Indiecast Talks Arctic Monkeys’ Anticipated Return And Controversial AI Rapper FN Meka

If a band has been around for over a decade, they’re bound to have at least one polarizing album in their discography. Arctic Monkeys’ last album Tranquility Base Hotel And Casino fell into that category, though many fans and critics revered it. On this week’s Indiecast episode, hosts Steven Hyden and Ian Cohen revisit Arctic Monkeys‘ legacy after the band announced their return and upcoming album, The Car.

Of course, there was plenty of controversy in music news this week for Indiecast to unpack. The first came in the form of a Harry Styles cover story in which he was lauded the “new king of pop,” a title that instantly outraged Michael Jackson’s fans and family. The main headline-making story this week was about the intersection of AI and music. Capitol Records dropped the recently signed AI artist FN Meka, a virtual “robot rapper” with racist overtones that ignited a greater conversation about ethics in the AI world.

In this week’s Recommendation Corner, Ian gives props to Maryland band Pianos Become The Teeth, whose recent album leans into moody Radiohead influences. Meanwhile, Steven talks about his recent profile of Bartees Strange.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 103 here or below and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at indiecastmailbag@gmail.com, and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

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