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 Rihanna’s long-awaited return and SZA’s long-awaited new song. 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. Also find our Uproxx HQ Spotify playlist, which is updated weekly with the best new music, at the end of this post.
Rihanna — “Lift Me Up”
Rihanna fans have been waiting for new music for so long that it’s become a bit of a joke between them and RiRi. Then, the rumors started and were later confirmed: Rihanna has a new song, “Lift Me Up,” on the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. The song is an exhibition for Rihanna’s sorely missed vocals, a tender and touching tribute to late Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman.
SZA — “Shirt”
A couple weeks ago, SZA finally released “Shirt.” That was actually a false alarm, though, as somebody apparently jumped the gun and put the song on streaming platforms prematurely, so it was quickly removed. At last, though, “Shirt” has properly arrived, alongside a video co-starring Atlanta‘s Lakieth Stanfield.
Smino — “Pudgy” Feat. Lil Uzi Vert
It had been a few years since a new Smino album: His sophomore effort, Noir, dropped back in 2018. At last, though, the St. Louis favorite is back with his third LP, Luv 4 Rent. Among the highlights is “Pudgy,” a rapid-fire quick hit featuring Lil Uzi Vert.
Juice WRLD — “In My Head”
It’s been nearly three years since Juice WRLD’s tragic death now, but the posthumous material keeps coming. The latest of it is last week’s “In My Head,” which Uproxx’s Danielle Chelosky notes sounds like it was ripped from the Goodbye & Good Riddance era and adds, “It mixes vulnerability with catchy hooks in the signature Juice WRLD fashion that fans love him for.”
Chlöe and Latto — “For The Night”
Chlöe continued to thrive in her young solo career, the latest example being a fresh Latto collaboration, “For The Night.” Over lush production from London On Da Track, Chlöe moves the song forward with impeccable vocals and Latto swings through for a delightful verse.
Ice Spice — “Bikini Bottom”
Ice Spice may not live in a pineapple under the sea, but she borrowed SpongeBob’s home for the title of her latest drop, “Bikini Bottom.” The tune runs for under two minutes and it’s as full of SpongeBob references as fans might hope, but it’s still a terrific showcase of Ice’s calm-yet-quick rapping style over a hard-hitting beat.
Fred Again.. — “Clara (The Night Is Dark)”
Fred Again.. has been pumping out installments of his Actual Life series for a year-and-a-half now, and the latest of them, Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9, 2022), is out now. It’s full of electronic, dance-ready bangers, including the cathartic and anthemic “Clara (The Night Is Dark).”
Fousheé — “Supernova”
Uproxx’s Lexi Lane writes of Fousheé’s latest, “Leaning heavily into electronic production, ‘Supernova’ opens with a captivating bass line that introduces her adjusted vocals. The song propels itself forward so fast (and furiously) that it’s over before you know it — but is consistently worthy of another replay.”
Polo G — “Bag Talk”
Polo G has started to follow up the Hall Of Fame era this year with some singles, first “Distraction” and more recently, “Bag Talk.” Uproxx’s Flisadam Pointer notes of the tune, “On the surface, ‘Bag Talk’ may appear to be yet another braggadocios record. However, upon further inspection, the song co-produced by DJ Tony Tone, Smatt Sertified, Southside, and TM88 is a bold reminder of just how far Polo G has come.”
DVSN — “Take It Slow”
In a recent interview with Uproxx’s Wongo Okon, DVSN’s Daniel Daley said of the duo’s new album Working On My Karma, “I really want it to be a new marker of when R&B started to shift in this direction. I think we’re all kind of tired of having to be fed all the same things now.”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.