The New York Times - Louder: The Beach Boys’ Reinvention

The Playlist

Abba Previews First Album in 40 Years, and 11 More New Songs

Hear tracks by Charli XCX, Bobby Shmurda, Japanese Breakfast and others.

By Jon Pareles, Jon Caramanica, Isabelia Herrera and Giovanni Russonello

Lorde Steals Her Sunshine Back

How successful is a sunny new phase of her career, and what does it mean to choose to move away from the expectations of superstardom?

Little Simz’s Big Moment

The British rapper’s laser focus has been trained on fame since she was a child. Now, she’s ready to take it to the next level.

By Emma Madden

Leslie Winer’s Music Was a Mystery in 1990. She Still Likes It That Way.

Fans of her early trip-hop-like songs included John Peel and Boy George. A new compilation puts her innovations in a fresh context.

By Andy Beta

The Charts

Aaliyah’s ‘One in a Million’ Finally Cracks the Billboard Top 10

Music from the R&B singer, who died in 2001, started to arrive on streaming services, helping her 1996 album, “One in a Million,” reach No. 10 for the first time.

By Ben Sisario

In R. Kelly Trial, the Verdict May Hinge on a Circle of Enablers

Accusations of sexual misconduct have long followed the R&B star. But central to the charges against Mr. Kelly are the people who prosecutors say made a pattern of abuse possible.

By Troy Closson

Minister Who Married R. Kelly and Aaliyah Describes Illegal Wedding

The 1994 ceremony in a hotel room lasted 10 minutes, the minister, speaking publicly for the first time, said during Mr. Kelly’s trial on Wednesday.

By Troy Closson

R. Kelly Got Angry if Women Broke His Rules, Ex-Assistant Says

Five accusers — four women and one man — have now testified that the singer had sexual contact with them when they were underage, including a woman who described being raped.

By Troy Closson

R. Kelly’s First Male Accuser Says the Singer Promised Fame for Sex

On the eighth day of Mr. Kelly’s trial, a man and woman both testified that they were underage when they met the singer; the woman, now 44, described being raped.

By Troy Closson

Can Afghanistan’s Leading Broadcaster Survive the Taliban?

Tolo came to prominence with hard-hitting news, raucous reality shows and lurid Turkish soap operas. Now there are ominous signs that a violent media clampdown is underway.

By Dan Bilefsky

Mikis Theodorakis, ‘Zorba’ Composer and Marxist Rebel, Dies at 96

Known for his film music, he also waged a war of words and music against a military junta that banned his work and imprisoned him during its rule of Greece.

By Robert D. McFadden

Those We’ve Lost

Kenny Malone, Premier Drummer for Top Nashville Names, Dies at 83

He propelled hits by stars in country, folk and pop, including Dolly Parton, Crystal Gayle, Ray Charles, Waylon Jennings, Kenny Rogers and Béla Fleck.

By Bill Friskics-Warren

When Charlie Watts Finally Made It to New York City

While his bandmates hit the Apollo, the reserved, jazz-loving drummer for the Stones could be found at Birdland.

By Michiko Kakutani

‘Happier Than Ever’ Review: Modern Pop Meets Classic Hollywood

In the Disney+ concert film “Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles,” the pop star Billie Eilish pays tribute to the star-struck hauntedness of that city.

By Teo Bugbee

‘Cinderella’ Review: A Girlboss in Glass Slippers

Camila Cabello stars in this musical reimagining of the fairy tale, which centers on an orphaned maiden who yearns not for true love but for corporate success as a dressmaker.

By Natalia Winkelman