Olivia Rodrigo Survives a Cruel Endeavor
Pivoting from the 2000s-inspired sound of her first two albums, Olivia Rodrigo’s third record uses 1980s synths to reckon with heartbreak.
pop
CFCF on His Turn from Ambient Artist to Sleaze-Pop Superstar
Call it the Reverse Eno: beloved ambient-chill guy CFCF finds glam-pop success, but refuses to sell out his emotions along the way.
Paul McCartney Explores Childhood Memories in Sound
Paul McCartney’s newest EP, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, uses sound to vividly paint ordinary moments, both real and imagined, into memorable stories
Bebe Rexha Plays It Too Safe on ‘Dirty Blonde’
Bebe Rexha has returned to the dance-oriented lane that has historically granted her the most commercial success, and the result lacks cohesion.
Olé! Allez! Go! World Cup Songs That Make the Earth Move
Made for the masses, and specifically for football fans, Most World Cup songs sound like AI slop, but there are some rare gems to be found, and we’ve got them.
Niall Horan Serves a Familiar Dish on ‘Dinner Party’
While it includes some fresh autobiographical details, Niall Horan’s Dinner Party is a rehash of boy band tropes.
Malcolm Todd Has a Vision for the Future of Pop
On Do That Again, Malcolm Todd turns personal misadventures into psychedelic jams, proving his singular vision for the future of pop.
Olivia Rodrigo Is Mature and Disciplined on Third LP
Olivia Rodrigo has always crafted her songs to leave her figuratively smiling and winking at her audience. She takes this skill to new heights on her latest LP.
The ‘World Cup 2026 Album’ Puts Afrobeats at the Center
Football is the world’s game because everyone can play it. The best moments on the Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album understand that pop is, finally, the same.
Tabitha Meeks on Her Brand New Second-Hand Retro Pop
Tabitha Meeks is vintage “Girl Power” in a 1960s Nancy Sinatra dress and white vinyl boots. It’s brand-new/second-hand, a merging of the old and the new.
RAYE’s Meaningful Maximalism
By repurposing sounds of a bygone era, Raye reminds us that the past’s freedoms are the constraints of the future. The only consistency is the desire to make art about them.
Maisie Peters Is at Home in the World on ‘Florescence’
What Maisie Peters expertly accomplishes on Florescence is a cohesive body of work that expresses the dual experience of falling low and flying high once again.