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Fitz and the Tantrums have returned: the pop-rock group have announced that their sixth studio album, Man on the Moon, will be released on July 25 through Atlantic Records, and unveiled the title track of the upcoming full-length on Wednesday (May 7).
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The follow-up to 2022’s Let Yourself Free was a product of feeling less beholden to straining for hits in the studio, says band leader Michael Fitzpatrick. “I think after our first radio hit with ‘Out Of My League,’ there was this insane amount of pressure to keep delivering hits,” he says of the band’s breakthrough 2013 single. “Then we had an even bigger hit with ‘HandClap,’ and there was even more expectation and pressure.
“But today?!” Fitzpatrick continues. “No one knows what a hit is anymore, the landscape is totally different, and that was actually incredibly liberating for us during the making of this record. We said ‘screw it,’ and just did what we wanted 1000% of the time. Zero compromise and all feeling. The air finally came back into the room and writing songs felt joyful and easy again.”
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That process began with the title track, which will serve as the new album’s lead single. While the band released album track “Ruin the Night” in March, “Man on the Moon” represents a jolt of energy for the group, and a return to the soul-pop sound that has defined some of their most well-loved hits.
“‘Man On The Moon’ came about organically in the early days of the writing process for the album,” says Fitzpatrick. “The feelings and ideas that I wanted to write about just kept pointing us back in the Motown/soul direction. Honestly, it kinda felt like coming home.”
After touring extensively behind Let Yourself Free, Fitz and the Tantrums will kick off a summer headlining run on July 24 in San Diego on the eve of the album release. The 31-city North American tour will feature Aloe Blacc and Neal Francis as special guests on select dates, while Ax and the Hatchetman, SNACKTIME and Gable Price and Friends will serve as openers.
Check out the track list to Fitz and the Tantrums’ Man on the Moon and watch the video for the title track below:
“The Good The Bad The Ugly”
“Man On The Moon”
“Withdrawals”
“Oh Maria”
“Ruin The Night”
“Where I Go”
“Young Days”
“Perfume”
“Umbrella”
“Queen of Hearts”
“Waste My Time”
“OK OK OK”
“Motion”
“One Day”
The Latin Alternative Music Conference will honor a group of 20 women in the 2025 LAMC Wonder Women of Latin Music program. The list features a wide-ranging group, including journalists, publicists and executives from multiple areas of the music business that will be recognized in partnership with Amazon Music. Now in its sixth edition, the […]
For years, the roster for Lil Wayne‘s Young Money crew has included such bold named stars as Drake, Nicki Minaj, Tyga, Lil Twist and Jae Millz, among others. But as Weezy prepares to finally release his long-awaited Tha Carter VI LP on June 6, the Young Money CEO popped into his Young Money Radio show on Apple Music to introduce the next generation roster.
In addition to long-time members Cory Gunz and Twist, Wayne introduced his new artists, who include Jay Jones, Allan Cubas, Domiio, Euro and Lucifena, an East Los Angeles metal-edge singer whose vocals are informed by Nirvana and the Deftones. Also in the crew is New Orleans rapper Poppy, who Wayne said he’s so hyped on he thinks of the MC as like his “motherf–kin’ son.”
Wayne caught up with Gunz, noting that the Bronx rapper has been busy, dropping the Loosie Pack 3 EP and, last July, The Militia mixtape. Gunz said up next for him is “elevation,” raising the bar to the next level, just as Wayne has shown by example in his career. “We got to make each thing better than the last one,” he said while also chopping it up about his resurgent New York Knicks’ run in the NBA playoffs.
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Twist also provided an update, saying he’s stepped into “a whole ‘nother genre” thanks to picking up a live band. “I’m rocking with the alternative hip-hop rock,” he told the boss, who knows about dipping into the rock side thanks to his guitar-heavy 2010 Rebirth album.
New gen Young Money signees Jay Jones and Allan Cubas, both New Orleans natives as well, were up next. Wayne noted that after hearing Honduran-American artist Cubas rap and then go into his “Latin s–t” he was hooked. “That’s something we’ve never had at Young Money,” Wayne said of the sound. Hollygrove-bred MC Jones talked about his January mixtape, Almost Forgot Who I Was, as well as the collaborative Flight 504 project he’s working on with Cubas that will be a “fusion” of their styles.
The sit down also included chats with Euro and the one of the freshest signings, Domiio (aka Drizzy P), with Wayne saying of the latter that his confidence is “through the roof.” The session ended with Wayne introducing Lucifena and Poppy, with Weezy joking that he helped raise Poppy like his son, joking that he was shocked at how “dirty” the MCs sound was. He also described being blown away hearing Lucifena scream on a song called “Tyrant,” which inspired him so much that he laid down both a guitar solo and a verse on the track.
Watch Lil Wayne roll out the next generation below.
Fiona Apple spent two years as a “court watcher,” taking notes and observing thousands of bond hearings. Those countless hours have inspired the singer’s first new song in five years, “Pretrial (Let Her Go Home),” an intense, percussion-heavy broadside against the U.S.’s cash-bail system.
In a statement at the top of the video for the song that dropped on Tuesday (May 6), Apple wrote, “I saw so many people get caged away simply because they could not afford bail. Before they even got a trial… while still presumed innocent.” As her unaccompanied voice swells up, she sings, “They wouldn’t let her/ They wouldn’t let her/ They wouldn’t let her, wouldn’t let her go home,” and the words “Jail didn’t just hurt them. It hurt their families. It hurt all of our communities” scroll across the screen along with a montage of women impacted by a system that keeps people in jail if they can’t afford to post bail.
Apple said the personal images were shared with her by women who have been trapped in pretrial detention, jailed despite the court system’s presumption of innocence because they could not post bond. Over a second montage, hand drums and a flute bubble up as Apple sings, “They wouldn’t let her go home/ And now there’s no more home.” The singer said in an accompanying statement that for the past five years she’s been volunteering with the Free Black Mamas DMV bailout while witnessing “the stories of women who fought for and won their freedom with the tireless and loving support of the leadership.”
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“I hope that this song and these shared images will help to show what is at stake when someone is touched by a system that won’t let them go,” Apple wrote. The accompanying track produced by Zealous and Special Operation Studios is a tribal-beat homage to mothers who “took on extra shifts/ Still couldn’t pay the bail/ No danger, no flight risk/ But she will stay in jail,” she sings over images of smiling mothers dancing with and hugging their children.
“She was not convicted of anything/ Won’t you let her go home/ Won’t you let her go home,” Apple sings. “At home she’s got two kids/ And grandma needs her care/ Who’ll pack the lunch and give meds/ If she’s in jail not there?” The track also illuminates the cascading effects of mother’s jailed without bail, including falling behind on rent and kids missing school to see their grandma in the hospital after a fall, triggering teachers calling child protective services to report their absence and authorities then taking the children into custody.
“Can’t afford a new phone card, because nobody’s home/ Shame and isolation, economic deprivation/ And there’s no more home” Apple sings. By the fifth verse, Apple’s measured tone turns red as she recounts, “Preliminary hearing’s short, only witness is the cop/ He doesn’t even show up in court and all the charges get dropped/ What the f–k’s the point of all the f–king hell he put her through?/ Took her whole world away and set her up to start ’round two.”
Apple has set up an accompanying “Let Her Go Home” website where fans can find a local bail fund to contribute to on which she notes that “on any given day, 190,600 women and girls are incarcerated in the United States. Over 60,000 women are detained pretrial, presumed innocent, caged in U.S. jails simply because they cannot afford to pay bail. Their average yearly income is just $11,000. Over 66% are mother with minor children.”
The site also features images of some of the women Apple observed with their names and home cities as well as some descriptions, such as: “genuine, generous & creative genius,” “resilient, visionary & determined” and “assertive, authentic & unapologetic.” Apple has long advocated for court watching, including narrating and writing the score for a PSA for the National Courtwatch Network in 2023.
“Pretrial (Let Her Go Home)” is Apple’s fist new original song since the release of her fifth album, 2020’s Fetch the Bolt Cutters.
Watch Fiona Apple’s video for “Pretrial (Let Her Go Home)” below.
By now you’ve surely heard that Rihanna debuted her baby bump at Monday night’s 2025 Met Gala. The singer and partner A$AP Rocky are expecting their third child together and while the most burning question on the Navy’s mind is whether No. 3 will further delay RihRih’s endlessly anticipated ninth album, Ciara said when she […]
Rag’n’Bone Man is entering a new era, but not without reflecting on the ride so far.
The British singer-songwriter, born Rory Charles Graham, recently wrapped a five-date Australian tour, his first here since the Human campaign nearly a decade ago. Fans at those shows were treated to a preview of his new Danger Mouse-produced track “Time to Love.”
“It’s a real banger. I would say it’s slightly underground. It’s not necessarily a big pop song but it really has heads nodding in the audience,” he told Rolling Stone AU/NZ. “Australia is the first place we’ve played it live.”
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“Time to Love” follows Rag’n’Bone Man’s third studio album What Do You Believe In?, released in October 2024. The album debuted at No. 3 on the U.K. Albums Chart and reached No. 4 on the ARIA Albums Chart.
“It really helped me through trauma,” he said. “It’s not easy to lose people, family. At first, performing those songs live, I thought, ‘There’s no way. I’d just be a mess.’ But I got over that as well. It was definitely a remedy.”
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For Rag’n’Bone Man, the journey began with 2016’s breakthrough single “Human,” which became a global hit. The track spent seven weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 74 in May 2017. Its music video has since amassed over two billion YouTube views and continues to draw over 380,000 views daily.
“Human” also became the theme for several TV shows, including Jack Ryan, God Friended Me, and even featured in the video game Mass Effect: Andromeda.
“That couple of years was f—ing wild,” he recalled. “My friend who had moved to Melbourne called me and said, ‘You’re on the f—ing radio every single day over here, mate.’ Something was really happening. Europe, U.S., everywhere. It became this monster of a song.”
Now 40, Rag’n’Bone Man said he wouldn’t change a thing about his rise to fame. “No way. I think I did alright,” he told the publication. “I don’t regret anything. Maybe drink a little less, but that’s about it. It hurts a little bit more when you’re 40.”
Almost two years on from their last tour of the country, Big Thief will be hitting the road for a newly-announced run of North American dates.
Dubbed the Somersault Slide 360 Tour, the 20-date run of shows will launch in Sacramento, CA on Sept. 17 and traverse the U.S. and Mexico over the next two months before wrapping up in Houston, TX on Nov. 7. These dates also include a previously-announced performance at New York’s Forest Hills Stadium in October.
The band have, however, made an effort to assuage the fears of fans who may worry about missing them on the upcoming trek. “Somersault Slide 360 Tour will continue into 2026, and these shows that have just been announced are the first of more to come,” they explained. “Keep those antennas at a clear diagonal.”
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The tour will be Big Thief’s first run of American shows since 2023 when they were supporting their fifth album, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You, released the year prior. The record was their biggest commercial success to date, peaking at No. 31 on the Billboard 200 and receiving a Grammy nomination for best alternative album, and best alternative music performance for second single, “Certainty.”
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Big Thief released a pair of singles in 2023, and in July 2024, the group announced the departure of bassist Max Oleartchik, citing “interpersonal reasons” for his exit. In February, Big Thief also unveiled a new L.A. wildfires benefit EP, with Passional Relations collecting some of their “favorite unreleased songs” to aid relief for those impacted by the fires in Los Angeles.
In the time between studio releases, vocalist and guitarist Adrianne Lenker would release her Bright Future album in 2024, with recordings from the accompanying tour appearing on the recently-released Live at Revolution Hall album. On Friday (May 2), drummer James Krivchenia released the album Performing Belief.
Big Thief – 2025 Somersault Slide 360 Tour Dates
Sept. 17 – Channel 24, Sacramento, CASept. 19 – Edgefield, Troutdale, ORSept. 21 – Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical, Boise, IDSept. 22 – Twilight Concert Series, Salt Lake City, UTSept. 25 – The Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CASept. 27 – Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CASept. 28 – Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, CAOct. 1 – Teatro Metropolitan, Mexico City, MXOct. 20 – State Theatre, Portland, MEOct. 21 – MGM Music Hall, Boston, MAOct. 22 – The Met, Philadelphia, PAOct. 24 – The Anthem, Washington, DCOct. 25 – Forest Hills Stadium, Forest Hills, NYOct. 29 – Red Hat Amphitheater, Raleigh, NCOct. 30 – The Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GAOct. 31 – Saenger Theatre, New Orleans, LANov. 3 – Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa, OKNov. 4 – The Bomb Factory, Dallas, TXNov. 5 – Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park, Austin, TXNov. 7 – White Oak Music Hall Lawn, Houston, TX
Nathan Jerde, the drummer of Chicago indie-rock outfit The Ponys, has padded away, it has been confirmed.
News of Jerde’s passing was confirmed by the band on social media on Monday (May 5). “It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we let you know our friend, our band mate, and our brother left this world today,” The Ponys wrote.
“Nathan was an amazing drummer and possessed savant like art skills. Nathan loved goofing around, and had the sweetest of hearts. We traveled the world together. We ate amazing meals together and we met lifelong friends together. We fought like brothers sometimes, but we had so much f–king fun together. Nathan, we will miss you so much!”
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Matador Records also expressed their “deepest condolences to all friends, family and bandmates of The Ponys’ Nathan Jerde,” with their sentiments echoed in a social post from In the Red Records, who issued The Ponys’ debut album.
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“We’re beyond sad to hear the news of the passing of Nathan Jerde of The Ponys,” In the Red’s post read. “He was an awesome guy and a fantastic drummer. To say he will be missed is an understatement.”
The Ponys were formed in Chicago in 2001 by vocalist and guitarist Jered Gunmere, who had previously performed with The Defilers and The Guilty Pleasures. Joined by girlfriend (and later, wife) Melissa Elias on bassist, the lineup was rounded out by Jerde, who was previously the drummer for The Mushuganas, and Ian Adams, who also comprised one half of Chicago duo Happy Supply, on guitar and keys.
The band released their debut album Laced with Romance in 2004 via In the Red, before teaming up with veteran producer and Electrical Audio founder Steve Albini, to record their follow-up, 2005’s Celebration Castle. The group would sign to Matador for their third album, with 2007’s Turn the Lights Out reaching No. 39 on the Heatseekers Albums chart that same year.
The band would split in 2007, with members focusing on other projects. Jerde founded the group Mother of Tears and also joined Tyler Jon Tyler as bassist, before The Ponys regrouped for a series of shows throughout 2009 and 2010.
Jerde would continue working in the music industry, focusing on the artwork for bands such as Outer Minds, Mannequin Men, and Choke Chains in the ensuing years. The Ponys would reunite again in 2016 for a series of shows, though had not played live since the following year.
Lady Gaga reportedly played to 2.5 million fans during her concert at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday night. It’s a hard-to-fathom crowd size, considering we’ve never seen anything like it for a concert in the United States. When it comes to free U.S. shows, some estimates put Garth Brooks’ 1997 concert […]
There’s always one epic selfie that comes out of Met Gala, and we have a contender for the 2025 celebrity group pic of the year — and this time, it wasn’t taken in the bathroom. Fashion designer Stella McCartney managed to get the Queen of Pop and three of pop’s brightest stars in one pic, […]
