After capturing the cultural imagination of young Americans on TikTok, 'Old Town Road', a viral song by artist Lil Nas X, has broken a record on the US singles chart. This unprecedented success is a clear nod to the growing power of viral social trends in the music industry.

Puerto Rican pop star Bad Bunny has embraced a gender-fluid, queer aesthetic which breaks rank with the machismo rooted in Latino culture. How has he used his platform to amplify LGBTQ causes and cultures? And what does his success say about listeners’ changing musical tastes?

With the COVID-19 pandemic causing people to stay at home out of a sense of public responsibility, artists are having to cancel shows worldwide. How are live-streaming platforms filling the void, and could digital behaviours during the crisis create long-term changes in how people consume music?

Gen Z artist Billie Eilish has caused a social media storm by trading oversized hoodies for Gucci corsets in the Vogue debut of her aesthetic rebrand. The move has elicited strong feelings from many, some praising the body positivity message, while others have accused her of selling out.