A director of UK’s Slam Dunk festival “strongly refutes” claim he drugged and sexually assaulted woman

The landscape of American audio is about to undergo a tectonic shift. In a move that feels like a desperate play for survival in a streaming-dominated world, reports have surfaced that satellite giant SiriusXM and terrestrial powerhouse iHeartMedia are in the early stages of merger negotiations. This isn’t just a corporate marriage—it’s a $12 billion gambit to unite the nation’s largest radio network with the world’s leading satellite provider.

With industry titan Irving Azoff and private equity heavyweights Apollo Global Management allegedly in the room, the message is clear: the “old guard” of radio is tired of playing defense against Big Tech.

The “Audio Empire” Cheat Sheet:

• The Power Couple: A merger would combine iHeart’s 850+ stations (reaching 250M+ listeners) with SiriusXM’s 33 million premium subscribers.
• The Architects: Music mogul Irving Azoff and Apollo Global Management are reportedly facilitating the deal.
• The Catalyst: Traditional radio is bleeding influence to Spotify, YouTube, Online Radio and Apple Music, forcing these giants to find strength in numbers.
• The Shadow: The FCC is currently breathing down iHeart’s neck over payola allegations linked to its 2025 festivals.
• Market Move: Shares in iHeartMedia skyrocketed over 35% on Friday following the initial Bloomberg report.

We Also Recommend – 13 Perfect Metal Albums With Zero Skips

The Deal on the Table: Consolidation or Conquest?

According to high-level reports from Variety and Bloomberg (via Consequence), the discussions are still in the “preliminary” phase, but the stakes couldn’t be higher. One path sees SiriusXM owner Liberty Media simply acquiring iHeartMedia outright, while another suggests a broader merger facilitated by Irving Azoff.

The goal? Scale. Together, these companies would control a massive chunk of the American ears, allowing them to pool resources for advertising data, cross-platform promotion, and—most importantly—the ongoing Podcast Arms Race. SiriusXM has already dropped hundreds of millions on talent like Conan O’Brien and the Smartless crew, while iHeart recently locked in Charlamagne tha God for a reported $200 million.

The Streaming Elephant in the Room

Why now? Because the “Starchild” era of radio is officially over. Younger listeners aren’t turning a dial; they are clicking a playlist or digital stream. (Yes! Much like Loaded Radio!)

• SiriusXM has tried to stay hip by launching channels like Metallica’s “Maximum Metallica,” featuring Lars Ulrich’s new show Lars’ Deep Dive.
• iHeart has doubled down on massive live events to keep their brand relevant in the physical world.

Despite having the legendary Howard Stern locked down for another three years, SiriusXM knows that terrestrial radio’s reach is still the “holy grail” for advertisers. By merging, they hope to create a “one-stop-shop” for audio that can finally stand toe-to-toe with the algorithmic dominance of Spotify and other streaming services.

Check This Out – Top 13 Goth Rock Songs Ranked (1979-1995): The Definitive Anthems of the Shadow Era

The FCC Payola Hammer: A Ticking Time Bomb?

While the merger talks look great for stock prices, there is a dark cloud hanging over iHeartMedia’s headquarters. In early 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched a formal inquiry into the company’s business practices.

The investigation, led by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, focuses on allegations that iHeart may have been “secretly forcing” artists to perform at their festivals (like the iHeartCountry Festival in Austin) for free or at a reduced rate in exchange for radio airplay. If proven, this would be a massive violation of federal payola laws. For a company trying to sell itself or merge with a partner, a looming federal investigation is the ultimate “poison pill.”

The Road to 2026: Will it Actually Happen?

Don’t buy the “Sirius-Heart” t-shirts just yet. Any deal of this size will face brutal antitrust scrutiny from federal regulators. Combining the #1 terrestrial owner with the only satellite provider creates a near-monopoly on traditional radio advertising that the government might not be willing to sign off on.

We expect more clarity when SiriusXM reports its latest earnings next week, followed by iHeartMedia on May 11. Until then, the industry is “staying tuned” to what could be the biggest media story of the decade.

Whether this is a match made in heaven or a shotgun wedding orchestrated by the men in expensive suits, one thing is certain: the airwaves are about to get a lot more crowded. Between iHeart’s massive terrestrial footprint and SiriusXM’s satellite reach, this merger is basically the “GNR Reunion” of the corporate radio world—expensive, highly litigious, and potentially the only thing standing between traditional radio and a slow death by an infinitely looping Spotify algorithm.

Let’s just hope that if this 12-billion-dollar baby actually gets born, they remember that rock fans want more riffs and fewer three-minute commercial breaks for car insurance. We’re watching you, Irving.

Oh and by the way, did we mention that for continuous hard rock and metal coverage, stay locked into the Loaded Radio live stream and the Loaded Radio Podcast?

TL;DR:

The Bottom Line Radio giants SiriusXM and iHeartMedia are reportedly in merger talks to battle streaming services like Spotify. The deal, involving Irving Azoff and Apollo Global, would create an audio titan with $12 billion in sales. However, a pending FCC investigation into iHeart over “payola” allegations and potential antitrust hurdles could still derail the entire plan.

The post RADIO RUMBLE: SiriusXM and iHeartMedia Move Toward Mega-Merger as Big Tech Tightens the Noose appeared first on Loaded Radio.

East Anglian alternative rock band Dead Reynolds has released their latest album, Yellow Weather Warning, alongside a new single titled “Hideaway.” Both arrived on April 24, following a series of lead-up tracks including “Count Me Out,” “Parasite,” “Hesitate,” and “Face Me.”

The release marks the first full-length project featuring the band’s adjusted lineup, with new member Zena on bass and Ben moving to lead guitar. Dead Reynolds, previously recognized for their 2024 EP Animal and a high-profile cover of Robbie Williams’ “Let Me Entertain You,” has maintained a consistent presence in the UK independent scene with multiple award wins at the New Music Generator ceremonies. Yellow Weather Warning is now available on all streaming platforms.

The post Dead Reynolds Releases New Album “Yellow Weather Warning” and Single “Hideaway” first appeared on FemMetal – Goddesses of Metal.

This underrated classic rock song needs more attention. So, Audio Ink Radio is giving it that love now.

The post It’s Time to Dust Off This Underrated Classic Rock Song appeared first on Audio Ink Radio.

If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to get shoved into a steel locker while someone blasts old-school Ministry at unsafe volumes and laughs as they mean it, Spike Hellis has a pretty good answer with By God, the first single from the band’s forthcoming second full-length, Successor. This track hammers the same bruising groove until you either dance or file a complaint with whatever higher power is currently on duty.

The duo of Cortland Gibson and Elaine “Lainey” Chang have been circling this kind of blunt-force body music since they clawed their way out of a Downtown Los Angeles apartment during lockdown, and you can hear that cabin-fever claustrophobia still baked into the track. It’s all pressure and propulsion, the kind of beat that lands like a boot on concrete, over and over, with the discipline of Front Line Assembly at their most militarized but with just enough mischief to keep it from turning into a lecture.

By God, leans hard into that old Wax Trax! playbook: grease-stained drum machines, synth lines that sound like they’ve been dragged across asphalt, and vocals delivered like a series of warnings you’d be wise to take seriously. There’s a little Cabaret Voltaire lurking in the corners; a ghost in the machinery, a reminder that this strain of electronic music is about friction, not finesse. The rhythm hammers forward with the kind of single-minded intent that clears a dance floor of anyone looking to sip a drink and talk about their week. You move, or you move out of the way. The bass hits like it’s trying to rearrange your spine into a more obedient shape, and the synth stabs come in sharp enough to make you blink.

There’s humour buried in the abrasion as well, a kind of crooked grin behind the barked vocals, as if the band knows exactly how ridiculous and necessary this all is: two people, a handful of machines, and a beat that could probably power a small city if you hooked it up right. You don’t analyze a track like this so much as survive it, and maybe, if you’re lucky, come out the other side a little rattled and a lot more awake.

Successor is out on August 7th, 2026, via Over-Pop. Listen to the album’s first single, “By God,” below, and order the track here.

Spike Hellis’ Gibson and Chang have spent the last few years road-testing this approach in rooms that smell like fog fluid and bad decisions, sharing stages with Front 242 and Nitzer Ebb, and you can tell. By God feels like it was built for that environment: compact, confrontational, and just a little bit unhinged, like it might keep going even after the power’s cut.

The band is about to hit the road with a few friends: MVTANT, Auragraph, Belly Hatcher, Nuxx, and Normal Bias. Catch them live:

Tour Dates:

• July 31 — Santa Ana, CA — La Santa — w/ MVTANT
• August 1 — San Diego, CA — Casbah
• August 2 — Pomona, CA — Lopez Urban Farm — w/ MVTANT
• August 6 — Las Vegas, NV — Backstage — w/ MVTANT
• August 7 — Phoenix, AZ — Club Contact — w/ MVTANT
• August 8 — Tucson, AZ — The Rialto Theater — w/ MVTANT
• August 10 — Albuquerque, NM — Longhair Records — w/ MVTANT
• August 14 — San Antonio, TX — Paper Tiger — w/ Auragraph
• August 15 — Denton, TX — Rubber Gloves — w/ Auragraph
• August 19 — Birmingham, AL — Saturn — w/ Auragraph
• August 20 — Atlanta, GA — The Drunken Unicorn — w/ Auragraph
• August 21 — Knoxville, TN — Pilot Light — w/ Auragraph
• August 22 — Nashville, TN — The Cobra — w/ Auragraph
• August 23 — Indianapolis, IN — The 808 — w/ Auragraph
• August 27 — Detroit, MI — UFO — w/ Auragraph
• August 28 — Toronto, ON — BSMT 254 — w/ Belly Hatcher
• August 29 — Montreal, QC — L’Escogriffe — w/ Belly Hatcher
• August 30 — Syracuse, NY — The Song and Dance — w/ Nuxx
• August 31 — Saratoga Springs, NY — Desperate Annie’s — w/ Nuxx
• September 3 — Baltimore, MD — Metro — w/ Nuxx
• September 4 — New York, NY — TV Eye — w/ Nuxx
• September 5 — Philadelphia, PA — Ruba — w/ Nuxx
• September 6 — Richmond, VA — Club Fallout — w/ Nuxx
• September 7 — Durham, NC — The Pinhook — w/ Nuxx
• September 8 — Savannah, GA — Wormhole — w/ Nuxx
• September 10 — Gainesville, FL — The Atlantic — w/ Nuxx
• September 11 — Orlando, FL — Iron Cow — w/ Nuxx
• September 12 — Miami, FL — Las Rosas — w/ Nuxx
• September 13 — Tampa, FL — New World — w/ Nuxx
• September 16 — New Orleans, LA — The Crypt — w/ Nuxx
• September 17 — Houston, TX — Black Magic — w/ Nuxx
• September 18 — Austin, TX — Mohawk — w/ Nuxx
• September 19 — Dallas, TX — Double Wide — w/ Nuxx
• September 20 — Oklahoma City, OK — Resonant Head — w/ Nuxx
• September 22 — Wichita, KS — Kirby’s — w/ Nuxx
• September 23 — Lawrence, KS — Replay Lounge — w/ Nuxx
• September 24 — Kansas City, MO — Union Library — w/ Nuxx
• September 25 — St. Louis, MO — The Golden Record — w/ Nuxx
• September 27 — Chicago, IL — Metro
• October 2 — Salt Lake City, UT — The International — w/ Normal Bias
• October 3 — Boise, ID — Realms — w/ Normal Bias
• October 4 — Spokane, WA — The Chameleon — w/ Normal Bias
• October 8 — Vancouver, BC — The Astoria
• October 9 — Seattle, WA — Mountain Room — w/ Normal Bias
• October 10 — Portland, OR — Star Theater — w/ Normal Bias
• October 11 — Eugene, OR — John Henry’s — w/ Normal Bias
• October 14 — Arcata, CA — Miniplex — w/ Normal Bias
• October 16 — Oakland, CA — Stork Club — w/ Normal Bias
• October 17 — Oxnard, CA — Mystery Shop — w/ Normal Bias
• October 24 — Los Angeles, CA — TBA

Follow Spike Hellis:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Bandcamp
• Spotify

The post Los Angeles EBM Duo Spike Hellis Announce Second Album “Successor” and Tour Dates — Listen to New Single “By God” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

Crimson Day released their new single, “Hexed,” on April 17. The track serves as the second preview of the band’s upcoming full-length album, Dark Dimension, which is scheduled for release on May 22, 2026. This follows the previous release of the single “False Prophet” earlier this year.

Founded in 2013 in Tampere, Finland, the band has released three full-length albums to date, including their 2023 self-titled record. A significant lineup change occurred in 2020 with the addition of vocalist Milka Uusitalo, marking a shift in the group’s sound toward a heavier, more melodic direction.

The band has performed nearly 100 live shows across Europe and Finland, sharing stages with established acts such as Sonata Arctica, Korpiklaani, and Turisas. “Hexed” is currently available on all major streaming platforms, accompanied by a music video.

The post Crimson Day Releases New Single “Hexed” Ahead of Upcoming Album first appeared on FemMetal – Goddesses of Metal.

Ukrainian dark symphonic metal band Thy Despair has released a live video for their track “Сокіл” (Falcon), a composition from their recently issued EP, Багряний Обрій (Crimson Horizon). The song is framed as an anthem of resilience and strength, dedicated to the Ukrainian people’s struggle for freedom. The release of the video coincides with the band’s scheduled performance tonight, April 25, at the Volume Club in Kyiv, where they will perform a set featuring both new material and older tracks.

Founded in 2006 by guitarist and vocalist Nephilim, the project was originally known as Thoughts of the Desperate and focused on gothic doom metal. By 2008, the band adopted the name Thy Despair as their music became faster and shifted toward a dark symphonic metal sound. After periods of inactivity, Nephilim reformed the band in 2017 with a new lineup, leading to the release of the EP The Free One in 2018 and the full-length album The Song of Desolation in 2020.

The band’s lyrical themes have been heavily influenced by the war in Ukraine, focusing on the concepts of personal sovereignty and resistance. A new chapter for the group began in 2025 when soprano vocalist Marianelle joined the lineup, which also includes keyboardist Navka, bassist Anton, and drummer Alex. This latest live video for “Сокіл” (Falcon) is intended to represent the band’s current stage energy and vocal dynamic. The footage is available now on the band’s YouTube channel as they continue their series of live performances in the capital.

The post Thy Despair Releases Live Video for “Сокіл” (Falcon) Ahead of Kyiv Performance first appeared on FemMetal – Goddesses of Metal.

So, what is the absolutely best country song of all time? The answer is easy, at least according to our thoughts and research.

The post The Best Country Song of All Time is a Timeless Classic appeared first on Audio Ink Radio.

Vince Staples’ Dark Times was one of the most important rap albums of 2024. While his Netflix series The Vince Staples Show was canceled early this year, he’s been busy gearing up for his new independent era. Staples recently launched a private Discord server for his fans and today he shared new music – a…

The post Vince Staples – “Blackberry Marmalade” appeared first on Stereogum.

The post Ava Valianti The Conversation Review appeared first on Edgar Allan Poets – Noir Rock Band.