DJ Cummerbund is back doing what he does best. The award-winning mashup artist has layered Queen’s “Fat Bottomed Girls” with Chumbawamba’s “Tubthumping,” Sade’s “No Ordinary Love,” Madonna’s “Holiday,” and more into a seamless, multi-layered track that somehow makes complete sense from start to finish. It’s an absurdly fun listen, and the execution is airtight.
New Jersey Ska-Punk Rockers Joker’s Republic Put Their Stamp on Green Day’s “When I Come Around”
Joker’s Republic just dropped their cover of Green Day’s “When I Come Around,” and they came ready. The Essex County, New Jersey ska-punk trio recorded the track with producer Pete Steinkopf of The Bouncing Souls, and it’s out now on Punkerton Records across all digital platforms. It’s the first of five Steinkopf-produced ska-punk covers the band plans to release throughout the year.
Singer and guitarist Austen Gray didn’t mince words about the choice: “I don’t think Joker’s Republic covering a Green Day song is a surprise to anyone. As much as ‘When I Come Around’ is a slam dunk of a cover, we don’t pick songs just because they’re easy to pull off. We knew we had something to add to the song, and we knew that the moment those opening chords come in almost everyone would have certain expectations that we’d blow away in the next eight bars.” That’s a bold promise, and the track delivers on it.
The cover arrives on the heels of the band’s third full-length album, ‘The Hand You’ve Been Dealt’, released in 2025 on Punkerton Records. That record was produced by Roger Lima of Less Than Jake and mixed and mastered by Grammy-nominated engineer Eric Taft. Joker’s Republic has been building serious momentum in the ska-punk world, earning spots at Supernova International Ska Festival, FEST 23, and Wake and Bake with Less Than Jake, plus opening slots for Save Ferris and Goldfinger.
Operating as a power trio by design, Joker’s Republic keep their sound tight and their crossover appeal wide. With Steinkopf in their corner for this new run of singles and a full touring schedule through 2026 and 2027, the band’s showing no signs of slowing down. “When I Come Around” is a strong opening move.
GosT Mastermind James Lollar Dead at 46, Leaving a Blazing Mark on Dark Synthwave
James Cody Lollar, the multi-instrumentalist, producer, and sole creative force behind dark synthwave project GosT, died on April 1, 2026. He was 46. His management team at Bad Behaviour confirmed the news the following day. No cause of death has been made public.
Lollar founded GosT in 2013, having previously fronted Longview, Texas sludge duo Vaste Burai. From the beginning, the project carved its own territory, pulling from extreme metal, horror film soundtracks, EBM, and industrial music to build something genuinely singular. Six full-length albums followed, each one pushing the project’s sound further. His most recent record, ‘Prophecy’, arrived via Metal Blade in March 2024 to critical acclaim. GosT last toured in late 2025, supporting Paris-based synthwave artist Perturbator across the UK.
Lollar’s approach to sound was as distinctive as his vision. “It’s a fun challenge to try to make metal with digital noises,” he said in 2024. “I love processing on a computer and electronic equipment, and trying to make it sound raw. Everything in there is clean, and you’re using plug-in distortion and things like that. It’s just a whole different realm than using pedals and amps.” That tension between clean electronics and raw aggression defined the GosT sound, and it earned him a devoted following across the metal and synthwave worlds.
Fellow Texans Frozen Soul were among the first to pay tribute. Lollar contributed synth work to nearly every track on their 2023 album ‘Glacial Domination’, and the band’s statement made clear how much that collaboration meant: “We were not just friends of GosT but also fans. He did something for almost every song on the album and we were blown away by what he came up with. It definitely wouldn’t be the same record without him.” Alongside Perturbator, Dan Terminus, and Carpenter Brut, Lollar helped define a generation of dark electronic music. His mark on the genre is permanent.
Wild Beasts Songwriter Hayden Thorpe Takes the Catalog Back to Its Roots This November
Hayden Thorpe is going back to the source. The Wild Beasts frontman has announced three intimate solo shows this November, performing the Wild Beasts songbook live for the first time in nearly nine years. No band, no production, just voice and instrument, exactly as the songs were written. It’s a deliberately stripped-back approach, and for music this emotionally precise, that’s exactly the right call.
The timing carries real weight. The dates align with the 20th anniversary of Wild Beasts’ first single, “Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants,” making this a genuine milestone moment. Thorpe has been deliberate about the venue choices too, each room holding specific meaning in the band’s history. Brewery Arts in Kendal was their cultural home base growing up. Hoxton Hall was the site of a breakthrough show during the ‘Two Dancers’ era. Brudenell Social Club in Leeds is where, as Thorpe puts it, they came of age as musicians.
Thorpe describes the decision as deeply personal: “I’ve been missing the songs myself of late, so it felt like a ripe time to reach for the high notes and call on my hand’s muscle memory.” He’s also fresh off the release of his third solo album ‘Ness’ and currently has a sound installation, WETLANDS, running at London’s Walthamstow Wetlands through June. The solo shows will let longtime fans reconnect with a catalog that’s clearly lost none of its power.
Tickets are on sale now. These are small, meaningful rooms for music that deserves that kind of attention.
Hayden Thorpe Performing the Songs of Wild Beasts:
November 14, Brewery Arts, Kendal
November 17, Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
November 19, Hoxton Hall, London
Soul and Funk Pioneer Norman Feels Finally Gets His Streaming Debut Decades Later
Norman Feels is finally getting his due. Three tracks from the R&B, funk, and soul artist’s original catalog are now available on streaming platforms for the first time, released via a joint venture between KMG Distribution and The Royalty Network. “Everything is Going Our Way,” “You Can’t Stop My Love,” and “Today” are out now, and they represent something genuinely significant: the full works behind fragments that helped shape hip-hop for decades. Listen here.
Feels’ recordings never disappeared. They lived on through samples used by Freddie Gibbs, Nas, DMX, Ghostface Killah, and many more. Producers and crate diggers prized his catalog for its warmth, musicality, and emotional depth. Originally released in limited pressings, his music built a cult following without ever reaching the wide audience it deserved. That changes now.
The release is the result of a partnership between KMG Distribution and The Royalty Network, with the full support of Feels’ family. His sister Gerri put it plainly: “Norman’s music was always meant to be shared with the world, a hope our entire family held during Norman’s time, and that our family now carries forward in his memory.” KMG CEO Frank Liwall and VP of Distribution Ross Robey have both committed to stewarding the catalog with care, with additional tracks rolling out through 2027.
These three tracks are rich, emotive, and immediately arresting, proof that Feels’ influence on hip-hop wasn’t accidental. His compositions carry the kind of soul that producers have been chasing for generations. Now listeners can finally hear where it all came from.
LA Punk Rockers Drama Dolls Unleash Rage-Fueled New Single “Robot”
Drama Dolls just turned frustration into fuel. The LA-based alternative-punk trio has released “Robot,” the first single from their upcoming second album, and it hits exactly as hard as it needs to. Built around hypnotic chanting and a crescendo of cathartic screaming, the track taps into something a lot of people are carrying right now. The song’s out now across streaming platforms.
Formed by Egg, Scrambles, and Mama-T, Drama Dolls run the full spectrum of old-school SoCal punk, from blistering fury to danceable ska and new wave grooves. Their catalog already includes the ferocious “I Hate Your Face,” the brat-punk anthem “Horchata,” and the party-ready “We Like to Party.” Three women rocking with reckless abandon and zero apologies, their fuck-it energy’s a feature, not a side effect.
“Robot” takes aim at the drone-like grind of daily life, using the character of Dave from Kubrick’s ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ as its target. The band puts it plainly: “This is a song about not giving up when you’re getting sucked in by the everyday grind.” The track moves from lethargic submission to full-throttle liberation, and the payoff lands hard. It’s a tension-releasing jam that earns every decibel.
The Dolls are also attached to the theme for the upcoming Malcolm in the Middle reboot, expanding their reach well beyond the punk underground. A video for “Robot” drops April 22, and if the song’s any indication, it’ll be worth the wait.
King Princess Makes Her Stage Debut in Aimee Mann’s ‘Girl, Interrupted’ Musical
King Princess is taking the stage. Mikaela Straus has been cast as Lisa in the world premiere of ‘Girl, Interrupted’, the Off-Broadway musical adaptation of Susanna Kaysen’s 1993 memoir. The show features a book by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Martyna Majok and original music by two-time Grammy winner Aimee Mann, drawn largely from her 2022 album ‘Queens of the Summer Hotel’, which she developed alongside the production. Direction comes from Tony Award nominee Jo Bonney, with choreography by Tony Award winner Sonya Tayeh.
The role of Lisa is the same one that earned Angelina Jolie a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in James Mangold’s 1999 film. Straus makes her full theatrical debut here. She is no stranger to the screen: she held a recurring role in the second season of Hulu’s ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ and appeared in the 2025 Oscar-nominated film ‘Song Sung Blue’ alongside Hugh Jackman. She is also set to appear in Will Gluck’s upcoming romantic comedy ‘One Night Only’ with Julia Fox, Este Haim, and Maya Hawke.
Juliana Canfield, known for her work in ‘Stereophonic’ and ‘Succession’, plays Susanna. The full cast includes Emily Skinner as Dr. Wick, Ta’Rea Campbell as Valerie, Gabi Campo as Tori, Mano Felciano as Man/Musician, Mia Pak as Grace, Katherine Reis as Daisy, Sally Shaw as Polly, and Lauren Jeanne Thomas as Judy/Musician. The creative team is rounded out by scenic design from dots, costumes by Sarah Laux, lighting by Heather Gilbert, sound design and composition by Dan Moses Schreier, and music supervision by Todd Almond. Mann’s music grounds the production with emotional pull and melodic precision, a natural fit for Kaysen’s story of resilience and identity.
The production runs at The Public Theater’s Martinson Hall in New York City, produced by special arrangement with Barbara Broccoli, Angelica Zollo, Patrick Milling-Smith, Brian Carmody, and Level Forward. Previews begin May 13, with opening night June 4. The National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City (NAMI-NYC) is partnering with The Public in support of the run, including post-show talkbacks in June. Tickets are on sale now at publictheater.org.
Performance Dates:
May 13, The Public Theater, New York, NY (Previews begin)
June 4, The Public Theater, New York, NY (Opening Night)
June 21, The Public Theater, New York, NY (Closing Night)
Jack White Hits Saturday Night Live With Two Ferocious New Songs
Jack White just dropped two new songs, and they hit hard. “G.O.D. and the Broken Ribs” and “Derecho Demonico” are streaming now, the guitarist’s first new music since his 2024 album ‘No Name’. Both tracks were self-produced, recorded with his core band: drummer Patrick Keeler, bassist Dominic Davis, and keys player Bobby Emmett. Limited-edition Tri-Color and Black 7-inch vinyl goes on sale tomorrow at thirdmanrecords.com and at Third Man shops in Nashville, Detroit, and London. Black 7″ vinyl arrives at independent record stores worldwide the following week.
The timing is no accident. White performs on Saturday Night Live this weekend for his sixth appearance as musical guest, one of the most decorated runs in the show’s history. His SNL story starts back in 2002 with the White Stripes and has continued through solo appearances in 2012, 2018, 2020, and 2023. He also appeared at both the SNL 40th and 50th anniversary celebrations. That 2020 slot came last minute after Morgan Wallen was pulled for COVID protocol violations. White showed up and delivered.
Hosting this weekend is Jack Black, who joins White for a pairing that already has history. In 2019, White produced the Tenacious D single “Don’t Blow it, Kage,” released on Third Man Records. The two jokingly called the project “Jack Gray.” Black’s hosting gig marks his fifth time leading the show, earning him a spot in SNL’s Five-Timers Club. Both tracks are raw, driven, and unmistakably White, proof that his creative engine has not slowed down.
After SNL, White heads out for a summer run with dates spread largely across Europe and wrapping up September 20 at the Borderland Festival in East Aurora, New York. The two new songs land with real force, another sharp move from one of rock’s most restless figures.
2026 Tour Dates:
May 30, Sigulda, Latvia
September 20, Borderland Festival, East Aurora, New York
My SiriusXM Show This Week: Melissa Auf der Maur, Fuel, LØLØ, and Craig Martin from Classic Albums Live
My SiriusXM show: Interviews with Melissa Auf der Maur, to talk life after Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins, plus her new book. I’m also catching up with Fuel and rising alt-pop voice LØLØ, and Craig Martin stops by to talk bringing iconic records to life on stage with Classic Albums Live. Sat 8am + 2pm + 7pm, Sun 12pm, Wed 2pm (all ET), Channel 167 + on the app anytime!
18 Songs That Bring Generations Together
18 Songs That Stop Every Generation in Their Tracks and Make Them Sing Together
There’s a moment at every wedding, every backyard party, every bar with a decent jukebox, when a song comes on and something shifts. The age gap evaporates. The phone goes in the pocket. Grandparents and grandchildren are suddenly in the same room in the same way, and nobody planned it. These are the songs that do that. Consistently, reliably, every single time.
“September” — Earth, Wind and Fire
This’s a song that exists outside of time. Nobody knows what happened on the 21st of September and nobody cares. The brass hits and Maurice White’s vocal reach into the room and pull everyone to their feet. Scientists have actually studied why this song triggers universal joy. The answer, unsurprisingly, is that it just does.
“Don’t Stop Believin'” — Journey
This shouldn’t work as well as it does in 2026. It’s a song about strangers on a midnight train going anywhere, built on a piano riff and Steve Perry’s impossible vocal. It works because it’s about hope and it never pretends otherwise. Every generation needs a song about holding on, and this one’s been doing that job for forty-five years without breaking a sweat.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” — Queen
Six minutes of operatic rock theatre that violated every rule of commercial radio and became one of the best-selling singles in history. Freddie Mercury built something that shouldn’t have worked at any level, and instead it works at every level, for every age group, in every room it enters. The air guitar starts automatically. You can’t stop it.
“Sweet Caroline” — Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond wrote this in 1969 and it’s been a stadium singalong ever since. The “bah bah bah” is one of the great crowd participation moments in popular music, and it belongs to everyone who’s ever been in a room when it comes on. Boston’s Fenway Park made it a tradition. The rest of the world followed.
“Stand by Me” — Ben E. King
One of the most perfectly constructed songs ever recorded. The bass line, the strings, the vocal, the lyric. It’s a song about loyalty and fear and finding someone to stand with you anyway. It resonates at eight years old and at eighty, which is the definition of a song that transcends everything.
“Dancing Queen” — ABBA
ABBA spent years being considered unfashionable by people who were wrong. “Dancing Queen” was never unfashionable. It’s a song about a specific feeling, being young and free and on a dance floor with everything ahead of you, and it delivers that feeling to anyone willing to accept it. The generations don’t need to negotiate with this one. They just dance.
“I Wanna Dance with Somebody” — Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston’s vocal on this track remains one of the most purely joyful performances ever committed to record. The production’s unmistakably 1987 and somehow completely timeless. Every generation that encounters this song for the first time has the same reaction: immediate, involuntary movement toward the nearest open space.
“Signed, Sealed, Delivered” — Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder’s got an entire catalog of songs that could appear on this list, which tells you something about what genius actually looks like. This one wins because of the horns, the groove, and the sheer unstoppable momentum of it. It’s been in films, commercials, political rallies, and wedding receptions for fifty years. It’ll be there for fifty more.
“Footloose” — Kenny Loggins
This’s a song that exists to make people move and it doesn’t apologize for that. The opening guitar riff is one of the most immediately recognizable sounds in American pop music. It soundtracked a generation’s rebellion against small-town conformity and became, somewhat ironically, a song everyone agrees on.
“Respect” — Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin didn’t record a cover of an Otis Redding song. She rewrote it from the inside out and turned it into one of the defining statements in the history of popular music. “Respect” isn’t a feel-good song. It’s a demand. The fact that it makes every generation feel good anyway says everything about the power of the performance.
“Twist and Shout” — The Beatles
John Lennon recorded this vocal in one take at the end of a long session, with a throat already wrecked from the day’s work. What came out was one of the rawest, most electric performances in rock and roll history. Every generation that hears it feels the urgency. Nobody sits still.
“Livin’ on a Prayer” — Bon Jovi
Tommy and Gina have been holding on for forty years and they’re not stopping now. The key change three quarters of the way through this song is one of the great communal moments in rock history. Every person in every room instinctively raises their fist. It’s a reflex. Bon Jovi didn’t write a song. They wrote a ritual.
“Uptown Funk” — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
This arrived in 2014 and immediately felt like it’d always existed. Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars built something so deeply rooted in the DNA of funk and soul that every generation recognized it instantly, even those hearing it for the first time. It hasn’t left a single playlist since the day it dropped.
“Hey Ya!” — Outkast
Andre 3000 wrote a song about relationship dysfunction and disguised it as the most infectious pop record of the early 2000s. The shake it like a Polaroid picture moment belongs to every generation equally. Nobody needs context. Nobody needs an explanation. They just shake it.
“Shut Up and Dance” — Walk the Moon
This’s the newest kind of classic, a song that arrived knowing exactly what it wanted to be and became it completely. It’s a love song dressed as a dance track, with a chorus that lodges itself in the brain and refuses to leave. Grandparents and teenagers hear the same thing when it comes on. That’s the whole point.
“Mr. Brightside” — The Killers
Brandon Flowers wrote this about jealousy and heartbreak and somehow made it feel like triumph. “Mr. Brightside” has spent more cumulative weeks on the UK singles chart than almost any song in history. It connects across generations because the feeling it captures isn’t specific to any age. Jealousy doesn’t card you at the door.
“Happy” — Pharrell Williams
Pharrell built a song out of pure forward momentum and called it exactly what it was. “Happy’s” the rare track that does what it says on the label, delivering the feeling its title promises every single time. Children hear it and move. Adults hear it and move. Nobody’s immune.
“Wannabe” — Spice Girls
The Spice Girls told the world what they wanted, what they really really wanted, in the summer of 1996, and the world’s been answering ever since. “Wannabe’s” a generational handshake disguised as a pop song. The opening rap’s a rite of passage. Every generation learns it. Every generation owns it.