10 Cool New Pop Songs to Get You Through the Week: Tinashe, Lizzo, Poppy & More

Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.

These 10 tracks from artists including Tinashe, Lizzo, Poppy and more will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of all 10.

Poppy, “Knockoff”

While Poppy is ostensibly singing about a relationship on “Knockoff,” the first single from forthcoming album Zig, it’s hard not to think about the questions of authenticity currently propelling debates about AI while enjoying its stormy, sinewy groove. “How you gonna prove to me that you’re the real thing?” Poppy sings, the synths around her constructing a metallic fortress that the soft, human warmth of her voice effectively breaks. – Jason Lipshutz

Jenna Raine, “It Is What It Is”

Handclaps, hard acoustic strums, piano melodies and boisterous group vocals are all helping Jenna Raine get out of the funk of growing up on “It Is What It Is,” a brisk charmer that gives the singer-songwriter ample room to showcase her personality over a short run time. Raine eye-rolls her way through hardship before mining some positivity, deploying snappy lyrics that could feasibly blow up in the next uplifting TikTok trend. – J. Lipshutz

Rosie Darling, “Boxes”

The ornately detailed post-breakup songwriting of hits like Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” and Lizzy McAlpine’s “Ceilings” is present in Rosie Darling’s “Boxes,” on which the Boston-born singer-songwriter examines the messiness that comes with a split — the changed locks, the tearful trip home, the call from an unaware family member. Darling nails those quiet moments, but also balls up her frustration in affecting big-picture questions: “What did you want from me? / I gave you everything.” – J. Lipshutz

Mitch Rowland, “Come June”

Those familiar with Mitch Rowland’s work alongside Harry Styles — he co-wrote and played on multiple Harry’s House tracks, including performing drums on the chart-topping smash “As It Was,” and joined Styles’ Love On Tour world trek — should check their preconceived notions at the door when pressing play on debut single “Come June.” Instead of trying to re-create that magic, the singer-songwriter has found some of his own in a subtle indie-folk template, unfurling his own fragile voice with confidence. – J. Lipshutz

Becca Means, “My Darling”

Nineteen-year-old Becca Means has accrued 3 million TikTok followers through a series of cover songs, demos and entertaining clips that showcase her personality — and while translating social media charm into a catchy song is often a tall order, Means pulls it off on debut single “My Darling.” The beguiling kiss-off pulls from ‘60s pop but feels modern and lived-in, with plenty of melodies worth returning to tucked into the verses. – J. Lipshutz

Bruno Major, “The Show Must Go On”

The first verse of Bruno Major’s “The Show Must Go On” is split in half between fantasy and reality: after describing a scene of a hero triumphing, getting the girl and evoking crowd applause, Major snaps back into a more common occurrence of staring at a ceiling late at night, full of existential dread and ennui. “The Show Must Go On” demonstrates Major’s songwriting panache as a prescription for living your truth: his voice soulfully winds through ideas and scenario, dispensing advice in second person. – J. Lipshutz

The Beaches, “Me & Me”

With “Me & Me,” a driving rock track about prioritizing yourself, Canadian foursome The Beaches deliver an updated take on the Beyoncé classic “Me, Myself and I”: Over a fuzzed-out riff, vocalist Jordan Miller confidently observes, “When I’m with myself, it’s honestly zen / Might as well be my girlfriend.” Elsewhere, she asks if spending time with herself is really such a sin, or more of a win; judging by the unbothered tone of “Me & Me,” it seems to be the latter. – Lyndsey Havens 

Lizzo, “Pink”

Unlike Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night,” which could’ve appeared in the soundtrack to any number of summers flicks, Lizzo’s contribution to the blockbuster Barbie film features lyrics that serve as a meta commentary on the action of the film’s brilliant opening scene. Like the movie itself, the bright, buoyant tones of “Pink” set up a frozen plastic perfection that – by the time Lizzo spells out an acronym for the color, ending with ‘K’ standing for ‘cool’ – you know is bound to crack. – Joe Lynch

Tinashe, “Talk to Me Nice”

With a soft, skittering rhythm and looped vocal syllable repeating throughout (courtesy of producers Nosaj Thing and Scoop DeVille), “Talk to Me Nice” finds Tinashe in her sweet spot, delivering shadowy, sensual R&B that’s hypnotic in its beauty. It’s a promising tease of the singer’s upcoming 2023 project, BB/ANG3L. – J. Lynch 

NewJeans, “Get Up”

After a successful run of singles (“Attention,” “Hype Boy,” “Ditto” and “OMG”) in less than one calendar year, NewJeans’ Get Up EP, released on July 21, quickly became one of the most highly anticipated K-pop project of the summer. While the first half of the EP employs Baltimore dance and UK garage beats for an energetic listen, title track “Get Up” – albeit only 36 seconds long – acts as an interlude to catch your breath. Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein’s voices melt into airy synth instrumentals as they dabble in R&B, offering a hopeful glimpse at what’s to come from their future releases. – Starr Bowenbank

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