“With Heaven On Top” – Zach Bryan
Zach Bryan released “With Heaven On Top” on Jan. 9, adding another excellent country album to his impressive catalogue. The past few years have been marked by controversy for the artist after a rough breakup with his former girlfriend, Brianna LaPaglia . Still, after hearing this album, there is no denying his talent. Bryan proves he can make incredible music without relying on anyone else, with no features at all. The best track on this album is “Santa Fe,” an upbeat ballad about his personal connections and love for Santa Fe, New Mexico. Other songs that are worth adding to your country playlist include “Runny Eggs,” “If They Come Lookin’,” and “All Good Things Past.” Bryan will be at State Farm Stadium on Sep. 5.
“OCTANE” – Don Toliver
Legendary rapper Don Toliver returned to the music scene with his fifth album, “OCTANE,” on Jan. 30, which marked the first time he has ever had a #1 album on the Billboard 200 chart. This album proved to be one of his best, featuring artists such as Travis Scott, Yeat, and Teezo Touchdown, as well as a sample from Justin Timberlake’s 2003 hit “Rock Your Body.” There are really no low points throughout the album, with the best song being “Secondhand,” where Don Toliver’s rapping rebounds off afrobeat artist Rema’s verses. With “OCTANE,” Don Toliver has proved that he is still one of the best rappers of the current music scene, combining lyrics and flow perfectly with his excellent beats. Read more in-depth about the album here. Don Toliver will be at the Mortgage Matchup Center on July 1.
“Don’t Be Dumb” – A$AP Rocky
A$AP Rocky has been absent from music for the past eight years, raising his three kids with pop star Rihanna, but returned on Jan. 16 with his album “Don’t Be Dumb,” which features artists like Tyler, The Creator, Doechii, and Brent Faiyaz. A$AP Rocky hired the famous director, animator, and writer Tim Burton to help with the album’s illustrations and music videos. The original album announcement was accompanied by his single “PUNK ROCKY,” which showed how excellent he can be in different genres. The best song on this album is “PLAYA,” where he seems to diss rapper Drake, alluding to the Canadian’s former relationship with Rihanna. You can read an in-depth analysis of the album here. A$AP Rocky will be performing on June 23 at the Mortgage Matchup Center.
“The Fall-Off” – J. Cole
J. Cole is one of, if not the best, current rappers. On Feb. 6, J. Cole dropped “The Fall-Off,” marking his seventh album release and the first from him in five years. J. Cole has a flow similar to that of 90s rap albums ,with the beat staying constant throughout each song as he raps. In “Two Six,” the lyrics convey his takes on the present-day rap scene, while “Bunce Road Blues” is a rap-jazz song accompanied by Tems and produced by The Alchemist. The best song on the album is arguably “SAFETY.” J. Cole will be at the Mortgage Matchup Center on June 10.
“Cloud 9” – Megan Moroney
Georgian country artist Megan Moroney dropped “Cloud 9” on Feb. 20. Moroney is an expert in making simple and emotional country music, something she doesn’t change in “Cloud 9.” The album features artists Ed Sheeran and Kacey Musgraves.. While “Cloud 9” can seem slightly homogeneous at first, there are clear highs. Sheeran and Moroney combine for a slow honky tonk love song on “I Only Miss You,” and she continues her young, angsty theme in “Stupid” and “6 Months Later.” Moroney truly shines on “Change of Heart,” which blends rock, country, and sarcastic lyrics to instantly be a classic breakup song. Moroney will be in Glendale on Aug. 11 at the Desert Diamond Arena.
“Icon” – Brent Faiyaz
R&B artist Brent Faiyaz released his third album “Icon” on Feb. 13. Faiyaz works with rhythm from a wide range of instruments, from horns to strings to synthesized pop sounds. In fact, Faiyaz displays a great share of beats that sound like 80s music, with one in particular standing out apart from the rest of the album: “Other Side.” “Other Side” is simply a great song, with Faiyaz’s deep, beautiful vocals duetting an infectious, 80s pop-like sound. While this genre is entirely new to the R&B and soul-centered artist, he makes a compelling case for the possibility of a poor performance on “the other side.”
“Ca$ino” – Baby Keem
Twenty-five-year-old California rapper Baby Keem returned on Feb. 20 with an incredible fourth album, Ca$ino.” Featuring artists such as Che Ecru, Too $hort, and Kendrick Lamar, the album perfectly balances personal stories with rhythmic beats. Some songs explore Baby Keem’s incredibly challenging childhood, while others highlight the standards he holds for romantic partners. His lyricism is close to unmatched on this project, where he really shines on “House Money.” Baby Keem shows just how talented he is, mixing what seems like impossible rhymes with astonishing flow. Baby Keem will be performing “Ca$ino” at The Van Buren in downtown Phoenix on May 6 and 7.
“The Romantic” – Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars returned with a fifth album titled “The Romantic” on Feb. 27, showing that the 40-year-old pop artist is not slowing down. Mars has headlined the Super Bowl Halftime Show, won multiple Grammys, and has billions of streams on Spotify. “Risk It All,” the first song on“The Romantic,” kicks off with Spanish horns bringing in a slow, beautiful melody. This opening makes “Risk It All” the best on the album, with the other songs sounding somewhat similar. The last song, “Dance with Me,” is no doubt on its way to becoming a classic slow dance song. Bruno Mars will be in Glendale on April 14 and 15 at State Farm Stadium.
