The SPIN Interview: Pearl Jam Dark Matter Producer Andrew Watt Pearl Jam – Dark Matter Monkeywrench Records/Republic Records The ninth track on Pearl Jam’s 12th studio album, Dark Matter, is called “Something Special,” and it’s by far the most controversial—as far as Subreddits and message boards are concerned. “And further proof / That you’re phenomenal / You better believe it that / You are something special,” Eddie Vedder earnestly pronounces during this ballad, in his serene and characteristically masculine burr. Engulfed in the Sturm und Drang of the rest of Dark Matter, this slightly u ..read more

The 50 Best Songs of 2002 Few hip-hop albums transcend eras or withstand the disposal of one sound for another. But one body of work that’s weathered the ever-evolving terrain is Nas’ landmark debut, Illmatic. More from Spin: Every Nas Album, Ranked KEEPING IT REAL — ROUND ONE! The 50 Best Songs of 2002 Opening to the cascading sounds of subway train cars, screeching from one New York City rail line to the next, Illmatic draws listeners into the world of the chipped-tooth, Queens-bred MC.  Anticipation for Nas’ debut was high. At age 20, he was three years removed from his legendary ve ..read more

NIN’s The Downward Spiral at 30 More from Spin: The Record Store: Seasoned Owner Tells Us How Much (and How Little) Record Stores Have Changed ‘As Pure and Raw as It Can Get’: The Pretty Reckless’s Going to Hell Turns 10 NIN’s The Downward Spiral at 30 Name  HAUSER Best known for  The King of Romance Current city  Zagreb Really want to be in  Dubai. It’s my second home. It’s the city of the future. Excited about  My album Classic II out now. My Rebel With The Cello Tour! The US dates are this May and June and I cannot wait to ..read more

Killer Mike Is Keynote Masterblaster for FIRE’s Launch as National Free Speech Defender Rapper Kydd Jones wants you to know that he’s always telling his truth. The Texas-born rapper/singer/producer tells SPIN at SXSW that his music is funneled from the most authentic version of himself. “As far as integrity [goes], I always just think about, ‘What is my son gonna think when he listens to [my music]?'” Jones says. “Will he be able to understand the context or the mediums that I’m trying to portray through the music that I’m writing at that time? I try to make it broad, but I always give it th ..read more

Billie Eilish Sets May 17 Release For New LP 'HIT ME HARD AND SOFT' Billie Eilish looks like she’s about to lose her mind with excitement. It’s the opening weekend of this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Ca, and the singer is standing behind the Do LaB stage, dressed in a light blue basketball jersey and baggy shorts, bouncing to the beats of a DJ set. In a few moments, Eilish will step out to dance and celebrate on a stage crowded with her friends and at least 15,000 fans spread out on the grass in front of her. Her brother and key collaborator, Finneas, is here too ..read more

The 50 Best Albums of 1971 Allman Brothers Band guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Dickey Betts died this morning (April 18) at the age of 80 after suffering from cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Per a statement, “the legendary performer, songwriter, bandleader and family patriarch was at his home in Osprey, Fla., surrounded by his family. Dickey was larger-than-life, and his loss will be felt worldwide.” Starting in 1969, the mustachioed Betts flanked brothers Gregg and Duane Allman in the Allman Brothers Band, who overcame Duane’s death in a 1971 motorcycle accident to beco ..read more

Pearl Jam Blast Back On Punky Single 'Running' Pearl Jam will headline the first and third nights of frontman Eddie Vedder‘s annual Ohana festival at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, Ca., while longtime friend and collaborator Neil Young will anchor the middle evening of the Sept. 27-29 event with Crazy Horse. Vedder spilled the news today (April 17) in an interview with KROQ, two days ahead of the release of Dark Matter, Pearl Jam’s first album since 2020’s Gigaton. More from Spin: The SPIN Interview: Pearl Jam Dark Matter Producer Andrew Watt System of a Down Lead Historic Golden Gate Par ..read more

Stars Align For Henry Mancini 100th Birthday Album, Concert Since its first 2008 edition, Record Store Day has grown exponentially into a celebrated holiday for music fans and retail outlets. As brick-and-mortar shops can attest, there is a newfound hunger for physical media from a public that’s grown weary of digital media. Thumbing through the racks is still one of the most optimal ways of discovering new music. And what better time to revel in that satisfaction than to go when your favorite local spot has exclusive titles produced specifically for this occasion? More from Spin: RiTchie Fi ..read more

Jordan Groggs, Injury Reserve Rapper, Dies at 32 RiTchie – Triple Digits [112] Self-Released On his debut solo album under the new moniker RiTchie, the Injury Reserve/By Storm rapper offers up a charcuterie board of sprawling sounds and introspective verses. Although RiTchie—formerly known as Ritchie With a T—doesn’t deliver a masterpiece on par with Injury Reserve’s final album, the experimental By the Time I Get to Phoenix, that apparently wasn’t the goal. Instead, Triple Digits [112] is a kind of appetizer for the first By Storm LP. In RiTchie’s own words, it’s “a cathartic creative relea ..read more

Killer Mike, Vince Staples Lead Lineup of Inaugural Elsewhere Festival Forget marquee festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Electric Daisy Carnival, Ultra, Governors Ball, and even Burning Man. They share similar lineups and have become bloated, inaccessible, and extortionate, making attending more of a challenge than an unforgettable (in a good way) musical experience. Also grown beyond fun level are the world-famous Glastonbury (U.K.), Rock in Rio (Brazil), Tomorrowland (Belgium), and Fuji Rock Festival (Japan).  What’s more attractive is the boutique or destination festiva ..read more