At 83, Art Garfunkel has found a musical project that's perhaps even more exciting than a potential Simon & Garfunkel reunion: an album with his son.

The folk-rock icon and his 33-year-old singer/songwriter son, Art Garfunkel Jr., recorded a delicately layered album of their favorite standards from the past century. Titled Father and Son — fittingly, but also after the Cat Stevens anthem that is included in the collection — the album was produced by Art Jr. and opens with a striking, lush rendition of "Blue Moon." Among the other highlights are sensitive readings of the Beatles' "Blackbird," Cyndi Lauper's honey-dripping '80s ballad "Time After Time," and Eurythmics' majestic "Here Comes The Rain Again."

While the 12-song album is the duo's first full project together, it's not their first collaboration. A burgeoning star in Germany, Art Jr. has long taken after his father's legacy — even paying homage to Simon & Garfunkel's catalog with two full German projects — and the pair have recorded one-off duets and toured Germany together.

As a result, Art Sr. and Art Jr. (who cleverly refer to themselves as Garfunkel & Garfunkel) harmonize effortlessly on Father and Son. Their sympathetic combination of voices are reminiscent of the late '60s, when Garfunkel Sr. and his first musical partner, Paul Simon, became international superstars with their combination of folk roots and a vulnerable, poetic sheen.

Simon & Garfunkel still remains the pinnacle of Art Sr.'s musical output, but he's remained plenty busy since the beloved duo split in 1970. As a solo artist, Garfunkel was particularly prolific during the '70s, and has since released a total of 10 studio albums. Father and Son marks his first new album since 2007's Some Enchanted Evening (a dedication to the Great American Songbook), making the release all the more special for him and fans alike.

In celebration of his latest venture, Garfunkel Sr. spoke with GRAMMY.com about his musical chemistry with Art Jr., his emotional recent reunion with Paul Simon, and the place of transcendence that music occupies in his life.

My recurring thought as I listened to the new album was that you haven't lost the ability to be vulnerable through words and sound.

My wife says to me: you're in the youth of the eighties. You make being in that decade feel like another rebirth. I like that — the youth of the eighties.

Where are you right now?

I'm at the Hodges Bay Resort in Antigua. My wife brought me to the Caribbean with our son so that I could get stem cells. She's a big believer in them. I had my infusion yesterday, and now I'm kicking around, getting ready to fly home tomorrow.

How old were you when you realized that there was something magical about your voice?

I knew I had a voice when I was about 3 years old. It's my earliest memory. For me, singing is like breathing, something that comes naturally.

Did you know that you were breaking new ground when you recorded the first Simon & Garfunkel album in 1964?

You can't talk about this without thinking of Paul Simon, my partner. We came out of the folk period, as did Bob Dylan, and it evolved from folk into the pop world.

Was there a conscious attempt to be more intimate and poetic within the context of a pop album?

No, that was the nature of folk music — you put more teeth into what you were saying. The California hippies taught us to be more candid about our feelings, and we fell into that propensity.

You and Paul made five classic, unforgettable albums together. Am I being greedy if I wish that you had recorded a few more?

I met with Paul Simon three weeks ago in my New York studio. We hadn't seen each other in years — and suddenly, something about this meeting felt like a possibility. This has always been the case with Paul.

Paul's style was always, "let me show you what I've been working on lately." He would show me the new songs, and I'd go crazy over how good it was, because Paul Simon is a man of great talent. And my authentic response to his beautiful music made him very excited. That sincere appreciation led us to start working together. It's our style of being sociable.

This happened recently?

Three or four weeks ago. His ex-wife is moving into the place where I stay. I knew I was going to run into him sooner than later. We had dinner — there were hugs and tears. It's great when a man cries. But I felt that I really did hurt him in the past.

Your first reunion with Paul was incredibly moving — the Central Park concert in 1981, which spawned a double live LP and a video.

You're talking about the greatest thrill of my performing life. Nothing I've ever done quite matches the Central Park concert. I remember being on stage, turning to Paul and saying, "I knew we did something right in the '60s, but I didn't expect this." It was more than half a million people at the park, right near my home. When you watch the film, you can see we're both blissed out.

I feel history has been a bit unfair to the great solo albums that you made during the '70s.

In show business, you get a period of popularity, and it works like a wave. Often, it is a three-year run. You have your period of grace, and then the audience looks for something else. Even though the quality of what you're doing may be great, in the game of popularity you have your time — and then you don't.

Were you able to think about it at that time as philosophically as you do now?

You try not to think too much of commerce when you work. I sing because I've got to sing. I make albums simply because that's what I do. You try and divorce yourself from the popularity of what you're doing. If it's not going to catch on, it's not my fault. I still have my muse. I'm still going to sing and make new records.

I love your version of the classic Antonio Carlos Jobim bossa nova "Waters of March." That's a very tough song to get right, and you did.

[Sings] "A stick, a stone/It's the end of the road." Very different for me to do that. What album is it on? I don't want to put you on the spot...

It's on 1975's Breakaway. And what a great record that one is.

I always followed my muse. In all my solo albums, I went back and forth between producing them myself and then bringing an outside producer. Breakaway was a Richard Perry production, and I just followed his lead.

You injected the same sense of vulnerability that defines your music into the role of Sandy in the 1971 film Carnal Knowledge.

I had a whole acting career back then. [Director] Mike Nichols must have taken a shine to me when he asked Paul Simon to write a couple of songs for The Graduate. I have a wonderful memory of going to Hollywood. Mike arrived in his Bentley, picked us up at the Wilshire Hotel and brought us down to this giant soundstage where we matched our vocal of "Mrs. Robinson" to the screen. Later, he came by my house and handed me a script. We did Catch-22 together, and then Carnal Knowledge. He believed in me as an actor.

What was the best part of recording an album with your son?

I'm extremely proud of this record. We did "Let It Be Me" – it's an Everly Brothers song.

I love that you picked "Here Comes The Rain Again" by Eurythmics — the violins in the intro sound great.

I don't know what to say about it. It was Junior's choice — he wanted me to do it, and I did. He was the producer.

Was there a specific song that you insisted on performing together?

"Nature Boy." I'm crazy about "Nature Boy." And "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper. That's the first single on the album. I'm also doing a bunch of shows, by the way. I'm still singing at this advanced age, working the Carlyle Hotel in New York. Still carrying on.

Which Simon & Garfunkel album would you take to the proverbial desert island?

There's two that vie for first place. Bookends [from 1968] because the tracks flow together from song to song. "Overs" is the cynicism of middle age, followed by "Voices of Old People," and finally "Old Friends." The flow from birth to maturity and old age is a very interesting sequence for an album.

[1970's] Bridge Over Troubled Water, on the other hand, is just what I want — a bunch of tunes that are all lovely. I'm very proud of those songs.

And what would be the highlight of your solo career?

It's always good to say what flies into your mind before you think; your immediate gut reaction is usually the truth. And so I think of Breakaway, which has a very strategic use of echo. It's creamy. The notes are held for a long time. I like that.

Your life has included its inevitable share of sad moments. Has music helped you to keep things positive?

Music is a world unto itself. It stands apart from the rest of life and has an enormous power. I'm just pleased that it comes naturally to me, and that it is such a big part of my existence.

Long before it became a viral TikTok trend, Gwen Stefani's pouty declaration of "I'm just a girl" on No Doubt's 1995 breakthrough single was simply an honest affirmation. She wailed about the frustrating tug of war between empowerment and vulnerability that came with womanhood — and she's been wearing her heart on her sleeve just the same ever since.

The three-time GRAMMY winner first made herself known as the quirky frontwoman of No Doubt, taking the reins of the male-dominated rock world before venturing into solo pop stardom and building her own brand along the way. But no matter her level of stardom, Stefani has never shied away from displaying her private life.

Love and music are a pairing just as tight-knit as Stefani's signature platinum locks and crimson lips. She has sung about the ebbs and flows of romance since the beginning of her career, from the pained realization of a relationship's end on "Don't Speak" (from No Doubt's 1995 album, Tragic Kingdom), to yearning for a "simple kind of life" on the band's 2000 LP, Return To Saturn, to navigating a divorce on her 2016 solo album, This Is What the Truth Feels Like. Her latest set, though, is blooming with a healthy love.

Bouquet, Stefani's fifth solo album and first in seven years, is heavily centered around her past, present and future with husband Blake Shelton. While the country star seems like the complete opposite match for a ska princess — who met Shelton while both were coaches on NBC's "The Voice" in 2014, and they've been married since 2021 — Stefani attributes the positive shift in her music to meeting him.

"For me, what happened in the breakup of my family, I had to try to pick up the pieces. Out of that was new love. Not only new love, but real love," Stefani tells GRAMMY.com on how her confidence blossomed over the years. "I don't feel like I ever experienced that until I felt what it really felt like to be loved. When someone loves you in a pure way, it does make you feel like you can see inside of yourself what they're seeing for the first time.

"Love is hard to explain, but there's something spiritual about it. I feel like we're all constantly blooming and re-blooming," she continues. "We are growing and evolving, and out of pain, usually you find things inside of yourself that you didn't know you had. Being able to have an outlet like songwriting to be able to learn from yourself is an incredible blessing that I have been given."

"We can watch our garden grow," Stefani croons on album cut "Reminders." While the line refers to Shelton, it's a fitting sentiment for the year she's had. Bouquet arrives just three days after the 20th anniversary of her GRAMMY-nominated debut solo album, Love.Angel.Music.Baby, and seven months after the singer reunited with No Doubt at Coachella — their first performance together in nine years.

As "Reminders" displays, Stefani blissfully sings about finally finding peace and hope on Bouquet. Though it's her most upbeat celebration of love to date, it's also a culmination of the journey she's endured navigating it in all its forms — from very public breakups, to motherhood, to spirituality and finally finding true love.

Stefani's career began as the lead vocalist of No Doubt in 1986. Following a breakup with band member Tony Kanal, she used the band's breakout third album — 1995's Tragic Kingdom — as her personal diary. The singer co-wrote all but one song, and the rawness of the lyrics shot Tragic Kingdom to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Stefani continued to weave in her love life in the music, from wanting to be a wife on 2000's Return of Saturn and struggling with a long-distance relationship on 2001's Rock Steady.   

Her growing confidence as the band's co-writer led to her solo debut album, 2004's Love. Angel. Music. Baby. The album was a complete departure from No Doubt, as Stefani experimented with glossy '80s electro-pop, new wave, hip-hop, R&B, and even spoken word. While the first three singles presented more of her confident, commanding frontwoman side — including the Billboard Hot 100-topping smash "Hollaback Girl" — and the album featured themes of money and partying at the club, love remained at the forefront. 

"Born to blossom, bloom to perish/ Your moment will run out 'cause of your sex chromosome," she reminds herself about wanting to be a mom on lead single "What You Waiting For?" On "Cool", she accepts her friendship with No Doubt's Kanal after healing from their breakup. Album cuts "The Real Thing" and "Serious" best show off Stefani's romantic side; the latter served as a love letter to her then-husband, Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, and "Serious" declared in the first verse, "Call the doctor cause I am sick in love/ And I can't help it."

"There was so much freedom in my own heart and soul," Stefani says of her early solo days. "I had such a clear direction and I felt like I couldn't be stopped. The ideas and clarity on the art that I was creating was so easy to access. There was something so pure about this."

L.A.M.B. achieved massive success, debuting at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 chart and earning six GRAMMY nominations, including one for Album Of The Year. The album's success is attributed to not only Stefani stepping out of her sonic comfort zone, but her maintaining the same authenticity she brought to No Doubt's music.

"People know when something is authentic and something is not trying to do anything but just be – maybe that's why [it resonated]," she says. "It was simply going to be my fun, dance, guilty pleasure album and me trying to recreate things that inspired me from high school. I feel super grateful to reach anyone with the music that I've created."

By the time she delivered 2006's The Sweet Escape, Stefani had experienced big life changes, Along with becoming a first-time mom, she was dealing with marital issues, which she alludes to throughout the album — and, ultimately, led to a more melancholy feel than its predecessor. 

On the title track, she envisions a fantasy to avoid real-life problems ("I can see that you're angry by the way that you treat me/ Hopefully you don't leave me, wanna take you with me"), and tries to hold on to her relationship on the "4 In The Morning" ("All I wanted was to know I'm safe/ Don't wanna lose the love I've found"). While the album may not express a happy love, it uncovered a deeper side of her vulnerability.

Within the decade after The Sweet Escape, Stefani took some time away from music as she focused on motherhood (she had another son in 2008). She reunited with No Doubt on 2012's Push and Shove, their first album in 11 years, which refueled Stefani to work on her third solo album. But it would still be four years until a full album materialized, as 2014 marked both the birth of her third son and her first season on "The Voice." A year later, Stefani endured a major life change: divorcing Rossdale, after discovering his alleged infidelity.

The heartbreaking revelation led to 2016's This Is What the Truth Feels Like. The super-confessional album revealed Stefani's healing process following her divorce (the tearful "Used To Love You" and the scornful "Red Flag"), but it was balanced by her new love with Shelton after meeting on "The Voice." From the bubbly "Make Me Like You" ("Thank god that I found you," she sings) to the yearning on "Misery" ("I'm thinking things I never thought before/ Like what your love would taste like/ Give me more," she pleads) to the flirtatious "Send Me A Picture," Stefani was shamelessly reveling in newfound happiness.

"I look back at each album that I've been part of and think about how they came about and what the inspiration was; and what I was going through at the time," Stefani says. "This Is What The Truth Feels Like was a unique album because this was the worst time of my life and the only thing I could turn to was God, prayer, my family, and music. It was the only way I knew how to save myself. I started writing that record so I wouldn't go crazy.

"I made the album quickly, in about eight weeks. About halfway through writing it I had this gift of love that was right there. I didn't know it was going to be there and I got to write about that," she continues. "It was an expression of two things happening at one time — something ending and something bringing me back to life. I wasn't thinking too much about the production on this album, it was more me trying to get out lyrically what I needed to get out."

Following This Is What the Truth Feels Like, Stefani's aura felt lighter and more self-assured as she reclaimed her confidence as both an artist and a woman. 

This shift was mainly attributed to her adoration for Shelton, which thus inspired her music after that. He was featured on the title track of Stefani's bubbly holiday set, 2017's You Make It Feel Like Christmas, and they released two country duets in 2020, "Nobody But You" and "Happy Anywhere." Though the singles were Stefani's first foray into the genre, her chemistry with Shelton resonated: both went to No. 1 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart.

Stefani also dabbled in ska again with 2020's "Let Me Reintroduce Myself" and 2023's "True Babe," but even she admits that wasn't the right direction ("I was circling the past and I kept going around these cul-de-sacs," she says). So she stuck to her instincts: recording blissful tunes that emulated her life.

The winding roads of Stefani's career — and love life — have now led to 2024's Bouquet, which she deems a "whole different energy." But while the cover features Stefani rocking a cowboy hat and the album was recorded in Nashville with famed country producer Scott Hendricks, it's far from a country album. Rather, the 10-track project is a wistful blend of '70s-inspired pop and yacht rock that reflects the joy Stefani feels.

"I got engaged and married, so writing this album was writing about this new part of my life. When I finished doing the songs, I felt uncomfortable about the production — not because I didn't love it, because I did, but it just felt like I was repeating myself," she says. "It felt like when you go back into the closet and find something old from high school and try to put it on and think it's going to look good and it's just not working anymore. I didn't want to try to compete with the past at all. 

"In my mind, it was clear — I needed to go in and make the record have no genre and make the sound creative with live musicians and make it feel live," she adds. "The combination of the pop songwriting and the organic live band is what created the sound of Bouquet, [which] sounds unique from anything else I've done." 

The album documents Stefani's eight-year transition following the weighty This Is What The Truth Feels Like. Lead single "Somebody Else's," also the album's opening track, summates the healing she's done in order to unlock this new life chapter. "Everyday with you is rock bottom/ Leavin' you saved me, my God/ Look at me blossom/ You're somebody else's problem," she says with a wink on the chorus.

From there, Stefani leaves that past behind as she gushes about being so deep in love and not wanting to mess it up. The ballad "Swallow My Tears" discusses how an old relationship can impact a new one. "The past keeps chasin' me around/ I thought I lost it but then it found me/ Like it always does/ Dragging me back to who I was," she reflects. "Give me a second I need to swallow my tears."

The ballad is one of the singer's most honest songs to date. As a result, she says recording it felt like an emotional release: "I've been learning through my spiritual faith journey that it's about growing, learning, evolving, getting better and trying to become the person that you're meant to be in the world."

Part of Stefani's journey is rooted in reassurance, which ties "Purple Irises," her breezy country-pop duet with Shelton, together. One of the first songs written for the record, it adds another chapter to her fairytale life with Shelton. "I got you, and you got me/ And do you still think I'm pretty? And are you happy?" Stefani ponders even after years deep into her marriage.

She uses flowers as a metaphor for their relationship throughout the entire album, with the most autobiographical moment being the title track. "We met when my heart was broken/ Thank God that yours was too/ So lucky that you were going through what I was going through," she reflects on the opening verse. (Shelton was also going through a very public divorce from Miranda Lambert as their relationship started to, well, blossom.)

Stefani continues to bare her soul, confront her insecurities on "Pretty" ("I never felt pretty 'til you loved me/ I always felt pretty unlucky") and showcasing her appreciation for finally finding a healthy relationship on "Empty Vase." "Why did it take so much time?/ You've always been the one I've been trying to find/ I know you'll raise my sons right," she tearfully sings atop tender acoustic strings. And for No Doubt fans nostalgic for Stefani's pre-mainstream punk days, Bouquet's rocking "Late To Bloom" shows the singer hasn't forgotten her roots.

The singer's artistry is kaleidoscopic, from being a ska princess to pop's Hollaback Girl to a chart-topping country duet partner. But Bouquet is a reminder of what has always made her music so enduring, and what still resonates after three-plus decades: her vulnerability. 

"I think we all go through points in our life when we question, 'What is my purpose?' When I found out I could write songs, and those songs had the impact they had, it was clear this might be my gift," Stefani explains. "I get so much joy and satisfaction. I feel like I have something to offer to the world when I'm writing songs.

"It's the most incredible thing to have a song that captures a moment in my life that talks back to you, heals you, and you learn from it," she adds. "The hope is that someone else can get that same blessing from the song. The struggle is worth it."

Linkin Park became ubiquitous with their 2000 debut LP, Hybrid Theory, and reinforced their status as the 21st century's definitive nu-metal band with each album thereafter. But it's been seven years since Linkin Park released new music, priming a new generation to discover their one-of-one impact — including Mike Shinoda's daughter.

In September, the band's co-lead vocalist and producer told Jimmy Fallon about a recent instance when his daughter rejected his attempt to teach her how to play guitar. As he recalled, it wasn't until his wife, Anna, intervened and told her she should listen to him: "My daughter goes, 'What does he know about performing?'"

Shinoda's daughter — along with 11 million other viewers — were reminded of Linkin Park's instinctive magnetism during the Linkin Park: FROM ZERO global livestream in early September. The performance coincided with the announcement of From Zero, the band's first LP since frontman Chester Bennington died by suicide on July 20, 2017, as well as the introduction to a new lineup.

Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn, and bassist David "Phoenix" Farrell reconnected with the innocent, pure creativity that catapulted Linkin Park in the first place. But adding Dead Sara's Emily Armstrong as the new co-lead vocalist and Colin Brittain in place of Rob Bourdon on drums crystallized From Zero, due Nov. 15, and served as the latest iteration of a legacy built on reinvention.

"Before Linkin Park, our first band name was Xero," Shinoda said in a From Zero press release statement. "This album title refers to both this humble beginning and the journey we're currently undertaking. Sonically and emotionally, it is about past, present, and future — embracing our signature sound but new and full of life. It was made with a deep appreciation for our new and longtime bandmates, our friends, our family, and our fans. We are proud of what Linkin Park has become over the years and excited about the journey ahead."

The first taste of From Zero was "The Emptiness Machine," an explosive, guitar-laden track that possesses similarly heightened lyrics and experimental sonics to Linkin Park's past material. Within two weeks of its release, "The Emptiness Machine" hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, where it remains after nine weeks as of press time. With a six-week run atop the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart as well, the song's success showed that there was still an unwavering attachment to Linkin Park, no matter the lineup.

Several comments on the video for "The Emptiness Machine" further proved that. "No, she doesn't sound like Chester. But she sure sounds like Linkin Park," one fan wrote. As another added, "Emily roars like a lion and it's amazing that I feel like I can feel Chester roaring in the background. Thank you for coming back."

Naturally, there were some skeptics of the new iteration, including Bennington's mother, Susan Eubanks, and his son, Jaime (Eubanks told Rolling Stone that she feels "betrayed"; on social media, Jaime accused Shinoda of "quietly erasing my father's life and legacy in real time"). But as Shinoda reassured fans at a recent performance, "It is not about erasing the past. It is about starting this new chapter into the future and coming out here for each and every one of you."

Fans can also rest assured that Armstrong wants to honor Bennington, not replace him. In fact, Bennington was who helped Armstrong realize her potential as a frontwoman.

"I was in a band when [Hybrid Theory] came out," Armstrong recalled to Billboard. "'One Step Closer' was the song for me, and I was just like, 'Holy s—, that's what I want to do. As a singer, I want to be able to scream.' That album was everything. I've listened to it a trillion times."

When it comes to the importance of her role, she added, "I'm on cloud nine, but then it hits you that there's a lot of work to be done. And going into these [older] songs, by a singular voice that's beloved by so many people — it's like, 'How do I be myself in this, but also carry on the emotion and what he brought in this band?'"

After all, Linkin Park was predicated on Bennington's boundless, fearless voice. Shinoda wrote a January 2018 op-ed for Kerrang! describing meeting Bennington: "I knew Chester Bennington was going to change my life from the moment he opened his mouth to sing… Chester was so great that day, the guy who was waiting to try out after him just left. He knew. Even though we'd sent Chester our songs beforehand, he later admitted to me that he'd never done a screaming or yelling part on a track before. That was shocking to me. He could do it better than anyone I'd ever heard."

The industry failed to see what was right in front of them several times over; labels passed on Linkin Park before and after Bennington joined. As Shinoda suggested to Vulture in 2023, "Here's what I assume they thought: Our thing, the combination of elements, was too esoteric. We loved DJ Shadow, Fatboy Slim, Moby, Aphex Twin, and Portishead… With that stuff in the music, labels were like, 'Who's going to listen?' And then on top of it, we were more introspective. What we didn't like about what was going on in the scene was that it was very frat rock. It was toxic masculinity."

As it turned out, their unexpected mash-up of hip-hop, alternative, and full-throttle rock resonated in droves. Reaching No. 2 on the Billboard 200, Hybrid Theory became the top-selling album in the U.S. in 2001, and by April 2002, it was 8x Platinum-certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (as of press time, the album is now 12x Platinum). Their uninhibited musicality — led by Bennington's piercing, raw scream-singing and complemented by Shinoda's melodic rapping — was exactly what made Linkin Park stand out, and what helped them push the boundaries of what rock can be ever since.

As Shinoda noted, Linkin Park also resonated because they weren't afraid to be vulnerable. Hybrid Theory's "Crawling" and the diamond-certified "In The End" cemented Linkin Park's unique position to soundtrack teenage angst (or confusing emotional intensity of all ages) before ruthless vulnerability was normalized in the mainstream.

Because Hybrid Theory established such an eclectic sonic palette as their baseline, Linkin Park was free to tinker sonically. Their unprecedented genre-melding and emotional honesty proved to be a winning recipe; 2003's Meteora, 2007's Minutes To Midnight, 2010's A Thousand Suns, 2012's Living Things, and 2017's One More Light each debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard200. (Only 2014's The Hunting Party failed to reach the top spot, but still landed at No. 3.)

Linkin Park is inextricably tied to people hearing their pain in Bennington's voice. Unfortunately, the songs felt so genuine because Bennington pulled from his childhood trauma and lifelong struggles with addiction and depression. In February 2017 — just five months before taking his own life — Bennington explained the inspiration behind One More Light's lead single, "Heavy," to Music Choice: "The opening line, 'I don't like my mind right now,' that is me 24 hours a day. If I get stuck in here, I just find life really hard, and it doesn't have to be."

His openness about his struggles and heartbreaking death made posthumously hearing Bennington's voice on "Lost," a track from 2023's Meteora (20th Anniversary Edition), all the more gut-wrenching. Reinventing without an irreplaceable piece felt impossible. 

"Part of working under darkness was simply the fact that we didn't know how far we would get in our efforts," Hahn told Billboard upon the debut of the band's new formation. "We didn't want to set ourselves or anyone else up for disappointment if we weren't able to do it. This has been years of struggling to understand what it can and should be."

Hanging out together again without putting any pressure on producing music allowed Hahn, Delson, Farrell, and Shinoda to organically find a place of understanding. The October 2017 Linkin Park and Friends: Celebrate Life in Honor of Chester Bennington concert could have been the end of Linkin Park, but it didn't have to be.

As Shinoda told Apple Music's Zane Lowe, he had a barometer for what it would take to reshape Linkin Park's identity around someone else's voice. But he heard it in Armstrong: "When I started to hear Emily's voice on things, it was like the first time that my brain would accept it as a Linkin Park song."

From Zero strikes the same chord from a refreshed perspective. As new songs like "Over Each Other" highlight, the new Linkin Park didn't dial back on the band's signature unguarded lyricism, and leaned into the same visceral feeling of their groundbreaking rock sound. Linkin Park still has something to say, and they're set on delivering pointed messages in a way that Bennington would be proud of. The album feels like quintessential early Linkin Park — and there's a reason for that.

"We felt like we have a new energy," Shinoda shared with Lowe. "It's almost like going back in time and going back to start and starting again, except you have the benefit of all the stuff you know." 

There would be no Linkin Park without Chester Bennington, and traces of him will live in the music forever. When Armstrong sings, "I only wanted to be part of something" in "The Emptiness Machine," you can believe her with the same conviction you could always believe Bennington. From Zero and a massive 2025 world tour reignites the past's magic — and leaves the door open for an equally inspired future.

The winds of November might be crisp and cold, but they bring along a collection of sizzling new music. From bold debuts to heartfelt returns, new eras to final chapters, there's no shortage of options to warm you up this month.

On the first Friday of the month, goth band The Cure makes their return after 16 years, and R&B sensation Jacquees releases the suggestive Baby Making. In the following weeks, British trio FLO will release their anticipated debut, Access All Areas, and BTS's Jin will finally drop Happy, his first solo album.

And there's more: nu metal trailblazers Linkin Park will enter a new era with From Zero, Dolly Parton enlisted her family to create the expansive Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables, and 2020 Mercury Prize winner Michael Kiwanuka will drop Small Changes.

Lastly, the third and final posthumous album by rapper Juice WRLD will also be out this month, and Irish megastars U2 are going to celebrate the 20th anniversary of How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb with a shadow album titled How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb.

To guide you through this eventful month, GRAMMY.com compiled a list with the 14 must-hear releases of November 2024. Check them out below.

CHASE ATLANTIC — 'Lost In Heaven' (Nov. 1)

Australian trio CHASE ATLANTIC continue to reach for the stars. Following performances at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and the main stage at Reading & Leeds in 2023, the band is set to release their fourth studio album, Lost In Heaven, on Nov. 1st.

Led by singles "Die For Me," "Doubt It," and "Ricochet," the band continues to expand their atmospheric, genre-blurring sound. A press release notes that they are poised to break boundaries once again, "diving deeper into their distinct world of hypnotic melodies, sonic experimentation, and epic live shows." The 2023 single "Mamacita" also features on the tracklist.

To promote the new record, they launched an ongoing tour across North America, with rapper 24KGOLDN as a special guest. The tour began on Oct. 16 in Dallas, and will wrap on Nov. 19 in Los Angeles. In December, they will continue with six additional shows in Australia and New Zealand. 

The Cure — 'Songs Of A Lost World' (Nov. 1)

In September, English goth band The Cure released "Alone," their first new song in 16 years. Along with it came also the announcement of their fourteenth LP, Songs Of A Lost World, set for release on Nov. 1.

Frontman Robert Smith shared in a press release that "Alone" was the track that "unlocked" the new album. "As soon as we had that piece of music recorded I knew it was the opening song, and I felt the whole album come into focus," he noted. The album, in progress since 2019, includes tracks "Alone" and "A Fragile Thing," which were performed live during the band's Shows Of A Lost World tour in 2022 and 2023.

The 8-track ensemble follows 2008's 4:13 Dream, and was entirely written and composed by Smith — a feat he hadn't repeated since 1985's The Head On The Door. Smith also co-produced the record with the help of Paul Corkett.

Masked Wolf — 'The Devil Wears Prada But God Wears Gucci' (Nov. 8)

After his 2019 song "Astronaut in the Ocean" became a sleeper hit in 2021 thanks to TikTok, the life of Australian rapper Masked Wolf (Harry Michael) changed dramatically. He quit his day job to focus on music full-time and swiftly released Astronomical, his first mixtape.

Three years later, Michael swapped the space suit for a superhero persona. "I feel it, my desire, yeah, I'm reaching in my soul /They tryna take me out, yeah, they wanna break my bones /It's like I've been bit, but I still keep control /I will never give up, I never give up," he raps in "Spiderman in Space," a single off his upcoming debut LP, The Devil Wears Prada But God Wears Gucci.

Set to drop on Nov. 8, the album showcases Michael's versatility and immutable determination, traits also evident on singles "Give Me My Heart Back" with Lecrae, "Sweeter," "Tell Me Why" with Kota the Friend, and "Hell or High Water."

Ab-Soul — 'Soul Burger' (Nov. 8)

After 2022's lauded Herbert, Los Angeles rapper Ab-Soul is gearing up to release the mixtape Soul Burger on Nov. 8. The project is a tribute to the artist's childhood friend, Doe Burger, who passed away in December 2021.

In a recent interview with Sirius XM's "Effective Immediately", the Top Dawg Entertainment star shared that he's "been trying to channel" Burger's spirit in this release. "My best way of doing that is through music. And hence the title, it's the fusion of me and him. We were literally Huey and Riley from The Boondocks, to where this album is not me — it's Soul Burger. It's like a new artist… So I recommend everybody listen to it in terms of that."

The mixtape includes singles "Squeeze 1st 2" and "All That" featuring JasonMartin (formerly known as Problem) and Thirsty P. In June, Ab-Soul reunited with his Black Hippy bandmates Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, and Schoolboy Q at Lamar's Pop Out Concert in California.

FLO — 'Access All Areas' (Nov. 15)

British R&B trio FLO have announced their much-awaited debut LP, Access All Areas, set to release on Nov. 15. Executive produced by MNEK, the album follows the success of singles "Walk Like This," "Caught Up," and "Check."

"Access All Areas is a labor of love," the group, composed of Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renée Downer, said in a press statement. "To us it represents our growth and dedication to making girl group history, to making a project we are truly proud to call our debut album." The album is described as a "manifesto" for FLO, approaching themes of love, sisterhood, and navigating life as young Black women.

Starting Nov. 11, the trio will kick off their AAA: Intimate Acoustic Shows tour in record stores across the U.K., with stops in Nottingham, Kingston, London, Birmingham, and Manchester.

BoyWithUke — 'Burnout' (Nov. 15)

"I was feeling tired just because it's been go, go, go since I started," said TikTok sensation BoyWithUke in a statement about his upcoming album, Burnout. "I think I had some real identity issues with who I am. Like am I this extroverted character or am I Charley Yang? But now I think I've found a really good balance of work and personal life."

Charley Yang, who rose to fame after going viral in 2021 with ukulele hits like "[Toxic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvaosumc4hU)" and a signature LED mask — removed only last year — began exploring a more open and experimental side to his music once he revealed his face. "For the longest time I had made songs to impress this person I was in love with as well as music executives, and once that was gone things felt weird," he added. "I felt a little bit lost, but in a larger and more positive way, I felt free with freedom to make mistakes and basically whatever I wanted — I think that's what *Burnout* is."

Burnout will be Yang's final record under the BoyWithUke moniker, but it already points to new musical directions. Lead singles "Ghost" and "Can You Feel It?" build on his previous work, while "Gaslight" takes a daring plunge into alt-rock and electronic beats, showcasing Yang's rawest performances yet.

Jin — 'Happy' (Nov. 15)

The first BTS member to complete his military enlistment, Jin was also the only one who hadn't released a solo LP — until now. The wait is over as he announced the release of his debut album, Happy, set for release on Nov. 15.

According to a press release, Happy is a six-track collection that chronicles Jin's journey to find true happiness. Through the album, he shares "honest thoughts and feelings on what happiness means to him," and aims to give listeners "a sense of strength and comfort in their day-to-day lives."

The album comes two years after Jin's co-written collaboration with Coldplay, "The Astronaut." To build anticipation, he has also released the complete version of his 2021 viral hit, "Super Tuna," along with the rockabilly-inspired lead single, "I'll Be There."

Dolly Parton & Family — 'Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables' (Nov. 15)

Dolly Parton continues to amaze. After being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and releasing her first rock album, Rockstar, last year, the country queen returns on Nov. 15 with a project that explores her deepest roots: her family.

Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables is a prodigious visual and musical project featuring both branches of Dolly's family, the Partons and the Owens. Spanning nearly 40 tracks, the album was produced by her cousin, Richie Owens, and showcases performances by various family members, including some who have passed away and others from the current generation.

In a statement, Smoky Mountain is described as "a passage through the lineage and ethos of a family that has deeply influenced one of the world's most beloved artists," tracing their journey from their U.K. origins in the 1600s to their present-day home in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. A companion four-part docuseries is set to premiere in 2025.

Read More: 5 Ways Dolly Parton Has Promoted Peace & Global Unity

Dwight Yoakam — 'Brighter Days' (Nov. 15)

It's been nearly a decade since country superstar Dwight Yoakam released a new album, with his last being 2016's Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars. That will change on Nov. 15, when Yoakam drops Brighter Days.

To announce his return, Yoakam dropped hit single "I Don't Know How to Say Goodbye (Bang Bang Boom Boom)" featuring Post Malone, a track he wrote specifically for this collaboration. Brighter Days has been self-produced over the past three years, with Yoakam co-writing most of the tracks and including covers of classics such as "Keep On The Sunny Side" by the Carter Family, "Bound Away" by Cake, and "Time Between" by The Byrds.

In a statement, the album is described as "at once timeless and timely," filled with "a modern appreciation for country music's history with the trailblazing rock and roll spirit of California." Yoakam is currently on a U.S. tour.

Linkin Park — 'From Zero' (Nov. 15)

Linkin Park is returning from hiatus with full force. On Nov. 15, the nu-metal legends will release their eighth LP, From Zero, introducing a new era for the band following the announcement of new vocalist Emily Armstrong (of Dead Sara) and drummer Colin Brittain.

"Before Linkin Park, our first band name was Xero. This album title refers to both this humble beginning and the journey we're currently undertaking," said co-vocalist Mike Shinoda in a statement. From Zero marks the band's first album without frontman Chester Bennington, who passed away in 2017, and former drummer Rob Bourdon. "Sonically and emotionally, it is about past, present, and future — embracing our signature sound, but new and full of life. It was made with a deep appreciation for our new and longtime bandmates, our friends, our family, and our fans," added Shinoda.

The album's lead single, "The Emptiness Machine," was followed by "Heavy Is The Crown," which became the main theme for Riot Games' 2024 League of Legends World Championship, and the recent release "Over Each Other." Ahead of the album, Linkin Park played a series of arena shows in September, with stops in Los Angeles, Seoul, and London. The tour is set to conclude on November 16 in São Paulo, Brazil.

Michael Kiwanuka — 'Small Changes' (Nov. 22)

"Whilst making this album I was really thinking about my motives for making music and making records," shared London-born singer Michael Kiwanuka on Instagram, when announcing his upcoming album, Small Changes. "I never started writing music/songs for anything other than a way to connect to myself and others, but what am I trying to say now?"

As the album neared completion, Kiwanuka realized that expressing the "small changes" he was experiencing, both in his voice or and his music, was reason enough. "And living for me is just that, remaining as true as possible despite all the changes around us," he added.

Small Changes follows Kiwanuka's 2020 Mercury Prize-winning album, Kiwanuka. Co-produced by Danger Mouse and Inflo, the LP's first single, "Floating Parade," dropped in July, followed by "Lowdown (Part I)" and "Lowdown (Part II)." Kiwanuka recently completed a North American tour with Brittany Howard and will play six intimate shows in the U.K. after the album's release.

Father John Misty — 'Mahashmashana' (Nov. 22)

November also marks the return of singer/songwriter Josh Tillman with his sixth album under the stage name Father John Misty. According to a press release, the album's title, Mahashmashana, derives from the Sanskrit word Mahāśmaśāna (महामशान), meaning "great cremation ground, all things put going thither."

Produced by Tillman and Drew Erickson, with longtime collaborator Jonathan Wilson serving as executive producer, the album features eight tracks spanning over 50 minutes. Half of the album has already been previewed through singles "I Guess Time Makes Fools of Us All," "She Cleans Up," "Screamland," featuring Low's Alan Sparhawk, and "Josh Tillman and The Accidental Dose." 

After supporting Kacey Musgraves on her Deeper Well Tour during September and October, Tillman announced he will headline a North American tour beginning February 2025, followed by a European leg in May.

Juice WRLD — 'The Party Never Ends' (Nov. 22)

After years of teasing, Juice WRLD's third and final posthumous album, The Party Never Ends, is set to be released via Grade A and Interscope Records on Nov. 22. This will be his first full-length project since 2021's Fighting Demons, which included collaborations with Polo G, Justin Bieber, BTS, and more. 

Lil Bibby, founder of Grade A, shared on Instagram that "we want this album to feel like a celebration/party. No more mourning, I want everyone that Juice loved while he was here to help celebrate, especially his fans whom he loved."

The Party Never Ends follows the release of December 2023's single "Lace It" featuring Eminem, produced by Benny Blanco, which addresses the dangers of addiction. In September 2024, Juice WRLD's legacy was further expanded with the EPs The Pre-Party and The Pre-Party (Extended), each featuring two tracks, including the single "Lightyears" with Young Thug.

U2 — 'How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb' (Nov. 22)

In November 2004, Irish band U2 topped the charts with their iconic album How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. The album and its singles earned eight GRAMMYs between 2005 and 2006 and was described by vocalist Bono as their "first rock album" ever.

As the 20th anniversary approaches, U2 will commemorate the milestone with a remaster and re-release of the original album, along with a new project titled How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb — a 10-track "shadow album" that includes new and unreleased songs from the band's archives.

"The sessions for How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb were such a creative period for the band, we were exploring so many song ideas in the studio," bassist The Edge said in a press statement. "For this anniversary edition, I went into my personal archive to see if there were any unreleased gems and I hit the jackpot. What you're getting on this shadow album is that raw energy of discovery, the visceral impact of the music, a sonic narrative, a moment in time, the exploration and interaction of four musicians playing together in a room… this is the pure U2 drop."

Among the tracks, fans might recognize "Luckiest Man In The World" as the leaked demo "Mercy," now officially released. Five other songs have been remastered, including "Don't Wanna See You Smile" and "All Because of You 2." The remaining four tracks are entirely new, never-before-heard recordings, including the single "Country Mile."

In the early 2000s, Taking Back Sunday were just some dudes living in Long Island, New York. Vocalist Adam Lazzara, guitarist and vocalist John Nolan, guitarist Eddie Reyes, bassist Shaun Cooper, and drummer Mark O'Connell all were working day jobs, but they were trying to make the music thing work, organizing DIY tours up and down the East Coast when they could. Unsure what to call their first demo CD, the quintet labeled it with a title that would eventually become fortuitous: "Tell All Your Friends."

It was a marching order for those with a copy, in hopes that the demo would land in the right hands. As fate would have it, the five-song CD was eventually heard by an A&R representative for Victory Records in 2001 — and the rest, as they say, is history.

Tell All Your Friends was officially released as Taking Back Sunday's debut album in March 2002, featuring 10 songs in total and introducing the band as one of the early forebearers of the decade's post-hardcore and emo movement. Though Taking Back Sunday reached their commercial peak with their third album, 2006's Louder Now, Tell All Your Friends is the fan favorite, and is seminal to both the band's career and the emo era as a whole. Millions of people around the world connected to the heart-on-the-sleeve songwriting and raw emotions conveyed in tracks like "Cute Without the 'E'," "Timberwolves of New Jersey," and "You're So Last Summer," all of which became huge hits on both radio and MTV; soon kids everywhere were growing out their bangs like Lazzara, wearing studded belts, and using lyrics as their AIM Away Messages.

Two decades later, Taking Back Sunday is still going strong. In 2023, they released their eighth album, 152, and on October 19 and 20, they will return to the When You Were Young Festival in Las Vegas, where they will play Tell All Your Friends in full. Ahead of the fest, GRAMMY.com caught up with Nolan to reminisce about those early days of Taking Back Sunday, and the memories behind every song on their debut album.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What do you remember of that time in your life before Tell All Your Friends was released?

We had signed our deal with Victory Records months before we went into the studio. When we were recording the record, we did it in Jersey City, but we all lived on Long Island. Adam, Eddie and I all lived in the same apartment at that point.

We were all working day jobs, so we were driving back and forth — which, you know, Long Island to Jersey City, depending on time of day, can either be a half hour or 3 hours. [Laughs.] So that definitely added a bit of complication to things.

But we were just so excited by the whole prospect. Anything that was challenging about getting there and back and juggling jobs didn't really matter. We were just so psyched about everything.

How did these songs come about for you guys? Had you been playing them for a while?

The first year or so of the band, we had a different singer and a few different bass players. Everything was kind of rotating. We finally got the lineup that we had on the album probably about a year before we recorded the album. During that time, we were writing and playing shows. As soon as we were done writing a song, we would play it live, because at that point, everything was new to everybody so it didn't matter. That was a cool thing to be able to do, because we were able to develop them live months before we ever recorded.

We also did a demo that had 5 songs from Tell All Your Friends on it that we started selling at shows. Those songs were the ones that were really established before we recorded.

When we were going into the studio, we didn't really have to put together an album because at that point, we had about 10 or 11 songs. We had written an album's worth of songs just kind of by chance. Some of them had been written more recently while others had been around for a while.

Listening to Tell All Your Friends 20 years later, is there anything in particular that stands out to you about the record?

The thing that jumps out to me the most is, we've been playing live for a very long time to a click track, so everything is very tight and on point. It's always interesting to me to hear the live versions of these songs where it speeds up and down. It's very inconsistent and very raw sounding because of that. I think it's part of what accidentally gave the album a certain level of excitement and made it stand out a bit.

You can definitely hear that raw energy on a song like "You Know How I Do," the first song on Tell All Your Friends. What makes it a good album opener?

That was one of the ones we had finished writing not too long before we went into the studio. So it was a new song in our mind. That was part of it. It felt like starting off with something that was new and exciting to us made sense. It just had feeling that felt like a good way to kick off the record. It has that intro with the one guitar and then everything kicks in.

After that comes "Bike Scene." Tell me about that song.

That one was one of the ones we recorded on the demo that we put out before the album. It had been established for a while. I don't think there were too many changes from the demo version to the record version. My sister Michelle sings on the bridge of that one. It was one of the songs that we started seeing a good reaction to at our shows pretty quickly.

So you guys honed that one on stage?

Yeah, that one didn't really go through many changes. We had that one locked in.

The next song on the record is "Cute Without The 'E'" which was a big single for you and a fan favorite. How did this song change things for the band?

Just getting signed to a record label was a huge accomplishment, and it was about as far ahead as we could think in terms of what our band could do. So, to be hearing our song on the radio and seeing it on TV not much longer after signing was mind blowing. I felt very surreal. It was very hard to believe that it was all true and actually happening.

I don't honestly remember how "Cute Without the 'E'" was chosen as a single. I don't remember any of us having a sense when we wrote and recorded that song that "this is the one," you know? It was a song on the album that we liked just as much as any other. For that one to take off the way it did was a bit of a surprise.

Is it true you don't rehearse this song anymore?

That is true, yes. We've played it at every show, I think, ever, from the time I was in the band in the early 2000s and then when I came back in 2010… that's a lot when you add that up. [Laughs.] That's one we don't really have any reason to rehearse, so we don't.

Next is "There's No 'I' In Team." There's a bit of a story behind this one, involving a falling out between you and a former bandmate, Jesse Lacey of Brand New. At this point, do you even still think about the drama that inspired song anymore? Is it hard for you to play?

No. I mean, it's so long ago. The actual emotions from the time, it's so far away. I find when we're playing these songs live, I will tap into something more current emotionally that I can channel into the song, but it's not the same events or emotions that originally inspired it.

There was a time, around the first six months or year that we played it, where the emotions of it and the circumstances around it were very real and very raw and new, and it was very intense and an emotional experience. I think that's part of what people responded to. I would say after that initial time, a lot of that stuff died down.

Tell me about "Great Romances of the 21st Century."

That was one of the first ones we wrote with the new lineup of the band. Our drummer, Mark, had actually come up with the guitar parts for that. I remember him showing it to me on an acoustic guitar one time in North Carolina while we were staying at someone's house before playing a show there. I remember just being really taken back by it, because I didn't even know he could play guitar. It was this intricate picking thing, and he was doing all these kind of weird chords and stuff. We then took his guitar parts, and got together and made it into the song.

I very clearly remember we were in our basement rehearsal space, which was at Mark's family's house. When we were finished writing and playing it, I remember feeling like something had really clicked and that we were onto something. There was something about that song that set the direction and tone for what the band was going to do.

We ended up making a music video for that one before we were even signed. We had a friend who made music videos and he wanted to do it. He ended up doing the "Cute Without the 'E'" video as well.

Because of the way it came together and how excited we were about it, we were like, this is the single, which is also sort of funny now because there's no normal structure to it. It would not make much sense as a single or something that could be played on the radio. But the song definitely caught on quickly when we started playing it live. We got a big reaction to it. It's funny now to think about how we were looking at that like, This song could be a big hit.

Read More: Remembering When We Were Young: Avril Lavigne, Jimmy Eat World & More Bands Reflect On The Peak Of Emo & Hardcore Ahead Of Vegas Fest

"Ghost Man On Third" feels like an important song on the record. What can you tell me about it?

That one was a newer song when we were going into the studio. A lot of the lyrics and melodies on that one came from Adam's experience at the time. I remember when we first started playing it live being really taken back and amazed by the emotion that he was putting into it. It felt really powerful when we first started playing it live. It was before people knew the song.

That was really something to me,  to have a song that you're playing in front of people and they don't even know it yet but it's still really powerful and you can see it grabbing everyone's attention. It has a different feel than a lot of the other songs. So in the context of the album, that one is very important for changing the mood up and keeping it from getting too much of the same thing. I think it's a key point in the album.

Why do you think fans connected with that raw emotion and honest songwriting? Do you think it was something that wasn't really there in rock music at the time?

It was interesting because nu-metal was still very popular and had been from the late '90s into the early 2000s. Then pop-punk was starting to become a lot more mainstream. I think when we were making that album, yeah, a lot of it was not in line with what was popular at that moment, but for whatever reason, things were kind of shifting in that direction. Thursday was a big part of that. They were getting nationwide attention. There was this shift away from that more pop-punk thing and whatever the nu-metal thing was into something a lot less polished and a lot more openly emotional.

And that kind of leads us into "Timberwolves of New Jersey" which touches upon the post-hardcore, emo scene in the New Jersey right?

Yeah, a little bit. It was something that I had started on my own on an acoustic guitar, and I brought it to the band. Then they made it into what you hear on the album.

When I was working on it, it didn't really sound like something that would make sense for the band, but then everybody got into it. It was somewhat based on our experiences with our first singer and old band members. It's kind of a mean-spirited and cocky song. That's where I was at at the time, I guess.

How old were you when you wrote it?

Like 22, 23. I was little older than some of the other guys, so I don't have as much of an excuse. Adam was only 18 or 19, I think.

I mean, that's how we all are at that age right?

[Laughs.] Yeah.

Read More: The State Of Pop-Punk: A Roundtable Unpacks The Genre's Past, Present And Future

Moving on to "The Blue Channel," I read somewhere that you guys weren't thrilled with the final mixes, is that right? How do you feel about the song now?

I play a piano part to introduce the song – this Wurlitzer sound – just very slow and that's how I played it in the studio. I did it on my keyboard to a MIDI track, which means all the notes are there digitally, and the producer is able to change the sound after the fact, and the notes can be manipulated into anything they want.

I recorded it, and we didn't hear it until they gave us a mix of the album. They made it twice the speed that I had played it. They cut it in half and made it double-time, basically. They changed the sound to a real piano sound, which kinda sounded fake. It was just completely shocking. We had no idea they were going to do that.

When I hear it now, it sounds fine. It's not really bad or anything like that. But when we called the studio and talked to the producer about the changes that we wanted to make, they were like, "Oh no, that's the album. That's the mix. We're out of time and we are over budget. The album's done."

There were a lot of things like that on the album that weren't necessarily what we wanted or asked for or were involved in choosing. They were just like, "That's it, that's the way the album is."

I guess you were so new at the time that you couldn't be like "no we want it this way," right?

Yeah, maybe we could have, technically, but that would've involved really stepping up, talking to the record label, and making a big scene over it. I think we did kind of feel like being a young new band that that was not our place. We were also on our way out of town to start one of our first real tours. So, we were not really in a place to spend a whole bunch of time fighting to get that done anyway. We kind of just accepted it.

It obviously didn't hurt the record.

No, apparently not!

Next, we got "You're So Last Summer," which, I mean, come on, That song rules. It's no wonder it's become one of your most memorable songs.

That one we had more of a sense of the potential for it to be a popular song. It's also kind of funny looking back on it, because I forget now but I think we put it like 8th or 9th on the record…

Yeah, it's the penultimate.

Definitely an odd choice to put that song towards the end, but I think it does hold up now to have something more straightforward and poppier come towards the end of the album. It's nice for the pacing of it, and it's unexpected.

That one got a very big reaction very quickly. One thing I always think about with "You're So Last Summer" is I had written the line, "The truth is you could slit my throat/ And with my one last gasping breath/ I'd apologize for bleeding on your shirt," and when I wrote it, I was making an exaggerated point that was honest but I also thought it was funny.

It's a great line.

Yeah, but after it got popular, I always second guessed it. A certain amount of people just thought it was straightforward, complete dramatic teenager type of thing. I always had this love/hate relationship with that part of the song.

I've realized now it doesn't matter, because if something resonates with people, then that's good. You don't have to worry about why it's happening or what it means.

Finally, we got "Head Club." I love the way it closes out the record.

I always have mixed feelings about this song. We included this on our original demo and the ending of it – the big outro part – was different. I think I was the one who suggested changing it, and I wasn't always sure if that was the right choice or not. The other people in the band all kind of second guessed whether that was the right move or not. But I mean, nobody except for the people on Long Island or early fans who had the demo would even be able to make that comparison. For most people, it's just always the way the song was.

I always think about the drum intro. It's an interesting way to start the song to begin with, but then the producer put a flanger on the drums, which is really interesting and weird. I don't know if I've ever heard that before or since. It was an odd choice.

It works though!

It does! It's one of those things I don't even think about anymore, and probably anybody who listens to the record doesn't either. But the first time hearing it we were like, "What is that? That's weird."

So how are you feeling about playing all these songs in full at When We Were Young?

I think about half of the record are songs that we play on a regular basis, and the other half there's a bunch that we hardly ever play. There's definitely a few in there where it's been years since we've played them. We did one tour in 2019 where we were playing our first three albums, but a lot of the songs we haven't played since then.

It's always interesting going back and playing a whole album like this, because we get to see the live reaction to songs like "Cute Without the 'E'" and "So Last Summer" all the time, but it's always interesting to see the crowd respond and sing along to album tracks that are less-known. It's always interesting to see which of those it'll be. I'm still never sure.