Keeping up with 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 long-awaited new music from Adele and what may be one of Coldplay’s final albums. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.
For more music recommendations, check out our Listen To This section, as well as our Indie Mixtape and Pop Life newsletters.
Adele — “Easy On Me”
Adele isn’t one to drop non-album singles between projects, so before this year, the last new song we heard from her were from the 2015 album 25. Now, though, 30 is finally on the way next month, and ahead of then, Adele made her triumphant return with “Easy On Me,” an evocative piano ballad that includes a knockout performance from one of music’s most powerful and beloved voices.
Young Thug and Mac Miller — “Days Before”
With how omnipresent Young Thug has been over the past decade, it’s hard to believe that his new album, Punk, is only his second LP. Collaboration has been one of the keys to his career, and he secured some big ones here, including linking up with the late/great Mac Miller on the brief and chill “Days Before.”
Coldplay — “Biutyful”
Last week, Coldplay released their ninth album, Music Of The Spheres (which is perhaps one of their last LPs). The band didn’t drop a new single in the week leading up to the album (probably since “My Universe” is still dominating the world), but some album tracks are particularly interesting, like “Biutyful.” It’s a catchy, airy, midtempo pop-rock tune most notably characterized by an artificially high-pitched voice, which avoids being a gimmick and instead works as a charming musical choice.
Anitta — “Faking Love” Feat. Saweetie
Brazilian pop star Anitta and Santa Clara’s Saweetie come from different backgrounds, but they’re a natural pairing on Anitta’s “Faking Love.” As Uproxx’s Aaron Williams notes, the song “is a brazen breakup anthem, so it’s fitting that she tapped the Bay Area’s own Icy Princess, Saweetie, to deliver a slick, dismissive verse to really drive the message home.”
Summer Walker — “Ex For A Reason” Feat. JT
Summer Walker is gearing up to further stake her claim in the R&B landscape with her second album, Still Over It, but before then, she offered a tantalizing preview of it last week. The song is “Ex For A Reason,” and on it, she and JT of City Girls address themes that line up perfectly with the album title. After sharing the track, Walker noted, “Don’t fight over a n**** that got his attention all over the place. I hope y’all learn from my mistakes.”
Snail Mail — “Ben Franklin”
Lindsey Jordan is continuing to deliver on all the promise she’s shown over the past half-decade with the rollout for her upcoming sophomore Snail Mail album, Valentine. The latest preview of it is “Ben Franklin,” a groovy alt-rocker that sees her getting vulnerable, as it reveals that she recently spent time in rehab.
Maxo Kream — “Greener Knots”
Houston’s own Maxo Kream has an album coming in a matter of hours at that point. Before unveiling the whole thing, last week, he dropped “Greener Knots.” The track features the rapper diving into his rough childhood over some smooth production.
PinkPantheress — “Reason”
It seems there are new ways to blow up in the music industry every day, and PinkPantheress has done so by riding a TikTok-boosted wave. After gaining attention on the platform, her debut mixtape, To Hell With It, is here. It includes tracks like “Reason,” which balances relaxing guitars and vocals with its frenetic rhythm.
Pink Sweats — “I Feel Good”
Pink Sweats is only a few months removed from Pink Planet, but he’s already treating his fans to more, as last week brought a new song, “I Feel Good.” Uproxx’s Wongo Okon notes of it, “The track is a soft and heartwarming release that finds the singer appreciating the world around him and how great life feels nowadays.”
Courtney Barnett — “Smile Real Nice”
Barnett’s main focus at the moment is her upcoming album Things Take Time, Take Time, but last week, she took time, took time for something else: a TV theme song. She wrote the theme (titled “Smile Real Nice“) for the upcoming animated Harriet The Spy series and it sees Barnett adapting her sound to fit wonderfully in a jaunty and immediately catchy format that’s going to sound great over the show’s opening credits.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.