Synthet’s “The History of Iconic Sounds” is the kind of video that stops your scroll and doesn’t let go, tracing the origins of sounds so embedded in internet and pop culture that most people never stopped to ask where they came from, covering everything from the “Fahh” and the Sad Trombone to the Air Horn, the Vine Boom, the “Yeah Boi,” and the Kill Bill-sourced rizz sound, all synced to an original musical arrangement that keeps the whole thing locked to the beat from start to finish.
Indie Week 2026 Brings the Independent Music Industry to New York for Four Days of Big Conversations
The Foundation for Independent Music has revealed the full programming lineup for Indie Week 2026, and the 18th annual edition runs June 8-11 at the InterContinental New York Times Square. This is the premier gathering for the independent music community, and this year’s speaker roster reflects how much is at stake for the indie sector right now.
New additions include a featured conversation between Nat Zilkha, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Firebird Music Holdings, and Jason Peterson, CEO of GoDigital Music Group, focused on new business models for indie labels. A2IM CEO Ian Harrison joins Luminate CEO Rob Jonas for a fireside chat, adding to previously announced keynotes featuring Concord Label Group’s Tom Becci, copyright attorney and Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter, Merlin CEO Charlie Lexton, and Steven Victor of Victor Victor Worldwide.
The programming goes well beyond panels. The Spotify for Artists Masterclass, workshops from ONErpm, Chartmetric, Musixmatch, ElevenLabs, SoundExchange, and more, plus IndieVest ’26 connecting the financial investment sector directly with the independent music community, and a Music Innovation Showcase spotlighting groundbreaking companies all fill out the schedule.
Live podcast recordings with Jay Gilbert’s Your Morning Coffee Podcast and Ari Herstand’s The New Music Business round out the content programming, alongside community events, happy hours, after parties, and activations from partners including Bandcamp, TuneCore, SoundCloud, Billboard, Amazon, and Secretly Distribution.
Context worth noting: Billboard identified the independent music label sector as accounting for 44.15% of the US recorded-music industry in the first quarter of 2026. The conversations happening at Indie Week reflect that scale.
Tickets are available now. Full schedule at the Indie Week website.
Flea and Thom Yorke Turned KOKO London Into a Soul and Funk Party Nobody Saw Coming
Flea brought his Honora Band to KOKO in London on May 26, and Thom Yorke showed up to make it a night worth talking about, joining the set for performances of “Traffic Light” and a euphoric run through Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up” that had the crowd dancing and the internet paying attention the next morning. The collaboration draws on a deep and ongoing creative friendship: Flea and Yorke were both part of Atoms for Peace, the supergroup that also included Nigel Godrich and Joey Waronker, who briefly reunited in 2018, and the two later connected on “Daily Battles” for Edward Norton’s film ‘Motherless Brooklyn.’ Watching them share a stage in an intimate London venue, loose and joyful, is a reminder of what happens when genuinely great musicians play for the love of it.
Electronic Pioneer What So Not Returns With Cinematic New Single “EVEREST” Featuring Alina Pash
What So Not has a new single arriving Friday, and it signals something significant. “EVEREST,” featuring Alina Pash, is the first release from his forthcoming EP ‘I SAW A TRAP DJ AND IT CHANGED MY BIO CHEMISTRY,’ and it reconnects with the cinematic, emotionally immersive sound that made him a defining force in the global rise of trap and future bass music during the 2010s.
The track doesn’t chase nostalgia. “EVEREST” takes the expansive, melodic tension of that era and pushes it through a decade of artistic evolution, with intricate sound design and cinematic scale anchored by a striking vocal performance from Alina Pash. It’s the sound that reshaped electronic music culture, filtered through everything What So Not has learned since.
That early chapter included pivotal collaborative work with Flume, a creative partnership that helped define an entire moment in electronic music. The new EP suggests What So Not is ready to define another one.
“EVEREST” featuring Alina Pash drops Friday, May 29.
John PayCheck and Struggle Jennings Unite Two Outlaw Legacies on “Sons Of The Spark”
Two names. Two legacies. One track that landed 20,000 streams in its first week without a major label or corporate radio behind it. John PayCheck and Struggle Jennings have released “Sons Of The Spark,” and the official studio music video premieres May 29 on PayCheck’s YouTube channel. Listen here.
The collaboration pairs the son of outlaw country icon Johnny PayCheck with the grandson of Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter, 2 independent artists carrying recognizable bloodlines while building careers entirely on their own terms. The track blends traditional country roots with Southern rap and Americana crossover energy, and it sounds exactly like the sum of those parts.
PayCheck puts it directly: “We have a lot more in common than some might think: growing up wasn’t easy for us, we both had our own demons to deal with, and we learned some hard family lessons.” The song, written by both artists and recorded at Gnome Studios with producer Bill McDermott (George Strait, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley), centers on legacy, expectation, and carving a path beyond the shadow of legendary names.
Jennings brings serious independent credibility to the pairing. He holds an RIAA Gold certification for his collaboration with Jelly Roll on “Fall In The Fall,” and scored a Billboard number one and Gold certification for “God We Need You Now.” Since his release from prison in 2016, he’s built a devoted following on music rooted in raw honesty, survival, and redemption.
PayCheck’s own momentum is real and growing. His second album earned Grammy consideration in 2025, landing among a limited field of 45 releases in its category. Forbes profiled him, American Songwriter premiered his “Honky-Tonk Blackout” video, and Cowboys & Indians spotlighted “Foolish Ways.” His debut single “Lone Stars” charted on MusicRow, and he’s a CMA of Texas Jim & Mona Boles Legacy Award recipient.
“Sons Of The Spark” is out now via HorseBite Entertainment. The Better Plan Tour runs through November across more than 30 dates.
2026 Better Plan Tour Dates:
Thu May 29 – Bisbee, AZ – Bisbee Grand Hotel
Thu Jun 4 – Pomona, CA – The Cathedral
Fri Jun 5 – Salt Lake City, UT – Aces High Saloon
Sat Jun 6 – Horseshoe Bend, ID – Locking Horns Riverside Restaurant
Sun Jun 7 – Lewiston, ID – Boomers Garden
Wed Jun 11 – Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads
Thu Jun 19 – Houston, TX – The Continental Club
Sat Jun 20 – Burleson, TX – Hoots Hall
Wed Jun 24 – Millersburg, OH – Amish County Theater
Sat Jun 27 – New Castle, DE – Shriners Hospital Benefit
Sun Jun 28 – Shepherdstown, WV – Opera House LIVE
Fri Jul 3 – Levelland, TX – The Wallace Theatre
Sat Jul 11 – Cordele, GA – Lake Blackshear Resort & Golf Club
Thu Jul 16 – Cleveland, TX – Texan Theater
Fri Jul 17 – Marble Falls, TX – Brass Hall
Sat Jul 18 – Whitehorse, TX – Blackhawk Creek Grill
Fri Aug 8 – Cortland, NY – Cortland Country Music Park Campground
Fri Aug 15 – Spearfish, SD – Crow Peak Brewing Company
Thu Aug 20 – Lawrence, KS – Bottleneck
Fri Aug 21 – Yorkville, NY – The Law Office Pub
Sun Aug 23 – Sauk Rapids, MN – Rollie’s
Thu Aug 28 – Denham Springs, LA – Southern Rhythm Venue & Entertainment
Sun Aug 31 – Lexington, KY – WoodSongs at Scottish Rite Hall
Sat Sep 17 – Sioux Falls, SD – Bigs Bar
Thu Sep 18 – Davenport, IA – Rhythm City Casino Resort
Fri Sep 19 – Riverside, IA – Riverside Casino & Golf Resort
Wed Sep 24 – Coltons Point, MD – Potomac Gardens
Fri Sep 26 – Hagerstown, MD – Hub City Vinyl
Sat Sep 27 – Beacon, NY – Howland Cultural Center
Sat Oct 17 – Beaumont, TX – Soggy Bottom Saloon
Fri Nov 7 – Bandera, TX – 11th St. Cowboy Bar
George Strait and Lainey Wilson Join Alan Jackson’s Star-Studded Farewell at Nissan Stadium
The lineup for Alan Jackson’s final full-length concert just got considerably bigger. George Strait and Lainey Wilson have joined the sold-out June 27 farewell show at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium, adding two of country music’s most essential figures to an already stacked all-star celebration.
Strait, the uncontested King of Country Music with over 100 million RIAA certifications and more than 60 major industry awards, has a decades-long history with Jackson. The 2 Country Music Hall of Fame members have recorded together, toured together, and shared some of the most memorable moments in CMA Awards history, including a stunning duet of “He Stopped Loving Her Today” following the passing of George Jones in 2013, and a medley of “Remember When” and “Troubadour” at the CMA’s 50th anniversary.
Wilson, the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year, brings her own deep connection to Jackson’s catalog. She performed “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow” when Jackson received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 CMA Awards, then joined an all-star rendition of “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” alongside him on that same stage.
They join a previously announced lineup that includes Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Riley Green, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Jake Owen, Jon Pardi, Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood, and Lee Ann Womack.
Jackson’s career numbers are staggering: nearly 60 million albums sold worldwide, 35 number ones including 26 Billboard chart-toppers, and more than 150 major industry awards. His Last Call: One More for the Road tour played to sellout and capacity crowds over 4 years before arriving at this finale.
For every ticket sold, $1 goes to the CMT Research Foundation, funding research into Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, matched by $2 from a generous donor. Complete show information is at alanjackson.com.
Platinum Country Hitmaker Hunter Hayes Extends “The Evergreen Tour” West and Midwest
Hunter Hayes has added 12 new dates to “The Evergreen Tour,” pushing the run through the Midwest and West Coast this summer and fall. The platinum-selling Louisiana-born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist opens the extended leg July 31 at TJ’s Corral in Minden, Nevada and wraps October 3 at Barnato in Omaha, Nebraska.
The new dates hit San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Salt Lake City, Denver, Colorado Springs, Boise, and two Montana stops, a routing that fills out a tour already building momentum from its spring run.
Hayes carries serious catalog into these rooms. More than 3 billion global on-demand streams, 7 singles certified Gold, and a 10x Platinum certification speak to a fanbase that has followed him from arena support slots with Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood through to his own sold-out headline runs across the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia.
The new dates also follow a busy CMA Fest week, with Hayes performing at Billboard Country Live on June 4 and hosting Greenhouse events on June 5 and 6.
General on-sale begins May 29 at 10 AM local time.
“The Evergreen Tour” Dates:
Thu Jul 31 – Minden, NV – TJ’s Corral
Sun Aug 2 – Boise, ID – Treefort Music Hall
Wed Aug 6 – San Francisco, CA – August Hall
Sun Aug 10 – Great Falls, MT – The Newberry
Wed Aug 13 – Livingston, MT – Pine Creek Lodge
Wed Sep 24 – San Diego, CA – The Observatory
Thu Sep 25 – Los Angeles, CA – Pacific Electric
Fri Sep 26 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues Anaheim
Mon Sep 29 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
Thu Oct 1 – Colorado Springs, CO – Phil Long Music Hall
Fri Oct 2 – Denver, CO – The Summit
Sat Oct 3 – Omaha, NE – Barnato
6LACK Celebrates a Decade of Music With a Global Tour and New Album ‘Love Is The New Gangsta’
Ten years in, 6LACK has a new album out and a global tour to match. The multi-platinum, 5x Grammy-nominated Atlanta artist released ‘Love Is The New Gangsta’ last week to critical praise from Rolling Stone, FADER, Spin, and the Associated Press, and now he’s taking the full catalog on the road for the “10 Years of 6LACK Tour.”
The Live Nation-produced run spans Europe, the UK, and North America, opening September 8 in Oslo at Sentrum Scene and closing December 11 at The Fillmore Minneapolis. It’s a sprawling, 44-date commitment that covers Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin, Paris, London, Dublin, and Manchester before crossing into North America for stops in Portland, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, Atlanta, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Toronto, Ottawa, and Brooklyn.
‘Love Is The New Gangsta’ is built around self-exploration, vulnerability, and radical honesty, with 6LACK examining love, identity, fatherhood, and growth across the record. Collaborators include Young Thug, 2 Chainz, Leon Thomas, and AZ Chike, a lineup that speaks to the breadth of his creative reach.
The tour draws on a decade of catalog, from ‘FREE 6LACK’ and ‘East Atlanta Love Letter’ through ‘Since I Have A Lover’ and the new album. Johnny Venus supports across Europe and the UK, with Eem Triplin joining for the North American leg.
Artist presales are live now. General on-sale begins Friday, May 29 at 12 PM local time at 6lack.com/tour VIP packages are available.
“10 Years of 6LACK Tour” Dates:
Europe
Tue Sep 8 – Oslo, Norway – Sentrum Scene
Wed Sep 9 – Stockholm, Sweden – Fållan
Thu Sep 10 – Copenhagen, Denmark – VEGA
Sat Sep 12 – Warsaw, Poland – Stodoła
Sun Sep 13 – Berlin, Germany – Huxleys Neue Welt
Wed Sep 16 – Cologne, Germany – Carlswerk Victoria
Thu Sep 17 – Tilburg, Netherlands – 013 Poppodium
Sat Sep 19 – Frankfurt, Germany – ZOOM
Sun Sep 20 – Zurich, Switzerland – Komplex 457
Tue Sep 22 – Brussels, Belgium – Ancienne Belgique
Wed Sep 23 – Paris, France – Élysée Montmartre
UK & Ireland
Fri Sep 25 – Bristol, UK – O2 Academy Bristol
Sun Sep 27 – Manchester, UK – Manchester Academy
Tue Sep 29 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Olympia Theatre
Thu Oct 1 – London, UK – O2 Academy Brixton
Fri Oct 2 – Birmingham, UK – O2 Academy Birmingham
North America
Wed Oct 21 – Portland, OR – McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
Sat Oct 24 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
Tue Oct 27 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic
Fri Oct 30 – Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl
Sat Oct 31 – San Diego, CA – SOMA
Sun Nov 1 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
Tue Nov 3 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
Thu Nov 5 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
Sat Nov 7 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
Mon Nov 9 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
Tue Nov 10 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom
Wed Nov 11 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center
Fri Nov 13 – New Orleans, LA – The Fillmore New Orleans
Sun Nov 15 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
Wed Nov 18 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – War Memorial Auditorium
Thu Nov 19 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues
Sat Nov 21 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore Charlotte
Sun Nov 22 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz
Tue Nov 24 – Virginia Beach, VA – The Dome by Rutter Mills
Fri Nov 27 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia
Sat Nov 28 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring
Tue Dec 1 – Boston, MA – Citizens House of Blues
Thu Dec 3 – Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom
Fri Dec 4 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
Sun Dec 6 – Ottawa, ON – HISTORY
Mon Dec 7 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
Wed Dec 9 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit
Fri Dec 11 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore Minneapolis
Mexican Hitmaker Calle 24 Launches His First-Ever US Tour This Summer
Calle 24 has nearly 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify, a billion-streaming collab with Chino Pacas and Fuerza Regida, and now he’s bringing it all to the US for the first time. The 23-year-old singer from Chihuahua launches the Live Nation-promoted “Eterno Tour” on July 30 at San Jose Civic, with 15 dates running through September 18 in Chicago.
The run covers California, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida before closing out in the Midwest. Stops include The Wiltern in Los Angeles, Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, the Tabernacle in Atlanta, and 713 Music Hall in Houston.
Calle 24 broke into the Mexican music scene in 2021 with ‘Mi Nueva Familia’ and built fast. His third album, ‘ONDEADO$,’ produced “QUE ONDA” alongside Chino Pacas and Fuerza Regida, a track that crossed 1 billion streams on Spotify. He’s toured with both acts and performed at Coca-Cola Flow Fest in Mexico City, one of Latin urban music’s premier festival stages.
The US debut is a genuine moment, a young artist with serious streaming numbers and a fanbase that’s been waiting for this run.
Local presales begin May 28 at 10 AM local time. General on-sale follows May 29 at 10 AM local time at LiveNation.com.
Calle 24 “Eterno Tour 2026” Dates:
Wed Jul 30 – San Jose, CA – San Jose Civic
Thu Jul 31 – Riverside, CA – Fox Performing Arts Center
Fri Aug 1 – San Diego, CA – SOMA San Diego
Sat Aug 2 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
Thu Aug 6 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
Fri Aug 7 – El Paso, TX – Plaza Theatre
Sun Aug 9 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
Fri Aug 14 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Sat Aug 15 – Hidalgo, TX – Payne Arena
Fri Aug 21 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground
Sat Aug 22 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
Sun Aug 23 – Buena Vista, FL – House of Blues
Sat Sep 12 – San Antonio, TX – The Aztec Theatre
Sat Sep 13 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall
Thu Sep 18 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre
The Chicks Mark 20 Years of ‘Taking The Long Way’ With an Intimate US Theatre Tour
Twenty years ago, The Chicks released an album that the industry tried to bury, and it won Album of the Year at the Grammys. That’s the story ‘Taking The Long Way’ tells, and this fall, the 13-time Grammy-winning trio brings it back to the stage for a 16-date US theatre run.
The “Taking The Long Way 20th Anniversary Tour” opens September 30 at Detroit’s Fox Theatre and moves through Chicago, Washington DC, New York, Nashville, San Antonio, Austin, Seattle, San Francisco, and Hollywood. The venues are deliberately intimate, a sharp contrast to the album’s monumental cultural footprint.
‘Taking The Long Way’ topped the Billboard 200 and earned The Chicks 5 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year. It arrived in the wake of widespread radio bans, boycotts, and CD-smashing rallies that followed Natalie Maines’ public criticism of then-President George W. Bush. The Chicks, then known as The Dixie Chicks, responded with one of the most defiant and celebrated records in country music history.
The name change to The Chicks came in 2020, shedding the outdated original moniker while carrying the full weight of that legacy forward.
This tour adds to an already active year. The group has California casino dates in June, opening slots on Tim McGraw’s stadium run in July, and an appearance at Boots And Hearts Country Music Festival in Ontario, Canada.
Artist presale begins Wednesday, June 3 at 10 AM local time. General on-sale follows Thursday, June 4. The tour is promoted by Live Nation.
“Taking The Long Way 20th Anniversary Tour” Dates:
Wed Sep 30 – Detroit, MI – Fox Theatre
Sat Oct 3 – Chicago, IL – The Auditorium
Sun Oct 4 – Chicago, IL – The Auditorium
Tue Oct 6 – Washington, DC – The Anthem
Mon Oct 12 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre
Tue Oct 13 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre
Thu Oct 15 – Nashville, TN – The Truth
Sat Oct 17 – San Antonio, TX – Majestic Theatre
Sun Oct 18 – San Antonio, TX – Majestic Theatre
Tue Oct 20 – Austin, TX – Bass Concert Hall
Sun Oct 25 – Seattle, WA – Benaroya Hall
Mon Oct 26 – Seattle, WA – Benaroya Hall
Thu Oct 29 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic
Fri Oct 30 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic
Sun Nov 1 – Hollywood, CA – Dolby Theatre
Mon Nov 2 – Hollywood, CA – Dolby Theatre