Hip-Hop

‘Rock-Rap Dynasty’ is anything but terrifying - in a good way.

Joe Con puts together quite successfully hip-hop and folk in his newest EP, ‘I Choose You’.

Plus a new children's holiday album from Farmer Jason (of Jason and the Scorchers), a concert DVD from Depeche Mode, and a reissued lost classic from The Byrds' Gene Clark.

Oswald uses his debut as a vehicle to reflect on the state of the hip hop music industry in a way that does not fill the listener with anger or despair.

Is there one song, by any artist, that changed your life?

I would not succumb to conversion. I was a justified aficionado—personally and professionally—of popular music culture and Beyoncé stood in opposition to the music I jammed to. Or did she?

From American Idol winners to Stanley Clarke to Stevie Nicks and Ne-Yo, there's major news from top artists, music icons, and hot up-and-comers this week.

From Skid Row to Vashti Bunyan to Steve Aoki to Ted Nugent, there's big news from several generations of musical icons this week.

Unlike most bands from the classic rock era, War's style never quite went "out of style" the way, say, southern rock or progressive rock did. Funky is still funky.

This year's list is an eclectic mix of metal (Black Sabbath), funky R&B (Janelle Monae), pop rock, hip-hop (Kevin Gates), folk rock gems (KT Tunstall), and a whole lot more.