Lossless audio has been one of the most anticipated features on Spotify and now, finally, it’s started rolling out to Premium listeners in select markets. Premium subscribers will receive a notification in Spotify once Lossless becomes available to them. Whether you’re diving into a new album or revisiting old favorites, lossless delivers the highest music audio quality on Spotify.
“The wait is finally over; we’re so excited lossless sound is rolling out to Premium subscribers,” said Gustav Gyllenhammar, VP Subscriptions, Spotify. “We’ve taken time to build this feature in a way that prioritizes quality, ease of use, and clarity at every step, so you always know what’s happening under the hood. With Lossless, our premium users will now have an even better listening experience.”
Lossless is part of their commitment to continually improve Spotify Premium so fans can discover and enjoy the music they love. This highly requested feature takes your Premium experience to the next level. Together with popular features like DJ, Jam, AI Playlist, brand-new Mix, and daylist, as well as playlists curated by their leading global music editorial team, the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service continues to get better.
With Lossless, you can now stream tracks in up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC, unlocking greater detail across nearly every song available on Spotify. So you can enjoy new releases and your favorite tracks, in the highest quality, while being immersed in the music.
Your device, your music, your listening experience, your choice
They know everyone listens differently, so they’re giving you custom settings for Wi-Fi, cellular, and downloads. Choose between Low, Normal, High, Very High, and now Lossless music quality to provide maximum flexibility and control. You’ll be able to see how much data each of these requires to make choosing easier.
Lossless is available on mobile, desktop, and tablet, as well as on many devices that support Spotify Connect, including Sony, Bose, Samsung, Sennheiser, and more. Support for additional devices, including those from Sonos and Amazon, arrives next month.
How to enable Lossless
To turn on lossless audio in the Spotify app:
Tap your profile icon in the top left.
Go to Settings & Privacy → Media Quality.
Select where you want to enable lossless audio: Wi-Fi, cellular, downloads.
And just to note: You’ll need to enable Lossless manually on each device. You’ll know Lossless is on because the Lossless indicator will appear in the Now Playing view or bar, and via the Connect Picker.
For the smoothest and best listening experience, they recommend streaming lossless music on Wi-Fi using wired headphones or speakers on a non-Bluetooth connection, like Spotify Connect. Currently, Bluetooth doesn’t provide enough bandwidth to transmit lossless audio, so the signal has to be compressed before being sent.
Lossless gives listeners every detail of the music, which means the audio files can be larger. As users enable lossless on their devices, it may take a moment for the track to play. But once it’s cached and loaded, you are ready to listen.
When can I start listening?
Lossless is rolling out gradually to more than 50 markets through October. Premium subscribers in Australia, Austria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, the US, and the UK have already started to get access.
Halifax sibling duo Overnight (Carla & Lynette Gillis) return with “Strong & Good,” the tender and reflective new single from their upcoming sophomore album ‘Put Me In Your Light’ (out November 7 via Label Obscura). Written in the wake of their father’s sudden passing and a difficult move home from Toronto during the pandemic, the song captures both the weight of grief and the forward motion of resilience.
“I don’t typically have anything clear in mind when I sit down to write lyrics, but this one turned out to be about grief,” shares Carla Gillis (guitars, piano, lead vocals). “It was really hard to lose our dad, and it was really hard to leave Toronto and our community. The song came out of grief, but it’s also about the impulse to not be entrenched in it all the time. To shake it off and keep going. Rhythmically, it has a forward propulsion to it. Melodically, it’s fairly upbeat. To me, it’s shaped as much by resilience as sadness.”
The single’s title comes from a simple lyric — “coffee tastes strong and good” — though for the Gillis sisters, the phrase also reflects their father’s character.
Recording the song proved challenging, as the duo struggled to land on a guitar arrangement that felt right. “Everything kept sounding frustratingly dorky,” Carla recalls. “Eventually [producer] Charles [Austin] suggested having an acoustic guitar play quietly underneath everything, and it was the glue we needed.”
“Strong & Good” is one of the most emotional tracks on ‘Put Me In Your Light,’ often bringing Carla to tears mid-performance. Yet despite its heavy subject matter, the song embodies Overnight’s ability to find light within loss — a theme that runs throughout the album.
Produced by Charles Austin (Superfriendz, Surprise Pink) and featuring contributions from Michael Small (Meligrove Band, Loviet) and Jason Starnes (Bells Clanging), ‘Put Me In Your Light’ offers 10 songs of big riffs, tender harmonies, and reflective optimism. While grief and memory shape the record, its energy leans buoyant and hopeful, echoing Overnight’s journey through hardship and renewal.
FIFA and Global Citizen, the world’s largest movement to end extreme poverty, today announced the formation of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund Advisory Board, following the first wave of founding donor contributions supporting the landmark initiative to raise USD $100 million for education and literacy for children worldwide.
The non-fiduciary advisory board includes Hugh Jackman, The Weeknd, Ivanka Trump, Gianni Infantino, Hugh Evans, Serena Williams, Shakira, Kaká, and Bank of America Co-President Jim DeMare, who will provide strategic guidance to ensure the fund achieves maximum impact in supporting organizations dedicated to improving literacy and education access for children.
Launched earlier this year at the Global Citizen NOW summit in New York City, the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund aims to expand access to quality education, literacy, and football for children worldwide. Half of the funds raised will support grassroots education and literacy programs in over 200 communities globally. The remaining funds will go toward FIFA’s Football for Schools (F4S) programme, a FIFA and UNESCO-led initiative advancing life skills, learning, and community development through football.
Organizations providing access to education and sports for children in underserved communities are now invited to apply for grants of up to $250,000. The first round of grantees will be announced in early 2026. To apply, visit globalcitizen.org/education-fund-apply.
Currently, an estimated 350 million children and adolescents are out of school globally, with 133 million not meeting minimum proficiency levels in reading and math by the end of primary school.
Founding donors include MetLife Foundation and Bank of America, which will also serve as the Bank of Record for the fund. Each has made significant contributions, demonstrating strong early momentum. Global Citizen also thanks Cisco and the Government of Sierra Leone for their donations. Additional pledges are expected from philanthropies, corporations, and individuals leading up to the FIFA World Cup Final in July 2026.
Last month at the Global Citizen Festival, it was announced that the fund has already raised over USD $30 million, supported by founding donors and proceeds from events including The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn Tour and the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
It was also revealed that USD $1 from every ticket sold to FIFA World Cup 26™ matches will be donated to the fund.
Amsterdam combines history, culture and a relaxed atmosphere like no other city in Europe. Each canal, street and market tells a story. Are you planning a visit? The these then experiences show you what makes Amsterdam truly unique!
1. Visit the Rijksmuseum
Step inside the Rijksmuseum and admire masterpieces by Rembrandt and Vermeer. Walk through galleries filled with Dutch art, history and design. Take your time, because every room reveals something new. When you’re done, stroll through the museum gardens and enjoy a coffee while locals relax in the sun. Stop by the museum shop for unique souvenirs inspired by Dutch art.
2. Explore the Jordaan
Wander through the Jordaan and feel the creative spirit of Amsterdam. Visit small boutiques, art galleries and cozy cafés. Order a slice of apple pie at Café Winkel 43 and browse vintage shops along Westerstraat. The narrow streets and friendly atmosphere make it one of the city’s most inviting neighborhoods. End your walk at the canals and watch boats drift slowly by.
3. Rent a bike
Grab a bike and explore Amsterdam like a local. Cycle along the canals, through Vondelpark and into quiet residential areas. Stop whenever something catches your eye and take in the view. Follow the traffic rules, stay alert and enjoy the freedom of riding through one of the world’s best cycling cities. Finish your ride at a café terrace and enjoy a drink in the open air.
4. Cruise the canals
See Amsterdam from a different perspective and join one of the many canal tours in the city. Book a trip with local operators such as Flagship Amsterdam and enjoy the view from the water. Choose between small open boats or covered saloon vessels as you pass historic bridges and elegant canal houses. For an unforgettable evening, try the Amsterdam wine and cheese cruise and enjoy Dutch cheeses, good wine and the warm glow of Amsterdam’s canal lights.
5. Visit the Anne Frank House
The Anne Frank House offers a powerful glimpse into Amsterdam’s history during World War II. Step inside the secret annex where Anne wrote her diary and reflect on her story. It’s a visit that stays with you long after you leave.
6. Relax in Vondelpark
Walk through the Anne Frank House and feel the city’s wartime history come to life. Step inside the secret annex where Anne wrote her famous diary and imagine the courage it took to live there. Read her words, look at the photographs and listen to her story. Take a moment outside to reflect on the quiet canal that witnessed so much history.
7. Discover local markets
Looking for a quiet place to slow down after exploring the city? Head to Vondelpark, Amsterdam’s most beloved green space. Locals come here to picnic, jog or play music in the open air. Find a bench near the pond and watch cyclists and dog walkers pass by. The park is perfect for a peaceful lunch or a lazy afternoon in the sun.
8. Experience the nightlife
From live music at Paradiso to cocktails at SkyLounge, Amsterdam’s nightlife has something for every mood. The best nights often start in small bars along the canals and end in dance clubs near Leidseplein. For a laid-back start to the evening, try a local craft beer at Brouwerij ’t IJ near the windmill.
9. Visit the floating flower market
The Bloemenmarkt is the only floating flower market in the world. Boats filled with tulips, bulbs and souvenirs line the canal. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s one of the most photogenic spots in the city. Visit early in the morning to see vendors setting up and the colors at their brightest.
10. Discover hidden courtyards
Behind busy streets lie peaceful hofjes, old courtyards once built for widows. The Begijnhof near Spui is the most famous, with historic houses and a quiet garden. It’s a perfect escape from the crowds. Take a moment to sit on one of the benches and listen to the faint sound of church bells in the distance.
Data and information are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended for investment or other purposes.
From quiet coffeehouse corners to festival fields at sunset, indie folk has always been the sound of heartbeats, travel, and truth. These albums, spanning decades and continents, glow with melody, storytelling, and the quiet courage to feel deeply.
Adrianne Lenker – ‘Songs’ (2020) A soft storm of guitar and awe. Big Thief’s frontwoman distilled raw emotion into stillness, every lyric like a breath between heartbreak and healing.
Alexi Murdoch – ‘Time Without Consequence’ (2006) Murdoch’s voice carries the warmth of early morning. “Orange Sky” remains a whispered prayer for connection.
Anaïs Mitchell – ‘Hadestown’ (2010) Before Broadway lights, there was this indie folk odyssey — the Orpheus myth retold through dust, love, and revolution.
Andrew Bird – ‘Armchair Apocrypha’ (2007) Violin, wordplay, and wonder. Bird turns folk into a kaleidoscope of sound, whistling his way through science and soul.
Angus & Julia Stone – ‘Down the Way’ (2010) Sibling harmonies that float like sea air, wrapped around bittersweet dreams. “Big Jet Plane” still feels like a sigh at sunset.
The Avett Brothers – ‘Emotionalism’ (2007) Joy and sorrow in equal measure. A banjo and a piano become instruments of confession and grace.
Beck – ‘Sea Change’ (2002) An ocean of heartbreak. Beck trades irony for intimacy, finding beauty in loss and stillness.
Ben Howard – ‘Every Kingdom’ (2011) Windswept and timeless, full of salt air and restless youth. A modern campfire classic.
Bon Iver – ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’ (2007) Recorded in isolation, it became a blueprint for emotional honesty. A lonely cabin turned into a worldwide echo.
Bright Eyes – ‘I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning’ (2005) Conor Oberst’s cracked voice and wide-open heart made uncertainty sound like a shared secret.
Damien Rice – ‘O’ (2002) A whisper that still breaks hearts. Fragile, furious, and unforgettable.
Daniel Rossen – ‘You Belong There’ (2022) Delicate and intricate, full of shifting guitar lines and quiet intensity.
Feist – ‘The Reminder’ (2007) A masterclass in understated beauty. “1234” may have been the hit, but the whole record glows with warmth.
Fleet Foxes – ‘Fleet Foxes’ (2008) A harmony-laden hymn to the natural world, as golden and eternal as the mountains it seems to sing from.
First Aid Kit – ‘Stay Gold’ (2014) Swedish sisters channel Laurel Canyon soul with pure sincerity. Their harmonies shine like sunlight through trees.
Gillian Welch – ‘Time (The Revelator)’ (2001) Sparse and timeless, this record feels unearthed rather than recorded — an American folktale in motion.
Iron & Wine – ‘Our Endless Numbered Days’ (2004) Whispered poetry and soft guitar. Sam Beam turns small moments into entire worlds.
José González – ‘Veneer’ (2003) Minimal, mesmerizing, and full of quiet wisdom. “Heartbeats” remains its pulse.
Laura Marling – ‘Once I Was an Eagle’ (2013) A sweeping, fearless album about love and independence. Marling’s songwriting feels ancient and modern all at once.
Lord Huron – ‘Lonesome Dreams’ (2012) Dreamy Americana built for wandering souls. Every track feels like a map to somewhere else.
Lucy Dacus – ‘Historian’ (2018) Gentle but unflinching, a meditation on memory and meaning wrapped in glowing guitars.
Maggie Rogers – ‘Heard It in a Past Life’ (2019) Pop polish meets folk spirit. Rogers bridges emotional worlds with grace and rhythm.
Mumford & Sons – ‘Sigh No More’ (2009) Banjo, stomp, and fire. A debut that reignited a folk revival with thunderous sincerity.
Nick Drake – ‘Pink Moon’ (1972) The album that defines quiet brilliance. A voice and a guitar, and the universe between them.
Phoebe Bridgers – ‘Punisher’ (2020) A ghostly, gorgeous journey through loneliness and connection, written in lowercase but felt in galaxies.
Ray LaMontagne – ‘Trouble’ (2004) That gravelly voice feels like it’s lived a thousand lives. Folk soul at its purest.
Sufjan Stevens – ‘Illinois’ (2005) A sprawling, tender masterpiece. Folk, orchestration, and heart collide in dazzling color.
The Tallest Man on Earth – ‘The Wild Hunt’ (2010) Ferocious fingerpicking and raw poetry. Proof that one voice and guitar can fill a world.
The Weepies – ‘Say I Am You’ (2006) Soft harmonies, big feelings. A gentle record about love in all its quiet forms.
LANDR and DistroKid aren’t the only distribution services out there, but they’re arguably two of the big players in the distribution market. If you’ve been searching for a new distributor, you’re guaranteed to come across both.
The two companies offer similar base services: unlimited distribution, tiered packages, promotion tools, streaming analytics and mastering services.
But if you look under the hood both companies have dramatically different approaches to how they package their services.
So, if you’ve found yourself scratching your head going through pricing pages and sign-up flows while weighing the benefits and costs involved with each subscription tier, we’re clearing everything up in this article.
Quick take: Which distribution service is right for you?
The answer to that is specific to your needs as an artist and your budget.
To point you in the right direction, here’s a table breaking down all the differences between LANDR and DistroKid.
LANDR
DistroKid
Base subscription tier & price
Essentials: $23.99/year
Musician: $24.99/year
Premium subscription tiers & price
Pro: $44.99/ year, Studio Essentials: $99/year
Musician Plus: $44.99/year, Ultimate $89.99/year
Unlimited distribution
Yes
Yes
Artist revenue share
100%
100%
Release stays up after cancelling the subscription
Yes, LANDR takes a 15% cut on revenues
No, unless you pay a $29 “Leave a Legacy” fee per single or $49 per album
Release approval time
Essentials: 7 days, Pro: 2 days, Studio Essentials: 5 days
2-5 days for all plans
Support response time
Human support responses. Essentials: 5 days, Pro: 24, hours, Studio Essentials: 3 days
Automated support responses only.
Artists included
Distribution Basic and Studio Essentials: One, Distribution Pro: Five
All tiers: One
Post lyrics to streaming platforms
Yes through Musixmatch
Yes through Google
Claim & verify Spotify profile
Yes
Yes
Royalty splits
Yes
Yes
Mobile app version
Yes
Yes
Reporting & stats
Yes
Yes
Release customizability
Pro & Studio Essentials: Label name, release date, country exclusion, metadata
Musician Plus and Ultimate: Label name, release date, iTunes store price
File Sharing
Yes, through LANDR Projects
Yes
YouTube Content ID, Social Media IDs, Shazam Discovery
Yes, included with Distribution Pro and all Studio plan, LANDR takes 20% commission
Yes, charges extra yearly fees for each type of ID, starting at $4.95/single and $14.95/album
Mastering included
LANDR Mastering included with Studio Essentials subscription
No, option to add-on Mixea mastering pass for $99/year
Royalty-free sample market place
Access LANDR Samples with Studio Essentials subscription
None
Plugins and instrument software
Access LANDR Plugins collection with Studio Essentials subscription
None
Release importer
Yes
No
Cover song licensing
Yes, $15/track
Yes, $12/track/year
While both services offer similar products, the differences lie in the added features each service offers and their different price points.
It’s why the best plan for you completely depends on your needs as an artist.
The key differences between LANDR and DistroKid
There are short and long-term benefits of using either service.
Here’s a deeper dive into some of their key differences.
Overall pricing format
DistroKid’s base subscription is slightly more than LANDR’s, but more importantly, DistroKid has a tendency to nickel-and-dime its users for important features like Content ID, Shazam, and mastering, to name a few.
Plus, DistroKid will charge you if you want to keep your music up after cancelling your subscription.
So if you’re looking for something quick and inexpensive, don’t need added features and you don’t intend to keep your music up for the long haul after ending your subscription, DistroKid might be the better option.
Using its base service, you mostly just get your music on streaming platforms right away.
At its base level, LANDR offers slightly slower distribution times, and its price point is slightly lowerthan that of DistroKid’s.
But the great part about LANDR is that the long-term cost of using the service is generally fixed.
Yes, you’ll have to go with its Distribution Pro or Studio Essentials subscription tiers to open up access to the better half of its service, but once you subscribe, you won’t hit paywalls for things like Content ID and distribution to TikTok and Instagram.
LANDR also offers its Studio subscription package which includes distribution alongside a big collection of plugins, its AI mastering service and a respectable royalty-free sample library. This makes for a pretty compelling offering, especially for any upstart musician who needs all of these services.
Distribution subscription tiers
At their base tiers, LANDR and DistroKid’s subscription packages are fairly comparable.
The main difference is that LANDR’s comes in at $23.99/year compared to DistroKid’s slightly higher price of $24.99/year. You also won’t need to pay a fee to keep your music up if you cancel your subscription.
But their higher-tier subscription services are where the two services diverge most.
With LANDR Distribution Pro and above, you get release customization options like scheduling, label name and country exclusions. Still, more importantly, you get YouTube Content ID, TikTok and Instagram included with a 20% commission and no extra fees.
DistroKid’s comparable tier in Musician Plus only gives access to customization options, but even then, these customization capabilities are limited to what its heavily automated system allows.
Add-on features, benefits and software packages
Add-on features and their costs are easily the biggest differentiator between LANDR and DistroKid.
With the top tiers of both subscriptions pricing out at $99 and $89 for LANDR and DistroKid, respectively, the add-ons that each subscription includes vary significantly.
DistroKid’s Ultimate subscription adds 1TB of Dropbox-style file sharing and access to playlist curators.
But compared to LANDR, those add-ons look fairly limited.
With LANDR Studio Essentials, you get a similar filesharing service through its LANDR Projects feature. But you also get access to its plugins and samples library, its mastering service and a collection of music production courses.
LANDR is missing the playlist connections that DistroKid claims to offer to its subscribers, but its Studio Essentials subscription offers artists a growing set of tools for music production.
Long-term costs
We’ve already pointed out that DistroKid tends to nickel-and-dime its subscribers with added fees for important services like Content ID.
Because these fees are charged yearly, the costs can add up quickly if you want a fully fledged distribution service that pays you for plays on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.
Compared to LANDR, which charges for everything up front, the long-term cost of DistroKid is significantly more.
Here’s a breakdown of an artist releasing five singles and three albums over five years with DistroKid compared to LANDR.
Customer support
With music streaming platforms changing their policies and artists demanding custom help with representing themselves online, customer support is becoming an increasingly important aspect of music distribution.
The fact that LANDR offers human support and doesn’t restrict its subscribers to an automated system like DistroKid is huge, especially if you’re an artist with specific needs.
Distribution companies are getting very strict about AI, sample and loop usage.
If you incorporate AI or loops in your music production process, having a human to interface with makes things much easier when it comes to validating your music and ensuring your tracks won’t get taken down.
Choose your journey
Ultimately, the choice between LANDR and DistroKid hinges on your specific needs and budget as an artist.
Evaluate the features, pricing structures, and long-term costs carefully to determine which service best aligns with your musical journey.
Data and information are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended for investment or other purposes.
Mae Estes finds herself in an uphill battle in her new track “Mountain Of A Man,” available via Big Machine Records. Left in disrepair after a short-lived fling with a blue-collar cowboy, she’s having a hard time getting over his larger-than-life magnetism. Spellbound by his alluring charm from the get-go, she fell headfirst despite knowing exactly what she was getting herself into with this modern-day John Wayne. Written by Jon Decious, Lauren McLamb, Liz Rose and Paul Sikes, “Mountain Of A Man” is an upbeat, toe-tapping depiction of the outlaws who ride away and the trail of broken hearts they leave behind on their journey to a new horizon.
Beautifully grounded by Estes’ signature Neotraditional sound backed by twangy fiddle, pedal steel and dobro, the track serves as an important reminder that all that glitters isn’t gold, and things that seem too good to be true are usually just that.
“This tune reminds me of an old Patty Loveless song. It’s so much fun and I feel really lucky that the songwriters let me record it,” shares Estes. “We always have a good time picking out an honorary ‘mountain of a man’ in the crowd at my live shows, and I think lots of summertime memories will be made with this one blaring in the background!”
“Mountain Of A Man” follows the release of “Mr. Fix It” in May. Sweetly depicting how Mae’s real-life mechanic husband is not only the fixer of appliances and cars, but the mender of hearts in their relationship, “Mr. Fix It” quickly gained traction on TikTok earlier this year, with the original video now boasting more than 800K views and thousands of comments. The song even sparked an organic TikTok trend where users created videos showcasing the “Mr. Fix It” in their lives. More new music from Mae is expected later this year.
Earlier this summer, Mae acted as tour support on select dates of Brad Paisley’s Truck Still Works World Tour, and she’s currently opening on select dates of Luke Bryan’s Country Song Came on Tour.
Rock band Better Than Ezra releases an energetic and engaging cover of Role Model’s hit “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out,” available on all streaming platforms now via Ezra Dry Goods.
The group carefully preserves the spirit of the rising smash while turning up the volume, boosting the gain, and adding their own unmistakable and undeniable touch. Upbeat riffing locks right into a head-nodding groove as vocalist and guitarist Kevin Griffin carries the original’s lyrics with swagger and style. In their reverent hands, the timeless hook would feel right at home on MTV’s 120 Minutes back in the day or booming over the polo fields at Coachella 2026.
They’ve Ezra-fied the song in the best way, making summer fireworks out of the friction between Gen-Z viral excitement and Gen-X vital energy.
“We’ve loved this Role Model song since it came out a few months ago,” shares Griffin. “At a recent soundcheck, we started playing it and decided we had to do our own version of the song just in time for the dog days of summer. Enjoy!”
“Sally, When The Wine Runs Out” appears on the deluxe version of Role Model’s latest album, Kansas Anymore (The Longest Goodbye). The track has generated over 100 million streams and made its presence known on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay Chart, Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Chart, and Hot Alternative Songs Chart.
Expect Better Than Ezra to potentially drop it into their upcoming set during Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin, TN on September 27-28. It will be the band’s eighth appearance on the bill. Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival is also produced by Griffin, Michael Whelan, and W. Brandt Wood. Now in its 11th year, it has become a tradition for an ardent community of annual attendees, while it continues to captivate newcomers.
2025 notably marks the 30th anniversary of Better Than Ezra’s platinum-certified classic breakout album, Deluxe, featuring “In the Blood,” “Rosealia,” “Porcelain,” and the generational hit “Good,” which soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Chart. Indicative of the record’s enduring impact, the record has amassed north of 100 million total streams.
Rising Nashville star Carter Faith shares a new song, “Bar Star,” via MCA. The track offers an early look into her highly anticipated debut album, Cherry Valley, out now.
“‘Bar Star’ is a fun song about a lovable honky-tonk man,” says Carter. “In simple terms, he’s the star of the bar—for better or for worse—but damnit, she loves him.”
Carter unveils a surprise bonus track, “Billy Bob Thornton (Worktape),” alongside the new single.
Carter says, “I wrote this song about Billy Bob Thornton because I literally love him. I’ve always thought he was so talented, and I’ve wanted to marry many of the characters he’s played over the years,” she continues. “I just had to write about it, and I hope people like this little glimpse into my one-track mind.”
“Bar Star” follows previous album offerings “If I Had Never Lost My Mind…,” “Grudge,” and most recently, “Sex, Drugs and Country Music.” The tracks have served to tide fans over since her The Aftermath EP last fall, which featured a duet with Alison Krauss.
Cherry Valley is a document of Carter’s time in Nashville, working chronologically through her breakout successes and gut-punching breakups, new loves and family dustups. It’s named for an imagined place, a road sign Carter once saw that came to signify her creative home, a sweet spot where her old school influences like Tammy Wynette, Nancy Sinatra, Pet Sounds and Revolver meet today’s country. The album synthesizes all that into a signature Carter Faith sound.
The songs on Cherry Valley span Carter’s journey from her North Carolina hometown to Nashville, with all the heartbreak, triumph and hazy nights in between. Carter and longtime producer Tofer Brown spent two years crafting tracks for the album before finally entering the studio in 2024 to lay it down. All the while, Carter was working relentlessly to climb the ranks of country music, signing to MCA and Universal Music Publishing Group, gracing the Opry stage a dozen times, sharing stages with idols like Willie Nelson, and racking up hundreds of millions of streams.
Moore Ave don’t polish their edges, they sharpen them. With their latest single “Alright,” the band delivers a full-throttle anthem forged in hardcore riffs, personal scars, and the energy of basement shows that raised them. This isn’t a slick studio experiment—it’s five friends pushing themselves past their breaking point, then wiring that chaos into sound.
The track started as a riff that guitarist Josh sat on for years before the group cracked it open. Once the lyrics locked in, the song became a declaration of survival and defiance, a direct line from Moore Ave’s roots to the present. Hardcore is a language they’ve always loved, and “Alright” is their loudest attempt yet to speak it fluently. Recorded with Scott Middleton (ex-Cancer Bats) at Highwattage Cottage, the track captures both raw power and precise intent, the kind of noise that doesn’t apologize.
Moore Ave are more than a band—they’re a chosen family. Three blood brothers and two lifelong friends, they’ve grown from basement jams on their street into a fixture of Ontario’s punk circuit. Their basement, nicknamed The Underground, once served as a refuge for anyone who needed it. That ethos of inclusion and solidarity still runs through every chord they play, from pop-punk hooks to hardcore breakdowns.
“Alright” hits from the perspective of someone clawing their way out of toxic relationships and broken reflections. It’s music for anyone who’s been manipulated, hurt, or gaslit, and decided to fight their way back instead of folding. The venom is real, the redemption is loud, and the message is simple: survival is its own victory.
“I know exactly who I am / Here I stand, a broken man / My fists are up, I’m here to fight / I’ll fight for me and take back my life.” That’s not just a lyric—it’s a middle finger to the weight of the past. Later, the refrain boils it down to a scream: “It’s about time I take back, MY F**KING LIFE. All. Right.”
The band put the video together in true DIY spirit, taking over Cy’s Lanes and Lounge in Aylmer, ON. With the owner’s blessing, they turned a Sunday afternoon into their own punk playground—bowling, drinking, and filming chaos until the footage matched the music’s intensity. Drummer Shawn MacDonald handled the filming and editing himself, proving once again that Moore Ave’s creative output always stays in-house, raw, and personal.
This release also marks the first with their newest member, Mike York, who joins longtime brothers-in-arms Josh, Joe, and Jack and their extended family. His presence pushes the band’s energy even higher, a natural progression for a crew that never stands still.
Artwork for “Alright” features a blue snake, designed by Shelby Hayward. It’s a symbol of manipulation and deceit, but also rebirth, healing, and resilience. Punk has always thrived on contradictions, and Moore Ave wear theirs proudly on the sleeve.
With “Alright,” Moore Ave add another chapter to a discography that includes “Relapse” and “Second Best”—songs that carve out honesty from struggle and blast it through amps at top volume. Live, they remain untouchable, converting any skeptic with sweat, riffs, and crowd connection.
Moore Ave aren’t here to fit into anyone’s definition of punk—they’re here to live it on their own terms. “Alright” is the latest reminder: loud, uncompromising, and ready for anyone who needs it.
