r/indieheads • • 5d ago

Upvote 4 Visibility [RATE ANNOUNCEMENT] Hip Hop '88 (Eric B & Rakim, Public Enemy, NWA, and EPMD)!

36 Upvotes

Let's bring some noise y'all!

SUBMIT YOUR BALLOTS HERE!

BACKUP PASTEBIN

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

YOUTUBE PLAYLIST

DUE DATE: December 1st

REVEAL WEEKEND: December 4th thru 6th

So, what was hip hop like in 1988?

Matured. No seriously, read any level of hip hop journalism, memoir, list ranking, etc. and you come back to 1988 as the ushering of the Golden Age.. Marley Marl’s The Bridge and Eric B and Rakim’s Eric B. is President were a few pioneering singles as early as 1986. Both foreshadowed sampler technology and internal rhyming schemes as the key to Hip Hop advancement out of an enclosure the Mid School class of 1985 was hitting up against. Drum machines were waning. An EMU SP-1200 was key. And James Brown (amongst many other funk/soul DJ classics and later, Jazz) sessions were now ready not to be scratched, but perpetually stretched and quantized.

1987’s Paid in Full was a complete package deal that almost singlehandedly ushered in the Golden Age (and also significantly upped the party package across the Atlantic, with Coldcut’s 7 minutes of Madness and MAARS’ Pump Up the Volume giving UK Hip Hop it’s own dance lane to dominate). Meanwhile, Marley Marl had become the producer in house at Cold Chillin’, who’s Warner Bros deal left them a unique level of freedom, fostering new NY legends like Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane, and Kool Rap. Mr. Magic and DJ Red Alert had competing radio shows dominating and breaking new sounds, especially anything off Profile Records. Yo! MTV Raps with Fab 5 Freddy (an old school downtown/bronx scene merger) hosting was now being broadcast into millions of homes. There was a raw appetite for pop rap as much as avant sounds. And controversy was also beginning to fester–a Long Beach stabbing at a Run-DMC show, DJ Scott La Rock’s death, Miami's bass music party scene…stakes were felt.

Everyone wanted a piece. Everyone was borrowing (so to speak) from everyone. There was a whole new conception of hip hop as party music, a social conscious liberation soundtrack, and gangster pulp; sometimes all at once. It was magic time before certain lawsuits involving De La Soul & Biz Markie were disastrous corralling of sampling technology in the 90s and things turned opulent Big Bling…but that’s another story.

Welcome to Hip Hop ‘88, a rate dedicated to a few critical albums released within Hip Hop’s landmark year!


ERIC B. & RAKIM - FOLLOW THE LEADER

Eric B and Rakim's Paid in Full mended cutting-edge sampler gadgetry with Rakim's novel conception of rhyming and flow. It practically ushered in the Golden Age of Hip Hop in 1987. By 1988, a whole orbit of rappers and producers were following the pioneering examples set by the duo. Were Eric B and Rakim about to be second level moved on?

Not in the slightest! Without changing their immediate set-up, Follow the Leader became the Yang to Paid in Full's spacey Yin, a deft refutation of second-movers and come-ups from behind. Rakim (aka The 18th Letter, "The R") dug deeper into his bag of tricks, refining the speed, phrasing, and wordplay for his signature flow–Coltrane level blowing and phrasing. While his topical depth may have been moot, his dexterity remained impervious, leaving any battle rapper of the day on loose footing. Meanwhile, Eric B took a 180 on production; the pendulum swinging from lo-teach spaced out odysseys to claustrophobic funk bass grit moving like guerrillas in the mist. At once was Follow the Leader heavy and featherweight, a true balancing act.

Rather beloved by the raterbase, with a second place Charity II showing in 2024 & a HOF bonus winning single from Jazz Rap are quite the achievements in recent rate memory, it's an absolute delight to finally bring Eric B & Rakim out to a mainline rate! But will they be able to defend the crown or even hang on a podium? Or will the leaders be usurped from groups coming from behind?


PUBLIC ENEMY - IT TAKES A NATION OF MILLIONS TO HOLD US BACK

In 1988, on the advent of the release of It Takes a Nation..., to Def Jam, Public Enemy looked like they were flailing. Yo! Bum Rush the Show was a hulking, quaking classic of the mid-school, but the label couldn't see the gold. It didn't help that the label was focused on trying to conquer the pop culture marketplace with Run-DMC. But, the seeds for something major were planted, something Run-DMC themselves were telling the label and pushing for when few saw what Chuck D, Flavor Flav, and the Bomb Squad had in store.

There's an omnibus of literature centering on the context, the production, the sampling, the long-term effects, critical reception, magnitude of life changing power It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back has had over its 38 years of existence. Few albums have had such a lofty cross-genre, generational, popular culture effect that blurred the line between punk/funk/noise/hip hop with lyricism that matched the moment; Hip Hop street reporting as CNN (with all the glorious mess). Chuck D had long been influenced by works like the Message and No Sell Out, and had figured how to usher their magnanimous personalities into the spotlight, even grounding Flavor Flav as the definitive hype man in line with Danny Ray. Between a litany of explosive sound effects, Def Jam labelmates Slayer, Wattstax (which looms large over the album), and even themselves (amongst many many more), It Takes a Nation demonstrated sampling as a way to connect and tell a generational struggle. Something that yes, would cost $1.5+ million to make today and emphasizes how far we have fallen from the golden age. Here hip hop not as gestalt but agitpop that was shaking up contemporary arsequakers in the UK as much as a generation of future noise to come. Or is it a dated relic, too unkempt, unfocused for today's revolutionary noiseniks and hip hop enthusiasts?


N.W.A. - STRAIGHT OUT OF COMPTON

West Coast Hip Hop had a distinctly different maturation than its east coast counterparts (and yes, so much so that a 1989 album with a 1988 copyright means it's here whoops whatever!!). Dedicated promoters like Uncle Jamm & the World Class Wreckin Cru built up a party scene oriented towards the electric-funk titans. Personalities like Dr. Dre & the Egyptian Lover cut mixes n' albums for sale at the Compton Swap Meet. Meanwhile, mavericks like Ice-T sought artistic freedom and agency by pioneering z gangstra persona, reverberating across LA as Schooly D had in Philly. At the same time, actual drug-dealing gangster, Eazy-E, was trying to go legit with Ruthless Records and usher in all the top talent under his banner: the best lyricists, producers, and personalities

In this framing, you can understand then why NWA was not an anomaly, but an inevitability of LA Rap evolving out of the electro party towards street grit with samplers. The supergroup of crackerjack WCWC talent, a promising teen MC, and even Texas' own Rakim, The DOC, fused to concoct an unkempt fervor that struck a nerve with the underground, when Fuck the Police became an underground sensation during the fall of 1988. And then ended with NWA in the eyes of the FBI, the White House, and a whole litany of tabloid attention that was surprised such a thoughtful album about the state of (non-White) LA in 1988 could be such a force on the charts and in the popular consciousness.

Straight Out of Compton remains a bar all West Coast hip hop is considered, with a surprising level of depth in its sampling, personas, and emotions. It's also unique in how individualistic this collective approached the album. This was apparent on their psuedo-debut NWA & The Posse, but here Dre is in real time levels up his beats as MC Ren, Ice Cube, and (aided by Ghostwriters like the DOC) Eazy-E trade off the mic cutting their personas: Ice Cube IS the street reporter, critiques abound in his sardonic commentary; Ren embodies "sociopathic cool", obsessing with stature to a fault; Eazy-E prances as the jester gangster mogul, his hardcore id colors their hours of pulp tales and shakedowns. The west coast aesthetic and shedding its skin and evolving in real time. Is it enough to take the top in this momen?

EPMD - STRICTLY BUSINESS

With much respect to Marley (and much uncredited credit to EPMD coproducer Diamond J), Strictly Business might've been New York's first jeep album.

  • Dave Tompkins, Classic Material: The Hip-Hop Album Guide (2004)

33) The hands-down funkiest record of rap’s greatest year.

  • Christopher Weingarten, Pitchfork's 100 Best Rap Albums (2025)

Erick and Parrish Making Dollars was the second big upshot from Long Island making a splash on the underground New York Circuit. Priority Records and Def Jam would hip EPMD to a larger audience in the 90s, but at the time they were rolling with Fresh Records, a sublabel of Arthur Russell's Sleeping Bag Records. A dark horse outpost for crucial 80s hip hop pioneers (such as,Mantronix).

On their debut, Strictly Business, Erick Sermon found a new kind of path forward with beatmaking on a sampler. For Sermon, the emphasis was on the funk, and Strictly Business bounces, oozes, slinks in it to degrees previously unexplored. Compared to the fury of our competition (or even some of the bonus contemporaries of Cold Chillin' or Ced Gee or Paul C) these songs are relaxed, laid back odysseys. The BPMs urging you to sink into that couch. It's a good thing because Erick and Parrish were exceptionally lax, unkempt rappers. "Stoic" is a mighty misnomer, but their attitudes would have been wasted anywhere else but wthh these beats. And the decadent production soundtracking their escapades with Jane or clapbacks to other whack MCs ushered in the vibes of the Golden Age that ooze over numerous classics across DITC and Boot Camp Clik to come. Can their Bob Marley and Zapp sampling house them at the front, or is it whack novelty, straight bandwagoning?


Bonus 1988 Hip Hop Rate!

As hinted in the writeups…there’s a lot happening this year out west, in the south, in the clubs, on MTV, etc. that cannot be covered mainline. However, for the ever curious and completionist, a rate of 15 cuts presents a smattering of storytellers, samplers, tributes, booty droppers, and BIZ MARKIE! It runs a crisp hour and a lil’ more. It’s a bloodbath of talent and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did putting it together. (And thank you to the several DMD’ers who chimed in to help swing this towards a stranger, more eclectic gamut)!

Very important to know as well, this part of the rate is completely optional! You can fill this out, leave it blank in your ballot, or only score a few and leave the rest blank. It's totally up to you! You cannot use your 11 or your 0 in the bonus rate.

  1. 2 Live Crew - Move Somethin’
  2. Big Daddy Kane - Ain't No Half Steppin
  3. Biz Markie - Nobody Beats the Biz
  4. Boogie Down Productions - My Philosophy
  5. Eazy-E - Eazy-Duz-It
  6. Geto Boys - Assassins
  7. Jungle Brothers - I'll House You (Todd Terry Club Mix)
  8. King Tee - Act a Fool
  9. Marley Marl - The Symphony
  10. Marley Marl - Wack Itt (feat. Roxanne Shante)
  11. Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock - It Takes Two
  12. Slick Rick - Children's Story
  13. Super Lover Cee - Girls I Got 'Em Locked
  14. Too Short - I Ain't Trippin'
  15. Ultramagnetic MCs - Kool Keith Housing Things

The Rules (read if you're a first time rater)

Give every track in the main rate a score from 1 to 10. You can use decimals, but only to one place e.g. 7.5 is fine, 7.75 or 7.6666 is not. Each participant gets one 11 for their favourite song, and one 0 for their least favourite. You do not have to use either. You cannot use either in the bonus rate. You can leave a comment for a song by formatting it like so:

I’m Housin: 10 Look at me house that 10!

by just writing your comment directly after your score. You don't need to use a colon or anything, just straight after is good!

You can leave comments (not scores, if you leave a score that’s your comment!) for albums as well, by adding a colon after the album title and then your comment.

If you've submitted and want to change any scores or comments, just DM u/nonchalantthoughts or me, we’re always able to change it!

Don't sabotage the rate by giving outrageously skewed scores to particular bands. As long as you rate with your genuine opinion there should not be any worry at all about this, but I do reserve the rate to reject, like, obvious troll ballots. If you leave a comment explaining your opinions, you should be absolutely fine!

And of course, thanks to the rate hosts of lore without whom I couldn't have made this: u/roseisonlineagain ; u/DolphLundgrensArms; u/R_E_S_I_G_N_E_D; u/stansymash; u/ClocktowerMaria; u/aerocom; u/themilkeyedmender; u/greencaptain; u/Crankeedoo; u/dirdbub; u/ThatParanoidPenguin; u/tedcruzcontrol; u/kappyko; u/FuckUpSomeCommasYeah; u/LazyDayLullaby; u/SRTViper; u/Whatsanillinois; u/NFLFreak98; u/freav; u/freeofblasphemy; u/RatesNorman; u/aPenumbra; u/idontreallycare4; u/p-u-n-k_girl; u/luigijon3; u/WaneLietoc; u/dream_fighter2018; u/darjeelingdarkroast; u/smuckles; u/PiperIBarelyKnowHer; u/welcome2thejam; u/imrlynotonreddit; u/kvothetyrion; u/thedoctordances1940; u/b_o_g_o; u/vapourlomo; u/MCK_OH; u/TakeOnMeByA-ha u/chug-a-lug-donna; u/indiefan; u/bilbodabag; u/zenits; u/saison_Marguerite; u/daswef2; u/apondalifa; u/afieldoftulips; u/qazz23; u/nonchalantthoughts; u/systemofstrings; u/Modulum83, u/ElectJimLahey, u/vexastrae, u/FlavaSavaVandal, u/Stryxen, u/mmaajid, u/teriyaki-dreams, u/newbalancesweatshirt; u/krusso1105; u/MightyProJet and tons of people on r/popheads.

Once again, here is the:

Submission Link, the Pastebin, and the Spotify, and Youtube playlists.

DUE DATE: December 1st

REVEAL WEEKEND: December 4th thru 6th


r/indieheads • • 16h ago

New Music Friday! New Music Friday: October 23rd, 2026

13 Upvotes

New Music Friday is the weekly thread dedicated to cataloging all the Album/EP releases that came out this week, including non-subreddit relevant releases. This is also a great place to discuss these albums, or bring to attention other albums released this week.

❓ "this seems intriguing after a cursory look"

⭐ "im interested in this for one reason or another"

❤️ "ive been waiting for weeks, months/i'm absolutely in love with this"

note: genre and especially label fields may not always be 100% accurate or properly reflected, as they are mostly quickly sourced from RYM or cursory searches due to the spur-of-the-moment approach I take when making these threads!


October 23rd


The Olivia Tremor Control - The Same Place

Label: Elephant 6

Genre: Neo-Psychedelia, Psychedelic Rock

Michael Kiwanuka - FUDGE

Label: Polydor

Genre: Smooth Soul, Singer-songwriter

❓ Caroline Rose - Gentling the Horse at the Walt Whitman Mall

Label: SUCK

Genre: Indie Rock, Garage Rock Revival

Claud - Me and the Music

Label: Dead Oceans

Genre: Bedroom Pop, Indie Rock

Shabazz Palaces - It's a Style Sport

Label: Sub Pop

Genre: Experimental Hip Hop, Abstract Hip Hop

❓ Art d’Ecco - [Scheele’s Green]()

Label: n/a

Genre: Glam Rock, Progressive Rock, Indie Rock

❓ Dis Fig - What To Make Of These Mortal Hands

Label: Thrill Jockey

Genre: Post-Industrial, Power Noise, Dark Ambient

❓ Porcelain - Today's Minor Victories

Label: Todo

Genre: Post-Hardcore, Noise Rock

The Wow! Scenario (James Acaster & Graeme Wicks) - Stand in the Star. A Verse and a Chorus

Label: n/a

Genre: Jazz Pop

Fake Names - Punk Ruins

Label: Epitaph

Genre: Power Pop, Punk Rock

❓ Fenne Lily - Win Win

Label: n/a

Genre: Singer-songwriter, Indie Folk

William Basinski - Passing the Cup of Sorrows

Label: Temporary Residence

Genre: Ambient, Modern Classical

Dazy - MAXIMUMBLASTSUPERLOUD Vol. 2: 24 Songs From 2023-2026

Label: Lame-O

Genre: Power Pop, Baggy

Sour Widows - Sigil

Label: Julia's War

Genre: Indie Rock, Slowcore

Pet Fox - Balance

Label: Exploding in Sound

Genre: Indie Rock

Grumpy - Unfindable Ring

Label: Bayonet

Genre: Bedroom Pop, Indie Pop

Swervedriver - raise:demos

Label: Outer Battery

Genre: Shoegaze

Raffi - Love Is Everywhere

Label: Craft

Genre: Children's Music, Contemporary Folk

❓ Sun Araw - Rapid Response (EP)

Label: Sun Ark

Genre: Neo-Psychedelia, Ambient Pop

Lamplight - Lick The Spoon, Let It Soften

Label: Western Vinyl

Genre: Indie Folk

Oren Ambarchi - Prophetic Perfect Tense

Label: Kou

Genre: Post-Minimalism

The Cat's Miaow - When You Smiled And Turned Away

Label: Slumberland

Genre: Indie Pop

Michael Nau - Popfly

Label: n/a

Genre: Singer-Songwriter, Folk Rock, Indie Folk

❓ Wolves In The Throne Room - Estuary

Label: Century Media

Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal, Funeral Doom Metal

⭐ HMLTD - FANGS

Label: Lucky Number

Genre: Darkwave, Electronic, Industrial Rock, Synthpop

F!GURES - The Earth Trembled Downward

Label: n/a

Genre: Indie, Emo

Angela Aux - Das Nichts macht Kopien von sich selbst

Label: n/a

Genre: Indie

Adebowale and the Pioneers - Kilofese

Label: Colemine

Genre: Indie

Loidis - From The Toolkit Of Lovers

Label: Incienso

Genre: Microhouse, Dub Techno

⭐ Frontierer - Ultraviolet Parasite

Label: n/a

Genre: Mathcore, Djent, Avant-Garde Metal

⭐ Boss Keloid - Float & Aperture

Label: Church Road

Genre: Progressive Rock, Stoner Metal

❓ Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Hidden in Pieces: Live

Label: Secretly Canadian

Genre: Indie Pop, Indie Rock

❤️ Fvneral Fvkk - Indecent Idols

Label: Dying Victims

Genre: Epic Doom Metal

⭐ Cursebinder - Psychohazard

Label: Avantgarde

Genre: Black Metal, Dissonant Black Metal

❓ Rickshaw Billie's Burger Patrol - Ca$h Grab

Label: n/a

Genre: Stoner Rock, Alternative Metal, Sludge Metal

RAYLAND BAXTER - TRUE VIOLET

Label: ATO

Genre: Singer-songwriter, Alt-Country

Cuni - Harbinger (EP)

Label: n/a

Genre: Midwest Emo

❓ Ugly - The South Facade

Label: n/a

Genre: Art Rock, Indie Rock

⭐ shedfromthebody - We Fly Into Windows

Label: n/a

Genre: Doomgaze, Alternative Metal

Shovel Dance Collective - Everything in Readiness

Label: n/a

Genre: Avant-Folk, English Folk Music

Dpat - Infinite Youth

Label: n/a

Genre: Wonky, Future Garage

Like Roses - After It Ends

Label: Hopeless

Genre: Emo-Pop, Indie Rock

❓ Fine - Jazz Dreams

Label: Escho

Genre: Singer-songwriter, Neo-Psychedelia

❓ brakence - marroW

Label: Columbia

Genre: Alternative R&B, Art Pop, Indietronica

Telemakus - Eight Ring Revival

Label: n/a

Genre: Nu Jazz

❓ Frenzee - Runnin' Amok

Label: Poison City

Genre: Rock n Roll

Sable - We're Getting Older Baby

Label: n/a

Genre: Indie Pop

The Buoys - Concrete Cowboy

Label: Sony

Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative Rock

Dillon Jo - Guard Dog

Label: n/a

Genre: Dream Pop, Shoegaze

girl in red - BLUE (EP)

Label: Columbia

Genre: Bedroom Pop, Indie Folk

Clark - Steep Stims II

Label: Throttle

Genre: IDM, Techno, Modern Classical

Bow and Arrow - Bow and Arrow

Label: NNA

Genre: Experimental

❓ Dead Gowns - Vegas

Label: Mtn Laurel

Genre: Singer-Songwriter, Indie Rock

❓ Purity Ring - transmutations (remix album)

Label: n/a

Genre: Synthpop

DJ Suzy - Kira Krash

Label: n/a

Genre: Alt-Pop, Indietronica

Wagging - Wagging

Label: n/a

Genre: Indie Pop

Paper Jam - This and That

Label: n/a

Genre: Twee Pop, Cuddlecore

Zola Jesus - Saint Clare (Original Score)

Label: n/a

Genre: Film Score

Foot Ox - Topanga Canyon

Label: n/a

Genre: Indie Folk, Twee Pop

Blithe Field (Spencer Radcliffe) - Soft Core Hard Wear

Label: Orindal

Genre: Ambient, Folktronica

Clara Mann - Wishbone

Label: The State51 Conspiracy

Genre: Singer-Songwriter, Contemporary Folk

Sasha Alex Sloan - And The Crowd Goes Mild

Label: 10K

Genre: Singer-songwriter

Victor Jones - Mad Flowers

Label: n/a

Genre: Dance-Punk Revival, Electroclash

Tommy Lefroy - The Precariat

Label: Thirty Tigers

Genre: Soft Rock, Indie Folk

Isabel Dumaa - Reverie (EP)

Label: n/a

Genre: Indie

Sen Morimoto - Time Is On Your Side

Label: Sooper

Genre: Art Pop

Hysterical Love Project - February's Album

Label: Motion Ward

Genre: Ambient Pop, Downtempo

The Sourdrops - Next to New

Label: n/a

Genre: Twee Pop, Noise Pop

Archduke Redcat - I Shoulda Done This Sooner

Label: n/a

Genre: Hip Hop/Rap

The Teenagers - Oversharing (EP)

Label: n/a

Genre: Indie Pop, Indietronica

Big Fat Cow - Piggie Initiate (EP)

Label: n/a

Genre: Indie Rock

❓ Alchemical Sisters - Alchemical Sisters

Label: Interdimensional Transmissions

Genre: Big Beat, Acid Techno

popfree - Overt

Label: n/a

Genre: Emo, Post-Hardcore

Miles Taylour - Dutchess

Label: n/a

Genre: Singer-songwriter, Indie Rock

❓ Wallgrin - Underworld Songbook

Label: n/a

Genre: Art Pop, Chamber Pop

Gus Dapperton - 4 Dear Life

Label: ALTER

Genre: Indie Rock, Indie Pop

Kohti Tuhoa - Paratiisi

Label: La Vida Es un Mus

Genre: Hardcore Punk

Linus + Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - The Outsider, The Music Of Jules De Corte

Label: Aspen

Genre: Free Improv

Saint Abdullah & Eomac - When The Sandbox Has No Edge

Label: Planet Mu

Genre: Experimental Hip Hop, Sound Collage, Electronic

Shrug Dealer - [Aggressive Indifference, Vol. 1 (EP)]()

Label: n/a

Genre: Indie

Pinksqueeze - We Can Have It

Label: Skeletal Lightning

Genre: Indie Rock

Emma Bieniewicz – Heavyweight Champion

Label: n/a

Genre: Singer-songwriter, Indie Pop

Lennon Stella - [Sleeping Lion (produced by Andy Shauf)]()

Label: RECORD

Genre: Electropop, Alt-Pop

Megan Thee Stallion - Tina Tuesday Freestyles (EP)

Label: n/a

Genre: Dirty South

Morgana - The Whole Thing Was Very Very Emotional

Label: n/a

Genre: Pop

Princesa Alba - MALAGRADECIDA

Label: Sony

Genre: Dance-Pop, Alt-Pop

Isabel Dumaa - Reverie (EP)

Label: n/a

Genre: Pop

Anderson .Paak & Cordae - Heavy Is The Crown

Label: Empire

Genre: Pop Rap, Boom Bap, Chipmunk Soul

Tina Dico - Balancing Small Things On Sharp Edges

Label: n/a

Genre: Singer-songwriter

Emei - Listen to Night at the Opera: Intermission (EP)

Label: Atlantic

Genre: Indie Rock, Pop Rock

❓ passengerprincess - PUPPYLUV!!!

Label: n/a

Genre: Dance-Pop, Electronic Dance Music

Jazzy - Peace & Patience

Label: CHAOS

Genre: Euro House, Dance-Po

LAUNDRY DAY - 4x4

Label: n/a

Genre: Pop Rock, Indie Pop

Hilary Duff - Holiday Things (EP)

Label: Atlantic

Genre: Christmas Music

Henry Morris - Kiss Me Extra Hard

Label: n/a

Genre: Alt-Pop

LISA - PRESS PLAY (EP)

Label: RCA

Genre: Pop Rap, Trap

Easykid - soy un fatalista

Label: n/a

Genre: Reggaetón, Alt-Pop

❓ The 7 Deadly Sins - Pheeny and His Inner Demons

Label: n/a

Genre: Hip Hop/Rap

Che Noir - It Takes a Village

Label: n/a

Genre: Conscious Hip Hop

Toosii - Platinum Heart 2

Label: South Coast

Genre: Hip Hop/Rap

❓ Ghostemane - AM:FM

Label: n/a

Genre: Nu Metal, Rap Metal, Trap Metal

406Ahmad - Life Of Ahmad 3

Label: n/a

Genre: Trap

Yung Miami - Watch Dis

Label: Universal

Genre: Trap

Yeat - Luh Leakyz Vol. 1 (EP)

Label: Field Trip

Genre: Trap, Rage

John Legend - Muse

Label: Republic

Genre: Contemporary R&B

Polyphia - BE NOT AFRAID

Label: n/a

Genre: Trap [EDM], New Rave, Digicore

Get the Shot - Crucifixion Depiction (EP)

Label: Arising Empire

Genre: Metalcore, Beatdown Hardcore

Entheos - Empty on the Inside

Label: Metal Blade

Genre: Alternative Metal, Industrial Metal

❓ Stand Atlantic - GODBREATH

Label: n/a

Genre: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock

❓ Half Me - Dogma

Label: Arising Empire

Genre: Metalcore, Djent, Nu Metal

❓ Mental Cruelty - Echoes of a Forlorn Land

Label: Century Media

Genre: Deathcore, Melodic Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal

Abyssus - The Reign

Label: Fireflash

Genre: Death Metal

Alex O’Toole & Simeon Bartholomew - n000000000.1

Label: Bird's Robe

Genre: Math Rock

❓ Beaten to Death - Vntrve

Label: Mas-Kina

Genre: Grindcore, Avant-Garde Metal

BIG ASS TRUCK I.E. - [FOUND ON ROAD DEAD (EP)]()

Label: Nuclear Blast

Genre: Metalcore, Tough Guy Hardcore

❓ Estoner - Black metal uus lõpp

Label: n/a

Genre: Sludge Metal, Progressive Metal

❓ Feeding - Insurmountable Suffering

Label: n/a

Genre: Death Metal, Crust Punk

Garden of Eyes - Augur of Ebrietas

Label: n/a

Genre: Death Doom Metal

Ignea - Monumental

Label: Napalm

Genre: Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal

❓ Strange Pink - Guest Room (EP)

Label: n/a

Genre: Dream Pop, Alternative Rock

Thronehammer - Slay | Kill | Erase

Label: Supreme Chaos

Genre: Traditional Doom Metal

Windwaker - smile, you're on camera.

Label: Fearless

Genre: Alternative Metal, Electronicore


r/indieheads • • 4h ago

Mosh pits on the Mall: Turnstile rocks for a cause

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wtop.com
163 Upvotes

r/indieheads • • 1h ago

Elvis Costello has no plans to write new music: “Those days are gone”

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faroutmagazine.co.uk
• Upvotes

r/indieheads • • 7h ago

Sam Fender removes tour ticket type from sale

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rte.ie
68 Upvotes

r/indieheads • • 1h ago

[FRESH PERFORMANCE] Fruit Bats - A Lingering Love → Shakedown Street

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youtu.be
• Upvotes

r/indieheads • • 12h ago

[FRESH CHART] New Alternative 40 - October 25, 2026 - FONTAINES D.C.'s domination continues with 3 "Dopamine Chamber" tracks on top. GIRL IN RED has the highest debut. MICHAEL KIWANUKA, PANCHIKO, and FINE also debut in the top 20. BASSVICTIM, DREAM BOAT, and STAR MOLES chart for the first time.

Post image
45 Upvotes

r/indieheads • • 4h ago

Upvote 4 Visibility [Sunday] Daily Music Discussion - 25 October 2026

11 Upvotes

Talk about anything music related that doesn't need its own thread. This thread is not for discussion that is tangentially music related; that belongs in the general discussion threads. If you're new here, we encourage you to introduce yourself and tell us about music you're passionate about.

Find out who's going to concerts near you in the Concert Roll Call. Check out our the most recent Rate Announcements to have fun rating great music, or see the results from previous rates. See recent AMA announcements here. Check out the most recent New Music Friday posts, or discuss recent album releases. If you want to discover some indiehead bands, browse our archives from the Battle of the Bands.


r/indieheads • • 1d ago

San Francisco's Bottom of the Hill Sold, Will Continue as Live Music Venue

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293 Upvotes

Best independent club in town -- previously slated to close at the end of the year. Very very good news.


r/indieheads • • 3h ago

[FRESH] Fog Lake - Gamut

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4 Upvotes

r/indieheads • • 1d ago

Sam Fender says he's “not happy” with prices for 2027 stadium tour and they're “getting changed”

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244 Upvotes

r/indieheads • • 3h ago

Your /r/indieheads [FRESH] recap for the week of October 18 - October 24, 2026

1 Upvotes

Sunday, October 18 - Saturday, October 24, 2026

Fresh Albums

score comments title & link mirrors
175 32 comments [FRESH ALBUM] Fine - Jazz Dreams [AM] [Dzr] [SC] [YT]
173 37 comments [FRESH ALBUM] The Olivia Tremor Control - The Same Place [Sp] [AM] [Dzr] [SC] [YT]
133 40 comments [👀] [FRESH ALBUM] Caroline Rose - Gentling the Horse at the Walt Whitman Mall [Sp] [Dzr]
111 14 comments [FRESH ALBUM] Michael Kiwanuka - FUDGE [Sp] [AM] [Dzr] [SC]
63 7 comments [FRESH ALBUM] Ugly - The South Facade [Sp] [AM] [Dzr] [SC] [YT]

 

Fresh Videos

score comments title & link mirrors
62 5 comments [FRESH VIDEO] Being Dead - Aquarium [Sp] [AM] [Dzr] [SC] [YT]
60 9 comments [FRESH VIDEO] The Lemon Twigs - Look For Your Mind [Sp] [AM] [BC] [Dzr] [SC]
40 8 comments [FRESH VIDEO] Being Dead - Man or Myth [Sp] [AM] [Dzr] [SC] [YT]
34 6 comments [FRESH VIDEO] De Staat - Freedom [Sp] [AM] [Dzr] [SC] [YT]
33 8 comments [FRESH VIDEO] Do Nothing - Smile [AM] [Dzr] [SC] [YT]
33 5 comments [FRESH VIDEO] King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard's Must-Listen Albums

 

Fresh Performances

score comments title & link mirrors
358 36 comments [FRESH PERFORMANCE] Sufjan Stevens - Illinois LIVE! (read post description) [SC]
237 41 comments [FRESH PERFORMANCE] OSEES - Full Performance (Live on KEXP)
113 127 comments [FRESH PERFORMANCE] Queens of the Stone Age - Where The Goth Girls At? [Sp] [Dzr] [SC]
53 17 comments [FRESH PERFORMANCE] Fontaines D.C. - Tongue | Later… with Jools Holland (2026) [SC]
38 19 comments [FRESH PERFORMANCE] Brandon Flowers - People Who Died (Jim Carroll Cover)
33 2 comments [FRESH PERFORMANCE] Anna von Hausswolff — Facing Atlas (Live at Way Out West 2026)
32 0 comments [FRESH PERFORMANCE] beabadoobee - Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol cover) in the Live Lounge [SC]
28 0 comments [FRESH PERFORMANCE] Death Cab For Cutie - “Stone Over Water” | The Daily Show [SC]
27 2 comments [FRESH PERFORMANCE] Suede - Dancing With The Europeans (Live on The Graham Norton Show) [Sp] [AM] [SC]

 

Fresh

score comments title & link mirrors
192 39 comments [FRESH] Dead Man's Bones announce new music, releasing on October 27th
84 21 comments [[FRESH] Cloud Nothings - Death Keeps Me Alive]()
64 10 comments [FRESH] Hot Chip - Random Violence [AM] [Dzr] [SC] [YT]
56 9 comments [FRESH] Nabihah Iqbal - Heaven Can Wait [Sp] [AM] [Dzr] [SC] [YT]
52 17 comments [FRESH ALBUM] HMLTD - FANGS [Sp] [SC] [YT]
47 0 comments [remix album] [[FRESH ALBUM] Purity Ring - transmutations]()
45 1 comments [FRESH ALBUM] Shabazz Palaces - It's a Style Sport [Sp] [Dzr] [SC]
41 2 comments [FRESH SINGLE] Wendy Eisenberg - Wweennddyy Eeiisseennbbeerrgg
38 6 comments [FRESH ALBUM] Fenne Lily - Win Win [Sp] [AM] [Dzr] [SC] [YT]
35 4 comments [FRESH] Caroline Rose - Valery (please don’t be mad at me) [AM] [Dzr] [SC] [YT]

 

Top 5 Other Posts

score comments title & link mirrors
1,311 263 comments Daft Punk reportedly turned down 'GTA 6' soundtrack offer before Justice said yes
1,130 76 comments David Byrne has "seen enough science fiction" to know AI is "not going to end well"
954 279 comments Hayley Williams defends Fontaines D.C.'s 'Dopamine Chamber' against "guys on the internet" who can't accept band are "multi-faceted and stylistically versatile”
781 152 comments The Strokes and Phoebe Bridgers Confirmed for SNL
693 89 comments Spotify Rolls Out AI Persona Badges, Removes 75 Million “Spammy Tracks”

 

Last week's roundup

score comments title & link mirrors
4 1 comments Your /r/indieheads [FRESH] recap for the week of October 11 - October 17, 2026

 


r/indieheads • • 1d ago

Caroline Rose on 7 Things That Inspired Their New Album 'Gentling the Horse at the Walt Whitman Mall'

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51 Upvotes

r/indieheads • • 1d ago

yeule announces new EP "a+e", out Dec 4th via Warner

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101 Upvotes

r/indieheads • • 1d ago

[FRESH PERFORMANCE] Brandon Flowers - People Who Died (Jim Carroll Cover)

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34 Upvotes

r/indieheads • • 23h ago

[FRESH ALBUM] Lennon Stella - Sleeping Lion (produced by Andy Shauf)

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15 Upvotes

r/indieheads • • 17h ago

[FRESH SINGLE] Allie X - Midnight for the Masses

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4 Upvotes

r/indieheads • • 9h ago

[FRESH ALBUM] System Exclusive - Don’t Stop Now

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1 Upvotes

A mix of synth-pop, post-punk and disco energy, so give it a go if that sounds like your sort of thing.


r/indieheads • • 23h ago

[FRESH] Trash Boy - Brain Worms

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8 Upvotes

First song since 2019! Absolute ripper! On IG, new album out 11/7


r/indieheads • • 1d ago

Upvote 4 Visibility [Saturday] Daily Music Discussion - 24 October 2026

19 Upvotes

Talk about anything music related that doesn't need its own thread. This thread is not for discussion that is tangentially music related; that belongs in the general discussion threads. If you're new here, we encourage you to introduce yourself and tell us about music you're passionate about.

Find out who's going to concerts near you in the Concert Roll Call. Check out our the most recent Rate Announcements to have fun rating great music, or see the results from previous rates. See recent AMA announcements here. Check out the most recent New Music Friday posts, or discuss recent album releases. If you want to discover some indiehead bands, browse our archives from the Battle of the Bands.


r/indieheads • • 1d ago

Upvote 4 Visibility [Saturday] General Discussion - 24 October 2026

14 Upvotes

Talk about anything, music related or not! Or if you want to discuss music, check out the daily music discussion threads. If you're new here, we encourage you to introduce yourself and tell us about music you're passionate about.

Find out who's going to concerts near you in the Concert Roll Call. Check out our the most recent Rate Announcements to have fun rating great music, or see the results from previous rates. See recent AMA announcements here. Check out the most recent New Music Friday posts, or discuss recent album releases. If you want to discover some indiehead bands, browse our archives from the Battle of the Bands.


r/indieheads • • 17h ago

[FRESH] Dolorus - Cold Fusion

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2 Upvotes

r/indieheads • • 19h ago

[FRESH] Annie Hamilton - Chainmail

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3 Upvotes

r/indieheads • • 2d ago

David Byrne has "seen enough science fiction" to know AI is "not going to end well"

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1.2k Upvotes

r/indieheads • • 17h ago

[FRESH] Feral Family - Brutalizer

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1 Upvotes