Tracks & Singles

Metal Hammer's tracks of the week: January 16 2026

By Rich Hobson published 16 January 26

Big names, rising stars and underground favourites go head-to-head in Metal Hammer's tracks of the week

How one radio play turned the Undertones' intended final release into a brand new beginning

By Alex Ogg published 15 January 26

A story of punk rock, John Peel and some misspelt graffiti

“I have to fit a guitar part over this?” How Rush made Grammy-nominated instrumental YYZ

By Philip Wilding published 14 January 26

When Alex Lifeson got back from a journey his bandmates presented him with a jam piece that finally gelled when they added Morse code to the intro

Influenced by Aleister Crowley, Eddie and the Hot Rods wrote the song that introduced new wave

By Gavin Martin published 14 January 26

The Sex Pistols weren't the only authority-baiting band to storm the charts in 1977

How Sepultura came back to life with Choke

By Rich Hobson published 13 January 26

After losing Max Cavalera, Sepultura found a new singer in the unlikeliest of places. This is the story of the song that brought Derrick Green to the dance.

How a 40-year-old Glaswegian out-weirded David Bowie to become the most unlikely pop star of 1973

By Rob Hughes published 13 January 26

The story of an ironically titled epic that acted as a condensed history of rock'n'roll

Classic Rock's Tracks Of The Week: January 12, 2026

By Polly Glass published 12 January 26

Eight songs you need to hear right now, from The Black Crowes, Alter Bridge, Starbenders and more

The story of Queens Of The Stone Age's signature tune, a mysterious banger powered by Dave Grohl

By Greg Prato published 12 January 26

The one where the deer terrorises a troop of Boy Scouts

Metal Hammer's tracks of the week: January 9 2026

By Rich Hobson published 10 January 26

New year, new metal tunes from Alter Bridge, Hanabie, Lord Of The Lost and more!

"I remember us saying, ‘Well, if the band doesn’t make it, we’ll join the Marines.’" The story of the song that gave thrash metal its name

By Dave Everley published 8 January 26

Metallica, Exodus and Slayer might've been defining thrash on the West coast, but it was in New York the genre finally got its name