Rappers love to be rockstars. The aesthetic around being this untouchable, larger-than-life figure is extremely alluring. But rarely do you hear of rockstars wanting to be rappers. Unless you’re Kid Rock, it’s not often you get your average rocker busting out rhymes or taking inspiration from the grandiose rap personality.

But Fall Out Boy was never the average band either. Considering they featured 2 Chainz in a music video for “My Songs Know What You Did in The Dark“, they’re clearly not averse to hip-hop. It wasn’t just general aesthetic, though. Pete Wentz found massive inspiration in his songwriting by listening to the best rappers of the moment.

In 2006, that was all Lil Wayne. He was going around touting himself as the ‘best rapper alive.’ Frankly, he wasn’t wrong to think so either. He rapped in an absolutely dizzying amount of punchlines that even put Jay-Z to shame.

Naturally, at the time, Pete Wentz was trying to apply that apex form of lyricism to Fall Out Boy. In a 2006 interview with MTV, he talked about some interests that their fans might not have immediately expected from them. He declared Weezy the best lyricist working and highlighted a line that left him especially impressed.

How Pete Wentz and Fall Out Boy Learned From Lil Wayne in the Songwriting Department

“And as far as lyrics go, I’ve been taking a lot of influence from the best lyricist of the past year: Lil Wayne. He’s insane. There’s this one song [‘Hit ‘Em Up’] where he goes, ‘I eat up catastrophe/ Swallow the truth/ And belch reality,’ and I’m like ‘Wow,'” Pete Wentz recalled.

Additionally, the Fall Out Boy bassist marveled that Patrick Stump was just as into R&B and Motown vocally as he was in rock and roll.

“There’s a song we’re calling ‘Me and You,’ and in it, Patrick is doing things that are straight-up Motown,” Wentz added. “If there wasn’t a rock band playing, it’d be straight R&B, and he’d go on tour with just an upright bass and a drum and open up for R. Kelly.”

As far as Lil Wayne is concerned, he believed his own hype just as much as Fall Out Boy did. In 2007, he told XXL that anyone hating on him needs to treat him the way you would civil rights activists.

“Darling, I don’t care what nobody think. Talk to me like you talking to Martin Luther King or Malcolm X. You’re not about to ask him about what he think about what somebody said about him. You ’bout to ask him about his greatness, and his greatness only. I don’t care what nobody think,” Lil Wayne scoffed.

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Happy New Music Friday, friends! I am glad you made it through another week. You deserve some fresh tunes for all your trouble.

First off, I want to encourage you to check out our exclusive with Eva Elfie, featuring the premiere of her debut single along with a short interview conversation. If you dig dark, otherworldly electronic jams, this one is for you.

Next, I hope you’ll scroll through our weekly list and hear the new music from some really memorable and profound artists. Starting with some heavy metal legends.

“Splatter-Fu” by Gwar

The Scumdogs of the Universe are back, baby!

Gwar has announced a brand new project: GWAR and the Last Drive-In-Stein. It’s a split/collaborative album with horror master Joe Bob Briggs and his Shudder series The Last Drive-In. Side A of the album will be some new Gwar tunes, and Side B will feature John Brennan and the Bigfeet, the official Last Drive-In house band.

As part of the project, Brenne penned “Splatter-Fu” for the unholy leaders of the Bohabs, and the hard rockin’ tune is our first taste of the record. If you expected anything less than Gwar doing what they do best, well, I’m happy to disappoint you.

“KISS ME LIKE YOU MISS HER” by ADULT LEISURE

If you’re looking for some fresh new alt-rock in your life, look no further than Bristol, England’s Adult Leisure.

The band has announced that they signed with American label Big Loud Rock, a partnership they sealed with the new single “Kiss Me Like You Miss Her”. It’s a ditty that’s catchy as hell. There’s some early 90s shoegaze guitar tone and a dirty disco rhythm that just forces you to groove with it.

You’ll get addicted to this one.

“VAGABOND” by KING BUFFALO

I love the riff on this song so. f**king. much. It’s got this clear stoner metal energy, but there’s also a little post-grunge element to it that feels really good.

King Buffalo ARE those dudes. They jam so hard and leave nothing on the table. The new tune is called “Vagabond”. It’ll be featured on their new independent record, Doomsayer, which is out on Dec. 4.

“Trick Of The Night” by Reiyo The Giant

Reiyo The Giant is a beautiful anomaly who doesn’t fit into any box you try to build for her.

The genre-defying singer has announced her debut album, Trick Of The Night, heralded by a haunting, atmospheric title track. Her smooth, smoky voice glazes through a trip-hop-esque soundtrack. As it intensifies, her jazzy vocals take center stage with vulnerability and soul, leaving you haunted.

The ‘Temilotzin’ EP by TZOMPANTLI

Hailing from Southern California, Tzompantli is one of the most important bands in heavy music these days. The indigenous metal band writes and performs as a channeling of their ancestors, and their songs exude that spiritual maturity.

This week, the band steps outside their typical sound and brings forth an organic, acoustic offering. Dubbed the Temilotzin EP, these three naturalistic and tribal melodies find Tzompantli paying homage to their deep roots and rich heritage. Find the complete project wherever you stream music, but please consider supporting it through Bandcamp.

Feature image courtesy of Pit Records

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Josh Brolin is making a documentary about the punk band he started as a teenager with his “best friend” Jason Sears. While he admitted that the band name, Cito Vice Squad, was “super dumb,” Brolin expressed his love for the L.A. punk scene growing up.

Speaking with NME in October 2026, Brolin reminisced about his teenage punk band and the L.A. scene. He used to sneak out his bedroom window at night to drive to Godzilla’s, the L.A. equivalent to New York’s CBGB.

“We’d watch amazing bands like Beer Guts, Circle Jerks, and Black Flag,” he said. Dead Kennedys and Wasted Youth frequently played there as well. Godzilla’s was unique in that it was a venue for young punks, run by young punks; for example, the club’s manager was only 20 years old. L.A.’s 80s punk scene suffered from lack of venues, in contrast to New York City. Godzilla’s became one of the last strongholds for young punks in Los Angeles.

For Brolin’s punk band, Cito Vice Squad, the inspiration actually came from across the pond. “We were really motivated by Sex Pistols,” he said. “That was probably the band that initiated it all.”

As for the film, Brolin didn’t have many specific details, other than there’s going to be a film. “We’re doing a documentary on those guys [in Cito Vice Squad and Rich Kids on LSD] right now,” he said. “And talking to [filmmaker] Amy Berg about the L.A. punk scene.”

Josh Brolin Admits That Most of His Friends Who Stayed in the L.A. Punk Scene Are Dead Now

Josh Brolin played drums in the band, and they were fairly well known in the local scene. But he eventually left the band to focus on acting. However, a lot of his friends stayed in the punk scene, for better or worse. The better outcome had fellow Cito Vice Squad members Jason Sears and Richard “Bomer” Manzullo forming Rich Kids on LSD. The worse outcome, he said in 2008, was that “Eighty percent of the guys I grew up with are dead.” By then, that included Sears.

“I was drums, but I wasn’t a good drummer,” Brolin continued. “And then Bomer came in. He was an amazing, amazing musician. All self-taught, and he could play the bass, the guitar, the drums, and the piano. He composed later. It was amazing.”

He added, “The idea of being in a band is always great. You see a lot of actors that try to have that side gig. And I get it. It’s not great for everybody, but I get it.”

In 2008, Brolin said he was grateful he got out of the scene when he did. The issue, he said, was drugs, and he very easily could have met the same fate as many of his friends. “I got out of it early on,” he said at the time. “I was very lucky.”

Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for Disney

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Radiohead is one of the most historically respected bands of all time. Their influence across rock, pop, and even hip-hop shows up through sampling and by emulating their songwriting. The last thing you might initially expect is to hear Kanye West, Pharrell, and Lupe Fiasco rap over one of their songs on “Us Placers“.

However, that influence wasn’t just one way. Though it might not be immediately evident, they’re on the record for admiring arguably the greatest underground rap star of all time, MF DOOM. Back in January 2021, Radiohead lead singer Thom Yorke paid tribute to the late icon. Above all else, he marveled at how incredible he was at stitching words together. In hip-hop and all of music, he hadn’t heard anything so transformative before. Then, he linked the 2009 track “Gazzillion Ear“. Both Yorke and bandmate Jonny Greenwood worked with him on the remix and for the 2011 record “Retarded Fren“.

“I am so sad to hear MF Doom’s passing. He was a massive inspiration to so many of us, changed things,” Yorke tweeted. “For me the way he put words was often shocking in it’s genius, using stream of consciousness in a way i’d never heard before.”

How MF Doom Inspired Radiohead and So Many Other Influential Artists of the 21st Century

Additionally, back in 2013, Thom Yorke told Dazed that DOOM was his favorite rapper. “Ultimately to me it’s not rapping at all, it’s poetry. The way he freeforms his verses and puts it all together, I don’t think anyone else quite does it like that,” the Radiohead frontman shared.

“I don’t necessarily like a lot of the beats, but he’s always amazing. ‘Guvnor’ was my single of 2012. It’s genius, that tune.

On the other side of the spectrum from Radiohead is Playboi Carti. Though he may not be the lyrical marvel that MF DOOM was, he raps with a lot of the same color and imagination stylistically. Still, when he made a reference to him on Whole Lotta Red in 2020, it threw a lot of people by surprise, his friends included.

That fact made Carti extremely giddy to share with his friends. As he told MARVIN Magazine in 2021, he was anxiously waiting to see if DOOM ever heard the lyric.

“I was more hype than anything. He’s alive to hear this s**t boy. I couldn’t wait for DOOM to pop out his shell and shout out Playboi Carti. I ain’t even do it for him to shout me out, I just did it to show older people who hear me. Yeah, I f**k with Doom, feel me. I love Doom,” he told journalist Yoh Phillips.

Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

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Beloved indie rock singer Jake Luppen has revealed that he will undergo major surgery. The Hippo Campus frontman has shared that doctors will be performing a six-hour surgery to remove a brain tumor that he was previously diagnosed with.

“Hey everyone – Jake here with a life update,” Luppen wrote in a social media post. He then offered some background info on his health situation. “About seven years ago, a migraine-prompted MRI revealed a 9 mm lesion on my brain, right near my [basal] ganglia,” Luppen shared.

“This past summer a routine scan showed some possible growth in this lesion, which prompted an EEG test,” he continued. “To my surprise, the panic symptoms I had been experiencing were actually focal seizures.”

Doctors will perform an open brain surgery on Hippo Campus frontman Jake Luppen

Next came a plan on how to treat the tumor. “My neurologist and neurosurgeon at Mayo determined that the best route to recovery would require a craniotomy to remove the lesion, as its critical location renders the option for a biopsy to be too dangerous,” he explained. “This kind of open brain surgery lasts for about six hours and requires that I’m awake so that they can safely access what they believe is a stage two glioma (slow-growing, low-grade brain tumor).”

“They’ll remove as much of the lesion as possible and then send it off for testing. Once we know what it is, we’ll know how to treat it,” Luppen shared. “While a medical procedure of this nature carries some scary risks, my family and I couldn’t ask for a better surgical team to perform this surgery, which is scheduled for November 6th.”

The singer added that this will certainly affect his ability to perform. “All that being said, it might be a second before I can play music for y’all again,” he said. “So, on October 19th we’re playing a show at Turf Club to rage for one last time before I’m on my a** for a few months. “

“Rest assured, I will work as hard as I can to get back on stage asap,” Luppen concluded. “I’ll keep y’all updated throughout this journey. Gonna be a wild ride. Much love.”

Photo by Jon Mattrisch/Billboard via Getty Images

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Fontaines D.C. have dropped the third single from Dopamine Chamber, the highly anticipated follow-up to their 2024 album Romance, but there’s something different about this one. “Where Is Gone?” not only differs from the previous singles stylistically, but it features a first for the band overall. Here, they’ve added a guest vocalist for the first time.

The band collaborated with Rosalía for the single, and frontman Grian Chatten had nothing but praise for the Spanish singer-songwriter. Speaking with NPR in October 2026, Chatten shared details of the process, from knowing Rosalía was the right choice to actually contacting her.

“I’ve always had a sneaking suspicion that there is one grand thing that I’m trying to impart on the world before I get old and die,” he began. “[It’s like] there’s one thing that I’ll always be chasing. I’ve got a suspicion that her heart is similar to mine.”

RosalíA’s ‘Classical’ and ‘Dystopian’ Vocals Were Exactly What Fontaines D.C. Needed on New Track

The Fontaines D.C. frontman spoke of a “kinship” between himself and Rosalía as they worked together. It seems that their creative priorities were exactly in alignment, reassuring Chatten that he and the band made the right choice for a guest vocalist.

“She’s such an incredible arranger and composer and lyricist,” Chatten said of Rosalía. “It’s just so humbling that she was into singing on something that we had arranged.” He added, “It’s a career high for me, for sure.”

Speaking with MOJO, also in October 2026, Chatten doubled down on his praise for Rosalía’s artistry. He made note of her genre-bending talent, comparing her to others who have made their music into an experimental art form. Rosalía may seem like a typical pop star on the surface, but her discography is artfully crafted with a wide net of influences, including literature and traditional Spanish folk music.

But when asked why Fontaines D.C. wanted to work with Rosalía, Chatten highlighted her vocals specifically. “Because I think her voice, there’s a classical nature to it,” he said. “But there’s also something kind of eerily sort of dystopian in it.”

That’s just what Fontaines D.C. were looking for on this new track, and on Dopamine Chamber as a whole. “I just think she’s a bit of an auteur,” Chatten added. “She reminds me of Bowie and Björk. She has a terrifying level of talent. So it’s an honor.”

Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage

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The stomp-clap style of indie folk is an interesting rabbit hole to get lost in. When you get right down to it, there really weren’t that many stomp-clap bands out there, because it wasn’t a genre that anyone made on purpose. It was just an amalgamation of folk elements—banjo, ukulele, stomping, clapping, heying—that became too popular to sustain itself. Oversaturation by bands like Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros made the style almost universally hated. Not to mention its association with Millennial hipsters, microbreweries, and upscale-industrial burger joints.

These three bands may not be completely forgotten, and they were most successful throughout the 2010s. This list, however, is for the fellow Millennials who really liked these bands, then forgot about them when the whole indie folk hipster thing blew up. Here’s a nice reminder that these bands are still incredible.

The Oh Hellos

Sibling duo The Oh Hellos were fairly prominent in the indie folk pop scene of the 2010s. They first gained a following on Bandcamp with a 2010 EP. From there, they continued to grow as a staunchly independent band. The Oh Hellos released their self-produced debut, In the Deep, Dark Valley, in 2012, and consistently released several more albums and EPs through the years.

Their sound is mercurial, majestic, and expansive, drawing on Celtic musical styles and other folk traditions. Of the stomp-clap era, The Oh Hellos flew relatively under the radar. They had a devoted following, but as a strictly independent band, they didn’t get airplay like Mumford & Sons or other signed bands. So while their contemporaries grew to mainstream oversaturation, The Oh Hellos maintained their creative freedom.

First Aid Kit

Swedish sister act First Aid Kit emerged after their 2008 cover of Fleet Foxes’ “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” gained attention on YouTube. They released their debut album, The Big Black and the Blue, in 2010, going on to release five albums and four EPs. Their most recent release was Palomino in 2023. They mostly skirted the edges of stomp-clap folk, not fully joining but standing adjacent. Like The Oh Hellos, they didn’t get caught up in the commercial saturation of the style, retaining creative integrity.

First Aid Kit often produces ethereal harmonies and tribal percussive beats, tapping into an ancient spiritual feeling with their music. Their real skill was their sparse, stripped-bare production. They created indie folk songs that sounded simultaneously lush and barren. A dense forest in one moment, a dry desert in the next, but always atmospheric.

The Head and the Heart

The Head and the Heart formed in 2009 and released their debut self-titled album in 2011. Considering genres, they were more involved in the indie folk scene that the stomp-clap style evolved from. That is, the acoustic indie folk of Bon Iver, Iron & Wine, and Grizzly Bear, which in turn evolved from bands like Neutral Milk Hotel.

What the stomp-clap style of indie folk did in the 2000s was mostly overshadow the genuine folk bands who were emerging at the same time. Stomp-clap became synonymous with indie folk because it was everywhere, and because it was everywhere, people grew to hate it. However, bands like The Head and the Heart were still releasing quality indie folk records. It just so happened that the mainstream audience was preoccupied with stomp-clap at the time.

Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

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Phoebe Bridgers, solo indie darling and one-third of Boygenius, made a pit stop on her Lost Tour to film an acoustic set for A24’s Sound Check At Cherry Lane Theatre series, with the video released on October 9, 2026. The film production studio pairs musicians with directors for the filmed set, and Bridgers teamed up with Lance Oppenheim for hers. But she was also joined by her Boygenius bandmates, marking their first recorded performance together since 2023.

Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus joined Phoebe Bridgers for two of her three songs. First, Bridgers opened with “On Video”, with longtime collaborator Ethan Gruska on piano. Bridgers contributed the track to the film Primetime, in which she also makes her major acting debut.

For the tracks “Lost Boys” and “Haunted”, Baker and Dacus took the stage. Both songs appeared on Bridgers’ 2026 album Lost Weekend, and both Baker and Dacus have writing credit on “Haunted”. The trio most recently performed live together during Bridgers’ tour, but this is their first recorded performance since a 2023 SNL appearance.

The Boygenius Reunion is Their First Recorded Performance Since 2023

In 2023, Boygenius released their latest album, The Record. This was followed by The Rest EP, before the trio went back to their solo endeavors. Lucy Dacus most recently released Forever Is a Feeling in March 2025. Meanwhile, Julien Baker’s latest project with Torres produced the album Send a Prayer My Way in April 2025.

However, Boygenius fans have never stopped carrying a torch for the Grammy-winning trio. While there haven’t been any rumors of new music, Bridgers did bring her bandmates out during a tour stop in New York at the end of September. Dacus and Baker took the stage to perform “Not Strong Enough” and “Powers”.

A lucky treat for the fans who were there in person, as Bridgers has put a moratorium on phones and cameras at her shows. So there’s no footage of that earlier Boygenius reunion, but there’s definitely footage of this latest one. And with Lance Oppenheim behind the camera, it’s both a sonic and visual feast.

The Lost Tour continues through North America on October 13, 2026. A seven-date U.K. leg kicks off on November 23, followed by seven dates in Europe. The tour concludes in Stockholm on December 12, 2026.

Miraculously, there was another indie rock reunion going on this past weekend apart from Boygenius. Jack White reunited with The Raconteurs on October 10, 2026, during a show in Nashville. For the encore, White brought out guitarist Brendan Benson and bassist Jack Lawrence, with drummer Patrick Keeler also serving in White’s current touring band. They played several favorites from their 2006 debut and 2008 follow-up, marking the first time they’ve performed together since 2019.

Photo by Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images

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One of The Smiths’ most recognizable songs didn’t amass widespread acclaim when it was initially released in 1986. “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” appeared on the band’s third album, The Queen Is Dead. But once it was released as a single in 1992, it became one of their signature songs. Unfortunately, The Smiths had already been broken up for five years.

“There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” received an official single release in the U.K. on October 12, 1992, to promote the upcoming compilation album, …Best II. Five years earlier, The Smiths suddenly disbanded, wrung out from touring and personal conflicts within the band. Several band members launched solo careers, notably Morrissey and Johnny Marr.

Releasing the single brought The Smiths renewed attention. The song went from the second-to-last album track to a notable single. It received praise from critics and more love from die-hard fans, despite only peaking at No. 25 on the U.K. Singles Chart.

Still, “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” put The Smiths on a lifetime pedestal from then on. The song title alone made it an apt choice for release. “There is a light that never goes out” on The Smiths, as they continue to gain new generations of fans.

Everyone Wanted ‘There Is a Light’ as a Single, but the Smiths Guitarist Johnny Marr Had Other Plans

Johnny Marr and Morrissey co-wrote “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” around 1985. The Smiths recorded it during those late-year sessions, with Marr later describing the process as “magical”. However, he told NME in 2011 that magic also came a bit out of nowhere.

“We did it at the start of the day,” he said at the time. “It was an enjoyable 40 minutes. When we all got together … it was the first time all four of us had heard what it sounded like. It was magical. Someone told me that if you listen with the volume really, really up you can hear me shout ‘That was amazing’ right at the end.”

In 1993, Marr said that he didn’t anticipate the track becoming an anthem later on. “But,” he admitted, “when we first played it I thought it was the best song I’d ever heard.” So why is it that Marr pushed for “Bigmouth Strikes Again” as the single off The Queen Is Dead when The Smiths’ label boss wanted “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out”?

“For a long time I worked on the premise that we should always have a song on each album that people said, ‘That should be a single.’ But in fact really wasn’t,” he told Uncut in 2008. “I thought it was a sign of a really great album that there was a track that everyone wanted as a single, but you had stronger singles instead.”

This led to the track becoming something of a hidden secret for die-hard Smiths fans in 1986. It had beloved deep cut status for six years. Then, as an official single, it became a mainstream hit. In the U.K., it’s now certified 2x Platinum. Not bad for a band broken up for five years.

Photo by Pete Still/Redferns

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Radiohead’s 2025 reunion tour was a huge deal for fans across the world. It almost took frontman Thom Yorke out, though, as he suffered a “self-confidence crash” afterward.

Last year, the band set out on a trek across Europe—their first in seven years—with stops in cities like Berlin, Bologna, Copenhagen, London, and Madrid. Speaking in a Rolling Stone interview, Yorke reflected on the tour, saying it was “fun” but took him “months” to recover.

“After the [2025] Radiohead tour,” he said, “even though in the middle of it, it was really fun, my response to it afterwards was to crash, like massively crash, in terms of self-confidence.”

Once he started working on his next solo project, he started doing better. “It took me months,” he said. “It took me starting on my own record again two months later to go: ‘Oh, OK. I’m good now. I’m fine.’ I just have a really odd relationship with it. And I’ve just grown used to that.”

Thom Yorke was inducted into the Fellowship of the Ivors Academy in 2026

Yorke also confessed that it was “deeply confusing” for him to be inducted into the Fellowship of the Ivors Academy in May, at the Ivor Novello Awards. “I’m in a slightly better place nowadays,” he said of the honor. “But I’d be lying if I didn’t say that something like getting an Ivor Novello fellowship was not deeply confusing for me.”

“I admire a lot of the people that they’ve given those awards to. Some of these people are my heroes. But I have a very, very strange relationship to,” Yorke paused before continuing. “God, this is really hard to explain. I have a very strange relationship to that element of my work.”

He admitted that he was “quite numb” while receiving the prize, even though his family was thrilled. “You probably saw Agnes and Noah [his children] at the Ivors,” Yorke said. “They were very emotional about it, and Dajana, my wife, was as well.”

“I do it for them, because if they’re emotional about it,” he added. “OK, that’s why I’m here. Because for me, I feel quite numb about it.”

Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

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The early 2000s were a treasure trove of hits for alternative rock. Alt-rock radio stations all over were in their prime, playing an endless rotation of singles. Now, more than 20 years later, these three songs are perfect for anyone hunting for a dose of nostalgia.

“Get Free” by The Vines

Australian alternative rock band The Vines debuted in 2002 with the album Highly Evolved, featuring what would become the band’s biggest hit, “Get Free”. This catchy rock song was well crafted with a deliberate looseness that captured fans. It was almost a bit ahead of its time, and it still holds up more than 20 years later because of that.

“Get Free” reached No. 7 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, successfully finding an American audience. The longevity of “Get Free” is in its timeless sound, an explosive, gritty rock attitude that’s always in demand. For example, the song showed up most recently in the closing credits of a 2025 episode of Daredevil: Born Again.

“Sweetness” by Jimmy Eat World

When Jimmy Eat World comes up in conversation, it’s usually about “The Middle” being a one-hit wonder. But “Sweetness” was arguably the better single off their fourth album Bleed American. Released as a single in 2002, it climbed to No. 2 on Billboard‘s Alternative Airplay chart. It was in heavy rotation on alternative rock stations nationwide, increasing its popularity and making it one of the band’s signature songs.

The success of “Sweetness” was ultimately built off the success of “The Middle”. However, the bigger, emotionally charged sound of “Sweetness” made it stand out. It’s still a beloved favorite despite the mainstream attention, because it’s just that good of a song.

“Hero” by Chad Kroeger

There’s a good chance a lot of people remember Chad Kroeger’s “Hero” solely because of the 2002 Spider-Man soundtrack. That’s a valid reason, and I say that as the number one Nickelback apologist. But it also reached the Top 10 on the charts of ten different countries, so Chad Kroeger must have done something right.

“Hero” is a quintessential early-2000s alternative rock song, down to the overblown theatrics and dramatic vocals. But the thing about those extremely 2000s rock songs is that they’re fun now. “Hero” was constantly on the radio in 2002, but now you might get lucky and hear it playing at GameStop or ACE Hardware. What was annoying 20 years ago has become warmly familiar.

Photo by Gregory Bojorquez/Getty Images

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Every artist likely has a song in their catalog that they wish they did a little differently. Sometimes, they wish they never made it completely. But there’s always a bit of regret somewhere in the creation process, especially if you’re a perfectionist. For John Mayer, that moment stemmed from one of the most successful songs of his career.

In 2003, he released “Daughters” from his album Heavier Things. Eventually, that song would win Song of The Year at the 47th annual GRAMMY Awards. It revolved around how daughters, and children in general, will grow up as reflections of their parents. If they aren’t taken care of properly, it would inevitably ruin future relationships.

Decades later, John Mayer is much colder toward the song. In a clip from a recent performance, he took an aside to admit it came from an egotistical place rather than real wisdom. “I was being overly high-minded and haughty because my heart was broken at 24. I probably should have minded my own business,” he told the crowd.

Then, he clarified further, revealing that the song was birthed in the aftermath of a bad breakup. Ultimately, he tried to make sense of it and searched for a simple explanation. By the end, Mayer projected their problems onto his ex’s parents and her upbringing.

John Mayer Has Serious Regrets Over How He Made ‘Daughters’

“And I’ll take the truth over, like, you know, a shinier lie, but I was so heartbroken,” Mayer continued. “You know, when you’re young, and you’re heartbroken, and you start looking for reasons why something worked and start huffing and puffing. I was so desperate that I just turned to the past.”

Nowadays, John Mayer hates the mindset that he used to have. But the singer and guitarist also offered himself a bit of grace for being young, dumb, and trying to have all the answers.

“Imagine being so broken about — you’re heartbroken over somebody that you’re like, ‘Why couldn’t you have been raised to be more like a match for me?” he reflected. “But the thing about being a songwriter at 24 is you don’t know what isn’t your business.”

By the end of his talk with the audience, he called the 24-year-old version of himself a “weird messenger” for “Daughters”. At almost 49 years old today, the record took on a new meaning. “I’m glad I have the song because I left myself a beautiful thing that I can put a different context on,” John Mayer concluded.

Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images

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The new millennium is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that millennials will never forget. There was a lot of media frenzy surrounding the Y2K doomsday conspiracy ahead of this leap into the 2000s. Pop culture also began embracing futuristic themes and aesthetics, which, looking back from 2026, seems silly now. At the time, we were consumed by this transition into a new century. With this time being particularly memorable, here are three alternative rock hits from 2000 that every millennial is guaranteed to remember.

“Kryptonite” by 3 Doors Down

In 2000, 3 Doors Down penned a post-grunge hit with their debut single. This track helped to redefine post-grunge into the new century. Released on January 18, 2000, “Kryptonite” shot to No. 1 on the Alternative Airplay chart, where it remained for nine weeks. Following this, the track then went to No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock chart and the Pop Airplay.

It’s among the first huge rock hits of that year, and one of the band’s biggest hits. That’s not to say they didn’t follow up, because they certainly did. “Kyrptonite” is the first in a string of hits from the band in the early 2000s. Their debut album, The Better Life, peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. Sadly, singer Brad Arnold passed away on February 7, 2026, after a battle with cancer.

“Drive” by Incubus

Though this band released their third album, Make Yourself, at the end of 1999, they didn’t “break” until 2000. The band’s breakout hit, “Pardon Me”, peaked at No. 3 on the Alternative Airplay chart, No. 2 on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100, and No. 7 on the Mainstream Rock chart. Due to the success and radio airplay of “Pardon Me” and their next single, “Stellar”, they earned their first hit on the Hot 100 with the third single. In November 2000, “Drive” peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Alternative Airplay chart. Even though the band earned more alternative hits in the early 2000s, none came close to the success of “Drive”.

“Last Resort” by Papa Roach

On March 7, 2000, Papa Roach released their debut single, “Last Resort”. Their unique take on nu-metal was well received at the turn of the century, as nu-metal continued to invade the rock airwaves. Every Millennial can hear the isolated vocal intro “Cut my life into pieces / This is my last resort” upon reading the name of the track. This intro is forever ingrained in our memories. “Last Resort” first appeared on the soundtrack for the film Ready To Rumble, a wrestling comedy starring David Arquette and Scott Caan. As professional wrestling peaked in the late 90s and early 2000s, this film garnered significant attention. It didn’t perform well at the box office and received poor reviews. Still, the film is a cult classic among millennial wrestling fans.

Photo by Mick Hutson/Redferns

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Now that we’re officially in October, fall 2026 has begun. The month is a huge countdown to a holiday that has never lost its thrill. In fact, Halloween seems to be more popular than ever. Over the years, the holiday has become less about kids and more about adults. Whether you’re a millennial who remembers the 90s, or you’re Gen Z or younger discovering music, here are 90s alternative rock songs that belong on your Halloween playlist this year.

“Do The Vampire” by Superdrag

Arguably one of the most underrated bands of the 90s, Superdrag is often considered to be a one-hit wonder. In 1996, they earned a hit from their debut album Regretfully Yours. Their single, “Sucked Out”, peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart. For their follow-up album, the band sensed their label wanted to drop them. They made the best of their studio time and hefty budget to create a masterpiece.

Superdrag released their sophomore album, Head Trip In Every Key, on March 24, 1998. The lead single “Do The Vampire” was released weeks earlier, on March 2. The song became a college radio hit, though it never reached the heights of “Sucked Out”. If you’re looking for a 90s deep cut to surprise your friends on Halloween, add this underrated track to the playlist.

“Floyd The Barber” by Nirvana

Die-hard Nirvana fans will quickly jump at this inclusion with “that song wasn’t released in the 90s.” You’re right, but many were unaware of the track from Nirvana’s 1989 debut, Bleach. Famously, Nirvana broke into the mainstream in 1991, becoming more than just an underground Sub Pop band. They became the most notorious band in the world in the early 90s. Due to this, their debut album was re-released in 1992. This introduced the whole world to the predecessor of Nevermind.

In track two, “Floyd The Barber”, Cobain turned the small fictional town of Mayberry from The Andy Griffith Show into the setting of a horror film. Floyd Lawson, the barber on the 60s TV show, and the rest of the cast terrorize and abuse the narrator at the barber shop. One by one, each character takes turns assaulting the victim, who is tied to the barber chair. This spin on the happy-go-lucky sitcom is one of Cobain’s most underrated pieces.

“Dragula” by Rob Zombie

It’s no surprise that Halloween is Rob Zombie’s favorite holiday. It’s truly his entire gimmick. His 1998 debut solo, Hellbilly Deluxe, capitalized on the singer’s fame from fronting White Zombie. His debut solo single, “Dragula”, became his signature track upon release. Cobain wasn’t the only artist pulling from the sitcoms of the 60s. “Dragula” is based on the drag-racing vehicle from the 1960s sitcom The Munsters.

It remains Rob Zombie’s best-selling hit to this day and his highest-charting hit. It peaked at No. 6 on the US Mainstream Rock chart. Most of Zombie’s discography is fitting for Halloween. Another track from the debut album that you could include is “Living Dead Girl”.

Photo by Bob Berg/Getty Images

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Artists in the music industry make less money than they ever have. Back in the 90s, they could make plenty of money strictly from their album sales and tours. Selling out was still a real concept. Nowadays, it’s impossible to avoid trying to put your music up for ad revenue. If you aren’t trying to get your songs in a commercial, you aren’t trying to succeed.

So where does that leave independent artists and local bands? What happens when they don’t have the machine in their corner? Hayley Williams argued that it’s important now more than ever to go support your favorite artists personally. During a recent concert, she took an aside and urged fans to go to smaller shows than her own. Not only will it help the artist, but it will ensure you don’t end up insular and getting warped by the toxicity of the internet.

“If I could tell you anything: go to smaller shows than this, go to little shows at independent venues. Find your people, find your favorite music, and support that. We are all that we f**king have,” Williams stressed.

Hayley Williams Tells Her Fans to Support Local Shows and Connect with The Community

The Paramore singer has been especially vocal lately, dishing out her fair share of political commentary at shows. For instance, at another show performing “Ice in My OJ”, she screamed “f**k ICE” and “free motherf**king Palestine.”

Afterward, a DHS spokesperson scoffed at her stance and told Fox News that Hayley Williams should be grateful for her country. “America is grateful all the time for our federal law enforcement officers who keep us safe,” they shared. “We suggest Ms. Williams to thank them for their service, not belittle their sacrifice.”

Hayley Williams retorted with a scathing response on her Instagram story (captured by Billboard). “And may I suggest all Nazi b****es suck on my fat d**k,” Williams wrote.

Regarding her solidarity with Palestine, the “Ain’t It Fun” crooner made it clear that she was working with Atlantic Records to geo-block Paramore records from streaming in Israel as part of the No Music For Genocide initiative.

“I have wondered whether those records are even able to be a part of this boycott, but my team have been relentless in trying to help get it done. Lastly, I can only be a mouthpiece for myself right now, but hopefully Paramore albums are/will remain taken down,” Hayley Williams wrote. “Because it is my believe that boycotts work and I do think as many artists as possible should try and participate in this initiative.”

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A rare Led Zeppelin record, which shouldn’t even exist, just showed up on an episode of Antiques Roadshow.

Back in the 70s, the band’s label released their hit song “Whole Lotta Love” as a seven-inch vinyl single. As the story goes, Led Zeppelin had a very firm rule about not producing singles, only albums. However, their label, Atlantic Records, pressed 500 copies of this rare single. It was even certified gold in the United States.

The band felt very upset once they found out. In response, their manager, Peter Grant, ordered the recall and destruction of all copies. All, except for one, apparently.

Atlantic Records produced a single of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” against the band’s wishes

NME reports that as Antiquies Roadshow made its way to Caerphilly Castle in Wales, one man brought in the rare vinyl. Speaking with antiques expert Marc Allum, the man shared how he came to possess it way back in the 1970s.

“I was looking for records to start a disco,” he recalled of acquiring the record from someone else, “and out of his bag came a couple of records. He went, ‘You can have those.’” Allum noted that this vinyl was only released in America, and “shouldn’t really exist” in the United Kingdom.

“There are a lot of myths and stories that build up around these things, and I heard that 500 were pressed and they went out,” Allum continued. “This came about apparently because there was a kind of disparity between the relationship between the band, the management and the record company. Led Zeppelin, the band hadn’t agreed to have any singles released.”

The rare vinyl could fetch a pretty penny at auction

The expert stated that it was “difficult to put a value on” this vinyl. He estimated it could get around $1,000 at auction, while noting some finger marks and light scratches on it.

Funnily enough, the record owner noted that people who came to his disco were not “impressed” with it. He quipped that “it cleared the dance floor” whenever he played it. He then added, “It’s been with me for 55 years, and I will probably give it to my daughters to do what they want to do with it. I don’t think I will play it again as it will devalue it.”

Photo by Laurance Ratner/WireImage

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For Millennials who always had the radio tuned to their local alternative rock station, these three songs should sound familiar. Here’s a hit of nostalgia all the way from 2001, just don’t think too hard about how many years that is.

“Wish You Were Here” by Incubus

“Wish You Were Here” appeared on Incubus’ fourth album, Morning View, released in August 2001. This single was in heavy rotation on alternative rock radio, and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. It’s a simple song with not much meat to it. But the sentiment expressed in its simplicity captured fans, and “Wish You Were Here” became a hit for Incubus.

In general, the lyrics express contentment with living in the moment. Instead of looking forward to the next thing while still in the current experience, “Wish You Were Here” keeps its focus on the present. The chorus is simply those four words repeated with varying inflection. So while it’s generally about being present, there’s also a bit of melancholy at not having someone to share it with.

“In The End” by Linkin Park

Linkin Park occupies a special place in the lives of many Millennials, at least those who were into alternative rock at the time. More specifically, their debut album Hybrid Theory resonated with those who were maybe not having the greatest time existing. Linkin Park gave fans the opportunity to channel their own struggles through Chester Bennington’s emotionally raw vocals.

“In the End”, which was released as a single in September 2001, became a huge hit for the band. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 78, peaking at No. 2 within just a few months. “In the End” essentially became Linkin Park’s signature song, and it retains a prominent place on many Millennial playlists.

“How You Remind Me” by Nickelback

Nickelback released “How You Remind Me” in September 2001 on their third album Silver Side Up. Those who were tuned in to alternative rock radio should know this one top to bottom, as it seemed to saturate the airwaves. The thing about Nickelback is that despite becoming the band everyone loves to hate, they really aren’t that bad.

A lot of Nickelback’s early work is pretty decent alt-rock. But they dominated the radio for a certain span of time, and that oversaturation led to misguided contempt. “How You Remind Me” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and placed at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs of the Decade. Whether by our own free will or not, a lot of Millennials have Nickelback lyrics buried in our subconscious. We’re just waiting to be activated like sleeper agents.

Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

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Fall is upon us, though it may not look that way in parts of the country. Though the leaves haven’t changed quite yet, it’s October, which means Halloween is right around the corner. Pumpkin spice is about to dominate smells and tastes, and the weather is about to drop significantly. By Halloween, leaves will be yellow, orange, and red, and everyone will be putting on their favorite sweaters. If you’re like me, each year you make a playlist for this transitional time of the year. Here are four 90s alternative songs that belong on your fall playlist.

“Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star

Fall weather brings about a cool breeze, though it’s not as uncomfortable as the winter cold. This song has that exact feel. The way Hope Sandoval’s dreamy vocals flow made this 1993 dream pop song a hit on US alternative stations. With this, Mazzy Star introduced the US to UK dream pop, bringing the genre to California in the midst of the 90s alternative movement.

“Fake PLastic Trees” by Radiohead

For similar reasons, Radiohead‘s mellow single “Fake Plastic Trees” fits this transitional time of the year. Though trees are referenced in the title, the lyrics are nonsensical, as Thom Yorke simply wrote whatever came to mind. The finished product made him giggle, even though the song comes off as a serious ballad. Much of the band’s 1996 album The Bends fits well with the autumn months.

“Mayonaise” by The Smashing Pumpkins

It’s no surprise that The Smashing Pumpkins are perfect for a fall playlist. Many would include their 1996 hit “1979”, and though it’s a perfect choice, “Mayonaise” is for the true fans. As
1979″ is one of the band’s biggest hits, “Mayonaise” is purely a fan favorite. Their 1993 album Siamese Dream is an essential fall album, featuring an orange-toned album cover. The 2011 orange and purple remastered album cover is even more fitting as we approach Halloween.

“Backwater” by Meat Puppets

In the 90s, Meat Puppets finally received their due credit for their massive influence on 90s alternative. They appeared on stage with Nirvana in late 1993 for MTV Unplugged, performing with the band three of their early 80s tracks. Following this performance, they released their eighth studio album, Too High To Die, in January 1994. Their lead single “Backwater” became the band’s most successful release.

Photo by Gie Knaeps/Getty Images

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Chat Pile definitely isn't easy listening. The Oklahoma City sludge and noise rock band tackles lyrical topics as heavy as they get: families falling apart, homelessness, and, on their latest album, the climate crisis. This year Chat Pile released their third full-length album, Who Loves the Sun, to wide acclaim from fans (myself included) and critics like Anthony Fantano, who gave it a rare 9/10. — Read the rest

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