It’s been nearly five years since the pop world received an album from Nick Jonas. His last effort was 2016’s Last Year Was Complicated and since then, the singer has been fairly busy thanks to his role as a coach on The Voice and the reunion of Jonas Brothers with siblings Joe and Kevin. Now, Nick is getting back to his solo career, a return that began with the release of “Spaceman” this past Friday. Just days later, he brought his talents back to the Saturday Night Live stage to perform the single for the first time and to debut a new track as well.
Serving as host and musical guest for the SNL episode, Nick began the night by performing “Spaceman.” He performed the track while rocking a thin astronaut-like jumpsuit, ideal for the out-of-this-world feeling he details on the song. Later in the show, he returned to debut a brand new single, “This Is Heaven.” This track is much livelier than the aforementioned single and found Nick getting lost in the groove of the uplifting song to end the night
Both songs will appear on his upcoming album, Spaceman, which is set for a release on March 12. During a recent interview on Zane Lowe’s Apple Music show, Nick spoke about the meaning behind the album’s title. “The key for me was trying to find a way to give this idea a persona, give it a name,” he said in regards to his 2016 album, Last Year Was Complicated. “So ‘Spaceman’ kind of came into my mind as I was thinking, ‘What’s the one thing that all of us have felt during this time? Completely disconnected from the world.’ We’ve gotten so accustomed to looking at a screen instead of human interaction and I think the thing that keeps us all encouraged and hopeful is the idea of knowing that there will be a tomorrow when this is our reality.”
You can watch the performances above.
Spaceman is out 3/12 via Island. Pre-order it here.
J. Balvin made an appearance tonight to walk boxer Canelo Alvarez into the ring for his fight against Avni Yildrim at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. And what better walkout music for Alvarez than a brand new song from the Latin pop superstar? Balvin performed his new single “Ma G” before the fight for the first time, and a video to accompany the new song dropped shortly after, check that out above.
It’s good to see the Latin legend in good spirits and good health again, as last summer he contracted a bad case of Coronavirus and had to spend some time in recovery. Though he bounced back in time for a partnership with McDonald’s last fall, and has apparently been busy in the studio based on the new music tonight. This is the first thing the Colombian star has released since his 2020 collaboration “Un Dia (One Day)” with Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny and Tainy.
Along with the new music, Balvin also announced a merch collection that’s a collaboration with 747 and La Plaga Invade, including a varsity jacket, mask, cap, hoodie, sweatpants, and music bundles. Shop that collection here and look out for more info on Balvin’s fifth album coming very soon.
Beyonce has always been the kind of pop star who is interested in giving back to the communities she’s been a part of or benefits from. So when jewelry designer Lorraine Schwartz, who has been responsible for plenty of Bey’s red carpet gem-laden looks, decided to began advocating for diversity and inclusion in the precious gems world, it’s no surprise that Beyonce would be a part of it.
As announced via Beyonce.com, the singer and designer are teaming to launch the Beyonce Knowles-Carter x Lorraine Schwartz scholarship at GIA, the Gemological Institute of America. Schwartz has designed jewelry for everyone from Oprah to Lady Gaga to Jennifer Lopez, but Beyonce fans will probably know her work best for the diamond earrings the singer wore on the cover of Dangerously In Love.
“This scholarship is an homage to Beyonce for the inspiration she’s given me through my career,” Schwartz said of the new initiative. “It’s about the love formed from relationships and knowing at the end of the day, we are all the same. Now I have the opportunity to bring that inspiration full circle and show the community the endless possibilities that are in this industry, especially for Black professionals.”
The scholarship will be give “two members of the Black community” the chance to earn credentials at GIA, for the GIA Graduate Gemologist Diploma, with full tuition and paid expenses for the program. The program is primarily online through distance education, and applications for the scholarship are open from March 1 of this year until March 16.
As part of a new project with ESPN’s The Undefeated, Tinashe has released a cover of the classic empowerment anthem “I’m Every Woman.” First popularized by Chaka Khan in 1978 — it was the lead single off her debut album Chaka — the track was later popularized in the ’90s by Whitney Houston, who turned it into more of a pop hit than the original funk and disco vibe.
Tinashe has obviously heard both versions of the song, and seems to pull from both artist’s legacies in her own version, working in funk and disco alongside itchy house beats, but including plenty of dramatic belting that’s rare for the R&B star’s vocal style. Dramatic belting doubles as an ode to Whitney whenever it’s done well, and Tinashe pulls it off with surprising ease here. Last year she spoke to us about bringing live shows into people’s living rooms during the pandemic, this year, she’s catapulting herself into the realm of disco and funk with a truly superb cover. Check out the song above.
Other artists involved in The Undefeated’s Music For The Movement Volume II project, a part of Black History Always, also includes offerings like Tobe Nwigwe’s take on Melvin & The Blue Notes’ (Featuring Teddy Pendergrass) “Wake Up Everybody,” Brent Faiyaz contributing an original new song, “Eden,” and Freddie Gibbs doing Gil Scott Heron’s “Winter In America.” The first EP, Music For The Movement Volume I, featured Rapsody, Jensen McRae, Terrace Martin, Alex Isley, Robert Glasper, and Keedron Bryant.
Last night Chloe X Halle dropped the video for “Ungodly Hour,” the title track off their massive 2020 breakout album. But that wasn’t the only thing they had in store for fans. Since the pandemic has made it impossible for musicians to tour their work, plenty are opting to release a deluxe or revamped version of their records from last year. Chloe X Halle have dubbed theirs the “Chrome Edition” of Ungodly Hour, and dropped the new version tonight. This edition includes two new tracks from the sisters Bailey, and the songs hew a lot closer to gothic pop than the smoldering R&B of the rest of the album.
Not that there aren’t hints of this kind of power on “Tipsy,” but “Hazy” and “80/20” take on an even more confident, swaggering feel — there’s no shying, loved-up narrator on these tracks. Instead, braggadocio and dark beats pepper the new songs, which are ripe for remixes too. And though it’s not fair to constantly compare Chloe and Halle to their mentor, Beyonce, these two songs in particular are reminiscent of some of the more bossed up work she’s been drawn to, especially later in her career. For this duo to already be at that place of extreme confidence at this age? Now that’s the power of a mentor. Check out “Hazy” above and “80/20” below.
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.
The Pokémon franchise is commemorating its 25th anniversary this year; While Pokémon Red and Blue, the first games released in the US, came out stateside in 1998, the original Japanese games, Red and Green, were released in 1996. Anyway, part of the celebration has included collaborating with Post Malone on a couple things. Malone is performing a virtual concert for Pokémon Day this weekend, but ahead of that, he has released a new cover tied to the partnership: a rendition of the Hootie And The Blowfish classic “Only Wanna Be With You.”
Malone keeps the cover mostly stylistically faithful to the original version, and even though the song doesn’t have any clear preexisting connection to Pokémon, Malone has turned in a fun recording nonetheless. He slightly tweaked the lyrics, shifting the focus of one line from the Miami Dolphins to his favorite NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys, as he sings, “I’m such a baby ’cause the Cowboys make me cry.” Longtime Pokémon fans may have also noticed that the song has a sample from the second-generation Game Boy/Game Boy Color games Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, specifically the music that plays in Ecruteak City.
Darius Rucker, who of course sang and co-wrote the ’90s classic, is over the moon about Malone’s rendition, tweeting of it this morning, “The smile in my face will not leave for a long time. This is awesome. My bro @PostMalone bringing it. Hell yes man!!!!!!!!!”
The smile in my face will not leave for a long time. This is awesome. My bro @PostMalone bringing it. Hell yes man!!!!!!!!! https://t.co/DPiNzxmwyu
Last year Chloe x Halle broke out in a big way due to their sophomore album Ungodly Hour, a follow-up to 2018’s Kids Are Alright. These sisters have been on the mainstream radar for a while though because of an early co-sign from none other than Beyonce herself, who took them under her wing and has been helping them prepare for the greatness they were clearly destined for. Even during a pandemic and a year of economic chaos, Ungodly Hour became one of the most talked-about R&B records of the year, spawning hits like “Do It” which spawned a star-laden remix featuring Doja Cat, Mulatto and City Girls.
As their profiles have grown — Halle for her role playing Ariel in a new live action version of The Little Mermaid and Chloe for simply just posting photos and videos of herself on social media (haters gonna hate) — they’ve continued to focus on this breakout record. A few days ago they announced that a video for the record’s title track would be dropping this week, and tonight the intergalactic clip is here. Whether they’re cavorting in the ocean wearing studded bodysuits, or shapeshifting in space age glittery dresses, it’s impossible to take your eyes off these two performers, especially when they’re dancing side by side. At one point, Halle even poses with a lit chandelier on her head as a crown. It’s an extravagant, exuberant video to match the tone of the song. Watch the new clip above.
The Weeknd released “Blinding Lights” as a single back in late 2019. Remarkably, it hasn’t really left the top of the charts: On the latest Hot 100 revealed on Monday, it’s still at No. 4. The song just keeps on making history and now it has passed another impressive milestone: Chart Data reports that “Blinding Lights” has eclipsed 2 billion streams on Spotify and it did so faster than any other song ever has.
.@theweeknd‘s “Blinding Lights” has now surpassed 2 billion streams on Spotify. It’s the fastest song in history to reach this milestone.
As of now, only three other songs have more Spotify streams that “Blinding Lights,” and they are Ed Sheeran’s “Shape Of You” (about 2.72 billion), Post Malone and 21 Savage’s “Rockstar” (2.12 billion), and Tones And I’s “Dance Monkey” (2.1 billion). Meanwhile, The Weeknd has a handful of other songs in the list of Spotify’s 100 most streamed songs: His Daft Punk collaboration “Starboy” is 19th with 1.52 billion streams, “The Hills” is No. 75 with 1.6 billion, and “Can’t Feel My Face” is No. 91 with 1.11 billion.
Speaking of Daft Punk, The Weeknd talked about the recently disbanded duo in a newly resurfaced interview quote, saying, “Oh my God — that’s different. Those guys are one of the reasons I make music, so I can’t even compare them to other people. Their branding and how seriously they take their craft and image and everything — they’re almost not even real. But seriously, they’re very strategic, they’re very smart, and they don’t attach themselves to anything they feel isn’t right.”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Idris Elba is best known for his acting work, but he’s also well-established in the music world. He performed at Coachella in 2019, he co-starred in a Stormzy video later that year, and also in 2019, he dropped a mixtape. In recent times, he’s been working on music and it looks like he has a Megan Thee Stallion collaboration on the way.
In an interview with CapitalFM’s The All-New Capital Weekender (as Billboard notes), Elba revealed he has a track with Meg and Davido on the way: “I’m putting out quite a bit of music, man. I’ve been really focused in coming out of last year into this year, trying to put more music out, so expect more. I’ve got a tune with Frankie Wah coming, I think it’s gonna be good. […] I got a sneaky tune with Meg Thee Stallion and Davido, shout out to the fanatics.”
He also added that he hopes to get on a track with his Cats co-star Taylor Swift, saying, “I’ve known Taylor a few years. People see the album sales, the awards. What they don’t see is the hard work. She is an incredibly hard-working person, she isn’t resting on her achievements. To perform live with her would be fun and hopefully we can make that happen.”
Watch Elba talk about his upcoming projects below.
