At last week’s VMAs, Taylor Swift made history by winning Video of the Year for a record-breaking fifth time, while also securing her spot as the most awarded solo artist in the show's history. On the topic of award shows, Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter was, perhaps unsurprisingly, overlooked at the 2024 CMAs, receiving zero nominations.

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

BIGGEST Songs of the Week 📈

After debuting his new single at a live-streamed concert in São Paulo, The Weeknd has officially released the studio version of “Dancing in the Flames,” setting the stage for Hurry Up Tomorrow, the final chapter in the trilogy of albums he began in 2019. His previous two records, After Hours and Dawn FM, featured his signature 80s-inspired synthpop sound, and “Dancing in the Flames” is no different. However, unlike the album launches for his prior records, this one doesn’t come with any bold new personas. There’s no blinding red blazer and face bandages reminiscent of After Hours, nor the black leather suit with prosthetic wrinkles from Dawn FM.