Long Live the Music

You may have heard, but a new Taylor Swift album is coming - and fast! Swift announced her new album MIdnights at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards last weekend. Before the album drops on October 21st, Kiel Hauck and Nadia Alves hopped on the podcast to break it all down. Kiel and Nadia discuss the surprise announcement, the fascinating album concept, and what we might expect from this very unexpect...

We're back! And so are some of our favorite bands! Since we've been gone, Anberlin returned with a new EP titled Silverline , their first new music release in eight years. Nadia Alves joins Kiel Hauck to break down the release and why it feels so surreal to have Anberlin back in our lives. Then the two discuss the upcoming return of Paramore. We know there's a new album coming, but we don't know w...

Friday marked the release of Rub Some Dirt On It , the 9th studio album from Emery. Vocalist and bassist Devin Shelton joined Kiel Hauck on the show to talk about the new album and explain how the band's creative process has evolved over the years. Shelton also discusses the band's unique history and trajectory, and how their experiences early in their career set them up for a second act that has...

Friday marks the release of Heal My Head , the new album from Massachusetts alt rock trio Valleyheart. Vocalist and guitarist Kevin Klein joined us on the show to chat with our own Nadia Alves about the band's sonic progression on this new record and what inspired them to explore new territory. Klein also shares about his songwriting process and how exploring past trauma allowed himself and the ba...

There was a moment in time, not so long ago, when Katy Perry was not only the biggest pop star on the planet, but one of the biggest pop stars of all time. Kiel Hauck is joined by Nadia Alves as they look back on the illustrious and unexpected career of Katy Perry - from unknown Christian artist to everyone's favorite "bad" girl. The duo discuss the impact of Teenage Dream on pop music at large an...

Remember that time where Scott Pilgrim wanted to date Ramona Flowers, but first he had to defeat her seven deadly exes? Wild stuff. Anyway, we decided to come up with the seven albums you would have to listen to in order to date us. Kiel Hauck is joined by Kyle Schultz and Nadia Alves as they list the seven albums that define their journey, showcase their taste, and tell their story. It's an admit...

Ah yes. The sun is shining. The flowers are blooming. The birds are chirping. Time to roll down the windows and blast some of our favorite music to celebrate the season. On this episode of Long Live the Music, Kiel Hauck is joined by Kyle Schultz and Nadia Alves to discuss the traits that make for the perfect spring album. They then break down their favorite albums to celebrate springtime and talk...

It's been 10 years since fun. released Some Nights , which vaulted the band into stardom when hit single "We Are Young" took over the charts in 2012. On this episode of Long Live the Music, Kiel Hauck is joined by MTV News writer Sam Manzella to look back on the album, the impact it made during a transitional moment in popular music, and the quasi-fallout of the band that resulted in very divergen...

On this episode of Long Live the Music, Kiel Hauck is joined by fellow music journalist Evan Sawdey of PopMatters and Yardbarker to discuss a recent article titled, "The Definitive Ranking of Every Visual Album." Sawdey shares the genesis of the piece and the qualifications used to define what a visual album actually is. Evan also breaks down the key elements of a great visual album and what it lo...

Last week, we were gifted with the festival lineup of every scene kid's dreams. When We Were Young Festival, taking place over two days in October at the Los Vegas Festival Grounds, features a lineup so stacked that it's hard to comprehend. Kyle Schultz and Nadia Alves join Kiel Hauck to breakdown the full lineup and talk through the logistics of what will undeniably be an insane weekend. They als...

A new year is here, which means that another 12 months of new music is on its way. Kiel Hauck is joined by Kyle Schultz and Nadia Alves as they look forward to some of their most anticipated albums and events of 2022. But before diving into what's on their wish list, they look back on 2021, discussing some of their favorite albums and a few albums and artists that may have been overlooked. Listen...

It's been a week since Taylor Swift blessed us with Red (Taylor's Version) . And we have thoughts! Kiel Hauck is joined by fellow It's All Dead-ians Kyle Schultz and Nadia Alves to delve into the nooks and crannies of all 30 tracks of this new release. They share takes on the best and most interesting re-recorded songs and weigh in some of the best "From the Vault" tracks that round out the album....

Wildwood Flower: Stories of Women who Built Country Music is back for Season 2! Intro episode will drop on October 1st! Available on all platforms. To find out more about the podcast, listen to the introductory episode here . Subscribe and follow on Instagram at wildwoodflowerpod to stay updated on new episodes and special announcements.

Kacey Musgraves recently returned with a new album, Star-Crossed , which explores her divorce from Ruston Kelly. As it turns out, there's a long history of albums reckoning with the fallout of divorce and they all share some very common threads. Area Code Network's own Richard Clark joins Kiel Hauck on the podcast to discuss the anatomy of a great divorce album and how the concept has evolved over...

Woah! What a new music Friday we just had. Highlighting the release schedule were Halsey's If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power and CHVRCHES' Screen Violence . Kiel Hauck hops on the mic to break down his thoughts on both new albums, keying in on the artistic evolution of Halsey and their journey as one of the most important pop-adjacent artists of the past decade and how CHVRCHES rebounded from the...

Have you heard? Live music is happening at a venue near you! Our very own Kyle Schultz recently found himself at such an event, and it was a big one. Kyle joins Kiel Hauck to talk about his experience at the recent Chicago stop of the Hella Mega Tour. Kyle shares the general vibe and experience of attending a concert again and gives his full breakdown of the mammoth-sized tour, including standout...

What songs do you listen to when you switch Spotify to private mode? We all do it. So let's talk about it! Kiel Hauck is joined by Nadia Alves and Kyle Schultz to share their deepest, darkest music secrets. The songs we love that we don't tell our friends about. The songs that move us that we don't share with the world. And why they mean so much to us. So what are some of our favorite "bad" songs?...

Music podcaster extraordinaire Cole Cuchna just wrapped up season 8 of the wildly successful Dissect Podcast and also recently launched Key Notes - an interactive music show that combines full songs with original musical and lyrical analysis. Cole joined Kiel Hauck on Long Live the Music to discuss the complexity of Yeezus and how he approached the album for Dissect. Cole also talks about why some...

Welcome back to the Area Code neighborhood: Feel For the Game. Nick and Noah return with a series of (mainly basketball) conversations about nostalgic moments in NBA history, current issues plaguing the league, how coping and mental health play a role in sports, and more. Tune-in as they unprofessionally, but sincerely explore why sports are bigger than just the score of the game. Subscribe now, a...

The year is half over. How is it possible? Only scientists can explain. But we'll use the opportunity to break down some of the best music that's been released so far this year. Kiel Hauck kicks things off by sharing summertime Warped Tour memories and discussing the return of live music. With tours being announced left and right, we're all making big decisions about when, where, and how we return...

It's been 10 years since The Wonder Years staked their claim as the flagship band of the 2010's pop punk revival. Suburbia I've Given You All and Now I'm Nothing is officially a decade old but still just as powerful and impactful as the day it was released. Kiel Hauck is joined by Kyle Schultz to discuss their memories of the album's release and how it took the scene by storm. During the discussio...

We're back, baby! Brock Benefiel makes his triumphant return to the podcast to discuss everything that went down in the world of hip hop in 2011. Brock and Kiel break down the year's avalanche of debuts (Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Childish Gambino, Mac Miller, etc.) and take a look at the albums that defined the year (Drake, Jay-Z and Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, etc.). They also talk about the changing...

Welcome the newest resident to the Area Code neighborhood: Wildwood Flower: Stories of Women who Built Country Music. Season 1 premiering on June 4th! Available on all platforms. To find out more about the podcast, listen to the introductory episode here . Subscribe and follow on Instagram at wildwoodflowerpod to stay updated on new episodes and special announcements.

Thought we were done talking MxPx? Think again! Mike Herrera stopped by the podcast to talk with Kiel Hauck about the band's current livestream series, Between This World and the Next, and how the band has stayed innovative when it comes to connecting with their fans. Mike also reflects on the upcoming 30th anniversary of MxPx and shares about the experience of exploring the band's deep catalogue...

This one has been a long time coming, folks. We welcome Jason Tate, founder of Chorus.fm, to the podcast to talk all things MxPx. Jason and Kiel Hauck break down the band's history and legacy before diving into an extensive ranking of the band's 10 studio albums. They also discuss the biggest "What if?" in the band's career, their favorite MxPx concert memories, and why the band is still so vital...