Music (Playboi Carti album)
Music is the third studio album by American rapper Playboi Carti. It was released on March 14, 2025, through AWGE and Interscope Records. A trap album, it marks a stylistic shift from the "baby voice" vocal approach of Carti's previous studio album, Whole Lotta Red, toward a deeper and raspier delivery, while retaining elements associated with 2000s Atlanta mixtape culture.
The standard version of Music consists of 30 tracks and features guest appearances from Travis Scott, the Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar, Jhené Aiko, Skepta, Future, Lil Uzi Vert, Ty Dolla Sign, and Young Thug, as well as hosting from DJ Swamp Izzo. Production was handled by Ojivolta, Cardo, and F1lthy, alongside Bnyx, Kanye West, Maaly Raw, Metro Boomin, Wheezy, and members of 808 Mafia, including TM88 and Southside. Carti announced the completion of the album on March 9, 2025, after an extended production period, and confirmed its release date on March 12, following promotional teasers by Spotify.
Music received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised the production and Carti's vocal performances, though some criticized its inconsistency and runtime. It topped several charts worldwide and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200. It earned 298,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, becoming Carti's second number-one and fastest-selling album as well as the highest-selling rap album debut of 2025. It was supported by the singles "Rather Lie", with the Weeknd and "Backd00r", featuring Lamar and Aiko. A deluxe edition of the album, titled Music - Sorry 4 Da Wait, was released on March 25, 2025, featuring four additional tracks, with a further guest appearance from Travis Scott. In additional promotion, Carti embarked on the Antagonist Tour from October to December 2025, as well as supporting the Weeknd on his After Hours til Dawn Tour from May 2025 to September 2026.
Background and recording
In December 2020, Playboi Carti released his second studio album, Whole Lotta Red, through AWGE and Interscope Records. Despite being divisive upon its release, it retrospectively became regarded as an influential album, with its help pushing the rage subgenre to the mainstream. It became his first album to chart number-one on the US Billboard 200 chart. On March 10, 2021, just three months after Whole Lotta Red was released, Carti hinted at a new project on Instagram. By August 23, 2021, he had revealed the album's initial title, Narcissist, and set a release date for September 13, although the date ultimately passed without the album's release. As the year progressed, Carti's plans for the album evolved. In an April 2022 interview with XXL, he mentioned that the album's title had been changed to Music. During this period, Carti was actively recording and experimenting with new sounds, seeking to build on the success of his previous work. His creative process involved working with a variety of collaborators, drawing on the talent within his Opium label, including producers like F1lthy and the collective Working on Dying. Carti was also influenced by various genres, blending elements of punk, rap, and experimental music.Throughout 2022 and 2023, Carti remained active in live performances, debuting unreleased tracks and building anticipation among fans. On December 25, 2022, the second anniversary of Whole Lotta Red, Carti reignited speculation by posting what appeared to be new cover art on Instagram and tweeting, "love all my supporters it's time". By 2023, Carti had solidified his vision for the album, intensifying his creative process while continuing to tweak and perfect the project. In a November 2023 interview with Numéro Berlin, Carti emphasized the personal significance of the album, describing it as his most important work to date. He revealed that much of the album was recorded in a cave-like studio in Paris, where he spent three months immersed in the creative process, as well as recording at DJ Drama's Means Street Studios in Atlanta. On November 17, 2024, Carti revealed production from Ye for the album. On March 9, 2025, Carti revealed that the album was finished. A few days later, on March 12, he officially announced that the album would be released on March 14, 2025, after a string of teasers from Spotify. According to DJ Swamp Izzo, who hosted the album, recording continued until the night of release, with final adjustments being made only hours before it became available.
Composition
Music is a Southern hip-hop and trap album. It departs from the "baby voice" vocal approach used on Whole Lotta Red, instead featuring a deeper and rougher vocal delivery. Production was handled by Cardo, Ojivolta, F1lthy, Metro Boomin, Wheezy, and others, and incorporates 808 drums, hi-hats, and synthesizers. Critics highlighted elements including a Hungarian psychedelic sample and chipmunk soul influences. Reviewers identified stylistic variety among the tracks, with "Pop Out" and "Crush" described as energetic compositions, while "Rather Lie" and "Backd00r" were characterized as more melodic.Carti's vocal delivery changes across the album, with a low register on "Mojo Jojo", a high-pitched timbre on "I Seeeeee You Baby Boi", and a freestyle-based approach on "HBA". Critics commented that the lyrical content focuses more on rhythm and repetition than narrative, often using short phrases and refrains. The album's sequencing includes abrupt transitions between certain tracks, such as from "Cocaine Nose" into "We Need All Da Vibes". Tracks like "Twin Trim" and "Munyun" are shorter, more minimal compositions that serve as interludes or stylistic diversions within the overall tracklist. Guest artists include Kendrick Lamar, Future, Jhené Aiko, Travis Scott, the Weeknd, Ty Dolla Sign, Young Thug, Lil Uzi Vert, and Skepta.Lyrical themes observed by critics include materialism, nightlife, and personal reflection. Examples include autobiographical lines in "Munyun" and "South Atlanta Baby", contrasted with more boastful content in other tracks. Hosting from DJ Swamp Izzo were compared by reviewers to traditional Atlanta mixtape formats. Following the release of the album, "Rather Lie" and "Fine Shit" became the subject of online theories claiming the songs were not actually performed by Carti himself, but rather used artificial intelligence-generated audio deepfakes of Carti's voice. Carti previously faced similar deepfake accusations for his 2024 song "Timeless" with the Weeknd. Jon Powell of Revolt described the controversy as "a case study in how AI is already reshaping the listener's perception of what's genuine." Hip-hop personality DJ Akademiks reported that Carti privately denied these accusations.
Promotion and release
Promotion for Music began on December 7, 2023, when Carti posted a cryptic Instagram story reading "I am music", followed by a message from Pharrell Williams stating "Prepare". Later that day, DJ Akademiks reported that the album was expected to be released in January 2024. On December 8, 2023, Carti released the track "Different Day" through the Opium Instagram account, accompanied by a full-length music video. In the following weeks, Carti released a series of singles: "2024" on December 14, "H00dByAir" on December 19, "Backr00ms" featuring Travis Scott on January 1, 2024, "EvilJ0rdan" on January 15, and "Ketamine" on March 12. "H00dByAir", "EvilJ0rdan", and "Ketamine" were later included on the album under different titles. Each release was accompanied by a music video, most of which were exclusive to Instagram or YouTube.Throughout 2024, Carti previewed unreleased songs during live performances, including "All Red" and "FOMDJ" at the Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash festival in June. Carti and affiliated sources, including DJ Akademiks and members of Opium, frequently used the phrase "2024 Music" on social media, suggesting a release within that year. On June 17, Carti previewed another unreleased track on Instagram. On September 12, 2024, the day before his birthday, he announced new merchandise that revealed the album's title and hinted at a release date. Later that day, he posted a teaser for the single "All Red" with the caption "Tonight? All Red??", which was released at midnight on streaming platforms. On November 22, 2024, he shared the track "Play This" through the Opium Instagram account. On November 27, 2024, he announced he would perform Music at Rolling Loud Miami on December 15, 2024. At the festival, Carti performed five new songs. Additionally, he would officially be announced as a supporting act for the Weeknd's After Hours til Dawn Tour on January 31, 2025.
In late February and early March 2025, promotional billboards in collaboration with Spotify appeared in locations including Downtown Los Angeles, Times Square, and Bayfront Park in Miami. These featured the album's signature font and messages such as "MUSIC IS COMING", "I AM MUSIC MF", "TRIM", "IMSOYVL", "SORRY 4 DA WAIT", "BABYBOI", "OVERLY TRIM", and "STREETS READY" and "I AM MUSIC". Spotify also released a teaser video captioned "Have faith" on social media. Shortly after, Carti removed all posts from his Instagram account and shared an image of a Times Square billboard on the Opium account, followed by a post reading "IMA DOG N YAL KNO DAT #IAMMUSIC" and responses to comments from Spotify and American Twitch streamer Kai Cenat. Later the same day, he tweeted "Friday", confirming the release date of March 14, 2025. Carti subsequently posted an Instagram video featuring English experimental musician Blackhaine announcing the release date. The album was initially set to release at midnight, Eastern Standard Time ; however, it was then delayed three hours to 3:00 a.m. EST, or midnight, Pacific Standard Time, which Carti alerted to Akademiks and Cenat; the latter was informed that this was due to sample clearance issues. The album officially released on streaming services at around 7:30 a.m. EST.
A music video for "Opm Babi" was released through Instagram on March 16, 2025. The following day, the music video for "Evil J0rdan" was uploaded to Carti's YouTube channel. On March 25, 2025, the deluxe edition, Music – Sorry 4 Da Wait, was released alongside a music video for "FOMDJ". On April 8, a video for "Fine Shit" was released on YouTube. Carti would announce the United States-only Antagonist Tour on August 25; it spanned from October to December 2025, with Opium collaborators Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, Homixide Gang and ApolloRed1 as supporting acts.