While recording his self-titled solo album, Harry Styles unearthed an inner rock star—or, at least, buried his past as a member of the boy band One Direction. The result, released in May, was an impressive collection of ballads and bops that aspire to Prince and Bowie, whose shoes no one can be faulted for wanting to fill; Styles arrives at Radio City Music Hall on Sept. 28. For scuzzier riffs, the prism-rock songwriter Ariel Pink performs at Le Poisson Rouge on Nov. 4, in support of an upcoming LP, “Dedicated to Bobby Jameson.”
The English d.j. Clifford Joseph Price, known to clubbers and subculture junkies as Goldie, left a deep imprint on U.K. club music with his foundational electronic productions. In 1995, Goldie canonized the drum-and-bass sound with his airy, sweeping début, “Timeless”; the album’s central single, “Inner City Life,” is as alluring as ever. The producer’s steadfast craftsmanship and loud personal style made him an early celebrity d.j., who would likely shudder at that classification; he’ll deliver a rare Stateside set at Output, on Sept. 14, a show to prioritize. On Oct. 25, the club invites Lee (Scratch) Perry, another bass technician, to perform, with the Subatomic Sound System band—the legendary reggae producer has brought his innovative spin on recording to multiple generations of artists, from Bob Marley to the Beastie Boys.
Jay-Z is still nursing his newborn album, “4:44” (his thirteenth); throughout the record, he vamps with newfound transparency on fiscal responsibility, urbanism, identity, and, naturally, marriage. He performs at the Meadows festival at Citi Field on Sept. 15, before headlining at Barclays Center on Nov. 26-27—expect bold statements on par with recent music videos that winkingly skewer “Friends” and vintage Disney. Two of hip-hop’s most enigmatic figures, Ms. Lauryn Hill and Nas, join forces for a co-headlining tour this November. The latter titled his last single “Nas Album Done,” but a year later he has yet to deliver said album, and fans have lovingly joked about the likelihood of the former showing up to half of the dates—but career quirks like these have only shored up their following.
One of the oddest shows on this season’s calendar stars the impish performance artist Poppy, a meta-meme concoction dreamed up by the Nashville actress and singer Moriah Pereira (who portrays her) and the visual artist Titanic Sinclair. Poppy’s profile has risen through her surrealist YouTube videos, with titles like “I Am Not in a Cult” and “Am I Okay?” Her set on Nov. 15, at Music Hall of Williamsburg, should fall somewhere between song and sermon. ♦
