The winds of November might be crisp and cold, but they bring along a collection of sizzling new music. From bold debuts to heartfelt returns, new eras to final chapters, there's no shortage of options to warm you up this month.

On the first Friday of the month, goth band The Cure makes their return after 16 years, and R&B sensation Jacquees releases the suggestive Baby Making. In the following weeks, British trio FLO will release their anticipated debut, Access All Areas, and BTS's Jin will finally drop Happy, his first solo album.

And there's more: nu metal trailblazers Linkin Park will enter a new era with From Zero, Dolly Parton enlisted her family to create the expansive Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables, and 2020 Mercury Prize winner Michael Kiwanuka will drop Small Changes.

Lastly, the third and final posthumous album by rapper Juice WRLD will also be out this month, and Irish megastars U2 are going to celebrate the 20th anniversary of How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb with a shadow album titled How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb.

To guide you through this eventful month, GRAMMY.com compiled a list with the 14 must-hear releases of November 2024. Check them out below.

CHASE ATLANTIC — 'Lost In Heaven' (Nov. 1)

Australian trio CHASE ATLANTIC continue to reach for the stars. Following performances at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and the main stage at Reading & Leeds in 2023, the band is set to release their fourth studio album, Lost In Heaven, on Nov. 1st.

Led by singles "Die For Me," "Doubt It," and "Ricochet," the band continues to expand their atmospheric, genre-blurring sound. A press release notes that they are poised to break boundaries once again, "diving deeper into their distinct world of hypnotic melodies, sonic experimentation, and epic live shows." The 2023 single "Mamacita" also features on the tracklist.

To promote the new record, they launched an ongoing tour across North America, with rapper 24KGOLDN as a special guest. The tour began on Oct. 16 in Dallas, and will wrap on Nov. 19 in Los Angeles. In December, they will continue with six additional shows in Australia and New Zealand. 

The Cure — 'Songs Of A Lost World' (Nov. 1)

In September, English goth band The Cure released "Alone," their first new song in 16 years. Along with it came also the announcement of their fourteenth LP, Songs Of A Lost World, set for release on Nov. 1.

Frontman Robert Smith shared in a press release that "Alone" was the track that "unlocked" the new album. "As soon as we had that piece of music recorded I knew it was the opening song, and I felt the whole album come into focus," he noted. The album, in progress since 2019, includes tracks "Alone" and "A Fragile Thing," which were performed live during the band's Shows Of A Lost World tour in 2022 and 2023.

The 8-track ensemble follows 2008's 4:13 Dream, and was entirely written and composed by Smith — a feat he hadn't repeated since 1985's The Head On The Door. Smith also co-produced the record with the help of Paul Corkett.

Masked Wolf — 'The Devil Wears Prada But God Wears Gucci' (Nov. 8)

After his 2019 song "Astronaut in the Ocean" became a sleeper hit in 2021 thanks to TikTok, the life of Australian rapper Masked Wolf (Harry Michael) changed dramatically. He quit his day job to focus on music full-time and swiftly released Astronomical, his first mixtape.

Three years later, Michael swapped the space suit for a superhero persona. "I feel it, my desire, yeah, I'm reaching in my soul /They tryna take me out, yeah, they wanna break my bones /It's like I've been bit, but I still keep control /I will never give up, I never give up," he raps in "Spiderman in Space," a single off his upcoming debut LP, The Devil Wears Prada But God Wears Gucci.

Set to drop on Nov. 8, the album showcases Michael's versatility and immutable determination, traits also evident on singles "Give Me My Heart Back" with Lecrae, "Sweeter," "Tell Me Why" with Kota the Friend, and "Hell or High Water."

Ab-Soul — 'Soul Burger' (Nov. 8)

After 2022's lauded Herbert, Los Angeles rapper Ab-Soul is gearing up to release the mixtape Soul Burger on Nov. 8. The project is a tribute to the artist's childhood friend, Doe Burger, who passed away in December 2021.

In a recent interview with Sirius XM's "Effective Immediately", the Top Dawg Entertainment star shared that he's "been trying to channel" Burger's spirit in this release. "My best way of doing that is through music. And hence the title, it's the fusion of me and him. We were literally Huey and Riley from The Boondocks, to where this album is not me — it's Soul Burger. It's like a new artist… So I recommend everybody listen to it in terms of that."

The mixtape includes singles "Squeeze 1st 2" and "All That" featuring JasonMartin (formerly known as Problem) and Thirsty P. In June, Ab-Soul reunited with his Black Hippy bandmates Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, and Schoolboy Q at Lamar's Pop Out Concert in California.

FLO — 'Access All Areas' (Nov. 15)

British R&B trio FLO have announced their much-awaited debut LP, Access All Areas, set to release on Nov. 15. Executive produced by MNEK, the album follows the success of singles "Walk Like This," "Caught Up," and "Check."

"Access All Areas is a labor of love," the group, composed of Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renée Downer, said in a press statement. "To us it represents our growth and dedication to making girl group history, to making a project we are truly proud to call our debut album." The album is described as a "manifesto" for FLO, approaching themes of love, sisterhood, and navigating life as young Black women.

Starting Nov. 11, the trio will kick off their AAA: Intimate Acoustic Shows tour in record stores across the U.K., with stops in Nottingham, Kingston, London, Birmingham, and Manchester.

BoyWithUke — 'Burnout' (Nov. 15)

"I was feeling tired just because it's been go, go, go since I started," said TikTok sensation BoyWithUke in a statement about his upcoming album, Burnout. "I think I had some real identity issues with who I am. Like am I this extroverted character or am I Charley Yang? But now I think I've found a really good balance of work and personal life."

Charley Yang, who rose to fame after going viral in 2021 with ukulele hits like "[Toxic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvaosumc4hU)" and a signature LED mask — removed only last year — began exploring a more open and experimental side to his music once he revealed his face. "For the longest time I had made songs to impress this person I was in love with as well as music executives, and once that was gone things felt weird," he added. "I felt a little bit lost, but in a larger and more positive way, I felt free with freedom to make mistakes and basically whatever I wanted — I think that's what *Burnout* is."

Burnout will be Yang's final record under the BoyWithUke moniker, but it already points to new musical directions. Lead singles "Ghost" and "Can You Feel It?" build on his previous work, while "Gaslight" takes a daring plunge into alt-rock and electronic beats, showcasing Yang's rawest performances yet.

Jin — 'Happy' (Nov. 15)

The first BTS member to complete his military enlistment, Jin was also the only one who hadn't released a solo LP — until now. The wait is over as he announced the release of his debut album, Happy, set for release on Nov. 15.

According to a press release, Happy is a six-track collection that chronicles Jin's journey to find true happiness. Through the album, he shares "honest thoughts and feelings on what happiness means to him," and aims to give listeners "a sense of strength and comfort in their day-to-day lives."

The album comes two years after Jin's co-written collaboration with Coldplay, "The Astronaut." To build anticipation, he has also released the complete version of his 2021 viral hit, "Super Tuna," along with the rockabilly-inspired lead single, "I'll Be There."

Dolly Parton & Family — 'Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables' (Nov. 15)

Dolly Parton continues to amaze. After being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and releasing her first rock album, Rockstar, last year, the country queen returns on Nov. 15 with a project that explores her deepest roots: her family.

Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables is a prodigious visual and musical project featuring both branches of Dolly's family, the Partons and the Owens. Spanning nearly 40 tracks, the album was produced by her cousin, Richie Owens, and showcases performances by various family members, including some who have passed away and others from the current generation.

In a statement, Smoky Mountain is described as "a passage through the lineage and ethos of a family that has deeply influenced one of the world's most beloved artists," tracing their journey from their U.K. origins in the 1600s to their present-day home in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. A companion four-part docuseries is set to premiere in 2025.

Read More: 5 Ways Dolly Parton Has Promoted Peace & Global Unity

Dwight Yoakam — 'Brighter Days' (Nov. 15)

It's been nearly a decade since country superstar Dwight Yoakam released a new album, with his last being 2016's Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars. That will change on Nov. 15, when Yoakam drops Brighter Days.

To announce his return, Yoakam dropped hit single "I Don't Know How to Say Goodbye (Bang Bang Boom Boom)" featuring Post Malone, a track he wrote specifically for this collaboration. Brighter Days has been self-produced over the past three years, with Yoakam co-writing most of the tracks and including covers of classics such as "Keep On The Sunny Side" by the Carter Family, "Bound Away" by Cake, and "Time Between" by The Byrds.

In a statement, the album is described as "at once timeless and timely," filled with "a modern appreciation for country music's history with the trailblazing rock and roll spirit of California." Yoakam is currently on a U.S. tour.

Linkin Park — 'From Zero' (Nov. 15)

Linkin Park is returning from hiatus with full force. On Nov. 15, the nu-metal legends will release their eighth LP, From Zero, introducing a new era for the band following the announcement of new vocalist Emily Armstrong (of Dead Sara) and drummer Colin Brittain.

"Before Linkin Park, our first band name was Xero. This album title refers to both this humble beginning and the journey we're currently undertaking," said co-vocalist Mike Shinoda in a statement. From Zero marks the band's first album without frontman Chester Bennington, who passed away in 2017, and former drummer Rob Bourdon. "Sonically and emotionally, it is about past, present, and future — embracing our signature sound, but new and full of life. It was made with a deep appreciation for our new and longtime bandmates, our friends, our family, and our fans," added Shinoda.

The album's lead single, "The Emptiness Machine," was followed by "Heavy Is The Crown," which became the main theme for Riot Games' 2024 League of Legends World Championship, and the recent release "Over Each Other." Ahead of the album, Linkin Park played a series of arena shows in September, with stops in Los Angeles, Seoul, and London. The tour is set to conclude on November 16 in São Paulo, Brazil.

Michael Kiwanuka — 'Small Changes' (Nov. 22)

"Whilst making this album I was really thinking about my motives for making music and making records," shared London-born singer Michael Kiwanuka on Instagram, when announcing his upcoming album, Small Changes. "I never started writing music/songs for anything other than a way to connect to myself and others, but what am I trying to say now?"

As the album neared completion, Kiwanuka realized that expressing the "small changes" he was experiencing, both in his voice or and his music, was reason enough. "And living for me is just that, remaining as true as possible despite all the changes around us," he added.

Small Changes follows Kiwanuka's 2020 Mercury Prize-winning album, Kiwanuka. Co-produced by Danger Mouse and Inflo, the LP's first single, "Floating Parade," dropped in July, followed by "Lowdown (Part I)" and "Lowdown (Part II)." Kiwanuka recently completed a North American tour with Brittany Howard and will play six intimate shows in the U.K. after the album's release.

Father John Misty — 'Mahashmashana' (Nov. 22)

November also marks the return of singer/songwriter Josh Tillman with his sixth album under the stage name Father John Misty. According to a press release, the album's title, Mahashmashana, derives from the Sanskrit word Mahāśmaśāna (महामशान), meaning "great cremation ground, all things put going thither."

Produced by Tillman and Drew Erickson, with longtime collaborator Jonathan Wilson serving as executive producer, the album features eight tracks spanning over 50 minutes. Half of the album has already been previewed through singles "I Guess Time Makes Fools of Us All," "She Cleans Up," "Screamland," featuring Low's Alan Sparhawk, and "Josh Tillman and The Accidental Dose." 

After supporting Kacey Musgraves on her Deeper Well Tour during September and October, Tillman announced he will headline a North American tour beginning February 2025, followed by a European leg in May.

Juice WRLD — 'The Party Never Ends' (Nov. 22)

After years of teasing, Juice WRLD's third and final posthumous album, The Party Never Ends, is set to be released via Grade A and Interscope Records on Nov. 22. This will be his first full-length project since 2021's Fighting Demons, which included collaborations with Polo G, Justin Bieber, BTS, and more. 

Lil Bibby, founder of Grade A, shared on Instagram that "we want this album to feel like a celebration/party. No more mourning, I want everyone that Juice loved while he was here to help celebrate, especially his fans whom he loved."

The Party Never Ends follows the release of December 2023's single "Lace It" featuring Eminem, produced by Benny Blanco, which addresses the dangers of addiction. In September 2024, Juice WRLD's legacy was further expanded with the EPs The Pre-Party and The Pre-Party (Extended), each featuring two tracks, including the single "Lightyears" with Young Thug.

U2 — 'How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb' (Nov. 22)

In November 2004, Irish band U2 topped the charts with their iconic album How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. The album and its singles earned eight GRAMMYs between 2005 and 2006 and was described by vocalist Bono as their "first rock album" ever.

As the 20th anniversary approaches, U2 will commemorate the milestone with a remaster and re-release of the original album, along with a new project titled How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb — a 10-track "shadow album" that includes new and unreleased songs from the band's archives.

"The sessions for How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb were such a creative period for the band, we were exploring so many song ideas in the studio," bassist The Edge said in a press statement. "For this anniversary edition, I went into my personal archive to see if there were any unreleased gems and I hit the jackpot. What you're getting on this shadow album is that raw energy of discovery, the visceral impact of the music, a sonic narrative, a moment in time, the exploration and interaction of four musicians playing together in a room… this is the pure U2 drop."

Among the tracks, fans might recognize "Luckiest Man In The World" as the leaked demo "Mercy," now officially released. Five other songs have been remastered, including "Don't Wanna See You Smile" and "All Because of You 2." The remaining four tracks are entirely new, never-before-heard recordings, including the single "Country Mile."

Juice WRLD lived life fast, and he wasn't afraid to go off course. The Chicago rap star captured the hearts of fans who endured the same romantic and emotional storms, and was hopeful a more promising forecast would emerge from the clouded skies.

Born Jarad Higgins, Juice WRLD broke out from the SoundCloud underground alongside Lil Peep, Trippie Redd and XXXTentacion, and soon became the face of emo rap. Lauded for his ability to crank out punk-infused trap hits like "All Girls Are The Same" and "Lucid Dreams," Juice WRLD ascended to rap stardom upon his 2018 breakthrough.

He bellowed in heart-soaked rhymes, unafraid to address his depressed thoughts, spells of heartache, and dependence on the very substances that fueled his music. But the latter would eventually stop him in his tracks.

On Dec. 8, 2019, Juice WRLD died of a drug overdose at age 21. His unexpected loss sent a shockwave throughout the music community, as he was on his way to changing the soundscape of rap for the foreseeable future. But in the five years since his passing, his legacy — including the reflective emo rap hits that defined his artistry — continues to swell with admiration. 

Juice WRLD's first posthumous album, Legends Never Die, reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in July 2020, selling nearly 500,000 equivalent units its first week. The project also notched five Top 10 Billboard entries, making it the most successful posthumous release since 2Pac and Notorious B.I.G.'s respective 1997 albums, according to USA Today. 

Months before the rapper's second posthumous album, Fighting Demons, was released in December 2021 — alongside an HBOMax documentary, Juice Wrld: Into the Abyss — Juice WRLD's manager Peter Jideonwo revealed that a project called The Party Never Ends was in the works. Three years later, that project finally arrived on Nov. 29, marking Juice WRLD's third and final posthumous release. 

In commemoration of the "Big" rapper's last album, revisit 10 of Juice WRLD's most impactful and soul-stirring songs — both in life and in passing.

"Forever," 'What Is Love?' (2015)

Years before lighting the world on fire with hits like "All Girls Are The Same" and the Billboard-topper "Lucid Dreams," a then-17-year-old Juice WRLD was uploading rough-cut freestyles and brooding love songs to SoundCloud. Then known as JuicetheKidd, he recorded and uploaded them from his cell phone as a sophomore in high school. His first release was 2015's "Forever," a subdued, lo-fi track that divulges into a newfound love.

The song signaled the greatness Juice WRLD would later develop under Interscope Records and Lil Bibby's Grade A Productions. It was equipped with the same moody production and emotional lyrics that oozed with vulnerability: "Put that on God, I can't do no more merchin/ Don't turn your back, I can't take no more hurtin'," he raps. 

His raw talent was evident on other early releases like "Lost My Mind (Freestyle)" and "Mmmmm," showcasing his prowess as a songwriter and versatility as an artist. And within three years, JuicetheKidd would adopt a new name and sound — and soar to the world stage.

After refining his emo rap sound with a string of Soundcloud releases, Juice WRLD was primed for stardom — and "Lucid Dreams" set that in stone. Underpinned by the gloomy guitar samples from Sting's "Shape of My Heart," the swirling heartbreak track thrusted Juice WRLD into the mainstream at hyper-speed.

The monstrous hit reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was eventually certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America in February 2022. The song's success opened pathways for the rising artist, who was recruited to collaborate by the likes of Future, Travis Scott, Young Thug, Brent Faiyaz, and other big-name acts, even after his passing. 

Accolades aside, "Lucid Dreams" epitomized the dampened trap sound that Juice WRLD would later master. While the bulk of his catalog showcased his open-ended confessions and unwavering honesty, "Lucid Dreams" is what made him a star to be reckoned with.

Introspection was second nature to Juice WRLD, who freely explored the emotional whirlwinds he faced. And 2018's "All Girls Are The Same" is the most compelling snapshot of his romantic failures and emotional mood swings, which often ended in drug or alcohol consumption to ease his sorrow. 

While "Lucid Dreams" would become the more popular song from his debut album, "All Girls Are The Same" was his first official single. It introduced listeners unfamiliar with Juice WRLD's independently released projects to his sound, and opened doors for a new subgenre to emerge in mainstream rap. And with its success came a new slew of artists who followed Juice WRLD's lead, including well-established acts looking for new ways to garner young hip-hop fans. 

Along with melding elements of pop, punk and trap in his music, Juice WRLD's superpower was his ability to delve into the deepest, most vulnerable parts of himself — and then divulge them through a catchy record. "Rich and Blind" is one of his most underrated examples of this, as he peels back the layers of a new and once-unfathomable lifestyle.

While the song didn't reach the same chart success as his other releases, it showcased Juice WRLD's lucidity as an artist. He addressed how the money, notoriety and growing expectations turned his reality into a daunting one. He struggled with upkeep, and turned to drugs to suppress the added stress — like so many in his position blindly do, as he alludes in the track. 

The first verse is especially heartbreaking in the wake of his own tragic passing. While he acknowledged the impact his music would serve, he prophesied an early and sudden death from percocets: "I know I have a purpose, but I don't see the purpose/ They tell me the death of me gon' be the Perkys/ I know they laced pills, I bought them on purpose/ Life's unreal and death's uncertain/ It's funny how the blessed ones had the most curses."

With Juice WRLD as the new face of emo rap, expectations were high for his second release; his next album had to be bolder and bigger than the first. And with singles "Hear Me Calling" and the Top 30 hit "Robbery" proceeding a second outing, he was ready to shake things up for another go-round.

Upon its 2019 release, Juice WRLD's Death Race for Love further established his musical presence. He upped the production quality, and dove deeper into his past romantic dealings, mental unravelings, and drug-induced episodes on the project's singles. And all of it proved his initial success was no fluke, as the album became his first No. 1 on the Billboard 200. 

The album's third single, a collaboration with NBA YoungBoy called "Bandit," is one of its most electrifying songs. Unlike the other songs on the 22-track LP — and Juice WRLD's vast discography — "Bandit" was a record that could be played in the club. It was one of the few songs that embodied his favored musical themes of sex, drugs, and sorrow while capturing the same elements as a dance floor banger.

The song, backed by Nick Mira's hard-hitting production, reached No. 10 on the Hot 100. And as the last song he released before his passing, "Bandit" drew added attention following Juice WRLD's untimely death.

The entire music world mourned Juice WRLD's loss. And after seeing the anguish shared among his fans and close collaborations — and the millions his music impacted — his family decided the world needed to hear the magic he left behind.

Nearly six months after his death, Juice WRLD's estate released the song "Righteous" with a public message to the music world. "Juice was a prolific artist who dedicated his life to making music," the family said in a statement. "Choosing how to share his upcoming music with the world was no easy feat. Honoring the love Juice felt for his fans while shining a light on his talents and his spirit are the most important parts of this process for us." 

True to Juice WRLD's signature sound, the song's guitar strings and heavy bass support the artists' gut-wrenching lyrics. He raps about his "planet-sized" anxiety and attachment to harmful substances over a tranquilizing beat. The song rose to No. 11 on the Hot 100 and became the lead single to the posthumous album, Legends Never Die — yet another remarkable display of his undeniable talent.

As many of Juice WRLD's loyal fans know, "Man Of The Year" has two iterations that feature a different chorus and second verse. But the sentiment of the song remains the same, and it's a rather heartbreaking one.

Initially teased in 2019 before his passing, the rock-influenced track saw Juice WRLD acknowledge both the woes of his stardom and the impact he was making. On the verses, he cheers to the lifestyle that fame gifted him (including his "bad b—" girlfriend, Ally Lotti). On the chorus, he embraces the transcendent power of his vulnerable music: "I know I'm here to save you, I know I'm here to save you/ Let's raise our hands and sing and dance/ I know my lyrics saved you, I know I helped your breakthrough."

While the song's thudding drums and guitar riffs provided an upbeat soundtrack, the message of "Man Of The Year" was poignant; he was just as aware of his positive influence as he was of his pitfalls. He expressed a similar sentiment in 2021's "Already Dead," which featured grim production and a heartbreaking confession ("I know that I didn't stand a chance/ I don't think I'll ever live again/ I'm only here by popular demand/ I'm stayin' alive for the fans"). No matter how he presented his highs or lows, Juice WRLD's unguarded expression is exactly what made, and continues to make, his music so powerful.

Juice WRLD's "Legends" is a song dedicated to music's most influential voices, who often unexpectedly or tragically died before 21 as a result of senseless violence or drug abuse. The song was originally released in 2018 as a tribute to late rappers Lil Peep and XXXTentacion, who also rose from SoundCloud fame alongside Juice WRLD; Lil Peep died of an accidental overdose of fentanyl and Xanax at age 21 in 2017, and XXXTentacion was fatally shot a year later outside a South Florida motorcycle shop at age 20. 

Their deaths prompted Juice WRLD to make "Legends," which acknowledges the negative path that can come with such stature. "They tell me Imma be a legend. I don't want that title now/ 'Cause all the legends seem to die out," Juice WRLD rapped. 

Though its initial release was in 2018, the song's inclusion on Juice WRLD's second posthumous album made it even more devastating. Even so, "Legends" is another moving display of the rapper's uncompromising vulnerability, one of the predominant traits that cemented him a star.

Among several artists who grieved over Juice WRLD's loss, Young Thug was one of the more vocal in singing the late rapper's praises. Their friendship bloomed after collaborating on songs such as "On God," "Mannequin Challenge" and "Red Bentley"; the two stars were even slated to put a joint album together in 2019, but Juice WRLD's unexpected passing upended their planned venture.

In the years since, a series of unheard songs with the two artists surfaced on SoundCloud and YouTube. The only official posthumous releases between Juice WRLD and Thug were 2021's "Bad Boy" and 2023's "Money," until another collaboration called "Lightyears" was featured on 2024's The Pre-Party (Extended). 

The Thug-assisted track showcased their musical chemistry, and enlivened Juice WRLD fans seeking another posthumous project from the genre-bending artist. The Pre-Party (Extended) EP, which features three more previously unreleased tracks, served as a preview to Juice WRLD's final posthumous album, The Party Never Ends.

The song is also one of many records that display Juice WRLD's prowess as a collaborator. And while the newest posthumous album will be his last, Lil Bibby and Jideonwo recently told Variety that his legacy will continue to live on through more collaborations in the future.

Released just days before the five-year anniversary of Juice WRLD's death, The Party Never Ends is laden with repurposed clips from his live performances. And while album cut "Condone It" is a braggadocious party anthem that leans more into the trap side of Juice WRLD's sound, it also offers the LP's most poignant live moment in its final moments.

During a 20-second-long outro, Juice WRLD pays homage to fallen artists like Mac Miller, A$AP Yams, Nipsey Hussle, Kurt Cobain, Pimp C, and others as the song slowly descends. That clip transitions into "Goodbye," a sorrow-filled song of loss, regret, and remembrance sung by The Kid LAROI. 

"At the time, time with you was well spent/ When you're done, I think 'bout the time we shared," LAROI sings. It's a subsequent nod to Juice WRLD, who's become as revered by his fans as the late stars he listed at the end of "Condone It." And with The Party Never Ends being his official swan song, the emotionally rich record makes the artist's commemorative and legacy that much more momentous.

"U2 is an original species," frontman Bono once declared. "There are colors and feelings and emotional terrain that we occupy that is ours and ours alone."

Indeed, while Coldplay, Imagine Dragons and every other stadium rock band with a messianic figure have tried to muscle in on their territory, the world-conquering, world-saving quartet remain kings of their own frontier.

It was bassist Adam Clayton who set the wheels in motion for their remarkable rock 'n' roll journey, posting a bulletin board callout for like-minded musicians at his Dublin high school in 1976. Drummer Larry Mullen Jr., guitarist Dave "The Edge" Evans, and singer Paul "Bono" Hewson all successfully auditioned for what was initially a Rolling Stones/Beatles cover band, and after several changes in names, lineups and musical directions, the quartet eventually settled on pursuing a post-punk sound under the guise of U2.

Boasting a revolutionary spirit, unwavering self-belief, and near-universal ability to connect on an intimate level — even when holding court in front of packed-out stadiums — the group soon outgrew their humble beginnings. In fact, by the mid-'80s, spearheaded by the double whammy of a triumphant Live Aid set and chart-topping blockbuster The Joshua Tree, they'd established themselves as the biggest band in the world.

But U2 never rested on their laurels. Throughout the '90s, they continually pushed themselves and their loyal fans outside their comfort zones, embracing everything from alt-rock to electronica (and usually with a knowing wink, too) while also changing the game as a live act with numerous multimedia spectacles.

A celebrated return to the echo-laden, chest-beating antics of their '80s imperial phase on 2000's All That You Can't Leave Behind, meanwhile, reminded everyone of their uniting powers and introduced their signature sound to a whole new generation. Their 2004 set, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb — and its string of hit singles — ensured they maintained their cultural relevance well into the 21st century, too.

For the 20th anniversary of the latter, U2 released How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb, an outtakes collection self-described as a "shadow album" of "unreleased gems" from that era. On the heels of the release, take a deep dive into the 22-time GRAMMY winners' massive career by decade.

After a handful of Ireland-only releases in the late 1970s, U2 announced themselves on the world stage in 1980 with their debut album, Boy, a typically confident coming-of-age whose literary references ("Shadows and Tall Trees" is named in honor of Lord of the Flies) and nods to concrete musique ("I Will Follow" is adorned with the sounds of bicycle spokes, bottle smashing and cutlery) instantly set the quartet apart from their post-punk peers.

A last-minute replacement for Joy Division producer Martin Hannett, Steve Lillywhite also steered 1981 follow-up October, a heavily improvised record that leaned much further into their spiritual beliefs. Their first MTV hit, "Gloria," for example, borrows the Latin chorus from Christian hymn "Gloria in Excelsis Deo," while "Tomorrow" is a heartbreaking prayer to God begging for the return of Bono's late mother.

But it wasn't until 1983's highly political War that the future world-conquerors began hitting the charts; it even knocked Michael Jackson's Thriller off the UK top spot. Surely the only Billboard Hot 100 hit inspired by the Polish Solidarity movement, "New Year's Day" has since become part of the U2 canon, as has "Sunday Bloody Sunday," a fervent protest song based on the Troubles of Northern Ireland ("The trenches dug within our hearts/ And mothers, children, brothers, sisters torn apart").

Bittersweet love song "Two Hearts Beat As One" also helped the timely named record ("War seemed to be the motif for '82," Bono later remarked) shift an eventual total of 11 million copies, while a triumphant performance at Red Rocks Amphitheatre captured on classic live album Under a Blood Red Sky capped off their Lillywhite era in 1983.

The band kickstarted their second phase in 1984 by teaming up with Daniel Lanois, and much to their label's despair, avant-garde maestro Brian Eno. Island Records needn't have worried, however. Although undoubtedly more experimental and atmospheric than their early oeuvre — see the ambient instrumental "4th of July" — The Unforgettable Fire equaled its predecessor's chart positions on both sides of the Atlantic and spawned their first U.S. Top 40 hit, the Martin Luther King Jr. tribute "Pride (In the Name of Love)." In fact, thanks to a triumphant set at Live Aid matched only by Queen's, U2 ended the album's campaign bigger than ever.

U2 built on its momentum by reuniting with the same producers for what would prove to be their first genuine blockbuster. Inspired by both the physical and cultural deserts of America, 1987's The Joshua Tree produced two Hot 100 number ones ("With or Without You," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"), sold an astonishing 25 million copies worldwide, and enabled the Dubliners to embark on their first of many sold-out stadium tours. It also won two golden gramophones, including the coveted Album Of The Year in 1988; it has since been inducted into the GRAMMYs Hall of Fame and selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the U.S. Library of Congress (in 2014 and 2013, respectively).

Read More: GRAMMY Rewind: U2 Win Their First-Ever GRAMMY For 'The Joshua Tree' In 1988

The Joshua Tree's widescreen blend of gospel, folk and blues also solidified both Bono as one of his generation's most accomplished songwriters and, thanks to his pioneering echo-laden technique, The Edge as a bona fide guitar hero. Just seven years after emerging from their small-time hometown scene, U2 had evolved into the biggest rock band in the universe.

Keen to strike while the iron was hot, U2 documented their experiences as new superstars on a rockumentary and half-live/half-studio effort both named Rattle and Hum in 1988. While the former was dismissed as pretentious and self-congratulatory by movie critics, the latter maintained their day job's status quo, producing their first UK No.1, "Desire." Collaborations with legends Bob Dylan and B.B. King, meanwhile, also helped boost the band's credibility. Nevertheless, they appeared burned by the mixed response and at their final show of the decade, Bono hinted at a reset by announcing, "We have to go away and... dream it all up again."

U2 did indeed return both sonically and visually unrecognizable with 1991's Achtung Baby, its title perhaps a literal warning to diehard fans expecting more of the same. Embracing The Edge's newfound love of industrial, electronica and alt-rock and — even more surprisingly for a band previously considered humorless — a streak of semi-irony, its 10 tracks proved the Dubliners could move with the times.

"Mysterious Ways" and "Even Better Than The Real Thing" both tapped into the "baggy" sound that had made Manchester rock's new epicenter. While unlikely lead single "The Fly" — on which Bono adopted a wrap-around sunglasses-clad, skin-tight leather-donning, hell-residing alter-ego — appeared to take its cues from Nine Inch Nails.

"One," an alternative hymn even their biggest detractors had to concede was truly magical, showed that U2 could still play it straight. But it was the album's playfulness, further heightened by the multimedia experience of its accompanying Zoo TV Tour, that helped propel Achtung Baby to sales of 18 million, another No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and a fifth career GRAMMY.

Capitalizing on their momentum, U2 headed straight back into the studio for a similarly experimental follow-up inspired by the sensory overload of their recent arena shows. Co-produced by Eno, Flood and The Edge (who also takes a rare lead vocal on "Numb"), Zooropa is possibly the unsung hero of U2's imperial phase. It was their first album in nearly a decade that didn't provide any U.S. Top 40 hits. And yet, it contains some of their most audacious work; biblical closer "The Wanderer" pairs pulsing synths with the world-weary vocals of country legend Johnny Cash, while Bono — who frequently showcases the falsetto he nicknamed Fat Lady — has hailed "Stay (Faraway, So Close)" as a career best.

"We shall continue to abuse our position and f— up the mainstream," Bono claimed upon accepting the Best Alternative Music Performance GRAMMY in 1994. And they continued to subvert expectations, duetting with Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti on "Miss Sarajevo" (the highlight of their 1995 album Original Soundtracks 1 recorded with Eno under the guise of Passengers), and unleashing what Bono described as "the most expensive demo session in the history of music" with 1997's Pop.

Rush-recorded to meet a deadline for a tour plagued by technical problems (remember the Spinal Tap-esque moment the band got stuck in a giant mechanical lemon?) Pop has been repeatedly tinkered with since its release. But the propulsive electro-rock of lead single "Discothèque," Underworld-inspired techno of "Mofo," and chiming psychedelia of "Staring at the Sun" were already engaging in their original form.

U2 capped off their roller coaster 1990s with their first official "Best Of" compilation, albeit one that only spanned the previous decade; its re-recording of B-side "The Sweetest Thing" deservedly became a belated hit. But not for the first time, the foursome approached a new decade with a sense of uncertainty about their place in the pop landscape.

Once again, though, U2 proved that you should write them off at your peril by releasing a record that played to their greatest strengths. After a decade of experimentation, 2000's All That You Can't Leave Behind took an unapologetically back-to-basics approach no doubt spearheaded by the return of their three-time dream team Lanois and Eno.

Anthemic lead single "Beautiful Day" immediately set the throwback tone, not least for the fact it threatened to burst into A-ha's '80s classic "The Sun Always Shines on TV." And Tomb Raider soundtrack cut "Elevation" as well as "Walk On" each possessed a similar fist-pumping stadium rock quality, too. But their greatest display of songcraft over studio trickery appeared courtesy of its quietest moment, "Stuck In a Moment You Can't Get Out Of," a poignant tribute to Bono's late friend Michael Hutchence.

The GRAMMYs were certainly taking note, showering the four-piece with seven awards between 2001 and 2002; the album also helped U2 win Record Of The Year two years in a row ("Beautiful Day" in '01 and "Walk On" in '02). On the promotional trail, Bono had talked of "reapplying for the job of the best band in the world." With such an adulatory critical response, not to mention 12 million sales, no recruiter could turn them down.

Remarkably, U2 bettered their GRAMMY tally with 2004's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, winning all eight of its nominated categories between 2005 and 2006, including Album Of The Year and Song Of The Year for "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own," a gorgeously meditative ballad about the death of Bono's father. Consecutive Best Rock Song winners "Vertigo" and "City of Blinding Lights," however, were more indicative of what was self-described as "our first rock album."

Read More: GRAMMY Rewind: Watch U2 Win Album Of The Year At The 2006 GRAMMY Awards

The band continued to keep their finger on the pulse, lending its lead single, "Vertigo," to help market the iPod and teaming up with American Idiot-era Green Day on a cover of The Skids' "The Saints Are Coming." An induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame upon their first nomination, meanwhile, appeared to perfectly place them between the old and the new.

But the five-year wait for No Line on the Horizon — the longest between albums in U2's career — then left them playing catch-up. Nevertheless, the record still topped the charts in 30 countries and spawned the highest-grossing tour ever at the time where songs such as "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" and "Magnificent" appeared to connect with fans far more effectively.

After providing the songs for troubled Broadway musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," Bono and The Edge got back to the day job, firstly winning a Golden Globe for U2's contribution to Mandela: Long Road to Freedom (the uplifting "Ordinary Love"). The band then paid tribute to their musical heroes on 2014's Songs of Innocence alongside a who's who of modern hitmakers (Danger Mouse, Ryan Tedder, Paul Epworth). "This Is Where Can You Reach Me Now," for example, was inspired by seeing The Clash in concert as teens, while opener "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)" celebrated the formative influence of the titular punk rocker.

Unfortunately, the album's unorthodox release strategy completely overshadowed its content. Its automatic download to every iTunes account sparked the biggest backlash of U2's career: their fellow musicians, and the industry as a whole, argued that the stunt had devalued music. And in an age where the phone is the ultimate prized possession, most customers were frustrated that their personal libraries had been modified without their consent.

U2 wisely returned to more conventional distribution methods for 2017's Songs of Experience, a semi-conceptual album for which Bono penned musical letters to the most important people in his life. These included wife, Ali ("You're the Best Thing About Me"), daughters Jordan and Eve ("Get Out of Your Own Way") and the band's loyal fans ("The Showman (Little More Better)"), while "Lights of Home" directly addressed God in the wake of the singer's life-saving heart surgery.

Proving they still had their fingers on the pulse, U2 also sought assistance from Lady Gaga,Haim andKendrick Lamar, the latter returning the favor after the group guested on DAMN. track "XXX" earlier in the year. And commercial order was restored when Songs of Experience topped the Billboard 200, making them the first act to achieve such a feat every decade from the 1980s onward.

U2 have largely spent the 2020s looking backward. In 2022, Bono reflected on his remarkable life story with his long-awaited memoir, Surrender, heading out on a national book tour to promote it.

On 2023's Songs of Surrender, the band gave 40 tracks from their vast back catalog — from the ubiquitous ("With or Without You," "Beautiful Day") to the deep cuts ("Stories for Boys," "Cedarwood Road") — the "MTV Unplugged"-esque treatment. They also changed the occasional odd lyric to reflect modern times; "Walk On" was repurposed as a tribute to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. That same year, they also appeared in Kiss The Future, Nenad Cicin-Sain's acclaimed documentary that charted their historic 1997 show in war-torn Bosnia.

U2 also revisited their eight-time GRAMMY winning LP with How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb, adding 10 previously unreleased tracks to the 2004 original including classicist "Country Mile." But their most awe-inspiring throwback appeared courtesy of their Achtung Baby-focused residency at Las Vegas' The Sphere. Documented on V-U2 An Immersive Concert Film, the show's highly immersive, pioneering production proved that, nearly 50 years since their formation, U2 still possesses the power to transfix.

Who is brent? The title of Jeremy Zucker and Chelsea Cutler's three-part project isn't the name of a friend, family member, or ex, but it comes from a leisurely drive past Brentwood Road, back in 2019.

Escaping the buzz of New York, the artists decided to crash on air mattresses and couches for a week, piecing brent together in a one-room carriage house studio in the Berkshires. The immaculate five-song EP was what Zucker called a "beautiful accident," spawning the double-Platinum "you were good to me" among other stirring indie tracks.

But the EP's brilliance was no accident. The pair first met at a fraternity party in 2016 (more on that later), when their independent DIY careers were just barely beginning: Zucker had released his first two EPs (Beach Island and Breathe) in 2015, and Cutler was in the process of crafting her 2017 debut EP, Snow In October. While they each had their own style, they shared a similar lo-fi sound and contemplative approach to love, whether lost or found. So when they met up to write a song together for the first time in 2018, their mutual creative magic was instant — and it led them not only to brent, but also brent ii and brent iii.

Moving away from their first project's personal themes of insecurity and angst, 2021's brent ii found itself rooted in the beauty and hope of relationships, offering a positive outlook during a difficult time for many globally. Three years later, brent iii — the duo's first full-length album together — both takes their profound artistic partnership to new heights and gracefully bookends the brent project.

"We didn't think it was going to be an album at first, but we were just like, third time's the charm," Zucker shared with GRAMMY.com. "It ended up being an album and it seemed like a nice way to close the page — and have brent live as a thing that lives forever."

Though brent iii marks the end of the series in the studio (for now, at least), they're not yet done on stage: fans will get to celebrate the duo's music live on the month-long Brent Forever: The Tour, which kicked off Nov. 15 in Chicago. Brent Forever: The Tour features most tracks from all three brent projects, and will stop in 10 cities total across the U.S. and Canada. The trek is the first time the two have toured together, and, as signaled by its name, immortalizes the beauty of the brent project and their forever friendship.

In celebration of the album and the tour, the pair Zoomed in from New York to chat with GRAMMY.com about their first impressions of each other, how they wrangle their sporadic creativity, and how they captured all the magic on brent iii.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Let's talk about brent iii! Tell me about the moment you realized that you wanted to make a third project.

Jeremy Zucker: I feel like we always knew. Ever since this we put the second [project] out and the response was incredible, I feel like we knew we were going to do a third. 

There's a group chat and when [brent ii] came out I was like, "Okay, let's start brent iii"! And then Chelsea was like, "What?" [Laughs.] It was a joke, but it was also serious. I was like, why would we not?

How did working on brent iii feel different from working on your other brent sessions?

Chelsea Cutler: Probably the biggest difference is that in the past, we've kind of given ourselves a bit of a time constraint. In the past, we've rented a studio for a week and gone there and written the project inside of that week. And then with brent iii, we took the approach of let's give ourselves as long as it takes to just get the best project.

So we wrote it over the course of about a year. And we rented different studios and different Airbnbs over the course of that year, in New York, LA. And up in Big Bear, we did a week. We gave ourselves time to breathe and sit with everything, and it really lent itself to making a pretty good project.

You made your first brent project in 2019. How do the 2024 versions of Chelsea and Jeremy compare to the 2019 versions, and how do you think that impacted your music?

Zucker: We were small.

Cutler: So naive. 

Zucker: Yeah, I think we were really innocent and still figuring out who we were as artists individually. We were both very relieved when we started working together, to do something that was so natural. To me at the time, it was more clear than what I was as an artist alone. The music that we made together — it was so specific and natural. 

Cutler: I definitely would echo that as well. brent is a thing that's had a really defined identity even before we totally knew what it was. And that's been a really wonderful constant, kind of in the midst of our own identities changing as individual artists over the years. So it's been really nice to have that.

Apprehension might be too strong a word, but was there any sort of apprehension or hesitation before you started working on brent iii? Did you think it might be difficult to try to recapture the same magic you had on the first two EPs?

Cutler: I had that.

Zucker: Really?

Cutler: Yeah, it would be a lie to say that I wasn't nervous because — not that I didn't wanna do it, like, of course I wanted to — I think that there is something so magic about it, and there's something kind of tricky about trying to capture that magic. 

I guess it's not tricky for us. It comes really easily, so obviously we proved my theory wrong, but I just felt like the first two were so perfect. Like, perfect. I wouldn't change a thing about the experience and the songs.

So I was definitely nervous. Like, All right, if we're gonna do this, it has to blow us away. And I couldn't be more proud of the music that we made. It feels so right. 

Zucker: Mhm. I would say like, the first project was an accident and it was a really beautiful accident. And then [with] brent ii, we were like, What if we really tried and intentionally did it? So we made a very polished, perfect brent ii. And then this time around, we were like, What's the angle? Why are we doing another one? 

We didn't think it was going to be an album at first, but we were just like, third time's the charm. Let's do this once and wrap the whole thing together, basically. We wanted to kind of capture all the eras and have a good final chapter to it. Three is just a nice number. It ended up being an album and it seemed like a nice way to close the page — and have brent live as a thing that lives forever. 

Cutler: Yeah, it's funny. I was apprehensive about it, then we ended up getting so many songs that felt so special and worthy of being on the product.

In the past, Chelsea, you've said that you were more hasty with your writing style — and then Jeremy, you said you're more meticulous. Do you feel like that's still true, or do you think your writing styles have changed more over time?

Zucker: I'm definitely pretty meticulous still. But it holds me back from being spontaneous and being able to come up with things freely without second guessing myself. So I remove being meticulous and like, don't give a f— and try to get as much on the page as possible. And then later, I comb through it. That's kind of what I've been doing lately.

Cutler: Yeah, I still feel like my creativity is really sporadic. If I don't catch the wave I'm on and just ride it, then I'm gonna lose it. Then I need to sit on my phone for 30 minutes until another one comes.

How do you think this has helped you in brent sessions? Or do you feel like it posed more of a challenge sometimes?

Cutler: I think it's really complementary. 

Zucker: It was a learning process at times. It really only happened during brent ii where Chelsea and I had to take a beat at the end of the day. One day we were like, Let's just not make music today. It was like, really sad. [Laughs.] And I was basically really pushing Chelsea because when it comes to making music, I kind of have a full tank all the time, and my work ethic kicks into overdrive. And Chelsea, I think, was getting overwhelmed and needed space and less pressure.

Cutler: I just can't work like that. I'll do nothing all day, and then at 4:42, a random time of day, I'll just sit down and write a song. And it'll come out in 10 minutes and then I'm like, all right.

We're just so different, the way creativity flows out of us, which is really cool. I think that it does work really well because Jerm has an endurance that I don't necessarily have, and I think creativity hits me at kind of funny times, which sometimes if we're in a rut, that can inspire us.

Zucker: So, yeah, figuring out a process… where we each got the most out of each other was what helped put a key to the lock.

You first met at a UConn party that Jeremy was playing, right? And then got signed to the same label, Republic Records?

Zucker: Mhm.

What were your first impressions of each other?

Zucker: In real life, like, honestly, I was really drunk. 

Cutler: We were both absolutely obliterated. I'd never been to a frat party before, so I was like, Ahhh!

Zucker: I don't know what happened to me. I was at a party, and then I was on stage, but it was so DIY in my career. Someone at the frat, that I'm actually still friends with today, messaged us — me and my friend Danny, and Ben, who I made a lot of music with at the time. He just paid us like 200 bucks and booked our flights.

I went to like a tiny school and this was like a massive outdoor frat party, and I was so overwhelmed in a fun way because I felt like a celebrity a little bit. But that was an older me, and I'm sure that was an older Chelsea. 

Cutler: Yeah, man, I was wearing skinny jeans. 

Zucker: Yeah, the pictures from that day are brutal. I was also wearing them.

They're coming back…

Cutler: I really hope they don't.

The first time you worked together resulted in your song "better off." How was that session for you guys? Were you like, "Wow, I just click with this person" right away?

Zucker: I was in this studio upstate, and we were chatting. I was like, "come up for a day, let's write a song" and then we just sat down. Chelsea, I remember we were hanging out, getting to know each other for an hour or so. And then when we sat down in front of a microphone and a computer, Chelsea starts playing a riff and I'm like, "what's that?" And she's like, "I don't know, I just made it up" and then I just pressed record and then we wrote the song. It was crazy.

Cutler: It came out really quick, too. 

What was the song that came together the fastest on brent iii?

Zucker: "ashes & rust." We were in the studio for maybe like five hours and when we left it, the song was there. It just needed to be polished. But we left with like a five-part harmony on Chelsea's vocals and like crazy guitar tones and drums. 

Cutler: It was awesome.

How would you describe your sound together?

Zucker: Folk pop? No, not, not pop. Folk singer/songwriter, acoustic… Let's use like Spotify Daylist terms.

Cutler: What?

Zucker: You know, like sometimes it'll be like, dreamy cottagecore, like… fantasy pop.

Cutler: Oh my God. 

Zucker: So I would say, like, crunchy…

Cutler: Crunchy?

Zucker: … like crunchy granola, you know, like wholesome. But I would say warm, wholesome, indie folk.

Cutler: I think warm, cozy, honest, real.

Zucker: Sick. 

Cutler: Dope.

Zucker: Swag.

Your friendship is so lovely. What are some standout memories with each other?

Zucker: I feel like you didn't have a good time blueberry picking?

Cutler: No, I had a great time doing it. I just didn't like eating the blueberries. 

Zucker: Oh, right. 

Cutler: I mean, I loved being in Big Bear together —

Zucker: — and crepes.

Cutler: Yeah, we went to a crepe coffee stand on the side of the road in Big Bear, California. And we were there in what, January? So it was really icy and cold, and it was just a stand so we waited outside in the cold for crepes for like, 20 minutes. [Laughs.]

Cutler: That was fun. And we watched Society of the Snow. 

Zucker: And we also watched, what's that horror movie… Midsommar? Midsommar.

Cutler: One thing that we did that was really fun six years ago was — maybe not you, but — I smoked a lot of weed.

Zucker: Didn't we go swimming? 

Cutler: I didn't go in, but I watched you guys. I was gonna say we put the 1975 Live From MSG or something. We watched on the big projector live… and we turned off all the lights and watched that.

Is there a standout memory from making brent iii?

Zucker: When we made one of our favorite songs "A-frame," the main instrument of that song is basically a guitar. I'm smacking the s— out of it so it's like, buzzing, and we recorded from the opposite end of an A-frame [cabin]. It's just this big massive reverb sound because the place was so echoey. That was kind of my favorite little tidbit, that "A-frame" was recorded in an A-frame.

Cutler: And it literally sounds like it. I think writing "and the government too!" because that was the first song that we wrote that we ended up using on the project. You could just feel when we wrote it that it was clicking, and the sonics of what brent iii was gonna be were kind of falling into place. You just get that feeling when we're writing a song and you know it's gonna be magical. Our cameraman was panning back and forth between us as we were kind of riffing. It was a really special moment.

The members of the L.A. punk band the Linda Lindas are all under 20 years old but, in many ways, they’re already old hands at the music industry. 

The quartet formed back in 2018 for a performance at a music festival called Girlschool USA when guitarists Bela Salazar and Lucia de la Garza were 14 and 13, respectively; bassist Eloise Wong was 12 years old and drummer Mila de la Garza was only 10. It was supposed to be a one-off appearance, but they enjoyed performing too much to stop. 

A 2021 performance of their two minute punk song "Racist, Sexist Boy" at the Los Angeles Public Library went viral, and the next year they released their first album on Epitaph. They hit Outside Lands and other big festivals. A few years later, their song "Growing Up" was featured on the Inside Out 2 soundtrack, and this summer they toured with Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins and Rancid on a highly anticipated national stadium tour.  

Read More: 5 Women Essential To Punk: Exene Cervenka, Poly Styrene, Alice Bag, Kathleen Hanna & The Linda Lindas

That’s a lot of career before for young musicians who have yet to graduate from high school (or from college, in Bela’s case). But the Linda Lindas are done yet: In October the band released their second album, No Obligation, on Epitaph, and are hopeful that they'll head out on their first headline tour. In the venerable tradition of DIY punk bands past, the album is less an evolution from their bare bones debut than it is a continuation, with more crunchy, three-chords-and-a-prayer riffs backing songs about being stressed out, saying what you mean, finding your own path, and telling harassers to cut it out.

The Linda Lindas spoke with GRAMMY.com about recording with Weird Al Yankovic, their songwriting process, and what their cats are up to now. 

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

You’re kind of music veterans now, right? How has that affected the recording of this album?

Eloise: I think we were more confident in our instruments and more confident in the recording process, and also more confident in our songwriting. Because the first record [has] the first songs that we'd ever written.

Mila: We were basically more confident in general!

Eloise: But I'm super excited for it to be out, and I'm super excited to play new music for more people.

Mila: I mean, we've only been around for like, six years, and when we started the band, that's also when we started learning our instruments. So our first record, we knew how to play our instruments, but I would definitely say that we're better at them now.

Lucia: We didn't really fully understand the concept of going through an album, putting the production on it, putting it out. We were kind of just "Oh, we're just gonna record the songs and put them out."

So we’re excited to show off how we have grown. Not necessarily putting down the first album, but just like, you know, showing that we are older, more grown. And that's partly due to all the opportunities that we've gotten since the first one was put out.

On the album, "Yo Me Estreso" is about stress and "Cartographers" is kind of about, indecision, or not being sure what direction to go in. Has making the new album been a stressful or confusing time? 

Bela: I wouldn't say it's been stressful. I think it's just day to day things that happen in life, and like, making music is an outlet to just talk about what's going on in our lives.

Eloise: Yeah, what's great about being in a band is that we have this outlet to express our stress and we have somewhere to put those feelings. And I think that's really special.

"Yo Me Estreso" is in Spanish, obviously; I just wondered how you decide which language to write in? 

Bela: We write mostly in English. I'm the only one that speaks Spanish. So if I write a Spanish song, then maybe there'll be one in there. But if I don't, there's no Spanish song.

Did "Yo Me Estreso" just come to you in Spanish? 

Bela: Yes and no. I mean, I hate talking about my feelings. I have a really hard time doing that. And writing this song in Spanish felt like a way that I could talk about my feelings without  exposing myself to the world and letting everybody know what the heck is going on in my life. It felt a little bit more intimate, rather than putting myself out there.

You collaborated with Weird Al Yankovic on that song. How did that happen? Are you fans? 

Eloise: Oh, my god. 

Mila: How can you not be? 

Eloise: Well, basically, Bela had already written this song, and we were like, "Oh, it would be cool if there was accordion on it." And I guess he was just the first accordion player that came to mind. We were like, "This is not gonna happen." But he said yes! 

And for the music video, he even brought his own suit and his own hat. He was prepared and super pro. 

Bela: He brought a specific accordion that was correct for the genre. I guess he had a bunch of different ones, and he brought the one that was correct. So it was cool. 

Mila: He was very nice and very professional. 

Lucia: He’s going on tour now. We feel like we should try to see him, because I feel like that'd be so fun. Everyone that says they've seen him live, they say it’s a really amazing show.

Since we’re talking about tours, you toured with Green Day. What was that like? 

Eloise: That tour was so fun. Everyone was super nice on the tour. All the bands were super nice, all the crews were super nice. We had catering, and I loved that. Just pile up as much food as we could eat. 

And then the most fun part about the tour was that we only played like, 20 minutes. So then right after our set I could just go wipe the cat whiskers off — because I wear cat whiskers on stage — and then go into the crowd for Rancid and watch that. And we got to watch Smashing Pumpkins, and we got to watch Green Day. IWho else gets to watch those bands every other day, you know? I feel so lucky to have been on that tour, and I had such a great time.

Lucia: It was just a super great environment and such great music every night. It was really an honor to be on that stage, for sure. Cool crowd, too! 

Were you touring over the summer? I’m just wondering how you balanced it with school. 

Eloise: It started in the summer and then it went into some of the school year.

Lucia: We tried to do both. 

Eloise: Yeah, we tried to keep up with the work, because after shelter in place [for Covid lockdowns], a lot of the work is posted online, so it's easier to access than it might have been otherwise. But, yeah, just kind of trying to do both to our best ability. 

So I thought we might talk about some of the other songs on the album. "Stop" is a song about bullying or harassment. Could you talk about how you wrote that? 

Mila: We were just writing, and I think at the time at school, one of my really good friends was being bothered by these other two classmates. And it wasn't cool. So [raises her palm up]…Stop. 

How do you write? Do you write individually? As a group? 

Lucia: That was a group one. 

Mila: I remember this very specifically. We were sitting on the floor in our back house, and we were just songwriting. And then we moved on from one idea to, oh, what should we do next? And I was like, oh, there's this thing that's happening. 

So are most of your songs sort of written collaboratively? 

Lucia: No, we've written in every way. Any combination. We write individually sometimes, and we write together. Sometimes, we start individually and it ends up together. And sometimes it starts together and ends up individually. There's no formula. There's no step-by-step process that we have. It's just kind of whatever happens, happens.

Could you talk about writing "Excuse Me", which is a song that talks about being stereotyped or profiled? 

Eloise: I wrote that. I think it’s about things that people expect you to be. And sometimes, when you don't conform to that, people are uncomfortable, and it just kind of winds up making everyone uncomfortable. 

But it's cool that I have the band to write a song about it and I have an excuse to yell about it to a bunch of people. 

So what's next for you all now that you've released this album? Are you going on tour? 

Lucia: We’ve never really done our own tour for more than five shows or something. We’ve toured a lot with other bands; but for a band that doesn’t tour very much, we do a lot of touring as an opening band. 

Mila: We haven't done a proper headline tour yet, and we really want to. [Crosses fingers.] Hopefully. 

Lucia: It’s going to happen. And we’re excited to have the album out there and see where the songs go from here. Because they're going to evolve now that we're doing them live. They're going to sound different from the studio. And so it'll be cool to see what journeys they all take on their own. 

So where are you planning to tour? In California? Or elsewhere? 

Bela: Anywhere! Wherever they’ll take us! 

Eloise: Invite us somewhere, please! 

Mila: Europe, South America, Asia… 

Okay, it’s kind of silly, but I did want to ask…we have a Siamese cat, so "Monica," your song about your Siamese cat from your first album, is one of my favorite songs. I'm just wondering what's up with Monica these days? 

Bela: She's doing good! She’s kind of old. Both Monica and Nino are pretty old now, but she went on a walk about five minutes ago. That's why I was kind of late. I had to take her to go get some grass. My cats are indoor/outdoor cats but she needed some grass and she likes the sun, so she went outside to sunbathe.

How old is she now? 

Bela: Both Monica and Nino are 13. Well, Nino's 13 and she's 12, turning 13 in March.  So they’re up there. 

Were they the cats in your video for "Growing Up"? 

Bela: No those were fake cats. I mean, not fake cats. Actor cats. 

Mila: They were professionals.

Bela: Though my cats are probably way better behaved than those cats. 

Eloise: Working with those cats was such a weird experience! 

Mila: The trainers would tell the cats, "Stay still!"  But then we wanted them to act like cats, and not just stand there like [sits rigidly]. 

Bela: For that video, a family friend of ours did these wigs for the cats. So my cat, Nino, was the model for all the wigs, and he just was sitting there, just letting her do whatever. And then when she tried to put the wigs on the real cats, they were just knocking them off. It was crazy. 

Mila: One time we played a headline show in Michigan and someone gave us bracelets, and one of them said, "Golden" on them. 

Eloise: Because it's an inside joke that we have from our childhood. We had this game where we were cats. And one of us was named "Golden."

Mila: And yeah, we were freaked out, because it was like, where did you get that from? And then we realized that it was from that video, because we named the cats. 

Is there anything else you’d like people to know about the album?

Bela: Stream it? Please. Buy the record. Buy a CD, anything. 

Eloise: Yeah, we're super excited to have new music out, and we're super excited to play new music, and I don't know. It’ll just be fun.