A few weeks before the release of his newest album, Where We Started, Thomas Rhett posted a video on social media of one of his earliest performances. In the clip, he looks like he's probably 4 or 5, wearing a cowboy hat and singing Joe Diffie's "Third Rock From the Sun" with acoustic guitar (and occasional singing) accompaniment from his country-singer dad, Rhett Akins — as Rhett aptly put it, "Where @RhettAkins and I started."

Fans already knew that Rhett's roots in the music business run deep. He grew up as the kid of a '90s hitmaker, who charted 14 hits on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and hit No. 1 in 1996 with his song "Don't Get Me Started." Since then, Akins has continued to hold a prominent place in the country songwriting community, and he's a co-writer on much of his son's discography, including Rhett's first two No. 1 hits, "It Goes Like This" and "Get Me Some of That."

Akins is a stalwart of country radio, but Rhett's career soon broadened beyond those borders. On top of his in-format success, Rhett has amassed a crossover audience with R&B influence and pop-driven production on songs like "Crash and Burn" and "Craving You," a duet with Maren Morris.

"I've made a living throwing curveballs," Rhett told Billboard in 2021. He specifically pointed out "Crash and Burn," acknowledging that part of him expected it to "crash and burn" at country radio. Instead, it became his fourth No. 1 hit. "It carved out a lane for me," he continued.

His crossover breakthrough came with 2015's "Die a Happy Man," a love song so catchy and eloquently written that it became a go-to first dance song for fans of all genres. In addition to topping country charts, the heartfelt ballad made it to No. 21 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 and No. 25 on the Adult Top 40. But the song accomplished more than just commercial success — it was also one of Rhett's first forays into personal, autobiographical writing about his relationship with his wife, Lauren Akins.

The singer got married when he was 22, and early on, his marriage had its share of naysayers in the country music industry; many thought it would hurt his career if fans knew he was off the market. But "Die a Happy Man" — so specifically written about Lauren that she even starred in its music video — actually had the opposite effect. Fans began to invest in Rhett's love story, dubbing the couple #relationshipgoals and following Lauren on social media (she now has 2.6 million followers on Instagram alone).

From there, Rhett began to mine his personal life for songwriting material, getting more and more specific with each release. That was particularly showcased in his 2018 single "Life Changes," which documents his journey from college, to marriage, to parenthood. Rhett even detailed the whirlwind experience with his first two daughters — Lauren found out she was pregnant amid adopting a baby girl from Uganda — and mentioned the girls by name: "Now there's Willa and sweet Ada James/ That's two under two, hey, what can I say."

By the time he released his fourth album, 2019's Center Point Road, Rhett had solidified his place as one of country's biggest current stars. With 12 No. 1s (a feat he has now extended to 17) and two sold-out arena tours, he went into his Center Point Road cycle nearing A-list status. Yet, in line with the album's nostalgic themes, Rhett reflected on his career — and began to have a change in perspective.

"I remember being like, I love all my past records, but I do feel like on every record there was something I was chasing," he told Rolling Stone. "There was a vibe I was chasing. There was a different artist I was comparing myself to and trying to write something along the lines [of what] they would write. Some of the things I used to put so much stock in, I didn't put stock in anymore."

Though he didn't regret any of the ventures he'd made into different genres — in the same Rolling Stone interview, Rhett declared, "Every artist, if they're not allowed to explore, if they're not allowed to expand and try things, it halts the creative process" — he began yearning to return home, musically speaking.

"Once I started to slow down and look back at my life a little bit, I was like, 'Dang, I haven't really sat down with a guitar in a very long time, and just tried to tell a really honest story from the heart,'" he added to RS.

That realization was furthered by the unexpected downtime he had during the COVID-19 quarantine. The more time he spent off the road, the more Rhett started digging into the simple stuff. "I had to figure out who I was without a guitar," Rhett told People of that time period. Partially at the suggestion of his wife, he decided to channel the energy that had previously gone towards his career into his home life, and his role as a dad to — at the time — three children. (The family has since added a fourth daughter to their brood.)

Those lifestyle changes brought a different kind of songwriting to the surface. "I've never been more creative," he gushed to People. "All of a sudden, my co-writes were just incredible. It was like everything was flowing out for a reason."

Many of those songs were more straight-ahead country, both in style and in subject matter, like "More Time Fishing," "Ya Heard" and "Country Again" — the latter of which would go on to be the title track for a double album, Country Again Side A and Side B. Side A was released in April 2021, with plans for Side B to follow later this year; in the meantime, another "curveball" arose.

Earlier this year, Rhett told The Tennesseean that he'd written over 200 songs over the past five years, and while many of them fit into the world of Country Again, not all his new material would feel at home under that umbrella. The result was yet another project, Where We Started, as a sort of middle ground between his traditional-focused material and his more experimental side. "This will be a versatile record with a song for everyone," he detailed.

Listening to Where We Started, you can see the different foundations that Rhett has been laying over the past few years. His commitment to making nostalgia-driven, traditional-leaning country music is apparent on songs like "Mama's Front Door" and "Half of Me"; the breezy, Jimmy Buffett-leaning "Paradise" and Latin-flavored bop "Bring the Bar" would feel perfectly at home on the pop charts. Though the title track is a duet with Katy Perry — and has quite the pop-driven anthemic feel as a result — its lyrics call back to his relationship with both music and his wife: "You knew one day I would make a/ Livin' out of singing 'bout you."

But the album is more than the sum of its parts; in fact, the dominant theme of Where We Started isn't Rhett's exploration of one musical style over another, but rather the maturity he's picked up along the way. "The Hill" is a retelling of Rhett's love story, this time with the additional weight of a man who has gained a very clear idea of what it might be like to lose his lover — and how crucial it is to him to avoid that possibility.

Rhett has said that he often wonders if he's ever going to run out of different ways to write love ballads. He's certainly released a large cache of them, but with each new album, Rhett dives further and spotlights new perspectives on the topic. Using familiar subject matter to sharpen his songwriting skills allows the singer to expand his pen into new and less comfortable territory.

One example of his growing songwriting prowess is the somber and conflicted Where We Started track "Death Row." A collaboration with Russell Dickerson and Tyler Hubbard, the song details the three artists' trip to a Tennessee men's prison to perform for its death row inmates.

"Never in a million years did I ever think I would have been [playing a show like that]...[I was] honestly a little terrified, you know?" Rhett admitted to Audacy's Katie Neal. Despite his apprehensions, the experience made a powerful impact on him, which is intricately detailed in the song's lyrics — particularly the chorus' final line "I learned a lot 'bout livin' from them boys down on death row."

Rhett keeps throwing curveballs — to the audience and to himself — in the songs on Where We Started. The album isn't defined by his roots, but every song on it is an expression or an outgrowth of that young boy in the home video, singing along to a Joe Diffie song as his dad strums the guitar.

Songs like "Us Someday," "Where We Started" and "Slow Down Summer" combine the influences of Rhett's past pop hits with his growth as a genre-melding artist. "Mama's Front Door" and "The Hill" exemplify the lessons he's learned about the power of nostalgia, and about the dividends it pays to write autobiographically.

Each era of Rhett's artistry informs Where We Started. But even though they're based on different kinds of music, they're not at odds with each other. The common thread is Rhett's vision of who he is as an artist: The more he settles into himself, the more the music falls into place around him.

A Timeline Of Taylor Swift's GRAMMYs History, From Skipping Senior Prom To Making History With 'Folklore'

We're still a couple of weeks away from the summer solstice, but the smell of cookouts and chlorine is already in the air. As parts of the country experience summer weather, there's plenty of musical delights ready to soundtrack the start of summer.

From pop to alt-country to rap, this New Music Friday sprouted sounds for listeners of all persuasions. Here's a cross-section of today's songs and albums to check out, from Peggy Gou's debut album to the latest single from Jungkook.

Just a few weeks before Meghan Trainor's breakthrough smash, "All About That Bass," turns 10, the GRAMMY winner rings in the anniversary in major fashion: a brand new album.

Trainor's sixth LP, Timeless, an irresistible split difference between bubblegum pop and woo-wop. Back in March, she released the lead single "Been Like This" with T-Pain; the "Buy U a Drank" star also appears on "Love on Hold."

"I cannot believe it has been 10 years since this all started. I have never been more grateful for this life that my incredible Megatronz have gifted me with," Trainor said in a statement — "Megatronz" referring to her rabid fanbase. "This new album and tour are all for them and my beautiful family."

I Hear You might be South Korean DJ and singer Peggy Gou's debut album, but she declares it to be much more than that.

"It embodies countless hours of dedication in my journey to create something timeless, and is a testament to the power of listening, to ourselves and to each other," Gou said in a statement. 

And of the video to "1+1=11," in all of its shadowplay: "By bringing together dance — embodied exploration of space — with colorful shadows, lights, and mirrors, I was able to bring some of the key interests that have long shaped my art into an entirely new context."

If all this resonates with you, I Hear You is — well, a must-hear.

Listen: Leap Into AAPI Month 2024 With A Playlist Featuring Laufey, Diljit Dosanjh, & Peggy Gou

As Pride Month kicked off, Kylie Minogue brought out two very special guests at Outloud Fest at West Hollywood Pride: her newest collaborators, Orville Peck and Diplo. The trio debuted the slinky, sparkling "Midnight Ride," a winning trifecta of their diverse talent pools.

Just a few days later, the studio version has arrived. In its full-fledged wonder, the track is just as much of a ride on record as it was on stage.

The single is the latest offering from Peck's forthcoming duets album, Stampede; though the full album's release date has yet to be announced, the alt-country star teased the exciting collabs to come with the seven-song Stampede, Vol. 1 on May 10, which featured Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Nathaniel Rateliff and more.

On July 19, English indie favorites Glass Animals will declare I Love You So F***ing Much with their fourth album. They previously released the advance single "Creatures in Heaven." "A Tear in Space (Airlock)" arrives from smack in the middle of the forthcoming album.

A celestial, pulsing track replete with delicious production details, "A Tear in Space (Airlock)" marks another evolutionary step for the Oxford-rooted group. Their smash "Heat Waves" might be in the rearview, but they still know how to craft a song for just that.

Read More: Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: Glass Animals' Dave Bayley On The Group's Slow Burn To Massive Success With "Heat Waves" — And How It Almost Never Happened

Where would BTS be without its ARMY? It's an unthinkable prospect — and the boy band giants' beloved Jungkook has penned a worthy tribute to the fanbase that made them.

Released for BTS' annual debut anniversary celebration, Festa, "Never Let Go" opens its heart completely. "Without your love, I'm nothing/ You mean more than you know/ And words escape me whenever you're close," he croons. "I tried to put it into words but it don't measure up/ My pen and paper could never do quite enough."

Believe us: the radiant "Never Let Go" is more than enough. "It's the truth, it's the truth," Jungkook concludes. "We got something rеal nothing could break."

Learn more: Breaking Down Every Solo Act From BTS: Singles, Debut Albums & What's Next For The Septet

The Haitian-Canadian producer, rapper, singer, and DJ born Louis Celestin has produced everyone from Anderson .Paak to Alicia Keys to Victoria Monét, but he's just as compelling when it's his name on the record sleeve.

The two-time GRAMMY winner proves just that with his third album, TIMELESS. Of course, the producer recruited several collaborators for the project, and the list is a panoply of associates from across his career — not only .Paak, but Childish Gambino, Don Toliver, and more.

"A full production between two Colombian artists had never been done before," rapper and singer Maluma brassily proclaimed in a recent press statement. "If it's the first, it can't be done twice."

He's referring to the (aptly titled) 1 of 1, his new EP with fellow Colombian great Blessd. Co-produced by MadMuscik and the RudeBoyz, this six-pack is a reflection of the clear admiration and respect between the two reggaetón practitioners.

This pre-summer weekend, grab a bestie, hit the road, crank up tunes like "Call Me" and "Goyard/GTA," and let that feeling flow through you, too.

Five years after his last LP, Floridan rap phenom Ski Mask the Slump God returns by taking listeners to the 11th Dimension.

If 11th Dimension's advance singles — the jovial "Ooga Booga!", the propulsive "Headrush" — whetted your thirst, get ready for the other 19 tracks, like head-spinning highlights "By Myself," "KillStreak" and "Him Jung Un."

And while Ski Mask the Slump God takes most of those tracks himself, the album's five features are equally as thrilling: Future and ATL Jacob, Skillibeng, Corbin, and two posthumous duets with late rap stars XXXTentacion and Juice Wrld.

Generally, when an artist has a blast making music, it seeps through the grooves — and Thomas Rhett had an absolute ball making his new album, About A Woman, out Aug. 23.

"I did this with a new batch of producers, a lot of different songwriters. This is the funnest album that I've made, I think," he told Backstage Country. "This is a very, very 'me' album. If you liked Tangled Up and Life Changes, Center Point Road, this album is sort of that on steroids."

He's already revealed the first single, "Beautiful as You"; its follow-up, "Gone Country," is a rough-hewn statement of down-home purpose. Every line and lick is true to his dictum that he "got back to the root of why I love to make music and put smiles on faces." 

Let that smile cross your face as you prepare for your summer adventures — and we'll see you on next week's New Music Friday!

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Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

Looking for more GRAMMYs news? The 2024 GRAMMY nominations are here!

He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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As we're all stringing up colorful lights and scrambling to buy last-minute gifts, music shines as the one constant in our lives amid the rush of the holiday season.

Some playlists have been bursting with holiday music since early autumn, with releases such as Dolly Parton's "A Smoky Mountain Christmas" dropping back in August and Joss Stone's Merry Christmas, Love releasing in September. Since then, several more holiday albums arrived, whether they were new projects from artists such as Alicia Keys and Thomas Rhett or polished deluxe editions from the likes of Reba McEntire and Norah Jones.

Beyond releasing albums, many artists have also found their holiday spirit by releasing festive singles. Remi Wolf brings her bubbly personality to warm covers of "Last Christmas" and "Winter Wonderland," Dan + Shay remind us to throw a "Holiday Party" with loved ones, and Phoebe Bridgers shares her annual holiday cover, this year a rendition of the Handsome Family's "So Much Wine." And even stars such as RuPaul, Jimmy Fallon and Ryan Reynolds surprised with holiday singles this season.

Groups such as Pentatonix and Backstreet Boys joined in on the fun with their own cheery holiday albums, and Gloria Estefan and her family capture the joys of love in a snowglobe on Estefan Family Christmas. Collaborations sparkle with holiday magic as well; Ingrid Michaelson and A Great Big World team up for "It's Almost Christmas," and Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande perform "Santa, Can't You Hear Me" in a thrilling live version.

So bundle up, grab some hot cocoa, and listen to some new holiday music in this very merry playlist — check it out on Pandora, Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.

It's rare that a genre can be traced back to a single artist or group, but for funk, that was James Brown. The Godfather of Soul coined the phrase and style of playing known as "on the one," where the first downbeat is emphasized, instead of the typical second and fourth beats in pop, soul and other styles. As David Cheal eloquently explains, playing on the one "left space for phrases and riffs, often syncopated around the beat, creating an intricate, interlocking grid which could go on and on." You know a funky bassline when you hear it; its fat chords beg your body to get up and groove.

Brown's 1965 classic, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," became one of the first funk hits, and has been endlessly sampled and covered over the years, along with his other groovy tracks. Of course, many other funk acts followed in the '60s, and the genre thrived in the '70s and '80s as the disco craze came and went, and the originators of hip-hop and house music created new music from funk and disco's strong, flexible bones built for dancing.

Legendary funk bassist Bootsy Collins learned the power of the one from playing in Brown's band, and brought it to George Clinton, who created P-funk, an expansive, Afrofuturistic, psychedelic exploration of funk with his various bands and projects, including Parliament-Funkadelic. Both Collins and Clinton remain active and funkin', and have offered their timeless grooves to collabs with younger artists, including Kali Uchis, Silk Sonic, and Omar Apollo; and Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, and Thundercat, respectively.

In the 1980s, electro-funk was born when artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Man Parrish, and Egyptian Lover began making futuristic beats with the Roland TR-808 drum machine — often with robotic vocals distorted through a talk box. A key distinguishing factor of electro-funk is a de-emphasis on vocals, with more phrases than choruses and verses. The sound influenced contemporaneous hip-hop, funk and electronica, along with acts around the globe, while current acts like Chromeo, DJ Stingray, and even Egyptian Lover himself keep electro-funk alive and well.

Today, funk lives in many places, with its heavy bass and syncopated grooves finding way into many nooks and crannies of music. There's nu-disco and boogie funk, nodding back to disco bands with soaring vocals and dance floor-designed instrumentation. G-funk continues to influence Los Angeles hip-hop, with innovative artists like Dam-Funk and Channel Tres bringing the funk and G-funk, into electro territory. Funk and disco-centered '70s revival is definitely having a moment, with acts like Ghost Funk Orchestra and Parcels, while its sparkly sprinklings can be heard in pop from Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, and, in full "Soul Train" character, Silk Sonic. There are also acts making dreamy, atmospheric music with a solid dose of funk, such as Khruangbin’s global sonic collage.

There are many bands that play heavily with funk, creating lush grooves designed to get you moving. Read on for a taste of five current modern funk and nu-disco artists making band-led uptempo funk built for the dance floor. Be sure to press play on the Spotify playlist above, and check out GRAMMY.com's playlist on Apple Music, Amazon Music and Pandora.

Say She She

Aptly self-described as "discodelic soul," Brooklyn-based seven-piece Say She She make dreamy, operatic funk, led by singer-songwriters Nya Gazelle Brown, Piya Malik and Sabrina Mileo Cunningham. Their '70s girl group-inspired vocal harmonies echo, sooth and enchant as they cover poignant topics with feminist flair.

While they’ve been active in the New York scene for a few years, they’ve gained wider acclaim for the irresistible music they began releasing this year, including their debut album, Prism. Their 2022 debut single "Forget Me Not" is an ode to ground-breaking New York art collective Guerilla Girls, and "Norma" is their protest anthem in response to the news that Roe vs. Wade could be (and was) overturned. The band name is a nod to funk legend Nile Rodgers, from the "Le freak, c'est chi" exclamation in Chic's legendary tune "Le Freak."

Moniquea

Moniquea's unique voice oozes confidence, yet invites you in to dance with her to the super funky boogie rhythms. The Pasadena, California artist was raised on funk music; her mom was in a cover band that would play classics like Aretha Franklin’s "Get It Right" and Gladys Knight’s "Love Overboard." Moniquea released her first boogie funk track at 20 and, in 2011, met local producer XL Middelton — a bonafide purveyor of funk. She's been a star artist on his MoFunk Records ever since, and they've collabed on countless tracks, channeling West Coast energy with a heavy dose of G-funk, sunny lyrics and upbeat, roller disco-ready rhythms.

Her latest release is an upbeat nod to classic West Coast funk, produced by Middleton, and follows her February 2022 groovy, collab-filled album, On Repeat.

Shiro Schwarz

Shiro Schwarz is a Mexico City-based duo, consisting of Pammela Rojas and Rafael Marfil, who helped establish a modern funk scene in the richly creative Mexican metropolis. On "Electrify" — originally released in 2016 on Fat Beats Records and reissued in 2021 by MoFunk — Shiro Schwarz's vocals playfully contrast each other, floating over an insistent, upbeat bassline and an '80s throwback electro-funk rhythm with synth flourishes.

Their music manages to be both nostalgic and futuristic — and impossible to sit still to. 2021 single "Be Kind" is sweet, mellow and groovy, perfect chic lounge funk. Shiro Schwarz’s latest track, the joyfully nostalgic "Hey DJ," is a collab with funkstress Saucy Lady and U-Key.

L'Impératrice

L'Impératrice (the empress in French) are a six-piece Parisian group serving an infectiously joyful blend of French pop, nu-disco, funk and psychedelia. Flore Benguigui's vocals are light and dreamy, yet commanding of your attention, while lyrics have a feminist touch.

During their energetic live sets, L'Impératrice members Charles de Boisseguin and Hagni Gwon (keys), David Gaugué (bass), Achille Trocellier (guitar), and Tom Daveau (drums) deliver extended instrumental jam sessions to expand and connect their music. Gaugué emphasizes the thick funky bass, and Benguigui jumps around the stage while sounding like an angel. L’Impératrice’s latest album, 2021’s Tako Tsubo, is a sunny, playful French disco journey.

Franc Moody

Franc Moody's bio fittingly describes their music as "a soul funk and cosmic disco sound." The London outfit was birthed by friends Ned Franc and Jon Moody in the early 2010s, when they were living together and throwing parties in North London's warehouse scene. In 2017, the group grew to six members, including singer and multi-instrumentalist Amber-Simone.

Their music feels at home with other electro-pop bands like fellow Londoners Jungle and Aussie act Parcels. While much of it is upbeat and euphoric, Franc Moody also dips into the more chilled, dreamy realm, such as the vibey, sultry title track from their recently released Into the Ether.

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