In 2004,Rolling Stonelaunched its500 Greatest Songsof All Time list. Tabulated from a massive vote that had artists, industry figures, and critics weighing in, the list has been a source of conversation, inspiration, and controversy for two decades. It’s one of the most popular, influential — and argued-over — features the …
Read More »Kendrick vs. Drake Is an Inevitable Clash of Hip-Hop Philosophies
If Drake and Kendrick finally have a rap battle for the ages, it won’t be solely because of Kendrick’s recent verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That.” It (probably) won’t be over industry politics that we’re not privy to, pillow talking, or whatever other trivial issues have caused prior …
Read More »Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' Started With This CMAs Performance
About six weeks back, Beyoncé announced plans to release a country album titled Act II: Cowboy Carter. “This album has been over five years in the making,” she wrote on Instagram. “It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it …
Read More »Dirty Honey Are Keeping Sunset Strip Rock Alive — But Only the Good Parts
It’s a few hours before showtime for Dirty Honey and singer Marc LaBelle is backstage at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl, wearing sunglasses indoors. The rest of the band is seated against the wall next to him, all in a row, to field questions about their latest album, Can’t Find the Brakes; …
Read More »Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Are Playing on the Beach in Asbury Park. Here's How It Happened
A headlining set from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band on the beach in their spiritual home of Asbury Park, N.J., sounds more like a fannish fever dream than an actual festival booking. But that performance is actually happening Sept. 15, on the second night of the sixth annual …
Read More »How a Blog Turned Record Label Changed the Face of Electronic Music
STEVE GOODMAN, BETTERknown as electronic music producerKode9, spent the early 2000s writing about the UK’s garage scene on his webzine,Hyperdub. Goodman, who holds a PhD in philosophy from the University of Warwick, launched the now-defunct Hyperdub publication in 1999 to document the happenings of the scene that blended dark garage, …
Read More »Meet Skaiwater, the Rapper and Producer Who Caught Lil Nas X's Attention
Last week, Skaiwater released the single and music video for “light!,” featuring none other than Lil Nas X. The rising 23-year-old rapper-producer says securing a feature with one of the biggest artists in the world was a “surreal moment.” Naturally, the two met online. “I was in a lot of …
Read More »Cody Jinks Is Through Being an 'Outlaw'
Two days after his 43rd birthday last August, country star Cody Jinks woke up, turned to his wife, and said he was quitting drinking. “And I haven’t touched a drop since,” Jinks tells Rolling Stone. “I gave it to God. Take it from me. I don’t want it anymore. I’m …
Read More »Dylan Gossett's 'Coal' Is a Viral Hit — He Just Played It Live for the First Time With a Band
Even in country’s current era of overnight successes and viral sensations, Dylan Gossett stands out. Barely a year ago, the Austin, Texas, native had a day job and experimented with posting his music online on a whim. Fueled by the success of his debut, “To Be Free,” which amassed more …
Read More »On His New Album, Joyner Lucas Is a 'Worse Person,' But Better Off
Joyner Lucas and his team walk into Manhattan’s Sei Less a bit perturbed. After the Worcester, Massachusetts-born artist takes a seat in one of the upscale restaurant’s back rooms, he and his manager, Dhruv Joshi, reveal that they just found out that a friend was using Lucas’ fame to get …
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