Ahead of Quincy Jones' appearance at the Inaugural Black Music Collective GRAMMY Week Celebration during GRAMMY Week 2021, GRAMMY.com explores how the producer, composer and arranger built a launchpad for some of the most revolutionary voices in Black American music.

Quincy Jones has the stories of a townful of people put together. He's eaten rats to survive, attended his own funeral and claims to know who actually shot JFK. He can show you a scar on his temple where an icepick nailed him—and another on his hand thanks to a switchblade. In between, he's helped Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, George Benson, Michael Jackson, Donna Summer and scores of others make some of the most beloved music of the 20th century.

All those artists happen to be Black, and Jones understands profoundly their work's vitality to the American fabric. Between working on classic films like 1966's Walk, Don't Run, 1967's In The Heat of the Night and 1969's The Italian Job; producing bubblegum hits like Lesley Gore's "It's My Party"; and co-producing the celebrity smorgasbord "We Are The World," Jones has spearheaded quintessential Black American albums like Ella Fitzgerald’s and Count Basie’s Ella and Basie, Michael Jackson’s Thriller and George Benson’s Give Me the Night.

In his work, which spans seven decades and counting in the business, Jones has proved time and time again that Black music is America's music. For his trouble, he's collected 28 GRAMMY Awards, 80 nominations and a GRAMMY Legend Award. Ahead of his appearance next at the Inaugural Black Music Collective Event, a virtual event focused on amplifying Black voices, during GRAMMY Week 2021, it's worth noting how Jones helped architect Black music throughout his career.

"I believe that a hundred years from now when people look back at the 20th century, they will look at Miles, Bird, Clifford Brown, Ella and Dizzy, among [other] elders as our Mozarts, our Chopins, our Bachs and Beethovens," Jones told NPR's “Fresh Air” in 2001. (He worked or hobnobbed with all five of those Black geniuses.) "I only hope that one day, America will recognize what the rest of the world already has known, that our indigenous music—gospel, blues, jazz and R&B—is the heart and soul of all popular music; and that we cannot afford to let this legacy slip into obscurity, I'm telling you."

That elevation of Black expression is the headline of Jones' life and work. Here's how it became that way.

For Quincy Jones, Music Changed Everything

On March 14, 1933, Jones was born on the wrong side of town during the worst economic downturn in history. "I wasn't born in Bel Air, man. I'm from the South Side of Chicago," he told Dr. Dre in the 2018 Netflix documentary Quincy, citing an area with a history of violence and poverty. "In the '30s, man, during the Depression, damn, you kidding? We lost my mother when I was seven, and my brother and I, we were like street rats." At first, he didn’t have musical dreams, but those of a life of crime: "I wanted to be a gangster 'til I was 11. You want to be what you see, and that's all we ever saw."

With his mother was in and out of mental institutions, Jones and his brother Lloyd stayed at his grandmother's—a former slave’s—house without electricity or running water. According to his 2001 autobiography Q, they were so impoverished that she fed the boys "mustard greens, okra, possum, chickens and rats, and me and Lloyd ate them all."

Jones’ mother, who often sang religious songs, introduced a young Jones to music. "When I was five or six, back in Chicago, there was this lady named Lucy Jackson who used to play stride piano in the apartment next door, and I listened to her all the time right through the walls," Jones told PBS in 2005. Plus, a next-door neighbor, Lucy Jackson, played stride piano next door; Jones kept an ear to the wall.

When Jones was 10, the family moved to Bremerton, Washington. In his early teens, they relocated to Seattle, where Jones caught word of a skinny, Black 16-year-old kid in town with frightening musical talent. "[He] played his ass off. He played piano and sang like Nat 'King' Cole and Charles Brown," Jones remembered in Q. "He said his name was Ray Charles, and it was love at first instinct for both of us."

Despite Charles' blindness, he was utterly self-reliant, renting an apartment, going steady with a girlfriend and shopping, cooking and laundering for himself. His independence and creativity were galvanizing to Jones, illuminating a path he would follow for the rest of his life.

"Ray was a role model at a time when I had few. He understood the world in ways I didn't," Jones wrote in Q. "He'd say, 'Every music has its own soul, Quincy. It doesn't matter what style it is, be true to it.' He refused to put limits on himself."

Soon after, Jones enrolled at Garfield High School, where he honed his craft as a trumpeter and arranger. He earned a scholarship at Seattle University, transferred to Berklee College of Music in Boston, traveled with the future GRAMMY Special Merit Award Honoree Lionel Hampton's band at age 20. From there, he was off to the races.

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Of course, Charles went on to live up to his maxim of artistic limitlessness, cross-pollinating R&B, soul, blues, gospel, jazz, and even country music, on 1962's Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. And Jones remained an integral part of his story, writing and arranging "The Ray" for 1957's The Great Ray Charles. Heavy, bluesy and swinging, the tune telegraphs Jones' admiration for The Genius.

Jones Alters Rock ‘N’ Roll

Fast-forward five years: Jones was in the midst of a fruitful stint as a writer and arranger for the Count Basie Orchestra, on albums like 1959's Basie One More Time and 1960's String Along With Basie. 

Meanwhile, over in rock 'n' roll, an extinction event had hit. Buddy Holly was dead, Chuck Berry was in prison, Jerry Lee Lewis was in the hot seat for a marriage scandal, and a post-service Elvis Presley was flailing from one lightweight flick to the next. Little Richard, for his part, had become born again and forsaken rock 'n' roll, pivoting to Jesus with 1960's austere Pray Along With Little Richard.

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Understanding that his earlier, cat-in-heat hits like "Tutti Frutti" and "Long Tall Sally" had a lot in common with gospel music, Jones lit a fire under Richard by way of 1962's The King of the Gospel Singers, a project he joined via Richard’s old producer Bumps Blackwell. 

Over Jones’ revved-up arrangements, Richard sounded less self-righteous and more tapped into the wild, frenzied heart of holy devotion.

Deeper Into Jazz…

Ever since he was a kid, Jones had been a fan of bebop, a harmonically advanced, blisteringly fast form of small-group jazz. The virtuosic trumpeter, composer and educator Dizzy Gillespie was one of the style's principal architects.

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Come 1963, and Jones would produce his hero's excellent 1963 album New Wave!. The album braids American mainstays (W.C. Handy's "Careless Love") with bossa nova standards (Antônio Carlos Jobim's "One Note Samba"). As a whole, it provides as effective a gateway as any into Gillespie's innovations in the Afro-Cuban sphere.

...And Soul & Pop

For the rest of the decade, Jones arranged for Black vocal dynamos Shirley Horn, Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan. 

In 1973, Jones produced Aretha Franklin's Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky), which is neither as muscular as her peak work nor as luxurious as '80s albums like Jump To It. Regardless, that in-betweenness—and the strength of its material—makes Hey Now Hey an intriguing look at the Queen of Soul in a state of transition.

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At the time, two members of Jones' band were George "Lightnin' Licks" and Louis E. "Thunder Thumbs" Johnson, known as The Brothers Johnson. Jones went on to produce four successful albums for the brothers. Three singles in particular—1976's "I'll Be Good to You," 1977's Shuggie Otis cover "Strawberry Letter 23" and 1980's "Stomp!"—all topped the Hot R&B Charts and remained classic examples of Jones’ contributions to Black music.

Enter Michael Jackson

Around this time, Jones was highly active in film. While working as a music supervisor and producer on 1978's The Wiz, a film adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name, he was impressed by the precocious co-star Michael Jackson, who had already made waves in The Jackson 5.

After filming wrapped, Jackson told his label, Epic Records, and managers, Freddie DeMann and Ron Weisner, that he wanted Jones to produce for him.

"[T]his was 1977 and disco reigned supreme," Jones wrote in Q. "The word was, 'Quincy Jones is too jazzy and has only produced dance hits with The Brothers Johnson.' When Jackson approached Jones about this, he laid the young singer's anxieties to rest: "If it's meant for us to work together, God will make it happen. Don't worry about it." (In the meantime, Jones produced 1979's funk-soul gem Masterjam by Rufus and Chaka Khan.)

The music the pair made together may prove the existence of a higher power: Jones produced 1979's Off The Wall, 1982's Thriller and 1987's Bad.

"[W]orking with Quincy was such a wonderful thing," Jackson told Ebony in 2007, 25 years after Thriller’s release. "He lets you experiment, do your thing, and he's genius enough to stay out of the way of the music, and if there's an element to be added, he'll add it."

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By now, all three albums have been codified into pop culture. "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" could compel a corpse to cut a rug, everyone who's watched TV has seen the "Thriller" video, and the exuberant "The Way You Make Me Feel" can still lift one out of a bedridden depression. Together, the three albums won more than a dozen GRAMMYs and were nominated for a pile of others.

Give Him The Night

While Jackson ascended in the pop world, the jazz guitar great George Benson began singing more and hewing more commercial, with Tommy LiPuma-helmed albums like 1976's Breezin', 1977's In Flight and 1979's Livin' Inside Your Love. In 1980, Jones partnered with Warner Bros. to form Qwest, a subsidiary label that gave him extraordinary creative freedom.

"Much to my luck, he still wanted to make a George Benson record," Benson said in 2014's Benson: The Autobiography. "Let me ask you this: Do you want to go for the throat?" Jones asked Benson. "Quincy, let's go for the throat, baby," he responded. "Let's go for the throat."

The result was 1980's career-making Give Me The Night, which garnered three GRAMMYs at the ceremony that year: Best Jazz Performance, Male for "Moody's Mood"; Best R&B Instrumental Performance for "Off Broadway"; and Best R&B Performance, Male for the title track.

Jones has been wildly active ever since. In 1993, he convinced Miles Davis to take a rare look back at his modal-jazz years with Miles and Quincy Live at Montreaux, recorded mere months before Davis's death. In the ensuing decades, he's produced concerts and TV, given no-holds-barred interviews, and soaked up his stature as a titan in the music industry.

In 2018, when Vulture asked Jones if he could snap his fingers and fix one problem in the country, one word flashed in his mind. "Racism," he responded. "I’ve been watching it a long time—the ’30s to now. We’ve come a long way but we’ve got a long way to go. The South has always been fucked up, but you know where you stand. The racism in the North is disguised. You never know where you stand.

"People are fighting it," he added, with Charlottesville in the immediate rearview. "God is pushing the bad in our face to make people fight back."

America may remain in the thick of a racial reckoning, but all the while, Jones has tirelessly facilitated and championed artists of color. He’s seemingly lived a hundred lifetimes and been a force for good in numberless ways. 

But when he brought the best out of his fellow Black American visionaries, that’s when he really went for the throat.

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Recording Academy Announces Official GRAMMY Week 2021 Events

Quincy Jones helped shape nearly every facet of pop music history, either directly or indirectly, for more than half a century. On Nov. 3, the consummate multi-hyphenate passed away at the age of 91. 

The recipient of 28 GRAMMY wins and 80 nominations — ranking third and fourth most in the organization’s history, respectively —  Jones will be remembered for his work with everyone from Michael Jackson to Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin to Count Basie. He was also known for his powerful support of many humanitarian causes.

Jones’ legacy within the Recording Academy dates back to just a few years after its founding. The Great Wide World of Quincy Jones was nominated for Best Jazz Performance Large Group at the 3rd GRAMMY Awards, and not a decade passed since without the icon receiving an award. In addition, Jones was the recipient of the Trustees Award in 1989, the GRAMMY Legend Award in 1992, and the MusiCares Person Of The Year in 1996, and was the subject of a GRAMMY Foundation gala tribute in 2014. In 2023, Jones became the first-ever recipient of the Academy & State Department’s PEACE Through Music Award.

In presenting that last award, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. called Jones his "friend and mentor," and noted that his respect and admiration for Jones are echoed throughout the organization. "We are all absolutely heartbroken by the passing of the incomparable Quincy Jones," Mason jr. said in a statement. "A master of many crafts, Quincy’s artistry and humanity impacted artists, music creators, and audiences around the world and will continue to do so. He has been recognized by his Recording Academy peers with an extraordinary 28 GRAMMY awards, standing among the most celebrated recipients in GRAMMY history. Quincy leaves behind an unmatched legacy and will always be remembered for the joy he and his music brought to the world."

Jones' long list of accolades also includes honorary degrees from Harvard, Princeton, and Juilliard, as well as a National Medal of Arts. His legacy doesn’t stop with the immense impact of his music, but extends to activism and humanitarianism. Jones was an advocate for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his Operation Breadbasket, served on the board of People United to Save Humanity, founded the Quincy Jones Listen Up Foundation, supported the work of the NAACP, GLAAD, and other organizations, and produced the "We Are the World" charity single. 

With such a massive footprint both personally and professionally, it should be no surprise that news of his passing has resulted in seemingly endless remembrance and thanks across social media. Elton John, Victoria Monét, Reverend Al Sharpton, LL Cool J and Lin Manuel-Miranda were among the many artists praising Quincy Jones' influence and legacy.

"Wow, Q - what a great ride!!" Lionel Richie wrote on X, accompanied by a picture of the two together. Jones and Richie worked closely together on "We Are the World," a project which was also co-written by Michael Jackson. After connecting with Jackson for The Wiz, Jones became a frequent collaborator of the pop icon, including the albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad. 

"The world mourns the loss & celebrates the life of Quincy Jones," the Jackson estate shared. "A legendary talent whose contributions to music spanned generations and genres. What an MJ/Q decade-long partnership produced is unmatched and includes the biggest selling album of all time. Rest in Peace, Q."

Clive Davis similarly mourned Jones’ passing. "Quincy Jones was a true giant of music," he wrote on Instagram. "Whether it was jazz, pop, r&b or rock, no genre of music escaped his genius…Say ‘We Are the World’ and say ‘The Color Purple’ and you’ll understand the range of his music. He was the ultimate music renaissance man and a true inspiration to all of us in music."

In an Instagram post, John Legend reflected on joy Jones "brought to every room. He was the life of the party, so charming and full of light. I feel so fortunate to have witnessed it in person. But we’re all so fortunate to live in a world made more beautiful by the music he created." 

A True Innovator Who Always Built Up

"I'm often asked what my 'formula for success' is...but to be honest, there is no formula or road map, and if anyone tells you there is, they're full of it," Jones wrote in the introduction to his 2022 book, 12 Notes: On Life and Creativity. 

For Jones, that winding road started with a childhood on the South Side of Chicago, before moving in his early years between Kentucky and Washington before joining his school band and choir, not to mention convincing Count Basie trumpeter Clark Terry to give him lessons. He also crossed paths and shared the stage with Ray Charles, when Jones was 14 and Charles 16. An obviously prodigious talent, Jones relocated to New York by his early 20s; he quickly became a freelance arranger for Count Basie and musical director, arranger, and trumpeter for Dizzy Gilespie.

Jones began his solo recording career in 1956 with This Is How I Feel About Jazz, and moved to Paris, where he learned to arrange strings and studied music theory. This was followed by invitations to work on stage musicals and film soundtracks (including The Pawnbroker, In the Heat of the Night, and In Cold Blood (not to mention much later contributing music to and even appearing in the Austin Powers series. Jones had signed as an artist to Mercury Records in 1958 and moved his way up the executive ladder — a first for a Black man at a major label — becoming music director and, eventually, vice president. 

After excelling in jazz at Mercury, Jones reached pop success by shepherding Lesley Gore's "It's My Party" to the top of the charts. He continued releasing his own material as well, experimenting at the intersections of jazz, funk, and more.

While Jones may be most known for his 1980s run with Michael Jackson, the decade also saw him open Qwest, a label that released works from the likes of Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, and New Order, among many others. "It’s so sad to hear about Quincy Jones. When he signed us to his label, he made us feel so welcome - inviting us to dinner at his home every time we were in town," former New Order bassist Peter Hook posted on X. "He made us big in America. He was so humble & sweet that you immediately fell in love with him."

Read more: Mogul Moment: How Quincy Jones Became An Architect Of Black Music

Jones won 13 of his 28 GRAMMYs in the ‘80s, including Record Of The Year, Best Pop Duo or Group Performance, and Best Music Video for "We Are the World." In a recent interview with GRAMMY.com, Lionel Richie described Jones’ steady, nurturing hand on the project: "I asked Quincy a very important question one time. I said, ‘How in the world did you deal with all of those various personalities and stuff?’ He said, ‘What do you think an arranger does? … My job is to organize chaos.’"

A Jack Of All Trades — And Master Of All

In addition to writing and recording his own music and producing for others, Jones proved to be a mastermind across many other parts of the entertainment industry. In the '90s, he launched Quincy Jones Entertainment. Beyond operating his record label, the company produced successful TV shows like "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" and "Mad TV", and helped publish music magazines Vibe and Spin. 

The ‘90s also saw Jones’ music intertwined with hip-hop, most notably as sampled by Tupac in the chart-topping "How Do U Want It." The legendary Ice-T, who had guested on Jones’ album Back on the Block, expressed the impact that the legendary musician and producer had made: "Love you Quincy.. You changed my life." 

One of Jones’ final appearances on record came in 2022, where he provided a spoken word track to The Weeknd's Dawn FM called "A Tale By Quincy." The Weeknd’s Abel Tesfaye even wrote the foreword to Jones’ 2022 book, 12 Notes, which included a powerful summary of the impact that Jones had on Tesfaye — and the entire musical world. "Even if you've already read his autobiography or know everything there is to know about him, I hope you'll take time to listen to the advice he has to share with you in the pages of this book," Tesfaye wrote. "Because I promise it is what matters the most."

"My fans know how important Quincy was to the fabric of my music," he added on X. "[I] tried to capture what he meant to me as a human. Let’s celebrate his life today."

The winds of November might be crisp and cold, but they bring along a collection of sizzling new music. From bold debuts to heartfelt returns, new eras to final chapters, there's no shortage of options to warm you up this month.

On the first Friday of the month, goth band The Cure makes their return after 16 years, and R&B sensation Jacquees releases the suggestive Baby Making. In the following weeks, British trio FLO will release their anticipated debut, Access All Areas, and BTS's Jin will finally drop Happy, his first solo album.

And there's more: nu metal trailblazers Linkin Park will enter a new era with From Zero, Dolly Parton enlisted her family to create the expansive Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables, and 2020 Mercury Prize winner Michael Kiwanuka will drop Small Changes.

Lastly, the third and final posthumous album by rapper Juice WRLD will also be out this month, and Irish megastars U2 are going to celebrate the 20th anniversary of How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb with a shadow album titled How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb.

To guide you through this eventful month, GRAMMY.com compiled a list with the 14 must-hear releases of November 2024. Check them out below.

CHASE ATLANTIC — 'Lost In Heaven' (Nov. 1)

Australian trio CHASE ATLANTIC continue to reach for the stars. Following performances at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and the main stage at Reading & Leeds in 2023, the band is set to release their fourth studio album, Lost In Heaven, on Nov. 1st.

Led by singles "Die For Me," "Doubt It," and "Ricochet," the band continues to expand their atmospheric, genre-blurring sound. A press release notes that they are poised to break boundaries once again, "diving deeper into their distinct world of hypnotic melodies, sonic experimentation, and epic live shows." The 2023 single "Mamacita" also features on the tracklist.

To promote the new record, they launched an ongoing tour across North America, with rapper 24KGOLDN as a special guest. The tour began on Oct. 16 in Dallas, and will wrap on Nov. 19 in Los Angeles. In December, they will continue with six additional shows in Australia and New Zealand. 

The Cure — 'Songs Of A Lost World' (Nov. 1)

In September, English goth band The Cure released "Alone," their first new song in 16 years. Along with it came also the announcement of their fourteenth LP, Songs Of A Lost World, set for release on Nov. 1.

Frontman Robert Smith shared in a press release that "Alone" was the track that "unlocked" the new album. "As soon as we had that piece of music recorded I knew it was the opening song, and I felt the whole album come into focus," he noted. The album, in progress since 2019, includes tracks "Alone" and "A Fragile Thing," which were performed live during the band's Shows Of A Lost World tour in 2022 and 2023.

The 8-track ensemble follows 2008's 4:13 Dream, and was entirely written and composed by Smith — a feat he hadn't repeated since 1985's The Head On The Door. Smith also co-produced the record with the help of Paul Corkett.

Masked Wolf — 'The Devil Wears Prada But God Wears Gucci' (Nov. 8)

After his 2019 song "Astronaut in the Ocean" became a sleeper hit in 2021 thanks to TikTok, the life of Australian rapper Masked Wolf (Harry Michael) changed dramatically. He quit his day job to focus on music full-time and swiftly released Astronomical, his first mixtape.

Three years later, Michael swapped the space suit for a superhero persona. "I feel it, my desire, yeah, I'm reaching in my soul /They tryna take me out, yeah, they wanna break my bones /It's like I've been bit, but I still keep control /I will never give up, I never give up," he raps in "Spiderman in Space," a single off his upcoming debut LP, The Devil Wears Prada But God Wears Gucci.

Set to drop on Nov. 8, the album showcases Michael's versatility and immutable determination, traits also evident on singles "Give Me My Heart Back" with Lecrae, "Sweeter," "Tell Me Why" with Kota the Friend, and "Hell or High Water."

Ab-Soul — 'Soul Burger' (Nov. 8)

After 2022's lauded Herbert, Los Angeles rapper Ab-Soul is gearing up to release the mixtape Soul Burger on Nov. 8. The project is a tribute to the artist's childhood friend, Doe Burger, who passed away in December 2021.

In a recent interview with Sirius XM's "Effective Immediately", the Top Dawg Entertainment star shared that he's "been trying to channel" Burger's spirit in this release. "My best way of doing that is through music. And hence the title, it's the fusion of me and him. We were literally Huey and Riley from The Boondocks, to where this album is not me — it's Soul Burger. It's like a new artist… So I recommend everybody listen to it in terms of that."

The mixtape includes singles "Squeeze 1st 2" and "All That" featuring JasonMartin (formerly known as Problem) and Thirsty P. In June, Ab-Soul reunited with his Black Hippy bandmates Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, and Schoolboy Q at Lamar's Pop Out Concert in California.

FLO — 'Access All Areas' (Nov. 15)

British R&B trio FLO have announced their much-awaited debut LP, Access All Areas, set to release on Nov. 15. Executive produced by MNEK, the album follows the success of singles "Walk Like This," "Caught Up," and "Check."

"Access All Areas is a labor of love," the group, composed of Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renée Downer, said in a press statement. "To us it represents our growth and dedication to making girl group history, to making a project we are truly proud to call our debut album." The album is described as a "manifesto" for FLO, approaching themes of love, sisterhood, and navigating life as young Black women.

Starting Nov. 11, the trio will kick off their AAA: Intimate Acoustic Shows tour in record stores across the U.K., with stops in Nottingham, Kingston, London, Birmingham, and Manchester.

BoyWithUke — 'Burnout' (Nov. 15)

"I was feeling tired just because it's been go, go, go since I started," said TikTok sensation BoyWithUke in a statement about his upcoming album, Burnout. "I think I had some real identity issues with who I am. Like am I this extroverted character or am I Charley Yang? But now I think I've found a really good balance of work and personal life."

Charley Yang, who rose to fame after going viral in 2021 with ukulele hits like "[Toxic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvaosumc4hU)" and a signature LED mask — removed only last year — began exploring a more open and experimental side to his music once he revealed his face. "For the longest time I had made songs to impress this person I was in love with as well as music executives, and once that was gone things felt weird," he added. "I felt a little bit lost, but in a larger and more positive way, I felt free with freedom to make mistakes and basically whatever I wanted — I think that's what *Burnout* is."

Burnout will be Yang's final record under the BoyWithUke moniker, but it already points to new musical directions. Lead singles "Ghost" and "Can You Feel It?" build on his previous work, while "Gaslight" takes a daring plunge into alt-rock and electronic beats, showcasing Yang's rawest performances yet.

Jin — 'Happy' (Nov. 15)

The first BTS member to complete his military enlistment, Jin was also the only one who hadn't released a solo LP — until now. The wait is over as he announced the release of his debut album, Happy, set for release on Nov. 15.

According to a press release, Happy is a six-track collection that chronicles Jin's journey to find true happiness. Through the album, he shares "honest thoughts and feelings on what happiness means to him," and aims to give listeners "a sense of strength and comfort in their day-to-day lives."

The album comes two years after Jin's co-written collaboration with Coldplay, "The Astronaut." To build anticipation, he has also released the complete version of his 2021 viral hit, "Super Tuna," along with the rockabilly-inspired lead single, "I'll Be There."

Dolly Parton & Family — 'Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables' (Nov. 15)

Dolly Parton continues to amaze. After being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and releasing her first rock album, Rockstar, last year, the country queen returns on Nov. 15 with a project that explores her deepest roots: her family.

Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables is a prodigious visual and musical project featuring both branches of Dolly's family, the Partons and the Owens. Spanning nearly 40 tracks, the album was produced by her cousin, Richie Owens, and showcases performances by various family members, including some who have passed away and others from the current generation.

In a statement, Smoky Mountain is described as "a passage through the lineage and ethos of a family that has deeply influenced one of the world's most beloved artists," tracing their journey from their U.K. origins in the 1600s to their present-day home in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. A companion four-part docuseries is set to premiere in 2025.

Read More: 5 Ways Dolly Parton Has Promoted Peace & Global Unity

Dwight Yoakam — 'Brighter Days' (Nov. 15)

It's been nearly a decade since country superstar Dwight Yoakam released a new album, with his last being 2016's Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars. That will change on Nov. 15, when Yoakam drops Brighter Days.

To announce his return, Yoakam dropped hit single "I Don't Know How to Say Goodbye (Bang Bang Boom Boom)" featuring Post Malone, a track he wrote specifically for this collaboration. Brighter Days has been self-produced over the past three years, with Yoakam co-writing most of the tracks and including covers of classics such as "Keep On The Sunny Side" by the Carter Family, "Bound Away" by Cake, and "Time Between" by The Byrds.

In a statement, the album is described as "at once timeless and timely," filled with "a modern appreciation for country music's history with the trailblazing rock and roll spirit of California." Yoakam is currently on a U.S. tour.

Linkin Park — 'From Zero' (Nov. 15)

Linkin Park is returning from hiatus with full force. On Nov. 15, the nu-metal legends will release their eighth LP, From Zero, introducing a new era for the band following the announcement of new vocalist Emily Armstrong (of Dead Sara) and drummer Colin Brittain.

"Before Linkin Park, our first band name was Xero. This album title refers to both this humble beginning and the journey we're currently undertaking," said co-vocalist Mike Shinoda in a statement. From Zero marks the band's first album without frontman Chester Bennington, who passed away in 2017, and former drummer Rob Bourdon. "Sonically and emotionally, it is about past, present, and future — embracing our signature sound, but new and full of life. It was made with a deep appreciation for our new and longtime bandmates, our friends, our family, and our fans," added Shinoda.

The album's lead single, "The Emptiness Machine," was followed by "Heavy Is The Crown," which became the main theme for Riot Games' 2024 League of Legends World Championship, and the recent release "Over Each Other." Ahead of the album, Linkin Park played a series of arena shows in September, with stops in Los Angeles, Seoul, and London. The tour is set to conclude on November 16 in São Paulo, Brazil.

Michael Kiwanuka — 'Small Changes' (Nov. 22)

"Whilst making this album I was really thinking about my motives for making music and making records," shared London-born singer Michael Kiwanuka on Instagram, when announcing his upcoming album, Small Changes. "I never started writing music/songs for anything other than a way to connect to myself and others, but what am I trying to say now?"

As the album neared completion, Kiwanuka realized that expressing the "small changes" he was experiencing, both in his voice or and his music, was reason enough. "And living for me is just that, remaining as true as possible despite all the changes around us," he added.

Small Changes follows Kiwanuka's 2020 Mercury Prize-winning album, Kiwanuka. Co-produced by Danger Mouse and Inflo, the LP's first single, "Floating Parade," dropped in July, followed by "Lowdown (Part I)" and "Lowdown (Part II)." Kiwanuka recently completed a North American tour with Brittany Howard and will play six intimate shows in the U.K. after the album's release.

Father John Misty — 'Mahashmashana' (Nov. 22)

November also marks the return of singer/songwriter Josh Tillman with his sixth album under the stage name Father John Misty. According to a press release, the album's title, Mahashmashana, derives from the Sanskrit word Mahāśmaśāna (महामशान), meaning "great cremation ground, all things put going thither."

Produced by Tillman and Drew Erickson, with longtime collaborator Jonathan Wilson serving as executive producer, the album features eight tracks spanning over 50 minutes. Half of the album has already been previewed through singles "I Guess Time Makes Fools of Us All," "She Cleans Up," "Screamland," featuring Low's Alan Sparhawk, and "Josh Tillman and The Accidental Dose." 

After supporting Kacey Musgraves on her Deeper Well Tour during September and October, Tillman announced he will headline a North American tour beginning February 2025, followed by a European leg in May.

Juice WRLD — 'The Party Never Ends' (Nov. 22)

After years of teasing, Juice WRLD's third and final posthumous album, The Party Never Ends, is set to be released via Grade A and Interscope Records on Nov. 22. This will be his first full-length project since 2021's Fighting Demons, which included collaborations with Polo G, Justin Bieber, BTS, and more. 

Lil Bibby, founder of Grade A, shared on Instagram that "we want this album to feel like a celebration/party. No more mourning, I want everyone that Juice loved while he was here to help celebrate, especially his fans whom he loved."

The Party Never Ends follows the release of December 2023's single "Lace It" featuring Eminem, produced by Benny Blanco, which addresses the dangers of addiction. In September 2024, Juice WRLD's legacy was further expanded with the EPs The Pre-Party and The Pre-Party (Extended), each featuring two tracks, including the single "Lightyears" with Young Thug.

U2 — 'How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb' (Nov. 22)

In November 2004, Irish band U2 topped the charts with their iconic album How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. The album and its singles earned eight GRAMMYs between 2005 and 2006 and was described by vocalist Bono as their "first rock album" ever.

As the 20th anniversary approaches, U2 will commemorate the milestone with a remaster and re-release of the original album, along with a new project titled How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb — a 10-track "shadow album" that includes new and unreleased songs from the band's archives.

"The sessions for How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb were such a creative period for the band, we were exploring so many song ideas in the studio," bassist The Edge said in a press statement. "For this anniversary edition, I went into my personal archive to see if there were any unreleased gems and I hit the jackpot. What you're getting on this shadow album is that raw energy of discovery, the visceral impact of the music, a sonic narrative, a moment in time, the exploration and interaction of four musicians playing together in a room… this is the pure U2 drop."

Among the tracks, fans might recognize "Luckiest Man In The World" as the leaked demo "Mercy," now officially released. Five other songs have been remastered, including "Don't Wanna See You Smile" and "All Because of You 2." The remaining four tracks are entirely new, never-before-heard recordings, including the single "Country Mile."

The GRAMMY Museum will celebrate the legendary career of Luther Vandross with a new exhibit, Luther Vandross: Artistry and Elegance, opening on Nov. 20, 2024, in partnership with Primary Wave Music and the Luther Vandross Estate. Vandross, an eight-time GRAMMY winner, captivated audiences as a revered songwriter, arranger, producer, performer, and one of the most gifted vocalists in music history.

Luther Vandross: Artistry and Elegance offers an intimate glimpse into Vandross' creative process, showcasing his ornate stage wardrobe, exclusive performance footage from his popular tours, and a never-before-heard recording of him in the studio. The exhibit opens with an exclusive screening of the feature documentary Luther: Never Too Much, directed by award-winning director Dawn Porter. 

Produced by Raindog Films and Foxxhole Productions for Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Music Publishing, in association with Trilogy Films, the documentary will later premiere on CNN, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and Max in 2025. Attendees of the opening night will also enjoy a panel discussion with the filmmakers and a sneak peek at the exhibit.

Tickets for the opening will be available starting Thursday, Oct. 31, and the exhibit will run until June 15, 2025.

In conjunction with the exhibit, Vandross' previously unreleased soulful rendition of the Beatles' "Michelle" is available now, and it will be featured on Never Too Much: Greatest Hits, a new compilation set to release on Dec. 13.

Luther Vandross first captured the spotlight in the 1970s as a sought-after backup singer, collaborating with luminaries such as David Bowie, Roberta Flack, Quincy Jones, Chaka Khan, Bette Midler, and Carly Simon. As a solo artist, he became renowned for his relatable lyrics about love and mesmerizing live performances, characterized by dynamic bands, elaborate stage designs, and striking custom costumes worn by his background singers. Vandross achieved remarkable success, charting a Top 10 R&B hit every year from 1981 to 1994 and releasing 11 consecutive platinum records, with over 40 million albums sold worldwide.

"The Luther Vandross Estate is excited to be sharing Luther's musical legacy with the GRAMMY Museum and its visitors through this upcoming exhibit. It is a special window into all of Luther Vandross' talents — singer, of course; but also music producer, live performer, stage craft master, wardrobe designer, and songwriter. Showcasing all of these amazing elements of Luther the artist via the long-cherished possessions of his personal archives is a treat for die-hard fans and new ones," the Luther Vandross Estate said in a statement.

Marcus Miller, a longtime collaborator, added that Vandross carved out "his own totally unique space" among other talented vocalists. "No one could replicate Luther's sound, his songwriting genius, or even his covers of other people's songs," Miller continued. "Luther was a complete and utter perfectionist with a very specific vision of how he wanted things to be. His shows were theatrical masterpieces, and Luther was involved in every detail of their production: his vocals, his background singers' harmonies, their choreography, and even his background singers' gowns. The gown beading had to be exquisite and authentic. The furs had to be real. I would say, 'Luther, no one's gonna know if the furs are real!!' To which he would reply: 'I will know!'

"That was part of the magic of Luther, his unyielding commitment to excellence. It was truly an honor to have worked with my friend and big brother, Luther Vandross," Miller said in a statement,

"Luther Vandross is a cherished icon who defined the smooth, jazz-inspired era of R&B and whose timeless love songs have graced countless weddings, graduations, and family reunions for the past several decades," added Kelsey Goelz, Curator at the GRAMMY Museum. "The GRAMMY Museum is thrilled to provide fans a close look into his incredible achievements in the studio and onstage."

Exhibit highlights include:

• Hand-beaded suits and jumpsuits worn by Vandross and his background singers during the Power of Love Tour in 1991.

• An emerald green hand-beaded suit and two matching gowns worn by Vandross' background singers, alongside Vandross' black tuxedo from his 1993-94 performances.

• Original fashion sketches of Vandross' tour wardrobe.

• Handwritten lyrics and studio notes for "I Can Make It Better," featuring an exclusive recording of Vandross crafting the song.

• Handwritten lyrics and original sheet music for several of Vandross' hits, including "Think About You" and "Never Too Much."

• Six of Vandross' eight GRAMMY Awards.

For tickets and more information on Luther Vandross: Artistry and Elegance, visit grammymuseum.org.

Leon Bridges has long paid homage to his native Fort Worth, Texas. From being the backbone for stories he's told since his 2015 debut Coming Home to providing backdrops for his music videos like 2020's "Sweeter," the singer's hometown has always had a presence in his work. But on his fourth album Leon, Bridges puts his Fort Worth upbringing at the forefront — taking the listener on a personalized tour of the streets, people and landmarks that have made him the man that he is today.

An excavation of his roots, the album harks back to the original classic soul of Bridges' 2015 debut, Coming Home, while imbuing it with moments of rich psychedelia, dusty R&B and the occasional twang of pedal steel country for good measure. At the core of it are the people who started it all. 

"There are a lot of stories about my family running through it," Bridges tells GRAMMY.com. "It's really about the things that I value most in life and what is meaningful to me, which is home and family."

There's a level of detail regarding Fort Worth that fans haven't seen from Bridges before on Leon. Whether that be the local community center or simply playing on the Nintendo 64, as mentioned on "Panther City," or springtime on the Trinity River, as he references on the nostalgic ode "That's What I Love," the singer's specificity transports you straight to the heart of his childhood memories.

With Texas at the heart of the album, naturally several other influences from Bridges' upbringing played into the making of Leon. Below, the GRAMMY-winning singer details five of the key inspirations behind his latest album.

One of the places that gets more than one mention is the Trinity River, a spot that reminds him of memories from growing up in Fort Worth. As heard on tracks "Simplify" and "That's What I Love," it holds particularly fond memories for time spent with his family. The former describes the area as a place of burgeoning curiosity, from hopping between stepping stones to falling in young love for the first time.

"[Trinity River] was a place where I used to spend a lot of time with my father as a kid. One of the memories I remember [most] was just kicking it at the river with my dad and my brother. We would walk across the rocks. It's one of those landmarks in Fort Worth that once people hear it, especially being from Fort Worth, you get really excited about it."

While Bridges' sound has always been influenced by soul music, for Leon, he took inspiration from "my pantheon of great '70s soul records." But with such a large Texas influence, he also strived for some country nuances. "I was really adamant about having pedal steel guitar and for it to be guitar-heavy, just a lot of organic sounds."

When it came to the autobiographical story of the album, though, Bridges looked to the early work of a beloved Irish musician for lyrical inspiration. 

"One album that I really tried to pull from was Astral Weeks by Van Morrison," he says. "I've always loved how he wrote about those geographical places that were unique to Ireland and were a part of his story. This really played a big part in the writing and some of the storytelling on Leon."

Upon the release of Gold-Diggers Sound in 2021, Bridges told The Guardian that he wanted to "inch my way towards more transparency about some of my relationships and some of my struggles." Though Leon is largely full of autobiographical tales, its opening track, "When A Man Cries," is where he dove into his vulnerable side — and it's arguably the most exposed Bridges has been in his music to date.

Over harrowing, echoed production, Bridges battles overwhelming feelings of anxiety, but ultimately embraces them in order to move forward. "Turn my pain into power, my fear to desire, fall apart when I try to be strong, gotta learn how to cry, can you hear me cry?" he exclaims in the fiery second half of the song. 

"Turn my pain into power, my fear to desire, fall apart when I try to be strong, gotta learn how to cry, can you hear me cry?" he exclaims in the fiery second half of the song. 

"I felt like no one talks about mental health in music. It kind of comes from the Black community — one of my experiences is that we don't really have a space to express our emotions out of fear of being deemed as weak," Bridges asserts. "I wanted to tell that in my own way, with the tears falling being a metaphor of letting go and showing that there's bravery in the inner vulnerability.

"I suppose writing the song was my moment of healing, and by the time the song was finished, I'd already moved on," he adds. "But, I wanted to dig into that more because I feel like being vulnerable in my music will help the listener be vulnerable and make it more relatable."

The album closer, "God Loves Everyone," is a ballad of compassion that preaches equality between all at a human level, regardless of your demographic. For Bridges, it was a chance to explore his relationship with his Christian faith, which has had highs and lows throughout his life.

"Growing up, I went to church pretty much every Sunday. That song came from reflecting on my upbringing in the church and its impact on my music. My relationship with God at this point has diminished a bit, and I wanted to remind myself that God's love is unconditional. I think that's a message that is right for today's climate.

"Going to church, it was the thing that you did, especially as part of Black culture, and especially in Texas, which is considered the Bible Belt," he continues. "When I got older, I had somewhat of a spiritual awakening and started to pursue God for myself, which really influenced a lot of my writing, even on the first album."

Naturally, Leon is filled with nostalgic imagery. Perhaps the most vivid track, though, is album highlight "Panther City," which explores the core of Bridges' roots. The song embodies a wide cast of characters — some close, some distant — that play a role in his perspective of the city he loves.

"Panther City is Fort Worth's moniker, and it's about the summers when I was spending time with my father on the Southside of Fort Worth," he says. "In the '90s, it was a very dangerous place. I wanted to paint a picture of the beautiful aspects of the area in the midst of all the chaos. It's not only about my story, but it's about the people who shaped those experiences."

As the lyrics of "Panther City" suggest, reflecting on times spent with family and friends has only become more valuable to Bridges with age — and may become even more prevalent in his music moving forward.  

"When life gets complicated, it's always nice to reflect on those moments that are really beautiful for me. I love watching cartoons that I grew up on from the '90s and I love those little portals to nostalgia that keep me grounded," he says. "The more I climb the ladder, the more this journey pushes me to just cling onto some of those memories. A lot of the time I desire to get back to what life was like before I transitioned into what I'm doing now."