With more than four decades of history behind it, rap isn’t easy to sum up. Still, we gave it a try. Focusing on crucial tracks from all eras and styles, this playlist offers a wide-angle look at the most important subgenre of American music since rock—and the lodestar of modern pop. From underground to the mainstream, the breaks to golden age, and gangsta to now, here’s a survey of all hip-hop has to offer. We regularly rotate these selections to keep things fresh, so if you hear something you like, add it to your library.