This week saw the release of a ton of great new pop music. Charli XCX ushered fans back out to the nightclub with her energetic new single. Conan Gray pulled inspiration from the ’80s to shine like a star on his new album. aespa and Tokimonsta teamed up for a powerful anthem, which is featured on the soundtrack of a new film.
Check out the rest of Uproxx’s Best New Pop Music roundup below.
Conan Gray — “Found Heaven”
Conan Gray returned this week to release his new album Found Heaven, after building fan anticipation for nearly a year. Outside of the early singles, the title track is one of the highlights from Gray’s ’80s-inspired record. As Gray has explained, he used the title as a double meaning, for both dying and finding peace within yourself.
Benson Boone — “Cry”
Benson Boone’s new album Fireworks & Rollerblades features “Cry,” a track where the singer painfully yet bluntly recognizes that he’s “tired of letting someone get the best of me.” He realizes that he’s better by not having the person who causes him harm in his life. Boone co-wrote it with his producer Malay, making it one not to miss from the full record.
Lizzy McAlpine — “Drunk, Running”
“Drunk, Running” was first introduced by Lizzy McAlpine as she performed it on her The End Of The Movie Tour. Now, fans get to hear it in full, ahead of her releasing her next album titled Older. Lyrically, McAlpine struggles with dealing with a loved one, who has their own struggles with alcoholism. “What if it was all my fault? / What if I drove you to it? / I was only honest sometimes / And I think you knew it,” she asks.
Chappell Roan — “Good Luck, Babe”
After Chappell Roan joined Olivia Rodrigo as an opener on the Guts Tour, allowing new fans to discover her energetic personality and discography, she has now dropped a new single called “Good Luck, Babe.” The sassy track finds Roan pointing out that a situationship won’t do much better after leaving her behind. “When you wake up next to him in the middle of the night / With your head in your hands, you’re nothing more than his wife,” she points out on the bridge. “And when you think about me, all of those years ago / You’re standing face to face with ‘I told you so.’”
Charli XCX — “Club Classics”
Charli XCX is bringing fans even further into her Brat era, ahead of her album dropping in June and soundtracking the summer. “Club Classics” was part of a double song release alongside “B2B.” The former proves she’s here to get the party started early, dedicating the single to those who mean the most to her creatively. “I wanna dance to A.G. / I wanna dance with George / I wanna dance to SOPHIE / I wanna dance to HudMo,” Charli shares — propelled by the danceable beat.
Ava Max — “My Oh My”
“My Oh My” serves as Ava Max’s introduction to her third studio album — and it’s a fantastic first glimpse for fans at that. Even though she already released one last year, she has been hard at work in the studio. “I have been working on this record for the last six months and I couldn’t be more excited for it to finally be yours,” she shared on Instagram. Her production is as sleek as ever, proving that Max may just have another major hit on her hands.
Griff — “Pillow In My Arms”
“Pillow In My Arms” finds Griff playing pretend with the fact that a relationship still exists, even after they’ve already gone. The somber pop ballad pulls listeners into her mindset, with the haunting vocals hitting a peak in the chorus. “And it won’t bring you back, love / And it won’t make it stop,” she cries out. As the focus track from her new EP, there’s a reason this is meant to be the standout.
Omar Apollo — “Spite”
“‘Spite’ is a song about a long distance relationship and wanting to show the other person that you’re okay without them even though you feel like you need them,” Apollo revealed as the backstory behind his new track, which serves as the teaser to his upcoming sophomore album. Although not much has been revealed about it yet, the anger and emotions present in this song prove that he is putting his heart on the line — making fans excited to see what else is in store.
aespa — “Die Trying” Feat. Tokimonsta
Uproxx cover stars aespa teamed up with Tokimonsta for “Die Trying,” which is part of the tracklist of the new Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver. As each song ties to a character, aespa’s represents Nemesis, tapping into the “heroic strength, which arose from the depths of tragedy and darkness, fueled my creative process throughout the track,” according to a statement from Tokimonsta.
Tori Kelly — “Thing U Do”
“It’s me just digging into myself as an artist and thinking, How do I want to present myself?” Tori Kelly shared during a recent interview with Uproxx, tied to her new album, TORI. “What are some sounds that we’ve never heard from me? What are some things that maybe I’ve been holding back? It feels so authentically me. It’s exciting to be in this place where it’s take it or leave it. This is where I’m at right now.” On “Thing U Do” specifically, she samples Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner” to craft a catchy track.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.