From moody indie-rock to industrial noise, these albums are a snapshot of the expansive geography of pop music

“X’s” is Cigarettes After Sex’s victory lap, a dreamy meditation on relationships, loss, infatuation and, of course, sex that the trio supported in 2024 with a tour through major sports arenas packed with (mainly) young female fans whose screams of joy were much louder than the actual music.

Kendrick Lamar ‘s eventful 2024 will continue into 2025 with a Super Bowl Halftime Show performance and what’s expected to be a big night at the Grammys. The rapper is up for Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year for “Not Like Us,” as well as Best Rap Song, among other categories.

While Em and Lamar will be facing off in the best rap performance category at the 2025 Grammy Awards, Eminem believes that K. Dot is going to "sweep" all seven of his nominations