♪ JOHN: TONIGHT ON PBS NEWS WEEKEND, PRESIDENT TRUMP AND VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY MEET IN FLORIDA TO TRY TO FIND AN END TO THE UKRAINE-RUSSIAN WAR.

THEN, AS ZOHRAN MAMDANI PREPARES TO BECOME MAYOR OF NEW YORK THIS WEEK, MEET THE PHOTOGRAPHER WHO DOCUMENTED HIS IMPROBABLE RISE TO NATIONAL PROMINENCE.

AND LOOKING BACK AT SOME OF THE BEST SONGS AND ALBUMS OF 2025 AND THE CONTREOVERSIAL RISE OF - - CONTROVERSIAL RISE OF AI GENERATED MUSIC.

>> MUSIC IS SO PERSONAL AND TO TAKE OUT THE HUMANITY FROM ONE SIDE OF IT, REALLY KIND OF, YA KNOW, UPENDS THE WHOLE STRUCTURE .

AUTHENTICITY IS SUPER IMPORTANT.

♪ > MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE "PBS NEWS WEEKEND" HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY -- ♪ >> WITH A ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONS.

ND FRIENDS OF THE NEWS HOUR, .

♪ >> THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

JOHN: GOOD EVENING.

I'M JOHN YANG.

PRESIDENT TRUMP AND UKRIANIAN LEADER VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY SAID TODAY THAT THEY ARE CLOSING IN ON A PEACE PROPOSAL AIMED AT ENDING THE WAR WITH RUSSIA.

THE TWO LEADERS MET TODAY AT MAR-A-LAGO IN FLORIDA.

PRES.

TRUMP: HAVE TWO WILLING PARTIES, WE HAVE TWO WILLING COUNTRIES.

THEY WANT TO SEE IT THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE WANT IT TO END AND THE PEOPLE OF RUSSIA WANT IT TO END AND THE TWO LEADERS WANT IT TO END.

JOHN: TODAY'S TALKS INVOLVED JUST THE UNITED STATES AND UKRAINE.

WHILE THERE'S BEEN -- BEEN NO OFFICIAL RESPONSE FROM MOSCOW, IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO THE MEETING, RUSSIA INTENSIFIED ATTACKS ON KYIV.

SOLESKY SAYS THAT'S EVIDENCE THAT PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN ISN'T INTERESTED IN ENDING THE WAR.

MICHAEL MCFAUL TEACHES AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY AND WAS U.S.

AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA IN THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.

PRESIDENT TRUMP TO PUTIN FOR ABOUT AN HOUR BEFOREHAND.

HE SAID HE WILL CALL HIM AFTER THE MEETING WITH ZELENSKYY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK HIS REACTIONS IS OR ARE GOING TO BE AND TO WHAT IS IN THIS PROPOSAL?

MICHAEL: HE HAS ALREADY STATED.

HE HAS ALREADY BEEN ON TV.

YESTERDAY.

AND HIS FOREIGN POLICY ADVISOR, WHO I USED TO TO NEGOTIATE WITH WHEN I WAS THE AMBASSADOR, HAS ALREADY SAID SO.

THEY DON'T WANT A CEASE FIRE.

THEY SAID THAT CLEARLY.

THEY WANT ALL OF DONBASS.

AND HE SAID EITHER WE WILL GET IT PEACEFULLY OR MILITARILY.

IN THE PROPOSAL, AT LEAST THE ONE PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY PUBLICIZED A FEW DAYS AGO, THE 20 POINT PLAN, IT DOES NOT GIVE RUSSIA ALL OF THE DONBAS RETREATING UKRAINIAN FORCES OUT OF THAT PART OF DONBASS THAT THEY CONTROL.

MY GUESS IS, I HOPE, THAT PUTIN WILL TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND NEGOTIATE TOWARD THE END OF THIS HORRIFIC BARBARIC WAR.

MY FEAR IS THAT HE IS GOING TO REJECT IT.

JOHN: YOU TALKED ABOUT RUSSIA.

HE HAD A BRIEFING FOR REPORTERS AFTER THE TELEPHONE CALL EARLIER.

HE SET THE PRO -- THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND PRESIDENT PUTIN AGREED THAT KYIV MUST MAKE A COURAGEOUS, RESPONSIBLE POLITICAL DECISION REGARDING THE DONBASS, AND GIVEN THE, SITUATION ON THE FRONT LINES KYIV MUST NOT DELAY MAKING THAT DECISION.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PRESIDENT IS GOING TO PRESSURE UKRAINE ON THIS POINT.

IS THERE ANY LEVERAGE THAT HE HAS EXERTED ON RUSSIA?

MICHAEL: NO.

THAT IS EXACTLY THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT.

I APPLAUD PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR TRYING TO END THIS WAR.

I THINK HE HAD TO TALK TO PUTIN AND ZELENSKYY AS HE IS DOING TODAY.

THAT IS PART OF NEGOTIATIONS.

WHAT HE IS STRATEGICALLY MISCALCULATING IS THAT HIS STRATEGY HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO PUT PRESSURE ON ZELENSKYY AND NEVER PRESSURE ON VLADIMIR PUTIN, OR THE RUSSIAN ARMED FORCES OR THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE SUPPORTING THE WAR.

TIME AND TIME AGAIN, HE KEEPS ASKING ZELENSKYY FOR MORE CONCESSIONS, AND THERE ARE MORE CONCESSIONS, BY THE WAY, IN THIS NEW PROPOSAL THAN THERE WERE SIX MONTHS AGO.

EXTRAORDINARY CONCESSIONS FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, THAT THE UKRAINIANS AND PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY IS PROPOSING.

BUT PUTIN JUST KEEPS POCKETING THOSE CONCESSIONS AND ASKING FOR MORE.

AND I PREDICT HE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO, UNLESS PRESIDENT TRUMP CHANGES COURSE IN 2026, AND PUTS PRESSURE ON RUSSIA.

TO DO THAT, THAT IS MORE WEAPONS FOR UKRAINE, AND MORE SANCTIONS FOR RUSSIA.

JOHN: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CONCESSIONS IN THIS PROPOSAL THAT SURPRISE YOU ON THE UKRAINIAN PART?

MICHAEL: FIRST, WE ARE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES ANYMORE.

IF YOU LOOK, AT LEAST THAT WHAT WAS PUT IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR, I HAVE NOT SEEN THE SECRET DOCUMENTS, BUT WHAT IS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, THE UKRAINIANS ARE NOT EVEN DISPUTING THOSE TERRITORIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY OCCUPIED BY RUSSIA.

THAT IS A HUGE CONCESSION.

SECOND, THEY HAVE NOW PUT ON THE TABLE A PROPOSAL FOR HOW TO GOVERN DONBAS WHICH WOULD INCLUDE, IF RUSSIA AGREES TO DO THE SAME, A RETREAT FROM THE CONTACT LINE RIGHT NOW.

THAT IS ANOTHER EXTRAORDINARY CONCESSION.

THE TWIST TO IT ALL, IMPORTANTLY, IS THAT ZELENSKYY SAID HE COULD ONLY AGREE TO DO THAT IF THERE WOULD BE A REFERENDUM OF THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE TO ENDORSE IT.

BUT IT IS A MAJOR CONCESSION THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE TALKS SIX MONTHS AGO, LET ALONE A YEAR AGO.

OHN: HE IS PROPOSING THAT AREA BECOME EITHER DEMILITARIZED ZONE OR FREE ECONOMIC ZONE.

HOW WOULD THAT WORK?

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT RUSSIA WOULD SUPPORT?

MICHAEL: I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK SO FAR, WE HAVE SEEN NO EVIDENCE THAT PUTIN IS WILLING TO DO THAT.

HE KEEPS SAYING DONBAS NEEDS TO BE OURS THROUGH PEACEFUL.

OR MILITARY MEANS.

I HAVE NEGOTIATED WITH THE RUSSIANS IN MY CAREER.

AND I KNOW THAT THEY ALWAYS ADOPT MAXIMALIST POSITIONS UNTIL THE ENDGAME OF NEGOTIATION.

ONE COULD HOPE FOR THAT.

PUBLICLY, SO FAR, HE HAS REJECTED THAT IDEA.

HE WANTS TO CONQUER IT BY MILITARY MEANS.

JOHN: IN OUR LAST 30 SECONDS, WHERE DO THINGS GO FROM HERE?

MICHAEL: AGAIN, I HOPE PUTIN WILL TAKE SERIOUSLY THIS NEW PROPOSAL.

I THINK IT IS A FAIR PROPOSAL.

.

A LOT OF CONCESSIONS FROM.

THE UKRAINIANS.

A FEAR THAT THE WAR WILL DRAG OWN AND THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, TRAGICALLY, I THINK THEY WILL STILL BE FIGHTING IN EASTERN UKRAINE.

JOHN: FORMER AMBASSADOR MICHAEL MCFAUL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MICHAEL: THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

JOHN: PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL FOCUS ON ANOTHER CONFLICT MONDAY WHEN HE WELCOMES ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU TO MAR-A-LAGO.

THE MEETING COMES AMID QUESTIONS ABOUT WHEN THE SECOND DAYS OF THE CEASE-FIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS WILL BEGIN.

IN GAZA, HOUSING DISPLACED PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BATTERED BY COLD RAINS AND WHIPPING WINDS THAT MOVE THROUGH THE REGION.

GAZA'S HEALTH MINISTRY SAYS OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS, THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 12 WEATHER-RELATED DEATHS.

IN MYANMAR, THE FIRST PHASE OF THE COUNTRY'S GENERAL ELECTION HAS ENDED A CIVIL WAR RAGES THROUGHOUT THE NATION.

VOTERS LINED UP TO CAST BALLOTS IN THE FIRST GENERAL ELECTION SINCE A MILITARY COUP IN 2021.

HE UNITED NATIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS BOTH QUESTION THE ELECTION'S LEGITIMACY BECAUSE MAJOR PARTIES HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED.

FINAL RESULTS WILL COME AFTER TWO MORE ROUNDS OF VOTING IN JANUARY.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS MUCH OF THE COUNTRY WILL FEEL THE EFFECTS THIS WEEK OF A POWERFUL WINTER STORM DRIVEN BY AN INTENSE ARCTIC CYCLONE.

WITH THE STORM WARNING STRETCHED ACROSS THE NORTHERN UNITED STATES WITH SNOW, COLD AND HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS EXPECTED.

BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE FROM THE UPPER WEST TO THE GREAT AKES.

FREEZING RAIN IS FORECASTED ACROSS NEW ENGLAND AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE EAST AND THE SOUTH.

BY TUESDAY, SOME CITIES WILL SEE THEIR TEMPERATURES PLUNGED BY DOUBLE DIGITS.

OVIE SCREEN SET SYMBOL AND ANIMAL RIGHT ACTIVIST BRIGITTA BARDO HAS DIED.

ER ICON WAS CEMENTED IN THE 1956 FILM "AND GOD CREATED WOMAN."

SHE WENT ON TO MODEL, SING, AND STAR IN 54 MORE FILMS BEFORE SHE LEFT THE WORLD OF ENTERTAINMENT TO BECOME AN ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST.

THEY ARE IN LIFE, SHE WAS CRITICIZED FOR HAIR AND INVOLVEMENT IN FRANCE.

SHE WAS 91 YEARS OLD.

STILL TO COME ON PBS NEWS WEEKEND, THE PHOTOGRAPHER WHO CAPTURED NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ELECT SO WRONG MOM DOWN THE'S IMPROBABLE -- ZOHRAN MAMDANI'S.

HITTING REWIND ON SOME OF THE SONGS AND ALBUMS TOPPING THE CHARTS IN 2025.

>> THIS IS PBS NEWS WEEKEND FROM THE DAVID AND RUBENSTEIN STUDIO AT WETA IN WASHINGTON,, FOR PBS NEWS HOUR WEEKNIGHTS ON PBS.

JOHN: FEW AMERICAN POLITICIANS HAVE COME AS FAR AS FAST AS ZOHRAN MAMDANI.

HE BEGAN 2025 AS A LITTLE-KNOWN STATE LEGISLATOR, AND IN THE FIRST MINUTES OF 2026, HE'LL BE SWORN IN AS THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK, OFTEN CALLED THE SECOND TOUGHEST JOB IN AMERICA.

PHOTOGRAPHER KARA MCCURDY DOCUMENTED HIS REMARKABLE RISE AS MAMDANI'S CAMPAIGN PHOTOGRAPHER.

SHE'S BEEN CAPTURING IMAGES OF MAMDANI SINCE BEFORE HIS FIRST RACE FOR STATE ASSEMBLY IN 2020.

ALI ROGIN SPOKE WITH HER ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE WATCHING HISTORY UNFOLD THROUGH HER CAMERA LENS.

ALI: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

YOU HAVE BEEN PHOTOGRAPHING THE MAYOR ELECT SINCE EVEN BEFORE HIS FIRST CAMPAIGN FOR STATE ASSEMBLY.

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF HIM WHEN YOU FIRST GOT TO KNOW ZOHRAN MAMDANI?

KARA: I THOUGHT, THIS GUY IS SO CHARISMATIC.

AND WE REALLY CONNECTED INITIALLY ON OUR SHARED POLITICS.

SO I REALLY VALUED THAT THIS WAS SOMEBODY WHO FELT SUCH A DEEP CONVICTION TO WHAT HE BELIEVED IN THAT HE WAS WILLING TO TALK TO ME, A COMPLETE STRANGER AT THE TIME WHEN WE MET, ABOUT HIS POLITICS.

AND EVEN BRING ME INTO THE FOLD AND SHOW ME HOW WE COULD SHARE THIS WITH SO MANY MORE PEOPLE, ALL OF NEW YORK CITY, AND NOW ALL OF THE WORLD, REALLY.

ALI: KNOWING NOW WHAT HE HAS ACHIEVED IN SUCH A SHORT POLITICAL LIFETIME, DID YOU EVER THINK HE COULD REACH THESE HEIGHTS OF HIS POLITICAL CAREER SO QUICKLY?

KARA: ZONE AROUND IS SOMEBODY WHO YOU KNOW WHAT HE IS GOING TO GO AFTER, HE IS GOING TO GET.

HE REALLY HAS A VISION, HE IS GOING TO SEE IT THROUGH.

I'M NOT SURE ANYBODY COULD HAVE PREDICTED EVEN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, BUT I ALSO -- ALWAYS BELIEVED HE WAS GOING TO BE SOMEBODY THAT WAS GOING TO MAKE A BIG SPLASH IN LOCAL POLITICS.

ALI: WAS THERE A MOMENT WHERE YOU REALIZED IN HIS RUN FOR MAYOR THAT HE WAS REALLY GOING TO TRANSCEND THIS DARK HORSE CANDIDATE POSITION IN THE RACE?

KARA: I THINK I STARTED TO PICK UP ON IT IN THE MAYORAL CAMPAIGN EARLY, JUST SAYING THE VOTERS AND SUPPORTERS ENGAGEMENT AND ENTHUSIASM.

NOT JUST ABOUT ZOHRAN MAMDANI HIMSELF, BUT ABOUT WHAT HE WAS RUNNING ON.

I REMEMBER I WAS OUT WITH HIM WALKING AROUND IN MARCH, AND PEOPLE WERE STOPPING US FROM ACROSS THE STREET IN THE DARK, YELLING HIS NAME, BECAUSE THEY SAW HIM AND THEY WEREN'T JUST YELLING, ZOHRAN MAMDANI, I'M VOTING FOR YOU.

THEY WOULD YELL, I'M VOTING FOR UNIVERSAL CHILDCARE.

IT WAS AROUND THAT TIME I STARTED TO REALIZE THIS THING IS MUCH MORE WIDESPREAD THAN I CAN REALLY EVEN GRASP.

ALI: THIS SORT OF PHOTOGRAPHY IS KNOW WHAT YOU WERE TYPICALLY DOING.

YOU DO A LOT OF WEDDINGS, ELOPEMENTS.

WHEN YOU STARTED WORKING WITH ZOHRAN, YOU TALKED ABOUT CREATING HIS VISUAL IDENTITY.

I WANT TO KNOW, HOW DID YOU APPROACH THIS ASSIGNMENT?

KARA: WE WERE ABLE TO DERIVE FROM THE FIRST FEW PHOTOS THIS THREAD OF STORYTELLING, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT HE AND I ARE BOTH DRAWN TO.

EVERY SINGLE PHOTO WE TAKE AND EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO START A NEW SHOOT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL A STORY.

WHETHER THOSE ARE STORIES OF WORKING NEW YORKERS, OR THE STORY OF SOMEBODY RUNNING FOR STATE ASSEMBLY.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT TRANSLATES VERY EASILY BACK TO WEDDING AND ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY.

WHEN I'M SHOOTING A WEDDING, AND TELLING THE WHOLE STORY OF AN ENTIRE DAY.

WHEN I'M PHOTOGRAPHING ZOHRAN MAMDANI, I'M TELLING THE WHOLE STORY OF NOT JUST HIM BUT HIS WHOLE POLICIES AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR NEW YORKERS.

ALI: I HAVE TO ASK YOU ABOUT THESE IMAGES OF ZOHRAN AND HIS WIFE'S WEDDING AT NEW YORK CITY HALL.

THEY WENT ABSOLUTELY VIRAL.

I WANT TO KNOW, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO SEE THESE PICTURES GET SHARED SO WIDELY AND WHY DO YOU THINK THAT WAS?

KARA: IT HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY SURREAL TO SEE HOW FAR THESE PHOTOS HAVE GONE.

I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE FOR THAT.

AND I THINK PEOPLE REALLY CLING TO THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE SO RELATABLE.

THEY ARE TRULY JUST A COUPLE THAT WANTS TO GO AND GET MARRIED AND CELEBRATE THE CORE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP, WHICH IS SIMPLY TWO PEOPLE BEING IN LOVE.

IT'S NOT A GIANT PRODUCTION.

IT COST $25 TO GET MARRIED AT CITY HALL.

SO IT IS QUITE ACCESSIBLE TO MANY PEOPLE, AND IT IS SOMETHING A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN SEE THEMSELVES IN.

WE TOOK THE SUBWAY THERE.

WE DID NOT GET INTO A PRIVATE CAR.

ONCE WE GOT THERE, IT WAS RAINING, AND WE HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER NORMAL PERSON GETTING MARRIED AT CITY HALL MIGHT DO.

THE MOST HUMAN PHOTOS YOU WILL SEE OF A WEDDING DAY.

ALI: I WANT YOU TO WALK US THROUGH SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE IMAGES AND WHY THEY STICK OUT TO YOU.

KARA: ONE OF MY EARLIEST FAVORITES IS FROM 2021 AFTER THE HUNGER STRIKE AND WE HAD WON $400 MILLION IN THAT RELIEF.

THERE IS A TRAP -- A TAXI DRIVER LIFTING HIM IN THE AIR AND YOU CAN FEEL THE RELIEF AND THE JOY.

IT IS VERY, VERY HAPPY, AND I LEFT THAT.

SOME OF MY FAVORITE IMAGES COME FROM ONE OF MY FAVORITE EVENINGS ON THE MAYORAL CAMPAIGN, WHEN WE WALKED THE LENGTH OF MANHATTAN.

THAT WAS A, REALLY SPECIAL NIGHT BECAUSE SO MANY NEW YORKERS GOT TO COME OUT AND RANDOMLY, SEE ZOHRAN MAMDANI IN THE STREETS.

THAT THEN, THEY STARTED JOINING US AND WALKING WITH US.

I HAVE THIS GORGEOUS SHOT IN FRONT OF A SUPERMARKET AND YOU CAN SEE THE WALKERS ARE TAKING UP THE ENTIRE BLOCK.

IT WAS JUST A BEAUTIFUL REPRESENTATION OF HOW WE ARE NOT JUST BRINGING ZOHRAN INTO CITY HALL, WE ARE BRINGING ALL NEW YORKERS IN WITH US.

THIS IS A MOVEMENT FOR ALL OF US.

I HAVE A PHOTO FROM PRIMARY ELECTION DATE BEFORE MANY PEOPLE KNEW WHO HE WAS.

ALTHOUGH, HE SEEMED LIKE A CELEBRITY, MOST OF THE TIME TO ME AT THAT POINT.

WE ARE ON AN ESCALATOR AND HE IS TRYING TO HAND OUT LITERATURE TO ANYBODY WHO WILL LISTEN TO HIM.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE FACE OF A MAN WHO COULD NOT CARE LESS ABOUT ZOHRAN MAMDANI.

HE DOESN'T CARE WHO HE IS, HE DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING.

HE KEEPS GOING AND ZOHRAN'S OPPOSITE.

HE IS FULL OF GLEE AND JOY.

THAT IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DYNAMIC BETWEEN HIMSELF AND VOTERS.

I THINK HE IS WILLING TO TALK TO ANYBODY, WILLING TO SHARE HIS BELIEFS WITH ANYBODY.

THIS IS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL MOMENT FROM BEFORE TOO MANY PEOPLE KNEW WHO HE WAS AND WE DON'T GET THOSE ANYMORE.

ALI: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING WITH US.

KARA: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

♪ OHN: MUSIC IN 2025 HAS HAD IT ALL, FROM BREAKOUT NEW ARTISTS AND BIG STARS CONTINUING TO TOP THE CHARTS TO AI GENERATED ARTISTS IGNITING FIERCE DEBATE ONLINE.

TO HELP US SIFT THROUGH THE YEAR IN MUSIC, STEPHANIE SY SPOKE WITH MAURA JOHNSTON, A FREELANCE MUSIC WRITER AND CRITIC, AND CANDACE MCDUFFIE, A FREELANCE MUSIC JOURNALIST.

STEPHANIE: MAURA AND CANDICE, THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR RUNNING.

- - RUNNING WE HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT THE BIGGEST MUSIC STORIES OF THE YEAR.

IT'S SO GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK.

I JUST WANNA START WITH ASKING WHETHER THERE WERE ANY BREAKOUT ARTISTS, MOMENTS, OR SHOWS FOR EITHER OF YOU IN 2025.

AND WE'LL START WITH YOU, CANDICE.

CANDACE: I THINK TYLER THE CREATOR HAD ANOTHER REALLY BIG BREAKOUT YEAR.

LAST YEAR HE HAD MASSIVE SUCCESS WITH CHROMAKOPIA.

THIS YEAR HE RELEASED DON'T TAP THE GLASS, AND IT FELT REALLY AUTHENTIC.

REFRESHING AND DEEPLY INTRIGUING.

STEPHANIE: WHAT ABOUT YOU?

MAURA: I THOUGHT THAT THE IRISH SINGER-SONGWRITER, CMAT, HAD A REALLY GREAT YEAR.

SHE PUT OUT A NEW RECORD CALLED EURO COUNTRY.

SHE'S FROM IRELAND.

SHE HAS A REALLY SORT OF ASTUTE AND SHARP WAY OF OBSERVING THE WORLD.

♪ HE HAS THIS INCREDIBLY HONEYED VOICE THAT JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKES YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO ALL OF HER COMPLAINTS ALL THE TIME.

STEPHANIE: YOU KNOW WHAT I LOVE ABOUT HAVING YOU GUYS ON IS YOUR PICKS DO NOT ALWAYS MATCH THE CHARTS.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE POP CHARTS, YOU STILL SEE FAMILIAR NAMES AT THE TOP.

TAYLOR SWIFT, MORGAN WALLEN, BAD BUNNY.

WHAT DO YOU GALS THINK OF THEIR CONTINUED DOMINANCE?

CANDACE: I THINK IN THE CASE OF BAD BUNNY, HIM JUST HONORING HIS HERITAGE, SPEAKING AND SINGING AND RAPPING IN HIS NATIVE LANGUAGE, CONTINUING TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES SONICALLY FOR WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A LATIN ARTIST HAS BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT.

IT IS SPEAKING TO THE CULTURAL AND POLITICAL MOMENTS OF THIS COUNTRY AS WELL.

STEPHANIE: MAURA, LET'S PICK UP ON THAT.

BAD BUNNY WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST MUSIC STORIES OF THE YEAR AS WELL BECAUSE OF HIS SELECTION TO PERFORM AT THE SUPER BOWL.

REMIND US WHY THAT WAS SO CONTROVERSIAL AND WHAT YOU THINK IT SAYS ABOUT MUSICIANS' INFLUENCE IN THE CURRENT POLITICAL LANDSCAPE.

MAURA: WELL, IT WAS IT WAS, YOU KNOW, POLITICAL BECAUSE A LOT OF LIKE CERTAIN STRAINS OF PEOPLE OBJECTED TO SOMEBODY WHO DOES NOT PRIMARILY SING IN ENGLISH AS BEING THE SUPER BOWL HEADLINER, SINCE THE SUPERBOWL IS ALL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AMERICA, EVEN THOUGH PUERTO RICO IS PART OF AMERICA.

♪ BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IT SPEAKS IT SPEAKS TO ON SOME LEVEL THE IGNORANCE OF A LOT OF THE POPULACE ABOUT POP MUSIC.

BUT I ALSO THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE SPLINTERING OF POP MUSIC IN A WAY.

THE ATOMIZATION OF LISTENING THAT'S BEEN KIND OF ACCELERATED BY STREAMING TECHNOLOGY, NOW IT'S LIKE PEOPLE MAKE, YOU KNOW, ONE PLAYLIST A MONTH THAT HAS ALL THE SONGS THAT THEY WANTED TO HEAR THAT MONTH ON IT.

IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT GAME.

STEPHANIE: YOU KNOW, BUT UNDOUBTEDLY THERE WERE, THERE JUST SOME POPULAR POP STARS STILL.

AND SABRINA CARPENTER IS ONE OF THEM.

I WANT TO CONTINUE ON THIS POLITICAL QUESTION FOR A SECOND BECAUSE SHE ALSO GOT INTO THE POLITICAL FRAY WHEN SHE CONDEMNED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FOR USING ONE OF HER SONGS IN A MONTAGE OF ICE RAIDS.

- - I.C.E.

RAIDS.

CANDICE, I WANNA ASK YOU THIS.

DID YOU SEE A LOT OF OVERTLY POLITICALLY INFLUENCED MUSIC THIS YEAR?

CANDACE: I FEEL LIKE WHEN YOU'RE AN ARTIST OF COLOR, YOUR MUSIC IS AUTOMATICALLY POLITICALLY INHERENT.

YOU SAW OTHER ARTISTS TOO CONDEMN ADMINISTRATION WITH THEIR USE OF THEIR MUSIC.

SZA JUST CAME OUT EITHER TODAY OR YESTERDAY RECENTLY WHEN THEY USED HER SONG, BIG BOYS, IN THE I.C.E.

VIDEO SAYING, HEY, LIKE THIS IS RAGE BAITING FOR ARTISTS, IT'S FREE PROMO, IT'S EVIL AND IT'S PEAK DARK.

WE ALSO SAW NEIL YOUNG CONFRONT DONALD TRUMP AND HIS SONG, BIG CRIME, AND HE HELD NOTHING BACK.

♪ I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I HEARD IT, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT NOT MEETING FASCIST RULES AND WE DON'T NEED FASCIST SCHOOLS, AND WE DON'T WANT SOLDIERS WALKING ON THE STREETS.

I'M GLAD THESE ARTISTS ARE TAKING A STAND.

STEPHANIE: WHAT HAS TRULY BEEN GROUNDBREAKING TO ME THIS YEAR IN MUSIC IS THE IMPACT OF AI ON MUSIC AND AI-GENERATED ARTISTS, SOME OF WHICH ARE NOW TOPPING CHARTS.

CANDICE, I WONDER IF YOU'LL COMMENT ON THIS.

WHAT IS AN AI-GENERATED ARTIST AND WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT MORE OF AND IN THE FUTURE FROM THIS TECHNOLOGY?

CANDACE: THERE WERE TWO AI-GENERATED ARTISTS THAT STOOD OUT TO ME THIS YEAR.

THE FIRST ONE IS PROBABLY TIMBALAND'S ARTIST, HIS FIRST ACT, AI POP STAR TATA ON HIS RECORD LABEL STAGE ZERO.

THERE'S ALSO XANIA MONET.

SHE IS AN AI-GENERATED ARTIST AS WELL AND THE FIRST KNOWN AI ARTIST TO DEBUT ON A BILLBOARD RADIO AIRPLAY CHART.

THERE'S A LOT OF CONTROVERSY BEHIND IT BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AUTHENTICITY.

IT'S ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE, YOU KNOW FOR SOMETIMES LISTENERS TO TELL REAL FROM FAKE AND KIND OF DEVALUING MUSIC AND MUSICIANS OVERALL.

MAURA: LIKE WHAT CANDICE WAS SAYING, AUTHENTICITY IS SUPER IMPORTANT.

YOU KNOW, MUSIC IS SO PERSONAL.

AND TO TAKE OUT THE HUMANITY FROM ONE SIDE OF IT REALLY KIND OF UPENDS THE WHOLE STRUCTURE IN WAYS THAT I DON'T THINK WE UNDERSTAND WILL AFFECT THE WIDER LISTENING BASE YET.

STEPHANIE: FINALLY, TO THE FUN QUESTION, DID EITHER OF YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SONG OR ALBUM OF THE YEAR?

CANDICE?

CANDACE: I HAVE TWO SONGS THAT HAVE BEEN ON REPEAT FOR ME ALL OF 2025.

THE FIRST ONE IS ECLIPSE.

THEY RELEASED THEIR FIRST ALBUM IN 16 YEARS, LET GOD SORT THEM OUT, AND ONE OF THE SONGS THAT STOOD OUT TO ME IN THAT PROJECT WAS THE BIRDS DON'T SING, FEATURING JOHN LEGEND AND VOICES OF FIRE, WHICH IS A GOSPEL CHOIR GROUP.

♪ T'S ABOUT LOSING YOUR PARENTS AND THOSE IMPORTANT MOMENTS AND REFLECTING ON YOUR CHILDHOOD FROM AN ADULT PERSPECTIVE.

I LOST MY MOM EARLIER THIS YEAR AND THAT SONG WAS JUST, IT JUST HIT HOME FOR ME IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

IT WAS VERY POWERFUL AND VERY EMOTIONAL.

ON THE OPPOSITE END OF THAT SPECTRUM WAS CARDI B'S OUTSIDE.

♪ SHE RELEASED HER SOPHOMORE RECORD EARLIER THIS YEAR, AM I THE DRAMA.

I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST SO EMPOWERING AND IT JUST KIND OF TOLD THE NAYSAYERS TO BACK OFF, LIKE, I GOT THIS.

I AM STILL THAT GIRL.

SO THOSE ARE MY TWO FAVORITE SONGS OF 2025.

JOHN: -- STEPHANIE: I LOVE IT.

MAURA, WHAT ABOUT YOU?

MAURA: I HAVE ONE SONG AND ONE ALBUM.

FOR SONGS, CHAPPELL ROAN.

I LOVED THE SUBWAY.

>>I GREW UP IN THE 80S, AND I LOVED THE NEW ROMANTIC SYNTH POP MUSIC.

IT HAS THAT KIND OF JUST LIKE REALLY KIND OF SHIMMERY, SYNTHY FEEL, AND HER VOCAL PERFORMANCE ON THAT SONG IS INCREDIBLE.

FOR ALBUMS, I WOULD PICK THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY, WHICH IS THE DEBUT SOLO ALBUM BY JADE THIRLWALL.

SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE X FACTOR INCUBATED GIRL BAND LITTLE MIX, IT IS JUST A LOT OF FUN TAKE SUNDAY AND'S MUSIC WITH GREAT REFERENCE POINTS.

♪ T THE SAME TIME, SHE WANTS TO KIND OF PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF POP AS WIDE AS THEY CAN GO.

STEPHANIE: MAURA JOHNSTON AND CANDICE MCDUFFIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR TAKES ON THIS YEAR'S MUSIC WITH US.

MAURA: THANK YOU.

CANDACE: THANK YOU.

JOHN: NOW ON THE NEWS OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL, WHERE DID ALL THE AFFORDABLE NEW CARS GO?

PBS NEWS' CECILIA LALLMANN TALKS WITH TWO EXPERTS ABOUT RISING AUTO PRICES AND WHETHER BUDGET MODELS ARE BECOMING EXTINCT.

ALL THAT AND MORE IS ON THE NEWSHOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

AND THAT IS PBS NEWS WEEKEND FOR THIS SUNDAY.

I'M JOHN YANG.

FOR ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

HAVE A GOOD WEEK.

♪ > ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.

WITH NO LONG-TERM CONTRACTS, NATIONWIDE COVERAGE, AND 100% U.S.-BASED CUSTOMER SUPPORT.

CONSUMER CELLULAR.

FREEDOM CALLS.

> AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONS.

♪ > THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

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