ABC/Randy HolmesA number of big-name alternative rock acts returned in 2019 with new albums.
After a four-year hiatus, The Black Keys returned this year with Let’s Rock, the duo’s first album since 2014’s Turn Blue. The record spawned the lead single “Lo/Hi,” which became the first song to simultaneously lead Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock Songs, Alternative Songs, Adult Alternative Songs and Rock Airplay charts. In support of Let’s Rock, The Black Keys embarked on their first tour since 2015, and plan to hit the road again in 2020.
One time Black Keys enemy Jack White got his band The Raconteurs back together in 2019 for their first album in 11 years. Titled Help Us Stranger, the follow-up to 2008’s Consolores of the Lonely debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Of note: 2019 also marked the end of White’s long-running feud with The Black Keys.
Cage the Elephant came back with Social Cues, the follow-up to 2015’s Tell Me I’m Pretty. The new album spawned the singles “Ready to Let Go” and “Social Cues,” both of which topped Billboard‘s Alternative Songs chart. Cage supported Social Cues on a co-headlining tour with Beck, who also released a new album, Hyperspace, in 2019.
The wait for new Coldplay music ended in 2019 with Everyday Life, the follow-up to 2015’s A Head Full of Dreams. The 16-track double album spawned the lead single, “Orphans.”
Before Coldplay, Vampire Weekend also released a double album, the 18-track Father of the Bride. The group’s first album since 2013’s Modern Vampires of the City, and first without multi-instrumentalist and producer Rostam Batmanglij, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, and is nominated for Album of the Year at the 2020 Grammys.
Blink-182‘s second post-Tom DeLonge album, Nine, dropped in 2019. The punk trio’s first album since 2016’s California includes the singles “Blame It on My Youth” and “I Really Wish I Hated You.”
Lana Del Rey introduced herself to a new fan-base with her hit cover of Sublime’s “Doin’ Time,” featured on her new album, Norman F***ing Rockwell.
Bastille delved into concept album territory with Doom Days, the follow-up to 2016’s Wild World. The record, which tells the story of a party during the apocalypse, spawned the singles “Quarter Past Midnight” and “Doom Days.”
Green Day dropped two new singles, “Father of All…” and “Fire, Ready, Aim,” at the end of 2019. The punk rockers will release a new album called Father of All…, the follow-up to 2016’s Revolution Radio, in February, and will spend the summer on the massive Hella Mega tour with Weezer and Fall Out Boy.
In addition to all the returns, we also met some new alternative artists in 2019, including SHAED, who broke through with their hit single, “Trampoline.”
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