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dustedmagazine · 1 year

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Learning to go out again: Jennifer Kelly’s 2022 in review

Meg Baird plays Chicago

Meg Baird calls it “people practice,” the ordinary skills that we require to interact successfully with other human beings. Small talk, the appropriate amount of eye contact, a certain minimal degree of comfort in crowds: these are all things that eroded in the pandemic. And going even further, I’d add we ran short of “leaving your living room practice,” the difficult process of readjusting to unpredictable environments again. I got really bad at that in 2020 and 2021.

So, while 2022 was, in many ways, a joyous return to the norm, it was also deeply uncomfortable. Again and again, I’d show up far too early to shows and avoid talking to strangers. I’d mistake soundchecks for music. I’d get bands mixed up and think the opener was the headliner or at least the second band. It was like I’d never been to a show in my life. But gradually, over a year that was really genuinely rich in opportunities to see live music, I started to remember why I loved it — and how to be marginally less annoying to everyone around me. And I got to see some wonderful performances.

There was James Xerxes Fussell’s intricately re-arranged Americana on the eve of a blizzard in January and Jaimie Branch’s mesmerizing Anteloper just a month or so before she died. Our local festival, Thing in the Spring, once again delivered incredible abundance with Lee Ranaldo, Myriam Gendron, Jeff Parker, Tashji Dorji and others all taking turns on the stage. I experienced the twilight magic of Bill MacKay and Nathan Bowles on a back porch in Northampton as the bats darted overhead, as well as the viscera-stirring low tones of Sarah Davachi at a three-story-tall pipe organ at Epsilon Spires in Brattleboro. I got to see one of my very favorite bands, Oneida, at a club in Greenfield, MA, late in the year. I saw my friend Eric Gagne’s band Footings expand Bonny Prince Billy’s songs into epic, twanging bravado. Yo La Tengo came to my tiny little town and tore the place down. In Chicago for my birthday weekend, I got a chance to hear Meg Baird and Chris Forsyth at a whiskey distillery on the Chicago River. It was a great year. I’m so glad I was there for it.

It was also an exceptional year for recorded music as, honestly, it always is. Here are the records I enjoyed the most in 2022, but don’t pay too much attention to the numbers. The order could change tomorrow, and I may very well discover more favorites in other people’s lists. (We’ll have a Slept On feature at some point early in 2023.) I’ve written a little bit about the top ten, but you can find longer reviews of most of them in the Dusted archives. I’ve linked these where available.

1. Winged Wheel—No Island (12XU): An underground-all-star remote collaboration melds the hard punk jangle of Rider/Horse’s Cory Plump, the unyielding percussion of Fred Thomas, the radiant guitar textures of Matthew J. Rolin and the ethereal vocal atmospheres of Matchess’ Whitney Johnson in a driving, enveloping otherworld. Just gorgeous.

2. Oneida—Success (Joyful Noise): The best band of the aughts has dabbled in all manner of droning, experimental forms in recent years, but with Success, they return to basics. “Beat Me to the Punch” and “I Wanna Hold Your Electric Hand” are gleeful bangers. “Paralyzed” is a keyboard pulsing, beat-rattling psychedelic dreamworld. Success is Oneida’s best album since Secret Wars and maybe ever. (I wrote the one-sheet for Success, but I would feel this way regardless.)

3. Cate Le Bon—Pompeii (Drag City): Eerie, madcap Pompeii refracts pandemic alienation through the lens of ancient disaster, floating narcotic imagery atop herky-jerk rhythms. Abstract and experimental, but also sublimely pop, Pompeii haunts and charms in equal measure.

4. Destroyer—Labyrinthitis (Merge): Dan Bejar is always interesting, but the COVID lockdown seems to have shaken him loose a bit. Labyrinthitis is typically arch, elliptical and elegant, but also a bit unhinged. Hear it in the extended rap that closes “June” or in the manic disco beat of “Suffer” or oblique but perfect wordplay in “Tinoretto, It’s for You.”

5. Horsegirl—Versions of Modern Performance (Matador): Horsegirl elicits a lysergic roar that’s loud but somehow serene, urgent but chilled. The trio out of Chicago were everywhere suddenly and all at once, as sometimes happens to bands, but on the strength of “World of Pots and Pans” and “Billy” I suspect they’ll stick around.

6. Jake Xerxes Fussell—Good and Green Again (Paradise of Bachelors): An early favorite that refused to fade, Good and Green Again considers old-time music from a variety of angles, often incorporating more than one version of a traditional tune in a seamless way. The music is lovely, made more exquisite still by James Elkington’s arrangements, which are subtle, right and unexpected.

7. Lambchop—The Bible (Merge): Stark and lavish at the same time, The Bible catches Kurt Wagner at his morose and mesmerizing best. Surreal sonic textures—including orchestral flourishes and autotuned funk beats—wreathe his weathered baritone, as he traipses through ordinary landscapes turned strange and warped.

8. The Weather Station—How Is It That I Should Look at the Stars (Fat Possum): Tamara Lindeman drew on Toronto’s vibrant jazz community to form her band for this sixth album as the Weather Station. The band improvised alongside here as it learned the songs. As a result, these songs have the usual pristine folk purity, but also a haze of late night sophistication in elegant runs of piano and pensive plucks of bass.

9. The Reds, Pinks and Purples—Summer at Land’s End (Slumberland): Glenn Donaldson is pretty much the best at bittersweet jangle pop right now, and this wistful, graceful collection of songs about life’s dissatisfactions is every bit as good as last year’s Uncommon Weather. Plus it’s got a seven-plus minute improvised guitar piece right in the middle, what’s not to love?

10. Tha Retail Simps—Reverberant Scratch (Total Punk): Montreal’s Retail Simps make ferocious garage rock with a bit of soul in its tail feathers. “Hit and Run” sounds like a lost Sam and the Shams b-side and “End of Times – Hip Shaker” with having doing exactly that. If they ever remake Animal House, here’s the band.

25 more albums I loved:

Non Plus Temps—Desire Choir (Post-Present Medium)

Joan Shelley—The Spur (Important)

Mountain Goats—Bleed Out (Merge)

The Sadies—Colder Streams (Yep Roc)

Spiritualized—Everything Was Beautiful (Fat Possum)

Superchunk—Wild Loneliness (Merge)

Hammered Hulls—Careening (Dischord)

Kilynn Lunsford—Custodians of Human Succession (Ever/Never)

Oren Ambarchi/Johan Berthling/Andreas Werliin—Ghosted (Drag City)

Green/Blue—Paper Thin (Feel It)

E—Any Information (Silver Rocket)

Sick Thoughts—Heaven Is No Fun (Total Punk)

Pedro the Lion—Havasu (Polyvinyl)

Pan*American—The Patience Fader (Kranky)

Weak Signal—War & War (Colonel)

Frog Eyes—The Bees (Paper Bag)

Pinch Points—Process (Exploding in Sound)

LIFE—True North (The Liquid Label)

Mary Lattimore & Paul Sukeena—West Kensington (Three Lobed)

Wau Wau Collectif—Mariage (Sahel Sounds)

Vintage Crop—Kibitzer (Upset the Rhythm)

Anna Tivel—Outsiders (Mama Bird)

Chronophage—S-T (Post-Present Medium/Bruit Direct Disques)

Sélébéyone— Xaybu: The Unseen (Pi)

Zachary Cale—Skywriting (Org Music)

Jennifer Kelly

#dusted magazine #yearend 2022 #jennifer kelly #winged wheel #oneida #cate le bon #destroyer #horsegirl #jake xerxes fussell #lambchop #the weather station #the reds pinks and purples #tha retail simpls

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lovejustforaday · 1 year

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2022 Year End List - #5

HIS HAPPINESS SHALL COME FIRST EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SUFFERING - Backxwash

Main Genres: Horrorcore, Industrial Rap

A decent sampling of: Conscious Rap, Industrial Metal, Hardcore Rap, Experimental Rap, Glitch Hop

WARNING: This album features violent imagery and discusses many heavy topics such as su***dal thoughts, sexual abuse, religious abuse, transphobia, and racism. Proceed at your own discretion.

Time for me to write about the greatest natural progression I’ve seen in an artist over the span of just one year.

Backxwash, whose real name is Ashanti Mutinta, is a Zambian-born Canadian rapper/producer, and a black transfeminine goth harbinger of spiritual rebellion.

Her dedication to her craft and her productivity are both apparent; in just four short years, she has given us four LPs of some of the most uncompromising and artistically authentic examples of industrial-rap-metal. She’s managed to convert me to a sound that I wouldn’t normally otherwise gravitate towards, largely thanks to her charisma as a rapper and her eclecticism as a producer.

One year ago on my previous year end list, I wrote a review largely praising Backxwash’s I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES for being one of the most challenging listens that I ended up really enjoying that year. It ended up landing at number 13 on my list as a very solid 8 out of 10. I also noted what I personally felt like were some pacing issues and redundancy.

Luckily, Backxwash only seems to improve with every release, and this record is no exception.

As a matter of fact, HIS HAPPINESS SHALL COME FIRST EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SUFFERING is a titan of industrial horrorcore that delivers an unfiltered tempest of all that is violent and ugly about the institutions of power in our society, particularly the institution of religion. The cover art itself manages to communicate exactly what you should expect to hear and feel while listening to this ungodly record.

The more overtly political lyrics of her previous LP are somewhat dialed down for an album that is more just viscerally personal and holds nothing back, with a heavy focus on revisiting the past physical and spiritual violence of Ashanti’s childhood. Likewise, if I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES was an uncomfortable listen, then this one is potentially distressing. I will repeat verbatim what I said last time, because it applies even more this time around: This record is brutally honest and occasionally self-loathing, and some of the thoughts expressed here are downright ugly. But fuck if this isn’t raw and real as hell.

After a meditative intro that samples a pastor’s answering machine (“KUTALI”), the music properly starts with “VIBANDA”, a gargantuan wave of hardcore horrorcore that makes brilliant use of foreboding monastic chanting of Mozart’s “Lacrimosa”, creating the imagery of a cathedral set ablaze in flames, and a city flooded in an sea of blood. Mutinta pours her heart out about the abuse of the past in her verses, and then spits hellish dragon fire in the chorus as she ‘repents’. It is Backxwash’s most jaw-dropping and chilling performance to date.

“MUZUNGU” hums and drones with a quivering electrical pulse, like a dangerous high voltage fence wrapped with barbed wire. The lyrics address body dysmorphia through body horror imagery, and ponders revenge against a god that has forsaken the downtrodden.

Underground rapper CENSORED dialogue, who previously guest featured on 2021′s “TERROR PACKETS”, returns with an even bigger role on “ZIGOLO”, a nightmarish industrial hip hop soundscape that harasses and confuses. The track samples and distorts the haunting call of the Loon, an eccentric choice that pays off immensely as it serves to create the atmosphere of being stranded somewhere in the murky marshlands of a dark, boreal wilderness during the unholy witching hour.

“MULUNGU” is a completely unhinged experimental rap track that blasts, glitches, and recoils with a strange elastic production that feels like it’s going to give me a painful static shock at any given second. Backxwash comes out of the gate full beast mode with the lyrics “I put my body on display for the world to watch“ and goes on to deliver some of the hardest verses of this year. I’ve heard nothing quite like it, and it’s probably the most forward thinking hip hop track of the year.

“JUJU” is one of the more melodic offerings on the record, an emotionally-charged banger full of despair and self-doubt that bleeds misery. The chorus goes insanely hard with its anxious “what if’ thoughts and general lyrical imposter syndrome: “What if you can't, do what you said / What if you not, all that you thought / What if you slip / what if you fall / What if you just, can't save 'em all”.

The album closes on “MUKAZI”, a small beacon of hope piercing through the acid rain and asphyxiating fog that permeates the rest of this forsaken record. Backxwash swaps out her characteristic trickling industrial metal infused production for an odd, slightly off-kilter throwback to 2000s chipmunk soul. Think of it as form of musical after-care for taking in some of the most raw sonic agony and anguish.

There is still a track or two here that I feel is a bit filler-y. Despite that, this is a big step up from I LIE HERE... and successfully addresses the pacing problems of that record. Everything flows quite smoothly on this LP, largely thanks to the many intermissions appearing at the beginning and endings of most of the tracks, which sample sermons and the political musings of great activists like Angela Davis.

Generally speaking, this is just a much tighter and denser project from Backxwash that takes everything great about her previous records and heightens the intensity. Truly, HIS HAPPINESS SHALL COME FIRST EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SUFFERING is the most beautifully destructive record I’ve heard this year.

I hope that this record is cathartic for you and whatever you might be going through, and I seriously hope that Backxwash is healing.

9/10

Highlights: “VIBANDA“, “MULUNGU”, “JUJU”, “ZIGOLO”, “MUKAZI”, "MUZUNGU”

#industrial hip hop #industrial rap #horrorcore #backxwash #his happiness shall come first even though we are suffering #2022 #year end list #aoty #list #album review #music review #best music #hip hop

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filthforfriends · 2 years

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Max Martin used to be in a metal band and comes from that background. Yes he can do pop but he can also do their stuff. It would be virtually impossible for them to continue writing every tiny beat of every song while touring and such. I am sure they wrote the majority and these guys lended a beat or phrase here and there. Why decide you are already going to dislike something before you even have it?

Because I’m a Capricorn with more opinions than anyone you’ve met in your life

So far in 2022 he’s wrote or produced

Lizzo (beloved, but still pop)

6 songs on The Weekend’s new album (really shitty pop)

In 2021:

Can I Get It, which reduced Adele’s soulful ballads to pop and ripped off Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

FLETCHER (mind numbing pop)

Taylor’s Versions (singer-songwriter pop)

Jonas Brothers (pop)

Therapy by Anne-Marie which I couldn’t discern from any random pop song on the radio with a gun to my head

Pretty much all of Coldplay’s last album (pop sell outs)

Stick With You by Zara Larson (pop)

In 2020:

Stupid Love by Lady Gaga (pop icon)

5 song off Afterhours album by The Weekend (would rather stab myself than listen to it pop)

The fucking Trolls soundtrack including SZA, Anna Kendrick, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Timberlake (pop)

Mattel and Equally Lost featuring Doja Cat by Tove Lo (pop)

One More Try by Jessie J (pop)

4 songs on Charlie’s Angels soundtrack including Ariana, Miley, Lana Del Ray, Normani, Nicki Minaj (pop)

Motivation by Normani (pop)

How Do You Sleep? by Sam Smith (pop)

In 2019:

Ed Sheeran’s collabs with Stormzy, 50 cent, Bieber, Eminem, Khalid (pop/mainstream rap)

Finished What We Started by Zac Brown Band and Brandy Carlile Finally, something that’s not pop! WRONG. More pop that country and not in a good way.

The last time Max Martin worked with a rock band was 2011. Band and album titled Cervello and it was the last album they ever made. The album flopped, the band flopped, their career ended.

Finished What We Started is off of a Zac Brown Band album called The Owl, which did very poorly. Here is a review:

“The Owl has just as many producers as it does tracks. that would be eleven. One of those producers is Max Martin…who is personally responsible for the wholesale reprehensible direction of popular music in the past 10 to 15 years… Busy, disjointed, manic, mutt of a mono-genre effort withabsolutely no compass, direction or general purpose. The Owl is the vomiting out of any and all popular music influences mashed together like peanut butter and poodle shit. Forget all the high talk of how combining genre can be a gateway to vibrant creativity and musical evolution through the blending of influences and art forms. this record is like putting gummy bears in a lasagna.”

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k-reviews · 2 years

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MID YEAR ROUNDUP: ALBUMS & EPS

‘As always, I’m finding less and less time to write reviews but I just wanted to get some thoughts out on a couple of albums I’ve been really loving now that we’re just coming up on the halfway mark this year. In no particular order below, are five of my favorite albums so far in 2022.

TAEYEON - INVU

Continually shaping herself as one of the industry’s most compelling idol soloists, Taeyeon’s full-length effort in 2022 came in swinging with gorgeous production and as expected, killer vocal performances. Curating from prevailing pop trends but never feeling contrived, Taeyeon and her team understand how to bend and shift these sonic influences in a way that allows Taeyeon to really feel natural over the array of tasteful production found on the record. ‘INVU’ plays like a comprehensive summary of Taeyeon as a solo artist, and it just so happens to be an extremely entertaining and compelling summary at that.

YOUNHA - END THEORY: FINAL EDITION

Now repackaged with new additions, 2021′s album of the year continues to shine through 2022. Younha’s most narrative-driven record yet, the songstress graces her way through a series of tracks that all deal with the concept of endings and goodbyes. Through the lenses of love, friendship, time and beyond, Younha’s deconstruction and dissertation on how it feels, and what it means for things to come to an end feel so intimate, but also universally relatable. From the heart-shattering ‘How You Doing’, which can be interpreted in so many different ways, to the much more optimistic ‘Oort Cloud’ which is one of a handful of space-themed references as a symbol of looking towards the unknown, Younha appropriately covers a lot of ground over an idea as sprawling, but also as simple as ‘the end’.

‘End Theory’ is best encapsulated by a series of lines from the aforementioned ‘How You Doing’ which read: “I’ve grown enough to embrace them, The kids going through the same things, I’m proud of myself.”

Lil Moshpit - AAA

Hwimin of Groovyroom’s solo debut as a lead artist not only comes in strong, it may well be 2022′s rap album of the year. The producer-artist assembles an all star set of features that are carefully placed on some of the most inspired and immaculately produced beats of the year. There’s not a single weak performance found on ‘AAA’, with standout showings from Big Naughty and SAAY on the filthy ‘BO$$’, to Leellamarz closer on the mesmerizing ‘On The Block’ and even Sik-K of all people on his solo feature on ‘Slatty Slut’. Hwimin aka Lil Moshpit fully distinguishes himself from his work with Groovyroom, the grimy and often trippy production is vividly realized and he demonstrates a fantastic ear for feature placements as well.

FANA - Fanatiic

Partnering up with DAYTONA who have definitely taken a different approach to establishing a label, FANA makes a long overdue full-length return with ‘Fanatiic’. One of the most technically proficient emcees in the game, FANA sounds better than ever through ‘Fanatiic’, which features some of the best beats he’s ever rapped on. The production is infectiously groovy with all kinds of catchy instrumental rhythms being thrown in, which serves to further color FANA’s unique brand of rap. FANA at this point has nothing to prove to those well-vetted in Korean hip-hop, but on ‘Fanatiic’ he still raps like he’s the new kid on the block and shows that when it comes to albums, far and few have the ear for production and consistency that he does.

VIVIZ - Beam of Prism

VIVIZ’s debut EP is a pretty spectacular little package that definitely feels like a spiritual successor to GFRIEND’s work, though not in a way that detracts from VIVIZ’s identity, more so in a way that feels like carrying on the baton in their own way. Sonically, ‘Beam of Prism’ is a little bit scattered, one part GFRIEND tribute, one part synthpop and one part just taking swings in the park - but all of these moments really do work; ‘Love You Like’ is a pretty unique take on the acoustic pop ballad, with its very subtle hyper-pop sensibilities that add so much character. The spacey ‘Tweet Tweet’ is heavy on atmosphere, with its deep mix and lighter-than-air vocals. Lead single, ‘BOP BOP!’ is aptly titled, the grooves and hard hitting production are absolutely killer. VIVIZ radiate charm over their excellently crafted debut EP, and it feels like they’re now free to carry on the mantle of GFRIEND to wherever they see fit now.

#taeyeon #invu #younha #lil moshpit #h1ghrgang #groovyroom #h1ghr #daytona #fana #viviz #gfriend #beam of prism #kpop #khiphop

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albumlogy · 2 years

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Released on May 21 of 2021, SOUR quickly became one of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2021. The Guardian called it “one of the most gratifying undignified breakup albums ever made,” and The New York Times highlighted Taylor Swift’s influence on Rodrigo’s “flourishing songwriting.” This may have come as a surprise: until recent years, critics weren’t much fond of pop music in general, and mainstream artists like Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande usually received generally positive reviews but always failed to awe reviewers – Grande changed that with her fourth album Sweetener, and Swift with the universally acclaimed album folklore, her eighth album. The truth is, critics always glorified alternative artists and disregarded pop singers. With rap dominating the radio in the second half of the 2010s, there was a period when pop music seemed to have died. Swift graciously transitioned from country to pop, and artists like Billie Eilish emerged. Pop music changed from highly choreographed performances to intricately written songs. Rodrigo seemed to have taken notes of this while perfecting her craft.

Read the full story here: https://albumlogy.com/blog/the-story-of-sour

#olivia rodrigo #sour #drivers license #good 4 u #taylor swift

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brokenfoolishdreams · 2 years

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Ley´s Release Corner April´22 - Boys Edition (1/2)

DISCLAIMER: This is all my personal opinion and most of the impressions are after first listening. So please keep in mind that my opinion can change and that I respect other opinions too. My rating is just based on how I like the song and has nothing to do with hate or anything else against an Artist. When I don't like a song it doesn't mean I don't appreciate the work and effort that are put into it.

Masterlist

Feel free to let me know what you think of the releases and now let's dive into Kpop:

Title: Grey Suit

Album: Grey Suit - The 2nd Mini Album (EP)

Artist: SUHO (EXO)

Release: 2022.04.04

youtube

This song feels so melancholic and the MV underlines it very well. It´s a beautiful ballade but for me it´s a little bit too boring. Lyrically it´s about the feeling of how the world feels grey without someone and that you wait for that person to come into your life to bring the colors, which are very very beautiful.

"Morning Star" first felt like an intro because we got 40 sec without his voice but then he starts to sing and the song feels really like a new beginning of a day and it´s kinda hard to describe it otherwise. Next is "Hurdle" which was supposed to be the second title track and to be honest I would have loved it more. "Decanting" is very vibey while "Bear Hug" showcases his beautiful vocals in a powerful ballad. Lastly "Moment" ends with the first song I actually liked although it´s a ballade again. I like his vocals but the songs are all a little bit too slow for me.

Rating: 6,5/10 for Grey Suit (Instrumental: 7/10; Vocals: 7/10; Lyrics: 7,5/10; MV: 7,5/10; Overall Vibes: 6/10)

Rating: 6/10 for the EP because it´s sadly not my type of music but it has solid songs

Title: Still Life

Album: Still Life (Single)

Artist: BIGBANG

Release: 2022.04.05

youtube

This is definitely one good ballad and especially with the background it´s very beautiful and feels very special. It´s like coming home after a long time but despite this it´s still a ballad that isn´t powerful enough for me to get a really high rating. The MV is very fitting and I really like it.

Rating: 7/10 for (Instrumental: 7/10; Vocals: 8/10; Rap: 8/10; Lyrics: 7/10; MV: 7,5/10; Overall Vibes: 7/10)

Title: X-RAY

Album: ARCADE:V (EP)

Artsit: GHOST9

Release: 2022.04.07

youtube

X-Ray is a 4th gen song like it´s normal these days. It´s pretty solid and I kinda like it but it didn´t amaze me that much but it might be a grower.

"Dot" is a good intro I would have liked as a full song. "CHAMPION" is a pretty solid song that comes with a nice encouraging upbeating sound. "T.Y.T (Take You There)" made so much fun to listen to it because it feels kinda comforting but in a happy way while "Always, All ways" manage to deliver that same feeling but just a little bit different. Lastly "Stranger" also is a solid song I enjoyed a lot because it has a happy carefree sound.

Rating: 7/10 for X-Ray (Instrumental: 7/10; Vocals: 7/10; Rap: 7/10; Lyrics: 7/10; Choreography: 7,5/10; MV: 7/10; Overall Vibes: 7/10)

Rating: 8/10 for ARCADE: V because I liked all songs and I really need this happy dosis latlely

Title: Save Me

Album: Save Me (Single)

Artist: Mark Tuan (GOT 7)

Release: 2022.04.07

youtube

What would are these reviews without a single from him? "save me" follows the vibes of the other two singles (review here & here) he released this year and also the other songs from 2021. Again it´s an all-English song I really enjoyed because I like the vibe of it and also the lyrics are relatable but I think I kinda get used to it now.

Rating: 7/10 for save me (Instrumental: 7/10; Vocals: 7/10; Lyrics: 7/10; MV: 5,5/10; Overall Vibes: 7,5/10)

Title: Anthem of Teen Spirit

Album: 3rd EP Album Prlude of Anxiety Chapter 1. ´21st Century Boys´ (EP)

Artist: EPEX

Release: 2022.04.11

youtube

"Anthem of Teen Spirit" really hits hard from the start with a strong and dark vibe and a kinda hip hop like sound and I really liked this song BUT sadly the songwriters and/or company (I don´t want to blame the group because they´re still kids) did them so dirty with the lyrics referring to "crystal night" which isn´t okay and a very sensitive topic and whoever thought this is a good idea should have known better. I really hate this cancel culture and maybe I'm just too sensitive right now but I'm not in the place to decide whether the apology we got is enough or not. Like it's based on a novel so is it okay or is it still too controversial? At least they changed the lyrics too but the whole theme is kinda offending and I can't stop ranting about this although I don´t think this is the right place to discuss it.

"Lone Wolf" is a good start into the album and could be the little slower but darker brother of SKZ´s "Wolfgang" (Mainly because of the barking). "Burnout" and "STRIKE" continue with the dark vibe while "I´ll go first" is more emotional.

Rating: -/10 for (Instrumental: /10; Vocals: /10; Rap: /10; Lyrics: /10; Choreography: /10; MV: /10; Overall Vibes: /10)

I wish I could rate this album but it leaves a bitter taste because it would have get a very high rating but yeah

Title: DICE

Album: DICE - The 2nd Mini Album (EP)

Artist: Onew (SHINee)

Release: 2022.04.11

youtube

The MV is pretty fun to watch like what did I even see there? The song show his beautiful vocals but it´s just okayish for me because I don´t like the sound of the instrumentation of it.

"Sunshine" has somehow disco vibes but in a strange chill way and "On the way" has a very unique style too. "Love Phobia" has more chill vibes I kinda like and it also shows his vocals very well. "Yeowoobi" is more on the sentimental side and lastly "In the whale" comes with a retro sound. Overall I like that the songs all have an unique touch and don´t sound like everything else and I think it´s a perfect album for my chill playlist but not for my daily one.

Rating: 6/10 for DICE (Instrumental: 5/10; Vocals: 8/10; Lyrics: 6/10; Choreography: 7/10; MV: 7,5/10; Overall Vibes: 6,5/10)

Rating: 6/10 for the EP because even when they all solid and good songs sadly they didn´t click with me

Title: Cupid

Album: DKZ 6th Single Album ´CHASE EPISODE 2. MAUM´ (Single)

Artist: DKZ

Release: 2022.04.12

youtube

this puts you in such a good mood like the MV is just so enjoying and the upbeating happy sound just adds to it. It´s not a never-seen masterpiece but it´s definitely fun. The lyrics are about falling in love and it really shows the feelings you get when someone just stole your heart (in the good way)

Rating: 7/10 for (Instrumental: 7/10; Vocals: 7/10; Rap: 6/10; Lyrics: 7/10; Choreography: 6,5/10; MV: 7/10; Overall Vibes: 7/10)

Title: RE=LOAD

Album: JUST BEGUN (EP)

Artist: JUST B

Release: 2022.04.14

youtube

I like the Matrix Aesthetics I get from this MV and even from the lyrics. The song is pretty solid but I think it needs a unique touch to spice it a little bit up.

"DASH!" is a good start for this album with its strong vibe. "Make It New" funnily doesn´t feel new at all and reminds me of another song but I couldn´t figure out which one yet but I think it was an MX one. "Don´t Go Back" is pretty good and lastly "Lights On" is on the soft side and feels very comforting.

Rating: 7/10 for RE=LOAD (Instrumental: 7/10; Vocals: 7/10; Rap: 7,5/10; Lyrics: 7,5/10; Choreography: 7,5/10; MV: 7,5/10; Overall Vibes: 7/10)

Rating: 7/10 for JUST BEGUN because it overall feels like an average 4th gen EP and it need something to make it their own to get a higher rating

Title: Love Theory

Album: Love Theory - SM STATION (EP)

Artist: TAEYONG (NCT), Wonstein

Release: 2022.04.14

youtube

This is a very vibey song about falling in love. The MV is fun and a little bit disturbing. For my personal liking the song is a little bit too slow to really really love it but I like the vibe of it and I think this will be definitely a grower.

Rating: 7/10 for Love Theory (Instrumental: 6/10; Vocals: 7/10; Rap: 8/10; Lyrics: 6/10; MV: 6/10; Overall Vibes: 7/10)

Title: LA LA POP!

Album: LA LA POP!(Single)

Artist: HA SUNG WOON

Release: 2022.04.14

youtube

Okay I actually love this so much. It´s another Universe Song where the MV is released in the App and then later on Youtube but anyways this MV put me in such a good mood and the song just adds so much to it I instantly fall in love with this and his voice so I had to check out his other stuff and let me say I´m hooked.

Rating: 7,5/10 for LA LA POP! (Instrumental: 7/10; Vocals: 7,5/10; Rap: 7,5/10; Choreography: 7/10; MV: 7/10; Overall Vibes: 7,5/10)

#SUHO #EXO #BIGBANG #GHOST9 #Mark Tuan #GOT7 #EPEX #Onew #Shinee #DKZ #Just B #nct 127 #NCT #love theory #Ha Sung Woon #ley´s k-pop corner #kpop #kpop bg

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vienecash300 · 1 month

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Album: TNS

Artist: Cornbread217

Release Date: 17 February 2024

The last several months have seen a not-so-quiet hubbub in Springfield over the top rappers in our fair city. Many have been mentioned. Many have gone unmentioned. As of yet no definitive list exists that puts this issue to rest. A major issue in this scrum is the complete lack of a criteria. When we say “best” what do we mean? Is it the lyrical prowess that we seek to glorify? Is it the number of streams? Social Media popularity? What is the “it factor”? Inquiring minds want to know.

I cannot tell you who the “best “ is in 217. Until we decide on a criteria we will remain lost. However what is a music review if not an elongated opine? So while I cannot tell you who the “best” is my favorite and easily one if not THE most prolific artists to grace both state and wax here in the 217 has been doing so since before the original incarnation of MySpace.

Andre Middleton has gone by a number of aliases in his 20 plus year career. Cornbread or just Bread as he is referred to by his friends aka The Trash Pandacoot, aka Cornbread217 aka Gingerbread Huxtable is the heavyweight for favorite for the title of “best” to this admittedly meager publication. His latest release “TNS” is an absolute DYNAMO and leaves an indelible mark on all of the criteria aforementioned.

Bread is a lyrically inventive and pulls ZERO PUNCHES. His lyricism knows no bounds, which might seem a hackneyed phrase in this day and age. Bread effortlessly switches between current events and goofier fare that will keep audiences listening long after their desire for consciousness in their music dries up and the more trivial wants take over.

Cornbread is nearly unmatched in his Social Media coverage managing to engage his audience through all the most popular platforms as well as appear on a podcast with an audience that grows exponentially as he and his partner the strategic troll PrezADent meander through a wide variety of topics that range from the hilariously sexual to the decidedly mundane, somehow keeping an audience,that is far and beyond the 217 area code, heavily entertained.

One factor I failed to mention is the concept of proliferation. Can the artist in question maintain a steady output of music the quality of which meets or exceeds previous output? Cornbread can and ALWAYS does. Just a couple months ago Bread teamed up with local artist A1Muzik for the “Float Trip EP” The project was stellar and long awaited. It also showed a talent of Bread’s that while not unique to 217 hip hop, is certainly a seldom seen thing…a concept.

In November 2020 , participating as his alter ego the Trash Pandacoot, Cornbread released the concept EP “Welcome to the Zu” with former Springfield artist WeirdMarc300. He wrote all four beats and with WM3 rapping as “The Zu Keepa” the two warbled their way through an album idealized as four songs that together tell the story of a derelict local zoo. The “Float Trip EP” tells the story of two friends on that most intoxicating of Midwest summer rituals the float trip. His 2021 release “Negroes and Jazz” was heavily influenced by the turmoil of the current upheaval in the US while delicately balancing it with the innumerable contributions of the Black American to popular music.

On “TNS” Bread does not disappoint his listeners. Before a concept even becomes obvious Bread leaves the casual observer with a little Easter Egg. The albums release date it 17 February. In date parlance that’s 2/17. This man is velociraptor clever. “TNS” is an abbreviation that stands for “That Nigga Sifu” This is not the first time that Bread has compared listening to one of his albums to entering a dojo.

“Private Eyes” is a dreamy trip into sonic floating that has the artist spitting, with great aplomb, his signature over-annunciated, double entendres-laden flow. The Pandacoot reaches into his bag of tricks and pulls out an opening track of epic proportions.

Oriental inspired flute music litters the next track “Never Found Tha Clit”. At first this track appears base beginning with an acapella sentiment about the age old inability of men to find the proverbial female promised land. As per usual Cornbread hides a deeper meaning in his lyrics that while not on the surface is easily discernible.

On “Everybody Wants” he utilizes a flow he is not often known for still heavily enunciated but slightly more rapid fire as he raps about the desire of the modern human to have everything as a matter of instant delivery. The flow would be perfect right along side the dungeon family of old.

“French Otis” a title that borrows from the opening single of 2011s “Watch the Thrown” shows Breads uncanny ability to exploit a sample with Yeezy-like talent. Speaking of Uncanny. Local Artist, DJ promoter Uncanny displays potent prowess on “Otis” as he and Bread trade bars that would make the 2011 Ye and Jay wanna sign them to a 360 deal that they would probably come to hate…I mean it Ye tho 🤷🏾‍♂️.

“Tree Blowing Flute” utilizes one of my fave soundbites from “Boondocks” simultaneously using yet another oriental inspired flute that is somehow worlds away from the one previously mentioned.

“Humble Yourself” finds the MC combining the unlikely forces of a deep 909 bass and Indian sitar “Reel Lies” has Bread using voice effects something that he rarely has done in the past. The modern day hip hop head associates the use of autotuned vocals with simple, uncultured rhyme. Nothing could be further from the truth. Bread rhythmically warbles over this sick beat with his custom grace.

“Substitutes” pairs Bread with rapper WeirdMarc300 for the first time since 2020s “A Very Pandemic Christmas” the two create a picture painted almost exclusively of nursery rhyme images. The song is my favorite from the album but…of course I am on it.

The final tracks in order are named “Kata #6”, the introspective “Winters Adam”, “Wingspan” and the play on words “Blew Skies”. I want the reader of this blog to hear these tracks for themselves. Something should be left to the interpretation of the listener.

Finally we have something tangible for us Cornbread217 fans to sink our proverbial teeth into. Bread’s “Negros and Jazz” is a Pandemic Era classic. “TNS” is that albums big brother. Bread has been all grown up for years but this is the display. Like Earl Sweatshirt Bread makes all his own beats and writes all his own lyrics. My fave combos are him and Champaign badass ChaseBaby and of course A1Muzik, Uncanny and myself. Who is the “best” in 217? I have no clue. I mean LITERALLY NO CLUE. However if the criteria is lyrical prowess , proliferation, skill, and time at the grindstone, then the best is Cornbread. Excellent job Bread…now like any thirsty ass fan I gotta know…can you do it again? I’m joking. Of course he can. 💯💯💯. (Andre Middleton aka Cornbread217, aka CornthaCoon, aka Trash Pandacoot)

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jetstarred · 22 days

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what i listened to in march 2024!

total: 8 albums top 3 albums: preacher's daughter (ethel cain), call me if you get lost (tyler, the creator), the michigan left (queef jerky) click read more to see full reviews ^-^

preacher's daughter - ethel cain (2022) - fav song: gibson girl - this is a very beautiful and haunting concept album. i really love the story that's explored here of a girl with religious trauma running away from her family and falling in love with a man she meets, only to be murdered and cannibalized by him. the songs shift through the same group of emotions; longing, fear, regret, hope, and pensiveness. there's some moments that really pull deep at my bones and make me cry. this is more of a country/folk album than i'm typically used to but the rock elements that are included and the grand production are familiar enough for me to enjoy stepping out of my comfort zone. i'm very excited to see the next part in the supposed trilogy of this story. - rating: 9/10

deathmetal - panchiko (2000) - fav song: cut - this is a pretty good shoegaze-y album full of a lot of typical teenage angst. it benefits from the poor mixing and diy garage sound, which makes it feel like a group of friends just got together to make music about their problems. what really elevates this album is the story behind it. this album being so underground and essentially "lost media" that was eventually found and led to the band having a huge resurgence in the past few years is so cool. the rot versions of some of the songs also add a very unique found footage-esque vibe to the whole album that almost makes it feel as if it was part of an arg. overall i think while the content of the album is alright, the fact its so widespread now is a testament to the dedication of music lovers. - rating: 7/10

laisser vivre les squelettes - daïtro (2005) - fav song: laisser vivre les squelettes - i was surprised by this being french (for some reason) but honestly i really liked the sound of it. while i don't love music where the vocals are mainly screaming, this was still pleasant to listen to for me. the music was enjoyable, especially the guitar and the drums. the only complaint i really have was the long spans of just music, which became a little grating at times. the ending of the last song was nice though i liked how it faded out. while i probably won't reach for this album again, it was still very nice to listen to more skrams music and get a feel for what it is. - rating: 5/10

isn't it wonderful - sugar cherry (2023) - fav song: october sky - this a really nice shoegaze-y indie bedroom pop album. its very short and sweet, with the album carrying a lot of feelings of nostalgia and not quite angst. its more so like yearning. as the side project of rozey (someone who hasn't release a lot of music but i like a lot) it was really nice discovering this and the album going in the more lo-fi noisy direction that rozey's been going in with his newer songs. admittedly a lot of the songs sound very similar because of the lo-fi atmosphere but there's enough distinctive elements in each song that can make them stand out after repeated listens. overall i really enjoyed this album! - rating: 7/10

call me if you get lost - tyler, the creator (2021) - fav song: lemonhead - i really like the loose concept with this album. the visuals are very strong so i wish the concept was tighter, but i get that this is tyler's "i made it" album. which i can give him a pass for bragging so much in this album. i think he deserves it. the music in this album is very similar to what's in flower boy and igor, with it very clear this is the style tyler's adapted and evolved as his own. there's much more rapping in this album than in igor, which causes this to be a nice mix of the two previous albums and even cherry bomb. overall i think this album is a very solid follow up to the massive hit that was igor and i am excited to see what tyler does next and if he tries to pivot to doing something new and different. - rating: 8/10

the michigan left - queef jerky (2023) - fav song: farward - as every queef jerky project, this is full of bangers. nick and dev have perfected making good comedy rap that has experimental elements. some of the bars included were really clever while others just made me laugh really hard. the production choices are reminiscent of jpegmafia but in a direction that makes the music have a sort of "contained chaos" atmosphere to it. and some sections really reminded me of breakcore which is a genre i've been listening to more recently. i dig it a lot and i'm soooo excited to hear what they release next. (i'm also legally obligated to disclose i fuck with this album more than any of their other stuff bc of the inclusion of riley from hivemind on every song. sorry america) - rating: 8/10

scaring the hoes - jpegmafia & danny brown (2023) - fav song: shut yo bitchass up / muddy waters - i don't know that much about rap so take what i say with a grain of salt. this album sounds very much like a throwback to older rap but updated with new styles especially that of breakcore and the general experimental hip hop peggy and danny brown are known for. i really enjoyed the production on this and honestly i think the two rappers work really well together. i was already familiar with peggy's music prior to listening to this but i haven't listened to much danny brown. this album def convinced me to go give some of his stuff a listen. the production on this album is really good and i fuck with it a ton! - rating: 8/10

once, but never again - supercollider (2023) - fav song: anyday - this album is very much inspired by shoegaze, taking elements from that and other genres like garage rock, post-hardcore, and post-grunge. its very much a diy album, with not great mixing and vocals that are very poorly recorded. all of this adds to the noisy atmosphere that gives way to the angtsy vibe of the songs. while i didn't love every song on this album, i liked the overall vibe and what they were going for. i see real potential in this band and i'm very interested in listening to their newest album. (after looking at the playlist for the album inspo, i'm not surprised at the presence of mbv, slowdive, deftones, and have a nice life) - rating: 6/10

#its that time of the month bitch!#didnt listen to as much this month cause i was so busy recovering from my busy feb + getting ready for my busy april #but im excited to listen to a ton of new music in april :3 #wilt #jet reviews

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flowerboycaleb · 2 months

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ok so since so many noteworthy artists decided to drop singles on the last day of the month after my month in review came out, i'm gonna cover them in this add-on post!! to check out the main singles & songs post for this month click here!!!

"Broken Man" - St. Vincent

◇ featured on All Born Screaming - St. Vincent (not yet released) ◇ genres: alternative rock, industrial rock

St. Vincent is cranking up the noise on "Broken Man," the lead single for her upcoming new album. This is definitely a lot darker and heavier than 2021's Daddy's Home and I'm really digging it. The instrumentation is so off-putting, almost eery, and her vocals add to that feeling. The big bursts of guitar after she asks "who the hell do you think I am?" are so badass. Dave Grohl also provides some drums for this track and they're very prevalent on the backend of the track when things get super wild. Throughout her discography she's occassionally leaned into some noisier elements, but here it seems like she's going all in. This is a great lead single and I'm super excited to hear what the rest of the album sounds like. listen here: Apple Music Spotify Bandcamp (not available) SoundCloud YouTube ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Von dutch" - Charli XCX

◇ featured on brat - Charli XCX (not yet released) ◇ genres: electro house, electropop, dance-pop

This new Charli XCX single and the lead single for her upcoming album brat is ... just ok. Her goal with this album is to make club bangers, but I feel like you can do that while not letting the songwriting fall short. Yeah the beat goes crazy, but it's a very come-and-go song. Unmemorable verses and the hook here is honestly kinda annoying. Maybe the rest of the album will be better than this, I don't mind this sound I just wish the song was more memorable. I know Charli can craft a great, wild, and catchy song, but "Von dutch" isn't that. listen here: Apple Music Spotify Bandcamp (not available) SoundCloud (not available) YouTube ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"Overcompensate" - twenty one pilots

◇ featured on Clancy - twenty one pilots (not yet released) ◇ genres: pop rap, alternative dance, electro-industrial

Coming off the absolute snoozefest that was their last album, twenty one pilots are back with a new single and a new album on the way. "Overcompensate" is an interesting shift in their sound from both a production and instrumental standpoint, but ... the rap verses don't really click with me. I've never been too crazy about Tyler Joseph's rapping, in fact it often annoys the shit out of me. I do think this is one of his better performances, but they lack that punch this song needs to take it to the next level. Same with the chorus. It's definitely a step-up from their previous album though and there's always the chance it could grow on me in the context of the whole album. listen here: Apple Music Spotify Bandcamp (not available) SoundCloud YouTube ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

#month in review #2024

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cyarskaren52 · 5 months

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Rollingstone Logo

100 - 8180 - 6160 - 4140 - 2120 - 1

YEAR IN REVIEW

The 100 Best Songs of 2023

Lana, Drake, Miley, Tyler, and many more

BY ROLLING STONE

DECEMBER 1, 2023

KYLIE MINOGUE RACED back to the center of the dance floor with a viral smash. A surprise Shakira track broke the internet. Sexyy Redd owned every summer DJ set. And NewJeans rode a drum-and-bass beat to pop heaven. It was a massive year for música Mexicana and Afropop, for noisy guitar bands, left-field hip-hop, and fearless country storytelling. Taylor Swift had a pretty good year too.

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Stormzy feat. Fredo, ‘Toxic Trait’

YOUTUBE

U.K. rap scion Stormzy didn’t let the year go by without giving listeners a reminder as to why he’s one of the biggest artists in the world. “I’m the black Kate Bush,” he raps. The song rides a menacing U.K. drill rhythm reminiscent of the type of marauding production Pop Smoke, and more recently Ice Spice, made popular in the states. Meanwhile, Stormzy’s in perfect form, rapping the kinds of boasts you get to rap when you’re at the top. But it’s not all braggadocio, Stormzy’s taking stock of his toxic traits, they just happen to carry a hefty price tag. —J.I.

Katie Von Schleicher, ‘Cranked’

YOUTUBE

Someone let Katie Von Schleicher down, but she’s doing her best to forget it on this highlight from her delightfully titled, even-more-delightfully composed A Little Touch of Schleicher in the Night. “Oh, once it’s gone, it’s beautiful,” she sings as six violins and violas and a pair of saxophones assist her rose-colored revisionism. Exquisitely melancholy chamber pop can feel like a lost art these days. Not when Katie’s in the house. —S.V.L.

BLP Kosher and BabyTron, ‘Mazel Tron’

YOUTUBE

You’d be forgiven for thinking rapper BLP Kosher was something from an SNL skit. The South Florida MC is keen on referencing his Jewish faith in his raps and has a clear sense of humor that extends even to his inventive hairstyle. But as a rapper, Kosher’s sensibility is closer to his fellow Gen Z rap favorite BabyTron, known to spin densely packed cultural reference in his raps. It’s why the two make such a perfect pairing on “Mazel Tron.” The track is an extended display of BabyTron’s dexterity, but BLP Kosher very much holds his one, effortlessly sliding slick references between his rap’s infectiously bouncy cadence. The song’s video was inescapable for some time on TikTok, and rightfully so, you sort of have ot see it to believe it. —J.I.

Seventeen, ‘Super’

YOUTUBE

For their victory-lap single “Super,” Seventeen found inspiration in the supernatural tales of Chinese mythological figure Sun Wukong. Finding his journey a fitting metaphor for the group’s persevering eight-year career, members Woozi, Vernon, and S.Coups (alongside Pledis hitmaker Bumzu and Filipino-Canadian producer August Rigo) embedded images of flying clouds and magical staffs into a drum-heavy EDM anthem that evokes militarism through Jersey club rhythms. As the boys chant, “I love my team/I love my crew,” it’s a proud affirmation of how Seventeen reached their current success: There’s strength in the collective. —M.H.K.

Allison Russell, ‘The Returner’

YOUTUBE

The mood on Allison Russell’s 2023 album, The Returner, is quite light compared to 2021’s Outside Child and often feels downright celebratory and joyful. The title track is a soulful groove that never seems in a hurry, just drifting happily along with little pockets of electric guitar, piano, and some truly gorgeous string work. “If you think you’re alone/Hold on — I’m coming,” Russell sings at one point, a chorus of voices chiming in behind her as she promises to help you along. Put it on when you need a little lift, or really for any reason at all. —J.F.

Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar, ‘The Hillbillies’

YOUTUBE

While Baby Keem spent much of the year starring on Kendrick Lamar’s Big Steppers Tour, fans hungry for a sequel to his bestselling 2021 album, The Melodic Blue, made do with this vibrant sequel to their “Family Ties” collaboration. “We gon’ fuck up the world/Excuse me but is that your girl?” they boast on “The Hillbillies,” an EvilGiane production defined by the duo’s frizzy flows, slowed-and-chopped samples, goofy ad-libs, and Jersey club vibes. It’s a fun track that reaffirms their partnership as a place of comfort for the globe-trotting Lamar, and a spotlight for his younger cousin on the come up. —M.R.

The Beths, ‘Watching the Credits’

LINDSEY BYRNES*

The Beths are power-pop ninjas on parr with Big Star and Cheap Trick. “Watching the Credits,” from the expanded edition of their 2022 album, Expert in a Dying Field, is a song about trying to direct your life as if it was a movie, fixing the stuff in post you didn’t quite get right in the moment. The irony is that such formal mastery and invention is at the heart of what these New Zealanders do so well. “Watching the Credits” is power pop as grand orchestration, and more proof that few bands pack in the cleverly turned hooks with such joy. —J.D.

Young Thug feat. Drake, ‘Oh U Went’

YOUTUBE

Even from behind the wall, Young Thug gave the people what they wanted this summer. On “Oh U Went,” a single from his Business Is Business album, Thug unfurls his boundless vocals over an enchanting mesh of keys and a soigné vocal sample. The lyrics don’t stray much from him asking rhetorical questions in a laundry-list format, but he does it with such a compelling presence that it doesn’t matter. Drake follows up with a fiery verse where he lets us know, “I got more stones than a cemetery/I got more streams than y’all in February.” Drake and Thug have an impeccable chemistry, which is why many fans hope Thug can come home to keep the streak going. —A.G.

Margo Price, ‘County Road’

JASON KEMPIN/GETTY IMAGES

The centerpiece of Margo Price’s Strays is a devastating six-minute ode to the past. While it’s technically about her late friend who died of colon cancer, lines like “Hey kid, where ya goin’ with those brand new wheels you got?” could also apply to a younger Price — a musician who struggled for so many years before she finally got her due. “I wish I could have back what I didn’t know were the best years of my life,” she sings, over the kind of piano and pedal-steel combo that brings you to tears. According to Price, she does, too. “It gets me choked up,” she said. “Every time I play it.” —A.M.

Indigo De Souza, ‘Smog’

YOUTUBE

“I just sit down and shut up,” Indigo De Souza sings, “I hope they don’t notice me.” That’s gonna be tough when you’re making relentlessly catchy songs like this. The North Carolina indie-pop artist delivers ambivalence you can bob along too on “Smog,” building from worried verse to explosive chorus as she turns tension into transcendence, singing “I come alive in the nighttime,” over a geyser-like synth whir and low-fi dance-pop thwump. She’s so rattled by the rush of her own epiphany you’d think she was the first person who found freedom in the wee small hours. —J.D.

Central Cee and Dave, ‘Sprinter’

YOUTUBE

If American hip-hop listeners had any aversion to U.K. rap in the past, Central Cee’s recent run has firmly put those qualms to rest. The London MC is responsible for a spree of viral tunes, including last year’s “Doja,” which featured a hook so infectious Doja Cat herself took notice. This year, Central Cee teamed up with fellow U.K. rap heavyweight Dave, firmly introducing the world to their region with the short-and-sweet EP Split Decision. That project’s standout single, “Sprinter,” is a case study in what makes both rappers so compelling. With an almost literary knack for storytelling, Cench and Dave trade braggadocious quips about the life of a young bachelor in their prime. —J.I.

Beyoncé, ‘Cuff It (Wetter Remix)’

KEVIN MAZUR/WIREIMAGE/PARKWOOD

Beyoncé’s Renaissance era has been the gift that keeps giving, or at least keeps giving everything other than visuals for the album. “Cuff It (Wetter Remix)” arrived alongside the icon’s stadium tour announcement and reimagined the original album track with the sensual and sultry undertones that paint the rest of the record. Over an interpolation of Twista’s 2009 hit “Wetter,” Beyoncé delivers plush, pitch-perfect harmonies and affixes an extra verse that finds her rapping about just how lustful she’s feeling in case it wasn’t clear already. —L.P.

Ayra Starr, ‘Sability’

YOUTUBE

Ayra Starr is the Afropop princess that can do it all — she can cut soaring vocals; she can make curt and playful tracks; and as her breakout hit, “Bloody Samaritan,” and most recent single, “Sability,” show, she’s got a knack for steamy dance music too. “Sability,” a made-up word pulling from West African pidgin and meaning the ability to sabi — to know what’s up — is Starr’s ethos. Fittingly, she flips a sample from a beloved hit by Congolese Soukous singer Awilo Longomba in a way that marries Gen Z cool with timeless rhythm to creates a union all her own. —M.C.

Skrillex, Fred again.., and Flowdan, ‘Rumble’

YOUTUBE

“Yo, listen, you here that? Killas in the jungle,” warns British rapper Flowdan on “Rumble.” Initially a collaboration with British producer Fred again.., “Rumble” eventually became a breakout cut from Quest for Fire, one of two albums Skrillex released within days of each other, as he announced his return to the front of the EDM pack. The track wobbles with bass drops, dread vibes, and chirpy sped-up vocals from Elley Duhé — a killer party in the jungle, indeed. —M.R.

Dua Lipa, ‘Houdini’

YOUTUBE

How does one follow up the disco phenomenon that was Future Nostalgia? If you’re Dua Lipa, you call up Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker and former PC Music artist Danny L Harle. The final product is an edgy, clubby slice of psychedelic-pop heaven. Lipa likens herself to the escape artist the song is named after, warning her lover that she’s a slippery paramour to hold on to. It’s all accompanied by a meaty beat that is certain to get anyone on the floor. The centerpiece of the track, however, is the tempo switch toward the end, leading to an electrifying synth solo that makes this much more than just your average dance-pop bop. —B.S.

Big Thief, ‘Vampire Empire’

MATTHEW BAKER/GETTY IMAGES

This is Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker with the gloves off, her heart-starved warble cutting through a raggedy grandeur Big Thief are able to wield as effectively as anyone this side of Planet Waves era Bob Dylan. “I wanted to be your woman/I wanted to be your man/I wanted to be the one that you could understand,” she sings as the music seems to ascend and come unglued at the same time, perfectly mirroring lyrics about physical desire and fulfillment so intense it’s almost deliberating. One of this decade’s very best American bands has rarely sounded so intense. —J.D.

Quavo feat. Takeoff, ‘Patty Cake’

CHRISTOPHER POLK/VARIETY/GETTY IMAGES)

Throughout 2023, Quavo paid tribute to Takeoff, his nephew and costar in the Atlanta trio Migos who was murdered in November 2022. He honored him at events like the 2023 Grammy Awards and joined a group of anti-gun violence activists for a meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus. Quavo also included Takeoff’s voice on several songs from his second solo album, Rocket Power, such as “Patty Cake.” Produced by DJ Durel and TheLabCook, it opens with horn-like fanfare and Takeoff’s familiar stentorian voice. “I made an M today, thank God, it’s time to celebrate,” Takeoff proclaims as Quavo laces the former’s bars with ad-libs, re-creating their famed magic once more. —M.R.

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, ‘Cast Iron Skillet’

ERIKA GOLDRING/GETTY IMAGES

On this song, Jason Isbell turns memories of a pair of neighborhood tragedies from his North Alabama youth into a parable about the dark pitfalls and embedded close-mindedness of small-town folk wisdom. As he unfolds the devastation of bigotry and violence over its three minutes, each aphorism (“don’t ask questions; just believe it”) takes on a new, deeper level of disorientation. The result is one of Isbell’s most profound pieces of storytelling, up there with “Elephant,” “Cover Me Up,” and “Outfit” as a song he’ll be remembered for decades from now. —J.Bernstein

Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro, ‘Vampiros’

YOUTUBE

Few pleasures in contemporary Latin music compare to basking in the electricity of Rosalía’s furious rapping. Culled from a three-track EP celebrating her partnership with neo-reggaeton star Rauw Alejandro, “Vampiros” thrives on the Spanish diva’s exuberance and a menacing synth line that pushes the tension forward relentlessly. The track’s tribal drums, exotic ambient collage in the bridge, and sudden ending evoke the bravado of Motomami — Rosalía’s visionary masterpiece. —E.L.

Reneé Rapp feat. Coco Jones, ‘Tummy Hurts (Remix)’

Renee Rapp and Coco Jones

HUNTER MORENO*

Mean Girls star Reneé Rapp’s debut full-length, Snow Angel, was one of 2023’s standout pop releases, its biting lyrics and indelible hooks surrounded in dense, rewarding production. This rework of “Tummy Hurts,” a sparse ballad about the conflicted pit-of-stomach feelings conjured by a miscreant ex finding a new boo, brings in R&B belter Coco Jones for an exacting verse that adds heat to the song’s complaints about “boys being boys.” —M.J.

Luke Combs, ‘Fast Car’

JOHN SHEARER/GETTY IMAGES/CMA

Thirty-five years after Tracy Chapman first released her ballad about speeding away from a bleak existence, she became the first Black woman to have a Number One country song as the sole writer, and then became the first Black songwriter to win the CMA Award for Song of the Year. Luke Combs, of course, helped revive “Fast Car,” recording an exquisite (and faithful) version for his album Gettin’ Old. But the country star knew the credit all goes to Chapman: When Combs won Single of the Year at this year’s CMAs, he started by thanking her by name for “writing one of the best songs of all time.” Fans just now being introduced to the song tend to agree. —J.H.

Omar Apollo, ‘3 Boys’

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Among Omar Apollo’s stacked discography of soul-pop ballads about unrequited love, “3 Boys” is one of his most smoldering and tortured. Over swirling steel-guitar licks and doo-wop-inspired background vocals, the singer-songwriter questions non-monogamy during a time when it’s more popular than ever, asking: What good is being able to have multiple partners if you’re still hung up on one person? Though it’s an intimate take on a modern problem, Apollo’s nostalgia-inducing palette and emotive R&B vocals make his heartbreak sound eternal. —M.H.K.

Karol G and Shakira, ‘TQG’

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Two vengeful baddies come together on “TQG,” singing to their shitty exes over an ominous reggaetón beat produced by Ovy on the Drums. The song opens with a tinge of sadness from Karol G, before the Colombiana’s haunting vocals join Shakira as the duo embraces the fact that perhaps te quedó grande la bichota. These bichotas were just too big and good for their past lovers. Karol told Rolling Stone she asked Shakira to join the track after hearing her song “Monotonía.” “Listening to that story and where she was at, the song ‘TQG’ made a lot of sense,” Karol said. “She loved it.” —T.M.

MJ Lenderman, ‘Knockin’

“Knockin’” has been (sorry) knocking around the MJ Lenderman catalog since 2021, when it was released as a very low-fi demo. Even then, the song’s sweet, slightly weird brilliance was clear, as Lenderman used a characteristically offbeat reference to golfer John Daly’s bizarro cover of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” as a jumping-off point for a simple, tender love song. Most crucial, though, is Lenderman’s assured vocal performance. When “Knockin’” completes its own roundabout circle, with Lenderman’s own half-cover of the Dylan original, it’s delivered not with a croon, but a ragged howl.—J. Blistein

Carly Rae Jepsen, ‘Shy Boy’

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Over a decade after “Call Me Maybe,” CRJ is making the best music of her career, and lots of it, which probably isn’t the narrative too many people had in mind back in 2012, except maybe Jepsen herself. “Shy Boy” is a wonderful highlight off The Loveliest Time, an LP of top-shelf leftovers from her 2022 album, The Loneliest Time. Carly sings about getting a her shy boy to come out of his shell, head downtown, and hit the dance floor over a heaven-sent disco groove that exemplifies her gift for putting her own fizzy, spin on classic pop sounds. —J.D.

Doja Cat, ‘Paint the Town Red’

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She sure did. This fuck-the-haters anthem, a global chart-topper that continued smashing glass ceilings for female rappers, is built on a juicy sample of Dionne Warwick and Burt Bacharach’s everlasting “Walk on By,” flipping the original’s sentiment with even more shade than The Stranglers. With her chirpy sneer darting between the sample’s signature trumpet notes, Doja Cat defends her hairstyle and social-media swag, and owns her current reputation as a “demon lord” with such giddy pleasure, we’re bracing ourselves for a cover of “Sympathy for the Devil.” —W.H.

Paramore, ‘This Is Why’

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Hayley Williams and her razor-sharp band made paranoia and agoraphobia sound like a blast in the oddly danceable title track to their first album in six years. Propelled by a Blondie disco beat and some Space Invaders guitar tics, “This Is Why” finds Williams spelling out all the reasons she refuses to leave the safety of her four walls. In short, because it’s a shit show out there. Live, “This Is Why” is somehow even more powerful, thanks to the magnetic stage presence of Williams — arguably the best frontperson of 2023. —J.H.

Sexyy Red, ‘Skeeyee’

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When one decides to describe breakout St. Louis rapper Sexyy Red’s appeal, they could pontificate on her pension for subverting patriarchal sex standards, or they could just simply belt “SkeeYee!” at the top of their lungs. Together, producers Tay Keith, DJ Meech, and BanBwoi‎ crafted Sexyy the perfect high-octane canvas for her song of the summer contender, where her effortless charisma, braggadocious lyrics, and a fun call-and-response hook coalesced to become a mainstay at the peak of any DJ set worth a damn. —A.G.

Megan Moroney, ‘Sleep on My Side’

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That this album track — buried on the country singer’s impressive debut, Lucky — never even became a single didn’t stop fans from zeroing in on the 26-year-old country singer’s standout sing-song tearjerker. “Sleep on My Side” is a classic country lament, but Megan Moroney delivers this dark tale of someone who’s had enough of their no-good cheating partner (who doesn’t even like John Prine) with an almost cheery “over it all” disaffection that somehow makes the sad song even sadder. —J. Bernstein

Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny, ‘un x100to’

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Bad Bunny embraced the promise of música Mexicana early: In 2019, he jumped on Natanael Cano’s prickly corrido “Soy El Diablo,” putting a spotlight on the growing movement. This April, as these sounds ballooned into an even bigger global phenomenon, he joined forced with the rising outfit Grupo Frontera for “un x100to,” a wistful cumbia hit haloed with heartbreak and longing that flew to Number One on Spotify’s Global chart. The song starts with the Frontera frontman laying down a silky, sorrowful verse, and soon, Bad Bunny steps in to brood in his distinct baritone. Together, they strike a perfect balance — and score yet another triumph for música Mexicana’s nonstop ascent. —J.L.

Kylie Minogue, ‘Padam Padam’

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There is a moment right before the chorus in “Padam Padam” (titled after Kylie Minogue’s onomatopoeia for the sound of a beating heart) where she speaks the word with a question mark: “Padam?” Then she gets her confidence: “Padam, Padam, I hear it and I know … I know you want to take me home.” But before she feels the bliss of true love, it’s that moment of hesitation — the hair-raising, goose-pimply half second when she doesn’t trust the padam-padam to be her ticket home with her lover for the night — that helps an otherwise Kylie-by-numbers dance-pop song transcend into something sexy and special. —K.G.

Taylor Swift, ‘Is It Over Now?’

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Part of the joy of 1989 (Taylor’s Version) was revisiting the unabashed, euphoric pop from the era, and the vault tracks are no exception. We noted in our review that all five vault tracks are her best yet, but one must give a standing ovation to the magic that is “Is It Over Now,” a song that manages to pack in more imagery in three-and-a-half minutes than even a great novelist could work into an entire book. Takeout coffees! Snowy accidents! Models! Unbuttoned blouses! This one has it all. Last but not least: those grandiose, gorgeously glossy synths. —A.M.

Chappell Roan, ‘Red Wine Supernova’

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Songs about lust at first sight can often capture the dizzying highs, but rarely is an artist bold enough to show the salivating stupefaction that’s actually involved. Enter Chappell Roan. “Red Wine Supernova” is a queer hookup anthem as unabashed and libidinal as you can get. It’s the pop equivalent of the cartoon wolf who can’t stop smashing his head with a hammer while watching a sexy cabaret singer. Its glamor is messy and relatable, punctuated with vibrator puns and the most blissed-out, dumfounded distillation of what wanting to fuck is really like: “Baby, I will cause I really want to.” —J. Blistein

Davido feat. Musa Keys and Latto, ‘Unavailable’

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It takes exactly 33 seconds to get this song stuck in your head. That’s how irresistible the chorus is from Davido, the Afrobeats hitmaker. The chorus alone would be enough to put the track on best-of-2023 lists. But then Davido starts to glide over that rhythm, with Amapiano’s signature synths gurgling underneath. Finally, Latto comes in over the top — and that’s when you know the track is with you forever. And the sounds of Johannesburg and Lagos and Atlanta have become one. —N.S.

SZA feat. Doja Cat, ‘Kill Bill (Remix)’

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“Kill Bill” has become the signature single from SZA’s landmark 2022 album, SOS, a raging success on the charts and the epitome of what makes Solana Rowe one of this generation’s greatest songwriters. She consistently manages to roll contemporary pop culture, personal turmoil, and scathing critique (often of herself) into brief, engrossing worlds of color and truth. This year’s remix is opened by a vivid scene of revenge rapped by Doja Cat, whose classic hip-hop sensibility unearths the boom-bap base of “Kill Bill.” —M.C.

Latto feat. Cardi B, ‘Put It on Da Floor Again’

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Cardi B shows up on Latto’s already tantalizing record “Put It on Da Floor” for a revamped remix that dumps an ocean’s worth of gasoline on an already-blazing fire. The Bronx rapper’s signature one-liners stack up within seconds and include some hall-of-fame level entries, like the homage-paying declaration, “I’m sexy dancin’ in the house, I feel like Britney Spears,” and the flooring takedown, “Got her lurkin’ on my page before she feed her kids.” It’s a record that calls for maximum volume in both the car and the club in order to match the blown-out bass that thumps, especially as Latto declares: “Big Latto, Big Bardi, it’s a real bitch party.” —L.P.

Mannequin Pussy, ‘I Got Heaven’

Manequin Pussy

CJ HARVEY*

When Mannequin Pussy first showed up about 10 years ago with invitingly titled tunes like “Clit Eastwood” and “Pissdrinker,” their songs went off like hardcore nail bombs. But in the style of classic noise bands like Hüsker Dü or Sonic Youth, they’ve kept getting better and better at writing heroically great songs with real emotional clarity without losing any of their outsider fury. The verse on “I Got Heaven” is streamlined violence, the chorus is downright angelic, and singer-guitarist Marisa Dabice’s demand to be taken seriously as herself for herself is punk-rock wisdom at its most inspiring. —J.D.

Boygenius, ‘Not Strong Enough’

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The indie supergroup’s full-length debut has no skips, but you can’t help but go straight to this highlight every time. With a title that nods to Sheryl Crow and exhilarating riffs inspired by Frank Black, it’s the song on The Record with the most communal effort by Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker, and one of the greatest songs in the boys’ catalog. “The two wolves inside us can be self-hatred and self-aggrandizing,” Bridgers told us this year. “Being like, ‘I’m not strong enough to show up for you. I can’t be the partner that you want me to be.’ But also being like, ‘I’m too fucked up. I’m unknowable in some deep way!’” —A.M.

Miley Cyrus, ‘Flowers’

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The lead single from Miley Cyrus’ Endless Summer Vacation captures that moment when post-breakup depression shape-shifts into acceptance of a new reality. Over hazy guitars and synths, Cyrus muses on a relationship gone south (“we were right, ‘til we weren’t,” she recalls, summing up months of fights and tears in rueful, succinct fashion) but then, as the music gets more muscular, she rediscovers her inner strength. “Flowers” had staying power because it told the type of love story that often gets overlooked —the romance one has to kindle with themselves in order to survive. —M.J.

The Beatles, ‘Now and Then’

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The chorus says it all: “Now and then, I miss you.” The final complete song with input from all four Beatles was recorded now (with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr in the past couple of years), and it was recorded then (with John Lennon’s original Seventies demo tape and some guitar George Harrison added in the Nineties). And it captures a unique longing each Beatle has felt. Whether or not Lennon was singing about his fab former bandmates is immaterial since they perfectly latched onto his yearning, adding to a bittersweet and beautiful capstone to one of rock’s greatest legacies. —K.G.

Victoria Monét, ‘On My Mama’

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It’d be tempting to call “On My Mama” a throwback, with its blaring horns, live bass, and declarations of looking “fly.” But a more apt description for would be: timeless. The verses are catchier than most choruses; the chorus has this little pause in it that forces your shoulders to dip; and the lyrics (“I’m so deep in my bag/Like a grandma with a peppermint”) keep the song fresh after a couple dozen listens. Victoria Monét has been known for years as one of the industry’s best songwriters. Turns out, she saved the real classics for herself. —N.S.

Billie Eilish, ‘What Was I Made For?’

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True to form, Billie Eilish turned existential trauma into one of the year’s most flooring songs in “What Was I Made For.” It poignantly capped Greta Gerwig’s socioemotional blockbuster Barbie. But while soundtracking a huge cultural moment, “What Was I Made For” also spoke to concerns Eilish has raised about herself–about her sense of her own femininity, and about feeling more like a commodity than a soulful person to the world around her. These crises are set against Eilish’s ephemeral, glassy lilt and devastatingly sparse piano. turning the feeling of being disconnected from oneself into art that connected with millions.–M.C.

Lil Yachty, ‘Strike (Holster)’

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There aren’t a lot of people you could say had a better 2023 than Lil Yachty. The 26-year-old rapper firmly solidified himself as one of music’s major players, dropping a rock album, a slew of viral hits, and a podcast to boot. All the while one song, made famous by a clip of Yachty’s sister singing the hook, stands out as a singular achievement. “Strike (Holster)” felt like a culmination of Yachty’s admirable explorations. His patient, slow-rolling cadence makes for a certain magic over the song’s glittery production. “Strike like I missed it, strike like I hit the pin/Strike like I’m not goin’ to work, strike, strike,” he raps, managing to pantomime the sound of a protest. —J.I.

Olivia Rodrigo, ‘Get Him Back!’

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There’s nothing Liv loves more than a double-entendre. Except, maybe, revenge, which she gets plenty of on this Guts highlight. She flips from both meanings of “Get him back” so quickly it all morphs into one blissful pop-punk rager, and it’s all the proof you need that this is a 20-year-old pop star who is having the time of her life — heartbreak is just a footnote. Plus, “get him back” contains the best couplet of the year: “I wanna key his car/I wanna make him lunch.” —A.M.

NewJeans, ‘Super Shy’

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NewJeans have been enjoying viral hits for awhile, but “Super Shy” was a breakthrough for the Korean girl group, reaching Number Two on the Billboard Global chart. It might’ve deserved even better: The song is one the purest pop thrills of the year, with a dreamy melody; a bright drum-and-bass beat; and Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein sharing crushed-out lyrics you can’t help but sing along with. In true K-pop fashion, the accompanying music video is just as captivating, with synchronized choreography that experiments with the Seventies disco style waacking. —K.K.

Shakira and Bizarrap, ‘Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53’

PEDRO COLMEIRO*

Nothing could’ve prepared the world for the grenade Shakira dropped with her off-the-cuff collaboration with up-and-coming 24-year-old Argentine producer Bizzarap. The rising star had been teaming up with a host of Latin artists over the past several years, creating sessions with them performing over one of his original beats. Getting a legend like Shakira was a major coup, and it was just the fire she needed to write and record her most explosive music yet. Over the course of the electro-pop track, she takes aim in playful but absolutely not subtle ways at her ex Gerard Piqué, calling him out for cheating on her. It broke the internet so much that it gave Shakira her first Top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100 since 2007’s “Beautiful Liar.” —B.S.

Zach Bryan feat. Kacey Musgraves, ‘I Remember Everything’

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“Strange words come on out/Of a grown man’s mouth when his mind’s broke,” Bryan sings on “I Remember Everything,” displaying the kind of emotional realism that’s at the heart of his songwriting. The highlight of Zach Bryan’s breakthrough self-titled record was this understated gut-punch duet with Kacey Musgraves. The details do most of the talking on this remembrance of summer romances past: a pawned ring, an ‘88 Ford, sandy hair. But it’s Bryan’s and Musgraves’ complementary vocals, the former providing the melodrama and the latter singing with her guarded reservation, that best tell this story of two lovers who remember a far-gone summer fling all too well. —J. Bernstein

Lana Del Rey, ‘A&W’

CHUCK GRANT*

“A&W” is maximum Lana Del Rey: a sweeping, seven-minute epic that follows the sunburned, SoCal folk rock she’s perfected on recent albums back to the hip-hop-inspired pop productions of her early discography. That musical scope is paired with a narrative that’s no less ambitious — vulnerable and lurid, nostalgic and hopeless, funny and utterly bleak. “A&W” tells a story, paints a picture, communicates something ineffable about sex, identity, perception, power, exploitation, girlhood, womanhood, and class. s. And the bow tying it all together? The name of classic root beer brand, “A&W” used as shorthand for “American Whore,” because no one bends American iconography to their will like Lana Del Rey.. —J. Blistein

PinkPantheress feat. Ice Spice, ‘Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2’

Ice Spice and PinkPantheress

MIA TERESA*

“Being Gen Z ‘It’ girls of the internet era, I feel like we had a lot in common, even though we’re from two completely different places,” PinkPantheress said of herself and Bronx rapper Ice Spice. Assembled via DMs and co-produced by Mura Masa, their remix of the British singer-songwriter’s “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2” reflects the duo’s rising stock in the Zeigeist with a fluffy blend of hyperpop energy and 8-bit melodies. Pink’s winsomely girlish voice floats over the beat, while Ice Spice’s boasts add necessary edge. The result feels like it belongs in a time capsule for life in 2003.–M.R.

Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma, ‘Ella Baila Sola’

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As música Mexicana scaled new heights this year, the cultural phenomenon became impossible to ignore — and its chart-busting success is one of the biggest and most global music stories of 2023. Perhaps no song captured the movement like “Ella Baila Sola,” the standout sierreño by breakout group Eslabon Armado and newly anointed star Peso Pluma. The first strums of a prickly requinto clear the way for a burst of chugging charchetas and trombone that give the song a rich, rounded sound that hooks into the listener immediately. That, paired with the contrast of Eslabon’s silky verses and Pluma’s gritty rasp, meant instant ubiquity: After getting a boost on TikTok, “Ella Baila Sola” quickly dominated the charts, becoming a global Number One on Spotify and landing in the Billboard Hot 100’s Top Five — the latter a history-making feat that only proves the full power of música Mexicana. —J.L.

CONTRIBUTORS: Jon Blistein, Jonathan Bernstein, Tim Chan, Mankaprr Conteh, Jon Dolan, Brenna Ehrlich, Jon Freeman, Andre Gee, Maya Georgi, Kory Grow, Will Hermes, Christian Hoard, Joseph Hudak, Jeff Ihaza, Maura Johnston, CT Jones, Michelle Hyun Kim, Kristine Kwak, Ernesto Lechner, John Lonsdale, Julyssa Lopez, Angie Martoccio, Tomás Mier, Larisha Paul, Clayton Purdom, Mosi Reeves, Brittany Spanos, Noah Shachtman, Simon Vozick-Levinson

IN THIS ARTICLE:

Beatles,

Beyonce,

Billie Eilish,

Boygenius,

direct,

Drake,

Lana Del Rey,

Lil Yachty,

Miley Cyrus,

NewJeans,

Peso Pluma,

Shakira,

Taylor Swft,

Victoria Monét,

Year in Review

MUSIC

MUSIC LISTS

By Taboola