Rock News

Kings of Leon just released “We’re Onto Something,” a new single featuring Zach Bryan that they first performed together live at Golden Gate Park. The reflective track is described by Kings of Leon frontman Caleb Followill as a loose, vibe-driven song about embracing spontaneity in music. The song is accompanied by a tour-themed music video directed by Casey McGrath that showcases behind-the-scenes moments and live clips from Red Rocks Amphitheatre, as well as footage of their performance together in San Francisco. This collaboration follows Bryan and Followill’s earlier joint track, “Bowery,” which the country star called the “honor of my life,” and their memorable onstage performance of “Atlantic City” with Bruce Springsteen during Bryan’s concert at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. Kings of Leon will perform at Ohana Fest on September 26 and at Pilgrimage Music Festival on September 27-28, while Bryan has a trio of stadium shows left this summer in Huntington, West Virginia; Notre Dame, Indiana; and Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Rolling Stone)

On Friday (August 22), Mike Joyce, drummer of The Smiths, announced the details of his upcoming memoir, The Drums, which is set for publication on November 6 via New Modern (HMV/Putman Publishing). According to the book’s description, Joyce’s “frank and witty perspective allows him to re-contextualize fan favorite moments through a beautifully vulnerable, human insight into his life.” Unlike previous autobiographies by Morrissey and Johnny Marr, Joyce’s book captures his personal experiences during the band’s rise and fall from 1982 to 1987, exploring overlooked moments in the legendary group’s history while answering the “question he and bassist Andy Rourke used to often ask each other: ‘Where did it all go right?'” The memoir boasts that “Joyce finally gives us the perspective of the self-confessed biggest Smiths fan in the world who from the start was just some lad from the suburbs of Fallowfield who played the drums.” (Consequence of Sound)

After nearly 22 years on the Billboard charts, Yellowcard has finally scored its first No. 1 on the Alternative Airplay chart with “Better Days,” the lead single from their upcoming album of the same name. The Florida band’s initial Alternative Airplay chart entry was “Way Away,” which peaked at No. 25 in 2003, and their new hit, which debuted in June, climbed from No. 5 to No. 1 this week, setting a record for the longest wait between a first chart entry and first No. 1 in the chart’s 37-year history, surpassing Fall Out Boy’s previous 17-year mark. Yellowcard becomes the 10th act to hit No. 1 on Alternative Airplay for the first time in 2025, the most in a single year since 1997. “Better Days” also rose to No. 14 on the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, with the band’s 11th studio album, produced by Travis Barker, set for release on October 10 via Better Noise Music. (Billboard)

To mark the 50th anniversary of the release of Born to Run on Monday (August 25), Bruce Springsteen has just shared the previously unreleased outtake from the album’s recording sessions, “Lonely Night in the Park.” The song was recorded at New York’s Record Plant over the course of two days in May 1975, and it nearly was included on the album, but was ultimately shelved over the insistence of former Springsteen manager/Born to Run co-producer Mike Appel, who memorably told Bruce “this stuff was sh*t.” The track, enhanced with recent overdubs while preserving Springsteen’s original vocals, had only circulated in bootleg form and was played once on SiriusXM’s E Street Radio in 2005 to mark the album’s 30th anniversary. Born to Run celebrations this year include a symposium at Monmouth University on September 6 featuring E Street Band members and music historians, a special Max Weinberg’s Jukebox concert at the Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park, and the release of Peter Ames Carlin’s new book, Tonight in Jungleland, which chronicles the making of the iconic album. (Rolling Stone)

Mastodon honored their late guitarist and co-founder Brent Hinds during their August 22 performance at the Alaska State Fair, their first performance since Hinds’ tragic death on August 20 after a motorcycle accident. At the end of the set, drummer Brann Dailor came to the front of the stage to deliver a heartfelt tribute honoring Hinds’ 25-year tenure with the Grammy-winning band and his profound impact on their sound. “We lost somebody very special to us yesterday,” Dailor told the crowd. “Brent Hinds, one of the most creative, beautiful people that we’ve ever come across in this world, tragically left us. We loved him so, so, so very much. We had the ups and downs of a 25-year relationship. It’s not always perfect, it’s not always amazing, but we were brothers to the end. And we really loved each other and we made a lot of very beautiful music together. And I think that that’s gonna stand the test of time.” (Billboard)

While Zoë Kravitz and her Caught Stealing co-star Austin Butler took part in a Nineties trivia challenge game last week, their discussion about the origins of Pearl Jam’s band name went viral. “How old were you when you realized what Pearl Jam means?,” Kravitz asked, before revealing, “It’s ji**, dude.” Despite that crude origin rumor, Pearl Jam’s band name actually stems from bassist Jeff Ament’s fixation on the word “Pearl,” combined with the influence of an epic Neil Young and Crazy Horse concert in February 1991, where the group’s lengthy jam sessions during the show apparently inspired the “Jam” addition. Early on, the band initially called themselves Mookie Blaylock, after the former NBA player, but changed it to avoid legal issues. While frontman Eddie Vedder's frequent tales of a hallucinogenic jam made by “Grandma Pearl” became popular lore, the band later admitted that story was “total bulls**t” in a 2006 Rolling Stone cover story. (Rolling Stone)

In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Al Jardine criticized his Beach Boys bandmate Mike Love’s speech at Brian Wilson’s funeral on August 6. "Mike wanted everybody to know that he wrote every single word of ‘Good Vibrations,’" the 82-year-old Jardine said of Love's post-service address, while adding, "I didn’t feel the compassion, let’s put it that way. Mike’s got some serious megalomania problems." Jardine contrasted his own speech, which honored Wilson’s brilliance, with Love’s self-centered remarks after the funeral. "I was focusing on Brian, and Mike was more focused on Mike,” Jardine says. "I think that is what it boiled down to." Love’s representative denied those claims, emphasizing his commitment to uplifting audiences, while preserving the Beach Boys’ legacy and contributing to charitable causes. Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys’ founder, passed away on June 11 at age 82. (People)

In a new interview with AARP, Pete Townshend revealed that he plans to continue performing "one-man shows" and has "140 tracks ready to go" after The Who’s farewell tour ends in September. The 80-year-old rock legend believes that he has "another five years" left in show business, and he intends to complete his long-awaited solo album, The Age of Anxiety, and test new material on the road. While Townshend considers The Who’s final scheduled show in Las Vegas on September 28 as the official end of the road for the band, he leaves open the possibility of occasional appearances and collaborations with longtime bandmate Roger Daltrey on charity projects and special shows in the future. “We reserve the right to pop up again,” Townshend  said. “But I think one thing is very clear: that at our age, we will not.” The Who’s farewell tour continues with an upcoming show on Saturday night (August 23) in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (Consequence of Sound)

Goo Goo Dolls bandmates Johnny Rzeznik and Robby Takac credit their nearly 40-year partnership to their playful way of releasing tension. “John and I will actually slap each other and punch each other and get the aggression out,” Takac says during the band’s Summer Anthem Tour, named after the new EP they released on Friday (Aug. 22). “It’s just silly. It turns into slap fights. We don’t want to hurt each other. We love each other.” The band’s recent resurgence, fueled by renewed interest from the inclusion of “Iris” in the hit 2024 film, Deadpool & Wolverine, and robust attendance figures featuring younger, family-friendly audiences, led them to release a seven-track EP, Summer Anthem, instead of a full album due to touring demands, which they quickly recorded in New York with producer Gregg Wattenberg. Goo Goo Dolls are confident in their new material, even incorporating songs like “Not Goodbye (Close My Eyes)” into their live shows, while balancing fresh tracks with their classic hits in order to continue growing as a band. (Billboard)

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Beatles Anthology project, an expanded and restored edition will be released this fall, featuring the original eight-part documentary series remastered and supplemented with a new ninth episode showcasing unseen 1994-1995 footage of Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. The updated anthology series will stream exclusively on Disney+ starting on November 26. The project will also include an expanded music set, with the original three Anthology releases supplemented by a new fourth volume, featuring previously unreleased demos, new mixes of "Free As a Bird" and "Real Love," and the Grammy-winning 2023 single "Now and Then." The new set, due out November 21, will include all four volumes spread across 12 vinyl LPs and eight CDs, and feature liner notes for the 4th volume written by BBC producer and author Kevin Howlett. Additionally, a 25th anniversary edition of The Beatles Anthology book – featuring 368 pages filled with over 1,300 photos, documents, artwork, and memorabilia from the band’s archives – will be published on October 14. (Billboard)

In an Instagram post on Wednesday (August 20), Garbage announced that their upcoming 2025 fall dates will be their “last North American headline tour.” The band’s first solo headline run in seven years is in support of their recent album, Let All That We Imagine Be the Light. The 36-date Happy Endings tour gets underway on September 3 in Orlando, and includes stops in Nashville, Brooklyn, Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC. “Yesterday saw the commencement of rehearsals for our last North American headline tour,” Garbage wrote. “We haven’t played an extensive headline tour like this one in the States for almost a decade. If the truth be told, it is unlikely we will play many of the cities on this tour ever again.” The band praised their “spectacular” supporting act Starcrawler, before concluding, “We are going out in style and we hope you will join us. That’s life my friends. Nothing stays the same forever. Everything must change. All beautiful things come to an end.” (Consequence of Sound)

Brent Hinds, the 51-year-old guitarist and co-founder of the heavy metal band Mastodon, died in Atlanta on Wednesday (August 20) following a fatal motorcycle accident involving a BMW SUV that failed to yield at an intersection. Mastodon confirmed his passing with a social media statement on Thursday: “We are in a state of unfathomable sadness and grief. We are heartbroken, shocked, and still trying to process the loss of this creative force with whom we’ve shared so many triumphs, milestones, and the creation of music that has touched the hearts of so many. Our hearts are with Brent’s family, friends, and fans.” A police investigation into the accident is still ongoing. Back in March, Hinds parted ways with Mastodon after 25 years, which the band claimed was a mutual decision. The guitarist publicly contested the split on social media, claiming they “kicked me out of the band.” Hinds, who was a co-vocalist as well as guitarist in Mastodon, was instrumental in the band's success over their 25-year career, which included nine Billboard 200-charting albums, multiple Top 10 hits, and a Grammy win for Best Metal Performance in 2018 for “Sultan’s Curse.” (Billboard)

BABYMETAL’s new album, Metal Forth, made a strong debut at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 chart this week. That marks the Japanese kawaii metal band’s first-ever Top 10 on the all-genre chart, following the best sales week of their career, with 36,000 equivalent album units in the U.S., including 33,500 in pure album sales. The album also reached No. 2 on the Top Album Sales chart (their second Top 10 on the tally), while topping both the Top Hard Rock Albums and World Albums charts (their second and third No. 1s respectively). Metal Forth also secured Top 10 positions on Top Rock & Alternative Albums (No. 2), Top Rock Albums (No. 2), Indie Store Album Sales (No. 4), and Vinyl Albums (No. 2). Last month, BABYMETAL wrapped up a highly successful 24-date North American tour where they were supported by Black Veil Brides, Jinjer, and Bloodywood. (Billboard)

On Wednesday (August 20), The Replacements announced the details of the deluxe reissue of their celebrated 1984 album, Let It Be, which will be released on October 24 via Rhino.  The remastered collection, available on 4LP vinyl and 3CD sets, features 35 unreleased studio and live tracks, including a 1984 live performance at the Cubby Bear in Chicago, along with alternate versions of songs like “Favorite Thing” and “Sixteen Blue,” and a newly restored alternate take of “Androgynous” that the band shared to accompany the announcement. The set will also include liner notes by music journalist and member of the D.C. rock band the Paranoid Style, Elizabeth Nelson. Additionally, a Rhino exclusive 10-inch vinyl EP, Live at City Garden, captures a rare performance of “You’re Getting Married,” which the band’s original manager (and Let It Be’s co-producer) Peter Jesperson says, “In all of The Replacements’ lore, I think this is one of the greatest moments ever.” (Consequence of Sound)

In a new interview with Chicago radio station Q101, Tom Morello addressed Rage Against The Machine’s legacy while reflecting about a potential reunion in the future. Although drummer Brad Wilk stated the band would not tour or perform live ever again, Morello is more open to the idea, and remains proud of how they finished their 2022 Public Service Announcement Tour. “Rage Against The Machine was always sort of a volatile situation,” Morello says. “The fact that we got four great records, the fact that we played shows in 2022…those were some of the best Rage Against The Machine shows that we ever did. We finished with five sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden. So if there’s never another show, then that’s quite a way to go out." Morello went on to add that he is still "carrying the torch for every one of those riffs and all of the meaning in those songs. That music matters so much to me, and what it’s about matters so much.” (NME)

In a new interview on ‘Talkin' Rock with Meltdown,’ Judas Priest’s Rob Halford opened up about his profound grief following Ozzy Osbourne’s death on July 22. “I just put the phone down in my hotel room… and I just curled up in a ball and bawled my eyes out for hours,” the 73-year-old Halford recalls of the moment he learned of Ozzy’s death, while adding, “I just couldn’t believe it. I still can’t believe it now. I’m still grieving like so many people.” Halford admitted back in May that he was “gutted” to have to miss Ozzy’s final concert due to already being booked to play a 60th anniversary show with the Scorpions in Germany that day. Halford praised Osbourne’s generosity and enduring spirit, recalling that, “Whenever we did shows together he would always say to me, ‘Did you have a good time?’ He was the embodiment of kindness in that respect.” (Billboard)

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gary Oldman reflected on his decades-long friendship with the late David Bowie, who died from cancer in 2016 at the age of 69. The two initially bonded over their similar upbringings in London, with Oldman admiring Bowie’s fearless creativity. “He was always pushing the envelope. He reinvented himself and his music many times,” Oldman says. “He was inspiring because he was a great innovator and not afraid to try things. It’s nothing conscious, but that rubs off.” The pair worked together on multiple projects, like the 1996 film, Basquiat, and Bowie’s music video for "The Next Day,” with Oldman emotionally paying tribute to the musician at the 2016 BRIT Awards. In the interview, Oldman expressed how deeply he still misses Bowie, while noting: “Don’t you feel that since he died, the world’s gone to sh*t? It was like he was cosmic glue or something. When he died, everything fell apart.” (NME)

Singer and onetime Prince muse Apollonia (born Patricia Apollonia Kotero) has filed a lawsuit against Prince’s estate, Paisley Park Enterprises. She is accusing them of trying to "steal" her name by claiming ownership of the "Apollonia" trademark used in connection with clothing and entertainment services. Kotero, famous for her role as Apollonia in the hit 1984 film, Purple Rain, and her four decades-long career under that name, asserts that Prince himself encouraged her use of the name and that the estate’s recent attempts to cancel her trademarks and assert rights are unjustified, citing principles of fairness and long-term use. The 66-year-old musician seeks a court order affirming her ownership of the name and trademarks, while disputing the estate’s claim that she waived her rights under a 1983 contract. Her attorney expects a favorable outcome, while representatives for the estate have yet to respond to the allegations. (Rolling Stone)

During a Limp Bizkit show in Istanbul, Turkey on Sunday night (August 17), frontman Fred Durst swatted down a drone hovering near the stage while the band was performing “Take a Look Around.” Durst’s aggressive action prompted cheers and laughter from the audience, before the singer instructed a security guard to “throw it out in the crowd.” The band then closed their 14-song set with the fittingly titled “Break Stuff,” from their 7x-platinum, 1999 Billboard No. 1 album, Significant Other.  Limp Bizkit are currently wrapping up their tour of the UK and Europe, which culminates in high-profile appearances at this weekend’s Reading and Leeds festivals. They will then embark on a series of Latin American dates throughout November and December that the band has dubbed the 2025 Gringo Papi South America Tour. (Consequence of Sound)

Former Pixies bassist Paz Lenchantin is reviving her solo career with the upcoming album, Triste, which is set for release on October 17. The 12-song project includes the lead single, “Hang Tough,” which features contributions from her former A Perfect Circle bandmates Josh Freese and Troy Van Leeuwen, as well as a music video starring and directed by Lenchantin. “I had to make this record on my own,” Lenchantin says in a statement, “not to prove anything, but just to have faith that music can nurture me back. And it did.” Drawing on a deeply personal and metaphorical exploration of salvation and self-discovery, Lenchantin created much of the album independently, while also collaborating with Spanish-speaking musicians she met while writing the record in Mexico. After parting ways with the Pixies in 2024, Lenchantin chose to focus on her own music rather than join another high-profile band, embracing her own creative freedom while marking a significant sonic departure from her previous alternative rock work. (Rolling Stone)