Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Hugh McIntyre covers music, with a focus on the global charts. Lizzo’s “Leftright” debuts at No. 10 on the Rap Digital Song Sales ...

In 2025, rap once again reminded us of its power. Throughout the year, we saw the release of albums and standout songs that captured attention not only for their sound but also for the stories they ...

January 2025 kicked off with a major ice storm across the U.S. and Canada dumping more than a foot of snow across multiple states and provinces. And the frost isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, with ...

It was the best of hip-hop times. It was the worst of hip-hop times. Ha! 2025 was a rollercoaster of rap music’s highs and lows. The duality was so real. I can’t recall a year with such a wide array ...

This month YouTube’s most successful stationary mic platform On The Radar Radio savvily diversified. While the channel started with more boilerplate interview and trending news coverage, the channel’s ...

From stadiums to arenas, the biggest rap and hip hop artists in the industry are taking over this year. Artists such as Chris Brown and Kendrick Lamar are just a few of the major artists you can catch ...

So much rap music comes out all the time, and especially with frequent surprise releases, it can be hard to keep track of it all. So, as a way to help keep up with all of it, here’s a roundup of the 5 ...

In a year that had no rap songs in the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 40 for the first time since 1990, rap thrived in so many other ways. This list of the 25 best rap albums of 2025 includes grand ...

Every year, we’re told that hip-hop is in crisis. But if you ask us, it feels like there’s too much heat to keep up with. What’s lost on the chart-watchers lamenting rap’s mainstream lull is that the ...