Playboi Carti’s new album is called MUSIC. Promoted in the lead-up as I Am Music, it was released under the shorter title on March 14, 2025, through AWGE and Interscope. Here are five ways to understand the album’s scale, sound, guests and long rollout—and why it remains a sprawling, divisive listen.
1. It is a much broader follow-up to Whole Lotta Red
MUSIC followed Whole Lotta Red, Carti’s 2020 album. Apple Music lists 30 songs and a runtime of 1 hour 16 minutes. Pitchfork described it as nearly 77 minutes and Carti’s widest-ranging record. In that review, Pitchfork contrasted the concentrated, punk-inflected approach it heard on Whole Lotta Red with MUSIC’s movement among classic Atlanta rap, industrial synths and electropop. That is one critic’s framing, rather than a definitive measure of either album.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
![MUSIC[2 LP]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31JtWV5OKgL._SL160_.jpg)
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MUSIC[2 LP] | $34.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
![Whole Lotta Red (5 Year Anniversary Edition)[Rain Cloud White 2 LP]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31nwoo1LoHL._SL160_.jpg)
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Whole Lotta Red (5 Year Anniversary Edition)[Rain Cloud White 2 LP] | $27.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![Playboi Carti [LP]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/515tPCKls0L._SL160_.jpg)
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Playboi Carti [LP] | $28.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![Die Lit[2 LP]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41qCgDxTHjL._SL160_.jpg)
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Die Lit[2 LP] | $37.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The difference is useful to keep in mind: listeners looking for a single, sustained sound may find MUSIC less focused, while those drawn to contrast get a much wider set of styles to move through. Apple Music’s album listing supplies the release metadata, and Pitchfork’s review offers the critical comparison.
2. The album keeps changing vocal and production modes
Apple Music describes a record shifting between blown-out, synth-heavy post-trap and poppier material. Pitchfork also notes variations on trap alongside electronic and industrial flourishes. Rather than settling into one consistent production palette, the album makes abrupt turns between sounds and moods.
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That range can be a strength or a weakness depending on what a listener wants. The changes create surprise and variety; they can also make the full-length experience feel restless. Whether the album sounds cohesive or scattered is an interpretation, not an objective fact. Apple Music’s editorial description and Pitchfork’s review describe different parts of that stylistic spread.
3. The guest list turns it into a major collaboration event
The album features an unusually prominent roster, including Kendrick Lamar, Future, Lil Uzi Vert, The Weeknd, Travis Scott, Young Thug and Ty Dolla $ign, with Skepta also listed among the collaborators by Billboard. The guests give the project the feel of a large-scale rap event, not simply a solo release with one or two cameos.
Rank #2
- To commemorate the 5-year anniversary of Playboi Carti's album "Whole Lotta Red," he presents a limited quantity of special edition vinyl pressings with alternate cover art
Track listings can differ by version: Apple Music also lists MUSIC – SORRY 4 DA WAIT as a separate 35-song version. Check the specific edition’s current listing before relying on track-by-track details. Apple Music lists the standard album, while Billboard’s release coverage discusses its arrival and collaborators.
4. Some fan-familiar material arrived in revised form
The long rollout meant some material was already familiar to fans before the album appeared. In a contemporaneous feature, Pitchfork compared earlier singles or snippets with their album versions: “Ketamine” became “K Pop,” “H00dByAir” was shortened to “HBA,” and “Evil J0rdan” gained an extended instrumental intro. These examples show that the release was not simply a collection of unchanged previews; material could be renamed or revised along the way.
Rank #3
- Playboi Carti's self-titled debut album was released in May 2018 via AWGE/Interscope
Pitchfork’s feature on the album documents those comparisons.
5. Its scale is part of both the appeal and the criticism
Thirty tracks and more than an hour of music leave room for stylistic detours, guest appearances and shifts in energy. That scale is central to the album’s appeal for listeners who want abundance and unpredictability. Pitchfork’s March 18, 2025 review, however, called it a 30-track flood and argued that its restlessness could feel thrilling or hollow. Those are critical judgments, not evidence of a universal response.
Rank #4
The album also made an immediate commercial impression. Billboard reported on March 16, 2025, citing Spotify, that MUSIC was the platform’s most-streamed album in a single day in 2025 up to that point. This was a time-bounded report from that date, not an all-time streaming record. Billboard’s report provides the dated context.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Release context and what “new album” means now
MUSIC arrived on March 14, 2025, through AWGE and Interscope, several hours after its originally scheduled release time, according to Billboard. In the run-up, it was widely promoted as I Am Music; the released album’s title is simply MUSIC. Billboard also reported that the pre-release single “All Red” had reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Those are historical chart positions for the single, not rankings for the album.
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As of Apple Music’s October 2026 catalog listing, MUSIC remains Carti’s latest album, but it is not his latest release: the page lists “Smaxk Or Die (feat. Playboi Carti),” a single dated May 22, 2026, as his latest release. So “Playboi Carti’s new album” is best understood here as the search-friendly name for his 2025 album, not a claim that it is his newest music today. Billboard’s March 14, 2025 coverage reports the release details, and Apple Music’s artist page shows the current catalog listing.
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