To Whom It May Concern,

Which is everyone.

This message is to inform you that International Rock Sensation The Hives, the best live band on the planet and still your new favourite band, lauded on all continents for their masterful skill and reckless abandon in the rock music field, have once again, sooner than you expected, created a new body of work the likes of which have never been heard or indeed probably will again.

A new record so full of energy, joy, anger and life that you will be questioning reality as you have known it.

They finally did it. Every single song a single, every single single a hit, every hit a direct hit in the face of the man.

This, their seventh opus, The Hives Forever Forever The Hives, must be released upon the 29th day of August in the year 2025, through the venerable Play It Again Sam.

This long playing music album, consisting of thirteen pieces of music crafted with commitment, abandon and skill in Sweden in cohorts with the esteemed producers Pelle Gunnerfeldt and Mike D of Beastie Boys, will read as follows:

(introduction)
Enough Is Enough
Hooray Hooray Hooray
Bad Call
Paint A Picture
O.C.D.O.D
Legalize Living
(interlude)
Roll Out The Red Carpet
Born A Rebel
They Can’t Hear The Music
Path Of Most Resistance
The Hives Forever Forever The Hives

Catalogue Number: PIASR1579

Talking about the track, in their own words,The Hives declare:

Who in their right mind would start a song like this? No one but The Hives. They are here again sooner than you expected and they have had enough of everyone at this point. Hence the title. Dig? Dig. 

Their last opus, The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, released in the year of 2023, marked a momentous return after a decade of silence and earned critical acclaim from The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, and Stereogum, among many others.

The creation of this latest marvel, The Hives Forever Forever The Hives, took place in both Yung Lean/YEAR0001’s and Riksmixningsverket studios. The latter bearing the name of none other than Benny Andersson, the famed member of the mighty ABBA, located in Stockholm. The album was recorded under the guidance of their long-standing collaborator, Pelle Gunnerfeldt, whose works with the Viagra Boys, Yung Lean,and Elvira are known far and wide. Moreover, a most distinguished guest, Mike D of the legendary Beastie Boys,ventured across the seas to join in the creation of this magnum opus, hosting the band at his studio in the sunny shores of Malibu. And the esteemed Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age lent his counsel also.

The Hives, consisting of Howlin’ Pelle, Chris Dangerous, The Johan And Only, Nicholaus Arson, and Vigilante Carlstroem, have, over thirty years, carved their name into the annals of rock history. Their exploits have seen them sell out grand stadiums and share the stage with such monumental acts as AC/DC and The Rolling Stones. The BBC declared them “a force of nature,” and Rolling Stone named their album Veni Vidi Vicious one of the Top 100 Albums of the decade. Furthermore, their anthem, ‘Hate To Say I Told You So’, earned a most honorable spot among Pitchfork’s Top 500 Songs of the 2000s. With millions of albums sold, and the recognition of Platinum-certifications and numerous awards – Grammys, MTV Awards, NME Awards – they stand as titans in the realm of music. According to the legendary Joe Strummer, it is The Hives who saved Rock ‘n’ Roll.

This very special tour is set to offer an unforgettable experience for fans, with back-to-back nights in each city across Australia featuring a full album playthrough of THE USED‘s formative releases that shaped the sound of early 2000s alternative rock. The celebration will highlight the band’s first three albums performed from start to finish: their self-titled record The Used (2002), In Love And Death (2004) and Lies For The Liars (2007).

Due to overwhelming demand, THE USED have added final shows for Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney, with two new shows in Melbourne on Saturday 9 August and Sunday 10 August at The Forum, an additional show for Brisbane on Tuesday 12 August, and two new shows in Sydney on Friday 5 September and Saturday 6 September. These will strictly be the only shows added for these cities, so if you missed out initially – don’t delay securing your chance for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

And for Adelaide and Perth, all three shows per state have received a venue upgrade, with Adelaide performances now taking place in Hindley St Music Hall, and the original Perth shows now locked in at Metropolis in Fremantle.

THE USED will also be offering VIP packages as part of their Australian 25th Anniversary Tour in 2025. Packages include one general admission ticket, band meet and greet, photo opp, signed 12” Record Flat of “Album of the Night,” exclusive “Album of the Night” enamel pin, limited edition disposal camera, tote bag, metal laminate with lanyard with early access to the venue and merch. All VIP tickets are available via https://theused.net.

Regarded as one of the most important albums in the post-hardcore scene, THE USED‘s self-titled 2002 album went on to influence a generation of artists, peaked at #63 on the Billboard 200 charts, and debuted at #34 on the ARIA Australian Albums charts. Certified platinum in the US and gold in Australia, The Used has been continually praised since release for its balanced mix of angst and beauty, towering craftsmanship and instrumentation, and a flawless outing from frontman Bert McCracken. An unfaltering landmark outing for THE USED, resoundingly celebrated for its infectious melodics, powerful beauty and emotion, and eclectic merging of punk, acoustic, metal, rock and beyond, The Used spawned iconic singles The Taste of Ink and Buried Myself Alive, while also kickstarting THE USED‘s prolific legacy.

Off the back of an extensive touring schedule following the release of their debut full-length, THE USED returned to the studio with producer John Feldmann to conjure their sophomore studio album, 2004’s In Love And Death. Balancing crunchy riffs with creative dexterity, In Love And Death explanded on the polished yet primal tendenciesintroduced via The Used, and sent THE USED‘s popularity into an entirely new stratosphere; one lined with heart-wrenching anthems, stirring melodics and plenty of spine-tingling heaviness. Across the board, soaring choruses meld with vulnerable lyrics and virtuosic guitar solos, with In Love And Death debuting at #6 on the Billboard 200, and once again reaching platinum and gold certification in the US and Australia respectively, while also igniting significant mainstream global appeal.

Released in 2007, THE USED‘s third studio album, Lies For The Liars, went on to land at #5 on the Billboard 200 chart, debuted at #5 on the ARIA Albums charts, and also become the group’s fastest-selling album in the UK. A high octane collection of cinematic spectacles and captivating arrangements, Lies For The Liars dives head first into guitar-driven rock, balancing levity with sharp production, horror punk and experimental pop injections. With its single Pretty Handsome Awkward tapped to appear on Michael Bay’s 2007 Transformers soundtrack, which itself debuted at #21 on the Billboard 200 charts, Lies For The Liars burgeoned THE USED‘s cultural impact, while also firmly reminding the world why THE USED were and still remain one of the most influential and important bands to emerge in the 2000s.

As the band reaches a quarter-century milestone, these records are largely regarded as highly influential, and it is no wonder each of them has been certified either platinum or gold by the RIAA in the US, and sold over 10 million albums worldwide.

This August and September, join THE USED celebrating 25 years of monumental rock down under, and get set to revisit the three albums that started it all!