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Music

Music recommendations, industry developments, and other music coverage from Vox.

Diddy was hiding in plain sight
CultureMember Exclusive

How hip-hop’s Dionysus rose to power, decade after decade.

By Kyndall Cunningham
What Beyoncé’s “Freedom” can tell you about Kamala HarrisWhat Beyoncé’s “Freedom” can tell you about Kamala Harris
Culture

Why do we care so much about campaign songs?

By Kyndall Cunningham
The chaos, conspiracy theories, and controversy surrounding Liam Payne’s deathThe chaos, conspiracy theories, and controversy surrounding Liam Payne’s death
Culture

Everything we (actually) know about Liam Payne’s death.

By Kyndall Cunningham and Aja Romano
Creativity as a spiritual practiceCreativity as a spiritual practice
Audio
The Gray Area

Laraaji — ambient musician and onetime actor and comic — on laughter, surrender, and transcending the thinking mind.

By Sean Illing
Linkin Park is back. Its new frontwoman has ties to Scientology.Linkin Park is back. Its new frontwoman has ties to Scientology.
Culture

Linkin Park fans welcomed new vocalist Emily Armstrong. Then the Scientology allegations surfaced.

By Aja Romano
The perfect escape from our online world
Future Perfect

Why the new luxury is flip phones and vinyl LPs

By Zoë Bernard
Beyoncé’s shocking, predictable CMA snub, explainedBeyoncé’s shocking, predictable CMA snub, explained
Culture

The CMA snub just proves what Beyoncé was trying to tell us all along.

By Aja Romano
All the nonsense you need to know about Sabrina CarpenterAll the nonsense you need to know about Sabrina Carpenter
Culture

The singer’s new album, Short n’ Sweet, is full of the sexy clown wordplay she’s known for.

By Alex Abad-Santos
Chappell Roan spent 7 years becoming an overnight successChappell Roan spent 7 years becoming an overnight success
CultureMember Exclusive

The rising Midwest princess is finally embracing queer joy — and learning that fame comes with a price.

By Constance Grady
What Kamala Harris and Beyoncé have in common 
Politics

Our society demands Black women be “twice as good.” Beyoncé has found a solution that Harris seems keen to copy.

By Jonquilyn Hill
What AI in music can — and can’t — do
Future Perfect

Music production is getting easier. Does that make it better?

By Adam Clair
What’s 2024’s “song of the summer”?What’s 2024’s “song of the summer”?
Culture

Can we even have one anymore?

By Amanda Lewellyn
Why I quit SpotifyWhy I quit Spotify
Technology

I dove into the scary world of streaming bundles, and now Dolly Parton talks to me while I walk.

By Adam Clark Estes
Why are so many female pop stars flopping? 
Culture

Everyone from Beyonce to Dua Lipa has an album out this year. So why are the charts dominated by male country and rap?

By Kyndall Cunningham
Diljit Dosanjh is one of India’s biggest stars. Now he’s taking on America.Diljit Dosanjh is one of India’s biggest stars. Now he’s taking on America.
Music

The musician is packing arenas and performing on The Tonight Show.

By Sucharita Tyagi
How “Not Like Us” became an anti-Drake anthemHow “Not Like Us” became an anti-Drake anthem
Culture

The Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar feud, explained.

By Kyndall Cunningham
How Post Malone became the go-to collab of the yearHow Post Malone became the go-to collab of the year
Culture

In recent months, he’s worked with the likes of everyone from Beyoncé to Taylor Swift to Morgan Wallen.

By Li Zhou
Every pop girlie wants to be Charli XCXEvery pop girlie wants to be Charli XCX
Culture

Her new album is a joyous, anxious ode to envy among her fellow pop stars.

By Rebecca Jennings
Billie Eilish vs. Taylor Swift: Is the feud real? Who’s dissing who?Billie Eilish vs. Taylor Swift: Is the feud real? Who’s dissing who?
Culture

The fight over Billboard rankings just proves we live in an era of stanufactured drama.

By Aja Romano
What the Biden administration is doing about ludicrously expensive concert ticketsWhat the Biden administration is doing about ludicrously expensive concert tickets
Culture

The government filed a lawsuit to break up Ticketmaster’s parent company.

By Nicole Narea
The real reason it costs so much to go to a concertThe real reason it costs so much to go to a concert
Money

We can’t just blame Ticketmaster and scalpers.

By Whizy Kim
You’re not imagining it — movies are getting longerYou’re not imagining it — movies are getting longer
Culture

Albums are too, and it has everything to do with our anxious relationship to technology.

By Constance Grady
Macklemore’s anthem for Gaza is a rarity: A protest song in an era of apolitical musicMacklemore’s anthem for Gaza is a rarity: A protest song in an era of apolitical music
Culture

“Hind’s Hall” was electrifying because it was so unexpected.

By Aja Romano
Eurovision is supposed to be fun and silly. This year is different.Eurovision is supposed to be fun and silly. This year is different.
Culture

Eurovision doesn’t want to be about Israel-Palestine, but amid protests and boycotts, it might not have a choice.

By Alex Abad-Santos
Drake and Kendrick Lamar don’t care about misogynyDrake and Kendrick Lamar don’t care about misogyny
Culture

The rappers accused one another of abusing women, but weaponizing Me Too isn’t the same as standing up for women.

By Kyndall Cunningham
Eurovision says it’s “apolitical.” History says otherwise.Eurovision says it’s “apolitical.” History says otherwise.
Audio
World Politics

Politics on Eurovision isn’t new. It’s been part of it almost from the start.

By Haleema Shah and Sean Rameswaram
How JoJo Siwa’s “rebrand” got so messyHow JoJo Siwa’s “rebrand” got so messy
Culture

Is the massive backlash against the former child star justified?

By Aja Romano
Taylor Swift seems sick of being everyone’s best friendTaylor Swift seems sick of being everyone’s best friend
Culture

The Tortured Poets Department sees Swift tormented by her boyfriends, her haters, and even her fans.

By Constance Grady
It’s impossible to be neutral about Taylor SwiftIt’s impossible to be neutral about Taylor Swift
Culture

The Tortured Poets Department and the broken way we talk about pop music.

By Alex Abad-Santos
How “industry plants” became the internet’s hottest conspiracy
Culture

It seems like every musician is being labeled an “industry plant” — does it actually mean anything?

By Kyndall Cunningham
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, explainedBeyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, explained
Culture

Coverage and analysis of the global superstar’s eighth studio album.

By Vox Staff
The Western visuals of Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, decodedThe Western visuals of Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, decoded
Culture

Country music uses the West as a synecdoche for America. Beyoncé is here to disrupt that.

By Constance Grady
Beyoncé’s “Jolene” and country music’s scorned woman tropeBeyoncé’s “Jolene” and country music’s scorned woman trope
Culture

A music scholar explains why hell hath no fury like a country diva.

By Kyndall Cunningham
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter asks: Who does country belong to?Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter asks: Who does country belong to?
Culture

Her new album seems to have roots in her reception at the 2016 CMA Awards, but the country music establishment can’t stop Beyoncé.

By Alex Abad-Santos
Beyoncé’s country rootsBeyoncé’s country roots
Audio
Today, Explained newsletter

A century of history of Black country music, explained by Alice Randall.

By Avishay Artsy
Is Justin Timberlake the pop star anyone wants?
Culture

A new kind of masculinity is dominating music — leaving little room for yesterday’s pop idol.

By Kyndall Cunningham
What’s a Saturn return — and why are our favorite pop stars singing about it?What’s a Saturn return — and why are our favorite pop stars singing about it?
Culture

The astrological phenomenon namechecked in new songs from Ariana Grande, Kacey Musgraves, and SZA, explained.

By Alex Abad-Santos
Who’ll blink first: The world’s largest music company or TikTok?Who’ll blink first: The world’s largest music company or TikTok?
Audio
Social Media

Why Taylor Swift, Drake, and Bad Bunny have been muted on TikTok dance videos.

By Sean Rameswaram and Hady Mawajdeh
Everyone’s being weird about Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car”Everyone’s being weird about Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car”
Culture

The multiplatinum singer’s Grammys performance has brought out songwriting “experts” online.

By Alex Abad-Santos
Usher has a Super Bowl-worthy legacy. Why don’t people act like it?
Culture

Put some respect on Usher’s name.

By Fabiola Cineas