Month: December 2023

After calling out certain media platforms for not acknowledging him in a recent interview, Lenny Kravitz issued a clarification today on his social media channels. “It is important to me to set the record straight on recent media reports based on an interview I did,” he explained. “The comment I made was not about ‘Black media’ or the ‘Black community.’ I was referring to Black award shows in particular.”

So, what did he say that got “the Black community” so riled up that he had to make a statement?

During his interview with Esquire, Kravitz lamented, “To this day, I have not been invited to a BET thing or a Source Awards thing. And it’s like, here is a Black artist who has reintroduced many Black art forms, who has broken down barriers — just like those that came before me broke down. That is positive. And they don’t have anything to say about it?”

As Lenny points out, as one of the very few Black artists making rock music over the past three decades — y’know, the genre that Black folks invented — it does seem that he feels like those awards shows have overlooked his contributions, inadvertently reaffirming the stereotypes that allowed rock to be appropriated in the first place (of course, he might be a little out-of-touch himself, as the Source Awards haven’t been held in nearly 20 years).

So it turns out, Kravitz didn’t really have much to say about “Black media” so much as specific awards show producers who’ve left him out of the conversation. Of course, when quotes get picked up by other publications, they can be reframed in ways that can change the tenor and even the substance of the quotes, which is why it’s always important to read beyond the headlines.

Jack Reacher’s massive shadow (along with the rest of him) will soon appear in your living room again when Alan Ritchson dons thrift store threads (and a suit) in Amazon’s Reacher for Season 2. Granted, Ritchson is slightly less tall than his literary counterpart (who is 6’5″), but he wears those boots well. He also manages to refuse to answer questions unless he deems that information necessary, and the man never loses his cool, whether he’s in prison or hunting for vengeance on behalf of his late brother.

Reacher also became Amazon’s first Nielsen slam dunk, so it’s no wonder that they swiftly greenlit more seasons, and the second one arrives on Dec. 15. Considering that the TV schedule is pretty light this month, as well, this show’s return couldn’t be better timed. Dads dig him, ladies adore him, and critics praise him, but don’t tell him that. He doesn’t like to have ties.

Here’s what’s coming in Reacher‘s second season.

Plot

Jack Reacher will bust through a few windows and knock some guys’ heads together while eating junk food and apparently never working out beyond beating up bad dudes. That much is given.

Anything else? Yes, Reacher will receive a call from his past, and a character who we briefly met in Season 1 (Frances Neagley, portrayed by Maria Sten) will become a regular this season. She is, as viewers recall, part of “The Special Investigators” that Reacher pulled together while serving as a major in the U.S. Army. Sadly, however, someone has been killing members of that team, so Reacher and Neagley must dig to the bottom of this matter before anyone else dies. They aren’t alone in this fight, which is superb news because we’ll get to see Reacher’s dynamic with some of his old team members.

I hope they give him some hell for a few reasons: (1) It would be fun; (2) He’s a big boy, and he can handle it.

Expect to see some obligatory shirtless scenes, but Ritchson has stayed mum on whether (as one Redditor asked during an AMA) he will “hang dong.” However, Reacher is not opposed to getting busy, so you never know what the show will have in store for us in that department.

As well, Reacher will persist in not only using his brawn but also his brain. He will still do the vigilante thing and claim that he doesn’t get involved, but he cannot help but be involved with more personal stakes during this season. The story departs from the path of the Tom Cruise film sequel and is based upon Bad Luck and Trouble, Lee Child’s 11th novel in this series. From the synopsis:

Reacher reunites with three of his former teammates turned chosen family to investigate, including Frances Neagley (Maria Sten); Karla Dixon (Serinda Swan), a forensic accountant for whom Reacher has long had a soft spot; and fast-talking, switchblade-wielding family man David O’Donnell (Shaun Sipos) … Reacher will stop at nothing to uncover the truth and protect the members of his unit. If there’s one thing Reacher and his team know for certain, it’s that you do not mess with the Special Investigators. This season, get ready for Reacher and the 110th to hit back hard.

Cast

Alan Ritchson will always be Reacher from here on out, even if something happens to this show. In addition to Maria Sten as Neagley, we will spend plenty of time getting to know two other 110th members, Karla Dixon (Serinda Swan) and David O’Donnell (Shaun Sipos). Robert Patrick will star as a security honcho named Shane Langston, Domenick Lombardozzi will portray NYPD detective Guy Russo, and Ferdinand Kingsley will be an ominous mercenary.

Release Date

Reacher makes his streaming return on December 15 with three episodes and weekly installments to follow.

Trailer

This show is about to get “Crazy on You.” Hold on tight.

What is the best album of 2023? We don’t know! Nobody does, really. It’s fun to make picks for the best projects of the year, but doing that and coming up with something definitive works only if you’re comparing apples against other apples (and even then, it really doesn’t). The music landscape, though, is full of apples and oranges and bananas and grapes and pomegranates and pears: All fruits, with their different appeals, are tough to pit (fruit joke) against each other, but they’re all worth celebrating for their own distinct, unquantifiable appeals (banana joke).

The produce section that is the music industry was vibrant this year, too. Established icons cemented their legacies, newcomers proved themselves in noteworthy ways, and others made their voices heard in their own parts of the business. Instead of handing out points and faux-authoritatively declaring what’s better than what, we’ve come up with a giant alphabetical list of our favorite albums of the year. So, keep scrolling to revisit just how dynamic and diverse music was in 2023.

And stay tuned to Uproxx in the coming weeks as we unveil a host of other genre lists, as well as our anticipated Uproxx Music Critics Poll.

100 Gecs – 10,000 Gecs

100 Gecs could have so easily had their moment in the meme sun with their 2019 debut album 1000 Gecs and then faded away forever. The songs were both catchy and off-the-wall weird, a delicate balance that’s not easy to pull off on a single album, let alone two. They did it again, though, on 10000 Gecs. How? Songwriting. Throughout the album are compositions that reach out through their alternative, kooky grime and smack you in the face with catchy hooks and memorable lyrics. The inevitable 100,000 Gecs can’t come soon enough. – Derrick Rossignol

Aminé and Kaytranada – Kaytraminé

The term “album of the summer” gets tossed around quite a lot lately, but this joint effort from the Portland rapper and Canadian dance producer earns it with 11 breezy-yet-diverse approaches to the seasonal sound and its related topics. From the glitzy, mellow “Rebuke” to the funk-tinged Pharrell feature “4Eva,” the lively spirit of the warmest months of the year comes through in ways both unexpected and comfortingly familiar. – Aaron Williams

Arlo Parks – My Soft Machine

After first making a name for herself with her poetic lyrics and touching confessions on mental health and queerness, UK artist Arlo Parks returned with her sophomore album My Soft Machine. Living up to the accolades that came along with her debut (which included two Grammy nominations and the Mercury Prize for Album Of The Year) Parks doubles down on her revelations about the realities of relationships and struggling with depression, this time adding synths into the mix. Lush indie earworms like “Purple Phase” and the Phoebe Bridgers-featuring “Pegasus,” Parks’ My Soft Machine continues to prove she’s one of the best indie songwriters of her generation. – Carolyn Droke

Asake – Work Of Art

After establishing himself as one of the best newcomers in afrobeats in 2022, Asake used 2023 to prove that his success is far from a moment, but rather, the starting moments of a long-lasting career. His second album Work Of Art, arrived just nine months after his stellar debut Mr. Money With The Vibe and it exercises the same winning formula that put Asake in the spotlight. The Nigerian star returns as triumphant, spiritual, and grateful as ever, and with Work Of Art, we get a slightly altered painting that is altered enough to be something new worth paying attention to, all while using the same paintbrush and colors. In the end, this formula provided records like the Grammy-nominated “Amapiano” and the fan-favorite “Lonely At The Top” that will go down as one of the best offerings in Asake’s discography. – Wongo Okon

Blxst and Bino – Sixtape 3

Blxst and Bino Rideaux stumbled upon their secret sauce with “Savage” from Sixtape in 2019, and the third installment, Sixtape 3, is the LA rappers’ most complementary offering yet. “Shaq and Kobe, it’s only right if we three-peat,” Blxst poses in “Road Runnin.” Blxst and Bino trade alley-oops, lyrically and thematically. The provocatively lustful “ Doin Yo Stuff” is balanced out by the romantic, slow jam-adjacent “Get Away,” and the groovy “Baccseat” brings the opposing emotions under one roof. The empathic dunk is “Blueprint,” where Blxst and Bino cleverly flex “boss sh*t.” No lies were told. – Megan Armstrong

Boygenius – The Album

When Boygenius — the supergroup comprised of Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, and Phoebe Bridgers — first appeared with their 2018 self-titled EP, its members were known indie quantities but not quite the stars that they are in 2023. Their steady rise makes their debut LP, The Record, all the more of an event, and has found them on the cover of Rolling Stone, headlining festivals, and even appearing on the massive Taylor Swift stadium tour. But what might get lost in the hype and the friendship-focused narrative is that Boygenius also finds three magnificent songwriters working in their prime, tapping both new and unfamiliar territory in equal measure, and discovering parts of themselves that can only be illuminated through the artistry of others. – Philip Cosores

Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want To Turn Into You

Caroline Polachek is by no means new to the music world. Despite this, her solo sophomore release, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You, finds her experimenting with a range of influences and elevating herself beyond the initial sound that first drew listeners in. Here, she plays with flamenco on “Sunset,” while also not alienating anyone by adding the catchy, electronic early preview of “Bunny Is A Rider.” In her present chameleon fashion, she then flips the script once more for the quiet tension on “Crude Drawing Of An Angel.” Just as the title suggests, Polachek reaches a new peak by being able to play with the concept of transformation and versatility on this album. – Lexi Lane

Chappell Roan – The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess

Chappell Roan has had a wild few years. During the pandemic, she moved back home to Missouri, where she saved up money to resume her music career. The result is her debut album, The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess. Produced by pop music’s new favorite collaborator, Dan Nigro (Olvia Rodrigo, Conan Gray), Roan found herself free and comfortable to express her identity fully. Across the 14 brilliant pop tracks, it has the energy of a merry-go-round at a club or a dancefloor at the county fair. Either way, getting off the ride is hard once you press play. – L.L.

Chika – Samson

Chika’s mental health struggles have been heartbreaking to witness. Instead of retiring from rap, with the guidance of trained professionals, her album, Samson reveals the kinks in her armor. Through the project, listeners learn that Chika is a mystery that even she herself is still figuring out. The unabashed biblical references sprinkled on Samson stress that both Chika’s bars and professional footsteps have been ordered by a higher calling. Samson is Chika emerging from the belly of the beast, ready to stake her claim in the rap scene. – Flisadam Pointer

Chloe – In Pieces

There are many impressive aspects of Chlöe’s debut album In Pieces. First, is the fact that the singer even arrived at a point in her career to release. Her solo career was criticized for more reasons than it wasn’t, but none of that seemed to hinder the body of work that is In Pieces. Actually, it only strengthened it. The critiques and doubts became the backbone of the album which also detailed her recovery from heartbreak. Between the uptempo and bouncy “Body Do” and the captivating “Make It Look Easy,” Chlöe showcased her versatility, her writing, and her evolving vision on her debut album. Though the sky is the limit for her, Chlöe is well on her way to reaching it. – W.O.

Daniel Caesar – Never Enough

If there was any doubt that Daniel Caesar could replicate the glory days of his past, the Toronto singer put them all to rest with his euphoric third album Never Enough. It’s with this album that he took on a bigger producer role as he placed himself in a small town that’s hours outside of Toronto to make the beats that became the landscape of Never Enough. He grapples with wanting love (“Do You Like Me?”) and seeing that it’s run its course (“Let Me Go”) while finding time to shade those who believed they moved on from him to better (“Homiesexual”). Never Enough excellently captures the rollercoaster ride of love and the constant search for perfection, if that even exists. – W.O.

Davido – Timeless

Davido’s absence from the afrobeats world over the past couple of years, though it was respected, was surely felt by fans. So with the arrival of his fourth album Timeless, the expectation was that he would fit right into the genre’s newly-mainstream landscape while showing why he’s on the Mount Rushmore of the genre. To the surprise of no one, that’s exactly what happened. Timeless arrived as Davido’s best album to date and it’s thanks to the singer’s theme of conquering all things in his way on the album. Whether it be those who want to bring him down or unfortunate events in his life, Davdio stands tall “over dem” on Timeless. – W.O.

Doja Cat – Scarlet

While Doja Cat and her antics have proven polarizing over the past few months, her ability to make hits is undeniable. On Scarlet, Doja prioritized lyrics and her hip-hop craft overall, showcasing her abilities on the confident and assured “Go Off” and the horrorcore-influenced “Demons.” Though she’s previously denounced her past pop hits, old habits die hard, notably with the infectious “Paint The Town Red.” – Alex Gonzalez

Don Toliver – Love Sick

Travis Scott’s protege takes yet another step into his own on his third studio album, released appropriately just two weeks after Valentine’s Day. “I want people to listen to my music and think it’s timeless,” Toliver said of his latest release and while he’s got a ways to go before he realizes this dream, Love Sick constitutes an impressive step in the right direction in tracks like “Honeymoon” and “Leave This Club.” – A.W.

El Michels Affair & Black Thought – Glorious Game

Listen, you can go ahead and call me a stodgy old crank for continuing to value technically superior exercises in formalism in 2023. That’s fine. Black Thought remains the (read: THEE) finest bar-for-bar, straight-up rapper in hip-hop to this day and it’s worth honoring that — especially when he possesses the awareness to pair his prodigious talents with production worthy of the finest funk-soul excursions into ’70s Classicism this side of Adrian Younge’s Luke Cage soundtrack. – A.W.

Gel – Only Constant

I don’t know if Only Constant, the 10 songs-in-16-minutes debut album by hardcore band Gel, is the shortest album on this list. But I do know it’s the album that will make you say “hell yeah” the most. The feedback opening to “Honed Blade” before the drums kick in and singer Sami Kaiser shouts at us to “sharpen up our voice”? Hell yeah. The pummeling guitar riffs on “Attainable”? Hell yeah. The way “The Way Out” will make you want to rip a phonebook in half? Hell yeah. Is Only Constant one of the year’s best albums? Hell yeah. – Josh Kurp

Gracie Abrams – Good Riddance

“You fell hard / I thought, good riddance,” Abrams twists the knife on the album opener “Best,” while maintaining themes of self-criticism throughout. The new album finds her exploring new horizons by working with Aaron Dessner and putting her biggest fears, worst behaviors, and an expanded level of emotional vulnerability on full display — all while backed by some gentle production. She also provides pauses to lift the energy, like the sweet caught-by-surprise moment on “The Blue.” Yet, staying true to the themes of struggling with the rollercoaster of entering adulthood, the album ends with the darkly contemplative “Right Now,” where Abrams wonders if her “little brother thinks my leaving was wrong,” as she continues growing up, getting out, and saying good riddance. – L.L.

Gunna – A Gift And A Curse

If I told you a year ago that Gunna, after the success of chart-topping success DS4EVER, would be releasing a “comeback” album in 2023, you’d probably call me crazy. However, that was the case for the Atlanta rapper this year. Gunna was one of many indicted in the ongoing YSL RICO, and his image with the public took a turn for the worse when he accepted a plea deal for a release 10 months after his imprisonment. Gunna was called everything from a snitch to a traitor, and while the facts proved otherwise, his fourth album A Gift & A Curse also proved that he wouldn’t let them hinder his career. So with it, Gunna delivered one that silenced his critics, set forth a summer hit with “F*kumean,” and etched itself into the conversation for album of the year. – W.O.

Holly Humberstone – Paint My Bedroom Black

Holly Humberstone’s Paint My Bedroom Black chronicles the ups and downs of being a woman in your early twenties in a way that connects listeners of all backgrounds. “Here’s to new horizons,” she greets listeners in the album’s opening line, almost like a fitting hint of what’s to come. Her electronic production takes larger leaps, notably at the ending of “Into Your Room” and the chilling vocal adjustment on “Baby Blues.” Others, like “Elvis Impersonators” and “Cocoon” serve as powerful lyrical displays. In its entirety, the album is a thrilling next step that has us excited to see where she goes next. – L.L.

Hotline TNT – Cartwheel

A poppy shoegaze outfit that doesn’t skimp on catchy melodies even as the guitars push deep into the red, Hotline TNT attracted lots of hype this year. But the songwriting earns it, especially when singer-songwriter Will Anderson contrasts his surging, ear-splitting music with sensitive-guy musings that elevate Cartwheel to the heights of romantic fuzz-rock bliss. – Steven Hyden

J Hus – Beautiful And Brutal Yard

When most folks think of UK rap (at least here in the US), they primarily think of grime or drill, two categories that are great representations of Black diaspora culture in the island nation. However, that’s also a woefully incomplete and reductive understanding. Fortunately, more people are bound to get hip to J Hus’ unique fusion of Afropop and dancehall sensibilities with hip-hop swagger and flows, thanks in large part to the Drake co-sign he receives on “Who Told You.” But there’s also the cheeky takedown of phony tough guys on “Masculine,” the sly come-ons of “Nice Body” with Jorja Smith, and the overall counter geographical tropical vibe to recommend J Hus’ latest. – A.W.

Jack Harlow – Jackman

Jack Harlow heard the complaints about his last album, Come Home The Kids Miss You, and responded in kind with a 10-song salvo of tracks that saw the Louisville rapper revert to the hungry, intensely-focused artist he was as he freestyled and battle-rapped his way to the top. The highlights: “They Don’t Love It,” “Gang Gang Gang,” and “Blame On Me,” which saw his talent for conceptual songwriting flexed to a degree fans hadn’t seen for nearly two years. – A.W.

Janelle Monáe – The Age Of Pleasure

Janelle Monáe is always worth the wait. The Age Of Pleasure is their fourth album, and their first in five years, and with this record, Monáe is on a higher spiritual plane than ever before. Indulging in hedonistic pleasures, Monáe revels in queer sensuality, embracing intimacy and touch on songs like “Lipstick Lover.” They also celebrate many a win on “Champagne Sh*t,” and embrace their own body as a work of art on the luxurious “Haute.” Through smooth transitions between tracks, The Age Of Pleasure paints a continuous portrait of opulence and sexual liberation within an unapologetically queer, genderfluid world created via Monáe’s multidimensional lens. – A.G.

Jessie Ware – That! Feels Good!

Jessie Ware snuck “Free Yourself” under the wire last July. She’s ahead of the game this year with a disco-pop indulgence inspired by divas like Donna Summer. “Lightning” is ready-made for dog days, oozing romance. “Freak Me Now” is brash lust. “Begin Again” is pure refreshment. Pick one, and you will feel good. – M.A.

Jordan Ward — Forward

Jordan Ward has long had the potential to crack through the underground ceiling and stand a bit closer to the mainstream world since he released “Lalaland” back in 2017. The success of that record pales in comparison to that of “White Crocs,” his breakout hit with Ryan Trey, but it does show how long the St. Louis native has been working on his craft. “White Crocs” would eventually find its home on his fourth project Forward which is by far Ward’s most polished work to date. If “White Crocs” isn’t your jam, then “IDC” with Joony, “311” with Gwenn Bunn,” “Sidekick” with Joyce Wrice, or one of the other 10 records will certainly provide something you like. That’s just how good and versatile Jordan Ward is. – W.O.

Jorja Smith — Fighting Or Flying

On her highly-anticipated sophomore album, Falling Or Flying, Jorja Smith soars. Categorically, the body of work is labeled R&B, but the sonics explored on Falling Or Flying are boundless. Singles “Little Things” and the title track are just samplers of how far the branches of the entire tracklist reach. Though the album was written solely as a healing exercise for Smith, somehow, fans come out on the opposite side as a better version of themselves, having experienced life through her eyes. – F.P.

Jung Kook – Golden

BTS’ Jung Kook has shown himself to be a pop sensation both within the group and as a solo act. His debut solo album, Golden, served as a gift to fans, as it arrived weeks before Jung Kook began the process of enlisting in the Korean military. He’ll be away until 2025, but songs like the romantic “Standing Next To You,” the sexy, rhythmic “3D,” and the gut-wrenching ballad “Hate You” will certainly hold as timeless classics. But they also set the stage for him to continue his world takeover upon his return. – A.G.

Kali Uchis – Red Moon In Venus

Kali Uchis’ third album Red Moon In Venus is without question her best album to date. Maybe it’s because she’s more in touch with herself than ever or maybe it’s because she’s more at peace than ever. The result of either, or maybe both of those observations, is a 15-track body of work that captures Uchis majestically and graceful float through elements of R&B and pop, while also tapping into her Spanish roots, to make what sounds like Uchis’ idea of paradise. Whether it’s “Fantasy” with Don Toliver, “Deserve Me” with Summer Walker, or solo efforts like “All Mine” and “Moonlight,” Kali Uchis’ Red Moon In Venus has plenty of music to get lost in and find your own paradise. – W.O.

Karol G – Mañana Será Bonito

After a very public breakup, Karol G chose to heal the way she knows best — through music. The Colombian superstar’s fourth album Mañana Será Bonito proves to be a therapeutic experience, for both Karol and the fans. Over the course of 17 flawless tracks, Karol engages in self-care, debates returning to an ex, falls in love on her travels, and has several good cries. All while repeating the very phrase that got her through it all — “Mañana será bonito.” – A.G.

Kiana Ledé – Grudges

Kiana Ledé returned as a woman frustrated with the recent occurrences in her love life for her second album Grudges. While some write about heartbreak from the perspective of pain, Ledé uses the 17 songs on Grudges as a venting session during the journey of recovery. Whether it singing “I don’t trust you and I don’t trust these hoes” on “Jealous,” grappling with an insufficient lover on “Focus” and “Damage,” or struggling to have hope with love on “Same Guy,” Kiana Ledé tackles it all to make an album that every hopeful romantic can relate to thanks to honest songwriting, elegant production, and a voice that stands out in today’s R&B landscape. – W.O.

Killer Mike – Michael

Killer Mike has put out six solo albums and four as a member of Run The Jewels over the past 20 years, yet Michael could very well be his debut album. It’s certainly his most biographical; on songs like “Down By Law,” “Motherless,” and “High & Holy,” he introduces us, for what feels like the first time, to an adolescent Michael Render, detailing the trials, tribulations, and temptations that gave us the controversial, outspoken figure Killer Mike has become. With a Southern Baptist soundscape and show-stealing turns from André 3000, Fabo, Young Thug, and more, Michael gives us our clearest picture of the rapper yet. – A.W.

Lana Del Rey – Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd

Lana Del Rey’s career has been defined by a hot and cold reaction from the press, and equally hot and cold moments of self-sabotage and self-mythologizing. But if anything, it speaks volumes that any online spat that might accompany a rollout is generally forgotten by the next album cycle. That’s how continually surprising and sharp Lana is as a songwriter, that mild controversy slides off her. And that talent is underscored on Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. “A&W” is another high point in sonic adventurousness and lyrical insight, while “The Grants” and the title track are so instantly familiar, they might as well be pulled directly from the singer-songwriter canon. We just can’t quit you, Lana. – P.C.

Larry June and The Alchemist – The Great Escape

The Great Escape is a portal to idyllic, immaculate bliss. It’s like the musical version of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations — taste-testing beats and flows — as Larry and Al traveled together while recording. The likes of Action Bronson (“Solid Plan”) and Ty Dolla Sign (“Summer Reign”) sweeten the pot, but the substance is found in June’s straightforward lyricism complementing The Alchemist’s trippy soundscapes. “I get impulsive, if I want it then I go and cop it,” June raps on the hazy “ 60 Days,” unintentionally causing an unshakable impulse for a fresh Larry June and The Alchemist joint album every summer. – M.A.

Laufey – Bewitched

Jazz’s resurgence into the mainstream has made for interesting online music discourse. The 2023 Grammy Award Best New Artist, being a classically trained jazz vocalist, brewed the ideal environment for Laufey to burst onto the scene. The singer’s sophomore album, Bewitched, featuring singles “From The Start” and “Letter To My 13-Year-Old Self,” is an enchanting spell of classical jazz elements with a bubbling elixir of infectious light-hearted bedroom pop sonics. Bewitched is a time-capsuled work perfectly scored for a vintage romance flick. Its light-hearted, airy, and delicately simplistic layerings transport listeners to a world graciously ruled by Laufey. – F.P.

Leon Thomas – Electric Dusk

Leon Thomas III is the mastermind behind some of music’s biggest hits, including SZA’s fan-favorite trackSnooze.” Now that he’s ready for the spotlight, others should be on high alert. On his debut studio album, Electric Dusk, which was inspired by Los Angeles’ longest-running drive-thru movie theater, Thomas puts all of the creative parts of himself that he’s lent out to other artists on full display. When his mentor and label head, Ty Dolla Sign, said that listening made him want to redo his own work, it wasn’t an exaggeration. Across the album, Thomas provides men with an emotionally safe space to display vulnerability, make mistakes, and grow within romantic relationships while trying to find a footing in their careers. Although the project might’ve been snubbed during the 2024 Grammy nominations, its impact will surely ripple throughout the genre for years to come. – F.P.

Lil Uzi Vert – Pink Tape

After almost two years of delays, Lil Uzi Vert’s sprawling Pink Tape finally arrived in July with a disarming array of styles and sounds to choose from, displaying the full range of dimensions the protean Philly rapper has always offered but rarely unleashed all at once. Paring down a list of 1,500 song ideas to the 26 represented here should be considered an accomplishment in itself, but for those songs to also represent such a diverse spectrum of musical influences from alternative and metal to something I can only call techno-rap is an exciting distillation of how much more territory hip-hop can explore. – A.W.

Lil Yachty – Let’s Start Here

Is Lil Yachty’s experiment in psychedelia technically hip-hop? I think the point he makes with Let’s Start Here is: who cares? (We’re including him here because of how Yachty got his start, the mode of the music he primarily makes, and the fact that he spends as much of this rock-inspired effort rapping as he does singing.) Yachty’s always bristled at the thought that he could be limited to just one genre. Here’s the strongest argument in his favor. – A.W.

Luh Tyler – My Vision

Luh Tyler is like the perfect synthesis of predecessors such as Kodak Black and Lil Tecca, with the carefree confidence of pre-graduation youth and the poised, deceptively clever pen game of the frequently incarcerated gangster rapper. By combining his natural gifts with an easygoing, unpracticed charisma and subject matter centered more around teenage fantasies of luxury lifestyles than drug game-produced shootouts, Luh Tyler cleans up the typical Florida approach to hip-hop without losing his cool. – A.W.

L’Rain — I Killed Your Dog

While L’Rain’s Taja Cheek is by no means a newcomer, her third studio LP I Killed Your Dog arrived as an experimental breath of fresh air in the indie world. Whether it’s the wonderfully psych rock track “Pet Rock” or the ethereal “r(EMOTE),” L’Rain takes her heartbreak, contorts it, and transforms it into something new. Oftentimes singing through layers of distortion, Cheek’s voice manages to sound like it lives somewhere beyond this plane of existence. The result is an album that’s like a dream sequence played out, imprinting you with feelings of both comfort and unease. – C.D.

Maisie Peters – The Good Witch

Sometimes, something is so objectively true that it’s worth how cliché it sounds. This is one of those times. The Good Witch is spellbinding — packed with aching anecdotal vulnerability (“There It Goes”) and sharp wit (“Lost The Breakup”) — and in the words of Maisie Peters in the criminally clever “BSC,” you’d be “actually bloody motherf*cking batsh*t crazy” to think otherwise. Not convinced? Peters, Uproxx’s July 2023 cover star, became the youngest British woman to hit No. 1 on the UK’s Official Albums Chart since 2014. – M.A.

Mandy, Indiana – I’ve Seen A Way

I’ve Seen A Way — the debut album from Mandy, Indiana — started its life, in part, in a cave full of smelly cheese (it’s true). A cavern-recorded album might immediately bring to mind atmospheric sounds like early The Verve, and there are doses of that on I’ve Seen A Way. There are also moments, though, where it sounds like somebody had the bold idea to host a rave or an ’80s synth dance party among the stalactites. Either way, I’ve Seen A Way is the sound of a fresh band taking a big swing right out the gate and connecting with a thunderous crack of the bat (cave pun not intended and only caught while re-reading). – D.R.

Masego – Masego

Masego’s magnum opus arrived more than a decade into his career and it’s fitting that it’s for his self-titled sophomore album. The project’s 14 songs are a masterful combination of the elements that make Masego an artist we’ve come to love. The tropical side of his discography comes alive through “Say You Want Me” while his jazz and funk roots are wrapped around records like “You Never Visit Me.” With Masego, the singer proves that the music will never be a concern for himself. Since day one, he’s impressed fans repeatedly with his talents, and now with his second album, Masego perfectly combined those talents for a body of work that couldn’t be more representative of himself. – W.O.

Metro Boomin’ – Heroes & Villains

Arguably the most dominant producer of the streaming era, Metro Boomin comes close to creating his magnum opus with this late 2022 compilation (which is after Uproxx’s cutoff for Best of 2022 consideration). His full curatorial superpowers go on display in Heroes & Villians as he assembles his own Avengers of rap titans — or a Legion of Doom if you want to see it another way. 21 Savage, Future, Migos, Travis Scott, and more help fill out the roster, but the star here is always his production, skillfully tying them all together. – A.W.

Militarie Gun – Life Under The Gun

The search for “the next Turnstile” has given us a bunch of trendpieces and zero albums that managed a fraction of the critical and commercial impact of GLOW ON. In retrospect, Militarie Gun was actually the band calling the shots for hardcore in 2021; as dozens of their peers started to dabble in power-pop, Buzz Bin fanfic, and Oasis deep cuts, all roads indeed led to the Gun and their bullish major label debut. Many have pointed out that Life Under The Gun is hardcore in vibes only, but the ethics of Ian Shelton’s past work are every bit as crucial as the hooks – each song makes it point, makes it stick, and gets out before it can waste time on anything less than essential, a goal so thoroughly realized that the “next Militarie Gun” can only come from their next LP. – Ian Cohen

Mitski – The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We

Recorded in Nashville and Los Angeles, with a cast of supporting musicians that include country scene stalwarts like pedal-steel guitarist Fats Kaplin and keyboardist Brooke Waggoner, The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We is as still and insular as Mitski’s previous record, 2022’s Laurel Hell, was upwardly mobile and extroverted. The music is stately, dreamy, and extremely pretty, with Mitski’s voice buffeted by a pocket symphony of soft-focus Americana instrumentation, a stirringly cinematic string section, and a ghostly 17-person choir. – S.H.

Myke Towers – La Vida Es Una

Puerto Rican artist Myke Towers couldn’t be held in a box while making his third album, La Vida Es Una. On the album, Towers showcases his versatility by way of lightly revisiting his rap roots, but mostly experimenting with a multitude of genres. While 23 tracks may seem saturated for an album in 2023, Towers delivers through reggaeton, dancehall, and ‘80s-synthpop sounds, defying the pigeonholing of the industry. Needless to say, he’s keeping fans fed. – A.G.

The National – First Two Pages Of Frankenstein, Laugh Track

The National didn’t receive a full-scale backlash in 2023, but it’s hard not to think of them as taken for granted at this point. They’ve done nothing but offer up consistently great albums at a regular clip for nearly 20 years, with more casual fans signaling that they’ve had their fill of the smart, nuanced tunes from the band. The National answered with a pair of new albums in 2023, both predictably sturdy, and allowing for many fans to piece together their own tracklist for a combined, even-stronger effort. For my money, there aren’t many songs between the two albums I would cut, and if The National want to release three more albums in 2024, bring it on. – P.C.

Noname – Sundial

Noname isn’t in rap to make friends but to platform important causes. On her latest album, Sundial, Noname uses the project’s brief run time to have an intense communal conversation, as she’s so militantly pointed out during her triumphant NPR Tiny Desk Concert. Nothing and no one is off limits. Sundial is sharply witted banter about politics, classism, racism, and more. Whoever said rap was in its flop era clearly hasn’t listened to Noname’s Sundial because the project is a lyrical masterclass and a brilliant display of what craftsmanship sounds like. – F.P.

Oddisee — To What End

Oddisee, one of the most consistent voices operating in the rap world for the past decade or so, has reached an impasse with himself about why he does what he does. And, in the spirit of true talent, he winds up using that as inspiration on this, his 10th studio album, which questions the nature of aspiration. To What End finds Oddisee wrestling with not just his goals and ambitions but what they might cost and whether it’s all really worth it. For us the listeners, it is. – A.W.

Offset – Set It Off

“I could’ve kept it to myself / They can’t be too upset,” Offset raps on “Blame It On Set.” We can’t blame him for letting three-plus years elapse between his 2019 debut solo album, Father Of 4, and October’s Set It Off after listening to the latter — a conceptual LP soaked in meticulous artistry. Not even tasteful Michael Jackson cosplay on the album’s cover overshadows Offset’s authenticity. He’s at total ease — equal parts playful (“Jealousy” featuring Cardi B) and vulnerable (“Say My Grace” featuring Travis Scott). Be thankful he didn’t keep these bars to himself any longer. – M.A.

Olivia Rodrigo – Guts

Even Olivia Rodrigo herself had worried about facing the sophomore slump, given the massive success she found with her 2021 debut, Sour. Her fears were simply just that. Rodrigo’s record Guts does a masterful job of blending her musical influences, tapping into the power and angst on stadium-ready tracks like “Ballad Of A Homeschooled Girl.” Her growth as a songwriter in just two years is already evident, reeling with the idea of being a famous “tourist attraction” on the vulnerable “Making The Bed,” or digging even deeper into personal hurts on “The Grudge” and “Logical.” – L.L.

Paramore – This Is Why

Paramore’s This Is Why is what it looks like when a band whose been making music for two decades gets back in touch with making music for the fun of it. This Is Why arrived earlier this year on the heels of a six-year hiatus when the band found themselves in the midst of a pandemic and social upheaval, and offers a sardonic commentary on the time period. Throughout their album, Paramore take a more pop-forward approach while holding on to elements of their emo roots. In true Paramore fashion, songs like “The News” offer deadpan takedowns of the powers that be while others like “You First” focus inward. – C.D.

Peso Pluma – Génesis

Mexican hitmaker Peso Pluma’s Génesis certainly isn’t just the beginning. On his third album, Pluma takes inspiration from Mexican corridos music, bringing these regional sounds toward global territory. At only 24, Pluma and his album Génesis delivered the Mexican-influenced musical stylings that had been missing from the global music landscape for years. For Pluma, Génesis serves as both a breakthrough, and a time-capsule of historic and impactful sounds, that will still maintain their freshness in the years to come. – A.G.

Quavo – Rocket Power

It wasn’t the Migos reunion we wanted, but Quavo’s first solo album since 2018’s Quavo Huncho gave us something else we needed: An album of emotional growth from one of rap’s most stoic hitmakers. It’s his most adult music yet, expanding on the emotional fallout from the loss of Takeoff, yes, but also detailing how Quavo became Quavo — and how Migos became Migos. There’s a vulnerability in tracks like “Hold Me” and “Greatness” that deepens his usual boasts and gives dimension to the sharp-sighted trap bangers that have come to define Quavo’s career. – A.W.

Ratboys – The Window

A band can be called “underrated” only for so long before it starts to become a backhanded compliment, a constant reminder of success not yet achieved and a nagging prompt to question whether they’ve gotten a raw deal or just failed to make themselves essential. For over a decade, Ratboys have been a classic “your favorite band’s favorite band,” “sorely overlooked,” and a perennial solid opener but on The Window, they get on their Seth Cohen shit, jumping up on the proverbial coffee cart and refusing to be anyone’s secret anymore. Teaming up with Chris Walla (who knows a thing or two about this kind of move), Ratboys don’t do a whole lot differently, but they do it with a newfound gusto – their throwback alt-rock is hookier, there’s more grit in their rootsy indie, the jams go on for much longer, and their slice-of-life story songs have a greater sense of personal investment. The Window did everything a “level up” could ask for, including the most difficult part for a perennially underrated band, leaping from likable to lovable. – I.C.

Raye – My 21st Century Blues

After years of having her debut album delayed, UK singer/songwriter RAYE took matters into her own hands. Two years ago, RAYE outed her previous label, Polydor, for holding her music hostage. In February, she finally released My 21st Century Blues independently. And in turn, she flipped the industry on its head, with tales of heartache, insecurity, and gaslighting. Having finally earned number one song and album on the UK charts, it’s safe to say RAYE’s big risk paid off. – A.G.

Reneé Rapp – Snow Angel

After already conquering Broadway and television, Reneé Rapp entered her pop girl era in full force this year with her debut album, Snow Angel. Her incredible vocal talent gives her a boost forward to belt on ballads, with many new fans being recruited this year after hearing her show it off. Rapp doesn’t shy away from putting her whole heart on the line, whether she’s dealing with the painful realization of falling too hard that drives “I Hate Boston” or not holding back from the karma she wants on “Tummy Hurts” — which she recently remixed to include the equally-talented Coco Jones. – L.L.

Sampha – Lahai

At long last, 2023 was the year that Sampha emerged from his humble abode to release his sophomore album Lahai, the long-awaited follow-up to 2017’s Process. Where Process was drowned in feelings of loss and grief, Lahai finds Sampha on the other side of the wall, filled with hope, optimism, and acceptance. He grapples with time from start to finish on the album, but the most important takeaway with Sampha’s second album is that the London singer remains as good as ever, and arguably better, in the time that has passed since his debut. Evidence of that lives within “Only,” “Can’t Go Back,” “Spirit 2.0,” and much more. – W.O.

Sexyy Red – Hood Hottest Princess

In this business, one of the dangers of getting too invested in what looks to be a promising young talent based on one compelling single is having that investment bust out when a full project lacks the magnetism of the song that got you invested in the first place. Fortunately, that didn’t happen with Sexyy Red, the sassy St. Louisan who captivated us with the delightfully disaffected “Born By The River,” followed up with the relatable ratchetry of “Pound Town,” and paid off our interest by not retreating a single step on Hood Hottest Princess, which turned out to be every bit as uproariously lascivious as her breakout singles. – A.W.

Skyzoo x The Other Guys – The Mind Of A Saint

A masterfully executed concept album inspired by the characters and events of the drug-game epic Snowfall, The Mind Of A Saint finds Skyzoo putting his feet in the shoes of the show’s principal criminal mastermind. Sky writes through the perspective of an older, wiser Franklin Saint who turned to the pen instead of the bottle — after all, he did finish the project before the final season had aired — but even with two layers of functionalization, the words and themes ring true. – A.W.

Slow Pulp – Yard

This Chicago-by-way-of-Madison indie band made some waves with their 2020 debut Moveys, though their progress was blunted somewhat by the pandemic. Therefore, Yard felt doubly consequential this year, especially since it showed off their impressive range. This album veers from darkly beautiful alt-country to introspective folk to zippy guitar pop numbers. It’s the kind of big-tent indie rock record that used to be a lot more common 20 years ago, and still has the potential to win over scores of fans. – S.H.

Sufjan Stevens – Javelin

If I’m writing this blurb based on my experience with Javelin prior to October 6, reliable critic terms like “return to form” and “masterful” come to mind; means of expressing how Sufjan Stevens did a lot of familiar things on his tenth album and did them remarkably well, even if it doesn’t place him at the center of discussion in 2023 the way that Illinois or Carrie & Lowell did. But when Stevens posted a tribute to his late partner Evans Richardson on the day of Javelin’s release, things like “narrative” and “zeitgeist” and “rankings” ultimately felt trivial. Which, yes, that’s what Stevens’ best work does, whether it’s his maximalist, big-top indie revivals or his skeletal folk or the songs on Javelin which fall somewhere in between. The joy, love, brotherhood, and devastation that Stevens sings about here are overwhelming, but as he’s learned from the passing of his best friend and also his own fragile health, all the more beautiful because they’re ultimately fleeting. This is all the more reason to treasure Javelin as if it were Stevens’ final word. – I.C.

Sun June – Bad Dream Jaguar

After taking pastoral indie rock to new heights with their first two albums, Sun June returned this year with Bad Dream Jaguar. Like the band’s previous efforts, many of the songs center around lead vocalist Laura Colwell’s entrancing, wispy voice. Most are inspired by dreams — or nightmares — and written to sound like a stream-of-consciousness. As such, the album plays out like a gently crooned lullaby. Tracks like “Easy Violence” and “Get Enough” show the band’s ability to craft a rollicking Americana tune, while others like “John Prine” and “Sage” put Sun June’s inhibition on full display. – C.D.

SZA – SOS

Yes, this album came out in 2022, but with most of its success taking place in 2023 and the fact that it came after our 2022 lists, it’s only right that SZA’s SOS makes the cut here. Five years removed from her debut album, SZA returns to a world riddled with troubled waters that people from all over hoped to survive and swim out of. Through the album’s expansive 23 songs, SZA guides us on a journey of surviving life’s elements, the lessons learned along the way, and what it looks like to make it to shore. The ups and downs of life, growing pains, and artistic struggles are all present on this album, and it’s even more impressive that she made its 23 songs not feel like an absolute drag. It was a long time coming for SZA, but boy did she arrive. – W.O.

Teezo Touchdown – How Do You Sleep At Night?

“Maybe they were gonna be a painter until somebody said they couldn’t paint / Maybe thought they was the next Jean-Michel ‘til somebody yelled, ‘No, you ain’t,’” < a href= https://uproxx.com/music/teezo-touchdown-how-do-you-sleep-at-night-album-review/”> Teezo Touchdown sings on the unorthodox alt-rap “Impossible.” The other 13 tracks on his fiercely authentic and genre-defiant debut album, How Do You Sleep At Night?, confirm (at least) two things: Teezo didn’t listen to anyone who might have told him he couldn’t, and he’s not interested in becoming the “next” anything — unless it pertains to his entrancing individual evolution. – M.A.

That Mexican OT – Lonestar Luchador

Aside from having one of hip-hop’s most luxurious pseudonyms, Texas native That Mexican OT also had one of its most outstanding projects of the year. Although his native Bay City is an hour away from Houston proper, he fits right in alongside its continuum of throaty, laid-back rap stars (which also includes, in some circles, Bun B, despite his hailing from Port Arthur, similarly removed from the city itself). On Lonestar Luchador, the gravely baritone with which OT spits first catches you off-guard, then lures you in with its smoky texture, like the state’s best barbecue. The standout is “Johnny Dang,” but “Cowboy In New York,” “Barrio,” and “Groovin” are all well worth the spin. – A.W.

Travis Scott – Utopia

Five years removed from his last album and returning to the spotlight after a two-year absence, Travis Scott offers a view of Utopia that may run counter to our expectations but certainly illuminates exactly where the Houston rapper sees himself. While he goes back to what’s worked for him on tracks like “Hyaena” and “I Know?” he also blasts his way forward with the fan-favorite “Fe!n” and recaptures his and Drake’s charming chemistry on “Meltdown.” If Utopia doesn’t set the standard for the rap world around it as Astroworld did in 2018, it feeds Travis’ base, laying a sturdy foundation for the future. – A.W.

Various Artists – Barbie: The Album

It’s hard to call anything but Barbie the movie event of 2023 (except for perhaps Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour concert film). One thing those two have in common, though, is music was a major component. So many contemporary greats from across the genre spectrum united to craft an exemplary collection of original, pink-tinted songs: Dua Lipa with “Dance The Night,” Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice with “Barbie World,” and Billie Eilish with “What Was I Made For?,” to name a few. Big-name soundtrack albums are often less than the sum of their parts, but this one comes together in true Barbie Dreamhouse fashion. – D.R.

Victoria Monét – Jaguar II

After years of working behind the scenes as a songwriter of many pop hits, Victoria Monét finally got to shine on her own this year. This past summer saw Monét release her debut album, Jaguar II, on which her hitmaking prowess continues to hold up. While the album maintains its cohesiveness throughout its 11 tracks, nearly all of them can be a single — including the kiss-off “Stop (Askin’ Me 4Sh*t),” the surprisingly pleasant break-up ballad “Good Bye,” and of course, the dirty south tribute, “On My Mama.” – A.G.

Wednesday – Rat Saw God

On the previous Wednesday LP, 2021’s Twin Plagues, singer-songwriter Karly Hartzman wrote evocative story songs set in what I like to call the Gummo South, a partly real and partly made-up region in which dead dogs and burned-down Dairy Queens dot the landscape like Starbucks crowd street corners in big cities. But on Rat Saw God, her songwriting exhibits a level of detail that is practically physical. The title alone of the opening track, “Hot Rotten Grass Smell,” filled my nostrils with the aroma of a humid late July day. – S.H.

Yaeji – With A Hammer

Yaeji simmered relatively under the radar as a beloved figure in the electronic scene for years before impressing with her debut 2020 mixtape What We Drew. Now, it’s debut album time. With A Hammer came out in April and it too is a critical hit. She clearly hasn’t let early success coerce her into taming down her experimental ways in pursuit of a more commercial sound. Singles like “For Granted” and “Passed Me By” are as adventurous as ever while also maintaining an undeniable charm, which can also be said for the rest of one of the year’s most interesting projects. – D.R.

Yves Tumor – Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)

It’s not quite radical enough to qualify as “experimental” and not quite catchy enough to work as a full-on pop move. But sonically this is one of the best-sounding indie albums of 2023’s first half. With the assistance of Noah Goldstein, an engineer who worked on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and Alan Moulder, who’s one of the great architects of ’90s alt-rock, Praise A Lord invites you to get lost in its grooves. It’s a very good headphone record. The instrumental tones are on-point. – S.H.

Zach Bryan – Zach Bryan

In country music, there are always artists who claim to bring the music back to its working-class roots; this summer a certain ginger-haired lightning rod became an instant (though perhaps short-lived) star by doing just that. This is not Zach Bryan’s approach. His currency is emotional authenticity, in which he delivers gut-level catharsis in a mainstream pop context that otherwise is placid and plastic. At its best, that’s exactly what his self-titled album delivers. – S.H.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Donald Trump, who seems like the kind of guy who thinks Goodfellas is aspirational, is furious at one of the film’s stars. Robert De Niro delivered a speech at last month’s Gotham Awards that was highly critical of the former president. “Lying has become just another tool in the charlatan’s arsenal. The former President lied to us more than 30,000 times during his four years in office. And he’s keeping up the pace in his current campaign of retribution. But with all his lies, he can’t hide his soul,” he said (much to Apple’s dismay).

Trump belatedly fired back at de Niro, who recently became a father again at 79, on Truth Social.

“Robert De Niro, whose acting talents have greatly diminished, with his reputation now shot, must even use a teleprompter for his foul and disgusting language, so disrespectful to our Country,” he wrote. Trump called him “unwatchable,” even though two of his best performances ever, in The Irishman and Killers of the Flower Moon, were within the past five years.

He continued, “De Niro should focus on his life, which is a mess, rather than the lives of others. He has become a total loser, as the World watches, waits, and laughs.”

In another post, Trump referred to de Niro as “a ‘mental midget’ whose mind is shot, and whose life is a total train wreck. Very much like Crooked Joe Biden, he can’t put two sentences together. The good news is that this crude and very stupid ‘animal’ has lost all credibility!”

Robert Downey Jr. is the frontrunner for Best Supporting Actor at the 2024 Oscars, and Ryan Gosling would be the most fun. But maybe De Niro should win for Killers of the Flower Moon, if only to see how mad it makes Trump.

(Via Truth Social)

It’s time to shine the hypebeast signal; Travis Scott (apparently) has a new set of Jordan 1s coming. This time, he’s once again dabbling in an olive-based color scheme, inverting the blocking on the popular original pair he released back in April. The “Black Olive” colorway swaps the white and olive details from that shoe, putting the white on the Swoosh and the olive on the majority of the upper. While the prior white pair was a women’s exclusive, Nike/Jordan has yet to reveal whether that same restriction will apply this time around.

According to SneakerNews, the most reliable source at the moment, this pair is rumored to have a release sometime next fall. The blog also has images of a sample pair, courtesy of Instagram.

This is the third pair of Air Jordan 1 low-tops that Scott has collaborated on with Nike/Jordan, most recently releasing the “Neutral Olive” golf shoe in October. They were released through a few golf shops, with one store even requiring customers to hit a 200-yard drive before being added to its lottery.

Meanwhile, the Travis Scott shoe fans have been hankering for since its announcement earlier this year is finally dropping soon. Scott’s version of tennis legend John McEnroe’s signature Mac Attack is set to drop on December 19th. May the odds be ever in your favor.

True Detective is back with a new Season 4 titled True Detective: Night Country. This time around, Jodie Foster and Kali Reis are a pair of Alaskan cops, who find themselves thrust into a grisly murder with ties to a case that went south years ago.

Reluctant to dig into the events that still haunts them, Foster and Reis brave the Alaskan elements to investigate a mass slaughter as the detectives attempt to finish what they started while their lives seemingly shatter around them as they probe deeper into the past.

Look for Fiona Shaw, John Hawkes, and Chris Eccleston to also make an appearance in this fourth True Detective installment that boasts a new creative team of showrunner Issa Lopez and executive producer Barry Jenkins. (Original series creator Nic Pizzolatto is reportedly not involved with Night Country.)

Here’s the official synopsis:

When the long winter night falls in Ennis, Alaska, the eight men who operate the Tsalal Arctic Research Station vanish without a trace. To solve the case, Detectives Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) will have to confront the darkness they carry in themselves, and dig into the haunted truths that lie buried under the eternal ice.

True Detective: Night Country premieres January 14 on HBO.

Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Unlimited Love debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in April 2022 — three months before dropping Return Of The Dream Canteen — and the Rick Rubin-produced album’s unlimited reach will extend into 2024. This morning, December 4, the iconic rockers announced new US dates for their Unlimited Love Tour.

The 2024 US leg is slated to start on May 28 in Ridgefield, Washington and wrap on July 30 in St. Louis, Missouri. One Canadian date snuck in there, as RHCP will visit Toronto on July 15. This leg will feature a revolving door of openers: Ice Cube, Ken Carson, Kid Cudi, Otoboke Beaver, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Wand, and IRONTOM.

As per press release, tickets will first become available via a Citi presale for Citi cardmembers on Tuesday, December 5 at 10 a.m. local time. An artist presale is also scheduled to begin on Wednesday, December 6 at 10 a.m. local time before the general public sale on Friday, December 8, on 10 a.m local time.

Find all ticketing information here, and see all of the newly announced Unlimited Love dates below.

05/28/2024 — Ridgefield, WA @ RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater +
05/31/2024 — Quincy, WA @ The Gorge +
06/02/2024 — Wheatland, CA @ Toyota Amphitheater +
06/05/2024 — Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre =
06/07/2024 — Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater ^
06/18/2024 — West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre *
06/21/2024 — Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre ~
06/26/2024 — Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park ~
06/28/2024 — Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach ~
07/02/2024 — Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake =
07/05/2024 — Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center *
07/12/2024 — Buffalo, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheater ^
07/15/2024 — Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage ^
07/22/2024 — Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center #
07/25/2024 — Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center @
07/30/2024 — St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre @

+ With Ken Carson and IRONTOM
= With Kid Cudi and IRONTOM
^ With Wand and IRONTOM
* With IRONTOM
~ With Ice Cube and IRONTOM
# With Seun Kuti & Egypt80 and IRONTOM
@ With Otoboke Beaver and IRONTOM
% Not a Live Nation Date

Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.

This week saw surprises from the two biggest touring artists of 2023: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.

For more music recommendations, check out our Listen To This section, as well as our Indie Mixtape and Pop Life newsletters.

Beyoncé — “My House”

At the end of her new Renaissance film, Beyoncé included a surprise for fans: “My House,” a new song that plays at the end of the movie. She dropped it on streaming platforms, too, and it sees Bey getting fully into her rap bag.

Taylor Swift — “You’re Losing Me (From The Vault)”

You heard this one if you copped the “late night” edition of Midnights, but in celebration of being named Spotify’s most-streamed artist of 2023, Swift decided to treat fans by popping “You’re Losing Me” up on streaming platforms for the first time. Naturally, there was quickly speculation that the song is about one of her exes.

Tyla — “Truth Or Dare”

Tyla is having a breakout year thanks to the success of “Water,” which just hit the top 10 on the latest Billboard Hot 100 chart. Now she’s capitalizing with the announcement of a new album, which was quickly followed by “Truth Or Dare,” a groove-driven new single that picks up where “Water” left off in terms of catchiness.

Flo Milli — “Never Lose Me”

After a year that included a bunch of new singles, Flo Milli had another one to offer with “Never Lose Me.” Uproxx’s Alex Gonzalez notes of the track, “This particular single is one of Flo’s more melodic songs, as she showcases both her rap skills and her soft, R&B vocal stylings.”

Jung Kook — “Standing Next To You (Usher Remix)”

BTS’ Jung Kook has been popping off with the remixes lately. His new Justin Timberlake-featuring version of “3D” arrived in November, and now he’s linked up with another 2000s pop icon for a rework of “Standing Next To You,” getting Usher to contribute a new verse to the funky and huge song.

Noah Kahan and Gracie Abrams — “Everywhere, Everything”

The headline of Kahan’s weekend was his debut appearance on Saturday Night Live, but before the show, he teamed up with fellow 2024 Grammys Best New Artist nominee Gracie Abrams for a new rendition of “Everywhere, Everything.” Abrams’ collab comes after Kahan recruited Kacey Musgraves and Post Malone for similar collaborative refreshes of Stick Season highlights.

Sexyy Red — “I Might” Feat. Summer Walker

After a breakout year led by the mixtape Hood Hottest Princess, Red wrapped up 2023 by dropping a deluxe version. It’s basically its own album as it includes a bunch of additional songs, including collaborations with Summer Walker, Chief Keef, and Sukihana.

Kaytranada and Channel Tres — “Stuntin”

Kaytranada had a huge 2023, whether he was nailing it at Coachella or teaming up with Aminé for their Kaytraminé album. He had a couple more songs to get off his chest before the year ended, though, as he dropped fresh collaborations with Channel Tres and Rochelle Jones last week.

Dove Cameron — “Still”

Cameron’s long-awaited debut album Alchemical is still forthcoming, but in the meantime, she just dropped the first part of it as Alchemical: Volume 1. There are eight tracks featured on this dispatch, including the evocative and dynamic “Still.”

Holly Humberstone and Muna — “Into Your Room”

Fresh off her new album Paint My Bedroom Black, Holly Humberstone has given her expansive and thumping pop epic “Into Your Room” a facelift with a new Muna-featuring version. Muna, by the way, are the latest Uproxx cover stars in a new feature published last week.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Nicolas Cage is ready to make the jump to TV. After starring in over 100 movies, including his latest release Dream Scenario, Cage wants to transition from the big screen to the small screen thanks to finally getting around to watching a little show called Breaking Bad.

In a new interview with Uproxx‘s Mike Ryan, Cage revealed that he probably has about three or four more movies in him, and then he wants to end on a “high note” after basically exploring every film genre possible.

“I don’t want to get stuck in any genre or any performance style. I want to do it all,” Cage said. “And I feel that I’ve, at this point – after 45 years of doing this; that in over 100 movies – I feel I’ve pretty much said what I’ve had to say with cinema.”

However, Cage isn’t done acting. He just wants to try a different medium, namely television.

“I am very interested in immersion streaming with episodic television,” Cage said. “I have seen things that can be done now with characters and the time they’re given to express themselves. I saw Bryan Cranston stare at a suitcase for an hour on one episode of Breaking Bad. We don’t have time to do that in a feature film, so maybe television is the next best step for me.”

The actor also wouldn’t mind staying in one place for a while so he can spend more “quality time” with his family.

“What’s important is my children and I have a baby daughter,” Cage said. “And if I can find an episodic show to do that stays in one place where I don’t have to keep leaving, we can all be together. That, on a personal level, would be great. But also I’m a student and I don’t know if I have anything else to learn in cinema. I might have something to learn in television.”

(Via Uproxx)

Beyoncé releases something, anything at all, and it’s No. 1. That is the cyclical formula of the past two decades, so why would it be any different for everything Renaissance? Beyoncé’s 2022 album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and her supporting Renaissance World Tour became the highest-grossing tour headlined by a female artist, American soloist, and Black artist in history (as per Live Nation). And so, of course, Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé ruled the North American box office in its debut weekend.

According to The Associated Press on Sunday, December 3, Beyoncé’s concert movie pulled in $21 million in North American ticket sales, AMC Theatres estimated. AP additionally relayed that Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé debuted in 2,539 theaters across Canada and the United States, and it netted $6.4 million from 2,621 theatrical debuts across 94 international territories.

“The post-Thanksgiving, early December box office is notoriously slow, but Renaissance defied the odds,” Lindsey Bahr wrote for The Associated Press. “Not accounting for inflation, it’s the first time a film has opened over $20 million on this weekend in 20 years (since The Last Samurai).”

As seen on Tina Knowles’ Instagram, Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé also owns perfect 100% ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, both via audience score and the review-based Tomatometer.

Read Uproxx’s review of the movie here, and find more information here.