Post Malone’s new blockbuster arrives a year and a half after the sales-shattering Beerbongs & Bentley, carried by the huge hit Rockstar. The formula is pretty much the same here: a skilful mix of 21st century trap (the kind that was concocted in the dark corners of Atlanta and Chicago before it invaded pop) and melodic alternative rock which draws in festival-goers from all around the world. In short, we find stadium rap with unstoppable riffs and crushing beats, which stretches out wide and sweeps along everything in its path. Post Malone has become one of the biggest popstars of his time, largely because he’s an outstanding performer on his own (even if his famous rapper friends are all present here - from Future to Swae Lee to Young Thug). Each of the songs on Hollywood’s Bleeding are hit-worthy, particularly thanks to the melodic prowess of this Syracuse-born rapper, who was bottle-fed on country and heavy metal, swallowing and spitting out decades of American popular music. Post Malone is supernatural on On the Road, yet challenged by two of the liveliest rappers on the scene, Meek Mill and Lil Baby. He has some fun with 80’s pop-rock weirdness on Allergic. He puts Ozzy Osbourne and Travis Scott in the same studio to see what happens (Take What You Want). He reveals yet another rap club hit with Wow. All with an unbelievable amount of phlegm and cheek. © Damien Besançon/Qobuz

Already a social media star by the time her widely acclaimed mixtape To Hell with It changed the game in 2021, PinkPantheress made her mainstream breakthrough in 2023, when the Ice Spice-featuring sequel to her single "Boy's a Liar" became a major worldwide hit. "Angel," an Irish folk-influenced tune recorded for Barbie: The Album, also gained the artist major exposure. The cover art for Heaven Knows, her debut full-length, suggests that PinkPantheress is undergoing a makeover as a singer of sultry R&B slow jams. In reality, the album is a fully developed refinement of the brisk, intricately arranged pop style she's become known for, with lyrics about romantic infatuations set to pulse-quickening liquid drum'n'bass, U.K. garage, and filter-house rhythms. Unlike her mixtape, all of the songs exceed two minutes this time around (though some of them just barely do), and most of them are packed with enough ideas to make them feel longer than they are. She co-produced the album's tracks along with previous collaborator Mura Masa, pop maven Greg Kurstin, Count Baldor, and others, with Danny L. Harle, Sam Gellaitry, and Oscar Scheller each making contributions. While the songs generally sound upbeat, the lyrics are much darker, describing obsessions taken to their extremes. The funereal organs and bursting storm clouds of "Another Life" provide the album's dramatic introduction, and the lyrics attempt to process the shock following the death of a partner. Several other songs mention thoughts of death -- on "Mosquito," PinkPantheress is only concerned about dying because it would separate her from her loved one, and "Ophelia" sonically illustrates a drowning scene with bubbling water effects, detached vocal glitches, and police sirens. The ominously titled "Bury Me," a drill-influenced duet with Kelela, is about the desire for more than a surface-level relationship, and "Internet Baby" also seems to search for something deeper, while feeling attracted by the pressure. On the boom-bap cut "Feel Complete," she's unsure if she ever really knew her partner, and she contemplates whether she'll ever be able to love again during the ambitious, dazzling "Capable of Love." "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2" is tucked away at the end as a bonus track, but it fits in perfectly with the album's themes of questioning trust in others as well as one's own self-worth. Crucially, the song is a joyous dance-pop delight with a bouncy, Jersey club-inspired beat. Even as PinkPantheress explores her deepest, darkest emotions, her songs are vibrant, hook-filled, and wildly inventive, making Heaven Knows just as worthy of repeated listens as To Hell with It, and confirming her status as a pop visionary.© Paul Simpson /TiVo

Having left his full-time role on the hit comedy Community to concentrate on music, rapper Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino gets broader and bolder on his 2013 effort Because the Internet, an indulgent kaleidoscope of studio tricks and celebrity problems that's still wildly attractive thanks to its smarts and ability to swing. That latter bit comes courtesy of primary producers Glover and Ludwig Goransson, who mix the edgy sounds of indie rap and indie pop with the best the mainstream world of R&B has to offer. Cool, radio-friendly crooner Lloyd shows up on the creamy West Coast dream called "Telegraph Ave.," while "3005" comes with a chorus so uplifting and bright, it makes the nerdy stay-at-home wallflower at its center sound epic and sexy. The booming influence of the A$AP Mob is felt on numerous cloudy cuts like the grand "Worldstar," where popping pills at Coachella, a Martin Scorsese reference, and a twisted sax solo all congeal into a dank glop of hip-hop hash oil. Then there are all the instrumental interludes that divide the album into chapters or suites, because this one reaches for art with some interruptions for getting flashy on "The Worst Guys" (where Chance the Rapper is merely Chance the Hypeman) and crashing on the couch for either a spliff, or maybe spliff and a sweet snuggle, with Jhené Aiko's "Pink Toes." All of it flows splendidly and Gambino's wit, hipness, and lyrical dexterity are all still strong points, with "I got more tail than Petco," "More green than my Whole Foods/And I'm too Fly, Jeff Goldblum," plus a reference to the "Ain't Nobody Got Time for That" meme being some examples. Still, even with all these strong points, Gambino often frames his angst and anger with the burden of being born rich (something he mentions quite often on the album), providing plenty of "we should all have such problems" bait or "hierarchy of needs" ammunition, depending on the listener's viewpoint/bank account. Even the short "The Party" finds him inviting friends over and then yelling at them to get the "F" out, but there's long been a wide gap between the life experience of rappers and their fans, something supported by the growling background vocals on "Crawl" provided by Mystikal, an MC who did plenty of hard time when most of his fans have not. Connecting with the album is nearly impossible, understanding it is difficult, and often enough, its inflated ego is irksome, but Because the Internet is too free and fascinating to be dragged down by these complaints, so if a Yeezus with more flash and fun is what's required, Gambino's got the good stuff.© David Jeffries /TiVo

With its epic dramatic arc, Manchester Orchestra's sixth album is a cinematic experience exploring themes of birth, death, and what lies beyond. Recorded in the wake of guitarist Robert McDowell's father's death from cancer, The Million Masks of God finds the group further building upon the conceptual approach they championed on 2017's A Black Mile to the Surface. Since debuting with 2006's I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child, Manchester Orchestra have expanded their muscular post-hardcore sound, weaving in acoustic guitars, strings, and some electronic elements. Million Masks continues this maturation with a sound that weaves together warm vocal harmonies and extended prog rock arrangements. Helping them achieve this nuanced aesthetic is producer Catherine Marks (Foals, Wolf Alice), with whom they recorded Black Mile. They also worked with producer Ethan Gruska (Phoebe Bridgers, Perfume Genius), who added keyboard, guitar, and percussion. Once again at the core of the band's sound is lead singer and songwriter Andy Hull, whose rich tenor grounds all of their anthemic, deeply emotive songs. His soaring style is particularly suited to the group's increasingly conceptual, character- and story-driven material. There's a feeling on Million Masks that the band are pushing themselves to move beyond the more traditional aspects of their rock sound, stretching their melodic and lyrical ideas. There's also an unexpected flow to the album, with the more robust, high-energy tracks appearing earlier and the more subdued, introspective ones coming later; all of which beautifully reflects the ebb and flow of life. The Million Masks of God captures this flow, taking you on a theatrical journey that's often as moving and poignant as it is aurally engaging.© Matt Collar /TiVo

There's a jack-o'-lantern on the cover and the first track is named after an old Nintendo video game accessory, plus there's a genre joke with the title "EDM Death Machine," so don't think Australia's Knife Party have gone serious on their Haunted House EP. Quite the contrary, this blasting set takes the most garish bits of their 2012 EP Rage Valley and ups the dose with bass dropping heavier than before and dubstep studio tricks getting worked overtime as melodies and hooks shatter into little pieces. It is adrenaline-fueled fluff, giving dubstep heads a quick fix and exiting after the right-sized length of an EP's run time.© David Jeffries /TiVo

Thanks to Ego Death, their third album from 2015, The Internet has reached a wider audience… And yet, Purple Naked Ladies released in 2011 and Feel Good, released two years later, had already highlighted the soulful voice of their female singer Syd Tha Kyd and the rather sophisticated and mostly minimalist sounds from Matt Martians, both members of the Odd Future collective. The Internet was tackling different sections of the soul music, with a preference for 90s nu soul, sometimes veering toward R&B or even hip-hop. Three years later, the orgy of sensual beats that are most of all as languorous as ever is still on the menu of their fourth opus, Hive Mind. In its DNA, The Internet is viscerally chill and this chill & laid back philosophy even becomes here an ever more mastered trademark. A sound and an attitude that mean that none of the thirteen songs from the album will be obvious to your ears on the first listen. With its dreamy melodies, Hive Mind, like all the deep works, is only understood with time. It’s a luxury in 2018 to take your time… © Marc Zisman/Qobuz

Following his fourth comedy special, 2016's Make Happy, a then-25-year-old Bo Burnham announced his potential retirement from comedy. Later citing increasing anxiety and on-stage panic attacks, he went on to write and direct his first movie, 2018's Eighth Grade, and appear in films including Best Picture Oscar nominee Promising Young Woman (2020). With his mental health improving, he planned to return to the stage in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the States, forcing an abrupt halt to any such gatherings. Sheltering in place for about a year, Burnham wrote, composed, performed, shot, and edited his fifth special, 2021's Inside, alone at his home in Los Angeles. In the 90-minute show, the chronically self-aware Burnham captures the lockdown state of mind with chilling precision -- depression, motivational struggles, and all -- as he makes his way through 20 original songs represented here on the nearly hour-long Inside (The Songs). He does well to address uneasy topics --- the appropriateness of humor in the time of a deadly pandemic, speaking from white male privilege during a call for minority representation -- right out of the gate on self-depreciating songs like "Comedy" and "How the World Works." The latter is a bouncy, kid-friendly keyboard ditty that has sock puppet Socko delivering rhymes like, "The global network of capital essentially functions/To separate the worker from the means of production." He delves into social media and technology on tracks including "White Woman's Instagram," "Sexting," and "Welcome to the Internet" ("Could I interest you in everything all of the time?"); comes to terms with turning 30 on the self-loathing "30"; and later discusses his panic attacks with a highly processed alt-R&B on "All Eyes on Me." By the time he reaches repetitive closing track "Any Day Now," it's clear that Burnham has delivered a comedy classic as well as a snapshot of the time. His fourth comedy-genre number one, Inside (The Songs) went all the way to number seven on the Billboard 200 upon its release in mid-2021. © Marcy Donelson /TiVo

Paul Wall is one of the more affable and accessible Houstonians. That's saying something. Don't forget: the city is also the home of Mike Jones, who wants you to call him at 281-330-8004 right now, not to mention the Astrodome, the temporary home to thousands of Hurricane Katrina survivors. He tirelessly refers to himself as a mere fan of hip-hop and constantly talks up his unsung heroes. Like most of his fellow H-Town MCs, Wall is a DJ Screw disciple, so he likes his tempos slow and syrupy -- he actually had to adjust to hearing hip-hop at a normal tempo, not the other way around! -- and he fills his rhymes with countless local slang terms (slabs, swangas, candy paint, tippin') that necessitate a glossary for many listeners. His thick but swift Southern drawl had its first spell of nationwide exposure on Jones' "Still Tippin'," one of the best rap singles released from any region in 2005. He's also the grille maker for many a Southern rap star (as boldly indicated on the front of The Peoples Champ) and gave the screwed-and-chopped treatment to T.I.'s Urban Legend. Years before all of this happened, Wall was kicking around, releasing the occasional independent album and mixtape. So, just like Houston itself, it has taken some time for Wall to get the spotlight. The Peoples Champ is a fine break out, led by first single "Sittin' Sideways." Not quite as magnificently woozy as "Still Tippin'," it's still another solid-gold production from Salih Williams, and Wall is as good over the beat as he is on anything else. Granted, Wall's no all-star lyricist -- he's rarely saying anything of deep substance (this is music for driving around and partying, after all), but his flow always fits into the fabric of the track. Titles like "So Many Diamonds," "Drive Slow," and "Sip-N-Get High" tip you off to the range of subject matter. Ever a gracious host, Three 6 Mafia, Bun B, Freeway, Big Pokey, T.I., and Kanye West are just some of the MCs who guest.© Andy Kellman /TiVo