Melissa Kacar

Mayhem  is a true return to form for Lady Gaga . The pop music pioneer herself has continuously found new ways to evolve and transform herself with each release. This time around, she went back to her dance music roots, which resulted in one of the best records of her entire career. With  Mayhem , Gaga revisited many of the same aesthetics and themes that were present in her art at the start of her career, with albums like  The Fame , The Fame Monster  and   Born This Way   - which were truly innovative records at the time and greatly shaped what the future of pop music became. At the same time, she offers a modern and matured approach to the music, which fully reflects who she is right now at this stage of her life. This album truly is mayhem - it's clear that Gaga drew from so many different influences that make up the tapestry of sound this album represents. From David Bowie, Queen, Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna - the synthy 80s influences are amo...

Something Beautiful , Miley Cyrus ' "one-of-a-kind pop opera" fully defies modern pop conventions and sets out to create something completely singular in her discography. With an emphasis on high fashion, as well as avant-garde storytelling and aesthetics, this project brings her artistry to new heights. In an interview with Harper's Bazaar , Miley described this album as "...hypnotizing and glamorous. It's a concept album that's an attempt to medicate somewhat of a sick culture through music."  Coming off her massive 2023 album,  Endless Summer Vacation , Miley earned her biggest commercial success yet - which was a rare and impressive achievement after nearly twenty years in the industry. "Flowers" was the defining song of that year, and she ended up winning her very first Grammy for it as well. With that momentum, Miley easily could have capitalized on the success of "Flowers" even further by making another relatively safe, r...

A great range of artists were celebrated at this year's Grammy ceremony, making it one of the most stacked and memorable shows in recent years. The night was filled not only with incredible performances, but also with meaningful artistic statements that felt especially apt to be making for this moment in history we are living through. Music remains one of the most unifying forces we have, and the statements so many artists chose to make on this stage felt especially important. In a time marked by division, unrest, and the constant heartache of witnessing horrors around the world, moments like this remind us why we need music more than ever to bring us together. Kendrick Lamar was the most nominated artist of the year, earning nine nominations. His album  GNX  was absolutely incredible and truly deserving of all the hype and then some. At the main ceremony, he won for Best Rap Album and for Record of the Year for "luther" featuring SZA . When accepting his award for Best ...