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Lady Gaga Promotes Creative Rebellion At SXSW
Lady Gaga speaks at South by Southwest

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Lady Gaga Promotes Creative Rebellion At SXSW

In her SXSW keynote address, Gaga discusses skeptics and offers advice on how to save the music industry

GRAMMYs/Dec 3, 2014 - 05:06 am

(Check back for GRAMMY.com's daily news and blog coverage from South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, including reports on Recording Academy-related events. Meanwhile, visit The Recording Academy on FacebookTwitter and Instagram for more SXSW updates.)

For the better part of the last decade, GRAMMY winner Lady Gaga has been turning heads and raising questions with her brazenly bold attire and over-the-top performances. But her South by Southwest keynote address hosted by Fuse's John Norris at South by Southwest on March 14 showed a side of the Fame Monster that many of her fans in attendance had been eager to see, evidenced by the line that formed outside the Hilton Grand Ballroom two hours before her address began. Holding true to the brave spirit she strives to instill in her fans, Gaga had bold words to share about skeptics who questioned her SXSW appearance and the music industry as a whole.

When Gaga entered the room, she garnered a standing ovation as she carefully made her way up the stairs, being careful not to tear her elaborate plastic dress. The dress could have been useful at her Doritos-sponsored performance at Stubb's Bar-B-Q last night that, according to Norris, led some critics to say put the "gag" in Gaga. 

"It was just exciting to see people talking about performance art on the Internet, and debating about whether it's art or not," said Gaga, who received some negative backlash from her concert, which at one point included the singer being covered in vomit. "We really just did it because we believe in the performance and we believe in what it means to the song ['Swine'].

"I'm so deeply passionate about anyone who has an artistic spirit," she added. "You never know where that crazy idea might lead you. Martin Luther King Jr. thought he could start a revolution without violence. … Sometimes things that are really strange and feel really wrong can change the world.

"I'm not saying vomit is going to change the world," she said with a laugh.

When asked about those who criticize SXSW because of the festival's tendency in the last decade to host "superstar" artists rather than new talent in the spirit in which the festival was founded, Gaga said, "Without sponsorships … we won't have any more artists in Austin. We won't have any festivals because record labels don't have any f***ing money."

She added, "Why shouldn't someone in Austin have the chance to see Jay Z up close and personal?"

But Gaga didn't just have something to say for SXSW skeptics; she had some insightful words to offer new artists.

"The truest way for us to maintain the music industry is to put all of the power back into the hands of the artists," she said. "What are we as an industry if we aren't telling our artists to be creative?"

Gaga reminisced on her own beginnings on Stanton Street in New York, performing in small clubs and bars.

"The way to make it in this business is to write songs and to go out into the world, pick up your guitar, and walk from block to block and say, 'Hi, I'm Lady Gaga. I'm an artist. Can you book me at 7 p.m. on Friday?'"

Addressing the music business professionals in the room, she said, "You should be promoting songwriters, not somebody who has a bunch of followers on Twitter."

While Gaga did let the crowd in on some exclusive information (she's dropping a new music video on March 22 and next week she'll release an image of the set design for her upcoming tour), she was really at SXSW to advocate authenticity.

"I'll be myself until they f***ing close the coffin," she proclaimed. "So then you can all be yourselves."

7 Inspiring Music Panels At SXSW 2024 You Don’t Want To Miss
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Photo Illustration: Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

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7 Inspiring Music Panels At SXSW 2024 You Don’t Want To Miss

SXSW returns to Austin March 11-18 for a week of musical excellence. Throughout the festival, music industry pros will partake in panels on topics ranging from diplomacy in American music to fair ticketing practices and the global rise of Latin music.

GRAMMYs/Mar 11, 2024 - 05:24 pm

South by Southwest returns to Austin from March 11 to 18, bringing a week of sonic excitement and industry engagement across multiple venues. At SXSW 2024, developing artists will have the opportunity to showcase their artistry in front of leading industry professionals — including managers, A&R executives, and public relations teams.

In addition to myriad performances, artists and entertainment professionals can attend panel conversations on a variety of topics pertinent to the music industry. Many members of the Recording Academy will be panelists and moderators of these events, including Chief Awards and Industry Officer Ruby Marchand, Sr. Director of Member and Outreach Ashley Thomas, and Membership Manager Amanda Davenport.

From panels on music and democracy to artists-as-brands, get excited for these seven must-see panels happening at SXSW 2024. 

Fan-First Solutions for Fair Ticketing in Live Entertainment 

March 11

For years, concerns over live event and concert ticketing have been impacting music fans and venue managers alike. With the recent questioning of fair practices — including Ticketmaster’s system crashing during presales of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour tickets — the conversation on equitable execution of ticket sales websites is at the forefront of consumers' minds. 

Hosted by Dayna Frank from NIVA, Deb Girard of Newport Festivals Foundation, Lyndsey Parker of Lyndsanity, and Russ Tannen from DICE, this panel will discuss the need for ticketing practices that places fans first through transparency of up-front costs. 

From the White House to local stages, learn more about how these organizations prioritize sustainable ticketing practices on March 11 at the Austin Convention Center.

The People’s Playlist: Diplomacy and American Music

March 12

New to SXSW 2024 is the People’s Playlist: Diplomacy and American Music panel. This event will be a conversation that discusses the ways in which American music is a “universal language, influential cultural export, and force multiplier for diplomacy.” 

America’s music diplomacy will be discussed as an asset to forge coalitions and bridge divides on a global music scale. Moderated by the Academy’s Chief Awards and Industry Officer, Ruby Marchand, the panel will feature Secretary of State Elizabeth Allen, and Latin GRAMMY nominee Gina Chavez

Latin Music Momentum in the Age of Glocalization

March 12

Latin music continues to dominate the mainstream, and will be spotlighted throughout SXSW 2024 events, including Rolling Stone’s Future of Music showcase featuring Latin GRAMMY winner Peso Pluma and Latin GRAMMY nominee J Noa, along with Puerto Rican singer/songwriter, Pink Pablo. 

On March 12, the panel Latin Music Momentum will highlight the successes of Spanish-language tracks and records by Bad Bunny and Eslabon Armado, who are crossing borders, genres, and language barriers.

This conversation will be held at the Austin Convention Center and hosted by Leila Cobo (Billboard), Cris Garcia Falcão (Virgin Music Group), Sandra Jimenez (YouTube), and Pedro Kurtz (Deezer). 

In CTRL: Voices Behind the Board

March 12

With March being the official celebration of Women’s History Month, this panel will feature four influential women engineers, producers, and songwriters who have worked on music by Dua Lipa, Brandi Carlile and Sia.

Gena Johnson (audio engineer/producer), Gloria Kaba (Redsoul Music), Taylor Mims (Billboard), and GRAMMY-nominated producer/songwriter Suzy Shinn will share stories about building their careers and personal brands all while combating gender bias. The panel will provide unfiltered insight on how these experienced mentors from We Are Moving The Needle’s soundBoard navigated a career path in producing and engineering — a sector of the music industry where women are greatly underrepresented.

Indie Distribution A&R: Finding the Right Partner for You

March 13

For independent artists, finding the right music distributor is essential. Eddie Blackmon (ONErpm), Katie Garcia (Bayonet Records), Josh Madell (Secretly Distribution) and Bryan Mooney (Downtown Music Services) discuss what distributors look for in a direct artist or label partnership. 

These experts will model business plans and analyze risk and investment opportunities amongst distribution A&R. With the evolving physical and digital landscape, this panel will help provide a better understanding of indie distributors' marketing strategies.

Off Stage Presence: Artists as Brands

March 13

Today, it’s easier than ever for artists to share music internationally and interact with fans. In addition to social media, online content, personalized merchandise and physically distributed music, artists have many avenues to build on their image and create their own brand. From Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty to Machine Gun Kelly’s nail polish UN/DN LAQR, Off Stage Presence will explore how artists can channel musical talent into creative branding businesses. 

Held at the Austin Convention Center, this panel features Steve Astephen (The Familie), Candy Harris (UNDN LAQR), Jaden Hossler, and Molly Neuman (Downtown Music Holdings). 

Music Catalog Deals: The Ins & Outs Explained by Experts

March 14

Catalog sales of musicians continue to be a conversation amongst record labels and artist managers. For instance, in 2023, Katy Perry sold her rights to Litmus Music for $225 million, which includes Perry’s stakes in master recordings and publishing rights for five albums. This panel of experts will delve into catalog valuation and the motives behind why artists such as Perry, Justin Bieber, Dr. Dre, Justin Timberlake have sold their catalogs. 

Learn more about the future of catalog sales during this conversation at the Austin Convention Center hosted by Katie Baron  (Alter, Kendrick & Baron, LLP), Evan Bogart (Seeker Music), Rell Lafargue (Reservoir Media),  Bill Werde (Syracuse University). 

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10 Reasons Why 'ARTPOP' Is Lady Gaga’s Bravest Album
Lady Gaga performs onstage during The ARTPOP Ball tour

Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

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10 Reasons Why 'ARTPOP' Is Lady Gaga’s Bravest Album

Released in 2013 and following the iconic 'Born This Way,' Lady Gaga's 'ARTPOP' was maligned and misunderstood. Yet the avant garde album took admirable leaps in genre, style and presentation — and deserves serious applause.

GRAMMYs/Nov 6, 2023 - 02:27 pm

A decade ago, the music industry was practically eulogizing Lady Gaga’s career. Cause of death: her fourth album, ARTPOP.

Universally deemed a misfit (even among Gaga’s off-kilter discography), it was all too easy to crack “artflop” jokes as the record’s reception paled in comparison to the thunder of 2011’s Born This Way. In addition to Billboard-charting bangers aside, Born This Way pledged to be a champion for LGBTQIA+ rights, employing the word “bravery” so frequently that the two are now inextricably bound. The album’s daring demeanor had created a tough spectacle to follow, even for the shock-pop maven.

But rebukes of ARTPOP’s avant-garde concepts and stylings, disregard the record’s brazen interweaving of music, fashion, technology, and digital art. Released after Gaga broke her hip and canceled the  Born This Way Ball tour, ARTPOP was a canvas of earth-shattering bursts of pain and passion, and an electronic confessional.

For her efforts and vision, Gaga's maligned 2013 album would become a blueprint for contemporary alt-pop artists — not just with its experimental clash of genres, but through its winking subversion of industry expectations.  

In honor of ARTPOP’s tenth anniversary this month, read on for 10 reasons why  the overlooked outcast of Gaga’s catalog is actually the bravest album of them all.

It Prioritized Creativity Over Sales And Charts

When the public slams an artist for “only” selling one million copies of an album in a week, record sales lose their shine. After facing flack for her Born This Way numbers in 2011, Lady Gaga entered the ARTPOP era with clear intentions: creativity for creativity’s sake.

“Really, it’s about freeing yourself from the expectations of the music industry and the expectations of the status quo,” she explained during an interview at SXSW. And you know she meant it, because that same week she bucked those pressures by climbing atop a mechanical bull, where she served as the human canvas for the "creative output” of vomit artist Millie Brown.

“I write for the music not for the charts,” she tweeted, addressing a comparison between her lead single “Applause” and Katy Perry’s song “Roar,” which outperformed “Applause” on the Billboard charts. The singles were released days apart, stirring up a heated conversation about which singer was a more powerful pop star. Gaga was, of course, quick to crush the debate.

“Applause” peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and despite being released in mid-November, ARTPOP nabbed 2.3 million album sales worldwide by the end of 2013. In contrast, Born This Way sold 2.1 million copies between its May 2011 release and the end of its debut year in the United States alone. 

It Put Gaga In The Producer's Seat — Alone 

By 2013, Lady Gaga boasted an impressive list of co-producing credits from working alongside collaborators like RedOne, DJ White Shadow, and Fernando Garibay. Yet ARTPOP marks the first time she slipped behind the soundboard by herself.

For "Venus," an intergalactic ode to lust that blossoms into starry-eyed infatuation, she saluted the titular goddess of love and pushed the men out of the room, folding a hybrid Sun Ra reference/Zombie Zombie sample into her sexually-emboldened EDM. Gaga cites "Venus" as the first song she ever self-produced, a major milestone for the multi-hyphenate and for women producers as a whole.

It Wasn't Afraid To Get Messy

One decade’s definition of "sloppy" is the next decade’s epitome of style. In 2013, the general consensus among critics was that ARTPOP’s sound was often too messy to take seriously. Their examples were copious; "Aura," for instance, dedicates 15 seconds to nothing but hysterical, autotuned laughter over an unraveling country western guitar riff. Manic deep cuts "MANiCURE" and "Jewels N’ Drugs" were labeled choppy and sonically inconsistent, as Gaga allegedly struggled to find common ground between rock, trap, and electronic music.

Compared to the streamlined pop sound of the time — including some of Gaga’s prior hits — ARTPOP’s frenetic mishmash of sounds felt totally alien. "I was desperate, in pain, and poured my heart into electronic music that slammed harder than any drug I could find," Gaga reflected, explaining her need for catharsis over catchiness (a choice that she was lambasted for at the time). 

Ten years later, her avant garde approach to pop suddenly seems remarkably en vogue, as genre-hopping and highly-textured sonic palettes become the norm — especially in the alt-pop sphere. In hindsight, it’s apparent that ARTPOP was ridiculed so artists like SOPHIE, Charli XCX, and Dorian Electra could rave.

It Was, Literally, Designed To Be Out Of The World

ARTPOP prioritized pushing art into uncharted territory, and not just on Earth.In addition to a naked Jeff Koons sculpture of Gaga herself, the album’s release was feted with the debut of a flying dress named Volantis. The original creation from Gaga’s TechHaus (a branch of her Haus Labs team) is technically an "electric powered hover vehicle" that fits around Gaga’s body to hoist her into the air. Gaga offered a less technical term for it, calling the dress a metaphor. "I will be the vehicle of their voices," she said during a press conference, sharing her vision for representing young fans in the sky.

Volantis arrived alongside news that Gaga would become the first musician to perform in space aboard a Virgin Galactic ship. The flying dress successfully cleared its first flight; the Virgin ship unfortunately did not. After a fatal test flight, the plans for Gaga’s galactic debut were canceled.

It Crushed Tabloid Trash-Talking  

It’s admittedly hard to recall ARTPOP’s ill-conceived R. Kelly collaboration "Do What U Want" without wincing. Beyond Kelly’s unnerving presence on the track, his lone sexually-charged verse ultimately skewed the true message of the song, transforming a kiss off to tabloid journalism into randy radio fodder.

Gaga scrubbed the song from streaming services in 2019, sparing the alternative version that instead features Christina Aguilera. Here, Gaga’s intended retaliation shines: "You can’t have my heart / and you won’t use my mind / but do what you want with my body," she taunts on the chorus, welcoming the public’s superficial — and therefore meaningless — judgments.  

When unveiling the track in October of 2013, she took to X (then named Twitter) to trounce a litany of rumors and nitpicks about her weight, likeness to Madonna, and erroneous identity as a hermaphrodite. At its core, "Do What U Want" proved that the only gesture more pointed than a middle finger is cackling while inviting the world to do its worst. 

It Invented A New Artistic Concept 

Lady Gaga can’t take credit for the notion of art-pop, but she did coin a new phrase, calling the conceptual glue of ARTPOP a "reverse Waholian expedition." Translation: if Andy Warhol transformed mass-produced items like Campbell’s soup into high art, then Gaga wanted to flip the process, placing high art where it could be easily accessible to the public.

As a result, the visual aspects of ARTPOP present a mosaic of the most esteemed masterpieces of all time. The busy album cover fuses the brilliance of American sculptor Jeff Koons with fragments of Sandro Boticelli’s magnum opus "The Birth of Venus," while her outfits for public appearances nodded to greats like Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali with brash makeup and fake mustaches. The concept opened her up to mockery — including from Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine — but introduced the basics of art history to millions of listeners worldwide.

It Openly Examined Gaga's Relationship With Drugs And Alcohol

Many of ARTPOP’s most exuberant moments orbit high or drunken states, such as Gaga sneaking around Amersterdam while stoned and incognito on "Mary Jane Holland." Trap outlier "Jewels N’ Drugs," which collects verses from T.I., Twista, and Too $hort, packs the same giddy punch despite its somewhat awkward execution. Yet the party pauses on "Dope," ARTPOP’s sole piano ballad.

The sobering single gazes inward, where Gaga finds a startling void, her spirit gutted after years of addiction. While the song’s lyrics vow to prioritize loved ones over drugs and liquor, Gaga revealed the most personal promise during her album release show.

"I do not have to be high to be creative," she professed from behind her piano, hand raised in the air as if taking an oath. "I do not need to be drunk to have a good idea. I can sit with my thoughts and not feel crazy." On an album bursting with innovation, "Dope" is her firmest pledge to self-improvement, delivered with aching sincerity.

It Ventured Into The Tech World 

Designing mind-bending art? There’s an app for that. Or there was, anyways. ARTPOP arrived with a supplemental app, designed to enhance Gaga’s multimedia approach to the album’s release. As a way to empower fans to dabble in digital art, one of the app’s main features was a gif and still image generator that allowed users to choose from a rainbow of gyrating geometric shapes and backgrounds. Most creations straddled the line between optical illusion and Tumblr-ready art. The app also offered fans the ability to stream the album and chat with each other.

It was an entertaining endeavor, albeit ultimately a short-lived one. Despite an in-app countdown for other features, including a stream of new behind the scenes videos and a digital audio workshop called TrakStar, neither element came to fruition. Due to Gaga’s shift in management, the project was never developed further. 

Still, the ARTPOP app remains a unique addition to pop’s first brushes with modern tech, long predating crossovers like Charli XCX performances on Roblox and AI-created music.

It Refused To Shy Away From Themes Of Sexual Assault

When ARTPOP hit shelves, the world was still three years away from the awareness about pervasive sexual assault revealed by the #MeToo movement. But a hush around the topic didn’t stop Gaga from eeking out a screech or two about her own experiences with abuse in 2013. While Gaga has since divulged more information about her unfortunate experiences with predators as a fledgling popstar, the ARTPOP track "Swine" dropped some of the first angsty breadcrumbs about her survival story.

"I know you want me / You’re just a pig inside a human body / Squealer, squealer, squealer, you’re so dis-GUS-ting," she practically spits with revulsion on the chorus. The deep cut is an exorcism dressed up as a rave, revealing a gut-churning snapshot of a woman publicly processing her own violation years before the act was deemed acceptable.

It Was Her First Record After Canceling The Born This Way Ball 

Scrapping a major tour over an injury shouldn’t warrant a comeback, but that’s what the world demanded of Lady Gaga when her Born This Way Ball hit the brakes. Gaga was forced to end the tour early in February 2013 when she broke her hip, thwarting her ability to walk, let alone dance. As she underwent surgery and paparazzi vied for photos of her in a Louis Vuitton wheelchair, the public largely viewed the truncated Born This Way Ball as a personal failure on Gaga’s part. 

By the time ARTPOP arrived, the expectations for her next move couldn’t have been higher — which made Gaga’s spasmic, genre-jumping, vomit-covered return to pop all the more daring.

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GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016
Kendrick Lamar

Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

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GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016

Upon winning the GRAMMY for Best Rap Album for 'To Pimp a Butterfly,' Kendrick Lamar thanked those that helped him get to the stage, and the artists that blazed the trail for him.

GRAMMYs/Oct 13, 2023 - 06:01 pm

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

Looking for more GRAMMYs news? The 2024 GRAMMY nominations are here!

He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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New Music Friday: Listen To New Music From Jungkook & Jack Harlow, PinkPantheress, *NSYNC And More
Jungkook performs at the 2023 Global Citizen Festival in September.

Photo: Gotham/WireImage

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New Music Friday: Listen To New Music From Jungkook & Jack Harlow, PinkPantheress, *NSYNC And More

As September comes to a close, listen to these new songs, albums and collaborations from Ed Sheeran, Lil Wayne and more.

GRAMMYs/Sep 29, 2023 - 08:18 pm

As we close out the month, this New Music Friday has loads of fresh beginnings and highly anticipated reunions.

Several big-name collaborations dropped on Sept. 29, from an electric team-up of the Rolling Stones and Lady Gaga to an R&B and rap fusion from Jungkook and Jack Harlow

Two nostalgic releases arrived as well, with Lil Wayne's new album Tha Fix Before Tha Vi continuing his "Tha Carter" series, while *NSYNC fans were treated to the boy band's first new song in 20 years with "Better Place."

Dive into these seven new releases that blend the old generation with the new. 

Jungkook ft. Jack Harlow — "3D"

BTS singer Jungkook takes us through a nostalgic journey with "3D," a song reminiscent of an early 2000s boy band hit. The hypnotizing lyrics illustrate his close connection to someone he can't reach, so he'll watch them in 3D.

"So if you're ready (So if you're ready)/ And if you'll let me (And if you'll let me)/ I wanna see it in motion/ In 3D (Uh-uh)," he sings in the chorus. 

Jack Harlow pops in, dropping a few verses boasting about his global attraction with women. "Mr. First Class" claims he can "fly you from Korea to Kentucky," as he closes out the song.

With an addictive chorus and groovy baseline, this track has a different vibe from his "Seven" collaboration with Latto. The song marks Jungkook's seventh solo single and second of 2023.

Rolling Stones & Lady Gaga ft. Stevie Wonder — "Sweet Sounds of Heaven"

The Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder blended their talents, to create a harmonic symphony of a song that lives up to its heavenly title. Seven minutes of gospel- and blues-inspired rhythms, enriched by Gaga and Mick Jagger's distinct riffs, make this collaboration an immersive experience. Stevie Wonder grounds the track with his command of piano and melodic tempo.

The track is the second peek of the Rolling Stones' upcoming album, Hackney Diamonds, their first LP release in 18 years; their first release, "Angry," arrived Sept. 6. With production from GRAMMY-winning Andrew Watt, the soulful essence makes "Sweet Sounds of Heaven" an exciting taste of the long-overdue album.

*NSYNC — "Better Place"

Yes, you read correctly. After two decades and a recent reunion at the 2023 MTV Video Music awards, *NSYNC is back with a new single, "Better Place," appearing in the new animated Trolls movie (due Nov. 17). With a nostalgic dance-pop beat, familiar production and breezy lyrics, this single is a remarkable comeback.

"Just let me take you to a better place/ I'm gonna make you kiss the sky tonight," they sing in the chorus. 

The reunion was first teased Sept. 14, through a video of the group's emotional studio session, as Justin Timberlake shared on Instagram. "When the stars align… got my brothers back together in the studio to work on something fun and the energy was special," he wrote in the post. 

PinkPantheress — "Mosquito"

Dive into this musical daydream as PinkPantheress serenades us on her new single, "Mosquito," a dreamy, lucid song reminiscent of old-school R&B. After recently hopping on the energetic remix of Troye Sivan's "Rush" and teaming up with Destroy Lonely on "Turn Your Phone Off," PinkPantheress is transporting us through a new era, full of charm and surprises.

"Cause I just had a dream I was dead/ And I only cared 'cause I was taken from you/ You're the only thing that I own/ I hear my bell ring, I'd only answer for you," she sings in the chorus. 

Co-crafted by GRAMMY-winning producer Greg Kurstin, this song is a transcending, surreal experience. This single isn't about romance, instead she takes us through her entanglements with treasures and money. That's further portrayed in the lavish video, which features a European shopping spree starring "Bridgerton" stars Charithra Chandran, India Amarteifio and "Grown-ish" star Yara Shahidi.

Ed Sheeran — Autumn Variations

The era of mathematical-themed albums seems to be over, as Ed Sheeran has entered a new chapter with Autumn Variations, his second project this year. Sheeran is singing from his heart, sharing soulful tales from emotional events in his life including the death of his dearest friend Jamal Edwards and his wife's health challenges during pregnancy — an extension of the stories he told with May's Subtract.

Autumn Variations is very raw, stripped down and authentic as he takes us through his personal journey. Amidst this, Sheeran still brings in some buzzing tracks including catchy songs like "American Town," "Paper Bag" and "Amazing."

Lil Wayne — Tha Fix Before Tha Vi

Lil Wayne celebrated his 41st birthday with a special present to his fans: the release of a new album two days later. The alluring 10-track project,"Tha Fix Before Tha Vi" dives into past vibes with songs like "Tity Boi," a reference to 2 Chainz's initial stage name, which may be a reference to the upcoming joint album between the two. Each song has a different feel including "Tuxedo," which features a more punk-rock melody and "Chanel No.5 ft. Foushee," which features a sensational beat.

His first album since 2020, Tha Fix Before Tha Vi features rather unexpected collaborators, including Jon Batiste, Fousheé and euro. With different sounds and features than past projects, we could possibly be entering a new Weezy era. 

Thomas Rhett & Morgan Wallen — "Mamaw's House"

Country superstars Morgan Wallen and Thomas Rhett unite for "Mamaw's House," a country-folk track relishing the memories of their grandparents' home and cozy fireplace tales. 

"It's where I spent my summers and she put me to work/ Shellin' peas and shuckin' corn until my fingers hurt/ No tellin' who I'da been without Mamaw's house," Rhett sings in the second verse. 

Rhett said the duo decided to write about their small-town culture — Rhett is from Valdosta, Georgia, while Wallen hails from Sneedville, Tennessee — and the significant presence of grandparents brought to their upbringings. 

"This song just kind of brings up how our mamaws used to act when we were little kids," Rhett told Audacy.. "It's an ode to all the grandmas out there."

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