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 avoid that tragic scenario with The Drop — a cheat sheet of sorts to get you through New Music Friday. By now, you have probably heard Ariana Grande's trap-infused "7 Things" and possibly bopped along to Becky G's fierce and fucks-free...

Ariana Grande has snatched our wigs so many times in recent months that it is impossible to keep up. The 25-year-old moves from hit to hit with incredible ease. Since dropping "No Tears Left To Cry" last April, she has yet to have a miss. But the diva achieved a career best with the unveiling of "thank u, next" and its accompanying video. The record-shattering breakup anthem soared to the top of the...

After penning hits for the likes of Camila Cabello, Kygo and Charli XCX, Sasha Sloan launched her own artist project in 2018. The path from songwriter to pop star is increasingly well-travelled, but few make the journey with such a fully-fledged sense of identity and purpose. Take the titles of her two excellent EPs, Sad Girl and Loser. The 23-year-old's music is unashamedly emo, grappling with issues...

Selena Gomez finally updated her iconic Instagram account a couple of days ago after taking an extended break to focus on her physical and mental health. The post didn't give too much away, but the comments have sparked speculation about potential collaborators. Let's start with Canadian producer Murda Beatz (also signed to Interscope), who responded with a quartet of star emojis. His glittering production...

The Weeknd makes a welcome return to the music scene via a collaboration with French producer, Gesaffelstein. "Lost In The Fire," a slinky R&B-electronica hybrid, arrived on Friday and is already generating controversy. (LGBTQ groups have taken issue with a particularly unsavory lyric). That hasn't stopped the sex-fueled bop from being the most-added song on pop radio or soaring up iTunes. The arrival...

2018 was a curious year for pop music. Other genres (most notably hip-hop and country) took over the charts, while the age of the all-conquering era seems to be well and truly behind us. With heavy-hitters like Beyoncé, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Adele technically off-cycle, no one dominated the scene. Instead, Ex-Acts battled Fifth Harmony alumni and the usual DJs for pop supremacy....

2018 has come and gone. As we proved with our list of the 100 best pop songs, there was no shortage of quality content released last year. However, today we're turning our attention to the anthems that didn't quite get their due. From Mariah Carey's straightforward kiss-off "GTFO" to Anne-Marie's nostalgia-inducing "2002," these hidden gems really should have been bigger on the charts. We compiled...

Great pop albums are on the brink of extinction as we plunge ever deeper into the singles-dominated streaming age. The once-powerful LP doesn’t sell anymore, so why bother creating a cohesive body of work when you can drop the occasional bop and make the same amount of money? Happily, a handful of artists bucked the trend and delivered a listening experience in 2018. Mariah Carey escorted us down...

While albums are in danger of becoming extinct in the streaming age, EPs are enjoying something of a renaissance. The once-derided Extended Play allows an artist to share content and build a following without the same commercial pressure as releasing an LP. They are also comparatively cheap and faster to turn around. (Mixtapes and playlists have boomed in popularity for the same reasons). It sounds...

After showcasing her huge voice and unique style on Fox's The Four, Zhavia Ward quickly inked a deal with Columbia Records. The transition from talent show standout to real-life artist can be rough, but the 17-year-old hasn't put a foot wrong. She made a splashy debut with a feature on Diplo, French Montana and Lil Pump's appropriately-titled "Welcome To The Party" and then landed streaming hits with...

If you have ventured anywhere near a club (or even turned on the radio) in the last six months, chances are you have already heard "Body." An explosion of house beats with hip-hop phrasing and Drake references, Loud Luxury's debut single cracked the top 10 in their native Canada, Australia and the UK. While their music is ubiquitous, less is known about the producers from London, Ontario. Comprised...

MNEK has been breaking the rules all of his life. After being championed by the first wave of music blogs in the mid-'00s, the artist/producer signed a songwriting deal in 2009 at the ripe old age of 16. It didn't take long for his name to grace the credits of major UK hits and he tested the waters as a pop star with a well-received debut EP. The Brit finally broke big when "Never Forget You," an infectious...