The u-Discover Music Archives
uDiscover Music is the editorial branch of the "Big Three" music company, Universal Music Group. uDiscover Music celebrates the works of the most influential artists in music history through historical analysis and legacy album reviews.
Longform Features
Articles that document the history of contemporary music through Universal Music Group's most recognizable stars.
Surprise Albums: 17 Drops That Shocked The Music World | uDiscover
Even before the advent of streaming, musicians rewrote the promotional playbook and delighted their fans with surprise albums. From the overnight drop to calculated partnerships, artists are no longer reliant on the traditional method of an album roll-out life cycle. From Radiohead’s democratic pay-what-you-like model to Beyoncé’s groundbreaking Lemonade, there are some of the surprise albums that shook up the music world.
XO And Beyond: How The Weeknd Forged His Own R&B Empire
From shaping contemporary R&B to overlooking his own XO label and fashion line, The Weeknd has become one of the biggest artists of the decade. An explanation on his sonic sound from the first mix-tape, House of Balloons up to his most recent work on LPs and EPs.
How Ariana Grande Redefined Pop Music With ‘Sweetener’ And ‘thank u, next’
From a string of surprise releases to her openly revealing public persona, Ariana Grande has redefined what it means to be a pop star (and "It Woman") today.
Album Reviews
Legacy reviews of the projects that make up major artists' discographies.
Anti: When Rihanna Rejected The Pop Paradigm | uDiscover
After ruling the charts for over a decade, Rihanna was ready to leave the pop assembly line and get personal on her eighth album, ‘Anti’.
Rated R: Rihanna’s Fearless Journey To The Darkside | uDiscover
Rather than turning away from her trauma, Rihanna remerged with her most revelatory and defiant work to date with her ‘Rated R’ album.
‘Talk That Talk’: When Rihanna Got Her Freak On | uDiscover
With her ‘Talk That Talk’ album, Rihanna continued her reign over pop music, throwing genre and romantic conventions to the wind.
‘Unapologetic’: How Rihanna Bore Her Soul And Addressed Her Contradictions
Addressing her public controversies and her party girl reputation on ‘Unapologetic’, Rihanna created a thrilling conclusion to a stunning four-album run.
Loud: How Rihanna Became Pop’s Favourite Party Girl | uDiscover
After unburdening herself of trauma on ‘Rated R’, ‘Loud’ saw Rihanna return to the pop fold, delivering the party album the world was waiting for.
‘My Everything’: How Ariana Grande Proved She Was Ready To Take It All
On the genre-merging ‘My Everything’ album, Ariana Grande moved away from the fizzy pop of her debut and started coming into her own.
Music Of The Sun: How Rihanna Basked In Her Influences To Find Her Voice
‘Pon De Replay’ revealed Rihanna’s prowess as a hitmaker, but her debut album, ‘Music Of The Sun’, album proved she was a Caribbean queen in the making.
Mary: Mary J Blige’s Soulful Return To Her R&B Roots | uDiscover
Throughout her career, Mary J Blige has received many titles to describe her unique brand of soul. On her fourth studio album, 'Mary', the “queen of hip-hop soul” stripped away her usual contemporary sounds, opting for a classic R&B approach. ‘Mary’ saw Mary J Blige follow her 70s muse and take a plunge into neo-soul.
Queen: How Nicki Minaj Reasserted Her Status As Hip-Hop Royalty
On ‘Queen’, crossover artist Nicki Minaj reclaimed the hip-hop crown with her most rap-oriented album yet, and demanded fealty from the newcomers.
Good Girl Gone Bad: Charting Rihanna’s Daring Transformation
With ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’, Rihanna liberated herself from a predictable pop career and transformed into the fierce icon we know today.
How Ariana Grande Shed Her Pop Persona To Become A Dangerous Woman
‘Dangerous Woman’ found Ariana Grande moving into edgier territory and forging a new musical identity though genre exploration.
A Girl Like Me: How Rihanna Set Her Sound In Motion | uDiscover
Rihanna’s sophomore record, ‘A Girl Like Me’, saw her evolve beyond the dancehall and introduced the world to an emerging pop force to be reckoned with.
History of Singles
Documenting the rise of how singles infiltrated the mainstream industry and music alike.
Bang Bang: Jessie J, Ariana Grande And Nicki Minaj – All Over You
When Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj joined forces on the powerhouse anthem ‘Bang Bang’, they proved three divas are better than one.
Best Ariana Grande Songs: 20 Essential Tracks | uDiscover
Armed with one of the most powerful voices in pop, Ariana Grande went from child star to cultural icon in no time. The best Ariana Grande songs reveal why.