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New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

Music

An illustration of four colorful Christmas stockings hanging above a fireplace. From left to right are purple, turquoise, green and red stockings that contain vinyl albums.

8 pop Christmas albums to broaden your holiday horizons

A collection of pop music’s best holiday albums based on nostalgia, sentiment and spirit.
Bella Simonte, Contributing Writer December 12, 2024

Every winter, pop stars, actors and even comedians take on the same monumental task: creating a bestselling Christmas album. Some recreate the melodies of classic Christmas tunes,...

A group of four people smiling at a camera in a red room.

The Radio Relics on indie rock, Clive Davis and pissing off the neighbors

This band of NYU students is a decade in the making.
Caia Cupolo, Contributing Writer December 12, 2024

As The Radio Relics greet each other outside of Astor Place Hairstylists ahead of headlining a charity show, high-fiving and lugging guitars and gear into the venue, it’s easy...

A woman standing in a long, white dress in front of a building with a carousel behind her.

Q&A: Rising artist Zoe Tan on new single and her time at NYU

Ahead of the Dec. 13 release of her newest single “Distance,” singer-songwriter Zoe Tan spoke with WSN about storytelling and her musical goals.
Eva Mundo, Contributing Writer December 11, 2024

From the beginning of her songwriting journey during her childhood years in Malaysia, Zoe Tan has aspired to connect with listeners through intimate storytelling. Now a junior...

An album cover with various polaroids of a man, overlaid to make a whole body.

Review: On ‘Puss & Poems,’ no one complains like Jake Shane

TikTok superstar Jake Shane wears denim on denim, threatens to make meth and gets his Postmates stolen on his debut comedy album “Puss & Poems.”
Ellie Miller, Contributing Writer December 5, 2024

TikTok sensation Jake Shane has dreamed of becoming a pop star his whole life. After releasing his debut comedy album “Puss & Poems” with the help of producer Alexander...

(Courtesy of Universal Pictures)

Review: ‘Wicked: The Soundtrack’ ends on a high note — literally

The highly anticipated movie soundtrack is intensely “thrillifying” and lives up to the 21-year old Broadway bible.
Amelia Knust, Staff Writer November 26, 2024

It should come as no surprise that “Wicked: The Soundtrack” works as well as it does. After all, that's what you get when you combine an Emmy, Grammy and Tony-winning actress...

Album artwork depicting an illustration of a man exhaling a cloud of smoke. Behind him, the sky is orange and red, appearing to be on fire. The words “SLI’ MERRE” are written above him.

Review: ‘Sli’merre 2’ is a woozy, hypnotic sonic trip

The producer-rapper duo reunites after five years with a 16-track project, which strikes a perfect balance between Pi’erre Bourne’s immersive beats and Young Nudy’s unique vocals.
Antonio Johri, Contributing Writer November 26, 2024

When Pi’erre Bourne first showed Young Nudy his beats in an Atlanta studio in 2017, an iconic partnership began. Bourne’s quirky, retro beats soon found their home in the production...

An illustration of Ariana Grande facing away and leaning against another version of herself.

The case for ‘eternal sunshine’

The official 2025 Grammy Awards nomination list was released Nov. 8, and a certain ponytailed pop star is missing from the awards show’s main categories.
Amelia Knust, Staff Writer November 20, 2024

It’s been nearly six years since Ariana Grande publicly criticized the Grammy Awards’ producers on Twitter and declined to perform at the show, claiming they wouldn't let her...

10 songs for your cold-weather playlist

10 songs for your cold-weather playlist

It’s finally feeling like winter is near, and these songs will let you lean into your chilly-weather sensibilities.

Sure, it hit 80 degrees on Halloween. But as we creep into the second half of November, it’s hard to deny that students are breaking out their winter coats and bracing for colder...

An album cover of a stone floating in an ether. The text surrounding the stone reads “the CURE”.

Review: The Cure takes on death in gothic rock fashion with ‘Songs of a Lost World’

Sixteen years since its last album and almost 50 years since the band formed, The Cure is back with its strongest album since “Disintegration.”
Joe Paladino, Staff Writer November 14, 2024

After The Cure’s last release, “4:13 Dream” in 2008 and the album’s subsequent tour, the band began to fall apart. Robert Smith, frontman and genius behind The Cure —...

An album cover of faces of girls with purple skin, white glowing eyes and various expressions with a vinyl peeking out. The girl in the center has blonde hair and a shirt with “LIL UZI” written on it as a key floats above her head.

Review: ‘Eternal Atake 2’ is Lil Uzi’s eternal mistake

Lil Uzi Vert reaches a new creative low with a rushed, disappointing sequel album that falls short of its predecessor.
Antonio Johri, Contributing Writer November 12, 2024

Since Lil Uzi Vert’s career began in the mid-2010s, they were known as a pioneer of the SoundCloud era, a time when many young rappers would post their DIY tracks to the platform...

A blonde person wearing a blue dress sitting on the floor near a white-blue Christmas tree with a white fireplace in the background.

Review: Megan Moroney’s Christmas EP pulls from heartbreak and Elvis

“Blue Christmas …duh,” makes us forget all about Thanksgiving and jump right into a country Christmas.
Addison Alvarado, Staff Writer November 11, 2024

As a long-time country music fan, seeing Megan Moroney surprise drop her first-ever Christmas project prepared me to saddle up for the holiday. The three-track set contains two...

A black-and-white album cover with a person in a suit and mask.

Review: Tyler, the Creator returns with a symphony of introspective chaos

“CHROMAKOPIA” unmasks the artist’s more vulnerable side while still reinforcing his eclectic style.
Maggie Turner, Staff Writer November 8, 2024

It doesn’t take much for Tyler, the Creator to take an entire generation by storm. More than three years after his previous album, he posted a snippet of the opening track of...