#AlternativeFacts Podcast: All Time Low Doesn't Care If You Think They Sold Out
6/15/2017 by Chris Payne
“I think we sold out a really long time ago,” All Time Low guitarist Jack Barakat admits.
He’s able to joke about it because melodramatic sellout accusations are something the Maryland band has grown accustomed to since breaking out with its debut single “Dear Maria, Count Me In” in 2008. “It’s kind of a dumb conversation,” says frontman Alex Gaskarth. “We’ve never been this super-cred, indie-all-the-way, we-have-something-to-prove-to-anyone kind of band. We’ve always just made music that made us happy -- whether it was more punk, more rock, more pop, whatever.”
On their new album, All Time Low’s will to experiment serves it well. Last Young Renegade (released June 2 on Fueled by Ramen) swaps the band’s straight-ahead pop-punk for alt-pop crooning, glistening guitars and a synth-rock banger featuring Tegan and Sara. No, it won’t get the approval of every member of ATL’s fervent fanbase, but it’s a savory summer album well worth the listen. It’s almost as enjoyable as listening to these good-natured goofballs talk about making it.
Below, listen to Gaskarth and Barakat chat with co-hosts Chris Payne and Taylor Weatherby. They go deep on all things All Time Low: why they signed with Fueled By Ramen, their favorite fans to see at meet-and-greets, why they still close shows with “Dear Maria,” and why it has to do with Fall Out Boy and Blink-182.
But that’s not all! Today’s episode features part two our chat with Billboard contributor Paige Williams. After discussing how she helped break Halsey’s career in our last episode, Williams gives her thoughts on the new music the 1975 has been teasing, why the Maine’s new album is such a keeper, and Fall Out Boy’s divisive new single. And even though she's a longtime One Direction fan, she's got some critiques of Harry Styles' long-awaited debut album. Listen above for more!
#AlternativeFacts is a weekly Billboard podcast devoted to all things alternative music. Click here to subscribe to the #AlternativeFacts Podcast on iTunes. Let us know what you think on Twitter (@cpayneonaplane) and by rating the podcast on iTunes.
A new episode posts each Thursday, so check back on June 22 for the next installment!