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Craig Jenkins

Music Critic
See all their articles from across New York Magazine
@CraigSJ
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Craig Jenkins is a critic who writes about music and television and comedy and video games. He was a 2021 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Criticism.

  1. Nicki Minaj Clears the Air on ‘Barbie Tingz’ and ‘Chun Li’And both tracks are certified bangers.
  2. Drake Has Trained His Sights on Wokeness“Nice for What” is an exceptional act of image reform.
  3. Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy Cements Her Star StatusIt’s a collection of airtight strip-club bangers and heavier emotional numbers.
  4. The Weeknd’s My Dear Melancholy Is a Jarring Breakup AlbumAbel Tesfaye has returned, slightly, to the guts and grit that built him.
  5. Kacey Musgraves’s Golden Hour Is 2018’s Country Album to BeatHer third album makes any objections about her style and image now seem embarrassing.
  6. Jack White and Julian Casablancas Show Their Age on New AlbumsJack White sounds tired of being Jack White, while Julian Casablancas is still sorting out the many things he can be.
  7. Snoop Dogg’s New Gospel Album, Bible of Love, Is Surprisingly GreatIt’s a warm, wise survey of gospel music’s past, present, and possible future that works better than it should.
  8. How Do We Talk About Cultural Appropriation Between People of Color?Is the issue so black and white?
  9. Logic’s Bobby Tarantino II Forgets What’s Great About LogicThe newly self-conscious rapper’s latest mixtape finds him forcing himself out of his wheelhouse, with uneven results.
  10. spring preview
    Spring Music Preview: Cardi B, Jack White, and More Albums We Can’t Wait to HearThe soundtrack for the warmer months is already stacked.
  11. On Lil Boat 2, Lil Yachty Trades Joy for New Rap SkillsBut it brings Yachty’s focus back to his strengths in the process.
  12. Titus Andronicus’s A Productive Cough Works Best When It Stops Trying So HardYou don’t have to speak to the troubles of the whole country to be profound.
  13. A New Breeders Album Is Just One Sign of a ’90s Alt-Rock ResurgenceThe tart, crunchy sound is being revisited by artists both young and old.
  14. SOB x RBE’s Music Is Brilliantly Crass and NoisyTheir words come out faster than the meter ought to allow.
  15. The Days of Kitchen-Sink Rap Albums Are DoneMaybe just being true to yourself will draw an audience.
  16. How Belle and Sebastian Loosened Up and Created Some of Their Best Work in Years“You’re stripping away a layer between yourself and the listener, which is groovy.”
  17. Kendrick Lamar’s Black Panther: The Album Is More Than Just a Tasteful Tie-inThe best Kendrick collaborations are the ones with someone wild and weird enough loosen him up.
  18. Dashboard Confessional and Brian Fallon Find New Life in Old SoundsThe new songs are a subtle push into the present for bands that seem branded by their past.
  19. Justin Timberlake Sounds Bored on Man of the WoodsThere’s no disguising that this is a body of songs about gleeful adulting on a Montana resort.
  20. album review
    Migos’ Culture II Isn’t an Album, It’s a Data DumpNearly every song overstays its welcome.
  21. obits
    Remembering the Cranberries’ Dolores O’RiordanShe gave insecurity and uncertainty a powerful voice.
  22. Performing at Center Stage Was Always Camila Cabello’s DestinyThe singer’s true character is revealed in its crestfallen deep cuts.
  23. Ephorize Is CupcakKe’s Major BreakthroughThe songs about sex are going to be the draw, but it’s the rapper’s mix of kooky images and no-nonsense delivery fueling the whole enterprise.
  24. Justin Timberlake’s ‘Filthy’ Isn’t Especially FilthyIt sounds like he tried to bring “SexyBack” back.
  25. most anticipated of 2018
    32 Albums We’re Excited About in 2018Cardi B! Beyoncé! Kanye?!
  26. On Revival, Eminem Tries Everything, But It Doesn’t Always WorkIt’s like he’s second-guessing his place in the rap game.
  27. G-Eazy Is Still Not a Compelling HitmakerThe Beautiful and Damned mostly just careens through long nights and regrets it in the heavy mornings after.
  28. From Good Art to Shameless Cash Grab, Everyone Is Still Making Christmas MusicFrom Gwen Stefani to, uh, Kaskade, here’s a look at 2017’s weird year of Christmas music.
  29. The Sound of Modern Pop Peaked This Year — and Now It Needs to ChangeIn an effort to be everything to everybody, big singles are marching toward “pop centrism.”
  30. Miguel’s War & Leisure Lets the Craft do the TalkingOn his latest album, Miguel uses pop structures to write inventive songs with impressive range.
  31. The 10 Best Albums of 2017Craig Jenkins chooses his favorite albums of the year.
  32. 2018 Grammy Nominations: The Snubs and SurprisesDonald Glover’s latest album as Childish Gambino came up bigger than anyone saw coming.
  33. The Many Deadly Layers of Björk’s UtopiaIt’s deadly serious, but every message is delivered with a patient and delicate touch.
  34. Taylor Swift’s Reputation Fixates on Big Enemies and Budding RomanceShe’s fighting for respect while trying to let her guard down, learning to trust again while working through feelings of betrayal.
  35. Interview: Damon Albarn Is Unfortunately Really Good at Predicting the FutureHis work with Gorillaz and Blur keeps telling us where we’re going as a society, even when where we’re going really sucks.
  36. There’s a Decent Album Hidden in Chris Brown’s Bloated Heartbreak on a Full MoonWhen Chris Brown stops fixating on sex in hallways, drunken hookups, and girls who mix cocaine and painkillers, the album’s value comes into focus.
  37. The Best Albums of 2017 (So Far)Kendrick Lamar, Slowdive, Future, and more.
  38. Sam Smith, Kelly Clarkson, and the Power of Vocal-Driven PopIt’s intriguing to watch two of the era’s finest pop vocalists standing on the power of raw talent and emotion.
  39. Exploring Darius Rucker’s Impact on Modern Country MusicAfter selling millions of records as front man of Hootie and the Blowfish, Darius Rucker found success in the mostly white world of country music.
  40. Lana Del Rey’s Live Show Is at a CrossroadsIs it camp? Is it dead serious? Her fans are ready for it either way.
  41. Niall Horan, the Heart of One Direction, Treads Water on FlickerThe heart of One Direction skews toward easy listening, but not in a good way.
  42. Beck’s Colors Has a Few Good Ideas and Some Bad Ones TooSometimes it sounds like someone trying to crack the mathematical formula of a lazy Saturday afternoon.
  43. St. Vincent Pushes Her Sound In New Directions on the Wry MasseductionMasseduction is a risky record, but St. Vincent pulls it off.
  44. Bruce Springsteen’s Broadway Show, ReviewedBruce Springsteen’s Broadway show is unlike anything he’s ever done before, but it still feels true to who he is.
  45. What Do We Want From Punk Music in a Donald Trump World?Three new releases from punk (and punk-adjacent) bands highlight the multifaceted ways bands are approaching the state of America today.
  46. Shania Twain’s Now Is an Audacious Comeback AlbumAfter years out of the spotlight, the pop-country singer returns to a markedly different musical landscape.
  47. On Younger Now, Miley Cyrus Grows Up and Settles Down, But Did She Need To?After making sketchy psych-trap records, Miley Cyrus reins things in.
  48. Wonderful Wonderful Is a Strong Killers Album, But It’s Not a ComebackThe most illuminating songs are the ones that deal with Brandon Flowers’s real-life worries.
  49. Macklemore’s Latest Effort Falls Flat Without Ryan LewisThis is paint-by-numbers pop-rap.
  50. Red Hot Chili Peppers Are Classic Rock NowThe band that used to be crass and weird is now part of the next wave of classic rock — but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
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