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Bad Suns Announce New Album ‘Accelerator’ With Sparkling Single “Mystery Girl”

Eric Alper
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Bad Suns Announce New Album ‘Accelerator’ With Sparkling Single “Mystery Girl”

California indie-pop band Bad Suns have unveiled their sparkling new single, “Mystery Girl”, the latest taste of their dance-inducing new album Accelerator out on August 8th via Epitaph. In an upbeat cascade of dreamy riffs and a lively rhythm section, Christo Bowman’s wistfully reflective lyrics signify a crossroads for the lead singer and guitarist.

Through a diaristic stream of consciousness, he remembers his coming-of-age years while facing the inertia of fatherhood: “There’s this beautiful new chapter in my life unfolding, and there’s mixed emotions that come with it,” he says. ““Mystery Girl” is a song about my teenage years, past relationships and experiences, and being a young person who is ultimately just looking for love.”

Since 2012, Bowman (vocals/guitar), Gavin Bennett (bass) and Miles Morris (drums) started making music together as teenagers and went viral almost immediately with their magnetic blend of indie-rock and ‘80s synth sheen. After four hit albums, the trio reached a point where they needed to recalibrate and recenter if they wanted to continue. Recording their exuberant 2023 EP Infinite Joy was a cleansing experience that served as fuel for Bad Suns and set them on a thrilling path forward into making Accelerator, which comprises 12 new tracks brimming with dance-pop hooks and poignant lessons learned.

“We saw the Infinite Joy EP as a new beginning for the band. I felt this yearning once again,” reflects Christo Bowman. “Accelerator being our fifth album, our first studio album as a trio, and the first album of my 30s, we knew that this was going to be really important. We didn’t want to take that lightly. We asked ourselves, how do we live up to the occasion? We saw this album as a mountain we wanted to climb.”

Bad Suns ushered in the first preview of Accelerator with the grooving single “Communicating”, currently at #21 on the alternative rock charts and recently named one of Rolling Stone’s Best Songs Of The Year So Far. They compared the track to “a late-night cruise down the highway with the windows down, the slinky bass thumping, and overthinking in overdrive.” Anthemic opener “Slow Karma” revealed a riveting pop turn for the band, showing how Accelerator is still steeped in the original DNA that made Bad Suns a feel-good viral sensation with early hits like “Cardiac Arrest.” The rushing pop melodies may mirror Accelerator’s title, but its lyrics are filled with stop-and-think moments where Christo surveys his past actions and makes the intentional choice to embrace personal growth and impending fatherhood.

“My 20s were a challenging time with a lot of peaks and a lot of valleys,” he says. “There’s a lot of joy, a lot of mistakes. This album is ultimately about finding the strength within yourself to assess the damage that’s been done and make the changes that you need to in order to take control of your own life.”

As Bad Suns move into their latest era, one filled with exciting personal and professional milestones, they’ve never been more harmoniously aligned. “While making this album, I turned 30, I got married, I found out I was having a kid,” the frontman muses. “Going to the studio every day and being in the room with the guys, I had this sense that I’m going to look back and know that was probably one of the best times of my life.”

Lola Young Announces Bold New Album ‘I’m Only F***ing Myself,’ Out September 19

Eric Alper
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Lola Young Announces Bold New Album ‘I’m Only F***ing Myself,’ Out September 19

 Ivor Novello’s Rising Star Award winner and Brit-nominated South London singer / songwriter Lola Young announces her new album I’m Only F***ing Myself due September 19th via Island Records. The forthcoming album will include the previously shared, head-bopping and dub grooved “One Thing,” which arrived with a Dave Meyers directed video, has accumulated millions of streams since its release and has been praised by Rolling Stone, PAPER, Billboard and more.

Following her major festival run this summer with performances at Glastonbury, Rosklide, Lollapalooza Paris, All Things Go Festival and more still on the horizon, Lola will embark on her headline North American tour this November and December. During the tour, the powerhouse vocalist will bring her show to Toronto, New York City, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Vancouver and Seattle, before wrapping up in Los Angeles. Since the tour’s announcement, Lola has added additional shows in Toronto, New York City and Los Angeles due to demand.

2025 has been nonstop for Lola. Earlier this month, Lola was direct support to Billie Eilish for her Paris shows at Accor Arena and performed at both Summertime Ball and Meltdown Festival in London. In May, Lola performed at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend following her debut performance at the iconic Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April, where she premiered “One Thing.” Lola was also nominated for an American Music Award for Social Song of the Year for “Messy” and received 3 nominations at this year’s Ivor Novello awards, winning the Rising Star Award, which followed her “Best Pop Act” nomination at this year’s BRIT Awards. Lola was also named as a Future 25 artist with Rolling Stone, performed her track “Conceited” on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, spoke with NPR about her breakout and sat with The Los Angeles Times to discuss her rise and debut Coachella performance.

Boasting over 1 billion all-time streams globally across her catalog of releases, Lola Young continues to achieve tremendous success. Her platinum-certified #1 single “Messy,” which The New York Times described as “one of the most legitimately viral and popular songs of 2025” from her acclaimed 2024 album, This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway, recently hit #1 on the Billboard Pop Airplay chart, #1 at Hot Adult Contemporary, #1 on the Alternative Rock Billboard chart as well as reaching the upper regions of the Billboard Hot 100. Lola Young is the first female artist to have a debut single go #1 at both Pop and Alternative since Lorde’s “Royals.” “Messy” also held the top spot in the UK for four consecutive weeks, making Lola one of only two British female artists to reach #1 in the UK Singles Chart within the last year. Lola has collaborated with Tyler, The Creator (“Like Him”), and Lil Yachty (“Charlie”) and continues to make a global impact with her music and compelling personality.

SG Lewis Announces New Album ‘Anemoia’ and Fall North American Tour

Eric Alper
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SG Lewis Announces New Album ‘Anemoia’ and Fall North American Tour

SG Lewis has announced his third studio album Anemoia, set for release this September 5 via his own label Forever Days, in collaboration with Positiva. Today’s announcement comes exciting news of a highly anticipated North American headline tour. Starting at ACL in Austin on September 5, the 14-date tour will take the multi-talented artist across multiple states this fall.

Marking a pivotal moment for the London-born, LA-based artist – following a string of club-focused releases and collaborations, Anemoia sees SG Lewis return to the centre of his solo artist project with a sound that’s expansive, cerebral and deeply personal.

Named after the word that describes a nostalgia for a time never personally experienced, Anemoia explores SG’s long-standing fascination with past eras of dance music, refining an emotional sound that draws as much from early trance, Balearic house, and 2000s electronica as it does modern pop songwriting.

“When I discovered the word Anemoia, it articulated a feeling I’d struggled to describe for so long – a nostalgia for times I never lived through,” SG says. “Throughout my career, I’ve often referenced past eras of music, studying them inside out to understand their cultural and technical history. In doing so, I started to question my emotional connection to those times, and why they left such a mark on me. This album is rooted in the dancefloor, and even its quieter moments are shaped by Balearic sounds that are influenced from spending a lot of time in Ibiza last summer. I think a lot of the music carries an undertone of melancholy, even when it feels high in energy. More than anything, I want Anemoia to be a soundtrack to living in the present – to creating the kind of moments that others might one day feel nostalgic for.”

The album follows the release of ‘Back of My Mind’, which premiered as BBC R1’s Hottest Record last month and introduced a more introspective tone while nodding to SG’s roots in euphoric, progressive electronic music. It also arrived at a time of creative renewal for SG Lewis. Having spent the past year grounding himself in his London studio after a decade of life on the road, he channelled that reflective energy into a new body of work that reaches beyond the club – blending timeless dance music influences with vivid storytelling.

This wave of new music follows on from a stellar 18 months of activity for the much-adored artist, with key collaborations alongside Tove Lo (HEAT EP), Nelly Furtado and Shygirl as well as the launch of his own label Forever Days which saw him launch his own curated headline shows across iconic venues including KOKO in London, The Knockdown Centre in New York and Ibiza’s Cova Santa. SG Lewis partnered up with Mixmag last month for a very special Forever Days curated livestream and party at a central London rooftop location. Watch it back HERE. With over 1.7 billion streams to date and collaborators ranging from Elton John to Dua Lipa, SG Lewis continues to shape the future of electronic music – one era-defining record at a time.

North American Tour Dates:
09/05 – Austin, TX – ACL Live
09/06 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues
09/11 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
09/12 – Washington, DC – Echostage Saturday,
09/13 – Boston, MA – Royale Friday,
09/19 – Queens, NY- Knockdown Center
09/20 – Queens, NY – Knockdown Center
09/26 – Detroit, MI – The Majestic Theatre
09/27 – Chicago, IL – RADIUS
10/02 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo
10/04 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue Theatre
10/10 – Los Angeles, CA – Shrine Expo Hall
10/17 – San Francisco, CA – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
10/18 – Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom

Automatic Announce Fall Tour and Bold New Album ‘Is It Now?’

Eric Alper
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Automatic Announce Fall Tour and Bold New Album ‘Is It Now?’

Los Angeles avant-garde/post punk/synth punk trio Automatic is back with a new song, “Is It Now?”, and will release their album of the same name later this year via Stones Throw. Having released 2 albums since forming nine years ago, Automatic knew they wanted to do something different for their next album. For Is It Now? they collaborated with the producer Loren Humphrey (Cameron Winter, Nice As F***, Arctic Monkeys) to build on the sound of previous albums Signal and Excess – minimalist yet danceable songs which they describe as “deviant pop”.

After they finished touring around their last record, 2022’s Excess, each member of the LA trio pursued their own interests: Izzy Glaudini (synths, vocals) honed her skills as a producer; Halle Saxon Gaines (bass, vocals) enrolled in botany classes; and Lola Dompe (drums, vocals) got married, moved to the country, and began caring for horses.

The title track from Is It Now? celebrates being authentically yourself. Its call-and-response chorus vies between two points of view – the rebellious perspective and the mass culture one. Izzy explains that, increasingly, “the thing I think about the most on a day-to-day basis is: how do you have a sense of joy while the world seems to be collapsing, and you feel so powerless?”

She adds, “I feel like, as American citizens, we have a responsibility to pull the levers to stop the machine. ‘Is It Now?’ is about trying to not feel like a victim in this environment. It’s important to still feel a sense of joy, even amongst all the horrible sh*t going on in the world.”

Automatic hits the road for a co-headlining tour with Sextile this fall; see dates below.

Automatic on tour:
9/16: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
9/17: Denver, CO @ Meow Wolf Denver
9/19: Chicago, IL @ Outset
9/20: Detroit, MI @ Tangent Gallery
9/21: Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground
9/23: Montreal, QC @ Theâtre Fairmount
9/24: Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
9/25: Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
9/26: Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry @ The Fillmore
9/27: Washington, DC @ Black Cat
9/29: Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall
9/30: Nashville, TN @ The Blue Room at Third Man Records
10/1: Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
10/3: Dallas, TX @ Studio at The Factory
10/4: Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
10/5: Austin, TX @ Mohawk (Outside)
10/6: El Paso, TX @ The Lowbrow Palace
10/8: Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom
10/9: Las Vegas, NV @ Swan Dive
10/10: San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
10/11: Los Angeles, CA @ The Novo

10 Ways Independent Artists Can Use A.I. Without Losing Their Soul

Eric Alper
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10 Ways Independent Artists Can Use A.I. Without Losing Their Soul

A.I. is here, and whether you’re a lo-fi bedroom pop wizard or a gritty folk rocker with more pedals than friends, it’s not out to replace you—it’s here to help you. Think of it like your weirdly brilliant studio intern who never sleeps, never eats, and somehow knows a lot about marketing, mixing, and your Spotify bio. For indie musicians navigating the modern music scene without a label (or a massive budget), A.I. can be the silent bandmate you never knew you needed.

Here are 10 fun and surprisingly helpful ways independent artists can use A.I.—with their heart still fully intact:

  1. Write Better Bios (Without Cringing)
    Struggle to talk about yourself? You’re not alone. A.I. tools can help write your artist bio in a way that sounds like you, but with fewer awkward sentences and more wow-factor. It’s like having a PR team in your laptop.
  2. Turn Demos Into Dazzlers
    Got a rough demo that needs polish? A.I.-powered mixing and mastering tools can make your garage recording sound like it came from a professional studio… without actually going into debt over it.
  3. Find the Right Chords When You’re Stuck
    Can’t find the right progression to follow that killer verse? A.I. songwriting tools can suggest chord changes that fit your mood, your genre, and your vibe—without stealing your soul or your songwriting credit.
  4. Make Cool Visuals for Your Songs
    Need an album cover that screams “I made this in my bedroom, but it slaps”? A.I. image generators can whip up eye-catching art, social graphics, and posters that make you look like you’ve got a whole creative team behind you.
  5. Plan Your Tour Route Like a Wizard
    A.I. tools can help map out your next tour based on venue size, location, fanbase, and budget. You might not need a tour manager if your computer can do the heavy lifting. Except driving the van. That’s still on you.
  6. Stay on Schedule (Without the Stress)
    A.I. productivity tools can help you plan releases, schedule your socials, and remind you to actually post something before midnight. Like a digital assistant with less judgment and more emojis.
  7. Make Lyric Videos in Minutes
    Don’t have time to learn animation? A.I.-powered video generators can create simple but beautiful lyric videos or visualizers for your songs. Now you’ve got something to drop on YouTube that’s more than just a static image.
  8. Understand Your Fans Like a Pro
    A.I. analytics tools can break down your streaming stats and tell you who is listening, where they are, and what they like. That means smarter targeting, better gig planning, and fewer guesses.
  9. Get Feedback Without the Tears
    Not ready to show your new track to friends who’ll either cry or fake a thumbs-up? Use A.I. feedback tools that give suggestions based on genre standards, audio quality, or market trends—without crushing your dreams.
  10. Co-Write Songs Without the Ego Battles
    Feeling blocked? A.I. lyric assistants can offer ideas, rhymes, and themes to keep the song flowing. It’s like writing with someone who doesn’t mind if you ignore their ideas or rewrite every single line.

So no, A.I. won’t replace your gut instinct, your childhood heartbreaks, or that one riff you wrote in the shower. But it can help you do more, stress less, and focus on making music that matters. You’re still the artist—A.I.’s just your weird little roadie that never takes a day off.

Now get back to writing that song. You know the one.

Davido and Omah Lay Unite in Vibrant “With You” Video Ahead of 2025 North American Tour

Eric Alper
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Davido and Omah Lay Unite in Vibrant “With You” Video Ahead of 2025 North American Tour

 4x Grammy-nominated afrobeats icon Davido releases the official music video for “With You” featuring Omah Lay. Much like their distinctive musical styles, the video is a fusion of lively storytelling and celebration that mirrors the song’s central theme of expressive love.

Directed by visionary and close collaborator Dammy Twitch, the “With You” video channels the spirit of connection and through a tapestry of rich, atmospheric scenes. Set against a backdrop of modern romance and emotional unrest, the video follows Davido and Omah Lay as they navigate passion, and the chase – offering glimpses into both the chaos and beauty that come with opening one’s heart.

This April, Davido continued to break barriers and make history with his fifth studio album, 5IVE, which debuted at No. 7 in the Official UK Albums Chart – delivering the highest UK chart position of his career. From the critically acclaimed album, “With You” instantly became a fan favorite, now sitting at No. 1 on the UK’s Official Afrobeat Chart, marking it the hottest record in the country.

“With You,” which continues to generate major buzz across social media with over 2.5 million creations on TikTok, was born from an unexpected spark. While streaming live with Kai Cenat in Nigeria, Davido had Omah Lay’s music playing in his car – a moment that quickly went viral. The following day, tweets were exchanged kickstarting an unlikely conversation that led to their first-ever collaboration.

“Funny enough, you’d think Davido and Omah Lay wouldn’t connect like that – I’m very out there, he’s super chill” Davido shared. “But from our first phone call, we talked for like 40 minutes. When he came to Paris Fashion Week, we properly connected – it just made sense.” After some back-and-forth, Omah Lay sent his verse – and the rest is history. “The first time I played it, it captivated me immediately,” Davido said. “I actually had another verse, but my guys said, ‘You need to go crazy on this.’ So we did. We finished it in September, and it’s one of those records that just hits.”

Produced by Nigerian Mega-producer Tempoe, “With You” blends Omah Lay’s soulful calm with Davido’s signature energy – although deriving from their core afrobeat roots, the track is a genre-blurring, banger made from mutual respect, spontaneity, and pure creative chemistry.

Following a massive year that included a Grammy nomination for “Sensational” with Chris Brown, and sold-out stops on his ‘Timeless’ tour, Davido launched an intimate five-city stop underplay. This Summer Davido sets off on a 13-date tour across North America, making stops in Los Angeles, Houston, Toronto, Boston and more – with artists Victony, Morravey and Odumodu Black joining as tour support.

With 5IVE, Davido proves once again why he’s called “The King of Afrobeats” – blending cultures, breaking barriers, and bringing people together through music. The release of “With You” and its stunning visual is yet another reminder of his status as a true global icon.

Upcoming Live Dates with Victony, Morravey and Odumodu Black:

7/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
7/12 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
7/16 – Dallas, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
7/17 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
7/19 – Denver, CO @ The Ogden Theatre
7/25 – Minneapolis, MN @ Armory
7/26 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
7/27 – Laval, QC @ Place Bell
7/31 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
8/1 – Boston, MA @ Agganis Arena
8/2 – Philadelphia, PA @ Liacouras Center
8/5 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavillion
11/20 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena

Nine Inch Nails Ignite the ‘Peel It Back’ Tour With Immersive, Four-Act Spectacle

Eric Alper
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Nine Inch Nails Ignite the ‘Peel It Back’ Tour With Immersive, Four-Act Spectacle

This past week, Nine Inch Nails launched their highly anticipated Peel It Back Tour 2025 with the first three shows of the 41-date global run taking place in Dublin, Manchester, and London. The tour introduces one of the band’s most ambitious productions to date: a four-act experience rooted in classic NIN style but reimagined through cutting-edge design.

Since the beginning of their career, Nine Inch Nails have been known for their incredible live show and inspired visuals. For this tour, Reznor worked alongside creative director Todd Tourso and MTLA.studio. Joining them is long time NIN lighting designer, Paul “Arlo” Guthrie.. The show features raw, handheld cinematography and immersive visuals projected onto translucent fabric—foregoing traditional LED panels and video screens in favor of a 3D, multi-layered environment unlike anything fans have seen before.

Photo Credit: Coen Rees

Each night is unique, with an evolving setlist that spans the band’s robust 37-year catalog. Over the first three shows, the set has opened with a rare, intimate, reimagined set on the B-stage, including powerful renditions of “Right Where It Belongs”, “Piggy” (first live performances since 2009), and “That’s What I Get” (first live performance since 1991).

Photo Credit: Coen Rees

The full band then took over the main stage for Act 2, delivering high-energy performances of fan favorites like “March of the Pigs” and “Reptile” while sweeping visuals cascaded across the layers of fabric. Act 3 featured a return from tour opener Boys Noize, who joined the band for renditions of “Vessel” (first live performance since 2014), “Came Back Haunted” (first performance since 2018), and “Branches/Bones”—bringing a techno-driven energy reminiscent of a Boiler Room set.

Photo Credit: Coen Rees

The final act saw the band return to the main stage, performing against a towering wall of light and closing the night with NIN classics “Head Like a Hole”, “The Perfect Drug”, “Closer”, and more. The energy of the crowd was unmatched, as the band transformed The O2 into an entirely new world for one unforgettable night.

Photo Credit: John Crawford

The Peel It Back Tour continues this Friday, June 20 in Cologne, Germany at Lanxess Arena, ahead of additional stops across Europe in Milan, Zurich, Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, and more. The North America leg kicks off on Wednesday, August 6 in Oakland, CA at Oakland Arena and will feature shows in Denver, Chicago, Toronto, Brooklyn, Houston and more before wrapping up on Friday, September 19 in Los Angeles, CA at Kia Forum.

For tickets and tour information, visit nin.com.

PEEL IT BACK WORLD TOUR 2025 DATES:
Sun Jun 15 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena
Tue Jun 17 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Wed Jun 18 – London, UK – The O2
Fri Jun 20 – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena
Sat Jun 21 – Dessel, Belgium – Graspop Metal Meeting^
Tue Jun 24 – Milan, Italy – Parco della Musica Novegro
Thu Jun 26 – Zurich, Switzerland – Hallenstadion
Fri Jun 27 – Vienna, Austria – Wiener Stadthalle
Sun Jun 29 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome
Tue Jul 01 – Berlin, Germany – Uber Arena
Thu Jul 03 – Gdynia, Poland – Open’er^
Sat Jul 05 – Roskilde, DK – Roskilde^
Mon Jul 07 – Paris, France – Accor Arena
Fri Jul 11 – Madrid, Spain – Mad Cool^
Sat Jul 12 – Oeiras, Portugal – NOS Alive^
Wed Aug 06 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena
Fri Aug 08 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
Sun Aug 10 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
Tue Aug 12 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Thu Aug 14 – West Valley City, UT – Maverik Center
Fri Aug 15 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
Sun Aug 17 – Saint Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
Tue Aug 19 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Wed Aug 20 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Fri Aug 22 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Sat Aug 23 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Tue Aug 26 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
Wed Aug 27 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
Fri Aug 29 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Sun Aug 31 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Tue Sep 02 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
Wed Sep 03 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
Fri Sep 05 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center
Sat Sep 06 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
Tue Sep 09 – Duluth, GA – Gas South Arena
Wed Sep 10 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
Fri Sep 12 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
Sat Sep 13 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
Tue Sep 16 – Phoenix, AZ – PHX Arena (formerly Footprint Center)
Thu Sep 18 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
Fri Sep 19 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum

^Festival Date

19 Facts About Juneteenth That Remind Us Why It Matters

Eric Alper
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19 Facts About Juneteenth That Remind Us Why It Matters

Every June 19, people across the U.S. gather for music, joy, food, and history—not just because it’s summertime, but because it’s Juneteenth, the longest-running African American holiday and now a federal one. It marks the day in 1865 when news of emancipation finally reached enslaved people in Texas—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom delayed, but never denied, and it’s filled with resilience, tradition, and soul food. And yes, red velvet cake too.

Let’s get into 19 amazing facts about Juneteenth that are as moving as they are enlightening:

  1. Juneteenth is a combination of the words June and nineteenth—the day in 1865 when freedom was finally enforced in Texas.
  2. Major General Gordon Granger delivered the famous General Order No. 3 in Galveston, Texas, declaring all enslaved people free.
  3. That moment came over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Lincoln.
  4. Texas was the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday—in 1980!
  5. The holiday started as Jubilee Day in 1866 and often included church services, prayer, fishing, and big community barbecues.
  6. Enslaved people were often banned from public parks, so they bought land to hold their own Juneteenth celebrations. That’s how Houston’s Emancipation Park was born.
  7. Red foods and drinks, like strawberry soda and red velvet cake, are symbolic and traditional—red represents strength and sacrifice.
  8. For many Black Americans, Juneteenth is “America’s Second Independence Day.”
  9. The Juneteenth flag, created in 1997, features a bursting star to symbolize new freedom and a new horizon.
  10. The celebration spread from Texas to places like California, Illinois, and New York through the Great Migration.
  11. The Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s helped revive interest in Juneteenth as a symbol of unfinished freedom.
  12. In 1979, Al Edwards, a Texas legislator, pushed to make Juneteenth a paid holiday. His legacy still echoes at annual celebrations in Galveston.
  13. Opal Lee, now known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” walked from Texas to D.C. to push for federal recognition. She was 94 when President Biden signed it into law.
  14. On June 17, 2021, Juneteenth officially became the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.
  15. Today, at least 27 states give state employees a paid day off to observe Juneteenth.
  16. Modern Juneteenth festivals include art shows, historical reenactments, music performances, voter registration drives, and more.
  17. Cities as far away as Paris and Mexico hold Juneteenth celebrations, proving freedom knows no borders.
  18. Songs like “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” are Juneteenth staples—deeply rooted in cultural memory.
  19. Above all, Juneteenth is about celebrating, educating, and connecting—because freedom, joy, and community are contagious.

So yes, Juneteenth is about history—but it’s also about hope. It reminds us how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go. It’s a day for remembering, for dancing, for teaching our kids, for honoring the ancestors who waited far too long for freedom, and for ensuring no one ever has to wait that long again. And if you can do all that with a plate of ribs in one hand and a slice of red velvet cake in the other? Even better.

Happy Juneteenth, everyone. Freedom looks good on all of us.

Metallica Teams With Blood Brothers Brewery for Until It Sips Beer Celebrating Remastered ‘Load’

Eric Alper
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Metallica Teams With Blood Brothers Brewery for Until It Sips Beer Celebrating Remastered ‘Load’

In a unique fusion of rock legend and craft brewing artistry, independent Canadian brewery Blood Brothers Brewery have partnered with Metallica to launch “Until It Sips,” a commemorative beer celebrating the remastered release of their pivotal 1996 album, Load. Dry hopped with Citra, Simcoe, and Cascade, “Until It Sips” is a full-flavoured, easy-drinking pale that boasts a vast bouquet of tropical fruit and citrus aromas, all while utilizing choice hops properties to keep bitterness low. This special brew will be available starting June 19th, just days after the remastered album’s release on June 13th. 10% of all proceeds from “Until It Sips” will directly benefit Metallica’sAll Within My Hands foundation. 

Load, originally released on June 4, 1996, marked a bold stylistic evolution for Metallica, shifting towards a more hard rock sound. The album was a commercial powerhouse, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and selling 680,000 units in its first week, ultimately achieving 5x platinum status. Its enduring significance lies in its exploration of personal struggle, notably in the lead single “Until It Sleeps,” which inspired the beer’s name.   

The remastered Load edition, overseen by Greg Fidelman and Reuben Cohen, features newly remastered original tracks alongside a treasure trove of previously unreleased demos, rough mixes, and live recordings. The deluxe box set alone boasts over 200 unreleased tracks, and for the first time ever, the original extended version of “The Outlaw Torn” is included. The album is available in multiple formats, including CD, 3CD, 2LP, a comprehensive box set, cassette, and digital.   

To offer fans an exclusive glimpse into the remastered experience, Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett personally unboxes the Load Remastered Deluxe Box Set in a special video. This video is easily accessible via a unique QR code printed directly on every “Until It Sips” beer label, transforming the physical product into an interactive gateway to digital content. Fans can scan the QR code to instantly access the video here.

This collaboration is a toast to legacy, innovation, and community, inviting fans and enthusiasts to engage with both the remastered Load album and the “Until It Sips” beer as a celebration of music, craft, and giving back.

How Cloud Hr Software Can Simplify Hr Management?

Eric Alper
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By Mitch Rice

Let’s be honest, HR management isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Between tracking attendance, managing payroll, onboarding new hires, and keeping up with compliance, it’s easy to feel buried under paperwork and spreadsheets.

What if there were a way to eliminate the chaos, decrease the administrative stress, and transform HR into something that is fun?

Enter Cloud HR Software, the superhero of the digital age that is changing how businesses manage human resources. Don’t get lost in Excel documents or chasing employees for documents. You can enjoy streamlined, easy HR management anywhere any time.

What Exactly Is Cloud HR Software?

Imagine the possibility of having all your HR processes such as pay, leave management monitoring, performance tracking, employee records, all in one cloud-based, centralized system. No more bulky filing cabinets or lost documents and certainly no panicked last-minute payroll changes.

Cloud HR software keeps everything in a secure online database, available from every device that has Internet access. If you’re a small business with just 10 employees or an enterprise with thousands of employees, this technology will adapt to your requirements.

How Cloud HR Software Makes HR Management Easier

1. Bye-Bye, Paperwork (Hello, Automation)

Remember the old days of manually recording attendance in an employee register? Printing out pay slips for each employee? The days of printing out payslips for every employee are gone.

Automated Attendance & Leave Management

  • Employees can log in using mobile applications, while managers receive real-time data.
  • Requests for leave? You can approve them with a click. no more email back-and-forth.

Digital Employee Records

  • There’s no need to search through folders to find a single document. 
  • Everything is securely stored on the cloud.

2. Payroll That Doesn’t Give You Nightmares

Payroll is among the most time-consuming and error-prone HR-related tasks. One mistake could cause discontented employees as well as compliance headaches.

Cloud HR software:

  • Calculates salaries, taxes, and deductions automatically
  • Generates payslips instantly
  • Integrates with accounting software (like Tally or QuickBooks)

No more late-night number-crunching. Just accurate, on-time payments every month.

3. Effortless Recruitment & Onboarding

Hiring new talent shouldn’t feel like running a marathon. Cloud HR software simplifies the entire process:

Job Posting & Applicant Tracking

  • Post openings on multiple job portals in one click.
  • Screen resumes, schedule interviews, and send offer letters, all from the same platform.

Smooth Onboarding

  • New hires can digitally submit documents, sign contracts, and complete training modules before Day 1. 
  • No more chasing them for paperwork, everything’s stored in their digital employee profile.

4. Performance Management That Actually Works

Annual performance reviews are outdated. Employees want real-time feedback, and managers need actionable insights.

With cloud HR software:

  • Continuous performance tracking (no more waiting for yearly reviews)
  • Goal-setting and progress monitoring
  • 360-degree feedback from peers and managers

This means happier employees, better productivity, and fewer surprises during appraisal season.

5. Compliance Without the Stress

Labor laws, tax regulations, PF/ESI filings, keeping up with compliance is a full-time job in itself. One mistake, and you could face penalties.

Cloud HR software:

  • Stays updated with the latest labor laws
  • Automates statutory filings (PF, ESI, TDS)
  • Generates compliance reports in seconds

No more last-minute panic before audits.

6. Employee Self-Service (Because HR Isn’t a Helpdesk)

How many times a day do employees ask HR for basic info like payslips, leave balances, or tax forms?

A self-service portal lets employees:

  • View and download payslips
  • Apply for leave
  • Update personal details
  • Access company policies

This means fewer repetitive queries and more time for HR to focus on strategic work.

7. Data Security & Remote Access

Gone are the days of worrying about lost files or unauthorized access. Cloud HR software offers:

  • Role-based permissions (HR sees everything, employees see only their data)
  • Encrypted storage (no more leaks of sensitive info)
  • Access from anywhere, perfect for remote or hybrid teams

8. Analytics & Smarter Decision-Making

HR isn’t just about admin work, it’s about strategy. Cloud HR software provides:

  • Employee turnover trends
  • Attendance and productivity insights
  • Cost-per-hire analysis

With real-time reports, HR can make data-driven decisions instead of guessing.

Who Needs Cloud HR Software?

  • Startups & SMEs – Can’t afford a big HR team? Automate everything instead.
  • Growing Companies – Scaling fast? A cloud system grows with you.
  • Remote Teams – Need seamless HR access from anywhere? Cloud is the answer.
  • HR Teams Drowning in Admin Work – Free up time for meaningful work.

Conclusion 

If you’re still managing HR with spreadsheets, emails, and paper files, you’re wasting time, money, and energy. Cloud HR software isn’t just a luxury, it’s a necessity for modern businesses.

The benefits

  • Less paperwork, more productivity 
  • Fewer errors, happier employees
  • Better compliance, fewer legal risks
  • Smarter decisions with real-time data

So, if you’re ready to ditch the HR chaos and embrace a smoother, more efficient way of working, it might be time to move to the cloud. Your HR team (and your sanity) will thank you. 

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

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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