Top Stories
Stories in Beat that you'll love, handpicked by our team.
Pumps, Pirouettes, and Pop Perfection: Inside ADÉLA’s Must-Listen Debut Album PRIMA. Top Story - September 2026.
As I embark on my 23rd anniversary of celebrating living in the United States as a proud Slavic immigrant who " was like eight working the night shift to learn English...I'm like a spy, I studied this shit, call me the KG, bitch "...I feel very assimilated, proud, and comfortable calling myself a Polish-American, feeling content in that identity marker, and determined to fill the prophecy of being successful in my own right and on my own terms.
By Paulina Pachel15 days ago in Beat
10 Weirdcore Tracks That Sound Like a Fever Dream. Top Story - August 2026.
With the popularity of liminal photography and films like 2026's Backrooms , weirdcore is having a moment. It's not quite horrorcore, but it's not clean and cheerful enough to fit into the pop categories, either. Some artists ditch the pop influences and veer off in another direction, creating music that sounds like the soundtrack to a child's nightmare. Whatever the case, this playlist contains weirdcore tracks from all ends of the spectrum--and if you're ready to get weird, sit back and let these songs plunge you into a feverish haze.
By Kaitlin Shanks20 days ago in Beat
'The Beach Boys Love You'. Top Story - August 2026.
While during the summer of 1976, The Beach Boys publicity machine was insisting that "Brian Is Back", Rolling Stone Magazine assigned journalist David Felton to interview Brian Wilson and document his return to the limelight in a cover story ultimately titled "The Healing Of Brother Brian". The article revealed the complexities involved with Brians return the official marketing campaign was largely overlooking with extensive interviews with Brian and his publicity seeking therapist Dr. Eugene Landy. Much of the descriptions of Landy and his oversight of Brians life and therapy tactics were quite disturbing to say the least. While the article did close on a semi-optimistic note emphasizing that Brian was once again writing songs for future Beach Boys albums. Fortunately, by the end of 1976 Dr. Landy was fired by The Beach Boys management due to his fees eating into the group's profits and with Brian in relatively good enough shape to no longer require Landy's services.
By Sean Callaghanabout a month ago in Beat
10 Eccentric Tracks from Obscure Shoegaze Bands. Top Story - August 2026.
In a lot of ways, making money as a musician is more challenging than ever. And yet, these obscure shoegaze bands are still at it. They might not have top-ten hits or millions of Spotify listeners, but they're still making music because they love writing songs and sharing their efforts with the world. Here's your chance to give back by streaming their tracks, following them on social media and, if you live in the area, checking out one of their live shows.
By Kaitlin Shanks2 months ago in Beat
One Music Video and I Was Gone. Top Story - July 2026.
I am not surprised that I got into collecting. I saw my dad amass comic books throughout my life, and my younger sister followed suit. My collecting went through different eras: books, Pokémon cards, and Beanie Babies. However, what dragged me through the rabbit hole of collecting was K-Pop (Korean pop music).
By J. Davis Mallory2 months ago in Beat
Famous Women in Song. Top Story - July 2026.
I thought this would be easy. There are so many songs that mention women by name, right? The thing is, I wanted to find songs that weren't just a one and done proposition, especially if it takes minutes to get to the name. I wanted the woman to either be the topic or to at least have more than one mention. Some of these are skating that fine line, but since this is my piece, I get to choose!
By Julie Lacksonen2 months ago in Beat
'Aurora' – Portal to the Other Side. Top Story - July 2026.
The 2020s have seen the progressive rock band Yes on a trajectory where they refuse to give up on creative endeavors in the studio. 2021's The Quest got the ball rolling on an ongoing studio album workflow after several years of not having recorded a new studio album. In 2023, Mirror to the Sky , for many, one-upped that album and even seemed to win over some skeptics. And now, in 2026, the vibe that this reviewer has picked up across the Yes fandom is that the band's latest album, Aurora, has continued this trend. Capping off a trilogy in the band's eyes, this is an impressive effort from lead vocalist Jon Davison, keyboardist Geoff Downes, guitarist (and producer) Steve Howe, drummer Jay Schellen, and bassist Billy Sherwood. It also continues their collaboration with mixer/engineer Curtis Schwartz and orchestral arranger Paul K. Joyce. And the album cover was done not just by Roger Dean, but also his daughter Freyja Dean. Talent does not fall far from the tree. All of this together brings one into an amazing world this album can bring to mind.
By Steven Shinder2 months ago in Beat
Why does Finland love heavy metal?. Top Story - July 2026.
Welcome to Finland Explained’s first edition, where we focus on understanding Finland through its many faces. Today, I am trying to understand a new aspect of Finland, new to me, at least: Finnish metal music. Be aware that I am not a metal music expert. I am not even a metal fan; although I have to confess a few of these bands surprised me. I am only curious, perhaps as curious as you are reading this article. It all started after a friend of mine who lives on the other side of the world (hello, Oriana!) spoke so enthusiastically about Finnish metal bands —she’s a big fan!— I felt this was something worth exploring if I want to understand how one of the quietest countries in the world happens to be one of the loudest.
By Susan Fourtané 2 months ago in Beat
10 Ethereal Tracks That Leave You Haunted. Top Story - June 2026.
Midwestern girls see the dark side of Americana. Abandoned gas stations, tattered American flags, greasy diners, overgrown graveyards--that's the side of small town life that you don't see in Hallmark movies, and it often feels like bedroom pop artists are the only ones who understand. These artists compose eerie, ghostly arrangements that make you think of spirits rising out of the church graveyard and flying over an empty town before they disappear.
By Kaitlin Shanks3 months ago in Beat
