Some songs are made to entertain. Others arrive with something they urgently want you to think about. Stephen Wicks’ latest single, “The Doomsday Clock (85 Seconds to Midnight)”, firmly belongs in the second category.
At 74, the Hertford-based singer-songwriter continues to prove that creative ambition does not come with an expiry date. Having previously built a career as a property entrepreneur and corporate executive, Wicks has now devoted himself fully to music, bringing decades of experience and observation into his songwriting. With “The Doomsday Clock”, that perspective takes on a particularly serious subject.
The song draws inspiration from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ Doomsday Clock, which is currently positioned just 85 seconds from midnight. Wicks uses that striking image as the foundation for a track confronting some of the biggest threats facing humanity, including climate change, nuclear proliferation, artificial intelligence and geopolitical instability.
Musically, the song matches the scale of its subject. Driving rock instrumentation gives it forward momentum, while the cinematic intensity adds a sense that something important is unfolding. There is little room for complacency here. The ticking clock at the heart of the concept creates an underlying urgency, making the track feel like it is constantly moving towards a moment that cannot simply be ignored.
Wicks’ storytelling is another key part of the song. Rather than treating these enormous global issues as distant concepts, he channels them through music, creating a direct and emotionally charged message. Producer George Shilling describes the track as a wake-up call set to music, and that idea fits the song’s purpose perfectly.
There is impressive talent behind the recording too. Wicks has teamed up with acclaimed British producer George Shilling, whose credits include Blur, Primal Scream and Steve Winwood, while Australian guitarist Stefan Hauk adds his skills to the project. For an artist who approaches his music with the same focus he brought to his business career, surrounding himself with experienced collaborators becomes part of the creative formula.
“The Doomsday Clock” is also Wicks’ fifth single, making the release another step in a musical journey that has clearly developed into something much bigger than a side project. His transition from the corporate world into songwriting gives the music an unusual perspective, with years of professional experience now feeding into stories about the direction of society and the future.
The accompanying music video reinforces that message by visualising the passage of time and the vulnerability of the planet. It adds another layer to a song that is already built around the idea that time is not simply ticking away in the background. It is the central character.
What makes “The Doomsday Clock” stand out is its willingness to confront uncomfortable questions head-on. Wicks is not looking backwards. He is looking at where humanity is heading and using his music to encourage listeners to pay attention.
With urgent songwriting, powerful rock textures and a cinematic sense of scale, Stephen Wicks turns his latest release into more than a song. It is a reminder that music can still challenge, question and spark conversation, regardless of when the artist begins the journey.
Stephen Wicks transforms global uncertainty into an urgent rock statement on ‘The Doomsday Clock’
Stephen Wicks is on Spotify
