Louder: Taylor Swift never remade ‘Reputation.’ Thank God.

Plus: Addison Rae, indie-rock film scorers, Ella Fitzgerald

View in browser|nytimes.com June 7, 2025 By Caryn Ganz When Taylor Swift announced last week that she had reacquired the rights to her first six albums, I had a feeling what Jon Caramanica might do next: write this very entertaining and sharply argued notebook about the nature of her rerecordings project through the lens of the one album she didn't remake, "Reputation," a NYT pop team favorite. Jon also wrote about the blockbuster TikTok sensation turned budding pop star Addison Rae, who sat for a Popcast interview with him and Joe Coscarelli last month. "When I reflect back on that time," she said of her early days posting on the platform up to eight times a day, "I've recognized how much choice and taste is kind of a luxury." Eric Ducker wrote about the stalwarts of the early 2000s indie-rock boom (Dirty Projectors, Interpol, Animal Collective and more) who have made headway in a new realm: film scoring. And Mesfin Fekadu profiled Jesse Collins, the longtime executive producer of the BET Awards, which will celebrate their 25th anniversary on Monday night. "Listen, I've been in these super high spaces for quite some time, and you never see a Black producer in control of everything," Oprah Winfrey said. (Cardi B had some nice words for him, too.) Plus: Esther Zuckerman got a first look at the upcoming Billy Joel documentary, Ben Sisario and Julia Jacobs brought us daily updates from the Sean Combs trial (and Ben and Anusha Bayya painted a fascinating portrait of what Combs is like in the courtroom), and Jon Pareles has the week in new music in the Playlist. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Critic's Notebook Taylor Swift Never Rerecorded 'Reputation.' Thank God. After buying back her master recordings, the superstar says she has no plans to finish remaking her sixth album — her most inventive, shocking and risky yet. By Jon Caramanica FEATURES Popcast TikTok Made Addison Rae Famous. Pop Made Her Cool. The onetime social media superstar has re-emerged as the most surprising rookie pop star of the year. 1 HR 25 MIN LISTEN Chad Batka for The New York Times They Led the 2000s Indie-Rock Boom. Now They're Vying for Oscars. As Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross continue to spotlight film music, members of Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear, Interpol and Animal Collective have been joining the field. By Eric Ducker JJ Geiger for The New York Times Why Beyoncé and BET Keep Calling Jesse Collins "Not only is he an artist, he also knows how to execute," Oprah Winfrey said. On Monday night, the television producer's 25th BET Awards will honor Mariah Carey and Jamie Foxx. By Mesfin Fekadu THE PLAYLIST & MY TEN The Playlist Lil Wayne Gets Earnest With Bono, and 9 More New Songs Hear tracks by Sabrina Carpenter, Ethel Cain, Sudan Archives and others. By Jon Pareles My Ten Andy Bell of Erasure's Magical Mystery World The frontman, whose first solo album in 15 years recently arrived, explains why he's a fan of gems, psychics and snails. By Jim Farber THE TONY AWARDS Amir Hamja for The New York Times This 'Buena Vista Social Club' Star Knows She's Intimidating Natalie Venetia Belcon insists she's not as regal as the Cuban musician she plays, but she's worked hard to make you think otherwise. By Alexis Soloski Richard Creamer/Michael Ochs, via Getty Images 15 Surprising Show-Tune Covers for Broadway's Big Night Get ready for the Tony Awards with songs from Sylvester, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Queensrÿche and more. By Scott Heller Dante Zaballa 5 Minutes That Will Make You Love Ella Fitzgerald Explore the catalog of "The First Lady of Song" with tracks chosen by Valerie June, Yaya Bey, Imani Perry and 13 more writers and musicians. By Marcus J. Moore 'And So It Goes' Traces Billy Joel's Dramatic Early Days: 5 Takeaways The first half of the HBO documentary premiered at the Tribeca Festival on Wednesday night. Joel, who is fighting a brain disorder, sent a message via its directors. By Esther Zuckerman NEWS Jimmy Buffett's Widow Sues in Battle Over $275 Million Estate Jane Buffett wants a court to replace her co-trustee, claiming that he mistreated her and neglected to provide key financial information. By Derrick Bryson Taylor THE SEAN COMBS TRIAL Mark Von Holden/Invision, via Associated Press Sean Combs, Defendant: Gestures to His Family, Sticky Notes to His Lawyers With no cameras in the courtroom, few have glimpsed the music mogul as he helps direct his defense, facing charges that could put him in prison for the rest of his life. By Ben Sisario and Anusha Bayya 'Drugs for Days' and Unprotected Sex: Sean Combs's Ex-Girlfriend Testifies Using a pseudonym in court, the woman described long "hotel nights" with escorts and said Mr. Combs told her to continue one sexual encounter after vomiting. By Ben Sisario and Julia Jacobs Judge Rebukes Combs for Nodding at the Jury: Latest Trial Takeaways Sean Combs was admonished for reacting to questioning of a witness who accused him of violence. An ex-girlfriend also took the stand to start days of anticipated testimony. By Julia Jacobs and Ben Sisario A Woman Says Sean Combs Held Her Over a Balcony: Latest Trial Takeaways Bryana Bongolan, a friend of the mogul's former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, said she was traumatized by the incident. His lawyers pressed her on details of the account. By Ben Sisario and Julia Jacobs A $100,000 Payment for Assault Footage: Latest Combs Trial Takeaways Sean Combs has been accused of using a brown bag filled with cash to buy surveillance video of him beating Casandra Ventura in a hotel hallway in 2016. By Julia Jacobs Combs Lawyers Question Assistant's Abuse Allegations: Latest Trial Takeaways Sean Combs's former assistant, testifying under a pseudonym, said she hadn't come forward with accusations of abuse because she "wanted to die with this." By Ben Sisario and Julia Jacobs OBITUARIES Yasunao Tone, Composer Whose Métier Was 'Anti-Music,' Dies at 90 A Japanese-born multimedia artist whose associates included John Cage and Yoko Ono, he pushed digital music past its breaking point. By Alex Williams Alf Clausen, Who Gave 'The Simpsons' Its Musical Identity, Dies at 84 He created the music for hundreds of episodes over 27 seasons, spanning jazz, rock, blues and musicals. He won two Emmys and was nominated for 28 more. By Clay Risen David Cope, Godfather of A.I. Music, Is Dead at 83 His EMI algorithm, an early form of artificial intelligence that he developed in the 1980s, prompted searching questions about the limits of human creativity. By Miguel Salazar Al Foster, Master of the Jazz Drums, Is Dead at 82 He was probably best known for his long tenure with Miles Davis, who praised his ability to "keep the groove going forever." By Hank Shteamer Guy Klucevsek, Multi-Genre Accordion Virtuoso, Is Dead at 78 He elevated his instrument's often-maligned reputation with deft musicianship, and by writing and commissioning a wide range of music. By Richard Sandomir THE MAGAZINE AND MORE Kristine Potter for The New York Times In the Age of the Algorithm, Roots Music Is Rising Streaming services are helping revive America's most old-fashioned, undigital genre. By Carlo Rotella 'Sinners' Goes Beyond Horror and the Blues for Clarksdale, Miss. The community effort and attention around "Sinners," a blockbuster horror movie, became an opportunity to talk about investing in the Delta town that built the blues. By Emily Cochrane and Rory Doyle Make a friend's day: Forward this email! Get this from a friend? Sign up here. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter @nytimesmusic. Send your feedback on Louder at theplaylist@nytimes.com. Check out our full range of newsletters and subscribe to The Amplifier here. If you received this newsletter from someone else, subscribe here. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Louder from The New York Times. To stop receiving Louder, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. 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