People hug in a neighborhood where many homes were destroyed by the Eaton Fire on Jan. 11, 2025 in Altadena, California.
Photo: David McNew/Getty Images
list
Organizations across the music industry — including MusiCares, Guitar Center and Discogs — are stepping up to aid musicians and others who have been impacted by the L.A. wildfires.
Nina Frazier
|GRAMMYs/Jan 14, 2025 - 11:59 pm
The Los Angeles wildfires have left many in the music community displaced and facing significant losses, including damaged or destroyed instruments and studio spaces. To support those impacted, organizations across the industry have launched initiatives to help rebuild and provide essential assistance.
Recording Academy x MusiCares Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort
The Recording Academy and MusiCares have pledged $1 million to launch the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort, providing immediate and long-term support for music professionals affected by the disaster. For more information or to donate, visit MusiCares.org.
For assistance, music professionals can reach out to MusiCares:
Email: musicaresrelief@musicares.org
Phone: 1-800-687-4227
If you or someone you know has been affected by the L.A. County fires, visit https://musicares.org/get-help to apply for relief today.
Music Health Alliance
Music Health Alliance has compiled a comprehensive list of resources to support the Los Angeles music community impacted by the 2025 California fires. These resources aim to provide relief and assistance across a variety of essential needs:
Healthcare Access
Prescription Resources
Doctor Access
Mental Health Support
Medical Supplies
Emergency Financial Assistance
Temporary Shelter
Food
Baby Supplies
Clothing
Storage Solutions
Transportation Assistance
Additional Services
Guitar Center Music Foundation
The Guitar Center Music Foundation is offering one-time grants to replace instruments and gear lost in the fires. Musicians and music programs in Los Angeles County can apply for up to $1,500 in replacement equipment.
Deadline: Applications accepted through Feb. 28, 2025.
How to Apply: Visit Guitar Center Disaster Relief.
Discogs
Discogs has pledged to donate all sales revenue from Jan. 17 directly to MusiCares to aid those impacted by the wildfires.
"The resilience and generosity of the music community are truly inspiring, reminding us how powerful we can be when we come together," said Jeffrey Smith, Discogs’ Vice President of Marketing. For more details, visit Discogs.
Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC)
BMAC has launched an immediate relief fund focused on providing direct financial assistance to individuals, families, and small businesses in the Los Angeles area. The fund focuses on housing, essentials, and small business recovery. To make a donation, visit BMAC L.A. Fire Relief Fund.
Community Aid Dena
A curated spreadsheet of GoFundMe pages created by displaced Black families in Altadena and Pasadena who are seeking assistance. (Not affiliated or maintained by the Recording Academy)
Latine Families Mutual Aid Directory
A directory spreadsheet (not affiliated or maintained by the Recording Academy)featuring a spreadsheet of GoFundMe pages set up by Latine families in need of support after the L.A. fires. (Not affiliated or maintained by the Recording Academy)
Sweet Relief Musicians Fund
Sweet Relief is offering grants for music industry professionals impacted by the wildfires. Assistance includes replacement of equipment, medical bills, and essential living expenses.
- Applications and Donations: Sweet Relief.
We Are Moving The Needle
This fund provides support for early and mid-career producers, engineers, and creators to restore studio spaces and replace equipment lost in the fires.
For more information, visit We Are Moving The Needle.
The 100 Percenters
The 100 Percenters have launched a wildfire relief fundraiser offering financial assistance to music creators.
Grants Available: Up to $2,000 for counseling and wellness services related to mental health, up to $2,500 for essentials, and up to $10,000 for rebuilding creative spaces.
Eligibility: Music professionals in wildfire-affected areas of Los Angeles County.
Learn More: The 100 Percenters.
More Resources
This community curated spreadsheet (not affiliated or maintained by the Recording Academy) provides comprehensive support with three dedicated tabs:
Affected Families: Includes links to various methods to directly support over 350 families and individuals impacted by the fires.
Music-Specific Relief: Lists organizations offering targeted resources for the music community.
General Resources: Highlights broader disaster relief options available to those in need.
Latest Recording Academy News & Initiatives
Julian Marley
Photo: Damian Lemar Hudson
interview
At the 2025 GRAMMYs, Julian and Alexx Antaeus are nominated for Best Remixed Recording for the amapiano remix of "Jah Sees Them," Marley details how exploring different genres came organically, and the ways his father remains an eternal influence.
Patricia Meschino
|GRAMMYs/Jan 9, 2025 - 04:09 pm
*The 2025 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 67th GRAMMY Awards, will air live on CBS and Paramount+ on **Sunday, Feb. 2. **Watch highlights from the 2025 GRAMMYs on live.GRAMMY.com.*
The Marley Brothers’ Legacy Tour, which traveled throughout North America in September and October 2024, presented a compelling reminder of the timelessness of Bob Marley’s music while showcasing the diverse talents of five of Marley’s sons and their respective contributions to reggae music’s trajectory. Ziggy, Stephen, Julian, Ky-Mani and Damian Marley performed their father’s roots rock classics, ballads, protest anthems, and Rastafari hymns alongside a few of their original songs. When one brother stepped to center stage and took the lead vocal, the others danced or played instruments.
The Marley sons were supported by a flawless 13-piece band that pumped out sublime, soul stirring reggae rhythms, alongside a female trio reminiscent of Bob Marley’s I-Three. A screen behind the band displayed photos and video of Bob, his album covers, snippets of concert performances, and videos as well as images of Rasta Deity Halie Selassie I. Throughout, spectacular lighting effects bathing the stage in a warm spectrum of colors, and Donovan "Flagman" Judah steadily waved an large Ethiopian red, gold and green flag (Ethiopia is the ancestral home of the Rastafari way of life, which Bob played a significant role in popularizing across the globe), ensuring the concert was as stunning visually as it was sonically.
The five Marley Brothers have intermittently performed together in recent years, including aboard Damian’s annual Welcome to Jamrock Reggae cruise in 2018. However, the Legacy Tour marks their first collective tour in 20 years. Julian — younger brother to Ziggy and Stephen, and older brother to Ky-mani and Damian — says the tour’s timing resulted from a confluence of factors.
"With the (release of the) movie (the Marley biopic, Bob Marley: One Love) you could feel the energy of Bob Marley right around, almost like he is somewhere in the physical. His music now rise up, people are feeling The Gong again, so, it made sense for us to get together, tour and for the music to go out there," Julian explains.
A week prior to the biopic’s opening at the 2023 GRAMMYs (itself two days before what would have been Bob Marley’s 79th birthday), Julian won his first GRAMMY for Reggae Album Of The Year for Colors of Royal, a collaboration with Antaeus that fuses reggae with electronic dance music. "Everything was happening at the same time," Julian observes, "that is the mystic of the Rastaman vibration. It’s not something individual, it’s about the Almighty working for whatever reason."
At the 2025 GRAMMYs, Julian and Antaeus are nominated for Best Remixed Recording in the Pop & Dance/Electronic Field for the amapiano remix of "Jah Sees Them," (a Colors of Royal track) remixed by Alexx Antaeus, Footsteps and MrMyish.
"It’s a remarkable milestone for a Jamaican reggae artist, riding a South African amapiano groove, released by a small indie label, to secure a GRAMMY nomination in a category traditionally dominated by major labels and artists. We’re deeply grateful to the Recording Academy members who supported our vision," Julian’s collaborator Alexx Antaeus, who released the remix on his Monom Records, wrote on Instagram.
Julian "Juju Royal" Marley was born in London in 1975 to Barbados-born Lucy Pounder and Bob Marley. He made his first demo tape at a precocious five years old, recording a version of his father’s "Slave Driver" at the Marley family’s Tuff Gong recording studios in Kingston, Jamaica. Primarily a self-taught musician who is proficient on bass, keyboards, drums and guitar, in 1989 Julian released his first single, "Uprising." He moved to Kingston in 1992, where he joined forces with his brothers Stephen and Damian as the Ghetto Youths crew, and they formed the label Ghetto Youths International.
In 1996, Julian released his first album, Lion in the Morning and Damian released his debut set, Mr. Marley, both produced by Stephen Marley. Like his brothers, Julian has carved out a distinctive career initially characterized by his modern approach to roots reggae and now expanding his sonic palette to incorporate EDM strains as heard on Colors of Royal. Julian’s December 2024 set aboard the Welcome to Jamrock Reggae cruise incorporated the percussive, dancefloor grooves of "Jah Sees Them" alongside his modern roots staples including the herb friendly "Boom Draw," the anti-Babylon "Systems" and the nautically themed strugglers lament, "Broken Sail," all enhanced by his expressive vocals and agile, energetic dance moves, reminiscent of his father.
Julian has just one recollection of his dad: it was in 1980 backstage at a concert at London’s Crystal Palace Bowl, part of the final tour of The Gong’s career. Julian recalls going into his father’s dressing room seeing him wearing a jacket with the Rastafari/Ethiopian colors, as he shook hands with fans and well-wishers. "That’s my only memory, but it’s a memory that stays with you for life," he told Billboard in a 2019 interview.
As the Legacy tour wound its way through the Northeast, Julian Marley spoke to GRAMMY.com about his 2024 GRAMMY win, expanding his musical scope, working with his brothers and his father’s timeless messages.
This conversation has been edited for clarity.
Greetings Julian, how is the Legacy tour going?
It’s going great, man. The people are enjoying the music and the band is exceptional. The spirit is right and like they say, when you unite, everything is right. It’s a lot of traveling and t’ing, but that is part of the mission, you have to get to these corners of life by bus, by foot, by car, by bike, by plane, by whatever means.
The backing band was fantastic, who are they?
They are good brethren. We know each other for years, a combination of musicians from Steve, Ziggy and Damian’s bands. We also have the horn section that is different because we don’t usually use horns [in our bands].
You and your brothers are celebrating your father’s legacy on this tour, so his music dominates the set. How do you decide which of your father’s songs will be included and who will sing lead?
You have to ask Steve, him a the one who choose our father’s songs. He listens to everyone’s set — if he’s not at a concert I’ve been in Europe for the past two months before this tour, he might check on YouTube or Instagram — and say, "Oh, you’re singing that song (by our father) let me put that in the set." Then he’ll go check Zig and everyone else, come back and say "What do you think about this song?" We’ll say, "Yeah, we can do that one."
You and your brothers have distinctive musical personalities. How would you describe each of your brothers in musical terms?
Steve is the producer, Damian is the poet, dem say; Ziggy, him is like the high science, the higher heights of the music; Ky-mani is the rebel music. I and I within the priesthood music or the musician’s music, because in my music you can expect to hear strings and all kinds of instruments that you haven’t heard before.
Congratulations on your 2024 Best Reggae Album GRAMMY win. How did you and Alexx Antaeus meet and collaborate on Colors of Royal?
Alexx had a restaurant at Devon House, close to the Bob Marley Museum [in Kingston]. One day I went to Devon House, I met him, and he said, "Next time you’re here, come eat at my restaurant." A couple days later we went back, had some lunch and Alexx said he had a studio there; he asked me to sing over [the late Jamaican vocalist] John Holt’s "The Tide Is High." I am a John Holt fan, so I gave it my best shot. We then did two more songs and from that came Colors of Royal.
What was so special about Colors of Royal is that it happened during the pandemic; I was in Jamaica going through the ups and downs, wanting to express myself as a musician but nothing was happening. I went through some terrible things during that time. [Editor's note: Julian’s 11-year-old daughter, Caveri Samaara Marley, lost her battle with cancer in 2019, a devastating loss which he addressed in a heart-wrenching Instagram live.) I needed to go up on the mountaintop, get away from everything that was happening because it was all too much so whatever music was in my surroundings was getting my attention. So, it was a meditation of that time and going outside of the box, because nothing else was there.
Alexx Antaeus has an extensive background in dance/electronic music. Did you work with him on determining the album’s sonic direction?
Alexx had the idea that I should do something different. He had his body of music; we played some tracks and I said, "I like this one, put it in the bag. I don’t like this one," and so on. The music is what dictated the songs but if I didn’t love that type of music, I wouldn’t have made that type of music.
Extending the musical branch into a different genre and expressing it came about organically. Once you have a melody, a hook line, you might as well write the song, then it’s a good song, so let’s just record the song.
Are you currently working on a new album?
I have a body of music that is complete, but I have to meditate and give it a title. Basically, the album is ready so at any time we can tell the fans when it’s coming out.
It’s a different type of sound again, working with a bredren from the West Coast, Prince Amir. It’s not as EDM as Colors of Royal, it’s a bit more Afrobeat, dancehall, with a hip-hop vibe. It’s not traditional reggae, it’s expressing another part of me.
Jah say carry the message to the four corners of the earth and in each corner there’s a different type of culture and music; reggae is in one corner, you have people who don’t listen to reggae in another corner, and they need the message, too, so that’s why we branch out.
Since recording your first album Lion in the Morning, has your approach to music making changed?
Nah, it don’t change because what’s inside of you will still come out, making music through different changes in technology. We come from the first time using a tape machine, going through different types of instruments, different types of music, until we reach now. So we still know how to bring what is inside our heart, which has always been there, with this new wave of sounds.
From that era to this era, we have to find a way to bring them together because we still have the roots inside us and the music is evolving in different ways, so we take what we like and leave what we don’t like. Take the goods and throw away the trash. [Laughs.]
Your father passed away on May 11, 1981, yet his music continues to impact new audiences. What do you think it is within his music that people continue to embrace after all these years?
They are embracing what God say when He sent out His messenger to bring out this music. "Redemption Song" says "my hand was made strong by the strength of the Almighty/ we forward in this generation, triumphantly." If you listen to the music, you hear it in there. He’s gonna be "iron like a lion in Zion." Another way to answer that is to say that it’s been ordained by the Almighty. Because, yes, the music sounds good, but look how much music sounds good. Look how much things people say that sound positive and good.
So, what is it? God’s mission made it like that. The spirit of our father, being that his powerful music is almost like Psalms, like God’s messages, it’s like the Bible or other holy books that have been around for centuries; the messages in the Gong’s music can’t die.
What are some of the most meaningful lessons you have learned from your father’s music and his accomplishments?
To be true, to walk in pure love. I see my father not as a martyr, but like seeing Christ walk. He went out and he give, and he give, and he give until there is nothing more to give. That type of work is endless; that’s one of the reasons why he’s so powerful because it is a God-given mission. Basically, he gave himself to deliver this message at a time when it was unheard of; people were like, who is this Rasta man coming with this message?
It was very hard; people couldn’t get it and didn’t want it, but they couldn’t stop it. Because as sure as the sun will shine, music is needed.
More Reggae News
Rubén Blades
Photo: Ivan Gonzalez
news
"Now that I'm older, I realize that my songs had a deeper effect than what I imagined at the time," the GRAMMY-winning salsero muses.
Ernesto Lechner
|GRAMMYs/Jan 9, 2025 - 03:22 pm
Few Latin artists have been recognized and celebrated by the Recording Academy like Panamanian salsa legend Rubén Blades.
He was nominated for the first time in 1983 for Canciones del Solar de los Aburridos — a now classic collaboration with trombonist and producer Willie Colón. Between 1997 and 2018, Blades won seven GRAMMY Awards, emerging victorious every single time he was nominated. His Latin GRAMMY bounty is equally impressive, including a win last November for a live recording of his legendary 1978 album Siembra. He was also named the Latin Recording Academy’s Person Of The Year in 2021.
Blades will be forever remembered as the singer/songwriter who brought to Afro-Caribbean music the spirit of social justice and political awakening. After moving to New York in the early ‘70s, he got a job in the mailroom of Fania Records — the Motown of salsa — and convinced many of the label’s stars to record his compositions. It didn’t take much effort; his songs always stood out for their nostalgic melodies and vivid lyrical imagery.
It was his collaboration with Willie Colón — already established as a solo artist and partner in crime of glamorous sonero Héctor Lavoe — that launched Blades as singing star and ideological ambassador. Their second effort together, Siembra was a visionary manifesto of progressive salsa, and remained the genre’s best-selling LP for decades. It also spawned the timeless "Pedro Navaja" — a wondrous, seven minute-long epic seeped in funky grooves and vitriolic wit, complete with nods to Kurt Weill and Franz Kafka.
This was only the beginning. Blades broke ties with Fania, revamped his sound in the ‘80s (no brass; cool textures on vibes, synths and trap drums), and eventually mutated into the pan-Latin hybrid that he classified as mixtura, borrowing liberally from sophisticated pop, ethereal folk and world influences. He also became a reliable film and television actor, ran for the presidency of his native Panama (he came out third,) and later became the country’s minister of tourism.
Now living in New York, Blades spoke with GRAMMY.com about the upcoming retrospective of his work at Lincoln Center, his future albums — all three of them — and the impending release of his autobiography.
So, this interview is part of our Living Legends series...
I only qualify on one of the two adjectives. [Laughs.]
I’d like to start by mentioning the obvious: the amount of GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY wins and nominations that you amassed throughout the decades is unreal. What are your thoughts on this?
First, it is essential to acknowledge the quality of the people who accompanied me on these excursions, because I couldn’t have done it alone. The contribution of the arrangers, producers, and musicians in my band.
Second, the fact that I imagined that salsa fans would be interested in lyrics that ventured beyond the usual party vibes. My songs reflected the realities experienced by families and individuals, touching on political themes that didn’t appear on salsa radio stations at the time. I think it’s my lyrics that best survived the passing of time.
I also think that I started winning GRAMMYs only after Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri got a bit old. Before that, it was them who consistently won all the awards.
Let’s not forget that you brought to salsa a level of poetic and sociopolitical consciousness that simply didn’t exist before.
It’s the lyrics, but also the person singing them, and what kind of credibility he has. I went to college and got a degree in law; I was active in politics in Panama and was openly against dictatorships and the stupid behaviors of governments that are allegedly democratic. Throughout the years — and we’re talking 50 years — the consistency of my behavior has given people a reference point. If one of the Kardashians recorded "Pablo Pueblo," the impact wouldn’t be the same.
You were also painfully ahead of your time with the trilogy of pan-Latin albums that you released between 1996 and 2002 (La Rosa de los Vientos, Tiempos and Mundo.) I was one of the many who gave you grief publicly because you didn’t stick to a straight-ahead Afro-Caribbean sound.
Those problems started earlier. When I left Willie Colón's band in the early ‘80s and bypassed salsa’s traditional brass section in favor of vibes, synths and drums, genre purists felt betrayed. Buscando América (1984) was more successful with Anglo listeners in New York than with the salsa crowd [in NYC]. They thought it was pretentious, even though the entire record follows the clave [the basic rhythmic pattern on which all salsa music is anchored].
But I did survive those changes, and some of the misunderstood songs gained traction. Like "Amor y Control" [the title track of a genre defying 1992 album], which has become a mandatory part of my set list, wherever I go.
Going back to the GRAMMYS, was there a particular victory that felt especially gratifying?
I tend to remember defeats over victories, and I still lament that we didn’t win for Eba Say Ajá, the 2012 album with Cheo Feliciano. I really wanted Cheo to win a GRAMMY, and would gladly swap all my wins for that one. It was a beautiful record, and Cheo’s version of "Manuela" was almost better than mine. He added an extra chorus that sounded great.
When I was nominated in 1983, the night before the ceremony I prayed to God that I would lose so that [salsa pioneer] Machito could win his first GRAMMY. He did win, and I was overjoyed to lose that time. Winning for Escenas in 1987 didn’t feel like a validation — in essence, I don’t make records for the awards — but I felt it was wonderful recognition to the quality of the arrangements by the musicians in my band, people like Oscar Hernández, Mike Viñas and Ricardo Marrero.
My favorite Latin GRAMMY event is the Person Of The Year, which you won in 2021. Any special memories from that?
I was blown away by Christina Aguilera, who’s such a big name in mainstream pop, and performed "Camaleón" in the style of an Ecuadorian pasillo. It was excellent; such a delightful surprise. Also [Spanish singer/songwriter] Joaquín Sabina was having health issues, and still flew from far away to attend the ceremony. That was extraordinary. He’s such a special guy, on account of his personality, and the songs that he writes.
It was deeply moving to see so many fellow artists together. I’ll never forget Carlos Vives’ expression when we were singing with Juan Luis Guerra. Also, seeing my peers performing my songs — outside of their musical comfort zone for some — and doing it out of respect and recognition for my work. Usually, award ceremonies have a bit of a difficult connotation for me, because your happiness at winning relies on someone else losing. This particular event serves as a complete vindication of music, and the process of sharing it.
I remember interviewing you for the first time in 1995, and telling you that you are the Latin American equivalent of an Elton John or a Bruce Springsteen. You looked at me in disbelief. Have you come to terms with the place of honor you occupy in Latin culture?
Not really, but I understand the meaning, because people tell me these things more than ever before. I see so many people at my shows — some of them crying, most of them singing along. I’m very accessible, since I walk a lot and use public transportation, and people tell me about my music helping them through difficult times.
When I released Maestra Vida [in 1980], I received about 200 letters that were incredibly moving, some of them written with pencil on a piece of paper. I kept them for many years, and eventually threw them away, because I didn’t see the point in keeping them anymore — it was like someone saving newspaper clippings about himself. Now that I'm older, I realize that my songs had a deeper effect than what I imagined at the time. This doesn’t mean that I’m loved by everyone, because my political views are not popular with some. But even people who dislike me admit that I’m a good musician.
Are you working on a new album right now?
I have three albums in the making. The first one is a big band salsa record with devilish arrangements by Roberto Delgado and Luis Perico Ortiz. The other one is with Paraíso Road Gang — that’s my mixtura concept, a hybrid of styles.
And the third one?
I’m doing something completely different and subversive: going back to the ‘60s sound of Eddie Palmieri’s La Perfecta orchestra, but without the flute. Just two trombones, the ferocious propulsion that Palmieri had going with Barry Rogers and Jose Rodrigues. I wrote a very intense song called "La Cárcel" that will be part of this record.
Last night, I was thinking of a string quartet intro that would precede the salsa section. It’s a return to "Calle Luna, Calle Sol" [the Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe hit], and Palmieri’s "Café." I’m taking you back to that era, because it’s important for people to realize that the classic salsa sound will never die.
How did the retrospective of your work at Lincoln Center come about?
There are millions of Latinos in New York, and yet somehow we continue to remain invisible. The contribution of the Hispanic community has not been recognized as it should. In my case, there’s a 50 year-old career with GRAMMY Awards, a bunch of films, even the fact that I was Panama’s presidential candidate. None of this means you’ll be honored anyway — Machito didn’t get the recognition he deserved, and neither did Mario Bauzá, Ray Barretto, Eddie Palmieri, or even Willie Colón himself.
I’m very thankful, but also focusing on the precedent that’s being established. If one of ours is being honored today, then tomorrow it could be another artist — a man or a woman. I feel a lot of gratitude, being aware that there are more deserving people than me out there.
Are you done writing your autobiography? Is it going to be published soon?
It’s coming out in September. Gabriel García Márquez was the one who advised me to write my memoirs. "Just clarify everything," he told me. "Otherwise, other people will do it for you once you’re gone, and it will be too late." He got to write the first volume of his autobiography, and the second remained unfinished. But when you read it, you can see what everything was like at the beginning of his career — who helped him out and gave him food when he was starting out.
Was it difficult to condense such a prolific career into a single book?
At one point, the manuscript was 500 pages. I also didn’t want it to become some sort of hagiography. I tried to draw a coherent connection with the facets of my career, trying not to sound self-serving. It’s a wacky story: a salsero who graduated from Harvard and ran for president. What is this? Who is this guy? Who does he think he is? I’m going to put this book out and try to disappear for a year so no one can find me. Maybe I should hire a plastic surgeon and become like Emilia Pérez.
Latest News & Exclusive Videos
Oasis lead singer Liam Gallagher and brother Noal Gallagher in 1995
Photo: Dave Hogan/Getty Images
list
From hip-hop and reggae to R&B, pop and Britpop excellence, journey back 30 years and revisit 13 albums that still resonate.
David McPherson
|GRAMMYs/Jan 8, 2025 - 05:59 pm
Even four years before Napster started a digital music revolution, the midpoint of the 1990s left behind many music and tech touchstones.
E-retail giants Amazon and eBay — which would each find their way into the musical ecosystem over time — both launched in 1995, as did the first widely-used Web browser (Netscape). It is no surprise that World Wide Web was the co-word of the year. In 1995, Bill Clinton was in the middle of serving his second term as U.S. President and a Seattle alternative-rock band called the Presidents of the United States of America found their way onto the Billboard charts and even garnered a GRAMMY nomination for the silly, yet catchy song "Peaches."
Britpop peaked in 1995 with Oasis and Blur battling for the top spot on the charts (even releasing singles on the same day); fellow countrymen Pulp also released a record with staying power (Different Class). Joan Osborne asked us to ponder: "What If God Was One of Us?" and Alanis Morissette gave us a lesson in irony. Women rockers reigned with No Doubt, Garbage, PJ Harvey & Björk all releasing notable records. Montell Jordan hit the bigtime with an anthemic debut single "This is How We Do It"; and, unknowingly, Dave Grohl started the post-grunge movement.
From hip-hop to pop and reggae, to chart-topping debuts, R&B masterworks, and alt-country records that battled for supremacy, 1995 offered an eclectic mixed-tape. Not all the records written about here were the year’s best-selling (though several were); nor is this a definitive curation. These albums were picked based on their lasting pop-cultural impact and their influence on other artists. Read on to revisit — or to discover for the first time — a baker’s dozen of records celebrating 30 years in 2025.
The Roots - Do you Want More?!!!??!
Released on Jan. 17, Do you Want More?!!!??! set the bar for the year and, 30 years on, remains a touchstone of jazz-rap. The Roots' major-label debut set the Philly group apart from many of their contemporaries in the hip-hop genre in terms of lyricism, sound and use of live instrumentation.
Do you Want More?!!!??! was a showcase of the group's diverse talents and inventiveness. Drummer, co-founder and bandleader Questlove took the production reins on this experimental and unpredictable musical ride. The storytelling and character sketches in these rhymes — commenting on the life and times in Philly, circa the mid-1990s — are layered and require repeated listens to fully grasp the rich narratives filled with keen observations delivered by MC and Roots’ co-founder Black Thought (Tariq Trotter).
Jewel - Pieces of You
Alaskan singer/songwriter Jewel was just 19 years old when this debut dropped in February, and wrote many of these songs while busking. Some critics panned the record; others lauded the work for its "simple lyrics and catchy sweet melodies." Regardless, it was clear that the young woman was laying bare her soul.
Ben Keith, longtime band member and Neil Young collaborator, produced the record mostly at Young’s Broken Arrow Ranch in California, highlighting Jewel's tender voice with minimal production. Pieces of You is one of the best-selling debuts of all-time (having sold 12 million copies in the U.S. alone) driven by the singles: "Who Will Save Your Soul," and "You Were Meant for Me."
Jewel would go on to receive a Best New Artist nomination at the 39th GRAMMY Awards as well as a nod in the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Category for "Who Will Save Your Soul."
Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill
In this Billboard feature, the writer posits that 1995 was the decade’s best year for music largely because of the personal impact of the emotional juggernaut that was Jagged Little Pill. Isn’t it ironic that nearly every major record label passed on this record, yet it sold 10 million copies in its first year alone?
Watch: Revisit Alanis Morissette's 'Jagged Little Pill' | For The Record
Yet Maverick Records — the label co-founded by Madonna — saw something in these songs and signed the Canadian. Released on June 13, the angst-filled international debut was era-defining and struck a chord with the masses. Besides "Ironic," which Morissette co-wrote with producer Glen Ballard, the rest of the lyrics for the other hit singles like "You Oughta Know," "Hand in My Pocket," "Head Over Feet" and "You Learn," came directly from the songwriter’s diary.
Jagged LIttle Pill went to No.1 in 13 countries and with sales of more than 30 million, it remains one of the best-selling records of all-time. The record was nominated for nine GRAMMY Awards and won four, including Best Rock Album. At the time, the 21-year-old was the youngest artist to win Album Of The Year. At the same Ceremony, Morissette performed "You Oughta Know" for her GRAMMY stage debut.
When Jagged Little Pill celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2015, Morissette penned this essay, reflecting on the making of the record.
Foo Fighters - Foo Fighters
This self-titled record from Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl is considered the first release of the post-grunge era. Following the death of Kurt Cobain, Grohl turned to music in search of solace and as a means to deal with his heavy grief.
The resulting album is an unpolished gem marked by fuzzed-out guitars, punk-pop anthems and nonsensical lyrics — a passion project with a DIY approach. Grohl wrote and recorded the entire album in a week — playing all the instruments himself — but the artist did not want to release it under his name. Foo Fighters came from the drummer’s sci-fi fixation; the term, coined by U.S. Air Force pilots in World War II, refers to strange phenomena sighted in the sky.
Read more: Foo Fighters Essential Songs: 10 Tracks That Show The Band's Eternal Rock Spirit
What started as a cathartic exercise for the 25-year-old ended up being a commercial success. Foo Fighters debuted at No. 23 on the Billboard 200, sold more than 40,000 units in its first week and went on to notch more than 1.5 million in sales, according to the RIAA; it was also nominated for a GRAMMY in the Best Alternative Music Album category.
Radiohead - The Bends
This sophomore studio release from the British indie rockers arrived with high expectations. Following their debut Pablo Honey, which featured the global hit "Creep," the quintet entered the studio facing pressure to repeat this success from their label, EMI.
Lead singer Thom Yorke admitted that he felt anxious following the band's rapid trajectory — a feeling captured by the title ("the bends" has historically referred to decompression sickness). EMI gave Radiohead nine weeks to record the album, and initially planned for an October 1994 release.
Guided by producer John Leckie, the twenty-somethings took their time to get the record right. The result featured a trio of singles ("Fake Plastic Trees," "High and Dry," and "Just") and showcased the experimental and sonic explorations that have marked Radiohead’s musical journey since.
Oasis – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory
"C’mon, show your appreciation!" This oft-uttered phrase from Oasis co-founder Noel Gallagher during concerts — proclaiming these Brits were the best rock ‘n’ roll band on the planet — was warranted following the release of (What’s the Story) Morning Glory. The record was a huge commercial success, selling a record-breaking 345,000 copies in the first week alone (the second fastest selling record in British history next to Michael Jackson’s Bad). The band’s second studio effort entered the U.K. charts at No. 1 and became the rockers’ U.S. breakthrough, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard 200. (What’s the Story) Morning Glory eventually eclipsed 22 million in worldwide sales.
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(What’s the Story) Morning Glory was recorded in just 15 days, and more than half the songs penned in the studio. Released in October, just a few weeks following Blur’s chart-topping album The Great Escape, Oasis' contribution made 1995 a watershed moment in Britpop. Smash singles included: "Wonderwall," which spent 30 weeks on the U.S. charts, and "Champagne Supernova." The band will embark on a highly publicized and anticipated reunion in 2025, which begins in the U.K. in July — anyone lucky enough to get tickets will be sure to hear many of the earworms from this seminal record.
Elliott Smith - Elliott Smith
Clocking in at just 37 minutes, the dozen compositions captured on this self-titled record are some of Elliott Smith’s most intimate. They are confessionals that make you truly feel.
When released in July 1995, this eponymous album was drowned out by a dearth of alt-rock records; in retrospect, this lo-fi record and sonic masterpiece deserves a deep listen. Opening track "Needle in the Hay" is a haunting and beautiful song that evokes so many emotions: from loneliness, escapism and empathy to drug addiction. It was given a bump — and spread Smith’s name wider — when, in 2001, Wes Anderson included it in The Royal Tenenbaums.
All Smith needs to accompany his lonely lyrics are double tracked guitars and masterfully written chord progressions.
Read more: He's Gonna Make It All OK: An Oral History Of Elliott Smith's Darkly Beautiful Self-Titled Album
Like many artists who leave this world too soon, the tortured singer/songwriter’s legacy has grown since his death at age 33 in 2003 as more people discover this melancholic masterpiece.
Shakira - Pies Descalzos
Many North Americans are probably not aware, but Shakira released her debut (Magia!) in her native Colombia in 1991 when she was just 13 years old. While Pies Descalzos (bare feet) was actually her third release, the album became Shakira's international breakthrough.
Read more: Every Year Is The Year Of Shakira: 10 Songs That Prove She's Always Been A Superstar
Pies Descalzos opens with the power-pop danceable lead single "Estoy Aqui" (I'm here, a statement of arrival on the global stage if there ever was). And while the lyrics pine for a lost love, the phrase is apropos since Shakira is also announcing herself to the English-speaking world. Based on the strength of six singles that all charted, the album has now surpassed sales of 580,000 stateside — making it one of the Top 25 best-selling Latin Albums ever in the United States. And, showing its resonance with new generations, in July, 2024, the record eclipsed 1 billion streams on Spotify. The 18-year-old had arrived and was here to stay.
Son Volt - Trace
Following the breakup of alt-country darlings Uncle Tupelo (who defined the genre), the band’s principal songwriters went their separate ways to form a pair of new bands with equal success: Jeff Tweedy created Wilco (releasing its debut A.M. earlier in 1995); Jay Farrar created Son Volt. Farrar released his debut on Sept. 19 via Warner Bros. Records, but it barely cracked the Billboard 200.
Yet Trace was a ubiquitous choice on critic’s year-end best-of lists, and for good reason. Trace is packed with moody melodies and long-lingering lyrics such as "I want to see your smile through a payphone," from "Live Free." Fromc country-rock barnburners like the opener "Windfall," "Route" and "Drown," to weepy ballads like "Tear Stained Eye," this record just keeps getting better as the years roll on.
Shaggy - Boombastic
The third studio release from the GRAMMY- winning Jamaican reggae star Shaggy arrived in mid July, a perfect soundtrack for lazy summer days and wicked nights. The record included five singles with the most popular being the title track. "Boombastic" was a No. 1 hit globally, thanks partly from its appearance in a Levi’s ad — topping the charts in Australia, El Salvador, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden and the U.K.
Defined, "boombastic" refers to a person that is pretentious with an inflated ego and while acts with overblown confidence are not given much attention. This song alone made sure people paid attention to Shaggy’s music. To wit, the artist earned his first golden gramophone for Best Reggae Album at the 38th GRAMMY Awards.
Emmylou Harris - Wrecking Ball
At 48 years old, Emmylou Harris had already released 16 solo albums and was a bonafide mentor and inspiration to artists like Gillian Welch and the Chicks. For Wrecking Ball, GRAMMY-winning producer Daniel Lanois opted for a new approach, capturing the beauty of Harris’ angelic voice and replacing her usual twang with a broader palette of musical colors.
In an essay in the liner notes to celebrate the record’s 20th anniversary, Welch beautifully captures the album’s legacy: "Perhaps there are hungers that only Art and Nature and Spirit can fill. On the day that Wrecking Ball came out we all had a feast."
This feast opens with a cover of Lanois’ "Where Will I Be" with the sonic genius providing whispered harmony throughout the chorus. The title track is a wispy and colorful cover of a Neil Young song that appeared on 1989s Freedom; here, Young harmonizes and U2's Larry Mullen Jr. provides the backbeat. Harris reinterpreted a bevy of songs with aplomb and several originators appear on the album, amongst them: Welch ("Orphan Girl"), Lucinda Williams ("Sweet Old World") and Steve Earle ("Goodbye").
These lush soundscapes and meticulously-crafted arrangements translated into a critical success. The record won a GRAMMY in the Best Contemporary Folk Album Category and was lauded by the music press.
D’Angelo - Brown Sugar
1995 also saw the debut studio effort from R&B icon D’Angelo, whose Brown Sugar is a delectable R&B treat that gets better the more it is savored. The record sold well right out of the gate and sparked the neo-soul movement in the mainstream. "What made Brown Sugar so unconventional was that D’Angelo combined Southern church music on top of jazzy hip-hop," Gary Harris, the former EMI Records A&R man who signed D’Angelo, told Wax Poetics.
Most of the compositions that ended up on Brown Sugar were originally written and recorded over a two-year period at D'Angelo's mother’s house. By the time he entered various New York recording studios in 1994 and early 1995, D’Angelo was confident in his art. Inspired by Prince, he handled significant production duties and also played the bulk of the instruments.
Brown Sugar spent 65 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart and received multiple nominations at the 38th GRAMMY Awards, including a pair for the title track and a Best R&B Album nod.
Just listen to D’Angelo’s gospel and soul-infused voice, crooning about love, and try not to feel something.
Coolio - Gangsta’s Paradise
The West Coast American rapper’s second studio album is the one that hit the hardest thanks, in part, to the title track. "Gangsta's Paradise" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single, featuring lead vocals of L.V., also won a GRAMMY the following year for Best Rap Solo Performance.
Almost overnight, thanks to the boost from the accompanying MTV video, Coolio became a global star. "Gangsta’s Paradise" was included in the movie Dangerous Minds and Weird Al Yankovic later penned the hilarious parody: "Amish Paradise." Speaking to GRAMMY.com, Coolio recalled "My first thought when I listened back to the demo of ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ was ‘Man, the hood’s gonna love this s—.... I was so excited about sharing it with everybody."
Read more: Rewind: Coolio Calls For A United "Hip-Hop Nation" After "Gangsta's Paradise" Wins In 1996
The rest of the record saw the hip-hop preacher offer lyrics that reflect the trials and tribulations of street life in Compton and tell honest truths of this Los Angeles urban landscape. This music with a hopeful message of resilience resonated far beyond the rapper’s community then and still hits just as hard in 2025.
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The GRAMMY U Mixtape is a monthly, genre-spanning playlist to quench your thirst for new tunes, all from our talented members. This month, immerse yourself in a mix of upbeat melodies and rhythms that celebrate new horizons.
Shaneel Young
|GRAMMYs/Jan 8, 2025 - 04:53 pm
Did you know that among all GRAMMY U members, songwriting and performance are some of the most sought-after fields of study? This playlist dedicates a space to hear what these members are creating today!
The GRAMMY U Mixtape, now available for your listening pleasure, highlights the creations and fresh ideas that members are bringing to this industry directly on the Recording Academy's Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music pages. Our goal is to celebrate GRAMMY U members, as well as the time and effort they put into making original music — from the songwriting process to the final production of the track.
Each month, we accept submissions and feature 15 to 25 songs that match each month’s theme.This month’s playlist encourages you to embrace the energy of the new year with soulful melodies and smooth rhythms. Perfect for fresh starts and moments of reflection, the GRAMMY U Mixtape is a space for growth and calm, inspiring you to step into the future with clarity and purpose. So, what’s stopping you? Press play on GRAMMY U's Mixtape and listen now on Spotify and Amazon Music.
Want to be featured on the next playlist? Submit your songs today! We are currently accepting submissions for songs of all genres for consideration for our February playlist. Whether you write pop, rock, hip-hop, jazz, or classical, we want to hear from you. Music must be written and/or produced by the member (an original song) and you must be able to submit a Spotify, Apple Music and/or Amazon Music link to the song. Artists must be a GRAMMY U member to submit.
About GRAMMY U:
GRAMMY U is a program that connects aspiring professionals and creatives ages 18-29 with the music industry's brightest and most talented minds. We provide a community for emerging professionals and creatives in addition to various opportunities and tools necessary to start a career in music. Throughout the program year, events and initiatives touch on all facets of the industry, including business, technology, and the creative process.
As part of the Recording Academy's mission to ensure the recorded arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, GRAMMY U establishes the necessary foundation for music’s next generation to flourish.
Not a member, but want to submit to our playlist? Apply for GRAMMY U Membership here.
Former GRAMMY U Reps Heather Howard, Sophie Griffiths and Samantha Kopec contributed to this article.