🎶 New Music, Old Souls, Big Hearts | April 2026
- Old Dogs Rock
- Apr 21
- 6 min read
There is so much new music coming out all the time lately, it almost feels impossible to keep up.
And yet… for some reason, we feel like this is an important moment in music.
With collaborations, new sounds, evolving subgenres and surprises showing up every single week—it feels alive in a way that’s hard to ignore.
We aren’t music reviewers here.
We honor music in all its forms.
We love on dogs—especially the seniors—and we celebrate the brave musicians who put their art out for the world to hear.
We don’t critique music. We celebrate it.
Because this is someone’s energy. Someone’s time. Someone’s passion. And that matters.
So, we wanted to share some of the songs and albums we’ve been drawn to lately—just in case you’re curious like we are and love exploring all kinds of music.
You don’t have to love everything. But hate has no place here.
🎧 What We’re Listening To Right Now
Sublime is releasing a new album Until the Sun Explodes on June 12. This marks a new era, featuring Jakob Nowell—the son of late frontman Bradley Nowell—carrying on the legacy.
We’re feeling this one deeply. It brings back that unmistakable ’90s sound we’ve missed. The title track “Until the Sun Explodes” (released April 12) is our standout—and the inspiration behind the artwork we’ve paired with this. Also make sure to check out the song “Ensenada”. They are bringing back the old school Sublime sound and we are here for it.
The Pretty Reckless is releasing Dear God on June 26. They’ve been sharing songs ahead of the album, including “Love Me” (April 17) and earlier release “For I Am Death.”
We’re drawn to all of them so far and can’t wait to hear the full album. And if you didn’t know—lead singer Taylor Momsen was Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas and also starred in Gossip Girl. Her voice and presence are something special.
Superchunk, formed in 1989 out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, released a cover of “I Don’t Want You Anyway” on April 8. Their version leans into that punk energy—and it works.
Sevendust is releasing their 15th studio album One on May 1. They’ve dropped several tracks ahead of it:
“Is This the Real You” (Jan 29)
“Unbreakable” (March 5)
“Threshold” (April 2)
All worth a listen, but “Is This the Real You” is the one we keep going back to.
Madonna, the pop icon, is releasing Confessions II on July 3. For Record Store Day (April 18), she released “I Feel So Free,” returning to her dance roots. We’re here for it—and always here for her.
Lady Gaga and Doechii teamed up for “Runway” (April 9), written for The Devil Wears Prada 2. Inspired by the fictional magazine Runway, but honestly—it fits every runway.
Tasha (Natasha Williams from Chicago) released “Summer” on April 9. This one paints a picture—warm, vivid and easy. It’s officially on our summer playlist.
Social Distortion is set to release their new album Born to Kill on May 8. The road to this one hasn’t been easy—delayed as frontman Mike Ness focused on cancer treatment and recovery—but that makes it feel even more meaningful. They’ve already given us two songs ahead of the release: “Born to Kill” (February 25) and “Partners in Crime” (April 14). We love both, but the title track is the one that sticks with us—it feels like it belongs in a movie scene or blasting on a long, open-road drive. We’re really looking forward to the full album and, more than anything, we’re hoping Mike is healing, strong and finding his way back through all of this.
Jon Spencer released “Knock ’Em Out” on April 7 from his upcoming album Songs of Personal Loss and Protest. It carries that gritty ’90s garage rock feel—perfect for a fight scene or a boxing anthem.
Thundercat (Stephen Bruner, formerly of Suicidal Tendencies) released his fifth album Distracted on April 3. A respected bass player and artist and it shows.
Our favorite: “Funny Friends” featuring A$AP Rocky—laid-back, reflective, and just right. This one feels like it needs an old-school photo montage of friends together.
OneRepublic released “Need Your Love.” We can’t get enough of it. It’s uplifting, emotional, and centered on choosing love over everything else. The lyric lines “I, I need your love…”— sticks with you.
Because honestly… LOVE is what keeps the world turning.
Prince may be gone but will never be forgotten—and this month brought something truly special. On April 20, his estate released “With This Tear,” a previously unheard recording from 1991, created at Paisley Park and kept in his legendary vault for decades. While Celine Dion recorded and released the song back in 1992, this is the first time we’re hearing Prince’s original version. Released in honor of the 10-year anniversary of his passing, it feels like a beautiful time capsule—his voice, his sound, his artistry. 💜
Willie Nelson is releasing his 79th studio album on May 29. Yes… 79th. Wow.
He’s 92 years old and still creating! Still showing up. Pre-releases include:
“Dream Chaser” (March 18)
“We’d Make a Good Movie” (April 17)
Waylon Jennings’ 1979 recordings were curated by his son, Shooter Jennings, into Songbird, a Record Store Day release—blending voiceovers, narration and music.
A time capsule. A tribute. Something deeply meaningful, especially tied to The Dukes of Hazzard era.
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (TEED) released Always with a Remix on April 3. We’re especially into “Piece of Me” (Dan Shake Remix)—a dance track with just enough nostalgia to make it hit differently.
Bruce Hornsby released Indigo Park on April 3. A reflective album blending jazz, folk, rock and experimental sounds.
We love seeing him continue to explore and collaborate. Favorites:
“Indigo Park”
“Might as Well Be Me (Florinda)” — featuring one of the final recordings of Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead.
Flowerovlove released “American Wedding” on April 3. A standalone single—and honestly, this one belongs in a romantic comedy.
Peter Gabriel is rolling out his album o/i in one of the most creative ways we’ve seen—aligned with lunar cycles throughout 2026.
Each song releases in two versions:
Bright Side Mix (new moon)
Dark Side Mix (full moon)
So far:
“Been Undone” (January)
“Put the Bucket Down” (February)
“What Lies Ahead” (March)
“Til Your Mind Is Shining” (April)
This latest one “Til Your Mind Is Shining” is our favorite. Go listen to both versions—there’s something special there.
Alabama Shakes released “American Dream” on April 10. This is a full “good day” kind of song—and a staple on our playlist now.
The Rolling Stones, under the name The Cockroaches, released “Rough and Twisted” on April 11—vinyl only. Have you heard it? We’re curious. There is a You Tube short video released by The Rolling Stones introducing The Cockroaches. Very mysterious.
Collective Soul also released their album Touch and Go—vinyl only for Record Store Day. Inspired by The Cars, and from what we’ve heard so far… they captured that sound beautifully.
Maya Hawke is releasing her fourth studio album Maitreya Corso on May 1, 2026. She’s already shared two songs ahead of the album—“Devil You Know” (March 2) and “Bring Home My Man” (April 10), which feels like a sweet lullaby to us. Maya is the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke and honestly—we’re just discovering her music now. If you’re curious like we are, go check out her music.
🎵 What Are You Listening To?
Have you heard any of these yet?
What are you listening to—new or old?
There’s so much out there right now, it’s hard to keep up with all the incredible music being made. This is just a glimpse of what’s crossed our path.
Tell us what’s on your playlist.
🐾 Old Dogs, Big Hearts
We love dogs here.
We love music. And we love the people who create it.
Especially the ones who keep showing up—year after year, decade after decade—just like our senior dogs.
We’re highlighting and advocating for the Arizona Animal Welfare League, founded in 1971 by Amanda Blake. She was best known as Miss Kitty on the long-running TV show Gunsmoke, but beyond that, she was a passionate animal advocate who dedicated much of her life to protecting and caring for animals.
After Amanda Blake’s passing, the Arizona Animal Welfare League transitioned into a nonprofit organization guided by a board of directors and a dedicated leadership team. Today, it continues to carry forward her vision—serving the community as Arizona’s oldest and largest no-kill animal shelter, committed to protecting and caring for animals in need.
It is the oldest and largest no-kill animal shelter in Arizona.
Please take a moment to click the links below—
Rescue an old dog. Donate. Share.
Because those souls? They need us.
We’ve got big hearts here at Old Dogs Rock. We aren't affiliated; we are simply advocates.
This image we’ve attached at the top to this article is a little glimpse into our sense of humor—and our heart. That glowing dog in the sun is our dog Rocky, reimagined in the sky, shining down in his own way. We paired him with our own simple, cartoon-style version of the band, just having a little fun with it the best we know how. Rocky passed as a senior dog from CCD (Canine Cognitive Dysfunction), and this page is truly in ode to him (his name is baked into the title)—blending our love for music with the love we will always carry for him. We hope it brings a smile, maybe even a laugh. Something made with love. 🐾🎶
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