The music industry will gather in New York on January 28 at the 60th Grammy Awards to celebrate the biggest hits of the past year. From hip-hop heavyweights Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z, to pop stars like Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey, to less heralded performers like Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell, here’s a look back on The Ringer’s coverage of this year’s nominees—and a whole lotta Cardi B.
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Everything You Need to Know About the 2018 Grammy Awards
Sit down, hold up, and enjoy all of our coverage on the artists, songs, and albums featured in music’s most prestigious awards show
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August 2, 2017
Randy Newman’s American Monsters
For 50 years, Randy Newman has been the voice of miscreants, buffoons, slave traders, circus barkers, racists, sweethearts, Pixar heroes, God, the Devil, and, sometimes, even himself. His songs reflect the past half century of America better than anyone in the pop canon, for better and worse.
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August 1, 2017
Julia Michaels Could Be the Pop Star That You Want
The songwriter behind “Issues” (and Justin Bieber’s “Sorry,” and most of Selena Gomez’s hits) strikes out on her own
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July 28, 2017
Cardi B Is Making Money Moves
It’s no coincidence the Bronx-bred rapper has gone from Instagram star to bona fide musical sensation
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July 28, 2017
Arcade Fire Is Finally, Officially Too Much
On the seminal indie band’s disappointing latest album — and the exhausting promotional antics that overshadow it
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July 21, 2017
Lana Del Rey Is Worried About America
On ‘Lust for Life’ the usually navel-gazing singer can’t ignore what’s going on around her. Her fourth album finds her national anthems taking a decidedly dark turn about the world around her.
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July 20, 2017
Tyler, the Creator Is Ready To Let You Into His World
The rapper’s latest album, ‘Flower Boy,’ out Friday, is a sprawling, radiant record that traces the artist’s doubts and features with more purpose and cohesion than any of his previous projects
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July 19, 2017
There’s No Escaping “Despacito”
The record-shattering original Luis Fonsi–and–Daddy Yankee single and the Justin Bieber–assisted remix have been streamed 4.6 billion times since January
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July 17, 2017
There’s No Escaping Ed Sheeran, Even on ‘Game of Thrones’
The ubiquitous singer invades Westeros for no good reason
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July 14, 2017
Jason Isbell Is Not the Terminator
The wry, literate Southern rocker is redefining ‘The Nashville Sound.’ Just don’t confuse him with his characters.
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July 7, 2017
Jay-Z Is the Reluctant King of “Afrotech”
On ‘4:44,’ the rapper turned tycoon sets his sights on generational, cultural wealth
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July 5, 2017
Jay-Z’s Midlife Crisis Is Over
On ‘4:44,’ his definitive retirement album, the rapper surveys his own shortcomings and showcases a newfound maturity in the process
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June 23, 2017
It Is Time to Talk About Imagine Dragons
We are here to inform you that their new album is their best — or at least shrewdest — yet, and that one day this band might actually make sense
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June 19, 2017
The 25 Best Movies of the Century So Far and Lorde’s ‘Melodrama’
Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald discuss Andy’s weekend exploits and Lorde’s new album
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June 19, 2017
Lorde Works in Mysterious Ways
The young pop star’s ‘Melodrama’ is intimate, crushing, and bad at math. It’s also one of the best albums of the year.
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June 9, 2017
SZA Takes Back Her ‘Ctrl’
The TDE songstress’s long-awaited proper debut is conceptual and lucid but more pointed and confident than her previous work
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June 9, 2017
Lady Antebellum and the Freedom of Being Uncool
On their latest album, ‘Heart Break,’ the country trio isn’t still trying to be the Hot New Thing
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June 8, 2017
Gorillaz’s 2-D Steps Out on His Own for “Sleeping Powder”
On the smoggy new dance record, frontman Damon Albarn wonders which way is up
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June 2, 2017
The Thinking Fan’s Pop Star
Jack Antonoff — the man behind Bleachers and a cowriter for Lorde and Taylor Swift — has remade Top 40 in his jubilant, slightly neurotic image. His new album is no exception.
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May 25, 2017
“I Don’t Know the Words, So I Say ‘Dorito’”
A second-by-second breakdown of Justin Bieber forgetting the lyrics to “Despacito”
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May 11, 2017
How to Make It As an Old-School Country Star
Chris Stapleton and Zac Brown are two (very different) traditionalists in an industry full of bro-country. They are both worth your time.
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May 10, 2017
Donald Glover, Master of All Trades, Is Making a ‘Deadpool’ Animated Series
The multihyphenate is adding yet another hyphen with the forthcoming FXX cartoon adaptation
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May 4, 2017
Logic Is the Keyser Söze of Hip-Hop
Who is he making music for? Is he even a bona fide nerd? Two Ringer writers ask the important questions about Def Jam’s resident nerdcore rapper.
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April 29, 2017
The Gorillaz Want You to Dance on the Edge of Oblivion
On ‘Humanz,’ bandleader Damon Albarn wonders: What would you do if the worst were to happen?
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April 26, 2017
Father John Misty Now Going Door to Door Trying to Shock People
The singer’s latest album, ‘Pure Comedy,’ is about so much more than the music. Case in point: the music video for “Total Entertainment Forever.”
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April 17, 2017
An Impossibly Detailed Breakdown of All the Hidden Meanings on ‘Damn.’
If you look hard enough, you can figure out exactly who Kendrick Lamar is dissing. (Hint: It’s the Pope, and also Joel Embiid.)