Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars had not released original material since 2021 and 2022, respectively, but they just proved that they can reclaim top billing whenever they so choose. Halsey is still ramping up toward her first album since 2021’s If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, and Demi Lovato reasserted her vocal dominance in a bilingual collaboration with Grupo Firme.
Check that out and more in Uproxx’s Best New Pop Music roundup below.
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars — “Die With A Smile”
Lady Gaga gave us something “while you wait till LG7,” and if the appetizer features Bruno Mars, the full-length album should be stacked. “Die With A Smile” is reminiscent of Mars’ formative sentimental palette, and his voice blends beautifully with Gaga’s, as they belt, “If the world was ending / I’d wanna be next to you / If the party was over / And our time on Earth was through / I’d wanna hold you just for a while / And die with a smile.” The soft track marks the first collaboration between Gaga and Mars, and hopefully, it won’t be the last.
Halsey — “Lonely Is The Muse”
Halsey has never been afraid to go there lyrically, but it’s still refreshing every time. “Lonely Is The Muse” falls in the same thematic vein as previous singles “The End” and “Lucky” — exploring the visceral impact of being isolated and misjudged — but particularly keys in on feeling objectified and used. Halsey’s upcoming album, whatever it may be called and whenever it may arrive, is shaping up to be her bravest and most comprehensive body of work yet.
Lisa Feat. Rosalía — “New Woman”
Blackpink’s Lisa used her first solo release since 2021 to remind everyone she’s a “Rockstar,” and “New Woman” featuring Rosalía eradicates any misguided doubt that she has potent staying power outside of K-pop. The bilingual bop arrived alongside the Dave Meyers-directed video. Lisa delivers the confident chorus over layered, upbeat beats: “B*tch, you better swerve / Revvin’ up my au-au-au-au-aura / Focus on my mind, takin’ my time / I’m a new woman.” Then, Rosalía adds yet another dimension to the track, as the pace slows down markedly to fully immerse in her verse. If that all weren’t enough, Tove Lo is a credited co-writer, and ILYA and Max Martin co-produced the song.
Post Malone Feat. Jelly Roll — “Losers”
Post Malone’s freshly released F-1 Trillion is a pure country album. That has been made abundantly clear for months. But Post and Jelly Roll individually embody the influx of country-pop crossover, so it only makes sense that their collaboration automatically qualify as pop. “I Had Some Help” featuring Morgan Wallen topped the Billboard Pop Airplay chart for two weeks, and while I don’t anticipate “Losers” capturing the zeitgeist to that degree, I would be entirely unsurprised if it has legs.
Benson Boone — “Pretty Slowly”
Benson Boone made a habit out of climbing this charts, led by “Beautiful Things” peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending 29 weeks on the chart. “Slow It Down” has enjoyed at No. 34 peak, followed by “Cry” at No. 60. Boone also contributed “Death Wish Love” to Twisters, and now, he responded to fan demand and released “Pretty Slowly.” The melodic, folky song showcases Boone’s infectious tone and unique grasp of anecdotal and quippy lyricism — making Boone a reliably effective storyteller.
Grupo Firme & Demi Lovato — “Chula”
Grupo Firme’s Eduin Caz and Demi Lovato spoke with Tomás Mier of Rolling Stone about their spectacular bilingual track “Chula,” and it sounds like it could very well be a precursor for Lovato’s next solo LP. Lovato divulged she’s “exploring with a bunch of different songs” in the studio while writing the album, and she’s “pivoting from the rock era.” Lovato has repeatedly proved that her voice thrives in any context, and “Chula” captures her range.
Tinashe — “No Broke Boys”
Everybody is looking forward to experiencing “Nasty” at Tinashe’s upcoming Match My Freak World Tour, but the chorus of fellow Quantum Baby track “No Broke Boys” is of equal scream-sing value: “No broke boys, no new friends / I’m that pressure, give me my tens / Ain’t no lie, ain’t no shade.”
DJ Snake & Fridayy — “Complicated”
Fridayy bookends the summer with dance-based collaborations. First, he let loose on a mountaintop with The Chainsmokers for “Friday”; most recently, his smooth vocals accentuated DJ Snake’s mesmerizing soundscape on “Complicated.” Fridayy sings it best: “It could be so simple, babe / Don’t know, but you’re driving me crazy / Please don’t make it complicated / We ain’t gotta complicate it.” This song is simply a vibe.
Fousheé — “War”
Fousheé featured on Childish Gambino’s Bando Stone And The New World, and then the former Uproxx cover star announced Pointy Heights, her sophomore LP due out September 13. “Bad girls don’t fuss, they’d rather be / Living a life of harmony,” Fousheé sings in the chorus of “War,” the latest single from the album. “What’s watered grows, and as for me / I’d rather not be at war.” According to press release, “War” is “vintage calypso style instrumentals with a downbeat coastal sensibility,” setting the tone for the album named after Jamaican land Fousheé’s grandfather bought for the family.
Isabel LaRosa — “Pretty Boy”
Isabel LaRosa was named among Spotify’s “Pop Rising Artists To Watch” for 2024, and “Pretty Boy” shows why. LaRosa’s breathy vocals balance out a synth-based, uptempo beat. “I belong to you,” the 19-year-old artist sings. “Baby, be my pretty boy / I’m so obsessed, it’s not a choice.” The song was co-written and produced by her brother, Thomas LaRosa, and follows in the footsteps of her bilingual viral smash “Favorite.”