@Ismael Martinez

There are rare talents, and then there is Michael Jackson. Yes, the Indiana-born musical prodigy's albums sold like kitchen appliances in the ‘80s, but more importantly, the lifelong showman sang as if every breath were his last. He out-discoed disco. He used elements of R&B, soul, funk, blues, rock, and gospel to turn sonic emotion into genre set pieces, like how “Thriller” morphed fear into horr-opera. MJ even invented his own onomatopoeic language—“Hee hee”; “Chi-ooh!”; “Ow!”—all of which instantly conjure a snapped fedora. Even among the Greatest of All Time, the King of Pop stands apart.

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 Olivia Rodrigo’s “stupid song” off her newly released album <i>you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love</i>. The atmospheric track finds the singer-songwriter obsessing over a newfound crush to the point that she feels insane. Check back often, as our editors update this playlist regularly—and if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

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. At the top of the playlist this week is Yung Miami’s latest runaway hit, “Spend Dat.” Listen to it on Rap Life now, and if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

This playlist tracks what’s happening from the heart of the country scene to its outer edges. Find fan favorites you already love next to breakout stars and emerging voices. Topping the list this week is Koe Wetzel with “Hurts Like You,” the lead single off the country star’s just-released new album <i>The Night Champion</i>. A midtempo ballad with a brooding vibe, “Hurts Like You” finds Wetzel pining for an ex-flame who’s already burned him before, with appropriately dramatic, almost grungy production from frequent collaborator Gabe Simon. In trademark Wetzel fashion, the lyrics have a dark edge, too, as he describes being cut “right in two” and “bombing Marlboro Lights” in a dive bar. “That tune is just about going to something that is going to hurt you in the end, but you’re so addicted to it,” Wetzel tells Apple Music. “I think toxic relationships are like country music’s bread and butter, because everybody goes through them and they’re so relatable.” Check back here early and often for updates, and if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

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 Yung Miami’s latest runaway hit, “Spend Dat.” 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.

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 “INSECURE,” a conspicuously vulnerable link-up of YG, JID, and Ab-Soul, three of the most uniquely talented MCs working today. This playlist is updated regularly, so if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

A-List Pop is your weekly guide to what’s on top in pop music. At the top of this week’s playlist is Taylor Swift’s “I Knew It, I Knew You,” the superstar singer-songwriter’s new track from the upcoming <i>Toy Story 5</i>. In her first official return to the genre since 2021’s “I Bet You Think About Me,” Swift enlists longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff for the sweetly nostalgic tune that pulls at your heart—or toy—strings. “And I remembered I loved you/Came back when it mattered/I saw you standing there in the light of the window/Wearing that same smile/Man, it’s been a while,” she sings. Check back often, as our editors update this playlist regularly—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, Tems is at the top of the playlist with “What You Need,” an introspective standout track off her EP <i>Love Is a Kingdom</i>. We update this playlist regularly. If you like a track, add it to your library.

Rock is in a constant state of evolution, adapting to the current climate as much as it’s stayed steady. Here’s where you can survey its growth—a playlist of the most vital rock tracks of the moment. This week, Violet Grohl—daughter of Dave, and an aspiring rock star in her own right—tackles anxiety with “THUM,” the first single off <i>Be Sweet to Me</i>, her debut album. Our editors regularly update these picks, so if something delivers that rush like only a great rock song can, add it to your library.

Press play and plug into an eclectic mix of the most electrifying Latin hits around. Whatever flavor you're into, you'll find it among these pop stunners, dance-floor gems, and heartfelt ballads. Headlining the playlist this week are Erick Brian and Jerry Di with “Desayuno Pa’ 2.” This lighthearted yet sincere song from the pop-wise pair urges a love interest to spend more time with them, be that for breakfast or perhaps a lifetime. Our editors regularly update this playlist. If you like a song, add it to your library.