Sam Smith made a welcome return to the music scene in early September with "Too Good At Goodbyes," a somber ballad that picks up where he left off — by examining matters of the heart. Only this time, the tone is darker and less optimistic. That is also reflected in the Luke Monaghan-directed video. It examines love and loss, both romantic and familial, from different angles. It's not all grim, couple...

Nick Jonas relaunched last week with "Find You," a pleasing addition to the growing canon of acoustic guitar-laced EDM bangers. (Take a bow, Avicii and Robin Schulz). After exploring soulful pop on his self-titled debut and dabbling in club sounds on the follow-up, the hitmaker's latest falls somewhere in the middle. It doesn't grab you by the balls like "Jealous" or chase the cool factor as ruthlessly...

Swedish duo Galantis has taken the world by a storm with their infectious hooks and joyful lyrics since hitting the scene in 2012. Comprised of Christian Karlsson and Linus Eklow, the producers boasted an already-impressive resume before joining forces. Karlsson worked as one half of the superstar production group Bloodshy & Avant and was responsible for crafting hits like "Toxix" for Britney Spears,...

The biggest boy band in the world is back. Fresh off of wins at the Billboard Music Awards and Teen Choice Awards, K-Pop chart-toppers BTS returned with a vengeance on Monday with the jam-packed EP Love Yourself: Her and new single “DNA.”At a time when the world, and America in particular, is watching, you might expect BTS to play it safe with more of the angsty urban-pop that has turned them into...

Fridays can be overwhelming for pop fans. Every week you're bombarded with a glut of new music, which can lead to ear candy falling through the cracks. I'm hoping to circumvent that tragic scenario with The Drop — a cheat sheet (of sorts) to get you through New Music Friday. By now, you have probably heard Niall Horan's iTunes-topping "Too Much To Ask" and possibly checked out Nick Jonas' brooding...

Niall Horan's solo career continues to go from strength to strength with the arrival of "Too Much To Ask." A tender ballad about hankering for an ex, the track showcases the Irishman's simple, heartfelt approach. "The shadows dancing without you for the first time, my heart is hoping you'll walk right in tonight," he sings on the chorus over a melancholy piano arrangement. "Tell me there are things...

2017 has seen something of a resurgence in boy bands with newcomers like PrettyMuch, Why Don't We and Forever In Your Mind making waves. You can now add In Real Life to that list. Comprised of the final five contestants on ABC's pragmatically-titled Boy Band, the quintet has already been signed to Hollywood Records and released their debut single. "Eyes Closed" soared straight into the top 10 on iTunes,...

The internet rolled its collective eyeballs when Selena Gomez landed on the cover of Time magazine for becoming the first human being with 100 million Instagram followers. In the last week, however, the pop star has used that platform (she now has an audience of 126 million) to publicly support DACA, raise money for victims of Hurricane Harvey and shine a spotlight on Lupus via a very personal revelation....

And she's back! Toni Braxton returns today (September 14) with her first single since 2012's "I Heart You" and it's a stunning return to form. Produced by Fred Ball (Rihanna's "Love On The Brain"), "Deadwood" is a classic R&B ballad that showcases the 7-time Grammy winner's powerful pipes and emotional delivery. "Just wanna let you know, I won't let this one go," she croons over strummed guitar, a...

Pink is rolling out a new album called Beautiful Trauma on October 13 and it's shaping up to be another tour de force if lead single "What About Us" and the cavalcade of A-List collaborators (Max Martin, Shellback, Greg Kurstin, Steve Mac, Julia Michaels and Jack Antonoff) are any indication. While we wait for the opus to arrive, now is as good a time as any to submit her discography to the revisited...

Rachel Platten returned to the pop scene in late August with "Broken Glass," a breezy, mid-tempo anthem with an important message. The first taste of the "Fight Song" hitmaker's new album was inspired by the Women's March, specially by the way that women came together to support each other and work towards a common goal. As such, it's not surprising that the video is an awesome display of girl-power...

The Queen of Pop turns 59 today (August 16). It seems impossible that the evergreen diva is nearing 60, but age is but a number when you're as #unapologetic and young at heart as Madonna. To celebrate the hitmaker's birthday, I've whipped up a list of her most underrated singles. The focus isn't entirely on chart position (although that is a major factor), but also fan recognition and impact. As such,...