By Niy Birden

Taylor Swift seems to be having the time of her life with her new image and sound. One wouldn’t be surprised if behind her tweets and posts, she was secretly having fits of laughter while reading the responses on the internet.

After a series of public feuds and social media scams, earlier this summer Taylor seemed to have deleted all of her online accounts, including her Instagram, and Twitter, much to the dismay of her adoring audience and music industry colleagues, which racks in a couple hundred million in total. Despite the massive success she had with her last album 1989, released only 3 years ago, the singer’s reputation seemed to be chasing closely behind her, almost running in front of her to reach us before her music. But things have definitely changed…or have they?

On August 21st, Taylor returned to the internet-osphere with a cryptic series of videos over 2 days of simply a very quick video of a snake, with no audio accompanying it whatsoever. This was clearly in retaliation to the hundreds of tweets, memes, and posts in which people were comparing her industry practices and ethics to being similar to those of a snake’s. Then, she released a few graphics, amongst them being a picture of her with a collaged amount of texts in various fonts, simply saying the words that many people seem to say next to each other about her: taylor swift, and reputation. Reputation, as it turned out, is the name of her newest album, and of course the graphic was the official album art.
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Eric Gasa

Taylor Swift’s newest single “Look What You Made Me Do” is dizzying pop art at its pettiest and finest. It’s not necessarily the beat or hooks that make “Look What You Made Me Do” such a notable piece of pop savvy, but the vengeful lyrics and symbolic music video visuals. It’s one thing for pop stars to call out the haters; it’s another for them to wear the insults like a diamond necklace instead of a crown of thorns. Swift does all of this and more on “Look What You Made Me Do” even if it’s just a lazy pop beat with a settle to score.

Like any sucker punch, there is a lot to unpack here. “I don’t like your little games/Don’t like your tilted stage/The role you made me play,” sings Swift. The stage is a reference to Kanye West’s elaborate Saint Pablo tour, as well as the infamous beef they’ve had since West stole the mic from Taylor during the 2009 VMAs. Swift also takes shots at her past friendships with Katy Perry and the HAIM sisters.

Instrumentally, the song is a dark trance number that contrasts to the upbeat, wholesome melodies of 2015’s 1989. Where 1989 was a free-spirited power pop romp, “Look What You Made Me Do” is toxic, extra, and snide in nature.

Things go from melodramatic to cheesy when Swift answers a telephone and replies, “I’m sorry, the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now…Why? Oh, ‘cause she’s dead!”

Swift sees herself as the hero going against the odds in a treacherous story. She sits on a throne covered in snakes, while the pillars leading up to her perch read, “Et Tu, Brute”; a quote from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, symbolizing Caesar’s surprise when he is stabbed to death by his friends. Go figure.

Swift also wears a ridiculous Zoolander-inspired fur outfit and stands over a panicking dogpile of her clones, kicking and screaming for the seat at the top. It’s a goofy sight of multiple personalities; there’s Black Swan Taylor, hissing snake Taylor, fake country Taylor, and of course, zombie Taylor. Can’t forget about her. Each one representing moments and emotions of Swift’s psyche. The pop star pokes fun at herself but the imagery couldn’t be more obvious and on the nose.

On her latest album Reputation, due to release November 10, Swift plans on changing exactly that about herself. Even if it means scrawling the word in pink spray paint on the side of a private she just chain-sawed in half. In 2017, Taylor Swift couldn’t be more hate-able and she couldn’t be prouder of it.

By Niy Birden

This summer was an ultimate blast from our reigning pop and hip hop musicians. The music we were hit with resonated with the summer expectations, political climates imitated our harrowing weather, and some of our old faves came back with music that made us remember just how much we loved them way back.

P!nk was recently awarded with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2017 MTV VMA’s, Miley Cyrus has mysteriously decided to return back to her country and rock roots, and even Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato have amped up their sexuality in their tunes. Which is why the recent album rumors coming from teen sensation Avril Lavigne and Black Eyed Peas member Fergie are worthy of being called Music’s Christmas Present for 2017.

Who wouldn’t remember Avril Lavigne, our friendly Canadian who came bursting through the teenage airwaves in the 90’s with hits like “Complicated” and “Sk8ter Boi”? While Avril has had a few hits and misses with album sales, her core fan following have been the torch-bearers for her music, helping her gain numerous chart-topping hits and a cemented place in Pop-Rock music history. People loooooove Avril Lavigne. And this is not an understatement. You can find a true fan through almost any type in the last two generations, thanks to her musical outreach and quality. Nerds, ego kids, punk kids, bubblegum pop kids, and even our friends over in Japan adore her and her ever-evolving lyrics.

People are so well-aware of Avril Lavigne that there is a highly-discussed theory located almost everywhere on the internet that she was at some point replaced with a clone, by proof of her supposed physical transformations. And frankly, we all know that you are an influential musician if you start to get government conspiracy theories made up about you.
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By Niy Birden

First of all, let’s just start by acknowledging that Don Cheadle is on a roll. Not only because of the legend that he is and always will be, but because he has made two incredibly placed appearances in two of the biggest music videos this year so far: Kendrick Lamar’s “DNA”, and now, Logic’s “1-800-273-8255”. Can we all agree here that Don would make a damn good director for a music video??

This year, the topic of LGBTQ discussions have been fairly quiet but still in demand, thanks to our recent election. With recent events such as the Charlottesville Nazi protests showing just how much of hate America is tolerating in society, it might be fitting to say that right now, more than ever, our youth need understanding and support with personal matters, especially the types of matters that has been behind the spike of suicide rates in teenagers. Fortunately, that support comes from a multitude of sources. And Logic wants to open up the discussion about it.

Sonically, the song is very pro-pop with a hint of R&B and Hip Hop, like most of Logic’s hits. Starting off with vintage electro piano and some lovely, optimistic strings, he opens up with a very honest statement “I’ve been on the low/I been taking my time/I feel like I’m out of my mind/It feel like my life ain’t mine/Who can relate?/I’ve been on the low/I been taking my time/I feel like I’m out of my mind/It feel like my life ain’t mine”. It then continues on with the mid-tempo beats as a nice accompaniment, and has a generous contribution by Alessia Cara and Khalid. Lyrically, it details someone calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and detailing their dismay, and then deciding that they actually don’t want to continue with ending their life.

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By Armando

Its only four days away from music world’s big event and the excitement is already heating up as to who will be getting a Moonman this year.

Set to be held this Sunday August 27, 2017 at The Forum in Inglewood, California, MTV’s annual Video Music Awards will be hosted by Katty Perry, marking the first time for Perry as host of the event.

On Wednesday, Demi Lovato took to Twitter to announce her scheduled performance on Sunday. “See you at the VMAs this year,” Lovato wrote complete with emojis. Gucci Mane, Logic and Post Malone are also set to perform, joining previously announced artists Ed Sheeran, Miley Cyrus, Fifth Harmony, The Weeknd, Lorde, Kendrick Lamar, Julia Michaels, Thirty Seconds to Mars, and Shawn Mendes.

Also this week, Cardi B was announced to perform at the pre-show stage. She will be joined by “Location” singer and songwriter Khalid and indie pop act Bleachers.

The event is set to be a big night for P!nk, who will be receiving a Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award for her accomplishments in music and film. Sometimes called “Lifetime Achievement Award” in some years, the accolade has been given to some of music’s biggest names, most recently Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Kanye West, and Rihanna.

The top nominees for this year’s Video of the Year include Kendrick Lamar for “Humble”, Bruno Mars for “24K Magic”, Alessia Cara for “Scars to Your Beautiful”, DJ Khaled (featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller) for “Wild Thoughts”, and The Weeknd for “Reminder.”

The ceremony on Sunday will start at 8 p.m. ET while red carpet starts at 7 p.m. ET. The pre-show will be hosted by rapper Lil Yachty.

By Eric Gasa

Weezer – Pacific Daydream

Weezer are back with a follow up to last year’s White Album. Pacific Daydream, their 11th record, is due out October 27 with an extensive summer tour heading far into 2018. Originally suspected to be the long awaited Black Album, Pacific Daydream came to be as the songwriting process shifted from darker elements to “reveries from a beach at the end of the world,” according to a press release.

Pacific Dream’s first single, “Feels Like Summer” trades the pop-punk guitars for a bouncy electronic pop beat ala Imagine Dragons or 21 Pilots. Frontman Rivers Cuomo shouts about youthful insecurities despite being 47 years old but still sings like he’s 24 again. It’s a far cry from 90’s classics like “Sweater Song” and “Buddy Holly” but “Feels Like Summer” is sure to be heard blasting at a beach somewhere.

The more traditional “Mexican Fender” finds the band doing what they do best; singing about girls, guitars, and nerdy idiosyncrasies. Fitting to the title, Pacific Daydream is still stepped in Weezer’s signature sunbaked, California style. Check the charming video for “Mexican Fender” starring a lovesick seagull.

Robert Plant – Carry Fire

Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant delves into his love for blues and acoustic guitars on his newest single, “The May Queen”. The song is the first from his forthcoming record, Carry Fire, which is due out October 13 via Nonesuch Records. On “The May Queen” the fiery singer takes a break from the heavy rhythms to deliver a softer, sweeter slice of his songwriting. Think more “Stairway to Heaven” or “Going To California” than “When The Levee Breaks” or “Immigrant Song”.

Some Zeppelin fans will notice the sly “Stairway to Heaven” reference in “The May Queen” but this song could not be more different from his original work. Regarding the recording process, Plant says that he prefers “mixing old with new”.

“The May Queen” is especially unique wherein we see Plant take a twangier approach reminiscent of Paul Simon and acoustic world music. Country-style fiddles permeate the song alongside slide guitars and a choir. If “The May Queen” is a primer to Carry Fire then fans should expect a warmer side of the former frontman.

“Out here the fire’s still burning so long into my night,” Plant sings, “Still captive and still yearning/Surrender to your light.”