2024 was an incredible year for new music. Don’t believe us? Just take a look at these wildly varied lists of the year’s 10 best albums, as chosen by more than 40 members of Rolling Stone’s staff across all departments. These lists feature pop blockbusters, DIY faves, and everything in …
Read More »By the Numbers: Country Music's Boom Stayed Strong in 2024
For the past several years, country music’s streaming boom has been one of the biggest stories in the industry, as superstars like Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, and Zach Bryan have helped turn country into music’s hottest genre. That dominance was once again reflected on the charts this year. By the …
Read More »Best Music of 2023: Staff Picks
Ask anyone who works at Rolling Stone what they’ve been listening to lately, and you’re guaranteed to get an interesting answer. In the final weeks of the year, more than 30 colleagues from across the departments that make RS submitted their personal picks for the 10 best albums of 2023. …
Read More »2023's Music by the Numbers: Taylor Swift Dominated, Country Boomed, and Hip-Hop Sunk
Let’s get this out of the way: Taylor Swift dominated the year in music, and it wasn’t even close. Four-year-old songs of hers topped the charts. She sold physical albums at a head-spinning rate. Her Eras Tour was an economic stimulus in every city she played, and reignited conversations around …
Read More »Best Music of 2022: Staff Picks
When we publish our rankings of the year’s Best Albums and Best Songs each December, those lists represent the collective effort of dozens of music listeners at Rolling Stone, each with their own distinct likes and dislikes. Everyone hears the year in music a little differently — and in this …
Read More »