State Champ Radio new music friday
A slew of new music releases hit streaming services right on schedule Friday (May 17), from fresh pop albums to standout rap and country singles. Arguably the most highly anticipated project to arrive this week, however, is Billie Eilish’s third studio album Hit Me Hard and Soft, a 10-track follow-up to 2021’s Happier Than Ever […]
Nothing stops New Music Friday — not even Grammy nominations.
Although 2023 MVPs like Ice Spice, 21 Savage, Drake and Nicki Minaj racked up the rap field nominations for the upcoming 66th annual Grammy Awards, last Friday (Nov. 10) offered a litany of music beyond those four 2023 Billboard Music Awards finalists. Last week saw new albums from the likes of Brandy, YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Kodak Black, but those weren’t the only notable releases to update your weekly playlists with.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from BADBADNOTGOOD’s gorgeous rework of an Elmiene standout to BJ the Chicago Kid and Chloe Bailey’s sultry, synthy link-up.
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Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
Freshest Find: Sinkane feat. Tru Osborne, “Everything is Everything”
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For his first new song since 2019’s Dépaysé album, Sudanese-American singer Sinkane chose to ground his lyrics in the harsh realities of the Black living experience. Written and composed by bandleader Ahmed Gallab with vocal contributions from Harlem-bred artist Tru Osborne, “Everything Is Everything” is an amalgam of free jazz, Sudanese pop, gospel, funk and rock. A hearty choir provides a strong anchor for the arrangement, while Sinkane and Tru’s harmonies add splotches of color throughout the track. “The tides of change / Serve great purpose in our every day / My people, we will find our way,” Sinkane sings, with a hopefulness that consistently permeates the darker truths that the song explores.
Elmiene, “Marking My Time (BABDBADNOTGOOD Edit)”
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Elmiene dropped off his debut major label EP, Marking My Time, last month, and to continue his promotion of the project, he’s released a reworked version of the title track, helmed by Canadian experimental jazz collective BADBADNOTGOOD. Here, the group reimagines Elmiene’s original with heavy splashes of R&B and psychedelic, specifically of the ’70s persuasion. Elmiene’s vocal is predicated on allegiance to subtle dynamism, and it’s that steady build that grounds the winning remix.
Rick Ross, Meek Mill & Cool & Dre feat. BEAM, “Go To Hell”
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Hip-hop heavyweights Rick Ross and Meek Mill unleashed their highly anticipated Too Good To Be True joint album last week (Nov. 10), and this collaboration with BEAM and Cool & Dre is an immediate standout. Heavily nodding to Tears for Fear’s “Shout,” “Go To Hell” finds the two rappers deep in their braggadocio as they trade bars about their wealth, their escapes from the feds, and how much status and clout they have in whatever room they choose to walk into. “Bitch boys run to social media / Rich n—a, name in Wikipedia / If I f–k her once, she wanna f–k me twice / All the real n—as clique up, let’s get rich tonight,” Rozay raps.
Kevin Gates feat. B.G. & Sexyy Red, “Yonce Freestyle”
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In a way, Kevin Gates and Sexyy Red are perfect foils: two devil-may-care rappers who are unafraid to embody and celebrate the grimiest parts of sex and sexuality, with a healthy dash of humor to add some levity to the whole affair. On “Yonce Freestyle,” the pair’s new collaboration which also features NOLA rapper B.G., the two maximize their similarities — even if the end result is a bit tamer than what some may expect. “Yonce Freestyle” is a well-crafted club banger, with a murky Southern hip-hop beat courtesy of ProdByJM, EJ Grimes and Juko, and a perfect laid-back ratchet tone from Sexyy.
BJ the Chicago Kid feat. Chlöe, “Honey”
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BJ the Chicago Kid also released an album last week (Gravy), and that project featured loads of collaborations for R&B lovers. Among those impressive duets is the Chloe Bailey-assisted “Honey.” Landing squarely in the disco-tinged pop that has dominated mainstream top 40 for most of the young decade, BJ and Chlöe deliver a sexy, synth-laden collaboration that balances come-hither euphemisms with some outstanding harmonic choices. Between a surprisingly smooth vocal blend and a bright, clean mix, this just might be Chlöe’s best release of the year.
Ben Hughes, “What Was It For?”
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For the opening track of his forthcoming Manha EP, UK musician Ben Hughes opts for a breezy guitar and drum-forward groove. “What Was It For” fits nicely in the landscape of contemporary British R&B, and Hughes’ careful vocal approach works alongside the instrumentation instead of towering over it. It’s a very soft and lush number — an air that offers a smart counterbalance to the melodrama of the lyrics. “Bring me peace / And heal my wounds / I’m bleeding out / Just for you,” he croons.
The first new music Friday of November sees a K-pop star stepping firmly into the spotlight, one of the biggest rock bands of all time using tech to make something old new again, and a recent Billboard chart-topper lending her chops to a blockbuster movie series, with new releases from Jung Kook, The Beatles and […]
This week’s new music Friday features high-profile releases across rap, K-pop and country, with Drake, NewJeans and a collaboration between Noah Kahan and Kacey Musgraves among the drops. Drake newest album effort, For All the Dogs, shows a return to form for the rapper, who enlists a series of star-studded collaborations to get the fans […]
Rap, soul and pop are all at the forefront of this week’s new music Friday, which features long-awaited releases from Quavo, Hozier, Doechii, Addison Rae and more. The remaining Migos members continue to feel the grief over the passing of Takeoff. The weight of the loss is ever present on Quavo’s new album, Rocket Power […]
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, 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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This week, Sam Smith gets “vulgar” with the Queen of Pop, Rosalía stays active in the studio, Niall Horan presents his latest solo vision and BTS salutes ARMY. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Sam Smith with Madonna, “Vulgar”
As “Unholy” became the first Hot 100 chart-topper of Sam Smith’s career last year, the Kim Petras collaboration doubled as their most unlikely hit to date, its sweaty electro-pop chants a far cry from the elegant vocal showcases that made Smith a superstar. “Vulgar,” then, represents a logical next step into that sound, as well as an exciting proposition as a Smith-Madonna team-up: a throbbing, purposely provocative banger that challenges all haters (“Say we’re ridiculous, we’ll just go harder!” Smith and Madge declare in unison), the single uses backlash as fuel, lets Madonna flip off the world, and potentially gives Smith another club-thumping hit.
Rosalía, “Tuya”
Although Rosalía released her acclaimed MOTOMAMI album a little over a year ago and has been traveling the world in support of the full-length, the Spanish superstar has continued one of the most prolific recording periods of her career with a handful of one-off tracks, as well as her RR project with Rauw Alejandro. New single “Tuya” crystallizes her sonic aspirations: the slithering track mashes up reggaeton with the Japanese instrument koto underneath Rosalía’s trademark vulnerability, showcasing an artist who continues to expand her profile but refuses to rest on her laurels.
Niall Horan, The Show
Three quarters of a decade removed from the last One Direction album and three albums into a subsequent solo career, Niall Horan has, at long last, settled into himself. After 2017 debut Flicker kick-started his solo artistry with some surefire radio hits (“This Town,” “Slow Hands”) and 2020’s Heartbreak Weather featured a handful of sonic chances (“Nice To Meet Ya,” “Put a Little Love on Me”), The Show, Horan’s best album to date, tells us what type of long-term career he wants to fashion by splitting the difference and achieving consistency.
Click here to read a full review of Horan’s new album.
BTS, “Take Two”
This month marks the 10-year anniversary of BTS, a group that revolutionized the reach and perception of Asian pop artists in North America and around the world — and as their downtime continues and various members score solo hits, the collective has offered fans a reflective new single that hopefully sets the stage for their second act. The best moments on “Take Two” involve two BTS members harmonizing, their voices intertwined as they croon about youth and their shared gratitude; the solo projects have been satisfying in recent months, but the power of a fully aligned BTS remains singular.
J Hus feat. Drake, “Who Told You”
If “Search & Rescue” — a downbeat single, released in April, about wanting to be saved by a monogamous relationship — served as Drake’s springtime smash, “Who Told You,” a new team-up with British rapper J Hus, may very well become his summer hit, an upbeat, Afrobeats-adjacent take on the idea that too-cool-for-school guys need to report to the dance floor, too. Drake changes up his flow to match his collaborator and beat, but still relies upon his tough-guy charms and melodic rap skill set, making “Who Told You” a throwback to his guest spot days of yore, when he was assisting artists like Rihanna, 2 Chainz and French Montana on party hits.
Janelle Monáe, The Age of Pleasure
After spending so much of her recording career constructing narratives and multilayer concepts, Janelle Monáe wants to party on new album The Age of Pleasure, a well-deserved celebration that may also be the most front-to-back satisfying listen in her catalog. Although the ambition of her previous projects remains, it’s pointed at straightforward R&B grooves and immediate pop hooks: songs like the boisterous “Champagne Shit,” swaying “Water Slide” and sexually charged “Lipstick Lover” invite the listener to get lost in their sensual worlds, while Monáe acts as a tour guide to her beautifully messy desires.
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, The Weeknd stands alongside fellow Idols Madonna and Playboi Carti, Foo Fighters pay tribute to a fallen brother and Peso Pluma lays down a session with Bizarrap. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Peso Pluma & Bizarrap, “BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 55”
Considering how their respective rises have been similarly meteoric, the pairing of Peso Pluma and Bizarrap, on the latest edition of the latter’s viral YouTube series, constitutes one of the biggest collaborations of 2023, in any genre — an unlikely proposition just a few months ago. Yet “BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 55” makes the most of the ascendant Mexican artist’s increasingly ubiquitous croon and the Argentine producer’s knack for letting his collaborators shine, then swooping in with some nifty embellishments: listen to how the team-up takes off into the stratosphere when a trap beat and more production effects arrive in the song’s final minute.
The Weeknd with Playboi Carti & Madonna, “Popular”
This week, one HBO Sunday-night franchise shuts down and another opens up, as the series finale of Succession is followed by the premiere of the controversy-courting music industry drama The Idol, co-starring The Weeknd. On “Popular,” the latest track from the series’ forthcoming soundtrack, The Weeknd, Madonna and Playboi Carti function like Kendall, Shiv and Roman pre-boardroom drama: what looks like an odd collection of artists on paper complement each other nicely, with The Weeknd and Madonna providing pop flourishes over plinking rhythms and Carti accentuating the song with some clipped bars to polish off what could be a kicky summer song.
Foo Fighters, But Here We Are
A press release for Foo Fighters’ latest album describes But Here We Are as “hard-fought” — an understandable description, considering the shocking death of drummer Taylor Hawkins last year and the band’s decision to continue recording and touring in spite of his absence. Produced with Greg Kurstin and featuring some of Dave Grohl’s most nakedly heartfelt songwriting to date, But Here We Are finds power in grief: the 10-minute “The Teacher” towers above the rest of the album with choked-up ambition, but straightforward rockers like “The Glass,” where Growl howls “I had a vision of you, and just like that / I was left to live without it,” are just as effective.
Metro Boomin, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack
The Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack combines two successful brand names: the 2018 animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse produced the No. 1 hit “Sunflower” by Swae Lee and Post Malone, while Metro Boomin, who helms the sequel soundtrack, has been scorching hot himself lately, thanks for last year’s Heroes & Villains albums and its top 10 smash “Creepin.” Like its predecessor, the Across the Spider-Verse set boasts a cavalcade of hip-hop superheroes — Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Wayne, Offset, A$AP Rocky — but contains a greater cohesion thanks to Metro’s watchful eye; in addition to unexpected turns by James Blake and Nas on standalone tracks, we also get a pair of Swae Lee Spider-Verse curtain calls, “Calling” and “Annihilate.”
Jelly Roll, Whitsitt Chapel
Jason DeFord, better known as Jelly Roll, knows that he is an unlikely music star, to put it mildly: “It’s the f–king wildest story ever to me,” he says of his rise across multiple genre charts, after years of false starts and run-ins with the law, in the latest Billboard cover story. One listen to new album Whitsitt Chapel, however, will convince you that Jelly Roll’s stardom was preordained: nimble enough to hopscotch across sounds, clamp down on an anthem and transform his most intimate failings into universal inspiration, the singer-songwriter has translated his gifts onto a grand scale with the project, and is likely to provoke a sizable response.
Stray Kids, 5-Star
Commercial expectations are naturally high for Stray Kids’ latest project — after all, their two mini-albums from 2022, ODDINARY and MAXIDENT, both topped the Billboard 200 chart, giving the K-pop collective a place in the history books. Anticipation around 5-Star has reached a fever pitch, but if Stray Kids feel any pressure, they certainly don’t exhibit an ounce on the ultra-confident 5-Star, which once again combines pop, rap, dance and electronica into a product that caters to the group members’ individual skill sets and features some of the group’s punchiest cuts, including the wild-eyed opening shot “Hall of Fame” and the whisper-hook-laden “Super Bowl.”
As the world breaks out their NSYNC “It’s Gonna Be May” memes, we’re breaking out ten of our favorite new releases in R&B and hip-hop from the last seven days. This week R&B dominates, with a handful of tracks to daydream to from Amaria, ASTN, rum.gold, Baby Rose and more. But rap lovers, don’t fret. We’ve got vibe-worthy cuts from Jharrel Jerome and KAMAUU, while Rico Nasty and Lola Brooke are here to hype you up for the week.
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Don’t forget to pay it forward by sharing our Spotify playlist, linked below.
Freshest Find: Rico Nasty, “Turn It Up”
Rico Nasty is here to wake you up. On “Turn It Up,” the rambunctious rapper draws on her early style, delivering gut-punching bar after bar in her signature raspy delivery. The single doesn’t miss a beat, as Rico trespasses, cleans and trashes a family’s home in the 1950s flashback music video.
Amaria, “Will It Last Forever?”
Singer-songwriter Amaria shows that there’s power in the calm. On her second EP, All for You, the burgeoning artist, producer and instrumentalist displays the vastness of her artistry, with closing track “Will It Last Forever?” making us wish it would.
Donalee, “Lifted”
Let Jamaican-born, South London raised singer Donalee put you in a trance with “Lifted.” True to its title, the single exudes elevating energy through Donalee’s ethereal tone, atmospheric layers and visual lyricism.
Baby Rose, “Water”
Possessing one of the most unmistakeable voices in today’s R&B scene, Baby Rose sets the tone for the summer’s quiet moments on her latest album, Through and Through. The perfect accompaniment for summer downpours and early morning showers, “Water” captures the steady fluidity of life’s most precious liquid through Rose’s touching lyrics and melodies.
rum.gold, “Forever in a Song”
Mastering the art of simplicity, “Forever in a Song” stays true to rum.gold’s sound and bold messaging. The track features earthy piano, a simple drum pattern and airy harmonies leaving plenty of room to soak in the melancholic nostalgia.
Jharrel Jerome, “Chinatown”
Emmy award-winning actor Jharrel Jerome is in his music bag. “Chinatown” is an airy and thoughtful rap offering from the rapper-actor’s upcoming project Someone I’m Not, which is slated to release later this year.
ASTN, “How Soon”
“How soon is too soon to move on?” That’s the million dollar question for ASTN who, on his new single, is ruminating about how to move on post-breakup. Leading with vulnerability, the 24-year-old sings with pure emotion over a guitar-laden instrumental laced with fluttering synths.
Aáyanna, “Won’t Cry”
Like ASTN, Atlanta-based singer Aáyanna is also getting over a breakup. On “Won’t Cry,” she grapples with her emotions, questioning if her relationship was ever real and promising to hold back tears. “I wrote ‘Won’t Cry’ after a breakup with someone I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with. I questioned our relationship, and if we were just idealizing each other,” she says in a press statement. “I even questioned myself, because I only acted in the way I thought love was supposed to look like. I didn’t grow up seeing a healthy version of that in a romantic relationship, so all I could do was guess.”
Lola Brooke, “Just Relax”
Lola Brooke says “Just Relax.” Flipping Black Sheep’s “The Choice Is Yours,” the Brooklyn rapper comes out with her booming, gritty vocals as she bridges generations. The song’s video also pays homage through Lola’s street style seen throughout different shots. There is also a cameo by Black Sheep member Andres “Dres” Vargas Titus.
KAMAUU feat. Tobe Nwigwe, “don’t play with my money”
Maryland artist KAMAUU makes it known that things will get ugly if you play with his money, his art and/or his heart. Teaming up with Tobe Nwigwe, the two join forces for the uptempo rap song that appears on his latest debut album Lacuna in the House of Mirrors.
Welcome to the show — Niall Horan is your host, and is taking you into a brand new world (ahem, album cycle) with the release of “Heaven,” the lead single off his forthcoming album The Show, on Friday (Feb. 17).
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The track sees the former One Direction member reminiscing on a love that leaves him feeling weightless that, underneath the surface, holds a darkness he would rather not trade.
“Doesn’t get, doesn’t get better than, better than this/ God only knows where this could go/ And even if our love starts to go out of control/ And you let me go up in flames/ Heaven won’t be the same,” Horan sings on the track’s chorus.
“This album is a piece of work I’m so proud of and now it’s time to pass it over to you to go and make it your own,” Horan wrote on Instagram, captioning a post that featured the album’s official cover, a photo of him leaning on a window sill and staring up at the album’s title. “Thank you so much for being there for me all this time and I can’t wait to share the next couple of years of this new era with you. I’ve missed you all so much. It’s good to be back.”
“Heaven” marks Horan’s first release since singles “Our Song” and “Everywhere,” his 2021 collaborations with Anne-Marie. Heartbreak Weather, Horan’s previous LP, peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 in March 2020.
Listen to “Heaven” below.
