Truly in a category all his own, famed parodist "Weird Al" Yankovic has had a whirlwind career since releasing his self-titled debut in 1983, and he still remains relevant today. His 13th studio album, Alpocalypse, is set to hit stores later this month, but we've arranged a stream of the whole thing right here in Click Hear.
Alpocalypse is Weird Al's first studio album since 2006's Straight Outta Lynwood and sees the artist putting his goofy take on hits from T.I., Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, B.o.B and, of course, Lady Gaga, along with Al's usual batch of well-written original tracks and another one of his famed polkas.
Lady Gaga parody "Perform This Way," which makes light of the pop singer's "Born This Way," almost prevented the album from being made in a flurry of web-based misunderstandings. Since Weird Al has always sought the permission of the artists he pokes fun at, he asked Lady Gaga's management for clearance on the song. They denied it without ever showing Gaga, and an internet shitstorm occurred.
Soon after, Lady Gaga got in touch with Weird Al, saying she had never heard the song when it was denied permission, and having heard it, she would love for it to be on the album. With that in mind, Al had his lead single ready to go and Alpocalypse was confirmed.
Speaking with Exclaim!, Weird Al explained that despite the epic title, he wasn't actually intending to capitalize on all the recent rapture talk. "I wasn't consciously trying to tap into people's fears," he explains. "It's actually an idea I had in my notebook for several years and I just thought it was a funny album title and I had that visual of me being one of the four horsemen, and I just thought it'd be funny."
With that in mind, he does want to milk his fanbase for some sales before the end of the world actually does happen. "I don't know if the actual alpocalypse is coming but I'm pretty sure we're closer to it now than we've ever been," he jokes. "I figured that I might as well do my apocalypse-themed album before the actual apocalypse because I really don't think people are gonna be buying CDs at the end of the world. Getting in a few sales under the wire, y'know?"
Alpocalypse will be released on June 21 via Jive Records, but the full album can be streamed below.
Alpocalypse is Weird Al's first studio album since 2006's Straight Outta Lynwood and sees the artist putting his goofy take on hits from T.I., Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, B.o.B and, of course, Lady Gaga, along with Al's usual batch of well-written original tracks and another one of his famed polkas.
Lady Gaga parody "Perform This Way," which makes light of the pop singer's "Born This Way," almost prevented the album from being made in a flurry of web-based misunderstandings. Since Weird Al has always sought the permission of the artists he pokes fun at, he asked Lady Gaga's management for clearance on the song. They denied it without ever showing Gaga, and an internet shitstorm occurred.
Soon after, Lady Gaga got in touch with Weird Al, saying she had never heard the song when it was denied permission, and having heard it, she would love for it to be on the album. With that in mind, Al had his lead single ready to go and Alpocalypse was confirmed.
Speaking with Exclaim!, Weird Al explained that despite the epic title, he wasn't actually intending to capitalize on all the recent rapture talk. "I wasn't consciously trying to tap into people's fears," he explains. "It's actually an idea I had in my notebook for several years and I just thought it was a funny album title and I had that visual of me being one of the four horsemen, and I just thought it'd be funny."
With that in mind, he does want to milk his fanbase for some sales before the end of the world actually does happen. "I don't know if the actual alpocalypse is coming but I'm pretty sure we're closer to it now than we've ever been," he jokes. "I figured that I might as well do my apocalypse-themed album before the actual apocalypse because I really don't think people are gonna be buying CDs at the end of the world. Getting in a few sales under the wire, y'know?"
Alpocalypse will be released on June 21 via Jive Records, but the full album can be streamed below.