Jennifer Lopez, “This is Me… Now.” It’s been a full decade since singer, actress and general superstar Jennifer Lopez last released an album. Her new one, This Is Me… Now, connects two loops: 2002 third album This is Me… Then, and her romance with now-husband Ben Affleck. Her ninth album,…

Luke Bryan performs at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Calif. on July 22, 2023. Chloe Catajan/STAFF. MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Amid banjo solos, bobbing cowboy hats and beer cans raised aloft, country superstar and “American Idol” judge Luke Bryan had his crowd at Shoreline Amphitheatre kicking the dust up…

Jordy, courtesy. As summer keeps sizzling away, pop vocalist Jordy brings a high-energy look at trying to make it in this crazy world, while duo Lean Year pulls at our heartstrings and rock group Creature Canyon says goodbye to a sour relationship through powerhouse rhythms. We round out the…

Maverick City Music and Kirk Franklin, courtesy. A shimmering soundscape by Oakland’s Hazel English, inspiring gospel numbers by Kirk Franklin and Jimetta Rose and the Voices of Creation, a heartstrings-puller by Ingrid Andress, head bopper by Starcrawler and Latin rhythms of Jame Minogue are our favorite tracks of the…

Chad Lawson, courtesy. This week, bluesy nostalgia from Seth Walker complements calming inspiration from Chad Lawson and Maddie Poppe’s upbeat Americana. The throwback R&B of Bryan Carter, twangy lilt of Coffey Anderson and the return of alt-rock duo The Big Pink after 10 years away rounds out the list.…

Alec Benjamin, courtesy Matty Vogel. More than two years ago, singer-songwriter Alec Benjamin watched the world swirl in disarray through his television as the pandemic unfolded, which would not only lead to the cancelation of about 150 tour dates, but also leave the now 27-year-old to face and overcome…

Matt Jaffe, courtesy. Singer-songwriter Matt Jaffe is looking forward to getting back to “normal,” as he prepares for a fall tour opening for renowned San Francisco alt-country singer-guitarist Chuck Prophet.  Matt Jaffe 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 18 Dock of the Bay Music Festival in Vallejo Tickets: $75-$150. And throughout the…

Nearly two decades into his music career, singer-songwriter Joshua Radin is back with his ninth studio album, The Ghost and the Wall, which once again showcases the pairing of his distinct vocals and folky guitar patterns. This time, the singer best known for “I’d Rather Be With You”  takes…

Clockwise from top left: Sleep Waker, Heartless Bastards, Gang of Youths, Dessa, Ida Mae, Diana DeMuth and Skott. Whether you’re in the mood for a summer love pop-anthem from Dessa, an upbeat jazz-rock bop from Heartless Bastards that makes you rethink the state of the world, or even a…

Three years after CRAZYTALK, singer-songwriter and producer Mat Kearney brings on a summertime road-trip vibe with January Flower, his sixth studio album. Even though the full version of January Flower features dance-house moments, the Oregon native, now in Nashville, revisits the more acoustic musical roots he established on his 2006 debut single…