Editors' Picks

Killer Mike released his opus, MICHAEL recently. This album is saturated with features, visionary production, and little to no bars wasted. Though Killer Mike is half of the legendary Hip-Hop duo, Run The Jewels, this album is a completely solo venture. The standout track for me is definitely the hypnotic, “SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS.” This song is almost an assembly of the Avengers. With Killer Mike at the forefront, this track brings together Future, Eryn Allen Kane, and none other than André 3000. Future of course, is one of the pioneers of Trap music and has been a genuinely large voice in Hip-Hop for over a decade now. Eryn Allen Kane is a Blues musician with an ethereal voice. Lastly, the man who is widely considered to be one of, if not THE G.O.A.T., André 3000. André is half of a legendary Hip-Hop duo himself, hailing from the incredibly influential OutKast. Though the world has begged for an André 3000 album, that we’re still unsure as to whether or not it exists, he has given us feature after feature for a few years now. André has this deplorable tendency of entering a track, and stealing the show from whoever the headlining artist is. Whether it be Frank Ocean, James Blake, Kanye West, or Anderson .Paak, André just can’t seem to share the spotlight when he decides to grace us with a verse. 

Less than two weeks ago, Post Malone released his fifth studio album, AUSTIN. Surprising to me, just a week later, he released AUSTIN (Bonus). This “bonus” version of the album features all 17 tracks from the previous release, plus a brand new track entitled, “Joy.” While I have yet to listen to AUSTIN, my search for new music led me to this song and within the first few seconds, Posty earned my attention. 

Alright peeps, jump into your dancing shoes and get ready to move because we're diving into the electrifying world of "One in a Million" by the dynamic duo Bebe Rexha and the EDM maestro David Guetta.

Blindside by James Arthur is a real gem of a song that takes you on a journey through some deep feelings.

“Death Wish” is both the intro and the leading single to Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit’s new album, Weathervanes. This new album is the first full length LP from the band since 2020’s phenomenal record, Reunions. Though there was a cover album entitled, Georgia Blue that was promised to fans if the state of Georgia voted blue in the 2020 presidential election, Weathervanes is the first collection of new songs from Jason in quite some time. Such a return could not be more welcome. Jason Isbell (pronounced Is-BULL) is known for his eloquent song writing, his deeply Americana sound, and his not being afraid to either get personal, political, or downright depressing. This new album is no different, “Death Wish” being not just the album’s intro, but among some of Isbell’s greatest works. 

Certified Hip-Hop legend, Nas and veteran producer, Hit-Boy have been on a constant run of releasing nearly two albums a year, for three years straight. Starting with King’s Disease in 2020, the duo have yet to slow down. So far, we are on our third album in the King’s Disease series and two weeks ago, Nas and Hit-Boy gave us a sequel to 2021’s Magic. This new album, Magic 2, is another great addition to Nas’ already stellar discography, and further establishes Nas as quite possibly the rapper with the greatest longevity in the history of Hip-Hop. Truth be told, Hip-Hop, culturally, seems to have always been synonymous with Nasir Jones. In fact, Nas draws an interesting parallel between himself and that of Hip-Hop on the track “Bokeem Woodbine” where he says, “Hip-Hop 50 celebration, funny we the same age and / We just keep on getting iller, word to Heavy, word to Dilla.” Nas and Hip-Hop being the same age just goes to show how both have grown together, and molded one another. Hip-Hop is everything that Nas breathes and his influence on artists of every generation is undeniable. Nas is likely in your favorite rapper’s top 10, if he isn’t already in your’s. Nas is the only rapper whose career was born and bred in the 90’s and is still releasing consistently in both quantity and quality. As Nas says on “Abracadabra,” “2020, when we did the first one / Five album run, not a cursed one, it's a blessed one / By the time y'all hear this, we’ll be half way through the next one.” Nas and Hit-Boy are producing more supply than we knew we could demand. And I’m all here for it. When it comes to exhibiting his longevity, Nas’ lyricism has stayed top notch, his flows are becoming more creative, and his subject matter stays interesting. One way to truly understand just how far we’ve come on an artist’s journey, is when they take a step back and reminisce on his or her career. There’s a few cuts on this record that do just that, “Slow it Down” and “Pistols On Your Album Cover” are great examples of such. However, my favorite is the 8th track, “What This All Really Means.”

If you’re like me, “In Your Love” might be your first introduction to Tyler Childers. But it’s a welcome one. “In Your Love” is the first single from his upcoming album, Rustin’ In The Rain. It was released just a few days ago with a music video starring Colton Haynes and James Scully. While the song itself is fairly vague and gender neutral, the music video depicts a romance between two male coal miners in the 1950’s. Their occupation may not come as a surprise to those who are familiar with Tyler Childers and his music. Tyler was born in Kentucky and his father was a coal miner. Culture and industry in the Appalachian region, as well as the prevalent issues in those communities, are discussed and explored often in his music. So much so, that all the proceeds from his 2020 album, Long Violent History went directly to Childers' Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund which supports underserved communities in the region. In the music video, we are offered a glimpse into some of the lethal consequences of coal mining including “black lung disease,” a disease that coal miners often develop overtime due to exposure and inhaling of coal dust. Furthermore, Tyler intentionally chose to depict a gay romance because he was inspired to do so by his gay cousin who also grew up in Kentucky, worked as a coal miner, and has had a very close relationship with Tyler. When describing the inspiration behind the music video, Childers (in reference to his cousin) said “He taught me so much about singing; he was my first tough critic. And just thinking about him not having a music video on CMT that spoke to him.” 

The name Dominic Fike is likely familiar to a lot of people because of his recent contributions to both the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack as well as the Barbie soundtrack. Due to this, though I find it surprising, I believe some people may have missed his most recent release. Dominic Fike is an artist that I don’t often listen to. I have several friends who are always sending me his music when it comes out, and I always listen. Furthermore, I always end up being impressed with his projects, What Could Possibly Go Wrong in particular. He’s ambitious, creative, a skilled song-writer, and incredibly entertaining. For whatever reason however, I have yet to consistently return to his music. A few weeks ago he released Sunburn and I feel foolish for ever having been so neutral regarding his work. With only a 39 minute runtime, Sunburn is an extremely accessible listen. Such a unique and pleasant experience all begins with its opening track, “How Much Is Weed?”

Last week, the world was awarded the long awaited arrival of Travis Scott’s fourth studio album, UTOPIA. This new album from Travis is triumphant, ambitious, wall to wall with features, and a blinding subversion of expectations. Due to such ambitions, the album has had quite a clash of varying reception. Some fans claim it to be his best work yet, while others insist that it’s far from the quality of his previous works, ASTROWORLD being the common standard of comparison. I find UTOPIA to be a breath of fresh air in the world of A-List Hip-Hop. Given its inventive nature and its mixed reception, the album’s title is more than fitting. Such is perfectly captured in the outro of “SIRENS,” performed by Drake and an (as of yet) unknown woman:

“SNAKE EYES” is the first single released by Aries since his triumphant sophomore album, BELIEVE IN ME, WHO BELIEVES IN YOU, released back in 2021. Aries has amassed a sort of cult following in the last few years, built off of his unique take on genre fusion between Hip-Hop, contemporary Pop, and a little secret sauce somewhere in the middle. “SNAKE EYES” is no different. With thunderous guitars, incredibly catchy yet soothing melodies, and masterfully arranged production and mixing, this song offers its listeners just over 2 minutes of song length, but a lifetime of replay. “SNAKE EYES” is frankly, quite addicting. Aries pulls no punches with well written verses and an impeccable hook. It was produced by Aries and his two talented friends, Wyatt Otis and Pharaoh Vice. It was written and engineered by Aries as well. “SNAKE EYES” was released independently through DistroKid, a great tool that many up and coming artists utilize to distribute their work. 

The last single from the new album of UK's masked group, Sleep Token, is a surprise to say the least, and an excellent offering for those willing to make room for something different.

Nines is the professional name of Courtney Leon Freckleton, a 33 year old rapper from Harlesden, London. His first appearance came in 2007 as a young 17 year old prodigy, but he has taken time to build an image and sound over the intervening years that has now put him more into the mainstream of the UK rap scene. Calendar comes from his fourth studio album, Crop Circle 2. 

Keaton Henson is possibly one of the luckier musicians to break into the industry. With an undeniable talent for the creative, his initial foray into music was more for personal pleasure than anything else. However, 13 years since his initial release, he has gathered a strong reputation as an artist who provides depth to his work, and his multi-talented catalogue of work has launched his name to a wider worldwide audience.

The Chainsmokers are an American electronic DJ duo. Formed in 2012, they have gathered a huge following in the last 11 years and are now billed as one of the most successful DJ artists in the world. The two members, Alexander "Alex" Pall and Andrew "Drew" Taggart, have developed a unique sound and partnership that will continue to influence music lovers for years to come.

The Foo Fighters need little introduction, having been one of the world's biggest bands for over 20 years. Led by Nirvana's Dave Grohl, they faced tragedy this year with the sudden death of Taylor Hawkins. Tribute concerts to him have only increased the band's appeal, and the news that they would continue as a group despite Hawkins' absence on drums was greeted with delight.

Patrick Wolf, the 39-year-old English singer-songwriter, has been making waves in the music business for 20 years! His style is unique, and his eclectic history in music and fashion during his stay in the limelight has meant that he has gathered a wide range of followers from around the globe.

Bear's Den have released four studio albums, with their debut album being released in 2014. With some line up changes, the two main driving forces of the current lineup are Andrew Davie and Kevin Jones.

The Blondes are a five piece band that are in their early stages of the music business. With a united passion for music, some obvious talent for songwriting and musicianship, they have a bright future ahead of them. 

When I first listened to the track, I was not aware of the ancestry of Lola Lennox, which, in her defense, is always helpful, because when your mother is Annie Lennox, you may often find yourself living in that shadow. Lola Lennox has been forging her own career in music over the last few years. Yes, her first appearances and recordings are with her mother, but as she has matured, there is a definite sound that makes Lola Lennox unique.

The Canadian born artist has been gradually building his fanbase over the last 9 years, releasing EPs in 2014 and 2015 before his first full studio album in 2017. His rise to global stardom has come quickly, with many prestigious nominations and wins to his name. His latest release comes from his third studio album, Never Enough. 

City and Colour has returned with a new release, an album about dealing with the loss of a friend, ‘The Love Still Held Me Near’. The album is full of wonderful tracks with beautiful lyrics, and the song ‘Hard, Hard Time’ uses a twangier sound to tell the tale of one’s skepticism of the other side.

You may not have heard of Boygenius yet, but you probably know the three artists that make up the band: Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus. They had previously worked together as solo artists on tours but came up with the idea of collaborating after realizing that they had great chemistry. The name is a reference to the frustration they've experienced when working with some male egos in their separate careers. Despite this, it has given them a name to operate under, and we should be grateful for that because the sound they create is exceptional.

In 2023, some of the band members of McFly might be familiar to audiences through other media channels, such as The Voice Kids, Strictly, and their work as children's authors. However, the group has been a mainstay of pop music for 20 years, earning a massive following and impressive gigs along the way. No one has ever questioned their musical talent, and their latest album, Where Did All The Guitars Go?, is a great showcase of it.

For over 20 years, The National has been releasing material for our enjoyment. The Ohio-based five-piece has proven to their worldwide fan base that they are not just a great recording band, but also a wonderful touring band. With clear Democratic political leanings, they have often given their support to candidates in the last four primaries, including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Nell Mescal is a young Irish born singer, with a very musical background. Whilst she has a famous brother in Paul Mescal, she is very much making her own name as an artist. With her debut releases earlier this year already gaining her critical acclaim, it is probably fair to say that she will continue to be involved in the music business for many years to come. 

Wimborne, located in Dorset, England, is renowned for its historical significance and aesthetic appeal. However, it is also the birthplace of Roo Panes, whose new song, Fairy Falls, is the latest release from his fifth studio album, The Summer Isles. Upon researching Roo Panes, whose real name is Andrew Panes, one discovers that Roo is a tribute to the Winnie the Pooh character, who suffered a similar fate of falling in a river, resulting in the nickname sticking!

Tom Santa is an Australian producer who has been releasing music for just under a year. During that time he has received critical acclaim, making some groundbreaking music that has received some very positive reviews.

Lewis Capaldi may have only been around for a short time, but it would seem strange to imagine a music world without him. With his big personality and comical persona, he has won the hearts and minds of many musical generations. He has the ability to be a performer with real passion and write some wonderfully soulful pop songs.

With one of the most distinctive voices and songwriting styles in popular culture over the last 50 years, Yusuf / Cat Stevens has influenced and inspired generations with his music. Since his period of devotion to his faith, taking his time away from creating music from 1977 to 2006, he has been back producing more of the soulful music his fans have craved in his absence.

The 28-year-old multi-instrumentalist has been a significant fixture of the music scene since 2016. With outstanding talents as a songwriter and performer, she has broken new ground with her material and has amassed a wide range of followers during that time.

The British rapper Slowthai made a name for himself in 2019 with his politically charged work, particularly around the controversial topic of Brexit and the then Prime Minster Theresa May’s leadership of the country. With a steady release of singles and gradual climbing up the charts, the popularity and reach of the Northampton born artist is now getting to much wider audiences. 

It would be hard to write a review of a Hozier song without a reference to the sensational Take Me to Church, that well and truly put Hozier on the international music map, back in 2013. The Irish born artist enthuses styles that have influenced his musical journey, with blues and jazz traditions certainly appearing to shape some of the structures and melody lines. However, he isn’t just a one hit wonder, as he is steadily building up a strong body of work that Eat Your Young will add to. 

The Swedish-born star, who started her career at the age of 10, has made a huge impression on the world of music since her debut in 2008. Now, at the still-tender age of 25, she is releasing hit after hit. Her most recent offering, "Can't Tame Her," was released in January of this year, but this latest release showcases an acoustic version of the song that deserves to be celebrated as a wonderful creation.

Meghan Trainor needs little introduction. As one of pop's most celebrated artists, she is back with new music that will undoubtedly gain her more critical acclaim, as her talent in songwriting and performance is seldom equalled around the globe.

Country music fans flocked to The O2 Arena in London over the weekend to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Country to Country (C2C), Europe's biggest country music festival. With a stellar lineup of performers and exciting new features, C2C 2023 proved to be another huge success - the three day event from Friday to Sunday is definitely growing each year.