have our thrones put in there”: How supergroup Sons Of Apollo flew before they fell
Mike Portnoy and Derek Sherinian had big ambitions when they teamed up with Guns N’ Roses, Mr Big and Journey alumni (LouderSound)
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“He hit me and he started crying and I remember thinking, ‘Weak as I am, I’ve got no tears for you, I’ve got tears for myself’”: The harrowing moment from a toxic relationship that this singer turned into a 90s rock classic
How shock turned to rage and, years later, rage turned into one of this rock quartet’s biggest hits (LouderSound)
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“He was recovering from a broken jaw and was suffering chronic pain, but he was determined to endure”: How an ailing country icon made one of music’s greatest comebacks – with help from Rick Rubin, Tom Waits and Glenn Danzig
Johnny Cash’s career was on the skids in the 1990s – and then he met Rick Rubin (LouderSound)
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“Kurt was a mess, drug-wise. I didn’t feel it was anybody’s business, I just wanted him off the project”: Kurt Cobain was supposed to produce these underground metal icons’ major label album – but they still made a classic without him
The song that bridges the gap between Nirvana and Lamb Of God (LouderSound)
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“As we were leaving, Keith handed me this 1964 Gibson Hummingbird acoustic. ‘That’s not mine,’ I said. He said, ‘It is now. It’s yours’”: The incredible story of the cult British rock’n’rollers who happen to be one of Keith Richards’ favourite bands
They’re barely even a cult band – but the Dirty Strangers have the Keith Richards seal of approval (LouderSound)
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“After scrapping two albums I went to the accountant to find out how many pennies were left in the piggy bank. The answer was not many”: How Bruce Dickinson gambled everything on his second solo album – and ended up leaving Iron Maiden because of it
Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson never intended to quit – but Balls To Picasso changed his mind (LouderSound)
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“He phoned me up at seven in the morning and played about ten seconds of the EP over the phone. That was the moment”: Twenty-five years ago, five rowdy New Yorkers released a three-song EP that changed the course of rock’n’roll
The Manhattan quintet whose emergence in 2001 opened the floodgates for a whole new generation of guitar bands (LouderSound)
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“My mother was a witch’ was a great opening line. His mum probably took offence, but she’s probably forgiven him now”: The lost NWOBHM classic that Metallica turned into one of metal’s most famous songs
How Lars Ulrich and co gave a leg up to a cult early 80s British metal band (LouderSound)
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Robbie Williams – BRITPOP
Label: ColumbiaReleased: 16th January 2026 The most Robbie thing about ‘BRITPOP’ is that it’s simultaneously both an ego project and a pop-up confession booth. Even when he’s strutting about like a primetime version of himself, you can hear the little internal narrator tugging his sleeve, going, ‘Mate, are you sure?’ Big choruses, “everyone sing” contours, but…
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Metal Hammer reader’s poll – the best metal albums of 2025
From Ghost to Sleep Token, Babymetal to Spiritbox, these are the albums you said defined metal in 2025 (LouderSound)
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“What’s the last thing a drummer says before getting kicked out of the band? ‘Hey guys, I have a song that I think we should play!’” The story behind the forgotten Nirvana song that Dave Grohl was too nervous to include on their final album
Dave Grohl has proven himself as a hell of a songwriter, but it took some support from his dear friend Kurt to get some self-belief (LouderSound)
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“I started listening to what the gym guys were listening to. When I first heard Metallica, I was like, ‘Right, this is speaking to me.’” WWE Champion Drew McIntyre reveals what’s on his workout mix – and the huge role music plays in his life
Listening to heavy music and lifting heavy stuff apparently go hand in hand. Who knew?! (LouderSound)
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Truck Festival has launched this year’s Band App competition
Truck Festival’s Band App competition is set to make a return in 2026, open to emerging artists and offering prizes such as festival slots and studio credit. The competition is judged by a panel of music industry experts, including Radio X’s John Kennedy, and applications are open until 28th January. To enter, visit eu.jotform.com. As…
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Mitski has announced her new album, ‘Nothing’s About to Happen to Me’
Mitski has announced her eighth studio album, ‘Nothing’s About to Happen to Me’, set to be released on 27th February via Dead Oceans. The album, supported by a live band and orchestra, explores the story of a reclusive woman. While she appears deviant outside her home, inside she finds freedom. The announcement is accompanied by…
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Gorillaz are teasing their upcoming album with new single ‘Orange County’
Gorillaz have released a new track, ‘Orange County’, featuring Bizarrap, Kara Jackson, and Anoushka Shankar, alongside ‘The Hardest Thing’, which includes vocals from the lateTony Allen. These tracks are described as being central to the themes of grief and hope explored throughout their upcoming ninth studio album, ‘The Mountain’, set for release on 27th February…
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Iris Gold has unveiled her new single ‘Sugar On My Lips’ featuring Dave Stewart
Iris Gold, the British-Danish artist, has released her new single ‘Sugar On My Lips’, featuring Dave Stewart of Eurythmics fame. The track, co-written and produced by Stewart, emerged from a personal experience, Iris explains. “I think a lot of people see me as this tiger – very bombastic, very strong. But with this song, I…
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Cable Boy have announced their debut album with new single ‘Something In My Head’
Dublin-based band Cable Boy have announced their debut album, ‘Forever’, set for release on 17th April. The group – Semilore Olusa, Liam Murray, Corneille Tshibasu, Jason Aikhionbare, and Fionn McLoughlin – are shifting towards a heavier sound, described by the band as ‘goth disco’. Of lead single ‘Something In My Head’, they explain, “‘Something in…
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“I wouldn’t do Glastonbury because of the politics of the people who run it.” Brian May rules out Queen performing at Glastonbury festival for the foreseeable future
Queen at Glasto? Don’t hold your breath (LouderSound)
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“We were brothers and I was trying so hard that I was choking him. That’s how I was taught to control things: intimidation and rage.” Inside the depressing night Metallica split with Jason Newsted
By the time Jason took to the stage with Metallica near the end of 2000, it was so clearly already over (LouderSound)
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“The police and the army were all carrying guns. There was a real edginess to it all.” How a “feral” Ozzy Osbourne crowd, an onstage meltdown, and some ill-advised nudity on live TV sparked a police manhunt for a British rock star in South America
“I don’t think I’d have enjoyed a stay in a South American prison” (LouderSound)
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“There’s a lot to love – but those longing for the more involved songwriting and lengthier compositions will be disappointed”: Soen continue to become more metal and less prog with Reliance
Sticking to compositions of around four minutes, the musicianship and production remain exemplary. But it’s too often funnelled into predictable patterns (LouderSound)
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“I heard something on an ABBA record and it inspired the riff I needed. I said, ‘Guys, I’ve got it!’” The Sex Pistols, pop legends, Danny Boyle and the Olympics: the unlikely story of one of the most important punk songs of all time
The surprising tale behind the pop-influenced, Oscar-winning director-approved punk rock classic (LouderSound)
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“Each In Ourselves an Island” by Artist Kingston Poplar
Kingston Poplar Kingston Poplar’s Website Kingston Poplar on Instagram
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Leigh-Anne has revealed her new single ‘Most Wanted’ featuring Valiant, and a UK record store tour
Leigh-Anne has announced the release of her new single ‘Most Wanted’, featuring Jamaican dancehall artist Valiant and super-producer Rvssian. Leigh-Anne explains, “Most Wanted started as a song written by Odeal that was sent to me and from there RVSSIAN and I got together, worked on it and made it my own. Valiant felt like the…
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Pink Floyd’s legendary Pompeii concert film to get 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray release
Pink Floyd at Pompeii – MCMLIXXII will be released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray in February (LouderSound)
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GHOST have released their ‘It’s a Sin’ cover on streaming services
GHOST have made their cover of Pet Shop Boys’ ‘It’s a Sin’ available on digital streaming platforms for the first time. Originally a bonus single on the 7” vinyl edition of the band’s 2018 album ‘Prequelle’, the release coincides with the band’s track ‘Lachryma’ being nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 2026 GRAMMY Awards.…
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PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson have dropped a new video for ‘Stateside’
PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson have released a music video for their track ‘Stateside’. Directed by Charlotte Rutherford, the video features a mannequin version of PinkPantheress in a ‘Fancy That’-themed shop window, which springs to life, leading to a performance disrupted by Zara Larsson. The track is part of PinkPantheress’ project ‘Fancy Some More?’, which features…
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Ghost, Lamb Of God and Black Label Society: the best new metal songs you need to hear right now
Big names, rising stars and underground favourites go head-to-head in Metal Hammer’s tracks of the week (LouderSound)
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The Rockification of Cavetown
FOLLOW PLAY ON SPOTIFY “I’ve always loved taking pieces of whatever I’m inspired by in any given moment,” Robin Skinner, aka Cavetown, admits. “I think that’s why a lot of my music is so genre-mish-mashed. I’ll hear a sound that tickles my brain in a nice way in whatever music I’m listening to, and I’ll…
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BTS have named their new album ‘Arirang’ after the Korean folk song
BTS have announced the title of their forthcoming album, ‘Arirang’, due 20th March. The name is derived from a traditional Korean folk song known for its themes of connection, distance and reunion, with the record itself exploring BTS’ identity and roots. The announcement of the album title follows the launch of digital billboards in major…
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Robbie Williams has surprise-dropped his new album ‘BRITPOP’ early
Robbie Williams has unexpectedly released his new album ‘BRITPOP’, now available through Columbia Records. The record – which marks Williams’ 13th studio album and includes the singles ‘Rocket’, ‘Spies’, ‘Human’, ‘Pretty Face’, and ‘All My Life’ – was originally set for release on 6th February. The album features collaborations with notable artists such as Coldplay’s…
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Madison Beer is celebrating the release of her new album ‘locket’ with a video for ‘bad enough’
Madison Beer has released her latest album ‘locket’ under RCA Records UK, accompanied by the official music video for her single ‘bad enough’. Earlier this week, Madison premiered ‘bad enough’ with a live performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The album ‘locket’ includes her singles ‘make you mine’, ‘yes baby’, and ‘bittersweet’. The…
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Master Peace has teamed up with Declan McKenna for his new single ‘Fuck It Up’
Master Peace has teamed up with Declan McKenna for a new single, ‘Fuck It Up’. The single – which is part of Peace’s forthcoming EP ‘Stupid Kids’, due on 27th February – follows his recent drop ‘Good Times’, and tracks from the FC26 soundtrack such as ‘Spin The Block’ and ‘There’s No More Underground’ Peace…
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Westside Cowboy have released their second EP, ‘So Much Country ‘Till We Get There’
Westside Cowboy have unveiled their second EP, ‘So Much Country ‘Till We Get There’, via Island Records imprint Adventure Recordings. The release is accompanied by a new music video for the track ‘The Wahs’, directed by Liam Barton and featuring a cameo from Horsegirl’s Nora Cheng. Recorded in New York with producer Loren Humphrey, known…
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Cato’s Last Weekend @ Saatchi Yates, London
Saatchi Yates is delighted to announce a solo exhibition by the emerging multidisciplinary artist Toby Grant, also known as Cato (b. 1999, Brighton). This exhibition presents a body of work that focuses on the Black community within his South London orbit, capturing domestic and communal life in barbershops, diners, and home interiors. The subject matter…
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“Playing a full set of Motörhead songs with Phil Campbell stood next to me is a bit nerve-racking”: With a new deal and friends in the right places, Fury are ready to move up a level
It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock’n’roll, but Fury’s Interceptor album should push them in the right direction (LouderSound)
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“This record will make every other record in 2026 look like dimwitted hippie bulls***”: Gluecifer’s first album in two decades is sleazy, slinky, snotty and packed with blood-guzzling scorchers
Gluecifer bring Scandinavian action rock (back) to the Man on sixth album Same Drug New High (LouderSound)
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The Beatles Quiz: How much do you know about Help!?
A chance to test your knowledge of one of the most pivotal chapters in The Beatles’ story (LouderSound)
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“It felt like the best thing we’d ever done. I was shocked when it wasn’t received well. The record company definitely didn’t like it”: Inspired by King Crimson, this 80s band pioneered a new kind of rock – and paid the price
Their bassist quit, then the band split after one more record. Nearly four decades on, their ambitious post rock album is regarded as a masterpiece (LouderSound)
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“Metal has always been a very tribal thing – some felt we were provocative merely for existing”: The story of the Living Colour song that namechecked Stalin and Mussolini and inspired Tom Morello to form a band
Living Colour’s biggest hit was boosted by Mick Jagger, adopted by wrestling’s CM Punk, and used to make a point by Jimmy Kimmel (LouderSound)
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Limp Bizkit, Bad Omens, Papa Roach, Gojira, Poppy, plus more than 50 other bands announced for Inkcarceration Festival 2026
The three-day festival will return to Ohio State Reformatory from July 17 – 19 (LouderSound)
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Prog’s Tracks Of The Week is back with cool new proggy sounds from Big Big Train, Soen, Charlotte Wessels and more
Awesome new prog from Fågelle, Jagged City, Sum Of Seven and more in this week’s Tracks Of The Week (LouderSound)
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Harry Styles has announced his new album, ‘Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally’
Harry Styles has announced details of his fourth studio album, ‘KISS ALL THE TIME. DISCO, OCCASIONALLY.’, which will be released on 6th March 2026. The 12-track album follows 2022’s ‘Harry’s House’, which won Album of the Year at the GRAMMY Awards and was supported by the extensive Love On Tour run. Since then, Styles has…
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A. G. Cook has released his new single ‘Offscreen’ from upcoming album ‘The Moment (The Score)’
A. G. Cook has unveiled ‘Offscreen’, the second single from his forthcoming album ‘The Moment (The Score)’. The new album was created for A24’s film ‘The Moment’, directed by Aidan Zamiri. The score is set to be released on 30th January alongside the film via A24 Music. ‘The Moment’ is based on an original concept…
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Static Dress have signed to Sumerian Records and dropped a new single, ‘human props’
Static Dress have announced their signing with Sumerian Records, marking the new chapter with the release of a new single, ‘human props’. The band released their debut album, ‘Rouge Carpet Disaster’, in 2022, and are currently on tour across the UK and EU with Paleface Swiss and Stick To Your Guns. On the signing, Sumerian…
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Twenty One Pilots have released a trailer for their concert film, ‘More Than We Ever Imagined’, set for IMAX release
Twenty One Pilots have released a new trailer for their upcoming film. The duo are set to release their concert film ‘More Than We Ever Imagined’ in IMAX and cinemas worldwide on 26th February, with special IMAX previews available on 25th February. The film, produced in collaboration with Trafalgar Releasing, offers a look at a…
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“The Minotaur has the face of his father. He has to decide whether or not to kill it.” The true story behind Minotaur, the mythical Tom Jones/Black Sabbath concept album that shook the world of rock
“Tom Jones is the greatest singer Sabbath have ever had” (LouderSound)
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Appleton have released their first new single in 23 years, ‘Falling Into You’
Appleton are marking their return with the release of ‘Falling Into You’, their first new single in 23 years. The duo – Nicole and Natalie Appleton – reissued their 2003 debut album ‘Everything’s Eventual’ back in 2023. They will also take the stage at the Mighty Hoopla festival in May. The single was co-written with…
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CHALK have announced their debut album ‘Crystalpunk’ with new single ‘I.D.C.’
Belfast-based post-punk duo CHALK have announced their debut album ‘Crystalpunk’. The full-length is set to be released on 13th March via ALTER Music. The announcement comes alongside the release of their latest single ‘I.D.C.’, too. Ross Cullen describes ‘I.D.C.’ as “a fictional night out – self-destruction disguised as celebration, knives twisting beneath the strobe. It’s…
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SLAG have dropped their new single ‘Face Off’ (“I wrote it about my face”) from upcoming EP ‘Losing’
Brighton-based quintet SLAG have unveiled their latest single ‘Face Off’, marking their first release with the indie label Big Scary Monsters. The track is the lead from their debut EP ‘Losing’, slated for release on 6th March, prior to the band’s first nationwide headline tour later that month. Lead singer Amelie Gibson comments on the…
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Hemlocke Springs is teasing her debut album with new track ‘w-w-w-w-w’
Hemlocke Springs has released a new single, ‘w-w-w-w-w’. This track comes in anticipation of their debut album ‘the apple tree under the sea’, set for release on 13th February, a concept album exploring themes of self-discovery and liberation. “I grew up very religiously – Christianity is very pertinent in Nigerian culture and the Black community…
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“Some of the people we lost have really affected me. Lemmy, Dio, Ozzy… you hear about them going and you think, ‘No!’” Metal legend and Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine on losing his friends and peers
Megadeth frontman admits that metal is going through “a changing of the guard” (LouderSound)
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“We’re heading intooblivion…particularly here in America. Things are acceptable now that would’ve horrified people 20 years ago.” One of the 21st century’s best metal bands is back with a new album – listen to the ferociousnew Lamb Of God single here
Lamb of God’s first album in four years will be released in March (LouderSound)
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Debate: Will the return of Rush be the biggest prog event of 2026?
Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson own the limelight all year, or can King Crimson, Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Crown Lands and The Pineapple Thief grab headlines? (LouderSound)
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“We went to his place, had a jam, and then he asked if I’d ever played with a Ouija board.” Ball lightning, a freak house fire and the occult: how one classic 80s anthem officially crowned the queen of heavy metal
Recording outside Germany for the first time, Warlock’s swansong would also launch an international metal icon (LouderSound)
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“Eric Clapton wrote Wonderful Tonight at ours, sitting on a wheelbarrow”: What happened when the bassist with one of the UK’s biggest bands quit rock’n’roll for life on the farm and a travelling musical carnival
Swapping champagne and private jets for a rundown farmhouse on the Welsh border (LouderSound)
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“You probably wouldn’t think of us sounding like Pink Floyd. But we’ve got a lot of stuff live that’s quite trippy, influenced by them”: Feeder’s Grant Nicholas on having dinner with Alex Lifeson and trying to sing like Jon Anderson
Indie rocker, who was once in a prog band, lists his heroes of the genre (LouderSound)
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Denis Haračić: Soul in Reminiscence @ Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo
Denis Haračić’s exhibition Soul in Reminiscence opened at the Art Gallery BiH on January 8, 2026. The exhibition explores the fundamental condition of human and worldly exposure—how bodies, minds, and environments are continually shaped, challenged, and transformed by forces both internal and external. Far from treating illness or adversity as exceptions to life, Haračić frames…
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From idea to impact with illustrator Jake Hawkins
Jake’s cover illustration for Gay Times. With strong concepts, intelligent metaphors, and queer themes, this London-based artist is surging ahead in the world of editorial illustration. For two decades or more, magazines and newspapers have been in decline, putting editorial illustrators under pressure. Yet it remains one of the most desirable areas of commercial art…
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“If you break the song down, it’s really not that original. But I thank God every day that I wrote it”: How one radio play turned the Undertones’ intended final release into a brand new beginning
A story of punk rock, John Peel and some misspelt graffiti (LouderSound)
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The art of unlearning to get away from AI
Photo credits: Lorenza Ragno For In Her Own Words, creative director Raissa Pardini reflects on unlearning productivity, perfection and creative correctness – a realistic reset for designers questioning what still belongs to humans in the AI era. If a machine could create something beautiful, does it matter if it never felt anything while doing it?…
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Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines launches industry-first ‘Hybrid AI’ campaign
The new multi-platform advertising campaign combines live action, CGI, photography, and generative AI, and is claimed to be an industry first for the travel and cruise sector. Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has today unveiled an industry-first advertising campaign created using Hybrid AI, a production approach that fuses human-led creative disciplines with generative AI technologies. Developed…
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Norwex unveils first-ever rebrand as eco pioneer evolves from cleaning cloths to premium personal care
The Norwegian, family-owned brand has revealed its first full rebrand in more than 30 years, working with London consultancy The Workroom to breathe new life into its Nordic heritage and purpose-led foundations. Norwex is a direct-selling company best known for its chemical-free cleaning cloths, but it had ambitions to expand beyond home care into personal…
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“Somebody threw a toilet roll at Peter Gabriel. He threw it back and it landed just below me. I had that bog roll on my windowsill for years!” Marc Riley’s prog world
Turned on by Genesis, Beefheart, Zappa and Can, theformer member of The Fall and The Creepers continues to smuggle prog into his radio shows (LouderSound)
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“He might not rank alongside Kiss, Aerosmith or Van Halen, but he was arguably more influential”: Nine albums you need to listen to by Ronnie Montrose and one to avoid
San Franciscan guitar genius Ronnie Montrose never quite lived up to his promise, yet he inspired a legion of imitators (LouderSound)
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“We’ve lasted so long because we were never friends”: Fifty years in, Cheap Trick might not hang out with each other, but musical glue binds them together
Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander on Anglophilia, AC/DC, and the song no one else wanted on the album (LouderSound)
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overpass have announced their debut album ‘Elsewhere, Always’ with new single ‘Union Station’
Overpass are set to release their debut album ‘Elsewhere, Always’ on 5th June. The Birmingham-based indie-rock band are teasing the release with new single ‘Union Station’, of which vocalist and guitarist Max Newbold shares, “‘Union Station’ started with hearing someone say ‘it’s a dog-eat-dog world’ like it was just normal.” He continues, “That idea of…
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Danny L Harle has dropped his raw new single ‘Raft In The Sea’ featuring Julia Michaels
Danny L Harle has released a new single, ‘Raft In The Sea’, featuring Julia Michaels. This track is taken from his upcoming debut album, ‘Cerulean’, which will be available on 13th February via XL Recordings and also features contributions from Caroline Polachek, Clairo, PinkPantheress, Oklou and MNEK. Harle comments on the collaboration, “I was incredibly…
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Kim Gordon has announced her third solo album, ‘PLAY ME’, for March
Kim Gordon is set to release her third solo album, ‘PLAY ME’, on 13th March via Matador Records. The album continues Gordon’s exploration of art and noise. “We wanted the songs to be short,” Gordon comments on her collaboration with LA producer Justin Raisen. She adds, “I have to say, the thing that influenced me…
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Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea announces first North American, UK and European solo shows in support of his debut solo album, Honora
Listen to Traffic Lights, Flea’s new solo single, featuring Radiohead’s Thom Yorke (LouderSound)
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Westside Cowboy – So Much Country ‘Till We Get There EP
Label: Adventure RecordingsReleased: 16th January 2026 There’s a particular kind of band that only really make sense when you catch them mid-stride. ‘So Much Country’ Till We Get There’, the second EP from Westside Cowboy, feels exactly like that: five songs written, recorded and released by a band moving too quickly to stop and overthink what…
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Cavetown – Running With Scissors
Label: Futures Music GroupReleased: 16th January 2026 Cavetown is a songwriter who started out making tender, bedroom-sized songs and somehow ended up becoming a generational constant. On ‘Running With Scissors’, his latest album, he sounds more curious and playful than ever, pushing his sound in a bunch of different directions and clearly having a great time…
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Jenny On Holiday – Quicksand Heart
Label: Transgressive RecordsReleased: 9th January 2026 Jenny On Holiday is the solo project of Jenny Hollingworth, best known as one-half of Let’s Eat Grandma, but ‘Quicksand Heart’ makes it immediately clear that this is not a side note or a casual detour. It’s a properly nailed pop record, full of high-definition feelings, and Hollingworth sounds entirely…
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Dry Cleaning – Secret Love
Label: 4ADReleased: 9th January 2026 On their third album, ‘Secret Love’, Dry Cleaning are a band fully formed. There’s no sense of provocation for its own sake here, no anxiety about sprechgesang novelty. Instead, it unfolds with a quiet confidence, as though the group have developed a proper appreciation of how the music actually feels when…
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The Cribs – Selling A Vibe
Label: PIASReleased: 9th January 2026 There comes a point in long band careers where momentum stops being a virtue and starts becoming a habit. On ‘Selling A Vibe’, The Cribs sound acutely aware of that distinction. This is not an album driven by the urge to prove relevance, reclaim ground or summon the ghosts of past…
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“The thing that influenced me most was the news. We are in some kind of ‘post empire’ now, where people just disappear.” Sonic Youth legend Kim Gordon announces new album Play Me, shares new single Not Today
Kim Gordon’s follow-up to 2024’s The Collective is incoming (LouderSound)
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Arlo Parks has announced her new album ‘Ambiguous Desire’ with a UK record store tour
Arlo Parks has announced her upcoming album ‘Ambiguous Desire’, set to be released on 3rd April via Transgressive Records. The album sees Parks exploring new musical territories, drawing inspiration from the queer hedonism of NYC’s Paradise Garage and the moody beats of The Streets and Burial. Reflecting on the creation of the album, Parks says,…
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Pem takes inspiration from the moon for her new single ‘milk, blue’
Pem has released a new single titled ‘milk, blue’. The track is part of the Bristol-based multidisciplinary artist’s upcoming EP, ‘other ways of landing’, which will be released on 30th January 2026 via Fascination Street Records. “This is about the Moon, I’m very in awe of the moon,” she says. “My dad passed away on…
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The Sophs have confirmed their debut album ‘GOLDSTAR’, releasing the title-track
Los Angeles band The Sophs have announced their debut album, ‘GOLDSTAR’. The six-piece outfit – who last year released the singles ‘I’M YOUR FIEND’, ‘SWEAT’ and ‘DEATH IN THE FAMILY’ – will released the full-length on 13th March via Rough Trade. Frontman Ethan Ramon describes the title-track as “the worst person you know yelling at…
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“I said, ‘Listen, I don’t think you should die!’” How Dave Grohl realised that the end was near for Kurt Cobain and Nirvana
“Five minutes later the phone rings, and someone goes, ‘Dude, turn on CNN’” (LouderSound)
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“Calvin Klein asked us to do an advert. We were like, ‘**** you, no way!’ That would have been huge.” From touring with Slipknot to turning down iconic fashion designers, the story behind Kittie’s classic nu metal anthem, Brackish
Kittie’s breakthrough single made them accidental trailblazers in a nu metal scene dominated by men (LouderSound)
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“Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Photographer Matthew Ludak
Matthew Ludak …
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“The only reason you look in the rearview mirror is to see how cool you look going forward.” This is what happened when Metallica’s Lars Ulrich interviewed one of his heroes, Iron Maiden legend Steve Harris
In 1996, the leaders of two of the biggest metal bands on the planet sat down to discuss their respective journeys in music (LouderSound)
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Peter Gabriel announces physical release of live albums In The Big Room and Live At WOMAD 82
Peter Gabriel will release live albums In The Big Room in March and Live At WOMAD 82 in May (LouderSound)
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“I nearly died at Download Festival. When I took that mask off it was like upturning a bucket.” From a panic attack in a Rolls-Royce to being metal’s hottest new masked band: an interview with President
From an overpacked tent at Download Festival to selling out their first UK tour, President’s first year in office has been nothing short of a success (LouderSound)
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“It’s the worst thing you can imagine – a song written by the rhythm section. I have to fit a guitar part over this?” How Rush made Grammy-nominated instrumental YYZ
When Alex Lifeson got back from a journey his bandmates presented him with a jam piece that finally gelled when they added Morse code to the intro (LouderSound)
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Polygrapher: Joseph Yaeger @ Modern Art, London
Modern Art is pleased to present Polygrapher, the first solo exhibition by Joseph Yaeger since announcing his representation by the gallery, and the inaugural exhibition at their Bennet Street gallery. Polygrapher denotes both the exhibition title and a text written by the artist, published in the exhibition’s accompanying booklet. Taking the form of an interrogation…
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