US country sensation Hardy has become the latest high-profile musician to publicly express his admiration for Sleep Token.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, the Mississippi singer-songwriter didn’t hesitate when asked about his current listening habits.
“Metalheads love to shit on Sleep Token, but, man, it’s very fresh,” he said. “If you don’t tell anybody what genre it is, and just listen to it and make an assessment: it’s fresh and it’s cool and the melodies are dope.
“He’s got a very dope voice. There’s a big weird sexual energy with a lot of it, which I think is super cool.”
The anonymous nature of Sleep Token particularly resonates with Hardy, who described their aesthetic as “spooky-ass shit” that’s “aesthetically really, really cool.” This mysterious persona has become central to the band’s identity since their explosive rise to prominence in 2023.
Hardy joins an impressive roster of established musicians who have voiced support for Sleep Token. Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch previously stated that Sleep Token “shut up” their detractors when they headlined Download festival earlier this year. Ghost frontman Tobias Forge also named them among the bands proving rock music’s continued vitality.
Sleep Token released their latest album, Even in Arcadia, in May, watching it become their first leader on the ARIA Albums Chart. Even in Arcadia was the mask-wearing English band’s second collection to chart in Australia, following 2023’s Take Me Back to Eden, which peaked at No. 3.
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The band are currently traversing North America on a completely sold-out headline tour. However, the tour hasn’t been without incident, with controversy erupting at September’s Louder Than Life festival in Louisville when multiple crowdsurfers were dropped during Sleep Token’s set, sparking widespread discussion about metal concert etiquette.
Hardy’s own musical endeavours continue to flourish alongside his Sleep Token appreciation. His album Country! Country! reached No. 4 on the US Top Country Albums chart following its September 26th release. The musician has scheduled several standalone North American performances for 2025 and 2026.
