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 Taylor Swift continue expanding her empire at an astronomical rate and Brent Faiyaz have the intestinal fortitude to release an album on the same day as Swift. 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.
Taylor Swift — “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)”
If this music release calendar looked a little sparse last week, that’s because most everybody was steering clear of Taylor Swift and her latest re-recorded album, 1989 (Taylor’s Version). Aside from the refreshed original album, there are previously unheard “From The Vault” tracks like “Is It Over Now?,” the subject of which fans think they’ve identified.
Brent Faiyaz — “Outside All Night” Feat. ASAP Rocky and N3WYRKLA
One of the few artists who dared to brave 1989, though, was Brent Faiyaz, who had one of 2022’s best R&B albums with Wasteland. Now he’s back with a quick follow-up in Larger Than Life, which features contributions from guests like Timbaland, Missy Elliott, and ASAP Rocky.
The Kid Laroi — “What Just Happened”
Laroi’s anticipated debut album is coming next month and he continued to hype it up with his latest single, “What Just Happened.” Uproxx’s Alex Gonzalez notes of where Laroi’s at on the song, “He is distraught after an argument with his girlfriend, which took place while he had been drinking, and addresses his shortcomings over a pop-rock-inspired track.”
Mxmtoon — “The Idea Of You (Revisited)”
Mxmtoon is giving herself a second chance on Plum Blossom (Revisited), which features new takes on the songs that helped make Mxmtoon famous. The latest taste of the project is “The Idea Of You (Revisited),” which adds some dimension to the ukulele-led original via a new arrangement with additional instrumentation.
Baby Tate — “Lollipop”
Tate is really trying something different on her new project, Baby Tate Presents – Sexploration: The Musical. As the title suggests, the EP is a narrative-driven project and the visuals are a big part of that, like the “Lollipop” video that depicts a lesbian romance.
Kid Cudi — “Ill What I Bleed”
It’s a bit too early to have a full idea of what the music landscape is going to look like in 2024, but we know Kid Cudi is going to be a part of it, as he’s set to drop Insano next year. In the meantime, last week, he shared “Ill What I Bleed,” a patient, brooding, and psychedelic number.
The Gaslight Anthem — “Spider Bites”
The Gaslight Anthem just released History Books, their first album in nine years and their first since coming back from hiatus. In a 2022 interview with Uproxx, the band’s Brian Fallon explained about ending the band’s hiatus, “During quarantine, I had gotten so bored. You go back to all your biographies and rock ‘n’ roll documentaries you’ve already seen 50 times, and the one thing that I kept thinking to myself is, ‘Man, I really like bands.’ It really is one in a million that you get to do something like this. So, not being able to do anything and having time to think maybe is what allowed it to happen.”
Majid Jordan — “Violet”
OVO favorites Majid Jordan have a new album — their fourth, dubbed Good People — coming in a matter of days. They previewed the project last week with “Violet,” a gorgeous number that builds a smooth and warm vibe for upwards of 7 minutes.
Green Day — “The American Dream Is Killing Me”
After all these years, Gren Day are still chugging along: They just announced a new album, Saviors, for 2024, and while they’d be forgiven for having lost a step at this point in their tenure, they sure don’t sound like they have on lead single “The American Dream Is Killing Me.”
Kevin Abstract — “Running Out”
Brockhampton is no more, but Kevin Abstract is still doing his own thing. He’s got a solo album, Blanket, set for November, and last week, he shared “Running Out,” which lines up with his recent declaration that the new album is inspired by artists like Sunny Day Real Estate, Nirvana, and Modest Mouse.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.