This past week Spotify announced that their popular New Music Tuesday playlist (over 768,000 followers and counting) would be moving; from here on out the new music hits on Spotify will be coming out on Fridays. So instead of an extra kick to the end of your work week, we’ll be helping you get through the ‘Case of the Mondays’ with all the best beats you can handle.
So let’s jump right in. This week’s list was filled to the brim with freshness, with appearances by popular acts such as Beach House, Eminem, and Future. As more people will have a chance to listen to the full list over the weekend, let us know if there are any Must Listen To’s that we’ve looked over. Happy listening!
10. Thotful – Cody Simpson
Leave it to a budding star who is chummy with big names in Hollywood (with a supermodel ex-girlfriend to boot) to deliver a coded track based around an urban dictionary entry. YOUTHS. Those who are offended easily shouldn’t worry about a harsh delivery, as his unimpressed attitude is played in the key of Jack Johnson. An easy, gentle track through and through- play while driving/riding with someone who doesn’t know you’re mad at them.
9. Seventeen – Sjowgren
The music equivalent of a reassuring hug – Sjowgren, a budding trio from the Bay Area, gives you both gentle vibes and a You Can Do It mantra: “If you want a second to breathe, i’ll give you all of my love, I’ll give you all you need. Don’t worry, I’m not going nowhere.” Listen to and memorize the lyrics for stressful work situations.
8. A Groove – Kisses
It’s a beat that starts slow and adds layers to its richness, but will have you kicking your feet by the thirty second mark. The voices of Jesse Kivel is all indie, while the music takes you back to the age of disco, hence the emphasis on the groove. It’s an interesting combination, that Kisses totally pulls off. Easy to get lost in, this one will have you a-groovin’ and a-shakin’ all around the place.
7. Freedom – Pharrell Williams
Pharrell carries too talented a voice and is too top notch of an arranger of music to worry about releasing a single that the people won’t appreciate. And when the topic centers around Freedom in its many forms, in the official month of Freedom, it’s sure to be a home run. It’s a quick clapper (just under 2 minutes and 45 seconds long) and has a ‘la, la-la-la’ in the background that helps carry its emphatic message across.
6. Life in Monochrome – ROMANS
A simple beat and a powerful voice makes for a good combination, as shown here on the lst track on ROMANS’s June release “Overthinking – Part 1.” A super intense ode to love gone awry that has drained all the color from existence: “You blew the heartbeat out of my veins, when you blew like a supernova what did you leave in your wake? A life in monochrome!” Tempting to memorize the lyrics and blast on a (solo) car ride for a heightened singalong.
5. After Dark – Eliot Sumner
Becoming somewhat of a fixture on Fresh New Music playlists (and new music in general) are artists whose parents themselves who are artists or musicians. If you listen closely to Eliot Sumner’s delivery you can pick up on traces of family history from her father, Sting. Eliot proves she can hold her own, particularly in prose, as the song is written beautifully. The topic being something of a should I stay or should I go situation, and the all encompassing power the sun going down can have on making a decision.
4. Feeling Good – Ms. Lauryn Hill
Sacrilege to offer up a tribute to one of Soul’s most classic songs to just anyone, Ms. Lauryn Hill was well chosen to take the lead to pay homage. The song hits twofold- a near perfect rendition of an old favorite, and a reemergence of an artist we hear too little of these days. For those feeling the deficit, Ms. Hill sings five other tracks on Nina Revisited, which also includes appearances by Usher, Common, and Mary J. Blige.
3. Soap – Melanie Martinez
The Voice enthusiasts rejoice: Adam Levine knows how to pick ‘em. An alumni of the third season, Melanie Martinez is holding strong on her own, having released her first EP last year, Soap marks her second single of 2015, a follow up to the quirky ‘Pity Party.’ It’s a cheeky tune that highlights what happens when you can’t censor yourself and need to clean your dirty mouth: “Think I got myself in trouble, better fill my bath with bubbles.” As a recent follower commented on Martinez’s twitter page: for best results listen to at bath time.
2. Cool For The Summer – Demi Lovato
Equipped with the staples pop music dreams are made of, Ms. Lovato brings a catchy hook, summer neon album artwork, and powerful soprano vocals to back it up. With so many songs clamoring for the title of THE song of Summer 2015, Lovato makes a strong case for herself, a fun song and a being a singer with so many adoring fans. Blast at high volumes on your way to the beach.
1. Finna Get Loose – Diddy, Pharrell
More often content to run his empire than release track after track, Diddy is back, serving up a down and dirty beat to help you loosen up a bit. All the while he’s taking y’all to church, saying so in the beginning “This is God’s work, I ain’t got nothing to even do with this.” Right there with him is Pharrell, whose vocals at times seem interchangeable with Diddy. Listen for a beat that feels like Diddy is pounding on the microphone. Not a song to over-analyze, for best results just dance.
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