Sublime Releases Backyard-Party Video for “F.T.R.”

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Sublime has released a music video for “F.T.R.,” a track from its new album Until the Sun Explodes. The video depicts a backyard barbecue and pool party, with the band performing poolside alongside friends and family, according to the announcement.

The clip follows a string of milestones for the band this year. Sublime’s 1996 self-titled album was certified Diamond by the RIAA for surpassing 10 million units sold, and the band was honored with a plaque at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, where members performed an acoustic set tied to the museum’s “Sublime: Straight From Long Beach” exhibit.

Until the Sun Explodes, released via Atlantic Records, Regime Music Group and SVNBVRNT Records, is the band’s first new album in three decades and features Jakob Nowell, son of late founding member Bradley Nowell, on vocals alongside original members Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh. The title track reached number one on the Mediabase Alternative radio chart and Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart for three consecutive weeks, according to the announcement, following the band’s 2025 single “Ensenada,” which the label says spent eight weeks at number one.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Beachwood Entertainment Collective.

Audiomack Launches Paid Pro Tier With New Song-Level Analytics Tool

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Audiomack has launched Audiomack Pro, a paid subscription tier for artists on the streaming and discovery platform, following a beta period, according to the company. The tier is now available to all artists and includes expedited verification, priority customer support, immediate eligibility for the platform’s Monetization Program, and a boost to reach through Audiomack’s promotional tool, Boost.

The centerpiece of the new tier is Song Pulse, an analytics feature the company says gives artists granular visibility into listener behavior, including when fans skip, stop, share, favorite or replay a track. Audiomack says the tool is designed to help artists identify which moments in a song are most likely to resonate on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, and describes the level of detail as unmatched among streaming services.

The launch also coincides with continued rollout of Audiomack Connect, a direct-messaging feature for artists and fans within the platform’s free Creator App, which the company says has facilitated hundreds of thousands of messages with an average of more than seven replies each. Audiomack, which says it has more than 60 million monthly users and over 1 million active creators, has built a significant following among independent artists in Africa and the Caribbean.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Jonathan Streetman, rockpaperscissors.biz.

Robert Lester Folsom’s ‘Music and Dreams’ Gets 50th Anniversary Reissue With Beach House Cover

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Anthology Recordings will release a 50th anniversary edition of Robert Lester Folsom’s debut album “Music and Dreams” on October 16. The reissue includes a remaster of the original 1976 album, ten reel-to-reel demos, and cover versions from Beach House and Hannah Cohen. It will be available on double LP, CD and digital formats.

The album was originally self-recorded and self-released by the Georgia-born Folsom, who pressed 1,000 copies along with a run of 45s and eight-tracks before shifting his focus away from music. Anthology first reissued the record in 2010, and the label says it has since built a lasting following. The demo material was sourced by Folsom collaborator Don Fleming, with mastering by Jessica Thompson.

Beach House’s cover of the track “April Suzanne” was released alongside the announcement. The band said in a statement that they were fans of Folsom’s catalog and enjoyed reinterpreting the song. Folsom is currently on a 23-date U.S. tour that includes a stop at New York’s Bowery Ballroom on October 11 and wraps in Richmond, Virginia on October 18.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Elijah Wolf // Anthology Recordings, mexicansummer.com.

Rap Fame raises weekly contest prize pool, points to teen rapper as case study for app-based artist discovery

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Rap Fame, a hip-hop creation and community app, has increased its weekly competition prize pool to $1,450 for its user base, which the company says exceeds 1 million active users. The platform says it has paid out more than $365,000 to independent artists to date, not including a separate $20,000 monthly payout through its Rap League competition.

New users are automatically entered into a weekly Rookie contest with their first uploaded track, and can go on to compete in themed and studio-based contests. The app also includes social features that let artists comment on and collaborate with one another, which the company positions as core to its model of continuous, community-driven artist development rather than a single high-stakes audition.

Rap Fame points to 13-year-old artist Cairo Snow FPTO as an example of the model in action. According to the company, Cairo joined the app in early 2025, has won 48 weekly contests, released more than 200 songs, and earned seven award nominations on the platform. The company says his profile on Rap Fame led to attention from producer Scott Storch and appearances including a stage appearance with Wu-Tang Clan and selection for the Timbaland x ORBIIIT Global Search 2026.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Emily Frances, rockpaperscissors.biz.

Waylon Hanel Releases Honky-Tonk Single “Blame It On The Rain” Ahead of New EP

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Independent country artist Waylon Hanel released “Blame It On The Rain” on Sept. 18, the lead single from his upcoming EP “Price of Smokes,” due Nov. 27 on CDX Records. The song was written by Hanel and Billy Gunther and produced by Ken Royster, whose credits include Luke Combs and Cowboy Troy, at Direct Image Studio in Nashville.

A studio video for the track premiered through The Country Note and is set to air on American Country Network starting Oct. 5. The six-song EP includes contributions from songwriters Bernie Nelson and Steve Stapler, along with a cover of Wayne Carson Thompson’s “The Letter,” and features a Nashville session lineup including drummer Tommy Harden, bassist Dave Francis and steel guitarist Scotty Sanders.

The release follows Hanel’s 2025 album “When Waylon Came To Nashville.” According to the announcement, he is nominated for multiple Josie Music Awards, including Artist of the Year and Vocalist of the Year. Hanel has several tour dates scheduled in Michigan through October.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Jason W. Ashcraft / JWA Media, jwamedia.com.

Charlie Daniels Patriot Awards Dinner Raises Over $500,000 for Veterans

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The Charlie Daniels Patriot Awards Dinner returned to City Winery Nashville on Sept. 10, raising more than $500,000 for The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project, according to the organization. The annual fundraiser, which benefits efforts to help U.S. military veterans reintegrate into civilian life, this year paid tribute to the Horse Soldiers and the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), coinciding with the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11.

The evening included remarks from Lt. Gen. John F. Mulholland (Ret.) and Joel Pruitt, along with honors presented to Robert Koons, James Doyle, Tim and Kate Cooper of the Cooper Alan Foundation, and Scott Hunt of Hunt Brothers Pizza. David Corlew, co-founder of TCDJHP and longtime manager of the late Charlie Daniels, hosted the program, which also included a tribute to Bernard Kerik.

Funds were raised through sponsorships, donations and live and silent auctions featuring items such as handwritten lyrics to “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” a signed anniversary guitar, and military memorabilia tied to Special Forces units. TCDJHP says its past support has included funding that helped enable the first CAR-T cancer treatment performed at a VA hospital in partnership with Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Christy Walker-Watkins, 3on.e2ma.net.

Hilary Duff Closes UK Tour Leg at The O2, Teases 2027 Tour

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Hilary Duff wrapped the UK leg of her “lucky me tour” with a second sold-out show at London’s The O2 Arena, according to Live Nation, which promoted the run. The encore featured confetti reading “2027 More Dates Loading” alongside a countdown clock that appeared on screens and Duff’s website, signaling upcoming tour dates.

The tour supports Duff’s sixth studio album, “luck… or something,” which the announcement says debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 1 in Canada and Australia. It marks her first full-scale global headline tour in nearly two decades, following her 2015 album “Breathe In. Breathe Out.”

The tour continues next month in New Zealand and Australia before returning to Canada and heading to Mexico in January and February 2027. Duff previously played sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden and the Kia Forum on the run, according to the announcement.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Avery Robinson, LiveNation.com.

ONErpm Artists Land 11 Nominations at 2026 Latin GRAMMY Awards

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ONErpm artists received 11 nominations for the 27th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, the distribution and label services company announced. The nominations span categories including salsa, contemporary tropical, rap/hip-hop, rock, samba/pagode, roots and Christian music, as well as music for visual media. The ceremony takes place November 12 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Luis Enrique leads ONErpm’s nominees with three nods, for Best Salsa Album (‘El Alma en Clave’), Best Tropical Song (with De La Ghetto, for ‘Nombre y Apellido’) and Best Arrangement (for ‘Dando y Dando’). Other nominated acts include Alex Cuba, Feid and Lil Supa, Beta, Utupê Oficina Sonora, Leci Brandão, Psirico, Ziza Fernandes, and Mateus Alves and Tomaz Alves Souza.

ONErpm describes itself as building the record label of the future, with roughly 600 employees across more than 40 countries.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Jonathan Streetman, rockpaperscissors.biz.

Country Radio Broadcasters Names 2026-2027 Board of Directors

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Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. (CRB) has announced its board of directors for 2026-2027, the nonprofit organization behind the annual Country Radio Seminar (CRS). Kurt Johnson of Townsquare Media returns as president, with John Shomby of Country’s Radio Coach as vice president and Matt Sunshine of The Center for Sales Strategy as secretary.

New board members joining this cycle include Travis Daily of Cumulus, Shelley Hargis of BBR Music Group, Jay Cruz of Big Machine Records/Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment, and Mike Molinar of Big Machine Music. The full board also includes representatives from Spotify, Apple Music, iHeartCountry, Audacy, Warner Music Nashville, BMG, Big Loud and other radio and label companies. Charlie Morgan continues as board member emeritus.

CRB said the board’s varied backgrounds across radio and the music industry support its work throughout the year on behalf of the organization and CRS. The next Country Radio Seminar is scheduled for March 17-19, 2027, at the Omni Nashville Hotel.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Christy Walker-Watkins, 3on.e2ma.net.

Foreigner Founders Lou Gramm and Al Greenwood to Reunite With Band for 50th Anniversary Shows

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Foreigner has announced that original lead singer Lou Gramm and founding keyboardist Al Greenwood will rejoin the band for a series of performances as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations. Gramm will appear with Foreigner aboard the Rock Legends Cruise departing Miami on February 21, 2027, and for six shows at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas that March.

Greenwood, the first musician recruited by founder Mick Jones in 1976, will join the band for five shows in Georgia and California this September and October, followed by additional dates in spring 2027, including a run of New York-area shows in April and May marking the city where Foreigner formed.

Gramm sang lead on many of the band’s best-known songs, including “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded” and “I Want to Know What Love Is,” while Greenwood’s keyboard work featured on Foreigner’s first three albums. Mick Jones said the New York shows would celebrate the fans who have supported the band since its earliest days.

Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Vanessa Menkes, vanessamenkes.com.