Month: August 2023

Keeping track of all the new albums coming out in a given month is a big job, but we’re up for it: Below is a comprehensive list of the major releases you can look forward to in August. If you’re not trying to potentially miss out on anything, it might be a good idea to keep reading.

Friday, August 4

• Activity — Spirit in the Room (Western Vinyl)
• Annie Hart — The Weight of a Wave (Uninhabitable Mansions)
• BAMBII — Infinity Club EP (Innovative Leisure)
• Brett Young — Across the Sheets (BMLG Records)
• Chris Farren — Doom Singer (Polyvinyl)
• Computerwife — Computerwife (Danger Collective Records)
• Current Joys — Love + Pop (Secretly Canadian)
• Didirri — Caught in the Act (Liberation)
• Emil Amos — Zone Black (Drag City)
• The Front Bottoms — You Are Who You Hang Out With (Fueled By Ramen)
• Girl Ray — Prestige (Moshi Moshi)
• Holy Wave — Five of Cups (Suicide Squeeze Records)
• Homeboy Sandman — Rich (Dirty Looks)
• Jah Wobble — A Brief History of Now (Cleopatra)
• The Jesus and Mary Chain — Sunset 666 (Fuzz Club)
• Joe Hertler & the Rainbow Seekers — Pursuit of Wonder (Nettwerk)
• Jordi — Sorry I’m Late (Thirty Tigers)
• M.A.G.S — Destroyer (Smartpunk)
• Mammoth WVH — Mammoth II (BMG)
• Miles Kane — One Man Band (Modern Sky)
• Nathan Micay — To the God Named Dream (LuckyMe)
• Quavo — Rocket Power (Quality Control Music/Motown/Capitol Records)
• Rachel Bobbitt — Two Bit EP (Fantasy Records)
• Robert Jon & The Wreck — Ride Into the Light (Journeyman Records)
• Skindred — Smile (Earache Records)
• Stolen Jars — I Won’t Let Me Down (Thirty Tigers)
• Teenage Wrist — Still Love (Epitaph Records)
• TOMORROW X TOGETHER — SWEET (UMe)
• Trippie Redd — A Lover Letter to You 5 (10k Projects/1400 Entertainment)
• Tyla Yaweh — Heart Full of Rage 2 (Epic Records)
• Vince Gill and Paul Franklin — Sweet Memories: The Music of Ray Price & The Cherokee Cowboys (BMG)
• Vinyl Williams — Aeterna (Harmony Records)
• Wilmette — Hyperfocused (Mutant League Records)

Friday, August 11

• Andrew Hung — Deliverance (Lex Records)
• Andy Frasco & The U.N. — L’Optimist (Fun Machine Records/Soundly Music)
• The Band Camino — The Dark (Elektra Records)
• Benny the Butcher — Everybody Can’t Go (Def Jam)
• Bonnie “Prince” Billy — Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You (Drag City)
• carina — after the stars EP (Don’t Sleep)
• Caskets — Reflections (SharpTone Records)
• Cordovas — The Rose of Aces (ATO Records)
• Curling — No Guitar (Thirty Tigers)
• Darrell Scott String Band — Old Cane Back Rocker (Soundly Music)
• EZ Mil — DU4LI7Y: REDUX (Virgin Music)
• G Flip — Drummer (Future Classic)
• The Hives — The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons (Disques Hives)
• Hurry — Don’t Look Back (Lame-O Records)
• JayWood — Grown On EP (Captured Tracks)
• Joell Ortiz and L’Orange — Signature (Thirty Tigers)
• Jungle — Volcano (Caiola Records/AWAL)
• Killah Priest — Mystery Channel EP (600 Block Records)
• Laura Groves — Radio Red (Bella Union)
• Lawrence English and Lea Bertucci — Chthonic (American Dreams)
• Liam Gallagher — Knebworth 22 (WM UK)
• Louis Cato — Reflections (Thirty Tigers)
• Neil Young — Chrome Dreams (Reprise/Warner Bros. Records)
• Noname — Sundial (self-released)
• O.N.E. The Duo — Blood Harmony (Visionary Media Group)
• Olive Klug — Don’t You Dare Make Me Jaded (Nettwerk)
• PJ Western — Here I Go (New West Records)
• Public Image Ltd. — End of World (PiL Official)
• Rob Moose — Inflorescence EP (Sony Music Masterworks)
• Ryan Bingham — Watch For the Wolf EP (Thirty Tigers)
• Spencer Zahn — Statues I (Cascine)
• Sundressed — Sundressed (Rude Records)
• Tash Sultana — Sugar EP (Lonely Lands Records)
• Tom Speight — Love & Light (Nettwerk)

Friday, August 18

• Anna Tivel — Outsiders (Live in a Living Room) (Mama Bird Recording Co.)
• Arnold Dreyblatt & The Orchestra of Excited Strings — Resolve (Drag City)
• Atreyu — The Moment You Find Your Flame EP (Spinefarm)
• Bearings — The Best Part About Being Human (Pure Noise Records)
• Birdy — Portraits (Atlantic)
• Bobby Rush — All My Love For You (Deep Rush Records/Thirty Tigers)
• Cautious Clay — KARPEH (Blue Note)
• Cory Wong — The Lucky One (Roundwound)
• cumgirl8 — Phantasea Pharm EP (4AD)
• Dan Sultan — Dan Sultan (self-released)
• DeYarmond Edison — Epoch (Jagjaguwar)
• Diners — DOMINO (Bar/None)
• East Forest — Music For the Deck of the Titanic (Bright Antenna)
• Fiddlehead — Death is Nothing to Us (Run for Cover Records)
• Fran Lobo — Burning It Feels Like (Heavenly Recordings)
• Genesis Owusu — Struggler (Ourness/AWAL)
• Grace Potter — Mother Road (Fantasy Records)
• Gregory Alan Isakov — Appaloosa Bones (Suitcase Town Music)
• Hozier — Unreal Unearth (Columbia Records)
• Idina Menzel — Drama Queen (BMG)
• Iris Ell — Undergod EP (Cascine)
• j-hope — Jack in the Box (HOPE EDITION) (Big Hit)
• Jill Andrews — Modern Age (Non Serviam Records)
• Jon Batiste — World Music Radio (Verve/Interscope)
• Karina Rykman — JOYRIDE (AWAL)
• Lady Lamb — In the Mammoth Nothing of the Night (Ba Da Bing Records)
• Magnolia Park — MoonEater EP (Epitaph Records)
• Magnolia Park — SoulEater EP (Epitaph Records)
• Mapache — Swinging Stars (Innovative Leisure/Calico Discos)
• Margaret Glaspy — Echo the Diamond (ATO)
• Mick Jenkins — The Patience (RBC Music/BMG)
• Mipso — Book of Fools (Mercury/PolyGram)
• Miso Extra — MSG EP (Transgressive Records)
• Movements — RUCKUS! (Fearless Records)
• Mr. Greg and Cass McCombs — Mr. Greg & Cass McCombs Sing and Play New Folk Songs for Children (Smithsonian Folkways)
• Naked Lungs — Pressure (Amber Light Records)
• OSEES — Intercepted Message (In the Red)
• Point North — Prepare for Despair (Hopeless Records)
• Reneé Rapp — Snow Angel (Interscope Records)
• Rhiannon Giddens — You’re the One (Nonesuch Records)
• Russ — Santiago (Columbia)
• Shamir — Homo Anxietatem (Kill Rock Stars)
• Sloppy Heads — Sometimes Just One Second (Shrimper)
• Sonic Youth — Live in Brooklyn 2011 (Silver Current/Goofin’)
• Taylor Ashton — Stranger to the Feeling (Signature Sounds)
• Teddy Thompson — My Love of Country (‎MRI)
• Tribes — Rabbit Head (Downtown Music)
• Victoria Canal — WELL WELL EP (Parlophone)
• The View — Exorcism of Youth (Cooking Vinyl)
• Yatta Bandz — TUFF LUV (Empire)

Friday, August 25

• A Giant Dog — Bite (Merge Records)
• Alice Cooper — Road (Earmusic)
• The Armed — Perfect Saviors (Sargent House)
• Ashnikko — Weedkiller (Parlophone/Warner)
• Asking Alexandra — Where Do We Go From Here? (Better Noise Music)
• Be Your Own Pet — Mommy (Third Man Records)
• Becca Mancari — Left Hand (Captured Tracks)
• Buck Meek — Haunted Mountain (4AD)
• Candlebox — The Long Goodbye (Round Hill Records)
• Charlotte Cardin — 99 Nights (Cult Nation)
• Cindy Wilson — Realms (Kill Rock Stars)
• Clementine Valentine — The Coin that Broke the Fountain Floor (Flying Nun Records)
• Common Kings — Celebration (Island Empire/Mensch House Records)
• Crooks and Nannies — Real Life (Grand Jury)
• Des Rocs — Dream Machine (Sumerian Records)
• Drab Majesty — An Object in Motion (Dais Records)
• DREAM — whoever wants to hear EP (Universal)
• Fat Tony and Taydex — I Will Make A Baby in this Damn Economy (Carpark Records)
• Fay Victor — Blackity Black Black Is Beautiful (Northern Spy Records)
• Gareth Donkin — Welcome Home (drink sum wtr)
• Georgia Mooney — Full of Moon (Nettwerk)
• Grandaddy — Sumday: Excess Baggage (Dangerbird Records)
• Handsome Ghost — Handsome Ghost (Nettwerk)
• Hannah Georgas — I’d Be Lying If I Said I Didn’t Care (Real Kind Records)
• Harmony — Dystopia Girl EP (Fantasy Corp)
• Hiss Golden Messenger — Jump For Joy (Merge Records)
• Ida Mae — Thunder Above You (Thirty Tigers)
• Islands — And That’s Why Dolphins Lost Their Legs (Elf)
• jaboukie — All who can’t hear must feel (Interscope)
• Kendra Morris — I Am What I’m Waiting For (Colemine Records)
• Khalab — Layers (Hyperjazz)
• Kibi James — delusions (Bayonet Records)
• Laeland — look at the mess we made (Nettwerk)
• Mason Jennings — Under the Roses (Loosegroove Inc.)
• Missio — I Am High EP (RCA Records)
• Morgan Wade — Psychopath (Sony Music Nashville)
• MxPx — Find A Way Home (Independent)
• myst milano. — Beyond the Uncanny Valley (Phantom Limb)
• Nellie McKay — Hey Guys, Watch This (Hungry Mouse)
• Nightly — wear your heart out (BMG)
• Nora Kelly Band — Rodeo Clown (Mint Records)
• Old Crow Medicine Show — Jubilee (ATO Records)
• Ora Cogan — Formless (Prism Tongue)
• Patrick Droney — Subtitles For Feelings (Warner Records)
• Pleasure Forever — Distal (Solid Brass Records)
• Ratboys — The Window (Topshelf Records)
• Saccades — Land of The Hearth (Old World – New World Recordings)
• Sea Lemon — Stop At Nothing EP (Luminelle Recordings)
• Sid Sriram — Sidharth (Def Jam Recordings)
• Spanish Love Songs — No Joy (Pure Noise)
• Sonny and the Sunsets — Self-Awareness Through Macrame (Rocks in Your Head)
• Southern Shores — Anyplace There Is EP (Cascine)
• Spanish Love Songs — No Joy (Pure Noise)
• SPELLLING — SPELLING & the Mystery School (Sacred Bones)
• Tim McGraw — Standing Room Only (Big Machine Records/McGraw Music)
• Turnpike Troubadours — A Cat in the Rain (Bossier City Records/Thirty Tigers)
• Victoria Monét — Jaguar II (Lovett Music/RCA)
• Warren Zeiders — Pretty Little Poison (Warner Records)
• The Waymores — Greener Pastures (Chicken Ranch)
• William Shatner — Ponder The Mystery Revisited (Cleopatra)
• Who is She? — Goddess Energy (Father/Daughter Records)

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

A lot of people have a celebrity “hall pass,” meaning that if somebody in a relationship had the opportunity, their partner would be OK with them sharing an intimate interaction with a specific famous person. You don’t hear a ton of stories of celebrities agreeing to this sort of arrangement, but Kelly Clarkson nearly did. There was just one thing in the way, though.

During her Chemistry Las Vegas residency performance at Planet Hollywood’s Bakkt Theater on July 28 (as Entertainment Weekly notes), Clarkson read a female fan’s sign that said, “My girlfriend gave me a hall pass for you.” Her response? “If I was into chicks, I’d take up the offer. I just, unfortunately, like dicks.”

Clarkson’s residency has been full of headlines. At one show, she delivered a cover of the Harry Styles hit “As It Was.” Elsewhere, she addressed the recent trend of fans throwing things at performers on stage, saying, “If you’re gonna throw sh*t, throw diamonds.” The Chemistry residency coincides with Chemistry, the new album that Clarkson released in June. It’s her first non-holiday album since Meaning Of Life in 2017.

Kelly Clarkson is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Earlier this week, Warner Bros. Japan understandably took issue with its U.S. counterparts after the official Barbie Twitter account interacted with a “Barbenheimer” meme featuring a mushroom cloud.

Because Barbie and Oppenheimer are from two different studios, “Barbenheimer” has been an entirely fan-driven campaign that celebrates both films opening on the weekend where they proceeded to shatter box office records. However, when the official Barbie account reacted favorably with some of the memes, that’s when Warner Bros. Japan took issue.

“We consider it extremely regrettable that the official account of the American headquarters for the movie ‘Barbie’ reacted to the social media postings of ‘Barbenheimer’ fans. We take this situation very seriously,” Warner Bros. Japan said in a statement. “We are asking the U.S. headquarters to take appropriate action. We apologize to those who were offended by this series of inconsiderate reactions.”

Since then, Warner Bros. has not only pulled the offending tweet, but issued a public apology. “Warner Brothers regrets its recent insensitive social media engagement. The studio offers a sincere apology,” the entertainment giant wrote in a statement to Variety.

Considering the sensitive subject of the film, which tackles the creation of the bombs that killed over 250,000 people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Oppenheimer has not opened in Japan and there are no plans to do so at this time. In addition to Warner Bros. Japan, the Japanese public has openly criticized the “Barbenheimer” social media craze.

(Via Variety)

Taylor Swift is gearing up for the final six shows of the US leg of her massive Eras Tour, all of which will be held at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium. Given she’s been on the road for months, the pop star reportedly paid it back to the truck drivers who assisted her along the way.

According to TMZ, she gave all 50 truckers a bonus of $100,000 over the weekend, just before her shows in Santa Clara. As they point out, that adds up to $5 million in total.

The publication also claims that Swift gave additional bonuses to “band members, dancers, lighting and sound technicians, caterers” and other members of her touring crew that helped it run incredibly smoothly. Although, it’s unclear how much they received. One source told TMZ that whatever it was, though, it was a “very generous amount.”

Fans are equally excited for the final LA shows. As always, there are some Swiftie theories making their way around the internet, including the possibility that she’ll announce a new album re-recording during one of them, with 1989 (Taylor’s Version) being the frontrunner. Complete with easter eggs, some have also started receiving light blue confetti with their purchases.

Whatever happens this August, everyone from fans to workers of Swift’s are sure to be pleased.

Billie Eilish isn’t a professional athlete, but concerts are a physically demanding activity and she has her own Nike shoe. Now, she has further cemented her place in the sports world: the United States Women’s National Team played Portugal in a FIFA Women’s World Cup game today (August 1), and Eilish narrated an introduction video for the occasion.

Over clips of USWNT soccer highlights, commentator soundbites, and her own “Bad Guy,” Eilish says, “Listen to me: we’ve already seen a glimpse of what it looks like when their backs are against the wall, when they feel like they’re getting pushed around. This is it. If you want to prove to the world you’re still the best, you’ve got to embrace the idea that it’s not going to be easy. Team USA and Portugal in the FIFA Women’s World Cup on FOX.”

The match, by the way, ended in a 0-0 draw. While that’s not a win in itself, it was good news for USWNT, as they needed to either win or tie that game in order to avoid elimination in the group stage (for the first time in USWNT history in the World Cup or Olympics). So, the tie is a big deal, and the USWNT’s World Cup goal remains within reach.

Last year, Bruce Willis announced that he was retiring from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia. “To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities,” the actor’s family wrote in a statement. “As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him.”

Willis has been in some of the most popular movies of all-time, including Die Hard and The Sixth Sense, both of which he probably deserved an Oscar nomination for. The same can be said for his performance in Pulp Fiction, the first and only (credited) time he’s worked with Quentin Tarantino. For now.

Tarantino wants Willis for a “cameo role” in his 10th and final film, The Movie Critic, according to the Daily Express. A source told the publication, “Quentin hasn’t approached Bruce’s family yet – and will completely bow to their wishes if they say he’s too sick. If that’s the case, he aims to try to work a brief clip from one of Bruce’s many previous movies into the film.”

That’s a nice tribute to a great actor (as long as it’s not a scene from Cop Out).

(Via the Daily Express and NME)

If August 2023 in the United States turns out to be anything like July, then you will certainly be looking for ways to stay cool during downtime. The wonderful news is this: TV is here for you. A handful of popular returning TV shows will be on hand while Justified: City Primeval parcels out its remaining doses of Raylan Givens’ hat and swagger.

Enter those Rez Dogs along with the Only Murders trio and the final season of Billions, which will only be the beginning of that franchise. From there, Star Wars junkies will somehow receive another new series. Issa Rae’s latest brainchild returns, too, and there’s a Glass Onion-like story brewing for the end of the month. Oh, and we might be seeing the next Squid Game-type success, so keep your eyes on that one.

Here are the must see shows for August.

Physical: Season 3 (Apple TV+ series streaming 8/2)

Rose Byrne’s other Apple TV+ show (she recently scored a hit with Seth Rogen in Platonic) returns for a final season of darkly comedic aerobicizing. That exercise empire, Body By Sheila, is now under threat due to a rival workout goddess portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, so is there enough room on people’s VHS shelves for both fitness moguls to keep shining amid leg warmers and mega-hairstyles? This show has so much bite, and it will be sorely missed by those who dig tales about unhappy housewives who ditch their stifling lives and move onto entrepreneurial success, albeit with its own hazards.

Reservation Dogs: Season 3 (FX series streaming on Hulu 8/2)

The TV world’s favorite four Indigenous teens (Elora Danan, Bear Smallhill, Willie Jack, and Cheese) will bring Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi’s story home in rural Oklahoma. Actually, they are now stuck in Cali and will be attempting to return home, after which they will try to feel out their futures, which look to be a far cry from what they originally imagined when this show began. As always, the assortment of elders will provide more comedy and drama while the community could still stand to heal past wounds that never quite closed.

The Lincoln Lawyer: Season 2 Part 2 (Netflix series streaming 8/3)

The series picked up the same subject matter as the movie, and whaddya know, the show turned into a streaming hit that kept the adventures of Los Angeles’ most talked-about defense attorney. Naturally, Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) is still running business out of his Lincoln’s backseat, where he’ll handle just about every case, and if you’ve been missing Neve Campbell from the continuing Scream franchise, you can find her here as Season 2 continues.

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty: Season 2 (HBO series streaming on Max 8/6)

Adam McKay brings more of his adaptation of Jeff Pearlman’s Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers, which will see the Lakers prepare to face off with the Boston Celtics in their rivalry for the ages. Expect the personal lives and troubles of Jerry Buss and his team members to play as substantial a role (if not more) than what happens on the court. That’s to be expected in this series, but this season, the show takes on Magic Johnson’s sex addiction, which is only one of many distractions that could cause the team to lose momentum after their phenomenal inaugural season.

Only Murders In The Building: Season 3 (Hulu series streaming 8/8)

The dream team of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and the underappreciated Selena Gomez return once more, and there’s another murder (along with Meryl Streep) that will soon suck them in after a time jump. First, however, the trio must clean up after the resolution of the search for Bunny’s murder, and there shall be no rest for the true crime-obsessed among us. Maybe one day the Emmys will wise up and nominate Selena for this role because she holds her own against comedy legends with a punchy aplomb that will be remembered.

Zombieverse: Season 1 (Netflix series streaming 8/8)

Pay attention to this one because this show could be the next Squid Game. This reality series plops “survivors” into Seoul, South Korea, amid the outbreak of a zombie virus. Various challenges must be completed while the undead remain a constant threat, and we truly are awash with zombie disgustingness these days on TV, aren’t we? No word yet on how this shall be received by viewers of The Walking Dead and The Last Of Us, but it would be mildly surprising if this series isn’t a success.

Rap Sh!t: Season 2 (Max series streaming 8/10)

Issa Rae’s newest premium cable hit will return with Shawna and Mia, two long-lost high school pals who previously came back together as a rap duo, adjusting to music industry demands. That conflict hits a pivotal moment that pushes them to examine whether they can remain themselves or conform, and that’s not the only challenge of this season. The show’s music supervisors spent an inordinate amount of time attempting to clear a certain Drake song, and now, you must tune in to find out whether they got it.

Billions: Season 7 (Showtime series streaming on Paramount+ 8/13)

Whaddya know, Damian Lewis’ Bobby Axelrod is somehow back for one last *cough* job. Whether that job involves leaning deep into betrayal remains unknown for the moment, but expect alliances to fall and old wounds to fester. Enemies and friends find their lines blurred, and man, do enough people give Maggie Siff credit for being one of the most magnetic presences within any ensemble cast? I think not, but sure, Corey Still and Paul Giamatti are cool, too. Once this show takes the final lap, Showtime will somehow launch four spinoffs, and Maggie should appear in all of them.

Star Wars: Ahsoka: Season 1 (Disney+ series streaming 8/23)

Rosario Dawson was largely fancast by the Internet as the title character, and we’ll see if the former Jedi Knight can vanquish “an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy,” as revealed by the synopsis. That’s clear as mud, obviously, but in more known quantities, this live-action series will definitely co-star Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Lars Mikkelson, and Eman Esfandi. Additionally, this series looks to follow up on Ashoka’s place at the end of Star Wars: Rebels and her appearance in The Mandalorian Season 2.

In June, Offset wrote on an Instagram Story, “My wife f*cked a N**** on me gang yall n****s know how I come.” Naturally, that was received as an allegation that Cardi B cheated on him, so she responded. Now, Offset has cleared the whole situation up, admitting that alcohol played a role.

In a new interview on the Way Up With Angela Yee podcast, Offset explained, “Alright, so that post… to be honest, like… me and her going… that’s my wife, I love her to death. We going back and forth, and if you got a New York woman, you know, she’s a pitbull at the mouth. She get crazy at the mouth a little bit, and I was on some… I was really lit that night, I was lit. I had a little Casamigos, you know, I was lit and then we going back and forth, and I’m like, ‘Watch this.’ And it’s like, she got a crazy mouth, but I love my wife at the end of the day, and she crazy, man.”

As for why he didn’t clear up any confusion beyond deleting his post, he explained, “The delete is enough, because at the end of the day, them people don’t be really knowing what’s going on with us, for real.”

Watch Offset’s full interview below.

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Controversy sells, and no one knows that like country singer Jason Aldean. The country singer’s latest single, “Try That In A Small Town,” earned him a new career milestone, becoming Aldean’s first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

The news of the accolade left people online torn. “I’m not even an Aldean fan, but I bought the song to support the message and to cancel, cancel culture,” wrote one.

Another wrote, “I think I’m gonna vomit.”

The song was initially released in May, and after the video’s release in July, the song gained renewed attention and many listeners considered the lyrics racially insensitive, including musicians Jason Isbell and Sheryl Crow. Others took it as far as to call it a pro-lynching anthem. In a statement, Aldean denied that was the intent behind the record.

“[‘Try That In A Small Town’], for me, refers to the feeling of a community that I had growing up, where we took care of our neighbors, regardless of differences of background or belief. Because they were our neighbors, and that was above any differences,” Aldean wrote. “My political views have never been something I’ve hidden from, and I know that a lot of us in this Country don’t agree on how we get back to a sense of normalcy where we go at least a day without a headline that keeps us up at night. But the desire for it to that’s what this song is about.”

Aldean’s chart placement marks the first time three country songs occupy the spots of the Hot 100, as Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” retains the No. 2 slot and Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” is at No. 3.

Experiencing homelessness can take a severe toll on a person’s mental health. Even without studies confirming this (of course, they do), it’s not hard to imagine how not having a safe and comfortable place to live along with a lack of financial resources, nutrition and community—all while having to deal with other health conditions, constant stress, loneliness and the threat of danger—can be damaging to someone’s well-being.

It’s also not hard to understand how repeated exposure to even one of these factors, let alone multiple on any given day, could result in suicidal ideation. According to an article posted by the Harvard Public Health Review in 2018, those experiencing homelessness in the U.S. are nine times more likely to die by suicide than those who aren’t.

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However, even with that alarming statistic, other studies have shown that someone who is prevented from taking an attempt on their own life is far less likely to do it a second time. And while those odds might change when considering life factors like homelessness, there is something to be said about how stepping in can truly keep someone from causing themselves irreparable harm.

And that’s what makes a short, sweet TikTok recently posted by Ryan Mann so powerful.

Mann’s content consists almost entirely of GoPro-style videos of himself riding a motorcycle. A trick here, a crash there, facing different elements. The usual content for a biker.

However, on July 14, we see Mann rushing on his bike toward a man he saw on a nearby bridge. Though it’s impossible to get full context from such a short video, presumably, the man was getting ready to jump off.

Once Mann arrives, he immediately steps off his bike to ask if the man is okay and tell him he was worried about him. The two then exchange a couple of hugs. At the end of the video, the man, who introduced himself as Cameron, confirmed that he was now safe.

Watch:

@ryan_s_mann It doesn’t matter who you were, who you are, or who you’re trying to become, everyday we have the chance to improve someone else’s life. Don’t waste that chance. #mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #bikelife #biker #motorcycle ♬ original sound – ryan_s_mann

Whether or not Cameron was actually dealing with suicidal thoughts, Mann’s stance, which he put in the video’s caption, rings true:

“It doesn’t matter who you were, who you are, or who you’re trying to become, every day we have the chance to improve someone else’s life. Don’t waste that chance.”

Others who watched the video agreed with Mann’s sentiment and praised him for showing kindness.

“Character—doing something for someone you know can offer you nothing in return,” one person wrote.

Another added, “Bro need more compassionate people in society like you. Hopefully, he got some help. That hug had me tearing up. You’re a good person!”

Whether or not Cameron was on the brink of ending his life, it’s clear that at the moment, what he needed most of all was connection. It’s something we all need, and not just in times of peril. A warm interaction with another human is sometimes all it takes for the world to become a little brighter.

And as Mann so eloquently put it, there’s a chance for those little life-changing moments every day.