Happy Friday! Welcome to November! Alternative New Music Friday #Happens with The Cure, Songs Of A Lost World. The highly-anticipated new album is out today. The 8 song collection is The Cure’s first new album in 16 years. The album was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales. Robert Smith created the sleeve concept, and Andy Vella, a long-time Cure collaborator, handled the album’s art and design. The cover art features ‘Bagatelle’, a 1975 sculpture by Janez Pirnat. To celebrate the release, The Cure will be playing Live At Troxy in London. You can watch the Global Live Stream today on The Cure’s YouTube page beginning at 1pm (PST)/4pm (EST). Set your reminder for this afternoon to watch it HERE.

I have new singles queued up for you to listen & download this week from Tunde Adibimpe (lead singer of TV On The Radio), Girl Tones (discovered by Brad Shultz of Cage The Elephant), Amigo The Devil, Big B feat. Killer Mike, Jakob Nowell and Little Stranger, plus Magdalena Bay has a new version of “Image” remixed by Grimes featured below on Happens.vip Alternative Downloads.

Weezer releases a 30th Anniversary edition of their Blue Album today. Another flashback, Peter Hook & The Light will perform the New Order album Get Ready in its entirety during US tour dates beginning in May 2025. Find out more below in Alternative Music Info.

Ratings Love! The final round of Nielsen October ‘24 PPM Ratings arrived yesterday. The latest Alternative stations to post 6+ increases: KNRK/Portland 2.3-2.4, KXRK (X96)/Salt Lake City 4.5-4.6, WXDX/Pittsburgh 3.7-4.0, and WMRQ/Hartford 2.7-3.0. 

For The Record: KITS (Live 105)/San Francisco is up 3.1-3.4 and KVIL (ALT 103.7)/Dallas increases 2.5-2.6 in the Nielsen October ‘24 PPM 6+ Ratings. I had my ratings scorecard incorrect on Wednesday. Sorry for the error and thank you John Allers for letting me know.

Pattison Media debuts ALT 94.3 – Winnipeg’s Music Alternative. Glassnote announces a new partnership with Hook. Get the scoop in Alternative News.

Andy Hawk shares a photo from KKDO (ALT 94.7)/Sacramento’s Free Music Discovery series with Weathers. Miranda Daniels from WRIS (The Resistance 106.7)/Madison checks in to share a photo with Declan McKenna, who stopped by the station to chat and play an acoustic version of his new single “Champagne.” It was perfect since yesterday was the 7th birthday for WRIS. Finally, wait till you see the hilarious Halloween costume that Edie Lundeen from Epitaph wore to the office yesterday. Check out the fun on Alternative Photos.

A quick programming note: Don’t forget this weekend daylight savings time ends and your clocks will automatically go back an hour. The good news is we gain an extra hour this weekend, right.

Now, that we have more time, let’s dig in on the latest new music that needs to be on your radar.

ALTERNATIVE NEW MUSIC DISCOVERY  

Tunde Adebimpe “Magnetic” (Sub Pop) 

Listen & Download HERE.

New York-based Tunde Adebimpe (pronounced: toon-day add-uh-bim-pay), the frontman for TV On The Radio, released his solo single “Magnetic” on October 29th. It’s his first release for Sub Pop Records from his forthcoming debut solo album coming in 2025. 

The label’s co-founder Jonathan Poneman says of the signing, “We heartily welcome Tunde Adebimpe to Sub Pop’s roster of artists. His inclusion makes the whole lot better – and a whole lot classier! We’ve waited 20-plus years for Sub Pop to earn the chance to be Tunde Adebimpe’s label.” 

His prior solo work has been in collaborations with artists, including Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Massive Attack, and Run The Jewels. Meanwhile, TV On The Radio has sold-out shows this November and December in New York, Los Angeles, and London to celebrating their 20th anniversary of their debut album, Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babe. 

Girl Tones “Fade Away” (Parallel Vision) 

 

Listen & Download HERE.

Nashville-based duo Girl Tones released “Fade Away” at the beginning of the week. 

Lead singer/guitarist Kenzie says, “‘Fade Away’ is about being vulnerable and slowly getting burned over and over again by someone you love, to the point you have to move on with your life. You’re hurt, you’re angry, you’re owed an apology.” 

Girl Tones are sisters Kenzie and Laila Crowe, who formed the band while attending Western Kentucky University. The band was discovered by Brad Shultz of Cage The Elephant, who produced the band’s debut album, released via his label Parallel Vision. Girl Tones opened for Cage The Elephant on their Neon Pill Tour. 

Nashville.com said: “Girl Tones are quickly moving from a regional favorite to a force to be reckoned with on a national scene.” The coming months will see more music and more shows to keep the earthlings entertained.

Amigo The Devil “I’m Going To Heaven” (Liars Club/Regime Music Group) –  

Listen & Download HERE.

Austin-based Amigo The Devil releases a new single “I’m Going To Heaven” from his third studio album, Yours Until The War Is Over, released on February 23rd. 

The self-produced album was recorded in a backwoods bar-turned-studio, and songs are riddled with obscure literary references – akin to songwriter Danny Kiranos’ maniac reading habit – collectively proving that this whole Amigo The Devil thing isn’t some true crime niche. Yours Until the War Is Over is a songwriter’s record. Rolling Stone says: “Think Tom Waits meets Nick Cave with a healthy dose of Rob Zombie ambiance.” 

Amigo the Devil/Danny Kiranos says, “They say heaven is a place on earth and we’re damn committed to proving that to you at one of our upcoming shows with our new song ‘I’m Going To Heaven’.”  

Amigo The Devil has a headline tour from November 10 through December 8 that will be a must see if he is coming to your market. Find the tour dates HERE. 

Big B “Pretend (feat. Killer Mike, Jakob Nowell and Little Stranger)” (Regime Music Group) 

Listen & Download HERE.

Las Vegas’ Big B has collaborated with Jakob Nowell (Jacobs Castle/Sublime), Killer Mike, and Little Stranger on a new single “Pretend.” Jakob Nowell is on the chorus with Killer Mike and Little Stranger joining Big B on heartfelt and hilarious verses to deliver a nostalgic vibe that is about focusing on the positives of life even when things get difficult.  The single is from Big B’s new album, Wellness Check, released on July 26th. 

Big B says, “Pretend is about reflecting back at the past hoping and wishing we could do it all again, but knowing it’s probably not going to happen. But grateful it did. The crazy thing is true to the song this is my first radio single since Sinner. So maybe we are doing it all again. But this time I got to bring a few friends. Just the fact that Killer Mike, Jakob Nowell, and Little Stranger all said yes to being on the record is truly an honor.”

Jakob Nowell added, “Killer Mike and Big B have always been legends to me growing up. Getting together and hopping on a track with them and my buddies Little Stranger felt like a dream come true. I think the song came out very strong and has nostalgic elements that everyone can see themselves in.” 

Big B’s breakthrough single was “Sinner (f/Scott Russo of Unwritten Law)” in 2008.

Magdalena Bay “Image (Grimes Special)” (Mom+Pop Music)

Listen & Download HERE.

LA duo Magdalena Bay shares a new version of “Image (Grimes Special),” a rework of their single by Grimes. Magdalena Bay’s sophomore album, Imaginal Disk, was released in August via Mom+Pop Music. 

The original version of “Image” continues to accumulate hundreds of thousands of streams daily. 

Magdalena Bay was just on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday night. Check out their performance of “Image” HERE.  

NEW ALBUMS OUT TODAY

The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World (Fiction/Capitol)

MORE ALT ALBUMS HERE

GOING FOR ADDS

Impacting Next Week (11/5):

311 “Full Bloom” (SKP)

Culture Wars “It Hurts” (Pool Toys)

The Struts “Can’T Stop Talking” (Big Machine Rock)