What Does Blue Mean to You?: The Top Songs of 2025

I’m baffled by the spiteful allegations of cynics regarding malevolent algorithms. I intentionally select everything I hear on streaming services. The playlist of my fifty favorite songs of the year is the result of deliberate exploration. Mainstream country, spiritual jazz, regional Mexican music, party anthems, alternative gospel and political screeds are unruffled bedfellows on my bespoke sound system. I’ve ordered the tracks to attain a semblance of continuity, but I tend to love the songs at the top a bit more than the selections near the end. Salvant’s indispensable Toni Morrison-inspired composition, however, is in first place for a reason. As always, none of the lead artists featured here appear on the ranking of my favorite albums of 2025.

1. Cécile McLorin Salvant- “What does blue mean to you?”

2. Sault- “L.U.”

3. BadBadNotGood featuring V.C.R- “Found a Light (Beale Street)”

4. Nathy Peluso featuring Rawayana- “Malportada”

5. Carin León, Diego El Cigala and Chanela Clicka- “Te Quiero Y Me Miento”

6. Charlie Hunter and Ella Feingold- “Shirley Chisholm”

7. Gabriel Jacoby- “Be Careful”

8. Okonski- “October”

9. Damon Locks- “Holding the Dawn in Place (Beyond, Pt. 2)”

10. SML- “Chicago Four”

11. DJ Koze- “Aruna”

12. Emma-Jean Thackray- “Thank You For the Day”

13. Sherelle- “Don’t Want U”

14. Danny Brown featuring Quadeca- “Book of Daniel”

15. Horsegirl- “Where’d You Go?”

16. Kali Uchis- “Sugar! Honey! Love!”

17. Saya Gray- “...Thus Is Why (I Don’t Spring 4 Love)”

18. Alfa Mist- “Avoid the Drones”

19. Larry June, 2 Chainz and the Alchemist- “Bad Choices”

20. MC Yallah- “Tunyedde”

21. PremRock featuring Cavalier and Eludid-  "A Good Man Is Hard to Find"

22. Speed- “Peace”

23. Charli xcx featuring John Cale- “House”

24. Lorde- “What Was That”

25. Mackenzie Carpenter featuring Midland- “I Wish You Would”

26. Morgan Wallen- “I’m the Problem”

27. Evan Bartels- “Montana”

28. Jordan Davis- “Bar None”

29. Lorna Kay- “I’m Never Drinking Again (Again)”

30. Black Country, New Road- “Happy Birthday”

31. Marshall Allen featuring Neneh Cherry- “New Dawn”

32. Lonnie Holley- "That's Not Art, That's Not Music"

33. Chance the Rapper featuring Jamila Woods- “No More Old Men”

34. Key Glock- “Watch Da Throne”

35. TheBabeGabe featuring Monogram- “1999”

36. Burna Boy- “Sweet Love”

37. Little Simz- “Free”

38. Gabito Ballesteros and Fuerza Regida- “Chrome Hearts”

39. Mekons- “Before the Ice Age”

40. СОЮЗ featuring Tim Bernardes- “Lingua Do Mundo”

41. Lil Wayne- “Welcome to Tha Carter

42. Mobb Deep- "Against the World"

43. Viagra Boys- “You N33d Me”

44. Sam Gendel and James McAlister- “Stair 1”

45. Brandee Younger- “Gadabout Season”

46. Bon Iver featuring Dijon and Flock of Dimes- “Day One”

47. Margo Price and Tyler Childers- “Love Me Like You Used Do”

48. Lana Del Rey- “Henry, come on”

49. Colter Wall- “Memories and Empties”

50. Bonnie “Prince” Billy- “Turned To Dust (Rolling On)”

See also: The Top Performances of 2025, The Top Albums of 2025, The Top EPs of 2025, The Top Reissues and Reimaginings of 2025

and

The Top Albums, EPs and Reissues of 2024, The Top Songs of 2024, The Top Performances of 2024

The Top Performances of 2025

Original image of Jake Heggie at Grant Recital Hall by There Stands the Glass.

I attended 154 concerts at 72 venues on 140 days during the first eleven months of 2025. Club-hopping accounts for the discrepancy. I didn’t attend any major festivals. The most expensive ticket I purchased cost $65. My total outlay for tickets, cover charges and tips for musicians was more than $2,500. A significant change in my personal life as well as the likelihood of my health insurance premiums tripling next year could mean that 2025 was my last hurrah as an avid concertgoer. If that proves to be the case, the fifty performances listed here are all the more meaningful.

1. Brad Mehldau and Christian McBride at Muriel Kauffman Theatre
My review.

2. Callie Day and Isaac Cates at Grant Recital Hall
My Instagram clip.

3. Wayne Hancock and IV at Live at the Divide (Bozeman)
My Instagram clips are here and here.

4. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet at the Folly Theater
My Instagram snapshot.

5. Speed, Whispers, Spine and Stakes Is High at the Ship
My Instagram clips are here and here.

6. Swamp Dogg at the Lawrence Arts Center
My review.

7. 10cc at Ranch Mart Shopping Center
My review.

8. Terence Blanchard with the E-Collective and Turtle Island String Quartet at Muriel Kauffman Theatre
My review.

9. OHMA at the 1905 (Portland)
My review.

10. Branford Marsalis Quartet at the Folly Theater
My review.

11. Jake Heggie’s master class at Grant Recital Hall
My review.

12. Angela Hewitt at the Folly Theater
My Instagram snapshot.

13. Traxman and Xanna at miniBar
My review.

14. Horsegirl, Sweeping Promises and Godcaster at the Bottleneck
My review.

15. Samara Joy at the Folly Theater
My review.

16. Nick Hmeljak, Henry Scamurra, Isaiah Petrie, Jordan Faught and Jaylen Ward at Westport Coffee House
My review.

17. Hayden Pedigo and Jens Kuross at the Ship
My review.

18. The Gesualdo Six at Village Presbyterian Church
My Instagram clip.

19. Militarie Gun, Liquid Mike and Public Opinion at the Bottleneck
My review.

20. Butch Hancock, Bonnie Whitmore, My Politic, Aaron Lee Tasjan and BJ Barham at the Woody Guthrie Festival (Okemah)
My review.

21. Dead Heat, Stakes Is High, Failure Drill and Honey at Howdy
My Instagram clip.

22. Leonidas Kavakos and Daniil Trifonov at the Folly Theater
My Instagram snapshot.

23. Isaiah Collier at the Old Church (Portland)
My review.

24. Destroyer and Jennifer Castle at the Warehouse on Broadway
My review.

25. David Chael, Danny Embrey, Gerald Spaits and Brian Steever at Green Lady Lounge
My Instagram clip.

26. Robyn Hitchcock and Emma Swift at Knuckleheads
My review.

27. Elvis Costello at the Uptown Theater
My Instagram clip.

28. Deborah Brown and George Colligan at Upcycle Piano Craft
My Instagram clip.

29. Alexander Adams, Seth Andrew Davis and Jeff Goulet with Shanté Clair and Krista Kopper at Grand Avenue Temple
My Instagram clip and snapshot.

30. Maria Ioudenitch and Navo Chamber Orchestra at Southminster Presbyterian Church
My Instagram snapshot.

31. Leonkoro String Quartet at the 1900 Building
My Instagram snapshot.

32. Kid Congo Powers and the Pink Monkey Birds and Dan Jones and the Squids at recordBar
My Instagram clip.

33. Made in France at the Market at Meadowbrook
My Instagram snapshot.

34. Lil Wayne and Tyga at the T-Mobile Center
My review.

35. Bachathon at Village Presbyterian Church
My Instagram clip.

36. The Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s “Becoming a Redwood: The Songs of Lori Laitman and Dana Gioia” at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
My Instagram snapshot.

37. Vanessa Thomas, Kara Smith, Michael Pagán and Steve Rigazzi at the Blue Room
My Instagram clip.

38. Crystal Gayle at Ameristar Casino
My review.

39. Joseph Genualdi and Sean Chen at White Recital Hall
My review.

40. Isaac Cates, Oleta Adams and Callie Day at the Church of the Resurrection
My Instagram clip.

41. claire rousey and Gretchen Korsmo at Holocene (Portland)
My review.

42. Garibaldi Trio at the 1900 Building
My review.

43. Les Arts Florissants with Théotime Langlois de Swarte at the Folly Theater
My Instagram clip.

44. Bram and Lucy Wijnands with the Kansas City Jazz Orchestraa at the Folly Theater
My review.

45. Vine Street Rumble at Shawnee Town
My Instagram snapshot.

46. The Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s “Cruzar” with Mariachi los Camperos at Muriel Kauffman Theatre
My review.

47. David Finckel and Wu Han at the Old Church (Portland)
My Instagram snapshot.

48. Devin Gray at the Ship
My review.

49. Steve Cardenas, Forest Stewart and Brian Steever at Westport Coffee House
My Instagram clip.

50. Deftones, Idles at the Barbarians of California at the T-Mobile Center
My review.

Last year’s concert ranking is here.

August 2025 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of the trailer for Národní divadlo Brno’s production of Antonín Dvořák’s Rusalka by There Stands the Glass.

The Top Ten Albums of August 2025

1. Linda May Han Oh- Strange Heavens
My review.

2. Aruán Ortiz- Créole Renaissance
Créolité.

3. Emily D’Angelo, Ben Bliss, Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Metropolitan Opera- Tesori: Grounded
My review.

4. Oren Ambarchi, Johan Berthling and Andreas Werliin- Ghosted III
Haunting.

5. Pino Palladino and Blake Mills- That Wasn’t a Dream
Too good to be true.

6. Sara Ruiz- Telemann: Fantaisies Pour La Basse de Violle
Viola da gamba.

7. Endlings- Parallel 03
End times soundtrack from Raven Chacon and John Dieterich.

8. The Good Ones- Rwanda Sings with Strings
Rapturous.

9. Miguel Zenón Quartet- Vanguardia Subterránea
Basement tapes.

10. Deftones- private music
Public record.

The Top Three Reissues, Reimaginings and Compilations of August 2025

1. Woody Guthrie- Woody at Home, Vol. 1 + 2
My review.

2. Anat Fort- The Dreamworld of Paul Motian
My review.

3. Antone’s 50th Allstars: 50 Years of the Blues
Tough Texas blues.

The Top Ten Songs of August 2025

1. Cécile McLorin Salvant- “What does blue mean to you?”
All blues.

2. Gabriel Jacoby- "Be Careful"
Voodoo.

3. Earl Sweatshirt- "Gamma"
Everybody loves the sunshine.

4. Patricia Brennan- "Antlia"
Lost in the stars.

5. Sam Gendel- "Stair 1"
Spiral.

6. Chance the Rapper featuring Jamila Woods- "No More Old Men"
Wisdom of the ages.

7. Carin León and Kacey Musgraves- "Lost in Translation"
Cómo se dice “fun”?

8. Margo Price and Tyler Childers- "Love Me Like You Used To"
A la Loretta and Conway.

9. Rodney Crowell- “Maybe Somewhere Down the Road”
Perspective.

10. Brad Mehldau- “The White Lady Loves You More”
Elliott Smith as chamber music composer.

The Top Ten Performances of August 2025

1. Horsegirl, Sweeping Promises and Godcaster at the Bottleneck
My review.

2. Seth Davis, Jeffrey Goulet, Alexander Adams, Shanté Clair and Krista Kopper at Grand Avenue Temple
My Instagram clip and snapshot.

3. Lil Wayne and Tyga at T-Mobile Center
My review.

4. Ann Pham, Sherry Dou and Ann Marie Rigler at the 13th Annual French Organ Music Festival at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
My Instagram snapshot.

5. Aaron Sizemore, DeAndre Manning and Brian Steever at the Music House
My Instagram clip.

6. Adam Galblum and Eddie Moore at the Market at Meadowbrook
My Instagram snapshot.

7. Bobby Watson at Jay McShann Pavilion
My Instagram clip.

8. Kitty Degler and Robert Pherigo at All Souls Unitarian Church
My Instagram snapshot.

9. Mike Bourne & KC Boogie at Black Dolphin
My Instagram snapshot.

10. Moon City Big Band at Franklin Park
My Instagram clip.

The previous monthly recap is here.

Concert Review: Lil Wayne at the T-Mobile Center

Original image by There Stands the Glass.

A woman repeatedly howled “tha cawtah six” as she stumbled out of T-Mobile Center in downtown Kansas City following Lil Wayne’s concert on Tuesday, August 26. Her slurred cry resembled an anguished lament rather than a celebratory cheer.

I could relate. Even though I paid just $38.23 to attend ($20 for the ticket plus a $18.23 service fee), I shared her disappointment. Tunechi dedicated much of his ninety-minute appearance to promoting his lackluster new album Tha Carter VI. 

The star presented himself as a genial celebrity rather than as a vital artist. Repeating trite phrases as he shamelessly pandered to the audience of more than 10,000, the man billed as “the greatest rapper alive” was on autopilot.

Wayne touched on classics like "6 Foot 7 Foot", “Go DJ,” “Let the Beat Build” and “A Milli,” but the abbreviated versions of the songs were frustrating. Aside from the surrealism of experiencing metal belter Lucifena’s "Tyrant" at a hip-hop event, none of Wayne’s guests made a positive impression. One was manifestly wretched.

Also joined by a muscular drummer and an intrusive DJ, Wayne was half as good as he was in the same arena in 2016. Just 42, Tunechi is too young to settle for complacent mediocrity. While even lackluster Wayne is great, I expect more from one of the most consequential musicians of the past 25 years.

Trying to Find a Balance

Original image by There Stands the Glass.

The least expensive ticket to Elvis Costello’s concert at the Uptown Theater on July 1 was $75 before fees. I hadn’t planned to attend for that reason. Fortunately, I won a pair of tickets from radio station 90.9 The Bridge. I adored the show and I’m extremely grateful not to be out more than $150.

The non-com AAA station is currently airing what it terms the “Top 909 Songs of the Century” during the Fourth of July weekend. The last ten songs played as I type these words were by Broken Bells, the Dandy Warhols, Green Day, Kurt Vile, Sturgill Simpson, Modest Mouse, Muse, the Fratellis, Vance Joy and Alvvays.

That’s cool, but I’m compelled to offer an alternative to the alternative. Hip-hop and rap have been the most culturally significant and commercially popular forms of music this century. Without checking any notes or conducting a single search, I created a playlist of 25 favorite songs of the past 25 years.

The omissions are staggering. Partly because of my Midwestern and Southern predilections, many prominent names didn’t make the cut. But how I love what’s here! I have personal connections and vivid memories associated with each of these tracks. Here’s the Spotify playlist.

The Top 25 Songs of the Century
1. Pusha T and Kendrick Lamar- “Nosetalgia”
2. Mystikal- “Bouncin’ Back (Bumpin’ Me Against the Wall)”
3. Tyler, The Creator- “Yonkers”
4. Nicki Minaj and 2 Chainz- “Beez in the Trap”
5. Earl Sweatshirt- “Chum”
6. Doomtree- “Game Over”
7. Kanye West- “Jesus Walks”
8. Dizzee Rascal- “Sirens”
9. Jeezy- “Go Crazy”
10. Drake- “Nice for What”

11. Atmosphere- “Trying to Find a Balance”
12. Danny Brown- “Fields”
13. Fat Tone- “Imma Get’cha”
14. UGK- “Gravy”
15. Gucci Mane- “Lemonade”
16. Z-Ro- “Can’t Leave Drank Alone”
17. Vince Staples- “Norf Norf”
18. Lil Wayne- “A Milli”
19. Boosie Badazz- “Set It Off”
20. David Banner and Lil’ Flip- “Like a Pimp”

21. Tech N9ne- “Welcome to the Midwest”
22. Mike Jones, Slim Thug and Paul Wall- “Still Tippin’”
23. T.I.- “No Matter What”
24. Brother Ali- “Forest Whitiker”
25. Future- “Mask Off”

June 2025 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of the trailer for Polish National Opera’s production of The Secret Life of Paintings by There Stands the Glass.

The Top Ten Albums of June 2025
1. Ches Smith- Clone Row
The month’s best Mary Halvorson album.

2. Karol G- Tropicoqueta
Summertime, and the living is G-easy.

3. Little Simz- Lotus
Full bloom.

4. Ivo Perelman, Matthew Shipp, William Parker and Mat Maneri- Armageddon Flower
Scratchy bouquet.

5. Terrace Martin and Kenyon Dixon- Come As You Are
California dreaming.

6. Comet Gain- Letters to Ordinary Outsiders
My review.

7. John Zorn- Fantasma
The month’s second-best Ches Smith album.

8. Tech N9ne- 5816 Forest
My review.

9. Mary Halvorson- About Ghosts
The month’s second-best Mary Halvorson album.

10. Alexandre Tharaud- Satie: Discoveries
Twenty-seven recently uncovered miniatures.

The Top Three Reissues, Repackagings and Reimaginings of June 2025
1. Bruce Springsteen- Tracks II: The Lost Albums
The promised land.

2. Ella Hanshaw- Ella Hanshaw's Black Book
Amazing grace.

3. Charles Mingus- Mingus in Argentina: The Buenos Aires Concerts
Disheveled in 1977.

The Top Ten Songs of June 2025
1. Erykah Badu and the Alchemist- “Next to You”
Contact high.

2. Charlie Hunter and Ella Feingold- “Shirley Chisholm”
Heroes.

3. Mocky- “Wiggle Room”
Free space.

4. Alfa Mist- “Avoid the Drones”
In the shadows.

5. Lyra Pramuk- "Babel"
Towering.

6. Nick León featuring Esty and Mediopicky- “Millenium Freak”
Characterized.

7. Seven Davis Jr.- “Don’t Crash Out Challenge”
Danger.

8. Lil Wayne- Lil Wayne- “Welcome to Tha Carter”
Tha Carter VI isn’t all bad.

9. Offset and JID- “Bodies”
Missing Migos.

10. Norah Jones and John Legend- “Summertime Blue”
Premium cheese.


The Top Ten Performances of June 2025
1. Wayne Hancock and IV at Live at the Divide (Bozeman)
My Instagram clips are here and here.

2. Swamp Dogg at the Lawrence Arts Center
My review.

3. Vanessa Thomas, Kara Smith, Michael Pagán and Steve Rigazzi at the Blue Room
My Instagram clip.

4. Dave Wickerham at the Kansas City Music Hall
My Instagram clip.

5. EMAS’ Extra Large Electro-Acoustic Big Band at Charlotte Street Foundation
Instagram clip.

6. Beth Watts Nelson at Trailside Center
My Instagram clip.

7. Matt Otto, Aaron Sizemore, Forrest Stewart and Taylor Babb at the Music House
Instagram clip.

8. Overland Park Civic Band at Indian Creek Recreation Center
My Instagram clip.

9. Allied Saints at Meadowbrook Park
My Instagram clip.

10. Stan Kessler, Rod Fleeman and Joey Panella at Market at Meadowbrook
Instagram snapshot.

The previous monthly recap is here.

November 2023 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of the trailer of Opernhaus Zürich’s production of Richard Wagner’s Götterdämmerung by There Stands the Glass.

Top Ten Albums of November

1. Bertrand Chamayou- Letter(s) to Erik Satie

Correspondence with John Cage.

2. Sullivan Fortner- Solo Game

Two sides of the pianist.

3. 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne- Welcome 2 Collegrove

Duffle bag boys.

4. Yuhan Su- Liberated Gesture

Good vibes.

5. DJ Manny- Hypnotized

Superior footwork.

6. Viktor Orri Árnason and Álfheiður Erla Guðmundsdóttir- Poems

Icy.

7. Thandi Ntuli and Carlos Niño- Rainbow Revisited

Sunshine.

8. Nitai Hershkovits- Call On the Old Wise

Wisdom of the elders.

9. Blockhead- The Aux

Underground all-stars.

10. Sarah Davachi and Quatuor Bozzini- Long Gradus

Deceptive drones.

Top Ten Songs of November

1.Tokischa- "Candy"

Not so sweet.

2. Danny Brown featuring Kassa Overall- "Jenn's Terrific Vacation"

An unexpected update of 2011’s “Fields”.

3. Rico Nasty, NCognita, Simon Said. and Raedio- "Lackin"

Complete.

4. Björk featuring Rosalía- "Oral"

“I just don’t know.”

5. Atmosphere- “Traveling Forever”

Never-ending tour.

6. 070 Shake featuring Ken Carson- "Natural Habitat"

Uncaged.

7. Larry June, Cardo and the Alchemist- "The Great Escape"

Free.

8. Majid Jordan- "Eyes Closed"

Smooth operator.

9. Yahritza Y Su Esencia and El Yaki- "Nos Equivocamos"

We were wrong.

10. Willi Carlisle- “When the Pills Wear Off”

Reckoning.

Top Ten Performances of November

1. András Schiff at Helzberg Hall

My review.

2. Juan Diego Flórez at the Folly Theater

My review.

3. Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s Listening Forest at Crystal Bridges Museum (Bentonville)

My Instagram clip.

4. The Danielle Nicole Band and Katy Guillen and the Drive at the Uptown Theater

My Instagram snapshot.

5. DJ Lucas, Papo2oo4, Subjxct 5, Paris Williams, Lil Heavn and N1n4 Freakquency at Farewell

My review.

6. Kelly Hall Tompkins at the Folly Theater

My review.

7. UMKC Opera’s “The Magic Flute” at White Recital Hall

My review.

8. Jackie Myers, Rich Wheeler and Sebastian Arias at the Market at Meadowbrook

My Instagram snapshot.

9. The Extemporaneous Music and Arts Society’s “Intersect & Interdependence” at Charlotte Street Foundation

My Instagram clip.

10. East Hill Singers at Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church 

My Instagram snapshot.

The previous monthly survey is here.

August 2022 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of the trailer for Detroit Opera’s 2022 production of Faust by There Stands the Glass.

Top Ten Albums of August

1. Megan Thee Stallion- Traumazine

Obscenely fun.

2. Jimetta Rose & The Voices of Creation- How Good It Is

Rock of ages.

3. Julia Wolfe and Sō Percussion- Forbidden Love

The string quartet turned inside-out.

4. Mach-Hommy- Dollar Menu 4

Buffalo wings.

5. Barlast- Musik för scener

My review.

6. Larry June- Spaceships on the Blade

My review.

7. Danger Mouse and Black Thought- Cheat Codes

Swindled.

8. Second Nature Ensemble- Second Nature

My review.

9. Rod Wave- Beautiful Mind

So what if Post Malone fell off?

10. Al Foster- Reflections

A memento of a massive night I enjoyed in 2019.

Top Ten Songs of August

1. Ice Spice- "Munch (Feelin' U)"

Baddie.

2. Doechii with Rico Nasty- “Swamp B*tches”

Muggy.

3. Kevin Gates- "Major League"

All star.

4. DJ Khaled featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend and Fridayy- “God Did”

All is forgiven.

5. Blackstarkids- "Sex Appeal"

Magnetic.

6. Nicki Minaj- “Super Freaky Girl”

Street song.

7. Four Tet- "Mango Feedback"

Delicious.

8. Kiwi Jr.- "Parasite II"

“Someone down in the laundry room keeps shrinking all my shirts!”

9. Ronald Isley, the Isley Brothers and Beyoncé- “Make Me Say It Again, Girl”

Mr. Biggs and Queen B.

10. Jordan Davis- “Next Thing You Know”

I’m a sap.

Top Ten Concerts of August

1. Escuela Grind- Farewell

My review.

2. Flatland Cavalry- The Truman

My review.

3. Black Crack Revue- Westport Coffee House

My review.

4. Bob Bowman and Peter Schlamb- Second Presbyterian Church

My review.

5. Escher String Quartet- Polsky Theatre

My review.

6. Evan Verplough and Ben Baker- World Culture KC

My review.

7. The Summer Singers of Kansas City & Orchestra’s “Elijah”- Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral

My review.

8. Making Movies- Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art

My Instagram photo.

8. Jenna Bauer, Daniel Dissmore and Desmond Mason- The Market at Meadowbrook

My Instagram photo.

10. Morgan Faw and The Flame- The Blue Room

My Instagram clip.

Last month’s survey is here.

What’s a Goon to a Goblin?

Original image of A Child’s Garden of Verses by There Stands the Glass.

I almost shed a tear when I heard the all-too-familiar click of a lighter in the opening moments of No Ceilings a few days ago.  The partial re-release of Lil Wayne’s woefully inferior 2009 mixtape documents the precipitous erosion of creativity caused in part by the activities implied by the embarrassing sound effect.  Lil Wayne was the most important rapper alive 15 years ago.  I reveled in Tunechi’s dominance from the first time I heard “The Block is Hot” in 1999 through 2008’s Tha Carter III.  Heavy rotation of the riveting video for "A Milli" may even have been the pivotal factor allowing hip-hop to overtake pop as the most dominant strain of popular music.  It’s impossible to stay on top forever, but Mr. Carter’s nearly instantaneous descent into mediocrity was particularly jarring.  He fires off a handful of good verses amid the revolting gynecology punchlines on the drab No Ceilings, but the subpar production is depressing.  Weezy is only 37, so there’s still a possibility he’ll recover from his lengthy artistic funk.  No matter what happens, I’ll always love him.