WHAT IT IS: Combining pop, hip-hop and electronic music while paying homage to his punk beginnings in Minnesota, MOD SUN, born Derek Ryan Smith, is setting the stage for a new sound in alt music with his forthcoming fourth studio album, Internet Killed the Rockstar. Delivering emotionally gripping lyrics, the award-winning, multifaceted songwriter/artist marks the beginning of a new era with recent single “Flames” f/Avril Lavigne, which broke 1m+ views in less than 24 hours on the heels of singles/album tracks including “Karma” and “Bones.”

ALBUM: Internet Killed the Rockstar
RELEASE DATE: 2/12
SINGLE: “Flames” f/Avril Lavigne
INTERNET: 2.5m+ monthly Spotify listeners; 20m+ combined YouTube video views, “Flames” video gained 2.3m views in the first four days, reached #21 on YouTube’s trending chart; “Flames” reached #5 on iTunes Alternative Current Songs Chart
RADIO: Early adds for “Flames” include KKDO, KQGO, WSUN, WXXJ
PRESS: NPR, Cosmopolitan (“This is the collab we didn’t know we needed!”), Entertainment Weekly, Nylon (“scream-along pop-punk banger”), MTV, Marie Claire (“Best Love Songs of 2021”), Spin, Idolator, CelebMix (“MOD SUN and Avril Lavigne have brought the heat like the sun burning in the sky”), Alternative Press (“Punk rock anthem”), more
PUBLISHING: Self-published, Derek Ryan Smith/New Hippys (ASCAP)
MANAGEMENT: Amit Krispin & Brian Jaffe/Prim8 Music, Dave Beam