Nobody had this on their bingo card, and that’s precisely what makes it so good. Paramore’s Hayley Williams joined Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy on The Late Show for a special collaboration covering Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s “Ffunny Ffrends”, performed in honour of the Late Show staff as the programme enters its final weeks. Williams played theremin alongside Tweedy’s half-moon guitar, and the combination worked with a natural ease that only happens when two genuinely gifted performers find an unexpected common frequency.
Primal Scream Bring ‘XTRMNTR’ Back to Life on Seven-Date UK Anniversary Tour
Primal Scream are taking ‘XTRMNTR’ back on the road. The Scottish rock legends have announced a seven-date UK tour this September, playing their landmark 2000 album in full at each stop. It’s a proper victory lap for one of the most visceral, uncompromising records of its era, and the routing covers Glasgow, Newcastle, Nottingham, Manchester, Bristol, and London.
‘XTRMNTR’ was a line in the sand when it dropped 25 years ago. The album pulled from industrial, electronic, and noise rock, with production contributions from The Chemical Brothers and My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields, and late Stone Roses bassist Mani sharing songwriting credits for the first time. NME gave it 9/10 on release, named it the second-best album of 2000, and handed it Best Album at the 2001 NME Awards. It’s aged into something genuinely essential.
The tour follows a 25th anniversary performance at London’s Roundhouse in December and a world tour behind their 2024 album ‘Come Ahead.’ Primal Scream have also confirmed ‘The Bunker Trilogy,’ a collection of expanded reissues covering ‘Vanishing Point,’ ‘XTRMNTR,’ and ‘Evil Heat,’ with more details coming soon. Bobby Gillespie and company aren’t coasting. They’re digging in.
Tickets go on sale April 17. Seven dates, one album, no filler. This is exactly the kind of tour that sells out before most people realize it’s happening.
Primal Scream ‘XTRMNTR’ UK Tour Dates:
September 3, Glasgow, Scotland @ Barrowland
September 4, Glasgow, Scotland @ Barrowland
September 8, Newcastle, England @ NX
September 9, Nottingham, England @ Rock City
September 11, Manchester, England @ New Century Hall
September 13, Bristol, England @ Electric
September 15, London, England @ HERE at Outernet
Nashville Singer-Songwriter Sarah Harralson Pairs New EP ‘Just The Beginning’ With a Companion Short Film
Twelve years into her Nashville career, Sarah Harralson has made her most personal statement yet. The Knoxville-born singer-songwriter releases ‘Just The Beginning,’ a self-penned five-track EP with a companion short film, on May 15 via Synapse Publishing & Entertainment. It’s autobiographical, unflinching, and unlike anything she’s put out before.
Harralson co-produced the EP with Dale Penner (Nickelback, Loverboy) at The Owl in Nashville, with an all-star cast of session players behind her: Cole Edmonson (Tigirlily Gold) on guitar, David Santos on bass, Bryn Scott-Grimes (Goldpine) on harmonica, Merna Lewis on fiddle, Paul Ray on piano, and her husband Andrew Kugler on drums. Harralson also handled organ, acoustic guitar, and harmonies herself. The result is a fully realized, deeply lived-in record. Lead single “It Can’t Rain All The Time,” inspired by a line from the 1994 film The Crow, is out now with a music video directed by Dante Nazzaro.
The short film takes Harralson back to Birmingham and Knoxville, retracing the childhood and family experiences that anchor these songs. “This is more about childhood and family, as opposed to breakups and love songs,” she says. The EP also quietly carries the weight of losing her mother in 2024, a presence felt throughout. It’s candid storytelling from an artist who’s clearly done holding back.
Harralson’s resume backs up everything she’s attempting here. She’s toured Eastern Europe, performed for over 19,000 hospital patients through Musicians On Call, earned the Michael Solomon Golden Ukelele Award in 2024, and hosts the podcast Takin’ a Walk Nashville, which hit number two on the Apple Music podcast chart. She’s also a member of the Recording Academy and part of the upcoming Women Behind the Lyrics documentary. ‘Just The Beginning’ arrives May 15, with a run of live dates starting the same week.
‘Just The Beginning’ Track Listing:
- “Born In Birmingham”
- “House Divided”
- “One State Away”
- “It Can’t Rain All The Time”
- “No Hearts Got Harmed”
Upcoming Shows:
May 13, Nashville, TN @ The Bowery Vault
May 16, Sheffield, AL @ Shoals Riversong Music Festival
May 20, Fairfield, CA @ Suisun Valley Filling Station
May 21, Napa, CA @ Quilt & Co.
June 4, Murfreesboro, TN @ Boro Bourbon & Brews
August 4, Franklin, TN @ 19 Miles To Music Row
Country Thunder Florida Makes a Bold Move to Clearwater’s Coachman Park With Kane Brown, Zach Top, and Gavin Adcock
Country Thunder Florida has a new home, and it’s a strong one. The festival, running May 8-10, has moved to Coachman Park in Clearwater, a 19-acre waterfront park built for exactly this kind of event. With all approvals secured and tickets on sale now, the focus shifts to what matters: three days of country music on the water with a lineup that delivers top to bottom.
Zach Top, Gavin Adcock, and Kane Brown headline, with Randy Houser, Max McNown, Shaboozey, and Dasha rounding out a bill that covers the full spectrum of where country music sits right now. Beyond the main stage, a dedicated spotlight stage features rising Florida artists, and a Songwriter Showcase puts the writers behind the biggest hits in front of the crowd. Surprise meet-and-greets, vendor rows, and curated sponsor activations fill out the grounds across all three days.
Country Thunder Executive Director Kim Blevins is direct about the move: “Coachman Park gives us the ability to execute our full vision and create an unforgettable experience for fans.” Clearwater City Manager Jennifer Poirrier matched that energy, citing the strong community partnership that made the quick venue transition possible. The Florida Orchestra even shifted its free Symphony by the Sea concert to June 6 to open the park for the festival weekend.
Tickets are priced to be accessible. Weekend passes average $100 per day at participating Walgreens locations with no service fees, while general admission runs $300 for all three days. A two-day bundle is available for $250. Ticket holders from the original venue who want a refund can do so through their original point of purchase.
Country Thunder has earned “Festival of the Year” at the ACM Awards three times and its Florida edition has previously hosted Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Luke Bryan, and Eric Church. Coachman Park is the next chapter. Tickets and full details are at countrythunder.com/fl.
Country Thunder Florida 2026:
May 8, 2026, Clearwater, FL @ Coachman Park
May 9, 2026, Clearwater, FL @ Coachman Park
May 10, 2026, Clearwater, FL @ Coachman Park
SiriusXM Canada Launches Nouvelles Ondes to Find the Next Big Francophone Artist With a $25,000 Grand Prize
SiriusXM Canada, the country’s leading audio entertainment company,today announced the launch of Nouvelles Ondes SiriusXM, a new national initiative to discover and elevate emerging Francophone artists, with a pathway to Québec’s leading stages and the international scene.
The cross-Canada search will give participating artists the chance to perform at some of Québec’s leading music festivals, benefit from industry mentorship, and compete for a $25,000 grand prize, including a performance opportunity at a major international festival in Paris, France.
“Francophone artists are a vital part of Canada’s cultural identity and creative future,” said Michelle Mearns, SVP of Programming & Operations, SiriusXM Canada. “With Nouvelles Ondes, we are proud to leverage SiriusXM’s national reach and industry relationships to provide emerging talent with meaningful impact, professional development, and opportunities that can help shape the next chapter of their careers.”
Open to Francophone solo artists and groups residing in Canada, applications for Nouvelles Ondes SiriusXM open today at 10:00am ET.
Following the registration period, three finalists will be selected by a jury of music industry professionals to advance to the next stage of the program. Each finalist will participate in a professional studio session to record an original song and video, which will be made available on the Nouvelles Ondes website: siriusxm.ca/nouvellesondes.
From July 9 to July 23, the Canadian public will be invited to view the finalists’ recordings and vote daily for their favourite artist, ahead of their performances at one of Québec’s most influential music festivals, the Festival d’été de Québec (FEQ) in July.
The grand finale will take place in September on stageat the prominent emerging and independent music festival Festival de musique émergente en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (FME), where the winner of the competition will be crowned. The winning artist will receive a $25,000 bursary, along with the opportunity to represent Canada’s Francophone music scene at MaMA Music & Conventionin Paris. The two runners-up will each receive a $10,000 bursary, as well as mentorship opportunities and significant exposure across SiriusXM platforms.
Nouvelles Ondes SiriusXM is part of SiriusXM’s ongoing tradition of supporting and elevating the best emerging Canadian music. SiriusXM continues to offer a leading platform for Canadian artists through its significant financial contributions and North American-wide reach of over 35 million subscribers. Through this program, the company aims to further strengthen its commitment to Francophone creativity and actively support the discovery of new talent. Listeners can enjoy 24/7 Francophone artists on SiriusXM channels: Attitude Franco, Influence Franco, Racines Musicales, Les Tubes 80s-90s and Les Tubes Franco.
Applications are open as of today and will remain open until April 28. Artists interested in participating can review the eligibility requirements and submit their application at: siriusxm.ca/nouvellesondes.
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SiriusXM Canada lance Nouvelles Ondes, à la recherche de la prochaine révélation de la musique francophone au Canada
Ce programme d’ampleur nationale offre un premier prix de 25 000 dollars, des prestations dans le cadre du Festival d’été de Québec et du FME en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, une performance internationale à la MaMA Music & Convention à Paris, et bien plus encore
Les inscriptions sont ouvertes jusqu’au 28 avril
Montréal, le 14 avril 2026 – SiriusXM Canada, leader du divertissement audio au pays, a annoncé aujourd’hui le lancement de Nouvelles Ondes SiriusXM, une initiative nationale visant à découvrir et à mettre en valeur les artistes francophones émergents, en leur ouvrant la voie vers les plus grandes scènes du Québec et la scène internationale.
Ce projet à l’échelle du Canada donnera la chance aux artistes participants de se produire dans certains des plus grands festivals de musique du Québec, de bénéficier d’un mentorat de professionnels du secteur et de concourir pour un grand prix de 25 000 $, comprenant notamment la possibilité de se produire lors d’un festival d’envergure internationale à Paris, en France.
« Les artistes francophones constituent un élément essentiel de l’identité culturelle et de l’avenir créatif du Canada », a déclaré Michelle Mearns, vice-présidente principale de la programmation et des opérations chez SiriusXM Canada. « Avec Nouvelles Ondes, nous sommes fiers de mettre à profit la portée nationale de SiriusXM et ses relations au sein de l’industrie pour offrir aux talents émergents une visibilité significative, un développement professionnel et des opportunités susceptibles de contribuer à façonner la prochaine étape de leur carrière ».
Ouvert aux artistes solos et aux groupes francophones qui résident au Canada, le concours Nouvelles Ondes SiriusXM débute sa période d’inscriptions aujourd’hui.
À l’issue de cette période, trois finalistes seront sélectionnés par un jury composé de professionnels de l’industrie musicale pour passer à la prochaine étape du concours. Chaque finaliste participera à une session d’enregistrement en studio dans le but de réaliser une chanson originale et un clip vidéo, qui seront mis en ligne sur le site internet de Nouvelles Ondes : siriusxm.ca/nouvellesondes.
Du 9 au 23 juillet, le public canadien sera invité à visionner les enregistrements des finalistes et à voter chaque jour pour son artiste préféré, avant leurs prestations lors de l’un des festivals de musique les plus influents du Québec, le Festival d’été de Québec (FEQ), en juillet.
La grande finale aura lieu en septembre sur la scène du Festival de musique émergente en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (FME), un festival de musique émergente et indépendante de premier plan, où l’artiste lauréat du concours sera couronné. Cette personne recevra une bourse de 25 000 $, ainsi que l’opportunité de représenter la scène musicale francophone canadienne à la MaMA Music & Convention à Paris. Les deux autres finalistes recevront chacun une bourse de 10 000 $, ainsi que des opportunités de mentorat et une importante visibilité sur les plateformes de SiriusXM.
Nouvelles Ondes SiriusXM s’inscrit dans la tradition de SiriusXM, qui consiste à soutenir et à mettre en valeur le meilleur de la musique canadienne émergente. SiriusXM continue d’offrir une plateforme de premier plan aux artistes canadiens grâce à ses contributions financières importantes et à sa portée nord-américaine, qui compte plus de 35 millions d’abonnés. À travers ce programme, la société vise à renforcer davantage son engagement envers la créativité francophone et à soutenir activement la découverte de nouveaux talents. Les auditeurs peuvent écouter des artistes francophones 24 heures sur 24, 7 jours sur 7, sur les chaînes SiriusXM : Attitude Franco, Influence Franco, Racines Musicales, Les Tubes 80s-90s et Les Tubes Franco.
Les inscriptions sont ouvertes dès aujourd’hui et le resteront jusqu’au 28 avril 2026. Les artistes intéressés peuvent consulter les conditions d’admissibilité et soumettre leur candidature à l’adresse suivante : siriusxm.ca/nouvellesondes.
Columbus Alt-Rock Favorites Snarls Announce EP ‘In Heaven There’s Rainbows’ and Headlining Tour With Future Teens
Snarls have been putting in the work for years, and ‘In Heaven There’s Rainbows’ feels like the payoff. The Columbus, Ohio alt-rock trio of vocalist Chlo White, bassist Riley Hall, and guitarist Mick Martinez have announced their new five-track EP, due June 26 via Take This To Heart Records. Lead single and music video “No Lock, No Prayer” is out now, and it arrives with the kind of punch that makes clear this band isn’t easing into anything.
The EP came together the way the best ones do: no timelines, no deadlines, just friends writing rock songs in a basement. After touring with Louis Tomlinson, Movements, and Briston Maroney, and recording their 2024 LP ‘With Love’ with producer Chris Walla (Death Cab For Cutie, Ratboys, Tegan & Sara), Snarls stripped things back and built something rawer. New drummer Mike Taddeo is in the fold, and his presence is felt throughout. The band sounds locked in.
‘In Heaven There’s Rainbows’ goes places their earlier work only hinted at. Doubt, determination, addiction, love, lust, and loss all run through these five songs, wrapped in grungy guitars, booming drums, and Chlo White’s gut-wrenchingly ethereal vocals. Think Wolf Alice’s emotional density, Wet Leg’s sharp instincts, and Snail Mail’s unflinching candor. It’s a focused, fully realized collection from a band who’ve clearly done some growing.
A second single, “One Wish,” arrives May 14. The full EP follows June 26, timed to a headlining run with Future Teens that kicks off in Philadelphia and winds through Brooklyn, Columbus, Nashville, Indianapolis, Chicago, Detroit, and Boston. Tickets are on sale now.
2026 Tour Dates with Future Teens:
June 20, Philadelphia, PA @ Ukie Club
June 21, Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right
June 23, Columbus, OH @ Ace Of Cups
June 24, Nashville, TN @ The End
June 25, Indianapolis, IN @ Hoosier Dome
June 26, Chicago, IL @ Cobra Lounge
June 27, Detroit, MI @ Pike Room
July 8, Boston, MA @ Deep Cuts
Grammy-Nominated Hip-Hop Duo EarthGang Takes Their Universe to the Page With ‘Wheel of Fate’
EarthGang has never been content staying in one lane, and ‘Wheel of Fate’ makes that clearer than ever. The Grammy-nominated, ARIA Music Award-winning Atlanta duo has just launched their first comic project through Zero Zero Entertainment, and it hits differently than anything they’ve put out before. This isn’t a side project. It’s a full creative expansion, built from the same instincts that shaped ‘Mirrorland’ and ‘Ghetto Gods.’
Written by Olu and WowGr8 and illustrated by Julianne Grieppe and Alex Heywood, the story drops EarthGang into Tokyo, where a recording session inside a centuries-old temple pulls them toward something ancient and destabilizing. Reality fractures. A sentient AI, built from humanity’s worst impulses, has the cosmic Wheel of Fate in its grip. Their music becomes the weapon. Olu summed up the experience simply: “Man, this is the greatest animation storytelling we’ve been a part of.”
The visual language is sharp, the stakes are genuinely cosmic, and the Afrofuturist world-building is exactly what you’d expect from a duo who’ve spent nearly two decades building interconnected creative universes. The comic moves like one of their records, fluid, layered, and never quite where you expect it to land. It’s a genuinely exciting read for fans and new readers alike.
The release rolls out across several tiers. Issue #1 comes bundled with a patch and pin, a signed variant cover is limited to 500 copies, and a premium vinyl variant bundle caps at 150. A discounted four-issue subscription is also available for anyone following the full series. EarthGang are co-founders of Spillage Village alongside JID, Hollywood JB, JordxnBryant, 6lack, Mereba, and Benji, and ‘Wheel of Fate’ adds another dimension to one of hip-hop’s most ambitious creative collectives.
‘EARTHGANG: Wheel of Fate’ Issue #1 is out now through Zero Zero Entertainment. The merch drop is live and the limited runs won’t last.
BeachLife Festival 2026 Brings World-Class Dining and DAOU Vineyards to Redondo Beach This May
BeachLife Festival has always understood that the full experience lives beyond the stage. The 2026 edition, running May 1-3 on the Redondo Beach waterfront, adds serious culinary weight to an already stacked weekend, with Executive Chef Chase Carlson leading premium dining inside the California Surf Club and a rotating Captain’s Bungalow menu spotlighting the best of the South Bay restaurant scene.
The California Surf Club opens its doors to VIP, Captain, and Captain Plus ticketholders, with walk-up reservations available at the North Grill entrance. Carlson’s approach is direct: “It’s an opportunity to do something different, to create a memory for a guest.” The Captain’s Bungalow adds another layer, with Tin Roof Bistro, AttaGirl Hermosa Beach, and California Surf Club North Grill each taking the reins on different festival days, all with an unobstructed view of the HighTide stage.
DAOU Vineyards returns for their fifth year as the Official Wine Partner, pouring across the DAOU VIP Deck, Cabana, and Wine Bars open to all attendees. DAOU President Neb Lukic puts it plainly: the South Bay is their strongest and most loyal community, and BeachLife is where that relationship gets celebrated properly. Paso Robles wines, coastal air, live music. It works.
The general festival footprint is equally well-stocked. Habit Burger, LoZio Osteria, Wise Barbecue, and Innamorata Gelato anchor the food options, with vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free choices throughout. New this year, the Fiji Airways Kava Bar brings a traditional island welcome drink to the beach, and the STōK Cold Brew Coffee SpeakEasy Stage hosts stripped-down sets from rock legends and Southern California punk staples all weekend long.
The music lineup speaks for itself: Duran Duran, The Offspring, James Taylor and His All-Star Band, The Chainsmokers, My Morning Jacket, Slightly Stoopid, Sheryl Crow, Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Grouplove, Peach Pit, and more. Tickets are on sale now at BeachLifeFestival.com. Children six and under are free with a ticketed adult.
BeachLife Festival 2026 Dates:
May 1, 2026, Redondo Beach, CA
May 2, 2026, Redondo Beach, CA
May 3, 2026, Redondo Beach, CA
Muppet Legends Frank Oz and Bill Barretta Launch “Judge Boing Boing,” a Gloriously Silly New Web Series
Frank Oz and Bill Barretta didn’t set out to make a web series about an absent-minded judge and his irreverent courtroom staff. It started as a spontaneous character riff in a New York City apartment while the two legendary Muppet puppeteers were doing press for the documentary Muppet Guys Talking, Barretta slipped into a character, Oz started feeding him questions, and somehow a judge emerged from the chaos. The resulting series, “Judge Boing Boing”, was recorded on Stage 15 at MGM Studios in 2025, and it’s exactly as wonderfully unhinged as that origin story suggests.
Guitarist Lucas Brar Rewires Darth Vader’s “Imperial March” as a Full Bach Fugue and It Works Perfectly
Guitarist Lucas Brar took “The Imperial March” from Star Wars and rebuilt it from the ground up as a Johann Sebastian Bach-style fugue, and the reason it works so cleanly comes down to pure music theory: both share a 4/4 time signature, making the structural translation more natural than it might first appear. The result is unsettling in the best possible way, Darth Vader’s ominous theme rendered with the measured, interlocking complexity of baroque counterpoint, and the footage is exactly the kind of musical rabbit hole that justifies the internet’s existence.