Today's Music Pulse
Future and Tyla headline World Cup opening ceremony in Los Angeles
Future and Tyla opened the 2026 World Cup ceremony in Los Angeles with their collaborative track “Game Time.” The event also featured performances by Katy Perry, LISA, Anitta and other artists, marking a star‑studded start to the tournament.
Jack White Has Joined the Coachella 2026 Bill as Organisers Confirm Weekend One Set Times
Coachella 2026 organizers have released the full set times for opening weekend, adding a surprise 45‑minute slot for Jack White at the Mojave Tent on Saturday, April 11 at 3 pm. The two‑weekend festival runs April 10‑12 and April 17‑19, featuring headliners Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and Karol G, with a packed roster that includes The Strokes, Interpol, and FKA twigs. Tickets sold out within a week of the lineup announcement, and the event will be livestreamed on YouTube. Solomun withdrew for ear surgery, marking the only confirmed departure.
Nourished by Time: ‘Music Should Be Fun – but It Can’t Be Fun All the Time’
Marcus Brown, performing as Nourished by Time, has turned his decade‑long underground career into mainstream buzz after releasing the critically praised EP *Catching Chickens* and his second album *Passionate Ones*. A 38‑date headline tour, a co‑sign from Tyler, the Creator,...
Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE and SURF GANG Have Released Their Collaborative Double Album, ‘POMPEII // UTILITY’
Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE and producer collective SURF GANG have dropped the double album “POMPEII // UTILITY,” a two‑part project with MIKE fronting the POMPEII half and Earl Sweatshirt leading UTILITY. All beats are supplied by SURF GANG members Harrison, evilgiane, Elipropperr and...
WØLFFE Reminds Us It’s Okay to Take a Break with ‘Holiday From My Mind’
British indie artist WØLFFE released the single “Holiday From My Mind,” a track that evolved from a garden‑written poem created under the influence of medicinal mushrooms. The song showcases minimalist, atmospheric production that blends trip‑hop textures with dark alt‑rock polish,...
Helen Svoboda Shares “If” From Forthcoming Room40 Album “Headwater”
Room40 announces the release of Helen Svoboda’s new album Headwater, slated for June 26, and has premiered a video for the opening track “If.” The album consists of sixteen “earworms” built around two double basses, vocals and electronics, blending improvisation with...
George Villa – Shifting Shapes
New Zealand indie musician George Villa released the 2026 single “Shifting Shapes,” a track that fuses slide‑guitar twang, vintage instrumentation, and soulful, melancholic vocals. The review praises its immediate emotional resonance, noting subtle, uplifting melodies that navigate themes of loss...
Classic FM Has a New Hall of Fame Hero
Classic FM’s annual Hall of Fame poll, long dominated by Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.2 and Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, saw a surprise upset on April 7, 2026. Listeners voted Sir Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace as the top...
Grandmas House Have Shared ‘DOG’, a Heavy New Track Shaped by Chronic Illness
Grandmas House, the Bristol‑based indie quartet, released their first 2026 track, “DOG,” a heavy song inspired by a member’s two‑year battle with chronic illness. The band paired the release with a cryptic video from Clump Collective that hides a phone...
Madli Marje Gildemann Looks to Nature on “Dream Sequence of an Ancient Forest”
Estonian composer Madli Marje Gildemann releases *Dream Sequence of an Ancient Forest*, an album that fuses extended instrumental techniques, prepared piano, and unconventional sound sources. The six pieces move from delicate string‑quartet textures in “Osmosis” to the visceral, horror‑laden “AH‑64...
Why Boston Passed over Bernstein
In 1949 Serge Koussevitsky urged the Boston Symphony Orchestra board to name Leonard Bernstein as his successor, praising his unmatched conducting gift. The board rejected the recommendation, opting for the more seasoned Charles Munch, a decision rooted in minutes dating...
Bilmuri Share Catchy New Track ‘WHERE TO FIND ME’ Featuring Novelists
Bilmuri released the new single “WHERE TO FIND ME,” featuring French progressive‑metal band Novelists, as a preview for their upcoming album KINDA HARD. The track blends country‑style melodies with heavy riffs, showcasing the band’s evolving sound. KINDA HARD drops on...
Goblin Band Return With New Single ‘Clyde Water’ Ahead of Biggest Show Yet
Goblin Band has released a new single, “Clyde Water,” digitally and on 7″ vinyl through Broadside Hacks Recordings, featuring B‑side “Go From My Window.” Produced by Rory Salter, the track channels Nic Jones’s traditional ballad while capturing the quartet’s live urgency....
How Did Black Music Take Over the World? Let Melvin Gibbs Explain.
Melvin Gibbs, a genre‑defying bassist, has spent five decades tracing how Black music traveled along the trans‑Atlantic slave trade routes to shape modern American sounds. His new book, “How Black Music Took Over the World,” arrives on April 14, 2026,...
John Cage’s Silent, Avant-Garde Piece 4′33″ Gets Covered by a Death Metal Band
Death metal outfit Dead Territory has filmed a cover of John Cage’s iconic silent composition 4′33″, released through NPR’s All Songs TV. The performance follows the piece’s traditional format—earplugs, a brief count‑off, then four minutes of silence—while the band’s metal...
Truthpaste Announce Debut EP ‘I Don’t Know Either’
Manchester‑formed, London‑based quintet Truthpaste announced their debut EP “I Don’t Know Either,” set for release on April 28 via Dirty Hit and Memorials of Distinction. The announcement follows the breakout single “Bus Song,” which earned widespread press and radio praise....
The 11 Best Songs From 1973
The article by Mikko Von Hertzen lists the 11 best songs from 1973, highlighting debut releases from Aerosmith, Queen, and Pink Floyd’s *The Dark Side of the Moon*. It pairs each track with personal anecdotes that illustrate the era’s lasting...
Former HYBE Execs Behind BTS Launch Global K-Pop Audition, Eyeing 2027 Debut for First Boy Group
Former HYBE executives have launched a new entertainment venture, Retopia Salon, and announced global auditions across 18 cities to form its first boy group slated for a 2027 debut. The auditions, open to applicants born between 2008 and 2014 of...
"I First Met Phil Lynott Completely by Accident During My First Ever Acid Trip." Original Thin Lizzy Guitarist Eric Bell...
Original Thin Lizzy guitarist Eric Bell recounts how a chance meeting with Phil Lynott during Bell’s first acid trip sparked the band’s formation in 1969. Lynott, then a charismatic vocalist, persuaded drummer Brian Downey and Bell to create a trio, insisting he...
Tuesday Night Series Boosts Beijing’s Underground Music Scene
For my friends living in Beijing, our Tuesday night series at Raw Material Space is playing a big role in supporting Chinese underground composers and experimental performers, and we've already had exciting young musicians whose work was so good that...
Raw Honey – “The Key”
Raw Honey, the Michigan‑based project led by singer‑songwriter Maggie Hopp, has dropped its latest single “The Key.” The track delves into themes of venturing into the unknown and healing ancestral trauma, wrapped in a bright blend of alt‑rock, folk, and...
Porcelain Review: Peach PRC’s Debut LP Is a Candid Take on Young Queer Life
Australian singer‑songwriter Peach PRC released her debut LP *Porcelain*, a record that intertwines nature‑filled synth pop with candid reflections on young queer life. Critics applaud the autobiographical lyricism on tracks like “Celebrity Crush” and “Out Loud,” but fault the production...
Reiyo The Giant – “Get It Together”
Bronx‑based artist Reiyo The Giant has dropped the single “Get It Together,” produced by Australian collective breathe. The track fuses trip‑hop beats with late‑90s‑era strings, delivering a cinematic yet intimate sound reminiscent of Portishead. Lyrically, it tackles the pressure on...
Bon Iver Curates His Ultimate Tracklist on 'VOLUMES: ONE'
Bon Iver has issued its first non‑studio album, VOLUMES: ONE, a curated archive of live performances recorded between 2019 and 2023. The 11‑track collection pulls songs from ten shows across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, featuring rare cuts like...
Sabrina Carpenter, Margaret Qualley, Madelyn Cline Make Grand Larceny Glam in ‘House Tour’ Video
Sabrina Carpenter’s new “House Tour” music video, co‑directed with actress Margaret Qualley, showcases a tongue‑in‑cheek mansion burglary starring Carpenter, Qualley and Madelyn Cline. The trio raids a lavish L.A. estate, pilfering wine, jewels and even a Grammy trophy before exiting...
Lithia – “Pink House”
Lithia, a Chicago‑based indie rock project led by songwriter Sylvia Vaser, dropped its debut album Pink House last month. The title track draws inspiration from a real‑life “spite house” on the Massachusetts coast, delivering an ethereal, cinematic soundscape. Vaser’s powerhouse...
Peace Fortress – “Puerto Escondido”
Philadelphia producer Brendan McGeehan has unveiled Peace Fortress, his new musical project, with the single “Puerto Escondido.” The surf‑rock inspired track pays homage to genre classics like “Misirlou” and “Telstar,” featuring vibrant guitar lines, cinematic horns, and a propulsive rhythm....
Elisabeth Waldo Dies at 107; Fused Indigenous and Western Music
Elisabeth Waldo, a classically trained violinist who studied under Jascha Heifetz and Efrem Zimbalist, died at 107 on March 16, 2026. After extensive travel in Latin America during the 1940s, she abandoned a purely Western repertoire and began fusing pre‑Columbian...
"My Role in Life Was to Be a Proud, Bold Lion, to Tell the Truth, and Stick up for What's...
Dave Mustaine announced that Megadeth’s self‑titled seventeenth album, released in January 2026, will be the band’s final record and tour. The album debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200, marking the group’s highest chart achievement. Mustaine cited persistent hand...
Conrad and Grace Sewell Perform Exclusive Acoustic Version of ‘Firestone’
Conrad Sewell teamed with his Grammy‑nominated sister Grace for an exclusive acoustic rendition of his 2014 hit “Firestone,” filmed for Rolling Stone AU/NZ. The stripped‑back performance arrives as Sewell prepares to launch his “Bloodline Tour” across Australia this June. “Firestone,”...
The Strokes Unveil First Album in Six Years, “Reality Awaits”
The Strokes announced on April 6 that their first studio album in six years, “Reality Awaits,” will arrive this summer. The release follows limited live shows in 2024‑25 and a festival‑heavy schedule, while internal tensions surface as guitarist Nick Valensi is...
Owen Weston – ‘Everything’s Moving, Nothing’s Changing’
Welsh guitarist Owen Weston, known from the Strange Company, has issued his debut solo album, Everything’s Moving, Nothing’s Changing. The record, refined throughout 2024‑2025, features eleven tracks that weave acoustic guitars, lush strings, and emotive vocals. Mixed by Alef Matthews,...
Salam Noir – ‘The Curriculum of Self: Vol 1’
Salam Noir’s debut album, The Curriculum of Self: Vol 1, arrives as a concept‑driven blend of soulful pop, jazz‑infused hip‑hop, and analog textures. Produced by Gevonus Light, the record uses everyday settings like classrooms and hallways as metaphors for human behavior,...
Conor Moore – ‘Chamber Music’
Miami‑based guitarist Conor Moore, 21, has issued his debut album *Chamber Music*, marking a shift from his jazz and band work to solo acoustic fingerstyle. The record draws on American Primitivism, citing influences such as John Fahey and Ali Farka Touré, and was...
Ruut – ‘Steinway Sessions’
Finnish‑born, Baltimore‑based singer‑songwriter Ruut has issued a remastered edition of her 2010 collection Steinway Sessions through Meridian, an imprint of ECR Music Group. The reissue follows her selection as the Finlandia Foundation 2026 Performer of the Year, boosting its profile....
Elnoir – “Bless His Name”
Italian singer‑songwriter Eleonora Tillier, performing as Elnoir, released the single “Bless His Name,” a dark industrial‑pop track that fuses trip‑hop textures with throbbing electro‑bass. The song subverts religious imagery to spotlight historic attempts to control and silence women, earning early...
Michael J McEvoy – “Adil Searches”
Emmy‑winning composer Michael J McEvoy returns to collaborate with director Luke Bradford on the original soundtrack for the short film White Gold. The seven‑track score, highlighted by the opening piece “Adil Searches,” merges ambient electronics, nylon‑string guitar, and live percussion to evoke...
Mara Van Dyck – “Not Alone”
Luxembourg singer-songwriter Mara Van Dyck has released her new single “Not Alone,” showcasing a vulnerable, melodic pop sound infused with atmospheric electronic production. The track evolves from intimate, bell‑laden verses into anthemic choruses with industrial bass and layered vocal chops,...
Freyza – “Feverlock”
Freyza’s new single “Feverlock,” released on April 6, 2026, fuses Afro House rhythms with cinematic pop sensibilities, anchored by an amapiano‑inspired log‑drum bounce and deep sub‑bass. The track features a seamless vocal duet between Freyza and LPSV, weaving chilly melodic...
Bitter Blue – ‘Levity (EP)’
Serbian indie rock quartet Bitter Blue released their 2024 EP Levity through the independent label Tribal Rajber. The record channels the angular guitar work of The Strokes, the rhythmic urgency of Bloc Party, and the melodic melancholy of The Smiths while reflecting front‑man Luka Nikolić’s...
Lady Gaga Cancels Final Montreal Show Due To Respiratory Infection: “Absolutely Heartbroken And So Sorry”
Lady Gaga canceled her final Montreal concert at the Bell Centre after her doctor warned against performing due to a worsening respiratory infection. She announced the cancellation on Instagram just hours before the show was set to begin. The tour will...
Chris Stussy Releases Debut Album, Lost, Found & Forgotten
Dutch producer Chris Stussy released his debut album *Lost, Found & Forgotten…* on April 6, 2026 via his own Up The Stuss label. The 19‑track LP is divided into three conceptual sections—Lost, Found and Forgotten—using a kite metaphor to guide...
‘INTROS’ Season 5: Georgia Lines Meets Geneva AM
Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s music web series INTROS returns for its fifth season, hosted by rising Kiwi pop star Georgia Lines. The latest episode pairs Lines with Auckland‑based artist Geneva AM, whose debut album Pikipiki placed in the top three of Rolling...
BTS’s ‘Arirang’ Becomes First K‑Pop Album to Lead Billboard 200 Two Weeks Straight
BTS’s fifth studio album “Arirang” held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 for a second consecutive week, recording 187,000 album‑equivalent units. The feat makes BTS the first K‑pop act ever to top the U.S. chart in back‑to‑back weeks, underscoring...
Major Sponsors Pull Out of Kanye West’s London Gigs
US rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, will headline three nights of London’s Wireless Festival in July, reigniting controversy over his past anti‑Semitic statements. Beverage giants Pepsi and spirits group Diageo have both withdrawn their sponsorships of the event,...
I’ll Join BBC Tonight to Discuss Kanye and Wireless Festival
For my international folks, I'll be on @bbc later tonight discussing Kanye and Wireless Festival
First Wave of Twenty-One Concerts Announced for EFG London Jazz Festival 2026
The EFG London Jazz Festival unveiled its first wave of 21 concerts for 2026, introducing the British Airways ARC at Olympia as a new venue. The opening night features a double bill with Dianne Reeves and the Branford Marsalis Quartet celebrating...
Courtney Barnett Announces Australian Album Tour
Australian indie rock stalwart Courtney Barnett announced a three‑city Australian tour for November 2026, supporting her freshly released album *Creature of Habit*. The itinerary includes shows in Brisbane’s Tivoli, the iconic Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, and Melbourne’s Palais Theatre....
Record Store Day 2026 Drops Massive Classic Rock Lineup
The Grateful Dead. Pink Floyd. Van Halen. Bruce Springsteen. The full Record Store Day 2026 release list is here and it's massive. https://t.co/qXoVOHSb46
Five Little‑Known Secrets Behind Dire Straits’ Iconic Album
5 Surprising Facts about Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits. One of the biggest albums ever, with stories behind every track. Read more: https://t.co/lAdiLctQ9R
Allen Toussaint’s ‘Songbook’ to Receive Deluxe Reissue with Unreleased Songs and Interviews
Craft Recordings will issue a deluxe reissue of Allen Toussaint’s 2009 live album *Songbook* on May 29. The expanded set adds 20 previously unreleased tracks, including live renditions of “City of New Orleans” and “Hi Lee Hi,” drawn from the...