The Polaris-winning duo’s distinctive look has made its way to Party Expert, where fans can buy replicas of Khn and Klek’s stage outfits.

Billy Eff is the Content Director for Rolling Stone Canada. An award-winning journalist and columnist, he has previously contributed to outlets including VICE and Urbania. A passionate advocate for underground music and a musician himself, he has conducted several hundred interviews with artists and industry professionals across a wide range of styles and genres over the past 15 years. He is based in Montréal, Québec.

Over the weekend, many Canadians looking for Halloween costumes were surprised to find they could buy a replica of Québec microtonal math-rock duo Angine de Poitrine's costumes, at Québec-based specialty retailer Party Expert. Advertised as a couples costume, the dress and mask for Khn and Klek are sold separately, with the dress and glove kit being sold $59.99, while the mask will set you back $44.99. They are currently sold out online, although some Klek masks are weirdly still available.

The description for the ''Polka Dot Attack'' costume does mention Angine de Poitrine directly, though nothing indicates that the famously reserved band gave their authorization. The retailer's website says the costume ''guarantees a memorable entrance at the office party or the costume contest, easy to spot among the witches, vampires and zombies.''

Screenshot of the Party Expert website

2026 will certainly be remembered as the Saguenay band's year. Angine de Poitrine quickly gained notoriety earlier this year, after a viral live performance for KEXP. They were part of the inaugural class of Rollling Stone Canada's 'Future of Music' issue, and recently became the first artists to earn both the Polaris Album Prize and the SOCAN Polaris Song Prize.Currently on a sprawling tour of Europe, the group returns to Canada in November for concerts in Toronto, Québec City and Montréal.

Former Black Midi frontman Geordie Greep addressed an allegation of sexual misconduct during a Vancouver concert on Wednesday, October 8, telling the audience he had made an advance toward someone at a house party earlier that morning and apologized after realizing it was unwelcome.

The allegation became public when an attendee reportedly distributed flyers at The Pearl accusing Greep of rape. The flyers referenced an incident that allegedly occurred that morning and urged concertgoers to confront the musician over the accusation.''Geordie Greep A Rapist. You know what you did this morning Oct. 8th. He thinks he can do whatever he wants because he's gone tomorrow. Let him know what Vancouver thinks of rapists,'' reads the flyer the man gave out, while apparently telling other concertgoers that the incident was an unwanted kiss.

Greep eventually took the stage alone, reportedly well after the concert's scheduled start time, and addressed the situation before performing a solo set.

“So essentially what happened last night, me and some of the band we went out to some bars, we went out, we met people, and it ended up in a situation really late at a house party. I got the wrong end of the stick with someone who was there, and I made a move, and it didn’t come off,” he told the crowd in a video that was shared online.

“I really quickly apologised, and it was a complete misunderstanding on my part,” he continued, adding that he felt “extremely sorry” and “extremely upset” about the situation.

Greep denied the rape accusation while acknowledging that his actions had made someone uncomfortable. “I would never rape a woman. I’m not a rapist,” he said.

The musician also explained why his bandmates were absent, saying he understood that the situation was frightening and did not want to force them to perform under the circumstances. He told the audience that anyone who wanted to leave or request a refund could do so.

Greep further announced that proceeds from the concert would be donated to an organization addressing violence in British Columbia. Despite the controversy, he offered to perform songs for the remaining audience members. He then played a 10-song set on his own, though social media accounts indicated that some concertgoers had left.

The identity of the person behind the allegation and the full circumstances of the encounter have not yet been independently established. It is also unclear whether the police has been notified. Greep's North American tour moves forward with a show tonight in Boise, Idaho.

Scott Stapp of Creed performs in Chicago in 1999.

Have you noticed Instagram really wants you to use Creed in your stories and posts these last few days? Several users have noted they keep getting recommended they listen to the band, specifically their hit song “Higher,” and use it across their posts on the platform. While some chalked it up to a weird coincidence, an Instagram spokesperson revealed to CNN they “looked into this and found that this song is being recommended to more people than intended.” So no, you’re not crazy. Instagram was in fact trying to get you to listen to Creed.

Instagram users are able to add music to their stories or posts, and are automatically recommended songs based on algorithmic content, popularity on the platform, previous songs you’ve utilized, the visual content of the image you’re posting, and more. That’s why some users, who have never been Creed fanatics, are so confounded they are getting recommended to use the song.

“Anytime I posted anything on my Instagram story, like a dinner plate or my cat or whatever — every time it recommended adding ‘Higher’ by Creed,” communications specialist Pamela Ross said to CNN. “I’m not following Creed, I’m not listening to Creed. Like what millennial was in charge of this decision?” (A rep for Creed did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone’s request for comment.)

Apparently “Higher” isn’t the only song getting eyebrow raises; Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em’s “Turn My Swag On” is also getting recommended more than usual on the platform. However, the Instagram spokesperson assured CNN the song’s bravado is connecting with users who also wake up swagged-out. “The Soulja Boy song being recommended is not a bug, and it is actually popular on IG!” they said.

Creed’s “Higher” was released in 1999 and appeared on the band’s sophomore album Human Clay. It peaked at Number Seven on the Billboard Hot 100 the following summer. Creed broke up in 2004, before reuniting for 2009’s Full Circle, their most recent album. They disbanded once again in 2012, then rejoined arms in 2023 for headlining tours from 2024 to the present.

Creed will play three more shows this December to close out 2026. On Dec. 11 and 12, they will perform at Las Vegas’ Fontainebleu, before heading to Highland, CA for their final show of the year on Dec. 14 at the Yaamava’ Theater.

Grimes performs with Cobrah at the Gobi Tent during the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at Empire Polo Club on April 12, 2026 in Indio, California.

Grimes is back. Today, Claire Boucher revealed “Accelerando,” the first single from her upcoming album Psy Opera after teasing the record with a trailer Thursday. Psy Opera marks her first full-length work in six years.

“From the AI debate to immoral wars to a bad ex to looksmaxers [sic] to the importance of religion, Psy Opera will cover everything Grimes witnessed as a woman of history during her hiatus from pop music,” Grimes said in a statement (via Pitchfork). The pop star first revealed plans for Psy Opera this spring to Interview, but no release date has been announced yet.

A complete track list hasn’t been unveiled either, but Grimes’ conversation with Interview mentioned Psy Opera titles “The Light Ages” and “Eve Is Online,” the latter which was featured in the album teaser trailer. The trailer finds Grimes retelling the Gospel of John in the New Testament with AI embellishments: “On the first day, God created the large language model,” Grimes deadpans.

“Accelerando” recalls bits of Grimes’ last full-length Miss Anthropocene and was co-produced by Vadakin and Grimes. The title may or may not be a reference to the sci-fi short story collection of the same name by Charles Stross; some of the stories concern superintelligence and the purported theory of the technological singularity, so we wouldn’t put it past her.

Grimes’ fifth album Miss Anthropocene was released in 2020. “I totally quit music a couple of years ago,” she told Interview in April. “Everything I’d been going through with the public and my personal life and having kids, I was like, ‘I’m just going to be a stay-at-home mom. Screw this.'” This involves the dissolution from her partner Elon Musk, whom she met in 2018, had three children with, and split from in 2022. She has denounced him for bringing her son X Æ A-Xii to the White House and used Twitter to attempt to contact him for help involving a “medical crisis” concerning one of their children.

In 2023, as the generative-AI boom first began, Boucher gave her consent to artists who wanted to use her voice in AI music. She said she would split royalties 50/50 “on any successful AI generated song that uses my voice … I have no label and no legal bindings.”

More recently, she’s kept busy producing songs for Adéla, collaborating with Sevdaliza, and featuring on songs created by ex-boyfriend Anyma. According to Interview, Grimes is also reportedly worked on a documentary on machine consciousness called First Contact.

Ian Hill of Judas Priest performs at YouTube Theater on October 15, 2024 in Inglewood, California

Judas Priest bassist Ian Hill, the longest-serving member of the heavy metal legends, has announced his retirement from the band.

Hill revealed his departure to fans in a lengthy statement on Friday, citing the “evil arthritis” and other injuries as the reason for his exit. “For a long time now, when asked ‘how long can you continue’ – I’ve always answered ‘until my performances suffer’…. I hate to say it, but that time has come,” Hill wrote.

“For some years now, I’ve been struggling with the onset of the evil arthritis, which is now in an advanced state in my left shoulder and right hand, established in my right shoulder, and present in both knees. I’ve been fighting this with painkilling pills, gels, and recently with cortisone injections in my shoulder and hand.”

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Hill said that while he was able to contribute bass lines to Judas Priest’s upcoming album, there was concern whether he’d be able to participate in the band’s recent European tour, so the band enlisted Uriah Heep’s Davey Rimmer as an understudy. Rimmer was forced to step in when Hill snapped “a tendon in my left shoulder (as if I didn’t have enough problems with it!) just before the encores during the Brussels show two days before. This led to me not being able to lift my arm enough to reach the neck of my bass.”

Hill continued, “I’ve seen specialists, who suggest I might get away without surgery, but even if I don’t there’s no guarantee either way that I’ll have enough strength in my shoulder/arm to complete a whole stage show. In view of all this, and the fact that I’ve neglected my family life for fifty seven years, I’ve decided to retire and spend the remaining years making up for it, and doing things with them before it involves one of ‘em pushing me around in a wheelchair.”

Hill and childhood friend and guitarist K.K. Downing joined Judas Priest in 1970, a year after singer Al Atkins founded the group. The band has cycled through dozens of lineup changes since then — singer Rob Halford (who was the brother of Hill’s girlfriend at the time) joined in 1973, guitarist Glenn Tipton joined in 1974, and Downing left the group in 2011 — but Hill remained a constant, appearing on every studio album from their 1974 debut Rocka Rolla to the upcoming follow-up to 2024’s Invincible Shield.

“It is with heavy hearts that we are sending out this personal message from our Ian….he has been the backbone of Judas Priest for so long and will be greatly missed by us all,” Judas Priest added on social media while confirming Rimmer would serve as their new bassist. “We wish him well in his retirement and welcome Davey into the Priest Family….”

Hill and Judas Priest were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. The band currently has no tour dates scheduled until summer 2027.

“There’s not a day goes by where I don’t give thanks for the incredible journey I’ve lived through, and it just remains for me to say that I love you all, and thank you for the life you’ve let me live,” Hill added.

Drake, Jessie Reyez and Peter Peter are among the Canadian artists being recognized by SOCAN with its 2026 Special Achievement Awards.

Drake takes home Songwriter of the Year in the Performer category for his triple album drop back in May.

Reyez, meanwhile, has been named the recipient of the International Achievement Award. The Toronto-born singer-songwriter has , earned Grammy recognition and has collaborated with global superstars including Calvin Harris, Eminem and 6LACK.

Maestro Fresh Wes's 1989 classic "Let Your Backbone Slide" has been selected for the Cultural Impact Award, with Anthony Davis and Peter Davis also credited as writers. The track became a foundational Canadian hip-hop recording and helped establish Maestro Fresh Wes as one of the country's early rap stars.

Montréal singer-songwriter will receive the Global Impact Award, recognizing the international reach of his work, notably through the success of Heated Rivalry, for which he scored the original music.

Behind the scenes, songwriter Jenna Andrews has been named Songwriter of the Year in the Non-Performer category. Andrews has become one of the most sought-after Canadian songwriters in contemporary pop, with writing credits for artists like Drake and BTS, and who is also credited with starting Stella Lennon's music career. The award comes after she wrote music for the breakout Netflix hit K-Pop Demon Hunters.

BC indie pop up-and-comer Jade LeMac will receive the Breakout Songwriter Award, while Toronto's own Nathan Micay is named Breakout Composer, notably for his work on HBO's Industry.

Film composer Andrew Lockington rounds out the winners with the Screen Composer of the Year award. The Hamilton-born composer has built an extensive Hollywood résumé, including scores for Mayor of Kingstown, Landman and Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

The annual SOCAN Awards ceremony will take place on October 26 at Toronto’s REBEL nightclub.