If you had asked recording artist Jake Miller a few months ago if he thought he’d be a huge hit on TikTok, he probably would have laughed at you. The singer, whose hit "Wait For You" blew up streaming playlists and radio in 2019, was not a fan of TikTok at all until COVID-19 forced him into lockdown with his family in Florida where he grew up. 

"It was honestly the first day I got home, my sister was just nonstop dancing on TikTok, and it was really annoying," he says during a lockdown-friendly Zoom chat. "I’m like, 'What are you doing; what is this app?' She kept asking me to do dances with her, and I told her, 'I do not dance. This isn’t happening.'"

However, while tucked away in quarantine, Miller realized pretty quickly that TikTok might be the key to connecting with his fans, especially considering he has no idea when he’ll be able to get on the road again. That was when he made his first TikTok of a song he wrote and filmed in his house. He titled the March 22 video "How Long Will This Last" and recruited his parents and his sister to join him. In the song, he laments about the virus canceling all his plans and having to ration food. 

<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@jakemiller/video/6807145976458169605" data-video-id="6807145976458169605" > <section> <a title="@jakemiller" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jakemiller">@jakemiller</a> <p><a title="coronaviruschallenge" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/coronaviruschallenge">#</a><a title="coronavirus" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/coronavirus">#</a><a title="covid19" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/covid19">#</a><a title="foryou" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foryou">#</a><a title="foryourpage" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foryourpage">#</a></p> <a title="HOW LONG WILL THIS LAST - jakemiller" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/HOW-LONG-WILL-THIS-LAST-6807139791327496965">♬ HOW LONG WILL THIS LAST - jakemiller</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

"I would use household items to make the beats, and we would write funny lyrics about what we're doing at home," he says. In the first video, Miller turned to the sound of paper towels ripping and hand soap dispensing as just a couple of the unique sound effects that fit the theme of COVID-19. And though making light of a seriously heavy global crisis could be taken the wrong way by some, for Miller, it’s been a coping mechanism and a way to create content for his fans—not to mention a way to connect with his family. 

"It was just a way for me and my family to do something creative together," Miller says. "I think when this is all over, we'll have those videos to kind of watch and look back on. We'll always remember this time as just being weird but fun for us."

Since that first video, Miller has created seven more original songs for TikTok, which he’s now dubbed hisQuarantunes EP. His whole family—and even his girlfriend—have appeared in the videos, seemingly enjoying the spotlight as much Miller. "We all write; we all sing," he says. Interspersed with hisQuarantunes songs are various other TikTok videos so Miller can keep his profile up and continue to connect with users. 

<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@jakemiller/video/6807512797342174469" data-video-id="6807512797342174469" > <section> <a title="@jakemiller" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jakemiller">@jakemiller</a> <p><a title="coronavirus" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/coronavirus">#</a><a title="covid19" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/covid19">#</a><a title="foryou" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foryou">#</a><a title="foryoupage" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foryoupage">#</a><a title="takeawalk" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/takeawalk">#</a></p> <a title="TAKE A WALK - jakemiller" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/TAKE-A-WALK-6807509576976534278">TAKE A WALK - jakemiller</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

And the videos are working incredibly well to not just engage with Miller’s current fans but to bring new ones in as well. "So many new people are seeing my stuff who have never heard of me. I'm getting Instagram DMs saying, ‘I saw your TikTok video on my phone. I went and looked up your music, and now I'm a huge fan,’ so that's why I do it."

His TikTok account since then has gained over 400K new followers, more than 25 million views, and three million likes. But the growth isn’t contained to TikTok: he’s also gained thousands of new fans on Instagram as well.  "Anything you can do on a daily basis as an artist to keep being creative, keep gaining followers, and keep getting new eyes on you," he said. "Because ultimately it all leads back to my music."

27-year-old Miller, who has been making beats and writing music since he was in high school, has always kept his fans at the forefront of his career, so it’s no surprise that he’s used this time to find new ways to interact with them. After years of cranking out songs, in a variety of themes—from suicide awareness to heartbreak—his dedicated fans, dubbed the "Millertary," have been along for the whole ride. "As an artist, I understand how valuable that is and how rare that is," he says. "I feel like as long as I have them, I'll be fine no matter what." They camp out for shows all over the country, get tattoos of his lyrics, and bond over social media even if they’re miles apart. And now with Miller’s TikTok spree, his fans have a whole new place to hang out. 

"They all seem to be loving [the TikTok videos]," Miller says. "I don't know how long this whole TikTok phase will last, but right now I'm just doing what I can to stay productive, creative, and not lose my mind in boredom." And the beauty of TikTok is that once someone has uploaded a sound to the social media platform, it’s there for more people to use in their own videos, which can make it spread rapidly. "I definitely encourage people to make their own TikToks to [my music]," he says. "Because I want the music to just spread and spread and spread. TikTok is a really great place to spread your videos to people who have never heard of you." 

<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@jakemiller/video/6808273055895309574" data-video-id="6808273055895309574" > <section> <a title="@jakemiller" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jakemiller">@jakemiller</a> <p><a title="ineedmy6feet" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/ineedmy6feet">#</a><a title="coronavirus" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/coronavirus">#</a><a title="fyp" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp">#</a><a title="foryou" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foryou">#</a><a title="foryoupage" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foryoupage">#</a></p> <a title=" I NEED MY 6 FEET - jakemiller" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/I-NEED-MY-6-FEET-6807411359135910662"> I NEED MY 6 FEET - jakemiller</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

Other artists have leveraged TikTok in similar ways, includingDrake, who utilized the video-sharing platform to blow up "Toosie Slide" as a dance trend before thesong and video were actually released a few days later. On the flip side, artists who didn’t yet have record deals have been able to jump-start their careers thanks to TikTok’s algorithm helping their music reach millions of new people.Arizona Zervas, the rapper behind the popular TikTok song "Roxanne," had previously been releasing his music independently, but after "Roxanne" charted in late 2019,Columbia Records snatched him up and signed him to its label. 

TikTok, which used to be Musical.ly, only launched in the U.S. in 2019 under that name through Chinese company ByteDance. Since its makeover, the video-sharing platform has grown exponentially and has become the place to discover new things as a consumer and get your talent out there as a performer. The app already has over 800 million users and counting with the number of videos multiplying every single day. What’s unique about TikTok compared to other social media platforms is that it doesn’t necessarily matter if you have any followers to start. Because of the way TikTok adds videos to its For You page—a unique mixture of content provided to users to scroll through—someone with zero followers could end up having a video that quickly goes viral. One viral video or sound that gets picked up by a larger account can catapult a TikToker into an elite level where they suddenly have a huge audience, a fact Miller is aware of and appreciates as an artist continuing to try to gain new fans and share his music. "This is a really great opportunity for if I'm an artist, I'm just starting out, and I have nobody who follows me, but I want people to listen to my music. This is the best way to do it right now."

Miller’s still not sure what the next step is for his TikTok account, whether he’ll continue to make fun little songs or pivot to more serious promo, but for now, he’s enjoying the bit of quirky fun he’s having. He’s still keeping his fans in mind, though, when he creates new music-related videos: "I put some of my unreleased music behind these videos," he says. "Obviously these songs aren't out. They're just kind of little teasers to show people what's to come." And a fact like that just goes to show how much he cares about making his fans happy, especially right now when the world can feel so bleak at times. “In a time like this where I'm not on the road and I can't see them face-to-face, it's super important to just stay in touch with the fans."

One thing Miller knows for certain is that he won’t be writing any real songs about quarantine or COVID-19. He's currently working on new music for a new project due out later this year. The first single from the upcoming EP or album (Miller hasn’t decided yet) is called "Saved Me" and lands May 15. He calls the song his favorite he’s ever written—and from a pool of hundreds of songs, those are big words. "It's always a really exciting time as an artist when you know that you're about to enter a new chapter in a new era," he says. "Musically, ['Saved Me'] sounds different." He plans to head into his new era in what he calls "a good place" because he’s happy in his relationship with his girlfriend and excited about the future of his career. And thanks to TikTok, he’s headed into his new era with a swath of new fans ready to buy and stream his music and buy tickets to shows. "As long as I keep making music that's true to me and they stick with me, I feel like I'll be good forever."

Lil Nas X's No. 1 Run Began With TikTok, Now The Music Industry Is Taking Notice

The2025 GRAMMYs, officially known as the67th GRAMMY Awards, will air live on CBS and Paramount+ onSunday, Feb. 2. Watch highlights from the 2025 GRAMMYs onlive.GRAMMY.com.

The 2025 GRAMMYs telecast will be reimagined to raise funds to support wildfire relief efforts and aid music professionals impacted by thewildfires in Los Angeles. Donate to the Recording Academy's and MusiCares'Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort To Support Music Professionals.

Editor’s Note: This interview was conducted before the onset of thewildfires in Los Angeles.

Steve Cropper is still "selling energy" — putting forth what a younger generation might call blues rock "vibes" with his pals as if it were still 1970.

This ethosdates back to his time at the legendary Memphis label Stax Records, where Cropperserved as a songwriter, producer, engineer and A&R. Crucially, Cropper was the guitarist in Stax's house band,Booker T. & The MGs — they of "Green Onions" fame — and backed artists includingOtis Redding,Wilson Pickett,Sam & Dave, andCarla Thomas. Among his manybonafides, Cropper co-wrote Redding's "(Sittin’ On) The DockOfThe Bay."

In his post-Stax years, the two-time GRAMMY winner and nine-time nominee produced and played on sessions withJeff Beck,Jose Feliciano,John Prine,John Cougar, and TowerOf Power. He later joinedLevon Helm’s RCO All-Stars group and was among the original members in Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi'sBlues Brothers band. Cropper resumed his solo career in the '80s, releasing several albums, while continuing to collaborate with leading lights likePaul Simon,Ringo Starr,Elton John and Steppenwolf.

Steve Cropper has stayed true to himself for over seven decades, thanks in no small part to advice from Stax founder Jim Stewart. "He said, 'Just play yourself and if they don't like it, they'll tell you,'" Cropper tells GRAMMY.com. "So I've been playing myself all my life and it's worked out. That's pretty cool."

At the2025 GRAMMYs, Cropper is nominated in the Best Contemporary Blues Album Category for the aptly namedFriendlytown, recorded with a mix of long-time collaborators and a few newer faces, together billed as Steve Cropper &the Midnight Hour.Friendlytown's 13 tracks are familiar, digestible and straight-aheadrockin' — the kind of tunes you'd be thrilled to hear in a local dive. FeaturingZZ Top'sBilly Gibbons, Queen guitaristBrian May, singerRoger C Reale, and guitarist Tim Montana, Cropper co-wrote and co-producedall ofFriendlytownwith bassistJon Tiven.

"Steve's guitar playing on the song'Hurry Up Sundown' is probably some of his best solo work and rhythm work,"Tiven says. "It's amazing that at this point in his career, he could still be creating some of the greatest music of his life. I think that's a wonderful testament to the strength of his talent."

Meet MeAt TheFriendlytownTrader Joe's

There was very little methodical music-making behindFriendlytown, which partially grew out of sessions Cropper put together for his 2021 albumFire It Up. "This record was just about a bunch of guys getting together and having some fun. It's just like,Let's have a blast and try to make the party come to the record, rather than the record come to the party,"Tiven notes.

Cropper andTiven had been working on songs for years with the hopes of finding friendly musicians to give them life. While some found homes, the duo sat on instrumentals for years — untilTiven ran into Billy Gibbons at Trader Joe's. WhenTiven told the sharp-dressed man he was making a record with Steve Cropper, "He just lit up like a firecracker and said he'd like to bring us a song. I said, 'Well, it's only going on the record unless you play on it.' And he said, 'Well, that could be arranged.'"

Gibbons ended up on 11 tracks;Friendlytownmarks the first time he and Cropper worked together in many years. The ZZ Top vocalist's influence is audible on the album, particularly the title track andEliminator-esque "Lay ItOn Down."

In SessionAtStax

While casual may be the name of Cropper's game these days, "it definitely wasn't 35, 40 years ago," he says. Back then (and largely before, as Cropper left the label in 1970), making music was "was very serious, and I don't even think the guys had a good time." With a laugh, Cropper recalls his best friend, the Stax bassist/MGDuck Dunn, pining for a world in which "Jim Stewart would've only smiled every now and then."  

While Cropper calls Stewart "the greatest guy I've ever met," the label head was known to be critical. "He knew if you fought for something, like a song, that it was a good song. And if you didn't fight for it, it wasn't worthnothing," Cropper says, chuckling. "He was right. I think about that all the time, but I don't use it. A songwriter could tell me how good a song they wrote is, but if I don't like it, I don't like it. I'm sorry!. I'm sure I've thrown away some good ones before." 

Read more:1968: A Year Of Change For The World, Memphis & Stax Records

A young Cropper put up a couple of fights, and for good reason. He recalls stumping for Wilson Pickett's"Ninety-nine and a half": [Jim Stewart said] "You boys was out therewoodsheddin’. That songain't going to make it." Cropper pressed it, and Stewart relented. The trackmade the cut for Pickett's 1966 albumThe Exciting Wilson Pickett.

Another big Stax hit stayed on the shelf for nine months while Cropper and co. battled it out with Stax brass. "FinallyAl Bell went to Jim and said, 'You got to put this record out. It's called ‘Knock on Wood.' And Jim says, 'Okay, but you got to use your own money,'" Cropper says. "He hated that record until it was a hit."

Reflecting on the hardest song he's ever played, Cropper quickly points to Sam and Dave's "Soul Man." But the 1967 smash isn't difficult for the reasons you might think: the guitarist had to balance a Zippo lighter on his leg during sessions and performances, which he used to mimic the song's opening horn line. "I always had to dance [when recording] with Sam and Dave, because they could hit a groove. A lot of guitar players don't know that I played with a Zippolighter and I'd slide it," he recalls.

Cropper reportedly hated the sound and feel of new guitar strings — something, he says, is no longer the case in old age — and in a lip-smacking good tidbit of studio lore, explained how he managed his unique sound. "I carry a thing of ChapStick all the time and I would go up and down the strings; [that would] take about three months out of the string so it would sound like the rest of them."

Sittin' OnALegacy

After decades in the business, it seems as if Cropper – though ever a professional – doesn't take himself or the creative process too seriously. He jokingly shares areccolation from a studio session during his Stax years: Once the session was finished, Cropper told the group "Damn, this sounds like a hit." "AndAl Jackson said, 'Steve, they're all hits until they're released.' He's probably right."

One of Stax's reliable hitmakers was a close friend of Cropper's: Otis Redding. The two shared a deep musical bond and some shared history. Both musicians grew up on farms ("By the time I was 14, I was ready to leave the home. By the time I was 16, I wasgonein my mind," Cropper notes) yet the guitarist describes Redding as "most streetwise person that I ever met. I think he just had it. It came natural to him."

Redding played guitar with one finger and you "never argued with Otis" — especially because he was never available for sessions for more than a day or two. Most Otis Redding albums, as a result, were compilations from different sessions.

"I remember we cut 'I Can't Turn You Loose' in 10 minutes," Cropper says. "[When we recorded]Otis Blue, we had everybody come back at 1 [a.m.] -- after they did theirgig and they went home and had their shower – so we could cut it."

Cropper knewthat  "(Sittin' On) The DockOfThe Bay" — arguably Redding's biggest hit, and Cropper's first GRAMMY win—  was a hit. "You know why I knew it was a hit? Because we had Otis thelongest I'd had him; for two weeks."

The gentle lull of "Sittin'" was a radical departure from Redding's Southern soul bombast, and perhaps a sign of what was to come if the singer hadn't died tragically in a plane crash. "That one song, wesearched for a long time. We call it crossover music;so it could go eitherway:, R&B, pop, whatever. That was the first one we ever had," Cropper says.

There's AlwaysACatch

Steve Cropper is still going strong at 83 years old. He reports that he enjoyed HBO's recent StaxRecords docuseries, and has an unfinished instrumentals album in the can. He hasn't time for regrets, only dreams, but the name of the one person Cropper wishes he had worked with fires off like lightning:Tina Tuner.

Cropper saw the late legend three times. "I really did admire Tina. She was the closest person to Otis, I think, in the business. It's the yeller, screamer, but everybody loves their music. She was so good, it didn't matter how it was she's yelling and screaming," he says.

Tina Turner's loudest albums still have melody and something "people will walk away humming" — the very thing Cropper lovedabout  Stax records. "We were selling groove and all, rather than the music," Cropper says of his work with theMGs. "We don't care about the music. We just cared about melody and what's in the simplicity of the song."

Editor's Note: This article was updated with a new photo and YouTube videos on Dec. 16, 2024.

When it comes to holiday music, you can never go wrong with the tried-and-true classics.

Who doesn't loveNat "King" Cole's "The Christmas Song,"Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas,"Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You,"Charles M. Schulz's GRAMMY-nominatedA Charlie Brown Christmassoundtrack, or any new version of a festive favorite?

Even so, it's always good to get out of one's comfort zone. With that in mind, unwrap these 12 outside-the-box Christmas songs, spanning rock to rap and featuring everything from refreshing spins on the familiar to unexpected holiday thrills.

Read More:New Christmas Songs For 2024: Listen To 50 Tracks From Pentatonix, Ed Sheeran, LISA & More

This firsthand account of spending the most joyous holiday locked up and separated from the one you love offers a different kind of longing than the average lonesome Christmas tune. In signatureJohn Prinestyle, "Christmas In Prison" contains plenty of romantic wit ("I dream of her always, even when I don't dream) and comedic hyperbole ("Her heart is as big as this whole goddamn jail"), with plenty of pining and hope to spare.

"Christmas In Prison" appeared on Prine's third album, 1973'sSweet Revenge, and again as a live version on his 1994 album,A John Prine Christmas, which makes for perfect further off-beat holiday exploration.

When it comes to gloriously tasty six-string instrumentals, no one does it better than GRAMMY-winning TexanEric Johnson. For his take on this timeless Christmas carol, the "Cliffs Of Dover" guitarist intermingles acoustic-based lines, sublime clean guitar passages andHendrix-y double-stops with his trademark creamy violin-like Strat lines. The result is a sonic equivalent on par with the majesty of the Rockefeller Christmas tree. (For more dazzling holiday guitar tomfoolery, look into the album it's featured on, 1997'sMerry Axemas.)

Who doesn't want a large semiaquatic mammal for the holidays? For then-10-year-old child star Gayla Peevey, not only did she score with the catchy tune, she also got her wish.

The 1953 novelty hit, written by John Rox, rocketed up the pop charts and led to a fundraising campaign to buy Peevey an actual hippo for Christmas. Children donated their dimes to the cause, and the Oklahoma City native got her hippo, named Mathilda, which she donated to the Oklahoma City Zoo.

The song itself features plodding brass instrumentals and unforgettable lyrics such as, "Mom says a hippo would eat me up but then/ Teacher says a hippo is a vegetarian." It seems Peevey still has a fond legacy with the hippo activist community — she wason hand in 2017when the Oklahoma City Zoo acquired a pygmy hippopotamus.

In a contemplative mood this Christmas? Try getting into the holiday spirit by way of meditating on the true meaning of the season with this brash, uptempo Southern California crust punk tune.

Now the best-known song from the Vandals' 1996 Christmas album of the same name, "Oi To The World!" remained a relatively obscure track by the Huntington Beach punkers until it was covered by a rising pop/ska crossover band from nearby Anaheim, Calif., in 1997. (Perhaps you have heard of them — they were calledNo Doubt.) Ever since, the song has been a mainstay of the Vandals' live sets, and they have also played the albumOi To The World!in its entirety every year since its release at their annual Winter Formal show in Anaheim, now in its 29th year.

Though it's best known fromOutKast's 1994 debut album,Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, the Christmas version of the track "Player's Ball" was released earlier onA LaFace Family Christmas, anL.A. Reid-led project to introduce new acts. The then-young Atlanta rapper duo took a Southern hip-hop spin on the season, which can come across as a little irreverent, but at least they're honest: "Ain't no chimneys in the ghetto so I won't be hangin' my socks on no chimneys." Though some people may not find it cheerful, OutKast's season's greetings give "a little somethin' for the players out there hustlin'."

You'd be hard-pressed to find a more heartbreaking Christmas story than thisTom Waits' masterpiece from 1978'sBlue Valentine. "Charlie, I'm pregnant and living on 9th Street," begins the Christmas card narrative in which a woman writes to an old flame, reporting how much better things are going since she quit drugs and alcohol and found a trombone-playing husband.

Waits' signature early career piano-plinking and tall-tale-storytelling weaves through a dream world of hair grease and used car lots, even sneaking in a Little Anthony And The Imperials reference. In the end, our narrator comes clean with the sobering lyric, "I don't have a husband, he don't play the trombone" before pleading, "I need to borrow money to pay this lawyer and Charlie hey, I'll be eligible for parole come Valentine's Day." For the uninitiated, this is the off-beat genius of GRAMMY winner Waits at his finest.

Though they took some lumps in their '80s hair-metal heyday, few would dare deny Winger's talent and musicianship. Surely on display here, frontmanKip Winger(aGRAMMY-nominatedclassical musician) and his bandmates begin with a traditional unplugged reading of the Franz Xaver Gruber-penned holiday chestnut, complete with four-part harmony.

But then it gets really interesting: the boys get "funky" with an inside-out musical pivot that fuses percussive rhythmic accents, pentatonic-based acoustic riffing, Winger's gravely vocals, and some choice bluesy soloing (and high-pitched vocal responses) courtesy of lead guitarist Reb Beach.

With lyrics that include "I know I should have thought twice before I kissed her" in the opening, you know you're in for a sleigh ride like none other. It's therefore no surprise thatCyndi Lauperand Swedish rock band the Hives' unconventional Christmas duel describes many marital hiccups that might make some blush.

Yet, the raucous duet somehow comes out on a high note, concluding, "We should both just be glad/And spend this Christmas together." The 2008 track was the brainchild of the Hives, who always wanted to do a song with Lauper. "This is a Christmas song whose eggnog has been spiked with acid, and whose definition of holiday cheer comes with a complimentary kick below the belt," wroteHuffington Postin 2013. "It's also an absolute riot."

Leave it toLCD Soundsystem's producer/frontmanJames Murphyto pen a holiday song about the depressing side of the season. "If your world is feeling small/ There's no one on the phone/ You feel close enough to call," he sings, tapping into that seasonal weirdness that can creep up, especially as everything around you is incessant smiles, warmth and cheer, and pumpkin-spice lattes. While he doesn't shy away from examining the depressing side of surviving the holiday season as an aging 20-, 30-, 40-something, Murphy does at least give a glimmer of hope to grab onto, transient and fleeting though it may be, as he refrains, "But I'm still coming home to you."

AsSnoop Doggdeclares, "It's Christmas time and my rhyme's steady bumpin'." This track from the 1996 albumChristmas On Death Rowlets you know why "Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto." Church food, love between people, and happiness stand out as Christmas is "time to get together and give all you got; you got food, good moods and what's better than together with your people." Love in the hard hood might have to watch itself, but the various artists of Death Row contagiously testify to abundant love and seasonal joy.

Bypassing the urge to write new material on their rocking Christmas album, 2006'sA Twisted Christmas, Twister Sister instead took the most recognizable holiday classics in the book and made them faster, louder and more aggressive. The result — which, to date, equate to the group's seventh and final album — is a supercharged concept collection of songs such as "Silver Bells," "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and "Deck The Halls" bludgeoned by chainsaw guitar riffs, thundering drums and lead singerDee Snider's soaring screams. This unusual combination makesA Twisted Christmasthe perfect soundtrack for any child of the '80s still hoping to tick off the neighbors this holiday season.

In anticipation of the 2025 NBA All-Star Game in San Francisco,P-Lobreathes new life into T.W.D.Y.'s classic "Players Holiday." FeaturingSaweetie,Larry June, Kamaiyah, LaRussell,G-Eazy, thuy, and YMTK, the track celebrates Bay Area culture with its infectious energy and hometown pride. With its dynamic lineup and energetic vibe, "Players Holiday '25" is a love letter to the region's sound and legacy that bridges hip-hop and basketball culture.

This article features contributions from Nate Hertweck, Tim McPhate, Renée Fabian, Brian Haack, Philip Merrill, Nina Frazer and Taylor Weatherby.

Editor's note: This article was updated to include the latest information about Kendrick Lamar's 2024 album release 'GNX,' and up-to-date GRAMMY wins and nominations with additional reporting byNina Frazier.

When the world crowns you the king of a genre as competitive as rap, your presence — and lack thereof — is palpable. After a five-year hiatus,Kendrick Lamar declaratively stomped back on stage with his fifth studio album,Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, to explain why the crown no longer fits him.

Two years later, Lamar circles back to celebrate the west on 2024'sGNX, a 12-track release that revels in the root of his love for hip-hop and California culture, from the lowriders to the rappers that laid claim to the golden state.

“My baby boo, you either heal n—s or you kill n—s/ Both is true, it take some tough skin just to deal with you” Lamar raps on "gloria" featuringSZA, a track that opines on his relationship with the genre.

The Compton-born rapper (who was born Kendrick Lamar Duckworth) wasn't always championed as King Kendrick. In hip-hop, artists have to earn that moniker, and Lamar's enthroning occurred in 2013 when he delivered anow-infamous verse on Big Sean's "Control."

"I'm Makaveli's offspring, I'm the King of New York, King of the Coast; one hand I juggle 'em both," Lamar raps before name-dropping some of the top rappers of the time, fromDrake toJ.Cole.

Whether you've been a fan of Lamar since before his crown-snatching verse or you find yourself in need of a crash course on the 37-year-old rapper's illustrious career, GRAMMY.com answers nine questions that will paint the picture of Lamar's more than decade-long reign.

Who Discovered Kendrick Lamar?

Due to the breakthrough success of his Aftermath Entertainment debut (good kid, m.A.A.d city), most people attribute Kendrick Lamar's discovery to fellow Compton legendDr. Dre. But seven years before Dre's label came calling, Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith saw potential in a 16-year-old rapper by the name of K.Dot.

Lamar's first mixtape in 2004 was enough for Tiffith's Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) to offer the aspiring rapper a deal with the label in 2005. However, Lamar would later learn that Tiffith's impact on his life dates back to multiple encounters between his father and the TDE founder, which Lamar raps about in his 2017 track "DUCKWORTH."

How Many Albums Has Kendrick Lamar Released?

Kendrick Lamar has released six studio albums:Section.80 (2011),Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City (2012),To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)DAMN. (2017),Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022), andGNX(2024).Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City,To Pimp a Butterfly andDAMN. received both Rap Album Of The Year and Album Of The Year GRAMMY nominations. 

What Is Kendrick Lamar's Most Popular Song?

Across the board, it's "HUMBLE." The 2017 track is Lamar's only solo No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (he also reached No. 1 status withTaylor Swift on their remix of her1989 hit "Bad Blood"), and as of press time, "HUMBLE." is also his most-streamed song on Spotify and YouTube.

How Many GRAMMYs Has Kendrick Lamar Won?

As of November 2024, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 57 GRAMMY nominations overall, solidifying his place as one of the most nominated artists in GRAMMY history and the second-most nominated rapper of all time, behind Jay-Z. Five of Lamar's 17 GRAMMY wins are tied to DAMN., which also earned Lamar the status of becoming the first rapper ever to win a Pulitzer Prize.

His most recent wins include three awards at the 2023 GRAMMYs, which included two for his album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, and Best Rap Performance for "The Hillbillies" with Baby Keem. 

Does Kendrick Lamar Have Any Famous Relatives?

He has two: Rapper Baby Keem and former Los Angeles Lakers star Nick Young are both cousins of his.

Lamar appeared on three tracks — "family ties," "range brothers" and "vent" — from Keem's debut album, The Melodic Blue. Keem then returned the favor for Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, featuring on "Savior (Interlude)" and "Savior" as well as receiving production and writing credits on "N95" and "Die Hard."

Read More: Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: Baby Keem On Inspiring Rap's Next Generation, Why "Producer Artists" Are The Best & The Likelihood Of A Kendrick Lamar Collab Album

Why Did Kendrick Lamar Wear A Crown Of Thorns?

Lamar can be seen sporting a crown of thorns on the Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers album cover. He has sported the look for multiple performances since the project's release.

Dave Free described the striking headgear as, "a godly representation of hood philosophies told from a digestible youthful lens."

Holy symbolism and the blurred line between kings and gods are themes Lamar revisits often on Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. He uses lines like "Kendrick made you think about it, but he is not your savior" and songs like "Mirror" to reject the unforeseen, God-like expectations that came with his King of Hip-Hop status.

According to Vogue, the Tiffany & Co. designed crown features 8,000 cobblestone micro pave diamonds and took over 1,300 hours of work by four craftsmen to construct.

Why Did Kendrick Lamar Leave TDE?

After five albums, four mixtapes, one compilation project, an EP, and a GRAMMY-nominated Black Panther: The Album, Kendrick Lamar and Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) confirmed that Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers was the Compton rapper's last project under the iconic West Coast label. 

According to Lamar, his departure was about growth as opposed to any internal troubles. "May the Most High continue to use Top Dawg as a vessel for candid creators. As I continue to pursue my life's calling," Lamar wrote on his website in August 2021. "There's beauty in completion."

TDE president Punch expressed a similar sentiment in an interview with Mic. "We watched him grow from a teenager up into an established grown man, a businessman, and one of the greatest artists of all time," he said. "So it's time to move on and try new things and venture out."

Before Lamar's official exit from TDE, he launched a new venture called pgLang — a multi-disciplinary service company for creators, co-founded with longtime collaborator Dave Free — in 2020. The young company has already collaborated with Cash App, Converse and Louis Vuitton.

Has Kendrick Lamar Ever Performed at The Super Bowl?

Yes, Kendrick Lamar performed in the halftime show for Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles in 2022, alongside fellow rap legends Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Eminem, as well as R&B icon Mary J. Blige. Anderson .Paak and 50 Cent also made special appearances during the star-studded performance. As if performing at the Super Bowl in your home city wasn't enough, the Compton rapper also got to watch his home team, the Los Angeles Rams, hoist the Lombardi trophy at the end of the night.

Three years after his first Super Bowl halftime performance, Lamar will return to headline the Super Bowl LIX halftime show on Feb. 9, 2025 — just one week after the 2025 GRAMMYs — at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. 

Is Kendrick Lamar On Tour?

Yes. Kendrick Lamar is currently scheduled to hit the road with SZA on the Grand National Tour beginning in May 2025. Lamar concluded The Big Steppers Tour in 2022, where he was joined by pgLang artists Baby Keem and Tanna Leone. The tour included a four-show homecoming at L.A.'s Crypto.com Arena in September 2022, followed by performances in Europe,Australia, and New Zealand through late 2022. 

Currently, there are no upcoming tour dates scheduled, but fans should check back for updates following the release of GNX.

Music and social media have never been more intertwined. As TikTok continues to integrate into the music industry, for many artists, being a musician and a content creator are no longer mutually exclusive.

Riding the algorithm to fame isn't always easy, but it's undeniable that TikTok is now one of the most effective marketing tools for artists, just as acts likeNicky Youre and Alexandra Kay saw in 2022. From Tyla's viral "Water" dance challenge to Sexyy Red's "SkeeYee" hair flip trend, up-and-coming artists took advantage of TikTok's power once again in 2023 — like the K-pop act FIFTY FIFTY, who transformed their catchy dance-pop single "Cupid" into a skyrocketing commercial breakthrough.

"TikTok provides promotional opportunities for rising artists like us [by] providing an opportunity to be exposed in many different angles," FIFTY FIFTY's Keena told GRAMMY.com.

For hip-hop duo Flyana Boss — whose single "You Wish" took off on the app — TikTok has helped them learn "the power of manifestation and never giving up on your dreams." They add, "there's a strong audience out there that's hungry for artists like us."

TikTok has both personalized and revolutionized how music is shared daily. Here are eight artists who brought your "For You" page to life — and made it big in 2023.

Aliyahs Interlude

If anyone's an It Girl, it's Aliyah Bah. Known as Aliyah's Interlude online, the TikTok influencer quickly grew a fan base through her fashion sense, blending Y2k fashion with Harajuku style in her own #Aliyahcore. This year, she took a step into pop stardom with her anthem "IT GIRL."

Inspired by the likes of Azealia Banks, Ayesha Erotica, and Beyoncé'sRENAISSANCE, Bah's poppy house track channels a confidence that's dazzling and dramatic. More than a million TikTok videos spotlight the song's chorus — "I-T-G-I-R-L! You know I am that girl" — over outfit checks, girl nights, lip syncs, makeup transitions, and much more.

"When I dropped it, the song just went crazy immediately and wanted to make all the promo based on just, like, me being super cute and stylish," Bah toldTIME.

The influencer and singer further gained notoriety by rocking her girly style in acameoinDoja Cat's "Agora Hills" music video. #Aliyahcore is all about being unflinchingly true to yourself, and "IT GIRL" channels that hot girl energy —- because Bahisthat girl.

Austin Williams

Scrolling on country TikTok, the odds are high that you'll come across a video from singer/songwriter Austin Williams — and after hearing his deep, gravelly voice, you'd find it hard to believe he's only 19.

The Nashville musician's mature vocals have helped him propel to nearly half a million TikTok followers, garnering more than 3.8 million likes on the platform. On one of his most viral songs, titled "90s Rap Mashup," he shows off his high-energy rhythmic flow while paying tribute to hip-hop legends. Alternatively, he leans into a solemn side with similarly popular singles "Wanna Be Saved" and "Bury My Bones."

Thanks to his versatility, Williams recently signed a deal with CAA and announced that he's opening on tour for fellow country artist Warren Zeiders (whose ascent to fame is also owed in part to TikTok, which boosted his original song "Ride the Lightning"). Given Williams' natural talent and knack for social media, it's only a matter of time before he's headlining his own tour.

FIFTY FIFTY

Globally, "Cupid," belonging to the rising South Korean girl groupFIFTY FIFTY, took flight as one of TikTok's most inescapable songs this year.

The radiant bubblegum song earned its spot at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, and its incredible 10-week chart streak made it the longest-charting song by a K-pop girl group.

FIFTY FIFTY's Keena praised TikTok for being "user friendly and easily accessible" for music fans. "When these factors meet an easy-listening song like 'Cupid,' the synergy was amplified and aligned with the fast-paced trends," the singer explained to GRAMMY.com. (Currently, Keena is the only member of FIFTY FIFTY, as the group's former agency, Attrakt, recently terminated the contracts of members Aran, Sio, and Saena, filing a lawsuit for alleged defamation and attempting to break their contracts.)

Beyond the sped-up version popularized on TikTok, "Cupid" spurred a series of additional remixes — a "Twin" version, live studio version, and collaboration withSabrina Carpenter.

Flyana Boss

Folayan and Bobbi LaNea, the hip-hop duo who go by the stage name Flyana Boss, went viral when they posted a TikTok of themselves running while rapping a verse of their track "You Wish" — and now they're sprinting to victory.

"I think we're both still in shock at how many people these videos have reached," they shared in a statement to GRAMMY.com.

After signing to vnclm/Atlantic Records in 2021, their TikToks have collectively racked up more than 40 million likes on the platform and helped the pair gain more than 1 million monthly Spotify listeners. Sharing music on the app not only helped them grow their fan base this year, it exponentially fueled their ambition.

"TikTok's great for music discovery and as an artist, you can get your music to a large active community of people by posting," the pair said. "So we fed the algorithm as much as we could!"

With their name stemming from "flyness" and "bossness," it's no surprise that Flyana Boss are killing the game — and if you're lucky, you might just catch them on their 2024 headlining tour, which kicks off Feb. 24.

Kenya Grace

Kenya Grace is no stranger to fame this year. Though her musical specialty is in bedroom pop, her talent swells far beyond her London bedroom. "Strangers," a dance-pop song about ghosting on dating apps, blew up massively on TikTok; one of her first teaser videos for the song now has more than 85 million views.

"I hate making people wait!" she toldRolling Stone UK. "I love being free with [my] socials and, like, just posting stuff, whatever it is that I make that week. 'Strangers' came out really fast, which was great."

At just 25 years old, Grace dethroned Doja Cat on the U.K. singles chart, and became thesecond British female solo artist in historyto score a No. 1 by writing and producing a song entirely by herself. Her echoey, airy delivery and enveloping drum'n'bass production is irresistible, making her debut single with label Warner Records Inc. an instant smash.

Paul Russell

After releasing a handful of albums and singles during college, Paul Russell began building a dedicated TikTok following in 2020 — and his foundational years are finally paying off.This year, his charming single "Lil Boo Thang" took off on TikTok with its infectious energy and playful lyrics, peaking at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 — and scoring Russell a hot deal with Arista Records.

Samplingthe Emotions' 1977 soulful song "Best Of My Love," Russell's hit exemplifies the growing trend of interpolating older music to inspire and create new art — one he made his own long ago.

"When I first started, I would find a song that was already popular and do a rap verse on the end," he shared in an interview withRANGE. "If someone is scrolling and hears something they recognize, it's like 'Oh! What's he going to do with this?'"

Pulling from Russell's '70s and '00s R&B inspirations, "Lil Boo Thang" conjures a joyful spirit. And since Russell has announced he's working on hisupcoming album, only more joy is to come.

Sexyy Red

"To be honest, I wasn't surprised when it went viral. I been going viral for as long as I can remember," Sexyy Red laughed in an interview with GRAMMY.com.

The rising rapper knows how to navigate TikTok like a pro. Her first label mixtape,Hood Hottest Princess, dropped this summer via Open Shift, following her previously released singles "Pound Town" (with Tay Keith) and "SkeeYee" going wildly viral on the video-sharing app this year. "Pound Town" landed a highly anticipatedNicki Minajfeature, and "SkeeYee" became the first No. 1 on the new TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart in September.

"TikTok helped introduce my music to people who might have never heard it before, and also me as a person outside of what I say in my songs," she described. "I also like seeing how people get [their] own meanings from my music."

Her success has spurred collaborations withSummer WalkerandLil Durk, and the rapper opened forDrakein August on his It's All a Blur Tour.

"I learned that I can really do anything I put my mind to. I'm grateful that I get to be in a position to take care of my family and friends, and put out music that people can turn up to," she continued. "The doubters will be believers real soon."

Tyla

Hips don't lie, and when a snippet of the chorus fromTyla's "Water" became the TikTok sound of a viral dance challenge, the artist swiftly surged to international fame.

In 2019, the South African singer found success with her vibey debut single "Getting Late," but her global breakthrough this year came from the universal catchiness of "Water." Serving as just a sample of the 21-year-old's incredible musical talent, the viral amapiano track also earned the singer herfirst GRAMMY nominationthis year in thenewly mintedBest African Music Performance category, alongsideASAKE&Olamide's "Amapiano,"Burna Boy's "City Boys,"DavidoandMusa Keys' "UNAVAILABLE," andAyra Starr's "Rush."

"​​I've noticed that people's attention spans aren't that long anymore," Tyla told2024 GRAMMYs hostTrevor NoahforInterview magazine. "People like watching short videos, so with my music, I love creating small videos that I hope will trend. Because I've been on social media throughout my life… I use that to my advantage when promoting a song."

Bringing pure passion to her amapiano and pop music, it's clear Tyla isn't just keeping her head above water — she's ready to ride the waves, from TikTok and beyond.

Sabrina Carpenter's Big Year: The Pop Songstress Gushes On The Eras Tour, Her Christmas EP & More