Keeping up with the best new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.
This week saw Ariana Grande kick off a new era and Ty Dolla Sign come through with a cleverly titled effort. Yeah, it was a great week for the best new music. Check out the highlights below.
Ariana Grande — “Positions”
For months, Grande has dropped little hints about new music here and there, but they finally materialized last week with “Positions.” It also looks like the track may include a dig at a certain famous ex of Grande’s, as fans are speculating.
Ty Dolla Sign — Featuring Ty Dolla Sign
Ty Dolla Sign is a real Kevin Bacon figure in music, as he has worked with (or worked with somebody who has worked with, or worked with somebody who worked with somebody who…) basically everybody. He flexed his self-awareness with the title of his new album, Featuring Ty Dolla Sign, which includes appearances from Kid Cudi, Post Malone, Kanye West, Anderson Paak, and Thundercat (and that’s only in the first six tracks).
Gorillaz — Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez
Gorillaz has spent 2020 dropping periodic loosies featuring a fascinating array of artists, and now they have collected those tracks and others on Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez. The collection features everybody from Robert Smith to St. Vincent to Elton John to Earthgang.
Adrianne Lenker — Songs and Instrumentals
Like many artists, Adrianne Lenker took advantage of her newfound free time to be productive. In her case, the process involved retreating to a cabin in western Massachusetts, from which she emerged with a pair of new very different albums.
Julien Baker — “Faith Healer”
Even if some pop fans weren’t thrilled to hear about Baker’s new album, it’s big news in the indie community. It sounds like it’s going to be a step forward, too, as the lead single, “Faith Healer,” sees Baker broadening her instrumentation horizons.
Saweetie — “Back To The Streets” Feat. Jhene Aiko
Aiko hopped on a remix of Saweetie’s “My Type” last year, and now the pair has reconvened with Aiko joining Saweetie on her latest, “Back To The Streets.” Uproxx’s Wongo Okon notes the track sees the artists “treating their love interests like a leased vehicle, enjoying the time they spend with them and making the most of it, all to return it and move on the to next new thing.”
Blackstarkids — Whatever, Man
Blackstarkids sent a cold email to Dirty Hit, and while that sort of thing doesn’t often work, the group’s material was good enough to get them signed. The group recently told Uproxx their new album is fun and not meant to be taken too seriously, and they suggested the mindset to have while listening to it: “Don’t just sit all stiff and try to form your opinion.”
Jean Dawson — Pixel Bath
ASAP Rocky obsessives noticed last week that the rapper popped up on an album from an up-and-comer named Jean Dawson. That’s the only feature on the young artist’s album, as it’s mostly focused on his diverse and confident material, which he described in a recent interview, “I want it to be controlled chaos. I just want it to feel like you’re in multiple places at the same exact time.”
Jack Harlow — “Tyler Herro”
Although the Miami Heat didn’t win the NBA title this year, Tyler Herro emerged as a clutch force during the postseason. He got some love from Jack Harlow, who made a song all about him and their shared outsider status, even recruiting the baller to appear in the video.
Rico Nasty — “Don’t Like Me” Feat. Don Toliver and Gucci Mane
Rico has been as prolific as anybody over the past few months, and she continued her hot streak last week with “Don’t Like Me.” She wasn’t the only one hitting out at her haters, as Don Toliver and Gucci Mane joined her on the track.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.