This week in the best new pop music, several big-name artists returned to serve up some energetic hits. Justin Bieber offered another preview of his impending album, Charli XCX joined The 1975 and No Rome for a glitchy banger, and Bebe Rexha shared her first new track of the year.
Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop music. Listen up.
Justin Bieber — “Hold On”
Justin Bieber continues to tease his upcoming album Justice with the soulful single “Hold On.” The track differs from much of the sultry R&B music heard on his last LP, as it instead teeters between heart-tugging verses and a shimmering verses.
No Rome — “Spinning” Feat. Charli XCX, The 1975
Charli XCX may have been busy releasing music in 2020, and it looks like this year will be no different. Joining The 1975 and No Rome, the three shared the energetic number “Spinning” this week, pointing to the potential of a possible supergroup between the three acclaimed artists.
Bebe Rexha — “Sacrifice”
Following her cutting single “Baby I’m Jealous” with Doja Cat in 2020, Bebe Rexha shares “Sacrifice” as her first new track of the year. “Sacrifice” sees Rexha leaning into her dance sensibilities, crafting a soaring chorus over a club-ready beat.
Silk Sonic — “Leave The Door Open”
Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars formed the group Silk Sonic after touring together in 2017, and this week, they dropped their debut single. “Leave The Door Open” previews a new era for the R&B duo, featuring both singers’ silky-smooth vocals over a lulling beat.
Finneas, Ashe — “Till Forever Falls Apart”
Finneas returned to share a soulful single, this time in collaboration with songwriter Ashe. In a statement about the single, Ashe said “Till Forever Falls Apart” is a reflection on acceptance. “If I’ve learned anything from ‘Moral Of The Story,’ it’s that accepting the hard truth is strangely comforting,” she said. “This song, while sounding like the most romantic song I’ve ever written, is about acceptance as well.”
Nick Jonas — “This Is Heaven”
Last week, Nick Jonas announced his upcoming solo album Spaceman and now, he’s shared another preview of the record with “This Is Heaven.” Jonas said the song was inspired by his loving relationship with his life after they spent months apart while she was shooting a movie. “It was just meant to encapsulate kind of that euphoric feeling of being with your person,” he said.
Jensen McRae — “Starting To Get To You”
After her faux Phoebe Bridgers song went viral on social media, Jensen McRae is flexing her songwriting skills with a buoyant new single, which she wrote about the euphoric feeling of falling in love. “‘Starting To Get To You’ is about the slow burn. It’s about being friends with someone for a while and always wondering if maybe you could be something more, and then after a long time, everything just sort of falls into place and you see each other in a whole new light.”
Girl In Red — “Serotonin”
Girl In Red gained a cult following after releasing a handful of mixtapes and singles. Now, Girl In Red is back to announce her highly-anticipated debut album If I Could Make It Go Quiet with the moving track “Serotonin.” “If i could make it go quiet is an attempt to learn what it’s like to be human; to deal with the scariest parts of myself; to live with the pain of knowing I’m only flesh and bones; to be angry, broken, and unforgiving yet still able to wear my heart on my sleeve.”
Remi Wolf — “Photo ID” Feat. Dominic Fike
After Remi Wolf’s “Montecarlo” became the unofficial song of last summer, the singer tapped Dominic Fike to hop on a hyped-up version of the fan-favorite “Photo ID,” which appears on her debut EP, I’m Allergic To Dogs!. Fike brings a playfulness to the already upbeat track that’s mirrored by Wolf’s vitality.
Maroon 5 — “Beautiful Mistakes” Feat. Megan Thee Stallion
Adam Levine may think pop bands are a “dying breed,” but he continued to press forward with Maroon 5’s Megan Thee Stallion-featuring single “Beautiful Mistakes.” The charming track details the fallout of a relationship, and Levine praised Megan for bringing “the song to a whole new level” alongside its release.
Tate McRae — “Slower”
Tate McRae may have gotten her start as a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance, but she’s made a name for herself in music through a handful of singles and EPs. “Slower” offers a lush look at her upcoming EP Too Young To Be Sad and features a snapping beat under McRae’s captivating vocals. She sings of wanting to move things along in a relationship, but feels as though it’s being stalled from the other end.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.