Weezer just can't stop winning. The band is preparing to release their 20th studio LP, The Gold Album, on August 21—and early momentum suggests it will be significant.
In a new Rolling Stone Music Now interview, founding members Rivers Cuomo and Patrick Wilson discussed the project, the band's viral moment, and what lies ahead for one of rock's longest-running lineups.
A 2015 duet called "Go Away"—featuring indie-pop artist Bethany Cosentino—recently went viral on social media. Cuomo reflected on the unexpected success.
"If it can happen with 'Go Away,' it could happen to any of our songs," he told Rolling Stone. "Maybe five years from now there'll be some new platform, and people will go back through our catalog and find something else. I'm just happy when people hear our music."
The album's first two singles, "Shine Again" and "We Might As Well Be Strangers" (featuring Wednesday's Karly Hartzman), are gaining traction. For the latter, Hartzman came to the studio prepared and delivered a strong performance.
"I was just blown away," Cuomo said of the session.
Patrick Wilson, the band's drummer since the beginning, sat out last year's tour due to burnout and physical strain from decades of drumming. Josh Freese filled in, but Wilson is optimistic about returning for Weezer's 2026 shows.
"I'm just trying to get straightened out so that we get through the tour and we'll be the classic version," Wilson said, noting that he has been working through physical therapy to address years of postural damage.
No immediate plans exist for Freese to return, but Wilson offered a possibility: "I won't lie, I love playing guitar." This suggests the drummer may consider a different role if needed.
With a stable lineup—bassist Scott Shriner has been with the band for 25 years—Weezer is positioned to remind audiences why they have endured for four decades. The Gold Album drops August 21.
