Decades ago, the music industry was on solid footing with various international labels, emerging independent labels highlighting alternative acts and record stores in major cities and small towns across North America and beyond. Now, the industry has fragmented. With advanced technology any conceivable artist or song from any era is at your fingertips.

But is it for the better? Well, Ottawa indie pop rocker artist Hot Mud (also known as Muddy Matthew Watters) addresses the issue with his latest smart single, the acerbic, pointed, and satirical single "Nobody Listens To The Radio" from the artist's Pink Cloud Pop album.

Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/album/6TpRpDYqixdoJK6JPl0fi4

Less than six months after bursting into the indie pop/rock scene, Hot Mud is ready to share his newfound zest for life with his sophomore album Pink Cloud Pop, set to release on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. The lead single, ‘Welcome to Humankind’, is out now, and asks “How often do you wonder what this life is all about?”

The catchy, upbeat song serves as a quirky anecdote that applies to everyone, regardless of where they are in their life’s journey. The poignant lyrics evoke the questioning and questing that Hot Mud has endured in his life so far, while also reminding the listener to “Fill your days with laughter/Cuz nothing really matters/And live happily ever after” because “Surprise/No one gets out alive.”