British sensation, Adele, has always revealed herself to the world by age, at “19,” “21,” “25,” and now “30,” with each record representing a stage in her evolution, personally, and as…
Legendary Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant and veteran bluegrass sensation Alison Krauss joined forces in 2007, along with producer T Bone Burnett, for an acclaimed collaborative album, “Raising Sands,” on which they reimagined…
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak are both perfectionists whose music displays visionary zeal. While both find much inspiration from soul and funk stylings, the two inhabit separate spheres, with Mars having secured a…
Stories of exploitative practices by record labels have been a recurrent topic for ages, inspiring many impassioned diatribes from disgruntled artists. Taylor Swift has spoken out about her disapproval of Scooter Braun’s…
Pop music history is full of curious success stories in which artists amass fervent followings in defiance of all odds. This usually takes the shape of intense infatuations that quickly fizzle out after…
Summer Walker is among the few voices that manages to keep contemporary R&B interesting. Well-versed in traditions and with her finger on the pulse, she turns out tunes that simultaneously sound refreshingly…
In 2000, popular music had not yet splintered into the infinite microgenres of today, and a Y2K-weary world took comfort in the prospect of a new Radiohead record. The unanimous critics’ darlings had…
In retrospect, Ed Sheeran’s 2011 debut album, “+,” seems to have been appropriately titled. Since the beginning, his music career has been a story full of positive gains that defied logic. By…
When Lana Del Rey followed 2011’s breakout single “Video Games” with 2012’s album “Born to Die,” her music seemed like part of a greater performance art. Del Rey’s Hollywood sadcore sound borrowed…
London duo Oh Wonder have built their sound on a strain of alt-pop that stands out for its effortless cool, with its fitting of winsome amorous sentiments to clean, understated productions. Members…
Some artists alter the mold of an art form so deeply they not only define an era but endure well into the future. Filmmaker Todd Haynes‘ invigorating “The Velvet Underground” documentary is…
There are few contemporary artists who manage to shuffle and realign elements of popular music into radically novel forms, and still preserve enough elemental appeal to strike a universal chord. James Blake…