Tune Talk: Weekly Music News

Here’s your weekly music news roundup for September 8–14, 2025, covering major album and EP drops, streaming and legal developments, standout singles and reunions, chart movements, and tour announcements.

## New Album & EP Releases
This week saw a slew of major album and EP releases on September 12, 2025, spanning diverse genres and markets. Twenty One Pilots returned with *Breach*, their eighth studio album and final installment of the duo’s conceptual saga, via Fueled by Ramen. Critics lauded its experimental approach and mature lyricism, with Clash awarding it an 8/10 and Billboard praising its “most bruising riffs and immediate hooks” ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breach_%28Twenty_One_Pilots_album%29)). In the contemporary Christian scene, Phil Wickham released his tenth studio LP *Song of the Saints* through Fair Trade Services and Columbia Records, blending gospel, R&B, and hip-hop elements on tracks like “The King Is in the Room,” which has already peaked at No. 15 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_of_the_Saints?utm_source=openai)). On the rock front, Finland’s the Rasmus dropped *Weirdo* via Better Noise Music, marking their eleventh studio effort and featuring singles such as “Break These Chains” produced by Desmond Child and Marti Frederiksen that reaffirm their gritty yet melodic identity ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weirdo_%28The_Rasmus_album%29?utm_source=openai)). UK disco-pop veteran Sophie Ellis-Bextor unveiled her eighth studio album *Perimenopop* on Decca Records—her inaugural release on the label—led by singles including “Vertigo” and “Relentless Love,” which explore themes of freedom and transformation ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perimenopop?utm_source=openai)). Additionally, Canadian electronic singer-producer Jessy Lanza issued the *Slapped by My Life* EP on Hyperdub, accompanied by a music video directed by her husband Winston Case; Lanza penned the title track during Case’s chemotherapy as a tribute to caregivers, dedicating its emotional highs and lows to those who support loved ones through illness ([pitchfork.com](https://pitchfork.com/news/jessy-lanza-announces-slapped-by-my-life-ep-shares-video-for-new-song-watch?utm_source=openai)).

## Industry Highlights
Significant moves in streaming services and live-events law unfolded this week. Coda Music launched with a mission to rebuild the “middle class” of artists through human-curated discovery and industry-leading per-stream payouts. Subscribers pay $10.99/month (or $16.99 for families) and can earmark $1 to an independent artist of their choice—a feature already endorsed by acts like Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof as a fairer alternative to algorithm-driven platforms ([musicradar.com](https://www.musicradar.com/music-industry/were-rebuilding-the-middle-class-of-artists-and-giving-fans-the-power-to-shape-what-gets-heard-its-a-return-to-authenticity-driven-by-community-new-streaming-platform-launches-and-it-promises-fair-compensation-for-artists?utm_source=openai)). Meanwhile, Spotify rolled out its long-awaited lossless audio tier in the U.S. and select global markets, closing the gap with Apple Music and Tidal on sound quality; pricing details remain undisclosed, though industry analysts predict a $5–7 premium over the base plan, potentially prompting competitors to revisit their hi-fi offerings ([m.economictimes.com](https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/global-trends/us-news-spotify-rolls-out-lossless-audio-playback-see-if-its-available-in-the-us-and-how-much-youll-pay/articleshow/123811376.cms?utm_source=openai)). On the legal front, Live Nation’s bid to shift a proposed monopolistic ticket-pricing class action into private arbitration hit a stumbling block when a U.S. District Court granted limited discovery into its ties with law firm Latham & Watkins and arbitration provider New Era. Judge Arun Subramanian’s September 11 order scrutinizes whether New Era’s rules were engineered to shield corporations from class suits, a ruling that could reverberate across similar litigation nationwide ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/live-nation-law-firm-latham-face-scrutiny-over-arbitration-bid-ticket-pricing-2025-09-11/?utm_source=openai)).

## Single & Reunion Spotlight
Beyond full-length releases, this week also featured high-profile singles and comebacks. Brittany Howard and Alabama Shakes broke a seven-year hiatus with “Another Life,” their first group release since 2018, simultaneously announcing reunion tour dates kicking off September 17, 2025 at Forest Hills Stadium. Howard hints their upcoming LP will be “bolder and more experimental,” building on the soulful rock that won them a Grammy for *Sound & Color* ([newyorker.com](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/goings-on/brittany-howard-and-alabama-shakes-return-with-audacious-new-music?utm_source=openai)). Meanwhile, veteran singer-songwriter Ryan Adams marked the 25th anniversary of his debut solo album *Heartbreaker* with a remastered edition featuring 11 reimagined versions of tracks like “Oh My Sweet Carolina,” introducing lush string arrangements and intimate vocals for longtime fans to rediscover his seminal alt-country work ([93x.com](https://www.93x.com/2025/09/10/notable-new-releases-september-12-2025/?utm_source=openai)).

## Chart Highlights
On the Billboard charts dated September 13, rock newcomer Sombr’s alt-rock project *I Barely Know Her* ascended to No. 1 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart in its second week, up from its debut at No. 14 on the Billboard 200, driven by 27,000 album-equivalent units and over 1.4 billion Spotify streams as of September 10—evidence of rock’s streaming resurgence ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Barely_Know_Her?utm_source=openai)). Simultaneously, the *KPop Demon Hunters* soundtrack made history by debuting atop the overall Billboard 200, marking the first video game soundtrack No. 1 of 2025 and underscoring the growing commercial impact of cross-media music tie-ins ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Barely_Know_Her?utm_source=openai)). Contextually, the U.S. music streaming market surpassed 100 million paid subscribers earlier this year, highlighting the scale supporting both legacy acts and emerging artists alike ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/19/us-paid-music-subscribers-cross-100-million-mark-for-the-first-time/?utm_source=openai)).

## Tour & Festival Announcements
Live-tour news this week spotlighted rising talent and major festivals. Reneé Rapp unveiled her Bite Me Tour, a 27-date global trek in support of her sophomore album *Bite Me*, produced by Live Nation. Launching September 23 in Morrison, Colorado and running through March 2026, the tour features support from Absolutely, Ravyn Lenae, and Syd, marking Rapp’s first arena-style outing since her Snow Hard Feelings Tour concluded earlier this year ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bite_Me_Tour_%28Rene%C3%A9_Rapp%29?utm_source=openai)). Meanwhile, metal and hard rock fans are gearing up for Louder Than Life 2025 (September 18–21 in Louisville, Kentucky), which will showcase legacy acts such as Slayer, Rob Zombie, and Marilyn Manson alongside rising heavyweights, affirming the ongoing vitality of genre-focused festivals in attracting dedicated audiences ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louder_Than_Life?utm_source=openai)).