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 Drake unexpectedly come through with a new drop and André 3000 do the same. 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.
Drake — “Evil Ways” Feat. J. Cole
Quite a week for fans of the duo of Drake and J. Cole! First the rappers came through with a new video for “First Person Shooter,” then they dropped a whole new collab on For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition, the upbeat and self-laudatory “Evil Ways.”
André 3000 — “I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A “Rap” Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time”
André 3000, the former Outkast member and one of the most beloved rappers of his era, has finally returned. Perhaps disappointingly to some, though, his new project, New Blue Sun, is completely rap-free and is instead an instrumental, flute-focused project. Once you get over the lack of bars, though, New Blue Sun is an interesting and sonically adventurous listen.
BIBI and Becky G — “Amigos”
Worlds collided last week when K-pop star BIBI and Latin music hero Becky G linked up on “Amigos,” which is stylistically more in Becky’s realm but sees both artists flex their strengths.
Tate McRae — “Exes”
McRae (the one from Saturday Night Live this past weekend) is on top of the world right now. Aside from SNL, she just announced a new album, unveiled a 2024 tour, and dropped “Exes,” a pure-pop new single that sees her moving on from old flames.
Daft Punk — “Lose Yourself To Dance (Drumless Edition)” Feat. Pharrell Williams
Like Daft Punk but can’t stand all that pesky drumming? Good news: The defunct French duo just released a “Drumless Edition” of Random Access Memories, which might sound like an odd thing to do, but it’s a good way to explore classics like “Lose Yourself To Dance” in a new context.
Bleachers — “Alma Mater”
A non-debut self-titled album is a big statement, and that’s just what Jack Antonoff’s Bleachers are doing with their newly announced LP. They sought assistance from Lana Del Rey to usher the album into the world with “Alma Mater,” a mid-tempo, meditative number.
The Smile — “Wall Of Eyes”
Radiohead has been quiet in recent years, but Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood’s side project The Smile has been prolific, with a debut album in 2022 and a second on the way next year. The new LP, Wall Of Eyes, was announced last week, when they also shared the eerie title track.
Sabrina Carpenter — “Cindy Lou Who”
We go back to the same holiday songs every year, but Carpenter has a batch of new ones on her new Fruitcake LP. She invokes the iconic How The Grinch Stole Christmas on “Cindy Lou Who,” a brief, evocative, and emotional ballad.
Tyla and Travis Scott — “Water (Remix)”
South African singer-songwriter Tyla has had a breakthrough year in 2023 thanks to the success of her single “Water.” Now she’s given the track an additional boost by recruiting Travis Scott to contribute to a smooth new remix.
MJ Lenderman — “Hangover Game (Live)”
Wednesday’s MJ Lenderman just dropped a fantastic live album, And The Wind (Live And Loose!), and he told Uproxx of what goes into a good concert LP, “I think it’s energy. A lot of energy goes into it. When I mean ‘energy,’ I’m talking about, ‘Was the audience having fun? Was the band getting along?’ Stuff like that. Because some of my favorite live albums are not necessarily played the best. The band’s not playing their instruments the best, or it’s not in tune. So I think it’s a lot of, ‘Does it sound fun? Do you wish you were there?’ That kind of thing.”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.