GNX is back at No. 1, with DAMN. and Good Kid, M.A.A.D City also returning to the top 10, all thanks to Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show last Sunday. A record-breaking performance—topping Michael Jackson’s as the most-watched in history—split the crowd straight down the middle.

Kendrick was always going to do it his way. He delivered a bold, cerebral set, skipping his biggest hits in favor of a theatrical reckoning with his place in America. Samuel L. Jackson, stepping into the role of Uncle Sam, advised Kendrick on what the country does and doesn’t want from him.

Maybe the wrong venue, definitely the wrong audience—but undeniable all the same. No one asked, but if we had to power-rank the greatest halftime shows? (1) Prince, (2) U2, (3) Beyoncé, (4) Kendrick. And for everyone still salty that Lil Wayne didn’t get the stage—SNL threw him a bone last night. Jay-Z made the right call.

Click here for a Spotify playlist with the songs mentioned in this newsletter.

BIGGEST Songs of the Week 📈

K-pop’s global takeover began in the 2010s, with artists like PSY and groups like Girls’ Generation and BTS breaking into the North American mainstream with massive crossover appeal. Since then, its influence has only grown.