Mic-Check Newsletter
Never miss a beat. Expert reviews of the music that matters, delivered every Monday.
Geese made rock matter again. Clipse put respect back on their name. Addison Rae pulled off a baffling glow-up.
From Kendrick Lamar's triumphant diss track to Billie Eilish's groovy bedroom pop, from Chappell Roan's 80s-inspired queer anthem to Zach Bryan's masterclass in storytelling.
From Troye Sivan's electrifying rush to SZA's smoldering defiance, from Billie Eilish's introspective Barbie ballad to boygenius' vulnerable comeback.
The second-to-last Mic-Check before we sign off
Bad Bunny at the height of superstardom. ADÉLA and Mon Laferte beyond the reality-TV pipeline.
Mavi prepares for takeoff beyond the underground. Pink Siifu caps a landmark year.
Charli XCX sets her sights far beyond pop. Summer Walker is finally over it.
Slayyyter cranks it up past mainstream limits. Anna von Hausswolff steps into the light.
When rap and hyperpop collide. The Marías frontwoman casts a new spell all her own.
Geese cement their place in New York rock. Magdalena Bay are inventing their own genre.
JADE is making pop interesting again. Maruja plants a new flag at the Windmill.
Carly Rae Jepsen revisits cult classic "Emotion." Hayley Williams is still reinventing herself.
Deftones sound just as vital two decades later. Ethel Cain builds her mythology.
The stage is where Chappell Roan comes alive. Quadeca levels up again.
