Kevin Parker has returned with the second single of Tame Impala’s new chapter, unveiling “Loser” alongside a striking music video starring Stranger Things and Fargo actor Joe Keery. The clip, directed by long-time collaborator KRISTOFSKI, matches Parker’s kaleidoscopic soundscape with equally surreal visuals, setting the tone for where Tame Impala’s music is heading next.
“Loser” continues the sonic reinvention hinted at with July’s “End of Summer.” Where that track drew heavily on the legacy of acid house and the DIY free-party movement of the 1990s, “Loser” ventures deeper into Parker’s fascination with rhythm, layering beats, and textures that blur the line between electronic and rock.
Parker has never been one to rest on past triumphs. Across his four Tame Impala albums – InnerSpeaker (2010), Lonerism (2012), Currents (2015) and The Slow Rush (2020) – he has pushed rock and pop into new terrain by obsessively sculpting sounds in the studio. His production style, often compared to Brian Wilson’s fastidious layering of textures, remains central to “Loser.”
The track swirls with hypnotic percussion and woozy melodies, evoking both nostalgia and futurism in the same breath. Parker has described his process as “turning an imagined past into the present,” and “Loser” achieves exactly that – a reimagining of dance culture that feels timeless while still unmistakably 2025.
For the accompanying video, Parker and KRISTOFSKI turned to actor-musician Joe Keery. Best known for his role as Steve Harrington in Stranger Things, Keery has also carved out his own musical identity with his project Djo. His dual background in acting and music makes him a natural fit for Parker’s hallucinatory visuals, and his performance anchors the clip in both strangeness and humanity.
The collaboration continues Tame Impala’s tradition of visually inventive videos that expand the scope of Parker’s songs. Just as the music walks a fine line between the personal and the universal, the “Loser” clip captures something unsettling yet familiar.
In the space of just over a decade, Kevin Parker has built a reputation as one of the most influential voices in contemporary music. Since Tame Impala’s debut InnerSpeaker broke through with its psychedelic swirl in 2010, Parker has steadily reshaped the boundaries of rock, pop, and electronic music.
Lonerism established him internationally, earning a Grammy nomination and cementing Tame Impala as a festival headliner. Currents marked a stylistic pivot, embracing pop and electronic influences that expanded his audience globally. Its single “The Less I Know The Better” became a modern classic, now part of the billion-stream club on Spotify. The Slow Rush followed in 2020, debuting at number one in Australia and scoring top 10 placements across 14 countries, including the US and UK.
Along the way, Parker has collected accolades that highlight his reach. He has been nominated for four Grammys, winning in 2024 for his collaboration with Justice on “Neverender.” In Australia, he has picked up 13 ARIA Awards from a staggering 27 nominations. He has also won a BRIT Award for Best International Band and received nods from the Billboard Music Awards and the American Music Awards.
Beyond his own records, Parker’s skills as a writer, producer and collaborator are in constant demand.
His credits stretch across an enviable list of modern music’s most prominent names: Dua Lipa, The Weeknd, SZA, Lady Gaga, Travis Scott, Mark Ronson, Gorillaz, Thundercat, Kali Uchis, 070 Shake, Rihanna, Miguel, A$AP Rocky and more. Each collaboration bears traces of Parker’s distinctive ear for melody and texture, while still adapting to the voice of the artist at hand.
On the US Alternative Radio charts, Tame Impala has secured multiple Top 10 singles, including two number ones: “Lost in Yesterday” and “Is It True.” Globally, Parker’s music has been awarded numerous gold and platinum certifications, with “The Less I Know The Better” serving as the crown jewel in his catalogue.
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