u/AncientDeparture2745

Check their Instagram, they posted a new clip of another song!

What do y’all expect out of this new single (and probably new album)? Do we think there will be another Typhoons
-esque stylistic shift? Back to the debut album sound? Personally, I am curious to see if this new project will be more commercially successful than the last. I liked BTTWB but it seems like it wasn’t nearly as big as the first three. I don’t live in the UK though, so I assume that’s where they’re most popular

Here's how I periodize Foo Fighters lore:

The Early Days: 1995-1999

This period is when Dave was trying to figure out what the lineup would be. A lot of changing parts but this period produced some of their best albums and some of their best known songs. Songs/albums in this era didn't chart that high but they still were commercially successful.

The "Classic" Lineup: 2002-2009

Arguable the most commercially successful and stable period in Foo history. Some of their highest charting hits like Best Of You and The Pretender come from this era. They perhaps reached their peak of popularity when they played at Wembley and then released their Greatest Hits album. Despite the success, the albums during this period aren't as good as those in the 1990s.

Wasting Light: The Return of Pat Smear: 2011

This deserves its own period. The lineup changed with Pat returning. This album topped charts around the world and is considered by many to be their best. The reason why I separate it from the earlier period is because rock music was simply not as popular in the 2010s as it was in the 2000s. Also, I think this album represents a different level of creative production.

Post-Wasting Light: 2014-2022

I think this period has some good albums, but it's clear that after WS they wanted to do something different. For example, Sonic Highways is a concept record and Medicine At Midnight has a "dance" vibe. While rock music declined in popularity, these albums charted pretty well nonetheless. Dave and Co. enjoyed this period as something of a relevant legacy band (even playing at Biden's inauguration and filming their own horror movie). Relatively stable period.

Post-Taylor Era: 2022-present

This period has been a turbulent period, characterized by more lineup changes (cf. Freese). But Here We Are was not promoted as a normal album would be, but still received some of the highest ratings of any Foo album. However, bad publicity is partially responsible for the declining commercial success of the last album. All in all, it's been a long road (...hopefully not to ruin!)

I live in Raleigh, but I am curious if there are a lot of Canes fans in WS (and the triad in general) or if it’s more of a triangle thing? There’s been a lot of hype here lately, if you’re new to hockey this is a good time to tune in. Go Canes!

Sonic Highways is one of FF’s lowest rated albums on RYM and I constantly see people regarding it as one of their least fav albums. I gave it a full listen the other day and I thought it aged really well. Sure, it’s not Wasting Light but songs like Congregation, What Did I Do/God as my Witness, Outside, and In the Clear are all classics. I am not a huge fan of The Feast and the Famine, but I don’t think there are any BAD songs on the album. It also has some of the best FF solos ever. I am not here to defend the album, but simply curious why others don’t like it. Is it the production? The album concept? Too short? Are the songs simply not good? Letdown after wasting light?

I've been a Foo Fighters fan for over fifteen years and I consider them to be my favorite band. However, I was feeling a bit apprehensive about the new album considering the drama surrounding Dave's personal life and the firing of Josh Freese. I felt even worse upon hearing the single "Your Favorite Toy" (imo, one of the worst Foos songs in a while). But when the album dropped I gave it some listens and found myself really liking it.

Songs like Window and If You Only Knew really stand out to me. I think either one of those could/should have been the lead single. I also really like Caught in the Echo, Of All People, and Unconditional. Each of those three tunes has that classic Foo Fighters vibe. It seems to me that this album reflects a deliberate shift away from the ballads of But Here We Are and towards a more fast-paced punky sound. The distorted vocals are sometimes a bit much. But it doesn't seem like they're trying to re-invent the wheel. While some songs seem to me like obvious filler tracks (Spit Shine, Child Actor), I'd consider it a pretty good album all around. I am not sure where I'd rank it in the band's discography. I think it's hard to top BHWA and I was actually a pretty big fan of Medicine at Midnight, but I think it's more memorable than Concrete and Gold.

It's certainly not a popular time to be a Foos fan these days. And I am sure this album won't garner as much attention as the previous few did. However, I think it's still worth appreciating. I think songs like Window will really age well. Now that they have been around for so long, I think I can confidentially argue that Foo Fighters really are one of the most consistent bands ever. This is all just my opinion...