Listen to The Current’s Morning Show every weekday at 9 a.m. to hear news from around the world of music.
Friday, September 11
Conor Oberst has made a short film starring Phoebe Bridgers (NME)
Conor Oberst has announced that he’s made his first film, and his former Better Oblivion Community Center bandmate Phoebe Bridgers provides the voiceover! The 13-minute feature is called Invention 13, and it follows a pianist who is trying to learn Bach’s “notoriously intricate ‘Invention 13′”, but keeps encountering “strange obstacles.” In addition to Bridgers’ voiceover, Emory Cohen and Olivia Howard also star in the film. It’s scheduled to premiere at Beyond Fest in Los Angeles on September 26.
Bootsy Collins’ First Memoir is Called Funked Around, Found Out (Pitchfork)
Bootsy Collins has a new memoir on the way! It’s called Funked Around, Found Out and covers the 74-year-old legend’s five-decade career. It’ll also have a foreword from Snoop Dogg. You can watch for it to drop in 2027.
Angine de Poitrine to Make Their U.S. TV Debut on Fallon (Consequence)
Heads up that Angine de Poitrine will be making their American TV debut. They’ll be on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday, Sept. 14. The extraterrestrial duo are also on their first U.S. tour. They’ll play December 1 and 2 at First Avenue.
Kings Of Leon announce nostalgic new album ‘O My Beloved’ with tender single “My Whole World” (NME)
Kings of Leon have announced a new record called O My Beloved. It’ll be the band’s 10th studio album and looks back at the people, experiences and journey that made them into who they are today. The new album will drop November 6.
Jenny Lewis’ Nice as F*** Reunite for U.S. Tour (Pitchfork)
Back in 2016, the trio of Jenny Lewis, Erika Spring, and Tennessee Thomas put out just one record, and now they’re back! The group went by the name Nice as F***, and they just announced that they are going on tour to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their self-titled record, and it’s getting a vinyl release for the occasion. They’ll play Chicago on October 24.
Thursday, September 10
Rock band Muse lose social media handles to Meta’s new AI tool (The Independent)
U.K. band Muse have a new social media handle, but fans are mixed on the reason why. According to The Independent, some sharp-eyed fans noticed the band’s handle changed from @muse to @Musetheband on X, and their former handle now belongs to Meta’s new AI app, and it looks like it’s the same on Instagram. The app is restricted in the U.S., but it’s supposed to help people with things like scheduling, shopping, payments, emails, and helping to make “long-term goals into action plans.” It looks like the change happened back in July, and The Independent did reach out to Meta and Muse for a comment. It is worth noting that Muse have put out quite a bit of music warning about the dangers of technology. Some fans have been pointing out the irony on social media. The band’s latest album is called The Wow! Signal and it was released back in June.
Nirvana to Receive Video Vanguard Award at 2026 VMAs (Pitchfork)
The VMAs are right around the corner; they’re scheduled to be held on September 27. One of the highlights each year is the Video Vanguard Award, and this year it will be given to Nirvana. Previous recipients include Mariah Carey, who won in 2025; Katy Perry, who picked up the trophy in 2024; and Shakira in 2023. The 2026 VMAs will broadcast live Sunday, Sept. 27, on CBS, and simulcast on Paramount+ as well as on MTV. No host has been announced yet.
‘SNL’ Sets Inde Navarrette, Jalen Brunson, Dakota Johnson and More as Season 52 Hosts (Variety)
It’s almost time for season 52 of Saturday Night Live, and the hosts and musical guests for the first four episodes have been announced. The season premiere is set for Sept. 26, and New York Knicks player Jalen Brunson will host, and K-pop group Katseye will be the musical guest — both will be making their “SNL” debuts. Dakota Johnson will host on October 3 with Turnstile performing on SNL for the first time. Comedian, actor, and podcaster, Shane Gillis and Rosalía are up October 10, and rounding out the first four — and for the Halloween episode — Inde Navarette, who was in the horror film Obsession, and Gracie Abrams are on deck. More SNL hosts and musical guests will be released at a later date.
Lucy Dacus Announces 10th Anniversary Reissue of No Burden, Shares “No Thank You, I Love You, Goodbye” (Consequence)
Lucy Dacus has announced a 10th anniversary edition of her debut album, No Burden, and it comes with an official release of fan favorite “No Thank You, I Love You, Goodbye,” a song that she has played at her live shows, but has never had an official release. Pre-orders for the anniversary release are open now; it will drop on December 4.
Wednesday, September 9
Tame Impala will no longer be signing things due to “rise of aggressive autograph hounds” (NME)
Kevin Parker from Tame Impala has announced that he will no longer sign autographs due to fans being too aggressive. Parker made the announcement on Instagram stories saying, “Due to the rise of aggressive autograph hounds, I won’t be signing anything or doing photos out the front of hotels or at airports at all anymore, so if you happen to catch me, please don’t be offended if I say no.” He also said that people have also been using kids to try and get autographs which is “all kinds of wrong,” and that he won’t be coming out after shows to meet fans in the parking lot for the time being due to security concerns but invited concert goers to “have the best time at the shows and get home safe!”
D’Angelo’s Son to Play Biggie Smalls in Snoop Dogg Biopic (Pitchfork)
Michael D’Angelo Archer Jr., the son of late neo-soul legends D’Angelo and Angie Stone, will play Biggie Smalls in the upcoming Snoop Dogg biopic. The actor goes by the name SwayvoTwain and will join the cast led by Jonathan Daviss from the Netflix series Outer Banks, who is slated to play Snoop. The film is expected to hit theaters in August of next year.
Lizzo appears on Armchair Expert Podcast
Lizzo made an appearance on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast where she discussed her journey growing up in Detroit and Houston. She also talked about her journey to Minneapolis. Lizzo has been in the news recently as a federal judge dismissed claims in a lawsuit brought by her former wardrobe stylist that alleged a hostile work environment against her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. Lizzo denied the allegations and, after the verdict, wrote on Instagram, “I prayed for the truth to come out and thanks to my incredible lawyers, the truth has prevailed.” Lizzo also wrote a new children’s book called Lil Lizzo Meets Sasha B. Flootin' that was released this week. The story follows a girl who finds her voice with the help of a smart and sassy flute.
Stevie Wonder Announces Songs in the Key Of Life Anniversary Tour (Pitchfork)
It’s been 50 years since Stevie Wonder released Songs in the Key Of Life, and he’s celebrating with a series of anniversary shows where he will perform the record in full. The tour will kick off in England in October and wrap up in Los Angeles in December… it will also stop in Chicago on November 21. Songs in the Key of Life was released in 1976 and gave us the hits “I Wish,” “Isn’t She Lovely,” “Sir Duke.” It won Album of the Year at the Grammys after its release, which was the third time Wonder won that award.
Tuesday, September 8
Ray LaMontagne treated after collapsing on stage in Nashville (NME)
Folk singer Ray LaMontagne was onstage at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Saturday when he collapsed onstage, causing the show to end early. LaMontagne’s management said that he was treated for heat-related dehydration and is “doing well now.”
Garth Brooks Plays Surprise Set at Denver Bar Under the Alias Yukon Jack (Billboard)
Bar patrons in Denver got a big surprise last Thursday when a scheduled performance from an artist named Yukon Jack turned out to be Garth Brooks. The show was held at a 2000 capacity venue, The Grizzly Rose, and people did start to suspect that it could be Brooks when the venue announced that tickets could not be purchased ahead of the show. Brooks was in town to play four sold-out shows for his Blame It All on My Roots tour over the weekend. He has performed at The Grizzly Rose before, back in 1991, and performed under the name Yukon Jack at a concert in New Mexico a couple of years later. Some sharp-eyed fans also connected his alias with his hometown of Yukon, Oklahoma. The next stop for Garth Brooks is Allstate Arena in the Chicago area Sept. 10-13.
Clairo has “11 new songs” in the bag and a new album on the way (NME)
Clairo has announced that there is a new album on the way! The singer-songwriter announced on Instagram that she has eleven songs ready for the new record that will be the follow-up to 2024’s Charm. No more details have been released yet, although Clairo has dropped other photos from the studio.
Bad Bunny Wins First Primetime Emmy for 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show: Updated (Billboard)
The first round of Emmys were handed out over the weekend, and Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show has won seven Emmy awards, including for Best Live Variety Special. This marks the first Emmys for Bad Bunny and makes the halftime show the most-awarded Super Bowl halftime show in Emmy history. Other winners include The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, which picked up five trophies. 49 Emmys have already been handed out, and 19 more will be presented during the live ceremony which will be hosted by Mariska Hargitay and air live on NBC on Monday, Sept. 14, starting at 7pm Central time. It will also stream on Peacock.
New Book Celebrates Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill 40th Anniversary with Visual History and Fresh Interviews (Consequence)
There’s a new book on the way that focuses on the 40th anniversary of the Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill album, which gave us the songs “No Sleep Till Brooklyn,” “Girls,” and “Brass Monkey.” The 176-page book was written by Ben Merlis. Beastie Boys: Licensed to Ill – 40 Years will drop on October 13.
