Chicago rapper Femdot earned his first big moment in the spotlight in 2019 thanks to his album ’94 Camry Music. Soon enough, his name started to appear more often, appearing on collaborations with Taylor Bennet, Pivot Gang, and more. Femdot returned last November with the tracks “Back Home” and “Lifetime,” featuring Saba. More than three months after sharing the two songs, Femdot and Saba reconnect in a video for the latter.
The rappers’ “Lifetime” collaboration details their hope for career longevity. Together, the Chicago rappers make it clear that want more than fifteen minutes of fame, and in the video they come together in a quiet field to look out to the horizon with the hope that their wishes become a reality.
The new video is the latest piece of content to arrive from Saba in what we hope leads to a new album. After going more than a year without a solo release, the rapper returned towards the end of 2019 with “Mrs. Whoever” and “Something In The Water” alongside Denzel Curry. Two months later, he returned with more music thanks to “So And So” and “Areyoudown? Pt. 2.” So who knows, maybe there will be more.
After the live music industry shut down in 2020, The Flaming Lips’ vocalist Wayne Coyne thought up an inventive way to play live shows while keeping the audience safe: giant plastic bubbles. The band has already proved the method successful with a handful of in-person shows earlier this year. Now as schools across the country begin to reopen, one Washington public school is taking inspiration from Coyne’s plastic bubbles.
Eastmont High School in Wenatchee, Washington has been open since the end of January. The school had to find ways to mitigate the risk of possible infections by staggering student’s class schedules and restricting cafeteria tables. But bringing back band indoor band practice was a bigger challenge — until they came up with a clever solution. According to a report from The Wenatchee World, the school’s band teacher has placed a number of bright green individual tents in their room for students to play their instruments in.
Some tents clearly worked better than others, however. The photos show a number of students able to comfortably play instruments within the cramped space. But for one tuba player, it seems like the tent was not quite big enough.
Even still, the school’s principle Eric Anderson is excited for the students to be back in the halls, and he says the kids are equally as happy. “It is amazing the level of energy in the building, having adults interacting with kids but also the conversations of adults to adults,” Anderson said. “You get kids back in the building, you get a lot of smiles even with masks on. You can tell people are happy.”
Check out photos of the COVID-safe band practice above.
The Flaming Lips is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Bobby Shmurda was barely out of his teens when he was locked up for six years on conspiracy charges by New York prosecutors eager to connect him and fellow rapper Rowdy Rebel with a series of crimes supposedly committed by a Brooklyn-based gang. Now, he’s out and wants to be a better role model to young fans, citing one fan letter he received in prison that impressed on him the power of his position as a famous rapper.
In a new profile in GQ by veteran journalist Frazier Tharpe, Bobby explains how receiving the letter convinced him to change his mindset. “It was 2016, I was in the box,” he recalls. “A six-year-old girl wrote to me; she said I was her favorite rapper… That just let me know the kids are watching me, and I have to be a role model.” The experience, he says, prompted him to take music more seriously and commit to his career once he got out. “I didn’t really care too much for it until I went to jail and I seen how the fans were loyal,” he enthuses. “I can’t name a week that I didn’t see at least 10 [pieces] of fan mail, throughout the whole bid.”
After all, he says, the prisons are full of talented Black men from similar environments who weren’t given much to look forward to. “The streets are talented. I saw that shit in jail, all day. There’s basketball players, smart-ass motherf*ckers, n****s who know this or that but just don’t know how to apply their sh*t, or have behavior problems. But n****s not taught to apply their shit where we come from.”
Bobby counts the late, great Nipsey Hussle as one of the examples he intends to follow in the future. “His mind was different. He was saying all the things we were going to do when I got out.”
After Drakeo The Ruler and Almighty Suspect came through to tear it up in consecutive weeks, UPROXX Sessions keeps the West Coast party vibe alive with yet another alum of the City of Angels’ well-established underground scene, AzChike. The South Central native dropped by to perform his Cypress Moreno-produced, post-G-funk bop, “Amiri.”
Although the track’s namesake is best known as a brand of expensive, highly-detailed menswear, Chike makes his intentions clear from the get. “Amiri on my feet, I said, ‘F*ck the jeans,’” he crows in his signature swing-flow deadpan. “Need at least ten to f*ck with me.” The LA-based designer, best known for customizing denim for rock stars like Axl Rose and Steven Tyler, has also become popular with hip-hop artists, receiving shout-outs from A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Future, and more, but in typical Lotusland fashion, the LA-bred AzChike has no use for the existing trend, preferring instead to set his own.
Watch AzChike’s trailblazing performance of “Amiri” for UPROXX Sessions above.
UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross,UPROXX Sessionsis a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.
R&B singer Ayanis is a walking ball of energy. It’s a quality that jumps out in her music as well as her overall personality. We spoke to the Texas-born, Atlanta-bred singer just months removed from her sophomore project, Yani, and this enthusiasm and exuberance flowed with ease throughout our half-hour phone call.
Despite all the hectic aspects of 2020, Yani stood as a bright spot for Ayanis. The 11-track project saw her working with some of today’s most recognizable names: Wiz Khalifa, Mulatto, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Jack Harlow, and Queen Naija. Despite this, Ayanis doesn’t fade to the background because of her co-stars, instead, she shines just as bright beside them.
Coupled with the album’s most popular tracks “Ecstasy” and “Lil Boi (Big Talk),” there are many moments where Ayanis stands out on her own. “New ” is a sultry number that captures the renewed love with an old flame and “Good Music” a triumphant track that reaks of the New Orleans background her parents grew up in.
With a new year ahead of her plenty of opportunities to grow as well, we sat down with Ayanis to discuss Yani, her childhood, and what her ultimate goal in the industry is.
You ended 2020 on a high note with the release of your Yani project, what was your reaction to the way it was received and what are your goals musically for the new year?
Yani got a really great response and I took my time on it so I was proud to see that people are really supporting the record. People haven’t seen me with features before, so having features on the project — people being able to see me collaborate — sees me in a different light, and then my music has grown from my first project, Directions to Yani. So, you know it’s like me being grown, sexy, and very confident, but the response has been great, and as far as this year? I want to get my first plaque for sure — plaques with an s — I wanna go platinum. Billboard, that’s a goal for myself, top 40 — I really want to get the No. 1 on Billboard for real. Put out another project as well and just continue to grow.
What was the difference behind your intention in creating your 2018 project Directions compared to Yani?
So the intention of Direction was discovery. It was me figuring out, okay what do you like? What don’t you like? What do you sound really good on? It’s basically like an experiment in a way with Direction. It was me trying to figure out what works, okay let’s try this but I’m down to experiment with sounds and different types of production and when I got to Yani, I really found myself. I really put a stamp on it and said Yani is my alter ego. You know me as Ayanis, but Yani can be bold, she can be sensual, she can be confident, she can talk a lot of sh*t. Direction was like my younger self, it’s like an introduction basically. The intent was the introduction to let people know, she’s a singer, she’s a dancer, she’s an entertainer, and then when you get to Yani it’s like, “Oh! Alright!” You know what time it is. Just settling in myself as an artist and my confidence, I think the intent was there just because of me growing as a person and as an artist for Yani.
I know it might be too early to tell, but what do you think your intention will be with your next project?
I think I made it very clear that I call my genre “R&Bop.” I like to do uptempo, I like to do music that I can dance to and that people will feel good cause, that’s what I felt like, is missing a little bit R&B, like the music that people can dance to and be with their friends with and be with their family with and be hype on top of also having the vulnerability in the songs That’s why I call it “R&Bop” cause it just really pushed the rhythm and blues. So for my next project, I think it’s too early to say because it’s like I just start recording in the recording process and then I figure out where I want to take it, but it’s going to stay within the genre of “R&Bop.” It’s gonna have those records that you can dance and feel good to while also talking my sh*t for the ladies, I always have to do that. I have to speak for the ladies first and foremost.
Moving back to Yani, how would you describe this project to a listener who hasn’t discovered you yet? What experience do you think these 11 songs bring?
You’ll experience great energy, I want that first and foremost. The energy of being fun and exciting and feminine but also Southern. I have a certain twang when I talk, I have certain lingo because I was born in Texas and my family’s from New Orleans, and I lived in Atlanta, so everything is Southern. Yeah, it’s energy, we’ve got songs on there like “Ecstasy” that are sensual and “One Night” as well. Then you have me having fun like in “Gumbo” or “Good Music,” which is like something you can vibe out with your friends and your family. You also have a vulnerable side, a relatable side, which is me discussing being afraid of relationships or still dealing with the same person like with “New.” It’s just the energy of how you feel when you’re most confident and also when you’re sitting at home alone and you’re like, “Oh sh*t,” you know when you think about your life that night. It’s the energy first and foremost, I think it takes you through the experiences of every emotion really.
Let’s talk about some of the songs on the album, starting with “Drip,” what made that the perfect song to start the project with and how was the chemistry between you and Mulatto as you both worked on it?
I know that the project had to start with “Drip” because the production is so big and so triumphant, shoutout to the producer, [DJ] Hardwerk, he’s incredible, he also produced “Flex.” When I heard the production I was just like, “Woah.” If this was the first song on a project, you would keep listening to the next song and the next song and the next song. So I wanted to start it on such a high note, I think on my first project I started it with a slow tempo song and then I gradually went into more uptempo, but this project like I said, for me with the energy so I wanted to let people know I’m here, that was why it was first. Having Mulatto on the record, she’s also from Atlanta, we’re both from the southside of Atlanta, so it’s dope that she did the record with me. She’s so talented and she’s been working for such a long time, we actually met a long time ago when we were both younger and to see her now flourishing and doing her thing is amazing to me. I just want to have another triumphant boss-ass female on the song and she was perfect. We’re both from Atlanta, we’re both from the southside of Atlanta, it was dope having her on there.
One of my favorite songs on the project is “One Night,” the music video has 3.3 million views right now. How did the collab with Wiz Khalifa come about?
Shout out to the producer J. White, he’s incredible. He’s worked with Cardi B, did “Bodak Yellow,” he’s done a lot of amazing stuff. So, how the “One Night” with Wiz Khalifa came about was that I met him at the Christmas party that Atlantic [Records] has annually. He was in the section right next to me and I got his information and then he was like, “Hit me up if you ever hear a song idea,” and I was thinking to myself, oh yeah, I’m definitely gonna have something that I can hear you on. I want to say I already had the song, I’m pretty sure I already had cut at the time and I thought about it and I was like Wiz would actually be perfect for this because he’s so versatile and I’ve really been a fan of him since high school [too]. I sent him the record and literally, he sent it back. I wasn’t expecting to send it back so soon cause I’m a new artist and he’s probably really busy, so the fact that he sent it right back I just really appreciated that. But yeah, it was because of the Christmas party to make a long story short.
A track like “Lil Boi (Big Talk)” overflows with confidence, but so does the whole EP. What’s the source of this confidence for you?
I’ve always been a very confident person, I would say because I’ve always known what I wanted to do. I think knowing my purpose is what helps me be confident because I always feel like I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. I feel like I’m living my dreams out because it’s my purpose. So, I think that’s probably why I’m confident, on top of whenever I stay in certain situations, I always think in my head like, “I’m gonna bounce back from this, it’s all good.” If a guy tried to play me? Ha, he played himself cause now I’m on ten like now let’s go make a song about it. I just have that mentality to keep going and keep pushing the envelope and keep bettering yourself, that’s for sure what pushes my confidence just because I’m a super passionate person.
Was it hard creating a project in the midst of a pandemic? If so, how did you overcome some of these creative obstacles?
Well, some studios were closed at the beginning of the pandemic, but it didn’t stop anything because I’m always finding ways to be creative, no matter the situation. We already had some records, because I’m literally always recording. When we got back in it was like, I think I was just so excited and eager. I had ideas, I had things I wanted to talk about, I had time. To me, it was kind of a blessing, because you have time to think about what you want to do next. Usually, it’s go, go, go, go go, if you have a second to think like, alright, what’s your objective? What do you wanna leave the impression with for this next project? How do you want people to feel or? What do you want to experience? I think it was a blessing, in a way. In another way, I want to perform. In that aspect, I miss being able to perform and meeting people because I want to actually see people in real life. Do the interviews in real life, from that spectrum it’s like, damn. On the other hand, being able to record, that’s been great. I just missed real-life interactions as an artist, being able to meet people, see people and talk to them in person.
What’s a dream collaboration that you hope to make a reality in your career?
I have a few, but I’ll just give you like three. Drake, Missy Elliot, man I have so many, Beyonce and Rihanna [too].
Being that you were born in Texas and raised in Atlanta, what are some artists that had a huge impact on your artistry.
Oh man, being from the South, there’s so much influence, especially between Texas and Atlanta. As far as Texas goes, I was listening to Beyonce growing up — I love Beyonce. I lived in Texas until I was six and then I moved to Georgia, my dad’s in the military. It’s that and New Orleans influences too cause my family’s from there. Atlanta, so many [influences] too, there’s TLC, there was Monica, there’s Outkast. When I was in middle school, Travis Porter, they have such a fun, vibrant sound to their music. Then R&B, you have Ciara — there’s a lot of really amazing, talented people between Texas and Atlanta that influenced me. I got to work with Jermaine Dupri and he’s from Atlanta.
How was that?
Amazing! He really is hands-on and he can stay up. I know I could stay up, but he can stay up. He’ll be working on a beat and then we’ll be writing songs. He’s incredibly talented, very hands-on. He brings in the right people, he brought in Johnta Austin and Dallas Austin, it was incredible.
What was Ayanis like as a young girl?
Oh my gosh. She was not afraid to try anything, she’s really the same [now]. I think she still lives in me for sure that’s how I’m here. My mom used to always have this camera, this VHS, and she always used to put it in all of our faces and be like, say hi. I would sing or dance or [be] like, “Look at me!” I knew exactly what I wanted to do, even back then. My mom would tell me all the time, “She’s confident, the girl don’t sit down. She never sits down.” That’s what she always used to tell me. “Girl you always moving around, when are you gonna sit down?” I’m like, “Never!” I’ve been that way, fun, not afraid, and confident, a dreamer [too]. That’s how I got here. When I was younger, I used to always say, “I’m gonna be a singer when I grow up.”
What do you hope to be or become as you grow older in this industry?
I think just because of the way I was raised, I always want to be a good person and treat people the way that I want to be treated, as a person. No matter how big I become, I’m gonna always try to remain humble because I think that’s important. Things are given to you, that doesn’t mean that you get to be a d*ckhead. I know what happens. I definitely believe what I see for myself, I believe I’m gonna have a huge career. I’ve been working towards it and I’m gonna continue working towards it for years, so I’m definitely in it for longevity. I want to be a platinum-selling recording artist, I want to be able to travel the world when it opens back up, the world tours, give back, just [be] a big superstar. Touching people with my music, with my talents, and being able to give back to people and making them feel something and inspire other people to believe in their dreams.
Seattle rapper Macklemore is trading in those thrift store duds for something a little fancier (but just as retro) with the launch of his Bogey Boys clothing label, which remixes the type of looks you’d expect to see on the green (circa ’79-82) and puts them more in line with what you’d see on the streets. If you’re wondering “why golf?” we’ve got an answer. As Macklemore recently shared on Uproxx’s People’s Party with Talib Kweli, he’s become an avid golfer during the pandemic.
As far as golf-playing celebrities go, Brad Pitt’s Cousin is actually pretty damn skilled, too. He recently won a five-hole match at AT&T’s Every Shot Counts Charity Challenge — well, technically he tied with Alfonso Riberio, who literally seems like the inspiration for much of this line.
Bogey Boys feels like a big, wild, fun maximalist vintage golf adventure, but it doesn’t feel like some white-label cash grab. Macklemore told Hypebeast, “Design has always been an integral part of the creative process… all the tech specs of the work have been a journey and definitely a new endeavor… It’s something that I’ve been passionate about and definitely has been in my wheelhouse.” In short, Macklemore’s merch, artwork, and music video concepts have always come from in-house, so pivoting to apparel isn’t that surprising.
Remember, the dude got huge on a song about clothes!
The full Bogey Boys collection consists of polo shirts, button-ups, jackets, sweaters, pants, sweatshirts, t-shirts, and hats — everything you’d need for a dope golf fit — and is now available at the Bogey Boys webstore. The whole thing takes on a sort of colorful Golf Wang vibe, but a little more mature. Check out some of the Bogey Boys lookbook photos below and head over to Bogey Boys to shop the full collection.
Bogey BoysBogey BoysBogey BoysBogey BoysBogey BoysBogey Boys
Travis Scott broke ground on his Cactus Jack newsstand pop-up this week in West Hollywood and to celebrate, the rapper made an in-person appearance. Once fans heard the news of the rapper’s attendance, people flooded the streets in order to catch a glimpse of him. The crowd ended up getting so massive that it broke LA’s COVID-19 restrictions and as a result, Scott is now reportedly under investigation by police.
Per a report from TMZ, Los Angeles’ Department Of Public Works did not receive a permit from Scott’s team for the event. The city has supposedly been conservative with granting permits lately, as they frown upon non-essential gatherings in order to combat the spread of the virus. Because of the huge crowd Scott attracted, the Public Works department is planning on consulting with the City Attorney’s office to discuss how to reprimand the rapper, which may include some potentially hefty fines.
Scott’s initial plan for his pop-up was to promote the “Utopia Issue” of i-D Magazine, which features an in-depth cover story with the rapper shot by Spike Jonze. Scott appeared at the newsstand to pass out a limited number of physical copies of the magazine, but the event ended up turning into a mob of sorts.
If he does end up having to pay a fine for the event, Scott wouldn’t be the first musician to be reprimanded for breaking COVID protocol. Back in November, UK pop singer Rita Ora broke London’s COVID restrictions when she threw an indoor birthday party at a restaurant for a group of friends. Along with facing backlash for the event, Ora was hit with a $12,000 fine by the government.
Check out photos and fan-captured footage of the pop-up crowd above.
From the rise of the internet, to political and social issues creating a more self-aware society, it’s safe to say that the world has experienced extraordinary shifts in the past 10 years.
Keeping this in mind, it’s not surprising that the music scene would also undergo changes in more ways than one. Each year, music’s biggest hits have carried a distinct style of production which becomes widely emulated, or a theme echoing hot-button topics of conversation. Additionally, industry advancements such as streaming and album bundling have changed the way music is consumed. And of course, social media places the power in the fans’ hands, helping to distinguish who tops the charts.
Ready to take a trip down memory lane? Read on as we look back at some of the biggest music trends and industry changes of the last decade.
2011
In 2011, the sounds of electropop — a hodge-podge of pop, EDM, techno, and dubstep — wash over the industry. Ordinarily viewed as just the “sound guys,” EDM producers Calvin Harris and David Guetta garner top billing with collaborations like Chris Brown’s “Yeah 3X” and “Titanium” featuring Sia. Pop stars like Pitbull and Britney Spears keep fans on the dance floor with EDM-tinged hits “Give Me Everything” and “Til The World Ends.” Kanye West, Jay-Z, and duo LMFAO also combine the electronic sound with their hip-hop and rap-heavy work, evident by Watch The Throne’s “I Can’t Stop” and LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem.”
In addition to getting people moving, pop music carries conceptual introspection during this time. This year not only births Adele’s stunning 21, but self-love anthems “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga and “Raise Your Glass” by Pink. Rap — which continues to rise in popularity amongst teens and college-students — also features songs about complex emotions (Lil Wayne’s “How To Love”), pushing through adversity (Lupe Fiasco’s “The Show Goes On”), and life challenges (Diddy-Dirty Money’s “Coming Home”).
2012
In a near-180 from the previous year, alternative rock and indie pop reigns supreme. Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know” is the year’s best-selling song, and the band Fun dominates critically and commercially with their album Some Nights, lead by “We Are Young.” Neon Trees, Bon Iver, Alabama Shakes, and Mumford and Sons break new ground with their respective projects and accolades.
Internet virality (a trend which won’t be uncommon in the years to come) also goes to new heights. “Somebody That I Used To Know” sees a slew of covers and music video parodies upon its release, while Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” becomes an internet sensation. South Korean artist PSY’s “Gangnam Style” is so popular, it results in a change to how songs are considered for Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Per the Harvard Business Review, tracking “listens” through YouTube videos now factors into the chart’s ranking methodology.
2013
In 2013, top-notch production is the name of the game. Hit tunes are balanced between show-stopping sounds (Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ “Thrift Shop,” Avicii’s “Wake Me Up”), nostalgic instrumentation (Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” Bruno Mars’ “Treasure”), and minimalist stylings (The Lumineers’ “Ho Hey,” Lorde’s “Royals”).
This year also marks the beginning of the end for digital singles and iTunes in favor of streaming, and emphasis on “vintage” ways of buying music (vinyl), which decreases the importance of CDs and pure album sales. Per Billboard, “digital track sales fell 5.7 percent from 1.34 billion units to 1.26 billion units, while digital album sales fell 0.1 percent to 117.6 million units from the previous year’s total of 117.7 million.” Non-traditional album and CD merchants like Starbucks, Urban Outfitters, and Amazon see an increase to 36.5 million units sold, in comparison to the dwindling sales of indie merchants (a drop of nearly 12 percent).
2014
While empowerment pop has always been popular, uplifting themes of self-confidence carry 2014. Children and adults enjoy songs that make them feel seen and accepted for who they are. Kids gravitate to Despicable Me 2’s “Happy” (performed by Pharrell Williams), while members of the LGBTQ+ community christen a new anthem with Ariana Grande’s “Break Free.” Taylor Swift’s new pop-heavy sound also provides a message for haters: “Shake It Off.”
Songs about body positivity are also popular. The surprise drop of Beyoncé’s fifth studio album in winter 2013 gives listeners a new catchphrase for 2014 — “I Woke Up Like This” from her song “***Flawless.” Nicki Minaj and pop star Megan Trainor drop songs about pride in their prominent posteriors with “Anaconda” and “All About That Bass.”
2015
Electronic dance music is taking over the scene again. This time, a recognizable characteristic — the drop — is center stage. This sudden change in sound or rhythm is central to hit songs both by EDM-leaning producers (Major Lazer’s “Lean On,” DJ Snake’s “You Know You Like It,” Calvin Harris’ “How Deep Is Your Love”), and pop stars (The Weeknd’s “I Can’t Feel My Face,” Demi Lovato’s “Cool For The Summer,” Zara Larsson’s “Never Forget You”). The trend continues into 2017.
This year also kicks off the re-emergence of viral dance crazes, which continues into 2021. Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson steal the show with “Uptown Funk,” while Drake becomes a meme for his moves in “Hotline Bling.” Silento’s “Watch Me (Whip, Nae Nae)” and iLoveMemphis’ “Hit The Quan” become fixtures on and offline.
2016
Dancehall and Caribbean-inspired tracks are a mainstay in 2016 pop. While Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” was released at the tail-end of 2015, it is the biggest song of 2016, per Billboard. Drake leans into this craze with his hits “One Dance” and “Too Good.” The latter is a collaboration with Bajan musician Rihanna, who drops a whine-inducing ditty, “Work,” also featuring Drake.
Additionally, Ariana Grande, Sia, and Clean Bandit create hit songs with island flavor: “Side To Side,” “Cheap Thrills,” and “Rockabye,” respectively. This trend continues until at least 2019, however, as conversations of cultural appropriation of Black music heat up, these sounds taper off. Per The Observer, modern dancehall music has always been appropriated. Reggae/dancehall superstar Sean Paul says in the interview: “It is a sore point when people like Drake or Bieber or other artists come and do dancehall-orientated music but don’t credit where dancehall came from and they don’t necessarily understand it.”
2017
R&B/hip-hop surpasses rock music as the most-listened to genre on the planet, per Nielsen Music. Its supremacy becomes exceedingly evident in 2017 with the takeover of the trap sound—classified by heavy bass, atmospheric sound and brash attitude. Migos, Future, and Rae Sremmurd’s popularity soars with trap hits “Bad And Boujee,” “Mask Off,” and “Black Beatles,” while social media superstar Cardi B breaks the mold with her major-label debut single, “Bodak Yellow.” Soundcloud-style trap rap, which employs a more ethereal, trippy sonic inspiration, is found in Post Malone’s “Congratulations” and Lil Uzi Vert’s “XO Tour Life.” The trend continues into 2018 with Juice Wrld’s “Lucid Dreams.”
Given a tepid national climate, songs featuring socially-conscious and self-aware themes become popular. Rapper Logic’s experiences with depression prompt him to pen the rap/sung collaboration “1-800-273-8255,” which increased calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by more than 30 percent. Alessia Cara, a featured artist on Logic’s song, releases her self-love anthem “Scars To Your Beautiful.” Kesha drops “Praying” in the hopes that the abused and their abusers can heal. The song was written in response to the alleged sexual assault and emotional abuse she’s experienced at the hands of producer Dr. Luke.
2018
Due to the success of Luis Fonsi’s monster hit “Despacito” the year prior, it’s no surprise that Latin pop and hip-hop completely command the airwaves in 2018. J. Balvin’s “Mi Gente” and Camila Cabello’s “Havana” were released in 2017 and continue to have chart success this year. Cardi B’s Latin-heavy rap track “I Like It” hits No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, while Becky G, Marc Anthony, Will Smith, and Bad Bunny drop “Mala Mia” and “Esta Rico,” respectively.
2018’s crossover collaborations also find unexpected success. Zedd and Maren Morris’ ‘The Middle” receive Record and Song of the Year nominations at the 61st Grammy Awards. Florida Georgia Line and Bebe Rexha’s “Meant To Be” hits No. 2 on the Hot 100 chart, and DJ Snake’s “Taki Taki” featuring Selena Gomez, Cardi B, and Ozuna reaches one billion streams on Spotify.
2019
The theme of 2019 is that…there is no theme. Genreless music — sounds that fit an artist’s mood, vibe, or idea without boundaries or confines — encapsulates the music world. Newcomers Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X shatter expectations with “Bad Guy,” (an electropop, hip-hop-flavored dance track) and “Old Town Road” (a record-breaking country trap hit). Music superstars Ariana Grande and Tyler The Creator also take part in the sonic shattering. Her song “7 Rings” pairs Broadway with trap, while his song “Earfquake” combines R&B, hip-hop, and soul.
Self-love anthems also make major comeback, and highlight the various levels of self-acceptance. Panic! At The Disco’s “High Hopes” is about self-confidence. Self-love and exploration is the base for Selena Gomez’s “Lose You To Love Me” and Ariana Grande’s “Thank U Next,” which was popular in 2018 as well. Through her album Because I Luv You, Lizzo proves that spreading positivity is her M.O.
2020
Nothing captures 2020 in music quite like social media’s reign over the charts. TikTok, a popular video creation app, is the place for viral dance crazes to take over. Routines to Doja Cat’s “Say So” and Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage” boost their popularity, while the dedication of Internet stans catapults Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s “Rain On Me” and BTS’ “Dynamite” to the top of the charts.
Despite strict social distancing rules in the age of COVID-19, dancefloor-ready tunes are an undeniable trend. Dua Lipa rules the year with her album Future Nostalgia, and “Say So” carries palpable ’70s-inspired energy. Other disco-tinged hits include Jessie Ware’s “Remember Where You Are,” Kylie Minogue’s “Say Something,” and Victoria Monet’s album Jaguar.
2021
There haven’t been too many distinguishing music trends as of late. (Especially since it feels like we’re still in 2020.) However, it appears that budding music stars are about to make their mark.
Since the beginning of 2021, singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo’s song “Drivers License” has been on top of the charts, and “Mood” by 24kGoldn and Iann Dior has held the second seed position for several weeks. Relative newcomers may also find success if they continue to collaborate with major stars, such as singer-songwriter Jhay Cortez with “Dakiti” (his collaboration with Bad Bunny), and rapper Yung Bleu with “You’re Mines Still” (his link-up with Drake).
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
An awesome side effect of being successful and popular is that once you reach a certain level of fame, you can leverage your social media following for serious income opportunities. For example, it was reported in 2019 that Kim Kardashian earned $1 million per branded Instagram post, while the same year, Kylie Jenner was apparently raking in $1.2 million per post. That seems like an easy way to make a ton of money, and today, it appears Lil Wayne shared a sponsored post of his own while putting in as lil effort as possible.
This morning, at 8 a.m. PT on the dot, Wayne tweeted, “Sourdough @BurgerKing #AD.”
And here’s a screenshot of the tweet in case this work of art gets taken down:
@LilTunechi/Twitter
Back in 2018, Burger King introduced the Sourdough King sandwich, which was only available for a limited time. Today, it was reported that the sandwich is making a return in a variety of iterations, but just until April 19. Wayne conveyed none of this information, which is presumably what his ad was meant to be about. Based on his tweet and without that context, one could infer that the rapper was trying to start a conversation about bread with the burger chain and Anthony Davis, or perhaps he was demanding that BK “ad” sourdough bread to their menu.
Criticism aside, while Wayne’s ability to get his point across could be questioned here, we probably wouldn’t be talking about Burger King right now if Wayne had tweeted a more conventional ad. It’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease, so congrats to Wayne for being a genius marketer.
(@LaflameScott) 
(@MarcoHovey) 
