Axl Rose (left) and James Hetfield (right)

John McCain isn't doing so well these days, but a few other old-timers had a triumphant week on SPIN.com: Metallica kicked off their world tour, Eminem rapped about hip-hop, and a little band named Guns N' Roses (ever heard of 'em?) released their first single since Ally McBeal was on TV.

And while old-school was hot again, so was new-school: The annual CMJ Marathon hit New York City, and our staff enjoyed -- and endured -- new acts of varying quality. Check out the week's top stories and features below to see what we're talking about.

Highlights

• Metallica Kick Off World Tour
  With new tunes, old rarities, and pyrotechnics aplenty, the hard rock titans prove their mettle with a searing set in Arizona. >> Read
• 'Chinese Democracy' Song Released to Radio
  A new single off Guns N' Roses' long-awaited album hit airwaves. >> Read
• Eminem: "The Majority of Rap is Crap!"
  The Detroit emcee sounds off on the current hip-hop scene -- but reveals a few artists he really digs. >> Read
• The 9 Hottest New Bands Playing CMJ 2008
  Free downloads! Hear SPIN.com's top CMJ discoveries without leaving the comfort of your own home. >> Read
• The Best and Worst of CMJ '08, Vol. 1
  Two days into New York's college music fest, SPIN editors make their notable concert picks. Click here to see which bands made our list! >> Read

Editors' Blog

• Eminem's 'The Way I Am'…Isn't Much
  Insightful memoir or tired marketing ploy? SPIN's David Marchese explains who should buy -- and who shouldn't bother. >> Read
• How I Got Hooked on 'Twilight'
  One woman's uneasy confession about the teen vampire novel that's about to become a blockbuster movie, by SPIN's Phoebe Reilly. >> Read
• First Listen: New Guns N' Roses Single Reviewed
  SPIN's Steve Kandell weighs in on the official first release from the most-delayed album EVER! >> Read
• "Why I Can't Listen to Elliott Smith's Music"
  Five years after the tortured singer-songwrtier's suicide, SPIN's Ellen Carpenter talks about the day the music died. >> Read
• SPIN.com's Top 25 MGMT Remixes
  A.K.A., "I Started a Joke (or Careful: MGMT at Play), Vol. 2." SPIN's Charles Aaron continues his epic look at Brooklyn's it-makers. >> Read
• 'Gossip Girl': The Music Grows Up -- OMFG!
  The show has moved smartly from radio hits to indie discoveries. But SPIN's Abby Everdell says the new soundtrack album proves there's still room to mature. >> Read

Audio/Video

• Exclusive Song: Scott Weiland, "Crash"
  The Stone Temple Pilots singer-gone-solo continues his sonic experiment in this tune off his sophomore album, Happy in Galoshes, out November 25. >> Read
• Exclusive Stream: Greg Dulli, "Candy Cane Crawl"
  Listen to this slow-burning ballad from the ex-Afghan Whigs frontman's new album, Live at Triple Door. >> Read
• New Video: Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, "Gardenia"
  Members of Weezer, Mudhoney, and Girl Talk appear in this video for the jangly track off the band's latest album, Real Emotional Trash. >> Read
• Exclusive Stream: The (International) Noise Conspiracy, "Arm Yourself"
  Check out this herky-jerky tune off the Swedish agit rockers' latest album, The Cross of My Calling. >> Read
• New Video: Matt & Kim: "Daylight"
  Plus: The lovey-dovey duo hit the road this fall. >> Read

Reviews

• AC/DC, Black Ice (Columbia) >> Read
• Bloc Party, Intimacy (Capitol) >> Read
• Tom Gabel, Heart Burns (Sire) >> Read
• The Dears, Missiles (Dangerbird) >> Read
• Eagles of Death Metal, Heart On (Downtown) >> Read
• Snow Patrol, A Hundred Million Suns (Geffen) >> Read
• Kaiser Chiefs, Off With Their Heads (Universal/Motown) >> Read
• School of Seven Bells, Alpinisms (Ghostly International) >> Read

PLUS! The best of last week!