Sunglasz Vendor have a new single out and it’s one of the more distinct-sounding rock tracks to emerge from Bristol in recent memory. “Was On Fire” is available now, a lopsided, stop-start crawl through romantic solitude and unrequited despair, opening with harsh mechanical screeching before lurching into something rawer and more anthemic.
Singer and guitarist Rafi Cohen is the emotional center of the track, slowly unpacking loneliness through sardonic wordplay and bleak imagery. His delivery is measured and deliberate, making the cacophonous build toward the coda land with real force. “It documents the feeling of being past it,” Cohen says, “like the best is behind you and the only way is down.” That kind of unflinching self-assessment gives the song its unsettling edge.
Recorded with producer Joseph Futak (Piglet, Tapir!, Aga Ujma) in Hither Green, “Was On Fire” marks the second single from these sessions, following “I’ll Do To You Yourself,” which earned support from BBC 6 Music, BBC Introducing, and Radiotrails. The band’s debut album ‘Unwinding’ drew airplay from BBC 6 Music, Apple Music 1, and KEXP, alongside strong press across the UK and beyond.
Formed in 2023 from members of Bristol’s avant-garde scene, Sunglasz Vendor pull from emo, rock radio hooks, and free-form experimentation in equal measure. Their live sets have earned them opening slots for Squid, The Breeders, and Water From Your Eyes, among others. “Was On Fire” makes a strong case for what comes next.
Lauren Spencer Smith has released “Natural Disaster,” a raw and emotionally precise new single from the deluxe version of her sophomore album, ‘The Art Of Being A Mess,’ out now via Island Records. “Natural Disaster is about feeling like everything you touch turns into chaos, and believing you’re a burden to the people who love you, because they can’t see how deep the storm inside you really goes,” she says. The deluxe edition adds six new songs to an album that already earned widespread critical acclaim for its candid songwriting, including standout singles “Looking Up,” “bridesmaid,” and “IF KARMA DOESN’T GET YOU (I WILL),” the latter of which landed on Spotify’s U.S. Viral Chart. Spencer Smith’s ability to articulate emotional complexity with precision and directness remains one of the most compelling things about her work. The Vancouver Island-raised singer-songwriter has performed at the MTV VMAs, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and the People’s Choice Awards, where she was nominated for Best New Artist, and her debut album ‘Mirror’ features the Platinum-certified singles “Flowers” and “Fingers Crossed,” the latter surpassing 875 million global streams.
Willie Nelson’s “Heart Of America” is out now, the lead single from ‘The Gray House: Original Soundtrack From The Amazon Series,’ released alongside the premiere of the eight-episode limited series now streaming on Prime Video. Nelson’s contribution sets the emotional tone for a soundtrack that spans gospel, country, Americana, rock, and hip-hop, featuring Lainey Wilson, Shania Twain and Drake Milligan, Killer Mike featuring Lena Byrd Miles, Yolanda Adams, Larkin Poe, and more. Executive producer Kevin Costner called Nelson’s performance a revelation, while Morgan Freeman and Lori McCreary described “Heart Of America” as feeling like a new kind of anthem, one meant for every American. The series itself tells the extraordinary true story of the women who helped turn the tide of the Civil War in favor of the Union, and the soundtrack matches that historical weight with real musical substance.
‘The Gray House’ Soundtrack Tracklisting:
The War And Treaty – “Blood In the River”
Adrienne Warren – “Unholy Water”
Yolanda Adams – “Love Will Rescue Me”
The War And Treaty – “If This Day”
Scott Stapp – “Red, White, & Blue”
Lainey Wilson – “Dead End Red Dirt Road”
Larkin Poe – “The Devil’s Boat”
Killer Mike featuring Lena Byrd Miles – “Smiling Eyes (Smiling Faces)”
Shania Twain and Drake Milligan – “I’ll Be Here With You”
Yo Gabba Gabba! and BMG have released the soundtrack for season two of Apple TV’s Emmy Award-nominated “Yo Gabba GabbaLand!,” and it’s a stacked roster. The release spotlights Santigold’s rendition of the original track “Thank You Is Enough” as its focus single, with Santigold sharing her enthusiasm for finally joining a show she’s admired since its debut. “I’ve always admired how fun, musical, and genuinely creative the show is,” she says. “It’s really a refreshing, art-driven take on educational kids’ TV.” The 27-track soundtrack also features Silversun Pickups, CHVRCHES, Ziggy Marley, Sharon Van Etten, Sleigh Bells, Turnpike Troubadours, Sylvan Esso, and many more, making it one of the most eclectic and genuinely exciting kids’ music releases in recent memory.
Season 2 ‘Yo Gabba GabbaLand!’ Soundtrack:
Kammy Kam: “Yo Gabba GabbaLand! Theme”
Silversun Pickups: “Party In My Tummy”
Yo Gabba Gabba: “We Need The Light”
CHVRCHES: “At Home In My Home”
Sleigh Bells: “What’s New”
Santigold: “Thank You Is Enough”
Hemlocke Springs: “Switch It On and Off”
Ginger Root: “Lemonade in the Shade”
Still Woozy: “Stretch Out and Breath”
Yo Gabba Gabba: “The Noodle Dance”
Hatchie: “Movin’ My Body”
Chicano Batman: “Sometimes Turtles Eat Waffles”
Freedom Fry: “Thank You for Everything”
King Tuff: “Try Something New”
Turnpike Troubadours: “Sunrise, Sunset”
Mates of State: “You Can Ask For Help”
Yo Gabba Gabba: “The Thank You Dance (feat. Tiffany Haddish)”
Pat Metheny has released “Don’t Look Down,” the new single from ‘Side-Eye III+’, out now via his newly launched Uniquity Music imprint in partnership with Primary Wave. It’s his first major studio album in six years, continuing the Side-Eye project’s focus on collaboration with the next generation of standout musicians. The album features Metheny alongside keyboardist Chris Fishman and drummer Joe Dyson, the core trio that has toured internationally, with a worldwide tour launching in 2026.
Chris Janson has a new track out and it’s a natural fit for an artist who has built his career on songs that feel lived-in and real. “Easy to Love, Harder to Hold” is available now, written by Janson alongside Pat Bunch and Kelly Roland, and produced by Janson and Michael Wayne Wilkes.
The song paints a vivid portrait of a free-spirited woman whose magnetic pull is undeniable, but whose restless nature makes her impossible to hold onto. It’s the kind of character study that country music does best, specific enough to feel true, universal enough to resonate.
For Janson, the song is deeply personal. “‘Easy to Love, Harder to Hold’ is about a free and charismatic girl living her best life,” he says. “This is exactly how I felt the moment I met my wife, Kelly. We actually wrote this together with the late Pat Bunch.” That context gives the track an emotional layer that comes through in his delivery.
Janson’s current radio single “Me & A Beer” is climbing toward the Top 20 at Country radio, adding momentum to an already strong stretch. The new track arrives as further proof that Janson’s songwriting instincts remain sharp and deeply grounded in authentic storytelling.
Jimmie Allen has a new single out, and it hits exactly where it’s meant to. “Live Another Day” is available now, pairing Allen’s warm, unmistakable voice with an uplifting groove that feels both personal and universal.
Allen wrote the song from a deeply reflective place. “I wrote ‘Live Another Day’ from the base idea of thinking about the life I had planned for myself when I was 19 vs how it changed the older I got,” he says. “No matter what life throws at you, good or bad, we must always find a way to push and move forward. Continue to fight, love and Live Another Day.”
The track speaks to moments of uncertainty and change, acknowledging that setbacks and unexpected turns are part of life. It doesn’t preach or overreach. It simply reminds you that showing up, even on the hardest days, matters. That message lands with quiet authority throughout every verse.
“Live Another Day” delivers a warm, upbeat energy that makes it easy to return to, a track built for the moments when motivation runs low and a boost is exactly what’s needed. It’s one of Allen’s most inviting releases in recent memory.
The single follows ‘Drop It Like a Tailgate,’ his high-energy collaboration with NFL legend Pacman Jones. Allen keeps the momentum going with something altogether different, and altogether necessary.
Varials have a new album out and a video to match, and both demand your attention. ‘Where The Light Leaves’ is out now via Fearless Records, and the Philadelphia-based metal outfit has shared the video for “The Hurt Chamber,” one of the most striking tracks in their catalog.
The song moves at a measured, deliberate pace. Varials built their reputation on walls of sound and metallic fury, and “The Hurt Chamber” proves that heavy music doesn’t require speed to hit hard. The track is melodic, patient, and unsettling, closing with a keys-driven fade-out that belongs in a psychological thriller.
Vocalist Skyler Conder has a specific idea behind the song. “It’s a song strictly about being addicted to a high that is inevitably difficult to break,” he says. “Whether that be love, drugs, or a certain type of situation, you become blind to what’s happening. The ache becomes a salvation of sorts. You enter the hurt chamber and you never want to leave.”
There’s a remarkable production footnote here. Conder recorded his vocals in a single take on the first try. The band debated reworking melodies and trying new ideas, but ultimately agreed the original take was too good to touch. That instinct paid off. The immediacy in his performance is audible throughout.
‘Where The Light Leaves’ is out now via Fearless Records. Watch “The Hurt Chamber” video now.
Mary Beth Hurt, a quietly commanding actress whose nuanced performances enriched some of American cinema and theater’s most celebrated works, died on March 29, 2026, in Manhattan. She was 79. Her husband, filmmaker Paul Schrader, and daughter Molly Schrader confirmed the news, noting that she had lived with Alzheimer’s disease since 2015.
Born Mary Beth Supinger on September 25, 1946, in Marshalltown, Iowa — the same small town that produced actress Jean Seberg, who once babysat her — Hurt came to acting through the theater halls of the University of Iowa and later NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She made her New York stage debut in 1974 and never really left, appearing on Broadway fifteen times over nearly four decades.
Her film debut came in Woody Allen’s Interiors (1978), where she held her own against a cast that included Diane Keaton, Geraldine Page, and E.G. Marshall. She went on to appear in Chilly Scenes of Winter, The World According to Garp, Martin Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence, and Six Degrees of Separation, among many others. She earned three Tony nominations — for Trelawny of the “Wells”, Crimes of the Heart (for which she also won an Obie Award), and Benefactors — and was beloved by directors and fellow actors for an improvisatory gift.
She is survived by her husband, Paul Schrader, her daughter Molly, and her son Sam.
Hamilton played host to one of the most memorable nights in Canadian music history as the 55th annual Juno Awards unfolded over two evenings. More than 40 awards were handed out at the March 28 gala, setting the stage for the live broadcast the following night — and the night belonged to one artist above all others.
Tate McRae’s Historic Sweep
If there was a defining story of the evening, it was Tate McRae’s extraordinary clean sweep of the night’s biggest categories. The Calgary-born pop star took home album of the year for So Close to What, artist of the year, single of the year for “Sports Car,” and pop album of the year — the latter accepted on her behalf by rapper Tobi. Four awards. Four wins. One night.
The McRae vs. Bieber storyline was the talk of the industry: Justin Bieber, whose comeback album Swag II led nominations alongside McRae, and left empty-handed. Both stars still have a shot at the TD Juno Fan Choice Award, voted on by the public and announced during the March 29 broadcast.
Aysanabee’s Double Win
Among the night’s most celebrated moments was Aysanabee walking away with not one but two Junos — contemporary Indigenous artist of the year and alternative album of the year for Edge of the Earth. The dual win underscored how fully his work has broken through into the Canadian music mainstream while remaining rooted in its origins.
First-Time Winners Steal the Show
For all the big names, some of the warmest receptions were reserved for first-time Juno winners. Electronic artist Debby Friday was visibly thrilled picking up dance recording of the year for “Bet On Me.”
Director Karena Evans took home music video of the year for helming Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther.”
Begonia and Bahamas shared the adult alternative album of the year award in a tie — a result both seemed genuinely delighted by.
Daniel Caesar’s Songwriter Honours
Daniel Caesar was awarded songwriter of the year — a recognition of a quietly stellar creative year. Caesar is also set to receive the International Achievement Award during the March 29 broadcast, cementing his status as one of Canada’s most important musical exports.
Looking Ahead
With the broadcast night still to come — bringing the TD Juno Fan Choice Award, Rush’s Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee teasing a surprise appearance ahead of their reunion tour, and more — the 55th Junos is shaping up to be a landmark edition. Canada’s musical landscape has never looked more alive.
Full List of Winners
2026 JUNO AWARD WINNERS NIGHT 1 | GAGNANTS DES PRIX JUNO 2026 SOIRÉE 1
SINGLE OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY SUNRISE RECORDS I SINGLE DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR SUNRISE RECORDS
Sports car Tate McRae RCA*Sony
ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY MUSIC CANADA I ALBUM DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR MUSIC CANADA
So Close To What Tate McRae RCA*Sony
ARTIST OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY SIRIUSXM CANADA I ARTISTE DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR SIRIUSXM CANADA
Tate McRae RCA*Sony
CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO ARTIST) I ALBUM CLASSIQUE DE L’ANNÉE (SOLO)
Preludes by Chopin, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Messiaen, Górecki Jan Lisiecki Deutsche Grammophon*Universal
CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SMALL ENSEMBLE) I ALBUM CLASSIQUE DE L’ANNÉE (PETIT ENSEMBLE)
Kevin Lau: Kimiko’s Pearl Mariko Anraku, Conrad Chow, Ron Korb & Rachel Mercer Bravo Niagra*Independent
CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (LARGE ENSEMBLE) I ALBUM CLASSIQUE DE L’ANNÉE (GRAND ENSEMBLE)
Benedict Sheehan: Ukrainian War Requiem Axios Men’s Ensemble, The Tenors and Basses of Pro Coro Canada conducted by/dirigé par Michael Zaugg featuring John Tessier and Yuliia Zasimova Cappella*Naxos
JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SOLO) I ALBUM JAZZ DE L’ANNÉE (SOLO)
JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (GROUP) I ALBUM JAZZ DE L’ANNÉE (GROUPE)
East Meets West: Connections Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra Chronograph
VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR I ALBUM DE JAZZ VOCAL DE L’ANNÉE
Get Out of Town Laura Anglade Justin Time*Nettwerk/F.A.B
INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR I ALBUM INSTRUMENTAL DE L’ANNÉE
LOTUSLAND Aaron Paris Independent*Too Lost
BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR I ALBUM BLUES DE L’ANNÉE
Hear My Heart Steve Marriner Cordova Bay*Fontana North/Symphonic
TRADITIONAL ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR I ALBUM ROOTS TRADITIONNEL DE L’ANNÉE
Heal The Divide Morgan Toney Ishkōdé*Universal
CONTEMPORARY ROOTS ALBUM OF THE YEAR I ALBUM ROOTS CONTEMPORAIN DE L’ANNÉE
Strange Trip Ahead Mariel Buckley Birthday Cake*Secretly Distribution
COUNTRY ALBUM OF THE YEAR I ALBUM COUNTRY DE L’ANNÉE
The Hard Way Cameron Whitcomb Atlantic*Warner
ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR I ALBUM ADULTE ALTERNATIF DE L’ANNÉE
My Second Last Album Bahamas Barchords*Universal
Fantasy Life Begonia Birthday Cake*Secretly Distribution
ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR I ALBUM ALTERNATIF DE L’ANNÉE
Edge Of The Earth Aysanabee Ishkōdé*Universal
ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY LONG & MCQUADE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS I ALBUM ROCK DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR LONG & MCQUADE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
No Hard Feelings The Beaches AWAL
METAL/HARD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR I ALBUM DE MUSIQUE MÉTAL/HARD DE L’ANNÉE
Shadow Work DESPISED ICON Nuclear Blast*Believe/ADA
ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM OF THE YEAR I ALBUM ADULTE CONTEMPORAIN DE L’ANNÉE
Better Broken Sarah McLachlan Concord*Universal
POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO 0.0 I ALBUM POP DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO 0.0
So Close To What Tate McRae RCA*Sony
DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR I ENREGISTREMENT DANCE DE L’ANNÉE
Bet On Me Debby Friday Royal Mountain*Universal
UNDERGROUND DANCE SINGLE OF THE YEAR I SINGLE DANCE UNDERGROUND DE L’ANNÉE
Phantom Vibrations feat. Teddy Bryant Gene Tellem Love Injection*!K7
ELECTRONIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY NISSAN I ALBUM ÉLECTRONIQUE DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR NISSAN
Shades of Meridian ÈBONY Turbo*!K7
RAP SINGLE OF THE YEAR I SINGLE RAP DE L’ANNÉE
Who’s Driving You? TOBi, Saukrates & Jully Black Warner*ADA
RAP ALBUM/EP OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY MY SINGING MONSTERS I ALBUM/MICROALBUM RAP DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR MY SINGING MONSTERS
DRY CRY SadBoi LVRN*The Orchard
TRADITIONAL R&B/SOUL RECORDING OF THE YEAR I ENREGISTREMENT R&B/SOUL TRADITIONNEL DE L’ANNÉE
Say Yes Melanie Fiona PUBLIC/COLTURE*Stem
REGGAE RECORDING OF THE YEAR I ENREGISTREMENT REGGAE DE L’ANNÉE
Welcome To Paradise Naomi Cowan Dreamspace/7th C*ADA
CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR I ALBUM JEUNESSE DE L’ANNÉE
Maestro Fresh Wes Presents: Young Maestro “Rhyme Travellers – Back to the Time Machine” Young Maestro Independent
COMEDY ALBUM OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY SIRIUSXM CANADA I ALBUM D’HUMOUR DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR SIRIUSXM CANADA
Dragonflies Adam Christie Independent
TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR I ARTISTE OU GROUPE AUTOCHTONE TRADITIONNEL DE L’ANNÉE
On The Move Bear Creek Hidden Lake*Independent
CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY DESTINATION INDIGENOUS I ARTISTE OU GROUPE AUTOCHTONE CONTEMPORAIN DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR DESTINATION INDIGENOUS
Edge Of The Earth Aysanabee Ishkōdé*Universal
FRANCOPHONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR I ALBUM FRANCOPHONE DE L’ANNÉE
Journal d’un Loup-Garou Lou-Adriane Cassidy Bravo*Believe/F.A.B
CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN/GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR I ALBUM CHRÉTIEN/GOSPEL CONTEMPORAIN DE L’ANNÉE
Jubilate Ryan Ofei Independent*Believe
GLOBAL MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR I ALBUM DE MUSIQUE GLOBALE DE L’ANNÉE
Ghoyoum Kazdoura Independent
SOUTH ASIAN MUSIC RECORDING OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY TD I ENREGISTREMENT SUD-ASIATIQUE DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR TD
P-POP CULTURE Karan Aujla & Ikky Warner
ALBUM ARTWORK OF THE YEAR I GRAPHISME D’ALBUM DE L’ANNÉE
Kevin Moore (Art Director/Directeur artistique), Kyle Joinson (Photographer/Photographe)
Tsunami Sea – Spiritbox BMG*Universal
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY CITY OF HAMILTON I VIDÉOCLIP DE L’ANNÉE PRÉSENTÉ PAR LA VILLE DE HAMILTON
