pop music
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It may be the apex of spooky szn, but at the same time, it’s the start of another work week. Looking for some motivation to help power you through it? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.
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These 10 tracks from artists including Mariah the Scientist, Chappell Roan, Gus Dapperton, Lauren Jauregui, Mae Muller and more will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of all 10.
Sherwyn feat. PawPaw Rod, “The Season”
Mac Miller and Duckwrth producer Sherwyn glides easily into the spotlight on seven-song project Maker’s Design, which boasts kaleidoscopic indie rock (“Fake Frenz”), off-kilter soul (“Goddess Reign” feat. Amber Mark) and playful, nonchalant funk on tracks like “The Season” featuring fellow genre-flaunting talent PawPaw Rod. – Joe Lynch
Mariah the Scientist, “Bout Mine”
Given that the art for Mariah the Scientist’s latest single shows the words “Bout Mine” written in blood, you might expect some seasonally appropriate Halloween fare here (Mariah the MAD Scientist, perhaps?). But the bleeding in “Bout Mine” is a slow drip, as Mariah’s yearning vocals pine to “make this right” and get “you back” over languid, lonely synths. – J. Lynch
Lauren Jauregui, “Always Love”
As she continues to locate her solo niche, Lauren Jauregui has found success in material that showcases her powerful yet nuanced voice and fiercely compassionate lyricism. “Always Love,” a post-breakup ballad, exists in that sweet spot — simple yet heartfelt, encouraging both free-flowing tears and cathartic sing-alongs. – Jason Lipshutz
Rachel Chinouriri, “I’m Not Perfect (But I’m Trying)”
While London-based pop artist Rachel Chinouriri is responsible for one of the most delightful pop singles of 2022 in “All I Ever Asked,” new single “I’m Not Perfect (But I’m Trying)” demonstrates how much ground she can cover: driving and more dynamic compared to its lighter-than-air predecessor, the track seeks understanding in constant movement and strengthens the singer-songwriter’s catalog. – J. Lipshutz
Mae Muller, “I Just Came To Dance”
Is Mae Muller’s “I Just Came To Dance” the coolest music video ever set at a golf course? As the British pop star cuts it up in an august country club, the beat whips around and recalls some of the more swagger-filled bubblegum of the early 2000s. Muller, proving she can turn any setting into a party, wins another round. – J. Lipshutz
Isabel LaRosa, “I’m Yours”
On “I’m Yours,” Isabel LaRosa leans into the wooziness, allowing her vocals to sway back and forth between the more urgent verses and the surrendered vibe of the chorus. The result is moody yet beguiling, as the 18-year-old hoists up a sound that can be segmented into viral clips as well as sprawled out and repeated on a lonely drive. – J. Lipshutz
Chappell Roan, “Casual”
Yes, Chappell Roan’s new single “Casual” is produced by Dan Nigro, who helmed Olivia Rodrigo’s blockbuster debut LP Sour last year… but even if Nigro helps “Casual” find a slender indie-pop groove, the song is a stunner because of Roan, a Missouri native who imbues every line with the exhaustion of an unserious relationship. “Casual” sounds a lot like a singer-songwriter setting forth on a path to stardom. – J. Lipshutz
The Go! Team feat. The Star Feminine Band, “Look Away, Look Away”
A collaboration with Benin group The Star Feminine Band, “Look Away, Look Away” finds The Go! Team offering the type of all-smiles workout that made the collective a critical darling when Thunder, Lightning, Strike made noise in 2004. Feel your case of the Mondays melt away with every tambourine whack and joyful harmony here. – J. Lipshutz
Bob Vylan ft. Laurie Vincent, “The Delicate Nature”
With just six months since the release of their third studio album The Price of Life, U.K. grime punk duo Bob Vylan is back again with a vengeance. The pair — which consists of members Bobby and Bobbie Vylan — have returned with new track “The Delicate Nature” featuring Laurie Vincent of Slaves. The aggressive track features menacing guitar work and lyrics that find lead singer Bobby reflecting on how nebulous life is and the “idea of growing up and seeing the split decisions you’d make and how they could result in such life-changing results.” The track’s steady guitar riffs slow down to a misleading outro that gives listeners whiplash as it speeds up into mosh-ready madness. — Starr Bowenbank
Gus Dapperton, “Wet Cement”
Whereas previous single “Antifreeze” saw Gus Dapperton — with the assistance of U.K. band easylife — reflecting on the chilliness of an impending winter, Dapperton’s new solo track “Wet Cement” sees him going for something even colder. Dripping with a metaphor about the passage of time, the lyrics evoke the mood of days past (“No, I don’t talk nice, talk sweet/ I let my heart bleed/ Cold nights, cold feet”) that ultimately dried up into hardened concrete as his signature, passionate drawl conveys both sadness and acceptance. — S. Bowenbank
Just like clockwork, Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated 10th studio album has arrived.
Swifties have been eagerly awaiting its release since the pop superstar broke the news during her video of the year acceptance speech at the 2022 VMAs. “I thought it might be a fun moment to tell you that my brand-new album comes out Oct. 21,” she coyly revealed. “And I will tell you more at midnight.”
And tell us more, she did. Aptly titled Midnights, she explained that the album would tell “the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life” — inviting fans all along “a journey through terrors and sweet dreams.”
In the wee hours of the night, three hours after the album’s initial release at midnight ET sharp on Oct. 21, the 13-track project became a 20-track one. The singer-songwriter surprise dropped the “3 am Edition,” which contains seven additional new songs.
To celebrate her newest full-length set, Billboard dug through Swift’s hefty catalog to find every mention of “midnight” in a song. Night in general has been a recurring theme in her music for over a decade, yet we were surprised to find that that exact word only appears in 10 out of 200+ songs (and four being from Midnights alone). So we decided to take things a step further and also count the times she sings “middle of the night” as honorable mentions — because take away a few letters and it’s the same darn thing (and before you @ us, no, we are not listing her specific mid-night mentions of 1:58 a.m., 2 a.m., 2:30 a.m., 3 a.m. and so forth).
Without further ado, from Fearless to Evermore to Midnights, here are all of Swift’s “midnight” and “middle of the night” lyrics, listed chronologically (with “middle of the night” lyrics beginning at No. 11).