2024 pretty much belonged to two artists: Sabrina Carpenter was the year’s pop queen, while Kendrick Lamar was the guy in hip-hop.
Drake was of course on the receiving end of many Lamar jabs last year, most notably the chart-topping diss track “Not Like Us.” Now, though, Drake is having a louder 2025 with the release of his and PartyNextDoor’s collaborative new album, Some Sexy Songs 4 U. Of course, Drake wasn’t going to let an album go by without addressing the Kendrick situation, and he pretty clearly does on “Celibacy.”
On the track’s first verse, he says:
“We got a lot of things to discuss
Like these men you know you can’t trust
Or these girls that just don’t give mе enough
F*ck, I guess it’s up and it’s stuck
We’rе not like them, baby, and they’re not like us, either one.”
Elsewhere on the album, he raps on “Gimme A Hug,” “F*ck all rap beef, I’m trying to get the party lit.”
Meanwhile, at a recent concert, he teased that following Some Sexy Songs 4 U, he plans to drop a solo album. He said, “You know, eventually when the time is right, Drizzy Drake alone by himself is gonna have to have a one-on-one talk to y’all. When the time is right, I’ll be back with another album: a one-on-one conversation with y’all that you need to hear.”
The time has come once again for Miami to throw its biggest, loudest, and most sleepless party of the year (well, one of them, anyway). The countdown to Miami Music Week has officially begun, and in a little over one month from March 24th-30th the city will turn into a week-long dance floor where unreleased track IDs will thrive, pool parties will rage from sunrise to sunset, and every club will be packed.
From exclusive rooftop soirees to legendary beachside bashes, this is the week where every dance music fan gets a front-row seat to the industry’s global icons. The latter rings especially true this year with the comeback of the famed Winter Music Conference, electronic music’s preeminent industry gathering. Celebrating its 35th anniversary amid Miami Music Week, the WMC will unite the most influential voices in dance music for three days from March 26th-28th at Eden Roc Miami Beach Resort. Featuring an array of esteemed artists and industry leaders who are shaping the global electronic music ecosystem, WMC 2025 will provide invaluable insights and actionable guidance on the future of electronic music through artist performances, critical discussions, insightful panels, and more.
While the weeklong madness of MMW and WMC is already a spectacle in itself, it all leads up to the grand finale: the 25th anniversary of Ultra Music Festival. To celebrate this milestone, the festival will feature more than 170 acts from across the global electronic music spectrum. From March 28th-30th, Bayfront Park in downtown Miami will light up with a bevy of world-class headliners, including Above & Beyond, Afrojack, Subronics, Zeds Dead, Carl Cox, Four Tet, Steve Aoki, and more. Additionally, the festival will present history-making performances including; the world-exclusive Anyma B2B Solomun set, the global debut of Carl Cox’s ‘Evolution’ live show, the first-ever deadmau5 b2b Pendulum DJ set, the Miami debut of Dom Dolla and John Summit’s ‘Everything Always’ superduo, the world debut NGHTMRE b2b Sullivan King set, and the U.S. debut of Chase & Status’ new live show.
It’s actually Miami’s biggest b2b ever, with a week of proper partying and industry networking with MMW, WMC, and Ultra. While Miami’s clubs, beaches, and rooftops will be pulsing with energy all week long, one thing is certain — where you stay can make or break your experience. Whether you’re looking for a luxury escape, a party-centric crash pad, or a budget-friendly spot to rest your rave-worn feet, we’ve got you covered. Here’s where to stay for Miami Music Week, Winter Music Conference, and Ultra Music Festival 2025.
Top Pick: Eden Roc Miami Beach Resort
EDEN ROC MIAMI BEACH RESORT
It’s basically a no brainer: why not stay at the hotel that Winter Music Conference is taking place at all the while being within walking distance to some of the best Miami Music Week parties? Designed by famed architect Morris Lapidus, Eden Roc Miami Beach is Miami’s most iconic and architecturally significant hotel, blending nostalgic glamour with a modern beachfront resort experience. With a rich history as a hot spot for celebrities and VIPs since 1955, Eden Roc has long been a go-to destination for musicians, from Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand to Nat King Cole and the world’s best electronic music DJs.
The hotel is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, coinciding with WMC’s 35th anniversary. In case you needed more incentive, all hotel guests will receive complimentary general admission entry to all WMC events. Guests will stay in bright, spacious rooms featuring oversized balconies with ocean views, as well as enjoy three sparkling beachfront pools and the expansive 22,000-square-foot Esencia Wellness Spa. With five onsite restaurants and bars — including the renowned Nobu Miami and Ocean Social — unparalleled views of sea and sky, it’s the top spot for all your MMW, WMC, and Ultra plans.
It’s luxury, it’s legendary, and it’s the perfect home base for Miami Music Week. Nobu Hotel Miami Beach isn’t just a place to stay — it’s a full-on experience that blends Japanese-inspired elegance with Miami’s electric energy. Nestled within the iconic Eden Roc Miami Beach, Nobu Hotel is a sanctuary for those who want high-end sophistication with a side of nonstop action.
Designed by David Rockwell, the hotel channels the essence of its world-famous namesake restaurant, offering sleek, minimalist design, natural materials, and an air of exclusivity. And while the city will be pulsing with beats from dawn till dusk, Nobu Hotel provides the ultimate retreat when you’re ready to recharge — think oversized Japanese soaking tubs, plush platform beds, and sweeping oceanfront views. Location-wise, you’re exactly where you need to be. Not only are you steps away from some of the best Miami Music Week parties, but you’re also staying at one of the official homes of Winter Music Conference. That means easy access to exclusive industry panels, networking events, and private showcases, all without ever leaving your hotel.
Between sets, fuel up at the world-renowned Nobu Miami, where you can indulge in rock shrimp tempura, black cod miso, and some of the best sushi in the city. Need a midday reset? Hit the adults-only pool, book a revitalizing treatment at Esencia Wellness Spa, or sip a handcrafted cocktail at the oceanfront bar before diving back into the madness of MMW and Ultra.
Amenities:
Skyline or Atlantic Ocean views
Adults-only pool + three additional oceanfront pools
If Ultra Music Festival is your main event, then staying at InterContinental Miami is your perfect hotel. Sitting right outside Bayfront Park and literally built around Henry Moore’s famous sculpture, “The Spindle,” this luxury hotel puts you quite literally at the doorstep of Ultra. No Ubers, no traffic, no stress. Roll out of bed, fuel up with brunch, and stroll straight into the festival without missing a beat.
But the convenience factor is just the beginning. InterContinental Miami is a high-end oasis in the heart of downtown, offering sleek modern rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows that frame jaw-dropping views of Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline. Whether you’re watching the sunrise after a night of dancing or taking in the sunset before heading back out, the views alone are worth the stay.
Need a quick power nap between sets? Your room is minutes away. Want to pregame with Ultra-goers? The rooftop pool and Bluewater rooftop bar are the perfect spots to vibe out with festival-ready cocktails. And when it’s time to dive back into the music, all you have to do is step outside and walk straight into Bayfront Park for instant festival access.
Food-wise, you’ve got everything from the modern Latin flavors of Toro Toro to grab-and-go café options for when you’re running on rave-time. Plus, the hotel’s 24-hour fitness center and mySpa Miami mean you can recover from those late-night dance marathons with a deep tissue massage or a sauna session. During Ultra weekend, the hotel hosts a live DJ in the hotel lobby, day pool parties, complimentary yoga classes, and more.
If you’re looking for a sleek, stylish stay that blends luxury with a home-away-from-home feel, Hotel AKA Brickell is the move. Located in the heart of Miami’s financial district, this high-rise sanctuary offers a refined escape just minutes from the madness of Miami Music Week and Ultra Music Festival. You’ll be close enough to the action — Bayfront Park is a quick ride away — but far enough to enjoy a little peace and quiet when you need it.
Expect floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping views of Biscayne Bay, contemporary design that oozes sophistication, and ultra-comfy accommodations designed for both work and play. Whether you’re crashing between sets or squeezing in a sunrise yoga session after a long night of dancing, this hotel has all the right vibes.
The outdoor rooftop pool is a prime spot to recharge under the Miami sun, and the hotel’s Level 25 restaurant offers a chic space for pregame cocktails with a panoramic city backdrop. Plus, with a 24-hour fitness center and sauna, you’ll have everything you need to recover before diving back into MMW’s nonstop energy.
If you want to stay in the heart of Miami’s creative energy while having easy access to Miami Music Week parties and Ultra, Arlo Wynwood would be a great choice. Sitting in the middle of Miami’s trendiest neighborhood, this boutique hotel blends art, music, and culture with a vibrant, modern design—making it the perfect home base for your MMW adventures.
Wynwood is the spot for some of the hottest Miami Music Week events and staying at Arlo means you’re just steps from epic rooftop parties, underground club sets, and secret warehouse raves. When you’re ready to head to Ultra, downtown and Bayfront Park are just a quick ride away. This means you get the best of both worlds: nonstop nightlife and a stylish retreat when you need to recharge.
The hotel itself is a vibe. Expect colorful murals, rooftop views, and an energy that feels like an extension of the festival itself. The Higher Ground rooftop bar is the perfect spot to sip pregame cocktails with a skyline view, and the third-floor pool deck gives you a sun-soaked oasis between late-night sets. For fuel, grab tacos and tequila at MaryGold’s, or hit the bodega-style 24-hour grab-and-go market when you’re on the move.
Moxy Miami South Beach is where Miami Music Week energy meets effortlessly cool South Beach style. With its bold, art-forward design and prime location on Washington Avenue, this four-star boutique hotel keeps you close to the action — whether you’re hitting up poolside day parties, late-night club takeovers, taking part in any of WMC’s programming, or Ultra’s massive main stage just a short ride away.
Staying at Moxy is like stepping into a living, breathing art gallery. Every space is designed to spark creativity and playfulness, from the vibrant, color-drenched rooms (perfect for solo travelers and groups alike) to the lush Rooftop Mezcal Lounge that transforms into a high-energy social hub. Want to keep the vibes going? The outdoor courtyard hosts rooftop workouts, DJ sets, and mezcal tastings, while the tropical pool deck is the ultimate spot to recover under the Miami sun.
When hunger strikes, Moxy’s got you covered with Como Como’s seafood-driven Mexican flavors, Mezcalista’s intimate cocktail lounge, and Bar Moxy, a buzzing central hangout perfect for meeting fellow festivalgoers before heading out for the night.
If you’re looking for a stylish and sophisticated stay just minutes from Ultra Music Festival, Eurostars Langford is a hidden gem in the heart of downtown Miami. Housed in a historic building from 1925 that was once home to the Miami National Bank, this jewel of Beaux Arts architecture has been completely reinvented to offer an essential accommodation for a new generation of travelers in search of sophistication. Guests will enjoy its classic elegance with modern comforts, offering festivalgoers a refined retreat within walking distance of Bayfront Park and all the Ultra madness.
While Miami Music Week is all about high-energy parties, Eurostars Langford provides the perfect balance — a sleek, quiet escape when you need to recharge, all without sacrificing easy access to the city’s biggest events. While the hotel lacks a pool, it makes up for its location being just steps from downtown’s buzzing nightlife, rooftop lounges, and two blocks from Ultra Music Festival.
If you’re looking to go all in for Miami Music Week and Ultra, W South Beach is the ultimate luxury move. This five-star oceanfront escape sits right on Collins Ave, offering oversized balconies with stunning beach views, a prime location near the hottest MMW parties and WMC, and a luxurious yet high-energy vibe that perfectly complements the week’s nonstop action.
W South Beach is more than just a hotel — it’s a scene. From the moment you step inside, you’ll be surrounded by sleek, modern design, a buzzing social atmosphere, and a music experience curated by none other than LP Giobbi herself. Whether you’re pregaming at the Living Room Bar, cooling off at the WET Deck pool, or recovering in style at the AWAY Spa, every moment here feels like part of the festival experience.
Beyond the hotel’s doors, you’ll be just steps away from Miami’s electric nightlife, pop-up events, and beachfront parties, with Ultra’s massive main stage just a short ride away. And if you’re looking for a pre or post-festival meal, Mr. Chow and RWSB offer top-tier dining to fuel your Miami adventures.
If Miami Music Week had a hotel, it would be Kimpton EPIC. Sexy, stylish, and always down for a good time. Nestled between the Miami River and Biscayne Bay, this luxurious, high-energy hotspot offers the perfect mix of sophistication and playfulness, making it a prime home base for MMW, WMC, and Ultra.
From the moment you step inside, it’s all about the vibe. Sleek interiors, waterfront views, and a scene that’s effortlessly cool. Each room comes with floor-to-ceiling windows, private balconies, and spa-like bathrooms, giving you the ultimate post-festival recharge space. But let’s be real, you won’t be spending too much time in your room when you have two rooftop pools, plush loungers, and expertly crafted cocktails just an elevator ride away.
The rooftop Area 31 is a go-to for pregame drinks with jaw-dropping skyline views, while Zuma Miami serves up some of the best sushi and Japanese-inspired bites in the city. And with Bayfront Park just a quick ride away, you’ll be front and center for Ultra’s biggest sets in no time.
It is hard not to get wrapped up in a pop star’s orbit. Over at A24, they’re putting a thrilling spin on this concept with the film Opus. Next month, the picture, which stars Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich, will hit theaters for all to enjoy.
But today (February 14), a song from the feature’s official soundtrack, “Dina, Simone,” dropped to give moviegoers a taste of the flick’s plot. On the song, which is performed by Malkovich and produced and written by Nile Rodgers and The-Dream, is a fast-paced track that does a great job at hinting at, but not spoiling, the forthcoming film’s story.
Malkovich’s acting chops have long since been proven on the big screen. But thanks to “Dina, Simone,” the world can get a full serving of his vocal abilities.
The film’s official plot synopsis reads:
“A young writer (Edebiri) is invited to the remote compound of a legendary pop star (Malkovich) who mysteriously disappeared thirty years ago. Surrounded by the star’s cult of sycophants and intoxicated journalists, she finds herself in the middle of his twisted plan.”
Listen to “Dina, Simone” from Opus: The Moretti EP above.
Opus is out in theaters on March 14. At that time, Opus: The Moretti EP will be available across streaming platforms. Find more information here.
More than two decades before teams dreamt of landing a 7’5 Frenchman named Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick in the NBA Draft, there was a different foreign giant that had the league buzzing. Yao Ming, a 7’6 center from China, was discussed almost like an urban legend before his arrival in 2002 (he first appeared on radars at the 2000 Summer Olympics), and when the Houston Rockets won the lottery (despite just an 8.9 percent chance) it changed their franchise direction.
Yao was an 8-time All-Star in his eight seasons in the NBA, thanks in part to his legions of fans in China that vaulted him to the top of fan voting each year, but was also a 5-time All-NBA center, as he dominated the paint in Houston and led them to four playoff appearances alongside Tracy McGrady. Yao’s impact on the NBA was immense and he’s largely credited with the league’s explosion in popularity in China, but Yao also became a legendary figure stateside as well.
No one had ever really seen anyone as big as Yao Ming in the league. There had been some guys his height, but they were usually extremely skinny (Shawn Bradley, Manute Bol, etc.). He was the most physically imposing figure in the land of giants that is the NBA, and famously made Shaquille O’Neal (the most physically dominant big man the league had ever seen) look relatively small by comparison. As Yao’s career went on, he became a the reference for tall or big, and that became apparent in hip-hop, as rappers all over began to reference Yao Ming in lyrics.
It helped that “Ming” is easy to fit into a rhyme given how many words you can play off of it, but Yao became a somewhat unlikely staple of rap music that has persisted long after his career. He usurped Shaq for a time in being the go-to reference for something being tall, long, or big, and also was the most famous person from China in the U.S., so there are plenty of references to China or something Chinese in rap songs that substitute Yao in place.
Below you’ll find a sampling of 12 songs spanning 16 years (twice as long as Yao’s NBA career) that show his lasting legacy in hip-hop.
“Still Tippin’ 2” — Chamillionaire ft. Slim Thug (2004)
N****s tell me they look up to me, and I know what y’all mean/Cause I’m balling with tall green stacks taller then Yao Ming
“No More Fun And Games” — The Game (2005)
I’m from the gutter, grew up in public housing/On the same block with a shack like Yao Ming
“Beat’n Down Yo Block” — DJ Unk (2006)
I’m with Montay in the South, system soundin’ so mean/26’s make it stretch, sittin’ high like Yao Ming
“Nah Ming” — OJ Da Juiceman (2009)
Money stacked tall, same size as Yao Ming (ayyy)
“Bricksquad” — Waka Flocka Flame ft. Gudda Gudda (2010)
I don’t need no flex, but I got to ball/Money Yao Ming, yes it’s that tall
“Same Damn Time” — Future (2011)
Horseshoes on my jeans, Robin jeans with the wings/Yellow bone on my team, trafficking them Yao Mings
“Yao Ming” — David Banner ft. Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz (2011)
And b*tch, I’m tall as Yao Ming
“Come And See Me” — Ludacris ft. Big K.R.I.T. (2015)
I’m feeling like Yao Ming in the whip (Why?) I need more leg room/So I hit a switch and the whole back seat turned into a god damn bedroom
“Yah Mean” — Playboi Carti (2017)
Shawty wanna ball with the team/Money sittin’ tall, Yao Ming
“Potato Salad” — Tyler, The Creator and A$AP Rocky (2018)
Married to the money, my b*tch green/No I don’t sip lean, but ride around in rockets like Yao Ming
“Yao Ming” — Gunna (2019)
Yao Ming, this money tall/I just checked the stats, n****s still waitin’ on me to fall
2024 was a huge year for LA, all things considered. Kendrick Lamar had his year-long victory lap, using his platform to highlight up-and-coming rappers from the city. Tyler The Creator kept the energy going with the 10th anniversary Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival. One of the artists who appeared at both is OhGeesy, best known as a member of party-rap crew Shoreline Mafia.
When we’d last heard from the rowdy quartet, founding member Fenix Flexin had departed the group and he and OhGeesy had embarked on their respective solo careers (Rob Vicious and Master Kato have seemingly dropped off the radar). OhGeesy’s career especially has flourished locally, but it seemed that rap fans outside the Golden State just weren’t ready to hear what he had to say.
That may change this Valentine’s Day, with the release of OhGeesy’s official debut album, Paid In Full. Backed by Atlantic and bolstered by the release of Geesy’s singles “What It Iz” featuring Lefty Gunplay (who was recently featured on Kendrick’s new album GNX), “Babygirl” with Lil Tjay, and the title track, Paid In Full finds Geesy stepping up his rap game and firing on all cylinders, admitting on a Zoom call that he recorded the album completely sober.
If the album doesn’t strap a rocket to his back, his debut performance at Coachella in April just might, as he and Fenix Flexin reunite under the Shoreline Mafia banner. As he tells me during our insightful and surprising chat, “We both have our own solo thing, but it helps feed into each other. Shoreline’s sh*t only going to make our solo stuff stronger.” With this two-pronged approach, don’t be surprised if OhGeesy rides the wave boosting the West Coast to unprecedented heights.
You have a new album coming out, what can you tell me about that?
Paid In Full, my album I’ve been working on the past year, is about to drop Valentine’s Day. I’m excited for it, excited to show what I’ve been working on. I’ve been locked in. I was, like, putting myself through boot camp, just staying away from anybody, no partying, nothing, just working on music.
You know what? I like to hear that. It shows your focus. That’s a good mindset for staying on it.
You got to make time for the job. I got to separate myself.
Absolutely. The album is a Valentine’s Day release. Is it going to be a lovey-dovey album? Are we going to get a lovey-dovey OhGeesy album?
It’s not lovey-dovey, but it’s some joy on there for the ladies, for sure.
What’s been the thing that you’ve learned the most about yourself in the process of making an album? Because you have mixtapes, you’ve done group projects, but this is the thing that you’re going to introduce yourself to the world with, more or less. What’s something you learned about yourself, and what’s the difference that it’s made in your process?
I think that I could do anything. I did the whole process sober. No partying, no nothing, no distractions. So, it just made me feel like I’d do anything.
You know what, that’s surprising to hear. Because, for the longest time, I associated you with party music.
Yeah, I make party music. I just make vibe music, sh*t that you can ride to, and sh*t that you could play it at the function, but everyone always associates me with drugs and sh*t.
But it’s crazy. I never do none of my music on drugs or partying. When it’s studio time, it’s lock-in time, that’s when I’m working, you feel me?
That might surprise the average person, because when they see you come out on stage and you and Shoreline are bopping, it just projects a certain image. What is something else about you that would surprise people, if they got to know the real OhGeesy?
I like doing a lot of self-care. I like hiking, I like working on my mental. I like being mentally strong, so I like hiking, going to the sauna, working out, just working on myself.
I have a friend like that. She’s always doing sound baths. Have you ever done that?
Nah, I want to do it. I have that on my to-do list, for sure. I looked up some classes they have about the beach.
Is that going to work its way into your music? You going to start rapping about doing yoga and stuff?
Nah, I feel like it makes me a better artist. I’ve been doing that. That’s my same routine. Any time I start working on an album, since GeezyWorld, I’m hiking, meditation, all of that stuff, just self-work, and I feel like it makes me a better rapper.
Speaking of being a better rapper, walk me through your process with the album. I know a lot of people write, some punch in, people do different things. What’s your process, and how has it evolved on this album?
On this album, I think it was half, 50-50, punching in and writing. And I think that’s the first time I’m doing that.
You are a member of a group, but also a solo artist. How does working solo change your mentality when you go into the studio, when you’re putting down the songs?
Sometimes it’s hard, but most of the time, it’s not, because I feel like I put in the same effort that I would do as a group. As a group, I’m coming up with the ideas. I’m picking the creative, I’m picking the beat selection, and all that stuff. I feel like it’s the same process for me, so it kind of makes it easier. Definitely, being in a group makes it easier, just rapping back and forth, it makes it just so effortless.
What can you tell me about the album, or about the mood of the album, about the producers on the album, the features on the album? Just run it down.
I feel like the mood of it’s like hustler sh*t, real trap sh*t, me being the entrepreneur. You hear that hustle sh*t in all my lyrics. I’m really rapping, I’m really elevating. I’m trying to showcase my rap more.
Last year was an enormous year, in terms of LA. I went to Camp Flog Gnaw, and they had the Mustard And Friends set, and when you popped out, somebody was asking me, “Who is that?” I’m like, “That’s OhGeesy. You don’t know OhGeesy?” What’s going to get you to that next level, to where you pop out on a stage and everybody knows your name?
I think the next Shoreline album, for sure. Right after this album, I’m working on the Shoreline album. So I feel like that’s just going to take us to the level we were supposed to go to, and we just had an intermission.
Coachella is going to be the official reunion of Shoreline Mafia, right?
That’s right.
Walk me through the last few years. What was that process like, of being a group, splitting up? What are you doing in the meantime? And then, how do you get back together as a group to say, “This is what we’re going to do, and this is when we’re going to do it?”
I feel like working on myself, me and Phoenix both working on ourselves, was one of the best decisions we could have made, and I feel like that’s what made coming back together so easy. We’re in a much more mature head space, and we’re healthier, happier than before. So coming together is just a no-brainer. It feels like we picked back up where we left off. I feel like we both rap better, we’ve lived life more. We just got more sh*t to talk about.
What was really the beginning of that discussion? Who reached out to who, and how did those discussions come about?
Well, we’ve always had the same homies, all growing up. So my boy Benji, shout-out to my boy Benji, he kind of just put us back in talks. I seen Fenix was doing his sh*t, I was doing my sh*t, so it was just, “Let’s just f*ck with each other again.” It’s not like we ever fell out over some crazy sh*t. We just had creative differences, and we just wanted to do our own thing for a minute.
What are you looking forward to the most out of 2025?
Hitting the road later this year with Fenix. Doing Coachella, I’ve never been. Coachella is such a big accomplishment, to be on the stage. I’ve never even been there as a guest, so I’m excited to go for my first time, and I’m going to be on the stage, and with Fenix, doing it like how we started.
Next year, if another interview opportunity should happen to come up, or we’re backstage at a show or something, you see me, I say, “Hey, Geesy, what you been up to, man,” what do you hope to be able to say that this year brought to your life, how your life changed, how you elevated?
I don’t know. I feel like my life is just constant elevation, and just always getting better, so I’m just grateful for everything I have, for real. In the grand scheme of things, there’s nothing really more I wish for. I’m happy, and I just wish to just keep getting better at what I do, and keep growing as an artist, and being a better person.
Paid In Full is out now via Atlantic Records. Find more information here.
Ekkstacy made major headway in the alt scene last year. With the “Never Left Chicago” musician nominated for Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2025 JUNO Awards, Ekkstacy plans has no plans of slowing down.
Today (February 14), Ekkstacy announced his sophomore album, Forever. Instead of delivering a fuzzy love track to go along with the Valentine’s Day holiday, Ekkstacy wanted to explore another emotion on the project’s lead single. On “Keep My Head Down,” which was produced by Andrew Wells, Ekkstacy dives into the heartbreaking experience of suffering in silence.
“You don’t have to worry / I can do it all for myself / I sit and I smoke when it’s silent / Watch the sun cover the pier / I was young, was I? / Miss it so much, where’d that go? / I have all these friends / But there’s so much of me I don’t show / Keep my head down,” sings Ekkstacy
Wells isn’t Ekkstacy’s only creative collaborator on the “Keep My Head Down.” Over on Instagram, Wells revealed multiple Grammy Award-winning audio engineer and fellow musician Cassidy Turbin can be heard throughout the record as its featured drummer.
Listen to “Keep My Head Down” above.
Forever is out 5/16 via United Masters. Find more information here.
Apple TV+’s status as tech giant means that it makes total sense for them to be the reigning monarch of streaming sci-fi original programming. In that realm, The Gorge currently has audiences hooked with a creature-feature love story for Valentine’s Day, and in the TV series department, For All Mankind, Severance, Silo, and Foundation are only a few of the juggernauts that the streaming service offers.
Of those titles, Silo is an astounding feat of worldbuilding from showrunner Graham Yost while adapting Hugh Howey’s literary saga, but an even more imposing challenge sits on the horizon with a cyberpunk classic, Neuromancer. The William Gibson novel has long been considered “unfilmable” despite multiple efforts, but Apple TV+ is throwing down the gauntlet at itself. Let’s wind through the maze of clues on what to expect.
Plot
Well, if Frank Herbert’s Dune could eventually yield two (and maybe more) acclaimed blockbusters from Denis Villeneuve, then Neuromancer has a shot at success. One of the more difficult aspects of bringing the mid-1980s novel to the screen, however, is that the book was considered before its time, and now, the opposite might be true. Yet Apple TV+ is serious about their sci-fi, and already, star Callum Turner has poured effusive praise upon co-showrunners Graham Roland (Dark Winds, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan) and J.D. Dillard (Devotion, Sweetheart) while speaking with Screenrant about his admiration for Gibson’s “poetic” cyberpunk classic.
In that same interview, Turner revealed (as of this month) that he has been filming for weeks Tokyo set (situated across Tokyo Bay), which is where his character, Case, begins the novel amid a miserable underground existence. As a console cowboy and disgraced super-hacker, Case can’t stay out of high-stakes trouble, and Apple TV+’s series description reveals that Case will be “thrust into a web of digital espionage and high stakes crime with his partner Molly, a razor-girl assassin with mirrored eyes aiming to pull a heist on a corporate dynasty with untold secrets.”
The first Neuromancer season will be 10 episodes long, and nobody has ruled out followup seasons. Gibson did add two other books, Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive, to finish his Sprawl trilogy, so we shall see how long this show runs.
Whether or not this series lives up to the Philip K. Dick Award that its source material commenced, at least we know that this Apple TV+ series will take care to avoid any pitfalls that led to an abandoned Fox effort from Tim Miller (Deadpool) and Simon Kinberg (X-Men). Those are small sci-fi mercies.
Cast
Callum Turner (Masters Of The Air) will star as as Case with Briana Middleton (Sharper) as Molly and Joseph Lee (Beef) as Hideo, ninja bodyguard. Mark Strong has also joined the cast, according to Deadline, as “Armitage, Case and Molly’s mysterious employer.”
Release Date
Apple TV+ hasn’t revealed a window yet, but the tech giant announced the series a year ago, and filming is ongoing. As with the streaming service’s other sci-fi offerings, this won’t be a speedy series to produce like, say, Gary Oldman brilliantly farting around in Slow Horses. So perhaps Neuromancer in 2026 is realistic?
Trailer
Because I can’t help it, and because there is no Neuromancer trailer yet, please enjoy this reminder of what mid-1990s hackers surely were not doing with the Hackers trailer.
To best understand the last 50 years of popular music in America, you can either a) study the Billboard Hot 100 chart, or b) look up the musical guests on Saturday Night Live. Of the two, I prefer the latter; it’s a better representation of genres, and an interesting look at the shifting idea of what was considered “cool” at the time. Which is to say, way more Debbie Harry.
Ahead of SNL’s 50th anniversary special, I dug deep on Peacock, YouTube, and other, uh, less legal websites to find the best musical performance for all 50 seasons. Not the 50 best performances, necessarily, but one for every season.
A few notes:
-Bands and artists are only eligible once, otherwise David Bowie would dominate multiple seasons
-I only included official musical guests, not music-based sketches, with one or two necessary exceptions
-Not every clip is embeddable, so if you don’t see a video, it’s hyperlinked to the title of the song
With that out of the way: ladies and gentlemen… it’s the best musical performance from all 50 seasons of SNL.
SNL nabbed a murderer’s row of musical talent for a show in its infancy. Episode 3 featured not only a Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel reunion, but also Randy Newman and Phoebe Snow. Later in season 1, you have Patti Smith, Martha Reeves, Leon Redbone, and ABBA (in an intentionally lip-synced performance of “Waterloo”). But it would be disingenuous to not go with the first musical guest in SNL history: Billy Preston performing the supremely funky “Nothing From Nothing.” The second song in SNL history? Technically, it’s Andy Kaufman doing the Mighty Mouse theme. Slightly less funky.
What do Rob Reiner, Sigourney Weaver, and Paul Rudd have in common? They all hosted SNL episodes with no musical guests. The first time it happened, in the show’s third-ever episode, John Belushi filled in by debuting his twitchy Joe Cocker impression for a cover of The Beatles’ “With A Little Help From My Friends.” A year later, a very game Cocker performed “Feeling Alright” alongside Belushi. “I always found it quite amusing,” Cocker said about the impersonation. “I thought vocally, he did quite a clever job with it. It put a print on me that kind of stuck to this day.”
Season 3: “Radio, Radio” by Elvis Costello (December 17, 1977)
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Lorne Michaels recently claimed that he’s “never banned anyone” from SNL. Elvis Costello would like a word. The bespectacled singer abruptly cut short his performance of “Less Than Zero” to instead play a fired-up version of “Radio Radio,” a harsh critique of censorship on the radio. “I just wanted them to remember us. I didn’t really have anything against the show,” Costello explained in 2021. “I was more pissed off at being told what to play by the record company than I was NBC, truthfully.” Costello deserves praise for his Jimi Hendrix-inspired stunt, but also give credit to his backing band, The Attractions, for how quickly they lock into “Radio, Radio”’s jittery energy.
“This is her first time on American television, she’s very wonderful.” That’s how Monty Python’s Eric Idle introduced Kate Bush in a 1978 episode, eight years before she became Max Mayfield’s favorite artist. Even before the camera pulled back during “The Man With The Child In His Eyes” to reveal her theatricality sitting on a piano (played by Paul Shaffer!) while wearing a sparkling gold jumpsuit, Bush made an immediate impression with her expressive voice. This was not only her American debut — it’s, to date, her only public performance in the U.S. How do you top perfection?
Why did David Bowie choose to perform “The Man Who Sold The World,” the title track from his overlooked third album, nine years after the song first came out? Who knows! It made as much sense as Bowie being escorted to the microphone by New York City performance artists Klaus Nomi and Joey Arias because he couldn’t move in his Bauhaus-inspired outfit. Which is to say, it made perfect sense because Bowie, the magnetic showman that he was, knew how to put on a good show. “We didn’t have to do anything but be ourselves that night,” Arias later recalled. There’s a reason Rolling Stonenamed this the best performance in SNL history.
Maybe you had to be there. I wasn’t, so I don’t “get” The Blues Brothers. Both the characters played by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, and the too-long, self-indulgent movie, which works better as a supercut of performances than it does as a film. The Aretha Franklin scene, in particular, is a show-stopper, as is her vigorous cover of Otis Redding’s “I Can’t Turn You Loose” (Aretha dropped the “I”) on SNL. She takes the Blues Brothers theme back from them.
Season 7: “Beef Bologna” by Fear (October 31, 1981)
It’s not often SNL descends into chaos, but it did on Halloween night 1981. Los Angeles-based punk band Fear were booked on the urging of John Belushi. To make the performance feel authentic, the comedian called up some of his punk-rock buddies in Washington D.C. and asked them to be in the audience. “He wanted 15 to 20 people,” Fear frontman Lee Ving explained, “but they stopped in Baltimore and Philly before they got to New York and arrived with 35, 40 people.” SNL’s first and only moshpit — and sing-along to the words “beef” and “bologna” — was a “Velvet Underground album”-level experience for the young punks watching at home. As Jack White shared in the Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years Of SNL Music special, “We’re still talking about that moment right now and there’s been 1,000 bands on other TV shows that we’re not talking about. That meant something.”
To be honest, this isn’t Freddie Mercury at his technical best. The night before appearing on SNL, he “screamed himself hoarse” during an argument with his boyfriend Bill Reid. That, coupled with Queen having recently wrapped up a lengthy U.S. tour left Mercury’s voice a little ragged. But he more than made up for his vocal limitations with sheer superstar charisma. Not-so-fun fact: this was Queen’s final performance in North America with Mercury ever.
There’s a reason most musical guests are introduced with a simple “ladies and gentlemen.” Otherwise, we would be stuck with introductions like the one then-New York City mayor Ed Koch gave to The Cars: “You know, as mayor of New York, traffic is one of my biggest problems. But tonight, I think I’ve solved the problem: replace all the automobiles in the city with the fabulous Cars.” Where’s the tense Saturday Night-style movie about who signed off on that? Great performance, though.
This was a weird season for SNL. It was the end of the Dick Ebersol-era (Lorne Michaels would return to run the show in fall 1985, and ever since), and a group of established comedians, including Billy Crystal, Martin Short, and Christopher Guest, were brought in to juice ratings following the departure of Eddie Murphy. It was a transitional, at times rocky season, but Billy Ocean kept things smooth with “Caribbean Queen.”
In 1986, The Replacements, the most self-destructive rock band of the era, were booked on SNL as a last-minute, ahem, replacement for The Pointer Sisters. As they waited to take the stage, the ‘Mats soothed their nerves by getting inebriated. Very inebriated. When the time came for them to perform “Bastards Of Young,” they had “secretly turned up their amps,” author Bob Mehr wrote in his essential book, Trouble Boys. “It took a few seconds for the engineers to turn the sound down.” They were out of tune, piss drunk, and at one point, singer Paul Westerberg can be heard yelling “come on, f*cker” at guitarist Bob Stinson. “Rock and roll doesn’t always make for great television,” Westerberg later said. “But we were trying to do whatever possible to make sure that was a memorable evening.” It was a disaster, and it was beautiful.
Funky 4 + 1 were the first hip-hop group to play SNL in 1981. It took another five years for the second. Run-DMC were introduced by Spike Lee in character as Mars Blackmon, who parodied the media’s insistence that rap incites violence. “They’re not violent, never have been, never will be,” he said, as the Queens legends can be seen backstage choking Lorne Michaels. Remember: this was a decade before the Grammys even had a Best Rap Album category; it was subversive for the time to have a hip-hop group on national TV. It helped that “Walk That Way” was undeniable, even (especially?) without Aerosmith.
Season 13: “Under African Skies” by Linda Ronstadt and Paul Simon (December 19, 1987)
Many of the entries on this list are big and flashy, with choreography, guitar solos, and elaborate set designs. But there’s room for smaller performances, too. Sometimes all you need is two incredible and well-matched voices (Paul Simon and Linda Ronstadt) singing a lovely song (“Under African Skies”) from a classic album (Graceland).
Season 14: “Birthday” by The Sugarcubes (October 15, 1988)
SNL’s history with Björk runs surprisingly deep. There’s, of course, Winona Ryder’s impression of her on “Celebrity Jeopardy” (prompting Will Ferrell’s Alex Trebek to ask, in a regrettable joke, if she’s Icelandic or the r-slur). But the real Björk has been on three times, a high number for an artist as idiosyncratic as she is. The most impactful of the performances is the time that Matthew Broderick introduced her pre-solo band, The Sugarcubes, as being “all the way from Iceland, our NATO allies.” Björk makes quite the statement on “Birthday” with her curiously pleasing shriek and howls. Nearly 40 years later, she remains a unique fascination.
SNL has a reputation for having a terrible sound mix, often deservedly so. But credit where credit is due: Neil Young sounds f*cking terrific playing “Rockin’ In The Free World.” “It was transcendent and punched through the television,” Conan O’Brien, a writer on the show at the time, told Young about his set during a 2023 interview. “I’m on the floor at 8-H. I’m a kid; I’m in my twenties; I’m watching you do that. The place, you just melted it… It’s never been quite repaired.” The best guitar solo in SNL history did much of the damage.
Season 16: “I’m Your Baby Tonight” by Whitney Houston (February 23, 1991)
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There’s a common, perhaps apocryphal, story surrounding “I’m Your Baby Tonight.” The legend goes that L.A. Reid and Babyface wrote it as a technical challenge for Whitney Houston; would she be able to pull off such a complex vocal arrangement? To answer with a very it-was-the-style-at-the-time word: Duh. Of course she would. Houston apparently recorded the new jack swing-influenced, future No. 1 hit in one take so she could make it to the mall before it closed. She was in no such rush on SNL — Houston struts the stage with the confidence of someone who knows she’s the best singer in the room.
Two legendary performances from two legendary groups. On one hand, you have host Michael Jordan and guest Spike Lee introducing Public Enemy, who dedicated “Bring The Noise,” a monumental track from one of the greatest rap albums of all-time, to Miles Daves. On the other, there’s red-haired Kurt Cobain in a Flipper shirt, Krist Novoselic moving his 6’7” frame like he’s made of rubber, and Dave Grohl going beast mode on the drums before the three of them collectively destroy their instruments. You try to choose between the two.
Season 18: “War” by Sinéad O’Connor
What else could it be?
Season 19: “Round Here” by Counting Crows (January 15, 1994)
There’s a big disconnect between how Counting Crows singer Adam Duritz looked vs. sounded while performing “Round Here” on SNL circa 1994. He wore the outfit of a hacky sack hippie, the kind of guy you avoid while walking across a college campus. Plus, the dreads. But my god, that voice. It’s so expressive and vulnerable. Between Counting Crows and host Sara Gilbert, this was a defining moment for ‘90s angst.
No fuss, no theatrics, just a kick-ass band playing a kick-ass song. Hole were surrounded by baby dolls and a framed photo of Tom Selleck when they tore their way through “Violet” with a feedback-drenched outro of “He Hit Me (It Felt Like A Kiss)” by The Crystals. During the closing credits, Courtney Love jumped on host George Foreman and gave a long, passionate kiss to drummer Patty Schemel that ended with them rolling around on the floor. It was a rare cause for celebration during a (put it lightly) tumultuous time in Love’s life.
Season 21: “Bulls On Parade” by Rage Against The Machine (April 13, 1996)
Whoever booked mega-wealthy Republican presidential candidate Steve Forbes and the fiercely political Rage Against The Machine for the same episode was asking for trouble. And trouble they got. Rage hung upside down American flags on their amps “to stand in sharp juxtaposition to a billionaire telling jokes and promoting his flat tax by making our own statement,” as Tom Morello explained. Although the flags were removed at the last second by stagehands, Rage played “Bulls On Parade” like a band possessed — but before they could return for a second song, they were ordered to leave the building. “You might notice Rage is not in the farewells on that particular show,” Morello said. “I still went to the after party.”
Season 22: “Proud Mary” by Tina Turner (February 22, 1997)
Everyone knows Tina Turner’s cover of “Proud Mary” is great. It’s one of the most unstoppably energetic songs ever recorded, and at 58 years old, like she was here, the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll had better moves than dancers half her age. But I would like to take a moment to appreciate this performance’s runner-up MVP: the extremely jacked harmonica and saxophone player in the background. Yes, it’s the sax man from The Lost Boys, who toured with Turner for years. A greasy legend.
Years before Liam Gallagher called out the show for an “excruciating” sketch about his feud with brother Noel, Oasis appeared on SNL during the Be Here Now era. Do they remember it? Probably not, considering what we know about the recording of that album, but luckily, there’s video footage to prove it happened. There’s not a lot Liam and Noel see eye to eye on, but at least they had the sense to agree to play “Acquiesce,” a B-side better than most band’s best songs. Their differences showed up again in the closing credits: Liam blew kisses to the crowd, while Noel scratched his balls.
Season 24: “Waltz #2” by Elliott Smith (October 17, 1998)
What are the five greatest words in the English language? Lucy Lawless saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, Elliott Smith.” Seeing Smith play the haunting “Waltz #2” on national television was a pinch-me moment for fans of the impactful songwriter, and a dream come true for Smith himself. He wrote “Between The Bars” while watching Xena: Warrior Princess, the syndicated fantasy series starring… Lucy Lawless! “I had a secret crush on Xena,” he said during a concert. “It was a secret to me, too.” He looked adorably awkward when Lawless referred to him as “my friend Elliott Smith” (the four greatest words in the English language) during the goodnights.
DMX was on an incredible run at this time. 1998 saw the release of both It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot and Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood, followed by …And Then There Was X in 1999. That album gave the rapper born Earl Simmons his best-known song, “Party Up (Up In Here),” which he performed on SNL while roaming the stage like a caged tiger. “It’s a ride, baby,” DMX told Spin in 2000 about a day in his life. “A real ride.” For one night on SNL, he took us on a ride with him, and it was thrilling.
This was around the time I started watching SNL, and I distinctly remember being some combination of confused and awed by Radiohead’s performance. I hadn’t heard anything like “The National Anthem” before, but I knew I wanted more of it. That holiday season, I asked my aunt to buy Kid A for me, which she did. I’m not going to claim I immediately fell in love with the album (I was too deep in my DMB phase to process a song like “Treefingers”) but eventually, it would become a favorite. Radiohead playing “The National Anthem” on SNL was the first step there.
Kylie Minogue gets the nod here over Alicia Keys’s emotional rendition of “Fallin’” in the first post-9/11 episode, Andrew W.K.’s head banging to “Party Hard,” and Killer Mike joining Outkast on “The Whole World” for pulling off an SNL first. As she performed “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head,” Ian McKellen can be seen sitting on the side of the stage, enjoying the show. I’ve never seen the host take a seat and watch the musical guest before, at least not on camera. Gandalf must be rooting for Kylie to get a Better Man-style biopic.
Even crazier than Phish being on SNL the same season as The Donnas, Zwan, and Good Charlotte is Phish playing “46 Days” and it’s only four minutes long, not the typical eight minutes or 16 minutes or 38 (!) minutes. Yet Trey Anastasio, fresh off a hiatus, still found time for two sweltering solos.
Season 29: “Everytime” by Britney Spears (October 18, 2003)
This song hits differently in 2025. Britney Spears was on SNL the week after her ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake performed his self-pity anthem “Cry Me A River.” She channeled all her emotions and experiences — the abortion, the two-word breakup text, her controlling father — and sang the hell out of the lullaby-like “Everytime.” Spears is a better vocalist than she gets credit for, and you can really hear her shine here.
If you’re a U2 fan, their circa-2004 SNL set is everything you love about them. They’re playing with the passion of a band that still has everything to prove, not one of the canonized rock groups of all-time. But if you hate U2, you probably stopped watching after Bono repeated “live” into the microphone during “Vertigo,” a reference to the Ashlee Simpson “scandal” the prior month, or his constant mugging for the camera. As a lover and a hater, I’m choosing to love U2 playing “I Will Follow,” from their debut album, as a surprise third song during the closing credits. Just don’t think about the lap dance at the end.
Prince went the eternity of the peak 1999 / Purple Rain / Around The World In A Day / Parade / Sign O’ The Times era without an SNL appearance. His first time on the show was a split slot with Todd Rundgren in 1981 before he returned in 2006, which at the time was the longest gap between appearances (it’s since been broken by Elton John). Rather than break out one of his old hits to make up for lost time, the ever-mercurial played a blistering version of “Fury,” from his then-new album 3121. If not for the Super Bowl and the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, this might be his greatest televised guitar solo.
Season 32: “Dick In A Box” by The Lonely Island and Justin Timberlake (December 16, 2006)
There really wasn’t a standout performance this season (poor AFI suffered most of all), but there was “Dick In A Box.” The digital short from The Lonely Island and Justin Timberlake was a viral sensation; it even won an Emmy for Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics (“Everything Comes Down To Poo” didn’t stand a chance). A strong case can be made that it’s The Lonely Island’s signature song — but is it also the most famous “original” song in SNL history? It’s gotta be up there with “Lazy Sunday” and “The Chanukah Song” and “I’m On A Boat.” So, something involving the stars of That’s My Boy.
Season 33: “The Pretender” by Foo Fighters (October 13, 2007)
No list of the best SNL music moments is complete without Foo Fighters. Dave Grohl, specifically, holds the record for the most musical appearances on the show with 15. One of those times was in SNL’s writers-strike-shortened season, where the Foos tore through “The Pretender.” When I close my eyes and picture the band, this performance is what I see: Grohl in a black shirt with wild hair over his eyes; the late Taylor Hawkins bashing away on the drums.
Everyone remembers the “Single Ladies” sketch with Andy Samberg, Justin Timberlake, and Bobby Moynihan. But what might be forgotten is that Beyoncé performed the I Am… Sasha Fierce anthem again, with her band and locked-in backup dancers (including Brittany from Glee), less than 10 minutes later. That had to be an SNL first. If you like it then you should hear it again and again.
There’s a reason most rap songs — or songs with lyrics in any genre, really — aren’t eight-plus minutes long. Jay-Z sounds a little winded by the end of his mini-concert of hits (understandable!), but he remained locked in the entire time. So is the studio audience; just listen to the way they erupt for “Empire State Of Mind.” This is actually one of the most-watched SNL episodes ever thanks to a campaign to get 88-year-old Betty White to host the show. During his second set, Jay-Z dedicated “Young Forever” to The Golden Girls star.
As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations, Peacock is streaming SNL50: The Homecoming Concert, a live, three-hour concert special from Radio City Music Hall. The lineup is all performers who have been on the show before, including Miley Cyrus, Dave Grohl (of course), and Lady Gaga. Mother Monster has actually been the musical guest four times (five, if you include “Why Did You Do That”), with the highlight being her flawless transition from a piano ballad version of “The Edge Of Glory” to the highly choreographed electro-pop of “Judas.” Ally Maine would be proud.
Season 37: “Dancing On My Own” by Robyn (December 10, 2011)
Katy Perry was still riding high off the success of Teenage Dream when she hosted SNL in 2011. It was her second time on the show after appearing as a musical guest a year prior to perform “California Gurls” and “Teenage Dream.” Those are two great songs, but they’re not a perfect song like “Dancing On My Way,” one of two ideal-world No. 1 hits that Robyn played during the Perry-hosted episode (the other being “Call Your Girlfriend”). It’s as good as pop gets.
Season 38: “Black Skinhead” by Kanye West (May 18, 2013)
On my wedding day, as me and my groomsmen were driving from an errand to the venue, we put on Yeezus. The album came out two months earlier, but it was still a constant presence in our minds. That’s the power Kanye West had over the culture — including four Brooklyintes and one very nervous groom — in 2013. His performance on SNL, where he debuted “Black Skinhead” and “New Slaves,” was a big reason why: this was a mad-genius reinventing himself with his angriest, most apocalyptic album yet. What we didn’t know at the time was that the “mad” would soon overtake the “genius.”
Season 39: “I Need My Girl” by The National (March 8, 2014)
The National’s most-streamed song on Spotify is what you think it is: the one with Taylor Swift. In second place, however, is “I Need My Girl,” the “most direct [and] earnest” love song in the band’s discography. The version on Trouble Will Find Me is gorgeous, but on SNL, The National made the first-dance soundtrack to a thousand weddings sound bigger without losing any of the intimacy. Bryce Dessner’s warm guitar riff paired especially well with the added horn section.
Season 40: “i” by Kendrick Lamar (November 15, 2014)
“This whole thing smacks of effort, man” was used as an insult on The Simpsons, but it’s a compliment when describing Kendrick Lamar’s second appearance on SNL. Backed by an in-the-pocket live band, you can see the sweaty passion he puts into the Isley Brothers-approved To Pimp A Butterfly single — which doubled as a sign of respect for Method Man and a tribute the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard. “I love myself.” He should.
One group that I feel bad I consistently left off this list is Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers. Yet, somehow this feels appropriate: they’re an easy band to take for granted when they churned out one classic radio hit after another. So, instead, season 41 — the last normal season before the “Hallelujah” cold open — goes to “the new Tom Petty”: Courtney Barnett. If it’s been awhile since you last listened to the Australian singer-songwriter (her most recent album was four years ago), remind yourself why she became an indie sensation with witty, conversational, and, most of all, catchy songs like “Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go To the Party.”
Season 42: “We The People…” by A Tribe Called Quest (November 12, 2016)
A few months after the death of Phife Dawg, the surviving members of A Tribe Called Quest honored the hip-hop great with a rare live performance. Q-Tip and Jarobi White (wearing a shirt reading “PHIFE”) channeled the youthful vigor and charm of The Low End Theory on “We The People…” a standout track from that year’s We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service. When it came time for Phife’s verse, a banner with his face on it descended from the ceiling. A worthy tribute to the Five-Foot Assassin.
There are a few worthy options this season: Kacey Musgraves’ heavenly “High Horse,” Cardi B’s grooving “Be Careful” (which included a baby bump reveal), Chris Stapleton and Sturgill Simpson’s “Midnight Train To Memphis.” But “This Is America” gets the nod for two reasons: 1) this was America’s introduction to “This Is America” (the era-defining Hiro Murai-directed video was released simultaneously), and 2) Donald Glover’s uncanny ability to command the stage, whether as himself or as Childish Gambino.
Season 44: “Chris Farley Song” by Adam Sandler (May 4, 2019)
Technically, Adam Sandler wasn’t the musical guest for this episode. Shawn Mendes was. Sandler was on host duties to promote Murder Mystery, but — if you’ll allow the slight cheat — he provided one of the most emotionally devastating performances in SNL history. How long did you make it into his tribute to former castmate Chris Farley before you started crying? For me, it was, “We’d tell him, ‘Slow down, you’ll end up like Belushi and Candy’ / He said, ‘Those guys are my heroes, that’s all fine and dandy.’”
Season 45: “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd (March 7, 2020)
“Ladies and gentlemen… The Weeknd.” With those words, spoken by Daniel Craig with an enlivened shrug, a meme was born. “It’s a silly four-second video, I don’t think it’s anything bigger than that,” the then-teenager behind the @CraigWeekend account toldThe Los Angeles Times. There are few songs bigger than “Blinding Lights,” however. By the time The Weeknd was introduced by James Bond, the first single from After Hours was on its way to becoming the most streamed song of all-time on Spotify. If there was anyone who wasn’t familiar with The Weeknd by the time he made his SNL debut, ladies and gentlemen… The Weeknd.
Season 46: “Don’t Hurt Yourself” / “Ball Biscuit” / “Jesus Is Coming Soon” by Jack White (October 10, 2020)
Jack White’s COVID-era set began quietly. “When you hurt me, you hurt yourself,” he sang in a whisper over a funky groove. Before long, however, the guitar virtuoso and his two-piece band make “Don’t Hurt Yourself” sound as massive as a “Seven Nation Army” stadium sing-along — an impressive achievement without the presence of Beyoncé. White turns the Lemonade cut into a scorching medley with “Ball And Biscuit,” a fierce highlight from his White Stripes day, and a slick cover of Blind Willie Johnson’s “Jesus Is Coming Soon.”
Season 47: “All Too Well (10-Minute Version)” by Taylor Swift (November 13, 2021)
I stand by this being the definitive version of Taylor Swift’s best song. Never before has “YOU, that’s what happened you” sounded so scornful.
Season 48: “Anxiety” by Megan Thee Stallion (October 15, 2022)
Megan Thee Stallion is in rare company: she’s one of only eight rappers to do double duty as host and musical guest. The others: MC Hammer, Queen Latifah, Ludacris, Drake, Donald Glover, Chance The Rapper, and Timothée Chalamet (Lil’ Timmy Tim absolutely counts). The rarity of the situation was not lost on Meg, who appeared to tear up during “Anxiety,” a vulnerable ode to mental health struggles and the death of her mother. “Bad bitches have bad days, too,” she rapped while dressed in a pageant gown. It’s a powerful performance from a fearless performer.
Season 49: “All-American Bitch” by Olivia Rodrigo (December 9, 2023)
A common SNL trope is an artist/band playing their “bigger,” more theatrical song first, then a slower ballad for song #2. Olivia Rodrigo switched up the traditional order by starting with a lovely piano rendition of “Vampire” before jumping up on a table during follow-up song, “All-American Bitch.” She channeled her inner M3GAN while brandishing a knife and squeezing a glass so hard that it smashed into pieces. It was brat before the summer of Brat.
Season 50: “The Giver” by Chappell Roan (November 2, 2024)
So far, the most-watched episode of SNL in its 50th anniversary season is the one hosted by John Mulaney. Were the high ratings because he’s a beloved host and one of the best stand-up comedians of his generation? Perhaps. Or maybe it had something to do with the election? Also possible. But I like to think over six million people tuned in to see what Chappell Roan had in store for her SNL debut. She did not disappoint, first with “Pink Pony Club” then the debut of lesbian country song “The Giver.” SNL wasn’t one of Roan’s 10 “most iconic looks” of 2024, but it’s an iconic performance nonetheless.
Now in his seventh season in the league, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has established himself as not only one of the NBA’s best point guards, but is one of the game’s elite players overall. He is in a two-man race for MVP this season with Nikola Jokic and is on pace to average more than 30 points per game for the third consecutive season.
He is the leader of the best team in the West at the All-Star break, as the Oklahoma City Thunder are 44-10 on the season, tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the best record in the league. The 26-year-old Canadian will play in his third All-Star Game this weekend, and as All-Star Weekend got started, he and Converse unveiled his first signature sneaker: the SHAI 001.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been considered one of the most fashionable NBA stars, so it’s fitting that he would go in a unique direction with his first signature shoe. It is a welcome sight to have something this fresh in terms of design in a sneaker world that has become a lot of variations on the same thing. For Gilgeous-Alexander, it was important to create a shoe that would be not just an on-court performance sneaker, but something that could appeal to people who don’t play basketball at all.
“I poured my heart and soul into the SHAI 001, and I’m proud to share it with the world,” says Gilgeous-Alexander in a release. “From performance to design, every aspect of this shoe reflects my passion for the game and my commitment to pushing its boundaries. We made the SHAI 001 a versatile shoe for everyone — from the athlete who’s in the gym three times a day to the kids who just want to express themselves on or off the court.”
“I hope my signature sneaker can inspire everybody to explore the beauty in being different,” Gilgeous-Alexander told Nick DePaula. “I miss the era of when signature basketball sneakers were performative enough to be played in, but fashionable enough to be worn. I want to restore that feeling.”
Converse
It’s been awhile since we had a signature sneaker with a full zipper over the laces — Paul George’s PG4 is the last one I remember — but the SHAI 001 harkens back more to the Answer IV. Even then, its design on the upper as the aesthetics of a luxury sneaker, fitting into Shai’s desire to have it be wearable off the court as much as on it. From a performance perspective, the upper is a bootie construction (under the outer zipper layer) to provide containment, while there is a Zoom Air unit in the forefoot for extra cushioning and bounce.
Gilgeous-Alexander will debut the SHAI 001 on-court at All-Star Weekend in the Butter colorway, and the sneaker will hit select retailers this fall.
The average cheeseburger combo meal at a fast food restaurant is going to cost you around $15. Which begs the question, why are we paying restaurant prices for drive-thru cheeseburgers when we could just go to a restaurant and receive way better quality food and better service for the same amount of money?
So… let’s do that! It’s time to leave drive-thru burgers behind and trade them in for the premium restaurant offerings.
To help guide you to the very best of the best, we ordered cheeseburgers from 10 popular chain restaurants and ranked them from good to great. Restaurants are full of all sorts of interesting builds, and eventually, we’ll get to some of the more imaginative builds. But for this first ranking, we’re going to focus specifically on the traditional cheeseburger build. That means meat, cheese, sauce, and minimal produce like onions, tomatoes, and lettuce. We found that this was the easiest way to level the playing field.
Okay, without further ado, let’s jump into the best cheeseburgers from chain restaurants, ranked from good to great.
10. Denny’s — Double Cheeseburger
Denny’s
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Denny’s Double Cheeseburger tastes like a typical diner burger. It has a strikingly similar quality to Wendy’s, but with a meatier bite and a bigger build. The build here is pretty standard stuff, your choice of cheese (American, Swiss or aged white cheddar, we say go American) lettuce, tomato, red onions and pickles on a soft buttery brioche bun.
The meat is heavily seasoned with salt, as if it’s hiding something. Most of the flavor is being brought by the crisp red onions, which bring a sweet and savory quality to the burger, and the pickles, which are earthy, briney, and have a sharp tang to them.
The Bottom Line:
Not a huge leap up from higher-end fresh beef fast food restaurants.
9. Islands — Big Wave with Cheese
Islands
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Considering Islands has a variety of different burger builds I expected more out of the basic Big Wave with Cheese. I was imagining an elevated experience, but instead this tastes like a standard flat-top grilled burger. The build consists of cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, and mustard. You don’t have access to American cheese unfortunately, so your best bet here is cheddar or Monterey Jack.
There is a certain blandness to the meat. I think Islands relies too heavily on its more adventurous burger builds, which have additional ingredients to keep your interest. This burger is the foundation that all the other burgers on the menu are built upon, but it’s not a great starting point.
The Bottom Line:
For a burger from a chain with a menu devoted entirely to burgers, we’d expect more flavor here. But Islands Big Wave with Cheese is pretty bland overall.
8. TGI Fridays — Cheeseburger
TGI Fridays
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
TGI Friday’s meat patty is way too densely packed, resulting in a burger that comes across as chewy rather than melt-in-your-mouth delicious. It tastes a little bit like a bad homemade burger made from that weird meat in a tube.
The build consists of a thick quarter-pound meat patty cooked medium well topped with a thin layer of American cheese, and sitting on a bed of lettuce, tomato, red onions, and pickles.
This burger is a bit on the dry side, so consider ordering it medium to retain some juiciness.
The Bottom Line:
The meat here is a bit tougher and more chewy than we’d like.
7. Yardhouse — Classic Cheese
Yardhouse
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
At $17.49, Yardhouse’s Classic Cheeseburger is by far the most expensive burger on this list and you wouldn’t know it from looking at it or, frankly, tasting it. While this burger might look meaty and indulgent, the flavor is incredibly bland.
It’s topped with two layers of cheddar cheese and a slice of White American, giving it a salty, mild, and nutty flavor. The burger is served on a dense and bready bun and lacks any produce whatsoever. Yardhouse claims it uses a USDA prime blend of meat, but they completely underseason it thinking the meat will bring enough flavor to the table. It doesn’t.
While this wasn’t the worst-tasting burger we had, this is probably the last one I’d willingly spend money on again.
The Bottom Line:
Yardhouse’s burgers sound luxurious, but this is just an overpriced homemade burger. You’re better off buying some meat yourself and making your own. Even if you don’t know how to cook, you’ll probably do a better job seasoning it than Yardhouse.
6. IHOP — The Classic
IHOP
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
I know I spent the first half of this ranking dunking on some pretty bad burgers, so I’m happy to say that IHOP’s simply titled, The Classic, is a significant step up from the burgers ranked lower. This burger has no business being this good, and I was shocked to find such a great-tasting burger at a restaurant primarily known for breakfast food.
The meat patty here has a nice lightly charred flavor and is well seasoned with salt and pepper. The build features American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, and IHOP’s custom burger sauce, which has a bit of tang, and a nice savory finish that elevates the meat patty.
The Bottom Line:
Way better than you’d expect. Don’t sleep on IHOP’s Classic.
5. Buffalo Wild Wings — All-American Cheeseburger
Buffalo Wild Wings
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
If you like your burgers a bit decadent and indulgent, B-dubs All-American delivers! You get two hand-smashed meat patties that taste wonderfully beefy, heavy on salt, and incredibly greasy. It’s the type of burger that will have juices all over your hands once you bite into it, so if you don’t like a messy burger, look elsewhere.
The full build features American cheese, pickles, lettuce, mustard, tomato, and mayo on a soft and eggy challah-style bun. The mustard brings a nice tangy mild heat to this mountain of beefy meat.
The Bottom Line:
Beefy, indulgent, and ultra greasy. This is the type of burger that’ll instantly knock you into a food coma.
4. Applebee’s — Neighborhood Burger
Applebees
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Applebee’s Neighborhood Burger is ultra beefy with two tender burger patties that melt in your mouth. Topping the burger are two slices of American cheese, mayo, lettuce, and pickles on a buttery brioche bun. I’m tasting a heavy dose of garlic in every bite, probably from the mayo, which ups the savory quality of this burger.
The patties have a nice sear to them, with caramelized edges which bring a subtle sweetness and crunch to every bite.
The Bottom Line:
A simple but deliciously meaty burger with a slight garlic twist.
3. Red’s Double
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Red’s Double in both build, look, and size, comes across like an elevated version of In-N-Out’s Double Double. It’s part of Red Robin’s Tavern line, which is a bit smaller than its standard burger, but it makes crushing a double pretty easy, allowing you to enjoy your entire burger without having to tap out.
The burger features Red’s Secret Tavern Sauce, two slices of American cheese, lettuce, and tomato served on a sesame seed-loaded brioche bun. The meat-to-bread ratio here is perfect. Biting into it you’ll be greeted with a sweet tang that gently hovers over beefy flavor with a pleasing slightly acidic aftertaste.
The meat patty is generously seasoned with salt and pepper.
The Bottom Line:
Like an elevated version of the In-N-Out Double Double. As a SoCal native, I can’t help but love this one.
2. Chili’s — Double Oldtimer With Cheese
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Wow, this burger is melt-in-your-mouth delicious. This is for true beef lovers, the Double Oldtimes gives you two 1/4 pound beef patties, two layers of sharp cheddar cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomato, shredded lettuce, and mustard.
The burger is sumptuous, beefy, and a bit nutty, heavily seasoned with salt and fresh cracked pepper, which give a floral heat to every bite. This is truly an elevated burger experience and dunks on just about everything in fast food.
The Bottom Line:
A perfectly charred meat bomb of sumptuous beefy flavor.
1. Cheesecake Factory — Roadside Sliders
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Here it is, folks, or pick for the best restaurant cheeseburger, Cheesecake Factory’s Roadside Sliders. This is a controversial pick, but hear us out. This is by far the smallest burger on this list (you can kill a whole slider in about three-four bites), which might seem boring, or lacking, but what you get here are three delicious, perfectly cooked burgers. I’d order this over one of Cheesecake Factory’s full-sized Glam-Burgers any day.
The small size of the sliders isn’t a weakness, it is a strength, resulting in the perfect meat-to-bread ratio. The patties have caramelized lacy edges and are cooked smash-style. They’re beefy, salty, and melt in your mouth, and topped with a housemade burger sauce that brings in some tang and ups the savory quality. This is sumptuous beefiness at its finest.
Once you have one of these things, you’re going to find yourself rushing through the other two.
The Bottom Line:
It’s a bare-bones burger, but you’re not going to find a better meat-to-bread ratio or better-tasting patties than what Cheesecake Factory offers. This is hands down our pick for the absolute best cheeseburger from any restaurant chain.
If you don’t like the small form factor, feel free to get one of Cheesecake Factory’s full-sized burgers. But give this one a try first, more is truly more here.
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