10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of April 11, 2025
Is it just us, or is 2025 the year of Kendrick Lamar and SZA?
Kendrick's latest album, GNX, may have dropped last year, but with both artists having a major presence at the Grammy Awards, an unforgettable Super Bowl collab and a tour on the way, the excitement only continues to grow. They just made it even more of a moment with their latest music video together—and that's only the very start of the magic as we head into the first weekend of Coachella 2025. For the full scoop, keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of April 11, 2025.
(Image courtesy of pgLang)
1. Pulp Makes a Comeback After More Than 20 Years With 'Spike Island'
Pulp may not be a household name today, but in the '90s, they were Britpop legends. Fans got a massive surprise this week when they released their first single in nearly 24 years, titled "Spike Island," and announced a new album called More. The song is classic Pulp, combining electric sounds and the swell of violins with a danceable beat with self-deprecating lyrics about the call to fame. We're also instantly in love with the music video, using AI-generated imagery gone wrong (and promo images from the group's 1995 album, Different Class) to convey the pitfalls of relying on technology instead of human creativity.
"We hope you enjoy the music," frontman Jarvis Cocker shared in a press release. It was written and performed by four human beings from the North of England, aided and abetted by five other human beings from various locations in the British Isles …. No AI was involved during the process."
2. Bon Iver Continue the Story of SABLE With Latest Album SABLE, fABLE
Last year, indie folk icons Bon Iver released their SABLE EP, taking a more stripped-back approach that mirrored some of their earliest releases. Now, they're continuing that story with the new album, SABLE, fABLE, adding nine new songs to the four-track EP for a lucky total of 13 tracks. While SABLE acts as the prologue, fABLE is the tale itself, unraveling a story of love and obsession, with a lesson underpinning each emotional track.
3. The Driver Era Give Us Every Reason to Fall in Love With New Album, Obsession
Alt-pop duo The Driver Era is made up of brothers Rocky and Ross Lynch, and after more than 15 years of making music together, it's clear that they're more in-sync and powerful than ever. As they're getting ready to embark on the second leg of their North American headline tour, kicking off on May 30, they just released their fourth album, Obsession, and the title says it all. Its 11 songs boast irresistible and energetic rhythms as the pry open the themes of love relationships, with all of their highs and lows. These songs are more thoughtful, reflective and listenable than ever, without sacrificing any of the band's signature flirtatious playfulness that made us fans in the first place.
"The Obsession era began sometime last year when we started to compile a lot of these songs on a note in our phones," the two shared in a press release. "We started to collect all these songs and more that we were really loving and named the folder 'Obsession.' It was the truth of the situation—we were literally obsessed making these songs and just spent hours and hours with lots of love poured into them. Obsession is our entanglement with searching for love and trying to not fall too deep into these bad habits."
Also read about: 20 Angsty The Driver Era Lyrics to Use as Your Next Instagram Caption
4. Dean Lewis Teases His Next Deluxe Album With 'I Hate That It's True'
Australian artist Dean Lewis's third album, The Epilogue, has been a critically acclaimed and chart-topping hit. He just announced that we're about to get even more of it with a deluxe version, releasing on July 11. It's set to feature five new songs, including his brand new single, the striking and folksy "I Hate That It's True." The song tackles the subject of being unable to shake the deep feelings he still holds for his past love, and it was actually a last-minute edition to the deluxe album.
"Usually when I write a song It takes about a year before it can come out," Dean explained in a press release. "I wrote 'I Hate That It's True' about 10 weeks ago at an Airbnb in Bondi Beach. The day I wrote it we spent 48 hours finishing the production, rushing it over to my team and adding it onto my deluxe album. For me the song is a hint at what is to come on my next album; in the sense of where I'm headed with my songwriting and the more acoustic raw production."
5. Shaboozey and Myles Smith Team Up for Rousing New Hit, 'Blink Twice'
We never would have anticipated a collab between country-hip-hop sensation Shaboozey and English folk artist Myles Smith, but after hearing their new song, "Blink Twice," it's clear that they're a match made in heaven. The result is a rousing country-folk anthem speaking to the power of living in the moment, and the importance of working toward the life you want for yourself because blink, and it'll be gone. It's also our first taste of Shaboozey's Where I've Been Isn't Where I'm Going: The Complete Edition album, releasing on April 25.
"This is one of the best songs I've ever made," Shaboozey wrote in a post on Instagram—and we have to agree.
Also read about: 20 Emotional Myles Smith Lyrics to Use as Your Next Instagram Caption
6. Green Day Gears Up for Coachella With 'Smash It Like Belushi'
Ahead of their big Coachella debut this weekend, pop-punk legends Green Day are back at it with their new single, "Smash It Like Belushi." The song has an immediately infectious power chord hook that's bound to be stuck in your head all weekend, and pairs it with devil-may-care lyricism about breaking all the rules and doing what you want, referencing late comedic icon John Belushi and his infamously self-destructive tendencies. It'll also appear on their Saviors (édition de luxe) album, which arrives on May 23.
Also read about: 20 Rocking Green Day Lyrics to Use as Your Next Instagram Caption
7. Calum Hood Makes His Solo Debut With 'Don't Forget You Love Me'
Though people may know Calum Hood best as the bassist of 5 Seconds of Summer, Calum Hood is ready to come into his own as a soloist, and his debut single "Don't Forget You Love Me," immediately demonstrates his chops. It's a stunning reflection on love, yearning and loss with a pop sound that's vulnerable, raw and rich, without forgetting to be fun. Calum has also announced that his debut solo album, ORDER chaos ORDER, will release on June 13
"This album was made in a tumble dryer of knowing and not knowing," Calum said in a press release. "I started out with a vision—order—but quickly became overwhelmed by the process—chaos. Eventually, I learned to embrace both, and that balance became the heart of the record."
8. Lana Del Rey Lets Go With 'Henry, come on'
As Lana Del Rey prepares for headlining at Stagecoach Festival on April 25, she's definitely been embracing her country side. Her debut country album, The Right Person Will Stay, is out May 21, and she's finally shared its first single, "Henry, come on." The track sounds like a haunting fairytale, combining twinkling chimes with twangy country guitars to evoke a unique kind of heartbreak as she sings farewell to a lover who refused to do enough to keep her.
Also read about: 32 of the Best Lana Del Rey Lyrics As Instagram Captions
9. Finn Wolfhard Looks to Love in 'Trailers after dark'
We don't understand how all of the Stranger Things cast seems to be so musically talented, and after Steve Keery released his new album as Djo last week, Finn Wolfhard is back with a brand new song as well. "Trailers after dark" is a wonderfully fuzzy and lush indie track, creating a hazy and melancholy soundscape as he sings about his love being the source of light in his world, no matter how dark and dreary things may get.
10. Kendrick Lamar and SZA Drop the Music Video for 'luther'
Kendrick Lamar and SZA's collaboration on "luther" was one of many highlights on his GNX album, with both artists complementing the sample of Luther Vandross's "If This World Were Mine" to perfection. Their performance of the song at the Super Bowl will go down as one of the event's most iconic, and now, we have an official music video to celebrate its power. The message is impossible to ignore, with Kendrick imagining a better world, free from hurt and war, and full of the kind of love that SZA yearns for.
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of April 4, 2025.