4/26/22Damn, Kendrick Lamar is back: 25 essential albums to hear in MayPlus new records from Arcade Fire, Sharon van Etten, Wallice, and a host of other must-hear releases for the summerByAlex McLevy, Gabrielle Sanchez, Tatiana Tenreyro, Tim Lowery, and Annie ZaleskiPublishedApril 26, 2022
4/24/22The 10 best (virtual) Coachella performancesBetween acts like Billie Eilish and Harry Styles, high-profile guests, and much-anticipated reunions, the beloved…ByAnnie ZaleskiPublishedApril 24, 2022
4/6/22The 15 most essential music bios (and autobiographies) so far this centuryFrom Sleater-Kinney to Springsteen, these are the tomes most deserving of joining the pantheon of essential musical…ByAlex McLevy, David Brusie, Dan Bogosian, Noel Murray, Annie Zaleski, Marty Sartini Garner, and Lily MoayeriPublishedApril 6, 2022
3/23/22Jack White, Bloc Party, and the return of Girl Talk (plus 21 more albums coming in April)Kurt Vile, Digga D, The Regrettes, and more top the list of albums we can’t wait to hear in April 2022ByAlex McLevy, Alison Foreman, Annie Zaleski, Tatiana Tenreyro, and Gabrielle SanchezPublishedMarch 23, 2022
2/24/22Charli XCX returns (and 25 more albums we can't wait to hear in March)The pop star’s latest headlines a month filled with new music from Rosalía, Weezer, Benny The Butcher, and a trove…ByAlex McLevy, Gabrielle Sanchez, and Annie ZaleskiPublishedFebruary 24, 2022
2/9/22Spoon's Lucifer On The Sofa finds new meaning in familiar territoryThe band's 10th album is as adventurous and forward-looking as everByAnnie ZaleskiPublishedFebruary 9, 2022
1/12/22Cat Power’s expansive Covers album looks both inward and outFrom Bob Seger to Kitty Wells, the singer-songwriter's third covers collection reimagines the familiar and the…ByAnnie ZaleskiPublishedJanuary 12, 2022
12/23/21The 20 best albums of 2021See how the latest from Adele, Japanese Breakfast, Billie Eilish and more rank on our countdownByAlex McLevy, Tatiana Tenreyro, Gabrielle Sanchez, Baraka Kaseko, Saloni Gajjar, Clayton Purdom, Lily Moayeri, Nina Hernandez, Max Freedman, and Annie ZaleskiPublishedDecember 23, 2021
12/23/21The best albums of 2021: The ballotsHere are the ballots submitted by the 11 critics who determined The A.V. Club's best albums of the past yearByAlex McLevy, Tatiana Tenreyro, Gabrielle Sanchez, Baraka Kaseko, Annie Zaleski, Lily Moayeri, Nina Hernandez, Clayton Purdom, and Max FreedmanPublishedDecember 23, 2021
12/2/21Why Mariah Carey’s Christmas hit will be around foreverHow did 1994’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” became a holiday staple?ByAnnie ZaleskiPublishedDecember 2, 2021
12/1/21Have a Lethal Gremlins French Connection Christmas: 21 non-holiday holiday moviesFor the record, Die Hard is definitely a Christmas movieByCaroline Siede, Annie Zaleski, Gwen Ihnat, Katie Rife, Becca James, Alex McLevy, Danette Chavez, Emily L. Stephens, William Hughes, Les Chappell, Dennis Perkins, and Dan CaffreyPublishedDecember 1, 2021
11/15/21Jagged is a riveting reminder of Alanis Morissette’s power, charisma, and influenceThis music-packed HBO documentary is a delightful ’90s time capsule that doubles as a sharp social and cultural…ByAnnie ZaleskiPublishedNovember 15, 2021
10/27/21R.E.M.’s eclectic, road-created New Adventures In Hi-Fi sounds more resonant than everA deluxe reissue of the 1996 album, with B-sides, covers, and alternate takes, highlights the Athens band's restless…ByAnnie ZaleskiPublishedOctober 27, 2021
7/9/21The best albums of 2021 so farFrom Julien Baker to Rostam, Madlib to Mogwai, these are the records that most impressed us at this point in the yearByAlex McLevy, Annie Zaleski, Clayton Purdom, Nina Corcoran, Baraka Kaseko, Tatiana Tenreyro, Gabrielle Sanchez, Matt Schimkowitz, Mosi Reeves, Shanicka Anderson, and Saloni GajjarPublishedJuly 9, 2021
12/15/20The 20 best albums of 2020Yes, it’s been a hard year, and yes, we’re also tired of confronting that fact. But the bizarrely repetitive and…ByAlex McLevy, Shannon Miller, Randall Colburn, Baraka Kaseko, Cameron Scheetz, Clayton Purdom, Mosi Reeves, Nina Corcoran, Max Freedman, and Annie ZaleskiPublishedDecember 15, 2020
12/15/20The best albums of 2020: The ballotsThe A.V. Club’s list of 2020’s best albums was determined by 10 critics, who each submitted a ranked ballot of their…ByAlex McLevy, Baraka Kaseko, Shannon Miller, Randall Colburn, Cameron Scheetz, Annie Zaleski, Clayton Purdom, Nina Corcoran, Max Freedman, and Mosi ReevesPublishedDecember 15, 2020
12/14/20Taylor Swift’s deeply affecting evermore continues folklore’s rich universe-buildingTaylor Swift always commemorates her December birthday by doing something special: having a gigantic party,…ByAnnie ZaleskiPublishedDecember 14, 2020
11/2/20Ariana Grande finds her bliss with PositionsIn a recent radio interview, pop superstar Ariana Grande discussed the thought process she went through before…ByAnnie ZaleskiPublishedNovember 2, 2020
7/24/20Taylor Swift writes her own version of history on folkloreEavesdrop on any Twitter thread between creatives during the last few months, and you’ll inevitably find…ByAnnie ZaleskiPublishedJuly 24, 2020
6/23/20For disabled and other marginalized fans, online events aren’t a compromise—they’re a lifelineFor some, events like concerts, drag shows, and comedy open mics being moved online amid the coronavirus pandemic is…ByKatie Rife, Shannon Miller, and Annie ZaleskiPublishedJune 23, 2020