After 20 years of shredding, Five Finger Death Punch is just as ferocious as ever, proving so on the newly released single, “Eye Of The Storm”

Guitarist Zoltan Bathory linked back up with Abe Kanan recently for an Audacy Check In, discussing Five Finger Death Punch’s upcoming world tour, and the mission while making new music.

Bathory describes their new single, "Eye of the Storm," as a balance between the band's heavier and lighter styles, serving as a representative sample of their upcoming album. “We picked that song because that was one of the first ones that was ready from the batch,” Zoltan says of work on the new LP. “Ivan is actually in the studio right now, still recording vocals.”

“That was kind of the song that we thought that would represent the upcoming album the best,” he reveals. “This is kind of a song in the middle, right? We have heavier stuff and we have a little bit lighter stuff, so that was right in the middle and that's kind of like the idea there that ‘OK, let's pick this one because it is a pretty good indicator of what's coming,’ and it seems like everybody was super excited about it.”

“It's a little bit heavier, a little bit more guitar,” Bathory describes. “We're kind of dipping back into the beginnings, the 1st 2, 3 records, it has a similarity. Of course, you have to always progress, so we're not gonna go back and repeat that, but there is a little bit of that first, you know, 3 records aggression in this one.”

Zoltan also opened up about the band's songwriting process, which relies on a "vault" of riffs and songs accumulated over many years, such as "Wrong Side of Heaven" and "The Bleeding," which were written long before they became hits. Bathory explains that assembling an album is like a puzzle, requiring a balance between heavy tracks and ballads to avoid monotony.

“It has to kind of have the ups and downs,” he says. “It has to have the super heavy stuff and you it has to have a couple of ballads, so that's always been the thing, and sometimes it just simply, you know, ‘OK, we have already 2, 3 slow songs on this record, we have 5 more, but I can't put it on the same record because it's too much,’ right? So that's how it works.”

“Things are coming out of the vault, there are some new things, and then we look at what we have, and then assemble the record that we think is the right one for the times.”

For more from Zoltan Bathory including a tour of his castle, and the band's commitment to charity and helping the US Judo team, check out the full conversation above.

Adam Lambert is out on his own for his latest project, 'ADAM,' due out everywhere on July 10.

The 'American Idol' album and Queen vocalist recently joined us in our Los Angeles studios for an unfiltered conversation about what’s next, his path to becoming a gay icon, his time fronting a Classic Rock behemoth, and much more during an Audacy Check In with Bru.

“The takeaway from the album is it's kind of about looking in the mirror and accepting everything about yourself, the good and the bad,” Lambert admits about his upcoming LP, set to be released independently on his own label. “Two things can be true at once. You can have a good day and a bad day, and it can be the same day, you know what I mean? The separation between positive and negative, it's so tricky, and so sensitive, and I just thought this is a full portrait of who I am in 2026. I'm gonna call it ‘ADAM.’”

“I feel like I haven't introduced myself fully yet,” Adam adds. “I think this project too, I'm doing it myself. I released this on my own label. I'm funding it myself. I've hired all the people working on it. I feel like I have a lot of ownership over this one, and I've had bits of that in the past, but this one in particular, I feel like I'm really driving it as a business thing, and as a creative expression.”

According to Lambert, the sound of 'ADAM' is a departure from traditional Pop, heavily influenced by 90s Electronic and Alternative music, specifically citing Nine Inch Nails, Prince, Muse, and Daft Punk as influences, making more use of synthesizers to replace traditional guitar roles for a "gritty" and "progressive" texture.

“I moved from LA to New York last year. I had been in LA for 25 years, so it's my first time living in New York, making a big life change, big chapter change, and I think New York, just being, I'm on the Lower East Side, it's still a little grungy and gritty. I wanted to get some new flavor, and I do think that some of that energy and texture of the city is in the new music.”

Lambert also reflected on some of his previous chapters, like his iconic decade-long run with Queen, describing the experience as the "biggest honor" and a masterclass in performing on the world's largest stages. He also acknowledged his role as pioneer, being the first gay man some would see on TV during his 'American Idol' season.

“It's incredible how much change has happened,” he says. “When I first came out into the music scene, there weren't really any other gay men doing mainstream Pop music.”

“I'm just really proud of all the progress we've made as a community, And yeah, the pendulum is swinging and there's some ups and some downs and there's some setbacks and obstacles and that's just how it's gonna go. That's life and history, but I think we've done really well.”

“I've met a lot of people over the last decade or so, who come up to me and they're like, ‘you know, you were the first gay person I saw on TV in my family's household, and like whether or not it was a positive reception or not, you were the one that, that prompted the conversation,’ and that's pretty cool and completely terrifying at the same time, because I didn't ever think that that's why I was getting into this,” Adam remembers. “Quickly figuring out what it represented me being in this space, the ripple effect that it had, that's really cool and I'm really honored that it could help anybody. That's why I started getting more and more involved in charitable foundations and I started my own foundation. This is bigger than just my own thing.”

For much more from Adam Lambert, check out the full conversation above.

The picture of Olivia Rodrigo’s third studio album, 'you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love,' is becoming clearer, as the GRAMMY-winning singer recently shared the project’s second single, “the cure.”

Olivia joined us inside the Rockstar Suite at Hard Rock Hotel New York for another Audacy Check In, this time talking about her latest track, her first performances, and more insight into the upcoming release.

“It's my favorite song on the album. I think it's sort of the thesis statement of ‘you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love,’” she reveals. “It's just sort of about me realizing that, love doesn't solve all your problems, which I sort of thought that it would when I was younger. And [it] took me a long time to come to that realization.”

“Writing the song about it felt like a real moment of catharsis and self-growth, and I just love it. It really moves me.”

When asked by Mike Adam about the “final touch” to the track that made her feel like it’s complete, Rodrigo looked back on the screams of “I’m unraveled.”

“I kept wanting it to be louder and more screamy,” Olivia admits. “I screamed it a few times, and couldn't quite get it right but then finally landed on the right one.”

“Sometimes it is good to not be in like great vocal health when you're recording those songs because it feels a little raspy and rockstar or something like that. Don't show this to my voice teacher.”

Without sharing titles, Rodrigo did offer another glimpse into her third album that arrives in a few short weeks. “One of the songs on the record is like a real love song,” she shares. “It sort of reminds me of a song that people would play at their weddings, hopefully,” she adds with fingers crossed.

“It was the first time I've written a song like that that is just like pure romantic love, joyful vibes. I think that was a fun creative challenge for me as a songwriter to do something like that.”

For more from Olivia Rodrigo on inspiration, her first performances, check out the full conversation above. you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love arrives everywhere on June 12.

Kevin Jonas recently joined us inside the Rockstar Suite at Hard Rock Hotel New York to celebrate the release of his new song, “Little Things” during an Audacy Check In, hosted by Mike Adam.

An ode to his wife of 17 years, “Little Things” celebrates the small moments in their life that add up to a big reason why they are still going strong. It’s a song so good that Kevin interrupted a family dinner out, to listen to it for the first time with his wife, Danielle.

“We actually stood up at dinner and actually went out to the car, and listened to the song,” Kevin says when first getting the track back. They listened to it “like 5 more times,” before returning to finish their meal. “She loved it, definitely one of her favorites.”

“What's really cool about, I think all of our wives, especially mine, they are pop girlies,” Jonas says. “When their gut's like, ‘Yo, this is the one,’ it's like you kind of need to listen.”

Even the kids are hyped for Kevin’s music, acutely aware of the JoBros phenomenon at ages 12 and 9. “The first time they ever came to a show was the ‘Happiness Begins’ tour,” he says. “I had been doing this already for 10, 12 years before that, but of course, the band had broken up.”

“It's really cool to see that my girls were excited about my music.”

Before letting Kevin go, Mike Adam had to ask the Disney star about his own Disney Mount Rushmore. Who would he place in those prestigious places?

“This is hard. I'm just gonna go with, Cheetah Girls straight across,” he answers, trying to avoid. “No, you can't do that. That's cheating,” fires back Mike.

“OK, so Cheetah Girls is like the OG. Hilary Duff, the OG. Phineas and Ferb, they've got some really good songs on there, and then of course the Jonas Brothers.”

To hear more from Kevin Jonas on new music and more, check out the full conversation above.

During a visit to the Rockstar Suite at Hard Rock Hotel New York, Myles Smith sat down with Mike Adam for an Audacy Check In, offering a look at his life before his success in music, and a preview of his upcoming debut album.

Before the success of “Stargazing” and the the start of Smith’s rise in the music industry, Myles shares that he had started a consulting business, backed by his degree in sociology. “I had my own consultancy in business management, so I used to like help businesses run their management and operations, pretty boring,” he laughs.

There are things that he carries with him through his sociology experience, including the simple yet often hard to grasp concept of how similar we are. “I think it's just like understanding people and like the trends and patterns,” he says. “No matter where we are in the world, just how much we experience life in such similar ways, and it's so beautiful.”

'My Mess, My Heart, My Life.' is the debut album from Myles Smith, and it arrives everywhere on June 19. The final tracklist consists of 10 "brand new tracks" and 5 songs that document his "journey here," which he views as a way to "round off chapter one” of his career.

“The most vulnerable I feel is definitely when I'm writing,” he admits. “There's no real stop gap between my brain and what goes onto a record and I I love doing it that way. I think the more that you try to like polish things or make them sound how you think people want to hear them, the worse the song gets, so I just try and write as authentically as possible.”

To hear more from Myles Smith about collaborating with his favorite artists and what he’s learned from Ed Sheeran, check out the full conversation above.

New Gracie Abrams music is out in the world, as the GRAMMY-nominated singer has revealed her new single, “Hit the Wall,” along with plans for her third studio album, 'Daughter from Hell,' where she once again teams with producer Aaron Dessner. Abrams joined us this week inside the Rockstar Suite at Hard Rock Hotel New York to talk about the new project, along with her first film role, and recent visit to The Met Gala.

Sitting for an Audacy Check In with Mike Adam, Gracie detailed the upcoming A24 film she’s set to be a part of, as well as the making of 'Daughter from Hell,' which arrives everywhere on July 17.

“We challenge each other,” Abrams says as she praises her collaborator, Aaron Dessner, “and some of my favorite experiences in the studio with him is when we disagree because it always teaches me something. I love him for a million reasons, but I really appreciate that he's kind of helped instill in me that you don't need to make a radical change in order to put out a new album. It doesn't have to sound 100% different than your last thing. It can be a continuation and a discovery of what made you fall in love with writing in the first place.”

“This album to me feels like an elevated version of our process working together and I'm very proud of it.”

So for Gracie, does that make the creative process easier after years of collaboration and earned understanding? “It was actually not,” she admits. “I think it was more intricate. As a whole, it was more intricate. I feel everything, we ran all of it through with a fine tooth comb and this was like the most I've ever been involved in production before. Aaron and I have such a shorthand, like the way that we describe sounds or what we want, it's like the very exciting part of being in the studio together, and so to see it come to life in the way that it has with this album means a lot to me.”

“But the process of getting there was not always easy and I think the first songs that we made for this album we wrote two years ago,” Abrams shares. “I think what differed with this process was like being off tour and having like 5 months of not being on the road to sit with all the songs and to let my nervous system sort of reset. I feel like there's more patience, kind of less manic energy in this music.”

“It feels more thoughtful, but I think that also just comes with age and time and giving yourself and the subjects of your songs more grace, and so hopefully that's felt.”

To hear from Gracie about her experience at The Met Gala, her thoughts on Noah Kahan’s new album, and more, check out the full conversation above. 'Daughter from Hell' is out everywhere on July 17.

Teddy Swims is launching into a new chapter, full of amazing dad energy, appreciation, and the sweet and humble spirit that has made him so beloved by fans. The GRAMMY-nominated singer recently stopped by for an Audacy Check In with Bru, to talk about what’s next, and the everlasting legacy of his hit, “Lose Control.”

Nearing his first birthday, Swims remains glowing about his son and life as a dad. “He'll be a year on June 23rd, man,” he says, astonished. “It's kind of nature, like it's kind of ingrained in you. The the first time I met him, you know, I got to hold him when he was born it was like there was so much that was like, as soon as I held him I was like, ‘I've always been your dad.’ I think it's so primal, things that you just know what to do and how to do, and your instincts are cat-like all of a sudden when he's around, you know what I mean?”

“There's so many things that I felt like I was going to be so ill prepared for, because I totally didn't read the books or do the things, but I was like, ‘OK, well, I get it.’ I think I'm doing all right and my dad's the best dad in the world, so I just kind of try to copy and paste and call and ask questions when I can and be like, ‘Dad, am I like doing good?’”

As Swims enters his next project, including the recently released “Mr. Know It All,” he emphasizes the importance of surrounding himself with musicians who are better than him. "I mean truly, like if you're the best guy in the room, you're probably in the wrong room,” he shares.

With an upcoming North American arena tour, Teddy stresses the challenge of maintaining intimacy on a big stage. “We've been playing arenas pretty much everywhere except for America,” he says. “Live music has still gotta be that fun too, and not that it's any less fun in a big arena or something, it's just that like there's so many tiny moving parts that go into it that there's not as much room for like, ‘Hey man, forget this, let's play this song instead.’ You know what I mean?”

In any room, “Lose Control” remains a force, and a song that will stay with Teddy Swims forever. “It's gonna outlive me,” admits Teddy. “It's one of the greatest tunes ever, it's done like so much and it's got so many accolades to it and it just continues to grow and it's still crushing.”

“I just recently performed at Preservation Hall, with the band there in New Orleans, and this lady came up to me and she was like, ‘you know, when you got up there, I was like, this guy just kind of looks like Post Malone and Jelly Roll had a baby and I was like, what is this guy gonna sound like and then he started playing ‘Lose Control’ and I was like, oh, that's that guy. I know that.'”

For much more from Teddy Swims, check out the full conversation above.

Continuing a crossover revolution, MONSTA X made history once again earlier this month with the release of their 3rd English language album, 'Unfold.' The first K-pop group to release 3 LPs in English finds themselves continuing to level up their game with growth and healing on the new project, and they stopped by our Los Angeles studios for an Audacy Check In with Bru to talk all about it.

While sitting with Bru, the members of MONSTA X reflected on the changes and progress experienced in the five years since their last full English album, emphasizing the value of patience and consistency. They described 'Unfold' as having more "emotions” and more “skills" than their previous outings, and they continue to upgrade their sound and overall experience.

'Unfold' also sees MONSTA X experimenting with new sounds, like the bombastic gospel soaring of the focus track, “heal,” and doubling down on dance-floor flooding melodies on songs like “baby blue,” or sincere and serene ballads like “before you met me.”

There is still a lot these trailblazers want to do sharing the goals of performing an all-English setlist during their US tour, achieving a stadium tour in America, and winning a GRAMMY, but through it all there’s one constant, “everything” is for the fans.

For more from MONSTA X, check out the full conversation above.