Music Features

When guitarist Frank “Poncho” Sampedro hit the road for the first time as a member of Neil Young and Crazy Horse in November 1975, one of his first gigs took place at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, California. The nightclub is a short drive from Young’s Broken Arrow ranch and …

For this year’s annualWomen Shaping the Future issue, we asked 12 of today’s top musical acts to talk about the women who have inspired them most in their lives and careers. Here, Chloe x Halle talk about their mentor, Beyoncé — who runs their label, Parkwood Entertainment — and share …

In the ever-changing landscape of K-pop or the music industry in general, a group’s longevity is hard to predict. Shinee, known for their strong musicality, unique fashion sense, and distinct sound, have maintained success since debuting in 2008 with their hit “Replay.” Shinee is a group that cannot be overlooked …

Leela James applies her gale-force voice in precise, leveling blasts in “Complicated,” a bouncy, lavish love song that marks her first release since 2019. This is a track about tearing through, if not obliterating, the red-tape that’s been standing in the way of a romance. James reduces everything to the …

Scorpeze and Cordell Johnson’s “Jazzgalaktik” starts with a pair of tributes. A brief, descending squeak, as if a machine is powering down, evokes the opening of turn-of-the-century club-fillers like Spiller’s “Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love),” while a grandly wobbling synthesizer nods to Mr. Fingers’ “Qwazars.” This is house music homage, …

Each month, the editors and critics atRolling Stone compile a list of our favorite new albums. Our picks for January include Colombian pop star Maluma‘s Jamaican detour, a brilliant new LP from hip-hop innovator Madlib and great post-punk from Pom Poko and Goat Girl. Maluma, #7 DJ: 7 Dias En …

Few artists of any stripe have ever exited this world with the panache of David Bowie, who left us with some of his most fascinating work just before his death on January 10th, 2016. The biggest surprise was his masterpiece of a final album, Blackstar, released just two days before …

“Angelene,” a somber monologue sung from the perspective of the “prettiest mess you’ve ever seen,” may be the most inauspicious opening track in PJ Harvey‘s catalogue. She plucks an awkward chord on her guitar and assumes her character, describing the life of a prostitute with penchants for Salinger and pining …

Elton John has more hits than just about any other artist in the history of the recording industry. Enduring favorites like “Your Song,” “I’m Still Standing,” and “Tiny Dancer” have been in heavy rotation on rock radio for decades, and they’ve also served as the backbone of his live show …

Stewart Copeland gets asked a lot of questions, but they’re rarely about his youth in the Middle East. “When you’re a pop star, you often find yourself with a microphone pointed at you and you’re asked to explain yourself,” the former Police drummer says. “Like, ‘Who are you? What makes …