Sitemap - 2024 - Shatter the Standards
December 2024 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month
Wednesday Roundups #83: 14 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Anniversaries: Kendrick Lamar EP by Kendrick Lamar
Anniversaries: Bastard by Tyler, The Creator
Milestones: Black Messiah by D’Angelo and The Vanguard
Album Review: Glad You Came by Mario
New Music Drops: December 13, 2024
Album Review: Missionary by Snoop Dogg
Wednesday Roundups #82: 25 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Kendrick Lamar and Drake: From the Sandbox to the Skyline
Album Review: The Crossroads by Cordae
New Music Drops: December 6, 2024
Wednesday Roundups #81: 10 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
The 50 Best Rap Albums of 2024
The 50 Best R&B Albums of 2024
The 37 Best Jazz Albums of 2024
New Music Drops: November 29, 2024
Wednesday Roundups #80: 20 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
November 2024 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month
Album Review: GNX by Kendrick Lamar
New Music Drops: November 22, 2024
Wednesday Roundups #79: 25 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Milestones: MM.. FOOD by MF DOOM
Milestones: The Chronic 2001 by Dr. Dre
Milestones: CrazySexyCool by TLC
New Music Drops: November 15, 2024
Album Review: Access All Areas by FLO
Wednesday Roundups #78: 19 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
R&B Albums from 2019 That Deserve More Appreciation
New Music Drops: November 8, 2024
Album Review: Soul Burger by Ab-Soul
Album Review: Take Care by BigXThaPlug
Wednesday Roundups #77: 25 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
R&B Albums from 2018 That Deserve More Appreciation
Our Tribute to Quincy Jones (1933-2024)
Blue Note Records 85: 85 Best Albums
The Untold Story of Luther Vandross’s First Group
Album Review: You Only Die 1nce by Freddie Gibbs
New Music Drops: November 1, 2024
Album Review: Cut Ties by Kiana Ledé
October 2024 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month
Wednesday Roundups #76: 25 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
EP Review: The Drive Home (EP) by Samara Cyn
R&B Albums from 2017 That Deserve More Appreciation
Album Review: Chromakopia by Tyler, The Creator
Album Review: Megan: Act II by Megan Thee Stallion
New Music Drops: October 25, 2024
Wednesday Roundups #75: 25 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Milestones: Make It Big by Wham!
R&B Albums from 2016 That Deserve More Appreciation
New Music Drops: October 18, 2024
Ka’s Legacy: The Art of War and Peace
Wednesday Roundups #74: 23 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
R&B Albums from 2015 That Deserve More Appreciation
Milestones: Black On Both Sides by Mos Def
Album Review: Glorious by GloRilla
New Music Drops: October 11, 2024
Album Review: Portrait by Samara Joy
Wednesday Roundups #73: 20 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Album Review: Revelator by ELUCID
R&B Albums from 2014 That Deserve More Appreciation
Here Are the 20 Best Rappers In Their 20s Right Now
New Music Drops: October 4, 2024
Album Review: Quiet In a World Full of Noise by Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn
Wednesday Roundups #72: 25 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
R&B Albums from 2013 That Deserve More Appreciation
September 2024 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month
Album Review: 143 by Katy Perry
Milestones: J.E. Heartbreak by Jagged Edge
Album Review: Mutt by Leon Thomas
Album Review: Zinc. by Gallant
Album Review: Harlequin by Lady Gaga
New Music Drops: September 27, 2024
Album Review: Adjust Brightness by Bilal
Album Review: Coyote by Tommy Richman
Wednesday Roundups #71: 25 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Album Review: Dunya by Mustafa
R&B Albums from 2012 That Deserve More Appreciation
Album Review: Mixtape Pluto by Future
Album Review: 1 of 1 by MC Lyte
Milestones: Project: Funk Da World by Craig Mack
New Music Drops: September 20, 2024
Album Review: Love (the) Omnious World by Blu & Exile
Milestones: Rhythm Nation 1814 by Janet Jackson
Wednesday Roundups #70: 25 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
The Case of USA v. Sean Combs: Detailed Criminal Allegations and Legal Ramifications
Rediscover Tina Bell: The Black Woman at the Heart of Grunge
R&B Albums from 2011 That Deserve More Appreciation
Kendrick Lamar Wants the Party Destroyed and Rebuilt
Milestones: Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady by Eve
Milestones: Nigga Please by Ol’ Dirty Bastard
Anniversaries: Ghetty Green by Project Pat
Milestones: Ready to Die by The Notorious B.I.G.
New Music Drops: September 13, 2024
Wednesday Roundups #69: 12 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
R&B Albums from 2010 That Deserve More Appreciation
Album Review: Gap Year! by Laila!
New Music Drops: September 6, 2024
Album Review: The FORCE by LL Cool J
Wednesday Roundups #68: 25 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
LL Cool J’s Best and Most Important Albums
Album Review: Beautiful Pain by Tyrese
August 2024 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month
Album Review: Better Me Than You by Big Sean
The Standards Issue #4: Sabrina Carpenter, Salute, Killer Mike, and More
New Music Drops: August 30, 2024
Album Review: Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii
Album Review: ReVenge by Muni Long
Album Review: While We Wait 2 by Kehlani
Wednesday Roundups #67: 18 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
EP Review: Duets (EP) by Eric Benét
Say Drake: You Should “Go Away” for a While
Album Review: Luvology by LARA’
Anniversaries: Connected by The Foreign Exchange
New Music Drops: August 23, 2024
Album Review: The Thief Next to Jesus by Ka
Wednesday Roundups #66: 18 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
20 Best Top Dawg Entertainment Albums (TDE), Ranked
New Music Drops: August 16, 2024
Album Review: Quantum Baby by Tinashe
R&B Albums from the 2000s That Deserve More Appreciation (Part Four)
Wednesday Roundups #65: 16 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
R&B Albums from the 2000s That Deserve More Appreciation (Part Three)
Milton + esperanza: The Tone Wavers, But It’s Right
Kanye West & Ty Dolla Sign’s (¥$) ‘Vultures 2’ Is Out and It’s an Unforgiving Disaster
Album Review: Shadowbox by Mavi
Milestones: Off the Wall by Michael Jackson
Wow. But Where Is Adele? The Perils of Pop Iconography
Album Review: Sugar Honey Iced Tea by Latto
New Music Drops: August 9, 2024
Album Review: Bird’s Eye by Ravyn Lenae
Album Review: Trouble In Paradise by Chlöe
Album Review: This Is How Tomorrow Moves by Beabadoobee
Wednesday Roundups #64: 13 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Album Review: I Lay Down My Life for You by JPEGMAFIA
Milestones: A Long Hot Summer by Masta Ace
New Music Drops: August 2, 2024
EP Review: Sophcore (EP) by Moses Sumney
R&B Albums from the 2000s That Deserve More Appreciation (Part Two)
Milestones: No One Can Do It Better by The D.O.C.
Wednesday Roundups #63: 18 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
R&B Albums from the 2000s That Deserve More Appreciation (Part One)
July 2024 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month
Céline Dion: There Are No More Problems In the Sky
It’s Just Music After All: The Overestimated Power of Pop In Politics
Album Review: G.O.D.’s Network (REB7RTH) by Rakim
New Music Drops: July 26, 2024
Album Review: Faith of a Mustard Seed by Mustard
Wednesday Roundups #62: 18 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Album Review: Y2K! by Ice Spice
Milestones: Fulfillingness’ First Finale by Stevie Wonder
Album Review: 1-800-Fantasy by BLK ODYSSY
Anniversaries: The Lost Tapes II by Nas
Album Review: The Stimulus Package 2 by Freeway & Jake One
New Music Drops: July 19, 2024
Album Review: King of the Mischievous South, Vol. 2 by Denzel Curry
Album Review: Bando Stone and The New World by Childish Gambino
Wednesday Roundups #61: 30 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Anniversaries: Friends & Lovers by Marsha Ambrosius
Milestones: The Writing’s On the Wall by Destiny’s Child
Album Review: The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) by Eminem
New Music Drops: July 12, 2024
Album Review: The Auditorium, Vol. 1 by Common & Pete Rock
Wednesday Roundups #60: 10 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Milestones: Standing On the Verge of Getting It On by Funkadelic
Wednesday Roundups #59: 30 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Anniversaries: Up for the Down Stroke by Parliament
The Standards Issue #3: Ayra Starr, Peggy Gou, BossMan Dlow, and More
June 2024 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month
The 40 Best Albums of 2024 (So Far)
Milestones: Soundpieces: Da Antidote by Lootpack
Album Review: Megan by Megan Thee Stallion
Milestones: Bandana by Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
Album Review: Love Heart Cheat Code by Hiatus Kaiyote
New Music Drops: June 28, 2024
Album Review: Samurai by Lupe Fiasco
Album Review: Casablanco by Marsha Ambrosius
Album Review: Algorithm by Lucky Daye
Wednesday Roundups #58: 25 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Dear Michael Jackson: The King of Pop's Eternal Reign
Milestones: Purple Rain by Prince & The Revolution
Album Review: Movie by Your Old Droog
Milestones: Angie by Angela Bofill
Album Review: Crash by Kehlani
New Music Drops: June 21, 2024
Album Review: Endless Night by Maeta
Album Review: I Am: Céline Dion (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Céline Dion
Wednesday Roundups #57: 35 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Album Review: Where the Butterflies Go In the Rain by Raveena
Album Review: VANTABLACK by Lalah Hathaway
Album Review: Chupacabra by DJ Quik & JasonMartin (Problem)
Album Review: Moth by Fana Hues
Milestones: The Warm Up by J. Cole
Album Review: Cape Town to Cairo by PJ Morton
Album Review: Live at Glasshaus by Bilal feat. Questlove, Common, Robert Glasper, Burniss Travis
New Music Drops: June 14, 2024
Album Review: Dopamine by Normani
Wednesday Roundups #56: 17 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Motown 65: 65 Best Motown Albums
Milestones: The Ecstatic by Mos Def (Yasiin Bey)
Album Review: Why Lawd? by NxWorries (Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge)
The Top 25 Best MCs In the Game Right Now (2024 Edition)
Milestones: Regulate… G Funk Era by Warren G
Album Review: Born In the Wild by Tems
Album Review: Timeless by KAYTRANADA
Wednesday Roundups #55: 30 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Milestones: The Glamorous Life by Sheila E.
The Standards Issue #2: Lucky Daye, Muni Long, Normani, and More
Funk, Love, and Unity: The Enduring Legacy of R&B in 1976
Milestones: Ill Communication by Beastie Boys
Album Review: Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going by Shaboozey
May 2024 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month
Milestones: Private Dancer by Tina Turner
Wednesday Roundups #54: 20 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Milestones: Winter In America by Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson
Milestones: Painted by Lucky Daye
Milestones: The Sun Rises In the East by Jeru the Damaja
Album Review: Dark Times by Vince Staples
Milestones: The Boss by Diana Ross
Wednesday Roundups #53: 23 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
The Standards Issue #1: Gunna, Chief Keef, 4batz, and More
Prime Picks: “Shame On the Devil” by Vince Staples
Album Review: Hit Me Hard and Soft by Billie Eilish
Album Review: Lives Outgrown by Beth Gibbons
Album Review: Please Don’t Cry by Rapsody
Milestones: Igor by Tyler, The Creator
Milestones: Youngest In Charge by Special Ed
Wednesday Roundups #52: 27 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Kendrick Lamar and Drake: The Inimitable Ones
Album Review: Cassandra (Cherith) by Andra Day
Album Review: Ten Fold by Yaya Bey
Wednesday Roundups #51: 22 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Kendrick Lamar and Drake Have Beef, and Millions Are Watching
Album Review: Empathogen by WILLOW
Album Review: Fearless Movement by Kamasi Washington
Wednesday Roundups #50: 15 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
April 2024 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month
Album Review: Boundaries by Sinéad Harnett
OutKast Got Something to Say With Their Debut
Album Review: Radical Optimism by Dua Lipa
ScHoolboy Q Disappoints On 'CrasH Talk'
New Music Drops: April 26, 2024
Donna Summer Proves That She Was One of the ‘Bad Girls’
Wednesday Roundups #49: 22 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Jesse Boykins III Is Enigmatic As Ever on 'Love Apparatus'
Prime Picks: “Define My Name” by Nas & DJ Premier
Nas' Illmatic: The Blueprint for MCs
New Music Drops: April 19, 2024
Wednesday Roundups #48: 18 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Anderson .Paak Bounces Back With ‘Ventura'
New Music Drops: April 12, 2024
Wednesday Roundups #47: 27 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Re-evaluating Nas' 'I Am...' After 25 Years
Album Review: Might Delete Later by J. Cole
Album Review: TORI. by Tori Kelly
New Music Drops: April 5, 2024
Wednesday Roundups #46: 13 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
March 2024 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month
20 Years of Janet Jackson's 'Damita Jo'
New Music Drops: March 29, 2024
Album Review: COWBOY CARTER by Beyoncé
Wednesday Roundups #45: 8 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Prime Picks: “One Night Stand” by Marsha Ambrosius
Beyoncé’s Best and Most Important Albums
Madvillainy's Anniversary: A Retrospective
A Guide to Black Country Music
New Music Drops: March 22, 2024
Madonna’s Bold Vision in Like a Prayer
Wednesday Roundups #44: 8 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
My Krazy Life by YG: A Look Back
Breaking Down ‘Piñata’: Gibbs & Madlib
Prime Picks: “Stand Tall” by Rapsody
New Music Drops: March 15, 2024
Album Review: Everything I Thought It Was by Justin Timberlake
How ‘Road to the Riches’ Birthed Mafioso Rap
Wednesday Roundups #43: 9 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Justin Timberlake’s Best and Most Important Albums
Album Review: eternal sunshine by Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande: Dancin’ On Her Own
Album Review: Visions by Norah Jones
Why We Will Hear About RAYE Again
New Music Drops: March 8, 2024
Wednesday Roundups #42: 8 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Ariana Grande’s Best and Most Important Albums
February 2024 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month
Why 3 Feet High and Rising Still Resonates Today
A Fresh Look at Pharrell's G I R L
The Power of Rick Ross' Mastermind
Little Simz Found Her Stride on 'GREY Area'
Solange Returns to Her Roots in 'When I Get Home'
New Music Drops: March 1, 2024
Album Review: BLUE LIPS by ScHoolboy Q
Wednesday Roundups #41: 11 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Reviving Van Hunt's 2004 Self-Titled Album
Celebrating 25 Years of TLC's FanMail Album
Decoding 'Things Fall Apart': The Roots' Landmark
A Prince Among Thieves Turns 25: Retrospective
Eminem's Rise with The Slim Shady LP
New Music Drops: February 23, 2024
Wednesday Roundups #40: 11 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
New Music Drops: February 16, 2024
Wednesday Roundups #39: 15 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Prime Picks: “16 CARRIAGES” by Beyoncé
Ryan Leslie's Self-Titled Was Ahead of Its Time
The Legacy of Kanye’s College Dropout 20 Years On
Album Review: Coming Home by Usher
New Music Drops: February 9, 2024
Reflecting on 20 Years of Usher's Confessions
5 Things We Want from Usher’s Coming Home
Celebrating J Dilla: 50 Best Beats for His 50th
Wednesday Roundups #38: 5 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Explore Usher's 15 Best Deep Cuts
Of Struggle and Entertainment: The Key Moments of the 2024 Grammys
Usher’s Best and Most Important Albums
Toni Braxton & Babyface: Love's Reflection
New Music Drops: February 2, 2024
January 2024 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month
Bob Dylan and The Best Scene from 'We Are the World: The Night That Changed Pop'
Wednesday Roundups #37: 9 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Album Review: What Now by Brittany Howard
Album Review: Until We Meet Again by Sy Smith
New Music Drops: January 26, 2024
Album Review: Everybody Can’t Go by Benny the Butcher
Wednesday Roundups #36: 8 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Marlena Shaw, a Soulful Jazz Singer, Dies at 81
New Music Drops: January 19, 2024
Wednesday Roundups #35: 10 Albums/EPs You Should Listen to In Your Spare Time
Album Review: THE BOOK OF CLARENCE (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Jeymes Samuel
Album Review: american dream by 21 Savage
Album Review: ORQUÍDEAS by Kali Uchis
New Music Drops: January 12, 2024