Weekly International Music News Roundup

It has been another huge week in music. Queens of the Stone Age have announced a new album in typically chaotic fashion, Weezer have gone gold, Reading & Leeds has revealed its full stage times, and Deftones have brought a long-lost fan favourite back to the stage.

There is also a stacked Camp Flog Gnaw lineup, a major Jonas Brothers tour and plenty of new music from Jorja Smith, Wolf Alice, Bloc Party and Jamie T.

Here is the biggest international music news from the week of 17–21 August 2026.

Queens of the Stone Age announce Perfecth with a bloody reveal

Queens of the Stone Age have announced their ninth studio album, Perfecth, through one of the most unsettling album reveal videos of the year.

The 90-second clip shows Josh Homme and Dean Fertita sitting at a table playing five-finger fillet. Fertita handles the knife game with impressive calm, while Homme’s attempt ends in a very bloody accident.

The video reveals the album title and teases a release date around 30 September. However, the date is crossed out at the end and replaced with “coming soon”, so fans should treat 30 September as a hint rather than a confirmed release date.

Perfecth will be the band’s first new album since 2023’s In Times New Roman.... The first single, “Easy Street”, is already out. The psychedelic, upbeat track marks Queens of the Stone Age’s first new material since that album and has quickly become a popular addition to their live sets.

The band are currently touring North America as special guests to Foo Fighters on their stadium tour. The run continues into September, giving fans a chance to hear “Easy Street” live while they wait for more news about Perfecth.

Read the full story at NME, or watch the official album teaser on YouTube.

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Weezer’s self-titled “Gold Album” is out today

Weezer’s new self-titled “Gold Album” has officially arrived today, Friday 21 August.

The record continues the band’s long-running colour-coded album tradition, following releases including The Blue Album, The Green Album, The Red Album, The White Album, The Teal Album and The Black Album. This time, Weezer are going gold.

The album follows last week’s announcement of The Gathering, a major world tour covering North America in 2026 before moving to Japan, the UK and Europe in 2027.

The rollout has also included the single “C.E.O.”, which arrived with a video featuring skateboarding legend Tony Hawk. It is another example of Weezer mixing their usual pop-rock hooks with a playful visual style that does not take itself too seriously.

With the album now available, fans can start working out which tracks will become the essential songs on The Gathering tour.

Read more about Weezer’s Gold Album, and check out further album details and “C.E.O.” coverage at Rock Cellar Magazine.

Reading & Leeds 2026 stage times are finally here

Reading & Leeds Festival is almost here, and the full stage times have now been revealed.

This year’s festival runs from Thursday 27 August to Sunday 30 August across the Bank Holiday weekend. The headline lineup includes Florence + The Machine, Charli XCX, Fontaines D.C., Dave, RAYE and Chase & Status.

Leeds gets an extra night this year, with the festival opening on Thursday. Kasabian will headline The Grid at 9:20pm, following sets from Arkayla and The Lathums.

The main stage has also been renamed The Grid as part of the festival’s biggest staging and arena overhaul to date. It will be joined by two new areas: The Gallery and The Warehouse.

Some of the key times to remember include:

• Charli XCX – The Grid, Reading, Friday at 7:45pm
• Fontaines D.C. – The Grid, Reading, Friday at 9:55pm
• Dave – The Grid, Leeds, Saturday at 8:05pm
• RAYE – The Grid, Leeds, Saturday at 10:05pm
• Florence + The Machine – The Grid, Reading, Sunday at 7:55pm
• Chase & Status Live – The Grid, Reading, Sunday at 10:05pm

As always, the festival warns that times can change. Download the official festival app before travelling and keep an eye on updates across the weekend.

See the complete Reading & Leeds stage times at NME, or check the official Reading Festival lineup and official Leeds Festival lineup.

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Deftones bring back “Risk” after 15 years

Deftones have kicked off their summer European tour in Vienna with a 21-song set and a major surprise for longtime fans.

At their METAStadt show on 16 August, the band played “Risk” live for the first time since 2011. The Diamond Eyes track had been absent from their setlists for 15 years, making its return one of the biggest moments of the concert.

The set covered the band’s career, with songs including “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)”, “Swerve City”, “Around the Fur”, “Rosemary”, “Sextape”, “Change (In the House of Flies)” and “My Own Summer (Shove It)”.

They also played four songs from 2025’s Private Music: “My Mind Is A Mountain”, “Locked Club”, “Infinite Source” and “Milk Of The Madonna”.

The European and UK run now heads towards London, where Deftones will headline the Outbreak edition of All Points East at Victoria Park on Sunday 23 August. The bill also includes IDLES, Amyl & The Sniffers, Interpol and AFI.

The band will also return to San Diego for the seventh edition of Dia De Los Deftones at Petco Park on 7 November.

Read the full Deftones set report at NME.

Tyler, The Creator reveals a huge Camp Flog Gnaw lineup

Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival returns to Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on 14–15 November, and Tyler, The Creator has once again put together one of the most talked-about lineups of the year.

The bill includes Future, Turnstile, Steve Lacy, Don Toliver, Vince Staples, Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE, JID, Syd, The Alchemist, Lola Young and Magdalena Bay.

Other names on the lineup include Jane Remover, Lupe Fiasco, Wallows, Latin Mafia, Thee Sacred Souls, Leon Thomas, Nourished By Time and Isaiah Rashad.

The festival is now sold out, with an official waitlist available for fans hoping more tickets are released. Tyler’s unusual lineup reveal used scrambled puzzles and word games instead of a standard poster, keeping with Camp Flog Gnaw’s playful identity.

It is a particularly exciting bill for fans who move between hip-hop, alternative R&B, indie and heavy music. Turnstile’s inclusion gives the festival a strong live rock presence alongside its major rap and pop acts.

See the full Camp Flog Gnaw lineup at The FADER, or join the official Camp Flog Gnaw waitlist.

Quick hits: new tours, singles and albums

• Jonas Brothers have announced the 45-date Burnin’ Up All Over Again North American arena tour. It begins in Boston on 25 September and finishes in Newark on 21 December, with All Time Low appearing on select dates. General sale begins today, 21 August. Read the tour details at Variety.

• Jorja Smith has released her new album What Are The Odds today via FAMM. The release arrives alongside her co-headline appearance at All Points East in London. Visit Jorja Smith’s official website.

• Wolf Alice have completed The Clearing era with “Hit The Sky”, the final B-side from the album campaign. A physical 7-inch release is also out today. Read more at NME.

• Bloc Party have shared “Pigwig”, a new single from their upcoming album Anatomy Of A Brief Romance, due 11 September. Read the story at NME.

• Jamie T has announced his sixth studio album, Ghosts (100 Days Of Morning), arriving 9 October. Find the latest album news on Jamie T’s official website.

The big picture

This week shows just how busy the second half of 2026 is becoming. Established rock bands are returning with new albums, major festivals are expanding their stages, and artists from across hip-hop, pop, indie and alternative music are sharing lineups and release dates.

Whether you are heading to Reading & Leeds, catching Deftones in London or waiting for a new Queens of the Stone Age record, there is plenty to look forward to.

Keep your playlist updated, keep checking those stage times and make your music taste visible. Browse the latest officially licensed band merchandise at Rock Universe and find your next favourite T-shirt today.