Music analysis: Dark Pop reimagined - ‘Petal’ by Ariana Grande
On July 31, Ariana Grande released her anticipated album, Petal, to the public, with many fans awaiting her return to popstardom after Wicked: For Good, writes Music News Blitz’s Brianna Ngambi.
This era began with the release of ‘hate that i made you love me’ in June, which has become one of my favourite singles she has ever dropped.
It encompasses what I believe Grande wanted to explore in this album, the realm of Dark Pop.
This feels like her way of addressing how she is learning to heal and stay resilient while experiencing the pressure of being a global sensation, as there is a melancholic tone in this album.
To me, this is what makes the album feel authentic and gives us the truth of being under the spotlight.
Music opinion: Record labels - The birth of a career and the death of autonomy
In 1993, O(+>, more famously known as Prince, appeared in public after having changed his stage name to an unpronounceable code and with the word ‘SLAVE’ drawn on his cheek.
This was not one of the pop star’s many artistic statements. Rather, it was a calculated effort to draw attention to the predatory relationship between him and his record label, Warner Bros.
More than three decades later, this dismal tale has unfortunately not stayed an anomaly.
It has become emblematic of the music industry at large and how record labels continue to create 'slaves' out of musicians.
Artists continue to sign their rights away, one exploitative contract at a time, writes Music News Blitz’s Arwen Lehmann.
Mood-boosting music: Six songs to lift your spirits
Summer is in full swing, the World Cup is on, and the only thing missing is a really good playlist.
If you’re in need of a musical pick-me-up, Music News Blitz writer Megan Hamilton has compiled six songs to lift your spirits: some oldies-but-goodies, some new hits, and some songs waiting for you to discover them.
Music opinion: Five 2020s electronic duos that are breaking out of the underground
At the forefront of any advancement within the electronic soundscape is an electronic duo, writes Music News Blitz’s Arwen Lehmann.
In the 2020s, the ‘electronic duo’ has evolved in the seductive shadows of the underground, reinventing the genre one project at a time.
Here are five electronic duos that are changing the face of electronic music and could be the defining electronic artists of the 2020s in the coming years.
Music opinion: Five movie soundtracks that have stood the test of time
I can’t be the only person who, without fail, always leaves the cinema with a new favourite song.
As exciting as the new music is, however, some soundtracks just stick, no matter how long it’s been since watching the film.
Music News Blitz’s Megan Hamilton explores her top five timeless movie soundtracks.
Music opinion: How Tame Impala has influenced an entirely new genre of music
Unlike typical artists who rely on melodies and instruments to define their sound, Tame Impala’s signature sound is created solely through production.
With lyrics more as the accompaniment of the rhythm, the layers and psychedelic waves come together to create a distinctive and unconventional sound that has become the soundtrack for 2026.
So, how has this unique blend become so popular amongst Gen Z audiences? Music News Blitz’s Emma Corrigan explores.
Music opinion: Why music biopics such as ‘Michael’ have become so popular
Since the release of the latest biopic, ‘Michael,’ based on the life of Michael Jackson, it has brought to light the growing trend of biographical films based on iconic musicians.
With narratives showcasing the legendary chapters of each star's life, audiences can witness the rise and downfall of fame, driving both nostalgia for older audiences, whilst simultaneously introducing younger viewers to some of the most influential performers in popular culture.
From Freddie Mercury in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ to Elton John in ‘Rocketman,’ and ‘Elvis,’ based on Elvis Presley, audiences have shown a strong interest in stories that explore the people behind the music, writes Music News Blitz’s Emma Corrigan.
Music opinion: Have phones killed the concert experience - and should they be banned?
In the digital era, with social media at the height of our connections, the desire to capture every moment is at the tip of our fingers.
But what for? Proof to everyone else that we’re having a good time?
This problematic issue has been particularly prevalent across TikTok, writes Music News Blitz’s Emma Corrigan.
Is Off Campus set to launch the 2026 summer playlist?
Since the launch of Amazon Prime’s latest box office series, ‘Off Campus’, with nearly 40 million views within its first two weeks of debuting, the soundtrack characterising the story line has reached our screens just in time for summer 2026.
Music News Blitz writer Emma Corrigan explores the series’ most defining sounds.
Music opinion: 12 songs you need to have in your summer playlists
With summer fast approaching, and the weather making it feel like it already has, Music News Blitz’s Darshan Kaur Gill explores 12 songs that are necessary for the playlists you’ll blast on your summer drives this year.
Music reaction online content: Unlocking your personal perspective or constraining it?
Music News Blitz writer Zach Heynes explores the online phenomenon of music reactions, a subgenre of content creation where influencers share their live reactions to a song or album.
Great films, greater soundtracks - underrated music from popular films
Music News Blitz’s Zach Heynes discusses three standout scores from already popular films to shine a light on an aspect of the cinematic experience that warrants some more credit.
10 years of La La Land: How a perfect musical film was created
A movie that achieved huge successes on every front was bound to have brilliant music, but the end product provided by Justin Hurwitz is breathtaking.
With Damien Chazelle as director, fans of music-heavy films were already well aware of his work with Justin Hurwitz from the brilliant 2014 film, Whiplash.
Released in the summer of 2016, La La Land picked up an Academy award for both ‘Best Original Score’ and ‘Best Original Song’ (City of Stars).
The connection between what is shown on screen and what is heard from the score feels perfectly seamless.
Wonderfully orchestrated pieces of music match the vivid and energetic scenes which create some of the finest cinematic experiences in any film, writes Music News Blitz’s Gabriel Mills.
Music opinion: Why I won’t be watching the new Michael Jackson film — and why you shouldn’t either
As someone who practically lived in a trillby and makeshift sock glove as a child, my opinions on the new biopic “Michael” are something I write as a formerly devoted fan of the pop-superstar Michael Jackson.
While hearing even the introduction of ‘Billie Jean’ still stirs deep nostalgia, it is safe to say this is not enough to justify this film in today’s climate for me.
With ongoing high-profile abuse scandals dominating public discourse, my concerns come from the long history of accusations of child sexual exploitation made against the star.
Music News Blitz writer Katie Slater unpacks this tension.
Music analysis: A look at how divorce curates career-defining albums
Women have always had a foothold in the music industry, their creativity transcending the glass ceilings that have otherwise subjugated them in other fields, writes Music News Blitz’s Isaac James.
Music opinion: Coachella took ‘2026 is the new 2016’ seriously
Welcome to the desert. Weekend 1 of the hit music festival Coachella took place in Indio, California, from April 10-12, 2026.
The festival is such a global phenomenon that fans tuned into the live stream from home, affectionately nicknaming it “bedchella” or “couchchella.”
Weekend 2 is scheduled for April 17-19, 2026, and will again be livestreamed on Coachella’s official YouTube channel.
This year, the festival has been hailed as the return of 2016, where popular musicians of that era performed, and 2016 fashion trends reappeared, writes Music News Blitz’s Sarah Sharp.
Cancel culture in the music industry: Selective accountability?
One of the UK’s biggest festivals, Wireless, has been cancelled after the headliner for all three days, Kanye West, was denied entry into the UK, which has now sparked debate online.
Is cancel culture applied equally across the industry, or is accountability just shaped by public perception and commercial value?
Music News Blitz writer Maisie Sharp-Fehr gives her thoughts.
Music opinion: Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber at Coachella 2026 highlight different expectations in pop headlining
As Sabrina Carpenter and Justin Bieber took the Coachella 2026 stage as headliners, the stark difference in expectations surrounding their performances became impossible to ignore.
Music News Blitz writer Anna Ferraz unpacks this contrast.
Music review: Gorillaz powerful as ever as ‘The Mountain’ tour stops in Leeds
Gorillaz staged a standout performance at First Direct Arena in Leeds last week as a part of the latest tour for their new album, The Mountain.
The show highlighted the band’s tenure as pioneering musical figures as they celebrated decades of creativity with songs old and new, writes Music News Blitz’s Macy Wright.
Jazz underpinned by nostalgia - but has paved the way for other genres
Jazz is, undeniably, a core pillar of music as it stands today.
As a genre, it has had unshakeable influence and development - its traits can be heard in all sorts of genres, and jazz singers have earned their places as some of the most renowned vocalists of modern history.
Here, Music News Blitz’s Isaac James details the intricacies of the genre - from its origins to its legacy today.