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Our Favorite R&B-esque Records of 2025
Tolerance — Kent Jamz When I’m With You — PARTY IN MY LIVING ROOM RUNNIN ON E — Ka! True, 22Diegs Jamaica Pt. 2 — Bino Rideaux Tides — Jay Worthy, Aaradhna Worth It — Sakura Don’t Fail Me — Helen Hailu Pool Side — Fiend You Got Me — Peter $un Back Up Off Of Me — The Cool Kids Moonlight — Lizzie Berchie Jealousy — Jordan Ward, Joony JUST A DREAM — Isaiah Falls, Alex Isley Head Over Heels — Jenevieve
Dec 31


Our Favorite (Mostly Indie) Projects of 2025
There’s always a lot of music coming out. At this point, there are over 100,000 uploads to Spotify every day, with at least 30 percent of that being hip hop or R&B. Music has continued to come out at a high clip, but something felt different this year. It feels clear that there has been a shift. Originality is starting to feel cool again. Finding new artists through human curation instead of DSP algorithms is becoming exciting again. As we come to the close of 2025 and our o
Dec 31, 2025


Readers Voted With Their Clicks: Our Most Read Music Stories of 2025
As the year winds down, we're spotlighting the moments in music this year that got our digital magazine readers locked in. From indie wins and scene shifting pod recaps to New Wave favorites and business model shakeups, these are the top 10 most read stories on The Wave in 2025. Ranked from 10 to 1, each post tapped into something deeper, a sound, a hustle, a voice, or a vision. Some of you won’t recognize too many of the artists listed here, and that’s also the point of Sou
Dec 26, 2025


SoundsLikeWater Presents: "Summer Waves" (Our Favorites)
Summer always brings a certain rhythm. The long days, warm nights and backyard get togethers need the right soundtrack, and this season...
Sep 25, 2025


Keeping It Real: Where We Stand on AI in Music
At our platform, we believe in embracing the possibilities that AI brings to the music industry—while staying rooted in the authenticity...
Jun 26, 2025


(Op-Ed) Creative Vision or Cultural Negligence?
I was scrolling through Instagram when I saw them—a clean pair of Nikes in red, green, and gold. My first reaction was excitement....
May 30, 2025


Op-Ed: Visibility Isn’t Credibility: DJ Akademiks and the Journalistic Line in Hip-Hop
The first time I heard DJ Akademiks crown himself the “number one hip-hop journalist,” I laughed. Not a quiet laugh either—a real one....
Apr 2, 2025


The Mixtape Era Ain’t Over: Dom Kennedy’s Timeless Run Revisited
Dom Kennedy is back outside. After more than five years away from the road, the Leimert Park rapper is launching his "Class of '95" tour...
Mar 24, 2025


Editorial: Why Suno’s CEO Doesn’t Get Musicians—And Why That Matters
When I first heard Suno CEO Mikey Shulman’s comments about music-making not being enjoyable, my first thought was: this guy has never...
Feb 12, 2025


Editorial: Another Way to Create Something Unique is Look Globally
In today’s music world, it’s easy to feel like the internet has already broken every barrier for artists. You’ve got platforms like...
Jan 17, 2025


19Keys: A Visionary Voice for Our Time
Backstage at the Majestic Theatre in Dallas, the energy was electric. The hum of equipment being packed up filled the dressing room as a...
Dec 21, 2024


Op-Ed: Kendrick Lamar’s Subtle Argument for the Greatest of All Time on GNX
In a genre where confidence and bravado are almost prerequisites, Kendrick Lamar has always operated differently. His humility and...
Dec 18, 2024


Op-Ed: High Volume vs. High Impact: A Fan’s Perspective on Hip-Hop’s Release Strategies
Hip-hop has always been a culture of evolution. While the streaming era has amplified certain trends, the creative divide between...
Dec 18, 2024


Examining Female Hip Hop Fans: Are They Real Fans or Just Persona Followers?
On the Apple Music Hip Hop podcast, Ebro Darden spoke about an interaction he had with a female rap artist who made a very aware...
Nov 5, 2024
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