Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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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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“Someone spat at our saxophone player, so Tim kicked this guy in the mouth – absolutely perfectly in time to the music”: A brief history of Cardiacs, the UK’s most adored detested band
Cardiacs defied classification for decades, but new album LSD – finished five years after the death of creative lynchpin Tim Smith – was widely hailed as one of the best albums of 2025 (LouderSound)
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“The song means as much today as it did then – kids trying to break out of their town to find something to do”: Influenced by Aleister Crowley and toothache, the song that introduced new wave still strikes a chord
The Sex Pistols weren’t the only authority-baiting band to storm the charts in 1977 (LouderSound)
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Why January is a terrible time to make big career decisions
Take it easy in January. Image licensed via Adobe Stock Your brain is a potato, your bank account is empty, and Mother Nature is begging you to hibernate. So why don’t we listen? Many moons ago, in January, I did something pretty dumb. I sat down on the 3rd, still bloated from selection boxes and…
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Built with variable fonts, this logo might be the future of design
Built by Monotype, lingerie brand Chantelle Pulp’s new logo is a shape-shifting identity. Variable fonts have been technically possible for years. Designers have marvelled at the control, the file size benefits, and the interpolation capabilities. But most applications have been practical rather than conceptual: responsive type that adapts to screen sizes, efficient web fonts that…
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Is this identity for Smål Market the future of retail branding?
People People’s flexible branding system for a new retail incubator in Seattle unifies six independent businesses while preserving their distinct identities. As retail faces existential threats from rising rents and online shopping, Seattle’s Ballard neighbourhood is trying something different. Smål Market, a new merchants’ collective and business incubator, represents an alternative model: six small businesses…
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How&How reimagines Trellis as a ‘living blueprint’ for generational health
A new identity for the US healthcare app reflects a cultural shift towards agency, continuity and care that moves at the pace of real life. In the US, healthcare has a reputation for being many things and easy to navigate is not one of them. Records are fragmented across providers and state lines, insurers struggle…
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Charlie Puth has announced the ‘Whatever’s Clever!’ world tour
Charlie Puth has announced his ‘Whatever’s Clever!’ 2026 World Tour, featuring headline shows across North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom. The tour will take in nearly 50 performances, including stops in San Diego, Phoenix, San Francisco, Vancouver, Boston, Nashville, Stockholm, Barcelona, Paris, London, and Warsaw, among others. Charlie says, “I feel like I’ve worked…
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Madison Beer has confirmed ‘The Locket Tour’ with dates across North America, Europe and the UK – including The O2
Madison Beer is set to embark on ‘The Locket Tour’, covering North America, Europe, and the UK. This marks the first live performances of her soon-to-be-released album, ‘locket’. The tour includes headline shows at iconic venues such as Madison Square Garden in New York, Kia Forum in Los Angeles and The O2 in London. Madison…
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BRITs Week has confirmed 2026’s lineup, with Lambrini Girls, Fatboy Slim and more
BRITs Week 26, in partnership with War Child and delivered by DHL, has unveiled its initial lineup for 2026. The event coincides with the BRIT Awards, which will take place on 28th February in Manchester, marking the first time the event has moved out of London in its nearly 50-year history. Proceeds from the concerts…
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DEADLETTER have dropped their ominous new single, ‘It Comes Creeping’
DEADLETTER have released a new single, ‘It Comes Creeping’, marking the second track from their upcoming album ‘Existence Is Bliss’, due 27th February. Frontman Zac Lawrence explained the concept behind the song, stating, “A spectre haunts us all. Your spectre may well be different from mine, from your mother’s, but we all feel the wrath…
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BTS have confirmed an extensive 2026-2027 world tour
BTS have unveiled plans for a world tour spanning 2026-2027. Beginning in Goyang, South Korea, the tour will proceed to Tokyo, Japan. The North American leg will comprise 28 shows across 12 cities, including Tampa, El Paso, Mexico City, Stanford, Las Vegas, and East Rutherford, before concluding with a four-day stint in Los Angeles. In…
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Fcukers have confirmed their debut album ‘Ö’ for March
Fcukers are set to release their debut album ‘Ö’ on 27th March via Ninja Tune. The album, produced by Kenneth Blume, formerly known as Kenny Beats, was recorded over a two-week period last year and features contributions from Dylan Brady of 100 Gecs on three tracks, and mixing by Tom Norris, known for his work…
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“I’m so glad he got to hear what happened. His son told us it made it easier for him to let go”: The last message of a prog giant who hoped his band would outlive him, 48 years after it began
The Canterbury scene veteran had known the end was near, and set about ensuring his vision would continue in his absence – which it has, despite initial reluctance (LouderSound)
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“My god, we were such impatient boys.” How a David Bowie screw-up and some dramatic miming on British TV helped Queen secure their first hit single
The story behind Queen’s first Top 10 single (LouderSound)
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“If it leads to success we don’t have anything against it. We still have the death metal vocals, after all – those put a lot of people off”: Amorphis steered surprisingly close to pop-rock on their latest album. But they’re not selling out
Borderland is more eclectic than ever as they celebrate the uplifting vibes of loud, aggressive music. But how did a band from the heaviest country in the world get so deeply into prog? (LouderSound)
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Get the new issue of Metal Hammer with an exclusive Megadeth cover and a copy of the band’s self-titled final album
Megadeth’s self-titled swansong drops on January 23, and you can get it on vinyl in a bundle with the latest issue of Metal Hammer (LouderSound)
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“We get off stage and I haven’t seen him like that in 20 years. He was livid.” How Metallica’s crazy team-up with Lady Gaga started with an A-list dinner party and almost ended in total chaos
One of the most unlikely collaborations in Grammys history was also one of the most cursed, but they pulled it out of the bag (LouderSound)
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“I said I’d sing it on the condition that I could record a song of my choice as well. That song flopped and theirs was a big hit!” How a future Mike Oldfield collaborator wound up with a glam rock chart-topper
The dubious accolade didn’t tarnish the achievements of a British singer who was once supported by Supertramp (LouderSound)
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Hype List 2026 Round-Up: Part Three
New year. New noise. Hype is back on the hunt, digging through the chaos, the chatter and the late-night tip-offs to find the acts who aren’t just next up, but about to detonate. Dork’s Hype List is our annual spotlight on the artists who’ve started to really stand out – not because they’re destined for…
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“It was a strange time. We didn’t have a manager and the base of the band had fallen out”: How Sepultura came back to life with Choke
After losing Max Cavalera, Sepultura found a new singer in the unlikeliest of places. This is the story of the song that brought Derrick Green to the dance. (LouderSound)
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“When I’m peeling the sprouts, it’s nice to hear Cannibal Corpse or Obituary just to maintain a bit of edge”: Justin Hawkins on Christmas, being back in arenas, supporting Iron Maiden, brother Dan being a rock star, Yungblud and more
The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins is currently on the road with his Justin Hawkins’ Rides Again… Again! tour (LouderSound)
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Kiriakos Tompolidis “Your Tears Will Dry” @ Vielmetter, Los Angeles
Vielmetter Los Angeles is excited to announce, Your Tears Will Dry, a solo exhibition of new works by Kiriakos Tompolidis. The paintings included in this exhibition are deeply influenced by Tompolidis’ recent move to Mexico City from Berlin, incorporating the color palette, visual sensibilities, and the endemic flora and fauna of his new environment into meticulous…
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The generation advertising can’t sweet-talk
Gen Alpha and Food. Image licensed via Adobe Stock As the UK’s HFSS restrictions take hold, food brands are losing their oldest emotional shortcuts. In this opinion piece, Loren Aylott of Manchester creative agency Dinosaur explores how the end of sugar-coated storytelling could reshape creativity, culture, and trust. New year, new laws. It’s the week…
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New spirit-free cocktail menu takes cues from punk zines and sober rebellion
A new design-led cocktail book for Burma Burma Restaurant reframes non-alcoholic drinking as expressive, rebellious and anything but restrained, drawing on Burmese subcultures, travel journals and DIY punk aesthetics. Dry January has a habit of exposing a familiar design problem. While sober culture continues to grow, non-alcoholic menus and brands often lag behind, stripped back…
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Pentagram designs identity for first-of-its kind gender equality mapping tool
The patchwork feel of the identity was chosen to celebrate the beauty and power of diversity, without distracting from the data itself. Pentagram is behind the visual identity for the UK’s first tool for measuring, mapping and monitoring gender inequalities. While some existing tools and reports provide a national overview, the Gender Equality Index is…
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ASICS taps ‘Good Vibrations’ for global campaign celebrating the mental lift of movement
As running culture continues to grow in popularity, ASICS’ latest global campaign leans into joy and unexpected lightness, pairing everyday exercise with a classic Beach Boys soundtrack. Running has rarely felt more culturally loaded, with many people sharing Strava screenshots on Instagram stories and attending running clubs at the weekends. In turn, we’ve seen a…
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“There was a rocky section with an avant‑garde solo, then some brass, and of course a complete piss-take of 50s doo‑wop”: How a 40-year-old Glaswegian out-weirded David Bowie to become the most unlikely pop star of 1973
The story of an ironically titled epic that acted as a condensed history of rock’n’roll (LouderSound)
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“I was on top of the world… and then I’m back where I started, on the ground”: The man who became Boston’s singer but wasn’t allowed to tell anyone has finally broken his silence
With singer Brad Delp’s future in Boston uncertain, Tom Scholz hired a secret replacement. Four decades on, he’s finally telling his story (LouderSound)
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“We’re celebrating the legacy of the music and bringing it to a whole new generation of fans”: Sammy Hagar promises “deep dive into the Van Halen years” on Best Of All Worlds tour dates with Rick Springfield
Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, Joe Satriani and Kenny Aronoff will bring the party to seven cities that aren’t Las Vegas this summer (LouderSound)
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“It was like sleeping with your ex-wife.” Why a one-off reunion convinced one of the world’s best-loved bands to turn a $250 million offer to tour again
“It was unhealthy and unreal and dishonest to carry on” (LouderSound)
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Down With Boring kicks off 2026 recorded live from Rockaway Beach with Antony Szmierek and Prima Queen
The first Down With Boring of the year broadcasts tonight (Monday, 12th January 2026), recorded live at Rockaway Beach. Kicking off the new year properly, this episode comes straight from Butlin’s in Bognor Regis, with Antony Szmierek and Prima Queen joining us on stage for a loose, chaotic chat about the year just gone, what’s…
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Classic Rock’s Tracks Of The Week: January 12, 2026
Eight songs you need to hear right now, from The Black Crowes, Alter Bridge, Starbenders and more (LouderSound)
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“Input/Output” by Artist Jacob Rochester
Jacob Rochester Jacob Rochester’s Website Jacob Rochester on Instagram
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“He was trying to get his life off the ground, and he’s handed this $100,000 check.” The story of the unknown musician who helped Axl Rose write a Guns N’ Roses classic
Axl Rose’s integrity stunned an old friend who played a part in Guns N’ Roses’ early days (LouderSound)
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“We are still getting compared to artists that have nothing to do with us. And not always good or talented artists”: Jinjer’s Tatiana Shmayluk takes aim at the term “female-fronted band”
The progressive metal singer is sick and tired of being pitted against other women in the scene (LouderSound)
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“What happens when a guy can decide everything when he owns everything?”: Elon Musk inspired the bad guy on the new album by synthwave maestro Carpenter Brut
The French artist says he sold his Tesla after the world’s richest man became part of Donald Trump’s cabinet last year (LouderSound)
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“Every time I opened Rolling Stone there was a picture of him in his underpants.” How Mariah Carey, Cher, Whitney Houston, Courtney Love, Michael Stipe, Gene Simmons and more got savaged by one of the 90s’ most brutal diss tracks
This classic 90s industrial metal banger is also one of the angriest (LouderSound)
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Faith Ringgold @ Jack Shainman Gallery, NYC
Jack Shainman Gallery is pleased to announce Faith Ringgold, its inaugural exhibition dedicated to the trailblazing American artist, author, educator and activist. Spanning Ringgold’s extraordinary career, the exhibition foregrounds her groundbreaking and multifaceted practice in textiles—from her earliest ‘tankas’ to her iconic story quilt paintings—alongside pivotal early paintings, sculptures and rarely seen works on paper.
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“It’s gotta have some kind of sexuality and alcohol abuse and some kind of looseness to it”: The story of Queens Of The Stone Age’s signature tune, a still-mysterious banger powered by Dave Grohl and a truly whacked-out video
The one where the deer terrorises a troop of Boy Scouts (LouderSound)
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“We’re faking it until we make it, and that seems to be working for us so far!” Blending Fleetwood Mac’s bluesy etherealness with Led Zeppelin’s grit, multi-national rockers Luna Marble are just getting started
Meet Luna Marble, the soulful, 70s-inspired group born from adversity and a blossoming romance (LouderSound)
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Is there a productivity crisis in agencies we’re not talking about?
Are we less productive in the creative industries? Image licensed via Adobe Stock Why does it take more people to complete a project than it used to? When Joy Nazzari, founder of DNCO, sat down for the Creative Boom podcast recently, she raised something that stopped me in my tracks. It wasn’t about burnout, mental…
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What to do if you have zero freelance work for 2026
No work? Don’t panic just yet. Image licensed via Adobe Stock When January arrives with an empty inbox and mounting bills, here’s how to navigate the freelance drought without losing your mind. So it’s 3am on a Monday in early January, 201-something, and I’m refreshing my email for the 17th time. Nothing. Not even spam.…
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“Sprawling. Atmospheric. Cinematic. Enthralling”: Chris Rea finds friends among fans of Mark Knopfler and J.J. Cale on The Road To Hell
The Road To Hell fuses Chris Rea’s weather-beaten blues instincts with serious songwriting smarts and a sharp-eyed sense of social unease (LouderSound)
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Studio Blackburn’s refresh of So Energy demonstrates the art of branding the invisible
How do you give energy a visual form? The London design agency uses colour, motion and emotional messaging to reposition a renewable energy supplier as a confident challenger. Try to visualise energy. Not solar panels or wind turbines: actual energy. The thing that powers your kettle, charges your phone, and keeps your lights on. You…
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Matcha liqueur Yoshi is a masterclass in how to brand Japan for a Western market
Montreal studio Saint-Urbain has created a liqueur identity that respects Japanese tradition without ever resorting to visual cliché. There’s a particular kind of design hell reserved for brands trying to “do Japan”. You know the aesthetic: cherry blossoms scattered like confetti, ornate kanji characters deployed purely for decoration, perhaps a rising sun for good measure.…
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“AC/DC started calling me ‘Batgirl’. Every day I’d go into my dressing room and there’d be a little bat rubber ducky”: AC/DC threw Taylor Momsen a bat-themed birthday party, after she got bit halfway through a show
“When AC/DC give you a nickname, you stick with that!” (LouderSound)
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“I had to stick my head in the low bins – it got blown off when Bill Ward was hammering the kick drum.” Alex Van Halen praises the impact of seeing Black Sabbath for the first time
Alex Van Halen opened up to Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain about what it was like seeing Black Sabbath in the early 70s (LouderSound)
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“I was about to sign the form when the recruiting inspector asked a question”: Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson was once seconds away from becoming a cop instead of a prog star
He expected to live at least three other lives. But subculture signposts led him to a career as a band leader who never made enemies – and a brief period as Tony Iommi’s boss (LouderSound)
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Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir dead at 78
Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead has died from underlying lung issues months after cancer battle (LouderSound)
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Renaissance drummer Terry Sullivan has died
Terry Sullivan joined Renaissance in 1972 and was a member of the band’s much-loved classic lineup (LouderSound)
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“A profoundly modern album – puzzling, but endearingly so.” Dry Cleaning continue to charm and confuse with excellent, expansive third album, Secret Love
South London post-punks evolve their sound, stay utterly unique (LouderSound)
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“We’ve not got too many years left so every gig is sacred…you appreciate it more.” Iron Maiden legend Steve Harris on 50 years of heavy metal – and what comes next
Steve Harris discusses the band’s amazing career, celebrating 50 years and what the future may yet hold for metal’s most celebrated band (LouderSound)
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“This is the end, my friends. To balance out the bad news, they’ve kindly made one of their strongest albums of the 21st century.” Heavy metal legends Megadeth are going out on a high with a killer final album
Megadeth will be missed, but what a final record to leave us with (LouderSound)
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The 12 best new metal songs you need to hear right now
New year, new metal tunes from Alter Bridge, Hanabie, Lord Of The Lost and more! (LouderSound)
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“He sang it to me and I thought it was beautiful. But he was emphatic: ‘No, this isn’t what we do!’” The story of the classic song Red Hot Chili Peppers didn’t want to record and its unexpected impact on Middle America
People thought the Red Hot Chili Peppers were just zany frat boys who sang about sex and partying – until they released a gentle and heartfelt ballad about heroin (LouderSound)
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“Thank you for the good times. They will never rot”: David Bowie’s final message to Brian Eno – which he didn’t understand at first
The pair had been planning to revisit 1995 album Outside before Bowie’s death took fans, friends and colleagues by surprise in 2016 (LouderSound)
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“Something has to change this. We know what to do. Rise up.” One of rock music’s most respected voices says that Donald Trump is “destroying America” with the support of “idiots with no conscience”
“Today the USA is a disaster” (LouderSound)
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Dave has released a new ‘Raindance’ video featuring Tems
Dave has unveiled the official music video for his single ‘Raindance’ featuring Tems. The release follows his latest album ‘The Boy Who Played the Harp’ and ‘Chapter 16′ featuring Kano, with the video shot in Lagos, Nigeria. This release also comes after Dave’s appearance in Tems’ video for ‘Mine’. Dave is set to start his…
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Claire Rosinkranz has released her new single ‘Chronic’, from second album ‘My Lover’
Claire Rosinkranz has unveiled her latest single, ‘Chronic’, as the final release leading up to her forthcoming second album, ‘My Lover’. The track explores the tension between healing and the comfort found in remaining unwell, and follows recent singles such as ‘Kiss’, ‘Dancer’, ‘Lucy’, and ‘Crazy Bitch’. Reflecting on the creation of ‘Chronic’, Claire Rosinkranz…
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Erin LeCount has released her new single ‘I Believe’ with a live performance video
Erin LeCount has released her latest single, ‘I Believe’, today via Atlantic Records. This track follows her previous releases ‘808 Hymn’ and ‘Machine Ghost’, both of which came out in late 2025. Describing the new single, Erin LeCount says, “‘I Believe’ is a cynical, existential song about apathy, passiveness in your own life, disillusionment with…
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Bruno Mars has released a new single, ‘I Just Might’, from his fourth solo album
Bruno Mars has released a new single titled ‘I Just Might’, accompanied by an official video directed by Mars and Daniel Ramos. This release comes ahead of his upcoming fourth solo album, ‘The Romantic’, which is set for release on 27th February. Alongside this, Mars has announced ‘The Romantic Tour’, marking his first global headline…
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David Bowie’s childhood home is set for restoration as a public heritage site
The Heritage of London Trust has acquired the childhood home of David Bowie, located at 4 Plaistow Grove, Bromley, South London. The restoration project, expected to be completed by late 2027, aims to return the house to its early 1960s state. Curator Geoffrey Marsh, known for co-curating the Victoria and Albert Museum’s ‘David Bowie Is’…
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The new issue of Dork is available to order now, featuring Chloe Qisha, Madison Beer, Poppy and more
The February 2026 issue of Dork is available to order now, kicking off our new year with three cover stars: Chloe Qisha, Madison Beer and Poppy. A long time Dork fave, Chloe Qisha lands at a genuine turning point. After a relentless run of releases that has taken her from online discovery to major stages…
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Any Other Questions with… DEADLETTER
Yes, Dear Reader. While others are still pretending interviews are a serious business, we’re busy discussing imaginary ski trips, soap-based flirtation tactics, bagfuls of small dogs, cupboards in the Kremlin and why Paul McCartney absolutely keeps dying. Zac Lawrence from DEADLETTER, everyone. What is your earliest memory?I’m skiing, but it’s weird, because I’ve never been…
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Rick Wakeman, Steve Hackett, Asia, Caravan, Focus and more lined up for huge new prog cruise taking place this summer
Prog-friendly venue Trading Boundaries announces a new prog cruise venture up and down the Rhine for July (LouderSound)
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“It was Michael Jackson’s label. The people that worked there mostly thought that alternative, heavy music was garbage”: How cult fixtures Prong found their brief mainstream moment
1994’s Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck was a hit, but it wasn’t enough for the hardcore-turned-metal band’s big-label bosses (LouderSound)
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“Camouflaged” by Artist Briar Pine
Briar Pine Briar Pine’s Website Briar Pine on Instagram
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“We were supposed to sign our contract, but we had so much champagne celebrating that we forgot”: Human Waste Project, the lost nu metal band who should have been huge
Fronted by the magnetic Aimee Echo, the four-piece had a major record deal and were close friends with Korn. But their career was sadly short-lived. (LouderSound)
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The Cribs: Stopping to smell the flowers
FOLLOW PLAY ON SPOTIFY “Would you just stop printing photos of me covered in blood, please?!” laughs Ryan Jarman, recalling the chaotic, heady days of the mid-noughties when his band The Cribs were at the epicentre of a golden age for British guitar music. The numerous larger-than-life characters that populated the music scene felt like…
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“He was grateful just to play some music rather than just dwell on death”: When two members of Yes and one member of Led Zeppelin got together, anything could have happened. Sadly, very little did
The demise of the world’s biggest rock band coincided with two prog icons’ descent into bewilderment. The only evidence of their existence is four unreleased demos and a few other hints at what might have been (LouderSound)
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“People were saying that the style we were playing would mean we never got signed”: Sounding nothing like anyone else, how System Of A Down overcame the odds and started their climb to dominance
1998 single Sugar brought the future nu metal superstars to the dance – and they were weird as hell (LouderSound)
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“Nazis popped out of a U-Haul van, walking around the city.” The craziest break-up ever, political black metal and Zakk Wylde’s wingman: the best new metal bands you need to hear this month
From ‘nu deathcore’ pioneers Autumn Lies Buried to Finnish black metallers Svarta Havet, Black Label Society side project Dark Chapel and psychedelic sludgers Witchrot, these are the metal bands you need to hear in January 2026 (LouderSound)
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“Towering riffs come to them as easily as dreaming does to the rest of us”: Alter Bridge are at their most Alter Bridge on the unwaveringly confident Alter Bridge
It’s more of the same on Alter Bridge’s self-titled seventh album, but who’s complaining when their same is this good? (LouderSound)
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Planet Circus: Paco Pomet @ Richard Heller Gallery, Santa Monica
Richard Heller Gallery is pleased to present, Planet Circus, a new exhibition of paintings by Granada, Spain-based artist, Paco Pomet. The show brings together recent works that reaffirm the artist’s distinctive approach to contemporary figuration, combining technical precision with humor, irony, and subtle narrative disruption.
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“I was naked in the vocal booth. At first, I did it as an experiment to see if it would help, then it became a tradition”: The story of the spandex-clad classic that launched its creators into the stratosphere
Recorded on 9/11 and once voted the Greatest Song Of The Twenty-first Century So Far, I Believe In A Thing Called Love could have been a hit in any decade (LouderSound)
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“If you’re talking dazzling sleight of mind, radical ideas and a willingness to create shock-art for the masses, there was no one more brilliant”: Revisiting David Bowie’s career from a prog perspective
Beyond his work with Brian Eno, Robert Fripp, Rick Wakeman and others, plus comparisons to Rush, ELP and krautrock, a commitment to audacious experimentation ran through the true icon’s entire life (LouderSound)
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“I was Catholic when I put the album on. Midway through, I became a full-blown Satanist”: Watch the first episode of the eagerly-awaited series Tony Iommi – The Godfather of Heavy Metal, starring Rob Halford, Zakk Wylde, Brian May and Tom Morello and more
The video tells Tony Iommi’s story through archive footage and present-day interviews (LouderSound)
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“Rich brought a spontaneity to the record that I can’t describe, but it’s the best s*** he’s ever done”: The Black Crowes announce new album – listen to the first two tracks now
A Pound Of Feathers is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed Happiness Bastards – The singles Profane Prophecy and Pharmacy Chronicles are out now (LouderSound)
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Cate Le Bon has released a new single featuring St. Vincent, ‘Always The Same’
Cate Le Bon has revealed a new single titled ‘Always The Same’, featuring St. Vincent. Le Bon describes the single, saying, “‘Always The Same’ needed a little more elbow room than the album would allow but it is cousin to the song cycle of ‘Michelangelo Dying’, coming into formation in the same breath. “Special to…
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“In the mid-80s, to get your record played, you had to take the guitar solo out.” Radio stations tried to cut Eddie Van Halen’s solo from one of his most iconic songs
Iron Maiden legend Nicko McBrain has hosted an epic interview with Alex Van Halen (LouderSound)
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David Byrne has covered Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘drivers license’ for its fifth anniversary
David Byrne has released a cover of Olivia Rodrigo‘s hit single ‘drivers license’, celebrating the song’s fifth anniversary. The original track, released five years ago today, debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 when Olivia was just 17, making her the youngest artist to achieve this feat. In honour of this milestone, several…
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As It Is have announced a new self-titled album, and released early single ‘Ruin My Life’ featuring Murray Macleod of The Xcerts
As It Is have announced their forthcoming self-titled album, marking their fifth studio effort. The album is set to arrive on 17th July via FLG, teased by new single ‘Ruin My Life’, which features Murray Macleod of The Xcerts. Patty Walters, the band’s frontman, described ‘Ruin My Life’ as “a reckless love song about the…
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The Orielles have dropped a new double single ahead of their upcoming album
The Orielles have unveiled a double single, ‘You are Eating a Part of Yourself’ and ‘To Undo the World Itself’. Both are featured on their upcoming album ‘Only You Left’. This marks their fourth studio album, following a seven-year journey which began with ‘Silver Dollar Moment’ in 2018. The new record is set to be…
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Twenty One Pilots are going to release a concert film of their Mexico City show
Twenty One Pilots are set to release a concert film capturing their sold-out performance in Mexico City, recorded during The Clancy World Tour. This collaboration with Trafalgar Releasing will be showcased in IMAX and cinemas worldwide on 26th February, with exclusive previews starting on 25th February. Tickets will be available from 15th January. The film…
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“Any money I will make I will happily give away to others. Print that, because I will stand by that!” He said it would be “counter-productive” if his band’s debut album was a huge success. Then it sold 20 million copies
“We are not user-friendly… there is nothing special about me” (LouderSound)
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Kid Kapichi have released their new single ‘Worst Kept Secret’
Kid Kapichi have released their latest single, ‘Worst Kept Secret’, which fronts their forthcoming album ‘Fearless Nature’. The album is set to be released on 16th January via Spinefarm. Kid Kapichi’s frontman, Jack Wilson, explains the inspiration behind the track, stating, “‘Worst Kept Secret’ was the final song written for the album, during a period…
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Bruno Mars has announced his fourth solo album, ‘The Romantic’
Bruno Mars is set to release his fourth solo album, ‘The Romantic’, marking his first solo project in a decade since ’24K Magic’. The album, which will be available on 27th February via Atlantic Records, will be previewed by the arrival of a new single this Friday. Fans can pre-order the exclusive first-pressing numbered vinyl…
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Robyn has announced her new album ‘Sexistential’ for March
Robyn is set to release her ninth studio album, ‘Sexistential’, on 27th March 2026 via Young. The album features nine pop tracks that are a nod to her previous ‘Body Talk’ trilogy. Describing the album, Robyn said it feels “like a spaceship coming through the atmosphere at a really high speed and crash landing.” She…
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“Playing in space would be a fitting climax!” Megadeth are on the cover of the new Metal Hammer
As the thrash legends release their final album, we find out why they’re calling it quits (LouderSound)
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Hype List 2026: Florence Road
New year. New noise. Hype is back on the hunt, digging through the chaos, the chatter and the late-night tip-offs to find the acts who aren’t just next up, but about to detonate. Dork’s Hype List is our annual spotlight on the artists who’ve started to really stand out – not because they’re destined for…
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Hype List 2026 Round-Up: Part Two
New year. New noise. Hype is back on the hunt, digging through the chaos, the chatter and the late-night tip-offs to find the acts who aren’t just next up, but about to detonate. Dork’s Hype List is our annual spotlight on the artists who’ve started to really stand out – not because they’re destined for…
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Arena singer Damian Wilson to leave the band at the end of this year. Paul Manzi to return…
UK prog rockers Arena to part ways with fifth lead singer Damian Wilson, as fourth incumbent, Paul Manz,i will return (LouderSound)
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Hype List 2026: Erin LeCount
New year. New noise. Hype is back on the hunt, digging through the chaos, the chatter and the late-night tip-offs to find the acts who aren’t just next up, but about to detonate. Dork’s Hype List is our annual spotlight on the artists who’ve started to really stand out – not because they’re destined for…
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Hype List 2026: Witch Post
New year. New noise. Hype is back on the hunt, digging through the chaos, the chatter and the late-night tip-offs to find the acts who aren’t just next up, but about to detonate. Dork’s Hype List is our annual spotlight on the artists who’ve started to really stand out – not because they’re destined for…
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“Sweat was dripping off the walls!” Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood looks back on the ’60s, shares memories of The Yardbirds, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix and Deep Purple’s Jon Lord
Ronnie Wood hasn’t lost his enthusiasm for rock ‘n’ roll (LouderSound)
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“I remember us saying, ‘Well, if the band doesn’t make it, we’ll join the Marines.’” The story of the song that gave thrash metal its name
Metallica, Exodus and Slayer might’ve been defining thrash on the West coast, but it was in New York the genre finally got its name (LouderSound)
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Halsey, Iron Maiden, Gorillaz, Limp Bizkit and Bring Me The Horizon to play Rock For People 2026 – day splits announced
The five-day festival will take place at Park 360 in northern Czech Republic from June 10 to 14 (LouderSound)
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Queen Quiz: How much do you know about A Night At The Opera and A Day At The Races?
Test your knowledge of A Night At The Opera and A Day At The Races, the twin pillars of Queen’s imperial phase (LouderSound)
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Hype List 2026: Dexter In The Newsagent
New year. New noise. Hype is back on the hunt, digging through the chaos, the chatter and the late-night tip-offs to find the acts who aren’t just next up, but about to detonate. Dork’s Hype List is our annual spotlight on the artists who’ve started to really stand out – not because they’re destined for…
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Hype List 2026 Round-Up: Part One
New year. New noise. Hype is back on the hunt, digging through the chaos, the chatter and the late-night tip-offs to find the acts who aren’t just next up, but about to detonate. Dork’s Hype List is our annual spotlight on the artists who’ve started to really stand out – not because they’re destined for…
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Mindful Chef unveils a new brand refresh by Mother Design
Building on its recent overhaul by Ragged Edge, Mindful Chef has unveiled a new brand refresh by Mother Design, expanding its identity with a more expressive, editorial and craft-led approach. Mindful Chef has today unveiled a brand refresh created in partnership with independent branding and design studio Mother Design, marking the next evolution for the…
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William E. Jones “It Only Looks As If It Hurts” @ The Modern Institute, Glasgow
During the first Trump administration and the Covid lockdown, I was unable to pursue filmmaking, the medium I was trained to practice. I spent those years writing fiction, which had the advantages of being free and private – a field of pure invention. I eventually published three novels between 2019 and 2023. Over the course…
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What successful creatives actually do in January (spoiler: it’s not setting massive goals)
Successful creatives reconnect before they create. Image licensed via Adobe Stock Ignore the productivity gurus. The creatives who thrive long-term know that January is for laying foundations, not sprinting towards burnout. Every January, the same advice floods our feeds. Optimise your mornings. Set audacious goals. Launch something new. Reinvent yourself. Become unstoppable. It’s loud, relentless…
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Why Eat Real had to stop selling health to actually sell healthy snacks
Virtue doesn’t shift crisps: an important lesson for anyone working in wellness branding. Anyone launching a healthy snack brand has a mountain to climb. Consider this scenario: you’ve got a genuinely better product, made from pulses and grains instead of fried potatoes, baked, not fried, all the right credentials. You want to shout about it.…
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This folkloric wine branding highlights the value of handmade illustration
While AI churns out generic images, Kingdom & Sparrow’s premium designs for Mydflower prove that hand-crafted illustration retains serious commercial punch. Over the last year, I’ve often said that AI-generated imagery isn’t the threat to handmade illustration you might think it is. But sometimes it’s easier to just point to a live example. And here’s…
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How WeWantMore turned a design challenge into a golden-hour glow-up
When one of America’s most popular drinks risked becoming wallpaper, this Antwerp-founded studio found the answer in translucent orange panels and Mediterranean waves. There’s a particular challenge reserved for brands that become too successful. Aperol knows it well. After Forbes crowned the Aperol Spritz America’s most popular drink in 2024, the Italian aperitif faced an…
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“The beauty of it is that it’s two minutes long. It’s not like it’s Free Bird where you have to suffer through 10 minutes of playing it every night”: The story of the psychotic debut single that kick-started the grunge revolution
The riff was stolen and it came out on 7″ single when vinyl was in its death throes, but Touch Me I’m Sick changed the course of music (LouderSound)
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“Wildest night out? I’d have to say Lemmy. I don’t think we got much sleep”: Danko Jones on meeting AC/DC, playing with Marty Friedman and a wild night out in London
You know what to expect with a new Danko Jones album, but 2025’s Leo Rising met with positive responses across the board and things are looking good (LouderSound)
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Pat Smear to miss upcoming Foo Fighters shows after “bizarre gardening accident”
Not the start to 2026 that Pat Smear would have wanted (LouderSound)
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“After he died, his body was dug up and moved seven times because people thought his fingers were possessed by the Devil”: Bruce Dickinson’s unreleased rock opera may be the greatest untold story of them all
Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson is a man of many talents, but his rock opera about the philandering violinist Paganini has yet to see the light of day (LouderSound)
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Hype List 2026: Villanelle
New year. New noise. Hype is back on the hunt, digging through the chaos, the chatter and the late-night tip-offs to find the acts who aren’t just next up, but about to detonate. Dork’s Hype List is our annual spotlight on the artists who’ve started to really stand out – not because they’re destined for…
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How Pope John Paul II forced Queen to cancel a planned appearance at Manchester United’s ‘Theatre Of Dreams’
The Beatles might have boasted that they were bigger than Jesus, but the Pope’s 1982 visit to Britain posed problems for Queen (LouderSound)
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“Metallica seek raw, rowdy ‘n’ gutsy frontman.” That time Metallica launched a worldwide search to find a new vocalist via an ad in a British music magazine
If you were reading Kerrang! in December 1983, you could have had a shot at fronting Metallica (LouderSound)
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Hype List 2026: Man/Woman/Chainsaw
New year. New noise. Hype is back on the hunt, digging through the chaos, the chatter and the late-night tip-offs to find the acts who aren’t just next up, but about to detonate. Dork’s Hype List is our annual spotlight on the artists who’ve started to really stand out – not because they’re destined for…
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Divorce’s Felix Mackenzie-Barrow has unveiled a new solo project, Book of Churches
Felix Mackenzie-Barrow, known for his role as co-vocalist and guitarist in the alt-country band Divorce, is embarking on a solo project under the name Book of Churches. His debut album, also titled ‘Book of Churches’, is set for release on 6th March via Gravity / Capitol. The album’s lead single, ‘Song By A Stranger’, is…
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Big Special have dropped their new single ‘SLUGLIFE’
Big Special have unveiled their latest single ‘SLUGLIFE’, which follows their surprise second album ‘NATIONAL AVERAGE.’. The release of ‘SLUGLIFE’ also follows the duo’s previous singles ‘PLAINTIVE NATIVE’, ‘DRAGGED UP A HILL (and thrown down the other side)’, and a collaboration with Sleaford Mods on ‘The Good Life’, which featured a video starring Gwendoline Christie.…
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KuleeAngee are kicking off 2026 with their new single ‘Pretty Love’
Scottish duo KuleeAngee, consisting of Duncan Grant and Keshav Kanabar, have unveiled their latest single ‘Pretty Love’. This release follows their debut EP ‘Is It Awryt’, and arrives ahead of their performance at Eurosonic Festival in the Netherlands, and their headline show at King Tut’s in Glasgow. ‘Pretty Love’ is part of a forthcoming project…
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The Twilight Sad have announced their sixth album, ‘It’s The Long Goodbye’
The Twilight Sad have announced their sixth album, ‘It’s The Long Goodbye’, which will be released on 27th March via Rock Action Records. This marks their first record in seven years and follows the release of the lead track ‘Waiting For The Phone Call’. Their new single ‘Designed To Lose’ also debuts today, featuring a…
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“At school I did a presentation about Black Sabbath! I knew I wanted to move to the UK.” Jack Black, angry nuns and Duolingo: the strange story of metal’s weirdest new stars, Calva Louise
Mixing metalcore, EDM and Latin dance music, Calva Louise’s influences are as diverse as its members’ backgrounds (LouderSound)
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“Tween” by Photographer Oliver Raschka
Oliver Raschka …
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“It did surprise us. People started calling us sell-outs.” How Metallica wrote the metal power ballad that saved Miley Cyrus – and that Elton John called ‘one of the best songs ever written’
James Hetfield wasn’t sure about letting his Metallica bandmates hear Nothing Else Matters. Thank goodness he did (LouderSound)
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Hype List 2026: Westside Cowboy
New year. New noise. Hype is back on the hunt, digging through the chaos, the chatter and the late-night tip-offs to find the acts who aren’t just next up, but about to detonate. Dork’s Hype List is our annual spotlight on the artists who’ve started to really stand out – not because they’re destined for…
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“I looked around and nobody was happy. And I was thinking: ‘This is going to be rough’”: What happened when Bruce Dickinson made the decision that changed his life
Becoming a band’s new singer is never easy. But when Bruce Dickinson saw Iron Maiden play, he knew he was the singer they needed (LouderSound)
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Marcelle Reinecke: Cherries in the Snow @ Monya Rowe Gallery, NYC
Monya Rowe Gallery is pleased to announce a solo exhibition of new paintings by Marcelle Reinecke titled Cherries in the Snow. The opening reception for the artist will be held on Thursday, January 8, 6-8 PM
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“Originally a career-staller, this version really is essential”: Ultravox’s The Collection – Deluxe Edition
Revisited with deep attention to detail, Midge Ure and co’s imperial phase reissue is a genuine audio-visual banquet (LouderSound)
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When transparency becomes folklore: turning B Corp skeptics into believers
Something Familiar transforms mandatory impact reporting into an 18th-century chapbook, complete with devils, woodcuts and purposeful mischief. There’s a particular kind of eye-roll that happens when someone mentions their company’s B Corp certification. You know the one. It sits somewhere between “greenwashing alert” and “here we go again with the purpose-led marketing.” Bristol-based creative agency…
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How being weird can save branding in 2026
It’s time to get weird. Image licensed via Adobe Stock Senior designer at Mother Design, Bentzion Goldman, feels identity design has become safe, sanitised and downright boring in the last 12 months. Let’s flip that in 2026, he argues, and make branding weird again. This is the third year I’ve written about trends and predictions…
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10 low-effort ways to get your creative brain working again
Do something creative outside your field. Image licensed via Adobe Stock Your brain needs gentle coaxing, not a creative boot camp. Here are 10 ways to ease yourself back into making things. Everyone hates coming back to work after Christmas, and that’s not really surprising. After a summer holiday, at least there’s a soft landing:…
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The clever way Standard Projects solved the paradox of branding invisible work
How do you make post-production visible without breaking the illusion? When London studio Microdot needed a brand identity, Standard Projects found cinema’s own language hiding in plain sight. Post-production occupies a peculiar position in the creative economy. When it’s done well, nobody notices. The colour grade that makes morning light feel nostalgic? The VFX cleanup…
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“We started each day by doing yoga and breathing exercises. Then we took mushrooms and it got a little too psychedelic!” The prog duo who lost their label for being too weird, and decided to get even weirder
Rush, Yes and King Crimson inspired them to confound expectations and create a three-album arc of otherworldly spirituality – in an era when, they believe, there’s no way to win the music industry game (LouderSound)
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“The record company barely even knew who we were. When we took the demos into them, they said: ‘You’re Super-Who?’”: The story of the Supertramp classic the band eventually found too difficult to play
A song that “exploded” out of Roger Hodgson’s head made Supertramp stars, and was loved by Princess Diana and the young princes William and Harry (LouderSound)
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“Purple Rain is like Stairway To Heaven. It’s non-religious, but people feel reverent about it”: The story of Prince’s Purple Rain, this year’s viral Stranger Things needle drop
Prince’s Purple Rain was the epic ballad that reclaimed rock for black musicians and is now ingrained in popular culture (LouderSound)
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Rockaway Beach 2026 turns Butlins into a three-day party with guitars
Here at Dork, we’re no strangers to Rockaway Beach’s unique brand of New Year nonsense. 2026 tested even us though, kicking off so close to the festive period that we’d barely finished eating our turkey before checking in to Butlins and locating the arcades. Not that we’re complaining – there really is nowhere we’d rather…
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Hype List 2026: Radio Free Alice
New year. New noise. Hype is back on the hunt, digging through the chaos, the chatter and the late-night tip-offs to find the acts who aren’t just next up, but about to detonate. Dork’s Hype List is our annual spotlight on the artists who’ve started to really stand out – not because they’re destined for…
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Joyce Manor have released their new single ‘I Know Where Mark Chen Lives’
Joyce Manor have released their latest single ‘I Know Where Mark Chen Lives’. It’s the opening track from their forthcoming album ‘I Used To Go To This Bar’, due for release via Epitaph Records on 30th January. The track is accompanied by a black and white performance video directed by Jason Link and Rowan Daly.…
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Shelf Lives are teasing their debut album ‘Hypernormal’ with new single ‘frissoN’
London-based electro-bass punk band Shelf Lives have unveiled their latest single, ‘frissoN’. It’s taken from their upcoming debut album ‘Hypernormal’, scheduled for release on 25th February 2026 via Not Sorry Mom Records. Discussing the inspiration behind the single, the band explain, “It’s the 2008 financial crash. It’s the leaning into the collapse. Thank you, TechnoDaddy666,…
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Ellur has unveiled her new single ‘Dream Of Mine’
Ellur has released her new single ‘Dream Of Mine’, the final preview from her upcoming debut album ‘At Home In My Mind’. The track, which premiered on BBC 6 Music with Steve Lamacq, is out now via indie label Dance To The Radio and follows previous singles ‘The World Is Not An Oyster’, ‘The Wheel’,…
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The Cribs have dropped new single ‘Never The Same’ ahead of their upcoming album launch
The Cribs have unveiled a new single titled ‘Never The Same’, marking the final release before their upcoming album ‘Selling A Vibe’. The album, due Friday 9th January, is their first full-length record in over five years. Guitarist and singer Ryan Jarman described the track as a return to their roots. “Never The Same is…
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“War is senseless, it’s stupid, and in the end you could end up dead… but in some ways it is glorious”: From the Crimean War to the Stranger Things finale, the story of Iron Maiden’s The Trooper
It didn’t live up to prior singles’ chart success, it was banned when it came out, and it’s got the band booed onstage. But, The Trooper is a song that Iron Maiden have never left behind. (LouderSound)
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Hype List 2026: NXDIA
New year. New noise. Hype is back on the hunt, digging through the chaos, the chatter and the late-night tip-offs to find the acts who aren’t just next up, but about to detonate. Dork’s Hype List is our annual spotlight on the artists who’ve started to really stand out – not because they’re destined for…
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“I feel despondent about the world of humans.” Queen legend Brian May reveals the fears that keep him awake at night
Brian May is concerned about our future (LouderSound)
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Hype List 2026: The Sophs
New year. New noise. Hype is back on the hunt, digging through the chaos, the chatter and the late-night tip-offs to find the acts who aren’t just next up, but about to detonate. Dork’s Hype List is our annual spotlight on the artists who’ve started to really stand out – not because they’re destined for…
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“We’d like to discuss a chart position.” How a secret $70,000 cash payment to Italian gangsters secured a British rock band their first US hit single
A flashback to an era when payola ruled the US music industry (LouderSound)
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“I lost a lot of hair when Lemmy blasted his bass. You’d see big bikers at the front of the house throwing up”: Watch Motörhead drummer react to fans’ stories about the heavy metal trailblazers
Mikkey Dee remembers life with Lemmy Kilmister while watching tributes from Motörhead super-fans (LouderSound)
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Gong kick off the New Year with video for blissed out new single The Wonderment
Cosmic proggers Gong will release their new album, Bright Spirit, in the first part of 2026 (LouderSound)
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“The band started that album cycle as ones to watch and emerged as one of rock’s new leaders.” Every Halestorm album ranked from worst to best
We rate the back catalogue of one of modern rock’s very best bands (LouderSound)
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Steve Harris reveals the song he wants to bring back to Iron Maiden’s setlist: “It’s difficult to do a set from any part of our career and not miss things out”
The second European leg of the band’s 50th-anniversary tour kicks off in the spring (LouderSound)
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Hype List 2026: Cliffords
New year. New noise. Hype is back on the hunt, digging through the chaos, the chatter and the late-night tip-offs to find the acts who aren’t just next up, but about to detonate. Dork’s Hype List is our annual spotlight on the artists who’ve started to really stand out – not because they’re destined for…
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“I hope they get sued. It’s a shameless ripoff. They should be slapped on the wrist for that”: How Tool attracted mainstream attention – and the ire of one of rock’s greatest frontmen
Sober, the seminal single from 1993’s Undertow, made Maynard James Keenan and co. a quick success story, but not everybody was a fan (LouderSound)
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“We weren’t seen as enigmatic as some bands. I do feel that we were kind of under-appreciated”: Ben Ward looks back on three decades in the Orange Goblin trenches
In late 2025, British heavy metal stalwarts Orange Goblin played their last ever shows, calling it a day after 30 years. Frontman Ben Ward explains why, and reflects on three decades of creating metal thunder (LouderSound)
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“I’d never played a professional gig. To suddenly be aboard a cruise ship surrounded by real prog legends was just surreal”: How Haken’s last line-up change powered seventh album Fauna
After struggling to escape the stagnation of lockdown, the return of an old friend inspired an “anything goes” attitude for their 2023 release (LouderSound)
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“I see them as the greatest ever rock’n’roll band. How can it be a bad thing to be compared to the best there is?” Airbourne on AC/DC, non-annoying Christmas songs, and why their new album had to be exactly right
Expect Airborne’s usual full-on rock’n’roll as they arrive in the UK for a run of European dates (LouderSound)
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Farley Aguilar “Into the Reflection” @ Night Gallery, Los Angeles
Night Gallery is pleased to present Into the Reflection, an exhibition of new paintings by Miami based artist Farley Aguilar. This marks Aguilar’s second solo exhibition with the gallery.
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“We set out to make the ultimate Priest album. It could be the most successful failure we’ll ever have!” A classic encounter with Judas Priest as they prepare to unleash the album that saves them
With a notorious court case looming and an untested new drummer, Judas Priest retreated to Spain as they steeled themselves for the release of one of their greatest albums (LouderSound)
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Does Google’s gallery on the New York subway represent a ‘third way’ for AI sceptics?
When five artists used AI tools on a NYC subway project, they found a pragmatic middle ground; not conversion, only curiosity. For four weeks before Christmas, New York’s subway system became an unlikely laboratory for testing whether there’s a middle ground between AI enthusiasm and AI rejection. It’s a question that matters to every creative…
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How an illustrator-run agency survived three decades by doing things differently
Romy Blumel, 2015 Heart’s 30th-anniversary book reveals what happens when working artists, not traditional businesspeople, take control of their representation. When Darrel Rees founded Heart back in the 90s, he did something unusual: he remained a practising illustrator while running an artist agency. Three decades on, that decision still defines how Heart—which made our list…
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A realistic first-week to-do list for creatives in January
Image licensed via Adobe Stock You deserve a gentle start to 2026, so here are three achievable tasks to ease you back into work without overwhelming yourself. Overwhelmed by the feeling of starting a new work year? Here’s my advice. Forget the 20-point action plan. Forget the ambitious goals. Forget trying to sort out your…
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Why TBWA’s bet on stop-motion made perfect sense for its Dutch lottery ad
In an age of AI-generated shortcuts, one Dutch lottery campaign chose a style of animation where five seconds takes a day. Madness or genius? Picture this: your creative director walks in and announces the next campaign will be produced at a rate of five seconds per day. In 2024, when AI can generate entire commercials…
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David Lee Roth announces extensive North American tour
Diamond Dave will cross the continent from April onwards (LouderSound)
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Hype List 2026: Basht.
New year. New noise. Hype is back on the hunt, digging through the chaos, the chatter and the late-night tip-offs to find the acts who aren’t just next up, but about to detonate. Dork’s Hype List is our annual spotlight on the artists who’ve started to really stand out – not because they’re destined for…
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Hype List 2026: Asha Banks
New year. New noise. Hype is back on the hunt, digging through the chaos, the chatter and the late-night tip-offs to find the acts who aren’t just next up, but about to detonate. Dork’s Hype List is our annual spotlight on the artists who’ve started to really stand out – not because they’re destined for…
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“The collective mood is influenced by the combination of loud, fast music, synchronized with bright flashing lights, and frequent intoxication.” What the science behind mosh pits can tell us about human behaviour
Ever wondered about the physics of mosh pits and circle pits? We have answers for you (LouderSound)
Got any book recommendations?