Although we have not been at a total loss for new TV shows during the Hollywood strikes, it’s clear that the schedule for “epic” series has been on hold for much of this year. Yellowstone reruns have been coming to the ratings rescue, but that won’t hold people’s attentions forever. Nope, and that’s why 2024 shall bring a bevy of new programming, not only including more Yellowstone-related drama but also shows from FX, which has still been hitting ratings into the sky with The Bear this year with more to come in 2024.
FX is now gearing up for an epic event series, Shōgun, which will adapt James Clavell’s beloved 1975 novel (and the most well-known in his Asian Saga) in 10 episodes. The series stars an acclaimed Japanese roster of actors star in an action-packed and visually lush series, which chronicles a 1600s civil war while Lord Yoshii Toranaga is opposed by “vultures” on the Council of Regents. Alliances and possible betrayals will follow, as a marooned newcomer adds new shades to the conflict, and a translator finds herself in the middle of the central disagreements both literally and figuratively.
Excellent news is also onboard: the FX show will not only stream on Hulu but also Disney+ And here’s a trailer, so you can get your feet wet on the battlefield before showtime.
With his sci-fi epic Rebel Moon dropping onto Netflix later this month, Zack Snyder is already prepping fans for his next epic tale: the animated series Twilight of the Gods. While Snyder has already teased the show’s voice cast, little has been known about the Viking anime. That all changed at 2023 CCXP in Sao Paolo where Snyder revealed a ton of details about the show.
Most notably, Twilight of the Gods will lean into Snyder’s penchant for sex and violence, particularly the former. “A lot of sex,” Snyder told Collider. “Because that’s fun.”
Snyder also shared a synopsis for the animated series:
It’s basically this: there’s a king and his queen in a small Viking village, and they want to get married. An event happens to them at their wedding that causes Sigrid, who is the bride to be, who is the child of giants, to go on a crazy mission of revenge. She enlists a cast of characters – a seer, a dwarf – and they come together to form a band that has this one mission to find a god and fight him. It’s a mission, it’s a revenge story. Sigrid is this beautiful, very Scandinavian kind of cold but passionate character that I’ve really enjoyed working through and with because she’s just so cool.
The one thing Snyder didn’t share is a release date because he didn’t have one yet. The filmmaker and his wife/producing Deborah Snyder were both unsure of when Twilight of the Gods will start streaming on Netflix. Deborah believes the show will be completed over the summer, so there’s a possibility it could arrive in late 2024. However, a 2025 release is also a possibility.
And so — surprise, surprise — Forbes has Swift at No. 5 on its 2023 “World’s Most Powerful Women” list, published this morning, December 5. The top five is rounded out by Ursula Von Der Leyen (No. 1), Christine Lagarde (2), US Vice President Kamala Harris (3), and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (4).
If the list were based solely on whose condiment choices lit up the Empire State Building, Swift would be alone at No. 1. (She is No. 1 among women under 45 years old, anyway.) In fact, over the weekend, my sister texted me from a local Shake Shack in Kansas City — yup, I live in the Swift Capital Of The World — to relay the restaurant was playing Swift’s “Karma,” and we delightfully observed that we can no longer go one day without crossing paths with something Swift-adjacent.
Jokes (and/or very astute observations aside), Forbes explained its reasoning for placing Swift so highly, as excerpted below:
“Most notably, Taylor Swift’s dramatic rise from #79 to #5 epitomizes a new archetype of influence, signaling a shift from the traditional political and corporate might, and that far transcends traditional entertainment boundaries. Her economic impact this year is staggering: The Eras Tour alone is reported to have brought in a record-breaking $850 million, and is estimated to have boosted the U.S. economy by over $5 billion. Her innovative business strategies have redefined industry norms.
Yet Swift’s most profound impact lies in her ability to sway the cultural and social currents of our time, particularly among a young, predominantly female audience. She symbolizes a new era of power, influencing people and culture independent of any country or company.”
That’s right. The theater company’s restrictive conduct guidelines didn’t stop the BeyHive from releasing their wiggle down the aisle of each show. However, after a viral post on X (formerly Twitter) questioning the limited screening availability, those looking to see the concert visual are riddled with questions. The first is how long Beyoncé’sRenaissance movie will be in theaters.
According to NME, US and UK theaters are expected to wrap up on Sunday, December 10. This is seemingly confirmed on the schedule posted on AMC’s official webpage for the film.
On average, a typical movie is shown in theaters for anywhere between twelve and twenty weeks, depending on the film. In Taylor Swift’s case, her The Eras Tour concert reportedly will be able to be enjoyed at AMC theaters for thirteen weeks but with limited locations. Although their schedules are different, Swift and Beyoncé’s films share something in common: Both concert works are set to broadly be shown on the weekends (Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays).
So, if you want to see Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, and the tour’s dancers in all of their glory, your window is quickly closing.
It took a decade, but on Monday, Rockstar Games finally released the trailer for the Florida-set Grand Theft Auto VI. The previous game in the series, Grand Theft Auto V, is the second best-selling video game of all-time, behind only Minecraft, with over 190 million copies sold. That’s over $11.1 billion in sales, or nearly five times as much as the highest-grossing movie ever (Avatar).
Excitement is high. For everyone except Elon Musk and his cronies, that is.
After the Grand Theft Auto VI trailer was released, an X user and employee who goes by @KettlebellLife wrote, “A list of games I have not played: GTA1 GTA2 GTA3 GTA4 GTA5 GTA6.” Musk replied to the contrarian take by saying that he’s “tried” playing GTA before, but he “didn’t like doing crime. GTA5 required shooting police officers in the opening scene. Just couldn’t do it.”
This conservative talking point straight out of the 1990s — about aggressively violent video games like Doom or even the original Grand Theft Auto causing real-life violence — has been debunked time and time again. From Fortune, based on research from the Stanford Brainstorm lab:
We spent months reviewing 82 medical research articles that encompass all the reputed literature and scholarship in the field for any studies with any sort of causal link between playing video games and violent behavior. In short, current medical research and scholarship have not found any causal link between playing video games and gun violence in real life.
Musk (and Ian Miles Cheong, the Waylon Smithers to his Mr. Burns) not enjoying GTA because he doesn’t like “doing crime” is as silly as a vegan refusing to play Super Mario Bros. Wonder because they don’t want to crush turts. Here are some of the funniest reactions to his virtue signaling:
— DatNoFact (@datnofact.bsky.social) (@datnofact) December 5, 2023
Elon Musk has spread racist and homophobic conspiracy theories, tried to bribe employees for sexual favors, produced AI cars that kill people, and has been sued in numerous countries for poor or racist working conditions.
This week saw the release of a ton of great new pop music. Not only did Beyoncé and Taylor Swift celebrate together at the Renaissance Tour film premiere in London, but they also both released killer new songs. In other news, a BTS member delivered a spicier new remix of his song, courtesy of Usher.
Check out the rest of Uproxx’s Best New Pop Music roundup below.
Beyoncé — “My House”
In honor of Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour film hitting theaters, she treated fans to a brand new song, “My House,” during the end credits. It finds her showing off her rap skills, as she wants to have an extravagant but private outing.
Taylor Swift — “You’re Losing Me”
Taylor Swift celebrated becoming Spotify’s Top Global Artist for 2023 by finally dropping her fan-favorite Midnights track, “You’re Losing Me,” on streaming platforms. Before, it had only been available on CD. The heartbreaking song finds Swift seemingly coming to terms with the end of a relationship, on one of her all-time best bridges, as she feels she is fighting in only the other person’s army when all they can give in return is ignore her.
ATEEZ — “Crazy Form”
ATEEZ’s “Crazy Form” is the highlight track from the group’s new record, The World EP.FIN: Will. The enthusiastic song instantly raises spirits, given the lyrics find them pointing out how their “ego’s in the show.” The music video finds them fighting off bad guys, making it a truly action-packed time.
Lana Del Rey — “Take Me Home, Country Roads”
Lana Del Rey covered John Denver’s classic hit, transforming it from a country piece into a smoother, chill piano rendition. Del Rey truly makes the song feel like her own — which seems to be the direction she wants to go next, hinting at making more classic songs.
Dove Cameron — “Sand”
“‘Sand’ is about a person who I loved very much, and who I thought I was going to spend my life with,” Cameron revealed about her vulnerable track, which she shared the music video for, just ahead of her album, Alchemical: Volume 1. “It’s about the experience of having that seemingly perfect relationship end so suddenly and without warning, the feeling of shock and overnight disintegration of the future you built together, realizing no matter how much I gave of myself, I still had so little of him in the end
Jung Kook, Usher — “Standing Next To You”
As the latest remix from Jung Kook, he invited Usher to join his “Standing Next To You” song. “Stop, can you feel that?” Usher asks in his added verse, giving some spicier vibes to the already-romantic track. “It’s like heaven and earth moves whenever we touch / No, for real, I know you feel that.”
Slayyyter — “James Dean”
“James Dean” is featured as part of the deluxe version of Slayyyter’s Starf*cker album, which dropped this past week. The track shows off the pop star’s confident side, while she disses the haters because, as she says, “I don’t need cash / I don’t pay for sh*t.”
Declan McKenna — “Elevator Hum”
“The freedom and playfulness of the lyrics, and the gentle but fun glide of the track, take me back to being a kid in a way,” McKenna said of his latest nostalgic “Elevator Hum,” which he created alongside producer Gianluca Buccellati. It is featured on his upcoming album, What Happened To The Beach?, which pulls inspo from Southern California.
Holly Humberstone, Muna — “Into Your Room”
Holly Humberstone and Uproxx cover stars Muna united this past week for the remix of “Into Your Room,” much to the joy and surprise of their fans. “Holly is such a talented artist, and we have been so impressed by her songwriting and musicianship for a long time now,” Muna shared in a statement. “We were so stoked when her record came out a few months ago so it was a total delight to be able to get to put our little spin on ‘Into Your Room.’”
Empress Of — “Femenine”
Empress Of’s “Femenine” is a hypnotic dance track that finds the bilingual singer wanting a man with a softer side. The video also brings the house party energy, under some dreamy neon lighting.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
You know, looking back on it now, 2023 was kind of a wild year for television. A bunch of our best shows wrapped up their runs, and a bunch of other shows were delayed by prolonged negotiations between labor unions and the studios, and a bunch of weird and fun shows popped up out of nowhere. We had spoiled children in New York and sandwich chefs in Chicago and rascal teens in Oklahoma. We had an apocalypse and time loops and trips to outer space. Jon Hamm was in about half of the hundreds of shows that aired. There was really something for everyone out there if you know where to look.
Which, as always, makes compiling a top ten list at the end of the year a little tricky. There’s just so much across so many genres and it makes it almost impossible to create a comprehensive list. So… we resorted to math. The members of the Uproxx team each submitted a top ten list and then we assigned points based on these individual rankings. (Ten points for the number one show, nine points for the number two, and so on through the list until one lonely point was assigned to everyone’s tenth-ranked show.) We took all those numbers and plugged them into the calculator and here we are.
It’s a pretty good list. If you disagree, blame the math, not us. Numbers can be cruel.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
I Think You Should Leave — The third season of this beautifully deranged little sketch show delivered once again, introducing us to a slew of unsettling comic characters like, to pick just one, the Driving Crooner. What did we ever do without him?
Yellowjackets — If you thought a thriller series that leaps between two time periods to cover the immediate and future dilemmas faced by a girls soccer team whose plane crashes in the woods was going to be a one-season phenomenon, buddy, were you ever proven wrong by the second season of this show.
Beef — A contentious traffic situation escalates beyond road rage into life-consuming obsession, but in a fun way, with Ali Wong and Stephen Yeun and the best Hoobastank needledrop you’ve ever seen delivering on a premise that could have been too ambitious to work in less capable hands.
Blue Eye Samurai — The animated series that followed a half-white, half-Japanese samurai on a mission for vengeance was a blast, with eight extremely bingeable episodes dropping in November and a voice cast that included everyone from Maya Erskine to Randall Park to George Takei to Kenneth Branagh.
Jury Duty — What happens when you take a normal guy and drop him into an absurd legal situation where everyone is an actor and everything is scripted and James Marsden shows up as a heightened goofball version of himself and the normal guy doesn’t realize it’s all a ruse? Well, you get a good television show, for one thing.
What We Do in the Shadows — It feels unfair that this show is buried in the honorable mentions when all it did this season was continue to deliver on its silly vampiric premise at a high-level the same way it has since its first season. It’s a gift and a curse, really, these expectations of greatness that make it hard for the show to surprise us sometimes. There are worse problems to have.
Swagger — The sports drama loosely inspired by the experiences of NBA superstar Kevin Durant came to an end after two seasons this year, which is a shame, because it delivered a kind of cultural commentary — thanks in large part to the stellar performance by O’Shea Jackson — that is rarely seen on television.
The Other Two — Another show that ended its run this year, which is a shame for a lot of reasons, some having to do with the razor-sharp satire of Hollywood it depicted and some having to do with the performances by Drew Tarver and Helena Yorke as the overlooked sinking of a teen megastar and some having to do with there just not being enough shows on television that let Molly Shannon run wild like this. Still, it was a good one.
The Golden Bachelor — Be honest, you did not expect a dating show about a 72-year-old former restaurateur with a massive lion tattoo looking for love among similarly aged women to be network television’s biggest smash hit of the fall. And yet, here we are. Life is strange like that.
Grief is at the center of Shrinking — the grief that comes from losing someone close, from losing one’s own dynamism, confidence, and control. But it’s also about the beauty that comes from refinding some of those things and discovering a way through with the help of love and friendship. Led by Jason Segel as a widowed therapist and Harrison Ford as his mentor, the show is a layered, funny, and heartful mess of broken people trying to fix other broken people. Few 30-minute comedies ever feel this deep and life-affirming.
Rian Johnson’s love letter to case-of-the-week detective shows with quirky sleuths a la Columbo and Murder She Wrote,Poker Face absolutely cooks with Natasha Lyonne as an on-the-run human lie detector who keeps bumping into hairy situations with morally dubious characters. From the soundtrack to the cool car and the idiosyncratic and lyrical dialogue, Poker Face is a surprisingly breezy watch for something that so often dips into murder.
Fans who dusted off their Dystopia Fatigue for this slow-burn murder mystery set hundreds of years in the future and buried deep beneath the earth’s “toxic” surface were rewarded with a surprising sci-fi thriller that finally convinced us that Apple TV+ knows what it’s doing when it comes to sci-fi. Based on Hugh Howey’s work of fiction, Silo introduces audiences to a community of thousands living in a sort of inverted skyscraper miles underground. They’re there because of some environmental catastrophe, but the hows and whys of who lives, who dies, who procreates, and who controls become muddled when a stoic mechanic (hello to Rebecca Ferguson and her greased-up biceps) escapes her Down Deep existence to serve as sheriff and solve a painfully personal homicide case. Twists and turns (both narrative and physical, especially when the show utilizes its 144-story winding staircase to ramp up the action) elevate Silo’s premise. This isn’t just about living past the end of the world, it’s about how we do it and the lies we tell along the way.
The Boys brand stayed impossibly strong in this offshoot’s first season, and to quote Bill Murray in Ghostbusters, the finale came, saw, and kicked ass for several reasons, including that Homelander cameo. The college-based show seamlessly integrates with the original series while also poking a lot of fun at shared universes. Did you have Amazon on your bingo card for outdoing the MCU and DCU this year on superheroes? Oi.
A lot of things had to go right for HBO’s The Last of Us to be as good as the video game it’s based on. It needed to find the perfect actors to play Joel and Ellie (Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey — check). It needed the right writers to find the humanity in a world overrun by monsters (Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, who also created the game — check). It needed to be violent, but sweet; hopeless, but ultimately hopeful; bleak, but with moments of genuine humor (check and check and check for the Bill and Frank episode alone). The Last of Us was a triumph, not just as a video game adaptation, but as one of the best TV shows of the year.
Horror maestro Mike Flanagan and original doom king Edgar Allan Poe added up to a macabre yet delightful meeting of the minds. Carla Gugino sizzles in several different ways (and guises) and stole back her Flanagan MVP crown from Hamish Linklater, and this show was so screwball that we did a death ranking if you want to live it all over again. This isn’t a literal telling of the Poe story but one that successfully incorporates modern ills while skewering the concepts of wealth, privilege, and power, and this is the most entertaining takedown of Big Pharma in years.
A few things worth noting about this show, which is now three seasons deep into its comedic look at a fictional family of televangelists:
Walton Goggins in old-man makeup as snake oil salesman Baby Billy Freeman continues to be one of the best performances on television, and the episode where he meets his long-lost son — featuring a gasp-inducing cameo — was one of the best half-hours of television this year
Everything Edi Patterson does as spoiled middle child Judy Gemstone is remarkable and she should have so many awards for it by now that she has trouble climbing over them to get out of the house
Barry wrapped up its run this year, bringing an end to the story about a skilled hitman who becomes depressed and tries to crawl out of the hole he’s in with the help of a local theater group. Bill Hader was the mastermind behind all of it and deserves the lion’s share of credit, but please never forget the performances by Sarah Goldberg as Sally Reed and Anthony Carrigan as NoHo Hank and Henry Winkler as Gene Cousineau and Stephen Root as Fuches and… wow. Just typing all that out again is a nice reminder of what a stacked cast this had. One of the best shows of the last five years and it went out with a bang. Can’t ask for much more.
Just a special television show that, in case you haven’t noticed a theme developing here, also came to an end this year. Sweet and profound, funny and sad, mixing the silliest jokes you’ve ever seen with deep contemplations on coming of age and death, this series about a group of rascal indigenous teens growing up in Oklahoma was truly one of a kind. We are better for the fact that it existed at all. Please binge it this winter if you haven’t seen it yet. Or watch it again next year if you haven’t. This is everything television can and should be.
The Bear burst onto the scene with a wonderful first season a couple of years ago, a story about a talented chef coming home to run the family sandwich shop after a death left its future in limbo. The second season continued to deliver, with a cameo-packed family meal and star-making performances by Ayo Edibiri and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, the latter of whom was responsible for one of the better character arcs you’ll ever see. Everyone hated Richie in season one. Everyone loves Richie now. That’s not an easy trick to pull off. The only downside here is that watching this show will make you want a sandwich all hours of the day. Could be worse.
What a ride. From the very beginning to the very end, with countless F-bombs and shocking deaths and goofball failsons and hangers-on clinging to financial lifeboats, the time we spent with the Roy family was memorable. There’s not much else to say that hasn’t been said. Succession was the rare show to capture critical acclaim and a massive audience and it was just a lot of fun to have a huge water cooler show to talk about again in a time when everything else is all splinters and frayed. There was so much about it worth discussing, from Logan’s grumbling to Cousin Greg’s bumbling to Kendall quite literally staring out into the ocean looking for answers. Everyone on this show was an awful human being. We will miss them deeply.
It appears Britney Spears’ father Jamie has been in poor health in recent times, and reportedly, he recently had one of his legs amputated.
According to TMZ, “sources with direct knowledge” told them that Jamie had a major infection in one of his legs, which landed him in the hospital for weeks. After five unsuccessful surgeries attempting to contain the infection, doctors decided the best stop forward was amputation.
There is at least some good news for Jamie, though, as TMZ also reports “there is hope” for a reconciliation between him and Britney. The publication notes, “Our sources say Britney has softened toward her dad recently. There have been times when she’s said she misses her dad, and once even talked about sending him money to help him out. As for Jamie, our sources say there’s nothing he’d rather have than a reconciliation with his daughter, and harbors no ill will.”
Of course, Britney has famously had a contentious relationship with her parents due to the conservatorship. In September 2022, Britney wrote, “It’s extremely hard for me to accept the fact that my family did that to me … it will be hard for me for the rest of my life … as for my Mom and Dad who sat back and hid coffee from me at the house to wake me up from feeling dead and scared like an old lady … and threw me away … I will say it loud and proud … I pray you both burn in hell.”
Since then, though, it appears the Spears family is on far better terms.
There are two words that can describe R&B in 2023: recognition and elevation. The two worked hand in hand over the course of 12 months to place the genre in a brighter light compared to previous years. SZA is the epitome of this recognition as her sophomore album SOS and highlight songs like “Kill Bill” and “Snooze” had their presence felt on the charts throughout the year. It all played a role in a year that Spotify said produced a 25% stream increase of R&B music.
There are other notable and extremely talented contributors to this increase. There’s Victoria Monét and her dazzling Jaguar II album which is also home to the infectious “On My Mama,” a record that quickly became Monét’s most popular track. We also have Janelle Monáe’s splendid fifth album The Age Of Pleasure which made a joyous splash in the industry during this year’s summer months. Daniel Caesar, Sampha, and Jorja Smith made long-awaited returns with their respective albums, Never Enough, Lahai, and Falling Or Flying.
The veterans of R&B thrived in 2023, but so did the newcomers. Look no further than Leon Thomas III’s debut Electric Dusk, Fridayy’s delf-titled debut, and Khamari’s A Brief Nirvana. Artists new and old within the traditional, contemporary, and alternative R&B genres thrived in 2023 and helped bring the genre to a new level, and now, it’s time to celebrate their work.
Here are the 25 best R&B projects of 2023 in alphabetical order.
6lack — Since I Have A Lover
LVRN/Interscope
It’s always beautiful to see musicians continuously find new ways to bring their artistry to life with each project they release. That’s undoubtedly been the case for 6lack who finally delivered his third album Since I Have A Lover. Unlike his previous two albums, 6lack combines pop references with his trademark alternative R&B for a body of work that is both freeing and diverse. Through success in love, 6lack finds himself to be a new man with a new outlook on life, all of which is detailed through records that display his loyalty (“Fatal Attraction”), patience (“B4L”), commitment (“Temporary”), and more. Whether he’s rapping or singing, 6lack gets his message across in an effortless and impressive manner. – Wongo Okon
Baby Rose — Through And Through
Secretly Canadian
It’d been a little while since Baby Rose released a full-length project, but that period finally came to an end with her sophomore album Through And Through. The project is a refreshing addition to the musical landscape and Rose’s savory croons and heavy, soulful spirit guide the album that details the various fires she escaped her life. We meet a determined Baby Rose on Through And Through who isn’t afraid to put her hand out for a new foray into love (“Dance With Me” & “Love Bomb”), overcome heartbreak (“Stop The Bleeding”), and show that there are more sides to her than a hopeless romantic (“I Won’t Tell”). Through its 11 songs, Baby Rose offers an elegant and enchanting showcase of her undeniable talents with Though And Through. – W.O.
BJ The Chicago Kid — Gravy
RCA Records
There’s no conversation of modern-day soul music that can be had without mention of BJ The Chicago Kid. The singer has delivered impressive bodies of work for over a decade and that continues with his fourth album Gravy. Made in collaboration with producer Yeti Beats, Gravy soaks itself in 1970s soul with Al Green as its inspiration. With BJ The Chicago Kid in the driver’s seat, Gravy expands into a symphony of sweet trumpets and ear-pleasing strings that accompany his passionate vocals that rest like gravy over the production. Gravy stands in a room of its own among R&B in 2023, and with it, BJ The Chicago Kid continues his streak of top-notch albums – W.O.
Brent Faiyaz – Larger Than Life
ISO Supremacy/UnitedMasters
Brent Faiyaz’s career has reached new heights after he dropped his second album Wasteland. A year removed from that project came Larger Than Life, which in short, is a celebratory toast to the good life. Faiyaz leans heavily into the perks of his stardom on the 14-track album while paying homage to his DMV home. This toast and moment of gratitude to those who came before him — Timbaland and Missy Elliott, for example — is just a piece of the pie on Larger Than Life. It’s also where up-and-coming DMV artists like Cruddy Murda, TTM Dawg, and Tommy Richman were given the floor to show their talents. Some artists get big and lose touch with how they got there. That’s not the case with Brent whose Larger Than Life is still in touch with his roots, himself, and his supporters. – W.O.
CARRTOONS — Saturday Night
Wichita
CARRTOONS was an artist that was entirely unknown to me when I hit play on their new project Saturday Night on a whim. One song — really, the first 20 seconds of that first song — was all it took for the New York producer’s funky, instrumental take on retrofuturistic R&B to burrow deep into my brain and take up residence. Saturday Night quickly gentrified parts of my brain that hadn’t been receptive to new music for at least a decade, in part thanks to guest appearances from underground vocalists like Reuben James, Topaz Jones, and Haile Supreme, but also because of the undeniable, endlessly danceable grooves from the producer themselves. – Aaron Williams
Chlöe — In Pieces
Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records
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
Republic
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.
Dende – ’95 Civic
CXR/Good Partners
Dende, if not a name you recognize, is a face you may have seen this year. This Houston earned himself a viral moment in 2023 with an impassioned performance of “Nightmares” complete with special effects that gave him bodily injuries as brutal as a car accident. Months later came his album ’95 Civic, which used a journey in the Honda vehicle to represent the rise and crushing fall of a relationship. Dende does an excellent job of portraying the devastation and eventual pain caused by this unexpected loss, and what comes from it is a project that’s emotionally vulnerable and captivating. A relationship’s end can be as unexpected and devastating as a car accident, especially when so much is invested into it. While what happens next remains to be seen, Dende’s story on ’95 Civic is beautiful enough to hear over and over again for the time being. – W.O.
Fridayy — Fridayy
Lost In Melody, LLC/Def Jam Recordings
Much of the music world’s introduction to Philly singer Fridayy came through his bellowing hook on DJ Khaled’s “God Did” record with Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, and Jay-Z. Though we received his debut project Lost In Melodyy in 2022, the singer’s debut self-titled album is the proper introduction. Fridayy arrives as a glorious and epic account of the faith he had in reaching this moment he dreamed of. Fridayy switches between his accounts of faith in God and faith in the relationships as much as he transitions in and out of traditional R&B, afrobeats, and contemporary R&B records. With Fridayy, the Philly singer proved that he’s worthy of everything he’s been blessed with, as well as your attention, going forward. – W.O.
Janelle Monáe — The Age Of Pleasure
Wondaland Arts Society/Atlantic Records
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. – Alex Gonzalez
Jordan Ward — Forward
ARTium/Interscope
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
FAMM
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. – Flisadam Pointer
Kali Uchis — Red Moon In Venus
Geffen
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.
Khamari – A Brief Nirvana
Via the label
The lone newcomer on this list is singer Khamari, who delivered his debut project A Brief Nirvana to kick off the unofficial start to summer. The 11-track project is a sweet combination of nostalgia and a fresh breath from a new artist to the game, and his sampling of Al Green’s “Love And Happiness” on “On My Way” for an honest tale about loneliness is a perfect example of that. Even when through completely original compositions like “Doctor, My Eyes,” Khamari’s artistry shines through vivid lyricism that’s aided by emotive production. The Boston-born singer has earned comparisons to Frank Ocean and his A Brief Nirvana debut is a great start to hopefully one day reaching the status of the celebrated singer. – W.O.
Kiana Ledé — Grudges
The Heavy Group/Republic
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 Type,” 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.
Leon Thomas — Electric Dusk
Motown Records
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.
Mahalia — IRL
Warner Music UK
Four years removed from her debut album, British singer Mahalia is back for round two with sophomore effort IRL (In Real Life). Its 13 tracks portray a woman, now 25 years old, who is more courageous and firm in her beliefs than ever. Though IRL may be a bit broad of a title, but its songs are anything but that. She avoids and calls out manipulation in love on records like “It’s Not Me, It’s You” and celebrates breaking free from a relationship that no longer serves her on “Wassup Wassup.” Mahalia isn’t always the tough girl she is on “Terms And Conditions,” as “Lose Lose” portrays, but in the end, all that matters is the mere attempt day in and day out to be that strong. IRL is empowering and motivating as it is vulnerable and honest, a mix we could use more of in music. – W.O.
Masego — Masego
Capitol
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.
Phabo — Don’t Get Too Cozy
Phabo/Soulection
Before 2023, you’d have a hard time pointing out a bad song from Los Angeles singer Phabo and that’s still the case with just weeks left in the year. Don’t Get Too Cozy, the singer’s second project, lives within the pursuit of love as its title alludes to staying on your toes and never relaxing even when romance is found. What amounts from that is bulletproof confidence and a tunnel-visioned focus that Phabo not only presents through this album, but in his career as well. Calls for a woman to “Swing My Way” are followed by the discovery of an enthralling summer love on the other side of the country on “Stay.” The pursuit continues in the bedroom through “Luv Songs (Unruly)” and “Express Yourself,” and by the end of it all, there’s no doubt that the mission is successful. Don’t Get Too Cozy is equal parts charismatic and intimate, and a recipe that places Phabo in an appealing light. – W.O.
Raahiim — BUT IF iiM HONEST
Also Known Worldwide Inc
Of the many artists to come out of Toronto’s talented R&B landscape, Raahiim is one to take note of. His second project BUT IF iiM HONEST, which recently received the deluxe treatment, is the epitome of honesty and transparency — for better or for worse. His tender voice cascades over moody and timid production that delivers accounts of a real situation Raahiim faced — or was too afraid to face — in his life. Between questioning a partner’s sudden change in behavior on “Famous (Lost To LA),” detailing the flaws in a partner’s contribution to a relationship on “Friend Zone,” and struggling with the absence of love on “Lonely,” Raahiim lives up to the album title on BUT IF iiM HONEST and its the type of authenticity we can appreciate. – W.O.
Rory — I Thought It’d Be Different
Avant Garden
If you ever needed proof that R&B is alive and well, aside from the numerous impressive solo albums that arrived in the genre this year, look no further than Rory’s compilation project I Thought It’d Be Different. The 13-track release takes some very talented names in the alternative and traditional R&B world — Ari Lennox, DRAM, Alex Isley, dvsn, Raahiim, Shantal May, Pink Sweat$, Sinead Harnett, and THEY., just to name a few — and pairs them together with knowledge of how each artist caters to another. What comes next are records that touch on romance, heartbreak, and the many other possibilities that exist between those two realms. Rory excellently steers the ship that is I Thought It’d Be Different, and what comes from it is a well-crafted body of work that shines a light on alternative R&B and delivers a sweet gift to those who love the genre. –W.O.
Sampha — Lahai
Young
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.
SZA — SOS
TDE/RCA
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’sSOS 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.
THEY. — Nu Moon
AWAL
THEY. — the duo comprised of singer Drew Love and producer Dante Jones — entered a new era with the release of their third album Nü Moon. The project is the duo’s first independent album, and the freedom to create as one pleases that comes with this independence is hard to ignore through the project’s 14 songs. With Nü Moon, Drew and Dante give us another take of their trademark alternative R&B style and it’s one that seems to live under the night sky. With records like “In The Mood,” “Riptide,” and “Wait On Me” which features the incomparable Kacey Musgraves, THEY. present no sign of sunlight while proving that even in the darkest moments, love can still exist. Searching for it, having it, and losing it; it’s the theme of THEY’s Nü Moon which strikes as their best and most complete body of work to date. – W.O.
Victoria Monét — Jaguar II
RCA Records
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.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The Yellowstone phenomenon has transformed from one lonely cowboy soap opera to an expanding roster of Taylor Sheridan shows like Lawmen: Bass Reeves, which is racking up massive ratings on Paramount+. Most of Sheridan’s shows do stream on that service (with most surfacing eventually on Paramount Network), although Yellowstone proper has been dominating Peacock. That hasn’t stopped the original series from doing well while the first season began filling holes on CBS’ fall schedule while Hollywood recovers from those strikes.
Heck, the show has even been faring well with a network edit that adds up to less swearing and watered down sex stuff. People can’t stop watching the show in between NFL airtimes, and suddenly, the fact that Kevin Costner probably will not be in the final half of Season 5 doesn’t matter all that much because CBS has found that people will simply watch the old episodes.
And that has led to CBS deciding to move onto Yellowstone Season 3 with their network voyage for the Dutton ranch. That sun will rise, via The Wrap, on January 14, 2024 at 8:00pm EST.
In other words, the cowboy soap opera lives on despite the soap operatics involving getting the cast gathered up to film the final episodes. Giddy up, y’all.
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