@LaDon Steward

Today’s Hits is home to the biggest songs in pop, hip-hop, R&B, and more. At the top of this week’s playlist is Sabrina Carpenter’s newest single, “Manchild.” Produced by Jack Antonoff, the track finds the singer-songwriter expressing her disdain for the immature men she attracts. “Why you always come a-running to me?/F**k my life/Won’t you let an innocent woman be?/Never heard of self-care/Half your brain just ain’t there,” she swaggers on the chorus. Check back often, as our editors update this playlist regularly—and if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

Alpha is a space for redefining the meaning of a woman’s power. Power doesn’t have to be about fighting, standing up, or changing history. The power of these artists lies in their existence. From there flows truth, authenticity, vulnerability, nuanced representation. This week, Addison Rae shows the dark side of celebrity with “Fame Is a Gun.” “Crash and burn, girl/Baby, swallow it dry/You’ve got a front-row seat, and I/I got a taste of the glamorous life,” she sings. “I was trying to dive deeper into this concept of ‘fame is a gun and it’s really dangerous and you don’t really know what you’re doing with it,’” she tells Apple Music. “You are pointing it blind, and you're unsure of what is going to be destroyed by it.” Enter Alpha now and add it to your library to keep in touch with the women making music on their terms, uplifting one another and challenging notions through the simple matter of <i>being</i>. Now, that’s real power.

Social media hasn’t just changed how we communicate, but also what we listen to and how we hear it. With that, here’s our up-to-the-minute playlist of tracks making the leap from your social channels into the broader cultural stream. On top now is “Sue me,” the debut single from Audrey Hobert—Gracie Abrams’ bestie and co-writer of the 2024 smash “That’s So True.” In the unapologetic bop, Hobert flippantly narrates an encounter with a former lover: “In my bones, yeah, I know it’s platonic/But f*****g your ex is iconic.” Because there’s no schedule for going viral, our editors update these selections throughout the week as needed, so if you hear something you want to hang on to, add it to your library. If it’s trending there, you’ll hear it here.

Rap Life is home to hip-hop’s heavy hitters and its vanguard—the songs that speak to the moment and define the culture today. This week, that means new music from the man who once proclaimed himself the “best rapper alive, since the best rapper retired,” and didn’t really get pushback on it. That’s right, Lil Wayne is back with <i>Tha Carter VI</i>, giving us plenty of options to add to the Rap Life playlist. Check him out, alongside more of the most exciting new releases in hip-hop, and if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

R&B is one of the most dynamic, adventurous sounds in modern music, a place where art both personal and provocative meets the mainstream. From the alt vanguard to modern vets, straightforward to left-field, these tracks capture where R&B is now and point the way to where it’s going. This week, Mariah Carey’s “Type Dangerous” is at the top of the playlist. Over a sample of rap duo Eric B. & Rakim’s 1986 classic track, “Eric B. Is President,” she looks for a man who might be trouble. “Oh yes, I want someone to step to me/Oh yes, I want someone to rescue me/Oh yes, I’ve never been afraid of love/Oh yes, that’s why I like ’em dangerous,” she swaggers. We update this playlist regularly. If you like a track, add it to your library.

A-List Pop is your weekly guide to what’s on top in pop music. Leading this week’s playlist are Marshmello, Ellie Goulding, and AVAION with their new collab “Save My Love.” Check back often, as our editors update this playlist regularly—and if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

New Music Daily is the playlist that never sleeps, updated regularly with new music you can’t miss. When the most important artists—from across the world and across genres—have something new to drop, this is where you’ll find it first. Look around, have a listen, and add this playlist to your library to stay up on the best must-hear new music.

¡Dale Play! remains the place to hear the biggest Latin tracks from your favorite Spanish-language artists from around the world. Headlining the playlist this week are Los Ballers, Clarent, and Rauw Alejandro with “Forni.” This all-Puerto Rican affair teams up the superstar singer with some of the island’s rising talents for a club-ready reggaetón single that mixes rap and R&B freely. This playlist is updated often, so if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

ALT CTRL is home to the latest and greatest in alternative music. Here, it’s as much an attitude as a sound—music that keeps things a little left of center and rough around the edges. This week, we’re highlighting “The Little Mess You Made” from the newly formed duo of FINNEAS and Ashe, The Favors. With a tinge of ’70s Fleetwood Mac style, the band’s first single provides a peek at their upcoming album <i>The Dream</i>, out this September. Check back often, as our editors update this playlist regularly—and if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

Hip-hop and R&B offer some of the most fluid, dynamic sounds today, true barometers for where the culture is at and where it’s going. This week, headlining #OnRepeat—a playlist chock-full of the hottest new songs we can’t seem to stop playing—is “ALL IN,” from LA-hailing voice Ty Dolla $ign. Hear it now on #OnRepeat, and if you hear something you like, add it to your library.