Blackpink member Lisa has only played a handful of solo shows, none in the United States (unless you count the time she performed on The Tonight Show in 2021). But that’s about to change. The “Rockstar” singer has been announced as one of the headliners for New York City’s Global Citizen Festival on September 28, alongside Post Malone, Doja Cat, Rauw Alejandro, and Jelly Roll. The event will be hosted by Hugh Jackman (who can also sing).
“We are thrilled to join forces with Lisa for what will be her first ever solo performance at a music festival,” said Katie Hill, senior VP, head of music, entertainment, and artist relations at Global Citizen. “Lisa is not only an incredible performer, but also a powerful advocate, leveraging her voice and platform to drive action on some of the most urgent challenges our world is facing.”
The Global Citizen Festival is an annual event held in Central Park “where fans take actions toward ending extreme poverty in order to earn free tickets,” according to the organization’s website. “Our festivals bring together Global Citizens, artists, activists, world leaders, philanthropists, corporate leaders, and more, with one collective mission: end extreme poverty now.”
To get free tickets, you can download the Global Citizen Festival app and “take action on issues that matter to you.” You can also purchase tickets for anywhere from $99 (general admission) to $3,000 (ultimate VIP).
People haven’t been hitting the fast food drive-thrus like they used to. We don’t have to cite any numbers to confirm that, all we have to do is watch all the big fast food chains scrambling to win us back. And they’re definitely trying to do exactly that — because last month all the big brands dropped a new affordable value meal.
And we don’t mean “affordable” adjusting for inflation. Most of these meals hover around $5. That’s certifiably cheap! Good thing too, because $5 is the amount of money consumers feel is fair for fast food quality. Could the brands have gotten away with an $8 meal? Maybe! But $8 doesn’t really feel like a deal, especially when you consider the typical flagship combo meal will run you around $12 minimum.
Suddenly, fast food brands can offer us value once again! And while it makes us a bit mad that they’ve been happy to rip us off until they actually started losing money — we’ll take it! Eating fast food is about convenience, so we’re going to keep doing it as long as it’s financially convenient.
But that got us thinking: which brand is offering you the best bang for your buck? We found out by picking up each new value meal and ranking them from worst to best tasting. Here is who came out on top.
7. Carl’s Jr. — 2 for $6 Chicken Tender Wraps
Carl’s Jr.
Price: $6
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Carl’s Jr. certainly tried with this one, but we’d hardly call selling two menu items no one asked for or wants for $6 a “deal.”
So this one is ranking dead last for us, and that’s before we even get to what the dish tastes like. If for some reason you’re curious, the Chicken Tender Wraps come in three variations, Ranch, BBQ, or Santa Fe, and consist of a single chicken tender wrapped in a tortilla with lettuce, and topped with cheese, and one of the above sauces.
The chicken tender is fine, the tortilla is terrible and undercooked, the lettuce is flavorless, and the tiny sprinkle of cheese is downright offensive. You’re better off ordering chicken tenders than bothering with this lazy menu remix.
If I must rank the individual tenders, I’m going:
1. Santa Fe. 2. BBQ 3. Ranch
But honestly, just an order of fries will be more enjoyable than this “dish.”
The Bottom Line:
The sort of fast food deal we’re all better off ignoring until they come up with something better.
Like Carl’s Jr, Jack in the Box didn’t exactly get the message that people aren’t willing to eat fast food if it is too expensive, this deal is fine, but it’s not great. $5 will get you two Jumbo Jacks, a burger that is, at best, mid.
The beef patties in the Jumbo Jack are bland, they’re more texture than they are flavor. Most of the flavor comes from the thick-cut pickles, which give the burger an earthy tang, and the ketchup and mayo, which offers a sweet, bright, and mildly savory finish.
The burger is fine enough, but I rather JiB pair a single burger with fries and a drink rather than a whole other burger.
The Bottom Line:
You’ve certainly had a better burger in fast food, and the deal here isn’t good enough to justify a trip to the JiB drive-thru.
The price of this one surprises me. Taco Bell is famous for the value of its menu. You can feed a whole party of four for under $20, that’s a rarity in fast food. So I’m a bit puzzled as to why Taco Bell’s value meal is so expensive.
$7 gets you a drink, a Chalupa Supreme, a Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, a Double Stacked Taco, and chips with nacho cheese sauce. Everything in this meal works, the Chalupa Supreme features a thick tortilla loaded up with Taco Bell’s zesty ground beef, lettuce, cheese, and tomato. It’s delicious and it’s satisfying.
The Beefy 5-Layer Burrito is a classic, it consists of a large flour tortilla loaded up with beans, beef, cheese, sour cream, and a layer of nacho cheese sauce. It’s a cheesy beefy masterpiece!
The Double Stacked Taco, I’m less sold on. This is just a crunchy taco, wrapped in a flour tortilla with some nacho cheese sauce binding it together. It’s fine, but honestly, I find the regular crunchy taco superior as the single layer of tortilla allows you to focus on the flavor of the beef.
The Nachos and cheese sauce are a throwaway item, cinnamon twists would’ve been a better option.
The Bottom Line:
Overall this is a decent deal, but you can probably find a better way to spend $7 at Taco Bell.
KFC’s Taste of KFC deal is pretty damn solid. $4.99 gets you two Original Recipe drumsticks, mashed potatoes, and a biscuit.
The Original Recipe chicken is KFC’s best product, the skin isn’t as crispy as you expect from fried chicken but the flavor is a wonderful mix of thyme, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, basil, oregano, floral paprika, and a gentle hint of celery salt.
This dish offers a lot of flavor in a single bite of chicken that is made all the better when you use the drumstick as a spoon for the mashed potatoes and gravy. The only real downside of this dish is you don’t get a drink.
The Bottom Line:
Delicious. A mix of KFC’s best foods for just $5. It hits the spot, but it probably won’t satisfy a big appetite.
This is probably the highest Burger King has ever placed in one of our fast food rankings but credit where credit is due, this is a damn good deal.
The best part of this meal is that you have options. For $5 you can choose between a Whopper Jr, a Bacon Cheeseburger, or a Chicken Jr. alongside a four-piece order of nuggets, fries, and a drink. That is straight-up a full meal, so points to BK for that alone.
For this taste test, I went with what I think is the best option — the Whopper Jr. The Whopper Jr. has this addictive charred flavor alongside thick raw onion rings, tomatoes, lettuce, and mayo on a small sesame seed bun. I prefer the Jr. to the full-size Whopper as the meat-to-bread ratio is a little bit better here, allowing you to taste that charred beef in all its glory.
The fries, while not my favorite, are pretty good (they’re fried potatoes, it’s kind of hard to f*ck up this dish), while the nuggets offer a zesty flavor that is easily enhanced by dunking them in some smokey BBQ sauce.
The Bottom Line:
One of the best deals in fast food. It’s like a greatest-hits package of BK’s best menu items.
I’m going to call Burger King and McDonald’s essentially a tie. What you lose in variety here (your only sandwich option is a McDouble or McCrispy) you gain in flavor, because McDonald’s is better than Burger King. Marginally better, but still better.
The obvious pick here is the McDouble, and as weird as the McDouble is (there is an uncanny fake quality about this burger, it looks like an alien’s version of Earth food) sometimes that signature McDonald’s flavor is just too addicting to pass up on.
The burger build consists of two pieces of thin beef, two slices of American cheese, chopped lightly grilled onions, pickles, ketchup, and mustard. It’s one of the only burgers I’d describe as “sweet,” which is a weird way to describe a savory cheeseburger but I’m not going to sit here and pretend lightly sugared beef doesn’t taste magical, no matter how uncomfortable the thought makes me.
Paired with this burger is an order of what is perhaps fast food’s best french fries, a four-piece chicken nugget (which is the perfect amount not to overstay its welcome), and a drink of your choice. There is nothing not to like about this meal, if you’re already a McDonald’s fan, this is the ideal combination of foods from its menu.
The Bottom Line:
Reason alone to hit up a McDonald’s drive-thru immediately. That’s what a meal deal should inspire, and this one delivers 100%.
Simply put, you’re not going to find this level of quality at any of the other fast food restaurants. It’s the only burger on this list that is made from fresh beef, and for that reason alone, this wins. It also helps that it tastes better than everything else.
The Wendy’s Biggie Bag features your choice of a Crispy Chicken Sandwich or a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger, a four-piece order of nuggets, fries, and a drink. Obviously, the right move is the Junior Bacon Cheeseburger. The burger is juicy, beefy, savory, and topped with the best bacon in all of fast food. This beef + this bacon alone is worth $5.
If however you rather have a chicken sandwich, this is a great one! The chicken is tender and crispy, and you can choose between spicy, which has a strong cayenne kick, or classic. Now, this isn’t a Popeyes or Chick-fil-A-level chicken sandwich, but it comes pretty close. We can’t say that about any of the other brands out there.
To me though the Junior Bacon Cheeseburger is the right choice because you also get a side of chicken nuggets, which will satiate your craving for crispy fried chicken. Wendy’s fries aren’t the best, but they aren’t bad either, so while this meal isn’t a perfect 10/10, it comes closer than any other meal on this list.
The Bottom Line:
Fast food’s best tasting deal. If you only want to spend $5 a week (or day) on fast food, Wendy’s is the best choice.
While it may not be as popular as bourbon, rye whiskey is still a surging category. Although bourbon is America’s national spirit, what many people don’t know is that before Prohibition, rye whiskey was king. These days, the category is making yet another resurgence, as we’re again seeing brands embrace the more spice-driven flavor profile that rye can bring to the table. It also helps that rye whiskey has a tendency to mature more quickly at a young age, meaning that craft distilleries can compete with legacy producers much sooner — evening the playing field and leading to competition in the market that raises the level of quality for consumers.
This is no blip on the map; rye whiskey has an extensive history in the U.S. that rivals that of bourbon, and with so many producers embracing the category, we’ve seen an influx of ryes that indeed beat out the best bourbon in the world in blind tastings. So in the wake of us tasting and ranking the 24 best bourbons of 2024 (so far) it felt right that we should turn our attention to American whiskey’s other major category.
Don’t worry, American Single Malt Whiskey is well on its way too.
To start, we compiled a list of the top 40 rye whiskeys that we tried so far this year and then tasted them all blind to remove any bias or preconceived notions. The list runs the gamut from ongoing releases that fans already know and love to brand-new releases from nascent producers who have never previously received coverage here at UPROXX. As for the results, well, read on to see them for yourself!
Here’s the full list of our top 24 rye whiskies — 16 bottles from the original tasting not having made the cut — of 2024:
All Points West Mid-Atlantic Pot Still Rye
Blue Run Emerald Rye
Brook Hill Rye Whiskey
Bulleit Rye 12-Year-Old
E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof Rye
Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye
Kings County Empire Rye Single Barrel
Knob Creek 10-Year-Old Rye
Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel Rye
Never Say Die Rye Whiskey
New Riff Old Riff Rye Whiskey
Old Forester 100 Proof Rye
Peerless Rye
Pinhook 8-Year Vertical Series Rye
Raconteur Rye
Rare Breed Rye
Rossville Union 6-Year Bottled in Bond Rye
Sagamore Bottled In Bond Rye
Southern Star Rye
Starlight Distillery Toasted Series Double Oaked Rye
Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye is a new expression from the mega-brand that debuted in 2023. The newly minted ongoing release is bottled in bond and joins Triple Mash and Tennessee Whiskey in the Jack Daniel’s Bonded Series.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Lavender honey, celery, and dill seed lead on the nose of this one. Maple candy with slight salinity and a nice dose of black pepper also makes up the aroma notes here.
Palate: The vegetal notes from the nose lead the charge on the palate, with clove and oak following suit. At midpalate is where the maple candy starts to assert itself more forcefully. However, lavender honey remains at the fore while a slight touch of lemon zest buoys all of those sweeter notes, keeping things relatively light and refreshing with a moderate texture.
Finish: As this sip dissipates, it ends with the flavor of Smarties candy and a few more dashes of black pepper as the mouthfeel dulls and the brief finish tapers off.
Bottom Line:
Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye is not only a fantastic bang-for-your-buck bottle, but it’s just damn good in its own right. The big-time maple notes that permeate the rest of Jack Daniel’s whiskey are much more subdued here, allowing a ton of interesting rye flavor to assert itself. This whiskey is also incredibly versatile, and though it begs to be enjoyed neat, it’s sure to do a bang-up job in a cocktail like a Sazerac.
23. Kentucky Peerless Distilling Small Batch Rye Whiskey
The modern Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. has been on the scene since 2015, and like many other brands, it opted to forgo releasing an unaged spirit at its start. Rye whiskey was their first release, and their now 3-year-old flagship rye continues to be their bread and butter.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Buttered wheat toast and herbal tea perfume the air with a nice proofy punch — that’ll wake you up. With the aroma of vanilla cone and peppercorns providing some support in the background, this is an earthy, subtly sweet nose.
Palate: Once this pour reaches your palate, it continues to translate with earthy tones of clove, gentle oak tannins, and black tea with hazelnut cream. The mouthfeel is light and spry, with a slightly citric flavor that gives some zip to the midpalate.
Finish: The finish has whipped cream and black pepper in spades that run down your chest, but it grips the palate with some oaky astringency before it goes.
Bottom Line:
Peerless Rye is made using the sweet mash process, wherein the fermenters are completely emptied and cleaned for each batch of whiskey they make. That meticulous process is most evidenced by the liquid’s ‘clean’ mouthfeel and distinctly layered rich flavors. Peerless Rye is a standout because it delivers an extra kick of flavor with these deceptively zippy barrel-proof small-batch offerings.
All Points West is a small distillery located in the Ironbound section of Newark, New Jersey. Its rich pot still whiskey follows more historical methods, which is a point of emphasis and pride for Founder and Head Distiller Gil Spaier.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This impressively vivacious nose smacks of spearmint gum, stewed peaches, and pot-still funk. There’s clove and maple syrup to be discovered after a few waves of the hand and swirls of the glass, as well as some walnut shell and black pepper.
Palate: A warming wave washes over your palate on the first sip that perfectly hits the Goldilocks zone of being “just right.” There’s an oiliness in the texture and caramel-inflected spearmint notes that soon clear space for maple syrup and a vegetal note of sweet pickles.
Finish: The finish on this whiskey is marked by a nondescript floral note and more cooked peaches before a nice touch of black pepper spice cuts through the viscousness and sends you on your way with a smile.
Bottom Line:
All Points West Mid-Atlantic Pot Still Rye is fantastic stuff, but what’s really remarkable is that it clearly knows what it wants to be. This is rye whiskey of another era, and because of that, it captures a dense, uniquely flavored profile that’s exceedingly impressive in a modern landscape of monkey see, monkey do.
Rossville Union’s Bonded Rye joins not only Ross & Squibb’s underrated Rossville Union lineup but also parent brand MGP’s prolific rye output. The distillery was pumping out rye under the Seagram’s banner at a high clip for decades before the more recent rye resurgence and all of that expertise is on display with their in-house brands. Rossville Union first debuted in June of 2018 but this Bonded version was launched in 2023 thanks to Ross & Squibb Master Distiller Ian Stirsman.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this rye is really grain-forward at first — think wheat biscuits — but once that top note blows off it’s all mint, vanilla, and cinnamon. Dried cranberries, cucumber, and meaty Brazil nut aromas further enhance the nosing notes and make for an intriguing introduction.
Palate: Have you ever had the pleasure of stirring apple juice with a cinnamon stick? That flavor is readily apparent on the palate here before the more earthy wheat biscuit note resurfaces and brings some black pepper, brown sugar, and lemon peel in tow.
Finish: The surprisingly dense mouthfeel is aided by a bit more baking spice on the finish, which is medium-to-long and continues to carry the apple and cinnamon notes from midpalate through the end.
Bottom Line:
Rossville Union’s Bottled in Bond Rye is a fascinating case study of zagging while others are zigging. Sure, MGP is now famous for popularizing the 95% rye, 5% malted barley recipe, and they supply some of the most awarded American whiskey brands on the market, but the fact they opted for a new high malt mash bill of 51% rye and 49% malted barley with this release — and delivered satisfying results — is highly commendable.
Old Forester 100 Proof Rye was seemingly designed to be a bartender’s best friend. Featuring a mash bill of 65% Rye, 20% Malted Barley, and 15% Corn and owned by Brown-Forman this is one of the more ubiquitously available bottles on the list.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Spiced nuts, warm and blended with paprika and red pepper, really pops on the nose here. The aroma of aloe vera, orange rind, and sweet honey also hang in the air and whet the palate before your first sip.
Palate: More peanuts find the flat of the tongue, and paprika with caramel swirls and vanilla extract fan out to the periphery and climb up the roof of the mouth. The mouthfeel is, frankly, a bit sparse, but who gives a damn when you’re able to enjoy such a refined flavor profile executed in such a delightful balance?
Finish: The finish finds charred red peppers and a hint of date syrup with barrel char as it saunters away with a medium length.
Bottom Line:
Delivering an excellent sipping experience for under $30 should be on every distillery’s bucket list, and with this expression, Old Forester might be the preeminent example in the rye category. This is a thoroughly balanced and exceedingly enjoyable rye at an awesome price.
Blue Run Golden Rye is the crown jewel in the brand’s rye lineup. While they’ve also released the tasty Emerald Rye to respectable fanfare, this lower-proof offering, which will reportedly be the final batch in the lineup, is a tad more crowd-pleasing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose greets you with honey and graham crackers and comes across as distinctly sugary at first. After a few swirls, you’ll begin to uncover some of the white pepper hiding underneath and a touch of grassiness to boot.
Palate: The palate is, again, light and sweet, with sugar cookie, graham cracker, and a dollop of honey gracing the tip of the tongue. A pop of candied ginger and a gentle kiss of lemon zest can be found as this transitions to the finish. With regards to the mouthfeel, it’s almost effervescent with a light and lively tack that pairs well with the flavor wheel.
Finish: The finish continues the trend of honey and lemon with some delicate rye spice, helping to prevent things from becoming too dessert-like. It’s short to medium, but that, too, works here.
Bottom Line:
The palate of contemporary American whiskey drinkers is beginning to come around. While high-octane bruisers continue to enjoy popularity, pours with more finesse and nuance are beginning to make their mark — and it’s those drinkers that Blue Run Golden Rye is for.
18. Starlight Distillery Toasted Series Double Oaked Rye
Starlight Toasted Series Double Oaked Rye is a brand new expression from Borden, Indiana’s pride and joy. The distillery operated as a winery for generations before more recently developing a distilling program that has been cranking out world-class rye whiskey over the past few years. The Toasted Series was launched earlier this year and will become an ongoing release for the brand.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whiskey is spearmint heavy with some confectioners sugar, allspice, and honey as accenting aromas. If you spend some more time with it, you’ll also unlock aromas like toasted brown marshmallows and nutmeg.
Palate: Woah, this pour comes alive on the palate in a significant way. What’s immediately remarkable is the balance the flavors display as they each line up, one behind the other, to strut their stuff. Take a little clove and dark chocolate-covered vanilla cone, then splash it together with some orange rind expression over a bed of toasted oak, and you’ve got yourself one tasty pour.
Finish: Allspice returns to the fray on the finish, along with a rising impression of spearmint gum. The finish is medium length and that works just fine here.
Bottom Line:
Starlight has a ton of underappreciated rye in stock. From their Old Rickhouse Rye to all of their finished rye projects, it seems like they can’t miss. What’s unique to appreciate here with their Toasted Series Rye is how the distillery’s typically lean-and-clean texture is a bit burlier in this case, which carries with it a bit more flavor.
Baltimore, Maryland might be famous for The Wire but the Sagamore Distillery is a real-life example of the city’s grit in the best way possible. This 6-year Bottled in Bond expression is 100% distilled in Maryland and features a blend of two straight rye whiskeys of differing mashbills.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Sagamore’s Bottled in Bond 6-year rye is marked by gobs of gooey caramel, vanilla ice cream with mint sprigs atop, and leather. This whiskey has a wonderfully dense nose that primes the palate for what seems as though it will be a sumptuous sipping experience.
Palate: The mouth is met with a viscous liquid that leads with honeyed mint tea before turning a bit floral and introducing some sticky toffee. The rye coats your palate at first, but that quickly dissipates and leaves a bit of an opening as it transitions to the finish.
Finish: Wow, so despite that brief lull in action, the finish picks up with the flavor of fresh nectarines and white pepper with young oak that proceeds with impressive length.
Bottom Line:
While Sagamore has long been distilling, they’ve also long been sourcing their liquid from Indiana — which is no crime. But the inauguration of their Maryland-distilled whiskey is exciting not just for those who support craft distilling but for rye fans who want to see more well-made products on the market. This is one such product.
Never Say Die gets its name from the fateful story of a foal who supposedly was poured a shot of whiskey and went on to win a horse race. Tall tales aside, this brand is intriguing because it leans into its tagline “Kentucky provenance, English character” by utilizing whiskey sourced from Danville, KY, that spent 5 years aging there before being sent to White Peak Distillery in England for additional resting before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Blimey! Maple candy and clover honey come tumbling over the rim of the glass to greet the nose, with a faint red licorice note, polished leather, and a slightly vegetal aroma of dill. Vanilla and butterscotch can also be found after some time.
Palate: A bit of bubblegum hits the tip of the tongue while the vanilla aspect from the nosing notes really comes out on the palate at first splash. Those initial flavors are bolstered by notes of brioche, candied walnuts, and sweet Red Vines licorice candy.
Finish: Oh, and the finish is full of vanilla pod, buttercream, black pepper, and young oak. It dissipates away slowly and gives a surprisingly more bourbon-like impression than one would expect.
Bottom Line:
With a proprietary mashbill of 56% Rye, 33% Corn, and 11% Malted Barley to go with an atypical maturation process, Never Say Die Rye is wholly unique and uniquely delicious. If you can’t surmise where the liquid might be sourced from, then you should know that one of the world’s foremost fermentation experts, Dr. Pat Heist, helped Never Say Die’s founders establish their brand.
Widow Jane hails from the Red Hook neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY, and is primarily known for its stellar blends of sourced whiskey. For its Paradigm Rye, however, they’ve kicked things up a notch—still utilizing that sourced stock but blending it with their own distillate and proofing it down with their signature mineral water from the Rosendale Mines in New York.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A bit of cloying, almost artificial sweetness, perfumes the air at first. On a second whiff, a distinct mint tea aroma melds well with the scents of celery seed and chalky sweetness reminiscent of Smarties candies.
Palate: Wow, the palate is resplendent with honey and mint tea before that lovely Smarties candy note arrives at midpalate. Add to that just a touch of oak and a warm, viscous mouthfeel, and this is a pour that you will revel in on the second sip more than the first. And then the third more than the second.
Finish: A touch of tobacco leaf and golden raisins accent the back end of each sip, which has just enough staying power to allow you to savor those well-balanced flavor notes.
Bottom Line:
One of the bigger surprises of this entire blind was how this pour performed — it simply deserves respect. While the art of blending has been slow to receive its due credit in the American whiskey world, Widow Jane is leading the change with precocious expressions like Paradigm Rye.
Wilderness Trail is one of the pioneers of sweet mash American whiskey, and while their standard rye has helped to cause a major shift in the market, their latest 7-year release, which debuted in 2023, is looking to change the game again. Age-stated ryes have become all the rage, and Wilderness Trail is well-positioned to ride the wave.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is full of maple candy sweetness, gentle rye spice, and mellow oak tannins. There’s black pepper and a bit of butterscotch, along with some umami notes that permeate the nosing notes.
Palate: The texture of this whiskey is surprisingly spry, as bubblegum and buttered popcorn come across the palate at first. After chewing the whiskey, a maple candy note comes forth. That maple candy note soon fuses with milk chocolate, nougat, and caramel as the texture becomes leaner and a few more baking spices come into play. Imagine nutmeg and black pepper sprinkled over a Milky Way bar and you’re not too far off.
Finish: The finish is where a fair amount of mint and rye spice is hiding out, a pleasant reminder that you’re sipping a rye whiskey. The finish is also silky and long-lasting, a credit to the whiskey.
Bottom Line:
Wilderness Trail is well-regarded for making high-quality whiskey, and its rye casts the brightest spotlight on its capability. For this new 7-year release, the flavor profile leaves behind the more minty tones in its 4-year product to introduce darker sweet notes that translate well at a higher age.
Rare Breed is well-regarded as one of the most reliable high-quality whiskies on the market, courtesy of the reputation established by its bourbon expression. Launched in 2021, Rare Breed Rye has been building on that reputation and features a blend of 4, 6, and 8-year-old straight rye whiskeys.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rye spice floats through the air at first, but it isn’t alone. The aroma of chocolate truffle dust, orange buttercream, sorghum sugariness, and shaved ginger soon appears in spades. There’s also a bit of nutmeg and a few floral notes on the nose as well.
Palate: Orange blossom and buttercream hit the tip of the tongue in addition to some lovely honeyed mint tea flavors. As you swirl the whiskey on your tongue, chocolate mousse notes begin to develop at the mid-palate. Finally, there are hints of nutmeg, almonds, and a strong oak presence.
Finish: The finish is lengthy and full of robust baking spice that rises in prominence. More chocolate truffle and mint sweetness provide balance, along with black pepper and clove.
Bottom Line:
Rare Breed Rye is one of the most underrated expressions in Wild Turkey’s world-class portfolio, but as the brand continues to get liquid to lips, that shouldn’t be a problem because tasting is believing. This is one of the best readily available rye whiskeys on the planet.
12. Kings County Barrel Strength Empire Rye Whiskey
Kings County operates out of the Brooklyn Naval Yard and is highly regarded as New York’s oldest distillery. It’s also one of the inaugural Committed Members that got legislation passed to officially recognize “Empire Rye” as a designation. That means 75% of the mash bill must be New York State-grown rye and aged for a minimum of two years, among other specifications. This particular single barrel is over three years old.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: French vanilla and dates are immediately evident on the nose, along with some sassafras, toffee, and plenty of barrel char.
Palate: On the palate, you’ll find those rich dark notes take the lead, with toffee and barrel char being the main players. On the periphery, there’s a bit of smokiness, some piquant lemon zest, a touch of mintiness, and some of the French vanilla from the nose.
Finish: The finish is long and buttery, with a drizzle of honey serving to lighten up the overall flavor profile.
Bottom Line:
Kings County’s Empire Rye is a revelation in that it’s a far departure from their bourbon’s much darker, more brooding profile. The light notes of lemon zest and honey cling to the palate and make this one rye you’ll want to savor over the course of hours, not minutes.
Pinhook has been going strong for a few years now with its Vertical Series, but this new rye expression might be the highlight. Blended from just 32 barrels, the limited edition release uses rye whiskey from MGP of Indiana.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nosing notes are full of orange zest, green apple, and burnt sugar. There are also aspects of brown sugar, flaky pie crust, butter, and rich mint floating in the air around the glass.
Palate: On the palate, all of those notes come together, and it tastes buttery like a chocolate croissant. With a slick texture, it generously coats your mouth and carries a bit of black pepper up the roof while brown sugar sweetness pools at midpalate.
Finish: The finish is a deft balance of gentle baking spice, fresh mint, and buttered chocolate croissant that goes on and on. Seriously, you’ll still be enjoying this one long after your last sip.
Bottom Line:
Pinhook’s 8-Year Vertical Series Rye isn’t the first exceptional bottle in the lineup, but it is, in fact, the best. Future iterations of this expression, which will be released annually until the liquid turns 12, have a new high bar to reach.
Southern Distilling Co., out of Statesville, North Carolina, is putting out some incredibly underrated whiskey. Their wheated bourbon is getting a lot of attention, but their rye is secretly the show’s star. This blend of straight ryes is finished in ex-bourbon barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A bunch of honeycombs and fresh mint aromas leap out at you when you first whiff of this whiskey, along with some green tea, vanilla ice cream, and sugary cucumber.
Palate: Honeyed mint tea with matcha makes the first impression of this whiskey a stellar one. Add a bit of dried strawberry and juicy orange. Southern Star’s rye has a delicious and weighty palate that rolls over your tongue and impressively coats the roof of your mouth along with your tongue.
Finish: The finish has an iron grip as the honey makes you suck your teeth to reveal more dried fruit and a floral note of rosewater. Black pepper and cucumber can be found on this lengthy finish as well.
Bottom Line:
Here’s another stunning new rye ready to compete with the big boys. As aforementioned, Southern Distilling Co. is starting to turn heads with its superlative whiskey, and if you’re a fan of excellent rye, then you need to add this to your shopping list immediately.
9. Raconteur Rye
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ABV: Average Price:
The Whiskey:
Raconteur Rye is the brainchild of veteran whiskey writer David Jennings, the founder of Rare Bird 101. For this release, he partnered with the Woodwork Collective to create a wholly unique blend of rye whiskeys. One of those ryes was finished in rare Mizunara casks.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Clove, chocolate, and nougat make an initial strong impression on the nose before notes of candied pecans, faint cedar, and alluring orange pith also punch through.
Palate: The cedar from the nose transforms into oak on the palate as the first sip envelopes your tongue in the flavor of buttercream. Wow, as you sit back and appreciate this sip, it’s difficult not to marvel at how well put together this bottle is. The texture is robust and silky, with chocolate and dried strawberries pooling at midpalate while a dusting of clove flits up the roof of the mouth along with a bit of peanut brittle.
Finish: Nutmeg and some charred red pepper flesh are relegated to the finish, but their inclusion elevates the experience. There’s also some brown sugar that sneaks in, too.
Bottom Line:
Raconteur Rye is an incredibly strong first offering from this pair of collaborators. It’s both immediately enjoyable but also challenges you to seek each layer of flavor. Rest assured, those flavors will be well-defined once they are found.
Willett Family Estate bottlings are legendary in both the bourbon and rye whiskey world, with high-end expressions in both categories that fetch tens of thousands of dollars on the secondary market. They take choice barrels of rye and bottle them at cask strength for their standard four-year-old expression.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma of fresh red grapes and candied green apple is really rich on the nose, with butterscotch and a faint bit of fudge and polished leather adding to the affair.
Palate: Dark chocolate, savory dates, butterscotch, and some clove come through in a major way on the incredibly dense palate. The whiskey itself just feels heavy, rolling over your tongue while subtly coating it.
Finish: A medium-long finish where leather and milk chocolate leave a welcome impression along with black pepper and, surprisingly… bay leaves? That’s not what you might expect but it’s there and it delivers.
Bottom Line:
Willett Family Estate Rye is so polarizing because of the variety that exists under the brand’s banner, but when you find exceptional barrels, you’ll understand the hype. This particular single barrel is full of magic and goes to show why folks say that rye can be truly special, even at only four years of age.
Bulleit 12-Year Rye is back again after being originally released in 2019. The 2024 edition actually contains whiskey from the first release, which, if you do the math, means there’s much older whiskey in this blend.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Green caramel apple aromas fill the glass and waft over the rim with a touch of honeyed mint tea, allspice, buttercream, and sweet oak. There’s also a distinctive floral aspect that draws you in.
Palate: Oak and allspice take the lead, but those notes are soon supplanted by a dollop of caramel, a mint milk chocolate shake, and the crisp green apple found on the nose.
Finish: Sweet oak and white pepper are abundant on the finish, which has a medium length that gently recedes, leaving you craving the next sip.
Bottom Line:
Look, Bulleit’s 95% rye and 5% malted barley grain recipe is famous for a reason — it’s a crowd-pleaser that helped redefine the category. With some added age, the whiskey takes on a richer depth of flavor and delivers an incredible value that’s well worth taking advantage of while supplies last.
Knob Creek has been putting out stellar rye for a long time, but their brand new 10-year-old expression was released in early June and is now the oldest age-stated rye in the Knob Creek lineup.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Knob Creek 10-Year Rye is oaky with an intriguing note of petrichor to go along with dark chocolate and a Brazil nut meatiness.
Palate: Pecans and nutmeg are the standout flavors on the palate of this pour, with a bit of wheat toast and honey bolstering this fine-tuned and expertly balanced whiskey. The robust mouthfeel defies its modest proof and serves as a fat red cherry on top.
Finish: More honey and wheat toast define the back end of this pour, while a touch of barrel char contributes to the outstanding finish as well.
Bottom Line:
Knob Creek’s regular 7-year rye is not exactly my jam, but that’s not because it’s flawed. It’s just okay. Ironic then that adding some oakiness is just what it needed to turn the dial from ehh to eleven. This is sure to be a new standard for a lot of rye enthusiasts, and it should be.
5. Ol’ New Riff Bottled In Bond Straight Rye Whiskey
Ol’ New Riff is a bit of an oxymoron and doubly so because this “Ol’” expression is the newest release in New Riff’s lineup. With a grain bill of 65% balboa rye, 30% heirloom corn, and 15% two-row malted barley, this expression has only been on the market since mid-May 2024.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Admire the air out of this glass as the aroma of candied walnuts and paprika combine with leather, Red Vines, and figs. Then, go in for a second whiff as vanilla and clove appear out of nowhere.
Palate: More ripe figs can be found on the palate, along with an abundance of delicious nutmeg and root beer notes. Plumbing the substantive mouthfeel reveals further flavors like coffee bean and hazelnut spread.
Finish: The finish is where the hazelnut shines, along with a bit of barrel char and cinnamon. It’s also surprisingly long-lasting, and I hate to say that when tasted blind, it did have something of a “dusty” quality, making it seem “Old.”
Bottom Line:
The name of this whiskey is a bit too tongue-in-cheek for my liking, but your tongue-in-cheek will absolutely adore the liquid itself. New Riff has mastered Bottled in Bond whiskey and the sweet mash process, especially with their rye expressions. This is the finest example of their mastery yet.
E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Rye has long been teased, hitting the TTB website a few years back, but it’s finally ready for market in 2024. Aged at Buffalo Trace Distillery, this brand-new release marks the second rye expression in the E.H. Taylor lineup, joining E.H. Taylor Jr. Straight Rye, which is Bottled in Bond.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma of thick honeycomb, sweet peas, restrained mint, and chocolate truffle dust accent the air around the glass after pouring this dense whiskey. The proof seems tame and allows you to dip your nose into the glass and truly explore each layer of flavor, with some gooey caramel, peanut brittle, and charred red pepper also making an appearance.
Palate: The texture is immediately dense on the palate. This robust rye whiskey brings plenty of Manuka honey, rich chocolate truffle dust, and freshly picked mint rolling over the tongue in a viscous wave. On the second sip, the proof becomes more evident as the flavor of charred red pepper and vanilla ice cream’s sweetness fuse with a touch of cayenne and white pepper.
Finish: The finish is remarkably lengthy and mouth-warming as the liquid penetrates every corner of your palate and gives your upper chest a gentle hug full of clove, mint, and peanut brittle.
Bottom Line:
Expectations were high for E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Rye as a brand-new cask-strength bottling from one of Buffalo Trace Distillery’s most well-regarded whiskey lineups. The results are as follows: those expectations have been exceeded. Despite its significant proof, this rye whiskey couples an impressive approachability with a remarkable depth of flavor that will leave you sucking your tongue and parsing additional layers long after your last sip. It’s stunning to think that this is just the first release in what will surely be a well-received and highly sought-after line extension from America’s oldest continuously operating distillery.
Wild Turkey’s Master’s Keep series has been their premium annual offering since it was first inaugurated back in 2015. Now, as the series reaches its ninth year, they’ve opted to release just the second rye whiskey under the banner with Triumph.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sweet green apple notes play well with candied orange peel, cinnamon, and clove for this dense and remarkably well-balanced nose.
Palate: Don’t read too much into this, but it tastes like old books on the tip of the tongue. There’s a slightly dusty quality to it that melds well with the bounty of brown sugar and green apples found at midpalate.
Finish: Brown sugar, black pepper, and vanilla cone are the defining aspects of this finish, which is medium length but don’t worry — it lasts just long enough for you to savor it before returning to the well.
Bottom Line:
Wild Turkey’s latest Master’s Keep edition lives up to its name by delivering one of the best damn rye whiskeys Wild Turkey has ever released — surpassing even the superlative Cornerstone release from 2019. If you’ve been paying close attention to how good Wild Turkey’s rye output has been over the past few years, then that shouldn’t surprise you. This is most certainly a Triumph.
Brook Hill is the latest revived brand under the Rare Character banner. With a history that dates back to the turn of the 19th century, the modern-day Brook Hill is now releasing exclusive bourbons and rye, with only 6 single barrels of the rye hitting the market so far this year.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Milk chocolate, like the milk in a bowl after you finish your Cocoa Puffs, and sweet mint are most immediately alluring on the nose. Stick around a while, and you’ll also find chunks of toffee, polished leather, and paprika contributing to this dark and brooding nose.
Palate: Candied walnuts hit the palate along with a big spoonful of brown sugar before that Cocoa Puff milk note begins to pool at midpalate, whetting the edges of your tongue. Paprika and barrel char are relegated to the shotgun seat as some nutmeg, Smarties candy, and dried cranberries steer the ship before this transitions into the finish.
Finish: Almost chalky as the texture grips the back of your tongue before tapping out. There’s some oak and nuttiness on the finish, along with drops of honey, but despite the impressive length of those flavors, you’ll probably be on your second glass before you truly appreciate them.
Bottom Line:
Brook Hill came out of the gate strong, but then, that’s what Rare Character has become known for. They don’t half-step when it comes to new releases, and ever since introducing Brook Hill to the market in 2023, they’ve been batting 1.000. Step right up and see what the hype is all about.
Michter’s is known for being meticulous with their releases, and not just the ultra-premium ones, utilizing proprietary custom filtration for each of their whiskeys. For 2024’s 10-year single barrel, Michter’s uses yet another custom filter to ensure this year’s version is different from years prior while maintaining the expression’s award-winning quality.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Huge scoops of vanilla ice cream with mint sprigs melt out of the glass. With Manuka honey and gentle leather accents in the background, this is such a classic Michter’s rye nose that it’s immediately identifiable. And awesome.
Palate: Rich buttercream, fresh cinnamon bark, creamy milk chocolate, crisp red apples…need I go on? Michter’s always does an incredible job with whiskey at a lower proof, and these 10-year expressions offer the grandest stage for them to showcase that prowess. Here, the mouthfeel is jaw-dropping, and the richness of the flavors hit you in lush waves, one after another, but they never threaten to overwhelm your senses. There’s enough runway for each excellent flavor note to take flight.
Finish: The finish undulates away gently after a considerable length of time, sucking your teeth for more hazelnut cream and sweet oak tones.
Bottom Line:
In a year (so far) full of legendary rye whiskeys, it should be enough to tell you, dear reader, that Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel Rye stands head and shoulders above the rest. This is one of the whiskeys that will define the year, and if you aren’t already in love with rye, then the 2024 Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel is Cupid’s arrow in a bottle.
We don’t talk about Russell Crowe‘s late 1990s, early 2000s run enough. In a seven-year span, the actor starred in L.A. Confidential, The Insider, Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind (maybe not his finest film, but a Best Picture-winning hit nonetheless), and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. He was nominated for Best Actor three years in a row! The South Park parody was the icing on the Australian cake (so, Lamingtons?). But while the world waits for more adventures on the oceans, which are now battlefields, another of Crowe’s films from this era is getting a sequel, albeit without his involvement.
Paramount Pictures has released the first trailer for Gladiator II, which sounds pretty great. Directed by Ridley Scott, the sequel stars Paul Mescal as Luicus, the son of Lucilla, played by returning cast member Connie Nielsen. He’s “forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people,” according to the synopsis.
The cast also includes Pedro Pascal as Roman general Marcus Acacius and Denzel Washington as “pretty fucking cruel” powerbroker Macrinus. You will be entertained.
When asked by Vanity Fair what Gladiator II is really about, Mescal replied, “What human beings will do to survive, but also what human beings will do to win. We see that in the arena, but also in the political struggle that’s going on outside of my character’s storyline, where you see there’s other characters striving and pulling for power. Where’s the space for humanity? Where’s the space for love, familial connection? And ultimately, will those things overcome this kind of greed and power? Those things are oftentimes directly in conflict with each other.”
Gladiator II, which also stars Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, and Derek Jacobi, opens in theaters on November 22.
The Atlanta-born, Sacramento-bred powerhouse gracefully thanked her fans for their “advocation for me” and clarified, “My team was told it is ‘too early in my story’ for that opportunity so we will keep working!” She ended her X (formerly Twitter) post with, “For me, it’s part of the story … and in God’s time.”
The VMAs’ decision was spectacularly ignorant for various reasons, not least of which that Monét’s “On My Mama” had been one of the hottest songs (and music videos) of the summer. But Monét is used to this. She shouldn’t have to be, but she is. Consistently, she has professed an unshakable conviction in what is meant for her, finding it in due time. The past year has surely felt like divine timing — from the August release of Jaguar II, her exquisite debut studio album, to winning three Grammys in February and making her Coachella debut in April (Beyoncé blessed Monét’s set by sending her flowers, a higher honor than the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.) More recently, Monét owned the 2024 BET Awards on June 30 — winning the night with her and Teyana Taylor’s “Bad Girl” performance — and shared top billing with Janet Jackson, her foremost influence, at Essence Festival 2024.
Long ago, she unsubscribed from arbitrary, linear timelines and subjective deification.
Increasingly, the music industry pedestals young, unpolished (and often white) artists who can generate instant yet fleeting gratification through online engagement. While Monét can play the numbers game, her artistry stands in defiance. Monét’s age is an outsized narrative because society insists on its significance in all the wrong contexts.
Ageism eventually comes for everyone, but it’s especially cruel to athletes, pop stars, and women. We should all thank God that Monét — a powerful Black woman who has danced since adolescence and mastered R&B/hip-hop so thoroughly that her pop appeal is undeniable — didn’t let ageism sabotage her career before it had a chance to blossom. Monét’s 35 years symbolize resilience and serve as proof of concept for anyone weighed down by the dumbfounding societal standard declaring someone’s twenties as their only viable decade.
Monét wasn’t visible in her twenties, but she was always viable. Her impact was palpable, even if her face wasn’t readily attached. It began with a 2008 MySpace DM to Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, leading to a move to Los Angeles in 2009 to join Jerkins’ girl group, Purple Reign, which never materialized. Instead, she cut her teeth as a songwriter for the likes of Ariana Grande, Fifth Harmony, Kendrick Lamar, Nas, T.I., and more. At one point, according to Billboard, she was a credited songwriter on 12 Billboard Hot 100 charters. In April 2019, Monét joined Grande, her most prolific collaborative relationship by far, as a forward-facing artist on their single (and bisexual anthem) “Monopoly,” which peaked at No. 69 on the Hot 100. Monét achieved top-tier songwriting success while simultaneously fighting for respect as a solo artist — releasing four EPs between 2014 and 2018 — and never seeking a shortcut.
“When I was putting out my first EPs, I didn’t have a team, and I didn’t have a manager,” Monét told Vulture in February. “Like, it was just me.”
Last November, when Monét learned she’d earned seven Grammy nominations in real time, she was surrounded by her family and team — jumping with glee and screaming in relief. If that recognition had come earlier, when she first thought she wanted it, that room wouldn’t have been as full. She wouldn’t have her longtime partner John Gaines or their three-year-old daughter, Hazel, who became the youngest-ever Grammy nominee as a featured artist on “Hollywood.” The moment couldn’t have been as satisfying. The timing wouldn’t have been right.
“To everybody who has a dream, I want you to look at this as an example,” she said in her emotional acceptance speech. “This award was a 15-year pursuit. I moved to LA in 2009. I like to liken myself to a plant who was planted, and you can look at the music industry as soil, and it can be looked at as dirty, or it can be looked at as a source of nutrients, and my roots have been growing underneath ground, unseen, for so long. I feel like, today, I’m sprouting.”
In May, she posted a framed screenshot of her February 2013 tweet manifesting a Grammy positioned behind her three Grammys, as she had also won for Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.
“It’s an incredible reminder that when you want something, the only thing between you and that thing is time, and if you’re willing to spend that time in your highest forms of hard work, passion, consistency and gratitude for the journey, your dreams will have no choice but to run to you!!,” Monét captioned the Instagram post.
It’s easy to profess patience and perseverance from the mountaintop, but Monét has been about it. An album as timeless as Jaguar II can only come from someone who took her time — someone who lived a life first.
Monét’s “On My Mama” video features cameos from Hazel, her mother, Mommy Monét, and Chalie Boy. The Dave Meyers-directed, Sean Bankhead-choreographed “Alright” video pays homage to Janet Jackson, Missy Elliott, and Britney Spears. Those full-on, old-school videos exploded online, creating discourse and metaphorical bouquets tossed Monét’s way.
But that’s not why Monét filmed them. That’s not why she’s stuck around for fifteen years. Monét knows what lasts and what doesn’t because she lasted a decade-plus without the external validation that she’d always deserved. She’ll last for another fifteen-plus because she doesn’t need it.
How many times has the Community cast been asked when the Community movie will arrive? That number might be off the charts, but it’s definitely more than “six,” which is the number of seasons that the NBC comedy ran. That number surely also exceeds “six seasons and a movie,” which has been the well-founded expectation since, well, you can blame that on Abed. As it turns out, that line should come back to either bless or haunt Abed in the movie, if his current profession (as revealed by Donald Glover, which we will talk about momentarily) is any indication.
Wait, is the film really a thing? Yes. The greenlight arrived in 2023, but Joel McHale has been delivering promising words about the movie since the show ended, basically, and since that time, he has fielded so many inquiries that he admitted to Conan O’Brien (who called Community “for my money, one of the best sitcoms ever”) in 2021 that “I used to just lie about it” because there was nothing new to contribute to the conversation. Yes, he’s a stinker.
Let’s talk about what is concretely known about this movie, which is definitely going to fulfill the prophecy.
Plot
For starters, this will be “a college reunion,” according to what Donald Glover declared to Hollywood Reporter while promoting Mr. & Mrs. Smith earlier this year. This will also be a reunion where Chevy Chase’s character does not return. Presumably, this absence will be fine for everyone concerned, which we should have anticipated after Alison Brie told us (in 2019) about the cast’s ongoing text chain, “I feel like I can say that Chevy Chase is not on the chain.” The question there, of course, will be whether his absence is addressed, and whether that will include any verbal shots fired.
In all seriousness, however, Dan Harmon came through with a script after the film was officially greenlit last year (and subsequently delayed by strikes), and Glover did reveal the aforementioned reunion detail along with “Abed [Danny Pudi’s character] is like this big director now, and basically this is his magnum opus. I’m like, ‘This sounds f*cking tight.’” Of course, Glover also recently declared that he’s grown weary of being blamed for this movie’s endless delays, and fortunately, Joel McHale recently stepped up to take the blame on that note.
While promoting his role as The Bear‘s unrepentant Mean Chef, David Fields (a.k.a. “Chef Winger” to Community devotees), McHale told GQ the following:
“If it’s anybody’s fault, it’s my schedule on this one. It’s not [Donald’s fault] at all. He was available. No, no, no, no … I will say, and please print this … It was not Donald’s schedule. We love Donald. You can fully blame my schedule.”
And to add a bit of spice to that subject, Ken Jeong tweeted a screen cap of Deadline’s coverage of this quote and added, “Hey, I’m not to blame, either. I’m VERY available.”
McHale additionally confirmed of the film, “[I]t hasn’t been shot yet. It will be. And I don’t have a definitive update … But we have the money, and that is a huge step. And hopefully, people still want to see it. And Peacock’s paying for it. And so I can’t wait to do it.” He sounds relieved to not be making sh*t up anymore, and good for Chef Winger.
Cast
Yup, no Chevy Chase. However, we will certainly see Joel McHale as Jeff Winger, Donald Glover as Troy, Alison Brie as Annie, Yvette Nicole Brown as Shirley, Danny Pudi as Abed, Gillian Jacobs as Britta, Ken Jeong as Chang, and Jim Rash as Dean Pelton. Will we see any guest stars (maybe Paget Brewster, John Oliver, Keith David, Brie Larson) come back as well?
Release Date
McHale told GQ that “vaguely next year” is the magic time.
It looks like Queens Of The Stone Age leader Josh Homme is in the midst of a health scare: Today (July 9), the band announced they they are canceling some upcoming tour dates due to Homme needing “emergency surgery.”
The band’s post shared on social media reads, “QOTSA regret to announce that Josh Homme must return to the United States immediately for emergency surgery. Every effort was made to push through and play for you, but it is no longer an option to continue.” It goes on to note that concerts and festival appearances between July 10 and 27 have been canceled, and that additional information about tickets will be available from festival organizers and points of sale.
Queens are gutted we aren’t able to play for you. We apologize for any inconvenience and share in your frustration and disappointment. pic.twitter.com/JbCxJqOb8H
Are Rashida Jones And Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig Married?
Technically, no, they’re not… but practically, they pretty much are.
In a recent interview with The New Yorker, Jones was asked, “You’re now married to Ezra Koenig, of Vampire Weekend, and have a kid with him. At what point did you get married? I feel like that went under the radar.” She responded, “Oh, we’re not married. We just kind of call each other that. But we are what we are, in the eyes of God! My parents only got married when my dad had his first brain aneurysm and my sister was 6 months old, because of rights stuff. I’m sure we’ll get married at some point, but we basically are.
Jones was also asked, “Did you embrace the role of the rock-star girlfriend?” she replied, “Like, vintage fur coats and bus life? No. Too old for bus life. But I’m extremely proud. He takes a very long time to make his albums, which is so lucky for me, because it means he’s home a lot of the time. This is our second tour cycle really, so we’ll see how far I go with rock wife.”
“I love that song. It’s like the hit of the summer. When they play that jam, I’m jamming.”
Those are the words of tennis icon Serena Williams, speaking during a panel at Essence Festival this past weekend. She was talking about Kendrick Lamar’s Drake diss “Not Like Us,” but Williams’ crowning of the tune begs the question: What is the “Song Of The Summer” for 2024?
It’s an unofficial distinction (well, Billboard has an official chart for it now) that annually carries some cultural weight. It’s also just a fun thing to think and debate about midway through the year. Technically, we’re only just at the start of summer, as the season officially runs from June 20 to September 22. There’s still so much summer left, so instead of handing out the title now, let’s look at the leading candidates at the moment, making the case for (and against) some of the most obvious contenders.
Kendrick Lamar — “Not Like Us”
The argument for: “Not Like Us” has everybody talking, so much so that Serena Williams is publicly discussing it. Rick Ross got punched (allegedly) over it. The song has reached “referenced in local weather reports” status. Plain and simple, it’s a mainstream hit.
The argument against: The song came on so strong in early May that it’s safe to wonder if it has already peaked. (The song’s recent well-received video demonstrates the track’s staying power, though.) Also, given that the whole thing is a Drake diss, it’s just not very nice! (Some of the following arguments against other songs may be equally flimsy. These are all beloved hits, after all.)
Post Malone and Morgan Wallen — “I Had Some Help”
The argument for: The longest-running No. 1 song on the Hot 100 of the year so far? It’s “I Had Some Help.” Pair that with the fact that this Malone and Wallen collab is currently the most visible crossover hit in the ongoing country music wave and it has a strong case.
The argument against: The main opposing force here is whether the song has enough juice on its own beyond the headline-making collaboration. Wallen and Post are two of music’s biggest stars and that certainly has helped the song’s trajectory. It’s hard to say if that will be enough to carry the tune through the hot months to come.
Shaboozey — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
The argument for: There’s something about country music that’s routinely perfect for summer, and just like Malone and Wallen’s single, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is landing at just the right time. It has had a gradual climb up the Hot 100 and as of yesterday, it’s his first-ever No. 1 single.
The argument against: The biggest reason to say “no” to this one has nothing to do with the song itself, but its competition. “A Bar Song” is fantastic, but it’s just going up against some heavy hitters that have demonstrated bigger and more sustained success. But, maybe its newfound No. 1 status is the start of a run of its own.
The argument against: “Million Dollar Baby,” with its April release date, is older than the aforementioned songs. Given that viral hits like this often have relatively short shelf lives, this one very well could be a relic of viral history soon, well before summer is up.
Tinashe — “Nasty”
The argument for: Tinashe got to flex on her former label a bit with this one: The song is originally from April, but it started going viral on TikTok in June. Consequently, it has become her biggest solo hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The argument against: “Nasty” is really more of a viral hit than it is a chart hit so far: Despite its ubiquity online, it has yet to crack the top 40 on the Hot 100. “Nasty” could use some more reach before it truly enters the conversation.
Billie Eilish — “Birds Of A Feather”
The argument for: Billie is one of music’s favorite personalities, and she’s done it all by doing her own thing. She doesn’t chase radio-friendly hits, but that doesn’t mean she’s incapable of them. “Birds Of A Feather” is an example, a bit of romantic pop fun, and the people love when Billie gets a win.
The argument against: It’s still hard to tell the sort of staying power this one will have. It was only just released as a single last week, so at this point, predicting whether this will end up being the summer’s defining song would be a bold call.
Chappell Roan — “Good Luck, Babe!”
The argument for: Roan has been one of the year’s biggest breakout stars so far, so much so that it’s been challenging for her to handle. Leading the way is “Good Luck, Babe!,” which has swelled into her most significant hit to date.
The argument against: Chappell isn’t the most obvious of hit-makers. Sure, the song rules, but we’ve already seen one Kate Bush song top the charts this decade, it’s hard to imagine it happening again. So, who knows how much time this one has left in the summer sun. (It did just hit the Hot 100 top 10 for the first time yesterday, though.)
Sabrina Carpenter — “Espresso”
The argument for: Of course we had to mention “Espresso.” Carpenter was an emerging star before the caffeinated single, but the song absolutely took off and established Carpenter as a no-qualifier-necessary, S-T-A-R star. There’s also the fact that “Espresso” basically sounds like it was made to a summer smash, with its warm vibes and radio-friendly hook. Carpenter’s personality also just makes her a fun person to root for and listen to, which certainly works in favor of “Espresso.”
The argument against: Carpenter has moved onto pushing a new hit, “Please Please Please.” “Espresso” is still doing just about as well as the fresher single, though: “Please Please Please” had more Spotify streams in the US last week, but “Espresso” was No. 1 on the same chart globally. Ultimately, of all the songs on this list, “Espresso” may have the least working against it for “Song Of The Summer” consideration.
Aging is a funny thing. You start off young and excited and eager to get older, and then at some point you reach a point where getting older becomes less fun and more…achy.
Your 40s is generally when you start to feel aging hit in random ways. Healthy living can help fend off a lot of aging woes, but not everything. And it’s not even just bodily aging that manifests in your 40s. It’s things like needing to sleeping less, realizing exactly how dumb you were in your 20s and developing a sudden, inexplicable fascination with birdwatching.
Or bird arguing, as the case may be.
Someone who identifies as Xennial (on the cusp of Gen X and millennial) shared a “Life in your 40s” confessional about an argument they got into with the birds in their yard, which prompted others to share their own mid-life quirks.
The post read:
“Today I had an argument with the birds of our backyard.
I took down the bird feeder to fill it and all the foliage had a cacophony of noises as if to say, ‘Took you long enough.’ This was not the happy sounds of birds loving life. This was the sounds of demands. I told them I’ve been busy and they’ll just have to wait.
I then decided to shift the hummingbird feeder a bit because lately I’ve been banging into it despite having it in the same spot for several years.
I shit you not, as I was on the ladder a hummingbird came over and hovered near me giving me the death stare. I told her that I was just moving it and to give me a second.
My god what has happened to me?
What’s your recent ‘life in your 40s’ story?
Update: The hummingbird has come back several times now rather pissed the feeder has moved 3 inches. She won’t drink out of it, but keeps checking to see if I have put it back.
Update 2: After hours of me telling her I’m not moving it, she finally drank. I win.”
Other Reddit users’ 40-something stories did not disappoint.
Some had their own bird encounters to share:
“My husband is hell bent on befriending the local crows. He bought a 25 lb. bag of peanuts and throws a handful out on to the deck every morning. They’re getting more and more comfortable eating closer to the house, and now they ‘summon’ him with aggressive caws if he’s late putting out their breakfast. His goal is to Disney Princess it at some point. #lifegoals”
“Hahaha I am the crazy bird lady in our neighborhood and my husband says it’s like a scene from Snow White when I open the backdoor to let the dog out. All the birds and usually a chipmunk go flying!”
I’m 42, and last summer I really started feeding the birds, but I’d intentionally let the feeder go empty for a day or two. My goal was that they’d eat some of the yellow jackets that are frequently hovering near my south facing wall. They bitched an absolute ton when I would fill the feeders. They would eat the yellow jackets though.
Then, this last fall, my cameras caught me singing ‘Muh birds, muh birds, gonna feed muh birds’ while carrying my bag of seeds. I was happy as clam. The wifey showed me, and the kids, the footage. Now, whenever I’m feeding the birds, my middle son starts singing it to me.
I used to chase bad guys, with a gun, and a taser (I was in law enforcement for a decade, I fix robots now.) Now, I have an eleven year old harassing me because I’m nice to the local wildlife.”
There were also lots of body betrayal experiences:
“If I sit for too long it’s exhausting and I have to go lay down and get some rest.”
“I slept funny last night, and I don’t think I’ll ever recover.”
“No joke. I literally slept weird 4 weeks ago and have been dealing with a pinched nerve in my neck ever since. Went from 42 to feeling 82 overnight.”
“Last week I sneezed while in the shower and threw my back out.”
“If I feel a sneeze coming when I am in the shower, I sit down. Standing shower sneezes are how you break a hip.”
“Can’t trust my lower GI to do anything right anymore.”
“I start peeing the second I head into the bathroom to pee.”
And a host of other random middle-agey realities:
“Complaining about the price of cereal.
No clue of today’s music.
Go big or go home? Buddy you didn’t even need to ask the question. Home.
Lastly, my daily word search.”
“I didn’t make it to the store today, and the window/will to leave my house has passed, so I’ll probably go another week without the items I intended to purchase today 🙃”
“My friend is having a pool day and I don’t want to go. I don’t want to take off my clothes and I really just want to chill in my house because I work tomorrow and I need a day to get ready.”
“I went to bed at 4pm and woke up at 11 on the 4th of July. 41 doesn’t hit like 21 did. 😂”
“I’m 45, and my boyfriend is 32. We went through an exhibit Friday and he finished long before I did because I had to stop and read all the plaques and information, which I never use to do.”
“Yeah I just built a raised garden bed and am super excited to plant squash! Wtf happened to me….”
Here’s to the joys of aging! May your backs be limber and your birds be plentiful.
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The global ‘Rockstar’ herself, LISA of BLACKPINK is joining us on Sept. 28 in Central Park! Click the link
to get your tickets, and if you’re as excited as we are, drop a comment below
https://t.co/IfVHyvM0SS @wearelloud pic.twitter.com/n9u0TXlcU6
(@GlblCtzn) July 9, 2024
