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Rap Battles Are No Longer About the Music

March 27, 2026

Rap has always had tension in it. That’s kind of the point. Competition built the genre, who’s better, who’s realer, who actually has something to say. From early clashes to full blown diss tracks...

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Why Everything Sounds “Nostalgic” Right Now — Even New Songs

March 27, 2026

Pop music right now has a weird quality to it. You hear a brand new song, fresh release, trending everywhere, and somehow it feels like you’ve already lived with it. Not in a repetitive way, but in...

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The Unreleased Era: When “Leaked” Music Isn’t Really a Leak Anymore

March 27, 2026

There was a time when a song leaking early was every artist’s worst nightmare. It meant lost control, lost streams, and a rollout ruined before it even began. Now? It kind of feels like the...

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The Quiet Move That’s Reshaping Pop Behind the Scenes

March 27, 2026

At first, it just sounded like another business deal. But this one actually means a lot more for how music works right now. When news came out that Britney Spears sold the rights to her music...

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From Sound to Screen — Why The Moment Feels So Charli XCX

March 27, 2026

Charli XCX has never been the type of artist to stay in one place creatively. From reshaping modern pop to experimenting with sound, mood, and identity, her work has always felt bigger than just...

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The Comeback Era: Why Artists Aren’t Really “Gone” Anymore

March 25, 2026

Something interesting is happening in music right now. Artists don’t really disappear anymore. They just… pause.Then suddenly they’re back, and somehow bigger than before.A lot of this comes down...

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Sweet and Bright! How to make the Bubblegum Pop sound

March 25, 2026

Bubblegum pop is upbeat pop music with very strong hooks, simple lyrics, and a sweet. Songs are usually short, in a major key, with easy melodies, handclaps, and sing‑along choruses that get stuck...

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stayc main image

The Comeback Era: Why Artists Aren’t Really “Gone” Anymore

March 25, 2026

Something interesting is happening in music right now. Artists don’t really disappear anymore. They just… pause.Then suddenly they’re back, and somehow bigger than before.A lot of this comes down...

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A Deep Dive into PinkPantheress’s Production and the New Nostalgia Sound

March 25, 2026

Before PinkPantheress became a Grammy-nominated artist and one of the most talked about names in the industry, she started on her laptop with GarageBand, experimenting, recording vocals in her room...

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The Deluxe Drop: Why Artists Keep Expanding Albums After Release

March 25, 2026

In today’s streaming era, an album release rarely ends on release day. Instead, many artists return a few months later with an expanded version, often called a deluxe or extended edition. These...

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The “Greedy” Effect: How Tate McRae Brought Dance-Pop Energy Back

March 25, 2026

Pop music goes through phases. Some years the charts are full of emotional ballads, other times it’s glossy synth pop or moody R&B. When Tate McRae released “Greedy,” the track cut through that...

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Jersey Club Is Taking Over: A Starter Pack

March 25, 2026

If you’ve been scrolling through TikTok or Instagram lately, chances are you’ve heard a certain bouncy, chopped-up beat. That’s Jersey Club! a high-energy genre from Newark, New Jersey and it’s...

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MTV VMAs 2023

Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet

Photo Source: MTV

After nearly four hours of must-see performances, a surprise guest appearance, record-breaking award victories, and an epic celebration of hip-hop's 50th anniversary, MTV's greatest music event came to an end late on Tuesday night. 

Shakira had a big night as she became the first South American performer to receive the prestigious Video Vanguard Award, which honors an artist for their contributions to music videos and pop culture. In addition to winning big, Ice Spice was also voted Best New Artist. 

A record-breaking night for Taylor Swift saw her win nine awards, including Album of the Year and Artist of the Year for "Midnights." According to MTV, she is currently tied for second place in terms of the most victories in a single night.

Another huge surprise the event gave us was the surprise appearance of NSYNC, who hadn’t been on the same stage together since they last performed at the 2013 VMAs. The group is also now rumored to be working together and will be creating music sooner than we expect.

You can find the full list of the 2023 MTV VMAs winners below: 

  • Video of the year: Taylor Swift — “Anti-Hero”
  • Artist of the year: Taylor Swift 
  • Song of the year: Taylor Swift — “Anti-Hero” 
  • Best new artist: Ice Spice 
  • Push performance of the year: April 2023: Tomorrow X Together — “Sugar Rush Ride” 
  • Best collaboration:  Karol G, Shakira — “TQG”
  • Best pop: Taylor Swift — “Anti-Hero”
  • Best hip-hop: Nicki Minaj — “Super Freaky Girl” 
  • Best R&B: SZA — “Shirt”
  • Best alternative:  Lana Del Rey featuring Jon Batiste — “Candy Necklace” 
  • Best rock: Måneskin — “The Loneliset” 
  • Best latin: Anitta — “Funk Rave” 
  • Best K-Pop: Stray Kids — “S-Class”
  • Best Afrobeats: Rema & Selena Gomez — “Calm Down”
  • Video for good: Dove Cameron — “Breakfast” 
  • Best direction: Taylor Swift — “Anti-Hero." Directed by Taylor Swift.
  • Best cinematography: Taylor Swift — “Anti-Hero." Cinematography by Rina Yang.
  • Best visual effects: Taylor Swift — “Anti-Hero." Visual effects by Parliament.
  • Best choreography: Blackpink — “Pink Venom," Kiel Tutin, Sienna Lalau. 
  • Best art direction: Doja Cat — “Attention." Art direction by Spencer Graves. 
  • Best editing:  Olivia Rodrigo — “vampire." Edited by Sofia Kerpan and David Checel.
  • Show of the summer: Taylor Swift 
  • Group of the year: BLACKPINK 
  • Song of the summer: Jung Kook featuring Latto — “Seven” 
  • Album of the year: Taylor Swift— "Midnights"

MTV VMAs 2023mtv-vmas-2023 Kareem HalabiSep 13, 2023After nearly four hours of must-see performances, a surprise guest appearance, record-breaking award victories, and an epic celebration of hip-hop's 50th anniversary, MTV's greatest music event came..