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'SNL' just wrapped its 48th season: It's time to cruelly rank its musical guests

For his "Rich Spirit" / "N95" medley on SNL, Kendrick Lamar performed with minimal visual accompaniment, perfectly geared for the raw intimacy of his newest material. Will Heath/NBC hide caption

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Music

'SNL' just wrapped its 48th season: It's time to cruelly rank its musical guests

May 23, 2023 • From Kendrick Lamar and Megan Thee Stallion to Coldplay, here they are: the magnificent, the flawed-but-forceful, the forgettable and the truly, epically misbegotten.

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Lizzo (feat. SZA), 'Special'

February 16, 2023 • It's so on brand for our musical fairy godmothers to sprinkle a little love over us with a self-affirming bop.

Our music critics' most memorable lyrics of the year

Bad Bunny, performing in Miami on Aug. 12, 2022. The Puerto Rican superstar's wordplay was front-of-mind for Alt.Latino co-host Anamaria Sayre this year. Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images hide caption

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Best Music of 2022

Our music critics' most memorable lyrics of the year

December 26, 2022 • When the words in a song hit you in just the right way, they can stay with you. We're asking the folks at NPR Music: What lyrics did you hear in 2022 that you just couldn't shake?

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Jacob Webster/Courtesy of the artist

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SZA, 'Conceited'

December 17, 2022 • On the fun and bouncy "Conceited," SZA isn't letting circumstances beyond her control — naysayers; who her ex is currently seeing — dictate her worth, even if only briefly.

SZA performs at the 2022 Global Citizen Festival in Ghana. Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Global Citizen hide caption

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Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Global Citizen

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SZA, 'Gone Girl'

December 16, 2022 • Serving as both an inner monologue and a PSA for anyone thinking they're about to get the 2017 version of Solana, "Gone Girl" fully faces the realization that SZA isn't that person anymore.

SZA departs The Mark Hotel for 2022 Met Gala. Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for The Mark hide caption

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Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for The Mark

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SZA, 'Special'

December 15, 2022 • On "Special," a wounded pop-folk ballad, SZA staggers out of a failed relationship like a soldier out of a warzone, her words weary and her senses frazzled.

Illustration: Huston Wilson for NPR

Best Music of 2022

The 100 Best Songs Of 2022

December 15, 2022 • We ranked a list of 100 songs that reflects the sprawling, energetic messiness of 2022. Start listening.

On 'SOS,' SZA both surprises and delivers exactly what we've been waiting for

The cover of SZA's latest album SOS. Daniel Sannwald/TDE/RCA Records hide caption

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Daniel Sannwald/TDE/RCA Records

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

On 'SOS,' SZA both surprises and delivers exactly what we've been waiting for

December 15, 2022 • It's been five years since the artist SZA released her debut album Ctrl. Her new album SOS is home to 23 tracks that seamlessly blends pop, R&B, hip-hop, and dips into rock and pop-punk along the way. It features appearances by Travis Scott, Phoebe Bridgers, Don Toliver, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard.

On 'SOS,' SZA both surprises and delivers exactly what we've been waiting for

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SZA performs onstage at Spotify's Night of Music party during VidCon 2022. Anna Webber/Getty Images for Spotify hide caption

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SZA, 'F2F'

December 14, 2022 • SZA invokes the angst, anarchy and audacity of pop-punk predecessors like Fefe Dobson and Avril Lavigne on "F2F," relishing her role as the toxic ex.

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Daniel Sannwald/Courtesy of the artist

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SZA, 'Kill Bill'

December 13, 2022 • As is often the case with inner monologues, "Kill Bill" finds SZA bouncing her more toxic and rational thoughts off of each other — indulging particularly in the former.

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Jacob Webster/Courtesy of the artist

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SZA, 'Smoking on my Ex Pack'

December 12, 2022 • Absent any pining or angst, SZA's rapping on "Smoking on my Ex Pack" is matter of fact, leaving no room for questions, letting you know up top she's that girl.

SZA in the video for "Shirt." YouTube hide caption

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SZA, 'Shirt'

October 28, 2022 • One thing SZA knows well is the destructive depths of love and how to convey its intensity in her music. "Shirt" is no different, only within this cloud of delusion beams a salient awareness.

Roséwave is light and breezy, but not necessarily unsophisticated — the sound of an experience kissed by sweet summer heat. Vanessa Leroy/NPR hide caption

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Roséwave: Your Summer Soundtrack

110 songs for your summer getaway

June 22, 2022 • Hit play and vibe all day. Roséwave is a lifestyle, not a genre, based around summer feels. To kick things off, here's a seven-hour soundtrack for your getaway or staycation.

NPR Music 2021 Staff Picks: LaTesha Harris

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Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for iHeartRadio

The Best Music Of 2021: NPR Staff Picks

NPR Music 2021 Staff Picks: LaTesha Harris

December 16, 2021 • NPR Music's editorial assistant shares her favorite albums and songs of 2021.

NPR Music's 100 Best Songs of 2021 (80-61)

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Music Features

NPR Music's 100 Best Songs of 2021 (80-61)

December 2, 2021 • Think of the best songs of 2021 as a playlist catering to the most basic human urges. Within it, booties were called, muffins were buttered and bloody revenge was contemplated. It was quite a year.

Doja Cat and SZA's song "Kiss Me More" has been one of 2021's most inescapable tracks. Jamal Peters/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jamal Peters/Courtesy of the artist

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Our Songs Of Summer For 2021

July 8, 2021 • Every summer gets its own unique soundtrack — a fresh batch of hit songs, all vying for an unofficial title: Song Of The Summer. Often these songs are on the wind, everywhere, dominating not just the airwaves, but also the cultural conversation. And sometimes, a song of the summer is just a great new music discovery. So we gathered together a bunch of NPR Music contributors and asked them to name their Song Of The Summer.

Our Songs Of Summer For 2021

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NPR Music's 27 Favorite Songs Of 2021 (So Far)

Musicians who made some of NPR Music's favorite songs of 2021 (so far) include (left to right) Silk Sonic, Cico P, Seinabo Sey, Petal Supply and Amber Mark. Courtesy of artists hide caption

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