Happy Wednesday! Greetings from another blustery/scary day in LA. It sure is nice to have The Lumineers give us “Same Old Song” today to get our minds off the ferocious windy weather/fires in LA and all the horrific weather that so many of us are experiencing this week in so many places. The first single from The Lumineers fifth album, Automatic, is due out on Dualtone on February 14th. Listen & Download to “Same Old Song” HERE. The Lumineers will perform the new single tomorrow night (1/9) on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

This week’s Alternative Artist Discovery is Mystic Knights, a new L.A.-based band led by Chris Cester, the drummer and co-songwriter in JET. Cester says, “I was writing a lot of songs out of nowhere, and as nobody knew what was happening with JET, I started a band with Emmanuel Castro and Aaron Eisenberg in my garage basically….I asked Noel Gallagher if he had any ideas for names…and he said “Mystic Knights”…so, given that all the songs were written between midnight and 6am…it felt appropriate.” Thanks to Geordie Gillespie from Unleashed Music for VIP Access with Chris Cester. 

Cage The Elephant “Metaverse” is #1 Most Added this week on the Mediabase Alternative Add Board. Congrats to RCA’s Gary Gorman & team!

The Lumineers are back with new music. The new single “Same Old Song” was released last night. It’s the first single from the band’s fifth album, Automatic, due out on Dualtone on February 14th. Listen & Download “Same Old Song” HERE. The Lumineers will perform the new single tomorrow night (1/9) on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Lola Young “Messy” is featured below on the #Happens ALT Video Spotlight Of The Week!  Impact is next week.

Alternative News: Ryan Cooley is named SVP/Market Manager at Audacy/Portland. Tessa Barrera exited The Rod Ryan Show at KTBZ (94.5 The Buzz)/Houston on December 20th. KMAX (94.3 The X)/Ft. Collins PD “Big Rob” Lewis exited in December to return home to program Hot AC KIMN (Mix 100)/Denver. Townsquare Alternative WQRR (ALT 101.7)/Tuscaloosa, AL flipped to Christian as “101.7 The River” at the end of the year. Amy Presley from KACV/Amarillo, TX says the station is wrapping up a $269,000 tower repair. “We’re so grateful the college invested in this program and our students of the Mass Media Department. We’re hoping to be back to full power in the next couple of weeks.” 

Alternative Ratings: Here are the latest stations to post an increase in the Nielsen December ‘24 PPM 6+ Ratings: KYSR (ALT 98.7)/Los Angeles 2.4-2.5, KITS (Live 105)/San Francisco 3.2-3.5, KVIL (ALT 103.7)/Dallas 2.5-2.8, KTBZ (94.5 The Buzz)/Houston 5.0-5.3, WWDC (DC101)/Washington 3.6-4.6, KNDD (107.7 The End)/Seattle 3.4-3.6, KBZT (ALT 94.9)/San Diego 2.6-2.9, KPNT (105.7 The Point)/St. Louis 5.4-5.6, KKDO (ALT 94.7)/Sacramento 2.9-3.0, WNWV (107.3 Alternative)/Cleveland 2.4-2.7, WXZX (Columbus Alternative 105.7)/Columbus, OH 1.6-1.7, and WLUM (FM 102/1)/Milwaukee 2.2-2.3.

Alternative Music Info: Bad Religion will headline Lucky Punks! music festival on March 15th. Sublime will headline Beachlife Festival on May 3rd. Pennywise will headline Punk In The Park San Francisco on May 3rd. Fall Out Boy will headline Boston Calling on May 24th. And this just in… Hozier will headline Bonnaroo on June 16th.

Alternative Photos: The Smashing Pumpkins headlined KROQ/LA’s 33rd annual “Almost Acoustic Christmas” on December 14th. Check out the smiles backstage down below. Do you have a photo to share? Send it to me at shawn@happens.vip.

ICYMI – Fontaines D.C. was the #1 Most Picked Album on #HAPPENS Alternative Year End Picks: The Best Albums Of 2024. You can find 94 Top 5 Year End lists from all your friends HERE.