Backstage Banter is back in Studio BAAAnter for Episode 31, diving headfirst into another wonderfully weird week in the music industry.

This week, Chris and Brett unpack some of the biggest new music releases and Australian tour announcements, including news from PRESIDENT and the return of electronic music heavyweight Armin van Buuren to Australia.

We also ask an important question: what happens when you see one of your favourite bands live… and they don’t play the song everyone is waiting for? We revisit some of the gigs where an expected hit mysteriously disappeared from the setlist and discuss whether artists actually owe fans their biggest songs.

Plus, we head back into the archives for another classic album review — although this week's record might not be quite as “classic” in Brett's eyes.

For all your music news, tour announcements, new releases and culture, head to aaabackstage.com and sign up to the AAA Backstage newsletter.

https://mailchi.mp/d1086e851ce4/aaa-newsletter-sign-up

Follow the Weekly Catch Playlist: https://hypeddit.com/5j1ekk

Backstage Banter is now available everywhere you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, as well as right here on YouTube.

If you’re loving the show, don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe. It helps us more than you know.

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Backstage Banter hits Episode 30! Where the hell has the time gone?

Chris and Brett are back inside studio bAAAnter for another week of new music, music industry chaos and wildly important investigations.

First up: did Usher really use a stunt double during a live concert? We dive into the bizarre story and internet speculation surrounding a suspicious-looking Usher, whether he was late to the show, and the far more entertaining possibility that there's an emergency backup Usher ready to deploy at a moment's notice.

Then it's time for the ultimate internet music-nerd battle: Anthony Fantano vs Julian Casablancas. We unpack the feud surrounding The Strokes frontman and the influential music critic, plus claims that The Strokes' PR machine is working with content creators to turn the internet against Fantano.

We also head backwards in time for a retrospective look at a "classic" album, share some of our favourite new releases and get stuck into everything else happening in music this week.

For all your music news, tour announcements, new releases and culture, head to aaabackstage.com and sign up to the AAA Backstage newsletter.

https://mailchi.mp/d1086e851ce4/aaa-newsletter-sign-up

Follow the Weekly Catch Playlist: https://hypeddit.com/5j1ekk

Backstage Banter is now available everywhere you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, as well as right here on YouTube.

If you’re loving the show, don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe. It helps us more than you know.

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

📰 More music news: https://aaabackstage.com

🤝 Powered by https://gigsync.com.au

https://www.instagram.com/aaabackstage/

https://www.tiktok.com/@aaabackstage

#BackstageBanter #Usher #TheStrokes #JulianCasablancas #AnthonyFantano #MusicNews #NewMusic #MusicPodcast

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Could the Laneway Festival 2027 lineup already be out there? On Episode 29 of Backstage Banter, Chris and Brett reveal a potential leaked Laneway lineup and decide just how believable it actually is.

We're also asking whether the ARIA Charts are still relevant in 2026. With streaming, algorithms, TikTok and changing listening habits completely reshaping how music becomes popular, do Australia's official charts still tell us anything meaningful about what people are actually listening to?

Then it's time for one of our favourite debates yet: the greatest musical collaborations of all time. From David Bowie and Mick Jagger to James Murphy and Joe Talbot, we're putting forward some interesting — and occasionally questionable — favourites.

Plus, we dive into this week's The Weekly Catch playlist and share the new tracks we've had on repeat.

For more new music, artist interviews, festival news, tour announcements and everything happening across Australian music, visit aaabackstage.com and subscribe to the AAA Backstage newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/d1086e851ce4/aaa-newsletter-sign-up

And don't forget to follow The Weekly Catch for our favourite new music every week. https://hypeddit.com/5j1ekk

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.