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20 Songs Where the Singing Alone Made History

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Some songs hit because of their lyrics, others because of their production. But sometimes, it’s the voice itself that makes the song unforgettable. These 20 performances prove that vocal delivery can be the beating heart of music history.

“A Change Is Gonna Come” – Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke’s delivery is tender yet resolute, capturing the pain and hope of the civil rights era. Every note carries both personal vulnerability and collective yearning, making it one of the most soulful and historic performances ever recorded.

“All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” – Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift’s vocals here are conversational yet devastating, almost like she’s reliving every memory in real time. Her delivery balances fragility with controlled anger, pulling the listener into a heartbreak that feels cinematic.

“Back to Black” – Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse’s raw, smoky phrasing gives this ballad its depth. The way she leans into each line turns heartbreak into something both bruised and beautiful, cementing her as one of the most expressive singers of her generation.

“Billie Jean” – Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson doesn’t just sing “Billie Jean” — he performs it with urgency, precision, and emotional tension. His vocal hiccups, gasps, and rhythmic intensity make the song as much about delivery as it is about melody.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” – Queen
Freddie Mercury’s soaring range and theatrical presence transform this track into an opera disguised as rock. His ability to shift from delicate tenderness to full-throated power is a masterclass in vocal versatility.

“Creep” – Radiohead
Thom Yorke’s anguished falsetto gives “Creep” its haunting edge. The cracked, almost desperate delivery makes the song feel like a confession whispered too loud, capturing alienation in its purest form.

“Cry Me a River” – Julie London
Julie London’s smoky, intimate performance makes every word feel like it’s directed at you alone. The controlled restraint of her delivery is what makes the heartbreak sting even more.

“Dancing On My Own” – Robyn
Robyn’s voice cracks with controlled emotion, perfectly embodying loneliness on the dance floor. Her delivery fuses strength and vulnerability, turning heartbreak into a cathartic anthem.

“Feeling Good” – Nina Simone
Nina Simone’s commanding tone and phrasing elevate “Feeling Good” into something timeless. Her delivery feels both triumphant and defiant, making the song an anthem of empowerment.

“Hallelujah” – Jeff Buckley
Jeff Buckley’s fragile, soaring tenor transforms Leonard Cohen’s song into something ethereal. His delivery stretches each syllable with aching precision, making it one of the most haunting vocal performances in rock history.

“Hello” – Adele
Adele’s powerhouse voice drives “Hello” into global recognition. Her control, dynamic shifts, and emotional clarity make the song both deeply personal and universally relatable.

“I Will Always Love You” – Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston’s version is a lesson in controlled power. Her legendary key change and sustained notes showcase vocal brilliance, but it’s the sincerity in her delivery that turns the ballad into an immortal classic.

“Like a Rolling Stone” – Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan’s delivery is ragged and biting, carrying more weight than technical polish ever could. His sneering phrasing gives the lyrics their legendary impact, reshaping what “singing” could mean in popular music.

“Lose Yourself” – Eminem
Eminem’s breathless urgency makes “Lose Yourself” impossible to ignore. His vocal pacing mirrors the lyrical message of seizing the moment, turning the performance into an adrenaline shot in musical form.

“Nothing Compares 2 U” – Sinéad O’Connor
Sinéad O’Connor’s stark, vulnerable delivery makes this ballad unforgettable. Her voice carries unfiltered pain, and the stripped-down vocal phrasing ensures the heartbreak feels inescapably real.

“O Sole Mio” – Luciano Pavarotti
Pavarotti’s operatic delivery demonstrates technical mastery with unmatched emotional resonance. His soaring high notes feel effortless, blending virtuosity with emotional gravity.

“Respect” – Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin doesn’t just sing “Respect,” she demands it. The fire and authority in her phrasing made the song an anthem for empowerment and social change, showcasing her voice as pure force.

“Strange Fruit” – Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday’s chilling delivery on “Strange Fruit” carries unshakable weight. Her weary, mournful tone delivers the song’s harrowing imagery in a way that still resonates decades later.

“Take Me to Church” – Hozier
Hozier’s booming, gospel-infused delivery gives “Take Me to Church” its spiritual intensity. His voice rises with both urgency and conviction, making the track feel like a sermon as much as a song.

“Vision of Love” – Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey’s debut performance showcased her incredible control, range, and emotional depth. The vocal runs and sustained notes in “Vision of Love” not only announced her as a star but redefined the standards for pop and R&B singing.

Your First 1,000 Genuine TikTok Fans — Artist Playbook

I’ll be honest with you — anyone can chase numbers. It’s not that hard to rack up “views” or “followers” if you ride enough trends or pay for sketchy services. But here’s the thing: numbers don’t buy your music, come to your shows, or tell their friends about you. People do.

Your first 1,000 genuine fans on TikTok will be the people who show up again and again because they actually care about your art. They’re the ones who will duet your song, drop comments when you go live, and scream your lyrics in a small club before anyone else even knows them. And believe me — 1,000 real people invested in your journey is more powerful than 100,000 passive scrollers.

This playbook is about building that foundation. Not shortcuts, not gimmicks — just consistent, authentic growth.

Profile Optimization for Artists

Think of your TikTok profile as your digital venue flyer. It should tell people who you are in seconds.

  • Profile Picture: Clear, high-contrast, and personal. Either your face (front-facing, good lighting) or a consistent artist logo. Avoid blurry group shots.
  • Bio: Short and to the point. Include your identity + what people can expect from you.
    • Example: “Indie-pop singer sharing daily hooks & behind-the-scenes chaos.”
  • Link: Use a Linktree/Beacons page that connects to your music (Spotify, Apple, Bandcamp), socials, and newsletter. Keep it clean — three to four links max.
  • Pinned Videos: These are like your “top of the setlist.” Pin:
    1. Your strongest performance clip.
    2. A personal intro (“Hi, I’m [Name], I make X kind of music.”).
    3. Your newest release or teaser.
  • Visual Theme: Your grid doesn’t need to look like a magazine, but a touch of consistency helps. Pick 2–3 filters or colors you use often. Repetition = recognizability.

Content Strategy: What Works for Artists

TikTok thrives on variety, but the magic formula is authenticity + consistency. Rotate through these formats:

  • Behind-the-Scenes: Show your messy process — lyric notebooks, voice memos, late-night sessions. People love seeing how art gets made.
    • Example: “This line took 12 drafts. Which version hits harder?”
  • Process Videos: Speed up a beat build or layer harmonies in real time. Add captions to explain.
  • Storytelling: Share the story behind a lyric or song. Keep it conversational: “This line came from something my grandma told me…”
  • Performance Snippets: Sing the chorus live in your room, acoustic style. Make it raw and intimate.
  • Fan Prompts: Post a verse and ask followers to duet with harmonies, choreography, or guitar.
  • Trends-with-a-Twist: Jump on trends, but filter them through your sound. Swap the trending audio for your hook.
  • Personality Clips: Let people see your humor, quirks, or day-to-day life. Fans follow people, not just songs.

Remember: the hook goes first. Don’t build up to your chorus — lead with it. Attention spans are shorter than a hi-hat roll.

Engagement Tactics: Authentic Interaction

Engagement is the bridge from “viewer” to “fan.”

  • Comments: Reply to comments with short videos whenever possible. It shows you’re listening and creates new content.
  • Duets & Stitches: Add value. Harmonize with another artist, add percussion to a clip, or stitch someone’s question with your perspective.
  • Lives: Go live twice a week. Play 2–3 songs, take fan requests, or show works-in-progress. Even if only 10 people show up, those 10 will never forget it.
  • Gratitude: Call out your supporters. “Shoutout to @username — your comment made my day. Here’s a chorus I wrote from it.”
  • Ask Questions: End videos with “What do you think?” or “Should I release this?” Direct invitations create engagement.

Hashtag Strategy for Discoverability

Hashtags help, but only when used strategically.

  • Mix Broad + Niche + Personal:
    • Broad: #music #originalsong #fyp
    • Niche: #indiepop #singersongwriter #bedroomproducer
    • Personal: #[YourName] #[SongTitle]
  • 3–6 per video is the sweet spot. Don’t spam 20.
  • Check trending tags in your genre and piggyback when relevant.

Hashtags aren’t magic — but they give TikTok the context to push you to the right audience.

Consistency & Posting Schedule

The algorithm rewards artists who show up regularly.

  • Frequency: 1–2 posts per day. At least 5 per week minimum.
  • Best Times: Evenings (6–10pm local) and weekends (10am–1pm). Adjust based on analytics.
  • Plan Ahead: Film in batches. Record 5–6 clips on a Sunday, save them in drafts, and drip-feed throughout the week.

Consistency = momentum. You don’t have to go viral to grow; you just need to stay visible.

Collaborations & Community Building

Growth accelerates when you connect with others.

  • Collab with Other Artists: Even peers with 500 followers bring you to new eyes.
  • Duet Chains: Join or start a challenge — “Add a harmony to this hook.”
  • Local Scene: Share your gigs, tag venues, shout out other bands. Community roots your online presence in something real.
  • Cross-Platform: Invite TikTok followers to Instagram for deeper stories, or to Spotify for full songs.

Music is relational. Fans want to feel they’re part of something with you — not just watching from a distance.

Measuring Success Beyond Follower Count

Don’t obsess over the number. Here are better metrics:

  • Engagement: Are people commenting, saving, duetting?
  • Watch Time: Do viewers stay until the end of your clips?
  • Sound Uses: Are people creating with your original audio?
  • Conversions: Are followers clicking your link? Adding to playlists?
  • Community Feel: Do people recognize your name and return video after video?

A video with 500 views and 50 comments is way more valuable than one with 50k views and no interaction.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Learn from the mistakes I see artists make every day:

  • Chasing Trends Only: If every video is just a trend, people won’t know who you are.
  • Posting Once a Month: Consistency matters more than perfection.
  • Ignoring Comments: Nothing kills growth like silence.
  • Low-Quality Audio: TikTok is a sound-first platform. Make sure your voice and instrumentals are crisp.
  • Over-Branding: Don’t watermark or oversell. Let your art breathe.
  • Not Showing Your Face: Music matters, but fans connect with a human.

Real Examples of Artists Who Grew Organically

  • JVKE: Started with simple, catchy original sounds, invited duets, and built momentum one song at a time. Now a charting artist.
  • Rosie: Posted raw, emotional snippets of unreleased songs. Her track “Never the 1” blew up simply because people connected with her honesty.
  • Tai Verdes: Went live daily, sang his single “Stuck in the Middle” relentlessly, and built an audience brick by brick.
  • Lauren Spencer-Smith: Shared stripped-down vocal performances from her bedroom. Authenticity turned into millions of streams.

None of them got there overnight. They just posted consistently, shared their true selves, and kept fans in the loop.

‘The Office’ Creators Return With New Mockumentary Set in a Struggling Newspaper

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The team behind The Office is back with a brand-new mockumentary, this time set inside a struggling Toledo newspaper. Showrunner Greg Daniels reunites with executive producers Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant for the project. Domhnall Gleeson headlines the cast, joined by The Office alum Oscar Nuñez. The series premieres September 4, 2025, exclusively on Peacock.

SiriusXM’s SXM-10 Satellite Successfully Begins Operational Service

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SiriusXM and Maxar Space Systems announced today that the SXM-10 satellite has completed in-orbit testing and is now fully operational by SiriusXM following its successful launch by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on June 7, 2025.

“The SXM-10 satellite strengthens the health of our fleet and the infrastructure that provides a critical foundation for our audio entertainment and information services enjoyed by tens of millions of people across North America,” said Bridget Neville, SiriusXM’s Senior Vice President & GM of Signal Distribution Engineering.

“The successful launch and handover of SXM-10 marks another milestone in our long-standing partnership with SiriusXM,” said Chris Johnson, CEO of Maxar Space Systems. “This satellite reflects our shared commitment to innovation and reliability, and we are proud to be able to leverage our proven Maxar 1300™ platform to help SiriusXM deliver advanced audio entertainment services to millions of listeners.”

SXM-10 will help provide continuous reliable delivery of SiriusXM’s audio entertainment and information services to consumers. SXM-10 is the 11th high-powered, digital audio radio satellite built by Maxar Space Systems for SiriusXM and is built on the Maxar 1300 platform. SXM-10 is more than 27 feet tall and over 100 feet long with its solar arrays deployed, and weighed almost 6,600 kg at launch. SXM-10 features a large unfurlable S-band reflector antenna supplied by L3Harris that enables SiriusXM programming to reach approximately 175 million SiriusXM-equipped vehicles on the road today.

SXM-10 is the second new satellite to commence service for SiriusXM in 2025 after SXM-9 began service in January. SiriusXM and Maxar Space Systems previously announced that Maxar Space has also been commissioned to build the SXM-11 and -12 satellites for SiriusXM, and those programs are ongoing with launches expected in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

Corporate Travel Made Easy with Executive Car Service in Houston

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By Mitch Rice

Tailored Services for Business Executives

For business people navigating his or her frenzied schedules, consistency and comfort are generally paramount. A great executive car service Houston comes with a tailor-made practical knowledge that suits the initial requires of the clientele. These services often include conveniences including Wi-Fi, beverages, as well as large homes to be certain travelers usually stay productive during your a move. Also, bendable arrangement serves last-minute alterations, essential for professionals who normally encounter unforeseen obligations.

The importance of personal services are not undervalued in a very high-stakes environment. Executive vehicle providers inside Dallas understand the value of punctuality as well as reliability, changing his or her products for you to cater to the person choices associated with clients. Be it unique vehicle demands or preferred ways, these facilities build a breeding ground conducive for you to proficiency as well as effectiveness. With these tailor-made providers, business enterprise management can easily concentration on their own points, knowing that their transport wants are in ready hands.

Customized Travel Solutions

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Data and information are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended for investment or other purposes.

How The Fear of Making a Mistake Prevents Us From Living

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By Mitch Rice

Fear of mistakes often looks like prudence, yet it quietly steals experiences, opportunities, and joy. You wait for perfect timing, perfect words, perfect certainty, and life keeps moving without you. The good news is that fear is workable. When you understand how it operates and build a few protective habits, you can act with care instead of getting trapped by caution.

Why the Fear Feels so Strong

Mistake fear is not only about reputation. It is rooted in how the brain predicts outcomes and tries to minimize risk. If you were rewarded for “being right” or punished for trial and error, your nervous system learned to equate errors with danger. Research on perfectionism and fear of failure shows that harsh self-evaluation increases avoidance, while self-compassionate framing supports persistence after setbacks. In short, your history trains your reactions, but it does not have to dictate your choices.

Social comparison adds fuel. We see polished results and assume others got there without missteps, which makes our own learning curve feel like failure. Curiosity helps here. You can choose to gather neutral information, and some readers do this by briefly checking background on tools and platforms; in that spirit, a quick look at what is Liven simply satisfies curiosity about a product ecosystem without turning the moment into a performance review. 

Another driver is all-or-nothing thinking. If a draft must be brilliant, you avoid starting. If a conversation must land perfectly, you delay it until the relationship cools. Replacing absolutes with specifics lowers the stakes. “This email must be flawless” becomes “This email needs three clear points and a kind tone.” Specifics are actionable, and action shrinks fear.

When Overthinking Masquerades as Diligence

Overthinking often shows up as “extra care,” but it quickly turns into loops that drain confidence. You replay the meeting, check the message again, forecast every possible reaction. The body reads this as threat, not preparation, so tension rises. Once you notice the pattern, you can choose structure over spirals.

Start with a short containment plan. Give the decision ten minutes, write the options in plain language, pick the smallest reversible step, and take it. Then schedule a follow-up review. This rhythm honors caution without letting it spread across the day. Some people like a gentle nudge that keeps the check-ins low pressure, and the phrase Liven app often appears in conversations about reflective prompts that help you notice mood and anxiety loops without judgment. Whether you use a tool or pen and paper, the principle is the same: structure the thinking so it serves action.

If your mind insists on certainty, try a “two-column test.” On the left, list controllable factors. On the right, list what is unknown. You are allowed to move only on the left side. Most fears live on the right, and seeing that split makes it easier to release what you cannot influence today.

Redefine Mistakes: From Verdicts to Data

Perfectionism treats mistakes like character verdicts. Learning treats them like information. The reframing is simple: “A miss means I now know where to aim.” Studies on growth mindset show that when people view ability as adaptable, they persist longer, recover faster, and take smarter risks. You can practice this in small ways.

Write a one-line debrief after a try. “Send the pitch, intro was too long; next time, lead with outcome.” Keep these lines in a single note. Over time, the list becomes a personal manual. The exercise is brief on purpose so you cannot slip into self-critique disguised as reflection.

Try a “failure budget.” Each week, allocate a few low-stakes attempts where error is expected. Share a half-finished idea with a trusted colleague, ask one question in a meeting, try a new route to the gym. The point is to train your nervous system to survive discomfort and discover that connection often grows when you risk small imperfection.

When fear focuses on reputation, borrow a wider lens. Ask how the choice serves your values rather than your image. “Does this align with honesty, learning, or care?” Values are steadier than moods, and aligning with them makes a stumble tolerable because it was in service of something you believe.

Practical Skills That Quiet the Alarm

Anxious thoughts are loud when the body is on high alert. If you downshift your physiology, thinking becomes clearer and decisions feel less threatening. These skills are brief and repeatable.

Breathe with a longer exhale. Inhale for four counts and exhale for six, for one minute. A longer exhale signals safety to the nervous system and reduces the urge to rush. Ground your senses: name five things you see, four you can touch, three you hear, two you smell, one you can taste. Grounding pulls attention out of imagined futures and into the present.

Give your fear a time box. Set a five-minute timer labeled “worry window.” Write every concern fast, without editing. When the timer ends, choose a single next step that is under your control, however small. If no step exists, you are in speculation. Close the notebook and move your body for two minutes to reset.

Use “if–then” plans for predictable triggers. If I freeze before sending, then I will read the first line out loud and press send. If I get flustered in the first minute of a call, then I will pause for a sip of water and glance at three bullet notes. Pre-decisions reduce the cognitive load when fear spikes.

Protect the basics. Morning light, a glass of water before decisions, and a short walk between meetings make your system less reactive. It is a small margin of safety so you can make a brave choice without tipping into overwhelm.

Environments and Agreements That Support Trying

Courage is social. You will take smarter risks when your environment is kind to learners. Start by setting norms with people you trust: quick debriefs after attempts, praise for effort and clarity, not just outcomes. When feedback comes, ask for specifics: what worked, what to try next. Vague criticism feeds fear; specific guidance feeds skill.

Create “draft-friendly” spaces in your day. Keep a physical or digital folder called Sandbox where you park messy work. Label it clearly so your brain does not confuse drafts with deliverables. Review the Sandbox once a week and move one item forward. This separation protects your identity from your experiments.

Limit exposure without shrinking life. You do not need to announce every attempt to everyone. Share early with one safe person, then with a small group, then more widely after a second pass. Staging reduces the emotional cost of feedback and keeps energy available for the next try.

Use a “low-battery” plan for hard days. List one meal you can make fast, one boundary message you can send, one short grounding exercise, and one song that slows your breathing. When fear spikes, the plan makes the first move for you, and that tiny bit of momentum is often enough to keep you from abandoning the day.

Conclusion

Fear of making a mistake narrows a life. It turns choices into tests and effort into evidence against you. You can loosen its grip by naming the loops, reframing errors as data, and building rituals that make trying safe enough to repeat. Take small steps, be kind to yourself, and listen to yourself.

Tyler Braden Announces 2026 ‘Devil and a Prayer’ Headline Tour Kicking Off January 29

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Country-rock powerhouse Tyler Braden announces his 2026 headline Devil and a Prayer Tour, kicking off January 29th in Minneapolis, MN, and set to span across 11 markets. The tour is aptly named after his debut album, Devil and a Prayer, released in May via Warner Music Nashville.

The 19-song collection blends raw storytelling with high-energy, arena-ready instrumentation. Tracks like “Devil You Know” and “God & Guns N’ Roses” have already made waves, showcasing Braden’s powerhouse vocals and knack for writing songs that connect deeply with fans. The album captures the grit, emotion, and rock & roll spirit that define his live performances.

Tickets go on sale Friday, August 22nd at 10 am local time.

Tyler Braden 2026 Devil and a Prayer Tour Dates:

Jan 29 — Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
Jan 30 — Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave/Eagles Club – The Rave II
Jan 31 — Indianapolis, IN @ 8 Seconds Saloon
Feb 6 — St. Louis, MO @ Ballpark Village: Hot Country Nights
Feb 7 — Lincoln, NE @ The Bourbon Theatre
Feb 13 — Lexington, KY @ Manchester Music Hall
Feb 14 — Charlotte, NC @ Neighborhood Theatre
Feb 15 — Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
Feb 19 — Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
Feb 20 — New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Feb 21 — Warrendale, PA @ Jergel’s Rhythm Grille

Drew Baldridge Announces New Single “Deserve Her” Out August 22

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Country artist Drew Baldridge has announced the upcoming release of his earnest new song, “Deserve Her,” available everywhere August 22nd via Lyric Ridge Records/Stoney Creek Records. Written by Baldridge alongside Harper Grace and Kyle Schlienger, the track reflects the sensitivity and deep appreciation for the women in his life that have become hallmarks of his music.

“When I wrote this song, I knew it would be such a great message for boys and girls to hear,” says Baldridge. “It talks about knowing a woman’s worth and that you can’t just ‘want her,’ but you gotta ‘deserve her.’ The second verse might be one of my favorite verses I’ve ever written. The words are so powerful, and it’s a message I look forward to sharing with my fans.”

“Deserve Her” follows Baldridge’s recent release, “Get Me Gone,” featuring Emily Ann Roberts, which the duo performed live for the first time together for a sold-out crowd at Red Rocks Amphitheater last month. It also comes on the heels of his second consecutive Top 10 country radio hit, “Tough People,” further building on his momentum and ongoing partnership with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville.

In addition to a run of summer tour dates supporting Bailey Zimmerman and fall dates with Cody Johnson, Baldridge was recently announced as a performer at the NSAI Songwriter Awards, taking place at the Ryman Auditorium on September 23rd. Internationally, he will join Jelly Roll and Shaboozey on the Down Under Tour 2025 before launching his first overseas headlining trek, the Country Born Tour 2025, in the UK and Europe this winter.

The Cribs Announce First Album in Five Years ‘Selling A Vibe’ with New Single “Summer Seizures”

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The Cribs return today with the announcement of their first new album in five years. Selling A Vibe will be released on January 9 via Play It Again Sam. Also revealed today is the album’s lead single, “Summer Seizures”, which arrives with a video and lands ahead of the band’s first North American dates in eight years.

For the three Jarman brothers, The Cribs has always been a heart-on-sleeve endeavor, documenting a realness and honesty, imbued with a raw spirit and a love for pop melodies, that winks with a healthy skepticism at a world increasingly weighed down by quantity over quality, style over substance. You need only look as far as the new album title for evidence of that. It can be argued though that with Selling A Vibe, that honesty is increasingly turned in the direction of each other, the first time they have so openly done so on one of their records.

With a feeling in the camp that the band were getting stuck on the release-tour-release-tour treadmill, and with the brothers living apart across three timezones, they knew they needed to revive the essence of their relationship as family, and get away from solely feeling like band members. A summer spent together with no music, no writing, just reconnection proved the perfect place to start that process, something they say they’re grateful for the opportunity to do after 20 years together making music.

In the same way that Selling A Vibe was written quickly, with the aim of anchoring things a specific moment, lead single “Summer Seizures” acts as its own timestamp. It was the first song they wrote together in the album sessions, and set the band on the way to Selling A Vibe.

Guitarist and vocalist Ryan Jarman comments on the single: “Lyrically, I was in the kitchen in my apartment in NYC one morning and I could feel that summer was starting. All the major events in my life seem to have happened in the summer, the good and the bad and so when I could feel it coming around again it was a way of marking time and looking at where I’m at now and trying to tie it all together. It’s a song about love, tragedy and learning to live with yourself, all set during summertime in NYC.”

Expanding about the video, he says: “We wanted it to be no gimmicks, done to a really high quality and just let the band and the song do the talking, so we spoke to our old friend Andy Knowles (who happens to be an amazing director) and decided to shoot on 16mm film and just present us as we are. In an age of digital and infinite options, shooting on film meant that it had to be quick, spontaneous and most importantly, natural. Of course those guys spent ages making sure it’d look amazing before the cameras started rolling, but we got exactly what we were looking for: the band as we are now, in our natural environment on celluloid.”

If behind the scenes Selling A Vibe became about a return to truer relationships, the goal with producer Patrick Wimberly was very much about not reverting to type. Having worked with some bucket-list producers on previous albums – Edwyn Collins, Alex Kapranos, Nick Launey, Dave Fridmann, Steve Albini, and Ric Ocasek to name a few – the appointment of former Chairlift man Patrick Wimberly for Selling A Vibe came from a place of continued curiosity, possibility, and adventure. They wanted to work with someone who operated in a more contemporary way, and Wimberly’s list of production credits (Solange, MGMT, Lil Yachty) more than caught the eye. For The Cribs, it wasn’t about recapturing lightning-in-a-bottle moments of yore, it was about breaking the bottle entirely and seeing what could be inside. That meant a slower, more considered recording process, and time in the studio to indulge their love of melody. Selling A Vibe becomes a record not only anchored in reconnection, but one put together to illicit that same response.

Bassist and vocalist Gary Jarman says: “I think as time has gone by our albums have become more and more open – and as such the songs on “Selling A Vibe” feel very personal. So it can be nerve wracking releasing them because they matter so much to us. I know that may sound overly romantic or idealistic, but ultimately – it’s the only thing that matters when all is said and done. Did we connect with people? We don’t want this to be seen as an “indie rock” record or a “punk” record or whatever – all those things that used to seem to matter to us – our only hope is that people enjoy and connect with the songs and lyrics for what they are. We want them to be for everyone, really. And as such, I suppose you could say that makes it our most ambitious album, as we have fully given ourselves over to that. In short, we sincerely hope you enjoy it.”

Key to the band’s creative output is that they only release music when it feels like have something new to contribute. A new record needs to add something to their, and their fans lives. In this case, the renewal of treasured relationships seems as good a reason as any for their return after a five-year absence.

North American Tour Dates
Sep 19 – Reggies Chicago, Chicago, IL (Riot Fest Late Night)
Sep 20 – Riot Festival, Chicago, IL
Sep 23 – Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON
Sep 25 – The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA
Sep 27 – Warsaw, Brooklyn, NY

Laura Veirs Announces Live Album ‘Laura Veirs And The Choir Who Couldn’t Say (Live In Angouleme)’ Out October 10

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Laura Veirs today announced that a new live album, Laura Veirs And The Choir Who Couldn’t Say (Live In Angouleme), will be released digitally on October 10, 2025, via her own label Raven Marching Band.

The recording documents Veirs’ May 2025 performance of 14 of her songs-as well as one by case/lang/veirs (Veirs’ 2016 collaborative album with kd lang and Neko Case)-alongside a French school choir composed of 32 students (30 girls and 2 boys, ages 12-18) and featuring arrangements by their director, Patrice Cleyrat.

She has also shared one of the tracks, “I Can See Your Tracks” (from her 2010 album July Flame) alongside a video. Gorgeous, sparse and deeply moving, Laura Veirs and the Choir Who Couldn’t Say (Live In Angouleme) captures the intensity, soulfulness and hard work of school children in a middle class community in France collaborating with a renowned American singer-songwriter, and is a hopeful demonstration of international artistic collaboration during dark times around the globe.

“Hearing their brave and soulful renditions of my songs and performing with them was a career highlight,” recalled Veirs “I’m so glad we were able to capture the magic of this performance and can share it with the world in the form of this new album.”

“I’m really proud of the choir and of this absolutely unique experience. I worked very hard all year to make it happen,” says Cleyrat. “I hope this experience will help them become great adults and to have faith in the future and in real relationships between differing countries. Music is my passion; I try to transmit it.”

Laura Veirs And The Choir Who Couldn’t Say (Live In Angouleme) is the Portland, Oregon-based Veirs’ second live album in two years, and a surprising collaboration. The choir and Cleyrat practiced for nine months before Veirs joined them on stage for a recorded live performance in Angouleme on May 24, 2025. Veirs accompanied the choir on vocals and guitar on most songs; Cleyrat played keyboards on many as well. The recording was a community effort, co-produced by Veirs and Cleyrat, captured live by Etienne Jouanneau, mixed in Paris by Edouard Bonard, and mastered in Portland, OR, by Jon Neufeld. Veirs created the cover art and an accompanying show poster in her backyard art studio in Portland.

A longtime fan of Veirs, Cleyrat previously also organized a concert of her songs with another children’s choir (the “Young Rapture Choir”) in 2006. While Veirs attended that concert but did not perform, the show was also recorded and she released it as a limited edition CD on her label. A deep music fan, Cleyrat has also taught his choirs over the years the works of Nirvana, Granddaddy and other American rock bands.