Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails break down their band’s most iconic tracks, “Hurt,” “Head Like a Hole,” “Closer,” and scores from ‘The Social Network,’ ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,’ ‘Watchmen,’ Pixar’s ‘Soul,’ and newest film ‘Challengers.’
The Band Loula Releases Haunting “Running Off The Angels” Video Featuring Ashley McBryde And Peytan Porter
Emerging country duo The Band Loula releases a powerful new music video for its captivating song, “Running Off the Angels,” today. The striking clip—directed by band member Logan Simmons alongside Ben Humphrey and Corey Bost—features special appearances by Ashley McBryde and fellow Georgian co-writer Peytan Porter.
Written by the duo—Simmons and Malachi Mills—with Porter, “Running Off the Angels” has continued to draw critical attention since its debut last month. Billboard hails it as “an immensely promising release from this duo,” while All Country News calls it “a haunting, culturally charged ballad that cements their place as one of the genre’s most compelling new acts,” and MusicRow proclaims, “Bluesy, swampy and cool, this conjures a spell with its mysterious, haunting, biblical images of damnation and redemption…highly engaging.”
The song also resonated deeply with fans when the band first posted it on social media last year, inspiring many to share personal stories of growing up in the Bible Belt.
Reflecting on the track, The Band Loula shares, “We wrote this song with love in our hearts and fire in our bones. ‘Running Off the Angels’ is a lament born of our roots in the Bible Belt—a story of struggle, judgment and redemption. It’s for those who’ve been cast aside and misunderstood, and a reminder that love, even in its darkest form, can still light the way.”
North Georgia natives and longtime friends, The Band Loula is poised for a major breakout this year, already earning widespread industry attention for the duo’s undeniable chemistry and sibling-tight harmonies. After entering into a landmark partnership with Warner Music Nashville last year, they are currently in the studio working on their debut project with John Osborne (Brothers Osborne). The new music follows earlier singles such as “Marshall County Man,” “Don’t Call Me,” and “A Little at a Time,” each showcasing the group’s powerful storytelling and distinctive swamp-grass sound.
Known for their engaging live performances, Mills and Simmons will make their Grand Ole Opry debut tomorrow, May 23, before joining Dierks Bentley and Zach Top on Bentley’s extensive tour this summer. The band has spent most of the past few years on the road, including dates with Brothers Osborne, Ashley McBryde, Paul Cauthen, Elle King, and Brent Cobb. See below for the current tour itinerary.
THE BAND LOULA — CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
May 23 — Nashville, TN — Grand Ole Opry
May 24 — Brilliant, AL — Coalfest 2025
May 29 — Austin, TX — Moody Center *
May 30 — Dallas, TX — Dos Equis Pavilion *
May 31 — Tulsa, OK — BOK Center *
June 5 — Alpharetta, GA — Ameris Bank Amphitheatre *
June 6 — Tampa, FL — MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre *
June 7 — West Palm Beach, FL — iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre *
June 12 — Toronto, ON — Budweiser Stage *
June 14 — Tinley Park, IL — Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre *
June 19 — Chula Vista, CA — North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre *
June 20 — Phoenix, AZ — Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre *
June 21 — Albuquerque, NM — Isleta Amphitheater *
June 26 — Los Angeles, CA — Intuit Dome *
June 27 — Wheatland, CA — Toyota Amphitheatre *
June 28 — Mountain View, CA — Shoreline Amphitheatre *
July 10 — Virginia Beach, VA — Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater *
July 11 — Bristow, VA — Jiffy Lube Live *
July 12 — Mansfield, MA — Xfinity Center *
July 18 — Cincinnati, OH — Riverbend Music Center *
July 19 — Noblesville, IN — Ruoff Music Center *
July 31 — Salt Lake City, UT — Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre *
Aug 1 — Nampa, ID — Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater *
Aug 7 — Camden, NJ — Freedom Mortgage Pavilion *
Aug 8 — Raleigh, NC — Coastal Credit Union Music Park *
Aug 9 — Charlotte, NC — PNC Music Pavilion *
Aug 14 — Darien Center, NY — Darien Lake Amphitheater *
Aug 15 — Holmdel, NJ — PNC Bank Arts Center *
Aug 16 — Bethel, NY — Bethel Woods Center for the Arts *
Aug 21 — Savannah, GA — Enmarket Arena *
Aug 22 — Birmingham, AL — Coca-Cola Amphitheatre *
Aug 23 — Biloxi, MS — Mississippi Coast Coliseum *
Aug 24 — Gainesville, GA — Smithgall Arts Center
Aug 28 — New York, NY — Madison Square Garden *
Aug 29 — Burgettstown, PA — The Pavilion at Star Lake *
Aug 30 — Clarkston, MI — Pine Knob Music Theatre *
Lynyrd Skynyrd Release First-Ever Official Video For Rock Anthem “Free Bird”
Today, UMe presents the first-ever official music video for “Free Bird” the iconic song from the legendary Florida rock band and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Lynyrd Skynyrd. Fittingly, the song lands just in time for Memorial Day weekend, where the song is a staple at many gatherings across the U.S.
“Allen Collins wrote the music to it, he wrote the beginning and I wrote the end. Ronnie said ‘There’s too many chords, I can’t write words to that many chords.’ We were on the couch, and Ronnie said ‘play that again’ and after two or three times, all of sudden he said ‘What do you think about this.’ Then he’d sing the whole song to you….He wouldn’t write it down. He thought if you couldn’t remember it, it wasn’t worth keeping.’ – Gary Rossington, 2019
“Free Bird” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008. For over five decades, the song has resonated from one generation to the next. “Free Bird” remains not only one of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s most recognizable hits, but also one of the most famous rock songs of all-time. It originally closed out the band’s full-length debut LP, (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd), released in 1973. The song reached the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975. Speaking to the song’s longevity, it has generated a staggering 773 million Spotify streams and counting with numerous high-profile renditions including Bob Dylan. Most recently, Dolly Parton joined forces with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Artimus Pyle to record “Free Bird” for her 2023 album. A cultural touchstone, it has appeared in films ranging from Forrest Gump to Kingsman: The Secret Service.
Everybody everywhere knows ‘Free Bird.’ It’s played at graduations, weddings, and funerals.” – Gary Rossington, 2019
The long overdue official video for, “Free Bird” finally has its release this summer.
Director Max Moore [Knocked Loose, Chloe Moriondo] helmed the nine minute-plus cinematic visual. Although there are many interpretations to the song’s meaning, this interpretation of the epic song is a nostalgic narrative of eternal love and the timeless spirit of “Free Bird” with its own relatable and uplifting American tale of true love.
Kaiser Chiefs Announce ‘Employment’ 20th Anniversary Reissue And Summer Celebration Shows
Following the announcement of a run of very special outdoor celebration shows, which include a massive hometown show at Leeds’ Temple Newsam Park later this month, Yorkshire indie icons Kaiser Chiefs have announced a 20th anniversary release of their seminal debut album Employment. The album will come July 18th.
A year typically commemorated with china, Kaiser Chiefs will mark 20 years of their iconic debut album Employment with three brand new expanded ‘China Anniversary’ formats. The 1LP edition is pressed on white vinyl, and includes ‘bonus’ track ‘Take My Temperature’; the 2LP set features 15 additional tracks, including a selection of B-Sides and CD single bonus tracks, plus two previously unreleased songs, exclusive to this format. On the 3CD set, alongside the original album, the band have added 40 tracks, including previously unreleased demo recordings, remixes, radio sessions, and a selection of live tracks that chart their rapid rise from small club dates in Leeds, to festival headline act. The original album has been remastered at Abbey Road Studios, and the bonus material was curated by the band from their own archive.
Originally released in March 2005, the album landed to wide-spread acclaim and has gone on to become one of the most successful debut albums from a UK band. Peaking at No. 2 on the UK album chart, the record has since spent more than 17 months on the Official Top 40 chart, selling more than 2.1 million copies in the process, and being certified 7 x Platinum status by the British Phonographic Industry. Featuring a host of hit singles including ‘Oh My God’, ‘I Predict A Riot’, ‘Everyday I Love You Less And Less’ and ‘Modern Way’, the album catapulted the band to into the music world’s stratosphere, setting them onto the path of arena mainstays and festival headline status across the world.
“20 years ago, a brand new song by a brand new band was released. ‘I Predict A Riot’ was the start of something really special for some musicians from Leeds,” the band reminisced. “And the album that followed, ‘Employment’, changed our lives and has soundtracked the lives of millions of others since 2005. In 2025 we are saluting 20 years of that album and everyone is invited. Come celebrate the 2000’s, loving everything less & less and stripey blazers taking over the world..”
To coincide with the release Kaiser Chiefs will also be taking the celebrations out on the road this summer. Kicking off in Port Talbot on May 23rd, the band will play a run of outdoor shows across the UK stopping off in Leeds, Bristol, Edinburgh, London, Brighton, Cumbria & Newquay – full dates below.
2025 OUTDOOR SHOWS
May
Thur 22nd Live at Argyle Home Park Stadium,Plymouth, UK
Fri 23rd In It Together Festival, Port Talbot, UK
Sat 31st Temple Newsam, Leeds, UK
June
Sun 22nd Pinkpop Festival, Amsterdam, NL
Thur 26th Bristol Sounds, Bristol, UK
Sat 28th Glastonbury Festival, Somerset, UK
July
Fri 4th Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, UK
Thu 10th Weekend Beach Festival, Malaga, ESP
Fri 11th Mad Cool Festival, Madrid, ESP
Sat 12th Cruilla Barcelona, Barcelona, ESP
Sat 19th Alexandra Palace Park, London, UK
Sun 20th Splendour Festival, Nottingham, UK
Mon 21st Tall Ship Races, Aberdeen, UK
Sat 26th Latitude, Suffolk, UK
Sun 27th Brighton Beach, Brighton, UK
Thu 31st Kendal Calling, Cumbria, UK
August
Sat 2nd Suikkerock Festival, Tienan, BE
Sun 3rd Ronquieres Festival, Braine-la-Comte, BE
Fri 8th Boardmasters, Newquay, UK
Sun 10th The Weekender, Belfast, UK
Sat 23rd The National Museum of Ireland, Dublin, ROI
Sun 24th Live at the Docklands, Limerick, ROI
Formed in Leeds in 2000, Kaiser Chiefs are one of the most exciting and consistently successful bands of their generation. Fronted by the charismatic Ricky Wilson, with Simon Rix on bass, Andrew ‘Whitey’ White on guitar, Nick ‘Peanut’ Baines on keyboards and drummer Vijay Mistry, the band have released eight original studio albums (two of those UK No. 1), had nine Top 40 singles, including the No. 1 ‘Ruby’, received three Brit Awards, an Ivor Novello Album of the Year award for Employment, toured with U2, Foo Fighters and Green Day and sold more than eight million albums worldwide.
Conan Gray Announces New Album ‘Wishbone’ Arriving August 15
Today, multi-platinum selling singer-songwriter Conan Gray surprises fans with the announcement of new album, Wishbone, arriving August 15 via Republic Records. In addition to unveiling the forthcoming album title, track listing, and artwork, Conan reveals the first single “This Song” will arrive on Friday, May 30.
Conan Gray comments on the surprise announcement, “Over the past two years, I’ve been secretly writing songs. After shows in the basements of the venues, in the sheets of my hotel beds, in narrow gaps between tours— I’d come back home and write all the things I felt nobody wanted to hear. Maybe even the things I didn’t want people to hear.”
“It felt like the music was reminding me who I am, at an experimental time in my twenties where “who i am” had no definition at all.” Conan continues, “I played the songs to the very first person I’d ever made music with, Dan Nigro, and I quietly began to record. I didn’t know why I was recording, I just was. I didn’t know what story I was telling, I was just living in it. Slowly I started to see myself in full picture. The slivers of myself I’d always been, but never faced. The songs I’d always been writing, but never singing. Before I knew it I was surrounded by an album. That album is Wishbone.”
Much like his first two albums, Conan wrote all the songs on Wishbone from his bedroom, and has reunited with Grammy Award winning longtime collaborator Dan Nigro as executive producer. Nigro previously produced Conan’s debut EP Sunset Season in 2018, as well as Gray’s first two albums, Kid Krow (2020) and Superache (2022). In addition, Conan worked with Ethan Gruska (Phoebe Bridgers), Noah Conrad, Luka Kloser and Elvira as producers on Wishbone.
On Wishbone, Conan Gray returns to his singer-songwriter roots after falling in love for the first time.
Nobody has tapped into the thoughts and feelings of this era quite like Conan Gray has. The Texas native has transformed into the Gen Z singer-songwriter by never losing sight of where he came from, still writing songs in his bedroom, hand-drawing his art, and designing a world without comparison. 2020 saw him leave an indelible imprint on popular culture with his full-length debut LP, Kid Krow. Produced by longtime collaborator and GRAMMY® Award winner Dan Nigro, it bowed at #5 on the Billboard 200, went Platinum, and yielded a series of signature smashes, including the 4x-Platinum “Heather,” 3x-Platinum “Maniac,” and Gold-Certified “Comfort Crowd,” “The Story,” “Wish You Were Sober,” and “The Cut That Always Bleeds.” Among these staples, he entered rarified air with “Heather,” becoming “one of a handful of songs with 2 billion streams penned by one writer (Conan).” With 12 billion total streams to date, Conan returned to the top of the charts with Superache [2022] and Found Heaven[2024]. Moreover, he has incited the applause of The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Vogue, GQ, V Man, PAPER, The FADER, Billboard, and NPR in addition to performing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, TODAY, and more. He has taken flight as an arena headliner, selling out hallowed venues such as Madison Square Garden. A fixture at events like the Met Gala, Conan’s just as uncompromisingly influential as a style icon, embracing a fashion-forward aesthetic like no other. Beyond thriving as a songwriter, he serves as the core creative director, shaping every layer of his vision down to creating cover art and co-directing music videos. He turns the page on his next chapter in 2025 with his fourth full-length album, Wishbone [Republic Records], beginning with the single “This Song.”
Wishbone Tracklisting:
1. Actor
2. This Song
3. Vodka Cranberry
4. Romeo
5. My World
6. Class Clown
7. Nauseous
8. Caramel
9. Connell
10. Sunset Tower
11. Eleven Eleven
12. Care
Calum Scott Shares Heartfelt New Ballad “Die For You” From Upcoming Album ‘Avenoir’
Today, multi-platinum singer-songwriter Calum Scott premieres his new single “Die For You” — a tender declaration of fiercely devoted love. The latest release from his upcoming third album Avenoir, due out September 12th, “Die For You” reaffirms the UK-based artist’s incredible talent for crafting the kind of songs that become the soundtrack to our lives’ most meaningful moments. Listen to “Die For You” HERE, watch the official lyric video below and go HERE to pre-order Avenoir now.
Anchored in his gently commanding vocal work, “Die For You” was written by Calum, Jon “MAGS” Maguire, and Corey Sanders — the very same trio of songwriters who penned his 5X platinum smash “You Are The Reason” (an iconic standout from his gold-certified 2018 debut Only Human, also featuring his 3x platinum, Brit Award-nominated cover of Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own”). In a departure from the larger-than-life energy of Calum’s previous single “God Knows,” “Die For You” unfolds with an intimacy that fully intensifies its unfettered emotion.
“I have been eagerly anticipating for the last four years to release this song,” says Calum. “After experimenting with more uptempo songs on the album, I wanted something that spoke to the soul. ‘Die For You’ is a classic devotion of love, a poetic and visual kind of storytelling that from my earliest dreams of being an artist, was what I always saw myself performing. This feels just as special to me as ‘You Are The Reason’ and ‘Dancing On My Own.’ I’m so excited for the world to hear this.”
Since first rising to global fame, Calum has heard from countless fans who’ve shared their stories of incorporating his songs into weddings, end-of-life rituals, and other major life events. With “Die For You,” he continues that legacy by delivering a love song for the ages. After opening on a somber expression of regret (“I wish that it was simple/I wish there was a way/To fix what I have broken/To change the way I’m made”), the piano-led ballad reaches a glorious urgency at the chorus: “If the world was on fire/I’d fight it for you/I’d cry enough water/And breathe all the fumes.” With its sweeping strings and delicate acoustic guitar, “Die For You” also finds Calum’s voice drifting into a breathtaking falsetto — a moment that perfectly captures the bittersweet ache that comes with loving someone so intensely.
The follow-up to Calum’s acclaimed sophomore album Bridges — a 2022 LP including hits like “Rise” (hailed by Rolling Stone as “one of the 50 Most inspirational LGBTQ Songs of All Time”), “Biblical,” and “If You Ever Change Your Mind” — Avenoir borrows its title from John Koenig’s The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, a word-construction project that defines “avenoir” as “the desire that memory could flow backward.” Along with soul-stirring songs like “Die For You,” Avenoir contains a number of tracks that lean toward the dance-ready sound of past releases like “Roots” (a blissed-out summer anthem released last July), “Where Are You Now” (a gold-certified collaboration with Lost Frequencies that earned a 2023 BRIT Award Nomination for Best International Song and cracked the Top 20 on the Spotify Global Chart), and “Whistle” (his gold-certified collaboration with producer/DJ/multi-instrumentalist Jax Jones).
As announced last month, Calum will soon embark on “The Avenoir Tour” — a massive headline run set to bring his phenomenal live show to 24 cities across the UK and Europe and 24 cities across North America. (Check out the tour trailer here.) With his latest live experience including performing at stadiums across Asia and Europe as support for Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics Tour, Calum will take the stage at famed venues like London’s OVO Wembley Arena, The Wiltern in Los Angeles, and Terminal 5 in New York City. Vist www.calumscott.com/tour for the full itinerary.
With over 10 billion streams worldwide, Calum’s songs have appeared on countless TV shows over the years (including “American Idol,” “The Voice,” “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and many more). His television performances include “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” “Good Morning America,” “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” “Dancing With The Stars,” and the “The TODAY Show,” among others. In addition, Calum has garnered acclaim from outlets including Billboard (who praised his “stunningly pure voice”), The Huffington Post (who stated that “Scott makes an impressive splash…compelling”), and Rolling Stone (who declared that “[Scott] can give any listener chills”). Stay tuned for more new music from Calum soon.
KAROL G Drops Summer Anthem “Latina Foreva” Following Global Netflix Documentary Success
Following the international success of her acclaimed documentary, GRAMMY-winning recording artist KAROL G releases her highly anticipated summer anthem, “LATINA FOREVA.” The new release, her first official single of 2025, is a fierce reggaeton track that blends irresistible early 2000s-inspired beats with pop charm, delivering a sound that’s both nostalgic and refreshingly modern. “LATINA FOREVA” is available now on all digital streaming platforms.
Produced by Mazzarri and Misha, “LATINA FOREVA” captures KAROL G’s bold and unapologetic essence in a powerful celebration of Latina identity. Her vocals glide with playful charisma over a sleek, high-energy beat, radiating confidence and style. The track honors her musical roots while pushing her sound into daring new territory, marking a dynamic new chapter in her evolution as an artist.
The video, directed by Pedro Artola, puts a playful spin on Latinas bringing the heat wherever they go. With a snowy Mammoth Lakes, California as its stage, the contrast between the cold environment and the undeniable presence of Karol G and her all-Latino cast, including the renowned Flamenco guitarist Jose Del Tomate, creates a striking visual. Embodying confidence and cultural pride, the video places Latinas front and center.
“LATINA FOREVA” arrives on the heels of the success of KAROL G’s Netflix documentary “TOMORROW WAS BEAUTIFUL,” which skyrocketed to #1 in 19 countries, including the United States, Colombia, Mexico, and Spain. In addition, KAROL G recently received 3 nominations for the 2025 American Music Awards, including Favorite Female Latin Artist. Through her most recent single and ever-growing list of accolades, KAROL G continues to demonstrate her undeniable influence as one of the leading figures in the entertainment industry, proudly representing Latin culture wherever the upward trajectory of her boundless career takes her.
Lauren Spencer Smith Shares “Bridesmaid” Ahead Of Sophomore Album And International Tour
Breakout vocalist and songwriter Lauren Spencer Smith shares a further taste of new music with “bridesmaid,” from her highly anticipated sophomore album THE ART OF BEING A MESS, out June 27 on Island Records/Republic Records/Universal Music Canada.
“bridesmaid” follows “IF KARMA DOESN’T GET YOU (I WILL),” which landed on Spotify’s US Viral Chart. Listen/share HERE and watch/share the official lyric video HERE.
Spencer Smith will set out on THE ART OF BEING A MESS headline tour this Fall. Kicking off on September 3 in Madrid, she will embark on a 29-date tour, spanning Europe, U.K., Australia and New Zealand, including stops in Paris, London, Berlin, Dublin, Glasgow and more—with over 50k tickets already sold. See below for a complete list of dates. Tickets and more information HERE.
North American tour dates coming soon.
True to its name, THE ART OF BEING A MESS captures the emotional rollercoaster Spencer Smith experienced while writing her second album. Each song taps into a feeling—anger, devastation, love, peace, confusion and everything in between, sometimes all at once. Reflecting on the chaos of being human, each song finds Spencer Smith revisiting real stories and experiences in her life. With this album, she reminds listeners to embrace and feel comfortable in their emotions, that not everything is black-and-white.
“THE ART OF BEING A MESS is about embracing the highs and lows, the chaos and the beauty in feeling everything, no matter what the emotion is,” Spencer Smith explains, “Life gets messy, and it’s okay to be angry, sad, confused—or even unsure of what you’re feeling at all. I want this album to feel like a guidebook, helping you understand your own emotions and feeling okay to embrace the journey they take you on.”
THE ART OF BEING A MESS follows her debut album, Mirror (2023), which features the RIAA Certified Platinum singles “Flowers” and “Fingers Crossed”—the latter of which peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has reached over 875 million global streams.
From a small town on Vancouver Island, Spencer Smith began her musical journey in 2019, gaining a sizeable audience online. Through her music, she explored breakups, complex feelings about school, family and friends. Spencer Smith has performed at the MTV Video Music Awards, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and the People’s Choice Awards—where she was also a Best New Artist nominee.
‘The Music Of Bill Monroe’ Is The Definitive Discography Of The Bluegrass Pioneer
Spanning over 1,000 separate performances, The Music of Bill Monroe presents a complete chronological list of all of Bill Monroe’s commercially released sound and visual recordings. Each chapter begins with a narrative describing Monroe’s life and career at that point, bringing in producers, sidemen, and others as they become part of the story. The narratives read like a “who’s who” of bluegrass, connecting Monroe to the music’s larger history and containing many fascinating stories.
The second part of each chapter presents the discography. Information here includes the session’s place, date, time, and producer; master/matrix numbers, song/tune titles, composer credits, personnel, instruments, and vocals; and catalog/release numbers and reissue data.
The only complete bio-discography of this American musical icon, The Music of Bill Monroe is the starting point for any study of Monroe’s contributions as a composer, interpreter, and performer.
Bill Burr Reacts To Impressions Of Himself From Jay Pharoah, Jon Lovitz, And More
“That’s a Bill Burr 2004 right there.” Legendary comedian Bill Burr reviews some of the most popular impressions of himself and gives his opinion on each one. From Jay Pharoah and Marina Franklin to Andrew Santino and even Jon Lovitz, here are some of the best impressions of Bill Burr.