Pitchfork's weekly editorial playlist continues its tradition of curating emerging and established artists through the ears of its writers and editors. This week's selection features Bladee, the Swedish rapper and founding member of the cloud rap collective Drain Gang, alongside British R&B vocalist Jorja Smith and Chicago trap artist Lucki.
The playlist format reflects Pitchfork's broader editorial mission. Rather than relying on algorithmic recommendations or commercial metrics, the publication asks its staff to identify tracks worth repeated listening. This approach carries weight in the streaming era, where human curation has become a counterweight to playlist homogenization.
Bladee brings his distinctive melodic sensibility to the selection. His influence on underground rap and internet culture extends beyond music into fashion and online communities, particularly through his Drain Gang collective and affiliated label Sad Boys. Jorja Smith represents the current wave of British R&B artists who blend soul, trap, and neo-soul influences. Her previous work has appeared on major label releases and earned critical recognition within contemporary R&B discourse.
Lucki rounds out the notable names here. The Chicago artist operates within trap's experimental margins, crafting intricate production and layered vocals that distinguish his work from mainstream trap conventions.
Pitchfork's weekly Selects playlists serve a functional purpose within contemporary music criticism. They operate as editorial statements about what matters in music at any given moment. In an environment where streaming platforms generate thousands of songs daily, these curated selections carry authority derived from Pitchfork's decades-long track record of identifying culturally significant music.
The inclusion of underground and mid-tier artists alongside each other reflects how current music culture operates. Artists like Bladee and Lucki, who built followings through internet communities rather than traditional radio, now share playlist space with artists pursuing mainstream success. This blending represents a genuine shift in how music discovery and legitimacy function in the 2020s.