Friday Music Guide: New Music From Rihanna, Morgan Wallen, Jin & More

Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond. 

This week, Rihanna unveils a summer Smurf jam, Morgan Wallen pulls back the curtain and Jin continues his solo momentum. Check out all of this week’s picks below:

Rihanna, “Friend of Mine” 

While Rihanna is no stranger to the soundtrack single, “Friend of Mine,” from the upcoming Smurfs film, does not function like a shiny product for kid’s movie — instead, the song thumps and shimmers with club-ready propulsion, as Rihanna lets the percussion take center stage and serves up what sounds like a long-lost, long-awaited summer jam.

Morgan Wallen, I’m the Problem 

At 37 songs and nearly two hours, I’m the Problem pushes Morgan Wallen’s mega-sprawling approach to full-length projects to a new limit — but if it ain’t broke, then the decade-defining, stadium-commanding country superstar has no reason to fix it, as his latest marks another rustic, self-examining storytelling extravaganza brimming with multi-song runs to be appreciated by different types of listeners.

Jin, Echo 

Six months after making his solo bow with Happy, Jin has quickly returned with Echo — but instead of feeling like a continuation of that debut project, the BTS member has already moved on to vibrant new sounds and ideas, ranging from the stately romance of opener “Don’t Say You Love Me” to the punk-inflected YENA collaboration “Loser,” the latter making good use of the cowbell.

Lola Young, “One Thing” 

“Everbody wants to know ya / But me? I only want one thing,” Lola Young declares on new single “One Thing,” a slinky sex jam that showcases Young’s ability to oscillate between commanding and yearning; following the smash confessional “Messy,” the ascendant pop star wields this follow-up with hedonistic glee, as if she’s ratcheting down the stakes to have some hard-earned fun.

Avicii, Avicii Forever 

Avicii’s 2018 passing still feels crushing all these years later, yet his musical legacy has remained towering in his absence; Avicii Forever — a new compilation featuring the producer’s biggest hits, essential tracks and one unreleased single, “Let’s Ride Away” featuring Elle King — underlines his sonic impact and acts as a handy first step for casual fans looking to dive deeper.

Sebastian Yatra, Milagro 

The title of Sebastian Yatra’s new album, Milagro, refers to a miracle that can occur thanks to a slight change in perspective; the idea defines the follow-up to 2022’s Dharma +, as the singer-songwriter tweaks his lyrical approach to dig deeper into ideas of faith, emotional availability and communication across generations, while still providing plenty of melodic heft.

Laufey, “Tough Luck” 

“I wanted to reveal an angrier side of myself — a side that this unfortunate relationship brought out in me,” Laufey says of her new single, “Tough Luck,” in a press release. To preview upcoming album A Matter of Time, the rising singer-composer lets her frustration simmer above sighing harmonies and ornate string arrangements, producing a beautifully mad opening shot.

Editor’s Pick: Rico Nasty, Lethal 

After spending the majority of her career exploring the ways in which rock music can inform her hip-hop, Rico Nasty pushes toward full-throated pop-rock at times on Lethal, displaying her voice with a newfound vulnerability and expanding her aesthetic in impressive ways; considering that several songs on the new album don’t reach the two-minute mark, Lethal zips by with verve and energy, and sets up an exciting future for Rico.

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