Rock Sinew & Pop Guile: Celebrating 40 Years of Duran Duran's ‘Rio’

May 6, 2022 Quentin Harrison

‘Rio’ was undoubtedly the first of many turning points that proved Duran Duran's resolute devotion to the art of the nouveau in their discography.

Tom Waits’ ‘Alice’ & ‘Blood Money’ Turn 20 | Anniversary Retrospective

May 6, 2022 Brian Grosz

Both written to be soundtracks for theatrical productions, ‘Alice’ will lull you into a comfortable depression and ‘Blood Money’ will make you want to kill.

Lauryn Hill’s ‘MTV Unplugged No. 2.0’ Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospective

May 5, 2022 Daryl McIntosh

When Ms. Hill released her ‘Unplugged’ LP in May 2002, her devoted fans pulled in close, wanting to be among the first to witness her next stroke of genius.

Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway’s Eponymous Duet Album Turns 50 | Anniversary Retrospective

May 5, 2022 Brandon Ousley

In every way, Flack and Hathaway epitomized the very essence of black love, right at the height of the Black Power movement.

Musiq Soulchild’s ‘Juslisen’ Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospective

May 4, 2022 Mark Chappelle

Musiq Soulchild’s second studio affair is an impressively cohesive R&B disc that pairs soul-steeped traditions with hip-hop sensibility and commercial sheen.

Gang Starr’s ‘Daily Operation’ Turns 30 | Anniversary Retrospective

May 1, 2022 Daryl McIntosh

Like the rest of their prolific catalog, Gang Starr’s third studio album raised the bar artistically upon its release in the spring of 1992.

The Cure’s ‘Pornography’ Turns 40 | Anniversary Retrospective

May 1, 2022 Rayna Khaitan

Paradoxically, ‘Pornography’ teases out the dark, defeatist impulses that lie within while representing a valiant promise to endure.

Steel Pulse’s ‘True Democracy’ Turns 40 | Anniversary Retrospective

May 1, 2022 Terry Nelson

Amidst all of the memorable albums that surfaced in 1982, Steel Pulse’s fantastic fourth LP—an underappreciated classic that deserves to be heard—has been largely overlooked over time.

Bill Withers’ ‘Still Bill’ Turns 50 | Anniversary Retrospective

May 1, 2022 Mark Chappelle

With its focused array of offerings ranging from smooth funk to smoky blues and bombastic gospel, ‘Still Bill’ seated the understated Withers at the table of great soul men.

Eddie Kendricks’ ‘People… Hold On’ Turns 50 | Album Anniversary

May 1, 2022 Brandon Ousley

Without a doubt, ‘People…Hold On’ (1972) is Kendricks’ greatest album and one of the best recordings Motown ever released.

The Cardigans’ ‘First Band on the Moon’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary

So much more than their massive hit “Lovefool,” The Cardigans’ terrific third LP reflected the band’s evolving confidence and musical maturation at the time.

Mariah Carey’s ‘Glitter’ Turns 25 | Album Anniversary

Instead of the disproportionate attention paid to the commercial performance of ‘Glitter,’ the focus should actually rest on Carey’s continued desire to marry pop, R&B, and hip-hop genres for the masses.

CeCe Peniston’s ‘I’m Movin’ On’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary

After early career success like Peniston’s, many artists would rather sell their souls than chance to change the formula, even if they have to create work they don’t love. Peniston refused.