The beloved musician released a single preceding his upcoming record, ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ set to release January 16. The music video is that of his single ‘Punk Rocky’ released on January 5. Not one to produce low effort music videos, A$AP Rocky, full name Rakim Athelston Mayers, always exceeds expectations with his extravagant music videos. Alongside Ryder there are also appearances from the likes of Danny Elfman, Thundercat and ASAP Nast.

The song features otherworldly vocals paired with dream like music video visuals; the whole thing is a total acid trip in the best way possible. In one scene in particular Mayers’ bruised eye begins mouthing lyrics to the camera, totally eerie yet brilliant visual effects. Now more than ever considering the detrimental rise of AI usage to creat art, we require creativity and visual effects to be used in music videos. The livelihood of countless individuals is rooted in music video related jobs, whether that be planning the visuals or having a hand in set design, it is so important artists not only continue to make videos, but we continue to support them.

Winona Ryder makes her appearance as Mayers’ next-door neighbour in a garage-band esque set up. She initially appears lounging on her front porch in comfy attire before offering our leading man some home cooked goods. Ryder then goes on to join in an exciting party among friends before being busted by who we can only presume is her partner. Despite her screen time being short lived, Ryder will forever steal any role she is in, hopefully this urges her to take part in countless more music videos!

The track itself features a punk-rock inspired sound, leaving fans questioning the artistic direction and flow of this highly anticipated new record. Produced and written by Mayers himself alongside Cristoforo Donadi, Zach Forgarty and Ging. The artist alluded to the music video release by posting a 14-second teaser trailer on his social media pages, this featured a small snippet of the song, further building excitement.

The album is set to feature an all-star line up of producers, including Pharell Williams, Mike dean, Metro Boomin, The Alchemsit and many more.

The album art is undoubtedly extraordinary, and this is due to the fact it was created by none other than director Tim Burton. The cover features six of Mayers’ alter egos from the record, something we cannot wait to see delved into more. Burton’s eye for artistry has always been evident, notably when he picked Ryder as his leading lady in his hit film, Beetlejuice. It is incredible the pair have somewhat collaborated once again on an unlikely project.

‘Don’t Be Dumb’ is set to be Mayers’ fourth studio album, and we are coming up to almost eight years since his last studio release, ‘Testing’ which came out in 2018 so it is safe to say that fans are ecstatic for new music.

Best known for his role in Stranger Things, Wolfhard continues to build a parallel career as a filmmaker and musician, now adding a major classic-rock commission to his résumé. He was invited by the Harrison estate to create a visual companion for ‘Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)’, originally released on Harrison’s 1973 album Living in the Material World and later a US number one single.

Despite his rise to fame as an actor, Wolfhard has established his career as a knowledgeable, talented rock musician himself, touring with previous bands Calpurnia and The Aubreys, as well as embarking on his first solo tour across North America post-debut album Happy Birthday. Wolfhard described the chance to work with the Harrison family as “a great honour”, calling George Harrison a huge and ongoing inspiration to his own artistic life. The video arrives more than five decades after the track first appeared, underscoring the continued cultural relevance of Harrison’s catalogue.

Rather than a performance clip, the video leans into handcrafted stop‑motion animation to evoke the spiritual warmth of the song. Viewers follow a Harrison-like figure wandering through the gardens of Friar Park, the musician’s historic estate in Henley‑on‑Thames, tending hedges, greeting gnomes and sailing across a dream-like landscape.​

The film is rich with Easter eggs for Beatles and Harrison fans, nodding to his solo career, spiritual journey and well-documented love of gardening. Wolfhard has said the concept hinges on the idea of a man finding solace and meaning in his relationship with the living world around him.

The production was mounted in collaboration with Toronto-based Nobody Told Me Studios and animation house Tye Down Pictures. A team of 20 Canadian stop‑motion artists built every element by hand, animating the story frame by frame to create a tactile feel that mirrors the song’s intimacy.​

While Wolfhard directed the overall piece, animator Akash Jones steered the animation direction, with Jason Baum and Michael Wamara producing. Dhani Harrison, George’s son and longtime collaborator David Zonshine served as executive producers, helping to guide the project from concept to release.

Dhani Harrison has publicly praised Wolfhard’s interpretation of his father’s song for a new generation. 

“Finn is one of the sweetest and most talented people I know of his generation, and he is the perfect person to direct a video for my dad. My dad would have loved this, and I hope his wonderful, creative, heartfelt ideas help this song reach another generation. Great job, Finn — we love you”.

The video is available on Youtube.

Debuting on January 1, 1964, from Manchester’s Dickenson Road Studios, the show featured performances by artists with songs in the UK Singles Chart, focusing on the week’s top hits. The premier episode showcased an iconic lineup, including Dusty Springfield, The Rolling Stones, The Dave Clark Five, and The Hollies.

Over the decades, TOTP became a launchpad for countless artists from David Bowie performing ‘Starman’ to the Spice Girls debuting ‘Wannabe’, helping them gain visibility and chart success. The show reflected the evolving musical landscape, featuring a mix of pop, rock, punk, hip-hop, and dance music. 

While artists initially lip-synced their performances, live renditions became more common over time. The use of lip-syncing sparked debates about authenticity – a conversation that remains relevant in today’s music industry. 

One of the most memorable protests against lip-syncing came from Nirvana during their performance of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ in 1991. Kurt Cobain comically sang off-key, while the band exaggerated their playing, creating an unforgettable moment and a defining example of an artist pushing back against industry conventions. 

On this day in 1991, Nirvana performed on Top of the Pops. pic.twitter.com/ExhbzpmKR5

— Yasser (@YasserHitman) November 27, 2024

The show also played a pivotal role in the rise of music videos. By incorporating them into episodes, it shaped fashion, dance, and pop culture trends across the UK. Queen’s groundbreaking ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ video, for instance, became one of the most iconic visuals featured on the program. This emphasis on visual performance laid the groundwork for platforms like MTV, YouTube, and TikTok, where music videos and performances are integral to artist branding and promoting music. 

Many artists used their appearances on TOTP to showcase new styes and cement their status as cultural icons. Elton John’s ‘Rocket Man’ performance dazzled audiences with his silver outfit and flamboyant persona, while Madonna’s provocative choreography and bold fashion during ‘Like a Virgin’ shocked some but captivated most. Such moments demonstrated the power of visual storytelling in music. 

For over six decades, Top of the Pops was not just a music show but a cultural phenomenon that mirrored the evolution of music, fashion, and societal trends. From its first broadcast in 1964 to its final regular episode in 2006, the program provided a stage for artists to make their mark and introduced generations of viewers to groundbreaking performances, setting trends and challenging norms. 

Though its regular run has ended, the legacy on Top of the Pops endures. Modern platforms continue to draw inspiration for its blend of music, visuals, and storytelling. Whether through the boundary-pushing performances or the way it redefined how music is consumed and celebrated, Top of The Pops remains a cornerstone of music history.

The duo’s latest album (Clancy), which will feature 13 songs, is due out on the 17th of May on Fueled By Ramen, bringing Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun back into the world of Trench. There will be plenty to unpack, and as such, frontman Tyler has confirmed that each track on the record will be getting a proper music video.

Taking to social media to confirm their plans, Tyler revealed that the band have already finished eight videos with a further seven still in the works. While this adds up to 15 videos in total, the singer explained that one of the videos has two versions and the other he doesn’t like, “so we’re reshooting”.

It must be said that not every video will be as detailed and cinematic as Overcompensate, though – “Some of them are lower budget DIY types,” Tyler adds. And drummer Josh may also be writing and directing one of the remaining seven, however “he wanted a little time to think of an idea before committing to it”.

If you haven’t seen the video for Overcompensate, check it out here now:

Twenty One Pilots are an American musical duo from Columbus, Ohio. Initially a band, the group was formed in 2009 by lead vocalist Tyler Joseph, along with Nick Thomas and Chris Salih, who both left in 2011. Since their departure, the line-up has consisted of Joseph and drummer Josh Dun. The duo is best known for their singles “Stressed Out”, “Ride”, and “Heathens”. The group received a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards for “Stressed Out”. The band independently released two albums, Twenty One Pilots (2009) and Regional at Best (2011), before being signed by record label Fueled by Ramen in 2012. Their label debut Vessel (2013) became the second album in history on which every track received at least a gold certification, making Twenty One Pilots the first and only band in the history of music to see every song on two albums earn gold or platinum awards.

See the full Clancy tracklist:

1. Overcompensate
   2. Next Semester
   3. Midwest Indigo
   4. Routines In The Night
   5. Backslide
   6. Vignette
   7. The Craving (Jenna’s Version)
   8. Lavish
   9. Navigating
   10. Snap Back
   11. Oldies Station
   12. At the Risk Of Feeling Dumb
   13. Paladin Strait

TRAINING SEASON IS OVER!!!!!! UGH OUT NOW EVERYWHERE!!!! FINALLY!!!!
THANK YOU TO THE DREAM TEAM https://t.co/fAMM6SsQE7 pic.twitter.com/08CCkjgjR8

— DUA LIPA (@DUALIPA) February 15, 2024

In a press release, Lipa discussed the backstory behind the single, stating: “I had been on a string of bad dates, and the last one was the final straw. The next morning I arrived to the studio to Caroline and Tobias asking me how it all went and I immediately declared “TRAINING SEASON IS OVER,” and like the best “day after” debriefs with your mates, we had a lot of laughs and it all quickly came together from there.”

She continues: “And while it is obviously about that feeling when you are just absolutely done telling people… men specifically in this case, how to date you right; it is also about my training season being over and me growing with every experience. I have never felt more confident, clear or empowered. And while it may be that training season is never over for any of us, you start to see the beauty in finding that person to experience it with. You stop looking for the trainees and become more interested in having someone where you are and someone to grow with.”

Lipa’s last album was 2020’s ‘Future Nostalgia’, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and earned her more than 10 billion streams on Spotify, as well as the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal in 2021. The singer is yet to share any news of her upcoming third album, but there appears to be plenty on the cards for her this year. Directed by Vincent Haylock, you can watch the full ‘Training Season‘ music video below:

Cementing themselves as next-gen alternative artists, the Merseyside four-piece (vocalist Holly Minto, guitarist Amy Woodall, bassist Liv Kettle and drummer Harry Breen) announced the series of shows on Instagram in November 2023, commenting: “We are doing an extremely intimate show crawl to celebrate ‘The Mess We Seem To Make’ out Feb 16th. We will be performing an acoustic set where you will be the first to hear the album’s songs…we will also be having a meet & greet with you all where we will sign your exclusive prints. All ages are welcome crawlies !!”

Kicking things off in Edinburgh, the first show will take place on February 6, with the band then travelling for subsequent performances in Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Bristol, Cardiff, Nottingham, London and Brighton. Tickets for the ‘indie store crawl’ are available here.

Final celebrations for the album launch will be taking place in their hometown of Liverpool at Jacaranda Baltic on February 21, followed by a show at Pryzm in Kingston in collaboration with Banquet Records on February 22. Each venue will present the opportunity for a meet and greet, album signings and exclusive merchandise available for pre-order.

Much to their fans’ delight, the individual member cassette tapes on sale will also feature eco-friendly packaging, a ‘fun fact deck’ and ‘band info package’ exclusive to each version, as well as signed art cards personally hand-illustrated by their vocalist Holly.

If that’s not enough for you, Crawlers will be going full steam ahead as they hit the road again throughout February and March to support Canadian indie rock band Mother Mother on their hotly-anticipated UK tour.

‘The Mess We Seem To Make‘ is set to be released on February 16 and will feature 12 tracks, including ‘Would You Come To My Funeral‘, and their latest single ‘Kills Me To Be Kind‘, which now has its own official visualiser. The loop of retro-style clips adopt an intriguing new aesthetic of garage-band-meets-candle-lit-vigil. Set in a crumbling, ornate townhouse, the four northerners ooze charisma and style in what appears to be the prelude to an actual music video. Watch below:

Shot by director Paul Gore, the fresh-faced 20-year-old Winehouse can be seen wandering the halls of a swanky, dimly lit hotel carrying a guitar case, which leads her to eventually join a band of musicians in a grand ballroom. The singer-songwriter is followed in a voyeuristic fashion throughout the hotel, with the lens peering at her through bannisters and capturing her laughing, posing and causing mischief in one of the bedrooms.

However, her famous beehive hairdo is nowhere to be seen as the clips predate her ‘Back to Black’ era. Instead, it captures her in the early days of her 2003 debut album ‘Frank’ for which she received an Ivor Novello award for achievements in songwriting. The album was re-released as a deluxe edition in 2008, and was reissued on vinyl in 2015 following the release of the documentary film about her life the same year, simply titled ‘Amy’.

A new biopic about Winehouse is also set to hit cinemas this April. Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, the film ‘Back to Black’ will focus on her rambunctious relationship with ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil, and how it inspired her to write such a groundbreaking album. The first trailer hit the internet earlier this month to a heavy amount of criticism, with many fans left concerned that the portrayal on screen will not honour her in the way that she deserves.

There is a sense that Winehouse is being presented as a larger-than-life caricature, rather than the vulnerable, complex human being that she was. Others believe that her story should be laid to rest, and that any hardship and pain she suffered should no longer be profited from. Despite the controversy surrounding its release, the Winehouse camp are openly supporting it in its promotion, sharing the trailer across multiple social media channels.

More than a decade on since Winehouse’s tragic death, her presence and significance within music and pop culture is still as prevalent as ever. Last year marked the singer’s 40th birthday, with legendary producer and close friend of Amy, Mark Ronson, paying tribute to her in an Instagram post which featured clips of them working alongside each other in the studio. Her North London stomping ground, Camden, was also the centre of a series of one-off shows celebrating her life, including her original band performing a tribute gig at iconic music venue KOKO last month.

Frontman Peter Doherty, Carl Barât (vocals/guitar), John Hassell (bass) and Gary Powell (drums) have established perhaps their most evolutionary sound yet, and are now a world away from precarious nights out and run-ins with the law.

A tale of two ideas, Carl and Peter co-wrote ‘Shiver’ together. Speaking on the making of the single, Carl commented: “Peter had a song and I had a song and we mashed them up and did it collaboratively.”

“I would probably find it difficult to work out who did what because we were both there the whole time through its creation. It should really be called ‘The Last Dream Of Every Dying Soldier’, but everyone liked the title ‘Shiver’,” Peter added.

Directed by Alex Brown, the ‘Shiver’ music video is a ‘Bergmanesque seaside funeral of a pearly king’, captured in a moody, cinematic black and white. The video stars all four members alongside a cast of eccentric characters who appear on the sleeve artwork, a strange yet endearing caricature of cockney and seaside culture, as well as the crossover between old school and modern day working-class Britain. The video was shot in Cliftonville, Margate and at The Libertines’ hotel The Albion Rooms, and is the third instalment in a series of Margate-themed videos, following on from their first single ‘Run, Run, Run‘ and ‘Night Of The Hunter‘.

Produced by Grammy-nominated producer Dimitri Tikovoï and recorded at The Albion Rooms in Margate, the album was created in just four weeks between February and March 2023 and finalised over seven days at La Ferme de Gestein Studios in Normandy.

Additional production and mixing were also finalised by Dan Grech-Marguerat, known for his work with Lana Del Rey, Liam Gallagher and Sir Paul McCartney. The band will be putting on a series of intimate gigs around the UK over the coming weeks, and will also be recording a session at BBC Maida Vale Studios later this month for broadcast on Radio 2’s ‘Piano Room’ in February.

‘All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade’ is out on March 8 2024 and is available to preorder here. The album will be available on CD, deluxe CD, 12” vinyl in limited edition coloured variants, deluxe double vinyl cassette and digital download.

Having already performed this week at Stockton Arc and Liverpool’s Cavern Club, you can still catch The Libertines in all of their glory on the dates below.

January

25/01/2024 – Milton Keynes – MK11
27/01 – Cardiff – Clwb Ifor Bach
28/01 – Derby – Hairy Dog
29/01 – Lincoln – Drill Hall

February

11/02 – Falmouth – Pavilions
12/02 – Southampton – Engine Room
14/02 – Stoke – Underground
15/02 – Leeds – The Wardrobe
16/02 – Glasgow – Oran Mor

The track, which marks the first single from Waterhouse’s upcoming sophomore album, was dropped on Thursday, accompanied by a captivating music video directed by Émilie Richard-Froozan. In the video, Waterhouse channels the spirit of legendary French singer Édith Piaf, adorned in a vibrant red gown with drawn-on eyebrows, dancing amidst a lush greenhouse. Notably, the video also offers fans a glimpse of the singer’s growing baby bump.

The vintage-inspired video perfectly complements the track, portraying Waterhouse as a cabaret starlet or an Old Hollywood icon in mourning, traipsing around a greenhouse bursting with flowers, eventually breaking a vase in a cathartic release.

‘OMG,’ co-written by Waterhouse alongside Natalie Findlay and produced by Jules Apollinaire, took shape over a two-month period. Reflecting on the creative process behind the track to Rolling Stone, Waterhouse shared, “It’s such an anxious state when I’m trying to put together a song because you always feel like you are on the edge of something. It’s really about going against the intellect and into the instinct of the song. That’s what I find so fascinating about writing.”

The video release came a week after Waterhouse teased it on Instagram with a playful clip involving an egg, ingeniously revealing the release date. ‘OMG’ follows the success of the artist’s 2023 release, ‘To Love,’ and is expected to be a prominent feature on her forthcoming album, which will follow her debut LP, ‘I Can’t Let Go,’ released in 2022.

Beyond her musical endeavours, 2024 is shaping up to be a monumental year for Suki Waterhouse, who is anticipating the arrival of her first child with fiancé Robert Pattinson.

As we eagerly await Suki Waterhouse’s much-anticipated full-length album later this year, her latest single ‘OMG’ is now available for streaming and downloading on all major platforms. For a more immersive experience, fans can delve into the accompanying music video, accessible on YouTube. With a fan base on the rise and a portfolio expanding at a remarkable pace, brace yourselves for more updates as Waterhouse continues to weave her magic over the upcoming year.

“We need more fight and need more grit. We need more punks and we need more bricks”

‘We Need More Bricks’ from our upcoming self-titled album is out nowhttps://t.co/nc7ptZEifypic.twitter.com/jBgdY8zWKs

— Neck Deep (@NeckDeepUK) November 17, 2023

In an interview with Rock Sound, vocalist Ben Barlow said “We Need More Bricks’ is, in my opinion, Neck Deep at their political best. Touching on everything from the monarchy, immigration, protest laws and international wars. We find ourselves at a cross section in the zeitgeist where bricks could be used to build something, or to be destructive. 

I’m calling on punks and those that want to make a difference, to do so. As well as being our most poignant political track to date, it also features my favourite riff/breakdown we’ve ever written, with a mosh call that, I hope, makes the listener think about their role in the world, and to speak up, take action on the many injustices the world faces today.” 

The new track will be part of the band’s upcoming self-titled album which is set to drop on January 19th 2024. Neck Deep will be the rockers’ fifth studio album and will include previously released singles “Heartbreak Of The Century”, “Take Me With You” and “It Won’t Be Like This Forever”.

Still speaking with Rock Sound, Barlow stated “This album is the sound of us knowing ourselves and knowing our ability. It’s unapologetically us. We’re professional songwriters now and we’ve really honed in on what we’re good at – but it’s also about having fun and enjoying writing these tracks. And there are those little sonic signatures in the mix that even I can’t really put my finger on that just make it Neck Deep. It happens when we get in a room together and it clicks – it’s us just doing our thing like we always have.”

Made from the ground up by us. This is Neck Deep in its truest form. Our self-titled album will be released on January 19. Pre-order now at https://t.co/prCe3obOpgpic.twitter.com/syC9LBq7h3

— Neck Deep (@NeckDeepUK) September 28, 2023

The tracklist for the upcoming album can be found below:

1. Dumbstruck Dumbf**k
2. Sort Yourself Out
3. This Is All My Fault
4. We Need More Bricks
5. Heartbreak Of The Century
6. Go Outside!
7. Take Me With You
8. The May Not Mean To (But They Do)
9. It Won’t Be Like This Forever
10. Moody Weirdo

Neck Deep are set to play an exciting show at London’s Alexandra Palace next year on March 28th. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the band’s website.