The lineups for this year’s biggest musical festivals have started to be announced, and headliners include repeat acts like Lizzo, Kendrick Lamar, Odesza and the Foo Fighters and groundbreaking performances by Bad Bunny and BLACKPINK.
Bad Bunny performs at Camping World Stadium on August 05, 2022 in Orlando, Florida.
Getty Images
Key Facts
Governors Ball (June 9-11): Lizzo is the main event Friday in NYC, along with Lil Uzi Vert, Haim and Diplo; Saturday is led by Odesza, with performances also by Lil Baby, Aespa and Sawayama; Kendrick Lamar headlines Sunday, along with Lil Nas X, Giveon and Sofi Tukker.
Coachella (April 14-16, 21-23): Bad Bunny will headline the Friday sets, and K-Pop girl group BLACKPINK will helm Saturday—the acts are the first Latino and K-Pop headliners in the festival’s 24-year history— while Frank Ocean, who was supposed to headline the 2020 festival before it was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, is leading the Sunday shows.
Stagecoach (April 28-30): Country superstars Luke Bryan, Kane Brown and Chris Stapleton are set to headline this Indio, Calif., festival.
Boston Calling (May 26-28): The Foo Fighters and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Friday), the Lumineers and Alanis Morissette (Saturday) and Paramore and Queens Of The Stage (Sunday) will all take center stage in Beantown.
Bonnaroo (June 15-18): Zeds Dead and Liquid Stranger share headlining duties on Thursday in Manchester, Tennessee; Kendrick Lamar leads Friday, followed by Odesza on Saturday and the Foo Fighters on Sunday.
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (April 28 to May 7): Major performers include Dead & Company, Ed Sheeran, Lizzo, Mumford & Sons, the Lumineers, Santana, Jon Batiste and Jill Scott.
Rolling Loud (March 3-5): Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, Future and Lil Wayne will lead this Los Angeles music fest.
What To Watch For
The lineups for Chicago’s Lollapalooza, Texas’ Austin City Limits, and NYC’s Afropunk have not yet been announced. Delaware’s Firefly Music Festival will not be happening in 2023.
Key Background
Bad Bunny was one of the most successful acts of 2022 with the release of his album Un Verano Sin Ti, which was the biggest album of the year. Lizzo made a special appearance at Coachella last year when she joined Harry Styles on stage during his headlining set.
Further Reading
Bad Bunny’s Record-Breaking Year: ‘Un Verano Sin Ti’ Took Huge Share Of Streaming Music Traffic In 2022 (Forbes)
We hate to burst your bubble but Pop stars are here to stay.
Short for “popular,” these musicians representing genres that run the gamut from country and rap to R&B and of course Pop, have become some of the greatest icons of the modern day.
It’s no surprise that when it comes to some of the biggest celebrities on the globe, those who bring us our favorite tunes, pull on our heartstrings with powerful lyrics and speak the universal language of music, are indeed the ones that rule the world.
We become captivated by their albums, singles, stories and legacies, fascinated by who they are on—and off—stage. Buckle up as we dive into some of your favs!
To understand the world of pop music, the New York Post spoke exclusively with celebrity music producer Craig J Snider. As a team, we put our heads together to create the definitive list of pop stars astrology and the zodiac.
During our conversations, Craig discussed wanting to think outside of the box when it comes to his choices—so very few of the pop stars we’ve labeled actually are their particular zodiac sign. He wanted to spin it in a way that each of his choices mirrors the energy of each zodiac sign—and I totally applaud his creativity for that!
ARIES (MARCH 21 – APRIL 19): Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga embodies the archetype of Aries.Getty Images for Live Nation
When it comes to a powerhouse who was “born this way,” there’s only one Lady Gaga. Her legacy exemplifies a “no holds” barred approach to life, music, songwriting, fashion, acting and more. This is why she’s the perfect embodiment of the fire within an Aries! This queen has not only pushed the cultural and musical needle forward, but reinvented herself as an artist and performer numerous times. She’s a straight up warrior, for love and pop poetry! Anyone that can dominate remaking “A Star is Born” is a true legend.
TAURUS (APRIL 20 – MAY 20): Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj is a pop star not to be messed with.PA Images via Getty Images
When it comes to a pop star with a hard-hitting, stubborn edge, there’s none other than Nicki Minaj. As if she’s ruled by the planet Venus—just like Tauruses are—she brings a swag, confidence and feminine glamour to her work. Minaj is immensely strong and lives like a queen: just like the zodiac sign of the bull. However, the point that sealed the deal with this pop star pick is that she definitely has the temperament of the bull—peaceful and charming, and never someone to mess with. Beware her horns if you’ve pushed her too far!
GEMINI (MAY 21 – JUNE 20): Katy Perry
Katy Perry brings a mysterious, exciting edge to everything that she does.ABC via Getty Images
Spontaneous, hilarious and unique, Katy Perry is tremendously multi-faceted. The thing about her is that you can’t keep her in a cage! She is also the queen of camp, showing that she isn’t afraid of keeping things fresh and entertaining while having fun—just like a Gemini. She’s very smart and witty, always ready for her next big adventure. Also, anyone that jumps off the Auckland Harbour Bridge mid-tour in New Zealand is about as badass as it gets!
CANCER (JUNE 21 – JULY 22): Post Malone
Post Malone sings from the heart.Getty Images
Post Malone exemplifies the Cancer energy—and it also happens to be his actual zodiac sign! This is because on the outside, he can show he has a tough exterior, but underneath it all, he’s as sensitive, emotional and passionate as they come! This shows pure and potent Cancer vibes. He has the heart of a lover and even has found that becoming a parent is one of his greatest journeys: something that all Cancers thrive within.
LEO (JULY 23 – AUGUST 22): Beyoncé
Beyoncé is regal being that became a real life Queen.Getty Images For Parkwood Entert
When we talk about “the Queen B,” there’s no other Beyoncé! She embodies the raw fire and energy of a leader and the regality of royalty more than any other pop star on this list—and because of that, she’s the Leo pick! Since her first days in Destiny’s Child, she’s shown that she’s the main event and can carry powerful, deep musical narratives throughout her body of work.
Not only this, though, she knows how to break musical boundaries, truly create along many different mediums and “break my soul.” Another trait that links her to the Leo archetype is that she’s as loyal as they come—always standing by her man—Jay-Z. Talk about a power couple!
VIRGO (AUGUST 23 – SEPTEMBER 22): Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez has unlimited tenacity.Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images
When it comes to one of the hardest working pop stars on Earth, Jennifer Lopez embodies the unending tenacity, perseverance and desire for perfection that aligns with the archetype of Virgo. Her list of accomplishments—and skills—continues to go on and on as she pushes herself to be the best version of herself at all times. She’s a multi-talente dancer, singer, actress, fitness buff, business woman and mother. No one works harder with more esprit de corps than J Lo! What a force to be reckoned with!
LIBRA (SEPTEMBER 23 – OCTOBER 22): Jay-Z
Jay-Z has unlimited charm.FilmMagic
When it comes to a pop star who can spit rhymes, keep people on their toes and build an empire, there’s the king of hip hop for all time: the great Jay-Z! He knows how to work people—and crowds and the media—with the perfect sense of grace. Just as Libra is ruled by the planet Libra, Jay-Z knows how to blend art, music, business and pleasure! He can spin all the plates strategically and with ease!
SCORPIO (OCTOBER 23 – NOVEMBER 21): Madonna
Madonna slithers with sex.Getty Images for dcp
When it comes to a pop star who embodies pure and total sexual desire and raw power, there’s the one-and-only Madonna. Her ability to push boundaries—as well dive into her “shadow self” and emerge like a phoenix through her art and life—aligns her with Scorpio.
Scorpio rules sex—as well as transformation—something we’ve seen her do in her art, performances, video and other masterpieces, as well. She’s also “all or nothing” about everything with endless passion, drive, business-saavy and sexual libido in spades!
SAGITTARIUS (NOVEMBER 22 – DECEMBER 21): Lizzo
Lizzo is unapologetic.AFP via Getty Images
Sagittarius energy is all about being big, bold, beautiful and unapologetic! This is why Lizzo embodies the archetype of always feeling “good as hell!” Jupiter, the planet of miracles and expansion, rules Sagittarius and is an optimistic, “go big or go home” vibe—and also aligns with how Lizzo has absolutely taken the world by storm. Lizzo’s persona bucks the current trend of lithe waifs that sing breathlessly in your ear. She comes roaring like a cannonball and dominates the stage! She is eager—and confident—as she breaks the barriers of what female artists should look and sound like. And then coming in hot with the flute? Slay, queen, slay.
CAPRICORN (DECEMBER 22 – JANUARY 19): DJ Khaled
DJ Khaled is a powerhouse.Getty Images
Capricorn energy is ambitious, long-lasting and business-saavy—so our choice for this zodiac sign is DJ Khaled! Not only has he built an empire over the last decade, he’s shown that he was a mastermind all along. This “big boss” energy—by orchestrating masterful collaborations with A-list “who’s who” music celebrities—has shown that he likes his luxury and can manifest swag forever.
AQUARIUS (JANUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 18): Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift is a revolutionary.Getty Images for Amazon
Multi-faceted, ever fluid and groundbreaking: there’s only one Taylor Swift. Aquarius is ruled by the planet of freedom and the future, Uranus. Swift brings a genre-bending and ever evolving approach to her music: from country to pop to dance to indie singer-songwriter!
The other reason we placed her here is because she’s unafraid of change and growth, as the Aquarius archetype always seeks progressive transformation. Community is also a big part of Aquarian energy, and when it comes to an artist who has inspired a generation of women—as well as a devoted, large and fierce fan base—Swift has done it all.
PISCES (FEBRUARY 19 – MARCH 20): Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber possesses tremendous levels of creativity.WireImage
Of all the icons that embody the multi-dimensional energy of Pisces, there’s only one Justin Bieber. Built from a passion to sing, express his creativity and lay his heart on his sleeve, Bieber has shown that he’s a feelings first kind of pop star! Not only this, but as Pisces is the zodiac sign most closely aligned with spirituality due to them being ruled by Neptune, he’s even found his divine connection to his “holy energy.”
Special thanks to celebrity music producer Craig J Snider for collaborating with me on this article!
Craig J Snider, Celebrity Music Producer. @CraigJSniderINKEDKENNY
Craig J. Snider is a Composer, Producer, Remixer, Songwriter, and Multi-instrumentalist who works between Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. His work includes 35+ Billboard Dance Chart #1 hits by artists such as Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake and Madonna. Recently, he and his band “The Shamanic” scored top ten hits with their first singles’ “Fire” and “FK Always.”
Astrology 101: Your guide to the stars
Kyle Thomas is a globally recognized pop culture astrologer who has been featured in “Access Hollywood,” E! Entertainment, NBC & ABC television, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Hulu, Bustle, Elite Daily, Marie Claire and more. He is known for his cosmic guidance for celebrities, business executives and prominent influencers. His work harnesses the power of the stars in regards to entertainment lifestyle and trends affecting people worldwide. For more information, visit KyleThomasAstrology.com.
We received multiple complaints from listeners recently when we broadcast music performed by the Vitamin String Quartet. They’re a standard string quartet in terms of instrumentation, but they play their own arrangements of pop songs.
Interlochen Arts Academy’s popular music ensemble was giving a concert that week featuring arena rock songs, so we thought we’d help promote the event by playing classical versions of songs by Queen and Bon Jovi.
Another listener was very upset that IPR broadcast a story about Lizzo playing James Madison’s flute during a recent concert in Washington, D.C.
Lizzo is a pop artist, sure, but she’s also a classically trained flutist who had spent the day of the concert at the Library of Congress exploring a curated collection of historical flutes.
What these two strong, negative responses have in common is the sense of separation that people want to maintain between popular music and classical music.
The smarty pants in me wonders if that means classical music has to be unpopular.
The historian in me knows that the Vitamin String Quartet is just one example in a long line of classical musicians drawing on popular music favorites.
The distance between “popular” and “classical” music isn’t nearly as spacious as I think some people wish it was — that’s true now, and it’s true historically.
Beethoven composed more than 20 sets of piano variations (also called theme and variations), the vast majority of which used a popular song of the time as the theme. It’s akin to writing a set of variations on the latest trending Taylor Swift or, yes, Lizzo song.
Brahms jammed his Academic Festival Overture full of melodies from popular drinking songs of the era like “Gaudeamus Igitur,” or “Therefore, let us be merry.”
Renaissance composers frequently wrote masses whose melodies were based on popular songs of the day. Dozens of composers wrote masses — performed in churches — based on “L’homme armé,” a French secular tune that was a favorite of Charles the Bold.
There’s plenty of historical precedent for overlap between “popular” and classical (unpopular?) music.
So why do people find it so off-putting when Classical IPR has the occasional pop tune or artist on the air performed with classical instrumentation?
Someone asked me recently why Classical IPR had stopped playing “pure” classical music in recent years. I wasn’t quite sure how to respond.
The smarty pants in me wanted to say, “Puri? Like the choral composer Stefan Puri?”
The historian in me wanted to raise the alarm about the terrible things that have happened in American and global history in the name of keeping institutions, music, art and populations “pure.”
Instead, I said, “What do you mean by ‘pure’ classical?”
They responded, “You know, Beethoven and Brahms.”
The smarty pants in me wanted to say, “Oh, like, Beethoven’s variations on the song ‘Es war einmal ein alter Mann,’ or ‘Once upon a time there was an old man’?”
