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When a lot of us think of Scotland, we’re likely imagining the Scottish Highlands. The craggy peaks, the long murky lakes, shaggy cows, and old distilleries of grey stone hidden away in some shady glen — it truly is an idyllic scene. Today, we’re going to focus on that last image and talk about Highland single malt whisky.

The Highland whisky region of Scotland is home to 47 of Scotland’s 130 distilleries. It’s the biggest Scotch whisky region geographically, with the Speyside region even contained completely inside of it. In short, it wouldn’t be off base to say that the Highlands is the essential heart of Scottish whisky.

For the list below, we’re breaking down (and ranking) 10 unpeated Highland single malt whiskies that’ll give you an introduction to the regional style — all of them are under $100 and pretty available at any good liquor store. We’ve already covered our favorite peated Highland malts here in case you’re a smoke head. However, we are removing the Islands subregion — Skye, Orkney, Jura, Mull, etc. — from the Highlands, as those whiskies truly have their own vibe and more and more people are finally recognizing those whiskies as their own thing outside of “Highland” whisky.

As for this ranking, we’re going on taste alone. Sound good? Let’s get into it!

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months

• All Of Johnnie Walker’s Core Whisky Line, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• Scotch Whiskies Tasted ‘Double-Blind’ And Power Ranked
• The Best Scotch Whiskies Under $50, Ranked
• The Winning Scotch And Bourbon Whiskeys From This Year’s Ascot Awards
• The Best Scotch Whisky Between $60-$70, Ranked

10. Old Pulteney 12

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $39

The Whisky:

Old Pulteney is all about sea vibes. Their entry-point spirit is aged for 12 years in second-fill bourbon casks before it’s batched, proofed, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a clear sense of creamed honey with a touch of sea spray on the nose. The taste really holds onto that creamy honey while notes of wildflowers and oaky spice mingle with malts. The end is fairly short and leaves you with a sense of that creamed honey and a touch of spicy warmth.

Bottom Line:

This is a great, standard malt that works wonders in a highball with some fizzy water and maybe a touch of lemon or lime. Over the rocks, the creaminess of that honey comes forward along with a dry grainy note. It’s nice and even-keeled.

9. Balblair 12

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $73

The Whisky:

This entry-point single malt from the Highlands is an easy drinker. The juice is aged in a combination of ex-bourbon casks and “double fired” or re-charred used American oak barrels. The results are touched with a little water to bring it down to proof and then bottled.

Tasting Notes:

This is a malty sip with touches of lemon pudding next to a hint of tart apple on the nose with a small edge of vanilla. The palate carries notes of orange rinds studded with cloves next to a touch of creamy honey and vanilla. The end dries out a bit with a note of Scotch broom and lightly spiced malts.

Bottom Line:

Overall, this is a good highball Highland malt. It’s very basic in its flavor profile but does deliver a distinct and well-rounded profile overall. It’s not going to blow any socks off for depth or nuance, but it doesn’t need to.

8. Royal Brackla 12

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $90

The Whisky:

Royal Brackla has had a tumultuous past but has been making a comeback over the last few decades and years. The juice in this bottle is a classic unpeated single malt whisky that spends 12 years mellowing in ex-Oloroso sherry casks. The whisky is then vatted, proofed, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with a light and bright fruit salad with dark berries, fresh peach, a hint of pineapple, and maybe some mint with a twinge of honey in the background. The palate veers more savory with a pinch of sea salt next to fresh sage and maybe even some rosemary that leads back to creamy honey with a thin line of almond shells and mild spicy malts.

Bottom Line:

This is a great cocktail base whisky. That savory note with the bright fruitiness tends to shine through nicely, especially with some citrus and an egg white in a whisky sour situation.

7. Glengoyne 10

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $58

The Whisky:

Glengoyne uses unpeated Highland barley that they air-dry at the distillery. The uniqueness of this whisky doesn’t end there. They also season their own American and European oak barrels with sherry for six years before filling them with their juice. After 10 years of maturation, those barrels are vatted, proofed, and bottled for this expression.

Tasting Notes:

This starts off with notes of apple candies, butter toffee, and a few chocolate-covered almonds. The taste leans back into the apple but it’s more tart and juicy, as minor notes of anise and wet cedar bark lead to a little bit of warm cream sitting on top of a shot of espresso and hint more of those almonds. The finish lets the malts sweeten with a spoon of orange marmalade on toast rounding things out.

Bottom Line:

This is getting into the more interesting whiskies on this list. There’s enough going on with this palate to warrant a classic “on the rocks” pour. That bitterness from the marmalade and espresso calms down with water and the creamier notes move forward. It’s very straightforward but nice.

6. Loch Lomond 12

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $50

The Whisky:

This Highland malt is all about maturation. The whisky is barreled in three different bourbon barrels. One set is first-fill bourbon barrels (meaning that this whisky was the first thing to go in the barrel after the bourbon was drained). Another set of barrels were re-fill bourbon barrels (meaning that the barrels had already held local whisky). And the last set of barrels were re-charred bourbon barrels.

Tasting Notes:

This is a rush of apple and pear orchards on the nose with hints of dry oatmeal next to floral honey, vanilla husks, and a bright note of lemon oils. The palate really leans into the apple/pear vibe while the lemon turns into a lemon cream pie with stiff peaks of vanilla whipped cream and a lard-based crust supporting everything. The end has a light touch of spicy malts next to all that lemon creaminess and apple and pear woodiness that just hints at a moment of singed cedar thanks to that heavy char from the bourbon barrel.

Bottom Line:

This is a nice and complex whisky that also feels unique. I’d probably focus on drinking this on the rocks, but it also works really well in a cocktail like a Sazerac or Manhattan thanks to that citrus vibe.

5. Blair Athol 12 Flora & Fauna

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $58

The Whisky:

Besides this bottling, you really only see Blair Athol malt in Bell’s Whisky (a very old-school blend) and very limited releases from the distillery or boutique brands. The whisky is a Highland malt that spends 12 years chilling out in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before proofing and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

The sherry really shines on the nose with a deep dried fruit feel next to Christmas cake spices that were soaked in dark rum — all leading towards hot coals straight from a fireplace. On the palate, light yet very thick syrup arrives with a malty edge, notes of lemon jam, dried apricots, and a vanilla tobacco chewiness. The finish takes its sweet time and turns that light syrup into bitter lemon syrup over dried out malt crackers with a throughline of burnt rosemary sprigs.

Bottom Line:

This is an interesting pour. It’s deeply fruity but has a minerality that’s almost chewy. The pour works well on its own thanks to that but really shines with a little ice to let it bloom in the glass.

4. The Dalmore 12

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $68

The Whisky:

This Highland whisky is a gateway whisky that feels like a classic. The juice is aged in ex-bourbon for nearly a decade. The whisky is then transferred to former sherry casks for that crucial finishing touch of maturation for around three years. It’s then proofed down with to a very accessible 80 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Oranges studded with cloves mingle with a deep dark chocolate foundation and a hint of eggnog creaminess and spiciness. The palate goes even deeper on the orange and spice as heavy vanilla arrives — the husks, seeds, and oils are all present. The end is fairly succinct and touches back on the chocolate with a bitter mocha-coffee vibe and more of the vanilla.

Bottom Line:

This is where we squarely get into the “sippable” whiskies on this list. You don’t need a rock here, but it does help it bloom in the glass. Otherwise, this is a fine introduction to Highland whiskies with zero rough edges and a deep flavor profile.

3. Aberfeldy 12

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $47

The Whisky:

This Highland malt is the cornerstone of the much-beloved Dewar’s Blended Scotch. This whisky is a very accessible single malt that spends 12 years resting in various casks before it’s married and proofed down and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

The heart of the nose is in the mingling of pear and honey with a hint of Christmas spice, especially nutmeg. The palate expands on that with a lush maltiness, creamy vanilla, mild spice, and more of that honey and orchard fruit. The end gets slightly nutty and bitter with a little water as the honey, fruit, and spice linger on the senses.

Bottom Line:

This whisky really leans into the honey with a silky edge. Overall, this whisky really works wonders on a single rock or in a cocktail. That honeyed base brings a lot of depth to a sour. On a rock, it gets creamier with a nutty/spicy edge that shines.

2. Glenmorangie The Cadboll Estate Batch #2

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $90

The Whisky:

Glenmorangie has finally made this a regular drop on the North American market. The juice is made from Highland barley grown exclusively on the 440-acre Cadboll Estate, which surrounds the distillery. The juice is then filled into French casks which held Muscat and Sémillon wines. It’s then left alone for 15 years to mature. Finally, those barrels are batched and brought down to a low 86 proof with local highland spring water.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a sense of buttered scones with lemon curd next to a good dose of vanilla and a touch of savory herbs on the nose. The palate really holds onto that biscuity nature while adding in a caramel candy note next to a bit of butter with a white sugar cube vibe. That lemon comes back on the short finish with hints of old straw and strawberry jam while the savory edge sneaks back in with a hint of lightly spiced tobacco leaf.

Bottom Line:

It’s hard not to love a good pour of Glenmorangie. It’s just… the quintessential unpeated malt. This bottle is the “turned up to 11” version of the 10 and Nectar d’Or expressions. It’s so distinct on its own but really benefits from that drop or two of water or a single rock.

1. Glendronach 15 Revival

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $79

The Whisky:

This Highland malt has made a roaring comeback (the expression went on hiatus from 2015 to 2018). The juice is aged in a combination of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks for 15 long years. Those casks are married and this whisky is brought down to a very easy-drinking 92 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Dark berry brambles with tart and sweet fruit, stems, thorns, and even a little black dirt draw you in on the nose with a hint of walnut shell and cherry pie. The palate is a creamy-yet-bitter dark chocolate orange that leads toward a semi-savory fig countered by ripe apricot. The chocolate comes back with cinnamon spice and more dark berries and walnut on the end.

Bottom Line:

This is the most distinct whisky on this list. The flavor notes are dialed, clear, and delicious. This doesn’t need a rock or water, but adding those will bring out so many more flavors to enjoy. This really could be your next go-to whisky pour.

(Spoilers from The Boys season finale will be found below.)

The Boys viewers loved how Queen Maeve not only kicked Homelander’s ass but also got the happy ending that her character deserved. She even drew Homelander’s blood (and as the above screenshot shows, she was thrilled to do so) before that battle got extra ugly, and then she dove out a window with Soldier Boy to keep his nuclear blast from killing the group. Her character did not die in the process, even if Homelander believes as much. And that’s key to where Queen Maeve goes from here.

Maeve and her partner get to wander off to non-Supe life, apparently in a completely civilian way. They’re headed to a quiet farm, and hopefully, the show will let her live in peace. Dominique McElligott’s presence will be missed on the show, but showrunner Eric Kripke had resolutely determined not to fall into the trope of shows that kill off queer characters. He explained this to Collider:

“From the beginning, we were never going to kill her. We were always going to give her a happy ending. We’re well aware of the super irritating trend of killing off queer characters, and we’re dedicated to not doing that. So then it became about, ‘Well, can we explore that from a meta way and play with the audience’s expectation a little bit and present that big sacrifice moment that happens way too many times?’”

Whew. The Boys really is the best at skewering those tropes, and yep, they still do exist (the ending of Killing Eve proved as much). Finally, someone’s receiving a happy ending, and although Maeve will be missed, it’s a satisfying departure (and what the character wanted) after what she endured as part of The Seven.

(Via Collider)

You can use plenty of words to describe the sneakerhead community but “sweet” or “sentimental” are likely the last words you’d attribute to a group of enthusiasts who would surely roast you if they didn’t like your kicks. Unless you’re wearing Jordans, of course. At their worst, sneakerheads have a reputation for being gate-keep-y mean kids (at their best they’re historians of art and design). But there’s actually a deep sentimentality and camaraderie to be found in these hype-obsessed circles.

Sneakerheads care for their own — bound by a passion for shoes. And nothing exhibits that fact better than the story of Lauren and EJ Wynn.

For years, the Wynns had tried to start a family of their own, enduring eight miscarriages and two failed intrauterine inseminations. Determined to realize their dream, the Wynns decided to give in-vitro fertilization a try — an expensive process that isn’t always guaranteed. To help fund their treatment, EJ parted ways with his coveted sneaker collection, surprising Lauren with the funds who shared the story in a now-viral TikTok.

That story eventually caught the attention of the Hand Made Heat community, a global collective of sneaker customizers, painters, and designers who congregate online and de and reconstruct sneakers from the sole to the stitching.

“Some of the work that comes out of this group rivals major designers,” Hand Made Heat member Nick Tornetta (also the point of contact for anyone who wants to join the discord) tells me over Zoom. Tornetta is the main entity behind Scissors Up, a subgroup within the Hand Made Heat community that tasks itself with sourcing the sort of premium materials sneaker customizers and designers rely on to make their creations and reconstructions as authentic, elevated, and bespoke as possible.

In addition to helping other creators in their respective sneaker customization journeys, the Hand Made Heat community also makes a habit of holding friendly competitions amongst its members to see who can craft the most fire kicks. Those competitions typically revolve around holidays, but the community jumped at the chance to compete for a good cause — replenishing EJ’s sneaker collection with deeply personal original sneakers that not only reflected EJ’s interests and tastes in footwear but also the family he and Lauren were hoping to build.

“We were really inspired by that story,” Tornetta notes. “A real man, a father, steps up and says ‘I’m going to give myself, for the sake of my family, I’m going to give up my collection….’ So the challenge now is, let’s replenish that collection. I really like the fact that our community has banded together to support this family and hope someday we can do more charitable events like this.”

The contest was sponsored by District Leather Supply — used by many Hand Made Heat members — who awarded the first place winner with a $1000 DLS gift card as well as a $250 gift card to Scissors Up, with second and third place tiers at a lower amount. Once the prizes were settled, Tornetta reached out to Lauren to get details on EJ (unbeknownst to him), regarding what was in his collection, what colorways and silhouettes resonated with him, and any other personal details that might be helpful.

“One of the community members made a spreadsheet and just said ‘post your idea here so we don’t send in the same thing,’” Tornetta explains. “People are adhering to some semblance of a design guideline by making a shoe he might like, or colors he might like, and then going wild otherwise.”

The result is a collection of sneakers that are in line with some of the best official releases dropped this year. The group has since sent their final designs to EJ as a surprise package, who in addition to scoring a brand new collection of fire 1-of-1 sneakers made explicitly for him (and his family, check out contest winner below), also got the perfect happy ending with the birth of his and Lauren’s son, Amari, who just last week visited his very first sneaker store Sole Stop. In an chill-inducing twist, Sole Stop is the very store where EJ sold his shoes to pay for the IVF.

All sneakerheads know the feeling of finally catching that big W, but EJ’s win resonates in a truly special way that feels like a win for us all. Check out the Hand Made Heat designs below.

@lab53shoes

Inspired by EJ’s love of the Cowboys, @lab53shoes has ensured that no matter where EJ watches the next game, he’ll be rocking the most fly kicks in the room. This Jordan I recalls the team colors of the Cowboys while updating the design with bandana print suede and calf luxury suede swooshes with suede and milled nubuck accents on the wings and heels.

All of the leather used in this design comes from the Conceria Opera Tannery in Italy. To round out the collection @lab53shoes also threw in a Cowboys onesie and bib.

@mike34customs

Inspired by STAPLE’s iconic Pigeon Dunks and EJ’s old Marshall University football days, this sneaker manages to look like both a skate shoe and one of Nike’s classic University colorways at the same time. With a textured swoosh and paneling, this Nike Dunk sports a Marshall University Thundering Herd logo under the Swoosh and lateral sides with an insole photograph that features EJ and his teammates celebrating a touchdown.

@devolvecustomfootwear

@devolvecustomfootwear went light on the sentimentality and instead went for the cool factor for this fire redesign that looks like it belongs on the SNKRS app ASAP. Featuring black matte and glossy patent, this sneaker features an extended tongue with contrasting stitching, a crimson toe box, heel details, and rear tab buckles with a customized message strap that reads.

“For all the things my hands have held… the best by far is you.”

Rounding out the design is a double swoosh, black matte on the reverse, crimson red suede on the traditional. Eat your heart out, Travis Scott.

@sneakersbytyrel

When making this design @Sneakersbytyrel was also waiting on the birth of his first son, so he decided to supply EJ with something every good dad needs — a quality boat shoe.

Utilizing the low-top Jordan 1, this design features a mix of brown, black, and creamy white with a footprint stamp on the heel with matching blue swooshes to represent EJ and Lauren’s baby boy.

@pinkytoestudio

Instead of another fire AJ-1, @pinkytoestudio took a left turn and dropped this Air Monarch. This sneaker triples down on the dad shoe vibes not only by utilizing the Monarch silhouette but by shouting out The Godfather and grill culture in its design, two staples of dad life.

It’ll only be a few years now until EJ starts talking about how modern movies “aren’t as good as The Godfather,” and insisting that he run the grill at family cookouts (if he isn’t already). That’s what dads do, they’re all grill master movie critics!

Unlike your typical dad shoe, this sneaker was given the luxury treatment with genuine python and alligator details on the tongue and upper with red python accents, a mix of matte and glossy qualities, and a full-length air unit. It may not be a Jordan, but Jordan would rock a pair in a second.

@chicano_ray

For @chicano_ray’s sneaker, the designer went deep on the research. Learning that EJ and his wife had been calling their yet-to-be-born baby ‘lil bean,’ this sneaker features bean iconography at the heel with a furry suede wrap around swoosh and heel tab over a blue elephant print upper.

We wouldn’t blame EJ for never wearing this pair and reserving them for when Amari’s feet are big enough to fit in them.

@mammothnamedjim

You don’t have to be an expectant mother or father for this one to hit you in the feels. Contest winner (are you surprised?) @mammothnamedjim went all out not with one or two but three pairs of Jordan 1s for the whole family.

Featuring a design that recalls the best Union LA Nike collaborations (peep that exposed stitching and ‘Wynn’ tab at the heel) the two adult pairs in this collection are unified by color blocking on the collar and wings but feature alternate color paneling, one green, one navy, giving the pairs a sort of his & hers quality. Unifying the collection is the toddler pair of sneakers which features a perfect blend of both designs. It’s like a little sneaker family, which will surely resonate with EJ and his growing crew.

Extra credit for those fly insoles!

On May 17, 1966, Bob Dylan performed at Free Trade Hall in Manchester, England. That show is famous among Dylan fans, as audio of it was widely bootlegged; Early recordings mistakenly indicated the performance took place at London’s Royal Albert Hall, so the show has long been known as the Royal Albert Hall Concert. Eventually, in 1998, Dylan officially released the full concert himself, on the album The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966, The “Royal Albert Hall” Concert.

Now, Cat Power is getting ready to perform at Royal Albert Hall on November 5 and has decided that she will use her set to re-create Dylan’s famed 1966 concert, a set of half acoustic tunes and half electric performances.

Cat Power said in a statement, “When I finally got the opportunity to play The RAH, it was a no-brainer. I just wanted to sing Dylan songs. And as much as any, this collection of his songs, to me, belong there.”

Check out the The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966, The “Royal Albert Hall” Concert tracklist, and therefore what should end up being Cat Power’s setlist come November, below.

1. “She Belongs To Me”
2. “4th Time Around”
3. “Visions Of Johanna”
4. “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”
5. “Desolation Row”
6. “Just Like A Woman”
7. “Mr. Tambourine Man”
8. “Tell Me, Momma”
9. “I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)”
10. “Baby, Let Me Follow You Down”
11. “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues”
12. “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat”
13. “One Too Many Mornings”
14. “Ballad Of A Thin Man”
15. “Like A Rolling Stone”

Nathan Fielder surprised his fans last week by dropping a trailer for his new HBO series, The Rehearsal, which clearly takes the hilarious cringe comedy of Nathan For You to a whole new level. In a nutshell, Fielder helps people “prepare for life’s biggest moments” by subjecting them to a simulation of his own overly-elaborate making. Essentially, they can “rehearse” for an uncomfortable conversation and/or life-changing decision. However, thanks to Fielder’s machinations, any wrong move can result in awkwardly devastating (but also kind of hilarious) results.

Again, it’s a natural extension of Fielder’s hit series, Nathan For You, only now the stakes are much, much higher than coming up with outlandish small business schemes. The good news is that Fielder appears to have nailed the execution as the first reviews for The Rehearsal are overwhelmingly positive when they’re not outright heralding the show as a “masterpiece.”

You can check out what the critics are saying below:

Ben Travers, IndieWire:

Fielder’s personal investment in each outcome elevates the series even higher. His initial motivation and what he discovers within the hysterical, emotional rehearsals — the joyful satisfactions and existential fears — provide an eye-opening through-line that makes “The Rehearsal” as addictive as it is endearing.

Daniel D’Addario, Variety:

The closest comparison might be “Synecdoche, New York,” the 2008 Charlie Kaufman film that, like “The Rehearsal,” treats life as a performance that can be perfected. And, like Kaufman’s film, “The Rehearsal” has an anarchic heart throbbing beneath a rigorous exterior — meaning that even the viewer who feels the project losing its way can admire Fielder’s abilities to establish lines for himself, and then to scribble outside them.

Robert Ham, Consequence:

There aren’t many shows, especially in the comedy world, taking the chances that The Rehearsal does. Nor are they lucky enough to be led by someone like Fielder, a comic visionary who has, once again, turned a parody of reality TV into a brilliant dissection of human nature.

Dave Nemetz, TVLine:

The heavy-duty scenario planning that Fielder undertakes to stage these rehearsals is both highly absurd and genuinely jaw-dropping. He dabbled in longer-form stunts on Nathan For You like in Season 4’s super-sized “Finding Frances,” but this is on a completely different level.

Nick Schager, The Daily Beast:

Nathan Fielder is the undisputed king of cringe comedy, and The Rehearsal is a masterpiece of awkward chaos that plays as both an extension and expansion of his heralded Comedy Central series Nathan for You.

Ross Bonaime, Collider:

By mixing the natural insanity of real life and the unbelievable resources at his disposal, there’s no early way of knowing which direction Fielder is going. Yet this is also the most expansive version of Fielder’s comedic vision we’ve ever seen, as if HBO gave him the independence and money to do whatever he wants. If there’s an easy way to do something, Fielder avoids it, instead attempting the most hare-brained, over-the-top solution to a problem.

Keith Phipps, TV Guide:

Fielder may be a man sitting in an offshoot of an elaborate alternate reality of his own creation, but as he sips a soda alone at the bar, he also looks like a man trying to use that alternate reality to figure out something about the real world. It’s that impulse that makes The Rehearsal much more than a prank show.

Lex Briscuso, /Film:

A smart and savvy introspective reali-comedy that challenges our hearts and minds as it prepares us for life’s most monumental eventualities. The show is a bit of surreal genius that reinvents our world as only Nathan Fielder can, with a dash of cringe, a touch of embarrassment, and an unexpectedly heavy dose of purity and heart.

The Rehearsal premieres July 15 on HBO.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of The BBC providing the best television shows both in Britain and beyond, the service is bringing a new series of masterclasses to their BBC Maestro series.

BBC Maestro launched for UK subscribers at the end of 2020, featuring various courses taught by celebrities and experts in their craft. Starting in July, BBC Maestro will offer a slew of new courses, taught by musicians, artists, movie directors, and more. Now, US viewers can sign up for the service, which starts at $120 a year, or $90 a class.

According to a new press release, the site will offer new classes in the coming months with a series of industry experts. Some of the upcoming instructors include acclaimed filmmaker Edgar Wright, who recently released 2021’s psychological thriller Last Night In Soho and even teamed up with Zendaya on a tongue-twisting SuperBowl commercial earlier this year.

Also leading his own course will be Sam Mendes, the former James Bond director who has had nothing but hits under his belt, including American Beauty, 1917, and Jarhead. Mendes recently snagged a Tony for his work in the theater earlier this year.

Author Lee Child, known for creating the Jack Reacher series will also have a course available, as well as DJ Mark Ronson, of “Uptown Funk” fame. You too can create your own viral hit that will make people want to turn off their car radio forever, for the low, low price of $120. Act now!!

Back in 2005, Eminem released his greatest hits compilation, Curtain Call: The Hits. The project was filled with his popular singles like “My Name Is,” “Stan,” “Lose Yourself,” “The Real Slim Shady,” and more. Curtain Call: The Hits arrived amid retirement rumors around Eminem as even the rapper himself was unsure of what direction his career would go at the time. As we now know, he returned four years later with Relapse, and the following year he dropped the Grammy-winning Recovery. Almost 17 years after Curtain Call: The Hits, Eminem is ready to release his second greatest hits compilation.

Eminem took to social media today to announce Curtain Call 2. A press release for the upcoming project revealed that it will arrive on August 5 and only feature “music from all Eminem projects from Relapse forward.” This includes side projects, guest appearances, songs for films, and tracks from his solo albums. The announcement also noted that “From the D 2 the LBC” and “The King And I,” which feature Snoop Dogg and Cee-Lo Green respectively, will also appear on the project as well as a previously unreleased track which will be revealed “in the coming weeks.”

Curtain Call 2 will receive a standard release as well as a limited edition box set and a limited amount of autographed vinyl available on Eminem’s website.

You can view the cover art for Curtain Call 2 above and read more information about the project here.

Curtain Call 2 is out 8/5 via Shady/Aftermath/Interscope.

It’s widely acknowledged that the cultural phenomenon known as hip-hop officially began at a house party in The Bronx, New York on August 11, 1973. That means hip-hop is nearly 50 years old, and to celebrate its impending golden jubilee, Mass Appeal has announced the Hip-Hop 50: The Soundtrack project, 10 EPs produced by some of the culture’s biggest names to commemorate hip-hop’s longevity (the ha, the ha). The first will be DJ Premier: Hip-Hop 50 Volume 1, produced by… I mean, it’s right there in the title… dropping on July 15 via Mass Appeal and The Orchard.

The project’s five tracks will feature appearances from old-school legends like Nas and Slick Rick, contemporary craft masters like Joey Badass, Rapsody, and Run The Jewels, and cross-generational all-timer Lil Wayne. In a statement, DJ Premier said, “It’s an honor to kick off this iconic Hip Hop 50 music program. Hip Hop continues to inspire fans across the globe and it’s incredible to think of what the next 50 years will bring.” It seems likely that the new track Premier and Nas previewed last week is actually “Beat Breaks,” their collaboration from this project.

Future EPs in the Hip-Hop 50: The Soundtrack will include entries produced by Hit-Boy, Mike Will Made-It, Mustard, No I.D., Swizz Beatz, The-Dream, and more. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Universal Hip-Hop Museum, as well as other charitable organizations. Other arms of the Hip-Hop 50 initiative include live event programming and a slate of documentaries with Paramount + and Showtime, including the Supreme Team documentary that premiered on Friday, July 10, as well as the Spotify Original podcast, The Bridge: 50 Years of Hip-Hop, hosted by Miss Info and Nas.

DJ Premier: Hip Hop 50 Volume 1 is out 7/15 via Mass Appeal Records and The Orchard. You can pre-save it here. You can see the tracklist below.

01. “Lettin’ Off Steam” Feat. Joey Bada$$
02. “Remy Rap” Feat. Remy Ma & Rapsody
03. “Beat Breaks” Feat. Nas
04. “Terrible 2’s” Feat. Run The Jewels
05. “The Root Of All” Feat. Lil Wayne & Slick Rick

Harley Quinn just might be the best show you’re not watching (non The Bear category, of course), and there’s no better time to hop on board with a third season of the HBO Max cartoon on the way later this month. Monday brought a second trailer for the highly-anticipated streaming series that offers more details on the (spoilers ahead) relationship sure to anchor the upcoming episodes.

Much like the first trailer for Season 3, the new look is all about Harley and Ivy’s newfound romance and what they plan to do now that they’ve officially teamed up. And while the first trailer was about a much more vague “Eat. Bang! Kill” tour, Monday’s reveal is more to the point: Ivy’s finally going to terraform Gotham to make it an Eden-like paradise.

There are other hints about what’s to come as well, including a few familiar faces reappearing. Juxtaposing the typical DC darkness is a running theme of Harley Quinn, and Season 3 is no exception.

“Anyone wanna switch seats?” Quinn asks aloud on a bus, for example, while Nightwing monologues about how much Gotham needs him.

Other characters have their own plans for Gotham, though. Like a family-man Joker running for mayor, for example. And as the trailer makes clear, this is a different Harley Quinn we’re seeing in Season 3. And that might mean she’s not exactly OK with Ivy’s big plans after all. And might be teaming up with some other folks to fight back.

“I believe she’s going through what’s known as ‘some sh*t,” Clayface says about, well, someone. We’ll have to wait to find out who when Season 3 hits HBO Max on July 28.

Jeopardy! is well-known for having some of the most vocal fans in the syndicated game show world. If its long-spanning quest for a replacement for Alex Trebek is any indication, fans certainly have a lot to say about how the show is made, its adherence to its own rules and even how individual contestants play the game. Especially when they’re on screen for a long time.

Which has certainly happened a lot over the last three or so seasons, with so-called mega-champions going on long runs of success. Winning even a handful of episodes in a row is impressive, but a number of contestants have survived weeks-long gauntlets of trivia to return as champions and rack up hundreds of thousands of dollars in winnings. Not to mention three million-dollar winners in recent years — James Holzhauer, Matt Amodio and Amy Schneider.

Trebek himself had said in the past that the show is about the players, and the truly great ones have become stars in their own right. As well as taken attention away from all the drama around who is hosting. Which is a good thing, but not everyone seems satisfied by the recent string of mega champs.

The show’s very active Reddit community recently debated whether having so many long winning streaks close together has actually been good for the show. In some cases, the returning champions were a more consistent presence than the long string of guest hosts tried out in the wake of Trebek’s death in November of 2020.

As TV Insider pointed out, some fans spoke out about fatigue of seeing impressive runs of success on screen for weeks at a time.

One of the game show’s long-time viewers posted a thread on the Jeopardy! Reddit on Saturday, July 9, asking, “Does anyone else enjoy new champions on the regular?” While the fan noted that mega-champs are “great,” he added that he enjoys “seeing a daily or regular turnover of champions,” pointing to Yungsheng Wang’s recent short tenure as champion and how it “made the whole game more enjoyable.”

There’s something to be said for getting tired of the same players, but it’s certainly worth pointing out just how impressive those long streaks are despite their recent frequency. Contestants tape five episodes a day, so any streak longer than a week requires multiple taping days under hot lights while other contestants try to make the most of their only shot at their own game show immortality.

Not everyone agrees that it’s boring, of course, which is no surprise given how popular Jeopardy! is and how vibrant the community around the show has grown. But it’s certainly interesting to see how fans react to the game’s best players. Even if some people feel they’ve overstayed their welcome a bit.

[via TV Insider]