Presented by GRAMMY.com, Songbook is an editorial series and hub for music discovery that dives into a legendary artist's discography and art in whole — from songs to albums to music films and videos and beyond.

There's a hair-raising TV moment  that sums up why thousands and thousands of music fans adore and revere Jack White — well, half of why.

Back in 2019, his band the Raconteurs appeared on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," performing their new single "Bored and Razed." On the whole, it was dynamic and raucous and engaging — featuring a characteristically harebrained solo from a tangle-headed, Cramps-shirted White.

But what a freaking ending: he lets loose a Roger Daltrey-style, full-chested, life-affirming "Yeeeeeeeeeah!!!" for the ages. Then, White bangs out the six-chord theme of "Bored and Razed" — and hurls his body at drummer Patrick Keeler's kit for the final kaboom. 

It doesn't matter if you aren't into this particular sphere of alternative rock, or if you have any particular affection for White. No matter which way you slice it, this is genuine, visceral rock music. And if that form of human expression has any emotional impact on you, the hairs on the back of your neck are liable to stand on end.

That said, if rock 'n' roll anarchy was all White dealt in, we probably would have never heard his name. Like Neil Young before him, White deals in aural extremes — both Godzilla-scaled rock songs and tender, innocent balladry. That was on display when his first band, the White Stripes, appeared on "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" a decade earlier.

What did he and Meg White choose to perform for Coco's final "Late Night" episode, but their final public outing as a band? Not "Seven Nation Army," not "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," not "Ball and Biscuit" — no, a fuzzed-out rager wouldn't have been appropriate. Rather, they performed "We're Going to Be Friends," an innocent, acoustic daydream about school days and young love.

In the valley between "Bored and Razed" and "We're Going to Be Friends" lies White's eccentric, sweet, moving and occasionally flat-out bizarre body of work, which is still taking shape before our ears. How does one begin to process all of it?

In this edition of Songbook, let's dive into White's various bands from the White Stripes onward — concluding with White's solo career, which, five albums in, genuinely feels like it's just beginning.

The White Stripes

When the White Stripes called it a day in 2011, they stressed it wasn't because of creative differences or health issues — but a higher purpose. 

"It's for a myriad of reasons," they said in a statement, "but mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band and have it stay that way."

What exactly was "beautiful and special" about the White Stripes? It goes much deeper than tired talk of blues tropes, or their peppermint-colored visual aesthetic, or Meg White's "primal," "cavewoman" approach. 

Rather, it was the former married couple's sheer force of personality, aesthetic and songcraft — plus, the fact that White is arguably the most viscerally thrilling electric guitarist of his generation.

All these elements reached their apogees on their third and fourth albums, 2001's White Blood Cells and 2003's Elephant.

Gateway listen: White Blood Cells

Shedding the occasional reliance on blues covers on their first two albums, White Blood Cells showed the awesome range that a singer/guitarist and drummer could command. 

So many of its tunes remain classics — the back-porch country of "Hotel Yorba," the frenetic garage-punk of "Fell in Love With a Girl," and, of course, the lovely "We're Going to Be Friends."

The arguable pinnacle, though, is the vulnerable "The Same Boy You've Always Known," which begins downcast and autumnal and slams into an aching chorus. 

The heart-rending kicker arrives at the very end: "If there's anything good about me," White sings, "I'm the only one who knows."

Another gateway listen: Elephant

The White Stripes' deepest and dankest album by some margin, Elephant — which won a GRAMMY in 2004 for Best Alternative Music Album — represents the summit of what this duo could accomplish. 

"Seven Nation Army" — named after White's childhood misunderstanding of "Salvation Army" — is a football-stadium stomp-along today for a reason. The tender, solitary "You've Got Her in Your Pocket" displays White's mastery of McCartney-style sentimentality. "The Hardest Button to Button" rides one of their most indelible grooves.

And right in the middle of Elephant lies their most gobsmacking displays of brute force: "Ball and Biscuit." 

The verses are ominous and lascivious in the blues tradition; when White's raucous, twisted solos slam the frequencies into the red, it's the closest music comes to inflicting whiplash.

Going deeper: The White Stripes and De Stijl

While the aforementioned pair of albums provides the most logical gateway, the records that precede and succeed them come awfully close in cruciality. 

But for the purposes of this list, it's worth zeroing in on their first two albums to get a sense of their scrappy power and potential in their early years. 

Aurally, 1999's The White Stripes is by far their heaviest, scrappiest, garage-iest work, but the reason it resonates is that the songs are terrific.

Therein, originals like "The Big Three Killed My Baby" and "Astro" stand toe-to-toe with the traditional tunes "John the Revelator" (interpolated into "Cannon") and "St. James Infirmary Blues," Robert Johnson's "Stop Breaking Down" and Bob Dylan's "One More Cup of Coffee."

De Stijl is a relatively underdiscussed gem, too; White indulged his inner Ray Davies in the sunshiney "Apple Blossom" and broadened his emotional palette with the doeful "I'm Bound to Pack it Up." 

It all ends with "Your Southern Can is Mine," one of many casual, tongue-in-cheek album closers for the Stripes — this one borrowed from White's hero Blind Willie McTell.

The Raconteurs

Back in the mid-to-late '90s, Brendan Benson was getting his bearings in the music biz, with an Ethan Johns-assisted debut, One Mississippi, under his belt. But then, he saw a show that changed his entire trajectory.

"I first saw the White Stripes at the Gold Dollar [club in Detroit] and I was blown away. It was one of their first shows, or it might have been their first show," Benson told GRAMMY.com in 2019. "I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe how cool it was."

Benson made his way over to White and the two got to playing music; the rest is history. In 2005, they made their collaboration official with a new band, the Raconteurs, filled out by the Greenhornes' bassist Jack Lawrence and drummer Patrick Keeler.

Gateway listen: Broken Boy Soldiers

By all means, the place to begin with the Raconteurs is the first song they ever wrote: "Steady, As She Goes." 

Filtering White's strut through Benson's pop sensibility, the tune represented an inspired synergy of the two men's personalities — and birthed an entirely new band (don't call it a "supergroup").

More than 15 years later, their home-studio-recorded Broken Boy Soldiers holds up; "Level" and "Store Bought Bones" remain earworms, and hearing two distinct artists fight for the mic is a sorely missed experience in most alternative rock that ensued.

Broken Boy Soldiers set the stage for a fruitful collaboration; 2006's eclectic, '70s-fried Consolers of the Lonely is absolutely worth seeking out as well.

When these two eccentrics made noise together, the result was paradoxically some of the most accessible and commercial output of either's career.

Going deeper: Help Us Stranger

After more than a decade on the backburner, the Raconteurs returned with guns blazing at the end of the 2010s with Help Us Stranger. (The band never broke up or drifted apart; it was just a long pause.)

And while all three Raconteurs albums are strong in their own rights, it's worth homing in on Help Us Stranger for how deftly it refreshes a sound that could have been caught in mid-2000s amber.

Read More: Jack White And Brendan Benson Talk The Raconteurs' Return And Why "No One's Stepping Out" In Guitar Music

Because like the White Stripes before them, the Raconteurs aren't an "aughts band"; they're a rock band, period. At this point, White and Benson were both veterans, and what results are rock-solid, kick-the-tires compositions that straddle the future and the past.

Highlights are everywhere: Benson's "Only Child" aches and kicks rocks, White's "Don't Bother Me" is swollen with barely-contained rage at 21st-century narcissists, and the strutting single "Sunday Driver" is a consummate ass-kicker.

To say nothing of the ascendant "Shine the Light on Me," the smoldering "Now That You're Gone" and a string-popping rendition of the Donovan obscurity "Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)." 

In the end, what could have been a "reunion record" turned out to be one of White's most rewarding offerings — one predicated on brotherhood and bonhomie.

The Dead Weather

On the shadow side of Planet Jack is the Dead Weather, another post-White Stripes group he formed with the Raconteurs' Jack Lawrence, the Kills' Alison Mosshart and Queens of the Stone Age's Dean Fertita. 

The wrinkle here: White isn't on guitar, but his very first instrument: drums. Granted, he sings, adds guitar to a few tunes, and the band still firmly inhabits his aesthetic plane.

Still, this major point of difference means the Dead Weather remains one of the most unique facets of White's songbook. Rest assured: rather than it being like Michael Jordan pivoting to baseball, White the drummer is a force of nature too.

Gateway listen: Horehound

The Dead Weather's debut succeeds for so many reasons — the tension between Mosshart and White, the particular dynamism between this quartet, an ominous atmosphere you could cut with a knife.

"Hang You From The Heavens" sounds conjured from a cauldron, "I Cut Like a Buffalo" is simmering and funky, and "Will There Be Enough Water" inhabits that torn-and-frayed Exile on Main St. vibe. (It's no wonder White previously joined the Stones onstage for "Loving Cup.")

Going deeper: Sea of Cowards and Dodge and Burn

After Horehound, it's not a major investment to check out the rest of the Dead Weather's output — the coiled-tight Sea of Cowards and high-velocity Dodge and Burn are natural outcroppings. 

It's been more than seven years since we've heard from the Dead Weather; will we get more of White's and Mosshart's potent collaboration? 

If the Raconteurs are any indication, a long time off doesn't mean the ship has sailed for good. For her part, count Mosshart in for a reconvening: "We had no plan or desire to start a band, but the music just seemed to kidnap us," she told Consequence in 2022. 

"Maybe one day we'll all be home at the same time and get together and do something again," she continued. "It'll have to be magic again. It'll have to feel just right."

Going Solo

Sure, you could reasonably get into solo Jack White by just starting from the beginning. 

His first two albums under his own name, 2012's Blunderbuss and 2014's Lazaretto, beamed White's vision through a maximalist lens — and he scooped up a combined nine GRAMMY nominations and two wins for his trouble.

Gateway listens: Fear of the Dawn and Entering Heaven Alive

But with that in mind, White's latest two albums — both from 2022 — provide a handy twofold entrance to this phase of his career.

The former is a zonked, kaleidoscopic listen that barely gels (in the best way), careening from Cab Calloway ("Hi-De-Ho," featuring Q-Tip) to self-lacerating ragers ("What's The Trick?"). 

Entering Heaven Alive, on the other hand, embraces a subdued, melodic approach that will doubtlessly satisfy those who really, really miss his more Beatlesque offerings of yore.

Going deeper: Boarding House Reach

If Fear of the Dawn seems rather fragmentary and ADHD, you haven't heard anything yet. Because Boarding House Reach is by far the most confounding entry in White's canon — deliciously so.

This is no hyperbole: there is absolutely no precedent for "Ice Station Zebra," "Hypermisophoniac" or "Get in the Mind Shaft" in White's discography. 

This comports with its making — inspired by rappers like Nicki Minaj, White made the album in an isolated frenzy, crafting musical Frankensteins on the reel-to-reel recorder he'd used since he was a teen.

Boarding House Reach received mixed reviews, but that's exactly why you should hear it — it left everyone scratching their heads. 

Even more interestingly, it doesn't really exist on the spectrum between light versus heavy, or melodic versus bludgeoning — it points to somewhere new and wholly alien. 

Let it be known that the man who showed many of us turn-of-the-century country-blues just might be charting guitar music's future. Twelve GRAMMYs and 33 nominations in, consider us strapped in for his next unforeseeable transformation.

Songbook: A Guide To Every Album By Guided By Voices' Current Lineup — So Far

Another month has passed us by, and August brings us closer to the end of the season. However, several new tracks and albums have dropped to lift our spirits. With brand new projects like Khalid's Sincere, Maren Morris' Intermission, and 49 Winchester's Leavin' This Holler, the beginning of August promises bright things ahead.

A slew of singles dropped, too, from exciting collaborations like Charli XCX's "Guess" remix with Billie Eilish and Jessie Murph's new track with Teddy Swims to new offerings from Big Sean, Jhené Aiko, Jelly Roll, Suki Waterhouse, and more. Whether you're looking for full projects or a few new playlist additions, you will not be disappointed.

As you prepare to close out summer, be sure to check out these 10 new songs and albums.

Just 24 hours after Charli XCX set the internet ablaze with a tease of her next collaboration, she not only unveiled the special guest, but she also dropped the track as a New Music Friday-eve gift: a remix of "Guess" with her fellow pop queen, Billie Eilish.

The pulsating song keeps the same club-ready aesthetic of the original from Charli XCX's brat, but taps into the sexual fluidity of Eilish's HIT ME HARD AND SOFT with the "LUNCH" singer adding a new verse (fans particularly went into a frenzy over Eilish's line "Charli likes boys but she knows I'd hit it"). The track offers a raunchy brand of girl power, further emphasized by the underwear-strewn video, as the unworn undergarments will be donated to survivors of domestic violence through I Support the Girls.

Seven-time GRAMMY-winner Kacey Musgraves is expanding the well she first introduced in March. With the release of Deeper Well, Musgraves showcased a softer side of herself that she discovered during periods of self-introspection following significant changes in her life.

Now, with Deeper into the Well, she takes us further along on her journey. Musgraves gave a taste of the additional seven songs with the release of her single "Irish Goodbye," which narrates the tale of someone struggling to find forgiveness for someone who abruptly left. The extended edition also includes two new features, "Perfection" with Tiny Habits and "Superbloom" with Leon Bridges.

The release comes one month before Musgraves is set to kick off her Deeper Well World Tour in Pennsylvania; she'll hit cities on both coasts, and conclude in Nashville in December.

Read More: For The Record: Why Kacey Musgraves' Timeless Album Golden Hour Still Shines 5 Years Later

Maintaining her message of confidence and self-worth, Saweetie releases "My Best," an unapologetic anthem that emphasizes knowing your worth and surrounding yourself with people who prioritize your best interests.

The music video visually represents Saweetie's personal growth, both as an individual and as an artist. Shot at hometown landmarks like her high school and childhood neighborhood, she invites fans on a nostalgic journey of introspection — while also reminding them to stay true to themselves.

Learn More: Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: Saweetie On Her Long-Awaited Album Pretty B^^^^ Music & Why Women Rappers "No Longer Need A Co-Sign"

Four years after her smash "Dance Monkey" took over the world, Tones and I releases her second studio album, Beautifully Ordinary. The follow-up to 2021's Welcome to the Madhouse, the 16-song project reflects the artist's growth, exploring themes of nostalgia, love, and self-acceptance. Each song invites listeners to embark on an emotional, personal journey with Tones and I, offering a source of catharsis for those who relate to her experiences.

Tones and I first gave listeners a taste of the project in June with lead single "Dance With Me," a track that delves into themes of heartbreak and desperation. Despite its underlying message of loneliness, the track retains Tones and I's signature upbeat rhythms and vibrant instrumentals — and the rest of Beautifully Ordinary follows suit, offering intimate and heartfelt narratives through her radiant musicality.

Celebrating the six-times-platinum debut album that catapulted them to stardom, Sam Smith is releasing the 10th anniversary edition of In The Lonely Hour. This special edition features a reimagined version of their classic "Stay With Me," and a brand new track, "Little Sailor."

The original project launched Smith's career into the stratosphere, receiving critical acclaim and earning them four golden gramophones at the 2015 GRAMMYs, including Best New Artist.

"I feel so incredibly lucky to be celebrating this milestone with you," Smith wrote on Instagram. "My team and I have created this beautiful anniversary edition for us all, and for the last 10 years."

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Fresh off going three-for-three at the 2024 GRAMMYs, Killer Mike delivers another potent project, Michael & The Mighty Midnight Revival, Songs For Sinners & Saints. A follow-up to his autobiographical album 'MICHAEL', the 10-song collection dives deeper into his personal narrative, offering an epilogue filled with introspection and celebration — including the poignant track "HUMBLE ME," which reflects on his arrest after winning his GRAMMYs in February.

Killer Mike provided fans with a gift, releasing the album as a free download for the first 48 hours. In support of the release, Killer Mike electrified audiences with six performances over three nights at the legendary Blue Note jazz club in NYC, including a live-streamed show that attracted nearly 100,000 viewers. This project is a testament to Killer Mike's ongoing dialogue with his audience, addressing both tribulations and triumphs. As the tour continues with a stop at Lollapalooza just one day after the album's release, fans can engage further with tracks like "NOBODY KNOWS" and "HIGHER LEVEL," which offer a glimpse into the rapper’s evolving journey and continued impact on hip-hop.

Still riding high from her vocals featured on Beyoncé's COWBOY CARTER, country star Tiera Kennedy releases her latest single, "Cry," which samples Justin Timberlake's 2002 Timbaland-produced hit "Cry Me A River." It's another taste of Kennedy's forthcoming debut album, which she dubs "R&B/country."

"I've been really inspired by the music I grew up listening to," Kennedy shared in an Instagram video. "Timbaland had a hand in a lot of those songs."

Known for her distinctive approach to blending genres, Kennedy invites listeners to immerse themselves in her world of creative storytelling with her latest track. "Cry" explores the narrative of someone who has made their bed and has to lie in it, while Kennedy has already moved on.

Explore More: A Brief History Of Black Country Music: 11 Important Tracks From DeFord Bailey, Kane Brown & More

Returning with his third studio album, electronic artist Gryffin embarks on a new era and unveils a fresh side of his artistry with PULSE. The 14-track album features collaborations with a range of artists, including Rita Ora, Disco Lines, MAX, and more.

"PULSE is a return to why I fell in love with dance music in the first place, and this is the most creatively inspired I've felt in years," said Gryffin on Instagram. "I can't wait for you all to hear the new sound and feel the passion I've put into these tracks."

After more than a year of not releasing music, John K is back with a new single, "Lost." It's a song that vulnerably reveals feelings of completeness after finding the right person — a fitting narrative for the happily married singer, who is expecting his second child with his wife, Lenée.  . Becoming a father is one of the several major life changes John K has experienced in the past few years, all of which have shaped his upcoming music and brought his musical artistry to the next stage.

"I was writing with the aim of challenging myself to do something I hadn't done before," John K said in a press statement. "I shattered the box of what I thought I had to be, and it allowed me to get to deeper levels of honesty and really gain even more confidence. I took risks, and I honestly expressed myself.

After releasing two albums within four months in 2022, Jack White has essentially gone silent since — until now. Just two days after announcing his sixth studio album, No Name, the rock icon unveils his latest masterpiece.

The 13-track album stays true to White's DIY philosophy, with the recording, production, and mixing all handled by the artist himself at his own Third Man Studio. Even before the album dropped on Aug. 2, reviews were already glowing, with Variety calling it the album "fans have been lusting for" due to its parallels to the rip-roaring rock of his former band the White Stripes — but "without seeming retro or leaning too heavily on nostalgia."

Explore More: Songbook: A Guide To Jack White's Musical Outlets, From The White Stripes To The Dead Weather & Beyond

Ahead of his forthcoming album, Album of the Year #1 Funkateer, Bootsy Collins has released "Pure Perfection," a smooth, sultry track featuring German rapper FANTAAZMA and rapper Giz. The track also features one of the funk icon's legendary alter-egos, "Bedroom Bootsy," who brings a sultry tone to the tune.

Due Oct. 25 (the day before Collins' 73rd birthday), Album of the Year #1 Funkateer includes an 18-song track list with contributions from Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa and more. And if the smooth, thumping vibe of "Pure Perfection" is any indication, the funk vet is ready to take fans on a trippy musical journey — one that only Bootsy Collins can moderate.

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

Looking for more GRAMMYs news? The 2024 GRAMMY nominations are here!

He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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It's rare that a genre can be traced back to a single artist or group, but for funk, that was James Brown. The Godfather of Soul coined the phrase and style of playing known as "on the one," where the first downbeat is emphasized, instead of the typical second and fourth beats in pop, soul and other styles. As David Cheal eloquently explains, playing on the one "left space for phrases and riffs, often syncopated around the beat, creating an intricate, interlocking grid which could go on and on." You know a funky bassline when you hear it; its fat chords beg your body to get up and groove.

Brown's 1965 classic, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," became one of the first funk hits, and has been endlessly sampled and covered over the years, along with his other groovy tracks. Of course, many other funk acts followed in the '60s, and the genre thrived in the '70s and '80s as the disco craze came and went, and the originators of hip-hop and house music created new music from funk and disco's strong, flexible bones built for dancing.

Legendary funk bassist Bootsy Collins learned the power of the one from playing in Brown's band, and brought it to George Clinton, who created P-funk, an expansive, Afrofuturistic, psychedelic exploration of funk with his various bands and projects, including Parliament-Funkadelic. Both Collins and Clinton remain active and funkin', and have offered their timeless grooves to collabs with younger artists, including Kali Uchis, Silk Sonic, and Omar Apollo; and Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, and Thundercat, respectively.

In the 1980s, electro-funk was born when artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Man Parrish, and Egyptian Lover began making futuristic beats with the Roland TR-808 drum machine — often with robotic vocals distorted through a talk box. A key distinguishing factor of electro-funk is a de-emphasis on vocals, with more phrases than choruses and verses. The sound influenced contemporaneous hip-hop, funk and electronica, along with acts around the globe, while current acts like Chromeo, DJ Stingray, and even Egyptian Lover himself keep electro-funk alive and well.

Today, funk lives in many places, with its heavy bass and syncopated grooves finding way into many nooks and crannies of music. There's nu-disco and boogie funk, nodding back to disco bands with soaring vocals and dance floor-designed instrumentation. G-funk continues to influence Los Angeles hip-hop, with innovative artists like Dam-Funk and Channel Tres bringing the funk and G-funk, into electro territory. Funk and disco-centered '70s revival is definitely having a moment, with acts like Ghost Funk Orchestra and Parcels, while its sparkly sprinklings can be heard in pop from Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, and, in full "Soul Train" character, Silk Sonic. There are also acts making dreamy, atmospheric music with a solid dose of funk, such as Khruangbin’s global sonic collage.

There are many bands that play heavily with funk, creating lush grooves designed to get you moving. Read on for a taste of five current modern funk and nu-disco artists making band-led uptempo funk built for the dance floor. Be sure to press play on the Spotify playlist above, and check out GRAMMY.com's playlist on Apple Music, Amazon Music and Pandora.

Say She She

Aptly self-described as "discodelic soul," Brooklyn-based seven-piece Say She She make dreamy, operatic funk, led by singer-songwriters Nya Gazelle Brown, Piya Malik and Sabrina Mileo Cunningham. Their '70s girl group-inspired vocal harmonies echo, sooth and enchant as they cover poignant topics with feminist flair.

While they’ve been active in the New York scene for a few years, they’ve gained wider acclaim for the irresistible music they began releasing this year, including their debut album, Prism. Their 2022 debut single "Forget Me Not" is an ode to ground-breaking New York art collective Guerilla Girls, and "Norma" is their protest anthem in response to the news that Roe vs. Wade could be (and was) overturned. The band name is a nod to funk legend Nile Rodgers, from the "Le freak, c'est chi" exclamation in Chic's legendary tune "Le Freak."

Moniquea

Moniquea's unique voice oozes confidence, yet invites you in to dance with her to the super funky boogie rhythms. The Pasadena, California artist was raised on funk music; her mom was in a cover band that would play classics like Aretha Franklin’s "Get It Right" and Gladys Knight’s "Love Overboard." Moniquea released her first boogie funk track at 20 and, in 2011, met local producer XL Middelton — a bonafide purveyor of funk. She's been a star artist on his MoFunk Records ever since, and they've collabed on countless tracks, channeling West Coast energy with a heavy dose of G-funk, sunny lyrics and upbeat, roller disco-ready rhythms.

Her latest release is an upbeat nod to classic West Coast funk, produced by Middleton, and follows her February 2022 groovy, collab-filled album, On Repeat.

Shiro Schwarz

Shiro Schwarz is a Mexico City-based duo, consisting of Pammela Rojas and Rafael Marfil, who helped establish a modern funk scene in the richly creative Mexican metropolis. On "Electrify" — originally released in 2016 on Fat Beats Records and reissued in 2021 by MoFunk — Shiro Schwarz's vocals playfully contrast each other, floating over an insistent, upbeat bassline and an '80s throwback electro-funk rhythm with synth flourishes.

Their music manages to be both nostalgic and futuristic — and impossible to sit still to. 2021 single "Be Kind" is sweet, mellow and groovy, perfect chic lounge funk. Shiro Schwarz’s latest track, the joyfully nostalgic "Hey DJ," is a collab with funkstress Saucy Lady and U-Key.

L'Impératrice

L'Impératrice (the empress in French) are a six-piece Parisian group serving an infectiously joyful blend of French pop, nu-disco, funk and psychedelia. Flore Benguigui's vocals are light and dreamy, yet commanding of your attention, while lyrics have a feminist touch.

During their energetic live sets, L'Impératrice members Charles de Boisseguin and Hagni Gwon (keys), David Gaugué (bass), Achille Trocellier (guitar), and Tom Daveau (drums) deliver extended instrumental jam sessions to expand and connect their music. Gaugué emphasizes the thick funky bass, and Benguigui jumps around the stage while sounding like an angel. L’Impératrice’s latest album, 2021’s Tako Tsubo, is a sunny, playful French disco journey.

Franc Moody

Franc Moody's bio fittingly describes their music as "a soul funk and cosmic disco sound." The London outfit was birthed by friends Ned Franc and Jon Moody in the early 2010s, when they were living together and throwing parties in North London's warehouse scene. In 2017, the group grew to six members, including singer and multi-instrumentalist Amber-Simone.

Their music feels at home with other electro-pop bands like fellow Londoners Jungle and Aussie act Parcels. While much of it is upbeat and euphoric, Franc Moody also dips into the more chilled, dreamy realm, such as the vibey, sultry title track from their recently released Into the Ether.

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Living Legends is a series that spotlights icons in music still going strong today. This week, GRAMMY.com spoke with Billy Idol about his latest EP,  Cage, and continuing to rock through decades of changing tastes.

Billy Idol is a true rock 'n' roll survivor who has persevered through cultural shifts and personal struggles. While some may think of Idol solely for "Rebel Yell" and "White Wedding," the singer's musical influences span genres and many of his tunes are less turbo-charged than his '80s hits would belie.  

Idol first made a splash in the latter half of the '70s with the British punk band Generation X. In the '80s, he went on to a solo career combining rock, pop, and punk into a distinct sound that transformed him and his musical partner, guitarist Steve Stevens, into icons. They have racked up multiple GRAMMY nominations, in addition to one gold, one double platinum, and four platinum albums thanks to hits like "Cradle Of Love," "Flesh For Fantasy," and "Eyes Without A Face." 

But, unlike many legacy artists, Idol is anything but a relic. Billy continues to produce vital Idol music by collaborating with producers and songwriters — including Miley Cyrus — who share his forward-thinking vision. He will play a five-show Vegas residency in November, and filmmaker Jonas Akerlund is working on a documentary about Idol’s life. 

His latest release is Cage, the second in a trilogy of annual four-song EPs. The title track is a classic Billy Idol banger expressing the desire to free himself from personal constraints and live a better life. Other tracks on Cage incorporate metallic riffing and funky R&B grooves. 

Idol continues to reckon with his demons — they both grappled with addiction during the '80s — and the singer is open about those struggles on the record and the page. (Idol's 2014 memoir Dancing With Myself, details a 1990 motorcycle accident that nearly claimed a leg, and how becoming a father steered him to reject hard drugs. "Bitter Taste," from his last EP, The Roadside, reflects on surviving the accident.)

Although Idol and Stevens split in the late '80s — the skilled guitarist fronted Steve Stevens & The Atomic Playboys, and collaborated with Michael Jackson, Rick Ocasek, Vince Neil, and Harold Faltermeyer (on the GRAMMY-winning "Top Gun Anthem") —  their common history and shared musical bond has been undeniable. The duo reunited in 2001 for an episode of "VH1 Storytellers" and have been back in the saddle for two decades. Their union remains one of the strongest collaborations in rock 'n roll history.

While there is recognizable personnel and a distinguishable sound throughout a lot of his work, Billy Idol has always pushed himself to try different things. Idol discusses his musical journey, his desire to constantly move forward, and the strong connection that he shares with Stevens. 

Steve has said that you like to mix up a variety of styles, yet everyone assumes you're the "Rebel Yell"/"White Wedding" guy. But if they really listen to your catalog, it's vastly different.

Yeah, that's right. With someone like Steve Stevens, and then back in the day Keith Forsey producing... [Before that] Generation X actually did move around inside punk rock. We didn't stay doing just the Ramones two-minute music. We actually did a seven-minute song. [Laughs]. We did always mix things up. 

Then when I got into my solo career, that was the fun of it. With someone like Steve, I knew what he could do. I could see whatever we needed to do, we could nail it. The world was my oyster musically. 

"Cage" is a classic-sounding Billy Idol rocker, then "Running From The Ghost" is almost metal, like what the Devil's Playground album was like back in the mid-2000s. "Miss Nobody" comes out of nowhere with this pop/R&B flavor. What inspired that?

We really hadn't done anything like that since something like "Flesh For Fantasy" [which] had a bit of an R&B thing about it. Back in the early days of Billy Idol, "Hot In The City" and "Mony Mony" had girls [singing] on the backgrounds. 

We always had a bit of R&B really, so it was actually fun to revisit that. We just hadn't done anything really quite like that for a long time. That was one of the reasons to work with someone like Sam Hollander [for the song "Rita Hayworth"] on The Roadside. We knew we could go [with him] into an R&B world, and he's a great songwriter and producer. That's the fun of music really, trying out these things and seeing if you can make them stick. 

I listen to new music by veteran artists and debate that with some people. I'm sure you have those fans that want their nostalgia, and then there are some people who will embrace the newer stuff. Do you find it’s a challenge to reach people with new songs?

Obviously, what we're looking for is, how do we somehow have one foot in the past and one foot into the future? We’ve got the best of all possible worlds because that has been the modus operandi of Billy Idol. 

You want to do things that are true to you, and you don't just want to try and do things that you're seeing there in the charts today. I think that we're achieving it with things like "Running From The Ghost" and "Cage" on this new EP. I think we’re managing to do both in a way. 

**Obviously, "Running From The Ghost" is about addiction, all the stuff that you went through, and in "Cage" you’re talking about  freeing yourself from a lot of personal shackles. Was there any one moment in your life that made you really thought I have to not let this weigh me down anymore?**

I mean, things like the motorcycle accident I had, that was a bit of a wake up call way back. It was 32 years ago. But there were things like that, years ago, that gradually made me think about what I was doing with my life. I didn't want to ruin it, really. I didn't want to throw it away, and it made [me] be less cavalier. 

I had to say to myself, about the drugs and stuff, that I've been there and I've done it. There’s no point in carrying on doing it. You couldn't get any higher. You didn't want to throw your life away casually, and I was close to doing that. It took me a bit of time, but then gradually I was able to get control of myself to a certain extent [with] drugs and everything. And I think Steve's done the same thing. We're on a similar path really, which has been great because we're in the same boat in terms of lyrics and stuff. 

So a lot of things like that were wake up calls. Even having grandchildren and just watching my daughter enlarging her family and everything; it just makes you really positive about things and want to show a positive side to how you're feeling, about where you're going. We've lived with the demons so long, we've found a way to live with them. We found a way to be at peace with our demons, in a way. Maybe not completely, but certainly to where we’re enjoying what we do and excited about it.

[When writing] "Running From The Ghost" it was easy to go, what was the ghost for us? At one point, we were very drug addicted in the '80s. And Steve in particular is super sober [now]. I mean, I still vape pot and stuff. I don’t know how he’s doing it, but it’s incredible. All I want to be able to do is have a couple of glasses of wine at a restaurant or something. I can do that now.

I think working with people that are super talented, you just feel confident. That is a big reason why you open up and express yourself more because you feel comfortable with what's around you.

Did you watch Danny Boyle's recent Sex Pistols mini-series?

I did, yes.

You had a couple of cameos; well, an actor who portrayed you did. How did you react to it? How accurate do you think it was in portraying that particular time period?

I love Jonesy’s book, I thought his book was incredible. It's probably one of the best bio books really. It was incredible and so open. I was looking forward to that a lot.

It was as if [the show] kind of stayed with Steve [Jones’ memoir] about halfway through, and then departed from it. [John] Lydon, for instance, was never someone I ever saw acting out; he's more like that today. I never saw him do something like jump up in the room and run around going crazy. The only time I saw him ever do that was when they signed the recording deal with Virgin in front of Buckingham Palace. Whereas Sid Vicious was always acting out; he was always doing something in a horrible way or shouting at someone. I don't remember John being like that. I remember him being much more introverted.

But then I watched interviews with some of the actors about coming to grips with the parts they were playing. And they were saying, we knew punk rock happened but just didn't know any of the details. So I thought well, there you go. If ["Pistol" is]  informing a lot of people who wouldn't know anything about punk rock, maybe that's what's good about it.

Maybe down the road John Lydon will get the chance to do John's version of the Pistols story. Maybe someone will go a lot deeper into it and it won't be so surface. But maybe you needed this just to get people back in the flow.

We had punk and metal over here in the States, but it feels like England it was legitimately more dangerous. British society was much more rigid.

It never went [as] mega in America. It went big in England. It exploded when the Pistols did that interview with [TV host Bill] Grundy, that lorry truck driver put his boot through his own TV, and all the national papers had "the filth and the fury" [headlines].

We went from being unknown to being known overnight. We waited a year, Generation X. We even told them [record labels] no for nine months to a year. Every record company wanted their own punk rock group. So it went really mega in England, and it affected the whole country – the style, the fashions, everything. I mean, the Ramones were massive in England. Devo had a No. 1 song [in England] with "Satisfaction" in '77. Actually, Devo was as big as or bigger than the Pistols.

You were ahead of the pop-punk thing that happened in the late '90s, and a lot of it became tongue-in-cheek by then. It didn't have the same sense of rebelliousness as the original movement. It was more pop.

It had become a style. There was a famous book in England called Revolt Into Style — and that's what had happened, a revolt that turned into style which then they were able to duplicate in their own way. Even recently, Billie Joe [Armstrong] did his own version of "Gimme Some Truth," the Lennon song we covered way back in 1977.

When we initially were making [punk] music, it hadn't become accepted yet. It was still dangerous and turned into a style that people were used to. We were still breaking barriers.

You have a band called Generation Sex with Steve Jones and Paul Cook. I assume you all have an easier time playing Pistols and Gen X songs together now and not worrying about getting spit on like back in the '70s?

Yeah, definitely. When I got to America I told the group I was putting it together, "No one spits at the audience."

We had five years of being spat on [in the UK], and it was revolting. And they spat at you if they liked you. If they didn't like it they smashed your gear up. One night, I remember I saw blood on my T-shirt, and I think Joe Strummer got meningitis when spit went in his mouth.

You had to go through a lot to become successful, it wasn't like you just kind of got up there and did a couple of gigs. I don't think some young rock bands really get that today.

With punk going so mega in England, we definitely got a leg up. We still had a lot of work to get where we got to, and rightly so because you find out that you need to do that. A lot of groups in the old days would be together three to five years before they ever made a record, and that time is really important. In a way, what was great about punk rock for me was it was very much a learning period. I really learned a lot [about] recording music and being in a group and even writing songs.

Then when I came to America, it was a flow, really. I also really started to know what I wanted Billy Idol to be. It took me a little bit, but I kind of knew what I wanted Billy Idol to be. And even that took a while to let it marinate.

You and Miley Cyrus have developed a good working relationship in the last several years. How do you think her fans have responded to you, and your fans have responded to her?

I think they're into it. It's more the record company that she had didn't really get "Night Crawling"— it was one of the best songs on Plastic Hearts, and I don't think they understood that. They wanted to go with Dua Lipa, they wanted to go with the modern, young acts, and I don't think they realized that that song was resonating with her fans. Which is a shame really because, with Andrew Watt producing, it's a hit song.

But at the same time, I enjoyed doing it. It came out really good and it's very Billy Idol. In fact, I think it’s more Billy Idol than Miley Cyrus. I think it shows you where Andrew Watt was. He was excited about doing a Billy Idol track. She's fun to work with. She’s a really great person and she works at her singing — I watched her rehearsing for the Super Bowl performance she gave. She rehearsed all Saturday morning, all Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning and it was that afternoon. I have to admire her fortitude. She really cares.

I remember when you went on "Viva La Bam" back in 2005 and decided to give Bam Margera’s Lamborghini a new sunroof by taking a power saw to it. Did he own that car? Was that a rental?

I think it was his car.

Did he get over it later on?

He loved it. [Laughs] He’s got a wacky sense of humor. He’s fantastic, actually. I’m really sorry to see what he's been going through just lately. He's going through a lot, and I wish him the best. He's a fantastic person, and it's a shame that he's struggling so much with his addictions. I know what it's like. It's not easy.

Musically, what is the synergy like with you guys during the past 10 years, doing Kings and Queens of the Underground and this new stuff? What is your working relationship like now in this more sober, older, mature version of you two as opposed to what it was like back in the '80s?

In lots of ways it’s not so different because we always wrote the songs together, we always talked about what we're going to do together. It was just that we were getting high at the same time.We're just not getting [that way now] but we're doing all the same things.

We're still talking about things, still [planning] things:What are we going to do next? How are we going to find new people to work with? We want to find new producers. Let's be a little bit more timely about putting stuff out.That part of our relationship is the same, you know what I mean? That never got affected. We just happened to be overloading in the '80s.

The relationship’s… matured and it's carrying on being fruitful, and I think that's pretty amazing. Really, most people don't get to this place. Usually, they hate each other by now. [Laughs] We also give each other space. We're not stopping each other doing things outside of what we’re working on together. All of that enables us to carry on working together. I love and admire him. I respect him. He's been fantastic. I mean, just standing there on stage with him is always a treat. And he’s got an immensely great sense of humor. I think that's another reason why we can hang together after all this time because we've got the sense of humor to enable us to go forward.

There's a lot of fan reaction videos online, and I noticed a lot of younger women like "Rebel Yell" because, unlike a lot of other '80s alpha male rock tunes, you're talking about satisfying your lover.

It was about my girlfriend at the time, Perri Lister. It was about how great I thought she was, how much I was in love with her, and how great women are, how powerful they are.

It was a bit of a feminist anthem in a weird way. It was all about how relationships can free you and add a lot to your life. It was a cry of love, nothing to do with the Civil War or anything like that. Perri was a big part of my life, a big part of being Billy Idol. I wanted to write about it. I'm glad that's the effect.

Is there something you hope people get out of the songs you've been doing over the last 10 years? Do you find yourself putting out a message that keeps repeating?

Well, I suppose, if anything, is that you can come to terms with your life, you can keep a hold of it. You can work your dreams into reality in a way and, look, a million years later, still be enjoying it.

The only reason I'm singing about getting out of the cage is because I kicked out of the cage years ago. I joined Generation X when I said to my parents, "I'm leaving university, and I'm joining a punk rock group." And they didn't even know what a punk rock group was. Years ago, I’d write things for myself that put me on this path, so that maybe in 2022 I could sing something like "Cage" and be owning this territory and really having a good time. This is the life I wanted.

The original UK punk movement challenged societal norms. Despite all the craziness going on throughout the world, it seems like a lot of modern rock bands are afraid to do what you guys were doing. Do you think we'll see a shift in that?

Yeah.  Art usually reacts to things, so I would think eventually there will be a massive reaction to the pop music that’s taken over — the middle of the road music, and then this kind of right wing politics. There will be a massive reaction if there's not already one. I don’t know where it will come from exactly. You never know who's gonna do [it].

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