Skip to main content
 
  • Recording Academy
  • GRAMMYs
  • Membership
  • Advocacy
  • MusiCares
  • GRAMMY Museum
  • Latin GRAMMYs
GRAMMYs
  • GRAMMYs
  • Latin GRAMMYs
  • GRAMMY Museum
  • MusiCares
  • Advocacy
  • Membership
  • Governance
  • Events
  • Press Room
  • Jobs
  • More
    • GRAMMYs
    • Latin GRAMMYs
    • GRAMMY Museum
    • MusiCares
    • Advocacy
    • Membership
    • Governance
    • Events
    • Press Room
    • Jobs

The GRAMMYs

  • Awards
  • News
  • Videos
  • Events
  • More
    • Awards
    • News
    • Videos
    • Events

Latin GRAMMYs

  • More

    GRAMMYs Museum

    • More

      MusiCares

      • About
      • Get Help
      • Give
      • News
      • Videos
      • Events
      • Person of the Year
      • More
        • About
        • Get Help
        • Give
        • News
        • Videos
        • Events
        • Person of the Year

      Advocacy

      • About
      • News
      • Issues & Policy
      • Act
      • More
        • About
        • News
        • Issues & Policy
        • Act

      Membership

      • More
        Log In Join
        • Stay Connected

        • Search
        Modal Open
        Subscribe Now

        Subscribe to Newsletters

        Be the first to find out about GRAMMY nominees, winners, important news, and events. Privacy Policy
        GRAMMY Museum
        Advocacy
        Membership

        Join us on Social

        • Recording Academy
          • The Recording Academy: Facebook
          • The Recording Academy: Twitter
          • The Recording Academy: Instagram
          • The Recording Academy: YouTube
        • GRAMMYs
          • GRAMMYs: Facebook
          • GRAMMYs: Twitter
          • GRAMMYs: Instagram
          • GRAMMYs: YouTube
        • Latin GRAMMYs
          • Latin GRAMMYs: Facebook
          • Latin GRAMMYs: Twitter
          • Latin GRAMMYs: Instagram
          • Latin GRAMMYs: YouTube
        • GRAMMY Museum
          • GRAMMY Museum: Facebook
          • GRAMMY Museum: Twitter
          • GRAMMY Museum: Instagram
          • GRAMMY Museum: YouTube
        • MusiCares
          • MusiCares: Facebook
          • MusiCares: Twitter
          • MusiCares: Instagram
          • MusiCares: YouTube
        • Advocacy
          • Advocacy: Facebook
          • Advocacy: Twitter
        • Membership
          • Membership: Facebook
          • Membership: Twitter
          • Membership: Instagram
          • Membership: Youtube
        SZA

        SZA

        Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

        News
        Kendrick Lamar & SZA Dazzle in "All The Stars" black-panther-soundtrack-kendrick-lamar-szas-all-stars

        'Black Panther' Soundtrack: Kendrick Lamar & SZA's "All The Stars"

        Facebook Twitter Email
        Let Kendrick Lamar and SZA drop "All The Stars" on you as the world braces for more 'Black Panther' beauty Wakanda-style
        Philip Merrill
        GRAMMYs
        Feb 6, 2018 - 3:11 pm

        On Jan. 31 Kendrick Lamar posted the tracklist for the Black Panther soundtrack's accompanying music album, and anticipation has been building musically as well as for the movie itself. On Feb. 6 he posted the "All The Stars" official music video on YouTube, with SZA featured. Watch it and you'll be seeing stars in a different way.

        The video's taste of the imaginary kingdom of Wakanda and its sensational style will refresh your mind with its beauty and striking visions, including actual black panthers.

        The full soundtrack drops this Friday, Feb. 9 and for an impatient week before the movie goes wide on Feb. 16, fans will enjoy the Kendrick Lamar "Black Panther" theme song, his "Big Shot" collaboration with Travis Scott, his "Pray For Me" collabo with The Weeknd, and "Kings Dead" with Jay Rick, Future and James Blake. Other noteworthy contributing artists include 2 Chainz, Khalid, Anderson .Paak, and Schoolboy Q, making this one of the most highly anticipated soundtracks in recent memory.

        Catching Up On Music News Powered By The Recording Academy Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? "Talk To GRAMMYs"

        SZA

        SZA

        Photo: Presley Ann/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images

        News
        Black Panther Singles Climb Billboard Hot 100 6-singles-black-panther-album-hit-billboard-hot-100

        6 Singles From 'Black Panther: The Album' Hit Billboard Hot 100

        Facebook Twitter Email
        "King's Dead" and "Pray For Me" are joined by six newcomers from Wakanda on the latest Billboard Hot 100, led by "All The Stars"
        Philip Merrill
        GRAMMYs
        Feb 21, 2018 - 1:52 pm

        As the movie Black Panther and Kendrick Lamar's curated Black Panther: The Album continue to make inroads, more tracks have hit the Billboard Hot 100, while Black Panther: The Album hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for the week ending Feb. 15.

        In the most recent tally on Feb. 24, two songs were on the Hot 100 from the previous week — "Pray For Me," combining Lamar with The Weeknd, at No. 11, while "King's Dead" moved from No. 69 up to No. 38, blending Lamar with James Blake, Future and Jay Rock.

        Lamar and SZA's "All The Stars" entered the Hot 100 at position No. 9. Its official video was posted on YouTube Feb. 6 and is now up to more than 27 million views. Other tracks making their first appearance include "X" at No. 49 by 2 Chainz, Saudi and Schoolboy Q. This is Saudi's personal debut on the Hot 100.

        One of the love songs featured on our recent Valentine's Day playlist, "The Ways" by Khalid and Swae Lee enters at No. 63. SOB X RBE, who just announced they'd be touring with Post Malone, debut on the chart at No. 67 with their powerful "Paramedic!"

        The two other Black Panther Hot 100 newcomer tracks are the catchy "Big Shot" at No. 71, with Lamar and Travis Scott, trailed by the lyrical powerhouse "Black Panther" rap of Lamar's at No. 91.

        Stay tuned to see what other cultural products of Wakanda explore the Billboard charts on their own.

        Catching Up On Music News Powered By The Recording Academy Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? "Talk To GRAMMYs"

        61st GRAMMY Awards
        News
        Who Will Voters Pick For Best Rap Performance? poll-who-do-you-think-voters-will-pick-best-rap-performance

        Poll: Who Do You Think Voters Will Pick For Best Rap Performance?

        Facebook Twitter Email
        Cardi B; Drake; Kendrick Lamar with Jay Rock, Future and James Blake; Anderson .Paak; Travis Scott with Drake, Big Hawk and Swae Lee — who would you choose?
        Philip Merrill
        GRAMMYs
        Dec 12, 2018 - 10:24 am

        The musical messages in the 61st GRAMMY Awards Best Rap Performance category examine life from many angles. Cardi B's romantic warning "Be Careful" lets potential partners know their love should be consistent, or else.

        Meanwhile, in "Nice For What," Drake doubts assurances of support once it's time to come through.

        And the team of Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future and James Blake brought us "King's Dead," urging that presumptuousness is not advisable and giving a shout-out to Marvel's Killmonger.

        Finally, Anderson .Paak's "Bubblin" celebrates a fountain of cash and its implications for living, and Travis Scott, along with Drake, Big Hawk and Swae Lee, takes us into "Sicko Mode": another dimension of playing for keeps.

        Polls

        Who Do You Think Voters Will Pick For Best Rap Performance?

        Who do you think GRAMMY voters will choose for Best Rap Performance at the 61st GRAMMY Awards? Vote and tune to CBS Feb. 10 to see if voters agreed with your pick.

        2019 GRAMMY Nominees Album Now Available For Pre-Order

        61st GRAMMY Awards
        Prev
        Next
        Kacey Musgraves
        Kacey Musgraves
        Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

        61st GRAMMY Awards: Full Nominees & Winners List

        Photo: Alison Buck/Getty Images
        TLC 
        Photo: Alison Buck/Getty Images

        Relive GRAMMY Week 2019 In Pictures

        BTS
        BTS
        Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

        5 Ways BTS Won Our Hearts At The 2019 GRAMMYs

        Dua Lipa And St. Vincent

        2019 GRAMMY Awards Telecast | Photo Gallery

        John Mayer And Maren Morris

        Backstage At The 2019 GRAMMYs | Photo Gallery

        Jennifer Lopez And Lady Gaga

        2019 GRAMMY Awards Red Carpet

        Brandi Carlile

        2019 GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony

        Cardi B
        Cardi B
        Photo: Dan MacMedan/WireImage

        Cardi B, Post Malone Among 2019 GRAMMYs Performers

        H.E.R._012319.jpg
        H.E.R.
        Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage

        Brandi Carlile, H.E.R. To Play The 61st GRAMMYs

        Record Of The Year 61st GRAMMY Award Nominees

        61st GRAMMY Awards

        Album Of The Year Nominees | 61st GRAMMY Awards

        61st GRAMMY Awards

        Who's Nominated For Song Of The Year?

        61st GRAMMY Awards

        Best New Artist Nominees Revealed | 61st GRAMMYs

        Turntable playing a vinyl record

        Album Of The Year vs. Record Of The Year Explained

        Amy Winehouse
        Amy Winehouse Best New Artist winner for 2007 | Photo: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

        Who Is Eligible For The Best New Artist GRAMMY?

        GRAMMYs
        Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

        Artists React To Their 2019 GRAMMY Nominations

        Apple Music
        Photo: studioEAST/Getty Images

        61st GRAMMYs: Here’s Your Apple Music Playlist

        John Billings
        John Billings
        Photo: Jesse Grant/WireImage/Getty Images

        Meet The GRAMMY Man: How GRAMMYs Are Made

        61st GRAMMY Awards

        Who Will Voters Pick For Best Pop Album?

        61st GRAMMY Awards

        Who Will Voters Pick For Best Rap Performance?

        61st GRAMMY Awards

        Who Will Voters Pick For Best Latin Pop Album?

        61st GRAMMY Awards

        Who Will Voters Choose For Best Alternative Album?

        Poll: Who Will Voters Choose For Best Rap Album?

        Lady Gaga
        Lady Gaga
        Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images

        Poll: Who Do You Want To See On The Red Carpet?

        The Weeknd

        The Weeknd

        Photo: Rebecca Sapp/WireImage.com

        News
        Lollapalooza 2018: Bruno Mars, The Weeknd & More music-festivals-2018-bruno-mars-weeknd-jack-white-set-lollapalooza

        Music Festivals 2018: Bruno Mars, The Weeknd, Jack White Set For Lollapalooza

        Facebook Twitter Email
        Four fantastic days of music in August are in store for Chicago festivalgoers with the latest festival announcement
        Philip Merrill
        GRAMMYs
        Mar 21, 2018 - 2:18 pm

        On March 21, headliners for Lollapalooza 2018 were announced, and festivalgoers can look forward to a star-packed lineup during the event, which will be held in Chicago's Grant Park on Aug. 2–5. Live concerts at music festivals are a primary art form of their own, as SXSW 2018 demonstrated last week, and festival season is just beginning.

        Without further ado, headliners for this year's Lollapalooza include GRAMMY winners Bruno Mars, The Weeknd, Jack White, Daya, LL Cool J, the National, St. Vincent, Vampire Weekend, and Zedd. Rounding out the lineup are GRAMMY nominees Arctic Monkeys, James Bay, Galantis, Khalid, Lil Uzi Vert, Logic, Odesza, Portugal, The Man, Travis Scott, Tyler, The Creator, and Kali Uchis, among others.

        https://twitter.com/lollapalooza/status/976473551820685313

        We’re bringing The Weeknd, Bruno Mars, Jack White, Arctic Monkeys + more to Grant Park for #Lolla 2018! Grab your 4-Day Tickets and get ready for the party of the summer. https://t.co/JJzAOWVVnO 🍕😎👩🏽‍🎤🦄🐻🐸🍍🍻🎈🎉 pic.twitter.com/sNIpQBEgfA

        — Lollapalooza (@lollapalooza) March 21, 2018

        Get ready to party with your favorite artists this summer and get your tickets now via Lollapalooza's website. Enjoy the summer!

        Getting The Latest Music News Just Got Easier. Introducing: GRAMMY Bot. Find it On KIK and Facebook Messenger

        'Black Panther' soundtrack Black History Month spotlight, 2018

        Photos: WireImage.com

        List
        'Black Panther: The Album': 7 Facts To Know marvel-these-7-facts-about-black-panther-album-black-history-month

        Marvel At These 7 Facts About 'Black Panther: The Album' | Black History Month

        Facebook Twitter Email
        The official soundtrack to one of the most anticipated blockbuster movies of the year is teed up to be a monolithic release in its own right — here's what you need to know about 'Black Panther: The Album'
        Brian Haack
        GRAMMYs
        Feb 15, 2018 - 5:35 pm

        Marvel's latest blockbuster motion picture Black Panther comes out on Feb. 16, and it's already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated films of the year. While certainly not the first comic book film to star a black superhero, the film's production team, cast and crew represent a historic elevation of black talent.

        Director and co-writer Ryan Coogler's vision has brought together a spectacular group of actors and creators behind the film — and that extends to the soundtrack as well.

        In the weeks leading up to the film's release, Black Panther: The Album has grown to occupy almost as much of the cultural zeitgeist as the movie itself, especially given the triplicate curatorial, artistic and production roles that multi-GRAMMY winner Kendrick Lamar took on in helming the project.

        In light of the record-setting opening weekend that Black Panther is expecting, take a look at seven things you need to know about the Top Dawg Entertainment -showcasing soundtrack.

        Make No Mistake, This Is A Kendrick Lamar Album

        When Coogler originally approached Lamar, his best-case scenario hope was to convince the Compton, Calif., rapper to create a few songs for the soundtrack. "Eventually I caught up with him a couple years ago … and just spoke about much his music affected me," Coogler told NPR. "We said if the opportunity comes, we'd love to work with each other on something." However, once Coogler circled back last year to show off some of the footage, Lamar — then fresh from finishing his latest GRAMMY-winning LP, DAMN. — dove in and expressed interest in curating the full soundtrack album. The end result: While he is only officially credited as a featured artist on five of the album's 14 tracks, careful listeners will note that Lamar is vocally present on every single track on the album. He also co-wrote every track.

        A Global Effort

        While Coogler's casting and crew selection serve to publicly elevate some of the best talents in black cinema, so too does Lamar's soundtrack incorporate rising stars and established legends from both mainstream U.S. and niche international genres. To wit, the album as a whole incorporates artists from three continents, meandering through the sounds of stateside rap, London's particular brands of R&B and Afro-soul, as well as African pop music and gqom — an uptempo, stomp-heavy type of minimal house music similar to Chicago footwork that is currently sweeping through parts of South Africa. As Sheldon Pearce wrote for Pitchfork, "The album is a sampler of the film's broader vision of black excellence."

        The Sonic Chemistry Is There

        The oftentimes clear and present danger in merging a hotly anticipated major motion picture release with an all-star soundtrack is that the resulting music comes out as a schizophrenic mish-mash of styles and genres in an attempt to lure in fans from all sides. Thankfully, whether it is Khalid and Swae Lee pairing sooth R&B hooks with professionally-spit trap verse work, or Babes Wodumo bringing gqom vibes to match Lamar's "secret weapon" Zacari's trademark airy vocal rhythms, sonic dysfunction is not the case with Black Panther: The Album. As Craig Jenkis at Vulture pointed out, "[The album] recognizes that the key to a good soundtrack is good chemistry, not just noteworthy names, but for good measure, it delivers on both."

        Lamar Checks One Off The List

        Black Panther

        Respect to all the artist/producers that allowed me to execute a sound for the soundtrack.

        The concept of producing and composing a project other than my own has always been ideal

        I appreciate the experience love ones

        Continue to be great

        — Kendrick Lamar (@kendricklamar) February 11, 2018

        There's a clear case to be made that Lamar is a true musical auteur. Across his three most recent solo artist albums — each an instant classic in its own right — his control of the interpolation between rhythm, narrative, vocal flow, and social context has developed in a manner that denotes clear artistic intent of each piece. In relating the history of To Pimp A Butterfly, co-engineer/mixer Derek "MixedByAli" Ali revealed, "[Kendrick] incorporated everything that was going on [in Africa] and in his life to complete a million-piece puzzle." Meanwhile, Lamar explained that his follow-up album, DAMN., was "all pieces of me." In following repeated successful artistic achievements, there is surely a desire to flex and extend the limits of one's craft, and in recent days Lamar has revealed that the chance to helm a musical project as an outside producer and artist has long been a secret goal of his. So consider the Black Panther soundtrack one more item to check of his bucket list.

        A Victory Lap For TDE

        1st move of 2018. #TDE https://t.co/p49N4tOZEq

        — TOP DAWG #TDE (@dangerookipawaa) January 4, 2018

        With an impressive collection of 14 nominations and six GRAMMY wins brought home at the 60th GRAMMY Awards between Lamar, SZA and label head Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, 2017 was a banner year for TDE. And 2018 is already shaping up to be an equally strong follow-up. On top of their forthcoming Championship Tour, set for summer 2018, TDE's role in the Black Panther soundtrack makes it a showcase of sorts for the label's top talents. With strong showings from label signees Ab-Soul, Jay Rock and ScHool Boy Q, as well as SZA and Lamar, the soundtrack tees up a collection of great new tracks for the group to break out on tour, signaling a clear win for the label.

        Ludwig Göransson's African Sojourn

        Prior to bringing in Lamar to the project, Coogler contracted composer Ludwig Göransson — who contributed heavily to Childish Gambino's Album Of The Year GRAMMY-nominated "Awaken, My Love!" — to assist with the film's orchestral scoring. Göransson's close collaboration with Lamar and Tiffith on the soundtrack's separate production made for a skillful merging of his orchestral compositions with much of the album's more pop-oriented arrangements (most noticeable on the album's opening track, "Black Panther"). The Swedish producer also revealed to Pitchfork that he needed to take time off to "research" and mentally prepare before diving into writing his contributions to the film's score and soundtrack. "It's such a massive movie," Göransson explains. "After I read the script and I started reading the comic, I knew the only way I could do this was to go to Africa and do research. I took a month off and traveled to Senegal."

        Black Panther: The Album Is On Track To Debut At No. 1

        Even as Black Panther the film is set to smash global box office records with an estimated $165 million opening weekend (which some analysts argue may even be a low-end estimate), Black Panther: The Album is fully expected to conquer the Billboard 200 and take the No. 1 slot, according to Billboard's own estimates. If the soundtrack accomplishes the chart feat, it will be the second official movie soundtrack to do so in 2018, ending the current reign of the score for the whimsical music film The Greatest Showman. Per Billboard's forecast, Black Panther: The Album is expected to bring home as many as 100,000 equivalent album units in its first week of sales — adding chart success on top of the soundtrack's winning combination of musical accomplishment, star power and cultural momentum.

        Getting The Latest Music News Just Got Easier. Introducing: GRAMMY Bot. Find it On KIK and Facebook Messenger

        Top
        Logo
        • Recording Academy
          • About
          • Governance
          • Press Room
          • Jobs
          • Events
        • GRAMMYs
          • Awards
          • News
          • Videos
          • Events
          • Store
          • FAQ
        • Latin GRAMMYs
          • Awards
          • News
          • Photos
          • Videos
          • Cultural Foundation
          • Members
          • Press
        • GRAMMY Museum
          • Explore
          • Exhibits
          • Education
          • Support
          • Programs
          • Donate
        • MusiCares
          • About
          • Programs
          • Donate
          • News
          • Videos
          • Events
          • Person of the Year
        • Advocacy
          • About
          • News
          • Learn
          • Act
        • Membership
          • Chapters
          • Producers & Engineers Wing
          • GRAMMY U
          • Join

         
         
         
        Logo

        © 2019 - Recording Academy. All rights reserved.

        • Terms of Service
        • Privacy Policy
        • Cookie Policy
        • Copyright Notice
        • Contact Us

        Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.