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The Marvel Cinematic Universe is an intricately planned affair with several years of films plotted out at any given moment. That fine tuning obviously got thrown off track in 2020, since Black Widow meant to officially launch the MCU’s Phase Four (post-Infinity Saga) era, and instead, that honor’s going to the first Disney+ series, WandaVision. How everything will all shake out and affect the overall timeline of movies still remains to be seen, but for now, this new TV spot — and it’s really, really nice to see Marvel TV spots again, isn’t it? — officially signals the “new era,” by literally titling itself as “Signal.”

The new era is Phase Four, and prepare for things to get funky and weird and outside the normal confines of superhero-framed reality. This is alright, yes? Series director Matt Shakman told SFX Magazine that launching the phase is “an honour” and “terrifying” and “surreal, like everything else.” Yep, the world’s incredibly surreal (and terrifying) now.

Of course, we will eventually see Black Widow (and The Eternals and Shang-Chi and so on), but for now, the Disney+ series is keeping the MCU train going. As we’ve already seen, this limited series will give viewers 1950s-set sitcom vibes that feel like an homage to The Dick Van Dyke Show, but within the larger story, the superhero lovers are attempting to conjure up a picture-perfect home life. From the looks of footage and trailers so far, it sure looks like reality will start to collapse, and we’ve seen hints about not only Vision’s anatomy but also the couple’s baby twins, which may or may not exist and may lead to realizations that aren’t as pretty as the sitcom setup would have people believe. From the show’s synopsis:

The series is a blend of classic television and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in which Wanda Maximoff and Vision — two super-powered beings living idealized suburban lives — begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems.

WandaVision will premiere on January 15.

Many drinkers turn their backs on beer when the winter months begin. They say that brews belong to the summer, paired with yard games, SPF, and sandals. And sure enough, summer is the season of IPAs, pale ales, wheat beers, and crisp, light pilsners. The winter months are often reserved for bourbon, scotch, and rye.

But as we’ve laid out before, there are beers specifically calibrated for the rugged, cold, hygge-inspiring winter season. Plenty of them, in fact. And perhaps none better than stouts. This week, we’re (once again) diving headfirst into this malty, rich, chocolate-noted beer style. Why? Stouts make perfect warmers during the cold months; as cozy and comforting as a weighted quilt.

First, a little clarity on this dark brew: A stout — which is often pitch-black in color — is brewed with roasted barley, hops, yeast, and water. They’re typically high in ABVs, usually in the 7-8% range (hence all the “warming” references). They’re also diverse. Within the overarching style, there are various types of stouts — Irish dry, milk stout, oatmeal stout, oyster stout, chocolate stout, imperial stout, and the newly minted, highly beloved barrel-aged stout (usually bourbon barrel-aged).

Today, we’re ranking the thirty best stout beers to drink this winter. It should be noted that this list is made up of beers we actually tried. So don’t come at us with angry emojis because your favorite oatmeal cookie stout from a beloved local brewery in Scottsdale wasn’t included. It’s a pandemic and we can’t be everywhere. Also, we tried not to include too many limited-edition beers — because why would you want to read about a beer you’re never going to get a chance to try? Other than that, taste and taste alone was the key factor here.

Let’s get sipping!

30) Duck Rabbit Milk Stout

ABV: 5.7%

Average Price: $9.99 for a six-pack

The Beer:

When it comes to milk stouts, there’s a reason Duck Rabbit is one of the most popular. This traditional milk stout was brewed with lactose (also known as milk sugar). This gives the beer a sweet, creamy flavor (and mouthfeel) that melds perfectly with the roasted malts.

Tasting Notes:

After the first sip, you’ll notice a large amount of rich, roasted malt flavor that delves into sugary, creamy sweetness from the lactose. It’s a great mix of bitter and sweet flavors without overloading the alcohol content.

Bottom Line:

Duck Rabbit Milk Stout is the brewery’s number one seller and for good reason. For fans of stouts, it’s a great break from high ABV barrel-aged beers without giving up any roasted, malty flavor.

29) Deschutes Obsidian Stout

ABV: 6.4%

Average Price: $8.99 for a six-pack

The Beer:

One of Deschutes Brewery’s most popular beers, Obsidian Stout is made with 2 Row, Roasted Barley, Chocolate Malt, Carapils, Munich, Crystal malts as well as Delta and Northern Brewer hops.

Tasting Notes:

The result is a rich, robust, somehow easy to drink stout with hints of roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, and just a hint of caramel sweetness.

Bottom Line:

In a world of overly heavy stouts, this is a nice respite that still has enough oomph to warm you up until spring.

28) Sierra Nevada Stout

ABV: 5.8%

Average Price: $10 for a six-pack

The Beer:

This beloved beer is touted as a “West Coast-style” stout, whatever that means. One of Sierra Nevada’s oldest beers, this multiple award-winner is made in the traditional dry stout style. It’s filled with roasted malts, giving it hints of bitter chocolate.

Tasting Notes:

This dark, rich, subtly bitter stout is full of roasted malt, sweet chocolate, bold coffee flavors with a nice, dry finish.

Bottom Line:

This beer isn’t bourbon barreled and doesn’t contain any random chili peppers or similar flourishes. It’s simple, rich, and perfect for winter drinking.

27) Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout

ABV: 5%

Average Price: $9.99 for a 4-pack

The Beer:

For some reason, the oatmeal stout style lost favor sometime around World War I until it was brought back by Samuel Smith in 1980. Since then, this style has gained in popularity, with the original still considered the best.

Tasting Notes:

This velvety, rich stout is filled with flavors of semi-sweet chocolate, roasted coffee, and subtle dried fruits.

Bottom Line:

If you’re going to try an oatmeal stout, make sure you’ve sipped a Samuel Smith’s oatmeal stout first. It’s always best to compare against the GOAT, right?

26) Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro

ABV: 6%

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

The Beer:

While Guinness is undeniably Ireland’s stout, Left Hand touts its Milk Stout as “America’s Stout.” Whether that’s true or not, this beer is a winner. It’s brewed with lactose as well as 2-Row, Crystal, Chocolate, and Munich malts, rolled oats, flaked barley, and roasted barley to give it a well-rounded flavor profile.

Tasting Notes:

This nitro brewed stout is filled with flavors of slow-roasted coffee beans, sweet chocolate, vanilla, caramelized sugar that’s all amped up by the addition of nitro bubbles.

Bottom Line:

You can grab a bottle of the regular Left Hand Milk Stout, but why would you when you can have the Nitro version instead?

25) Rogue Chocolate Stout

ABV: 5.8%

Average Price: $8 for a 22-ounce bottle

The Beer:

This award-winning stout is the epitome of chocolate in a pint glass. Made with rolled oats, roasted barley, chocolate, and a whole slew of malts and hops, this beer is a complex chocolate bomb.

Tasting Notes:

This dark, creamy brew is filled with sweet oatmeal flavor that moves into a bitter dark chocolate, subtle hops, and finally rich, creamy milk chocolate.

Bottom Line:

This is like the grown-up version of chocolate milk. It’s so sweet and velvety that you just might want to throw on some cartoons, kick your feet up, and pretend you’re living some kind of modern-day Big scenario.

24) Revolution Rise

ABV: 7.6%

Average Price: $7.99 for a 22-ounce bottle

The Beer:

This unique stout gets its base from pale malt as well as caramel malt from Chile. They add English roasted barley and dark chocolate malt to make very dessert-like chocolate and pastry-filled stout.

Tasting Notes:

This beer is chocolate through and through. But unlike many stouts on the market, it gets a nice kick of bitterness from the addition of Centennial and Cascade hops before fermentation and getting dry-hopped with Centennial and Chinook hops afterward.

It’s creamy, chocolatey, and has a nice backbone of pine and citrus.

Bottom Line:

This is the stout for hop fans. If you’re tired of overly roasted, chocolate-centric beers with no bite, this is the stout for you.

23) Guinness Stout

ABV: 4.2%

Average Price: $10 for a six-pack

The Beer:

When many people think of stouts, their mind tends to immediately take them to the Emerald Isle and a pint of Guinness Draught. This dry, Irish stout is the original nitro beer. It’s velvety, subtly bitter, and surprisingly low in alcohol.

Tasting Notes:

At first glance, it looks dark and appears to be heavy. But it’s surprisingly smooth and light with hints of roasted barley, bitter coffee, and sweet, milk chocolate.

Bottom Line:

One of the most popular pub beers of all-time, it’s hard to beat a hand-poured Guinness. But if you’re stuck at a home, cracking open a nitro-infused can will do in a pinch.

22) Avery Night Warden

ABV: 8.2%

Average Price: $15.99 for a six-pack

The Beer:

This stout begins with roasted barley, midnight wheat, caraaroma, chocolate, oats, and 2-row malts (among other ingredients) and transforms them all into something truly spectacular after aging for three months in former whiskey barrels.

Tasting Notes:

The result of aging in whiskey barrels is a well-balanced, rich, velvety smooth stout with notes of creamy vanilla, caramel, roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, and a nice hit of whiskey.

Bottom Line:

In a world of 12% ABV barrel-aged beers, Avery Night Warden is a nice change of pace. While it’s not a session beer, it’s a great option for those looking for only a subtle buzz.

21) Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout

ABV: 10%

Average Price: $16.99 for a six-pack

The Beer:

Let’s be honest, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout is less a beer and more a dessert. This Russian imperial stout is filled with roasted malts and a rich, decadent chocolate flavor.

Tasting Notes:

This beer is chocolate to the max. You’d think they added alcohol to melted chocolate. It’s mouth-coating, rich, velvety, and filled with hints of roasted coffee beans and sweet fudge.

Bottom Line:

Since you’re likely buying a six-pack, enjoy the first one in a glass and then pour the second one over some ice cream (or make an ice cream float). Now that’s a boozy treat.

20) Bell’s Expedition Stout

ABV: 10.5%

Average Price: $15 for a six-pack

The Beer:

One of the first Russian imperial stouts to be brewed in the US, Bell’s Expedition Stout is bold, complex, and filled with roasted malts. It’s an iconic brew for a reason and one you’ll want to drink all winter long.

Tasting Notes:

This beer is filled with hints of dark, roasted coffee, rich chocolate, dried fruits, and sweet brown sugar. It also has a big malt body that stands up to all of the various potent flavors.

Bottom Line:

While this beer is 10.5% alcohol, you wouldn’t even know it. It’s rich, creamy, and sexy-smooth.

19) Night Shift Night Fever

ABV: 7.5%

Average Price: $16 for a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Beer:

In recent years, Night Shift has been crafting high-quality, delicious brews. One of its best is its Night Fever Stout. This chocolate stout is cranked up with the addition of house-roasted coffee beans. The result is a decadent, subtly bittersweet, smooth stout.

Tasting Notes:

This beer has everything stout fans enjoy. It’s bursting with rich roasted malts, sweet caramelized sugar, dried fruits, and creamy chocolate flavors.

Bottom Line:

If you can get your hands on a few cans of this well-made brew, pour yourself a pint or two and share the rest — this is a fun one to discuss.

18) Stone Xocoveza

ABV: 8.1%

Average Price: $18 for a six-pack

The Beer:

If you’ve ever been to Mexico, you might have been lucky enough to try Mexican hot chocolate. This spicy, warming drink gets its kick from the addition of chili powder. The folks at Stone decided to replicate that flavor in beer form and they succeeded with Xocoveza — loaded with coffee, pasilla peppers, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chocolate.

Tasting Notes:

This surprisingly smooth, light stout is filled with hints of sweet chocolate, bitter coffee, and a nice, spicy peppery backbone that will keep you warm all winter long.

Bottom Line:

This mocha stout is perfect for fans of subtly spicy, chocolatey beverages. If you’re on the fence, give it a try. You won’t regret it.

17) Westbrook Mexican Cake

ABV: 10.5%

Average Price: $16 for a 22-ounce bottle

The Beer:

Brewed originally to celebrate the South Carolina-based brewery’s first year, this imperial stout aged in cocoa nibs, cinnamon sticks, vanilla beans, and habanero peppers is now released every year.

Tasting Notes:

This is a truly complex beer. This imperial stout starts with the rich, roasted malt flavors stout fans expect. But it quickly evolves into something special with hints of sweet vanilla, cinnamon, fudgy chocolate, and, finally, a kick of spicy pepper.

Bottom Line:

This year, instead of taking a Lactaid to enjoy a tall glass of milk with your birthday cake, pair it with a pint of Westbrook Mexican Cake instead.

16) Long Trail Barrel Aged Unearthed

ABV: 9.6%

Average Price: $16.99 for a 4-pack

The Beer:

Long Trail took its regular, highly rated Unearthed American Stout and matured it in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels for six months. The result is a turbo-charged imperial stout that took on some of the greatest qualities of the charred cask.

Tasting Notes:

This limited-edition beer isn’t easy to come by, but if you find some bottles, you’ll be treated to sweet caramel, dark, bitter chocolate, creamy vanilla, and just the right amount of warming bourbon whiskey.

Bottom Line:

If you can find some bottles of this rare beer, save them for yourself. Don’t even tell your significant other or roommates that you got some.

15) North Coast Old Rasputin

ABV: 9%

Average Price: $8.49 for a 4-pack

The Beer:

No stout list is complete without North Coast Old Rasputin. Named for the infamous mystic Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin, this beer is made in the 18th-century style of Russian imperial stouts. It’s become one of the most popular stouts in America and for good reason.

Tasting Notes:

Like the man himself, this beer is brash and bold. Unlike Rasputin, it’s also filled with bitter, intense coffee, chocolate, and roasted malt flavors. The sip ends with a nice warming finish that’s very unlike the end of the famous “holy man” himself.

Bottom Line:

North Coast Old Rasputin should be required winter drinking.

14) Evil Twin Imperial Biscotti Break

ABV: 11.5%

Average Price: $14.99 for a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Beer:

This bold, rich, flavorful imperial stout was brewed with a generous amount of coffee. While it seems like a gimmick, it isn’t. The addition of vanilla and almond flavor makes it taste like you’re dipping a crispy biscotti into a cup of coffee. Except that the coffee is a high ABV beer.

Tasting Notes:

Sometimes when a beer’s name gets specific with what it’s supposed to be, it doesn’t hit the target. This one does. What starts as a classic, coffee, and chocolate-filled imperial stout evolves into a symphony of almond cookies and sweet vanilla.

Bottom Line:

Instead of having an after-dinner cup of coffee that’s just going to keep you up all night, opt for a pint of Imperial Biscotti Break. This is the kind of post-dinner dessert drink we can get used to this time of year.

13) Oskar Blues Barrel Aged Ten Fidy

ABV: 12.9%

Average Price: $12.99 for a 19.2-ounce can

The Beer:

Sure, you can’t go wrong with a pint of Oskar Blues Ten Fidy. This 10.5% ABV stout is perfect for winter weather. But if you want to kick it up a notch, you should buy a can or two of the barrel-aged version.

Tasting Notes:

Aged for four seasons in former bourbon barrels, this imperial stout has hints of brown sugar, sweet caramel, toasted vanilla, bitter coffee beans, and deeply warming bourbon flavors.

Bottom Line:

If you’re still not sure whether or not you want to put down that bottle of bourbon this winter. Why not work your way into stouts slowly by drinking this barrel-aged stout?

12) Great Divide Brewing Barrel Aged Yeti

ABV: 12.5%

Average Price: $24 for a 750ml bottle

The Beer:

Great Divide is well-known for its Yeti Imperial Stout. It’s malty, rich, and chocolatey on its own. This brew amps up the original by aging it for a minimum of 12 months in whiskey barrels to create its Barrel-Aged Yeti.

The result is mellow, complex, and well suited for cold weather.

Tasting Notes:

First, you’ll be treated to dark, roasted, rich flavors of malts before heading into sweet vanilla, charred oak, and eventually the whiskey itself with all of its warming qualities.

Bottom Line:

If you’ve tried all of the other well-known barrel-aged stouts, it’s time to grab a bottle or two of Barrel Aged Yeti. You’ll be happy you did.

11) Bell’s Black Note

ABV: 11.2%

Average Price: $24.99 for a 4-pack

The Beer:

There’s a reason this is one of the most popular beers ever made by Bell’s. It begins as a blend of its Expedition Stout and Double Cream Stout. Then, it’s aged in ex-bourbon barrels for months.

Tasting Note:

The result is a highly nuanced, complex brew with notes of rich dark chocolate, bitter coffee beans, dried cherries, caramelized sugar, and a nice hint of bourbon at the back end.

Bottom Line:

If you’re a fan of stouts and whiskey, enjoying a pint or two of this special beer is the way to go. The chocolate and whiskey notes are sure to keep you coming back for more.

10) Prairie BOMB!

ABV: 13%

Average Price: $9.99 per 22-ounce bottle

The Beer:

While you can’t go wrong with anything from Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Prairie Artisan Ales, if you’re looking for high quality, potent, flavorful stout, look no further than its iconic BOMB! This imperial stout was aged on espresso beans, vanilla beans, chocolate, and gets a spicy kick from ancho chile peppers.

Tasting Notes:

This high ABV imperial stout is filled with rich chocolate, caramel, and subtly bitter coffee bean flavors. It’s all tied together with warming ancho chile pepper heat.

Bottom Line:

If you live somewhere in the northern hemisphere where it gets really cold (like really cold), grab a bottle of BOMB! and prepare to be warmed from the inside out.

9) Evil Twin Even More Jesus

ABV: 12%

Average Price: $15.99 for a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans

The Beer:

This imperial stout has a name that lives up to its bold flavor. It’s pitch black in appearance and brewed with roasted malts, hazelnuts, and bitter chocolate. The result is a well-balanced sweet, roasty stout, perfect for winter drinking.

Tasting Notes:

What begins as an extremely dark, almost fudge-like beer evolves into a cavalcade of roasted coffee, creamy chocolate, nutty sweetness, and caramelized sugar flavors.

Bottom Line:

Whether you’re religious or not, you can appreciate this beer. It’s dark, rich, sweet, and well suited for drinking while you welcome a new year.

8) Alesmith Speedway Stout

ABV:12%

Average Price: $11.99 for a 750ml bottle

The Beer:

This imperial stout is brewed with both chocolate and roasted malts to give it a slightly bitter, robust, chocolate-filled backbone. The addition of locally-roasted coffee brings it to a new level of flavor magic.

Tasting Notes:

The coffee flavor is prevalent right away and that’s not such a bad thing. This is followed by dark chocolate, sweet caramel, and rich vanilla notes.

Bottom Line:

For stout fans who enjoy warming, high ABV stouts without the addition of barrel-aging and the flavors associated with that, this is the beer for you.

7) Deschutes The Abyss 2019 Reserve

ABV: 11%

Average Price: $17 for a 22-ounce bottle

The Beer:

You’ve seen the words “bourbon barrel” mentioned a ridiculous number of times on this page. But Deschutes decided to try something different with its 2019 release. It was aged in ex-Port wine barrels.

Tasting Notes:

The result is a unique imperial stout with hints of raw sugar, licorice candy, dark chocolate, sweet, dried fruits, and rich, roasted malts.

Bottom Line:

This is a different kind of barrel-aged beer and it should be treated as such. Savor this because it might never happen again.

6) Lagunitas Willetized Coffee Stout

ABV: 12.9%

Average Price: $13.99 for a 4-pack

The Beer:

Lagunitas collaborated with Kentucky’s Willet Distillery to make this one-of-a-kind coffee stout. They took their imperial stout in ex-bourbon barrels from the famed distillery and let them sit for months to broaden the flavors.

Tasting Notes:

If we know one thing about stouts it’s that coffee, chocolate, and bourbon work well together. This limited-edition brew has everything we love. It’s filled with notes of chocolate, bitter espresso beans, subtle smoke, and just the right amount of warming bourbon.

Bottom Line:

This is the perfect beer for fans of coffee, chocolate, and whiskey. These are all things we enjoy, so this is the beer for us.

5) Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

ABV: 12-14%

Average Price: $14 for a 16.9-ounce bottle

The Beer:

While there are many variations (and new offerings each year) of Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout, it’s hard to top the original. Regardless of which year your bottle was made, it will consist of an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels. This is the OG bourbon barrel-aged stout was first brewed back in 1992 to celebrate the 1000th batch of beer produced at Goose Island.

Tasting Notes:

This super dark pitch-black imperial stout is so full of flavors you might want to take your time and enjoy each one individually. First, there are flavors of chocolate, sweet vanilla, and brown sugar. This is followed by rich whiskey and just a hint of charred barrel flavor.

Bottom Line:

There’s a reason beer fans eagerly await the release of this beer (and all the various iterations). It’s a true masterpiece. Buy one bottle for now and one to cellar for later enjoyment.

4) Fremont The Rusty Nail

ABV: 14.5%

Average Price: $24 for a 22-ounce bottle

The Beer:

You may have tried Fremont’s beer called The First Nail. That one is an oatmeal stout made with smoked barley, brewer’s licorice, and pale malt, that’s then aged on cinnamon bark. They turn it up to eleven by aging it in ex-bourbon barrels for 15 months to create The Rusty Nail

Tasting Notes:

Right away, the bourbon flavors are very prevalent. This quickly moves into flavors of subtly bitter dark chocolate before moving on to spicy cinnamon, subtle licorice, and rich caramel.

Bottom Line:

If you can, grab a bottle of The First Nail and The Rusty Nail, you should drink them side by side, reveling in the similarities and differences.

3) Firestone Walker Parabola

ABV: 14%

Average Price: $17.99 for a 20-ounce bottle

The Beer:

Firestone Walker’s Parabola is an eagerly awaited release from the California-based brewery. Each vintage is aged for 12 months in former bourbon barrels. This imperial stout is one of the brewery’s most popular bottles and one you should seek out this winter.

Tasting Notes:

This isn’t your average imperial stout. Bourbon cask aging results in a well-balanced stout with hints of bitter, dark chocolate, roasted espresso beans, rich tobacco, sweet vanilla, and warming whiskey.

Bottom Line:

Buy a few bottles. Drink one now and save the others for a special occasion.

2) Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout

ABV: 11.2%

Average Price: $17.99 for a four-pack

The Beer:

Founder KBS was heavily hyped before it was made more readily available. But the ease at which it can now be purchased hasn’t changed the quality of this imperial stout, brewed with coffee and chocolate and aged in bourbon barrels for 12 months.

Tasting Notes:

Right away, you can taste the roasted coffee flavor. This is highlighted by the addition of caramel, sweet vanilla, creamy chocolate, and a nice warming kick of bourbon.

Bottom Line:

When it comes to barrel-aged beers, it’s still really hard to beat the quality of KBS. It’s the kind of beer you should always have on hand for winter drinking emergencies.

1) Perennial Artisan Ales Abraxas

ABV: 11.5%

Average Price: $24.99 for a 750ml bottle

The Beer:

This imperial stout was brewed with cacao nibs, vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks, and ancho chili peppers. The result is a truly unique, much sought-after stout you’ll savor from start to finish.

Tasting Notes:

This highly complex, nuanced stout is filled with roasted malt flavor that moves along to sweet milk chocolate, spicy peppers, and sweet cinnamon.

Bottom Line:

While this beer seems overly complicated on the surface, the experience of drinking it is both direct and satisfying. All the various flavors work together in perfect harmony to create a unique, flavorful beer.

After providing the Washington Post with a bombshell recording of Donald Trump attempting to pressure him into changing election results, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger sat down for an interview with Good Morning America on Monday where he explained how the potentially illegal call happened and why the president has no idea what’s he talking about.

While fielding questions from George Stephanopoulos, Raffensperger revealed that he had been trying to avoid a phone conversation with Trump. “I never believed it was appropriate to speak to the president,” Raffensperger said referencing Trump’s lawsuit against the state of Georgia. However, after facing pressure from White House staff, Raffensperger agreed to a call where he did his best to let Trump know that his election claims had no basis reality. Via NBC News:

“We took the call, and we had a conversation. He did most of the talking, we did most of the listening,” Raffensperger said. “But I did want to make my points that the data that he has is just plain wrong.”

“For the last two months, we’ve been fighting the rumor whack-a-mole,” Raffensperger added. “And it was pretty obvious very early on that we debunked every one of those theories that have been out there, but that President Trump continues to believe them.”

Despite being on the receiving end of Trump’s conspiracy theory and his illegal request to “find the votes,” Raffensperger told GMA that he felt no pressure to give into the president’s demand. “Everything we’ve done for the last 12 months follows the constitution of the state of Georgia, follows the United States Constitution, follows state law.” As for whether Trump will face charges for attempting to alter the results of a federal election, Raffensperger said that the Fulton County district attorney “wants to look at” the case. “Maybe that’s the appropriate venue for it to go,” he added.

And according to CNN’s Jim Acosta, Trump and his team tried calling Raffensperger at least 18 times before he took the call, which reminded some of a classic, cringe-y scene from Swingers.

Jan. 20th can’t get here soon enough for a lot of people.

(Via Good Morning America)

When it was announced on New Year’s Eve that MF DOOM had passed away on Halloween last year, the outpourings of respect and condolences from hip-hop were both immediate and prolific. Adult Swim Senior Vice President Jason DeMarco shared a stream of stories and about his experiences with the rap iconoclast (including explaining the aborted The Missing Notebook project) and fellow underground rap icon Yasiin Bey posted a cover of DOOM’s Madvillain cut “All Caps.” Today, the tributes continued as another unconventional MC, Open Mike Eagle, shared his thoughts about the last masked rapper in a freestyle detailing his emotional response at the news of his hero’s death.

Mike and DOOM had previously connected on a pair of tracks: “Phantoms,” from the Czarface album, Czarface Meets Metal Face, and “Police Myself,” from Mike’s Comedy Central show The New Negroes. However, as he notes in his freestyle, the two men never met in real life, only corresponding through a go-between. As he reels off his own experiences, Mike reminisces about having a photo of MF DOOM rapping on some art in his living room. As he mentions this, he picks up the photo and looks at it, only to belatedly realize that the photo is of one of the imposter DOOMs that the original Daniel Dumile dispatched to live performances a few years ago so he wouldn’t have to show up himself.

Mike, unfazed, acknowledges the posthumous troll, “Supervillain. This n**** got me again. Rest in peace.”

Watch Mike’s tribute to MF DOOM above.

The much-maligned Justice League is being re-released as Zack Snyder’s Justice League, now with 100 percent more Jared Leto. The Oscar winner will appear in the HBO Max movie as a “road-weary Joker,” according to director Zack Snyder, who is “forever in debt to [Leto’s] kindness” to agreeing to the cameo. You do not want to be Jared Leto’s debt — the offer you can’t refuse will somehow involve a “damaged” tattoo.

Speaking of Suicide Squad: following the success of the Snyder Cut campaign, there is now a #ReleaseTheAyerCut movement for Warner Bros. to put out the “real” version of the 2016 villainous team-up film, which has a prominent supporter in — you guessed it — Jared Leto. “I would love for him to be able to work on that and make the film of his dreams. It’s always hard when you make these movies because it’s such a pressure cooker. There are so many decisions that have to be made in a short amount of time,” he told Variety (via CinemaBlend). Leto continued:

“You never start with something that’s perfect. It’s a race to try to make it as good as you can in a short amount of time. So I get it, having another swing at things? I’m sure we all can use that.”

Here is Jared Leto, deep in thought about the Ayer Cut:

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is scheduled to come out later this year.

(Via Variety)

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 Foo Fighters kick ass to start the new year and Grimes revisit her 2020 album to refresh it for 2021. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.

Foo Fighters — “No Son Of Mine”

Foo Fighters had a new album done in early 2020, but COVID-19 threw a (monkey) wrench in their plans to release it and simultaneously celebrate their 25th anniversary as a band. While all the troubles of 2020 aren’t behind us, the last digit of the year is different, so the band decided to celebrate the joy in that with a rocking new single, “No Son Of Mine,” which they used as a final “f*ck you” to 2020.

Reason — “Extinct” Feat. Joey Badass, Westside Boogie, Denzel Curry, and Jack Harlow

2020, recognized by many as a bad year, wrapped up on an unexpected note: MF Doom died in October, but in line with the mysterious way he navigated life, that news was only shared publicly on the final day of 2020. To add another odd twist to the situation, Reason coincidentally had a new Doom-sampling song (featuring Joey Badass, Westside Boogie, Denzel Curry, and Jack Harlow) set to drop on January 1, which he did release.

Grimes — Miss Anthropocene (Rave Edition)

2020 brought Miss Anthropocene, and the top of 2020 brought a new permutation of the latest Grimes album, a “Rave Edition” of it. More literally, it’s a remix album, and to re-work the album, Grimes recruited esteemed folks like BloodPop and Channel Tres.

Justin Bieber — “Anyone”

Bieber was yet another artist who decided to send off 2020/welcome 2021 through song, which he did with a new single called “Anyone.” In Beebs’ video for the pop ballad, he plays a boxer, presumably to draw a parallel between being a fighter and a celebrity facing the challenges of living a public-facing life.

Kylie Minogue and Dua Lipa — “Real Groove (Studio 2054 Remix)”

One of the guests that Dua Lipa had on her “Studio 2054” livestream concert was fellow neo-disco purveyor Kylie Minogue, who incorporated Lipa into a reworked version of her DISCO track “Real Groove.” Not too long after that rendition’s debut, the pair dropped a studio version of it (dubbed the “Studio 2054 Remix“), which would have sounded right at home on Future Nostalgia.

Lauv — “2021”

Lauv had a strong 2020 that featured new singles (like his Conan Gray collab) and him having a role in one of the biggest Twitter moments of the year. Still, like all of us, he was ready to leave 2020 behind and welcome the new year, which he did on his single “2021.” On the emotional new tune, he looks to the future with optimism, which seems to be a perfect way to start a post-2020 rebound.

Jeff Rosenstock — “Illegal Fireworks And Hiding Bottles In The Sand”

All year, Rosenstock has been dropping loose tracks on Bandcamp as part of his 2020 Dump, and he wrapped up the year with one last addition, the delightfully titled “Illegal Fireworks And Hiding Bottles In The Sand.” While this truly was a last-minute effort (he “recorded, mixed and mastered” it between December 29 and 31), it’s not a low-effort affair, but a rock-solid slice of shoegaze to send the nightmarish 2020 off on a dreamy note.

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

The NCAA announced back in November that it would be hosting the 2021 NCAA Tournament in a bubble, with the expectation of it being in Indianapolis where the organization is headquartered.

On Monday, the NCAA confirmed their bubble plans with a release that announced they still are looking to play their normal schedule, with Selection Sunday on March 14 and the Final Four being played on April 3 and 5, with all 67 games being played in the state of Indiana — most of which in Indianapolis proper.

There will be six game sites for the 2021 tournament, as Lucas Oil Stadium will house two courts (with only one game being played at a time), Bankers Life Fieldhouse (home of the Pacers), Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Mackey Arena in West Lafayette (Purdue), and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington (Indiana) will play host to games.

One would expect the Purdue and Indiana gyms to only be used for opening round action given the further proximity to Indianapolis. The NCAA also announced their plans for housing the teams and how they’ll keep everything in one environment by using the Indiana Convention Center as the practice facility because it’s connected to the hotels they will use via skywalk.

The tournament will be hosted by Ball State, Butler, the Horizon League, Indiana, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and Purdue, which are lending their facilities and staffs to assist with tournament operations. The Indiana Convention Center will be used as a practice facility, with multiple courts set up inside the venue. Marriott properties, an official NCAA corporate partner, will house most of the tournament teams. The properties are connected to the convention center via skywalks and within a controlled environment. All teams will be housed on dedicated hotel floors, with physically distanced meeting and dining rooms, as well as secure transportation to and from competition venues.

For now, the plan is to have a limited number of family members at games with a decision on any fans allowed to attend being made closer to the event as they monitor the ever-changing landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s a new year, but one thing remains unchanged: Fans’ thirst for new music from their faves — and their resulting Dan Brown-ish ability to read clues in every move an artist makes. One of the most surefire signs that an act is gearing up for a big promo run is the infamous social media reset, where stars use third-party apps to mass delete tweets, photos, and follows in one fell swoop. Unfortunately, such third-party activity is often limited by the proprietors of social networks like Twitter and Instagram, leading to what some might call awkward situations.

Nicki Minaj woke up to one of those situations today after her attempt to clear her Instagram resulted in some high-profile unfollows including her most prolific collaborators Ariana Grande and Doja Cat, as well as her own mother. It looks like she was going for a reset of her follows and an all-around page update, clearing her highlights row as well. Unfortunately, Instagram’s unfollow limit, knocked her “following” total down to just 723 people and she’ll likely have to wait until her account cycles through the waiting period before continuing and presumably adding back her faves.

Of course, the flurry of activity naturally stirred up the Barbz, who previously urged R&B legend Dionne Warwick to join their ranks, leading to a fun update of Ms. Warwick’s Twitter profile. Fans immediately decided that the reorganization effort meant new music would be on the way soon, while others speculated beef with the unfollowed artists — and even her mom, Carol.

Nicki herself posted to her story, asking fans to bear with her as she’s “sorting it out.” Meanwhile, Nicki’s main feed seems to be untouched after she shared a photo of her son just after the calendar flip. We’ll see if 2021 brings a new collection of music from the new mom, who had one of her biggest years in 2020 despite not releasing an album, thanks to back-to-back No. 1 appearances alongside Doja Cat and Tekashi 69. Stay tuned.

The last day of the NFL regular season has come and gone, and for 14 teams that means shifting their attention to the postseason. For the rest of the league, it’s onto the offseason and for many that means coaching changes. The Jets, Lions, Falcons, Texans, and Jaguars were the first five teams to make coaching changes and on Monday morning the Chargers joined the fray after relieving Anthony Lynn of his duties after a disappointing 7-9 season.

Lynn went 33-31 in four seasons with the Chargers, getting the team through its move to L.A. but the 2020 season that saw a franchise quarterback emerge in Justin Herbert was also marred by some truly befuddling decision-making and a comedy of errors from the special teams unit. That spells disaster for a coaching staff and Lynn found himself firmly on the hot seat midway through the year and could never shake free of it.

The Chargers will join the other five teams in pursuing a new coach and given Herbert’s sensational rookie campaign and the presence of a superstar in Joey Bosa on the defensive line, one would expect L.A. to be near the top of the list of desired locations for top candidates. We’ll have to see if they join the Falcons, Lions, and Jets as teams to interview Chiefs OC Eric Bienemy, as you would anticipate given Herbert’s strong start they’ll be looking to pair him with an offensive coach. Brian Daboll of the Bills also figures to be in the mix, per Jason La Confora.

Eminem wrapped up 2020 by dropping Music To Be Murdered By — Side B, and on “Zeus,” he offered an apology to Rihanna for his leaked lyrics about the time she was assaulted by Chris Brown. He says on “Zeus,” “But, me, long as I re-promise to be honest / And wholeheartedly, apologies, Rihanna / For that song that leaked, I’m sorry, Ri / It wasn’t meant to cause you grief / Regardless, it was wrong of me.”

Em stopped by his SiriusXM channel Shade 45 over the weekend, and while chatting with Gray Rizzy, he spoke more about the leaked lyric, saying that he doesn’t even remember recording it. He said:

“When it first happened, I was like, first, I didn’t know how somebody got it. Second of all, I have no, zero recollection of even remembering doing that, that verse. The rhyme schemes didn’t even sound familiar to me. So I was caught off guard, too. I was like, ‘What the f*ck, I said that?’ And that was during early stages of the ‘Relapse’ record that I was working on. So, you know, it’s ten-plus years old, but not making excuses for it. I said it and I was wrong for saying that, it was f*cking stupid. A lot of times, especially with the Relapse record, when I first started learning how to rap again, because of the drug situation that I went through and having to relearn a lot of things, that was one of those things that it was like, well, if it rhymes, say it. I think that being able to look back — I mean, that’s not even an excuse — but I’m just saying there was a phase I was going through with that Relapse record. I don’t know. It was one of those things, I think I just said it ’cause it rhymed. And I think I’m sure looking back now, I should have thought better of it.”

Listen to Em discuss “Zeus” below.