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News

Aug 10, 2022

Danger Mouse and The Roots frontman Black Thought have shared a new single, “Strangers,” which features A Rocky and Run the Jewels. It is the latest release from the duo’s forthcoming album, Cheat Codes, which will be out this Friday (August 12) via BMG More

May 11, 2022

Danger Mouse and The Roots frontman Black Thought have announced the release of a joint album, Cheat Codes, which will be out on August 12 via BMG. They have shared a video for a new single from the album, “No Gold Teeth.” More

Pitchfork Music Festival Announces 2022 Lineup: The National, Mitski, and The Roots to Headline

Festival Will Take Place July 15–17 at Chicago’s Union Park; Tickets Go On Sale This Friday

Mar 08, 2022

Pitchfork Music Festival has announced their 2022 lineup. The National, Mitski, and The Roots will be headlining. Other acts include Spiritualized, Parquet Courts, Dawn Richard, Indigo De Souza, SPELLLING, Camp Cope, Wiki, Japanese Breakfast, Lucy Dacus, Low, Magdalena Bay, Dry Cleaning, Toro y Moi, and Cate Le Bon, among others. The festival will take place from July 1517 at Union Park in Chicago. Tickets will go on sale this Friday (March 11) at 10 a.m. CST. More

Watch Save Our Stages Fest Sets by Phoebe Bridgers, Brittany Howard, Foo Fighters, and More

Plus Leon Bridges, The Roots, Miley Cyrus, Dave Mathews, and Others

Oct 19, 2020

This past weekend, NIVA (National Independent Venue Association) hosted the Save Our Stages Fest, which featured many notable musicians performing in important music venues across the land, businesses that have been shut down since the pandemic took hold in March. More

The Roots’ Black Thought Announces New Solo EP

Streams of Thought, Vol. 3: Cane and Abel Due Out July 31

Jul 07, 2020

Black Thought, the lead singer from the band The Roots, has announced the third EP in his Streams of Thought series. Streams of Thought, Vol. 3: Cane and Abel was produced entirely by Sean C (JayZ, Diddy, Pusha T, Joey Badass) and will be out July 31. More

Jun 13, 2018

Christine and the Queens (aka Héloïse Letissier and her amazing dancers) recently shared a new song, “Girlfriend” (which features Dâm-Funk). Last night they also performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. They were backed by house band The Roots, as well as Dâm-Funk. More

Oct 30, 2017

The Roots and Bilal recorded “It Ain’t Fair” for the soundtrack to the recent Kathryn Bigelow film Detroit, about the riot in the city in 1967. Now The Roots and Bilal have stopped by NPR’s offices to perform “It Ain’t Fair” as a Tiny Desk Concert. More

Charlottesville “Unity” Concert to Feature Dave Matthews Band, Justin Timberlake, The Roots, + More

Free Concert on September 24 Also Features Ariana Grande, Chris Stapleton, Pharrell Williams, and More

Sep 06, 2017

Dave Matthews Band have announced “A Concert for Charlottesville” in their hometown of Charlottesville, VA. It’s billed as “An Evening of Music and Unity” and is in response to the neo-Nazi/alt-right/KKK rally in Charlottesville last month that led to violence and three deaths. More

Eight Best Songs of the Week: Jessie Ware, Charli XCX, Belle and Sebastian, and More

Plus Susanne Sundfør, Everything Everything, Stars, The Roots, Alvvays, and a Wrap-up of the Week's Other Notable New Tracks

Jul 28, 2017

It was a busy week for new tracks, with two pop singers (Jessie Ware and Charli XCX) making a strong showing. A couple of classic rockers made a return, and while Ringo Starr’s new song (featuring Paul McCartney and others) was pretty standard old rocker fare, one of Mick Jagger’s new songs (either “Gotta Get a Grip” or the remix of it by Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker) surprisingly almost made our Top 8. More

Watch Dirty Projectors Perform on “The Tonight Show” with D∆WN, The Roots, and Tyondai Braxton

Band Performed "Cool Your Heart," Dirty Projectors Out Now via Domino

May 11, 2017

Dirty Projectors released a new self-titled album back in February via Domino. Last night Dave Longstreth and band stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to perform “Cool Your Heart.” More

Apr 25, 2017

OutKast’s Big Boi is releasing a new solo album, Boomiverse, this June (exact date TBA) via Epic. He’s already shared its first two singles, “Mic Jack,” which features Adam Levine from Maroon 5, and “Kill Jill,” which features Killer Mike and Jeezy. More

Apr 19, 2017

Alt-J are releasing their third album, Relaxer, on June 2 via Canvasback Music. Previously they shared “3WW,” which featured the vocals of Ellie Rowsell of Wolf Alice, as well as a video for “3WW,” and “In Cold Blood,” which sounded like something that could have easily been found on the band’s Mercury Prize-winning debut album from 2012, An Awesome Wave. More

Dec 01, 2016

Car Seat Headrest (aka Will Toledo and band), released their new album, Teens of Denial, back in May on Matador. More

Oct 26, 2016

1980s hitmaker and Genesis frontman/drummer Phil Collins has been releasing deluxe reissues of all his albums, recently put out a memoir amusingly entitled Not Dead Yet, and also just released a new singles collection fittingly entitled The Singles on Atlantic/Rhino. More

Sep 27, 2016

The Lemon Twigs are a promising new brother duo from Long Island. On October 14th they release their debut album, Do Hollywood, on 4AD. More

Watch: The Roots – “Never” Video

…And Then You Shoot Your Cousin is out now on Def Jam

Jun 11, 2014

The Roots new video “Never” features a young man haunted by his past. More

Watch: The Roots on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon

…And Then You Shoot Your Cousin is out now on Def Jam

May 21, 2014

Occasionally we have to issue a reminder: The Roots are cooler than any of us will ever be. More

Listen: The Roots - “When the People Cheer”

Featured on Upcoming Album ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin

Apr 08, 2014

Following Wise Up Ghost, their collaborative album with Elvis Costello, The Roots have revealed that they soon release a new album titled ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin. More

Sep 18, 2013

Given that it was a visit on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon that inspired their collaboration in the first place, last night on the show Elvis Costello and The Roots performed the track “Walk Us Uptown” from their newly released joint album Wise Up Ghost. More

Sep 09, 2013

Next week sees the release of a number of noteworthy albums on Sept. 17, all of which are now streaming in full online. More

Listen/Watch: Elvis Costello & the Roots – “Walk Us Uptown”

Wise Up Ghost Is Out September 17 Via Blue Note Records

Jul 22, 2013

Elvis Costello & the Roots’ collaborative album Wise Up Ghost will see the light of day September 17 via Blue Note Records. More

May 29, 2013

As previoiusly reported The Roots and Elvis Costello recently teamed up in the recording studio for a collaborative album. More

Questlove to Release Memoir

Mo’ Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove Out June 18

Feb 27, 2013

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the perennial bandleader of The Roots, has announced that he will release his very own memoir this coming summer. More

The Roots Recorded An Album With Elvis Costello

Late Night Visits Led To Collaboration

Jan 23, 2013

The Roots have announced the upcoming release of new collaborative album with Elvis Costello. More

Oct 16, 2012

On Saturday October 13, the Austin City Limits Music Festival continued in Austin, TX. We sent photographer Robert Redfield down to capture the action. Check out his photos of Jack White, Father John Misty, Zola Jesus, Andrew Bird, Gotye, Caveman, Gardens & Villa, The Roots and Band of Skulls here. More

The Roots Announce New Album

To Be Called &TYSYC

Jul 02, 2012

Hip-hop/soul collective and late night house band The Roots have announced that they will release a new album entitled &TYSYC. More

Jun 01, 2012

In an effort to help the Red Hot Organization and the (RED) initiative in their fight against AIDS in Africa, tUnE-yArDs’ Merrill Garbus has joined forces with The Roots’ Questlove to be a part of an upcoming tribute compilation entitled (RED) Hot + Fela, honoring the work of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. More

?uestlove Launches Signature Food Line

The Roots Drummer Joins Chef Graham Elliot For Culinary Venture

Apr 20, 2012

The Roots’ ?uestlove has announced a new business venture with Michelin Star Chef Graham Elliot. ?uest Loves Food will essentially be a food truck catering special events and serving up quirky dishes, such as the origami wrapped fried chicken, called Love’s Drumsticks. More

Watch: Elvis Costello And The Roots Cover Springsteen

Part of Late Night With Jimmy Fallon’s All Things Springsteen Week

Mar 02, 2012

The week of the Bruce Springsteen continues on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. The Boss himself has already been in the house, bringing with him a few new songs. Now Elvis Costello has stepped up to the challenge of covering “Brilliant Disguise” and “Fire.” More

2012 Sasquatch Music Festival Lineup Announced

Featuring Jack White, Bon Iver, St. Vincent, and More

Feb 03, 2012

The 11th annual Sasquatch Music Festival has announced its official lineup of artists, including Jack White, Bon Iver, Tenacious D, The Shins, St. Vincent, Feist, The Roots, Beirut, and Beck. More

Dec 07, 2011

When The Roots ever found time to record a new album in between serving as Jimmy Fallon’s house band is anyone’s guess, but last night Questlove and the rest of the crew were given the opportunity to play a few song selections from the band’s latest LP undun. More

Nov 28, 2011

The Roots’ new album undun is a concept album about a man called Redford Stephens—a name inspired by a short instrumental piece on Sufjan StevensMichigan album. More

The Roots Announce New Album “Undun”

Out December 6 via Def Jam

Oct 07, 2011

Today The Roots announced their first ever concept album. More

Aug 16, 2011

Check out photos from Day Two of the Outside Lands Festival, held in the historic Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, CA. The gallery includes photos of Muse, Arctic Monkeys, The Black Keys, The Roots, and STRFKR. More

Watch: tUnE-yArDs Play “Fallon” with The Roots

“Gangsta” Jam with House Band

Aug 02, 2011

Last night tUnE-yArDs played on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Joining in on w h o k i l l track “Gangsta” was members of Fallon’s house band The Roots. More

Feb 17, 2011

As a Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Booker T. Jones has a pretty remarkable Rolodex. That was made clear by the announcement of new album, The Road From Memphis (out May 10 via ANTI-Records). More

Jan 13, 2011

Our Year-End Issue features an in-depth interview and exclusive images of The Roots’ ?uestlove. We have exclusive behind-the-scenes video from the shoot. More

Jun 24, 2010

Hanging with Jimmy Fallon on Late Night and releasing their own album isn’t enough for The Roots. Now they’re teaming with R&B musician John Legend for Wake Up!, a collection of 11 gospel, rock, and R&B songs from the 1960s and ‘70s. More

Jun 21, 2010

Last Friday The Roots performed their new single “Dear God 2.0” with Jim James of My Morning Jacket on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. They also released the music video for the single. Check out the videos.

More

Jun 18, 2010

As previously reported, The Roots’ new ablum How I Got Over features collaborations with the ladies of Dirty Projectors, Jim James (Monsters of Folk/My Morning Jacket), and our current cover artist Joanna Newsom. Now you can hear the album in full on The Roots’ MySpace. More

Roots Announce Collaboration with Dirty Projectors Members on Upcoming Album

How I Got Over Tracklist and Cameos Also Revealed

May 21, 2010

The ladies of Dirty Projectors were featured in ?uestlove’s in-the-studio video working on the Roots’ upcoming album. We have the video and the album’s tracklist. More

Apr 23, 2010

The Roots’ (aka coolest late night show house band ever) new album How I Got Over will feature a few familiar facesJoanna Newsom and Monsters of Folk‘s Jim James. More




Reviews

Jun 29, 2010

When The Roots signed on to be the house band for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, it promised to be the first domino to fall in the famously accomplished band’s evolution from hyper-competent musical innovators to near-ubiquitous NPR-friendly hip-hop stars. More