Along with Coachella, San Francisco’s Outside Lands festival is easily the most comprehensive music fest on the West Coast. While last year’s heavily-costumed edition took place over Halloween weekend as pandemic precautions delayed it a few months, Outside Lands 2022 is back to its usual early-August weekend and the newly announced lineup has a little bit of everything. Green Day, SZA, and Post Malone are headlining the three-day affair, which goes down from August 5th to 7th at one of the greatest venues in country, Golden Gate Park.
The first batch of artists on the lineup following the primary headliners is likewise stacked with Jack Harlow, Phoebe Bridgers, and Weezer coming next. Also performing are Lil Uzi Vert, Ilennium, Kali Uchis, Disclosure, Mitski, Anitta, and Mac DeMarco. And while this is looks like a top-heavy affair on the surface, there’s a seemingly endless list of diverse acts that standout like Pusha T, Kim Petras, Dominic Fike, The Marías, Larry June, Wet Leg, Pussy Riot, Robert Glasper, Griff, Cassandra Jenkins, L’Rain, Duckwrth, and more.
The SOMA Tent also makes its return this year, making it so that the indoor dance music tent seems to be here to stay. While it’s a bit antithetical to the concept of “outside” lands, it was obvious that the festival needed to bring this type of element into the fold so this year’s acts like Claude VonStroke, Tokimonsta, Dixon, and others could play in the club-like atmosphere that their music is best suited for.
Tickets to Outside Lands 2022 are on sale now here and check out the same link for the full lineup and additional details.
Outside Lands
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Goldenvoice has a proven track record of putting on killer festivals, as they’re behind events like Coachella, Day N Vegas, and Stagecoach. Now, they’re adding a new fest to that list: This Ain’t No Picnic is going down on August 27 and 28, 2022 at Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
The two-day, six-stage lineup has a rock and alternative lean to it, as the 2022 headliners are The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, and Le Tigre performing what is currently set to be their first and only reunion show of the year. Also on the bill are Beach House, Caroline Polachek, Courtney Barnett, Dawn Richard, Deafheaven, Earl Sweatshirt, Four Tet + Floating Points, Genesis Owusu, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Idles, Indigo De Souza, Isaiah Rashad, Jorja Smith, Kaytranada, Kelly Lee Owens, Mac DeMarco, Magdalena Bay, Mdou Moctar, Michelle, Phoebe Bridgers, Romy, Slowthai, Tinashe, Turnstile, Wet Leg, Ying Yang Twins, and Yves Tumor, among others.
This Ain
If the festival’s name sounds familiar, that’s because it’s a throwback to the original Goldenvoice festival of the same name. The initial This Ain’t No Picnic debuted in 1999, continued in 2000, and after having to skip 2001, came back for the last time in 2002. A fair amount of artists on those lineups actually wouldn’t feel out of place on this year’s bill, by the way: Sleater-Kinney, Beck, Yo La Tengo, Modest Mouse, and El-P were involved.
Learn more about the fest here and check out the poster above.
Once COVID-19 vaccines became widely available in early 2021, artists wasted no time plotting tours again. And after a largely concert-less 2020, it felt amazing to just have the option of seeing our favorite bands live onstage. Now that the year is drawing to a close, seeing bands announce tour dates feels almost normal again, with an added — and very important — caveat that fans should bring their vaccination cards if they want to attend. With fall fast approaching, we’ve rounded up 25 acts we’re excited to see live, and there are sure to be more announcements rolling out in the weeks to come.
100 Gecs
Hyperpop phenom 100 Gecs initially made waves on their 2019 debut album, 1,000 Gecs. Since then, 100 Gecs have dropped a remix album and fired off a few collaborations (including one with Charli XCX). Now, Dylan Brady and Laura Les are kicking it up a few more Gecs with the 10,000 Gecs North American tour, comprising 34 stops and kicking off in October in Oakland before coming to a close two months later in Brooklyn.
Both Adrianne Lenker AND Big Thief are headed out on the road this fall, which shouldn’t get confusing at all! (I kid.) Let’s break it down: In November, Lenker will tour a series of dates, kicking off in Burlington, Vermont, and wrapping up in Minneapolis. It’s all likely in support of her 2020 album(s), Songs and Instrumentals. Meanwhile, the wider collective are going on tour in September for a month-long journey wrapping up in early October in Philadelphia. During that trek, they’ll no doubt play both previously released singles “Certainty,” “Sparrow,” and “Little Things,” not to mention more new music the indie-folk favorites cooked up during their time spent at Sam Evian’s Flying Cloud Studios in the Catskills.
Check out Adrianne Lenker’s tour dates here, and check out Big Thief’s tour dates here.
Ava Max (opening for Maroon 5)
Ava Max — an Uproxx cover star — turned some heads with her 2020 debut album Heaven & Hell, including those of some of her peers in the industry. She’s worked with people like Charlie Puth, Kane Brown, and Jason Derulo, but these days she can be found on the road with Maroon 5. The longtime pop-rock outfit have been touring steadily since mid-August, with Max joining up with them in Chicago, Hersey, PA, and Boston. Come October, her last date with Maroon 5 will be in Los Angeles at Banc Of California Stadium, with the guys concluding their tour later in the month in Concord, CA.
Uproxx cover star Beabadoobee only just put out her debut album, Fake It Flowers, last year, but already she’s released a follow-up EP, Our Extended Play, which was created in collaboration with the 1975’s Matty Healy and George Daniel. Now comes the victory lap, with a full North American tour featuring Blackstarkids, starting in November in Washington D.C. at the 9:30 Club and concluding in mid-December in Pittsburgh.
If memory serves, Caroline Polachek contracted COVID while on tour in Europe early last year, sharing updates to her Instagram Story about how she was doing health-wise. And it was particularly frightening because we knew so little about COVID at the time. Now, two years after releasing her debut solo album, 2019’s Pang, the former Chairlift singer is staging a comeback, complete with the single “Bunny Is A Rider” and the “Heart Is Unbreaking” tour, which kicked off in August at the Greek Theatre in LA. Moving through the US, the (Covid-safe!) tour will wrap just before Christmas in Santa Cruz.
Houston’s Don Toliver has opened up for the biggest artists in the game — Travis Scott in 2019, and in 2022 he’ll be in the supporting slot for The Weeknd. In addition to showing up on a collaboration with Skrillex and Justin Bieber (“Don’t Go”) and prepping his forthcoming sophomore album L.O.A.D., the Don will be playing across the US on his Life Of A Don tour with BIA supporting, starting in Austin, Texas, and wrapping up at Day N Vegas and Rolling Loud California.
Eleanor and Matthew Friedberger have been making a low-key comeback for a couple of years now. Last year, the Chicago indie-rock torchbearers released “Down At The So And So On Somewhere,” their first new song in over a decade. Then came its B-side, “The Fortune Teller’s Revenge.” This fall, they’re hitting the road again with special guest Fred Armisen. “We’re very excited to be playing again, to get a chance to do new things with old stuff, or old things with new people,” the band said in a press release. “And we’re very happy to have Fred opening the shows.”
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of their hugely influential 1996 album The Score, Fugees — aka Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, and Pras Michel — plan to reunite this fall for a brief set of reunion tour dates. The first of them is on September 22 at a yet-to-be-announced venue. After that, they’ll pick things back up in November and December for a handful of shows in the US, as well as dates in Nigeria and Ghana. The moment carries a great deal of significance for all involved. After all, the trio, each of whom went on to have extraordinary solo careers after The Score, have a fraught history with one another, to put it mildly.
Harry Styles‘ Love On Tour was originally meant to run in 2020, which meant, of course, that it got postponed due to COVID. Since then, the former One Directioner hit the road in September with opener Jenny Lewis, with dates running through late November 2021. Lewis will accompany Styles on every date, with the exception of October 30 and 31, which will be Styles’ “Harryween” concerts at New York’s Madison Square Garden. (Orville Peck and Madison Cunningham will open those dates.)
Despite a pandemic, this has arguably been the most active year of Japanese Breakfast’s career. In addition to releasing a remarkable memoir, Crying In H Mart, Michelle Zauner also dropped her band’s critically beloved third album, Jubilee. Fall 2021 brings the indie-rock band’s victory lap, with Japanese Breakfast hitting the road in mid-September and touring across the US, wrapping up in Pomona, California on November 16.
Alabama-born alt-country player Jason Isbell has been one of the most vocal supporters of COVID-safe concerts, therefore supporting him as he tours through the country with The 400 Unit is probably in everybody’s best interests. Isbell, who actively maintains an entertaining Twitter presence, was unfortunately not able to tour his band’s 2020 album, Reunions, so you can definitely expect to hear some cuts from that. Even better, don’t be surprised if Isbell churns out some covers from his forthcoming Georgia Blue charity album, featuring renditions of songs by Georgia Artists, such as R.E.M. and Gladys Knight.
Back in the spring, J. Cole released his sixth studio album, The Off-Season. Not only that, but he even did some remarkable album promo by even playing pro basketball in Africa. Now comes The Off-Season Tour, which is set to feature two of the album’s guest rappers, 21 Savage and Morray. Beginning in September, the tour will hit 17 cities, kicking off in Miami and concluding in October at LA’s The Forum.
Kaytranada had a great start to 2021, winning the Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Album (2019’s Bubba) and Best Dance Recording (for “10%” featuring Kali Uchis). Moving forward, the Canadian DJ/producer is hitting the road now through December, where he’ll wrap up with a show in Toronto.
Texas trio Khruangbin expanded their psychedelic funk sound with their third LP Mordechai, but more recently, they released a 10-track effort called Mordechai Remixes featuring contributions from Kadhja Bonet, Ginger Root, Knxwledge, and more. In support, Khruangbin has been on tour since August, but the journey is nowhere near complete. They’re doing a series of dates through December, hitting Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre, Atlanta’s The Eastern, and New York City’s Radio City, among others.
In June, Lil Baby and Lil Durk released their collaborative album, The Voice Of The Heroes. To celebrate, both Lils are hitting the road on their Back Outside Tour, which also has a supporting slot from NJ rapper Coi Leray and kicks off in September and runs through mid-October at West Palm Beach’s iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre.
Check out Lil Baby and Lil Durk’s tour dates here.
Machine Gun Kelly / KennyHoopla
Getty Image
Capping off a very Machine Gun Kelly summer is the rapper-turned-pop-punker’s 2021 fall tour, starting in mid-September and featuring singer/rapper KennyHoopla. I repeat, if you haven’t seen or heard enough from MGK this year, you’re likely in for a treat. I mean, it’s not every day that a rapper pivots to pop-punk, gets matching tattoos with Travis Barker, and starts a highly public relationship with the most beautiful woman on the planet. In addition to cuts from 2020’s Tickets To My Downfall, fans will no doubt get to hear new music from MGK’s forthcoming effort Born With Horns (release date TBD).
Check out Machine Gun Kelly and KennyHoopla’s tour dates here.
The New Pornographers
It’s been a meaningful few years for the Canadian indie-pop supergroup. Last year marked the 20th anniversary of their 2000 debut, Mass Romantic. Since they couldn’t celebrate properly (because, pandemic), The New Pornos have plotted out a fall tour where they’ll play Mass Romantic and Twin Cinema (celebrating its 16th anniversary) in their entirety. Joining them will be original band members Neko Case and Destroyer‘s Dan Bejar (!), plus AC Newman, Joe Seiders, John Collins, Todd Fancey, and Kathryn Calder.
Last fall, Omar Apollo shared his long-awaited debut project, Apolonio. The Mexican-American singer-songwriter has been on the road since July for his Desvelado Tour, and he has a long way to go. He’ll be performing throughout the US all the way through mid-November, wrapping up at Boston’s Big Night Live.
Now through October, Phoebe Bridgers is touring the US in support of her critically adored 2020 album Punisher, which she mostly promoted last year via livestreams and other pandemic-safe events. Bridgers’ Reunion tour has a number of COVID safeguards in place: all previously indoor shows have been moved to outdoor venues (per an Instagram announcement), and entry will require proof of vaccine or a negative COVID test within 48 hours. In more exciting news, though, the Reunion Tour will feature special guests Muna, who recently signed to Bridgers’ Saddest Factory records and released “Silk Chiffon” with Bridgers.
It’s been a few years since Playboi Carti’s last tour. Last time the Atlanta rapper toured was his headlining jaunt in 2018 for Die Lit. Now, though, Carti is heading out to arenas on The Narcissist Tour, kicking off in mid-October in Nashville and concluding just before Christmas in Carti’s hometown. It’s all in support of his forthcoming new project of the same name, which the rapper revealed via Instagram, where he is pictured wearing a series of layered outfits.
Despite the unfortunate loss of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts earlier this year, the band’s fall 2021 tour is still scheduled to go forward as planned. The beloved classic-rock act are set to hit the road in late September and wrap up in November in Austin, Texas. Still, before Watts’ passing, it was announced that longtime Rolling Stones associate Steve Jordan would be stepping in for the revered drummer, as Watts needed to rest and recover after a medical procedure. At the time, Jordan said, “It is an absolute honor and a privilege to be Charlie’s understudy.”
The Strokes had a banner 2020, despite it being a pandemic year. Not only did they release the Rick Rubin-produced The New Abnormal, they even won Best Rock Album at the 2021 Grammys. So it seems only fitting that they should do a victory lap now that it’s possible. In October, the band will hit III Points Festival in Miami, followed by Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta. Then, they’ll hit The Forum in Los Angeles and Outside Lands in San Francisco. Short and sweet.
In support of her latest album, Daddy’s Home (and perhaps also her just-released rockumentary/mockumentary The Nowhere Inn), St. Vincent (aka avant-pop powerhouse Annie Clark) heads out on the road this fall for a tour hitting all of the big venues: Radio City Music Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and more. Running for a little over a month, the Daddy’s Home tour will wrap up on October 22 at Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta.
Even though Tame Impala released an album, The Slow Rush, in 2020, the psychedelic rock figurehead (Kevin Parker) was, like everyone else, forced to postpone touring. Now, thanks to Parker’s patented “drug” Rushium, Tame Impala is hitting the road for the band’s official The Slow Rush 2021 North American tour, kicking off in September (they were originally supposed to play Bonnaroo, but that was canceled due to weather) and closing in November in Dallas, Texas. Press materials also noted that this tour is only “Phase I” of the “Rushiam trials,” suggesting that more tour dates could be announced in the near future.
Grammy-winning R&B bassist Thundercat has already played a few sets at various festivals this summer — Maha Music Fest in Omaha, Stern Grove Festival in San Francisco, Pitchfork Fest in Chicago — and in October, he’ll hit the road again. With support from Channel Tres (plus some surprise special guests), Thundercat will start out in Orlando at The Plaza Live on October 24 and wrap up at Boise’s Knitting Factory on December 5.
Anybody who thought the vinyl resurgence was just a fad was mistaken: The industry has experienced a legitimate revival. As a result, music fans are interested in physical media in ways they may not have if the decades-old medium hasn’t made a comeback. That doesn’t mean everybody is listening to just their parents’ old music, though. That’s part of it, sure, thanks to rereleases that present classic albums in new ways. A vital part of the renewed vinyl wave, though, is new projects being released as records, of which there are plenty.
Whatever you might be into, each month brings a new slew of vinyl releases that has something for everybody. Some stand out above the rest, naturally, so check out some of our favorite vinyl releases of May below.
Amy Winehouse — Amy Winehouse At The BBC
Island/UMe
Before her passing, Amy Winehouse was a mainstay at the BBC and gave many performances over the years. Now, they’ve been collected on one stunning vinyl collection, which includes the audio-only versions of performances previously heard on A Tribute To Amy Winehouse By Jools Holland and BBC One Sessions Live At Porchester Hall. Other goodies from Winehouse’s career here include her first-ever TV performances and her earliest BBC Radio sessions.
My Bloody Valentine — Isn’t Anything, Loveless, EP’s 1988-1991 And Rare Tracks, and mbv (Reissues)
Domino
My Bloody Valentine’s material isn’t necessarily always the easiest to track down, but Kevin Shields and company have finally treated their fans on that front. A couple months ago, they announced their signing to Domino and subsequent reissues of their entire discography, so everything from the debut album Isn’t Anything to the newer mbv can now be enjoyed on crisp new vinyl.
Paul and Linda McCartney — Ram (50th Anniversary Reissue)
UMe
Paul and Linda McCartney only made one album together on which they were both given primary credit, and to celebrate Ram‘s 50th anniversary, a fresh new vinyl pressing has been released. This release should be about the best this album has ever sounded, thanks to the half-speed mastering process the album underwent for this edition.
St. Vincent has been strongly pushing the 1970s aesthetic here in the Daddy’s Home era, so it’s only appropriate that the album gets a slew of different vinyl editions. Of them, the deluxe LP is the most fleshed out, as it includes treats like an iron-on patch, an 11″ by 22″ poster, and an exclusive 20-page photo zine.
Fountains Of Wayne — Welcome Interstate Managers (Reissue)
Real Gone Music
Following the death of Adam Schlesinger in 2020, Uproxx’s Jason Tabrys wrote of the now-newly reissued Welcome Interstate Managers, “What stands out most about Welcome Interstate Managers is the diversity of the material. Nothing sounds like ‘Stacy’s Mom,’ but none of the other tracks really sound like each other either. Instead, Schlesinger and Collingwood pull inspiration from Tom Petty, The Beatles, The Cars, The Beach Boys, Linda Rondstadt, Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, U2, and even country music. The end result stands out as an interesting and evocative collection of songs that too many people shruggingly dismissed as the filler around a one-hit-wonder. Because we’ve always had more content than time to appropriately assess and appreciate it.”
Songs from Phoebe Bridgers’ album Punisher didn’t need to be re-worked by any means. That said, a handful of them took on a fascinating new life through her more string-focused Copycat Killer EP. In April, Bridgers announced the collection would be getting a vinyl release, and here in May, the Copycat Killer vinyl is out now.
As of 2021, Violent Femmes have been around for 40 years. What better way to celebrate than with a retrospective collection? Earlier this month, the band re-released the compilation album Add It Up (1981–1993). This time, though, they’ve added things like live recordings, demos, B-sides, interstitial voice recordings, and other rarities.
Angel Olsen — Song Of The Lark And Other Far Memories
Jagjaguwar
Angel Olsen’s two latest albums, 2019’s All Mirrors and 2020’s Whole New Mess, didn’t end up being released as a single double album as intended. The releases have been brought together, though, on a new box set, Song Of The Lark And Other Far Memories. But wait, there’s more: The collection also includes Far Memory, a collection of new songs, alternate versions, and remixes.
The Shins — Oh, Inverted World (Vinyl Me, Please Reissue)
Vinyl Me, Please
Vinyl Me, Please always comes through with the fantastic rereleases, and the aesthetics are always on point as well. Their repressing of The Shins’ classic Oh, Inverted World comes on a beautifully subtle but still standout “Coke Bottle Clear” vinyl, not to mention the lovely inverted cover art, which the record wonderfully pairs.
Ben Schneider and the rest of Lord Huron dropped their latest stunner, Long Lost, this month. They also released a vinyl edition of it that makes it look like the cover art was made with these colored pressings in mind. The album art features a head that looks like it’s been replaced with a sunset, and the “custard & blue sky” double vinyl pressing is a beautiful complement.
Shaky Knees’ 2021 festival takes place in Atlanta, GA’s Central Park. While it usually kicks off in May, organizers have pushed the date back to the weekend of October 22 through 24. Along with headliners Stevie Nicks, Run The Jewels, Phoebe Bridgers, and The Strokes, Shaky Knees has booked over 60 bands. The lineup includes Alice Cooper, St. Vincent, Modest Mouse, Portugal. The Man, Mac Demarco, Dermot Kennedy, Dominic Fike, Royal Blood, The Hives, Arlo Parks, Ty Segall & Freedom Band, Jay Electronia, White Reaper, Noga Erez, Cults, Peach Tree Rascals, Frankie And The Witch Fingers, Idles, Lunar Vacation, Cloud Nothings, Neal Francis, Liza Anne, Orville Peck, All Them Witches, Tennis, Black Midi, Bartees Strange, The Aubreys, and more.
In a statement about the festival’s return, founder Tim Sweetwood said: “We are really happy to be able to deliver Shaky Knees this October with a lineup that truly has something for everyone. We look forward to getting back into Central Park with our amazing Shaky family of fans and hear some incredible live music together.”
See Shaky Knees’ full lineup below.
Shaky Knees Festival
Tickets for Shaky Knees festival are on sale 5/26 at 1 pm EST. Get them here.
The concert and festival landscape has been bleak over the past year-plus for obvious reasons. Now, though, things seem to be slowly returning to normal (or something like what normal used to be, anyway). Artists are announcing tour dates for this summer and fall, and music festival organizers are also preparing to host events later this year. Now, one of the country’s most esteemed events is slated to make its return in 2021: Pitchfork Music Festival has announced its 2021 dates and lineup.
The fest is set to hit Chicago on the weekend of September 10 to 12. The headliners for Friday are Phoebe Bridgers, Big Thief, and Animal Collective. Saturday will be led by St. Vincent, Angel Olsen, and Kim Gorden. Capping things off on Sunday will be Erykah Badu, Flying Lotus, and Thundercat.
Elsewhere, performers will include Yaeji, Black Midi, Hop Along, Kelly Lee Owens, Dogleg, Armand Hammer, Ty Segall & Freedom Band, Waxahatchee, Jay Electronica, Jamila Woods, Faye Webster, Bartees Strange, Danny Brown, Cat Power, Andy Shauf, Caroline Polachek, and Yves Tumor.
Tickets are on sale now, so learn more about this year’s festival here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Festival season is upon us once more, last year’s barren lineups, canceled shows, and quarantine protocols be damned. Now that vaccination is a real option, festivals have slowly but surely begun announcing their lineups, and Delaware’s Firefly Festival joined the fray today. Their four main headliners are no surprise to those who have been following the artists making waves on 2021 setlist: Billie Eilish, The Killers, Tame Impala and Lizzo will hold down the four top spots. And you know what else is great about that lineup, aside from the fact that all four artists make incredible music? That it’s a 50/50 headliner setup with two bands anchored by men, and two women holding their own, too.
The discussion about how male-dominated festival bookings have been has been going on for years, so it’s nice to see that some events took the time off last year to make sure they come back with a bit of gender equity on the docket. Check out the album poster below, along with a list of every artist booked for the event in alphabetical order. And before you ask, yes, Phoebe Bridgers is going to be there. The event kicks off on Thursday, September 23, 2021 and runs through Sunday, September 26, 2021 at Delaware’s Woodlands.
Firefly Festival
A full list of the artists playing Firefly’s 2021 event:
Almost Monday
Aluna
Anna of the North
Arlo Parks
Atlas Genius
Badflower
Band of Horses
Big Wild
Billie Eilish
Binki
Blackbear
Blossom
Cage The Elephant
Cannons
Caribou
Carolesdaughter
Cassy
Chris Lake
Claud
Clever
Clozee
Deep Sea Diver
Denzel Curry
Des Rocs
Diplo
Dominic Fike
Duckwrth
Duke Dumont
Elohim
Flo Milli
GG Magree and Mija
girl in red
Glass Animals
Gracie Abrams
Grandson
iann dior
Jordy
Judah and the Lion
JXDN
Kenny Mason
Kennyhoopla
Khruangbin
The Killers
Kim Petras
Laundry Day
Lizzo
Lost Frequencies
Lovelytheband
LP Giobbi
Machine Gun Kelly
Madds
Madeon
Marc Rebillet
Maria Isabel
Megan Thee Stallion
Michigander
Middle Kids
Missio
Mt. joy
Nelly
Noga Erez
Oliver Tree
ONR
Orion Sun
Peach Pit
Phoebe Bridgers
Portugal. the Man
Positive Movement Drumline
redveil
Remi Wolf
REZZ
Ritt Momney
Roddy Ricch
Role Model
Royal & The Serpent
Rossy
Rozet
Serena Isioma
Slander
$NOT
Sofi Tukker
St. Panther
Still Woozy
Sub Urban
Surf Mesa
Sylvan Esso
Taking Back Sunday
Tame Impala
Tate McRae
Trevor Daniel
Turnstile
White Reaper
Wiz Khalifa
Some of the artists mentioned are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
It appeared yesterday that a cryptic video Paul McCartney shared was teasing upcoming collaborations with Anderson .Paak, Phoebe Bridgers, Idris Elba, EOB (Ed O’Brien), Dominic Fike, St. Vincent, Damon Albarn, Beck, Khruangbin, Josh Homme, 3D RDN (of Massive Attack), and Blood Orange. Today, he has confirmed that to be the case: He is releasing a reworked version of his 2020 album, McCartney III, titled McCartney III Imagined, which features contributions from the aforementioned artists.
Tracks from the original album have been covered and/or otherwise reimagined by the guest artists and McCartney kicked things off today by sharing Fike’s rendition of “The Kiss Of Venus,” which he transformed from an acoustic ballad to an R&B jam.
During a Reddit AMA from December, McCartney cited Fike and other artists involved in McCartney III Imagined as modern performers he listens to, writing, “I’m lucky, I have a friend who sends me new music which helps me keep in touch with the modern scene. So I listen to people like Dominic Fike, Beck, St Vincent and Khruangbin. I also listen to a lot of classic oldies coming through, from rock n’ roll to 60’s to soul to R’n’B, with a sprinkling of classical music now and then.”
Listen to Fike’s “The Kiss Of Venus” cover above and check out the McCartney III Imagined art and tracklist below.
Capitol Records
1. “Find My Way (feat. Beck)”
2. “The Kiss Of Venus (Dominic Fike)”
3. “Pretty Boys (feat. Khruangbin)”
4. “Women And Wives (St. Vincent Remix)”
5. “Deep Down (Blood Orange Remix)”
6. “Seize The Day (feat. Phoebe Bridgers)”
7. “Slidin’ (EOB Remix)”
8. “Long Tailed Winter Bird (Damon Albarn Remix)”
9. “Lavatory Lil (Josh Homme)”
10. “When Winter Comes (Anderson .Paak Remix)”
11. “Deep Deep Feeling (3D RDN Remix)”
12. “Long Tailed Winter Bird (Idris Elba Remix)”*
* physical release exclusive track
McCartney III Imagined is out 4/16 via Capitol Records. Pre-order it here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The 2021 Grammys are less than a week away (airing on March 14), and the nominations are a reflection of 2020’s whirlwind. In a year that was riddled by heartache and isolation, artists either dug deep into quarantine-induced loneliness that birthed relatable tunes or went the opposite route to provide cheerful music to give fans some temporary relief.
This time around, Beyoncé leads the charge with nine nominations. This brings the most nominated artist in history’s career total to 62. She’s up both as a solo artist (among others, “Black Parade” is up for four categories including Record Of The Year) as well as her “Savage” collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion (also up for Record Of The Year).
Following Beyoncé are Taylor Swift (whose total now rises to 41), Dua Lipa, and Roddy Rich, with six nods each. But there are still other artists who could walk away with some trophies, including Fiona Apple, Phoebe Bridgers, and Nas. While there are a few deserving names missing from this year’s nominations (The Weeknd, Summer Walker, and The Chicks were among the most shocking), the Grammys continue to make improvements on its diversity efforts. BTS made history as the first K-pop act to be nominated and women rightfully dominated the country and rock categories.
Check out our predictions below for how the biggest and most coveted categories could play out.
Best Rap Album
D Smoke – Black Habits
Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist – Alfredo
Jay Electronica – A Written Testimony
Nas – King’s Disease
Royce Da 5’9″ – The Allegory
Who Will Win? Nas
Who Should Win? Freddie Gibbs
With all the standout rap albums released last year, it was quite surprising when The Recording Academy opted to nominate more traditional, older artists instead of highlighting the genre’s newcomers. Nevertheless, this category is filled with decades of remarkable talent. While D Smoke, Jay Electronica, and Nas were all favorites for the “rappity rap” sector of music lovers, it’s Freddie Gibbs’ Alfredo that is an immediate standout. Linking up with esteemed producer The Alchemist, Gibbs doesn’t waste a single breath on his tight bars while dishing out a rap master class.
Best Rap Performance
Big Sean Featuring Nipsey Hussle – “Deep Reverence”
DaBaby – “Bop”
Jack Harlow – “What’s Poppin”
Lil Baby – “The Bigger Picture”
Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé – “Savage”
Pop Smoke – “Dior”
Who Will Win? Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé
Who Should Win? Lil Baby
This category features all strong contenders, from the late Pop Smoke’s “Dior” continuing his posthumous reign to Jack Harlow’s “What’s Poppin” showcasing just how effortless his flow is. And of course there’s “Savage,” which finds Megan Thee Stallion teaming with her idol Beyoncé. The latter seems like the promising win here based on how massive it was, but Lil Baby shouldn’t be ignored. The rapper is at his most vulnerable on “The Bigger Picture,” as he sheds light on police brutality occurring both in his native Atlanta and across America. But what makes this protest anthem so insightful is that Lil Baby turns the mirror on himself and tries to correct the wrongs he’s done with his own violent lyrics.
Best Alternative Music Album
Fiona Apple – Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Beck – Hyperspace
Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher
Brittany Howard – Jaime
Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
Who Will Win? Fiona Apple
Who Should Win? Fiona Apple
2020 proved that alternative music still has a deserved place in mainstream music, with all five artists in this category creating some of the strongest tunes of their esteemed careers. The Slow Rush is Kevin Parker at his most refined as he imagines lush soundscapes, and both Brittany Howard’s Jaime and Phoebe Bridgers’ Punisher are graciously intimate. But not much else compares to the shocking rawness of Fiona Apple’s Fetch The Bolt Cutters. Of course, honesty has been Apple’s M.O. since her 1996 debut, but she turns the volume on max on her latest record. The most beautiful moments of Fetch The Bolt Cutters are its messiness, from Apple’s crackled, unedited vocals to the clamoring production. That kind of “zero f*cks given” energy should be commended.
Best Pop Solo Performance
Justin Bieber – “Yummy”
Doja Cat – “Say So”
Billie Eilish – “Everything I Wanted”
Dua Lipa – “Don’t Start Now”
Harry Styles – “Watermelon Sugar”
Taylor Swift – “Cardigan”
Who Will Win? Dua Lipa
Who Should Win? Doja Cat
This entire category is filled with fun pop moments, with Harry Styles inviting us to blissful paradise on “Watermelon Sugar” to Billie Eilish giving another dose of relatability on “Everything I Wanted.” Dua Lipa’s catchy earworm “Don’t Start Now” seems to be the biggest contender here, but Doja Cat’s “Say So” was just as inescapable. 2020 was a major year for the triple-threat, and it was partly due to the virality of “Say So.” After it dominated TikTok (whose dance challenge creator Haley Sharpe was featured in the video), the single literally soared onto the charts. Tacking on remix queen Nicki Minaj, “Say So” became both rappers’ first No. 1 single and also made history as the first collaboration by two female rappers to top the Hot 100. Doja Cat’s genre-bending talents combined with this song’s sheer ubiquity are surely worthy of that golden gramophone.
Best Pop Vocal Album
Justin Bieber – Changes
Lady Gaga – Chromatica
Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia
Harry Styles – Fine Line
Taylor Swift – Folklore
Who Will Win? Taylor Swift
Who Should Win? Dua Lipa
Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift, and Harry Styles arguably gifted us with the best albums of their career in 2020, but something’s telling me that The Recording Academy will award Swift’s beloved Folklore. But let’s not rule out Lipa, who was one of the few artists in recent memory who perfectly executed a proper album era. Not only did Future Nostalgia redefine what ‘80s and ‘90s pop mean in a millennial age, but the promotion — from the visually stunning videos to the accompanying remix album that was just as good as the original — took the compelling songs to new heights.
Best Progressive R&B Album
Jhené Aiko – Chilombo
Chloe x Halle – Ungodly Hour
Free Nationals – Free Nationals
Robert Glasper – F*** Yo Feelings
Thundercat – It Is What It Is
Who Will Win? Jhené Aiko
Who Should Win? Chloe x Halle
R&B has been in the shadows of rap for the past few years, but the genre surpassed its sibling in 2020. That hasn’t been made more clear than with this category, whose name changed from Best Urban Contemporary Album to Best Progressive R&B Album to dismiss the negative connotations the word “urban” brings. Jhené Aiko’s Chilombo being an industry favorite makes it a predicted winner here, but the brilliance of Chloe x Halle’s Ungodly Hour is too hard to surpass. The duo’s sophomore album is a journey of their grown womanhood, as they explore sexuality, rising above failed relationships, feeling petty in the moment, and embracing their imperfections. And it’s all tied together with heaven-sent harmonies, otherwordly production that continues the Afro-Futurism conversation, and smart songwriting. Now, who dared to question if R&B is dead again?
As Record Of The Year is awarded for the final recorded product of a single, it’ll be fair for Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé’s “Savage” remix to take the win. The teamwork is between not only the two artists but also the producer and engineer, and it gave way to the catchiest song of 2020. “Savage” was already a standout from Megan’s Suga EP, which was followed by a massively viral moment once TikTok got hold of it and a new dance craze was born. So when Beyoncé decided to hop on the remix months later, the world was stopped once again. What’s better than the two biggest mainstream artists from Houston reveling in all things classy, bougie, and ratchet? But as we bring up catchiness, Dua Lipa’s “Don’t Start Now” also deserves a major hat tip.
Best New Artist
Ingrid Andress
Phoebe Bridgers
Chika
Noah Cyrus
D Smoke
Doja Cat
Kaytranada
Megan Thee Stallion
Who Will Win? Phoebe Bridgers
Who Should Win? Megan Thee Stallion
There are so many deserving artists in this category, including Kaytranada, Chika, and Doja Cat. But Phoebe Bridgers growing into such a major indie darling may give her the win here, and The Recording Academy has a history of shocking the audience when it comes to Best New Artist wins. Still, Megan Thee Stallion’s unwavering dominance in 2020 cannot be ignored. She’s grown into more than just a rapper: she is an advocate for Black women, a businesswoman who has scored multiple partnerships, a philanthropist who gives back to her community, and is leading the charge of unapologetic new-gen women rappers.
Song Of The Year
Beyoncé – “Black Parade”
Roddy Ricch – “The Box”
Taylor Swift – “Cardigan”
Post Malone – “Circles”
Dua Lipa – “Don’t Start Now”
Billie Eilish – “Everything I Wanted”
H.E.R. – “I Can’t Breathe”
JP Saxe Featuring Julia Michaels – “If The World Was Ending”
Who Will Win? Taylor Swift
Who Should Win? Dua Lipa
Like Record Of The Year, this category is also overflowing with strong contenders that range from timely matters of racial inequality to heartbreaking ballads. Seeing as this win is for songwriters though, Taylor Swift getting a gramophone for “Cardigan” makes the most sense. But let’s not knock out Dua Lipa too quickly; the sheer pop perfection of “Don’t Start Now” should get the recognition here. An unofficial sequel to 2017’s “New Rules,” the lead single to Future Nostalgia captures the album’s nu-disco spirit while elevating Lipa to new pop star territory.
Album Of The Year
Jhené Aiko – Chilombo
Black Pumas – Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition)
Coldplay – Everyday Life
Jacob Collier – Djesse Vol. 3
Haim – Women In Music Pt. III
Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia
Post Malone – Hollywood’s Bleeding
Taylor Swift – Folklore Who Will Win? Taylor Swift
Who Should Win? Taylor Swift
Ah, Album Of The Year, the coveted Grammy that nearly every artist vies for at some point in their career. It’s also one of the most unpredictable categories as it can either go to the year’s most popular artist (see Adele in 2017 and Bruno Mars in 2018) or the year’s underdog (Kacey Musgraves in 2019 and Billie Eilish in 2020). Taylor Swift is often seen as both, with her likability swaying from overhyped to not credited enough. But there’s a reason why UPROXX chose Folklore as 2020’s best album. Jacob Collier, Haim, and Dua Lipa are all strong contenders here, yet Swift’s effort finds her at her most vulnerable. The singer-songwriter’s pen has always been sharp, and on Folklore she strengths her storytelling while also providing comfort (for herself and other listeners) in the wake of 2020’s darkness.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
