State Champ Radio friday music guide
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, Dua Lipa sees through your deception, Sabrina Carpenter keeps you up all night, and of course, Future and Metro Boomin remain doubtful about your reliability. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Future & Metro Boomin, We Still Don’t Trust You
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If you thought Future & Metro might be mostly phoning in their sequel effort to their chart-topping We Don’t Trust You from three weeks ago, that 25-song tracklist — 18 for the proper album and a seven-track extra disc — should make it pretty clear that this isn’t just spare bonus material. Besides, the leadoff title cut finds rapper and producer right away in new pulsing dancefloor territory, led by an uncredited appearance by The Weeknd, which sets the tone for the strobelit sonics for much of the project. But of course, folks will mostly be talking about the appearances on this set from J. Cole (“Red Leather”), who does not really seem to be addressing any of the recent “Big 3” feuding, and A$AP Rocky (“Show of Hands”), who appears to be taking shots — possibly at Drake? — via his current romantic partner: “N—as swear they bitch the baddest, I just bagged the worst one… I smash before you birthed son, Flacko hit it first son.”
Dua Lipa, “Illusion”
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Following the top 40 Billboard Hot 100 hits “Houdini” and “Training Season,” pop superstar Dua Lipa is back with the third taste of her upcoming Radical Optimism set, “Illusion.” Co-written with regular collaborator Caroline Ailin, singer-songwriter Tobias Jesso Jr., PC Music soundsmith Danny L Harle and psych-pop fixture Kevin Parker — the latter two of whom also co-produced — Lipa sings of learning to “take my rose-colored glasses of” when dealing with a potential new love with no shortage of red flags. The track finds her back in her disco-pop sweet spot, and with its repeated “dance all night” refrain should find its way to plenty of radio and club airplay in no time.
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Sabrina Carpenter, “Espresso”
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Speaking of disco-pop, if you prefer your dancefloor jams a little on the laid-back side — more “Levitating” than “Physical,” perhaps — Sabrina Carpenter has you covered with her new piping hot “Espresso.” The alluring new single, co-written with Grammy nominee Amy Allen and Carpenter’s “Nonsense” collaborators Steph Jones and writer/producer Julian Bunetta, features Carpenter positing herself as the caffeinated beverage keeping boys’ thoughts’ racing and sleepless: “That’s that me espresso.” Who’s to say what coffee puns she’ll end up ad libbing in the outro to this one during future live performances?
Lil Nas X, “Right There”
“Been hoarding music for years smh i hate my relationship with fear of my songs not doing well and perception,” Lil Nas X wrote on Instagram in March. “i wish i could just release music and not give af.” The rapper seems to be walking the walk now by dropping his new “Right There” on SoundCloud earlier this week, thought to be a track from his upcoming Nasarati 2 mixtape. With a bombastic beat built around an angelic backing vocal loop, the song sounds absolutely enormous as LNX mixes themes of sex, drugs and religion in his verses: “Montero just popped that Perc/ This feel like God in church/ This scripture a Bible verse/ Buss it open and make it twerk.”
Maggie Rogers, Don’t Forget Me
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Acclaimed singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers might not be likely to end up with the most buzzed-about release of the week since Future & Metro entered the picture, but Don’t Forget Me should nonetheless delight fans of her sparkling, impassioned folky alt-pop. Highlights of the songs not already released from her 10-track third official LP include the Pat Benatar-worthy ’80s pop-rock blast “Drunk” and the gently-but-firmly shuffling acoustic kiss-off “On & On & On.”
PartyNextDoor, “Lose My Mind”
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PartyNextDoor fans who want to hear the late-night singer-songwriter at his most carnal and unfiltered were no doubt encouraged by the recently released cover image for his upcoming PartyNextDoor 4 album — a naked model, shot from behind — and will probably only be further intrigued by “Lose My Mind” his hedonistic latest release from the project. “F–kin’ two b—hes at the same time/ Couldn’t make me choose if it depended on my life” he sings in the first verse, and it only gets more libidinous from there — culminating in a sample from DMX’s “Party Up (Up in Here),” which recontextualizes that song’s classic raging hook as a statement of unbridled lust and sexual abandon.
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.
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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.
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, Future and Metro Boomin make magic together, Shakira is still on fire, and Olivia Rodrigo has a few more bangers for the faithful fans. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Future & Metro Boomin, We Don’t Trust You
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Allow the early headlines about We Don’t Trust You, the new collaborative album from Future and Metro Boomin, to focus on Kendrick Lamar’s guest verse on “Like That,” which features some house-torching bars and some thinly veiled shots aimed at the J. Cole-Drake partnership. That’s understandable, and deserved. Yet don’t overlook the fact that We Don’t Trust You features Future’s most complete end-to-end performance on a project in a half-decade: with Metro’s all-star run of cinematic beats stretching longer, Future sounds reinvigorated, lurking underneath heavy bass at moments and pouncing on his doubters over widescreen drums.
Shakira, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran
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Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran marked one of Shakira’s most successful eras even before its release, thanks to a bevy of hit singles, from the Internet-smashing “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” to the blockbuster Karol G collaboration “TQG,” both of which returned the icon to the top 10 of the Hot 100. The album is divided into two halves — the first is fully new material, the second is the slew of recent releases — but that opening eight-song run includes plenty of exciting new tunes, including “Puntería,” a Cardi B team-up in which Shakira locks in on the production shimmer and scoops up another undeniable melody.
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Olivia Rodrigo, GUTS (spilled)
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Olivia Rodrigo has already scored major hits, competed at the Grammys and kicked off an arena tour in support of sophomore album GUTS, limiting the incentive to unveil more new songs as part of a deluxe edition of the album — but the five new tracks comprising the GUTS (spilled) release are a hearty thank-you to her many fans, and include plenty of moments worthy of her top-notch second LP. “So American” is a jittery rock jam that builds upon the guitar alchemy of “Bad Idea Right?,” while “Obsessed” features a Rodrigo vocal take dripping with attitude, and deserves to be another radio staple.
Tyla, Tyla
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Tyla’s smash hit “Water” was another commercial win for the Afrobeats and amapiano sounds that have helped define global pop this decade, but Tyla represents something even more meaningful — a front-to-back excellent full-length that should immediately rank among the strongest crossover bids that those coalescing movements have ever produced. The South African star knows exactly how to blend American pop and R&B into amapiano, resulting in breathtaking tracks like “Truth or Dare” and “ART” that sound unique to Tyla’s skill set while also bridging continents and generations.
Pearl Jam, “Running”
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Listen to the way Eddie Vedder absolutely howls in the final 25 seconds of “Running” — his voice quivering with emotion, his words possessed with repetition, until he (and the song) seemingly collapse. Urgent moments like that have defined Pearl Jam’s towering discography, and showcase that Vedder and co. are still going strong all these years later: “Running,” which previews next month’s Dark Matter, is a mangy rocker with a galloping pace, like a more menacing version of “The Fixer” with a bigger payoff.
Editor’s Pick: Matt Champion, Mika’s Laundry
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Brockhampton has produced a fair amount of notable solo releases since the groundbreaking rap collective splintered, but Mika’s Laundry, the debut full-length from Matt Champion, sounds less like an offshoot than its own galaxy, an expansive look at the talented multi-hyphenate’s prodding worldview. Champion croaks out hooks at some points, and lets his voice soar at others; he mumbles rhetorical questions over collapsing production, then speeds up into pop warmth (like on the JENNIE collaboration “Slow Motion). Whatever he’s up to, Mika’s Laundry depicts an artist working through a mountain of ideas in provocative, engrossing fashion.
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, Kacey Musgraves centers her songwriting, Justin Timberlake returns to the dance floor, and Cardi B has her enemies on alert. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Kacey Musgraves, Deeper Well
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Although Deeper Well could be construed as an antidote to Kacey Musgraves’ 2021 album Star-Crossed, considering how the jagged edges of that divorce meditation have been smoothed down on songs about quiet pleasures and self-love, Musgraves’ stellar songwriting has always remained the North Star of her craft, and prevents her latest album from feeling like a sharp turn. There are plenty of earthy delights to be found deep into Deeper Well, but the opening run of the ‘70s-indebted “Cardinal,” rustic title track and blissed-out “Too Good to Be True” ranks among the strongest 10-minute stretches in Musgraves’ discography.
Click here to read a full review and track ranking of Musgraves’ Deeper Well.
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Justin Timberlake, Everything I Thought It Was
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Six years have passed since Justin Timberlake’s last full-length, 2018’s Man of the Woods, and the pop supsertsr has re-emerged with an album that plucks him out of the woods and better understands his core appeals. Everything I Thought It Was finds Timberlake playing the hits to a degree — shimmering rhythmic pop; crackling, Timbaland-helmed beats; disco grooves that aren’t contained to radio-single lengths; even the return of *NSYNC — but also does not represent a retreat into safe territory. Timberlake may be squarely in his forties at this point, but he still aims to have every moment of a sprawling, 76-minute album be considered thrilling. He’s a consummate entertainer who knows what he’s best at, and still finds occasions to operate in the margins of his aesthetic.
Click here to read a full review and track ranking of Timberlake’s Everything I Thought It Was.
Cardi B, “Enough (Miami)”
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Cardi B is tired of paying mind to her rivals: “I see my opps linking up, I’m like, ‘What in the f–k?’” she spits on new single “Enough (Miami),” which quickly follows another solo track, “Like What (Freestyle),” that similarly took aim at an adversary and her hastily conglomerated cohorts. “Enough (Miami)” is full of eye-rolls from Cardi, as well as killer lines; she may be growing weary of playing defense, but tossing out references to both Dr. Seuss and “Knuck if You Buck” on the same track is always going to entertain.
Zayn, “What I Am”
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Zayn has now spent more years as a solo artist than as an active member of One Direction, and over the course of that run, he’s allowed his curiosity to roam without committing to a single pop blueprint. “What I Am” adopts a folksy approach that we haven’t heard from Zayn before — country great Dave Cobb co-produced the new track, which precedes upcoming album Room Under the Stairs — but his voice continues to resonate, and his lyrics suggest a healthy reinvention: “Take me as I am,” he cries, “I’m tired of dancin’ around the point.”
PARTYNEXTDOOR, “Real Woman”
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“This is the hardest I’ve ever worked on an album,” PARTYNEXTDOOR told Billboard in a recent cover story. Indeed, new single “Real Woman,” which previews PARTYNEXTDOOR 4, features the R&B singer-songwriter sounding reinvigorated while lavishing the woman who’s captured his imagination. Rumbling, sumptuous percussion and backing harmonies assist PND as he climbs into his falsetto, and “Real Woman” immediately becomes a candidate for heavy rotation on R&B radio.
Editor’s Pick: Willow, “Symptom of Life”
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On Willow’s captivating new single “Symptom of Life,” the juxtaposition of the whooshing chorus — fast-moving, chattering, full of unanswerable questions about the meaning of life — and the gentle, wordless breaks of piano and drums demonstrates Willow’s savvy as a pop creator, capable of filling space with commotion and then pulling back for an exhale. “Symptom of Life” carries a whiff of Kate Bush’s wizardry; let’s hope Willow keeps plunging down that rabbit hole on her upcoming studio album.
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 finds her Sunshine, Jack Antonoff pushes Bleachers forward and 4batz receives a huge co-sign. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Ariana Grande, Eternal Sunshine
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While Eternal Sunshine, Ariana Grande’s seventh studio album, explores a new beginning in her romantic life, the pop superstar is also pressing start on a fresh phase in her career: following 2020’s Positions and ending her longest gap between full-lengths thus far, Grande sounds emboldened through elapsed time and newfound wisdom, and more uncompromising than ever in her lyrics and aesthetic. Thumping lead single “Yes, And?” acts as a bit of a red herring for an album that’s often pensive and prodding, with the subtle R&B of Positions expanding in scope and deepening in detail; pop fans will find more playlist fodder in the shimmering synth showcase “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love)” and the snappy, clever “The Boy is Mine” re-imagining, but Eternal Sunshine is an extended dive into the psyche of a generational talent who’s only getting more thoughtful, and better, with time.
Click here for a full breakdown of every song on Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine.
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Bleachers, Bleachers
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Jack Antonoff keeps refining Bleachers, but instead of sanding down his band’s rougher edges, he’s amplifying their quirks, and translating the live-wire energy of their live shows into the studio setting. Bleachers, Antonoff’s fourth and best album as the leader of the collective, is an apt project to end up self-titled: songs like the rollicking “Modern Girl,” wistful “Alma Mater” and quietly graceful “Woke Up Today” exist in different modes but get to the root of Antonoff is trying to accomplish, various shades of indie-flecked pop-rock with communal hope coalescing around his strengthening voice.
4batz feat. Drake, “act ii: date @ 8” remix
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Since Drake emerged as a star in the late 2000s, there have been multiple years in which his career was defined by hopping on smaller artists’ hit songs and pouring some gasoline on their chart prospects. That age-old impulse returns with the remix to “act ii: date @ 8,” the viral R&B smash from Dallas native 4batz; here, Drizzy essentially doubles the original song’s length and remakes the second half in his image, taking 4batz’s late-night musings and running with an extended verse on love and lust.
Norah Jones, Visions
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Now squarely in her forties and 20 years removed from her mega-selling debut album Come Away With Me, Norah Jones keeps regularly cranking out accomplished, sonically adventurous projects. Visions, her strongest since 2012’s Little Broken Hearts, is especially daring in its verve, a soul record that’s swirled a little garage-rock onto its canvas: Jones sounds fantastic leading full-throated tracks like “Paradise” and “All This Time,” while producer Leon Michels guides the throwback arrangements with a light touch.
Editor’s Pick: The Marías, “Run Your Mouth”
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“Hope you dance to this one,” Marías leader María Zardoya declares in a press release for the band’s new single “Run Your Mouth,” which precedes forthcoming sophomore album Submarine. It’s easy to oblige: “Run Your Mouth” boasts an effortless groove that funks up the Marías’ alt-pop sound, with a hustling tempo and an extended instrumental breakdown that invites embarrassing hand-dancing (for some of us, at least). Drop this in your favorite weekend playlist and don’t think twice.
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, Pharrell and Miley conjure new (old) magic, Cardi B is not resting on her laurels, and Charli XCX wants to go back to the trucker-hat era. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Pharrell Williams feat. Miley Cyrus, “Doctor (Work It Out)”
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Whether viewed as a victory lap following her first Grammy wins or a tribute to Bangerz a little after that turning-point album’s 10th anniversary, “Doctor (Work It Out)” is the sound of Miley Cyrus strutting alongside one of her most trusted collaborators, Pharrell Williams, on a funked-up track that the pair first worked on years ago. “Doctor (Work It Out)” follows the same thread of unrepentant desire as the duo’s past hit “Come Get It Bae,” with a little more disco swagger and medical double entendres in the mix; the song could evaporate tomorrow or become a durable hit, but either way, Cyrus sounds like she’s having a great time with it.
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Cardi B, “Like What (Freestyle)”
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“Ayo, let me put some gas in this motherf–kin’ year,” Cardi B sneers to begin “Like What (Freestyle),” the rap superstar’s first solo track in multiple years that serves as a ripcord to fire up her rumbling, singular flow. “Like What” takes aim at Cardi’s enemies and haters over a sample of Missy Elliott’s 1999 classic “She’s a Bitch,” but the takedowns are simply ingredients in a delicious return to form for Cardi, who doubles down on similes and tosses out stunners like Stone Cold Steve Austin — before actually referencing him on a hilarious, X-rated rhyme.
Charli XCX, “Von Dutch”
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Although Charli XCX has explored a variety of pop aesthetics and release models over the course of her decade-plus career, the prospect of upcoming album Brat brimming with propulsive, laser-light club fare like the smashing new single “Von Dutch” should excite both casual listeners and longtime supporters. Charli locks in on the woozy production and guides the track towards the inevitable bass drops, never letting up as her voice circles in and out of focus; like the titular trucker hat, “Von Dutch” is designed to evoke bleary-eyed mid-‘00s nights out, and hits its target in thrilling fashion.
ScHoolboy Q, Blue Lips
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Five years can represent an eternity in modern hip-hop, but for ScHoolboy Q, the follow-up to 2019’s CrasH Talk finds the TDE stalwart inhabiting his longtime pocket — telling hard truths over left-of-center beats — while also evolving as a lyricist, especially when focusing on parenthood and his concerns of the future. Blue Lips is not designed as a mainstream crossover (the bugged-out, menacing “Pop,” featuring Rico Nasty, makes that plain), but ScHoolboy Q has a loyal following that’s been waiting for another opus, and Blue Lips rewards them handsomely.
Galantis, David Guetta & 5 Seconds of Summer, “Lighter”
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What a road 5 Seconds of Summer has traveled: after earning fame and fortune as new-school pop-punks and One Direction’s brattier (and often thrilling) opening acts, 5SOS has grown into an expansive rock outfit that’s capable of highlighting a throwback dance cut like this Galantis and David Guetta team-up. “Lighter” trades in mid-2010s euphoria, back when hits by Zedd and Clean Bandit were all over top 40 radio, but 5SOS is the wild card that prevents the track from sounding like a re-tread.
Editor’s Pick: Yard Act, Where’s My Utopia?
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Where’s My Utopia? is the sound of a rock band leveling up: Leeds post-punk group Yard Act impressed on their 2022 debut The Overload, but the collective’s sophomore album sharpens their sardonic approach without abandon, as if every inch of the quartet has become more fearless over the past two years. “Dream Job” is an obvious highlight with its call-and-response dance-punk, but “The Undertow,” “An Illusion” and “We Make Hits” all showcase a band worth investing in long-term.
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, 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.
