Director Director David Lowery called Mother Mary, his upcoming movie, “a weird, weird film.” That makes sense, given that A24 is distributing and they’re known for pushing the envelope in the name of creativity.
Lowery has some great partners to help bring this vision to life: Anne Hathaway plays a larger-than-life pop star who has a tense reunion with a former friend and costume designer played by Michaela Coel. The movie doesn’t skimp on the musical elements, as Charli XCX, Jack Antonoff, and FKA Twigs contribute music to the film, while Twigs also has an acting role.
Ahead of the movie’s release, keep reading for everything you need to know before it hits theaters.
Plot
The logline reads, “Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel) on the eve of her comeback performance.”
While speaking at the Australian Centre For The Moving Image in 2024 (as IndieWire notes), Lowery said the movie is “a weird, weird film” and continued:
“I wrote the first 20 pages when I was shooting Peter Pan And Wendy and it’s been percolating ever since. That movie was huge, it was one of the greatest shoots of my life and one of the hardest edits of my life and it inspired a lot of soul searching. After that, I decided I’m just going to do something simple. I need to do a movie with just two actors in a room having a long heart to heart, […] a really gentle filmmaking experience.
But then I thought, ‘What if one of those characters is a pop star? And what if we started at a stadium? Then it got bigger [laughs]. And again, it wound up being the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
Cast
The movie stars Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer, Atheena Frizzell, Kaia Gerber, Jessica Brown Findlay, Alba Baptista, Isaura Barbé-Brown, Sian Clifford, and FKA Twigs.
“What struck me right away, reading the script, is that you can’t ‘perform’ Mother Mary. If I got the part, I would have to become material David could craft with. […] I had to submit to being a beginner. The humility of that — showing up every day knowing you’re going to suck. And it has to be okay. You’re not ‘bad.’ You’re just a beginner. Getting to that mindset — I had to shed some things that were hard to shed. It was welcome. But it was hard, the way transformational experiences can be hard.”
Finland’s Flow Festival has been a terrific event for over two decades now, and the magic is set to continue with next year’s edition. It’s set to go down from August 14 and 16 in and around the iconic Suvilahti Power Plant in downtown Helsinki. As for who’s performing, we’re getting a taste of that now, as today (December 2), organizers announced a batch of acts.
Among the highlights of today’s announcement are PinkPantheress, Florence + The Machine, Sombr, Turnstile, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, and Clipse. Also appearing areAres, Arppa 8-pack, asla jo, DJ Kridlokk: Hai, Honey Dijon, Jaakko Kulta, J. Karjalainen, KETTAMA, Lambrini Girls, Louie Blue, louna0nline, Nu Genea Live Band, Oklou, Olga, Pearly Drops, Vesta, and Zara Larsson, among others to be announced.
Three-day passes are available now. The passes currently go for 259€ (about $300), while early bird platinum passes are priced at 399€ (about $460). Furthermore, a limited amount of open one-day tickets are available until December 31. Fans with these tickets can exchange them for tickets for a specific day once the festival’s day-by-day schedule is announced, or by March 31 at the latest. These tickets are priced at 159€ (about $185) or 249€ (about $290) for the platinum ticket. More information can be found on the festival website.
Damon Albarn is preparing for a big Gorillaz year in 2026: The band has a new album, The Mountain, on the way in March. Before that, fans in Los Angeles have the opportunity to hear it early, as today (December 2), Gorillaz announced a pair of full-album performances at The Hollywood Palladium, set for February 22 and 23. Additionally, their “House Of Kong” exhibition will hit Rolling Greens DTLA from February 26 to March 19.
Tickets for the exhibition are on sale now, here. Those with tickets will have exclusive pre-sale access to the concerts.
“Visitors to House of Kong will take a jaunt behind the curtain of Gorillaz’ extraordinary world. A journey through the band’s life of misadventures, musical innovation and ground-breaking virtual ways since these four outsiders — bassist Murdoc Niccals, singer 2D, drummer Russel Hobbs and guitarist Noodle — first came together to blow up a pre-digital world with the release of ‘Tomorrow Comes Today’ in 2000. An exhibition like no other, House of Kong is an experience for the brave and bold.”
Find Gorillaz’s upcoming tour dates below.
Gorillaz’s The Mountain Album Cover Artwork
Kong
Gorillaz’s The Mountain Tracklist
1. “The Mountain” Feat. Dennis Hopper, Ajay Prasanna, Anoushka Shankar, Amaan Ali Bangash, and Ayaan Ali Bangash
2. “The Moon Cave” Feat. Asha Puthli, Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Jalen Ngonda, and Black Thought
3. “The Happy Dictator” Feat. Sparks
4. “The Hardest Thing” Feat. Tony Allen
5. “Orange County” Feat. Bizarrap, Kara Jackson, and Anoushka Shankar
6. “The God Of Lying” Feat. Idles
7. “The Empty Dream Machine” Feat. Black Thought, Johnny Marr, and Anoushka Shankar
8. “The Manifesto” Feat. Trueno and Proof
9. “The Plastic Guru” Feat. Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar
10. “Delirium” Feat. Mark E. Smith
11. “Damascus” Feat. Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey
12. “The Shadowy Light” Feat. Asha Bhosle, Gruff Rhys, Ajay Prasanna, Amaan Ali Bangash, and Ayaan Ali Bangash
13. “Casablanca” Feat. Paul Simonon and Johnny Marr
14. “The Sweet Prince” Feat. Ajay Prasanna, Johnny Marr, and Anoushka Shankar
15. “The Sad God” Feat. Black Thought, Ajay Prasanna, and Anoushka Shankar
Gorillaz’ 2026 Tour Dates
02/22/2026 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Hollywood Palladium
02/23/2026 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Hollywood Palladium
03/20/2026 — Manchester, UK @ Co-op Live
03/21/2026 — Manchester, UK @ Co-op Live
03/22/2026 — Birmingham, UK @ bp pulse LIVE
03/24/2026 — Glasgow, UK @ OVO Hydro *
03/25/2026 — Leeds, UK @ First Direct Arena *
03/27/2026 — Cardiff, UK @ Utilita Arena *
03/28/2026 — Nottingham, UK @ Motorpoint Arena *
03/29/2026 — Liverpool, UK @ M&S Bank Arena *
03/31/2026 — Belfast, UK @ SSE Arena *
04/01/2026 — Dublin, Ireland @ 3Arena *
04/02/2026 — Dublin, Ireland @ 3Arena *
06/06/2026 — Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera Sound Barcelona
06/10/2026 — Hradec Králové, Czech Republic @ Rock For People
06/11-13/2026 — Porto, Portugal @ Primavera Sound Porto
06/14/2026 — Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands @ Best Kept Secret
06/20/2026 — London, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium *~
06/23/2026 — Zagreb, Croatia @ INmusic Festival
06/25/2026 — Athens, Greece @ Release Athens x SNF Nostos 2026
06/27/2026 — Lido di Camaiore, Italy @ La Prima Estate Festival
07/02/2026 — Roskilde, Denmark @ Roskilde Festival
07/04/2026 — Werchter, Belgium @ Rock Werchter
07/09/2026 — Trencin, Slovakia @ Pohoda Festival
07/14/2026 — Istanbul, Turkey @ Pozitif Vibrations
07/16/2026 — Istanbul, Turkey @ Pozitif Vibrations
07/18/2026 — Plovdiv, Bulgaria @ PhillGood Festival
07/25/2026 — Trieste, Italy @ Piazza Unita’ d’Italia
08/13/2026 — Poznan, Poland @ BitterSweet Festival
08/15/2026 — Gothenburg, Sweden @ Way Out West
* with Trueno
~ with Sparks
The Mountain is out 3/20/2026 via Kong. Find more information here.
Ever-busy Australian rockers King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard will actually be fairly subdued next year, at least in terms of their live appearances in the US. Today (December 2), the band announced what they say will be the only shows they’ll play in the US in 2026.
First, their Field Of Vision festival is going down at Meadow Creek in Buena Vista, Colorado from August 14 to 16. Playing at the festival are Blood Incantation, Die Spitz, DJ Crenshaw, Earth Tongue, Etran de L’Aïr, Folk Bitch Trio, Lisa Bella Donna, Pattie Gonia, and Upchuck. Then, the band will do a three-night residency at Forest Hills Stadium in New York from August 20 to 22.
The group says in a statement, “Field of Vision I was so special. Anyone who was there would tell you there was some magic in the air. Or maybe the creek water… So grateful to party with you all again. Love, The Gizzards.”
Tickets for the festival will be available starting December 5 at noon ET, here. Tickets for the New York shows will be available at the same time, here.
Check out the band’s upcoming tour dates below.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s 2025 & 2026 Tour Dates
12/03/2025 — Sydney, Australia @ Sydney Opera House (with Sydney Symphony Orchestra)
12/04/2025 — Sydney, Australia @ Enmore Theatre (Rock Show with Party Dozen, Destrends)
12/05/2025 — Sydney, Australia @ Enmore Theatre (Rock Show with Party Dozen, Destrends)
12/07/2025 — Brisbane, Australia @ Fortitude Music Hall (Rock Show with Party Dozen)
12/09/2025 — Brisbane, Australia @ The Princess Theatre (with Queensland Symphony Orchestra)
12/10/2025 — Brisbane, Australia @ The Princess Theatre (with Queensland Symphony Orchestra)
12/12/2025 — Melbourne, Australia @ Sidney Myer Music Bowl (with Orchestra Victoria, Folk Bitch Trio)
12/13/2025 — Melbourne, Australia @ Sidney Myer Music Bowl (Rock Show with Barkaa)
08/14-16/2026 — Buena Vista, CO @ Field of Vision II, Meadow Creek
08/20/2026 — Forest Hills, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium
08/21/2026 — Forest Hills, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium
08/22/2026 — Forest Hills, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium (RAVE)
Bonnaroo Festival has announced its lineup for 2026, featuring headliners Noah Kanan, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Skrillex, and The Strokes.
Returning to Bonnaroo Farm in Manchester, Tennessee on June 11-14, 2026, the four-day festival will run the gamut from EDM (Major Lazer, Zack Fox) to hip-hop (Vince Staples, Freddie Gibbs) to rock (Turnstile, Mt. Joy), and everything in between. After the 2025 festival was canceled over weather concerns, many of the same artists are returning for a do-over, even though a bunch of them still played a separate show in Nashville that weekend.
Bonnaroo tickets go on sale Friday, December 5 at 10:00 AM CT, on bonnaroo.com. 2026 ticket options include 4-Day General Admission, 4-Day GA+, 4-Day VIP, 4-Day Platinum, and 4-Day Roo Insider, along with a variety of camping and parking options.
According to the press release, next year’s festival will also add new experiences, upgraded facilities, and the return of Bonnaroo Radio, which will feature “throwback Bonnaroo performances, interviews, traffic and weather updates, and more.”
You can see the full lineup below and find more info at bonnaroo.com.
BONNAROO 2026 LINEUP:
THURSDAY
Skrillex
Four Tet
Vince Staples
Spiritual Cramp
FRIDAY
The Strokes
Griz
Turnstile
Mt. Joy
Major Lazer
Jessie Murph
Yungblud
Geese
Cloonee
Lil Jon
Blood Orange
Wet Leg
Hot Mulligan
bbno$
Zack Fox
Smino
Sidepiece
Rachel Chinouriri
The Dare
Adventure Club
NOTION
Mother Mother
Łaszewo
Blues Traveler
Wolfmother
Wednesday
The Chats
Lambrini Girls
Amble
Daniel Allan
Goldie Boutilier
Dora Jar
Villanelle
Jackie Hollander
PawPaw Rod
SATURDAY
RÜFÜS DU SOL
Teddy Swims
The Neighbourhood
Alabama Shakes
Chase & Status
Sara Landry
Rainbow Kitten Surprise
Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
Amyl & The Sniffers
Sub Focus
Gorgon City
flipturn
Passion Pit
Snow Strippers
Tash Sultana
Wyatt Flores
Boys Noize
Holly Humberstone
Deathpact
SG Lewis
Osees
Waylon Wyatt
The Runarounds
DJ Trixie Mattel
Buffalo Traffic Jam
Confidence Man
Arcy Drive
Mountain Grass Unit
Juelz
The Stews
Congress The Band
Midnight Generation
Sunami
Nikita, The Wicked
“Weird Al” Yankovic Bigger & Weirder Roovue
KESHA PRESENTS: SUPERJÂM ESOTERÍCA: THE ALCHEMY OF POP
SUNDAY
Noah Kahan
Role Model
Kesha
Tedeschi Trucks Band
LSZEE
Clipse
Mariah the Scientist
Daily Bread
Modest Mouse
Big Gigantic
Japanese Breakfast
Turnover
San Holo
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Del Water Gap
Spacey Jane
Audrey Hobert
FcukersBlondshell
Little Stranger
Aly & AJ
Hemlocke Springs
Steph Strings
A Hundred Drums
Girl Tones
Motifv
Back in July, Luminate, which provides chart data for Billboard, shared the most-streamed songs of the year so far. In the top ten, only three songs were actually released in 2025, while the rest of the streaming hits originally came out in 2024.
At least on Apple Music, that didn’t change throughout the rest of the year. Today (December 2), Apple Music revealed its year-end charts, and the top five most-streamed songs globally are all from 2024. Per MacRumors, the platform’s biggest songs of the year, in order, are Rosé and Bruno Mars’ “APT.,” Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther,” Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With A Smile,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” and Billie Eilish’s “Birds Of A Feather.”
Worth noting, though, is that per the Apple Music playlist, the charts are based on plays between November 1, 2024 and October 31, 2025. The playlist reveals that Gracie Abrams’ “That’s So True” is No. 6 on the ranks, and Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” at No. 7, was the most-streamed song actually released in 2025. The top ten is rounded out by The Weeknd and Playboi Carti’s “Timeless,” Eilish’s “Wildflower,” and SZA and Kendrick Lamar’s “30 For 30,” all from 2024.
Top songs from 2025 include Post Malone and Morgan Wallen’s “I Had Some Help” (No. 12) and HUNTR/X’s “Golden” (No. 15).
The Lil Uzi Vert renaissance continues with “Regular,” the Philly rapper’s latest colorful video. Like “Chanel Boy” and “Relevant,” “Regular” sees a revitalized Lil Uzi burst firing rhymes about how cool the rapper is while showing off an impressive sartorial collection — one that now includes a few flashes of firearms, for some reason (Uzi named their self after a gun, but that was more for their rapid-fire flow than any sort of proclivity toward violence).
The last three singles appear to be a hard reset to the Uzi of old after recent efforts left fans disappointed, through no fault of Uzi. The pint-sized poet attributed the lukewarm reception to their last project, Eternal Atake 2, to both songs being leaked in advance and their own bare-minimum effort in order to complete the terms of their record deal with Generation Now and Atlantic Records. However, now managed AND distributed by Roc Nation, with full control of their own publishing (also administered by the Roc), Uzi seems to be on a mission to make up for lost time, releasing new songs as quickly as possible. As an indie artist, the Philadelphian no longer has any obligation to release full albums on anyone else’s schedule but their own, so it remains to be seen whether these songs will end up on a longer project, but it’s fun to see them finally living up to their early career declaration, “Do What I Want.”
You can watch Lil Uzi Vert’s “Regular” video above.
The holiday season is in full swing and there are plenty of gift options for your loved ones this year. But if there’s something we feel most strongly about here at Uproxx, it’s the arts, and specifically ways to bring art into your home and the homes of your loved ones. In a world that seems to be deprioritizing ownership of physical media all the time, we can’t think of a better way to support the artists we love and give a gift whose enjoyment is limitless.
We’ve listened to a lot of great vinyl this year, so this is a great chance to highlight some of the best collections that have been offered up in 2025. So take note, find the item that best speaks to your gifting needs, and make the music fan in your life as happy as possible.
The Beatles — Anthology Collection (2025 Edition)
The Beatles
Uproxx’s Steven Hyden recently said of The Beatles Anthology, “For all the times The Beatles story has been told and retold, this remains the single most entertaining iteration, mostly because it comes from the guys themselves.” Part of that whole package is the accompanying albums of rarities, which was just expanded to add 13 new songs to the party. It feels like Beatles fans regularly have something to celebrate during the holidays, and this year is no different.
David Bowie — I Can’t Give Everything Away (2002-2016)
Parlophone
Bowie’s estate has been pumping out a series of box sets and the latest tackles his final era. Spanning from 2002 to 2016, it features his final four albums and more material spread across the 18-piece set. Included are bonuses like a previously unreleased live set and a collection of 41 rare non-album tracks. David Bowie’s final output was appreciated at the time of release, but the loss of him makes this collection resonate even more.
Talking Heads — More Songs About Buildings And Food (Super Deluxe Edition)
Rhino
Times have been good for Talking Heads fans. There was the big tribute album last year, and now the group has reissued More Songs About Buildings And Food. The 4LP edition comes with rarities, live recordings, and reissues of international 7-inch singles.
The Oasis reunion tour has been one of the biggest music events of 2025 (and perhaps of 2026, too). The band has delivered with reissues as the spotlight is on them, including an anniversary edition of the classic (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?. The biggest additions are new unplugged versions of five songs: “Cast No Shadow,” “Morning Glory,” “Wonderwall,” “Acquiesce,” and “Champagne Supernova.” The tour doesn’t have to end this holiday season.
The “One-Step” process of bringing an album to vinyl is highly regarded as being an audiophile’s dream, and the latest album to have the privilege is Tom Petty’s iconic Wildflowers. For the reissue, the pressing was cut directly from the original master tapes. Again, this one is limited, with only 6,000 copies being produced. One of Petty’s best albums, sounding as good as ever. If you or a loved one misses Tom as much as we do, this is a great gift.
This is a holy grail for obsessives of Five Leaves Left, Nick Drake’s 1969 debut album. The Making Of Five Leaves Left, as the title indicates, offers a behind-the-curtain look at the project, as the 4LP set showcases studio outtakes and previously unheard songs. Not exactly holiday music, but it’s a really thoughtful collection that would make a great gift for the serious music fan in your life.
Figure 8 has become an iconic part of the late Elliott Smith’s legacy, and this vinyl pressing might be the best-ever version of it. It’s a vinyl version of a deluxe edition that was previously digital-only, and it includes every B-side and previously released solo acoustic and alternate version, not to mention three perfect white/red/black LPs. Every Elliott Smith album is essential for serious music fans, so this would make a great gift.
Fleetwood Mac had a legendary run in the ’70s and ’80s, highlighted by Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, Tusk, Mirage, and Tango In The Night. Those iconic projects have now all been collected in a box set that also comes with a clear 12-inch of “Silver Springs” and “Go Your Own Way,” and that’s limited to just 1,000 copies. If you’re missing any of these classics in your collection, this is an ideal way to finish off that period from one of music’s greatest bands.
Feels was the end of an era for Animal Collective, as it was their last album before signing with Domino and later blowing up with Merriweather Post Pavilion. Feels is now 20 years old and the band is coming through with a reissue. Excitingly, this new edition comes with a collection of nine B-sides and previously unreleased demos, all available in a 3LP package.
Neil Young — Harvest Moon (Reissue), Unplugged (Reissue), Sleeps With Angels (Reissue), and Mirror Ball (Reissue)
Warner
Young is well into his Official Release Series at this point and the latest additions get into the ’90s. Each numbered box set is a limited edition and features each album, complete with historically accurate artwork, on a double LP. Whether it’s his work with Pearl Jam as his collaborators or some of his best-known songs on Harvest Moon, this is one of Young’s best periods and is an essential own for record collectors.
Neil Young — Tonight’s The Night (50th Anniversary Edition)
Neil Young
Neil makes the list twice this time! Maybe Santa needs to do better list-checking? We kid, we kid. Anyway, he’s celebrating 50 years of Tonight’s The Night with an anniversary edition. Most notably, it comes with reimagined cover art (more colorful this time around) and six bonus tracks, the first time they’ve been available on vinyl. A nice counterpoint to his early ’90s work, proving that Neil Young has as many essential eras as anyone.
We’re onto the fifth Slow Xmas release now, which was preceded by volumes of takes on Christmas classics by alternative artists. This is the first time the project is getting released on vinyl and it’s a good year to start, as the 2025 compilation features Death Valley Girls, Meridian Brothers and Shannon Lay, Zach Cooper of King Garbage, Eric Slick of Dr. Dog, and Dave Hartley of The War On Drugs. I’m a big fan of the podcast Blank Check, and this is produced and curated by Ben Hosley, the producer of that show. Scum bums 4eva.
Yusuf/Cat Stevens — On The Road To Findout: Greatest Hits
A&M/UMe
Yusuf/Cat Stevens has a new memoir, Cat On The Road To Findout, out now. That’s good news for readers but also for listeners, as there is an accompanying greatest hits album. It’s truly comprehensive, featuring songs spanning from 1967 to 2023. Nothing sounds better on a weekend morning than Cat Stevens, and this is a great intro for the music fan in your life.
Jaws (Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Reissue)
UMe
Is there a more iconic movie soundtrack moment than the repeated “dun-dun” from Jaws? It’d certainly be hard to pick one, but either way, John Williams’ legendary score is available now in two fantastic vinyl editions, one that looks like blood in water and another that’s actually filled with liquid.
Vince Guaraldi Trio — A Charlie Brown Christmas (Reissue)
Craft Recordings
No winter is complete without A Charlie Brown Christmas and its beloved soundtrack, which is actually one of the best-selling jazz albums ever. This year is the 60th anniversary of the special and the 75th anniversary of Peanuts more broadly, so now we have a special zoetrope reissue of the album that’s a great gift for adults and children alike.
Black And Blue will be 50 years old in 2026, but The Rolling Stones are celebrating early with a reissue. The Super Deluxe Box Set is a keeper, containing 5 LPs, a Blu-Ray disc, a replica tour poster, and a 100-page hardback book. A limited 1LP zoetrope vinyl can also be had separately.
For my money, The Head And The Heart remain a somewhat underrated band despite their massive hits and touring success. Beginning with their Sub Pop emergence that revolved around vibrant songwriting and shows that would make anyone a believer, they’ve now been around nearly 15 years and are still winning over new fans. For Record Store Day, they offered up Ghost In The Machinery , which features fresh arrangements of songs from their previous album, Aperture.
Japanese Breakfast — Soft Sounds From Another Planet
Dead Oceans
Before Michelle Zauner was a Grammy nominee and best-selling author, she was a humble indie rocker dropping fantastic, critically acclaimed albums. So, essentially not that different than she is now. Soft Sounds From Another Planet is a fantastic early record from her, and it’s available on Bandcamp in classic black vinyl. Bandcamp is a great place to get artist merch in general and makes up a massive majority of things bought and sold on the platform. It’s an ideal way to support both the company and the artist directly.
We love a record club here at Uproxx. But, unfortunately, Vinyl Me, Please isn’t really doing what it once did, Bandbox is no more, and it’s harder than ever to find quality subscription services. Enter Verve Record Club, which has exactly what you need if you’re a jazz fan looking for a great reason to check the mail every month. They’re not just offering up legendary albums, either, but also pressing never-before-heard recordings, like The Ramsey Lewis Trio’s Groovin’ Live At The Penthouse seen above. Tap in for the record collector in your life.
One of the year’s best movies is also one of its best music/movie combos. And Mutant is putting out both the soundtrack and the score on their first vinyl pressing. For the soundtrack, which features songs featured in the film from its stars Jayme Lawson and Miles Canton next to songs from Rod Wave and Brittany Howard, they’ve pressed the collection to on-theme Smoke and Stack colored vinyl. The score, which might earn Ludwig Göransson another Academy Award, also comes on double colored vinyl. Sinners took over the world in 2025, and these vinyl offerings are a great way to own part of the magic.
Of everything on this list, this might be the most holiday gift guide bullseye. UMG has collected 14 holiday classics into this candy cane-colored box set, with each 7-inch on colored vinyl. And these aren’t just any version of the iconic tunes: We’ve got Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, The Jackson 5, two Beatles, and Elton John included. With 28 songs in all, the only worry is that by owning this, you’ll have to be the holiday DJ all night long.
Let It Be was a defining indie album of the ’80s. It still sounds fresh here in the 2020s and the new deluxe edition is a great addition to any vinyl collection. Included here on the 4LP set are, aside from the remastered album, unreleased studio and live recordings.
Keeping up with music news and resources like Spotify’s giant and regularly updated New Music Friday playlist are great ways to keep your listening habits from getting stale. Sometimes, though, you need a deeper dive. That’s where Uproxx’s Baylee Lefton comes in as she routinely offers quick-hit lists of songs you need to add into your rotation this week.
She delivered a fresh set today (December 1), and the vibe is tunes for fans of Kaytranada.
As Baylee put it, her picks fall in the realm of Kaytranada’s “electronic, R&B, funk, groovy house.” The mix starts with “Bet You Didn’t Need,” from Daniel Allan, Arlo, and fkblnde. The single is a fresh one, as it just dropped this past summer, and it definitely catches that Kaytra vibe.
Next is Jackson Homer and ROZZZQWEEN’s 2022 collaboration “Idea Of Us,” which brings a perfect blend and soul, the latter coming courtesy of ROZZZQWEEN’s big-time vocals. Rounding out the mix are Wntr, Nakeyo, and Lawrence Mace’s “Dunes (Remix)”; and F3miii’s “From Your Eyes.” “Oh, I used to be obsessed with that track,” Baylee reminisces about the latter.
Check out the video above and to listen to the full songs yourself, hit up the link in Lefton’s Instagram bio.
True longevity in hip-hop is rare, and in recent years, Nas has been showing the culture how it’s done. When the world shut down at the start of this decade, he opened up. COVID and pandemic be damned, the Queensbridge heavyweight embarked on a celebrated six-album run. That’s right, in an era where legacy artists rarely rewrite their own stories, Nas did — three times over.
At the center of this unprecedented 2020s renaissance stood Hit-Boy, the masterful producer who helped spark a new golden run with the King’s Disease and Magic trilogies. Together, the dynamic duo won a Grammy, and reshaped how hip-hop measures consistency.
I hit up Hit-Boy and even on Turkey Day, the California champ found time to send me a list of his 20 favorite Nas songs from their historic era. In no particular order, these picks are his blueprint: the records that defined their chemistry, elevated the craft and ascended the art of beats and rhymes.
Before Nas links back up with DJ Premier, pay respect — Hit brought one of hip-hop’s undisputed all-time greats into a whole new prime. Aging forward.
Nas — “Thun” (King’s Disease III, 2022)
The QB soldier reminisces and even playfully acknowledges his former conflict with Jay-Z.
Nas — “Speechless” (Magic, 2021)
When you started from the bottom, it’s hard to explain how you reached the top. “My winning streak is divine.”
Nas — “Michael & Quincy” (King’s Disease III, 2022)
Gifted vocalist meets gifted producer. Nasir and Chauncey mirror the preeminence of MJ and Q—aiming for that same gold standard.
Nas — “Reminisce” (King’s Disease III, 2022)
With just a touch of MJB in the backdrop, Nas honors his exceptional past while embracing the blessings of his present.
Nas — “Wave Gods” feat. ASAP Rocky & DJ Premier (Magic, 2021)
Esco and Flacko glide on this bouncy bop that aged so well. Freedom called Max B’s name—and Biggaveli’s home.
Nas — “Ugly” (Magic, 2021)
A dark aura surrounds this one. Nasty Nas ain’t dismayed by the darkest days. Can you stand his reign?
Nas — “Car #85” feat. Charlie Wilson (King’s Disease, 2020)
With Gap Band legend Uncle Charlie as co-pilot, Nas cruises through NYC summer nights. Smoke and ride. Repeat.
Nas — “Store Run” (King’s Disease II, 2021)
“Shifting the culture/ Mention me with Mick Jagger and Bono like you’re ‘posed to/ I’m standing next to rookies/ Somehow they lookin’ older.” Longevity is handsome.
Nas — “Ultra Black” feat. Hit-Boy (King’s Disease, 2020)
A celebration of African American history and a toast to a formidable future. Throw your fist in the air.
Nas — “I Love This Feeling” (Magic 3, 2023)
Nas drops gems on navigating life’s hardships. Find your support system.
Nas — “1-800-Nas-&-Hit” (Magic 3, 2023)
Nas salutes the entire six-album run and encourages his elder peers to get active. Seed planted. Legend has it.
Nas — “Legit” (King’s Disease III, 2022)
With respect to Nas’ flow, Hit-Boy’s high-powered Five Heartbeats sample steals the show. Encore.
Nas — “Once A Man, Twice A Child” (King’s Disease III, 2022)
Nas shares his dignified perspective on this merry-go-round called life. “Live while you got the strength to.”
Nas — “Slow It Down” (Magic 2, 2023)
Nas is so far ahead of his time—don’t make him start another life.
Nas — “Replace Me” feat. Big Sean & Don Toliver (King’s Disease, 2020)
Alongside Detroit’s Sean Don, Mr. Jones opens up about relationship woes. You know how it goes.
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