The Complacent Bliss of Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars’ fourth solo album, The Romantic, is as impeccably crafted as ever, but says nothing new about his place in the world of pop.
pop
Al Stewart’s “Time Passages” Completes His “Year of the Cat”
Folk-pop-rock singer Al Stewart scored a career-boosting hit with 1976’s “Year of the Cat” and continued the momentum with “Time Passages”.
Britpop Pioneers Squeeze Bring Out the Fun on ‘Trixies’
Squeeze were always ambitious, although never at the expense of fun. Trixies is imaginative, impressive, and most importantly, fun.
Hilary Duff Grows Up on ‘Luck… or Something’
Hilary Duff toes the line between acoustic and dance-pop, but she ties it all together with songwriting about, for lack of a better term, millennial ennui.
Col Gerrard’s Debut Grasps for Clarity Amidst Miscommunication
Col Gerrard rejuvenates 1990s and early 2000s pop-rock on his debut album, and the London-based musician muses tenderly on the mishaps of a love-filled life.
Charli XCX Immortalizes a Moment
By satirizing Brat’s success, The Moment argues that Charli XCX is ambivalent to the accolades she cannot help but chase.
The Red Universe of Mari Jasca: Song, Circus, and Soul
Brazilian singer-songwriter and circus performer Mari Jasca is a lover of the Latin American song ideal. She discusses her musical inspirations and songwriting.
Charli XCX Brilliantly Channels Kate Bush and Emily Brontë
Kate Bush and Charli XCX, in their own ways, challenge the vernacular of contemporary songcraft, a commitment that paid off for both women.
Nick Jonas Finds Himself on ‘Sunday Best’
On Nick Jonas’ fifth solo album, Sunday Best, he looked inward for inspiration and created what is arguably his strongest music to date.
2025 Marks Pop Music’s Gilded Age
Embracing craft alongside vulnerability in the 2020s, pop music reaches the apex of its powers in 2025 by reveling in its own glamorous facade.
Amy Grant’s “The 6th of January” Tells What’s Going On
Amy Grant’s “The 6th of January” burns the way the Ramones’ “Bonzo Goes to Bitburg” burned in denouncing Ronald Reagan’s visit to a Nazi cemetery.
Louis Tomlinson Takes a Sunny New Direction
On his third solo album, the 1970s-inspired How Did I Get Here?, Louis Tomlinson executes a clear creative vision, but relies heavily on his boy band roots.