In a brand new interview with Metalshop TV, SHINEDOWN singer Brent Smith and drummer Barry Kerch spoke in regards to the progress of the writing and recording classes for the band’s upcoming eighth studio album. Barry stated (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Hear, it is not fairly carried out but. When it is carried out, it will be out. I can inform you there will be two extra songs that come out this yr, and you’ll get a file subsequent yr, most likely, I might think about, inside — we’re hoping for March. We’re shut, however we’re by no means gonna launch something that is not as much as our requirements, and we’re simply not there but. So, quickly. Subsequent yr.”
Added Brent: “Our entire factor about it was this: it was the thought of if we do it in a standard setting with reference to releasing the file that we’re creating proper now, it might be so much longer of time because the final album. And so we stated, let’s give them a few songs earlier within the yr after which give them two extra songs on the again half of the summer season into the autumn and announce the file within the fall, and it will be out subsequent yr — most likely late February, early March of 2026.”
Kerch and Smith additionally talked about SHINEDOWN‘s large success within the U.S., with Barry saying: “ Radio constructed this band, for certain. This band was constructed on radio, as a result of, look, we have been round for 22 years, 23 years, however actually touring for simply 21 years. And we by no means stated no to radio. ‘Hey, you wanna play our radio fest?’ ‘Are you able to come do an interview?’ ‘Are you able to come do this stuff?’ And once you do these issues, you achieve mutual respect after which they may play your music a pair extra occasions that week or no matter. So this band was undoubtedly constructed on radio, and we are going to by no means flip our backs on radio. Nevertheless, issues have modified over these 20 years. And sure, Spotify‘s vital. Sure, iTunes is vital. Sure, Pandora‘s vital. All of these shops are vital. To me, I take a look at it, and I feel Brent would agree on this, is I would like our music performed on all of these issues, and I would like it to climb all of these charts. I wanna be on the highest of all these playlists as a result of the youth goes to these possibly greater than they do radio, however all of it places your self on the market and makes the band develop much more. So I feel all of these shops are vital. All of them simply do various things. And, yeah, we may discuss Spotify possibly not giving again as a lot as artists would really like and issues like that, however the satan is who you understand, and it’s what it’s today. So you continue to wanna develop with all of these organizations.”
Added Brent: “One factor that I will say in regards to the radio, although, as a result of once you’re being particular to stated the US and Canada, they’re comparable, however the distinction within the u the U.S. to another nation is that this, and I can simply be sincere about it. The platform for streaming broadens you out to a complete planet, however you are competing with 240,000 songs a day on simply the Spotify streaming service alone. And it is not even counting Apple, Pandora, Shazam, Amazon — I can maintain going — YouTube. I imply, individuals want to grasp additionally, too, so far as streaming is worried, YouTube is the primary place to hearken to music. It is the best, and it is not even talked about, however that is the place most individuals hearken to music. However in the US of America, there’s 50 states. In these 50 states, there are a number of cities. And in these cities, there are a number of towers that curate to that market. And you’ve got AM and FM [radio], so you might have discuss radio, after which you might have radio. Often discuss is AM, however FM, you might have nation music, you might have various stations, you might have rock stations, you might have pop stations, you might have hip-hop stations, you might have city stations, you might have rhythmic stations. There are such a lot of towers in each state, in each metropolis. There is a tradition in every a type of cities and there is a branding, if you’ll, and one thing that separates that metropolis from each different. And their market share and their group, they double down on that. So it’s a completely different factor within the U.S. than another nation. ‘Trigger you may go into the U.Okay., there’s three radio stations. You may go into even the Czech Republic, I feel there’s one station. So the dynamic of that — sure.”
Smith continued: “That is the best way we have at all times checked out it, and I imply it from a worldwide sense too. The fact is that the best way that I’ve at all times seen it and the band has seen it and why radio is such a predominant factor for us, is it did construct our band, as a result of there have been moments with the streaming providers the place they would not give us playlisting, however radio was at all times there. We’re additionally a band that is on 5 codecs in the US. So it is not only one fashion of music or one kind of listener. And to their credit score, I might say this: streaming will get your music performed, however radio provides you with a profession.”
Earlier this month, SHINEDOWN launched a model new single, “Killing Fields”, through Atlantic Information. The observe arrived simply days earlier than SHINEDOWN headed off on the biggest and most bold tour it has ever set out on in its profession. Acting at arenas all throughout the nation, the tour kicked off on July 19 at Boston’s TD Backyard and the subsequent day they carried out at Madison Sq. Backyard (the primary time they’ve ever carried out there as a band),in addition to Los Angeles’s Kia Discussion board on August 3. Becoming a member of on the second leg of the tour are BUSH and Morgan Wade on all exhibits.
“Killing Fields” is the third new music SHINEDOWN has made accessible in 2025 after the simultaneous launch of “Three Six 5” and “Dance, Child, Dance” in January. Breaking guidelines and doing what few artists have been capable of obtain, “Three Six 5” is at present charting at 5 completely different radio codecs: already hitting No. 1 at Different, it additionally has hit Prime 10 at Sizzling AC and AC, No. 16 at Energetic Rock and is approaching Prime 20 at Prime 40 radio.
The large help at radio may also be derived from the inspirational message of the music. Upon launch of the animated music video, which featured storylines of three individuals every coping with loss of their lives over the course of a yr, and the way they navigated by way of it, impressed followers all around the Web. Many wrote in their very own tales of loss and used the remark part of the video nearly as an internet remedy board.
Launched concurrently with “Three Six 5” was “Dance, Child, Dance”. The music has actually made historical past for the band as when it reached No. 1 on the Mediabase Energetic Rock chart, it marked SHINEDOWN‘s twenty second music to succeed in No. 1 on the chart. On the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart (the place it additionally hit No. 1) SHINEDOWN grew to become the one band within the chart’s historical past to get 20 No. 1s on the chart. To not point out when the music entered the Prime 5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, SHINEDOWN tied with the FOO FIGHTERS for the artists with essentially the most songs to hit the highest 10 within the chart’s historical past with 32 songs every. On Mediabase, SHINEDOWN holds the file for essentially the most No. 1s, No. 5s and No. 10s on the Energetic Rock chart, with a complete of 24 No. 1s on the Mediabase chart. All these unimaginable accomplishments proceed to solidify that SHINEDOWN have made a reputation for themselves in rock and are one of many largest bands on the planet.
This yr has additionally include some historic wins for the band as they just lately took dwelling two trophies on the iHeartRadio Music Awards the place they gained “Rock Artist Of The 12 months” and “Rock Track Of The 12 months” for “A Symptom Of Being Human”. The awards have been in celebration of the banner yr they’ve had as “A Symptom Of Being Human” has hit almost 125 million international streams and charted at 5 radio codecs together with a No. 1 at Energetic, Prime 10 at Different, Prime 10 at AC, Prime 15 at Sizzling AC and a Prime 20 at Prime 40. The music, off SHINEDOWN‘s “Planet Zero” album, resonated with followers throughout the globe for the unifying message of its lyrics: that it’s our human connections that matter essentially the most.
Smith and SHINEDOWN bassist/producer Eric Bass co-wrote “Three Six 5”, whereas “Dance, Child, Dance” was written by Smith, Bass and Dave Bassett. The songs have been produced by Bass at his personal Huge Animal Studio in Charleston, South Carolina.
For the tour, SHINEDOWN has teamed up with Musicians On Name and shall be donating $1 for each ticket offered for the tour. Because the nation’s main supplier of stay music in hospitals, Musicians On Name (MOC) has delivered the therapeutic energy of music to sufferers, households, and caregivers in healthcare environments for 25 years. Multiple million individuals throughout all 50 states have skilled the fun of stay music within the hospital setting by way of MOC‘s bedside, digital, and streaming applications. MOC volunteers carry out stay for kids and adults dealing with any well being problem, together with Veterans recovering in VA services, relations supporting family members in want, and healthcare staff caring for sufferers. The collaboration is simply one of many many charities SHINEDOWN helps as they regularly give again to organizations in want.
Photograph credit score: Ebru Yildiz