Dynamic alt-pop duo THE DRIVER ERA have released their highly-anticipated fourth studio album, Obsession, available everywhere now. Furthermore, the second leg of their massive North American headline Obsession Tour kicks off next month on May 30th with stops at Summerstage in Central Park in New York City and Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles.
Obsession marks THE DRIVER ERA’s electrifying follow-up to 2022’s Summer Mixtape and is the boldest evolution yet in the band’s artistry. With pointed, relatable lyrics set against moody undertones and infectious rhythms, the album highlights their intentional shift toward more introspective songwriting while refining their signature sound. Spanning 11 tracks, Obsession delves into the ups and downs of modern love and relationships while weaving a stunning sonic tapestry of electric riffs, rich synths, and powerful drums, ultimately solidifying it as THE DRIVER ERA’s most striking release yet.
“The Obsession era began sometime last year when we started to compile a lot of these songs on a note in our phones…We started to collect all these songs and more that we were really loving and named the folder ‘Obsession.’ It was the truth of the situation – we were literally obsessed making these songs and just spent hours and hours with lots of love poured into them,” shares the band. “‘Obsession’ is our entanglement with searching for love and trying to not fall too deep into these bad habits.”
Despite the seriousness with which Rocky and Ross treat the various obsessions that course through the album, they always keep things playful and unrelentingly energetic. Focus track “The Weekend” is a propulsive pop-punk track with soul-melting harmonies, funk-inspired bass runs, and a chorus that lingers long after the song ends. “‘The Weekend’ is continuing this energy, this obsession of trying to make the most of the time and the fact that the weekend really signifies, culturally, this time of freedom. You have two days and you can do whatever you want. Symbolically, I think that represents the album quite well. And also I feel like culturally we all identify the weekend as a sense of freedom to do whatever you want,” shares Ross.
Throughout the rest of the album, the band finds themselves as their most versatile, proving that they truly cannot be confined to one sonic box. From the 70’s disco-inspired synths of “Don’t Take The Night” to the impressive subtlety of “I Can’t Believe She Got Away” that showcases the duo’s power as producers and the genre-blending rhythms of “Better.”
Previously-released singles like stripped-back “I’d Rather Die,” double singles “Don’t Take The Night” and “Can’t Believe She Got Away” bouncy “Same Old Story,”and the fiery “Touch,” as well as “Don’t Walk Away,” detailing a whirlwind romance and the catchy “You Keep Me Up At Night” gave listeners an early taste as to the earworms they could expect from Obsession. Thanks to these hits and countless others, THE DRIVER ERA have solidified their status as a dominant force in the alt-pop genre, with over 400 million global streams, 58 million YouTube views, and 28 million combined social media followers.
While the band is thrilled about their new album making its way into homes around the globe, the true mark of the music’s impact will be on stage, where Rocky and Ross have made a name for themselves thanks to their electrifying live show. The band recently concluded the first leg of their North American Obsession Tour, and will hit stages in Mexico and South America before kicking off the second leg of the massive 40+ city tour. The remainder of the Obsession Tour will begin May 30th in Milwaukee, hitting major markets including Toronto, Boston, New York City, Nashville, and more before a final stop in Los Angeles, CA, at the Hollywood Palladium on July 18. Tickets can be found HERE.
THE DRIVER ERA live dates
April 5 – Monterrey, MX – Tecate Pal Norte
April 25 – Buenos Aires, AR – Estadio Obras Sanitarias
April 27 – Santiago, CL – Teatro Caupolicán
April 30 – Rio de Janeiro, BR – Sacadura 154
May 02 – São Paulo, BR – Tokio Marine Hall
May 30 – Milwaukee, WI – BMO Pavilion
May 31 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
June 2 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
June 3 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park
June 5 – Toronto, ON – Coca-Cola Coliseum
June 6 – Lewiston, NY – Artpark Mainstage Theater
June 7 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
June 9 – New York, NY – SummerStage in Central Park
June 11 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark
June 13 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage
June 14 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion
June 16 – Baltimore, MD – Pier Six Pavilion
June 18 – Virginia Beach, VA – Venue TBA
June 20 – Raleigh, NC – The Red Hat Amphitheater
June 21 – Charleston, SC – Firefly Distillery
June 22 – Charlotte, NC – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
June 24 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater
June 27 – St. Louis, MO – Saint Louis Music Park
June 29 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre
July 1 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
July 3 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
July 5 – Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl
July 9 – Seattle, WA – WAMU Theater
July 10 – Vancouver, BC – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
July 12 – Portland, OR – Theater of the Clouds
July 15 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
July 16 – San Diego, CA – Gallagher Square at Petco Park
July 18 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium