It's hard to imagine a more theatrical arrival to any event than Lady Gaga at the 53rd GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 13, 2011. Encased in a translucent ellipsoid, carried like a palanquin down the red carpet by a quartet of latex-clad models, Gaga herself was barely visible, but her presence was undeniable. Later that night, when she emerged from the egg-like container onto the GRAMMY stage, she wasn't simply performing her new single-she was introducing the world to a new era of her artistry.

Released on May 23, 2011, Born This Way was one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year; upon release, it sold more than 1 million copies in its first week, making Lady Gaga only the fifth female artist to reach that milestone. While eye-catching couture was de rigueur on her pre-release tour between February and May, the topic of her red carpet "vessel," as she called it, was still hot when she appeared on the "Late Show with David Letterman" on release night.

It was a symbol of her rebirth, she explained, deliberately facing the studio audience. "I believe that you can be reborn over and over again until you find that part of you that is the best you that you can be. I encourage everyone to do that."

She then cheekily turned to Letterman. "I wonder what would happen if I put you in an egg."

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In some ways, the ease with which Gaga can flow from sincere expressions of depth to ribald humor is the essence of the artist. At once, she is both serious and facetious. It's how she can simultaneously convey absurdity and ferocity on the cover of Born This Way, which pictures her as an anthropomorphized motorcycle, or how she can take liberties with the German language on the song "Scheiße" without undermining a pining love song like "You and I."

If the biker babe aesthetic of the cover wasn't enough of a clue that Born This Way was here to rock, the album opens with the full-throttled aggression of the guitar-heavy "Marry The Night." In what would become one of her signature songs, Gaga declares herself a free spirit while simultaneously committing to a figurative union with darkness, in a vocal produced with radiant clarity by Fernando Garibay.

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The sonic motif continues on the penultimate track, "You And I," the most surprising collaboration on the album. Known for producing albums by AC/DC and Def Leppard as well as Shania Twain, co-producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange delivers his pop-by-way-of-metal pedigree, which is uniquely suited for the moment, if only to remind listeners that the guitars on Born This Way aren't a fluke and neither are the hooks.

Read: For The Record: Inside The Robotic-Pop Reinvention Of Daft Punk's Discovery At 20

Even though Garibay, along with producer RedOne, had worked with Lady Gaga before, neither rehash their former glories here. Born This Way is remarkable for its unrelenting reinvention of the woman we know as Lady Gaga. A classic house and experimental techno enthusiast, Garibay is perhaps most audible in the album's decided turn away from Gaga's polished electro past toward a more raw, EDM-influenced future. Tracks like "Government Hooker" and "Heavy Metal Lover" play with Gaga's vocal as if she's inhabiting different skins, each reflecting various parts of herself and all creating soundtracks for stomping across strobe-lit dance floors.

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On album closer "The Edge Of Glory," Garibay and Gaga deliver a benediction. "There ain't no reason you and me should be alone tonight," the song starts, implying the impending end of the LP isn't the end of our time with the singer. Before performing the song for Oprah in the final weeks of the host's daytime talk show, Gaga described how she wrote it at her piano as a tribute to her grandmother shortly before her passing. The rawness of her emotion is palpable as the song is both a celebration of life and a full-throated embrace of vulnerability. Even though E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons underscores Gaga's rock and roll daydreams with a record-defining run on the bridge, this ain't Gaga's "Thunder Road."

Instead, Born This Way is Lady Gaga's Ulysses. From her rebirth to her acceptance of mortality, the album is an epic journey of an artist as a young woman. At times, it comes across like a casual stream of consciousness by a pop star who knows how to conquer a dance floor and is laying claim to more. Elsewhere, she subtly reveals that she's actually always in total control. Just as James Joyce's novel once courted controversy, so, too, did Born This Way.

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It's easy to forget how the overtly political title track was culturally polarizing only a decade ago. The song's message of self-empowerment through self-acceptance wasn't necessarily new on its own, not even when set to a high-energy dance beat. In fact, for decades, the combination of dance floor bangers with universally relatable lyrics had been embraced as unofficial gay anthems, signaling an unspoken but loudly sung message of validation and equality to LGBTQ+ audiences while carefully never disrupting the sensibilities of listeners intolerant of what was often described as a "lifestyle choice."

On "Born This Way," Lady Gaga, who is bisexual, is unequivocal: Not only are all people worthwhile, "no matter gay, straight, or bi," she sings on the track, but their sexuality is a birthright to be proud of. It's a succinct statement of love and visibility that's hard to dispute. As Oprah put it, "you encourage people to be comfortable being born the way they are, being born that way."

Just as it's hard to imagine a time before Lady Gaga was a household name, it's hard to remember that before 2011, LGBTQ+ rights weren't widely accepted or even openly discussed. For decades, artists had been discouraged by their managers and labels from taking similar stances, either in their music or in the press. Paralyzed by fears of alienating parts of their audiences or becoming targets of morality campaigns, pop artists were quiet at best when it came to issues of LGBTQ+ equality. With the forces of change moving quickly toward progress, thanks to a string of legal and legislative victories, "Born This Way"—as a credo and the first bona fide gay anthem that explicitly advocates for gay rights—arrived at the exact moment when Americans needed it.

In the hands of an artist without Lady Gaga's credibility, a song like "Born This Way" could have been dismissed as pandering or propaganda. In the three years between releasing her 2008 debut album, The Fame, and Born This Way, Gaga had already established herself as an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. For all her theatricality, as an artist who existed beyond the confines of concert stages, music videos and even music itself, Gaga routinely shattered the illusion of a fourth wall to connect with her audience. Her 24/7 commitment to being Lady Gaga created often-unfiltered content for emerging social media platforms, notably Twitter, where fans were eager to like, retweet and devour her every move. Whether she was walking the 10 feet from her hotel to a car or staying up all night with a bottle of wine to respond to tweets about her album on the eve of its release, Gaga made herself accessible, reachable and knowable. She also knew her fans.

As much as she expressed herself through her art, Lady Gaga was unapologetic about who that art was for. While the story of most fan bases speaks to the positioning of an artist in the market and the reception of their work by customers, the relationship between "Mother Monster" and her legion of "Little Monsters" became uniquely vital to her craft on Born This Way. Lady Gaga showed the world that her fans weren't simply there to respond to her work—they were actively inspiring it.

For The Record: Adele's Icon-Making 21 At 10

Lyrics have a unique way of validating and soundtracking our real-world experiences. Perhaps this year, a celebratory drink called for Shaboozey's "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" on repeat. Or maybe you professed your love with a playlist containing Billie Eilish's "BIRDS OF A FEATHER," and Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars' "Die with a Smile."

It's those small but significant moments that showcase the power of songwriting — and what makes GRAMMY's Song Of The Year award so necessary. In the 2025 SOTY nominee list, you'll find the above hits, plus Taylor Swift's "Fortnight" (feat. Post Malone), Chappell Roan's "Good Luck, Babe," Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us," Sabrina Carpenter's "Please Please Please" and Beyoncé's "TEXAS HOLD ‘EM."

Ahead of the 2025 GRAMMYs, take a deeper look into all the tracks that made the nominee list for Song Of The Year. Be sure to check out the full 2025 GRAMMYs nominations list ahead of Music's Biggest Night on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.

Shaboozey — "A Bar Song (Tipsy)"

Songwriters: Sean Cook, Jerrel Jones, Joe Kent, Nevin Sastry, Chibueze Collins Obinna & Mark Williams

Before this year, Shaboozey was just another rising artist ready to make a name for himself. With the April release of "A Bar Song (Tipsy)," he blossomed into the most prolific country musician of 2024, coinciding with his 10th anniversary in the music industry.

By July, the J-Kwon interpolation simultaneously hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 and the Hot Country Songs charts, making him the first Black man to conquer a feat. On Oct. 29, it broke the record for the longest-running No. 1 hit, previously set by "Old Town Road (feat. Billy Ray Cyrus)" by Lil Nas X.

Billie Eilish — "BIRDS OF A FEATHER"

Songwriters: Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell

Most know Billie Eilish for her "sad girl" anthems, scaling topics of body dysmorphia, cruel exes and the relentless dissection of her life under the public eye. But on "BIRDS OF A FEATHER," a single from 2024's HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, the 22-year-old songbird unveils a softer, sweeter side of herself over a twinkling synth. The track details an unwavering connection.

"I don't know what I'm cryin' for/ I don't think I could love you more," she muses in the song's pre-chorus. "Might not be long, but baby, I/ Don't wanna say goodbye."

As Finneas O'Connell, Eilish's brother and longtime collaborator, explained on their American Express "Story of My Song" segment, "There's a lot of songs about dying for somebody and loving them until they die, and I thought it was really fun to lean in."

Songwriters: Dernst Emile II, James Fauntleroy, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars & Andrew Watt

Put two musical legends together, and you get a masterpiece. For Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, that piece of artwork is "Die with a Smile," a grandiose ballad about not taking your relationships for granted. It's reminiscent of the sultry duets of the 1960s, such as Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe" or Frank & Nancy Sinatra's "Somethin' Stupid."

The unexpected collaboration unfolded while Gaga finished her upcoming album in Malibu. "After a long day, he asked me to come to his studio to hear something he was working on [...] We stayed up all night and finished writing and recording the song," Gaga said in a press release.

As Gaga mentions in her announcement post, the song is a treat for Little Monsters "while you wait for LG7." But if the rest of the project is anything like "Die with a Smile," it's already looking like a hit.

Taylor Swift — "Fortnight" Feat. Post Malone

Songwriters: Jack Antonoff, Austin Post & Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift has become increasingly transparent in her artistry through whimsical lyrical metaphors and cinematic music videos. "Fortnight," the opening track of The Tortured Poets Department, is no exception as Swift likens a crumbling relationship to the failure of the American dream. In its sepia-toned visual, she's an asylum escapee taking the "Forget Him" pill, washing away their million-paged saga.

"'Fortnight' is a song that exhibits a lot of the common themes that run throughout this album. One of which being fatalism — longing, pining away, lost dreams," Swift told Amazon Music. "And 'I love you, it's ruining my life,' these are very hyperbolic, dramatic things to say. But it's that kind of album."

Swift first announced Tortured Poets during her acceptance speech for Best Pop Vocal Album (Midnights) at the 2024 GRAMMYs. At the 67th GRAMMY Awards, Swift will again vie for a chance to win Song Of The Year — her eighth nomination in the Category.

Songwriters: Daniel Nigro, Kayleigh Rose Amstutz & Justin Tranter

Chappell Roan might have written "Good Luck, Babe!" in three minutes, but this breakthrough single has left the impact of a lifetime as the singer's debut on the Billboard Hot 100.

The cathartic indie rock track wishes a hopeless flame well after denying their queer identity: "When you wake up next to him in the middle of the night/ With your head in your hands, you're nothing more than this wife/ And when you think about me, all of those years ago/ You're standing face to face with, 'I told you so.'"

"I think throughout the year, I'm like, "What can I get away with?" Because right now it's pretty tame for what it is like to be a gay artist," Roan told GRAMMY.com in March. "But I just want to push it to see how far can I go — with the most controversial outfits or things to rile people up. I'm not really afraid to do that."

Songwriters: Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar and Drake have been throwing shots at each other for the past decade, but it wasn't until Drake's claims of being the best of the "Big Three" rappers (including him, Lamar and J. Cole) in 2023 that the battle climaxed. 

The next six months saw back-and-forth diss tracks, such as Lamar's "Euphoria" and "Meet the Grahams." In a sweeping moment in May, Lamar reigned superior with "Not Like Us," poking fun at Drake's OVO brand alongside accusations of pedophilia and disingenuous relationship with other artists.

Upon its release, "Not Like Us" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and might be Lamar's first gramophone in the Song Of The Year category. 

Sabrina Carpenter — "Please Please Please"

Songwriters: Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff & Sabrina Carpenter

If "Espresso" hadn't already catapulted Sabrina Carpenter as one of the biggest stars of 2024, "Please Please Please" solidifies her status as one of the music industry's key players.

In typical Sabrina fashion, this '70s-inspired tune features witty and playful lyricism, with the Short n' Sweet singer begging her new lover to stay faithful and true: "And please, please, please/ Don't bring me to tears when I just did my makeup so nice/ Heartbreak is one thing, my ego's another/ I beg you, don't embarrass me, motherf—."

The single, co-written with Jack Antonoff, also marks Sabrina's first No. 1 track on the Billboard Hot 100, sitting comfortably above "Espresso's" No. 2 placement.

Beyoncé — "TEXAS HOLD ‘EM"

Songwriters: Brian Bates, Beyoncé, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Nate Ferraro & Raphael Saadiq

After more than two decades as a solo artist, Beyoncé's latest era has been defined by risk-taking experimentation. The first installment of her trilogy project, RENAISSANCE, revived house. Her latest addition, COWBOY CARTER, invites listeners to throw on their Western boots in her first full-length venture into country music, led by "TEXAS HOLD 'EM."

Aside from its addictive twangy instrumentation and chant-worthy lyrics ("This ain't Texas, ain't no hold 'em"), the COWBOY CARTER lead confirms Beyoncé's artistic range while simultaneously encouraging much-needed conversations about the diversity of the country genre. An ambitious venture, indeed, but one that paid off, making Queen Bey the first Black woman to top Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and earning her a spot on this year's Song Of The Year nominee list.

It's the final New Music Friday before Halloween, and this Friday (Oct. 25), there are tricks and treats for every kind of music fan.

As she's been promising for months, Lady Gaga kicked off the roll-out for LG7 with the as-yet-untitled album's sinister lead single. And while the pop star can no longer claim it's "STILL NOT OCTOBER," the pounding track doesn't give Little Monsters any more insight into those cryptic posts on their queen's social media feed.

Elsewhere, Green Day celebrates a major anniversary for one of the band's most beloved albums, Jin makes his return with an upbeat single, G Herbo drops the deluxe version of his latest full-length, and Addison Rae ascends to higher pop girl status by paying reverence to Madonna. 

Below, press play on nine new releases to round out your spooky season playlists.

Lady Gaga launches her hotly anticipated LG7 era with "Disease," a glitchy, industrial lead single that's sure to serve as a cure-all for many a Little Monster's pop music maladies.

Casting aside the Great American Songbook she sang circles through on the recently released Harlequin, Gaga opts to return to a darker, more techno-infused aesthetic on the track, which sounds like a spiritual descendent of Born This Way-era deep cuts like "Government Hooker" and "ScheiBe" with shades of "Alejandro" thrown in for good measure.

"Poison on the inside/ I could be your antidote tonight," the superstar promises on the throbbing pre-chorus before snarling, "I could play the doctor, I can cure your disease/ If you were a sinner, I could make you believe/ Lay you down like 1, 2, 3/ Eyes roll back in ecstasy/ I can smell your sickness, I can cure ya/ Cure your disease." Consider us infected, Mother Monster.

It's been an exciting month for the BTS ARMY! Just eight days after j-hope completed his military service, Jin — who was the first BTS member to be discharged earlier this year — unveiled a brand new single, "I'll Be There."

The rockabilly-inspired, high-energy song is a preview track from Jin's forthcoming debut solo album, Happy, which arrives Nov. 15. As Jin's first solo music since 2022's "The Astronaut," the guitar-charged "I'll Be There" hints that his album may feature more rock influence than his previous solo releases.

As Jin switches from Korean to English across the song, he makes fans a sweet promise in the chorus: "I will be there forever (Forever)/ I don't change/ I'll be there for you/ There for you, oh-oh-oh/ I'll tell you with this song/ I swear that I will always sing for you."

Two decades after brashly declaring, "Don't wanna be an American idiot!," Green Day are celebrating their politically-charged pièce de résistance with a 20th anniversary re-release.

The band's punk rock opera spawned four hit singles, a Broadway musical, its own rock documentary (2015's Heart Like a Hand Grenade) and a tidal wave of pearl-clutching from the pre-MAGA conservatives of the early 2000s — not to mention GRAMMY wins for Best Rock Album and Record Of The Year. The album's latest, well-deserved victory lap includes a treasure trove of bonus material for fans, including 15 unreleased demos, nine previously unreleased live recordings, and an entire 2004 concert recorded at New York City's Irving Plaza.

The four-disc 20th anniversary edition of American Idiot also arrives in a wide array of physical formats for collectors, from a Super Deluxe Box Set that include a brand-new 110-minute documentary titled 20 Years of American Idiot and new liner notes penned by producer Rob Cavallo and journalist David Fricke to vinyl and CD Box Sets each with their own unique merch.

Read More: 10 Reasons Why 'American Idiot' Is Green Day's Masterpiece

Just seven weeks after dropping the standard edition, G Herbo re-ups on his sixth studio album with Big Swerv 2.0.

The rapper's follow-up to 2022's broad double LP Survivor's Remorse gets front-loaded with seven new bonus tracks including "YN," "Dark Knight," "Clap" and "Nothin." Meanwhile, collaborations with Chris Brown (the melodic, sexual "Play Your Part"), Meek Mill (the heartfelt "Ball") and Lil Durk (emotional highlight "In The Air") add to the star-studded list of guest features on the LP, which already included the likes of 21 Savage, Sexyy Red, Chief Keef, and others.

Katie Gavin — 'What a Relief'

After three albums of shimmering, intimate indie pop with MUNA, frontwoman Katie Gavin strikes boldly out on her own with the release of her debut solo album What a Relief.

Pre-release singles "Aftertaste," "Casual Drug Use" and "Inconsolable" each made clear that the queer icon in the making would be spreading her wings on the LP, but she continually mines both new sonic terrain (the fiddle-riddled "The Baton," the sour '90s-alt of "Sanitized") and undiscovered layers of lyrical vulnerability (heartrending love song "Sweet Abby Girl") throughout its 12 tracks.

Gavin recruits Mitski, meanwhile, for the album's emotional cornerstone, which makes a lifetime of quiet domesticity and resolute partnership sound "As Good As It Gets."

No story is taken solo on Bastille's new full-length, "&" (Ampersand). Yes, every song on the English pop band's fifth studio effort contains the connective punctuation mark of its title, from opening salvo "Intros & Narrators" to inventively titled album cuts like "Drawbridge & The Baroness" and "Mademoiselle & The Nunnery Blaze."

Frontman Dan Smith gives insight into the album's storybook-like approach in the swirling opener, singing, "Maybe, to me, other stories are more interesting/ Maybe, to me, they're a mirror back on everything." By the end of "Intros & Narrators," however, he warns, "Never lay your trust in the narrator," so it's up for each listener to come to conclusions about the meaning of the 13 musical fables he and the band then lay out about Eve, Marie Curie, Oscar Wilde, the Greek myth of Narcissus, legendary 19th century Chinese pirate Zheng Yi Sao and more.

Fresh off her viral appearance at the Madison Square Garden stop of the Sweat Tour alongside Troye Sivan, Charli XCX and Lorde, Addison Rae continues to step into her power as a rising pop star with new single "Aquamarine." 

"The world is my oyster/ Baby, come touch the pearl," she nonchalantly declares at the outset over the track's gauzy, glittering production. (And is it just us, or is that a clever reference to Madonna's "Ray of Light" in the second verse?) 

The song's chic music video, meanwhile, begins as a party girl's tour de Paris — complete with an avant-garde masquerade, Louboutins walking dimly lit streets and spritzes of Chanel No. 5 — before morphing into a transfixing, lyrical dance break with the kind of vogueing that would make Her Madgesty proud.

BØRNS might just be falling to pieces. Or at least that's what the indie rocker thinks on his single "Letting Myself Go."

The simplistic visual for the track opens with a home video of the artist born Garrett Borns as a toddler, adorably demanding, "Stop singing, I want everybody to hear what I'm singing!" From there, the grown-up BØRNS' inner monologue takes center stage as he wonders aloud, "Do I have to burn the pages/ Written in my heart?/ I'm done running through the mazes/ Tell me how to break the cages/ Now I know/ And I can't wait another second/ I think it's time I let myself go."

Sade — "Young Lion"

Red Hot Organization teases its forthcoming concept album TRANƧA with a five-track EP, TRANSA: Selects. The project features Sade's first release in six years, which marks perhaps one of the most personal songs of her career: "Young Lion," a stirring and hopeful ballad dedicated to the four-time GRAMMY winner's son Izaak, who came out publicly as trans in 2016.

"Young man/ It's been so heavy for you/ You must've felt so alone/ The anguish and pain, I should've known," Sade sings over downcast orchestration, pleading with her son for forgiveness for not intuiting his struggle before telling him, "You shine like a sun." (For his part, Izaak effusively thanked his famous mom for supporting his transition back in 2019.)

TRANSA: Selects also includes previously releases collaborations between Sam Smith and Beverly Glenn-Copeland ("Ever New") and Lauren Auder and Wendy & Lisa ("I Would Die 4 U") as well as a 26-minute experimental opus in allyship by André 3000 titled "Something Is Happening And I May Not Fully Understand But I'm Happy To Stand For The Understanding."

The full TRANƧA compilation will arrive Nov. 22, and, according to a press release, "highlights the gifts of many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working in culture today, and celebrates the beauty of trans life."

Hope you're ready for a little musical time travel, because this week's New Music Friday is filled with music old, new and everything in between.

Luke Bryan finally unveils his latest album "Mind of a Country Boy" after teasing it with two years' worth of singles, and Moneybagg Yo adds seven new tracks to SPEAK NOW OR…, the deluxe edition of his fifth album Speak Now. Plus, Michael Bublé compiles the greatest hits collection Best of Bublé as he takes his seat in one of the spinning chairs on "The Voice"; Gavin DeGraw celebrates the 20th anniversary of his debut album with a re-recorded version, Chariot 20; and Christina Aguilera honors the 25th anniversary of her self-titled debut with live versions of classic singles.

Elsewhere, Rosalía is still riding high from the Sept. 24 release of her new single "Omega," Miranda Lambert teams up with Jake Worthington on new single "Hello S—ty Day," and Kygo recruits Imagine Dragons for "Stars Will Align." There's even two intriguing covers to enjoy: Sierra Hull's roots-laced rendition of the Grateful Dead's "Black Muddy River," and Nile Rodgers and Cedric Gervais's revved-up dance remix of the Sister Sledge classic "We Are Family." 

Below, press play on nine more new releases, including a surprise side project from Lady Gaga to celebrate her starring turn in Joker: Folie á Deux, a powerhouse duet from country powerhouses Cody Johnson and Carrie Underwood, a solo career kick-off from Måneskin frontman Damiano David and more.

One week before the curtain rises on Lady Gaga's latest acting role in Joker: Folie à Deux, Little Monsters got something else they've long been waiting for: a brand new album from their queen.

Gaga's Harlequin serves as a companion album to the upcoming Joker, filled with thrillingly genre-defying reinterpretations of the Great American Songbook that give insight into the lush soundtrack playing inside the mind of Lee Quinzel — the pop star's take on Harley Quinn opposite Joaquin Phoenix's clown-faced Arthur Fleck.

Songs like the free-wheeling "Get Happy" and "That's Life" (made famous by Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra, respectively) land stylistically in the realm of Gaga's GRAMMY-winning jazz albums with late friend Tony Bennett, and the album also contains a pair of original tracks — the waltzing "Folie á Deux" and vulnerable centerpiece "Happy Mistake." All of it should keep Little Monsters everywhere temporarily sated as they anxiously await LG7.

Stevie Nicks pens a powerful rallying cry for women's rights in the form of new single "The Lighthouse." Spurred to action following the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, the legendary singer/songwriter said in a statement that she's been working on the anthem "ever since."

Nicks continued: "I have often said to myself, 'This may be the most important thing I ever do. To stand up for the women of the United States and their daughters and granddaughters — and the men that love them."

The iconic Fleetwood Mac frontwoman refuses to pull any punches on the timely protest anthem, warning, "Don't close your eyes and hope for the best/ The dark is out there, the light is going fast/ Until the final hours/ Your life's forever changed/ And all the rights that you had yesterday/ Are taken away/ And now you're afraid/ You should be afraid."

Cody Johnson teams up with Carrie Underwood for "I'm Gonna Love You," the first bonus track off the deluxe edition of his 2023 album Leather and the "American Idol" champ's first release since news broke she'd be replacing Katy Perry on the judging panel of the reality show's ABC reboot.

On the stunning ballad, the two country stars weave together an all-encompassing love story that lasts a lifetime. "So good that it almost hurts/ Steady and true as a Bible verse/ My heart skips just thinking of you/ Go on and bet it all, baby we can't lose," they sing in harmony as herds of wild horses thunder across the screen in the Dustin Haney-helmed music video.

SOPHIE's posthumous, self-titled album is equal parts love letter to the late producer (whose life was cut devastatingly short after falling from a rooftop in Athens, Greece in January 2021) and an enduring testament to her influence as an avant garde pioneer of hyperpop, electronica and underground dance music.

Completed by her family, SOPHIE's 16-song project is filled with the producer's trusted collaborators and friends, including Kim Petras (lead single "Reason Why"), LIZ (one-two punch "Live in My Truth" and "Why Lies"), Hannah Diamond ("Always and Forever") and more.

"Sophie didn't often speak publicly about her private life, preferring to put everything she wanted to articulate into her music," SOPHIE's family shared on social media ahead of the album's unveiling. "It feels only right to share with the world the music she hoped to release, in the belief that we can all connect with her in this, the form she loved most. Sophie gave all of herself to her music. It's here that she can always be found."

After nearly 10 meteoric years fronting Måneskin, Damiano David launches his solo career with the unveiling of his debut single "Silverlines."

Produced by Labrinth, the intimate track is a surprising departure from the Italian rock god's signature, high-energy stylings. Instead, David shows off a more vulnerable and emotional side of himself as he sings, "I feel sorrow no more/ The calm after the storm/ And peace belongs to me/ Until my tears run dry/ And clouds fall from the sky / And all my fears, they disappear/ And I see silverlines."

Rahim Redcar — 'HOPECORE'

Just 15 months after releasing the transcendent concept album PARANOÏA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE, the artist formerly known as Christine and the Queens officially retires his stage name and reintroduces himself to the world as Rahim C Redcar with the new LP HOPECORE.

Though just seven tracks compared to its predecessor's sprawling triptych of angelic visitations in 20 songs, HOPECORE is equally prodigious in its ambition. Redcar shifts his gaze from the heavens to the club, describing pulsating highlights like "ELEVATE" and "DEEP HOLES" as "a call of the flesh, a prayer for justice and freedom" and "a healing, metatronic purple grid."

To support the latest chapter in his artistic vision, the French auteur will embark on a club tour of Europe and the U.S. this November, with stops in London, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, New York, and more.

Continuing the momentum from his 2022 single "SLUT ME OUT" featuring Sexyy Redd, NLE Choppa doubles — and triples — down on the raunch factor with his new project SLUT SZN.

The eight-track collection contains both "SLUT ME OUT 2" and "SLUT ME OUT 3" featuring Whethan and Carey Washington as well as "SLUT ME OUT 2 — COUNTRY ME OUT" with J.P. Other tracks include opener "Gang Baby," recently released single "Or What" and Yausel LM collaboration "Catalina."

Mickey Guyton delivers the heat with her sophomore album, House on Fire. On pre-release single "Make It Me," the four-time GRAMMY nominee splashes her country sound with a dose of flirtatious dance-pop while album cut "My Kind of The Country" finds her happily eschewing Nashville elitism in favor of inclusivity ("Go on make yourself at home/ On my side of the country") as she leads a do-see-do-ing line dance and proudly declares, "Yeah, we got country coast to coast!"

Elsewhere, the LP includes "Nothing Compares To You," a resplendent duet with Kane Brown and "Scary Love," a tribute to her three-year-old son Grayson in the wake of a recent near-death experience.

A decade after their last release, The Fray returns with a new EP, appropriately titled The Fray Is Back.

Now a trio following the departure of frontman Isaac Slade in 2022, the four-time GRAMMY nominees behind 2000s hits like "How to Save a Life" and "Over My Head (Cable Car)" deliver more reliable pop-rock anthems like the wistful "Time Well Wasted" and the crescendoing "Don't Look Down." To mark the new era of the band, The Fray have also embarked on a headlining tour across the U.S., with sold-out stops in Washington, D.C.; New York City; Chicago and more.

When Katy Perry announced her seventh studio album, 143, in July, a press release described the LP as "sexy, fearless return to form." While the first single from the project, "Woman's World," was panned by critics, its bold lyrics, punchy melody and outlandishly fun video are as Katy Perry as they come.

There's no denying that Perry is one of the most important artists to shape pop music in the 21st century. Her easygoing, sunny hits have soundtracked countless summers, and her vulnerable power ballads have affected millions. She's been nominated for 13 GRAMMY Awards, and is one of the best-selling artists of all time, even sharing company with Michael Jackson as the only two artists to ever land five No. 1 hits from a single album.

Just before 143's Sept. 20 arrival, Perry further proved her influence — and that her past hits hold up — with a  stellar mashup performance at MTV's 2024 VMA Awards on Sept. 11. Even if her seventh studio set doesn't achieve the heights of Perry's earlier albums, she's crafted some of the most iconic pop songs of the 21st century, from "I Kissed a Girl" to "Roar."

To celebrate the beginning of a new era and the blazing legacy of Perry's artistry, GRAMMY.com looks back at the most defining songs in her dazzling career.

Perry's debut single was the song that changed her trajectory forever. "I Kissed a Girl" became a massive hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for seven consecutive weeks, and earning Perry her first GRAMMY nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 2009.

While the track has been widely criticized for its "queerbaiting" lyrics, Perry recognized them as problematic in a 2018 YouTube video for Glamour, and affirmed she would "probably make an edit" if given the chance to rewrite it. "We've really changed, conversationally, in the past 10 years," she said. "We've come a long way. Bisexuality wasn't as talked about back then, or any type of fluidity." Even if its lyrics haven't aged well, the propulsive electropop and instant catchiness of "I Kissed A Girl" introduced Perry as a pop force in the making.

Following the success of "I Kissed A Girl," Perry's follow-up single, "Hot N Cold," hinted that she wasn't a flash-in-the-pan artist. Co-produced by Dr. Luke and Benny Blanco — the duo behind both singles — "Hot N Cold" soared to No. 3 on the Hot 100, and also scored Perry her second GRAMMY nomination for Best Female Vocal Performance in 2010.

The upbeat, synth-filled hit is filled with sturdy synths and simple, yet witty lyricism about a loved one's fluctuating moods. "You're yes then you're no /You're in then you're out /You're up then you're down /You're wrong when it's right," she sings, unknowingly creating a relatable anthem for generations to come.

"Thinking of You," 'One Of The Boys' (2008)

The third single off One Of The Boys showcased a different facet to the splashy, sassy singer. In this stirring ballad, Perry — who wrote the lyrics by herself — pricks on old wounds as she pines for a former lover, despite being in a new relationship.

"You said move on, where do I go?/ I guess second best is all I will know," she sings in one of the most evocative compositions in her career. "Comparisons are easily done/ Once you've had a taste of perfection/ Like an apple hanging from a tree /I picked the ripest one, I still got the seed." 

While "Thinking of You" did not achieve the same chart success as some of Perry's other early singles, it still stands as a testament to her powerful vocals and ability to turn universal experiences into utterly personal tracks.

This cheeky, carefree homage to California — where both Perry and featuring rapper Snoop Dogg were born — revels in the depiction of a "warm, wet n' wild" paradise, filled with girls so hot they will "melt your popsicle." "They're unforgettable," Perry sings, and she might have been onto something, as "California Gurls" was arguably the song of the summer in 2010.

A co-production of Dr. Luke, Benny Blanco and pop master Max Martin, it spearheaded one of the singer's most successful eras: her third album, Teenage Dream. The track dominated charts and radio stations across the globe, also earning a GRAMMY nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals — and a permanent place in our minds.

"Teenage Dream," 'Teenage Dream' (2010)

After delivering another smash with Teenage Dream's lead single, Perry did it again with its title track. The album's second single manages to bottle all the euphoria and trepidation of being a teenager into one masterful, ageless hit. Adolescents all over the world can listen to this song and feel contemplated, in the same way that elders might hear it and remember the rush of their first loves.

While the melody packs some of Dr. Luke, Blanco and Martin's arguably best synths and guitar riffs, it's the exhilarating "I'ma get your heart racing in my skin-tight jeans/ Be your teenage dream tonight" bridge that makes this track truly unforgettable. "Teenage Dream" granted Perry both her third No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 and her third GRAMMY nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, setting the stage for even more massive success that was to come.

"Do you ever feel like a plastic bag/ Drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?" Perry asks in the first line of her 2010 self-empowering anthem, "Firework." Although the question went on to become a meme due to its uncanny — yet oddly relatable — comparison, the track remains as one of her most successful efforts and a dynamic display of her grandiose vocals.

Inspired by a passage from Jack Kerouac's beatnik classic On the Road, "Firework" inspired listeners all over the world to "ignite the light and let it shine." Its inspiring message and belt-along hook helped "Firework" become Perry's fourth No.1 single on the Hot 100 and secure GRAMMY nominations for Record Of The Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.

After scoring yet another Hot 100 chart-topper with the freaky techno-pop "E.T." with Kanye West, Perry returned with her fifth single off Teenage Dream, "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)." Like its four predecessors, the peppy track landed at No. 1 on the Hot 100 — making Perry the first (and, as of press time, only) female singer to topple five No.1 singles off the same album at Billboard's Hot 100 chart.

In yet another Dr. Luke and Max Martin co-production, Perry spiritedly retells a wild night drinking with friends. Dancing on tabletops? Check. Skinny-dipping in the dark? Check. Smelling like a mini bar? Check. As if playing the quintessential bingo of youth, she earns the jackpot and then some. However, despite the consequences (Towed car? Check!), her only goal is to "do it all again" next week. Oh, to be young and reckless… 

"Wide Awake," 'Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection' (2012)

With the release of her 2012 biopic, Katy Perry: Part of Me, the Californian singer also put forward one of her most touching power ballads. "I wish I knew then what I know now/ Wouldn't dive in, wouldn't bow down/ Gravity hurts, you made it so sweet/ 'Til I woke up on the concrete," she sings of a disenchanting breakup.

But the overall message of "Wide Awake" is an uplifting one — vowing to see the truth with clear eyes and eventually feel "born again." The song takes after Perry's personal experiences at the time, following her divorce from English comedian Russell Brand. "Wide Awake" was added to the reissue album, Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection, alongside "Dressin' Up" and "Part of Me," ​​and earned a 2013 GRAMMY nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance.

"People talk about bullying, but you can be your own bully in some ways," Perry told W Magazine about "Roar," the lead single off her fourth album, 2013's Prism. "You can be the person who is standing in the way of your success, and that was the case for me. I was having a great professional streak, but personally, I was really immature, so I had to balance those things out."

A fitting opener to a new era of Katy Perry, "Roar" is a celebration of growing up, shaking off the dust, and moving on. With its lofty melodies, it's a song made to be performed in stadiums and sung in unison by thousands, amplifying its healing powers like a mantra. It's no surprise, then, that "Roar" became her eighth No. 1 hit and earned two GRAMMY nominations for Song Of The Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.

Inspired by her then-new boyfriend, John Mayer, and a UNICEF trip she took to Madagascar, "Unconditionally" is Perry's celebration of the purest form of love: acceptance. "All your insecurities/ All the dirty laundry/ Never made me blink one time," she sings, promising to love without restraints and without fear.

Whether that love is directed to a partner, a friend, or even a pet, it doesn't matter — "Unconditionally" suits human relationships as a whole, and attests to Perry's ability in capturing universal experiences. Here, her soaring vocals take the spotlight. Over a spacious instrumental, Perry reminds us that to love unconditionally is to be free.

Katy Perry is careful when choosing musical experimentations, but she nailed it by trying her hand in trap and hip-hop for "Dark Horse." Written from the point of view of a witch casting a love spell, the single's slow, sultry verses are hypnotizing, and the polished production makes it a standout on Prism and in her discography as a whole.

Perry's delivery is so remarkable that it makes you forget rapper Juicy J's subpar verses. But even that wasn't enough to dim "Dark Horse'"s light: the single was a commercial success, becoming her ninth No. 1, and earning a GRAMMY nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

"By the Grace of God," 'Prism' (2013)

Written while Perry suffered through the breakup from Russell Brand — so painful it made her consider if being alive was even worth it — the piano-led "By the Grace of God" is one of her most vulnerable efforts, and closes Prism on a stirring note.

In the lyrics, she moves from self-loathing to self-loving, once again hitting a relatable spot for anyone with a shattered heart. While songs like "Roar" had a more straightforward approach to empowerment, "By the Grace of God" shows that softness is strength, and being honest about your feelings makes them easier to bear. "I put one foot in front of the other and I /Looked in the mirror and decided to stay /Wasn't gonna let love take me out that way," she sings, confident that a better future lies ahead.

Witness, Perry's divisive fifth LP, came out four years after Prism, in 2017. By then, not only had she changed, but the world as well — Hillary Clinton's (whom Perry openly supported) loss at the 2016 presidential campaign, the burgeoning of streaming platforms. Amidst all that, Perry wanted to rebrand herself and make "purposeful pop."

The disc marked a departure from Perry's high-octane hits and partnership with Dr. Luke, diving into EDM and electropop rhythms. However, the package fell flat, and failed to achieve the commercial success that Perry hoped for, partly due to debatable single choices (think "Swish Swish" with Nicki Minaj).

But hiding in Witness' deep cuts lie true sonic gems, and "Déjà Vu" is arguably the shiniest one. In its addictive R&B melody, electronic synths, and vocal distortions, the track evokes a dead-end relationship that keeps repeating itself, like an unsolvable riddle. If people were willing to listen, they would see that Witness is quite compelling and a matured exploration of Perry's talents — she just needed a better marketing direction.

After the troubled waters of Witness, Perry was ready to launch a new, promising era. 2019's "Never Really Over" was her best single since 2013's "Dark Horse," harking back to the sugary sweet hooks of Teenage Dream and swirling in dance floor-ready house beats. The tongue twisting post-chorus accurately depicts an on-and-off relationship, repetitive nature included: "Just because it's over doesn't mean it's really over/ And if I think it over, maybe you'll be coming over again/ And I'll have to get over you all over again."

"Never Really Over" marked the second collaboration with EDM producer Zedd in 2019, following the lackluster performance of their previous team-up, "365." In fact, the song was her most successful in the past five years, reaching No. 15 — her last Top 20 hit to date.

"Cry About It Later," 'Smile' (2020)

Smile marked a shift in Perry's personal life: She announced her pregnancy with fiancé Orlando Bloom in single "Never Worn White" (which appeared on the "Fan" and Japanese versions of the album), hinted at the baby's name through lead single "Daisies," and gave birth to daughter Daisy Dove just two days before the album release, on August 28, 2020.

Perry was in a better place — and that reflected on her songs. While the album was not a chart-topper like its three predecessors, its reception was mostly favorable among critics and the public. Smile felt like the true upgraded version of the singer: a resilient pop maven, shrugging at the "flops" and "fails" of life with bright enthusiasm. 

The glittering, nostalgic "Cry About it Later" sums it up: "I'll cry about it later/ Tonight, I'm havin' fun/ I'll cry about it later/ Tonight I'm gettin' some/ Tonight I'm gettin' something brand new." And though "Cry" features a verse that says, "I'm gonna fake it 'til it makes me feel good," it seems 143 is ushering in an era where Perry doesn't have to fake any happiness — or anything at all, for that matter. 

"I'm very proud of everything I accomplished, and I don't feel like I have anything to prove," she said in a recent interview with Audacy. "I'm creating from this abundance [of] artistic space. I always wanted to make a dance-pop record, so I've checked that [off my] bucket list. And there [are] a couple of records that I have in my mind that I still want to make, and I'll just go along that process if I get the opportunity to. This is a part of my purpose [and] my vision for myself."