One Direction
Four
Pop, Rock

In November we begin musing about mmm-inducing Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas shopping and … the arrival of a new One Direction …

Andy Grammer
Honey, I’m Good
Country, Pop, Rock

No matter the temptation, the thing to do is stay true. That’s the message of Andy Grammer’s seriously catchy first …

Mark Ronson
“Uptown Funk!”
Pop

You’d be forgiven for thinking that this collaboration between British producer Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars was a long-lost bonus …

Selena Gomez
“The Heart Wants What It Wants”
Pop

The sensual ghost of Selena Gomez’s high-profile, on-again, off-again, on-again relationship with Justin Bieber lurks in this heart-haunting rationalization for …

Taylor Swift
1989
Pop

“Haters gonna hate, hate, hate,” sings Ms. Swift. And, yeah, we’ll probably end up in that column for our review …

Taylor Swift
“Blank Space”
Pop

Ms. Swift brags that she’s got “a long list of ex-lovers” on which there’s still “Blank Space” for a lot …

Meghan Trainor
“Lips Are Movin”
Pop

“Lips Are Movin” pairs ’50s-approved doo-wop harmonies with lyrics that almost could have fit that decade as well. But what …

Tove Lo
“Habits (Stay High)”
Pop

Forget about Roxette. Sweden’s latest pop sensation is now dressed for success—but still a long, long way from ABBA.

Ariana Grande
“Love Me Harder”
Pop, R&B

When Ariana Grande asks her man to “love me harder,” what exactly is she asking for? More security or deep …

Lorde
“Yellow Flicker Beat”
EDM/Electronica/Techno, Pop, Soundtracks

Lorde has been tapped not only to contribute to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 soundtrack, but to serve …

One Direction
“Steal My Girl”
Pop

The only things missing from One Direction’s ’80s-esque, piano-filled ballad about loving faithfully are Journey’s Steve Perry and Neil Schon.

Ed Sheeran
“Thinking Out Loud”
Pop, R&B

“Thinking Out Loud” finds Ed Sheeran describing what “for better, for worse” might look like over a decades-long romance—as the …

Elle King
Ex’s & Oh’s
Alternative, Jazz/Swing/Blues, Pop, Rock

Myriad male musicians have objectified women over the years. Elle King, sounding a lot like Meghan Trainor’s naughty sister, turns …

OneRepublic
“I Lived”
Pop, Rock

A vision of hope and perseverance that’s consistent with God’s promise of abundance radiates out from OneRepublic’s “I Lived,” a …

Jennifer Lopez
“Booty”
EDM/Electronica/Techno, Pop

Jennifer Lopez? Singing about how big and bad her backside is? Really?