Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder has shared an inspirational new single ‘Better Believe’ – check it out below.
The singer has made the song alongside the Chicago-based Guitars Over Guns, a non-profit organisation that uses music to support young people, pairing students with professional musicians and artists.
Vedder wrote ‘Better Believe’ alongside a number of audio arts students from Columbia College Chicago, and recorded it at the college with the students, with all royalties earned to benefit Guitars Over Guns.
The slow-burning song features an anthemic, rousing chorus comprising all of the musicians involved, with Vedder’s distinctive vocals taking the lead.
The song also received its live debut at the opening ceremony of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago yesterday (June 18), with Vedder appearing alongside the students from Guitars Over Guns.
A host of other big names were on hand at the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, including Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Stevie Wonder, Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Hudson.
As for Vedder, it emerged earlier this year that he might be working on music with Yungblud, after they met at a lavish corporate Christmas party last year. Afterwards, Yungblud was quoted as saying: “Eddie’s such an inspiration to me, especially vocally. I think we might write together in the future.”
Pearl Jam’s latest album ‘Dark Matter’ arrived in spring 2024, and was given a glowing four-star review, with NME praising it as “some of their strongest work in recent memory”.
“For those longing for the charismatic songwriting that first put the band on the map over three decades ago, ‘Dark Matter’ will come as a pleasant surprise,” it read.
“Not only does it showcase Pearl Jam reclaiming the charm that first made them a force to be reckoned with back in 1991, it comes alongside some of their most impressive musicianship yet, as well as a determination to take risks after years of playing it safe.”
