Photo courtesy of Alex Goykhman, Wikipedia.
Though only a few albums of note have been released in the last few weeks, artists have been dropping new singles consistently. This points to a busy release season in early summer, but the songs on their own are already standing out.
It’s not just those that are hitting the radio, either. A variety of less mainstream artists are making their way to playlists like Spotify’s “New Music Friday,” holding their own against top artists. So, while making your opinions on the biggest of the week, be sure to check out some of the names you don’t know, too.
The following roundup covers my personal favorites from the latest releases, and all are worth checking out and seeing what’s new for you.
1. "As It Was" by Harry Styles
With his ever-growing popularity, Harry Styles’ new single was sure to be the hit of the week. It comes along with the recent announcement of his upcoming third album, “Harry’s House.” The exact genre of this song is hard to pin down as Styles continues to find his niche in his solo career.
Paired with its music video, “As It Was” is an upbeat pop hit in the making, made to be danced to, but still meaningful in its lyrics. It reflects on a changing lifestyle, feelings of isolation and concern from loved ones. In the few days since its release I have fallen in love with this song, and it’s sure to be on repeat all summer.
2. "Will We Ever Get This Right" by flowerovlove
“Will We Ever Get This Right” is by flowerovlove, a new artist for me. Behind the music is 16-year-old Joyce Cisse, who makes “bedroom pop.” This track has a similar groove to “As It Was.” The lyrics are relatable for anyone with a crush, but the sound is perfect for all pop lovers. With just over 250,000 current listeners on Spotify, I’m hoping to see this artist grow with more releases.
3. "Take My Hand" by 5 Seconds of Summer
Just a few weeks after the release of their last single “COMPLETE MESS,” 5 Seconds of Summer dropped “Take My Hand,” which they subsequently named their tour after. It’s a totally different sound than their last two singles which are leading up to their next album, as a slower, dreamier song.
While sharing a similar sound to the classic “Forever Young” by Alphaville, the lyrics go deeper into asking someone to stay by their side even when life is changing. Lead singer Luke Hemmings sings and bassist Calum Hood shares pre-choruses singing of the sudden shift of growing up. Being a long-time favorite of mine, I may be biased, but I think this variety of singles showcases a great album in store.
4. "Tell Me You’re Sorry (acoustic)" by Real Friends
An acoustic repackage of the February single “Tell Me You’re Sorry” by pop-punk band Real Friends, this may be my favorite of all the singles. There’s only a few times the acoustic version of a song, especially a pop-punk song, is as good as or better than the original, but this one stands up equally. After their hiatus, I’ve been excited every time Real Friends puts out something new, and this was a direct-to-playlist release for me.
5. "Blow" by Jackson Wang
Since the disbanding of K-pop group GOT7, singer Jackson Wang has been producing music constantly, but this single was a new style compared to the rest of his work. Wang went for a more rock sound, paired with a high-production music video with a style somewhere between pirate and renaissance. Wang’s range is impressive, and this single shows him continuing to step out of his comfort zone.
6. "Fire Escape" by Beach Bunny
Beach Bunny released a double-single for their upcoming summer album this past week with songs “Fire Escape” and “Oxygen.” Both are true to their “power pop” style and sound like they’ll be best when heard live. Though the single is titled “Fire Escape,” “Oxygen” has racked up more than 3 million listens since it dropped. I encourage everyone that is into this genre to hop on as a follower of this band as they continue to grow their discography.
vdamico@ramapo.edu
