By Kylie Clifton, Loyola Marymount University

The British rock star reinvented the remix last year with ‘Cold Heart (PNAU Remix),’ but fails to follow his formula with the iconic pop star’s landmark return to music.

By Jordan Oulela, University of Texas at San Antonio

Oftentimes, the hype around a highly anticipated album is ruined when it’s leaked to the public without the artist’s consent. But recently, stars like Ariana Grande and Maisie Peters are using the practice to give them an edge and fuel more excitement for future releases.

By Meredith Granmayeh, Chapman University

The two lawsuits against the hit song ‘Levitating’ reflect how the music copyright cases are not as straightforward or fair as they might appear.

By Ally Xu, Northeastern University

While the new wave of posts from influencers looks a lot different from the carefully posed photos that defined an earlier generation of users, they aren’t any less deliberate.

By Karen Lu, Yale University

The English indie pop band embodies a soft musical style that has influenced countless genres and truly was ‘soft bedroom pop’ before it was a thing. So where did they go?

By Kieran Benson, Luther College

The Australian singer-songwriter exemplifies the evolution of the pop genre while taking note from pop stars of the past.

By Katherine Bry, Washington University

By Samantha Havela, University of Michigan

The two artists break free from the prison of their exes in the campy, rock ‘n’ roll themed music video.

By Eva Halvax, University of Arizona

The new single captures the reality of pandemic social limitations while staying true to the heart of summer romance.

By Aubrey Doerr, Chapman University

The album was leaked just days before its planned release, but this PR disaster paved the way for other big-name artists to turn out early releases.

By Aubrey Doerr, Chapman University

Virtual concerts are proving popular as major players in the musical world work hard to find new ways to engage their fans despite the need for social distancing.

By Asha MacKay, Wellesley College

The title track begins, ‘You want a timeless song, I want to change the game.’ Over the course of 11 tracks, the British pop star accomplishes her goal.

By Michael Wu, Case Western Reserve University

The song’s narcotic catchiness is no accident.

By Cheryl Sutton, Purdue University

Music is the only positive thing that 2017 has going for it.