The 2020 GRAMMYs are just around the corner, and now the nominations are in for the coveted honor of Record Of The Year. While we'll have to wait until the 62nd GRAMMY Awards air on CBS on Jan. 26 to find out who will win, let's take a look at which records have been nominated for one of the most anticipated GRAMMY Awards each year.

Following last year's expansion of eight nominees to the first four categories (Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best New Artist), eight songs are in the running for Record Of The Year—"Hey, Ma" by Bon Iver, "bad guy" by Billie Eilish, "7 rings" by Ariana Grande, "Hard Place" by H.E.R., "Talk" by Khalid, "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X, featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, "Truth Hurts" Lizzo and "Sunflower" by Post Malone and Swae Lee.

Record Of The Year is a cross-genre award given to the song's recording artist, the producer(s), recording engineer(s) and/or mixer(s) and mastering engineer(s). We've included all of these nominees below, along with more info and music video embeds to help you dive a little deeper into the tracks.

"Hey, Ma" - Bon Iver

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GRAMMY-winning Wisconsin-bred alt-rock group Bon Iver—consisting of Justin Vernon, Sean Carey, Matthew McCaughan, Michael Lewis, Andrew Fitzpatrick and Jenn Wasner—released their fourth studio album, i,i, on Aug. 9, three years since their last, the GRAMMY-nominated 22, A Million. Ahead of the LP, the group dropped two singles on June 3, "Hey, Ma" and "U (Man Like)." 

The fellow nominees for "Hey, Ma" are BJ Burton, Brad Cook, Chris Messina and Vernon, as producers, Burton, Zach Hansen and Messina as engineers/mixers and Greg Calbi as the mastering engineer.

Bon Iver is also nominated for Album Of The Year and Best Alternative Music Album for i,i. The album is also nominated for Best Recording Package, an award for the art directors of the physical LP. Back at the 54th GRAMMY Awards, the group won the coveted Best New Artist gramophone, as well as Best Alternative Music Album for their self-titled sophomore effort.

"bad guy" - Billie Eilish

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Following a massive rise to fame in 2018, first-time nominee Billie Eilish released her highly-anticipated debut album WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? on March 29, along with its fifth single, "bad guy." As with all of her music released so far, the dark-electropop artist's older brother, a fellow first-time nominee FINNEAS produced the hit single, which later spawned a Justin Bieber remix. 

"bad guy" is nominated for Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best Pop Solo Performance and WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? is up for Album Of The Year, Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical (an engineers' award). 

Eilish is also up for the coveted Best New Artist award, bringing her to six total nominations and FINNEAS is up for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical. Rob Kinelski, who assisted FINNEAS with engineering/mixing and John Greenham, who served as the mastering engineer are nominated for their work on "bad guy." 

Check out the complete 62nd GRAMMYs Awards Nominees List

"7 rings" - Ariana Grande

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Earlier this year, at the 61st GRAMMY Awards, pop princess Ariana Grande won her first-ever GRAMMY, for Best Pop Vocal Album for her 2018 No. 1 album Sweetener. 2019 also saw the release of its follow up, her fifth studio album, thank u, next, on Feb. 8, which was preceded with is second viral lead single, "7 rings," on Jan. 18. 

"7 rings" is up for Record Of The Year and Best Pop Solo Performance, while thank u, next is in the running for Album Of The Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. Grande, along with featured artist Social House, is also up for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for the non-album single "boyfriend," bringing her to five total nominations this year.

The producers, engineers and mixers of "7 rings" are also nominated for Record Of The Year their work on it: Charles Anderson, Tommy Brown, Michael Foster and Victoria Monet, as the producers, Serban Ghenea, John Hanes, Billy Hickey and Brendan Morawski, as the engineers/mixers and Randy Merrill as the mastering engineer.

"Hard Place" - H.E.R.

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Following her first-ever nominations and two wins at the 61st GRAMMYs in February, R&B songstress/guitarist H.E.R. dropped another emotive track, "Hard Place," on April 26. The I Used To Know Her mixtape/compilation LP followed on Aug. 30, which combined the two EPs sharing the same name into a cohesive album, along with a handful of new songs, including "Hard Place."

The mysterious vocal powerhouse is up for five more GRAMMYs this year: Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year for "Hard Place," Album Of The Year for I Used To Know Her, Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for "Could've Been" featuring Bryson Tiller.

GRAMMY-winning hit-maker Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins shares the Record Of The Year nomination as the producer on "Hard Place;" Joseph Hurtado, Jaycen Joshua, Derek Keota and Miki Tsutsumi, as the engineers/mixers and Colin Leonard, as the mastering engineer, are also nominated for their work on the track.

"Talk" - Khalid

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Past Best New Artist nominee Khalid released the sophomore follow up to his critically acclaimed, GRAMMY-nominated 2017 debut, American Teen, on April 7. The album, Free Spirit, was led by the hit single "Talk," on Feb. 7, which is currently nominated for Record Of The Year. 

The catchy electro-R&B track was produced by electronic wunderkinds Disclosure and Denis Kosiak, who thus share the Record Of The Year nod. Ingmar Carlson, Jon Castelli, Josh Deguzman, John Kercy, Kosiak, Guy Lawrence (half of sibling duo Disclosure) and Michael Romero, who engineered/mixed the track, and Dale Becker, who was the mastering engineer, are also nominated for their work on "Talk."

"Old Town Road" - Lil Nas X Ft. Billy Ray Cyrus

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Rising genre-nonconformist rapper/cowboy Lil Nas X wraps up a monumental debut year with his first-ever GRAMMY nominations, earning six total. His breakout hit, "Old Town Road," featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, is up for Record Of The Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video. 

The record-breaking viral hit served as the first official "remix" of the young star's self-released track, in which he reached out to the "Achy Breaky Heart" singer to add a dose of OG country twang, after the original version infamously got pulled from Billboard's country charts. It was produced by Andrew "VoxGod" Bolooki and YoungKio, with Bolooki and Cinco serving as engineers/mixers and Eric Lagg, as mastering engineer—all of whom share the Record Of The Year nod.

Galloping forth with the smash success of "Old Town Road," Lil Nas X dropped his debut EP, 7—featuring the original and Cyrus versions of the hit—on June 21. The EP is up for Album Of The Year, and one of its other hit singles, "Panini" is up for Best Rap/Sung Performance. Lil Nas X is among the eight bright contenders for Best New Artist. 

"Truth Hurts" - Lizzo

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Rapper/singer/flautist/twerk queen Lizzo has earned her first-ever GRAMMY nominations this year, rounding up eight total nods. The self-love-affirming bop maker is up for Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for 2017's "Truth Hurts" alone, as well as the prestigious Best New Artist award. 

As the producers of "Truth Hurts," Ricky Reed and Tele also share the Record Of The Year nod, along with Chris Galland, Manny Marroquin and Ethan Shumaker, the engineers/mixers, and Chris Gehringer, the mastering engineer.

Additionally, her 2019 major label debut (and third LP overall), Cuz I Love You, is up for Album Of The Year and Best Urban Contemporary Album. Two of its singles, "Exactly How I Feel," featuring Gucci Mane, and "Jerome" are nominated as well—for Best R&B Performance and Best Traditional R&B Performance, respectively. 

"Sunflower" - Post Malone & Swae Lee

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Finally, the eighth song in the running is the hit down-tempo track from Post Malone and Swae Lee, "Sunflower," from the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack. The two versatile young rap stars add two more nominations to their belt for the 62nd GRAMMYs; "Sunflower" is also up for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

Louis Bell and Carter Lang share the Record Of The Year nomination as producers, as well as Manny Marroquin, who engineered/mixed the album with Bell.

Stay tuned to GRAMMY.com, our YouTube page and our social channels (follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) for the latest on all things 62nd GRAMMY Awards. 

Another month has passed us by, and August brings us closer to the end of the season. However, several new tracks and albums have dropped to lift our spirits. With brand new projects like Khalid's Sincere, Maren Morris' Intermission, and 49 Winchester's Leavin' This Holler, the beginning of August promises bright things ahead.

A slew of singles dropped, too, from exciting collaborations like Charli XCX's "Guess" remix with Billie Eilish and Jessie Murph's new track with Teddy Swims to new offerings from Big Sean, Jhené Aiko, Jelly Roll, Suki Waterhouse, and more. Whether you're looking for full projects or a few new playlist additions, you will not be disappointed.

As you prepare to close out summer, be sure to check out these 10 new songs and albums.

Just 24 hours after Charli XCX set the internet ablaze with a tease of her next collaboration, she not only unveiled the special guest, but she also dropped the track as a New Music Friday-eve gift: a remix of "Guess" with her fellow pop queen, Billie Eilish.

The pulsating song keeps the same club-ready aesthetic of the original from Charli XCX's brat, but taps into the sexual fluidity of Eilish's HIT ME HARD AND SOFT with the "LUNCH" singer adding a new verse (fans particularly went into a frenzy over Eilish's line "Charli likes boys but she knows I'd hit it"). The track offers a raunchy brand of girl power, further emphasized by the underwear-strewn video, as the unworn undergarments will be donated to survivors of domestic violence through I Support the Girls.

Seven-time GRAMMY-winner Kacey Musgraves is expanding the well she first introduced in March. With the release of Deeper Well, Musgraves showcased a softer side of herself that she discovered during periods of self-introspection following significant changes in her life.

Now, with Deeper into the Well, she takes us further along on her journey. Musgraves gave a taste of the additional seven songs with the release of her single "Irish Goodbye," which narrates the tale of someone struggling to find forgiveness for someone who abruptly left. The extended edition also includes two new features, "Perfection" with Tiny Habits and "Superbloom" with Leon Bridges.

The release comes one month before Musgraves is set to kick off her Deeper Well World Tour in Pennsylvania; she'll hit cities on both coasts, and conclude in Nashville in December.

Read More: For The Record: Why Kacey Musgraves' Timeless Album Golden Hour Still Shines 5 Years Later

Maintaining her message of confidence and self-worth, Saweetie releases "My Best," an unapologetic anthem that emphasizes knowing your worth and surrounding yourself with people who prioritize your best interests.

The music video visually represents Saweetie's personal growth, both as an individual and as an artist. Shot at hometown landmarks like her high school and childhood neighborhood, she invites fans on a nostalgic journey of introspection — while also reminding them to stay true to themselves.

Learn More: Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: Saweetie On Her Long-Awaited Album Pretty B^^^^ Music & Why Women Rappers "No Longer Need A Co-Sign"

Four years after her smash "Dance Monkey" took over the world, Tones and I releases her second studio album, Beautifully Ordinary. The follow-up to 2021's Welcome to the Madhouse, the 16-song project reflects the artist's growth, exploring themes of nostalgia, love, and self-acceptance. Each song invites listeners to embark on an emotional, personal journey with Tones and I, offering a source of catharsis for those who relate to her experiences.

Tones and I first gave listeners a taste of the project in June with lead single "Dance With Me," a track that delves into themes of heartbreak and desperation. Despite its underlying message of loneliness, the track retains Tones and I's signature upbeat rhythms and vibrant instrumentals — and the rest of Beautifully Ordinary follows suit, offering intimate and heartfelt narratives through her radiant musicality.

Celebrating the six-times-platinum debut album that catapulted them to stardom, Sam Smith is releasing the 10th anniversary edition of In The Lonely Hour. This special edition features a reimagined version of their classic "Stay With Me," and a brand new track, "Little Sailor."

The original project launched Smith's career into the stratosphere, receiving critical acclaim and earning them four golden gramophones at the 2015 GRAMMYs, including Best New Artist.

"I feel so incredibly lucky to be celebrating this milestone with you," Smith wrote on Instagram. "My team and I have created this beautiful anniversary edition for us all, and for the last 10 years."

Learn More: 9 Times Queer Artists Made History At The GRAMMYs: From Elton John's Collab With BSB To Kim & Sam's "Unholy" Union

Fresh off going three-for-three at the 2024 GRAMMYs, Killer Mike delivers another potent project, Michael & The Mighty Midnight Revival, Songs For Sinners & Saints. A follow-up to his autobiographical album 'MICHAEL', the 10-song collection dives deeper into his personal narrative, offering an epilogue filled with introspection and celebration — including the poignant track "HUMBLE ME," which reflects on his arrest after winning his GRAMMYs in February.

Killer Mike provided fans with a gift, releasing the album as a free download for the first 48 hours. In support of the release, Killer Mike electrified audiences with six performances over three nights at the legendary Blue Note jazz club in NYC, including a live-streamed show that attracted nearly 100,000 viewers. This project is a testament to Killer Mike's ongoing dialogue with his audience, addressing both tribulations and triumphs. As the tour continues with a stop at Lollapalooza just one day after the album's release, fans can engage further with tracks like "NOBODY KNOWS" and "HIGHER LEVEL," which offer a glimpse into the rapper’s evolving journey and continued impact on hip-hop.

Still riding high from her vocals featured on Beyoncé's COWBOY CARTER, country star Tiera Kennedy releases her latest single, "Cry," which samples Justin Timberlake's 2002 Timbaland-produced hit "Cry Me A River." It's another taste of Kennedy's forthcoming debut album, which she dubs "R&B/country."

"I've been really inspired by the music I grew up listening to," Kennedy shared in an Instagram video. "Timbaland had a hand in a lot of those songs."

Known for her distinctive approach to blending genres, Kennedy invites listeners to immerse themselves in her world of creative storytelling with her latest track. "Cry" explores the narrative of someone who has made their bed and has to lie in it, while Kennedy has already moved on.

Explore More: A Brief History Of Black Country Music: 11 Important Tracks From DeFord Bailey, Kane Brown & More

Returning with his third studio album, electronic artist Gryffin embarks on a new era and unveils a fresh side of his artistry with PULSE. The 14-track album features collaborations with a range of artists, including Rita Ora, Disco Lines, MAX, and more.

"PULSE is a return to why I fell in love with dance music in the first place, and this is the most creatively inspired I've felt in years," said Gryffin on Instagram. "I can't wait for you all to hear the new sound and feel the passion I've put into these tracks."

After more than a year of not releasing music, John K is back with a new single, "Lost." It's a song that vulnerably reveals feelings of completeness after finding the right person — a fitting narrative for the happily married singer, who is expecting his second child with his wife, Lenée.  . Becoming a father is one of the several major life changes John K has experienced in the past few years, all of which have shaped his upcoming music and brought his musical artistry to the next stage.

"I was writing with the aim of challenging myself to do something I hadn't done before," John K said in a press statement. "I shattered the box of what I thought I had to be, and it allowed me to get to deeper levels of honesty and really gain even more confidence. I took risks, and I honestly expressed myself.

After releasing two albums within four months in 2022, Jack White has essentially gone silent since — until now. Just two days after announcing his sixth studio album, No Name, the rock icon unveils his latest masterpiece.

The 13-track album stays true to White's DIY philosophy, with the recording, production, and mixing all handled by the artist himself at his own Third Man Studio. Even before the album dropped on Aug. 2, reviews were already glowing, with Variety calling it the album "fans have been lusting for" due to its parallels to the rip-roaring rock of his former band the White Stripes — but "without seeming retro or leaning too heavily on nostalgia."

Explore More: Songbook: A Guide To Jack White's Musical Outlets, From The White Stripes To The Dead Weather & Beyond

Ahead of his forthcoming album, Album of the Year #1 Funkateer, Bootsy Collins has released "Pure Perfection," a smooth, sultry track featuring German rapper FANTAAZMA and rapper Giz. The track also features one of the funk icon's legendary alter-egos, "Bedroom Bootsy," who brings a sultry tone to the tune.

Due Oct. 25 (the day before Collins' 73rd birthday), Album of the Year #1 Funkateer includes an 18-song track list with contributions from Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa and more. And if the smooth, thumping vibe of "Pure Perfection" is any indication, the funk vet is ready to take fans on a trippy musical journey — one that only Bootsy Collins can moderate.

August 2024 comes with five Fridays and five weeks of piping hot new music releases. And if July was busy, the upcoming month puts it to task with a sundry of albums for every genre, generation, and gusto.

Kicking off August, R&B star Khalid releases Sincere, while masked country singer Orville Peck will release his first duets album, Stampede. The following week, Aug. 9 heralds the third LP from Filipino British singer beabadoobee, This Is How Tomorrow Moves.

By mid-August, new releases from Foster The People, Nikka Costa, Post Malone and Tinashe will drop, as well as the debut of KATSEYE — a multinational girl group formed by K-pop label HYBE in partnership with Geffen Records. A week later, all eyes and ears will turn to Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet, Lainey Wilson’s Whirlwind, Thomas Rhett’s About A Woman, and Fontaines D.C.’s Romance.

Just before September arrives, Laurie Anderson will release her tribute to aviator Amelia Earhart, Amelia, and A$AP Rocky will make a long-awaited return with Don’t Be Dumb.

To fill up your upcoming weekends with fresh music, GRAMMY.com crafted a list with 13 remarkable new albums coming out August 2024.

After more than a decade away from the studios, Texican rock trio Los Lonely Boys are ready for their Resurrection. The 10-track LP was recorded at guitarist Henry Garza’s home studio in St. Angelo, Texas and in El Paso’s Sonic Ranch (Fiona Apple, Bon Iver). 

On  lead singles "Wish You Would" and "See Your Face," Los Lonely Boys prove that the wait was worth it, as they experiment with their signature sound for a deeper, more mature output. Resurrection aims to rekindle "the sonic fire that bonds the Los Lonely Boys brotherhood," while also paying respects to Texas legends like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Freddy Fender, per a press release.

"It’s something we think people need to hear — especially the youth," said bassist Jojo Garza. "When we’re young, we think we have it figured out. When you get older, you start to see things differently. Having kids of our own, we see their ambitions and ideas of what they want to be, so we want to be good parents. The message is, ‘Be careful what you wish for. There could be a false light, and we don’t want you to get hurt.’"

Los Lonely Boys are also celebrating the 20th anniversary of their self-titled debut, and the commemorations will be extended to a lengthy North American tour. Starting in August and running until November, the shows will also feature long time peers Los Lobos.

Five years after the release of Free Spirit, R&B singer/songwriter Khalid is back with his third full length. Per a press release, Sincere is a "combination of my life experiences" that explores the pains and joys of growing up. Khalid noted that "it takes inspiration from conversations that I have had with my fans, supporters, and the people that love me." 

"When I listen back to this project, I hear a sound that’s so unique and represents me at my best," he added. "This album is me at 26, continuing to evolve with the knowledge that I have garnered throughout the years." Previewed by singles "Please Don’t Fall In Love With Me," "Adore U," and "Ground (Cotton Candy Skies)," Sincere is a 16-track collection that, most of all, showcases Khalid’s maturing.

"This all feels like the biggest reset for me," he shared on Instagram. "I feel so reminiscent to how I did when I first started my career 8 years ago. I can’t wait for all of you to experience the album."

Groundbreaking country singer Orville Peck is about to surprise his audience once again. Following 2022’s Bronco, Stampede — his first duet album, and third overall — spans 15 tracks with collaborations from Elton John, Willie Nelson, Beck, Kylie Minogue, Diplo, and more.

Back in May, Peck teased the project with EP Stampede Vol. 1, featuring songs with Noah Cyrus, Midland, and others. "This project has always been something I’ve fantasized about, so to see it finally come to fruition really is a dream come true," said the South African masked star in a press release.

Among a busy schedule, Peck also announced that his 6th annual Rodeo will happen on Aug. 23, 24 and 25 in Nashville. It will be headlined by himself and Tanya Tucker, and will feature sets from Medium Build, Reyna Roberts, and more. The Stampede North American tour is underway through October.

Learn more: How Queer Country Artists Are Creating Space For Inclusive Stories In The Genre 

Filipino-British singer beabadoobee — also known as Beatrice Laus — is so excited about her upcoming third studio album that she decided to bring its release one week forward. This Is How Tomorrow Moves is now coming out on Aug. 9, via Dirty Hit.

Fronted by singles "Take a Bite," "Coming Home," and "Ever Seen," the album was produced by Rick Rubin, and features "themes of self-acceptance and personal growth," per a press release. "I think I’m more aware of my actions in these songs," said Laus. "In my previous records, I would consistently sing about my reaction towards other people’s doings, like a blame game. But in this record, it’s accepting that there’s an inevitability of my fault in there too." 

To crystallize those lessons, the alt-pop star is slated to perform at a one-off acoustic show in London, on Aug. 2. Then, she will play two intimate shows in London and Coventry, and a set at All Points East UK festival. In September, Laus will begin her North American tour, following with a string of November concerts in Europe.

Posty has been riding high on the country wave ever since May, when he released the top-charting single "I Had Some Help" with Morgan Wallen. Followed by "Pour Me a Drink" with Blake Shelton, and more recently by "Guy For That" with Luke Combs, his shift into the Nashville scene feels not only natural, but also rewarding. 

All three pre-releases are part of Malone’s sixth studio album, F-1 Trillion. The singer also collaborated with Chris Stapleton and Hardy in tracks yet to be revealed, and featured production by Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, and Hoskins. F-1 also marks the first time that the singer fully dives into country music, despite dabbling with the genre for years.

To celebrate this momentous phase, Malone will embark on a North American Tour starting September. In the company of backing band The Fools For You, he will hit cities like Boston, Atlanta, Virginia Beach, Charleston, and wrap up in Nashville in October. 

Read more: Post Malone's Country Roots: 8 Key Moments In Covers and Collaborations

Tinashe — 'Quantum Baby' (Aug. 16)

"Quantum Baby is about getting to know me on a deeper level," said Tinashe in a press release about her upcoming album. "It’s about exploring who I am as a person and who I am as an artist. I’ve never been one to be put into a box, so the name ‘Quantum Baby’ encompasses all the different parts that make up who I am as a creative."

Spearheaded by April’s viral hit "Nasty," which serves as the album’s lead single, Quantum Baby is the second installment of a trilogy that began with 2023’s BB/ANG3L. "For BB/ANG3L, I was very inspired by the concept of identity. Exploring both how I self-identify and also challenging the perceptions of others," explained Tinashe. "I’ve enjoyed stripping back layers of aesthetic fluff, smoke and mirrors, and white noise to get down to the core of myself. Who we are at a core level, when we are alone — raw and unfiltered, is what I want this album to reflect."

Second single "Getting No Sleep" reflects that forthright perspective: "Feels Friday like, different night, same vibe / Take you outside, movie scene every time / Flick me up, I’m fitted up, so pretty, no bad side / Not a dog, but it’s in me, taking shots like I’m Lindsay," she sings.

Read more: Love "Nasty"? Get To Know Tinashe With 10 Songs That Show Her Honesty & Artistry

After heralding the summer of 2024 with double hits "Espresso" and "Please, Please, Please," Sabrina Carpenter will bring us Short n’ Sweet, a whole studio album to accompany its caffeinated appetizers.

Short n’ Sweet is Carpenter’s sixth LP so far, and features 12 tracks with major collaboration from top-charting producer Jack Antonoff. "This project is quite special to me and I hope it’ll be something special to you too," the singer shared on Instagram. 

To seal 2024 as the year of Sabrina Carpenter, the pocket-sized star announced her first North American arena tour, starting September 23 in Columbus, Ohio and wrapping up on November 18 in Inglewood, California.  

Learn more: Meet Amy Allen, The Hitmaking Singer/Songwriter Behind Sabrina Carpenter's "Please Please Please" & More Pop Gems 

"Writing and recording these 14 songs over the past couple of years has helped me stay grounded in ways you’d never believe," said Lainey Wilson on Instagram about her new LP, Whirlwind. "This album brought me back to my roots and made me feel at home during times when I couldn’t have been further away and my biggest hope is that it gives you that same sense of comfort that it has for me." 

Following the 2022 GRAMMY-winning Bell Bottom Country, Wilson’s Whirlwind enlists producer Jay Joyce once again, but aims for a more organic sound by employing the singer’s touring band instead of studio musicians. Previously shared singles "Hang Tight Honey," "Country’s Cool Again," and "4x4xU" feature on the tracklist, as well as a collaboration with Miranda Lambert on "Good Horses." 

Seizing the momentum, Wilson recently opened the Bell Bottoms Up bar in Nashville, and released a Hulu-exclusive documentary, Lainey Wilson: Bell Bottom Country. She is also amidst her North American tour, Country’s Cool Again.

Steve Cropper — 'Friendlytown' (Aug. 23)

Time may be tight, but is also just a number to legendary guitarist Steve Cropper. Best known as a member of Stax house band Booker T. & The M.G.’s and as a guitarist for the Blues Brothers, he’s now 82 years old — but just getting started with his solo project, Steve Cropper & the Midnight Hour.

His 2021 solo debut album, Fire It Up, was nominated for a GRAMMY award in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category, and the upcoming Friendlytown aims to follow the same steps. "If your booty is not shaking in the first two bars of this album you’re already dead in a chair," said Cropper in a press statement. "I feel so good about this batch of songs. They’re packed with radio hooks, and we have Billy Gibbons, Brian May, and Tim Montana playing on the album — it’s like guitar heaven."

Single "Too Much Stress" with Brian May teases what’s to come in Friendlytown: 13 tracks of unbridled creativity and stirring melodies that bring back your faith in humanity. As Cropper said, "when I think about my legacy, I want it to be said that I was a nice guy."

"Be really energetic and dance." That’s the acronym behind Sofi Tukker’s upcoming BREAD, but could also be their official slogan. The electronic duo formed by Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern bring joy and irreverence to their beats, mixing English with Portuguese, EDM with favela funk, fun with elegance. Now, they come forward with a brand new recipe for their third studio album.

"BREAD is pure energy," said Hawley-Weld in a press release. "Literally, carbs. That's exactly what we want our music to do. When you put on the album, we want it to give you energy." Halpern added, "We didn't know when we wrote the song ‘Bread’ that it was going to feel like a thesis statement for the album, and we didn't know that was going to be the name of the album initially, but as we were discussing, it became clearer and clearer that what we wanted to say to the world is: the world can be dark but it's also a really fun place."

To get a hint of the BREAD vibes, tune in to singles "Hey Homie," "Spiral," and the cheeky "Throw Some Ass." Then, catch Sofi Tukker live on their world tour starting September in Oceania, North America, and Europe.

Following their acclaimed 2022 album Skinty Fia, Irish band Fontaines D.C. are gearing up to release their fourth LP, Romance. This is the post-punk ensemble’s first album under XL Recordings, and first album with producer James Ford, but it’s said to be their "most assured, inventive, and sonically adventurous" yet, according to a press release. 

"We’ve always had this sense of idealism and romance," said guitarist Conor Deegan of the upcoming record. "Each album gets further away from observing that through the lens of Ireland, as directly as [debut album] Dogrel. The second album [A Hero’s Death] is about that detachment, and the third [Skinty Fia] is about Irishness dislocated in the diaspora. Now we look to where and what else there is to be romantic about."

Romance’s 11 tracks boast many inspirations — not all of them romantic per se. Frantic lead single "Starburster," for example, was inspired by a panic attack that vocalist Grian Chatten suffered at London’s St. Pancras station. Aside from that, other references include the dystopian anime Akira, singer Shygirl, Prodigy, Sega Bodega, and more.

Fontaines D.C. will kick off a world tour starting September in the U.S. and Canada, and then head on to Europe and the UK throughout December.

Zedd — 'TELOS' (Aug. 30) 

This month also marks the return of German DJ and producer Zedd, who will release his first LP in nearly a decade, TELOS. Described in a press release as a "profound listening experience," the album was crafted in hopes to create deep bonds with the audience. "I wanted everyone to be able to feel a deeper emotional connection, like how I felt listening to my favorite albums when I was growing up. It was the details, transitions and cohesiveness that made me want to create a truly meaningful body of work," said Zedd.

Lead single "Out Of Time" has been in the works since 2015, and is still one of Zedd’s favorite compositions. "I made an intro for my live show based on this chord progression, but was never able to finish it," he said. "Bea [Miller] was the missing piece of the puzzle; her voice added an emotional depth that completed the song. "Out Of Time" really encapsulates the DNA of the Telos album, which is why I chose it to be the song that introduces this new era."

Fans will be able to check out how this new era sounds live starting September, as Zedd just announced his TELOS North American tour. Starting in Los Angeles, he will play 18 shows throughout 10 cities, including Seattle, San Francisco, and Dallas.

One of 2024’s most awaited releases, A$AP Rocky’s fourth LP, Don’t Be Dumb, will finally drop at the end of the month. It’s been six years since the New Yorker put out his last full effort, Testing, and several changes happened in his life since — including becoming a father to two sons with his partner, Rihanna.

In a 2023 interview for Dazed, Lord Flacko affirmed that the album feels like his "best work yet," and that he wants to "leave expectations wide and open. I don’t want to tell you what to expect. I just want people to experience it how they do naturally."

Don’t Be Dumb has been teased for a long time, and Rocky previewed three unreleased songs off it at his Rolling Loud performance in July 2023. It is also preceded by singles "S—in’ Me," "Same Problems?," and Pharrell Williams-produced "RIOT (Rowdy Pipe’n)," although there’s no confirmation if they will end up on the final tracklist.

We’ve been feeling the heat for a minute now, but summer is finally, officially, upon us.

What do you have on deck to soundtrack it? Perhaps you’re checking out Camila Cabello’s fourth offering, C,XOXO. Or Jxdn’s expectations-bucking new album, When the Music Stops. And there are so many other worthy candidates for your playlist — from Lupe Fiasco’s Samurai to Omar Apollo’s God Said No.

No matter where your stylistic compass points, this Friday release day has got something for you. As you gather your sunscreen and shades, let’s breeze through a cross-section of what’s out there.

K-pop loves its solo releases, showcasing how the various members of a group can shine individually while combining with ecstatic chemistry. Enter LISA, one-fourth of Korean titans BLACKPINK, who's already turned heads with her 2021 debut album, Lalisa.

"Rockstar" is another swing outside her main gig, featuring serrated chiptune production and LISA's commanding rap flow. The gritty, urban, futuristic video is a visual treat, and the chorus's boast of "Lisa, can you teach me Japanese?" is a multilingual flex — as well as a maddeningly unshakeable earworm.

The "Peter Pan" heavyweight and four-time GRAMMY nominee Kelsea Ballerini has called 2024 "a new chapter of music." Her collaboration with folk/pop singer/songwriter Noah Kahan, "Cowboys Cry Too,"  is the tip of the spear.

More than a month after the pair performed together at the 2024 Academy of Country Music Awards, their first recorded team-up is an aching, yearning ballad about breaking down a gruff exterior and revealing true emotions.

"Cowboys cry too/ They may not let 'em fall down in their hometown thinkin' they still got s*** to prove," Ballerini sings in the chorus. "That well runs deep/ But when he's showin' his skin, lettin' mе in, that's when he's toughest to mе."

"So excited to release the best song of all time this friday!," Lil Nas X proclaimed on Instagram. (And on a Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack, no less!)

"Here We Go!" comes at an inflection point for the "J Christ" singer: "sorry I've been so scared with my art lately," he added in the same post. "I'm coming around to myself again. I will make you guys very proud."

This pro forma banger certainly inspires pride: tenacious lines like "I'm livin' and livin' I wanna die/ They tryna get even/ I'm beatin' the odds" will get under your skin. As for Beverly Hill Cop: Axel F, the Eddie Murphy joint will whiz to your screen July 3 via Netflix.

Lucky Daye picked up a win for Best Progressive Album at the 2022 GRAMMYs, for Table for Two. After a slew of nominations for work with Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige, he's investigating the Algorithm.

The single "HERicane" was just a teaser, with songs like "Blame," featuring Teddy Swims; "Paralyzed," featuring RAYE;" and "Diamonds in Teal" expanding on and honing his soul-funk-R&B vision.

"Don't know pickin' sides/ 'Cause I'm rollin' in desire," he dreamily sings in the gently roiling "Diamonds in Teal." "I don't know which lie's true/ Or maybe I do, or maybe I'm you." It's a suitable mission statement wrapped in a stealthily seductive package.

A jazzy, soulful, psychedelic band of Aussies, Hiatus Kaiyote has been wowing audiences for more than a decade. Whether through sampling or features, they've crossed paths with Drake, Anderson .Paak, and Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

Love Heart Cheat Code builds brilliantly on their last three albums: their 2012 debut Tawk Tomahawk, 2015's Choose Your Weapon, and 2021's Mood Valiant. Tracks like "Telescope," "Everything's Beautiful," and "Make Friends" are burbling brooks of atmosphere, groove and vibe.

Any fans of deep, pungent funk grooves should investigate Boulevards immediately. The project of mastermind Jamil Rashad, their new album Carolina Funk: Barn Burner on Tobacco Road tips its hat to yesterday's funk with a contemporary twist, bringing a refreshing spin on the well-trod template of syncopated basslines and stabbing horns.

Across highlights like "Do It Like a Maniac Part 1&2" and "Run & Move," Boulevards shows — once again — that few can nail this gritty sound quite like Rashad and crew.

British drill-inflected MC Headie One first made a splash overseas with his 2023 debut album, Strength to Strength. Less than a year later, he's returning with The Last One.

Back in 2022, he hinted at the existence of his sophomore album in his non-album track "50s" — "The fans calling for 'Martin's Sofa'/ It might be the first single from my second," he rapped. 

Helmed by that single, The Last One features Potter Payper, Stormzy, Fridayy, Skrillex, and more. The album is a leap forward in terms of production, scale and exploration.

Any theater kid worth their salt knows at least a few bars from the musical "Oklahoma!"; country sensation Kaitlyn Butts has just unfolded it into an entire album.

"It's a love story but there's also a murder and a little bit of an acid-trippy feel to it at times; it's set in the same place where I come from," she said in a statement, noting she saw "Oklahoma!" with her parents every summer during childhood. "Once I got the idea for this album," she continued, "I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it before, and it turned into something that completely encompasses who I am and what I love." 

A laugh riot as well as a colorful, openhearted statement, Roadrunner! does the old Rodgers and Hammerstein chestnut good.

Read more: 5 Female Artists Creating The Future Of Country Music: Jaime Wyatt, Miko Marks & More

Futurist Afropopper Amaarae made a gigantic splash with her second album, 2023's Fountain Baby — even Pitchfork gave it their coveted Best New Music designation.

That lush, enveloping album just got an expansion pack: roses are red, tears are blue — A Fountain Baby Extended Play is a continuation of its predecessor with six new songs. The oceanic "wanted," featuring Naomi Sharon, is a highlight, as is a remix of "Disguise" with 6LACK.

"Ooh, I'll be wanted/ I've been wanted," a pitch-shifted Sharon sings near the end, as if turning over the phrase. "Wanted" is one way to describe Amaraae's position in the music landscape.

Learn more: Meet The Latest Wave Of Rising Afrobeats Stars: AMAARAE, BNXN, Oladapo & More

The 50th anniversary of hip-hop may have come and gone, but hip-hop is forever. Today, legendary hip-hop pioneers MC Lyte and Queen Latifah continue to bear the flame of the genre as an elevating force with "King King," a conscious, uplifting offering.

"This is dedicated to all the kings and all the soon to be kings/ We're counting on you/ We love  you/ This is for you, you and you and you," MC Lyte begins, while Latifah holds it down on the chorus with "This your crown hold it/ Even if it all falls down show it/ You know the world is watching now I know you get tired from keepin' it all together/ We need you."

During Women's History Month in March, MC Lyte released "Woman," the first single from her upcoming album, featuring hip-hop icons Salt (of Salt 'N Pepa), Big Daddy Kane, and R&B singer Raheem DeVaughn. MC Lyte's first new album in nearly a decade drops this summer; keep your eyes and ears peeled.

Learn more: 9 Teen Girls Who Built Hip-Hop: Roxanne Shante, J.J. Fadd, Angie Martinez & More

Every June, Pride Month offers a time for the LGBTQIA+ community to reflect and raise awareness — but also, to party it up. While there were plenty of Pride anthems to pack playlists prior to this year, the past 12 months have seen some flawless new additions from a mix of fresh talent and long-standing stalwart artists that the queer community happily embraces.

While there's no set template on how to create an undeniable Pride anthem, there are major hallmarks: high-energy tempo, candid lyrics, delicious camp, and an undeniable groove. Between pop bops and dance floor jams, no Pride party is complete without at least a couple of the songs listed below. Cheers to the cathartic power of music to usher in another season of acceptance and equality. 

You play it when you wake up. It's on the radio on the way to the club. It's playing at the club. Heck, it's even blasting at the gym the next day. 2024's newly crowned pop princess, Sabrina Carpenter, released an instant classic when she unfurled "Espresso" in April — more than enough time to learn the lyrics by Pride Month.

With an infectious melody targeting your ears like a jolt of morning caffeine, its steaming dose of memorable lines ("I'm working late/ 'cause I'm a singer") are the handiwork of Carpenter along with three veteran lyricists, including close collaborator Steph Jones, Amy Allen (Harry Styles, Selena Gomez) and Julian Bunetta, who is perhaps best known for his plethora of work with One Direction. "Espresso" marks further proof that if there's one thing Carpenter knows it's how to command an audience, whether through her captivating stage shows or viral, story-telling music videos that link together (including for recent single "Please, Please, Please").

Read More: Sabrina Carpenter Releases New Single "Please Please Please": Everything We Know About Her New Album 'Short N' Sweet'

Charli XCX — "360"

It's safe to say that Charli XCX is experiencing a new phase of her decade-long career as a critically acclaimed starlet. Her sixth studio album, BRAT, marks an evolution of her sound into a batch of adult tracks tailor-made for the club. As a result, it's spawned a number of viral memes among her legions of LGBTQIA+ fans, who have also boasted lime green avatars on social media in honor of what's being dubbed "brat summer."

It's no coincidence then that she'd release the project in the midst of Pride Month, led by the relentlessly pulsating single "360." With lyrics that have quickly already found itselves queer canon — "Drop down, yeah, Put the camera flash on" — the album boasts a hyperpoop energy and unapologetic individuality, making her recent spate of shows some of the hottest tickets in town.

Read More: Charli XCX's Road To 'Brat': How Her New Album Celebrates Unabashed Confidence & Eccentricity

Giddy up! One of the brightest out stars in the LGBTQIA+ musical universe, the ever-masked Orville Peck has made a name for himself as a queer outlier in the country music scene. So it stands to reason that he'd partner up with none other than Kylie Minogue — who had the defining song of Pride '23 in the form of "Padam Padam" — for their own anthem for 2024. The result is "Midnight Ride," a whistle-powered, Diplo-produced earworm that's perfect for a rainbow-tinted hoedown.

The team-up is part of Peck's forthcoming duets project, for which he recruited a cavalcade of singing partners for queer-themed country-tinged tracks in a unique two-volume album dubbed Stampede (which drops in full Aug. 2). The collaborators include Willie Nelson, who croons with Peck on the eye-raising ditty "Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other."

Dua Lipa — "Houdini"

When Dua Lipa released Future Nostalgia in 2020, it became an instant classic in the pop world and LGBTQIA+ lexicon alike, cementing Lipa (and songs like "Don't Start Now" and "Physical") into the grand pantheon of queer playlist magic. The pressure was on, then, for her follow-up to live up to its commercial success and fandom.

Cue "Houdini," from this year's Radical Optimism, a cathartic dance floor anthem by one of the gay community's newer idols. Aside from setting the perfect tone for Pride Month with its delicious hook and refreshing confident lyrics "(Prove you got the right to please me"), in an interview with  SiriusXM Hits 1, Lipa said the production of the track set the tone for the new project: "I was like, "Okay, I feel like now I know exactly what this album's gonna be and what it's gonna sound like."

Read More: Dua Lipa's Road To 'Radical Optimism': How Finding The Joy In Every Moment Helped Her Become Pop's Dance Floor Queen

The Challengers soundtrack

Who knew that a soundtrack to a tense and sultry tennis drama would yield an album fit for the dance floor? The thumping array of tunes that Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross churned out for Luca Guadagnino's Challengers has proved to be a hit beyond the film, with its synth-propelled soundtrack proving to be a unique and wild tracks, including the driving "I Know." 

Its embrace in the LGBTQIA+ community should come as no surprise considering the single note the director gave Ross before he started work. "The way he described 'Challengers' was in a one-sentence email," Ross told Variety earlier this year. "Do you want to be on my next film? It's going to be super sexxy.' Two x's."

Ariana Grande — "yes, and"

Ariana Grande is no stranger to gay-friendly anthems; in fact, she delivered one of 2020's most iconic Pride moments with her Lady Gaga duet, "Rain On Me." When her album eternal sunshine dropped earlier this year, it was no surprise that she'd offer a few more bops for a Pride playlist.

Among them is "yes, and," a Max Martin-produced hit that can get even your stiffest friend moving on the dance floor. Perhaps it's no coincidence, then, that the creative team took the sonic elements of ballroom culture — a uniquely queer LGBTQIA+ experience — and fused them with lyrics perfect for a personal Pride anthem. "Say that s— with your chest," she croons. We will, Ari!

Read More: Listen To GRAMMY.com's 2024 Pride Month Playlist Of Rising LGBTQIA+ Artists

If you've been on a dance floor in the recent past, odds are you've grooved to nostalgic beats courtesy the South Korean producer Peggy Gou. The breakout star is known for her unique brand of throwback dance jams, which carry a distinct '90s-era flavor that has led her to be embraced in queer spaces from Fire Island to West Hollywood. The most infectious, "(It Goes Like) Nanana").... samples the German artist ATB's 1998 track "9 PM (Till I Come)," no doubt a reaction to the recent revitalization of 90s-era culture popular in the LGBTQIA+ community, which provides a thumping link to queer culture past.

"For me,  the DJ is someone who teaches people the value of music and educates them," Gou told L'Official of her musical mission. "It is someone who transmits a beautiful memory and is somehow responsible for it."

Chappell Roan — "Casual"

While Roan has been a bubbling-under singer/songwriter for a handful of years, 2024 has proved to be decidedly her time to shine. Ever since the release of her debut album, 2023's The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, her back catalog has logged impressive streaming numbers, and she's commanded massive crowds at the likes of Governor's Ball and Bonnaroo.

Part of her appeal comes from her unabashed candidness about her sexuality (Roan identifies as a lesbian) and resilience. Both are exemplified by her single "Casual," which is about a relationship that doesn't seem to get all that serious, for better or worse.

However, Roan told the Associated Press last year that normally she isn't so sexually candid.  "The songs kind of give me the opportunity to act like that, and say that, and dress like that," she explained. "It's mainly to piss off — it's all a rebellion. That's what it is. It is very empowering, I think, for a lot of people. ... It's just not as empowering to me as it is living out a fantasy."

Read More: Chappell Roan's Big Year: The 'Midwest Princess' Examines How She Became A Pop "Feminomenon"

By now, we've all heard Troye Sivan's infectious hit "Rush" or seen its viral music video — both of which earned the singer his first GRAMMY nominations this year. In the interim, his 2023 album, Something to Give Each Other, is filled with plenty of other tracks that speak intimately and eloquently about the queer experience.

Take, for example, the luscious "One Of Your Girls," a meditation on when a gay man has a transactional fling with an otherwise straight person. It subsequently has turned into yet another queer definitive anthem for the Australian star.

As a result, Sivan has turned into one of the musical heroes of the community: not only unabashedly talented, but an eloquent chronicler of the gay experience. Even better, as he told  NPR last year, his queer-focused projects are as cathartic for him as they may be for listeners. "There's a big element of pride in the fact that I am now so comfortably, openly gay."