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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.
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This week, SZA makes her return to “Saturn,” Selena Gomez is living her happily ever after, and Justin Timberlake has one ready for longtime fans. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
SZA, “Saturn”
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First previewed in a commercial that aired during a Grammys ceremony where SZA took home three trophies, new single “Saturn” exists in conversation with the blockbuster R&B formula of her 2022 album SOS while also peering ahead into a daring artist’s unwritten future. SZA spends the song searching for answers, creeping in front of the slower tempo and trying to get ahead of karma: “If there’s a point to being good / Then where’s my reward?” she wonders. Considering the fact that SOS arrived five-and-a-half years after SZA’s previous album, “Saturn” should be treated as a sumptuous gift from an artist who isn’t in the habit of tossing out any old single.
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Selena Gomez, “Love On”
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Selena Gomez has released love songs before, but she’s never sounded quite as giddy as she does on new single “Love On”: around its radio-friendly chorus, the pop star plays a clip of French dialogue, shrugs off steak tartare for a makeout session, and explains, “This doesn’t have to be some sort of mathematical equation / Slip off your jeans, slide in the sheets, screaming ‘yes’ in quotations.” Although listeners will undoubtedly connect the release of “Love On” to Gomez’s budding romance with super-producer Benny Blanco, the song harnesses Gomez’s veteran pop instincts and pushes them into a euphoric new direction.
Justin Timberlake, “Drown”
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There is no signature Justin Timberlake sound, considering all of the iterations of the pop star’s career — yet fans of the mid-‘00s rhythmic pop classics that kicked off his solo career should heartily embrace “Drown,” the latest offering from his upcoming album Everything I Thought It Was. Over blinking beats and streamlined synthesizer, Timberlake revels in his hurt and morphs his pain into chewable hooks; the switched-up outro, in which the a drums-heavy deconstruction captures JT’s emotional breakdown, acts as a final nod to those multi-part Futuresex/LoveSounds hits.
TWICE, With YOU-th
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It’s lucky number 13 for TWICE, as the best-selling K-pop group has now reached a baker’s dozen worth of mini-albums but has not stopped developing its winning approach. The six songs of With YOU-th roll through a handful of energetic synth-pop productions without ever sounding trite or tired; “One Spark” is an easy highlight, full of shuffling beats and vocal wonder, but don’t sleep on project finale “You Get Me,” with production that stacks higher as the TWICE members express fizzy enchantment.
MGK, “Don’t Let Me Go”
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During his rap ascent and exploration of pop-punk, Machine Gun Kelly always kept his personal trials and tribulations easily identifiable, but new single “Don’t Let Me Go” may be one of the most personal compositions of his career: following a somber piano intro, MGK (who has seemingly formalized his nickname as his official artist name) sings and raps about heartbreak, family abandonment and violence, identity crises and, most crushingly, the loss of a child. Regardless of where you stand with his various sounds and styles, “Don’t Let Me Go” makes for a deeply affecting check-in.
Editor’s Pick: Bleachers, “Me Before You”
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The strongest track yet released from Bleachers’ upcoming self-titled studio album, “Me Before You” whittles down the big-band excitement of Jack Antonoff’s outfit and creates a lush, intimate portrayal of an incomplete life before a partner was found. Multiple voices and instruments Antonoff’s open-hearted ode, with the saxophone blasts that have highlighted recent Bleachers singles turned into wandering thoughts and feelings; soon enough, the song collapses into a warm puddle of guitar, capturing a feeling of exhausted contentment.
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.
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This week, Ariana Grande rings up another vocal powerhouse, Vampire Weekend make their long-awaited return and Dua Lipa is done with exhibition games. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Ariana Grande with Mariah Carey, “yes, and?” Remix
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Pairing Ariana Grande with Mariah Carey was always going to lead to vocal fireworks — and, yes, the new remix to Grande’s latest No. 1 hit “yes, and?” featuring Carey does boast some absolutely scorching high-register work from both. Yet the true beauty of this new team-up exists in the superstars combining their respective ferocities, and injecting this ode to minding your own business with even more full-hearted passion. The chills-inducing moment here is when Carey barges in on the second verse with “Now, I’m so done with sharing”; she sounds phenomenal, but her personality is even more commanding than her voice.
Vampire Weekend, “Capricorn” / “Gen-X Cops”
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In the hours since the release of Vampire Weekend’s first new music in nearly half a decade, a general consensus seems to have congealed around twin singles “Capricorn” and “Gen-X Cops” online: if you didn’t like the band’s last album, 2019’s Father of the Bride, you’re probably going to like these songs. That’s because, unlike the pop immediacy of a track like “Harmony Hall,” the wistful “Capricorn” and the frenetic “Gen-X Cops” recall the playful experimentation of the band’s 2013 classic Modern Vampires of the City, although Ezra Koenig’s gentle delivery always bridges the gap between different factions of Vampire Weekend fans.
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Jennifer Lopez, This Is Me… Now
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Although Jennifer Lopez’s new album title suggests a direct follow-up to her 2002 full-length This Is Me… Then, the fact that This Is Me… Now marks the multi-hyphenate’s first album in a decade — the longest recording gap of her illustrious career — also makes this new album (and its accompanying documentary film) a check-in on a superstar’s modern reality. While both projects are positioned as intimate profiles (the song “Dear Ben, Pt. II” is certainly fodder for celeb obsessives), This Is Me… Now also works as a sturdy pop album, with Lopez’s Anuel AA team-up “Rebound” sounding like the most surefire potential hit.
Dua Lipa, “Training Season”
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Dua Lipa is ready to move on to the romantic regular season on her new disco-pop track, which harnesses the energy and attitude of previous single “Houdini” and adds a self-exploratory element to the dumb-guys kiss-off. Musically, “Training Season” features Lipa’s strongest instincts — fans of “Physical,” the laser-focused workout from Future Nostalgia, should wrap their arms around this one — but also showcases her personal evolution, singing as a former teen star who has grown into adulthood and knows precisely what she wants.
Yeat, 2093
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After scoring the biggest chart hit of his career last year with “IDGAF,” one of the most enduring smashes from Drake’s For All The Dogs, Yeat conceivably could have stuffed his own project with tons of star power — and while 2093 does feature drop-by verses from Future and Lil Wayne, the 70-minute, dystopia-themed epic is largely a solo project, full of pitch-black menace and yelped hooks. Yeat’s world has expanded as he ascended the ranks of popular hip-hop, and 2093 should keep his upward trajectory steady.
Editor’s Pick: Karol G with Tiësto, “Contigo”
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If the chorus of Karol G’s new collaboration with Tiësto sounds familiar, that’s because the Colombian superstar and Dutch producer have reshaped the Leona Lewis pop classic “Bleeding Love” into a Spanish-language dance track, complete with a chirping post-chorus and some surprising vulnerability from Karol on the verses. “Contigo” may be built around an interpolation, but Karol and Tiësto have fashioned something new and exciting, as well as a bid for top 40 placement in the United States.
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.
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See latest videos, charts and news
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This week, Usher heads home before heading to the stadium, Kacey Musgraves digs deeper and Noah Kahan puts a bow on stick season. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Usher, Coming Home
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All eyes will be on Usher on Sunday night, when the veteran hitmaker takes the stage at the Super Bowl halftime show in Las Vegas, and undoubtedly he’ll be unfurling several of the smashes from across his discography. Yet if you’re pre-gaming with “Yeah!,” “U Remind Me” and “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love,” be sure to make some time for his excellent new studio set Coming Home, which crystallizes his popular R&B approach and adds new layers — from the sumptuous hit “Good Good” with Summer Walker and 21 Savage to the booming braggadocio of “Cold Blooded” to the Afrobeats-adjacent warmth of “Ruin” — making for Usher’s best album since 2012’s Looking 4 Myself.
Kacey Musgraves, “Deeper Well”
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“Deeper Well,” the first taste of Kacey Musgraves’ highly anticipated fifth studio album of the same name, may be lyrically preoccupied with dark energy, changes inspired by a return of Saturn and misconceptions of the world, yet Musgraves operates with calm, pillowy purpose, the finger-picked guitar guiding the country star towards the answers she craves. At the heart of a song about experiencing maturation and accepting transition is an artist worth evolving with, and on Deeper Well, it’ll be fascinating to hear where she grows next.
Noah Kahan, “Forever”
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Stick Season was a breakthrough period for Noah Kahan, who most recent studio album was buoyed by deluxe editions and new songs that helped the singer-songwriter score a best new artist Grammy and book arena dates. Stick Season (Forever) will be the final iteration of the project, and in addition to new collaborations with Brandi Carlile and Gregory Alan Isakov, the expanded set features “Forever,” a tender new folk anthem that marries Bon Iver-esque falsetto yearning with the declarative songwriting that highlighted Kahan’s hit “Stick Season” and “Dial Drunk.”
Maggie Rogers, “Don’t Forget Me”
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“I wanted to make an album that sounded like a Sunday afternoon,” Maggie Rogers explains in a new letter to fans previewing her third album, Don’t Forget Me. While the rest of the full-length arrives in April, its lovely title track does indeed possess a coziness that still provokes a mid-day sing-along: Rogers’ storytelling winds through the song’s mix of guitar and piano before her voice doubles and soars on the hook, resulting in a track that sounds both fresh and like the return of an old friend.
Gwen Stefani & Blake Shelton, “Purple Irises”
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Before Gwen Stefani reunites with No Doubt at Coachella this spring, she’ll trot out “Purple Irises,” a new country-pop duet with her beau Blake Shelton at a Super Bowl tailgate performance this weekend; such is the duality of the pop star, who can return to her earliest hits while also sounding far removed from them on this swaying love song. “It’s not 1999, but this face is still mine / The way you look at me, I swear my heart hits rewind,” she sings, before Shelton’s burly delivery arrives and forms an equilibrium on the track.
Editor’s Pick: Madi Diaz, Weird Faith
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Madi Diaz is barreling toward stardom after a long build-up — the Nashville singer-songwriter got tapped to open for Harry Styles’ tour, then join his live band, following the release of her fifth album — but Weird Faith, her first album since gaining a slew of new fans, exceeds any new hype she’s gathered, as a collection of complex love songs that’s often breathtaking in its artistic clarity. Diaz knows exactly how to approach stunners like “Same Risk” and the Kacey Musgraves duet “Don’t Do Me Good,” allowing her emotions to patiently expand until they knock the listener over.
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.
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This week, Billy Joel makes his grand return, Don Toliver gets into psych-rock and TWICE keep the energy high. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
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The first new Billy Joel single in decades arrives with uneven mix of anticipation and expectation — after all, the fact that “Turn the Lights Back On” exists at all marks a breathlessly exciting new development for a legendary artist, regardless of its quality. What a lovely discovery, then, that “Turn the Lights Back On” is both gorgeously rendered and a deeply felt personal check-in from Joel, who sounds like the same soulful storyteller he’s always been: “I’m late, but I’m here right now,” he sings, “though I used to be romantic, I forgot somehow.” For both decades-long fans and a new generation of listeners, “Turn the Lights Back On” stands tall as a meaningful new moment.
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Although Don Toliver’s 2023 album Love Sick included guests like Justin Bieber, Future, Lil Durk and his partner Kali Uchis, new single “Bandit” features Tame Impala in sample form, as the 2020 track “One More Hour” turns into the backbone of a widescreen chest-thumping to kick off the new year. Toliver has never sounded more confident as he does spitting rhymes and hitting his falsetto over the stadium-rock guitar squeals, and “Bandit” becomes the rare sample-heavy track to both stand on its own merits and accentuate the high points of its source material.
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As we enter February, New Year’s fitness resolutions may have started to fall by the wayside — but here comes K-pop titans TWICE to motivate you anew with their propulsive, dizzyingly fun new single. “I Got You,” the latest track from upcoming mini-album WITH YOU-th, builds upon the success of the group’s previous English-language singles by highlighting the collective’s melodic strengths and doubling down on the snappiest parts of the synth-pop production, creating a flash point that could cross over to U.S. platforms in a big way.
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Next week is showtime for Usher, with new album Coming Home due out next Friday (Feb. 9) and a little performance called the Super Bowl halftime show two days later, but before his latest full-length and the biggest performance of his career are unveiled, the suave, sumptuous new track “Ruin” serves as a final preview of what sounds like a return to form. Rising Nigerian artist Pheelz lends a nifty assist over the dimly lit, Afrobeat-adjacent rhythms, but “Ruin” demonstrates Ursh pushing himself as a veteran artist, all while his silky-smooth appeal hasn’t dulled one bit.
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“Straight Line” was “born of wanting to break out of routine and feeling like somewhere along the line, life lost some color and excitement,” Keith Urban explains in a press release; indeed, the first track released from Urban’s next studio album takes the country veteran’s time-honored formula and injects some adrenaline, with a driving tempo and some choice wooooooo-hoo’s in the post-chorus. While “Straight Line” will no doubt soundtrack some boisterous sing-alongs during Urban’s next tour, the song also bodes well for the follow-up to 2020’s The Speed of Now Part 1.
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New music from Burial — one of the most influential and enigmatic producers of the 21st century — is always a gift, considering how sporadic his releases have been over the past decade, but “Dreamfear/Boy Sent From Above” feels particularly special, as a 25-minute double single that’s at once mysterious and intoxicating. Longtime Untrue fans will gravitate towards the ghostly vocals and shuffling beats, but proponents of Burial’s more abstract recent work should embrace the sprawl here, too.
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.
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This week, Karol G celebrates a huge year, Lil Baby previews a return (we hope), and Renee Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion’s collaboration is so fetch. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Karol G, “Que Chimba De Vida”
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When “Que Chimba De Vida” begins on an unsuspecting note with a few guitar strums, the listener is right to wonder if Karol G is about to end a dominant year in a muted tone — but soon after, the new single bursts open, Karol glides over the Mexican music-inspired production, and a wildly successful run is given an exclamation point. While it’s too soon to say where “Que Chimba De Vida” will exist in relationship to the rest of Karol’s 2023 output, fans should be thankful that her prolific streak is seemingly continuing into 2024.
Lil Baby, “Crazy” & “350”
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After spending 2023 by presenting his album It’s Only Me to thousands of fans across dozens of tour dates, Lil Baby has wrapped up the year with a dynamic two-pack of tracks: “Crazy” makes good use of his crooning flow to deploy bruising confidence, while “350” is more pained and reflective, other voices piping up in the production and trying to blot out Baby’s confessionals. Let’s hope Lil Baby gifts us with another full-length in 2024, and that these tracks receive a proper album home.
Renee Rapp & Megan Thee Stallion, “Not My Fault”
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Although the bubbly new Renee Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion team-up “Not My Fault” begins with Lindsay Lohan’s character from Mean Girls declaring, “It’s not my fault you’re like, in love with me, or something!,” the new single from the upcoming Mean Girls musical movie takes its perspective from Rapp’s Regina George character, flexing over the sumptuous production while pointing out that anyone questioning her knows what they were getting themselves into. Meanwhile, Megan sounds reinvigorated on the pop track, tossing off quotable lyrics like “I run s–t, to be a bad b–ch is a sport!”
Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday 2 (Gag City Deluxe)
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After triumphantly returning last week with her long-awaited album Pink Friday 2, Nicki Minaj has a few more goodies for fans before the end of the year: the Gag City Deluxe edition of the album features a new 50 Cent-assisted version of “Beep Beep,” as well as “Love Me Enough,” a soulful new cut featuring R&B greats Monica and Keyshia Cole. Both songs help round out the aesthetic of Pink Friday 2, showcasing Minaj at both her most cutthroat and personal.
Editor’s Pick: Luh Tyler feat. Latto, “The Grinch Freestyle”
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Tallahassee native Luh Tyler has been racking up millions of streams this year while setting up a potential breakthrough in 2024, and “The Grinch Freestyle,” which features some nifty microphone work from A-list guest artist Latto, serves as a flashy buzzer-beater before the calendar flips. His laidback drawl meshes well with Latto’s animated bars, and their interplay is relentless over the two-and-a-half minutes here, as if both artists are trying to fire off as many one-liners as possible before the beat drops away.
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.
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This week, Beyoncé welcomes us into her “House,” Tyla continues her rise and Jung Kook taps a superstar for a new remix. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Beyoncé, “My House”
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“Ooooh, who they came to see?” a swath of voices demands, as Beyoncé new surprise single “My House” begins. The answer, of course, is Queen Bey: to cap off a year marked by a mega-selling world tour, and on the occasion of her concert documentary Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé hitting theaters, the superstar has gifted fans with a propulsive thank-you that’s both assertive and inviting. “My House” bottles the boisterous energy of last year’s Renaissance album, but Bey’s delivery comes closer to the roof-rattling rap-sing sneer of a song like “7/11,” allowing the song’s structure shape-shift around her but never letting the listener forget whose house it is.
Tyla, “Truth or Dare”
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In the same week that Tyla’s invigorating single “Water” hit the top 10 of the Hot 100 and the South African star announced the upcoming release of a self-titled debut album, she also tided fans over for the 2024 full-length with three new songs, highlighted by the effervescent anthem “Truth or Dare.” As “Water” demonstrated, Tyla knows precisely how to deploy a clipped, arresting hook — and when the refrain of “Truth or Dare” kicks in around the 1 minute 15 second mark, the song levitates, and begs to be placed in several of your playlists.
Jung Kook feat. Usher, “Standing Next to You” remix
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“Standing Next to You” sounds like a smash, from an artist who knows about such things: a centerpiece of Jung Kook’s recent album Golden, the stylish dance-pop track synthesizes the sleek hooks of his BTS work and pairs them with Jung Kook’s engrossing persona and vocal power. The song peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100 upon its release, but this new remix with Usher, which introduces a legendary hit-maker to its disco-bounce ecosystem, could sustain an extended chart run; there’s probably not enough time for Ursh to bust this one out during his upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance, but you never know, right?
Dove Cameron, Alchemical: Volume 1
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Dove Cameron has said that Alchemical: Volume 1, the first half of her debut album, represents “a report from the void of my own personal experience with love, sex, loss, trauma, darkness and eventually transformation and healing,” a declaration that reaffirms the “Boyfriend” singer’s commitment to approaching pop beyond radio fodder. While Alchemical: Volume 1 includes Cameron’s previously released singles, but new tracks like the haunting “God’s Game” and the head-nodding “White Glove” suggest that the rising star’s self-exploration will contain unexpected sonic multitudes when fully realized.
ATEEZ, THE WORLD EP.FIN : WILL
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As ATEEZ closes the book on a year of sprawling shows and kinetic performances, THE WORLD EP.FIN : WILL captures the K-pop group’s ability to never let its audience’s attention flag for even a few seconds: every inch of the album is filled with percussive breakdowns, rap verses springing into melodic hooks and cleanly delivered interplay between the various group members. After THE WORLD EP.2 : OUTLAW reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart earlier this year, ATEEZ is hoping to close out 2023 on a high note, and artistically, they get there.
Editor’s Pick: Lana Del Rey, “Take Me Home, Country Roads”
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Lana Del Rey will enter 2024 with five Grammy nominations — including an album of the year nod for her sprawling studio set Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd — and is also featured on a pair of other album of the year nominees, Taylor Swift’s Midnights and Jon Batiste’s World Music Radio. Her past has been rightly lauded, but before she closes the books on 2023, Del Rey has unveiled a smoky, heartfelt take on a John Denver classic: her rendition of “Take Me Home, Country Roads” exists as the best type of cover song, underlining the beauty of the original composition while adding her own steely dynamism into the mix.
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.
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This week, Dua Lipa practices some magic, The Kid LAROI arrives with a new full-length, and PinkPantheress evolves her aesthetic. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Dua Lipa, “Houdini”
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While “Houdini,” which will kick off Dua Lipa’s third album era, arrives with plenty of anticipation, Lipa’s Barbie soundtrack single “Dance The Night” — which has blossomed into one of the bigger top 40 hits of 2023 — offered a subtle hint at the direction in which the 28-year-old is steering her discography. Future Nostalgia is both behind and in front of Lipa: she is tinkering with the edges of popular dance music, refining her pop stylings, doubling down on a successful sound while heightening its pressure points. “Houdini” is a one-listen blast, but it’s also a high-wire act, each second whirring with production tidbits that coalesce into a three-minute wallop.
Click here to read a full review of Dua Lipa’s new single.
The Kid LAROI, The First Time
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Leading up to new album The First Time, The Kid LAROI has struck a variety of sonic poses and demonstrated an impressive versatility — it’s how his tone can work alongside an artist like Jung Kook on the pop track “Too Much,” sound comfortable spitting next to Future on “What’s The Move?,” or recall the acoustic alt-rock of breakout hit “Without You” on recent single “Bleed.” The constant within that artistry, however, remains his melodic instincts: LAROI is one of the most effortless hook-deployers in modern music, and The First Time is rife with hummable moments.
PinkPantheress, Heaven knows
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In the middle of the track list of PinkPantheress’ new album is a song titled “Internet baby (interlude)” — which, at 2 minutes and 11 seconds, is actually longer than the mesmerizing Kelela collaboration “Bury me” that immediately precedes it. Such is the experimental approach to rhythmic pop that the British artist has adopted, and while Heaven knows plays with time and space, the 34-minute project boasts PinkPantheress’ most complete vision to date, the collaborations carefully curated and the solo tracks (particularly on the final stretch of the album) brimming with full-hearted observations.
Chris Stapleton, Higher
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Chris Stapleton has been nominated for entertainer of the year at the CMA Awards in seven of the past eight years, a stat that showcases his consistency within country music over the last decade — and while Higher adds some new tricks to his bag, Stapleton’s latest is also sensible enough to spotlight the powerhouse voice and grounded storytelling that have been his calling cards for years. The strongest moments oscillate between amped-up energy, like the rollicking lead single “White Horse,” and gently delivered wisdom, like the soft, gorgeous “Trust.”
Rick Ross & Meek Mill, Too Good To Be True
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The final song on Rick Ross and Meek Mill’s joint album Too Good To Be True is a remix of their single “Shaq & Kobe,” featuring Shaquille O’Neal and Damian Lillard rapping against each other; elsewhere, on “Go To Hell,” the pair operates over an audacious sample of Tears For Fears’ “Shout.” The two songs speak to the wily attitude of Ross and Meek on this deeply enjoyable Maybach Music Group production: after more than a decade of grinding out anthems separately and together, the two stars still possess a sense of urgency, but are taking more risks and generally having more fun with their crafts.
Editor’s Pick: Jonas Brothers feat. Bailey Zimmerman, “Strong Enough”
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“Been a hell of a week, but we made it,” Bailey Zimmerman sings to open “Strong Enough,” the rising country star’s new team-up with the Jonas Brothers. That raised-glass declaration then leads into one of the JoBros’ more convincing genre crossovers to date: with a hook that recalls “Waffle House,” the standout track from this year’s The Album, Nick, Joe and Kevin conjure compelling country-pop, with Zimmerman as something of a sonic guide. “Strong Enough” should be your next TGIF anthem, and might point to a fruitful detour for Jonas Brothers’ future output.
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.
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This week, Jung Kook makes an extended statement, The Beatles give one last farewell, and Olivia Rodrigo remains impossible to pin down. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Jung Kook, Golden
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Jung Kook has spent his entire career on an upward trajectory — first within BTS, scoring global hits and conquering stadiums, and more recently as a solo artist, notching billions of streams (literally) with a sleek brand of pop and smart collaborations. Golden, his debut solo album, takes some time to reflect on those dizzying highs, but also wants to keep the good times rolling: “Closer to You” (created with Major Lazer) allows Jung Kook to hop between forceful declarations and intimate breaths, while songs like the yearning dance track “Somebody” and the opulent surefire hit “Standing Next to You” demonstrate why Jung Kook deserves to be considered a superstar on his own.
The Beatles, “Now and Then”
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Positioning a piece of music as “the final Beatles song” naturally provides it with weighty expectations that are impossible to match — so consider “Now and Then,” a demo recorded in the ‘70s that was revived with modern technology and features all four members, a surprise treat hiding in their hallowed discography instead. Along with a new music video directed by Peter Jackson, the wistful, understated “Now and Then” serves as a subtle reminder of the band’s continued power, now more than a half-century removed from their original studio album.
Olivia Rodrigo, “Can’t Catch Me Now”
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Although some of the lyrics to Olivia Rodrigo’s new single “Can’t Catch Me Now,” which comes from the soundtrack to The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, seem to document an action sequence from the upcoming prequel film (“But I’m in the trees, I’m in the breeze / My footsteps on the ground,” Rodrigo sings), the pop superstar provides a gentle touch to the lilting acoustic track reminiscent of the softer moments from recent sophomore album GUTS. Instead of aiming at flash for the end credits, Rodrigo has unveiled a heartfelt new edition to both the Hunger Games musical canon and her own catalog.
Megan Thee Stallion, “Cobra”
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Megan Thee Stallion’s “Cobra” opens with a two-note electric guitar chug that serves as a snarl — and while Meg has flaunted plenty of braggadocio over the course of her career, her new single warns against getting too close because of how wounded she’s feeling. “Ayy, damn, I got problems / Never thought a bitch like me would ever hit rock bottom,” she spits, locating an impressive balance between emotional vulnerability and head-knocking hooks on “Cobra.”
Marshmello, Sugar Papi
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Marshmello has founded a sprawling, globe-trotting career on deferential collaboration, bending his aesthetic towards various artists in the worlds of pop, rock, R&B, country and everything in between. Sugar Papi, a full-length journey into Latin music, unsurprisingly features a star-studded guest list that includes Young Miko, Nicky Jam, Farruko, Anuel AA, Manuel Turizo and Fuerza Regida, among many others — yet the project sounds authentic and hard-earned, with Marshmello augmenting his featured artists without ever overpowering them, a skill that he’s developed throughout his run.
Editor’s Pick: Spiritual Cramp, Spiritual Cramp
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The members of San Francisco punk group Spiritual Cramp have been kicking around for years, both releasing EPs together and operating separately in other projects — but their self-titled debut carries the kinetic energy of a brash young band barging onto the rock scene with intentions of shaking things up. The hooks here are stylish and relentless, each sugary melody cloaking the band’s anger at the state of the world; like plenty of great punk groups, Spiritual Cramp want you to hum along and question authority in equal measure.
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.
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This week, Taylor Swift turns back the calendar to 1989, and Brent Faiyaz delivers another star turn. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Taylor Swift, 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
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The arrival of 1989 (Taylor’s Version) was always going to be a big deal: after all, her 2014 album was one of Taylor Swift’s critical and commercial high points, scoring three No. 1 hits on the Hot 100 and winning the album of the year Grammy after fully reinventing the country superstar as a pop icon. When 1989 was announced as the fourth of Swift’s six albums to receive the Taylor’s Version treatment, fans understandably turned giddy at the thought of Swift’s new takes on her old classics, plus the “From the Vault” goodies coming from that time of high-wattage, cinematic pop music.
And while 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is landing at a particularly busy time for Swifties — considering the fact that “Cruel Summer” sits atop the current Hot 100 after its months-long viral comeback, the Eras Tour concert film dominated the box office this month and wholesome content of Swift and Travis Kelce is darn near inescapable — the achievement that it represents should not be overlooked, even by the most casual of fans. Perhaps more than any Taylor’s Version release thus far, the re-recorded 1989 subtly tinkers with songs like “Blank Space,” “Welcome to New York,” “Out of the Woods” and “Clean” in compelling new ways, reanimating its gems from a fresh perspective and with a more seasoned pop voice.
Click here to read more about all five “From The Vault” tracks on 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
Brent Faiyaz, Larger Than Life
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Larger Than Life could represent another leveling up for Brent Faiyaz, the singular R&B star whose 2022 album Wasteland earned a No. 2 debut on the Billboard 200 and signaled a mainstream breakthrough; although billed as a mixtape, his new project boasts guest spots from Missy Elliott, A$AP Rocky, Coco Jones and Babyface Ray, among others, to help prove its commercial bonafides. Yet Larger Than Life is at its best when Faiyaz’s croon is operating with ample space and over woozy, zapped-out beats, as songs as like “Best Time,” “Wherever I Go” and “Forever Yours” succeed based on his style and taste.
Jay Wheeler, TRAPPii
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Puerto Rican star Jay Wheeler dives headfirst into trap music on his fifth studio album, following the success of his single “Pacto” — and while that hit exists as a centerpiece in the middle of the TRAPPii track list, Wheeler cooks up a dedicated, often riveting exploration of its sound in other areas. While “Walk My Way” marks a tender dip into English-language belting, “Frio” sizzles in the back half of the album, with Wheeler’s tone gliding naturally above the programmed drums.
David Guetta feat. Ayra Starr & Lil Durk, “Big FU”
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“Big FU” may be dripping in bitterness — the title of the David Guetta/Ayra Starr/Lil Durk summit represents a middle finger to the person who’s taken your place in a relationship — but as a dance track, the unlikely trio form a sweaty, effective symbiosis, and Guetta puts Starr and Durk in positions to win. Durk continues to provide rock-solid features and sinks his teeth into the bass line here, while Starr continues her upward trajectory by giving her scorn ample momentum on the hook.
Editor’s Pick: Yebba, “Waterfall (I Adore You)”
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The majority of singer-songwriter Yebba’s best-known tracks are collaborative in some way, from “Yebba’s Heartbreak” on Drake’s Certified Lover Boy to “Best Part of Me” with Ed Sheeran to her A$AP Rocky-assisted “Far Away” — and while new single “Waterfall (I Adore You)” has been released with a solid alternate version featuring R&B artist Sweata, the solo take on the track best showcases Yebba’s delicate R&B approach and nuanced vocal prowess. Following her 2021 debut album Dawn, “Waterfall (I Adore You)” feels at once more naturally rendered and sonically opulent than her previous output, and suggests a must-hear next project.
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.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
This week, I guess this is Blink-182 growing up, Charli XCX and Sam Smith have a night on the town and The Rolling Stones triumphantly return to the studio. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Blink-182, One More Time…
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“Aging gracefully” was never the logical outcome for Blink-182, a trio of pop-punk geniuses who built their live shows around scatological humor and turned their album titles into dirty jokes. Yet harrowing life experiences, particularly Mark Hoppus’ 2021 battle with cancer, has provided Blink-182 with a newfound sense of appreciation, and One More Time…, the first album with their classic lineup since 2011, carries a feeling of gravitas that acknowledges how much Hoppus, Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker care about each other in middle age. That doesn’t make One More Time… a dour affair, though: from early single “Edging” to pummeling opener “Anthem Part 3” to the radio-ready “Dance With Me,” Blink-182 have figured out a way to fire off more chewy melodies in between the heartfelt moments.
Charli XCX & Sam Smith, “In The City”
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“The song is about finding the people you truly love and connect with through wild nights out and partying in magical places,” Charli XCX says in a press release of her charming new one-off with Sam Smith, “In The City.” A decade after getting the party started with songs like “Take My Hand” and the Icona Pop smash “I Love It,” Charli offers a more reflective night out (“I never thought I would find it / But I found what I was lookin’ for,” she sings), while Smith’s soulful vocals and the blinking synths bolster the song, giving “In The City” the feeling of starry-eyed connection at the heart of the collaboration.
The Kid LAROI, Jung Kook & Central Cee, “Too Much”
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Jung Kook and The Kid LAROI both know their ways around a durable pop hit, while songs like “Sprinter” and “Let Go” have established British rapper Central Cee as a chart heavyweight overseas; with their powers combined, the three have cooked up a downcast, undeniably catchy collaboration that sounds primed to become ubiquitous as the weather turns colder. “Too Much” showcases another rock-solid Jung Kook hook following “Seven” and “3D,” as well as a hardened middle verse from Central Cee, but LAROI sounds reinvigorated on the track, hoisting up rhymes and melodies with an ease that recalls his Justin Bieber-assisted smash “Stay.”
The Rolling Stones, Hackney Diamonds
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What should a new Rolling Stones album sound like in 2023? The legends’ first full-length of new material since 2005’s A Bigger Bang was years in the making, and arrives without an ounce of anything left to prove — and that lack of expectation works in its favor, as Mick, Keith and Ronnie have cooked up a rollicking check-in that should translate nicely to the stadium stage. A mix of iconic guests (Paul McCartney, Elton John and Lady Gaga all swing by) and meat-and-potatoes rock grooves (“Mess It Up” and “Whole Wide World” are a pair of mid-album highlights) help situate Hackney Diamonds as a best-case scenario for a band in their hallowed position.
21 Savage feat. d4vd, “Call Me Revenge”
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The fact that “Call Me Revenge,” the new team-up between 21 Savage and d4vd, was launched in conjunction with the upcoming release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III helps explain the lyrical slant — after all, it’s easier to unpack d4vd crooning “I’m here to collect to all your sins, I’m goin’ in!” within the context of a first-person shooter game. Still, “Call Me Revenge” allows both artists to have fun while striking their most menacing poses, especially 21 Savage, who sounds downright jubilant while firing off clipped boasts and endless ad-libs.
Editor’s Pick: Jane Remover, Census Designated
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You won’t hear another album like Census Designated, the sophomore effort by Jane Remover, this year, or most years: the singer-producer, who reconfigured her sound (as well as came out as a trans woman) following 2021 debut Frailty, has mastered a singular blend of shoegaze, noise rock, pop melodies and indie balladry across these 10 tracks, while also prodding at her personal evolution and identity. Parts of Census Designated work best during a late-night headphones listen, while others beg to be blasted from car speakers; conceptually, the album begins at sundown and ends at dawn, but Jane Remover’s latest will affect you in any setting.
