Bruno Mars's New Music Just Might Sound Like 2001 Rock Radio

Bruno Mars is rightfully riding high. The reigning Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year Grammy winner is close to wrapping the eighth (!) leg of his gargantuan 24K Magic world tour, but he's taking the necessary breaks to check in via social media every now and then, of course.


Early Monday morning (May 7), Mars held an open Q&A on Twitter he called #AskTheDragon, where we learned that his drive never really stops, even when he's at the top of his game.


https://twitter.com/BrunoMars/status/993350329520472064


Much like Adele, Mars is taking great inspiration from Childish Gambino at the moment: "From his show Atlanta to his music and new video. All around incredible."


Mars also said he hasn't written his best album yet, his Bart Simpson-shaped summer body is ready for beach flaunting, and that Anderson Paak apparently won't return his phone calls after a fateful basketball game on tour in 2017.


https://twitter.com/BrunoMars/status/993341131076194306


But perhaps most revealing was the list of artists Mars has been bumping currently, presumably while mapping out his next moves musically.


"The Beach Boys, Gucci Mane," Mars said, "and last night the band and I were listening to nine inch nails, System of a Down and incubus."


https://twitter.com/BrunoMars/status/993340722207064064


While heavy rock artists are perhaps not the most expected sources of joy for Bruno Mars, it's nice to know that industrial rock and nu-metal are still timeless! After all, The Weeknd sampled Nine Inch Nails to help launch his career — and there's plenty of groove to be found in SOAD's political metal (and lots of saccharine-yet-thrashy moments across Incubus's catalog).


As for the promise of when we might hear any music, Mars (understandably) couldn't guarantee a new album in 2018, but, as he said, "I will do my best to leave y'all wit something to rock to."


Until then, if you've got any burning questions for him, now might be the perfect time to #AskTheDragon.