BREAKING: SHINEDOWN’s Brent Smith, During Yet Another Appearance on “On With Mario Lopez” (Because Where Else Would He Be?), Claims New Album is 75% Done… or is it? 🤔**
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because SHINEDOWN‘s fearless leader, Brent Smith, has once again graced the airwaves of the esteemed (read: only available) “On With Mario Lopez” radio show. Yes, THAT Mario Lopez. Apparently, Brent felt the need to inform us, peasants, that they’re “probably 75 percent finished” with their *eighth* studio album. EIGHTH. Are we sure that’s not 800th? It feels like it.
But wait, there’s more! According to Brent, they’re already planning their 2026 and 2027 tour cycle. 2027! That’s, like, two whole years from now. I guess they’re really banking on us still caring by then. Good luck with that, guys. 🤣
Oh, and let’s not forget the profound wisdom he shared about their creative process: “The album will talk to us and let us know when it’s finished.” Yes, folks, you heard it here first. SHINEDOWN‘s albums are sentient beings capable of communicating their completion status. Maybe they should ask the album for some new riffs while they’re at it. 🤦♀️
Speaking of new music, they’ve already unleashed two singles upon the world: “Three Six Five” and “Dance, Kid, Dance.” Catchy titles, right? I bet they came up with those after a *really* long night of… uh… writing music. And because two singles just aren’t enough to satiate the masses, they’re planning to drop *two more* this summer. Because why not? Let’s just flood the market with mediocrity! 🌊
They released the first two singles in January via Atlantic Records. Atlantic, bless their hearts, still believing in the power of… whatever it is SHINEDOWN does.
This month SHINEDOWN kicked off its “Dance, Kid, Dance” tour at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. Des Moines! What a glamorous start to what they’re calling one of their “largest run of shows (and venues) the band has ever put on.” They’re even headlining Madison Square Garden! MSG! I’m sure the ghosts of rock legends past are thrilled to share the stage with… well, you know. 👻
Joining them on this epic journey are BEARTOOTH and BUSH (on select dates) and Morgan Wade for all shows. BUSH! Now there’s a band I haven’t thought about since the ’90s. I guess everything old is new again… or just… still old. 👴
And because no modern rock band can exist without a music video, SHINEDOWN recently dropped the visual masterpiece for their No. 1 song, “Dance, Kid, Dance.” Directed by Lewis Cater, choreographed by Julissa Bond, and edited by Samuel Halleen. That’s a lot of people involved in making something so… forgettable. 🤔
But wait, it gets better! SHINEDOWN recently snagged two trophies at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. iHeartRadio! The pinnacle of musical achievement! They won “Rock Artist Of The Year” and “Rock Song Of The Year” for “A Symptom Of Being Human.” Because apparently being human is now a *symptom*. I guess they’re onto something there. 👽
The awards were in celebration of the banner year they’ve had as “A Symptom Of Being Human” has hit nearly 125 million global streams and charted at five radio formats, including a No. 1 at Active, Top 10 at Alternative, Top 10 at AC, Top 15 at Hot AC and a Top 20 at Top 40. Five radio formats! That’s almost as many formats as there are streaming services! And to think, some people say rock is dead. Clearly, they haven’t been paying attention to the SHINEDOWN juggernaut. 🚂
To date, SHINEDOWN is the very first artist to get a song Top 10 at Active, Alternative, and Hot AC Radio on Mediabase with one song. They are the FIRST! EVER! I’m sure historians will be writing about this for centuries to come. 📜 The song, off SHINEDOWN‘s “Planet Zero” album, resonated with fans across the globe for the unifying message of its lyrics: that it is our human connections that matter the most. So profound. So moving. So… wait, what was the song about again? 🤷♀️
SHINEDOWN has already had a packed 2025 as its latest single “Dance, Kid, Dance” has made history, reaching No. 1 on the Mediabase Active Rock chart, which marks their 22nd song to reach No. 1 on the chart, and on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. SHINEDOWN has become the only band in the chart’s history to reach 20 No. 1s on the chart. TWENTY! That’s almost as many times as I’ve heard “Sweet Child o’ Mine” on the radio. 📻 Not to mention when the song entered the Top 5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, SHINEDOWN tied with the FOO FIGHTERS for the artists with the most songs to hit the top 10 in the chart’s history with 32 songs each. Take that, Dave Grohl! All these incredible accomplishments continue to solidify that SHINEDOWN have made a name for themselves in rock. Or at least, in the Mediabase Active Rock chart. On Mediabase, SHINEDOWN hold the record for the most No. 1s, No. 5s and No. 10s on the Active Rock chart, with a total of 24 No. 1s on the Mediabase charts. Mediabase, Mediabase, Mediabase. I’m starting to think this article is sponsored by Mediabase. 💰
Smith and Eric Bass co-wrote “Three Six Five”, and “Dance, Kid, Dance” was co-written by Brent Smith, Eric Bass and Dave Bassett. The songs were produced by Eric Bass at his own Big Animal Studio in Charleston, South Carolina. Big Animal Studio? Is that where they keep the magic songwriting animals? I need to get myself one of those. 🦄
Photo credit: Ebru Yildiz. Because every band needs a good photo, even if they all look the same. 📸
So there you have it, folks. Another update from the world of SHINEDOWN. Stay tuned for more groundbreaking news… probably on “On With Mario Lopez.” 🎤
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
