UnitedMasters

BigXthaPlug proves real hits don’t expire. They live forever and everywhere. His music is landing major syncs from national campaigns to global tours showing how the right song always finds the right moment. Our sync expert Kayla Steen breaks it down and gives us the real every time.

The tea, the talent, and the top 3. ☕️🎶 We caught up with @TherealCANDIACE to talk artist advice and her top 3 R&B tracks. When you’re a star, even a quick Q&A is a performance!

We hit the streets again, and look who we ran into DJ Ruby Lee taps in with us to talk Jersey club, Caribbean energy, and why open-format ALWAYS wins. Looks like somebody’s definitely Tuned In. Are you Tuned In? Did she just put you on? Let us know in the comments!

Before the sold-out shows and global bookings, John Summit was working 80 hours a week as an accountant. The job was prestigious and secure, but his creative urges kept pulling him toward music. 🎥: @Forbes

For young artists on the rise, social media can open doors fast. Everyone knows how powerful these platforms can be. But Vashtie Kola explains how scrolling moves quickly, and viral moments often don’t last with all the saturation. The art that does last, though, exists beyond the screen. By creating something tangible and unbound to social media, you’re building longevity and real-world presence. 🎥: @HYPEBEAST

You might think that after finishing wildly successful projects, it’d be all smiles for @ludwiggoransson. After all, he’s created some of the most stunning film scores of our time, from Sinners to Black Panther to Oppenheimer. Projects that big, however, can take a real toll. To keep from burning out, Göransson explains how he intentionally steps away to relax and reset after each one. Remember: caring for the work also means caring for yourself. Your longevity depends on it.

Ending the year with a star. 🌟 We got an exclusive look at @TherealCANDIACE ‘Home For The Holidays’ live concert special with @amazon From the vocals to the visuals, she’s proving why she’s the one to watch heading into 2026.

James Blake explains why the songs artists love the most never make it out of the studio. In a conversation with Lil Yachty and Zane Lowe, Blake tells us how the current state of music has become a place where artists only drop what they think they should, instead of what they actually want to. When success depends on algorithms, artists are forced into narrow categories. In the process, both artists and listeners can lose out. 🎥: @AppleMusic

MJ Lenderman went viral last year for highly acclaimed hits like “She’s Leaving You”, but he’s not writing to feed the version of himself the internet expects. His songs resonate because they’re grounded in who he actually is, and he continues to create in his signature style: deceptively simple songwriting, which upon closer look, has tons of emotional and conceptual depth. 🎥: @WorldCafe

Well deserved ❤️

Even when you think you have a project fully figured out, the process has a way of revealing something deeper along the way. While creating “Virgin”, Lorde didn’t feel like she had to enter the studio with everything mapped out.

Lancey Foux believes in the law of attraction. But in order for that to work, you need to ask yourself what exactly you’re trying to attract, and why it matters. Sounds pretty self-explanatory, but it’s easy for artists to get caught up in the act of creating without having a clear trajectory in sight. 🎥: @montreality

Lady Gaga sits down with Rolling Stone to explain a simple writing exercise that helped her write some of her best songs: imagining a superstar singing her work. If it’s not good enough for them, then it shouldn’t be good enough for you either. By holding her work to a higher standard, one that goes beyond herself, she’s able to sharpen the quality of her work. And while she’s a superstar herself now, this mindset still guides her creative process. 🎥: @RollingStone