Fresh off the release of their newest record, Joy Next Door, one of our absolute favorite bands of all time The Maine is back and better than ever. With a tour planned and on the way (tickets here!), we got the unique opportunity for a lengthy Q&A with the band’s own Garrett Nickelsen. Make sure to check out the record and head to a date, but also to learn a little more about the album and the band’s storied history below.

After nearly two decades away from the album format that first defined them, The Format have reemerged not as a nostalgia act, but as a fully revitalized creative force. With the release of Boycott Heaven on January 23, 2026 via The Vanity Label, the duo of Nate Ruess and Sam Means have delivered a record that feels both rooted in their past and sharply attuned to the present. We can sincerely say it’s our album of the year and nothing else that gets shared this year will even come close.

Whitney have always had a gift for turning the everyday into something luminous, but Small Talk feels like the album where they’ve distilled everything they’ve been chasing since their debut into one cohesive statement. Set for release November 7th on AWAL, the Chicago band’s fourth record is not just their most affecting to date, it’s arguably their best, full stop. If their past albums flirted with brilliance, this one weds it, an effortless blend of their signature soft-focus soul, shimmering folk-rock warmth, and tenderly crafted pop that glows from the first note to the last.

Gogol Bordello has never been a band content with just raising the roof—they raise the entire damn village. This summer, frontman Eugene Hütz is leading the gypsy-punk collective into a blazing season of chaos, community, and continuity. Touring with a crew of handpicked artists from his label Casa Gogol Records, Hütz is not only reasserting the band’s legacy as live legends, but also highlighting the next wave of genre-busting artists redefining what New York sounds like in 2025.

While the headliners may dominate the conversation each year at Outside Lands, seasoned festival goers know that some of the weekend's most memorable performances happen away from the main stages. Returning for the 2026 festival, Duboce Triangle presented by Verizon once again offers an intimate setting where fans can experience rising stars, underground favorites, and surprise appearances just steps away from the larger crowds.

There is a moment at Graspop Metal Meeting when the scale of it hits you. You are standing in a field in Dessel, Belgium, surrounded by over 50,000 people who have travelled from across Europe, many in full battle dress, and the sound from the Jupiler Stage is so physical it feels less like music and more like weather. Lauren and I arrived on Thursday morning, and within an hour it was clear this was not a festival you simply attend. It is one you surrender to.

Outside Lands has never been afraid to evolve! Every year, the San Francisco festival finds new ways to enhance what is already one of the country's premier music weekends, balancing blockbuster headliners with incredible food, local culture, and unforgettable experiences spread throughout Golden Gate Park. This year, however, one corner of the festival may end up stealing the spotlight.

Big festivals are losing their grip. For years it's been the same model. Huge lineups. Three day camping. Record crowds. Paying higher ticket prices each year. But something has changed. People are showing up for smaller events instead.