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Weight of the Truth

By: Footballhead

Cover art for Weight of the Truth
Release Date
March 20, 2026

Chicago’s leading alternative rock band, Footballhead, has announced their new album ‘Weight of The Truth’ will be released on March 20, 2026 via Tiny Engines. Today, the band also releases the new single “Used To Be” accompanied by a new music video which can be seen here.

“The riff in “Used To Be” is one of my favorites on the record,” says Nolen on the new song. “It undeniably calls back to the 2000s alt-rock & butt rock bangers that you’d hear as a kid in the back of your mom’s SUV on the way to Dairy Queen. Maybe you have your hair spiked and a studded wristband that your older sister gave you. It’s the summer, and you’re gonna play NFL Street 2 and drink Code Red with your best friend all night. That’s the energy we all grew up on and consequently the energy we wanted to capture.”

"This song is where Ryan, Snow, and I had a “eureka” moment together in the studio while writing,” adds drummer Andrew Smith. “The progression of this song was 100% collaborative and sharing that moment, where we were all bouncing ideas off of each other, each better than the last, is one I will remember forever. To me, this song is the perfect culmination of what makes our sound.”

There aren’t many bands that bridge the gap of melody and grit like Footballhead. With their debut album ‘Overthinking Everything’ released in March 2024 - and hailed as one of the ‘Most Anticipated Albums of 2024’ by Stereogum - the band received radio spins globally from the acclaimed Triple J in Australia and rock stations across Europe and North/South America. They hit the road in 2025 with national support tours for One Step Closer and Superbloom alongside shows opening for Hot Mulligan, Drain, The Used, Taking Back Sunday, Senses Fail and Sweet Pill among others and made their mainstream festival debut at Riot Fest in Chicago in September 2025.

With their new album ‘Weight of The Truth’ out early next year, mixed by heavyweight engineer Nick Radovanovic, Footballhead intends to go worldwide. “I don’t think we left a stone unturned with this new album,” explains Nolen. “There’s something here for everyone in a way that was completely & entirely us: you’ve got your heavy flavors, some melodic hardcore moments, ballads, alt-rock, pop punk…and it’s all wrapped in self-discovery, denial, grief, learning, doing, & undoing. Listening back to it feels like a very human experience; it certainly did writing it too and we take a lot of pride in that.”

RIYL: late 90s/early 2000's heavy alt rock/ emo, Story of the Year, The Used, Jimmy Eat World, Third Eye Blind, One Step Closer, Basement

Latest News

Chicago's Footballhead have released latest single "Diversion" from forthcoming LP "Weight of the Truth" out March 20 via Tiny Engines

January 27, 2026

Footballhead have released the new single and music video for “Diversion” now streaming below. The song follows “Used To Be”, both of which can be found on the band’s upcoming new album ‘Weight of The Truth’, out March 20 via Tiny Engines.

“With ‘Diversion’ I’m arguing that you have the power to reverse the order of the old negative adage: it can now be one step back and two steps forward. Any sense of your own individual progress is measured by only you inside your mind. Distractions around us are at an all-time high, so stay grounded, and embrace yourself in your own meat suit every day. Revel in the fact that it’s uniquely yours. That’s when you really start to see results and feel yourself,” says guitarist and vocalist Ryan Nolen.

Footballhead wears their 2000s-era influences on their waffle-knit long sleeves, with power chord drives and pummeling choruses, all sequenced together like the teeth of a skeleton key able to unlock core memories for people who’ve either been there or people who simply wonder what being there was like. For a generation that came of age during the cultural shift of the 2000s and all its lingering cynicism - the parade of illusions shattered between 9/11, the 2008 financial crisis, and everything since - the lesson learned from looking back on sub generic movements like stomp-clap indie cosplay and barred-out dubstep drops might well be that chasing authenticity makes you look like a sucker. Tongue-in-cheek pastiche is all there is left. RIYL: late 90s heavy alt rock and nu metal and early 2000s bands with influences from bands like Trust Company and Hoobastank to The Used, Story of the Year, Jimmy Eat Wold, and Third Eye Blind.

Chicago alt-rockers Footballhead have announced their forthcoming LP "Weight of the Truth" along with latest single "Used to Be"

November 18, 2025

Footballhead, Chicago's prominent up and coming alternative rock band, is set to release their new album 'Weight of The Truth' on March 20, 2026 through Tiny Engines, featuring the single "Used To Be" with a nostalgic early 2000s heavy alt-rock vibe with monster hooks. Their sound blends melody and grit, reminiscent of late 90s/early 2000s heavy alt-rock and emo bands like Story of the Year, The Used, and Jimmy Eat World while also having heavier melodic post-hardcore and grungier elements of bands like Basement, Anxious and One Step Closer. The new songs should have something for everyone ranging from alternative rock, pop punk and emo, to heavier, darker, more post-hardcore and grunge-influences throughout. With their debut album 'Overthinking Everything' receiving acclaim, the band is gearing up for a global presence with their upcoming release. Check out the full press release below and be sure to stream the latest singles "Used to Be" and "Hesitant" from the forthcoming LP.

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