The Tufts Daily

"Life Support," released on Feb. 26, was Madison Beer's album introduction into the pop soundscape. Unfortunately, Beer’s newness to a full-length project is evident; her songs reflect all that is prominent in trending songs today: mediocre songwriting, catchy-but-generic instrumentals and a lack of artistic direction.

Swift dives deeper into herself and pulls from her ever-expansive imagination to bring forth her most creative project yet.

Aided by her recent collaboration with pop superstar Ariana Grande and a viral dance challenge to her song “Obsessed” (2009) in 2019, Carey could accomplish the extraordinary: a second comeback.

The nominees for the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards were announced Tuesday, Nov. 24, and of all the nominations, one body of work outdoes the competition: "Folklore" (2020) by Taylor Swift.

Gabby Barrett and Charlie Puth’s duet “I Hope” (2020) reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, a feat for Barrett, an “American Idol” alumna. However, during a politically divisive time, it is important to bring to light Barrett’s public support for President Donald Trump. As a musician with a massive influence, Barrett’s political stances are disappointing.

Billboard announced in July that it would no longer allow “bundles,” or the grouping together of merchandise and concert tickets with an album to increase sales. This decision, which went into effect on Oct. 9., was controversial, since artists often use bundles to ensure chart-dominating performances even with lackluster tracks and albums.

Is going No. 1 on the U.S. charts something artists should strive for when making music? The short answer is no. This damages the intent and quality of music and the relationship between an artist and their fans.

The increased rate of No. 1 debuts can be attributed to the decline of the physical sales era that came with the prevalence of streaming services. As a result, debuting at No. 1 no longer holds the same merit as it did back in the 1990s when the first few top debuts occurred.

Child stars emerge with enormous pressure to fit societal expectations. In reality, anyone who has experienced the tumult of adolescence knows that it is unreasonable to write off someone for mistakes they made as a teenager. Growth and experience should be celebrated, as child stars have to eventually break from the societal standards imposed on them to embrace their true identities.

If 2020 has taught the music industry anything, it is that historically excluded groups should have an equal opportunity to a lasting legacy. The Beatles should be respected and idolized in their own right, but with a larger, more diverse playlist of artists to listen to today, more icons can emerge into the mainstream.