The Greatest Two-Hit Wonders

Headphones
Jason Tate

Chris Dalla Riva did a deep dive on the greatest two-hit wonders of all time:

But if one hit is a miracle, then two hits is a near impossibility. Two-hit artists sit in a weird space, though. Pop stars a remembered because they are very famous. One-hit wonders are remembered for the opposite. Their un-memorableness makes them great answers to bar trivia questions. Two-hit wonders are stuck in the middle. Some might be able to parlay those two hits into careers, but others are lost in a musical no man’s land, too many hits for trivia, not enough to be legends. Still, there’s got to be a greatest two-hit wonder.

Napster Finds New Owners in $200M Acquisition

Jason Tate

The Hollywood Reporter:

Napster, the brand that ushered in an era of rampant music piracy before later being reborn as a subscription music streaming platform, has been sold for $207 million. 

Tech company Infinite Reality announced Tuesday morning that it bought Napster in the nine-figure deal, hoping to further transform Napster from merely a streaming service into a more social-first music platform where fans can more directly engage with music and artists. 

Good luck.

Lossless Audio and Ultra‑Low Latency Audio Come to AirPods Max

Jason Tate

Apple:

Next month, a new software update will bring lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio to AirPods Max, delivering the ultimate listening experience and even greater performance for music production. With the included USB-C cable, users can enjoy the highest-quality audio across music, movies, and games, while music creators can experience significant enhancements to songwriting, beat making, production, and mixing.

AFI to Release New Album This Year

AFI
Jason Tate

I missed this last month, but it looks like Adam Carson confirmed AFI have completed their new album:

“It’s a matter of trying to figure out where it slots into the year. As far as recording, it’s done and I’m excited.”

When I ask him how this album stands apart from the rest, Carson’s face lights up with boyish enthusiasm. Like it’s the first time he’s ever promoted a record. “It’s the first time we’ve made a focused record. We leaned into post-punk influences, and it feels cohesive. From start to finish, it’s got a natural flow—a specific time, a specific place.”

Interview: Grady Allen of Anxious

Anxious
Adam Grundy

Recently I was able to catch up with the lead vocalist of Anxious, Grady Allen, on the road to discuss everything that went into the band’s excellent sophomore LP, Bambi. I asked Grady about how the headlining shows have been going for Anxious, if he felt any pressure during the writing process between Little Green House and Bambi, and much more. If you’re looking to support Anxious on the road, check out a show, or visit their merch store here.

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Review: Hit The Lights – Summer Bones

Adam Grundy

The fourth studio album from pop-punk band, Hit The Lights, called Summer Bones is a solid collection of songs that bookmarked where the band felt most comfortable in. The record has since turned ten years old today, and Hit The Lights have not released a full-length record since then. The closest we got to new music was the 2016 EP, Just To Get Through To You, that also featured acoustic versions of several tracks from Summer Bones. Summer Bones was produced by Kyle Black (New Found Glory/All Time Low/State Champs) and highlights a familiar sound from the band’s most successful record, 2008’s Skip School, Start Fights. After the experimental Invicta, Summer Bones has the vibe of a more matured version of the band, and still plays out well to this day. The set would spawn three singles in “Fucked Up Kids,” “Life on the Bottom” and “No Filter.”

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