Month: September 2024

Green Day‘s Billie Joe Armstrong hails from Oakland, California, which had a Major League Baseball team… and now they don’t. The Oakland Athletics are moving from their long-time home in the Bay Area to Sutter Health Park in Sacramento before the team eventually settles in Las Vegas. During a recent show, Armstrong voiced his anger for A’s owner, John Fisher — and Vegas.

“We don’t take sh*t from people like f*cking John Fisher,” Armstrong said during Green Day’s concert at Oracle Park in San Francisco on September 20 before adding, “I hate Las Vegas. It’s the worst sh*thole in America.”

The singer’s comments have led to Green Day’s music being banned by two Las Vegas radio stations. “It’s not us, Billie… it’s you,” KOMP 92.3 posted to Instagram, along with the “no” symbol over a photo of the band. Meanwhile, X 107.5 posted to its website, “In response to Armstrong’s inflammatory comments, the station is banning all Green Day music, effective immediately.”

“Maybe he should take a look at the city and the people involved in that transaction [rather] than talking smack about the city of Las Vegas,” X107.5 host Carlota Gonzalez said during a recent broadcast, according to The San Francisco Chronicle. “I hate to say it, and as much as the Raiders suck, but when they were in Oakland, they were worth a billion or two. Now they’re worth six. It was a good business decision, and the A’s want some of that and I don’t blame that.”

X107.5 bills itself as being “xtreme radio” — and what’s more “xtreme” than siding with a billionaire?

One of the greatest defensive presences in NBA history died on Monday, as Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo passed at the age of 58 after battling brain cancer.

Mutombo was the most dominant rim protector in the NBA in the 90s, winning four Defensive Player of the Year awards (with three different teams) in his career. Mutombo anchored defenses in Denver, Atlanta, and Philadelphia in the prime of his career, earning eight All-Star appearances, six All-Defense selections, and three All-NBA nods. His finger wag celebration after blocking a shot became iconic, and the game’s best players, like Michael Jordan, held it as a badge of honor any time they challenged Mutombo at the rim and succeeded.

While he was a Hall of Famer for what he did on the court, he had a much greater impact off of it. His humanitarian work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and beyond earned him numerous awards, particularly in helping fight polio in his home country. Mutombo’s legacy in the DRC stands to this day, with the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital just outside Kinshasa he funded to be built in the early 2000s as a physical embodiment of his work giving back.

Mutombo also was the NBA’s first Global Ambassador, spending his post-playing years traveling the world and helping grow the game. Adam Silver released a statement honoring Mutombo’s legacy after news of his passing became public.

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life. On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.

There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador. He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa. I had the privilege of traveling the world with Dikembe and seeing first-hand how his generosity and compassion uplifted people. He was always accessible at NBA events over the year — with his infections smile, deep booming voice and signature finger wag that endeared him to basketball fans of every generation.

Dikembe’s indomitable spirit continues on in those who he helped and inspired throughout his extraordinary life. I am one of the many people whose lives were touched by Dikembe’s big heart and I will miss him dearly. On behalf of the entire NBA family, I send my deepest condolences to Dikembe’s wife, Rose, and their children; his many friends; and the global basketball community which he truly loved and which loved him back.”

Over the weekend, hundreds of songs from popular artists including Adele, Burna Boy, J. Cole, and many, many more, were removed from YouTube, sparking confusion among fans. One song in particular, J. Cole’s “She Knows,” from his 2013 album Born Sinner, has prompted certain conspiracy-minded hip-hop fans to propagate a rumor speculating a connection between Diddy and Jay-Z based on Diddy’s indictment for unsavory sex crimes.

However, there’s a much simpler explanation for the song’s removal, as well as the others’ — which I’m sure will be to those fans’ disappointment. Per Variety, all of the songs were removed due to a legal dispute between YouTube and SESAC, the performance-rights organization that oversees the catalogs of more than 30,000 songwriters in the US.

Founded in 1930 as the now somewhat inaccurate Society of European Stage Authors and Composers, SESAC advocates on behalf of its members to ensure royalties are paid fairly and timely. Rather than risk a lawsuit from SESAC, YouTube has disabled the affected videos until a new agreement can be reached. YouTube told Variety in a press statement:

We have held good faith negotiations with SESAC to renew our existing deal. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we were unable to reach an equitable agreement before its expiration. We take copyright very seriously and as a result, content represented by SESAC is no longer available on YouTube in the US. We are in active conversations with SESAC and are hoping to reach a new deal as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Variety sources report that the deal doesn’t technically expire for a week, suggesting YouTube may be using the disruption as a negotiating tactic. SESAC represents far fewer artists than ASCAP or BMI, but due to the stature of the artists involved — including the names above and others, like Bob Dylan, Green Day, Kendrick Lamar, Mariah Carey, and Neil Diamond — the potential lost income for both companies could be staggering. A similar situation between TikTok and UMG was solved in relatively short order after both companies balked at such losses, so don’t expect this situation to continue for too much longer, either. As for those rumors, remember to check your sources — some guy paying Elon $8 bucks a month to force you to see their terrible takes probably doesn’t pass muster.

For more information on the SESAC dispute and the J. Cole rumor, check out Rob Markman’s report below.

Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.

This week saw Lady Gaga go full Harley Quinn and The Weeknd continue to roll out his new era. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.

For more music recommendations, check out our Listen To This section, as well as our Indie Mixtape and Pop Life newsletters.

Lady Gaga — “The Joker”

LG7 isn’t here quite yet, but LG6.5 is: After teasing the latter, Lady Gaga confirmed she had Harlequin, an album that ties into her movie Joker: Folia á Deux, on the way. Many of the songs are covers, including “The Joker,” which Gaga gives a rock edge for her rendition.

The Weeknd and Playboi Carti — “Timeless”

Like many before him, The Weeknd has tapped Playboi Carti to give his song a boost, tasking him with guesting on “Timeless.” The song is the latest from The Weeknd’s upcoming album Hurry Up Tomorrow, and it’s an atmospheric, electronic-influenced banger.

Tommy Richman — “Temptations”

Tommy Richman is the “Million Dollar Baby” guy, yes, but his debut album Coyote should serve to expand that definition. “Temptations,” for example, is built on a strong bass groove complemented by yet another catchy hook from Richman.

Tee Grizzley — “Blow For Blow” Feat. J. Cole

J. Cole has delivered what feels like an album’s worth of features in 2024, and he’s back at it again. This time, he linked with Tee Grizzley on “Blow For Blow,” which features Pi’erre Bourne production.

BIA and Lil Yachty — “Pissed Off”

Lil Yachty has been all over the map in 2024, and his latest adventure brings him to BIA for the collaboration “Pissed Off.” The menacing, sub-three-minute track sees, as the title indicates, the two airing their grievances

Saweetie — “Is It The Way”

Uproxx’s Aaron Williams notes of the latest from Saweetie, “Pairing a trunk-rattling Texas beat with a loop from Jill Scott’s 2001 hit ‘The Way,’ Saweetie contemplates all the attention she gets while combining the best parts of her last two singles.”

Christina Aguilera — “What A Girl Wants (Live)” Feat. Sabrina Carpenter

It’s tough to call Sabrina Carpenter one of the biggest pop stars of her generation just yet, purely because she hasn’t been on top for that long yet. It certainly seems like she’s here to stay, though, and the iconic Christina Aguilera seems to agree, as she recruited Carpenter to refresh “What A Girl Wants.”

Willow — “Wanted” Feat. Kamasi Washington

Willow has again and again proven herself to be an artist eager to try different things, and on “Wanted,” she links up with Kamasi Washington. He brings his jazz chops to the song, which has wildly varying tempos that make for an intriguingly herky-jerky experience.

Leon Bridges — “That’s What I Love”

Bridges has a self-titled album on the way in a few days, and he offered a preview of it last week with “That’s What I Love.” Bridges does a lot of things well, but he’s especially adept as making enveloping slow-burners, and that’s just what he does here.

Maxo Kream and Tyler The Creator — “Cracc Era”

After teaming up on “Big Persona” in 2021, Tyler The Creator and Maxo Kream have reunited on the latter’s “Cracc Era.” Fans of early Tyler will like this one, as the song features the sort of straightforward, bass-heavy beat that he lived off of in his fledgling years.

2024 isn’t done yet, and there are still some exciting things happening in music before the year ends. For instance, Billie Eilish just launched Hit Me Hard And Soft: The Tour in Quebec City, Canada last night (September 29). The tour makes its way to the US after a couple more Canadian dates, so if you’re planning on attending a future show, here’s what to know about the setlist.

Naturally, the setlist draws most heavily from her latest album, Hit Me Hard And Soft, with nine of the 26 songs played coming from the project. After that are Happier Than Ever and When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? with five songs apiece.

Check out the setlist below, along with Eilish’s tour dates.

Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard And Soft: The Tour Setlist

1. “Chihiro”
2. “Lunch”
3. “NDA”
4. “Therefore I Am”
5. “Wildflower”
6. “When The Party’s Over”
7. “The Diner”
8. “Ilomilo”
9. “Bad Guy”
10. “The Greatest”
11. “Male Fantasy” (acoustic)
12. “Skinny” (acoustic)
13. “TV” (acoustic)
14. “Bury A Friend”
15. “Oxytocin”
16. “You Should See Me In A Crown”
17. “Guess (Remix)” (Charli XCX cover)
18. “Everything I Wanted”
19. “Blue”
20. “Lovely”
21. “Idontwannabeyouanymore”
22. “Ocean Eyes”
23. “L’amour De Ma Vie”
24. “What Was I Made For?”
25. “Happier Than Ever”
26. “Birds Of A Feather”

Billie Eilish 2024 & 2025 Tour Dates: Hit Me Hard And Soft: The Tour

09/29/2024 — Québec, QC @ Centre Videotron
10/01/2024 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
10/02/2024 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
10/04/2024 — Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena
10/05/2024 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
10/07/2024 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
10/09/2024 — Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
10/11/2024 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
10/13/2024 — Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
10/16/2024 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
10/17/2024 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
10/18/2024 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
11/02/2024 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
11/03/2024 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
11/06/2024 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
11/08/2024 — Cincinnati, OH @ Heritage Bank Center
11/10/2024 — Saint Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
11/01/2024 — Saint Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
11/13/2024 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
11/14/2024 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
11/16/2024 — Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center
11/17/2024 — Omaha, NE @ CHI Health Center Omaha
11/19/2024 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
11/20/2024 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
12/03/2024 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
12/05/2024 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
12/06/2024 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
12/08/2024 — Portland, OR @ Moda Center
12/10/2024 — San Jose, CA @ SAP Center at San Jose
12/11/2024 — San Jose, CA @ SAP Center at San Jose
12/13/2024 — Glendale, AZ @ Desert Diamond Arena
12/15/2024 — Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum
12/16/2024 — Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum
12/17/2024 — Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum
02/18/2025 — Brisbane, Australia @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre
02/19/2025 — Brisbane, Australia @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre
02/21/2025 — Brisbane, Australia @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre
02/22/2025 — Brisbane, Australia @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre
02/24/2025 — Sydney, Australia @ Qudos Bank Arena
02/25/2025 — Sydney, Australia @ Qudos Bank Arena
02/27/2025 — Sydney, Australia @ Qudos Bank Arena
02/28/2025 — Sydney, Australia @ Qudos Bank Arena
03/04/2025 — Melbourne, Australia @ Rod Laver Arena
03/05/2025 — Melbourne, Australia @ Rod Laver Arena
03/07/2025 — Melbourne, Australia @ Rod Laver Arena
03/08/2025 — Melbourne, Australia @ Rod Laver Arena
04/23/2025 — Stockholm, Sweden @ Avicii Arena
04/24/2025 — Stockholm, Sweden @ Avicii Arena
04/26/2025 — Oslo, Norway @ Telenor Arena
04/28/2025 — Copenhagen, Denmark @ Royal Arena
04/29/2025 — Copenhagen, Denmark @ Royal Arena
05/02/2025 — Hannover, Germany @ ZAG Arena
05/04/2025 — Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Ziggo Dome
05/05/2025 — Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Ziggo Dome
05/07/2025 — Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Ziggo Dome
05/09/2025 — Berlin, Germany @ Uber Arena
05/29/2025 — Cologne, Germany @ Lanxess Arena
05/30/2025 — Cologne, Germany @ Lanxess Arena
06/01/2025 — Prague, Czech Republic @ O2 Arena
06/03/2025 — Kraków, Poland @ Tauron Arena
06/04/2025 — Kraków, Poland @ Tauron Arena
06/06/2025 — Vienna, Austria @ Stadthalle
06/08/2025 — Bologna, Italy @ Unipol Arena
06/10/2025 — Paris, France @ Accor Arena
06/11/2025 — Paris, France @ Accor Arena
06/14/2025 — Barcelona, Spain @ Palau Sant Jordi
06/15/2025 — Barcelona, Spain @ Palau Sant Jordi
07/07/2025 — Glasgow, UK @ OVO Hydro
07/08/2025 — Glasgow, UK @ OVO Hydro
07/10/2025 — London, UK @ The O2
07/11/2025 — London, UK @ The O2
07/13/2025 — London, UK @ The O2
07/14/2025 — London, UK @ The O2
07/16/2025 — London, UK @ The O2
07/17/2025 — London, UK @ The O2
07/19/2025 — Manchester, UK @ Co-op Live
07/20/2025 — Manchester, UK @ Co-op Live
07/22/2025 — Manchester, UK @ Co-op Live
07/23/2025 — Manchester, UK @ Co-op Live
07/26/2025 — Dublin, Ireland @ 3Arena
07/27/2025 — Dublin, Ireland @ 3Arena

Every month, Uproxx cultural critic Steven Hyden makes an unranked list of his favorite music-related items released during this period — songs, albums, books, films, you name it.

1. MJ Lenderman, Manning Fireworks

Boat Songs was an instant classic, and then he put out a concert record with his live backing band The Wind that I liked even more. And now Manning Fireworks arrived as Lenderman’s undeniable “level up” album, even from those previous triumphs. The lyrics are sharper. The music is punchier and more fully realized. The arc from the beginning (the title track, a brutally pretty country dirge with a narrative about a church-bound lothario) to the end (“Bark At The Moon,” which is probably the saddest song written about Guitar Hero) is satisfying but understated, like the album was consciously designed for your 75th listen to be the most mind-blowing.

2. Billy Strings, Highway Prayers

In light of the jam-heavy Live Vol. 1 — my favorite release of 2024 by the 31-year-old king of jam-grass — Highway Prayers feels like code-switching, with Strings deftly transitioning from his most far-out music on record to his most carefully considered. A key to Billy Strings’ popularity is that he’s a musical Rorschach test — he appeals to Americana lovers, bluegrass purists, and jam-band scenesters equally, but often in ways that don’t necessarily overlap. His music is big enough that people can take what they want from it and disregard the rest. Highway Prayers is a record made primarily for the jam-averse portion of the Billy congregation. Even in comparison to previous efforts like 2019’s Home and 2021’s Renewal, which allowed for the occasional lysergic instrumental passage, Highway Prayers sticks mostly to a back-porch, folk-country lane. (The exceptions are two prog-grass instrumentals, “Malfunction Junction” and “Seney Stretch,” as well as the two-part mind-melter “Stratosphere Blues/I Believe In You.”)

3. Nilüfer Yanya, My Method Actor

This impressive British singer-songwriter made me a fan with her 2022 album Painless, in which she rattled off a series of bangers with an enchanting (and familiar) electro-acoustic art rock vibe. To put it in somewhat reductive terms, her best songs sound a lot like Radiohead circa the early aughts. (Honestly, she gives The Smile a run for their money when it comes to making Radiohead-esque jams.) I don’t like her new album quite as much as Painless, but it’s still a worthy follow-up. The quieter and more introspective vibe makes it the In Rainbows to the predecessor’s Hail To The Thief.

4. Father John Misty, “Screamland”

I liked Josh Tillman’s last album, the underrated Chloe And The New 21st Century. But there was no denying that this once-overexposed genius singer-songwriter appeared to be retreating ever further from anything resembling the mainstream of popular music. With this single from the forthcoming Mahashmashana (due Nov. 22), he seems to re-embracing the mix of musical grandness and end-of-the-world sermonizing that marks his most celebrated work. I’ve heard the album, and will refrain from discussing it any further for now. But let’s just say that if you’re looking for some Fear Fun crossed with Pure Comedy, you might be in luck.

5. The War On Drugs, Live Drugs Again

Like 2020’s Live Drugs, Live Drugs Again is a Frankenstein version of a live record, with each track composed of stitched-together moments lifted from countless performances. (I suspect only Granduciel knows exactly the myriad sources from which each song derives.) This approach makes sense coming from a man who assembles music like the rest of us contemplate jigsaw puzzles. Though the purist in me objects to this approach, especially given the number of excellent intact War On Drugs bootlegs just waiting for a sonic upgrade. Of course, when I put on Live Drugs Again, the purist in me is eventually drowned out. This is epic rock ‘n’ roll that manages to top even the titanic Live Drugs, if only because The War On Drugs are that much better as a live band.

6. Trace Mountains, Into The Burning Blue

Speaking of The War On Drugs, Lost In The Dream is practically a genre onto itself for indie bands that aspire to that record’s heartland rock grandeur. Trace Mountains, along with Wild Pink, ranks among the best bands mining this vein. On their fine 2021 effort House Of Confusion, they applied the “uplifting synth-accent rock” vibe to an upstate New York aesthetic, successfully creating music ideally suited for, well, tracing the outlines of mountains in the recesses of your mind. The new Into The Burning Blue feels a little less rustic, but it nevertheless has that quietly exhilarating sense of sweep this kind of music reliably delivers.

7. Seeing Goose and King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard Live

I am interested in both Goose and King Gizzard, and I am interested in Goose and King Gizzard in relation to one another. Because these are two very different bands, and they are good for very different reasons. (I saw them within a week and a half of each other this month and wrote about it.) The former is a quintet from Connecticut, and the latter is a sixpiece from Australia. The former is influenced Phish and aughts-era indie rock, and the latter is influenced by every popular genre of music since approximately 1968. The former has covered the Ghostbusters theme song live, and the latter once put out an album called PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation. The former has been endorsed by Trey Anastasio, and the latter has been endorsed by Trey Anastasio. (Scratch that last one — differentiating jam bands with “endorsed by Trey Anastasio” is like differentiating people with “breathes oxygen.”)

8. Bob Dylan, The 1974 Live Recordings

A sprawling data dump of music, The 1974 Live Recordings collects every known professionally recorded show from Dylan’s mid-’70s tour with The Band, amounting to 431 tracks (all but 14 never before released) spread across 27 discs. This mountain of material attempts to make a small but nevertheless crucial point: The ’74 Tour represented a fascinating crossroads for the musicians in the spotlight. For Dylan, it marked a return to live performance after an extended hiatus, and the beginning of perhaps the most rigorous year-in and year-out tour schedule for any rock star in the past 50 years. For The Band, the tour represented a valedictory moment of triumph just over two years before the original lineup finally folded at The Last Waltz. Together, these men faced a daunting — if not impossible — task: Live up to the most mythologized rock tour of the sixties, the most mythologized decade in all of rock music. The miracle of The 1974 Live Recordings is that it shows, more often than not, they pulled it off.

9. Neil Young, Archives Vol. III: 1976-1987

The most intriguing aspect of Neil Young Archives, Vol. III: 1976-1987 — a massive box set composed of 17 CDs (plus five Blu-Rays containing 11 films in the deluxe edition) — is that it’s not necessarily designed to dissuade you from questioning the sanity of ’80s Neil. On the contrary, it takes a warts and all approach to his most polarizing era, encouraging fans to revisit albums they might have dismissed years ago without quite making the case that they’re “secretly great.” There are gems buried in the mix, but there’s also plenty of misfires that will register as either fascinating or tedious, depending on your level of Neil fandom. (Who are we kidding — if you care about this box set, you are definitely a fanatic.)

During “Weekend Update” in the SNL season 50 premiere, Bowen Yang dressed up as internet sensation hippo Moo Deng to comment on her viral fame.

“The response has been overwhelming, but it has come to the point where I need to set some boundaries,” he said. “Reminder, women owe you nothing. When I’m in my enclosure, tripping over stuff, biting my trainer’s knee, I’m at work. That is the project. Do not yell my name or expect a photo just because I’m your parasocial bestie or because you appreciate my talent.”

The segment was a clear reference to Chappell Roan asking her fans to chill out after she became very famous, very fast. (Well, mainstream famous — she was already famous to those in the know.) But in case it wasn’t obvious, “Weekend Update” co-host Colin Jost mentioned the “Casual” singer by name, asking Yang’s Moo Deng if she knew her. “I’m 10 weeks old, Colin, of course I know Chappell Roan,” he answered. “By the way, leave her alone. Let her take as much time as she needs for her mental health… it’s what society does. It puts young women on pedestals only to knock them down with shellfish.”

Following the predictable discourse about satirically comparing Moo Deng to Roan, including accusations that he was mocking her, Yang (who recently interviewed the pop sensation) took to Instagram to defend himself.

“oh geez. ‘mocks’???” he wrote. “if my personal stance and this piece aren’t absolutely clear in terms of supporting her then there it is i guess. everything she has ever asked for has been reasonable and even then we can connect it to another story about boundaries or whatever. needing the hose rn.”

You can watch the SNL sketch above.

Sabrina Carpenter took to Madison Square Garden for a show on her Short N’ Sweet Tour yesterday (September 29). The timing of her being in New York City is quite the coincidence, considering Carpenter is sort of involved in the ongoing federal investigation on NYC mayor Eric Adams. Of course, Carpenter didn’t let her time on stage pass by without mentioning the situation, as seen in a fan-shot video.

Between songs, Carpenter said to the audience, “Damn, what now?” After a pause, she continued, “Should we talk about how I got the mayor indicted, or…?”

In case you missed it: Days ago, Adams pleaded not guilty to charges of bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy, and two counts of soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals, per CNN.

As for where Carpenter fits into this, it has to do with her “Feather” video, which was filmed inside a New York City church and which got a priest, Msgr. Jamie J. Gigantiello, relieved of his administrative duties involving oversight of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel-Annunciation Parish in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Well, As The New York Post notes, Gigantiello was later subpoenaed over his business dealings, and investigators found a connection between him and Frank Carone, Adams’ former chief of staff. The situation led to jokes about Carpenter’s “involvement” in Adams’ legal woes.

Industry isn’t the Euphoria of finance or GenZ Succession. Eric and Harper aren’t Don Draper and Peggy Olson. This is how it goes – you get compared to the greats until you’re undeniably great on your own. Industry is undeniably great on its own.

The show is also pushing all of its chips to the center of the table following a season close that had an air of finality to it and which certainly recalibrated every major character’s position. Adapt or die? Harper (Myha’la), Yasmin (Marisa Abela), and Robert (Harry Lawtey), sure as hell aren’t dead going into Season 4.

Rishi (Sagar Radia)? Eric (Ken Leung)? We’ll see what happens when the smoke clears, but Pierpoint’s dinosaur kingdom got crushed by an asteroid, and those two learned a bit about consequences in the harshest terms (especially Rishi and his wife in what be one of the show’s most shocking moments).

Hubris is rewarded in the young, who are all about what they’re going to take. It’s punished in the old, who are all about what they think they’ve earned. In this case, an endless piggy bank, the trappings of wealth, and the ability to be the most powerful voice in the room and screw like a young guy.

But enough about the cautionary tales. Harper Stern has been, from the start of this thing, the easiest character to root for on Industry (and, to be honest, on television). A dropout at a banquet of nepo-hires and well-schooled finance cyborgs, Harper pulls us in with secrets while keeping everyone at a distance.

When we spoke with Myha’la before the season, she said she’d advise Harper to be, “more vulnerable and honest” about her feelings with her friends if given the chance. This was before acknowledging that she didn’t know whether or not Harper would listen. Vulnerability is, of course, an opening ripe for exploitation in the world of Industry.

Look at this season’s most explosive moment, when Harper uses Yasmin for information, bringing about the kind of emotional slugfest that can only happen when you really know what buttons to push with someone. Harper took advantage, Yasmin took offense. But that’s Harper, knifing anyone who gets in her way. We love it. Say what you want to who you want in the most devastatingly smart and consequential way? We quiver with envy over it.

The confrontation with Eric in Bern after she stepped out of the shadows to get just a small, sweet taste of revenge following last season’s stunning betrayal by her former mentor? Priceless. The luring and clubbing of Rishi in the finale, handling him like Otto handled that fish during their clandestine meeting? Another masterful, rootable moment for Harper.

“It’s very liberating because we don’t get to be that brash, that crass in real life,” Myha’la said when I asked about inhabiting those moments of supernatural confidence when she gets to snap the traps and say anything and everything. And now Harper has Otto’s money and blessing, operating in a way that might make some of her past bosses squeamish while following the credo, “Only criminals get caught.” Quite the switch from getting coffee and taking notes at the start of the season after she’d been knocked down several rungs. You might roll your eyes if any other character followed that arc, but with Harper, it feels right. Better yet, it feels exciting.

Yasmin’s story, on the other hand, is heartbreaking. Yasmin has proven unkillable no matter the hell she’s been put through – hounded by the press, tossed from her job, wrapped up with Kit Harington’s mediocre billionaire boy Sir Henry Muck, betrayed by nearly everyone, and almost left carrying the burden of her father’s atrocities. But while her marrying Sir Henry brings all kinds of assurances that the pain will ease (or so it seems until that last moment of the episode), is that the same as joy?

During that same pre-season junket, Abela commented on the early season to us in a way that feels more impactful at the end: “She likes the comfort and the safety, and that’s what Henry offers her in a positive sense. I guess the negative of that is exactly that too. It’s sort of the opposite side of the same coin. What they are limiting themselves to then is the opportunity to one day find someone that they really do love in a romantic sense.”

While appearances are that Robert scratched his way out of Yasmin’s life by reminding her of his comparatively meager stock with that lotto ticket, Yasmin clearly didn’t feel like she was good enough for him. She saw his pure heart, looked in the mirror, and was swift in re-sparking her relationship with Henry. Subtract the cynicism from the act, and it’s admirable for its long-term, clearheaded thinking. All in line with a character who has run through the gauntlet and determined precisely what she feels she wants and needs.

I do wonder if Harry Lawtey is a part of this show in season 4. He’s 27, he’s co-starring with Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix in Joker: Folie à Deux, and his name pops up in the splashiest of casting rumors (Bond).

His ending this season, tinged with the tragedy of a love longed for across three seasons and spit back into his face near instantaneously, seemed as though it might be devastating. But the work Lawtey and the writers have put into protecting his character’s heart made him stronger. Robert became a real boy this season, more resilient, smarter, more focused.

That smile at the end, combined with the memory of Yasmin telling him she loved him in that most intense of goodbye fucks, all preceding his confident stateside presentation… that would make for a fine exit. But whether Robert is central or not next season, he and Yasmin have a secret that Henry will never unlock. For a show where characters often try to stuff down or steer away from emotional choices, that parting was just so poetic, beautiful, and risky for all the Robert/Yasmin ‘shippers within the fandom.

To be sure, shaking up Industry to the extent that co-creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay have at this point, when critics seem to be seeing it en masse as a player in the great debate over what active shows are the best and brightest, is just a little dangerous. It may have also been by necessity to create something that could feel final or serve as a bridge to something new with season 4’s renewal coming at midseason. And maybe they’ll screw everything up and we’ll wish that the show had wrapped with this tremendous episode. Maybe, but good shows become great by taking massive risks and that’s what this feels like, whether by necessity or a desire to live up to the show’s ethos of nothing ventured nothing gained.

Personally, I’m bullish on the whole thing.

Three full seasons of ‘Industry’ are available to stream on Max.

One of the highlights on Beyoncé‘s Cowboy Carter album is her collaboration with Post Malone, “Levii’s Jeans,” in which she tells a lover that she’ll let them be in her Levi’s jeans, “so you can hug that ass all day long.” They say any press is good press, but this was great press for Levi’s, which has now enlisted Beyoncé for a new commercial that’s actually a re-creation of an old ad.

In “Launderette,” Beyoncé walks into a laundromat, takes off her jeans, and takes a seat in a white top and white underwear while waiting for the cycle to finish. It’s a nod to the famous “Launderette” ad from 1985, which was set to “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye; the new one, as you might expect, is soundtracked by “Levii’s Jeans.”

AdWeek reports that the campaign was “brought to life by Levi’s agency of record TBWA/Chait/Day LA and Emmy Award-winning cinematographer Marcell Rév, who has already worked with Queen Bey as well as other artists including Miley Cyrus.” The Beyonce/Levi’s campaign will be targeted to major cities around the globe, including San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Paris, London, Berlin, and, of course, Houston.

You can watch the ad above.