State Champ Radio friday music guide
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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 (July 28), Olivia Rodrigo shows listeners she’s got the Guts with her sophomore LP, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion team up again to recapture that old “WAP” magic, Tyler Childers and d4vd keep it brief and more.
Olivia Rodrigo, Guts
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There might not be a more anticipated sophomore LP released in 2023 than Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts, follow-up to her game-changing Sour release two years earlier. While the album was preceded by a pair of top 10 hits in the bloody ballad “Vampire” and the winking new-waver “Bad Idea Right?” Guts shows those songs to be just two of many new career highlights, including the shuffling, double-meaning pop-rock singalong “Get Him Back!” and the heartbroken (but responsibility-splitting) “Logical.” Read our list of every track ranked here, and look forward to spending a lot of time with these songs in your life over the rest of the year.
Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion, “Bongos”
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They made magic once before with the Hot 100-topping “WAP,” and now rap titans Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion have reunited for another club-killing collab with the appropriately hard-hitting “Bongos.” It’s another fun, frisky teamup with another colorful, choreo-heavy video — hopefully with less ridiculous controversy surrounding it this time — that should extend the summer for at least another week or two past labor day on its own. Make sure you stick around for Cardi’s late-song callback to Pitbull and Lil Jon’s underrated 2005 hit “Toma.”
Tyler Childers, Rustin’ in the Rain EP
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The timing could not be better for a full-length Tyler Childers release, coming off not only the good reception for his own Hot 100-debuting new single “In Your Love,” but the massive, chart-topping success of fellow Americana purveyors Zach Bryan and Oliver Anthony Music. You could maybe argue the true “full-length” qualifications of Rustin’ in the Rain — it’s seven tracks and 28 minutes, which is just barely out of EP territory — but what’s here should still be plenty to keep the singer-songwriter’s ever-growing fanbase satisfied, including “Love,” the rollicking title track, and a powerful cover of the Kris Kristofferson-penned country staple “Help Me Make It Through the Night.”
D4vd, The Lost Petals
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Teenage singer-songwriter D4vd became both a viral phenomenon and a Hot 100-charting artist in late 2022 and early 2023 with his gauzy breakthrough hits “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me.” With his two EP releases this year — the previously released Petals to Thorns and this week’s bonus follow-up Lost Petals — he’s showing that those singles were really just the beginning, with both his songwriting and his sonics continuing to develop at a rapid rate. Try the fragile, Joji-like piano balladry of “Poetic Vulgarity” from this one, or the Mac DeMarco-worthy wooziness of closing groover “Once More.”
Marshmello & Dove Cameron, “Other Boys”
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Shout out to Australian house duo Flight Facilities and singer-songwriter Giselle, whose sublimely longing 2010 collaboration “Crave You” was one of great understated pop gems of its era. Outside of the Land Down Under, the song was hardly a huge mainstream hit — but two artists evidently still familiar with its charms are DJ/producer Marshmello and breakout singer-songwriter Dove Cameron, who refashion the song’s chorus into the backbone of the hook to their new joint single “Other Boys.” There’s not a ton to the song once they get past the lift — at a scant 2:17, there’s not a whole lot of song here, period — but it’s a fun flashback for those of us still craving more floor-fillers like “Crave You.”
The Rolling Stones, “Angry”
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One of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time — and probably the longest-enduring — is back. Hackney Diamonds, due in late October, will be the Rolling Stones’ first album since 2016’s covers set Blue and Lonesome, and their first since the death of longtime drummer Charlie Watts. The LP is led by the ripping new single “Angry,” showcasing the group still in fine form sixty years after their debut album — and still plenty vital for the younger generation(s). Of course, it never hurts to have one of the biggest young actresses in your music video, as the Stones show with their casting of Euphoria and White Lotus star Sydney Sweeney in the “Angry” visual.
Labor Day weekend is upon us, and what better way to celebrate the official end of summer than with a slew of star-studded new music releases? On Friday (Sept. 1), Nicki Minaj released a long-awaited new banger, Doja Cat made friends with her “Demons,” and Timbaland gets the dream trio back together. Which track do […]
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, Nicki Minaj releases a contemplative banger, Doja Cat exorcises her “Demons,” and Timbaland gets the dream team back together. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Nicki Minaj, “Last Time I Saw You”
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One of the reasons why Nicki Minaj has endured as one of the most successful rappers of the past decade following her 2010 arrival is her range — throughout her entire career, the superstar has refused to be pigeonholed into one sound or style. That skill set is on full display on “Last Time I Saw You,” a new single from the upcoming Pink Friday 2 that recalls the original Pink Friday’s “Moment 4 Life,” with a gentle pop production providing the foundation for an impassioned sing-rap performance in which Minaj reflects on drifting apart from someone special. “Last Time I Saw You” requires Minaj to sing gently, belt effectively, rap hurriedly and provoke an emotional response in three-and-a-half minutes, and she makes it all look easy.
Doja Cat, “Demons”
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“Living well is the best revenge” is sure to be a recurring theme on Doja Cat’s upcoming album Scarlett, based on the advanced singles that the superstar has unveiled: after “Paint the Town Red” said what it said and blasted into the top 10 of the Hot 100, “Demons” continues the clapback, as Doja dismisses her haters with some expert wordplay and a wall-rattling hook. “I’m a puppet, I’m a sheep, I’m a cash cow / I’m the fastest-growing bitch on all your apps now,” she declares, both quickly nodding to her viral beginnings with “Mooo!” and reminding the world that nobody’s trajectory to the top resembles her own.
Timbaland feat. Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake, “Keep Going Up”
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In the mid 2000s, no pop triumvirate was as mighty as Timbaland, Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake: as Tim helmed Furtado’s enormous album Loose and Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveSounds, the veteran producer helped both artists rack up hit after hit while scoring some of his own (including the 2007 Hot 100 chart-topper “Give it To Me,” featuring both artists). Sixteen years later, the trio have joined forces once again for “Keep Going Up,” a rhythmic vocal showcase from consummate professionals out to prove that they’re aging like fine wine; fortunately, the process of hearing these three voices reflect off one another again is both a nostalgia rush and an absorbing new pop experience.
Lil Wayne, “Kat Food”
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Lil Wayne remains a magician: who else is dropping singles that are nearly five minutes long, rife with not-so-subtle cat double entendres, rhyming “subpoena” with “Purina,” and having the whole thing actually work? “Kat Food” finds Weezy busting out the thesaurus and breaking down a sample of Missy Elliott’s “Work It” with his trademark giddy energy, continuing a whirlwind year in which the rap veteran sounds as vital as ever and offering one last floor-filler before summer’s end.
Speedy Ortiz, Rabbit Rabbit
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Speedy Ortiz’s past records have always compelled thanks to the blistering guitar work, intricate song structures and mastermind Sadie Dupuis’ searingly smart songwriting, but with the band’s most fully formed songs to date and new level of lyrical vulnerability, Rabbit Rabbit is the quartet’s strongest album to date. As Dupuis prods at a complex past and present sensitivities, tracks like “Cry Cry Cry,” “Ghostwriter” and “Ballad of Y & S” boast immediate hooks amidst the ornate arrangements — these are songs that you can hum while they hit you in the gut.
Editor’s Pick: Jhayco & Peso Pluma, “Ex-Special”
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Jhayco is no stranger to smash collaborations — a pair of them with Bad Bunny have earned over 1 billion Spotify streams — but “Ex-Special,” a team-up with quick-rising star Peso Pluma, stands out as a highly successful summit of respective styles that wouldn’t necessarily fit together seamlessly. Yet Jhayco’s reggaeton mastery crackles against Pluma’s prolonged crooning here, as the artists weave around each other’s voices while waxing poetic about an ex that’s still haunting their thoughts; hopefully, “Ex-Special” expands each artist’s fan base by reaching across the aisle to another.
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, Selena Gomez’s new “Single” is here, Miley Cyrus waxes poetic on her youth, and Zach Bryan drops another affecting opus. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Selena Gomez, “Single Soon”
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Although Selena Gomez has been plenty busy over the past few years — with her starring role in Only Murders in the Building, her Spanish-language project Revelación, her cooking show Selena + Chef and her remix of Rema’s summer smash “Calm Down,” among other endeavors — a proper follow-up to her great 2020 album Rare has remained elusive. Within that context, “Single Soon” functions as both a promise of new music on the horizon, and a delicious first bite: unlike the sweeping emotion of Rare lead single “Lose You to Love Me,” “Single Soon” shrugs off a relationship and looks ahead to giddy independence with oversized synths and a sing-along melodies (Gomez does, in fact, perform karaoke to the song in its music video).
Miley Cyrus, “Used to Be Young”
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Miley Cyrus’ mammoth 2023, led by her longest-leading Hot 100 chart-topper “Flowers,” doubles as the 10-year anniversary of her Bangerz era, back when hits like “We Can’t Stop” and “Wrecking Ball” firmly removed her from her Disney Channel days. “Used to Be Young,” which appears on an expanded edition of her Endless Summer Vacation album, finds Cyrus reflecting on how she’s evolved to the point where now her wild days are in the rearview mirror: “You tell me time has done changed me / That’s fine, I had a good run,” she admits, tapping into the pop balladry that she’s utilized her entire career, from “The Climb” to “Wrecking Ball” to “Flowers.”
Zach Bryan, Zach Bryan
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In the midst of a wild run of country songs and artists near the top of the Hot 100, Zach Bryan, one of the genre’s biggest breakout stories of the past few years, has stayed steadily successful, with “Something in the Orange” spending months on the chart while his album American Heartbreak remains in the Billboard 200’s top 20. Whereas American Heartbreak was a marathon — 34 songs, most of them gorgeously written, over a two-hour run time — his new self-titled full-length is a 54-minute sprint through grief, bitter memories, love stories and formative travels across the country; Bryan’s lyricism is as affecting as ever, the arrangements are more thoughtfully rendered, and Zach Bryan immediately establishes itself as one of the strongest country projects of a topsy-turvy year.
BLACKPINK, “The Girls”
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“The Girls” catches BLACKPINK at a celebratory moment: the new single, which launched as part of their popular mobile game The Game and comes in the midst of U.S. stadium dates, allows the K-pop quartet to flex a bit after all of their successes. On a stopgap single that sounds just as fresh as their best cuts from Born Pink, BLACKPINK praises girl power by exuding strength in numbers — over bouncy pop production and crackling percussion, all four members sharpen their individual skills while complementing one another on the hook.
Burna Boy, I Told Them…
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With his album Love, Damini last year, Burna Boy scored a real, world-spanning smash, as “Last Last” grew into the Nigerian superstar’s signature hit; with the follow-up I Told Them…, Burna tries to catalog his journey to household-name status while also crafting a more fully formed full-length statement. Guests ranging from J. Cole to GZA to Dave to Seyi Vibez make for inspired ways of switching up the album’s energy, but the solo run of songs in the middle of the track list, beginning with the boisterous “Big 7” and ending with the sensual “City Boys,” showcases why Burna Boy is able to gaze down from the heights he’s scaled and declare “I told them so.”
Editor’s Pick: Victoria Monét, Jaguar II
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The title of Victoria Monét’s new project is a bit deceptive — after all, the original Jaguar was a 2020 EP that found a fervent fan base but didn’t deliver the veteran singer-songwriter as a commercial artist. Jaguar II may be a sequel in name, but the full-length stands on its own, head and shoulder above its predecessor in every way: the interpretations of R&B, funk and soul are markedly more distinct, the Kaytranada-produced “Alright” sounds like a surefire hit, and Monét generally comes across as more comfortable commanding each track, conjuring a handful of dazzling moments while announcing her real, undeniable arrival.
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, Quavo pays homage while moving forward, Hozier takes us to church (and the Inferno), and Doechii wants you to dance at all costs. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Quavo, Rocket Power
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Quavo’s nephew and Migos co-leader, Takeoff, was nicknamed “The Rocket” — and less than a year after the rapper was killed at the age of 28, his family member and group mate is drawing upon his thoughts and instincts as inspiration for his new solo album. Parts of Rocket Power are racked with grief, including the soulful highlight “Hold Me” and the memory-flooded title track, although Quavo also makes ample room in the sprawling full-length to celebrate life, as on the Future-assisted hit “Turn Yo Clic Up” and the crackling “Stain” with BabyDrill; ultimately, the album depicts a long-running rap star in a more complex light, and immediately makes the case as Quavo’s best solo project.
Hozier, Unreal Unearth
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When Hozier revealed that his third studio album — which follows 2019’s Wasteland, Baby!, the first No. 1 album of his career — would be inspired by Dante’s Inferno and include passages sung in Irish Gaelic, fears that the “Take Me To Church” singer-songwriter was turning inscrutable were only natural. Yet Unreal Unearth not only showcases the strength of Hozier’s voice and songwriting, but also remains accessible to hardcore fans and casual alt-rock listeners, from the snappy single “Eat Your Young” to the gargantuan Brandi Carlile duet “Damage Gets Done” to the restrained grace of closer “First Light.”
Doechii, “Booty Drop”
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“Shawty, what it is? / Bring that ass to the club,” Doechii commands on “Booty Drop,” a late bid for the summer’s most kinetic dance song. The Tampa native has shown promise as a recording artist and performer over the past year — signing with TDE, scoring an opening spot on Doja Cat and Ice Spice’s upcoming tour, and mesmerizing audiences whenever she hits the stage — but her latest single, a gleefully explicit take on the Jersey club style that never stops moving, might be the moment where her appeal spills over into the mainstream once and for all.
Addison Rae, AR EP
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Although Addison Rae’s newly released EP rescues a handful of tracks intended for the influencer’s never-released debut album, AR does not sound like a collection of odds and ends: instead, the five songs engross the listener with fresh melodies and bursts of personality, showcasing the 22-year-old as a quick study within this brand of pop. “2 Die 4” with Charli XCX is the highlight — marvel at the mini-hooks jam-packed into that chorus! — but the whole project is worth bookmarking as the potential start of something big.
Anitta, Funk Generation: A Favela Love Story
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When Anitta released her single “Funk Rave” in June, the Latin music star hinted that a deeper dive into Brazilian funk music would be both a way to honor her roots and a rewarding sonic exploration; with Funk Generation: A Favela Love Story, a three-song project that follows up “Funk Rave” with two new heaters, Anitta has more or less confirmed her suggestions. “Casi Casi” and “Used to Be” adopt different approaches — the former a chattering sashay, the latter a slow-building reflection — but Anitta excels at both tempos, and has us hoping for even more to come.
Editor’s Pick: FIFTY FIFTY feat. Sabrina Carpenter, “Cupid Twin Ver.”
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Think of FIFTY FIFTY’s new version “Cupid,” featuring Sabrina Carpenter on the remix, as a well-earned victory lap for both artists: the K-pop group crashed the upper reaches of the Hot 100 chart with the undeniable sing-along, while Carpenter is a little over a year removed from Emails I Can’t Send, one of the strongest pop albums of 2022, and its viral hit “Nonsense.” Together, FIFTY FIFTY and Carpenter reinvent a rock-solid hit ever so slightly, as Carpenter slides into the second verse and handles that sugary “I gave a second chance to Cupiiiiiid!” hook with aplomb.
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, Olivia Rodrigo wrestles with a (great) bad idea, Karol G keeps collecting W’s and Trippie Redd shows a new side of himself. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Olivia Rodrigo, “bad idea right?”
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Two years ago, Olivia Rodrigo preceded her debut album with a spectacularly emotional ballad and a head-banging pop-punk anthem; both of those songs, “drivers license” and “good 4 u,” reached the top of the Hot 100, and Sour became a year-defining full-length. Rodrigo is utilizing a similar playbook with her sophomore effort, GUTS, as the theatrical epic “Vampire” has been followed by the driving shout-along “bad idea right?” — although the new single is far from a rehash, instead mixing pop, riot grrrl rock and new wave into a compact call-and-response ode to ex-boyfriend temptation. More than anything, Rodrigo understands how to give wide swaths of listeners exactly what they need, regardless of tempo or sound — it’s the reason why she’s a superstar at the age of 20.
Karol G, Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season)
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Few popular artists are having a better commercial year than Karol G: after Mañana Será Bonito album became the first all-Spanish language album by a woman to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, the Colombian superstar plotted headlining dates in football stadiums, performed on Saturday Night Live and popped up on the best-selling Barbie soundtrack. Now, the winning streak continues with Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season), a companion piece to her recent album, but also a 30-minute project that stands on its own; new collaborations with Kali Uchis and Peso Pluma are especially dynamic, while previously released single “S91” sounds even more impactful in the context of a full-length.
Trippie Redd, A Love Letter to You 5
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A Love Letter to You 5 may be the fifth and final edition of Trippie Redd’s popular mixtape series that began in 2017, but the 19-track project feels particularly thoughtful and expansive, as if the hip-hop streaming juggernaut wanted to end the project with the biggest, best installment possible. Lil Wayne, Roddy Ricch and The Kid LAROI all swing by, although the pair of collaborations with Skye Morales, the gifted singer and Trippie Redd’s former partner, are especially poignant, and shed new light on a prolific star’s emotional range.
DJ Khaled feat. Lil Baby, Future & Lil Uzi Vert, “Supposed To Be Loved”
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Summertime is a season for beach days, backyard barbecues and star-studded DJ Khaled singles — and although it’s already mid-August, Khaled has come through with a song that will no doubt linger in the mainstream until the leaves begin to fall. “Supposed To Be Loved” not only corrals Lil Baby, Future and Lil Uzi Vert and lets them unfurls some surprisingly tender bars, but Khaled positions the hip-hop summit over a sample of Michael Jackson’s “P.Y.T.,” as extra insurance that the new single will be smooth and summer-friendly.
V, “Love Me Again”
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A few weeks after his BTS band mate Jung Kook topped the Hot 100 chart with his Latto collaboration “Seven,” V steps forward with his own solo bid, albeit with a very different sonic approach. “I wish you would love me again / No, I don’t want nobody else,” V sings, his vulnerability matched by sensitive R&B production that motions toward jazz and classic soul; the subtleties of “Love Me Again” begin to reveal themselves on the first listen, then deepen with each new play.
Editor’s Pick: The Hives, The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons
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Swedish punk veterans The Hives invaded America during the garage-rock movement of the early ‘00s, as singles like “Hate to Say I Told You So” and “Walk Idiot Walk” made their intense presences felt on MTV and alternative radio. The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons is the quintet’s first album in over a decade, but from the opening riffs of lead track “Bogus Operandi,” the group swaggers back into view like they never left, filling 31 hard-charging minutes with punk performances that will make any thirtysomething want to get back in the pit.
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, Doja Cat leaves you on red, Halle make a heavenly solo debut, and Demi Lovato links up with LE SSERAFIM for uptempo fun. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Doja Cat, “Paint the Town Red”
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One could reasonably expect for Doja Cat to snap back at faux supporters trying to constrict her to one sound or style; a bit more surprising is Doja Cat delivering a belated tribute to recently passed musician Burt Bacharach. Yet she does both on crackling new single “Paint the Town Red,” which utilizes the Dionne Warwick classic “Walk On By” as a foundation for the audacious multi-hyphenate superstar to declare, “Yeah, bitch, I said what I said.” While stans will pore over every line and innuendo, the entirety of “Paint the Town Red” sounds more dynamic than Dojo’s previous single, “Attention”: she’s naturally in the pocket during the rap verses, and the extended hook is a pop-rap triumph, brimming with self-assured skill.
Halle, “Angel”
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Unlike most debut singles, “Angel” arrives after its creator, Halle Bailey, has already made a significant impact on popular culture — first as one-half of the acclaimed R&B duo Chloe x Halle with her equally talented sister, and then as a rising star in Hollywood, leading the live-action The Little Mermaid and coming soon in The Color Purple remake. “Angel” could have been a quick check-in for hungry music fans, but Halle infuses the rhythmic, piano-led track with vulnerability and heart, sharing her insecurities while declaring that she will ultimately fly above the sentiments trying to weigh her down.
LE SSERAFIM feat. Demi Lovato, “Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s Wife”
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Demi Lovato continues a particularly adventurous streak by hopping on a new remix to K-pop group LE SSERAFIM’s viral B-side “Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s Wife,” leaping into the boundaries of the megawatt song and proceeding to nudge them just a little bit farther outward. The track was already a thumping, quick-moving flirtation, and Lovato’s voice provides another powerful siren cry: “I see it written on your face, yeah / I know you want a little taste, yeah,” Lovato sings with a world of confidence.
Grupo Frontera, El Comienzo
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The story of Mexican music’s global breakthrough in 2023 cannot be told without Grupo Frontera, the Texas group who fully transitioned from releasing viral covers to scoring their own smashes this year. Debut album El Comienzo acknowledges the songs and co-stars that helped the collective conquer the charts — “No Se Va” and their Bad Bunny team-up “un x100to” are the first two songs on the track list, after all — yet Grupo Frontera have plenty of new tricks up their sleeves on the project, as they bring new collaborators into their universe and shine on their own with tracks like the emotionally heightened “Cansado De Sufrir” and the airy, charming “Me Gustas.”
Usher feat. 21 Savage & Summer Walker, “Good Good”
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Modern R&B is rife with euphoric love songs and devastated heartbreak songs; less common are the post-breakup anthems in which both sides are pleased with the split and can newly coexist as friends. “Good Good” finds Usher exploring that rare terrain while sounding especially spry: maybe it’s the fresh subject matter, or maybe the presence of 2020s A-listers 21 Savage and Summer Walker have pushed the veteran to step his game up, but regardless of the reason, Usher is downright reinvigorated on these vocal runs and sumptuous hooks.
Editor’s Pick: ††† (Crosses), “Invisible Hand”
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Nine years after Deftones leader Chino Moreno and producer/multi-instrumentalist Shaun Lopez released Crosses, the debut album of their project †††, we’re finally getting a proper follow-up — Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete. will be released Oct. 13 and feature guest spots from Robert Smith and El-P. Their official return as a duo is cause for excitement in the hard rock world, and lead single “Invisible Hand” is only going to heighten expectations for the rest of the album: the track locks in on a blindingly bright electro-rock groove before jerking the listener in different directions, and Moreno’s voice, driving and emotive as ever, serves as a guide to each pivot.
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 (July 28), Travis Scott takes listeners to Utopia, Post Malone introduces his fans to Austin, and Offset and Cardi B brush off the haters (with a movie star’s help). Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Travis Scott, Utopia
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No pyramids, no problem: Even with its much-hyped premiere event in Egypt delayed until a date TBD, Travis Scott still dropped his long-awaited Utopia — five years after his 2018 blockbuster Astroworld — this Friday at midnight. Like Astroworld, the album is a winding journey through Scott’s sonic universe, with such A-list guests as The Weeknd, 21 Savage, Future and of course his old “Sick Mode” collaborator Drake — though you’ll have to actually listen to know that they’re on there, as the streaming tracklist is once again feature spoiler-free. The most exciting cameo this time around: fellow H-Town native Beyoncé, detouring from the Renaissance Tour to Utopia, with her first-ever appearance on a Travis Scott album.
Post Malone, Austin
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Guitar Posty was promised, and Guitar Posty was (mostly) delivered. Which is not to say that Austin finally features Post Malone living out his Kurt Cobain fantasies in full — you probably wouldn’t even quite call it a rock album, more just a pop album with a power ballad or two, a disco jam (!!) and a good amount of six string over all of it. Some are fun, some are despairing, some somewhere in between, but all clearly more by the man behind “Circles,” than the one behind “Rockstar” or “Congratulations.” It’s an enjoyable listen — and an interesting career move for Post, who experienced a bit of a commercial downturn with last year’s wrenchingly personal Twelve Carat Toothache, and who has yet to really recapture the chart dominance of his late 2010s this decade.
Offset feat. Cardi B, “Jealousy”
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Cardi B’s absurd run of scene-stealing features continues with an overdue solo collaborator — her own husband, Offset. “Jealousy” doesn’t have much of a chorus or hook to speak of — it would just get in the way of the couple’s bars, as Offset insists “I’m Michael, I’m not no Jermaine” and Cardi attests, “B–ches don’t wanna go Birkin for Birkin/ B–ches ain’t got enough hits for a Verzuz/ B–ches be actin’ so different in person.” The song is helped by a sample of Three 6 Mafia’s “Jealous Ass B–ch” and a music video that sees the duo paying tribute to the 2001 John Singleton classic Baby Boy, with original star Taraji P. Henson even making a cameo.
Mitski, “Bug Like an Angel”
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After 2022’s top five-debuting Billboard 200 hit album Laurel Hell, critics’ darling turned viral indie sensation Mitski is already scheduled for the follow-up LP, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, out in September. This week, we get the first taste: “Bug Like an Angel,” a Cowboy Junkies-like acoustic ballad with occasional jarring choral punctuations, and the kind of poetic lyrical exhaustion fans have come to expect from her the past half decade: “When I’m bent over wishin’ it was over/ Makin’ all variety of vows I’ll never keep/ I Try to remember the wrath of the devil/ Was also given him by God.” A year and a half since the last album? Already way too long a wait.
Gucci Mane, “Woppenheimer”
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Never let it be said that Gucci Mane doesn’t give the people what they want. A meme nostalgic for Guwop’s peak mixtape run went viral last weekend, theorizing that if we were still 2009, we’d have gotten a Woppenheimer project pegged to the Christopher Nolan-directed box office smash. Today, La Flare says “fair enough” and does indeed release a “Woppenheimer” — with the fan’s proposed cover art and anything — though only a single rather than a full mixtape. The narcotic trap banger indeed could have appeared on an Obama-era Gucci release, as he raps on the hook, “Broke people like bringin’ up the past, I’m talkin’ recently/ I know what I did for you, but what you did for me?” The ball is indeed back in their court.
Carly Rae Jepsen, The Loveliest Time
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In 2022, she was having The Loneliest Time — but those days are over, and the Canadian pop favorite is back this week and apparently having a much nicer go of it. From the jazzy friskiness of “Anything to Be With You” to the neon synth drama of “Kamikaze” to the Midnight Star-interpolating electro-pop of “Shy Boy,” Carly Rae Jepsen does indeed seem to be feeling loose and carefree, hopscotching from one sound to another and generally keeping the vibe consistent throughout. Fans can only wonder what set might be completing the trilogy in 2024: The Luckiest Time? The Looniest Time? The Languorousest Time?
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, Travis Scott forms a super-team with Bad Bunny and The Weeknd, Zayn reintroduces himself and Britney Spears links back up with Will.i.am for more electro-pop. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Travis Scott, Bad Bunny & The Weeknd, “K-Pop”
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Nearly every major Travis Scott hit, from “Sicko Mode” to “Highest in the Room” to “Goosebumps” to “The Scotts,” has been only minimally danceable, the rapper turning into a superstar with abrupt beat switches and zonked-out melodies; that may change with “K-Pop,” the first taste of his long-awaited Utopia album, which sends Scott’s flow to the club and corrals Bad Bunny and The Weeknd as his entourage. All three artists adapt to the sweaty Afrobeats tempo, with Scott and Benito anchoring the song’s first half — The Weeknd shimmers across the finale, and unpacks the drug reference of the song title — and provoking some mid-summer movement.
Will.i.am & Britney Spears, “Mind Your Business”
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“Paparazzi shot me, I am the economy / Follow me, follow me, follow me,” Britney Spears sings on new single “Mind Your Business” — harkening back to her Blackout era, where she used her pop smashes to fend off the outside world obsessed with her every move. Here, Spears reunites with Will.i.am, the Black Eyed Peas leader with whom she scored a hit a decade ago with “Scream & Shout,” for another electro-pop bumper that, much like its predecessor, worms its way into your skull and refuses to let go.
Zayn, “Love Like This”
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Think of “Love Like This” as the start of Zayn 3.0: after becoming a global sensation as part of One Direction and then bursting out as a solo artist with the No. 1 hit “Pillowtalk,” the pop star has switched record labels, rejiggered his sound and returned with a re-energized outlook. Riding some UK garage production and aiming squarely at summer-jam status, Zayn uses “Love Like This” to demonstrate what every version of his musical career has been founded upon: the marriage of melodic understanding and sensual, deeply felt vocals.
Various Artists, Barbie The Album
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Sorry, Oppenheimer: only one major theatrical release this weekend comes with a star-studded soundtrack, and it belongs to Greta Gerwig’s big-screen adaptation of a certain beloved Mattel doll. Although the Barbie soundtrack has been previewed for weeks ahead of its official release — with previously released songs by Dua Lipa, Charli XCX, Billie Eilish and Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice (with Aqua), among others — the full album still has plenty of new A-list firepower, from Lizzo’s kicky “Pink” to Tame Impala’s “Journey to the Real World” to Sam Smith’s kinetic “Man I Am.”
Ice Spice, Like..? (Deluxe)
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Ice Spice’s debut EP was released only six months ago, but it feels like much, much longer: after all, the Bronx rapper has convincingly captured a lifetime’s worth of hip-hop buzz as well as crossed over to pop in that half-year, scoring top 10 hits with Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj and PinkPantheress all since releasing Like..? in January. The deluxe edition of the EP includes four new songs — highlighted by “Deli,” a relentless thumper that should be scooped up by DJs ASAP — as well as some bonus goodies like the Minaj remix of “Princess Diana.”
Diplo feat. Jessie Murph & Polo G, “Heartbroken”
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“Heartbroken” may follow Diplo’s recent country music project titled Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley: Chapter 2 – Swamp Savant, but the spirit of his new single recalls that of his mid-2010s Major Lazer work, where he’d put artists like Justin Bieber and MØ in positions that allowed their artistic elements to form a compound. With “Heartbroken,” rising singer-songwriter Jessie Murph’s dejected twang shines over simple acoustic strums, while Polo G’s gritty storytelling is translated into a more universal verse, his singsong flow balancing out Murph’s perspective.
Editor’s Pick: Chris Stapleton, “White Horse”
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It’s an understatement to say that, with the first taste of his November album Higher, Chris Stapleton has come roaring back: unlike past lead singles like “Traveller” and “Starting Over,” the country star has preceded his latest project with a hell-raising anthem, meant to be blared with windows down and enjoyed with ears ringing. “White Horse” finds Stapleton pairing an outlaw swagger with some heaven-scraping vocals, going for the gusto throughout the chorus to try and match the guitar snarl — it’s not a reinvention as much as a showcase for the passion that’s always lurking in even Stapleton’s most muted songs.
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, Taylor Swift unveils her latest re-recording, TOMORROW X TOGETHER creates summer fun with Jonas Brothers, and new albums from Rauw Alejandro and Dominic Fike are ready to be fired up. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Taylor Swift, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
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Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), the newly released re-recording of Taylor Swift’s 2010 album, reanimates a country-pop masterpiece that was solely written by Swift as her teens gave her to her twenties. Speak Now showcased Swift’s aesthetic command and solidifying point of view during a period of personal growth — and along with revisiting one of the most complete projects of her career, the six “From The Vault” songs on Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) are of a piece with that growth.
Click here to read more about all six “From The Vault” songs on Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).
TOMORROW X TOGETHER & Jonas Brothers, “Do It Like That”
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Shortly after offering a sparkling summer jam with “Waffle House,” Jonas Brothers have joined forces with TOMORROW X TOGETHER to faithfully provide fans with more fodder for their cookout playlists: “Do It Like That” is a no-frills jam from a pair of collectives whose brands of pop fit together quite easily. Much of the song’s immediate appeal comes from its percussive bounce, snaps and pops and found-sound clanging piquing eardrums, but the JoBros and TXT ride those drums admirably, offering plenty of charm over “Do It Like That’s” short run time.
Rauw Alejandro, Playa Saturno
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The cover of Rauw Alejandro’s new album Playa Saturno features the Puerto Rican superstar alone on a desolate planet, lounging in a beach chair under an umbrella; the implication is that, no matter what the environment, Alejandro will be ready to unleash summery pleasures. The best moments of Playa Saturno find Alejandro enhancing the kinetic grooves that he previously explored on hits like “Todo De Ti” and “Party” with Bad Bunny; “Si Te Pegas,” featuring Miguel Bosé, is saved for the final minutes of the full-length, but may be the most joyful distillation of Alejandro’s formula in recent memory.
Dominic Fike, Sunburn
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Florida is the beating, complicated heart of Sunburn, Dominic Fike’s second studio album, which examines the singer-songwriter’s upbringing as he refines his singular approach to emotionally honest pop. Songs like “Mona Lisa,” “Sick” and the Weezer collaboration “Think Fast” carry a hangdog appeal on top of more serious issues, as Fike pivots from rapping to crooning over fuzzed-out guitars with aplomb while prodding at the many issues in the past and present of his home state.
FendiDa Rappa feat. Cardi B, “Point Me 2”
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Cardi B’s year of blessing rising women in rap with scorching-hot guest verses continues: after hopping on GloRilla’s “Tomorrow 2” and Latto’s “Put It On Da Floor Again” — and sending both songs charging up the charts — the superstar has linked up with Chicago MC FendiDa Rappa on “Point Me 2,” scooping up the ominous beat as her own while also giving her new collaborator ample room to shine. Each of these guest verses have shown Cardi in smash-the-world mode, and here, she rips into lines like “I blow fifty racks in Target, on some stupid shit” with enough force to flatten a city block.
Editor’s Pick: NewJeans, “Super Shy”
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While songs like “OMG” and “Ditto” have helped NewJeans mount their position as one of K-pop’s most exciting new acts, their new single expands their boundaries even further, simply by locating a type of bubblegum wonder that fans of any strain of popular music can happily chew. “Super Shy” sports rapidly shuffling beats, subtle synth work and the NewJeans members seamlessly weaving in and out of rap breakdowns and melodic yearning, as they try to combat their bashfulness together and achieve one of the summer’s most undeniable pop tracks.
