Happy Friday! Alternative New Music Friday #Happens with a busy week of new albums for you to check out today, including blink-182, The Airborne Toxic Event, Atlas Genius, The Dare, Finish Ticket, Hinds, The Heavy Heavy, and Toro Y Moi.

The big music news arrived yesterday afternoon with the return of Linkin Park. You can find the band’s new single along with new singles from MOD SUN, Magdalena Bay, The Hives, and The Ramona Flowers now available for you to listen & download on the #HAPPENS Alternative Downloads page.

Ratings Love! Here are the latest Alternative stations to post increases in the just released Nielsen August ‘24 PPM 6+ Ratings: WDZH (ALT 98.7)/Detroit 3.7-4.0,  KDKB (ALT AZ 93.3)/Phoenix 4.0-4.1, KTCL (Channel 93.3)/Denver 5.2-5.4, WEND (106.5 The End)/Charlotte 3.1-3.6, KNRK (94/7)/Portland, OR 1.9-2-2, KKDO (ALT 94.7)/Sacramento 4.5-4.6, WNWV 107.3 Alternative Cleveland 2.8-3.0, and WXZX (Alternative 105.7)/Columbus, OH 1.6-2.1.

Skratch ‘N Sniff Radio adds Allison Hagendorf as Host and Chris Cantore as Producer to weekly syndicated mix show. WHHZ (100.5 The Buzz)/Gainesville, FL has rebranded to “100.5 Rock It.” Get more details in Alternative News.

Carly Evans from KRXP (X1039)/Colorado Springs shares a photo with Michael Marcagi. Check out the smiles on Alternative Photos.

It looks like Cage The Elephant “Rainbow” will be the next #1 song on the Alternative chart. ICYMI: Check out the band’s performance of “Rainbow” from Wednesday night on The Tonight Show HERE.

Let’s dig in on some new music that needs to be on your radar.

ALTERNATIVE NEW MUSIC DISCOVERY  

Linkin Park “The Emptiness Machine” (Warner) 

Listen & Download HERE.

The highly-anticipated return of Linkin Park includes new co-vocalist Emily Armstrong (Dead Sara) and drummer Colin Brittain (songwriter/producer for G Flip, Illenium, One OK Rock) accompanying the band’s first brand new music in seven years with the release of their new single “The Emptiness Machine” on September 5th at 3p (PT).

Armstrong and Brittain join the band’s lineup of Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Phoenix, and Joe Hahn. The announcement arrived with a global livestream performance with 6 upcoming arena shows in Los Angeles (9/11), New York (9/16), Hamburg (9/22), London (9/24), Seoul (9/28), and Bogota (11/11) as part of the From Zero World Tour. Linkin Park will release their new album, From Zero on November 15th. It’s the first release of new music since the passing of former lead singer Chester Bennington in 2017. 

Shinoda says, “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. 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.”

MOD SUN “Hotel Lights” (Shelter Music)

Listen & Download HERE.

Bloomington, Minnesota’s MOD SUN released his new single “Hotel Lights” on September 6th. Derek Ryan Smith, who goes by the stage name MOD SUN, first shared a new song “Sunshine” in June. It’s his first new music since his 2023 album, God Save The Teen. 

Going back to his rock roots inspired by blink-182 and Third Eyed Blind, “Hotel Lights” is about young love in L.A., late nights, drugs and falling hard and fast. The kind of emotion that feels so high that it’s a long way back down. Haunting love story lyrics with an atmospheric build fueled by punching drums and hard driving  guitar chorus and powerful vocals. 

MOD SUN has a co-headline tour with lovelytheband starting September 28th. Find the tour dates HERE.

Magdalena Bay “Image” (Mom+Pop Music) 

Listen & Download HERE.

Los Angeles-based duo Magdalena Bay released “Image” on September 5th. It’s from the band’s second album, Imaginal Disk, which was released on August 23rd. 

“Close your eyes,” the band says. “Imagine a brand new, better you. Now wait 22 minutes. Now open your eyes. Meet your brand new image! Isn’t it amazing that the meat in our heads can do this?” 

Mica Tenenbaum (vocals, producer, songwriter) and Matthew Lewin (producer, songwriter) first met at an after-school music program in Miami where they grew up, bonding over shared musical influences and eventually starting a prog rock band Tabula Rasa. That band broke up, but when Tenenbaum and Lewin crossed paths again in college, they reconnected with the goal of making something closer to pop music that blends retro and futuristic elements under the moniker Magdalena Bay. The band’s Marginal Mystery Tour is underway now. Find the tour dates HERE.

The Hives “Rigor Mortis Radio” (The Hives AB) 

Listen & Download HERE.

Swedish 5-piece The Hives released “Rigor Mortis Radio” on September 4th. The self-released single is from the band’s 2023 album, The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons, marking the band’s first new album in 11 years. 

The Hives frontman Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist said, “There’s no maturity or anything like that bullshit, because who the fuck wants mature rock’n’roll? That’s always where people go wrong, I feel. ‘It’s like rock’n’roll but adult,’ nobody wants that! That’s literally taking the good shit out of it. Rock’n’roll can’t grow up, it is a perpetual teenager and this album feels exactly like that, which it’s all down to our excitement – and you can’t fake that shit.” 

The Hives have U.S. tour dates in September, including festival appearances at Sear.Hear.Now, RiotFest, and Oceans Calling. Find the tour dates HERE. 

The Ramona Flowers “Dangerous” (Distiller) 

Listen & Download HERE.

UK 5-piece The Ramona Flowers released “Dangerous” right before the holiday weekend.. It’s the follow-up single to “Up All Night.” The Bristol-based band explores themes of addiction on the new single, citing the relatable situation of doing the one incredibly impactful thing in life that is at the same time dangerous to do but keeps you stuck in the cycle. 

The band says, “This song is about dancing with danger. There are times in life when you give into temptation. You know you shouldn’t do it, but you do it anyway.” 

In September, The Distillers will be part of the global launch of Dyson’s brand new OnTrac headphones and on the east coast for radio shows in late September for WEQX’s “PearlPalooza” on September 21st and WAQX (95X)/Syracuse’s 95X Low Dough Show on September 25th. 

New Albums Out Today

The Airborne Toxic Event – Glory (Little Tokyo)

Atlas Genius – End Of The Tunnel (Frogs Head LLC)

blink-182 – ONE MORE TIME… PART-2 (Columbia)

The Dare – What’s Wrong With New York (Republic)

Finish Ticket – Echo Afternoon (Better Noise Music)

The Heavy Heavy – One Of A Kind (ATO)

Hinds – Viva Hinds (Lucky Number)

Toro Y Moi -Hole Erth (Dead Oceans)

MORE ALT ALBUMS HERE

GOING FOR ADDS

Impacting Next Week (9/10):

Linkin Park “The Emptiness Machine” (Warner)

The Ramona Flowers “Dangerous” (Distiller) 

Weathers “Wasn’t Gonna Go Out” (Sumerian)