Melissa Kacar

Raised on pop punk and bubblegum, 5 Seconds of Summer 's EVERYONE'S A STAR! is a sharp and at times satirical blend of everything the band has spent the past fifteen years building. Much of the record is rooted in the desire to poke fun at the idea of fame itself - both in the cultural sense of what it means to be a "rockstar" and also their own complicated relationships with being known in the modern age. They are fully transparent about all of the glamour, attention and darker undertones of their experiences growing up in the public eye. Now as they are entering their thirties, some even starting new chapters of marriage and fatherhood, they're able to now look back on the parts of their youth that they didn't have the space or clarity to process at the time.  For all of the cheeky, lighthearted moments, this album really digs into what it means to make it through the growing pains of early adulthood and come out on the other side of the struggles they may ...

"serena joy" by Olivia Rodrigo As the theme song for her inaugural all‑female music festival, Daisy Chains Fields, Olivia released the incredible "serena joy", which is a cautionary anthem meant to inspire action and change for women around the world. All proceeds from the song, and from the festival itself, are going to numerous charities focused on advocation for and funding women's causes globally. She's already raised over $20 million, which is such an extraordinary feat. There aren't many artists with the guts, conviction, or foresight to pull off something this massive, especially something rooted entirely in helping people around the world on such a massive scale, but Olivia has always stood firmly on her morals and used her platform to make a difference. I've always admired her for that. Named after a character from The Handmaid's Tale , the song carries the mantra "if they do it to them, they'll do it to you", which is a re...

"Evolve" by 5 Seconds of Summer 5SOS finally released their long‑awaited sixth album together, and it might be my favorite thing they've ever made. EVERYONE'S A STAR! fully leans into this fun, tongue‑in‑cheek energy that they have been perfecting all throughout their career, but this time through an even more refined and mature lens. I've been so obsessed with so many of their new songs, but I especially love the momentum that "Evolve" brings to the latter half of the album. It's going to be so incredible live and I can't wait to experience it next summer in New York City ! "Showbiz" by Hayley Williams Hayley Williams released yet another bonus track from her incredible Ego Death at A Bachelorette Party , which first came out this summer as a series of singles. This new song was included as a bonus alongside the vinyl release, and it serves as such an emotional closing note to the album and the larger narrative she's been build...