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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, Childish Gambino takes a bow, Stray Kids eat up their new material and Jimin continues to innovate. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Childish Gambino, Bando Stone and the New World
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Donald Glover will likely be present in popular culture for a long time, but his Childish Gambino alter ego takes a bow on Bando Stone and the New World, a bold, 17-song project with an ultra-hip guest list (Flo Milli, Jorja Smith, Yeat and Amaarae all stop by) and that makes sure a beloved hip-hop personality goes out with sound-bending gusto.
Stray Kids, ATE
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The K-pop group’s new mini-album continues to showcase the upward trajectory of their confidence as both hit-makers and studio technicians: the 8-song set, helmed by their in-house production team 3RACHA, brims with effortless cool, particularly on the electro-shock of “Chk Chk Boom.”
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Jimin, Muse
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Jimin may have dominated stadiums alongside his BTS brethren and scored a No. 1 solo hit last year with “Like Crazy,” but he’s not resting on his laurels, as sophomore solo project Muse offers meditations on love and creative inspiration while still serving up cross-continental potential hits like with snappy rhythmic pop track “Who.”
Various Artists, Twisters: The Album
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What’s more formidable than one Twister? Multiple Twisters — and a big-budget soundtrack to go along with the natural-disaster epic invading multiplexes this weekend, with superstars like Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett and Miranda Lambert headlining the country project (although Benson Boone also sneaking in, with the genre-straddling stomp-along “Death Wish Love”).
Glass Animals, I Love You So F***ing Much
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Following up a record-breaking smash like “Heat Waves” is no easy task, and on the charming new album I Love You So F***ing Much, Glass Animals shrug off chart expectations while still baking oversized hooks and harmonies into the 10 songs, particularly on the opening run of “Show Pony,” “whatthehellishappening?” and “Creatures in Heaven.”
Koe Wetzel, 9 Lives
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The country-leaning Texas singer-songwriter’s profile has been rapidly growing, and new album 9 Lives — featuring previous hits “High Road” with Jessie Murph and “Sweet Dreams,” as well as new standouts like “Hatchet” and “Depression & Obsession” — arrives at an opportune time and with a more mature version of his rootsy storytelling.
Khalid, “Ground”
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Khalid’s long-awaited third album, Sincere, gets another sumptuous jam, with “Ground” making the most of the singer-songwriter’s velvety tone and a hypnotic beat while leaning more toward traditional R&B; this is a head-knocker that you don’t want to end.
Alessia Cara, “Dead Man”
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“If you really care, then why am I feeling you slip right through my hands?” Alessia Cara asks on “Dead Man,” as the former best new artist Grammy winner kicks off a new era with some vibrant jazz-pop, complete with mournful trumpet blasts, that suits her voice and newfound perspective to a tee.
Joe Jonas, “Work It Out”
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A lifetime removed from his 2011 solo debut Fastlife, Joe Jonas sounds an refreshed on energetic new single “Work It Out” as Jonas Brothers did on their comeback single “Sucker,” addressing his issues with anxiety and intrusive thoughts over some kicky pop production for late-summer streaming.
Editor’s Pick: JADE, “Angel of My Dreams”
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“I didn’t want to do a safe first single, that was really important to me,” Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix says of her solo debut in a press release. No worries on that end: “Angel of My Dreams” is a shape-shifting, wholly thrilling first step that effervesces before collapsing then rising back up, and JADE handles all of his wild movements with veteran skill.
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, Eminem puts a nail in Slim Shady’s coffin, Katy Perry flexes her pop know-how and Ice Spice makes a connection from across the pond. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Eminem, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)
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The chart success of pop-leaning lead single “Houdini,” plus the technical rap wizardry of follow-up “Tobey,” have heightened expectations for The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce), Eminem’s 12th studio album that has been billed as the finale of his raging id character, Slim Shady. Indeed, the full-length is Em’s most complete project in years by showcasing the full scope of his talent — his button-pushing devilishness and bar-bursting theatrics, as demonstrated on the singles, but also his unexpected grace (“Temporary,” with Skylar Grey, is a heartfelt message to his daughter for when he’s gone) and ability to cross into other genres (“Somebody Save Me,” with Jelly Roll, might end up garnering some country-pop airplay for Marshall Mathers).
Katy Perry, “Woman’s World”
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Pop fans who fondly remember the bright, oversized hooks and candy-colored visual fantasias of Katy Perry’s record-breaking Teenage Dream era will wrap their arms around “Woman’s World,” the introduction of a mainstream-ready new era that has been given a music video with plenty of eye-popping, cleverly conceived feminist iconography. Perry has evolved since her blockbuster 2010 album, with her lyrics turning more personal and her stardom extending into projects like American Idol — but she’s always sounded most at home on big, neon-colored pop anthems, and “Woman’s World” marks a return to a winning mode.
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Ice Spice & Central Cee, “Did It First”
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Ice Spice always sounds most effective while rapping downhill: her flow spins and tumbles, picks up speed, and remains too cool to ever get tripped up. After a few experiments with her formula on the songs preceding upcoming album Y2K!, she finds her footing on “Did It First,” a team-up with London rapper Central Cee in which she immediately begins pummeling a beat co-produced by RIOTUSA, with boasts about proudly cheating, spending money, dismissing any disinterest and committing to “party ’til the party ends.”
Clairo, Charm
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Whereas Clairo’s previous album, 2021’s Sling, lacked a sense of warmth by design — singer-songwriter Claire Cottrill moved to upstate New York and teamed up with Jack Antonoff on a muted, woodsy project — Charm radiates with the same glow that made her 2019 debut Immunity so captivating. The soft-rock arrangements feel naturally designed, as if the interplay between piano, guitar, bass and drums has always existed and Claire has simply strolled in to provide her hushed tone and sensual lyricism; the pace changes, and the details rearrange (“Echo,” for instance, sounds more synth-ified and spaced-out than anything Clairo has done before), but the formula makes for an excellent front-to-back listen.
ENHYPEN, Romance: Untold
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“XO (If You Only Say Yes),” the lead single from ENHYPEN’s new album Romance: Untold, illustrates why the K-pop seven-piece has broken through in a crowded field: full of stuttering hooks, engaging vocals and well-crafted rhythmic pop production (courtesy of JVKE, who appears on the English version of the track), “XO” works well as a crossover bid and showcase for the collective’s skill set. The rest of Romance: Untold builds upon 2021’s Dimension: Dilemma and the projects released in between, thanks largely to the strengthened chemistry between the members, who harmonize, belt, dip into falsetto and softly intone with impressive dexterity.
Editor’s Pick: Remi Wolf, Big Ideas
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Remi Wolf’s early singles may have earned millions of streams and suggested plenty of artistic promise, but it wasn’t until the singles preceding sophomore album Big Ideas, including “Cinderella” and “Toro,” that it sounded like the Palo Alto singer-songwriter had locked her funk-laden synth-pop aesthetic into place. The rest of the album plays out like a full realization of her talents: Remi Wolf is a detailed writer, knows when to throttle a melody, can harness a groove like a pro and now has the songs (especially album highlight “Soup,” and the dynamic bonus track “Slay Bitch”) to tie the presentation together.
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, Zach Bryan continues his prolific streak, Lana Del Rey and Quavo get “Tough” and Morgan Wallen takes a muted new step. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Zach Bryan, The Great American Bar Scene
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Zach Bryan has released a new full-length in each of the last three years, somehow managing to unveil extended alt-country opuses in between nonstop tour dates and expand his aesthetic in the process — after scoring his first Hot 100 chart-topper last year with the Kacey Musgraves duet “I Remember Everything,” for instance, new album The Great American Bar Scene boasts collaborations with Bruce Springsteen and John Mayer, among others. Yet Bryan’s tireless work ethic and growing popularity is not yielding diminishing returns: The Great American Bar Scene is defined by the same rustic, open-hearted songwriting that has made Bryan a star, and songs like “Mechanical Bull,” “28” and “The Way Back” are among the strongest in his quickly swelling discography.
Lana Del Rey & Quavo, “Tough”
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Lana Del Rey has become a beloved pop heroine without paying too much attention to crossover pop singles — she’s only entered the top 10 of the Hot 100 twice in her career, once with a remix and another time thanks to a featured spot on a Taylor Swift song. Yet “Tough,” her new team-up with Quavo, finds a sweet spot in between dreamy alt-pop and sizzling trap, with each artist sticking to their respective approaches before Del Rey starts rapping and the Migos star begins crooning. “Tough” shape-shifts, but never in an unnatural way; don’t be surprised if this unexpected collaboration becomes a late-summer hit.
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Morgan Wallen, “Lies Lies Lies”
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As Morgan Wallen enjoys the type of superstardom that winds up becoming decade-defining — and spends another week atop the Hot 100 chart, with his Post Malone team-up “I Had Some Help” — the country giant has released “Lies Lies Lies” as something of a palette cleanser, with the wistful, low-key track a far cry from his latest chart-conquering anthem. Originally recorded at Abbey Road Studios in 2023 and released as part of a digital series in March, “Lies Lies Lies” arrives on streaming services as a humbled admission of continued longing, with Wallen trying to convince himself that he’s moved on from a relationship before crying, “I’m still a fool for you.”
Childish Gambino, “Lithonia”
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Donald Glover’s Childish Gambino project crowned the Hot 100 and scooped up multiple major Grammys with the provocative 2018 anthem “This Is America” — and instead of doubling down on mainstream music fame, Glover released an offbeat pandemic project (3.15.20), revisited and renamed it a few years later (Atavista), and retreated into rewarding film and TV projects. Now, he’s prepping what has been teased as the final Childish Gambino album, Bando Stone & The New World, and “Lithonia” marks an intriguing first taste: a fuzzed-out power ballad featuring some open-chested singing and soul harmonies, the track sounds designed for the arena crowds that Glover can still command whenever he wants.
Eminem feat. Big Sean & BabyTron, “Tobey”
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The first two tracks that Eminem has released from his upcoming album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) showcase two of the qualities that have made him an enduring superstar: while “Houdini” was all quotable crassness and pop hooks, “Tobey” is ear-melting rap theatrics, with Em’s technical skill taking center stage in the back half of the track. Before that, Big Sean and BabyTron crash in to deliver their own double-time rhymes, operating over a minimalist beat that allows all three MCs to turn their bars into the song’s priority.
Editor’s Pick: Kesha, “Joyride”
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The release of Kesha’s “Joyride” on Independence Day was purposeful: the new single represented the pop star’s first song as an independent artist, following a years-long legal battle with Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald and the fulfillment of her initial label contract. With that in mind, “Joyride” is both an exhalation following unhappy circumstances and a smart back-to-basics move, in which Kesha can wrap her arms around a sly, hard-charging party track and reintroduce herself. “Joyride” bounces along with carnival-esque production and wacky sound effects, but Kesha matches its exuberance, altering her voice to punctuate every punchline and having a blast on the giddy hook.
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, Zach Bryan returns with a lyrical farewell, Twenty One Pilots put a bow on a long-running story, and Sexyy Red gets an assist from Drake. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Zach Bryan, “Pink Skies”
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As he has graduated from cult audiences to stadium crowds, Zach Bryan has never betrayed his storytelling intuition: on “Pink Skies,” a somber and striking new single, the singer-songwriter forgoes any crowd-pleasing impulse to tell a tale of a funeral preparation, addressing a deceased loved one as their grown children get ready to wish them farewell. With careful guitar strums and unabashed harmonica blasts, “Pink Skies” is a full-bodied entry in Bryan’s quickly growing discography — and while its subject matter does not scream “country radio,” he has long succeeded by shrugging off conventional wisdom, and will likely do so again here.
Twenty One Pilots, Clancy
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Nearly a decade ago, Twenty One Pilots’ Blurryface introduced a multi-album narrative arc from the band, along with producing enormous crossover hits like “Stressed Out” and “Ride”; with Clancy, the best-selling rock duo concludes that particular story, while offering more alternative radio fodder like the contemplative “The Craving” and the quietly grooving “Backslide.” Regardless of how closely you’re monitoring the group’s world-building details, their seventh studio album continues to expand upon a proven formula.
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Sexyy Red, In Sexyy We Trust
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Although the majority of the initial attention paid to Sexyy Red’s surprise new mixtape will center on Drake’s guest spot on “U My Everything,” which name-checks and flips Metro Boomin’s “BBL Drizzy” beat in a master troll move, the St. Louis rapper more than holds her own across In Sexyy We Trust, which uses the audacious single “Get It Sexyy” as a starting point for a full-blown swagger showcase. Sexyy sounds magnetic when talking trash over bruising beats, and In Sexyy We Trust will endure beyond its most eyebrow-raising guest verse.
RM, Right Place, Wrong Person
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By preceding his second solo album with the heartfelt, six-minute-plus sprawl of “Come Back To Me,” RM hinted at a project that was going to showcase his emotional intelligence and creative sensibilities rather than chasing hits; indeed, Right Place, Wrong Person finds the BTS member exploring his artistry unapologetically, offering an honest, sometimes explicit, multi-lingual check-in on a superstar growing into adulthood. Plus, he’s got some great guests: Little Simz, Moses Sumney and DOMi & JD Beck stop by the project, all of whom translate their outside-the-box talents into RM’s world.
PinkPantheress, “Turn It Up”
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Since breaking through last year alongside Ice Spice with “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2,” PinkPantheress has continued to release pillowy, subtly beautiful rhythmic hyperpop, first with her Heaven Knows album and now with her first new single of 2024. “Turn It Up” examines shared music experiences, both in public and then through a more intimate exchange: “You just make me wanna say, ‘Hey, it’s me’ / We’ve been talking twice a week / I like this beat / It just makes me wanna sing,” she sings, right before clowning on her subject for singing the wrong words in the club.
Editor’s Pick: Clairo, “Sexy to Someone”
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After her sophomore album Sling leaned into Clairo’s quietest impulses, delightful new single “Sexy to Someone,” which precedes its follow-up Charm, return Claire Cottrill to the hook-friendly indie-pop that made Immunity one of the most engaging debut albums in recent memory. Waxing poetic about the lightning-bolt feeling of catching the eye of a stranger, Clairo bounces her voice off of a gorgeous collection of piano and bass, allowing the instrumentation to amplify her intimate thoughts and returning to a studio mode that suits her impeccably.
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, Billie Eilish hits new sweet spots, Zayn enters a fresh phase and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie keeps climbing. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Billie Eilish, Hit Me Hard and Soft
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Forget the standout tracks (although there are several of them) and the general atmosphere (which is richly developed and immediately engrossing); the miracle of Billie Eilish’s third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, is the fact that one of the most celebrated young superstars in the history of popular music — who’s coming off of her second Oscar win, at the age of 22! — can continue to sound so freed from expectations, and unconstrained from modern pop trends. Eilish has always made unflinching choices in the face of ever-expanding fame, and from the crackling pop-rock of “Lunch” to the labyrinthine saga of “Bittersuite” to the heartfelt jangle of “Birds of a Feather,” she remains impossible to predict, and a master of her craft, on her latest full-length.
Zayn, Room Under the Stairs
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Room Under the Stairs is Zayn’s first album since he entered his thirties last year — and while the rustic, country-rock sound denotes a change in approach, the songwriting and vocal performances also capture a maturation, as the former One Direction star sounds fully removed from the trappings of pop stardom and ready to tell his story his way. Lead single “What I Am” quickly sets the tone, but “Stardust” immerses the listener in the promise of Zayn’s new era, marrying his knack for melody with deep, hard-earned soulfulness.
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A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Better Off Alone
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In a few weeks, Bronx rapper A Boogie Wit da Hoodie will perform a headlining show at Madison Square Garden, a full-circle moment for an MC who has always operated left-of-center when it comes to hip-hop’s elite but has steadily built a dedicated following and racked up hundreds of millions of streams. New album Better Off Alone includes guest spots from Future, Lil Durk and Young Thug, among others, but the percolating “Body,” featuring rising star Cash Cobain, best distills A Boogie’s new-school take on NYC hip-hop by way of Jersey club, and sounds like a surefire hit.
Luke Combs, “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma”
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Luke Combs’ burly new rocker comes from the soundtrack to the upcoming Twister sequel Twisters, which helps explain lines like “You’ll know when it’s coming for ya / Riding in on the wind and rain.” Removed from the context of the film, however, “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” allows Combs to playfully roar over meaty guitar riffs, showcasing a side of the superstar that might be unfamiliar to non-country fans who only know his delicate “Fast Car” cover.
Editor’s Pick: Saweetie, “NANi”
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Saweetie climbed the charts and crossed over to mainstream listeners thanks in part to pop-rap confections like “My Type” and the Doja Cat collaboration “Best Friend,” and new summer single “NANi,” with its plinking keyboard riff and sing-song melody, has a great shot at following in the footsteps of those hits. As always, Saweetie’s rock-solid flow holds her sound together, as she concludes, “Another day, another f–kin’ bag,” with the braggadocio of a superstar.
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, Post Malone and Morgan Wallen help each other out, Gunna stays prolific as ever and Megan Thee Stallion turns even more cutthroat. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen, “I Had Some Help”
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No artist logged more weeks atop the Hot 100 and Billboard 200 in 2023 than Morgan Wallen; meanwhile, Post Malone has been enjoying a hot streak as a collaborator, with recent features on Beyoncé and Taylor Swift’s respective blockbuster albums, while also nodding toward a country crossover. Those fruitful paths cross on “I Had Some Help,” a country rocker with a faster pace than Wallen’s biggest hits and more twang than Posty’s typical oeuvre; popular country has been increasingly impacting the mainstream, and this team-up sounds like it’s ready to dominate the summer.
Gunna, One of Wun
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Last year, Gunna’s album a Gift & a Curse reflected on the rapper’s complicated feelings around the YSL RICO case, and included no features; One of Wun is a different story, with a more celebratory flair (particularly after the success of last year’s smash “Fukumean”) and Offset, Normani, Leon Bridges and Roddy Ricch all dropping by. In both modes, Gunna sounds masterful bending syllables over zonked-out beats, and One of Wun may approach the 60-minute mark but flies by, hitting a groove midway through with solo tracks “Back in the A,” “Still Prevail” and “Blackjack.”
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Megan Thee Stallion, “Boa”
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“All of a sudden they vegan, they don’t want beef,” Megan Thee Stallion — who’s already topped the Hot 100 once this year with a diss track, “Hiss,” to kick off a year of enormous diss tracks — sneers near the top of new single “Boa.” While her latest single gestures toward slicing down more enemies, “Boa” actually showcases Meg’s pop know-how: a smart sample of Gwen Stefani’s “What You Waiting For?” animates the hook, setting up a sleekly designed chorus in between the ferocious wordplay.
Camila Cabello feat. Lil Nas X, “He Knows”
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The reinvention of Camila Cabello continues with “He Knows,” which harnesses the edgier exterior of “I Luv It” but delivers more straightforward pop delights, complete with handclaps, a cooing hook and Cabello rhyming “provocateur” with “connoisseur.” Lil Nas X knows a thing or two about provocative pop, and spends his verse doubling down on double entendres before joining Cabello for some nicely rendered harmonies on the chorus.
Ice Spice, “Gimmie a Light”
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Throughout her ascent over the past year and a half, Ice Spice has sounded calm, cool and collected, never allowing her flow to be bothered even as beats percolate around her voice and A-list collaborators crash onto her tracks. New single “Gimmie a Light” represents a new shade for the rapper, as she uses the Sean Paul classic as the basis for a breathless shout-along; the track is designed to rattle club walls, but also opens up more possibilities for Ice Spice’s aesthetic, as she continues taking the formula for New York hip-hop and running in various directions with it.
Editor’s Pick: Chief Keef, Almighty So 2
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Fans of Chief Keef have been waiting for the follow-up to 2013’s Almighty So for such a long time, with years of targeted release dates giving way to countless delays, that the arrival of Almighty So 2 feels like a minor miracle. The even better news is that the sequel is Keef’s best project in years: building off of the momentum of his recent collaborative project with Mike WiLL Made-It, Dirty Nachos, the drill legend pulverizes an hour’s worth of beats here, locating a strand of his early-career energy and delivering a mix of hunger and confidence on every track.
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 gets the party re-started, Kendrick Lamar is drinking Haterade, and Gunna drops another zonked-out hit. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Dua Lipa, Radical Optimism
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In the four years since the release of her sophomore album Future Nostalgia, Dua Lipa has become an A-list celebrity — popping up in blockbuster films and at fashion shows, owning magazine covers and arena stages — and it’s all thanks to the smashes that came from that disco-revival opus, as well as the one-off singles (like “Cold Heart” and “Dance the Night”) that followed. Lipa’s hits are the engine of her increasing visibility, and Radical Optimism attempts to pile up more W’s while revealing more of the artist behind them: operating over candy-coated dance production and attacking each chorus with full-throated vigor, Lipa sings about desire and betrayal — although sometimes the quieter moments of the album, like on the understated guitar-pop of “Maria,” cut the deepest.
Kendrick Lamar, “6:16 in LA” and “Euphoria”
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Kendrick Lamar has had a productive week while staring at a photo of Drake on his bulletin board: as the rap-superstar feud continues, K. Dot has dropped a pair of snarling diss tracks aimed at questioning the very fiber of his opponent’s being. Earlier this week we received “Euphoria,” a six-minute-plus takedown of the way that Drake talks, walks and dresses, among other things; this morning, Lamar dropped “6:16 in LA,” which plays off Drizzle’s timestamp song series and goes for the jugular (“Fake bully, I hate bullies, you must be a terrible person / Everyone inside your team is whispering that you deserve it”).
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Gunna, “Whatsapp (Wassam)”
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One week before the release of new album One of Wun, Gunna is back with a delightfully chilled-out new single, as “Whatsapp (Wassam)” returns the rap star to the spacey heights of Wunna highlights like “Skybox” and “Wunna Flo.” Nobody in hip-hop is as adept at tossing out these type of relaxed, stream-of-consciousness flows as actual hits, and after “Fukumean” became the biggest solo hit of his career last year, Gunna has likely scored another rap-playlist staple.
Imagine Dragons feat. J Balvin, “Eyes Closed”
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Imagine Dragons have never been shy about mashing up their guitar-heavy pop-rock with hip-hop via guest rappers, from “Sucker for Pain” to “Enemy,” but a new version of “Eyes Closed” brings in J Balvin to drop bars in Spanish and provide the pummeling song with a new direction. Dan Reynolds capably hoists the hook above the head-snapping percussion and production wobble, but Balvin highlights the track, making “Eyes Closed” a showcase for his own skill set as he visits another artist’s universe.
Kane Brown & Marshmello, “Miles on It”
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Kane Brown and Marshmello have already mashed up their country-pop and dance stylings to great success thanks to the 2019 single “One Thing Right,” and with new collaboration “Miles on It,” the duo are both trying to recapture the magic as well as supply the world with a not-very-subtle song of the summer. “Just you and me in a truck bed wide like a California King / We could break it in, if you know what I mean,” Brown sings on the chorus before the tempo turns double-time, suggesting that “Miles on It” is not exactly referring to his Chevy’s odometer.
Editor’s Pick: WILLOW, Empathogen
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Following her preteen beginnings with “Whip My Hair,” WILLOW has spent more than a decade upending expectations of her recording career, swiveling from family-friendly pop to sumptuous R&B to riotous pop-punk. New album Empathogen adds jazz, art-pop and indie-rock flourishes into her expanding palette, but WILLOW’s personality drives the entire project, powering songs like “Run!” and “The Fear is Not Real” with jittery energy and resplendent charm; she’s a veteran at this point, but she’s still serving up the unpredictable.
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, Normani increases our Dopamine supply, PARTYNEXTDOOR elevates his game and Anitta provides Brazilian funk for summer. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Normani feat. Gunna, “1:59”
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The reason why anticipation remains high for Normani’s debut solo project, in spite of years of false starts and setbacks, is because the music that the former Fifth Harmony star has released over the past half-decade has been enticingly singular, a collection of R&B singles with pop and personality. At long last, Normani’s first album is on the calendar — Dopamine is slated for a June release — and new single “1:59” serves as another reminder of the project’s promise, with the singer waxing poetic about a steamy encounter in between Gunna’s animated crooning.
PARTYNEXTDOOR, PARTYNEXTDOOR 4
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Evolving from one of Drake’s most trusted studio companions into an ever-reliable R&B solo artist, PARTYNEXTDOOR has spent the past decade accruing a dedicated following — and now wants more, if PARTYNEXTDOOR 4, his first project in four years, is any indication. The new album carries a cohesion and stylistic ambition that previously was not prominent in PND’s oeuvre, as the Canadian singer-songwriter elevates his late-night musings and warbled vocals to more emotionally affecting territory, particularly on the album’s back half.
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Anitta, Funk Generation
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The opening song on Anitta’s new album is titled “Lose Ya Breath,” and that’s precisely what the veteran star aims to accomplish on this kinetic new project: Funk Generation rarely lets the BPM lag, and Anitta never stops showcasing the ferocity that powers a lot of these Brazilian funk heaters. Previously released singles “Funk Rave” and “Joga Pra Lua” sound at home on the track list, Sam Smith stops by to provide some feathery vocals to “Ahi,” but the sub-two-minute headbangers like “Savage Funk” and “Grip” might steal the whole show.
Justice, Hyperdrama
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Miguel, Thundercat, The Flints, Tame Impala: these are just a handful of the guest stars on Justice’s long-awaited new album Hyperdrama, with guest vocalists a rarity in the French electronic duo’s discography. And while some of those collaborations result in exciting new compounds — Kevin Parker’s voice stretches out and shimmers on the opener “Neverender,” for instance — they’re also a little besides the point, as the veteran dance kings provide plenty of movement on their own; the multi-part “Incognito” may be one of the biggest triumphs of their entire catalog, every gear shift producing another unexpected thrill.
Myke Towers feat. Bad Bunny, “Adivino”
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Two years after Bad Bunny ignited the summer with the surprise May 2022 release of his album Un Verano Sin Ti, the A-lister has joined forces with another Puerto Rican superstar, Myke Towers, on a track that sounds primed for beach playlists and sweaty club nights. “Adivino” may document a breakup, but the thumping beat and rapid hooks dispel any chance to dwell on the sorrow; meanwhile, Towers and Bad Bunny crackle side by side, trading off lines and oscillating between singing and rapping with an easy chemistry.
Editor’s Pick: Tems, “Love Me JeJe”
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Tems has been impacting the U.S. mainstream for such a long time that it seems impossible that she has yet to release a proper debut album, but after several hit collaborations (“Wait For U” with Future and Drake, “Essence” with Wizkid) and 2021’s If Orange Was a Place EP, the Nigerian superstar will finally unveil Born in the Wild next month. Lead single “Love Me JeJe” distills what has made Tems such a captivating presence since arriving on the scene, as she expresses unbridled passion above warm, uncluttered production courtesy of Spax and Guiltybeatz; the song never overreaches, simply tossing out heartfelt thoughts and a summertime beat.
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, J. Cole fires back, Vampire Weekend get heavenly and Doja Cat returns with more fire. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
J. Cole, Might Delete Later
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Much like it was with Future and Metro Boomin’s We Don’t Trust You two weeks earlier, the immediate emphasis on J. Cole’s new surprise project Might Delete Later will be on a short burst of disses: on the final song, “7 Minute Drill,” Cole claps back at Kendrick Lamar’s “Like That” venom by taking shots at K. Dot’s reputation and discography. However, “7 Minute Drill” is just the coda of an unexpected return that will leave longtime Cole fans excited and satisfied, complete with inspired guest spot selections — the slow-rolling opener “Pricey,” for instance, features Gucci Mane, Ari Lennox and a hook from the always-great Young Dro.
Vampire Weekend, Only God Was Above Us
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Vampire Weekend has long transcended the late-‘00s indie-rock explosion and moved on to arena headliner status in the decade that followed, but fifth album Only God Was Above Us nods to the subtler pleasures of their self-titled debut, as well as the muted colors of 2013’s Modern Vampires of the City. Songs like “Classical,” “The Surfer” and “Connect” capture a band reflecting on what makes them great while also aging with grace — Only God Was Above Us could be called a course correction from 2019’s more expansive Father of the Bride, but the lessons from that album have also been folded in here as Vampire Weekend keeps moving forward.
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Doja Cat, Scarlet 2 CLAUDE
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With the Scarlet era another monster success for Doja Cat, thanks in part to smash hits like “Paint the Town Red” and “Agora Hills,” the Scarlet 2 CLAUDE deluxe edition could have been a chest-thumping victory lap — but instead, Doja brings seven more songs of heat, further twisting her futuristic pop approach and offering up more radio fodder than leftovers. The strongest new track is “MASC,” a spacious breakup lamentation that fully unleashes Teezo Touchdown, although “URRRGE!!!!!!!!!” with A$AP Rocky is the type of delightfully unhinged rap track that Doja fully embraced on the original Scarlet.
Bryson Tiller, Bryson Tiller
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The recent success of “Whatever She Wants,” which became Bryson Tiller’s first solo top 20 hit on the Hot 100 since his breakthrough single “Don’t,” has acted as an exclamation point on a consistently excellent studio run, as Tiller has remained at the top of the R&B songwriting game while occasionally crossing over to hip-hop and pop platforms. His new self-titled album is brimming with heartily crooned sexual innuendos, a cocktail of ecstasy and regret that Tiller fans will have on repeat — although recent best new artist winner Victoria Monét nearly steals the show with some raucous wordplay on “Persuasion.”
Young Miko, att.
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While artists like Bizarrap and Feid have offered co-signs to Young Miko — and helped the Puerto Rican trap artist score some of her biggest hits to date — new album att. represents the moment that the rising star stands on her own two feet and showcases just how far-reaching her vision of modern Latin music can become. Although Miko often moves quickly over sizzling beats, she can operate efficiently on dance tracks, sing impressively in more heartfelt moments and cede the floor graciously whenever a guest star does pop by; in other words, she has no glaring weaknesses on att., and album opener “Rookie of the Year” is aptly titled.
Editor’s Pick: Kehlani, “After Hours”
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Summer is quickly approaching, and we are already thinking about which singles will define the hottest season… and just like that, Kehlani returns with her first solo release since 2022’s Blue Water Road, and immediately throws her hat in the ring. “After Hours” effervesces in its dance floor beguile, as Kehlani lifts Cordel “Scatta” Burrell’s “Coolie Dance Rhythm” and re-imagines the classic as a siren cry: “Why don’t you stay here after hours?” she beckons, the power of her voice and the swirl of the production making it difficult to detach from the single until its breathless conclusion.
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, Cowboy Carter arrives, Camila Cabello upends expectations and J-Hope continues his winning streak. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter
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There was a time when Beyoncé was known more for her radio fodder and less for her full-length thematic statements; Bey has spent a little over a decade flipping that script, and while she’s still scoring hits (like her most recent No. 1 single, “Texas Hold ’Em”), she has become one of modern music’s boldest album auteurs. Cowboy Carter, which refracts country music’s history through her superstar prism, heralds a sound and then shifts its shape, blending popular voices and classic songs into a singular vision that ranges from acoustic lullabies like “Protector” to show-stopping workouts like “Ya Ya.” It’s a work of staggering ambition and execution, and as with all of her recent projects, the legend of Beyoncé continues to grow.
Camila Cabello feat. Playboi Carti, “I Luv It”
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“I Luv It” is bananas: Camila Cabello repeats the titular phrase breathlessly as synths whirr around her words, then a sample of Gucci Mane’s classic single “Lemonade” drops, and finally Playboi Carti slides in to mumble some game before the single collapses. The whole affair is off-the-wall pop experimentation, but for Cabello, that might be exactly what the doctor ordered as she enters the next phase of her solo career — “I Luv It” is brash and knowingly surprising, which is more than enough.
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J-Hope, Hope on the Street Vol. 1
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After 2022’s Jack in the Box demonstrated J-Hope’s solo ambitions and hip-hop panache, Hope on the Street Vol. 1 continues expanding his artistic world while also recruiting some special guests. BTS fans will love hearing Jung Kook stop by “I Wonder…” and its warm production bed, while Benny Blanco and Nile Rodgers help engineer the clap-along dance cut “Lock / Unlock” — all the while, however, J-Hope remains a commanding presence, giving each track the pop of attitude it needs.
mgk x Trippie Redd, genre:sadboy
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Machine Gun Kelly and Trippie Redd are frequent collaborators and kindred spirits, mussing up the lines between rock and hip-hop and using their vulnerabilities to connect with younger listeners. At 27 minutes, the collaborative project genre:sadboy allows MGK and Trippie to play off of each other at a brisk pace, telling their tales of dissatisfaction and yearning on tracks like the understated “Lost Boy” and the Frou Frou-sampling “Beauty,” and proudly leaning in to that “sadboy” label.
Editor’s Pick: Sheryl Crow, Evolution
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Sheryl Crow thought her 2019 album Threads would be her last; thank goodness she was mistaken. Evolution is a rollicking affair that more squarely centers Crow’s personality after her guest-packed previous album: the recent Rock Hall inductee has tapped producer Mike Elizondo to make her pop-rock musings smack a little harder, but her smoky voice and witty lyricism are the stars of the show, and haven’t dulled one bit after a long layoff and a few decades in the game.
