Ken Tucker

The biggest guest star on this album is Alison Krauss, with whom Ringo hits an emotional peak on this collection called Thankful.

The gratitude that Ringo expresses on Thankful is what has made him such a beloved figure. He always came across as the most modest Beatle, grateful he'd lucked into being a member of the most influential rock band in history.

The gratitude that Ringo expresses on Thankful is what has made him such a beloved figure. He always came across as the most modest Beatle, grateful he'd lucked into being a member of the most influential rock band in history.

The gratitude that Ringo expresses on Thankful is what has made him such a beloved figure. He always came across as the most modest Beatle, grateful he'd lucked into being a member of the most influential rock band in history.

But his underrated talent, his quietly persistent hard work over the years, it's all contributed to the strength of this collection, in which Ringo Starr emphasizes the value of simple, straightforward sincerity.

But his underrated talent, his quietly persistent hard work over the years, it's all contributed to the strength of this collection, in which Ringo Starr emphasizes the value of simple, straightforward sincerity.

But his underrated talent, his quietly persistent hard work over the years, it's all contributed to the strength of this collection, in which Ringo Starr emphasizes the value of simple, straightforward sincerity.

The year in pop music 2024 pivoted around a trio of women, hitmakers whose various successes hinged upon assertions of creative ambition and admissions of romantic weakness. Foremost among them is the British songwriter Charli XCX.

The year in pop music 2024 pivoted around a trio of women, hitmakers whose various successes hinged upon assertions of creative ambition and admissions of romantic weakness. Foremost among them is the British songwriter Charli XCX.

The year in pop music 2024 pivoted around a trio of women, hitmakers whose various successes hinged upon assertions of creative ambition and admissions of romantic weakness. Foremost among them is the British songwriter Charli XCX.

Her album, Brat, sought to redefine brattiness, less as irritating behavior than as an insistence that petulance can be justified frustration and anger, that you don't get to define her feelings. Charli's collaborations with other women on the remix version of the album, including Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande, suggested a growing army of artists ready to take up her cause.

Her album, Brat, sought to redefine brattiness, less as irritating behavior than as an insistence that petulance can be justified frustration and anger, that you don't get to define her feelings. Charli's collaborations with other women on the remix version of the album, including Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande, suggested a growing army of artists ready to take up her cause.

Her album, Brat, sought to redefine brattiness, less as irritating behavior than as an insistence that petulance can be justified frustration and anger, that you don't get to define her feelings. Charli's collaborations with other women on the remix version of the album, including Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande, suggested a growing army of artists ready to take up her cause.

Keeping things light while also serving as an example of ferocious willfulness was Sabrina Carpenter, whose album title, Short and Sweet, referred both to Carpenter herself and the concise, clever hits she makes.

Keeping things light while also serving as an example of ferocious willfulness was Sabrina Carpenter, whose album title, Short and Sweet, referred both to Carpenter herself and the concise, clever hits she makes.

Keeping things light while also serving as an example of ferocious willfulness was Sabrina Carpenter, whose album title, Short and Sweet, referred both to Carpenter herself and the concise, clever hits she makes.

Listening to her cooing vocals and seeing her wiggly videos, I had to reach way back to Mae West to come up with a comparable example of a woman who wraps her steely command in such a deceptively saucy tone.

Listening to her cooing vocals and seeing her wiggly videos, I had to reach way back to Mae West to come up with a comparable example of a woman who wraps her steely command in such a deceptively saucy tone.

Listening to her cooing vocals and seeing her wiggly videos, I had to reach way back to Mae West to come up with a comparable example of a woman who wraps her steely command in such a deceptively saucy tone.

That's Please, Please, Please, Carpenter's pleading, not pleading warning to a boyfriend that he's got to treat her right. The third member of my 2024 power grouping is Chapel Roan. Her mixture of singer-songwriter details, dance-pop grooves, and lovely ballads really caught on as the admiration of her peers increased.