Cameron Whitcomb‘s “Bad Apple” is gritty and tongue-in-cheek, capturing the modern struggle between indulgence and self-restraint. Following the release of “Options” and his Hundred Mile High Tour, Whitcomb is setting himself up for a major breakthrough year, solidifying his place among the most exciting new voices in alt-country and Americana.
Following a breakthrough 2024 that featured his debut EP Quitter, Whitcomb’s rise has been fueled by his candid storytelling, raw emotional honesty, and his remarkable ability to turn personal challenges—including his battle with addiction. Tracks like “Medusa” and “Quitter” have further cemented his reputation, the latter even reaching the Billboard Canadian Hot 100.
Opening with the punchy refrain, “If I like it, I’m in trouble / If I love it, I’m dead,” “Bad Apple” explores the paradox of pleasure and consequence. Whitcomb rattles off a list of personal vices and societal contradictions, highlighting the irony of how modern life often punishes “joy.” Whitcomb’s songwriting is both confessional and satirical. “I can’t even shop at Walmart ’cause they’re calling ’em crooks / And I would love to read about it but they’re banning the books.” This blend of humor and honesty is a hallmark of Whitcomb’s style.
Produced by frequent collaborator Jack Riley (Knox, Grace VanderWaal) and co-written by Whitcomb, Riley, Nolan Sipe, and Cal Shapiro (known for Alex Warren’s “Ordinary”), “Bad Apple” fuses alt-country grit and Americana swagger. The track sees Whitcomb pushing his intensely personal sound towards an alternative direction, employing the age-old bad apple metaphor to grapple with the idea of how things can be so good, yet so bad at the same time.
“Bad Apple” follows a string of major successes for Whitcomb, including his emotionally vivid single “Options” and the larger-than-life anthem “Hundred Mile High,” which earned first-week streams in excess of 1.6 million and praise from outlets like Entertainment Tonight, UPROXX, and more. Fusing sharp lyrics, raw production, and personal insight, “Bad Apple” delivers a standout moment in Whitcomb’s discography.
Currently boasting over 7 million monthly listeners on Spotify and surpassing 300 million global streams, Whitcomb is well into what’s shaping up to be a landmark 2025. His nonstop momentum includes sold-out US headline shows and an eagerly awaited EU/UK leg of his “Hundred Mile High Tour,” with performances set for iconic venues like Amsterdam’s Paradiso and London’s Electric Brixton.
Be sure to catch Whitcomb live at the tour stops below
August:
6 – Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater
22 – Cologne, Germany – Sound of Nashville Open Air
23 – Munich, Germany – Backstage Werk
24 – Berlin, Germany – Kesselhaus
26 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Store VEGA
28 – Stockholm, Sweden – Nalen
September:
1 – Oslo, Norway – Rocafeller
3 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
4 – Paris, France – La Maroquinerie
5 – London, UK – Electric Brixton
7 – Manchester, England – Band on the Wall
8 – Glasgow, UK – Saint Luke’s
October:
29 – Oxford, OH – Brick Street Bar
30 – Lakewood, OH – The Roxy
31 – McKees Rocks, PA – Roxian Theatre
Keep up with Cameron Whitcomb: Instagram // Spotify // TikTok // Facebook // Website
