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Jack Antonoff shocked music fans on Tuesday by revealing a wild lost chapter during his debut on The Howard Stern Show. The superstar producer and Bleachers frontman disclosed that fun.’s ‘We Are Young’ almost became a Kanye West and Jay-Z hit on their 2011 masterpiece Watch the Throne.
🔥 Quick Facts
- Howard Stern Debut: Jack Antonoff made his first appearance on April 28, 2026
- Bleachers Performance: The band performed ‘The Van’ from their upcoming fifth album
- Album Release: Everyone for Ten Minutes drops May 22, 2026 via Dirty Hit
- Grammy Success: Antonoff has won multiple Grammys, including Producer of the Year three times
The ‘We Are Young’ Story That Got Away
When Jack Antonoff created ‘We Are Young’ with Jeff Bhasker, the track seemed destined for hip-hop royalty. Bhasker was working on Kanye and Jay-Z’s Watch the Throne album and played the song for both superstars. The response was immediate and enthusiastic. “We’re taking this,” they told the producers. Antonoff recalled thinking at the moment, “We’re made.” But that triumph would be short-lived.
Just a week before the album dropped, Kanye and Jay-Z made a shocking decision. They cut ‘We Are Young’ from the final tracklist. “We were devastated,” Antonoff told Howard. To this day, he has never heard their version of the track. However, the story has a triumphant ending. When fun. released ‘We Are Young’ with Janelle Monáe, it exploded into a generation-defining anthem that sold over 400,000 copies in a single week.
Jack Antonoff performs with Bleachers on Howard Stern, reveals ‘We Are Young’ almost dropped on Kanye & Jay-Z album
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Bleachers’ New Album Rocks the Stern Show
Antonoff’s historic appearance on the show was timed perfectly with Bleachers’ fifth studio album announcement. The band performed ‘The Van’, a reflective track about Antonoff’s early days as a musician. ‘The Van’ was originally released on April 2, 2026, and showcases the raw emotional honesty that defines the album. The performance in the studio was energetic and intimate, giving listeners a preview of what’s to come from the indie rock outfit.
Everyone for Ten Minutes features 11 songs and marks the band’s evolution under Antonoff’s direction. The New York Times has described the upcoming album as ‘anthemic, life-affirming pop rock’ that stands as a testament to Bleachers’ artistic growth over the years.
Album Details and Release Information
| Detail | Information |
| Album Title | Everyone for Ten Minutes |
| Release Date | May 22, 2026 |
| Record Label | Dirty Hit |
| Total Tracks | 11 songs, 39 minutes |
“Something just happened with that song. It went from doing nothing to selling like 400,000 copies in that week.”
— Jack Antonoff, on ‘We Are Young’ success
Antonoff’s Path to Stardom in Music Industry
Jack Antonoff, born March 31, 1984, has built an extraordinary career spanning multiple roles as singer, songwriter, and producer. His work with Taylor Swift on albums like ‘1989’ and ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ helped define modern pop music. Antonoff has earned multiple Grammy Awards, including Producer of the Year three consecutive times from 2022 to 2024. Beyond his production empire, he continues to lead Bleachers with the same artistic vision that made fun. iconic in the early 2010s.
His recent Stern Show appearance highlighted how Antonoff’s creative journey spans from New Jersey kid with a dream to Grammy-winning force reshaping pop, rock, and indie music. The conversation touched on his deep creative partnership with Swift, his relationship with actress Margaret Qualley, and the evolution of Bleachers as a vehicle for his most personal artistic expression.
Why Does This Interview Matter for Music Fans Right Now?
This Howard Stern appearance signals that Bleachers is entering a major promotional push ahead of the May 22 album release. Antonoff confirmed he’s not bothered about not working on Taylor Swift’s recent album, emphasizing their bond transcends any single project. The story about ‘We Are Young’ getting cut from Watch the Throne reveals how often great music gets shelved, and how persistence and belief in your art can lead to unexpected triumphs. Are you ready for Bleachers’ Stern Show performance to become a highlight in music podcast history?
Sources
- Howard Stern Show – Official interview and performance video from April 28, 2026
- SiriusXM – Bleachers performance and exclusive conversation coverage
- Rolling Stone – ‘The Van’ single release and album announcement details
