20/20 - King Of The Whole Wide World
Power pop legends 20/20 continue to reign over the airwaves, playlists and hearts of fans with “King Of The Whole Wide World”, the latest single from their acclaimed reunion album BACK TO CALIFORNIA (out now on Vinyl, CD and Streaming from SpyderPop Records). Already a favorite among DJs on the global indie pop scene, the track gets a standalone release accompanied by an Official Lyric Video on February 7, and it's up for pre-order and pre-save now.
The return of Power Pop Hall Of Famers 20/20 with the new album in 2025 has more than lived up to expectations, with genre authority Jordan Oakes (of the definitive Yellow Pills, named for one of the band's early classic songs) declaring “"These new songs have staying power, much like the band itself” in a rave Remember The Lightning review. The singles from BACK TO CALIFORNIA have likewise become the kind of radio hits that 20/20 has always deserved, with the title track and its followup “Laurel Canyon” entering rotation on terrestrial outlets in the US, UK, Italy, Australia and Ukraine and racking up Top 10 indie chart showings from New Jersey (WFMU and WLFR) to California (KUCR). That includes #1 rankings at Bandwagon Radio Network, Montana's KGF-Rocks, and with Bill Kelly on SiriusXM/Little Steven's Underground Garage (whose Speedie John separately deemed “Laurel Canyon” his weekly Song That Should Be Huge). The lead single, released late last year, even hit 10 Best Tracks of 2024 lists at Where The Action Is! (WFMU) and The Devil's Radio Fun Hour.
Founding members Ron Flynt and Steve Allen would thus be justified in claiming the title of the hook-filled new single “King Of The Whole Wide World” for themselves. But of course, there's more to it than that. In fact the song, a near perfect and celebratory slice of the guitar-driven power pop at which the group excels, is a bit of a callback to 20/20's early classic work. “It's reminiscent to me of our first single on Bomp Records, 'Under the Freeway', but slower,” says Steve Allen, who also notes another possibly subconscious tribute. “I didn’t realize till after it was finished that Elvis had a hit song of the same name. I had already name-checked him in the lyrics. Strange coincidence? I don’t know. It must have been inside of my brain somewhere!”
Whether an intentional homage to the King of Rock & Roll or not, the song's jubilant tone is fitting at a time when 20/20 reign as guitar pop royalty. Rock writer and power pop authority John M. Borack wrote of the band's approach, on the new record and throughout their career: “Without fail, the hook is always king, and Allen and Flynt dole them out here like there’s no tomorrow.” Fans of melodic rock and roll couldn't ask for more benevolent monarchs than 20/20, and it's wonderful to have them back.
