THE DROP
Hoobastank just released “How Do You Sleep?” — their first original track in eight years — and ditched the radio-rock sound entirely for straight-up punk *†. They reunited with Howard Benson, who produced *The Reason* over 20 years ago, but this time he let them run wild *.
WHAT TO KNOW
- The track goes full 1990s punk — think The Offspring and Sum 41 — with Doug Robb’s vocals pushing into hardcore territory †
- Hoobastank started as a ska-punk band in Agoura Hills 30 years ago; this is them circling back to those roots instead of chasing another “The Reason” †
- They debuted it live at Vans Warped Tour in DC and dropped a music video alongside the single *†
- No album announced — appears to be a standalone release †
- They’re hitting the road this fall supporting Staind’s *Break The Cycle* 25th anniversary tour with Seether and Hinder *
THE TAKE
A band that could’ve coasted on TikTok nostalgia and Netflix placements instead made a hard left back to their punk origins *. Benson says they showed up with “a plethora of great material” this time around * — whether that means more singles or they’re just testing the waters, going aggro after an eight-year break is the right move.