Artists

Kendrick Lamar

One of the most acclaimed artists of his generation, hip-hop or otherwise, Kendrick Lamar is known for his top-tier lyricism, virtuosic microphone command, and sharp conceptual vision. His talents have translated to a rare combination of continuous chart feats and critical acclaim, plus respect and support from the rappers who paved the way for his advancement. The Compton native started in his teens and hit his creative and commercial stride in the 2010s, during which he authored the multi-platinum good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012), followed up with the Grammy-winning To Pimp a Butterfly (2015), and scaled another new height with the Grammy- and Pulitzer Prize-winning DAMN. (2017). All three displayed an unmatched mix of inventive wordplay and riveting narratives with an assertion of artistic dominance, examination of internal conflict, and upliftment of community all centered. Those qualities were also exemplified in seven concurrent Top 40 singles that included "Swimming Pools (Drank)," "i," and the Hot 100-topping "HUMBLE." Lamar's screenplay-level detail on those recordings was enriched by a shifting collective of associates, many of whom -- from inspirations <a href="spotify:artist:6DPYiyq5kWVQS4RGwxzPC7">Dr. Dre</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4XqfpACObRB5AsBcUYjL8X">MC Eiht</a> to peers such as Sounwave, <a href="spotify:artist:7MNEVabc4cs19CbzAFZmXz">Terrace Martin</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:4frXpPxQQZwbCu3eTGnZEw">Thundercat</a> -- likewise represent Los Angeles. The rapper's cinematic and collaborative inclinations inevitably attracted the mainstream film industry, leading to an executive-production role on Black Panther: The Album (2018), the source of three additional Top 40 hits. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022), fueled by intense self-analysis, became Lamar's sixth number one on the Billboard 200 despite containing his most challenging and confrontational work. The lean surprise release GNX (2024) capped a year in which Lamar topped the Hot 100 again with "Like That" (a collaboration with <a href="spotify:artist:1RyvyyTE3xzB2ZywiAwp0i">Future</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0iEtIxbK0KxaSlF7G42ZOp">Metro Boomin</a>) and the Grammy-sweeping "Not Like Us" (the peak of a public feud with <a href="spotify:artist:3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4">Drake</a>). Compton, California native Kendrick Lamar Duckworth grew up immersed in hip-hop culture and surrounded by gang activity. As a youngster, he gradually discovered an aptitude for writing stories, poems, and lyrics, which naturally led to rapping. He made a name for himself as K. Dot. At the age of 16 in 2003, he issued his debut mixtape, The Hub City Threat: Minor of the Year. While it merely hinted at the potential of the then-teenager, it was impressive enough to catch the attention of <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Top+Dawg+Entertainment%22">Top Dawg Entertainment</a> and led to a long-term association with the label that steadily propelled his career. Training Day, the <a href="spotify:artist:28ExwzUQsvgJooOI0X1mr3">Jay Rock</a> collaboration No Sleep 'til NYC, and C4, issued from 2005 through 2009, likewise preceded Lamar's decision to go by his first and middle names. The last of the three was issued the same year he became part of <a href="spotify:artist:7a9KRWdaSZktpGGnWndzbC">Black Hippy</a>, a group whose members -- including fellow <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22TDE%22">TDE</a> artists <a href="spotify:artist:0g9vAlRPK9Gt3FKCekk4TW">Ab-Soul</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:28ExwzUQsvgJooOI0X1mr3">Jay Rock</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:5IcR3N7QB1j6KBL8eImZ8m">ScHoolboy Q</a> -- frequently appeared on one another's mixtapes and albums. The first tape credited to Kendrick Lamar was Overly Dedicated, released in September 2010. Also the rapper's first commercial release, it reached enough listeners to enter Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. After XXL magazine selected him for the 2011 Freshman Class feature, Lamar released his first official album, Section.80, that July, and crossed into the Billboard 200, reaching number 113. With deeper conceptual narratives and sharpened melodic hooks, as well as comparative multidimensional development from primary producer Sounwave, the set acted as a kind of warning flare for Lamar's mainstream rap dominance. In addition to the dozens of tracks he had appeared on by then, Lamar had the support of veteran West Coast stars as well. During a concert later in 2011, <a href="spotify:artist:6DPYiyq5kWVQS4RGwxzPC7">Dr. Dre</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7hJcb9fa4alzcOq3EaNPoG">Snoop Dogg</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:0NbfKEOTQCcwd6o7wSDOHI">Game</a> dubbed him "The New King of the West Coast," a notion <a href="spotify:artist:6DPYiyq5kWVQS4RGwxzPC7">Dre</a> endorsed more significantly by signing Lamar to his <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Interscope%22">Interscope</a>-affiliated <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Aftermath%22">Aftermath</a> label. Lamar's major-label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, was released in October 2012 and entered the Billboard 200 at number two. Three of its singles -- "Swimming Pools (Drank)," "Poetic Justice," and "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe" -- reached the Top Ten of Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart and went Top 40 pop. More significantly, the album showcased Lamar as an exceptional storyteller capable of making compelling concept albums. It led to Grammy nominations in four categories: Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Best Rap Album, and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (for "Now or Never," a deluxe edition bonus cut featuring <a href="spotify:artist:1XkoF8ryArs86LZvFOkbyr">Mary J. Blige</a>). <a href="spotify:artist:360IAlyVv4PCEVjgyMZrxK">Miguel</a>'s "How Many Drinks?" and <a href="spotify:artist:13ubrt8QOOCPljQ2FL1Kca">A$AP Rocky</a>'s "Fuckin' Problems," two tracks on which Lamar made guest appearances, were nominated as well. Rather than rest, Lamar remained active during 2013-2014, touring as well as appearing on tracks by the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:5INjqkS1o8h1imAzPqGZBb">Tame Impala</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0A0FS04o6zMoto8OKPsDwY">YG</a>, and fellow <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Top+Dawg%22">Top Dawg</a> affiliate <a href="spotify:artist:7tYKF4w9nC0nq9CsPZTHyP">SZA</a>. The proud single "i" was released in September of the latter year, became Lamar's fourth Top 40 single, and won Grammys for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song. Still rolling, he announced in early 2015 that his third album, To Pimp a Butterfly, would be out in March with tracks featuring <a href="spotify:artist:7hJcb9fa4alzcOq3EaNPoG">Snoop Dogg</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4jCbgl5Dmt3uOh8WRQfpPs">Bilal</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4frXpPxQQZwbCu3eTGnZEw">Thundercat</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:2GVBp7QyHckoOg7rYkLvrA">George Clinton</a>. A technical error caused the digital version to be released eight days early, but the LP nonetheless topped the Billboard 200 with sales of 325,000 copies within its first week. It made numerous best-of lists at the end of the year and won the Grammy for Best Rap Album. The defiant and life-affirming "Alright," which was quickly adopted by the Black Lives Matter activist movement, along with another single, "These Walls," took awards for Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Riding high on his wins and a striking Grammy ceremony performance, Lamar followed up in March 2016 with untitled unmastered., consisting of demos recorded during the previous three years. Like the preceding release, it debuted at number one, and seamlessly synthesized beatmaking and traditional musicianship from the likes of Sounwave, <a href="spotify:artist:7MNEVabc4cs19CbzAFZmXz">Terrace Martin</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:4frXpPxQQZwbCu3eTGnZEw">Thundercat</a>. Within a month, Lamar added to his ever-lengthening discography of featured appearances with his contribution to <a href="spotify:artist:6vWDO969PvNqNYHIOW5v0m">Beyoncé</a>'s "Freedom." Led by "HUMBLE.," his first number one pop hit, DAMN. arrived in April 2017 and likewise entered the Billboard 200 at the top. Remarkably, all 14 of the album's songs entered the Hot 100, and it was certified multi-platinum within three months. Among the contributors were <a href="spotify:artist:5pKCCKE2ajJHZ9KAiaK11H">Rihanna</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:51Blml2LZPmy7TTiAg47vQ">U2</a>, but at this point, the supporting roles were beneficial more for the guest artists than they were for Lamar, whose artistic clout was unrivaled. He snagged five more Grammys: DAMN. won Best Rap Album; "HUMBLE." took Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Video; and Best Rap/Sung Performance went to "LOYALTY.," the <a href="spotify:artist:5pKCCKE2ajJHZ9KAiaK11H">Rihanna</a> collaboration. Another number one hit followed in February 2018. The soundtrack Black Panther: The Album featured Lamar on every track. Its three singles -- "All the Stars" (with <a href="spotify:artist:7tYKF4w9nC0nq9CsPZTHyP">SZA</a>), "King's Dead" (with <a href="spotify:artist:28ExwzUQsvgJooOI0X1mr3">Jay Rock</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1RyvyyTE3xzB2ZywiAwp0i">Future</a>), and "Pray for Me" (with <a href="spotify:artist:1Xyo4u8uXC1ZmMpatF05PJ">the Weeknd</a>) -- eventually hit the Top 40. That April, DAMN. won the Pulitzer Prize for Music. It was the first time the judges recognized a work outside the genres of classical and jazz. Months later, "King's Dead" made Lamar a 13-time Grammy winner when it took the award for Best Rap Performance. "All the Stars" alone was nominated in four categories, while Black Panther was up for Album of the Year. The film itself was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. After some time away from music that included an acting role in the fifth season of the Starz network series Power, Lamar resurfaced in August 2021 on cousin <a href="spotify:artist:5SXuuuRpukkTvsLuUknva1">Baby Keem</a>'s "Family Ties." The single, a highlight of The Melodic Blue, <a href="spotify:artist:5SXuuuRpukkTvsLuUknva1">Keem</a>'s album debut for Lamar and Dave Free's new <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22pgLang%22">pgLang</a> label, won Best Rap Performance at the following Grammys. Lamar then performed at the Super Bowl LVI halftime show alongside hip-hop royalty that included <a href="spotify:artist:6DPYiyq5kWVQS4RGwxzPC7">Dr. Dre</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7dGJo4pcD2V6oG8kP0tJRR">Eminem</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7hJcb9fa4alzcOq3EaNPoG">Snoop Dogg</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:1XkoF8ryArs86LZvFOkbyr">Mary J. Blige</a>. In May 2022, Lamar issued "The Heart, Pt. 5" as a ruminative prelude to his fifth full-length. An emotionally complex and raw double album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers landed later that month and went straight to the top of the Billboard 200. In addition to <a href="spotify:artist:5SXuuuRpukkTvsLuUknva1">Keem</a>, the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:2WoVwexZuODvclzULjPQtm">Sampha</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:46SHBwWsqBkxI7EeeBEQG7">Kodak Black</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:6liAMWkVf5LH7YR9yfFy1Y">Portishead</a>'s <a href="spotify:artist:6Lt6KFXX3P0v6vfrynQAMo">Beth Gibbons</a> made featured appearances. It was named Best Rap Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, where "The Heart, Pt. 5" took the awards for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance. Also in 2023, he was featured on <a href="spotify:artist:6vWDO969PvNqNYHIOW5v0m">Beyoncé</a>'s single "America Has a Problem." In 2024, Lamar was part of a well-publicized feud with <a href="spotify:artist:3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4">Drake</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6l3HvQ5sa6mXTsMTB19rO5">J. Cole</a>. After <a href="spotify:artist:6l3HvQ5sa6mXTsMTB19rO5">Cole</a> had named the three as the "big three" greatest rappers in modern hip-hop, Lamar asserted that he was the only one during his guest verse on <a href="spotify:artist:1RyvyyTE3xzB2ZywiAwp0i">Future</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0iEtIxbK0KxaSlF7G42ZOp">Metro Boomin</a>'s song "Like That," which topped the Billboard Hot 100. <a href="spotify:artist:6l3HvQ5sa6mXTsMTB19rO5">Cole</a> then criticized Lamar on his song "7 Minute Drill," which was met with a poor reception; <a href="spotify:artist:6l3HvQ5sa6mXTsMTB19rO5">Cole</a> apologized for the song and removed it from streaming services. In April, <a href="spotify:artist:3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4">Drake</a> released two diss tracks against Lamar, who responded with the vitriolic "Euphoria" and "6:16 in L.A." After another exchange of diss tracks, Lamar again returned fire with "Not Like Us," a collaboration with <a href="spotify:artist:0YinUQ50QDB7ZxSCLyQ40k">Mustard</a> that broke single-day streaming records, topped the Hot 100, and earned Grammy nominations in five categories. That November, with no advance notice, Lamar released his sixth album, GNX. Sounwave and <a href="spotify:artist:414TS3VqZf1XPCBixdmX9n">Jack Antonoff</a> co-produced each track with variable assistance from the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:6HQYnRM4OzToCYPpVBInuU">Kamasi Washington</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7MNEVabc4cs19CbzAFZmXz">Terrace Martin</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:0YinUQ50QDB7ZxSCLyQ40k">Mustard</a>. At the 2025 Grammy Awards, he swept his five nominated categories, taking home Record of the Year and Song of the Year. A week after that ceremony, he headlined the Super Bowl LIX halftime show. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi

Travis Scott

Houston-born rapper and producer Travis Scott's psychedelic trap style makes him one of the more distinctive talents to have risen to the height of mainstream commercial popularity. His heavily processed, half-sung/half-rapped style set him apart early on, and he grew from affiliations with <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">Kanye West</a>'s GOOD Music and <a href="spotify:artist:4OBJLual30L7gRl5UkeRcT">T.I.</a>'s <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Grand+Hustle%22">Grand Hustle</a> in the early 2010s to chart-dominating popularity before the close of the decade. After his first studio album, 2015's Rodeo, debuted in the number three position, Scott followed with a pair of number one full-lengths, Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight (2016) and Astroworld (2018), all the while assisting on platinum singles headlined by the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:5pKCCKE2ajJHZ9KAiaK11H">Rihanna</a> ("Bitch Better Have My Money"), <a href="spotify:artist:7tYKF4w9nC0nq9CsPZTHyP">SZA</a> ("Love Galore"), and <a href="spotify:artist:3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4">Drake</a> ("Portland"), and working extensively with <a href="spotify:artist:0VRj0yCOv2FXJNP47XQnx5">Quavo</a> as <a href="spotify:artist:6extd4B6hl8VTmnlhpl2bY">Huncho Jack</a>. Whether leading or supporting, Scott's presence was unmistakable, and he quickly accumulated Grammys, endorsement deals, and appearances in more than 80 charting songs. By the 2020s, Scott was one of the most successful living artists on the planet. This level of fame played into both extreme success and profound tragedy, with Scott being at the center of controversy surrounding the deaths and injuries of hundreds of fans at his 2021 Astroworld festival before debuting his genre-crossing, Grammy-nominated fourth album, 2023's UTOPIA. He was then featured on a variety of tracks with <a href="spotify:artist:1URnnhqYAYcrqrcwql10ft">21 Savage</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0iEtIxbK0KxaSlF7G42ZOp">Metro Boomin</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3a1tBryiczPAZpgoZN9Rzg">Asake</a>, and others. Born Jacques Webster, Travis Scott grew up in a suburb of Houston and began making music as a teenager. He formed a duo called the Graduates with Chris Holloway, and they released an EP in 2009. The following year, he formed another duo, the Classmates, with OG Chess. Scott produced the pair's two full-lengths, Buddy Rich and Cruis'n USA, but they broke up near the end of 2011. After dropping out of college, Scott moved to Los Angeles and began recording music on his own. He met <a href="spotify:artist:4OBJLual30L7gRl5UkeRcT">T.I.</a> and eventually <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">Kanye West</a>. Scott was hired as an in-house producer for GOOD Music, and appeared on the label's Cruel Summer compilation in 2012. Scott's debut, Owl Pharaoh, was originally scheduled to be released as a free mixtape in 2012, but as his profile grew (including a placement in XXL Magazine's Freshman Class of 2013), and sample clearance issues, the album wasn't released until May 2013. Featuring guest appearances by <a href="spotify:artist:4OBJLual30L7gRl5UkeRcT">T.I.</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:17lzZA2AlOHwCwFALHttmp">2 Chainz</a> (on the single "Upper Echelon") as well as <a href="spotify:artist:6O4EGCCb6DoIiR6B1QCQgp">Toro y Moi</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:13rHmjtJmlIJ2aDyJc7CLV">Justin Vernon</a> of <a href="spotify:artist:4LEiUm1SRbFMgfqnQTwUbQ">Bon Iver</a>, Owl Pharaoh eventually garnered a nomination for Best Mixtape at the 2013 BET Hip Hop Awards. The buildup to Scott's first proper studio album involved the Days Before Rodeo mixtape, promoted with the singles "Don't Play" and "Mamacita," and the March 2015 U.S. Rodeo Tour, headlined by Scott and supported by <a href="spotify:artist:50co4Is1HCEo8bhOyUWKpn">Young Thug</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0iEtIxbK0KxaSlF7G42ZOp">Metro Boomin</a>. Several of the dates sold out. The same month, <a href="spotify:artist:5pKCCKE2ajJHZ9KAiaK11H">Rihanna</a>'s Scott-produced hit single "Bitch Better Have My Money" was released. "3500" and "Antidote" were issued ahead of Rodeo, Scott's second full-length, which followed in September on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Grand+Hustle%22">Grand Hustle</a>/Epic and debuted at number three on the Billboard 200. Toward the end of the year, "Antidote" peaked at number 16 on the Hot 100 and became Scott's first platinum single. Chatter regarding a follow-up, along with numerous delays, ensued throughout much of 2016. Meanwhile, Scott extended his commercial presence with featured spots on <a href="spotify:artist:137W8MRPWKqSmrBGDBFSop">Wiz Khalifa</a>'s "Bake Sale," <a href="spotify:artist:5pKCCKE2ajJHZ9KAiaK11H">Rihanna</a>'s "Woo," and <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">Kanye West</a>'s "FML," as well as a collaboration with <a href="spotify:artist:50co4Is1HCEo8bhOyUWKpn">Young Thug</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0VRj0yCOv2FXJNP47XQnx5">Quavo</a>, "Pick Up the Phone," a mid-year hit issued as the lead single of <a href="spotify:artist:50co4Is1HCEo8bhOyUWKpn">Young Thug</a>'s JEFFERY. Three months later, after "Bitch Better Have My Money" earned platinum certification, Scott's second proper album arrived. Titled Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight after one of <a href="spotify:artist:0VRj0yCOv2FXJNP47XQnx5">Quavo</a>'s lines in "Pick Up the Phone," the woozy, mostly midtempo set featured that hit and contributions from the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:74V3dE1a51skRkdII8y2C6">André 3000</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0fA0VVWsXO9YnASrzqfmYu">Kid Cudi</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:2YZyLoL8N0Wb9xBt1NhZWg">Kendrick Lamar</a>. It went straight to the top of the Billboard 200. Leading up to his third LP, Scott was featured on a slew of tracks, including platinum singles headlined by <a href="spotify:artist:7tYKF4w9nC0nq9CsPZTHyP">SZA</a> ("Love Galore"), <a href="spotify:artist:3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4">Drake</a> ("Portland"), <a href="spotify:artist:360IAlyVv4PCEVjgyMZrxK">Miguel</a> ("Sky Walker"), <a href="spotify:artist:17lzZA2AlOHwCwFALHttmp">2 Chainz</a> ("4 AM"), and <a href="spotify:artist:6Xgp2XMz1fhVYe7i6yNAax">Trippie Redd</a> ("Dark Knight Dummo"). Scott's own "Butterfly Effect" arrived during this torrent of hits in May 2017 and promptly went platinum as well. Seven months later, Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho, a collaborative full-length with <a href="spotify:artist:0VRj0yCOv2FXJNP47XQnx5">Quavo</a>, entered the Billboard 200 at number three. The following May, Scott released "Watch," a non-album track featuring <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">Kanye West</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4O15NlyKLIASxsJ0PrXPfz">Lil Uzi Vert</a>, and within three months released Astroworld, which he considered the true follow-up to Rodeo. Featuring "Butterfly Effect," the album -- named after a demolished Houston amusement park -- debuted at number one and was supported with a second single, "Sicko Mode." Scott closed out 2018 by appearing on multiple tracks of <a href="spotify:artist:0iEtIxbK0KxaSlF7G42ZOp">Metro Boomin</a>'s Not All Heroes Wear Capes album. After collaborating with <a href="spotify:artist:50co4Is1HCEo8bhOyUWKpn">Young Thug</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6l3HvQ5sa6mXTsMTB19rO5">J. Cole</a> on 2019's "The London" and being featured on <a href="spotify:artist:6eUKZXaKkcviH0Ku9w2n3V">Ed Sheeran</a>'s "Antisocial," Scott issued his own solo single, "Highest in the Room." JackBoys, a brief compilation showcasing artists from Scott's <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Cactus+Jack+Records%22">Cactus Jack Records</a> label, appeared at the end of the year. The release subsequently became the first number one album of the 2020s. Another <a href="spotify:artist:50co4Is1HCEo8bhOyUWKpn">Young Thug</a> collaboration, "Franchise," also featuring <a href="spotify:artist:0QJIPDAEDILuo8AIq3pMuU">M.I.A.</a>, debuted in September 2020 on top of the Billboard 200. In January 2021, Spanish DJ <a href="spotify:artist:2o08sCWF5yyo2G4DCiT7T9">HVME</a> released a deep house reworking of Scott and <a href="spotify:artist:2YZyLoL8N0Wb9xBt1NhZWg">Kendrick Lamar</a>'s song "Goosebumps," eventually topping Billboard's Hot Dance/Electronic Songs Chart. Two more tracks appeared that November, with both "Escape Plan" and "Mafia" arriving concurrently and hitting the Top Ten of Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. On November 5, 2021, there was a fatal crowd crush during Scott's performance at his third annual Astroworld Festival in Houston, Texas. The event resulted in the death of 10 people with over 300 being treated for injuries. The rapper apologized and the rest of the festival was canceled. Scott and others involved in the festival were investigated, though a Texas grand jury ultimately declined to indict them. In May 2022, Scott performed at the Billboard Music Awards, his first live appearance since the Astroworld Festival tragedy. He also contributed to four tracks on <a href="spotify:artist:0iEtIxbK0KxaSlF7G42ZOp">Metro Boomin</a>'s Heroes & Villains album. In July 2023, he released his fourth studio album, UTOPIA. An ambitious, genre-crossing concept album in the vein of <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">Kanye West</a>'s Yeezus, it featured a bevy of producers, including Scott, <a href="spotify:artist:53KwLdlmrlCelAZMaLVZqU">James Blake</a>, WondaGurl, and others. Also featured were many guests, such as <a href="spotify:artist:4q3ewBCX7sLwd24euuV69X">Bad Bunny</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1Xyo4u8uXC1ZmMpatF05PJ">the Weeknd</a> on the lead single, "K-pop," and <a href="spotify:artist:6vWDO969PvNqNYHIOW5v0m">Beyoncé</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4LEiUm1SRbFMgfqnQTwUbQ">Bon Iver</a> on "Delresto (Echoes)." UTOPIA topped both the Billboard 200 and R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album. Scott's work throughout much of 2024 largely consisted of features on records by <a href="spotify:artist:1URnnhqYAYcrqrcwql10ft">21 Savage</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1RyvyyTE3xzB2ZywiAwp0i">Future</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:0iEtIxbK0KxaSlF7G42ZOp">Metro Boomin</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0YinUQ50QDB7ZxSCLyQ40k">Mustard</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3a1tBryiczPAZpgoZN9Rzg">Asake</a>. ~ Paul Simpson & Andy Kellman, Rovi

Cardi B

Doja Cat

Los Angeles' Doja Cat rose from viral novelty track buzz to mainstream superstar with her smooth, hypnotic, R&B-flecked pop songs of sexuality, friendship, and personal power. She gained some significant attention with her early releases, but it was her 2019 sophomore effort, Hot Pink, that took her to the top of the Hot 100. Subsequent charting singles and collaborations with <a href="spotify:artist:7tYKF4w9nC0nq9CsPZTHyP">SZA</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6cK3NBO6uP7hh0oyuVELFl">Saweetie</a> further solidified her star power, and made the arrival of her 2021 album Planet Her all the more hotly anticipated. A number two Billboard 200 hit, Planet Her also earned several Grammy nominations. Singles followed, including her savvy 2022 cover of <a href="spotify:artist:5SHQUMAmEK5KmuSb0aDvsn">Hole</a>'s "Celebrity Skin," 2022's "Vegas" off the Elvis soundtrack, and 2023's trip-hop-inflected "Attention," all of which spotlighted Doja's adventurous, genre-crossing sensibilities. The latter track and "Paint the Town Red" appeared on her fourth album, 2023's Scarlet, which found her digging deep into her rap and hip-hop roots and became her third consecutive album to hit the Top Ten of the Billboard 200. Doja Cat was born Amala Zandile Dlamini in 1995 in Tarzana, California, the daughter of South African actor Dumisani Dlamini and painter Deborah Elizabeth Sawyer. After moving to New York for a few years, she returned to California with her mother. As a child, she studied piano and took tap, ballet, and jazz dance lessons. She also discovered surfing and breakdancing. By her teens, she was teaching herself to sing and listening to an eclectic mix of hip-hop, indie rock, R&B, and electronic music. Doja also began recording songs on her computer and in 2014 released her debut EP, Purrr! She quickly found herself with a viral hit with the track "So High." More singles followed, including the languid "Nunchucks" and "No Police," each one grabbing attention online. Another single, "Mooo!," arrived in 2018 and quickly went viral. On the heels of that success, Doja Cat issued her full-length debut album, Amala, which found her expanding upon her dreamy, meme-friendly sound with more hip-hop-, pop-, and R&B-infused tracks, including "Candy" and "Roll with Us." In 2019, she issued an expanded version of Amala that added the singles "Juicy" and "Tia Tamara," featuring <a href="spotify:artist:2OaHYHb2XcFPvqL3VsyPzU">Rico Nasty</a>. Her sophomore album, Hot Pink, was quick to follow; with features from <a href="spotify:artist:1ybINI1qPiFbwDXamRtwxD">Smino</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:13y7CgLHjMVRMDqxdx0Xdo">Gucci Mane</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:5LHRHt1k9lMyONurDHEdrp">Tyga</a>, the 2019 LP leaned more into the sexually wry aspects of her ever-shifting persona. A Top Ten hit on the Billboard 200, the album's fifth single, "Say So," pushed her even further up the charts. After making a steady rise in the Hot 100 at the start of 2020, the multi-platinum track finally hit number one in May, boosted by a <a href="spotify:artist:0hCNtLu0JehylgoiP8L4Gh">Nicki Minaj</a> remix. After picking up a couple of American Music Awards, Doja carried the momentum from her breakout year into 2021. She began appearing alongside established celebrities more frequently, adding a guest feature to <a href="spotify:artist:6cK3NBO6uP7hh0oyuVELFl">Saweetie</a>'s single "Best Friend," contributing to an <a href="spotify:artist:66CXWjxzNUsdJxJ2JdwvnR">Ariana Grande</a> remix with <a href="spotify:artist:181bsRPaVXVlUKXrxwZfHK">Megan Thee Stallion</a>, and releasing the <a href="spotify:artist:7tYKF4w9nC0nq9CsPZTHyP">SZA</a>-assisted single "Kiss Me More." All of this led up to the June 2021 release of her third full-length studio album, Planet Her. It featured guest spots from <a href="spotify:artist:50co4Is1HCEo8bhOyUWKpn">Young Thug</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1Xyo4u8uXC1ZmMpatF05PJ">the Weeknd</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6U3ybJ9UHNKEdsH7ktGBZ7">JID</a>, and others, and its cover art was shot by photographer David LaChapelle. The album, which reached number two on the Billboard 200 and topped the R&B albums chart, also garnered Grammy nominations for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. In February 2022, Doja hit number 18 on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart with a cover of <a href="spotify:artist:5SHQUMAmEK5KmuSb0aDvsn">Hole</a>'s "Celebrity Skin," which featured lyrics reworked by her and <a href="spotify:artist:4vI0xGbQl2cMnMiagUEBOj">Courtney Love</a>. That same year, she reached the Top Ten of the Hot 100 with "Vegas," her contribution to the soundtrack to director <a href="spotify:artist:7HhTERkBV4Ot14KphgBfSh">Baz Luhrmann</a>'s Elvis biopic. In June 2023, she debuted the '90s trip-hop-inspired "Attention" as the first track released off her fourth studio album, Scarlet. Another song, "Paint the Town Red," followed that August as the official first single. Arriving that September, the album found Doja balancing her pop-R&B style with tracks that embraced her rap and hip-hop roots. It featured production by a handful of artists, including <a href="spotify:artist:7CMiGl0n1pZ9D3PXg6uww7">Earl on the Beat</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2WQGobWliVRQ38PSa42BSy">D.A. Got That Dope</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:18EIYewhtDyX8JII7u6LM2">Y2K</a>, among others. A Top Five album on both the Billboard 200 and Rap Albums charts, Scarlet also earned several Grammy nominations, including Best Pop Solo Performance for "Paint the Town Red" and Best Rap Song for "Attention." ~ Matt Collar

Don Toliver

Sugarhillddot

Playboi Carti

The Weeknd

The Weeknd is the alias of alternative R&B enigma-turned-pop star Abel Tesfaye, whose aching accounts of emotionally and physically toxic indulgences have translated to multi-platinum sales and Grammy recognition. The singer and songwriter made his early-2010s breakthrough with morose ballads that seemed to have no designs on mainstream appeal. Within a few years, however, Tesfaye had scored Top Ten hits with an Ariana Grande duet ("Love Me Harder"), the lead single from a major motion picture ("Earned It"), and a retro-contemporary disco-funk single ("I Can't Feel My Face"), the last of which was nominated for a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award despite its subject (cocaine). Tesfaye received early support from Drake and scored his first Top Ten R&B/hip-hop placement as the featured artist on the fellow Torontonian's "Crew Love," but he swiftly outgrew his status as a Drake affiliate with his own hits and a streak of appearances on high-profile tracks by Wiz Khalifa, Future, Beyoncé, and Lana Del Rey. Tesfaye debuted the Weeknd in late 2010 with three songs uploaded to YouTube. Made with producer Jeremy Rose, they served as a low-key prelude to three mixtapes self-released as free digital downloads the following year. First was with House of Balloons (March), where clear traces of radio-friendly contemporary R&B à la Trey Songz, Jeremih, the-Dream, and Drake were synthesized with the progressive left-of-center likes of Spacek and Sa-Ra. Recorded in collaboration with producers Doc McKinney and Illangelo, among others, the set garnered widespread coverage within days of its release. A similar second mixtape, Thursday (August), preceded several appearances on Drake's album Take Care. Featuring a cover of Michael Jackson's "Dirty Diana," Echoes of Silence (December) completed the trilogy just before the end of the year. The following June, "Crew Love," off Take Care, reached the Top Ten of Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart. A few months later, Tesfaye was featured on another charting single, Wiz Khalifa's "Remember You." After Tesfaye signed with Universal Republic, the three Weeknd mixtapes were remastered and bundled with three new songs for Trilogy, issued in November 2012. Despite consisting of material previously available for free, the set debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart. The following April, Tesfaye won Juno Awards in the categories of Breakthrough Artist of the Year and R&B/Soul Recording of the Year. Trilogy was certified platinum by the RIAA the next month. Kiss Land, much darker in tone than its title implied, followed in September 2013 and debuted at number two. Out of its several singles, only "Live For," featuring Drake, touched the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart. Tesfaye had much more success with a series of non-album singles that followed. "Often," released in 2014, was a Top Ten R&B/Hip-Hop hit. He was featured on Ariana Grande's "Love Me Harder," which reached the Top Ten of the Hot 100 and went platinum in the U.S. "Earned It," featured in Fifty Shades of Grey, repeated the same feats. In 2015, Tesfaye issued "The Hills," a booming, nightmarish ballad co-produced by Illangelo, and "Can't Feel My Face," an upbeat Max Martin collaboration, as the first two singles from Beauty Behind the Madness. Both songs topped the Hot 100. The album was issued that August and debuted at the same position. At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, it won in the category of Best Urban Contemporary Album, while "Earned It" received the nod for Best R&B Performance. Through the end of 2015 and into 2016, Tesfaye was featured on Disclosure's "In the Night," Kanye West's "FML," Future's "Low Life," and Beyoncé's "6 Inch." "Starboy," produced by Daft Punk, was released in September 2016 as the lead single from Tesfaye's album of the same title. It became the singer's fifth Top Ten pop single prior to the November arrival of Starboy, which landed on top of the Billboard 200. The album's success was sustained with the second single, its other Daft Punk production, "I Feel It Coming." Appearances on singles by Nav, Lana Del Rey, and French Montana were scattered through 2017. The following year saw the Weeknd appear on the track "Pray for Me," with Kendrick Lamar -- one of the lead singles from the official soundtrack for Marvel's Black Panther movie. In March of 2018 he dropped a surprise EP titled My Dear Melancholy,. The release marked a return to the darker sound and aesthetic of Trilogy and featured contributions from Gesaffelstein, Skrillex, and Mike WiLL Made-It. ~ Andy Kellman

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson wasn't merely the biggest pop star of his era, shaping the sound and style of the '70s and '80s; he was one of the defining stars of the 20th century, a musician who changed the contours of American culture. A preternaturally gifted singer and dancer, Jackson first rose to stardom in 1969 as the 11-year-old frontman for his family's band, the Jackson 5. As remarkable a run as the Jackson 5 had -- at the dawn of the '70s, each of their first four singles went to number one and they stayed near the top of the charts for the next five years -- it all served as a preamble to Jackson's solo career. Off the Wall, the dazzling 1979 album co-produced by Quincy Jones, announced Jackson as a mature talent, and the singles "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You" turned it into a blockbuster. Despite its success, Jackson believed Off the Wall was pigeonholed as an R&B record. Determined to break through this glass ceiling, he reunited with Jones to create Thriller, the 1982 album that shattered every music record on the books. Thriller was designed to appeal to every audience and its diversity was evident by its guests: he enlisted Eddie Van Halen to play guitar on the hard rock of "Beat It" while inviting Paul McCartney to duet on the chipper soft pop tune "The Girl Is Mine." Jackson also expanded the horizons of soul and dance music, producing pioneering masterpieces like "Billie Jean." This single provided Thriller with its 1983 breakthrough, thanks in part to its groundbreaking music video, which became the first clip from a black artist to enter steady rotation on the fledgling MTV. Jackson's smashing of the network's racial barriers was only one aspect of Thriller's unprecedented crossover. Seven of its nine songs were Top 10 hits, it earned eight Grammy awards, and topped the Billboard charts for 37 weeks, matching its American success internationally to become the biggest-selling album of all time, earning 32 platinum certifications in the US and moving over 100 million albums worldwide. Such a phenomenal triumph pushed Jackson into the stratosphere and Bad -- the eagerly-anticipated 1987 sequel to Thriller, co-produced once again with Quincy Jones -- kept him there, generating five number one singles on the Billboard charts and selling 30 million copies internationally, two thirds of which were outside of the US. Jackson parted ways with Jones for 1991's Dangerous, another global blockbuster. HIStory, a 1995 double-disc set that paired a disc of hits with a new album, produced a couple of international number one singles. Invincible, his 2001 album, turned out to be his last. Health problems culminated in his untimely death in the summer of 2009, but at that point Jackson's legend was safe: he stood alongside Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Miles Davis, and Bob Dylan as one of the musicians that created the sound of America in the 20th century. Such heights came from modest beginnings. Michael was born in Gary, Indiana on August 29, 1958, the fifth son of Katherine and Joe Jackson. His mother was a Jehovah's Witness and his father a former boxer-turned-steelworker who played guitar on the side. Harboring aspirations of musical stardom, Joe shepherded his sons into a musical act around 1962. At that point, it was just the three eldest children -- Tito, Jackie, and Jermaine -- but Michael joined them in 1964 and soon dominated the group. Stealing moves from James Brown and Jackie Wilson, Michael became the epicenter of the Jackson 5 as they earned accolades at local talent shows and went on to play soul clubs throughout the Midwest, working their way toward the east coast in 1967 where they won an amateur contest at the Apollo Theater. Returning to Gary, the group cut a pair of singles for the local imprint Steeltown in 1968 -- "(I'm A) Big Boy," "We Don't Have to Be Over 21" -- but their big break arrived when they opened for Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers at Chicago's Regal Theater. Impressed, Taylor brought them to the attention of Berry Gordy, Jr., who signed the group to Motown in March of 1969 and then sent them out to Los Angeles, where he helped mastermind their national launch. "I Want You Back," a song written and produced by Motown's new crew the Corporation, saw release in October 1968 when Michael Jackson was just 11 years old. By January 1970, "I Want You Back" rocketed to number one on both the pop and R&B charts, and the Jackson 5 became a sensation, crossing over from R&B to AM pop radio with ease. Two more hits followed --" ABC" and "The Love You Save," both exuberant bubblegum soul -- before "I'll Be There" revealed Michael's facility with ballads. All three of these sequels went to number one and, striking while the iron was hot, Motown spun Michael off into a solo act. His first solo single, "Got to Be There," arrived at the end of 1971, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100, and then a cover of Bobby Day's chestnut "Rockin' Robin" peaked at two in early 1972. Later that year, "Ben," the title theme ballad to an exploitation movie about a killer rat, earned Jackson his first Oscar nomination for Best Original Song (he would lose). Not long afterward, the careers of both Michael and the Jackson 5 slowed, victims of shifting tastes, adolescence, and creative battles with their label. One last hit for Motown arrived in 1974 -- "Dancing Machine," a single that brought the group in line with the disco explosion -- before the group departed Motown for Epic in 1975. With the new label came a new name, along with a slight lineup change: Jermaine stayed at Motown to pursue a solo career and younger brother Randy took his place. Following a pair of albums produced by Philly soul mainstays Gamble & Huff, Michael emerged as the group's creative director on 1978's Destiny, co-writing their 1979 smash "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" with Randy. By that point, Michael had already made a considerable solo impression by starring as the Scarecrow in The Wiz, Sidney Lumet's 1978 musical adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. Working on the soundtrack -- a record highlighted by his duet with Diana Ross on "Ease on Down the Road" -- he met producer Quincy Jones, a titan of jazz and pop in the '50s and '60s who had yet to score a smash in the '70s. The pair hit it off and decided to work on Jackson's next solo endeavor, but first the Jackson 5 released Destiny, which raised the profile of both the band and Michael himself. All this was preamble to Off the Wall, the 1979 album that definitively established Michael Jackson as a force of his own. Collaborating with producer Jones and songwriter Rod Temperton, Jackson consciously attempted to appeal to multiple audiences with Off the Wall, turning the album into a dazzling showcase of all his different sounds and skills. Anchored by a pair of number one hits -- the incandescent "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You" -- the record turned into a smash, peaking at four on the Billboard 200, selling millions of copies as it raked in awards, but losing the grand prize of Album of the Year at the Grammys, leaving Jackson with the lingering impression that he needed to cross over into the pop mainstream with greater force. Before he could do that, he had to complete one more Jackson 5 album: 1980's Triumph, a record with three hit singles ("Lovely One," "This Place Hotel," "Can You Feel It") whose title seemed to allude to Michael's solo success and certainly benefitted from his heightened stardom. After Triumph, Jackson reunited with producer Jones and songwriter Temperton to create the sequel to Off the Wall, crafting a record that deliberately hit every mark in the musical mainstream. Paul McCartney was brought in to underscore Michael's soft rock leanings, Eddie Van Halen pushed Jackson into metallic hard rock, and the remainder of the album glided from disco to pop to soul in an effortless display of his range. "The Girl Is Mine," the first single from Thriller, didn't suggest its adventure -- Jackson played it safe by releasing the McCartney duet as the album's lead -- but the second single, "Billie Jean," forged ahead into new, unnamable territory. "Billie Jean" was a pop explosion, topping the charts in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada. Some of its success can no doubt be credited to its striking music video, the first to break the fledgling MTV's then-unspoken racial barrier; after Jackson, the network began playing more black acts. Some of the single's success is due to his sensational performance on Motown's 25th Anniversary Special in 1983, a performance aired on May 16, 1983 where Jackson unveiled his signature moonwalk dance -- a move that made it appear as if he was gliding backward -- and announced himself to the world as a mature talent. "Beat It," accompanied by an equally cinematic video, turned into an equally huge smash on MTV and helped push Thriller into the stratosphere. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," "Human Nature," and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" kept Thriller at number one and its last single was an extravaganza, with Jackson letting director John Landis turn the song into a short musical horror film. By the time the album wrapped up its two-year run on the charts, it had racked up 37 weeks at number one and sold 29 million copies, becoming the biggest-selling album ever. Even as Thriller was something of a pop perpetual motion machine, selling records of its own accord, Jackson worked hard. He once again teamed with Paul McCartney, singing "Say Say Say" for McCartney's 1983 album Pipes of Peace, and he reunited with the Jackson 5 for 1984's Victory, supporting the album with an international tour. Prior to its launch, Jackson suffered a serious accident while filming a Pepsi commercial designed to accompany the tour. During the shoot, pyrotechnics burned Jackson's head, sending him to the hospital with second degree burns to his scalp; as he recovered, he started using pain killers for the first time. Jackson earned accolades for his philanthropic work, especially his collaboration with Lionel Richie on the 1985 charity single "We Are the World," but along with these positive notes, wild stories began to circulate in the tabloids. Some further bad press accompanied his acquisition of the Lennon and McCartney songwriting catalog in 1985, a move that severed his partnership with Paul McCartney. Jackson also flirted with becoming a movie star, working with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 3D film Captain Eo, shown only at Disney's IMAX theaters starting in 1986. Once this appeared, he started work on the task of following up Thriller. Working once again with Quincy Jones, Jackson refined the Thriller template for 1987's Bad. Like Thriller, the first single was an adult contemporary number -- "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," a duet with then unknown Siedah Garrett -- before it cranked out hits: "Bad," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Man in the Mirror," and "Dirty Diana" all reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1987 and 1988, with "Another Part of Me" just missing the Top 10 and "Smooth Criminal" peaking at seven. Bad didn't dominate the charts in other countries but its singles reached the Top 10 internationally with some regularity, aided in part with a globe-spanning tour -- the first solo tour of Michael Jackson's career. The Bad World Tour broke records across the globe and in its wake, he started calling himself "The King of Pop," a nickname that was something of a retort to Elvis Presley being known as "The King of Rock & Roll." Once the tour wrapped up, Jackson returned to his new home -- a Santa Ynez ranch that he purchased in March of 1988 and renamed Neverland, playing up his Peter Pan fixation Jackson renewed his deal with Sony -- the corporation that purchased Epic/CBS -- in 1991 and then set to work on his next album. This time, he decided to part ways with Quincy Jones, choosing to work with a variety of collaborators, chief among them Teddy Riley, who helped usher Michael into the realm of New Jack Swing. "Black or White," the album's first video, caused some controversy, which helped generate initial press and sales and sent the single to number one. "Remember the Time" and "In the Closet" also made it into the Billboard Top 10 in early 1992, but subsequent singles "Jam" and "Heal the World" stalled in the low 20s, while "Who Is It" made it to 14. Jackson's period of massive success was starting to end and, as it did, Jackson entered a rough personal period. In 1993, a 13-year-old boy accused Jackson of molestation. Over the next two years, the case played out in public and in the justice system, eventually settling out of court for undisclosed terms in 1995; no charges were ever filed. During all this, Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley in May of 1994; their marriage lasted just 19 months. Jackson rebooted his career in 1995 with HIStory: Past, Present & Future, Book 1, a double-disc set divided into an album of hits and an album of new material. Preceded by a double-A-sided single containing the ballad "Childhood" and "Scream," a duet with his sister Janet, the album underperformed compared to its predecessors but still generated big hits, highlighted by "You Are Not Alone," the first single to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The subsequent singles "They Don't Care About Us" and "Stranger in Moscow" underperformed in the U.S. but were Top 10 singles in the U.K., and HIStory also did well in other global international markets, aided in part by the lengthy accompanying global tour. In 1997, Jackson followed HIStory with Blood on the Dance Floor, an album that topped the U.K. charts but only reached 24 in the U.S. By that point, Jackson had married his nurse, Debbie Rowe, who would soon become to the mother of two children: Prince Michael Jackson, Jr. and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. Over the next couple of years, Jackson raised his family and performed at charitable events, starting work on a comeback planned for 2001. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo act that year (the Jackson 5 had previously been inducted) and he staged two major 30th Anniversary concerts in September 2001 to kick off the promo campaign for his new album, Invincible. Produced in large part by Rodney Jerkins, Invincible consciously evoked Off the Wall with its single "You Rock My World," which reached 10 prior to the album's October release. Invincible entered the charts at number one in the U.S. and U.K., but it didn't have staying power and never generated another hit single. Soon, music took a backseat to Jackson's personal life. He had a third child, Prince Michael Jackson II in 2002, but the birth was overshadowed by erratic public appearances and legal problems, including an arrest in November 2003 for child molestation; in June of 2005 he was acquitted on all counts. As the case played out, Sony released the first-ever single-disc collection of Jackson's peak, Number Ones, in 2003; it had a new song, "One More Chance." Over the next few years, many catalog releases materialized: the 2004 box set The Ultimate Collection, the 2006 double-disc set The Essential Michael Jackson, a collectors box called Visionary in 2006, and his catalog saw deluxe reissues in 2008. Jackson planned a major comeback for 2009 with a major tour called This Is It featuring a long run of shows at London's O2 Arena. As he was in the midst of rehearsals in Los Angeles, he collapsed at home on the afternoon of June 25, 2009. Rushed to the UCLA Medical Center, Jackson was pronounced dead of a cardiac arrest at the age of 50. An extensive investigation later named his death a homicide due to prescription drugs; Dr. Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. It didn't take long for posthumous releases to begin to hit the shelves. Motown released The Remix Suite in October of 2009, and then a film documenting the 2009 concert rehearsals was released as This Is It, along with a soundtrack. Next came a DVD set called Vision, and 2010 brought Michael, a collection of outtakes, most dating from Invincible. In 2012, the 25th anniversary of Bad brought an expanded reissue of the 1987 album. Epic released Xscape in 2014, a record where L.A. Reid and Timbaland reworked demos recorded between Thriller and Invincible. Preceded by the single "Love Never Felt So Good" -- an electronic duet with Justin Timberlake that went to The Top 10 -- Xscape earned Gold certification. In 2016, Off the Wall received a deluxe reissue highlighted by an accompanying documentary directed by Spike Lee. Scream, a loosely Halloween-themed compilation, followed in 2017. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine