Category: Viral

As June comes to a close, the pop artists this week still managed to bring the heat. Between fiery tracks, dance anthems, and even some emotional stories, there’s always a range of releases to fit everyone’s mood. Over the weekend, some of the musicians on this list also delivered with their Glastonbury sets.

Continue scrolling for Uproxx’s Best New Pop from this week.

Maisie Peters — “BSC”

An abbreviation for “bat sh*t crazy,” Maisie Peters proves she isn’t afraid to throw jabs on “BSC,” a standout from her newly-released sophomore album, The Good Witch. Despite the title, here she embraces the darkness, warning someone who broke her that “I can write you out the way I wrote you in.”

The Weeknd, Jennie, Lily-Rose Depp — “One Of The Girls”

As the season finale of The Idol is approaching, the past episode saw a collaboration between The Weeknd (who plays Tedros, a cult leader) and Blackpink’s Jennie (Dyanne, a backup dancer who is becoming a pop star). “One Of The Girls” blends The Weeknd’s darker production and lyricism with Jennie’s lighter, dreamier vocals.

Kim Petras –“Claws”

Petras dropped her major label debut album, Feed The Beast, over the weekend. “One day I was in the studio, and it just all came out within 40 minutes and was this magical experience, where it really felt full circle,” she told Popsugar about “Claws,” a track about struggling to leave a toxic situation.

Carly Rae Jepsen — “Shy Boy”

Carly Rae Jepsen is seemingly kickstarting a new era with her single, “Shy Boy,” a party jam that was a perfect fit for her Glastonbury appearance over the weekend. The release follows her album, The Loneliest Time, which dropped last fall, and her theme song contribution to Hello Kitty: Super Style — that she chatted to Uproxx about here.

Quinnie — “Ribbons”

“‘Ribbons’ is about being exhausted with the time and effort it takes to present feminine, and a desire to just be,” Quinnie shared about the song. “I was inspired by Joni Mitchell’s song ‘Carey’ and the lyric ‘got me used to those clean white linens and my fancy French cologne,’ considering these motifs as markers of girlhood and feminine cleanliness.”

The Band CAMINO — “See You Later”

On The Band CAMINO’s new song “See You Later,” it tells the story about dreaming about someone who’s breaking all the hearts at a party — knowing that despite that, they’re still your person once it’s over.

Tyler Cole — “Bad Joke”

The second half of Tyler Cole’s recent two-song drop, “Bad Joke” finds him taking the role of the bad guy in a breakup. “I’m a bad joke, I’m a king in denial, I’m an angel / I’m a dream, I’m a devil with a halo / Bet I took the words right outta your mouth,” he repeats throughout the rockier instrumental.

Hayley Kiyoko – “Somewhere Between The Sand And The Stardust”

Kiyoko’s emotional new song was inspired by losing a friend who struggled with mental health — and she aims to use it as a “tribute to loving the people who choose to stay and embracing and finding peace with the memory of those who don’t.”

Rauw Alejandro, Bizarrap — “Baby Hello”

Another collaboration between Rauw Alejandro and producer Bizarrap, “Baby Hello” gives fans the first glimpse of his upcoming album, Playa Saturno. With a music video set on the moon and a banging electronic beat that picks up on the chorus, they definitely turned space into a party.

Nessa Barrett — “Lie”

Nessa Barrett dished in a statement that her latest song “Lie” is “about accepting that sometimes even though you want something, it’s not always meant to be. I hope people who listen to this feel an emotion that is hard for us to accept but need to in order to live a fulfilling life.”

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.

Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got new music from Militarie Gun, Charly Bliss, Slowdive, Faye Webster, and more.

While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.

Faye Webster — “But Not Kiss”

“I think it could be a really romantic song or a really anti-romantic song,” Faye Webster said of “But Not Kiss,” her first new material since 2021’s charming I Know I’m Funny Haha. This ballad captures her knack for unconventional love songs as she sings candidly of a complicated relationship: “I want to see you in my dreams but then forget / We’re meant to be but not yet.”

Palehound — “Independence Day”

Palehound opens their new single “Independence Day” with a memorable scene: “We broke up on Independence Day / Crying while the next door neighbors raged,” El Kemper sings, not sounding regretful or sad anymore, as if enough time has passed that now it can be looked at with lightheartedness. Kemper’s wisdom is speckled all over this song, especially in the inspiring hook: “Living life like writing a first draft / ‘Cause there is nothing to it if I can’t edit the past and / Even if I could it would kill me to look back.”

Slowdive — “Kisses”

Shoegaze legends Slowdive are back. They’re sharing their new album Everything Is Alive later this year, and it’s their first since their 2017 self-titled album, which famously contained the singular hit “Sugar For The Pill.” Their lead single “Kisses” has the same dreamy texture of that song, floating with a sense of peace and a catchy melody.

Charly Bliss — “You Don’t Even Know Me Anymore”

“You Don’t Even Know Me Anymore” is Charly Bliss’s first single in first years. The effervescent, sardonic track is unbothered, wanting only to move on from something that’s old news: “Here’s your leather jacket, thought it’d save me but now / I gave myself a makeover and I’m blissing out,” Eva Hendricks drawls.

Militarie Gun — Life Under The Gun

If you needed some invigorating, bombastic post-hardcore to spice up your life, thank Militarie Gun. Life Under The Gun rages with rippers like “Do It Faster” and “Seizure Of Assets” as well as more vulnerable, quiet moments like “See You Around” and “My Friends Are Having A Hard Time.”

Who Is She? — “MoviePass”

No one’s quite doing it like the Seattle supergroup Who Is She? “MoviePass” is the latest dose of their indie-rock humor, and it’s a nostalgic track: “I first got MoviePass in 2017 / It was a little red card that let you see unlimited movies for $9.95 a month,” they sing, later lamenting how it’s a “tragedy” that it didn’t last because of its “unsustainable business model.”

Koyo — “Anthem”

Long Island hardcore (abbreviated as LIHC) is alive and well thanks to Koyo. “We grow old and die off / But the best has yet to come,” Joey Chiaramonte shouts against tumultuous instrumentation and an addictive bassline. The band is an unstoppable force, and this mosh-worthy anthem is further proof.

Islands — “Life’s A Joke”

Islands have always had a specific kind of magic to their brand of indie rock, and it looks like that’ll continue on their forthcoming album And That’s Why Dolphins Lost Their Legs. Humor and sadness go hand in hand, not only in that title but also on the moving single “Life’s A Joke,” which finds levity in pain.

Snõõper — “Powerball”

Snõõper is like a musical sugar rush. Their songs are hard to keep up with, and they seem to only intensify as time passes. Their new album Super Snõõper comes in July, and “Powerball” is a predictably energetic cut that’s over before the listener can even catch their breath, but they’re still left amazed.

The Smile — “Bending Hectic”

Last year, The Smile — consisting of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, as well as the drummer Tom Skinner — shared the album A Light for Attracting Attention. They’re back with the transcendent, off-kilter song “Bending Hectic,” which encapsulates their moody texture, which sprawls out over the course of eight trance-like minutes.

During the BET Awards over the weekend, Lil Uzi Vert and his girlfriend, JT of City Girls, got into a fight. However, although it had originally been speculated that their argument started over Ice Spice, TMZ and members of JT’s team are denying that she played a role.

Fans and viewers had first believed it, given Uzi rapped “I got a nice wife, wig came off twice / She got a little afro, she looks like Ice Spice” during his performance at the awards show.

One Twitter user also made a thread about JT and Uzi at the show, claiming she got mad after he was talking to Ice. “I overheard him cussing at her too so they both be just saying outlandish sh*t it seems like but after about 20 min. She just starts ignoring his pleading and gets up and acts like she paying attention to the performances… he tried to touch her and she almost clocked him!” they wrote.

JT had also thrown her phone at him during the event, as other attendees shot videos of the tension.

In reality, there is reportedly no drama between JT and Ice — or even JT and Lil Uzi Vert. She simply had gotten upset over losing her seat during the audience moving around, according to her team, and the couple left together as normal.

Lil Uzi Vert is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Just days after releasing the Young Thug album Business Is Business, the project’s producer Metro Boomin shared a deluxe edition reissue, subtitled “Metro’s Version.” Here, the tracklist is rearranged and two new songs have been added — “Sake Of My Kids” and “Money” featuring Juice WRLD and Nicki Minaj. The latter track turns out to be especially poignant, as it reunites the incarcerated Thug with the late Juice WRLD, giving fans a glimpse of what that joint album they were supposedly working on in 2019 would have sounded like.

It also reconnects Nicki and Juice after he joined her European tour in 2018. Unfortunately, they were never able to collaborate with each other, but she paid tribute to him with her Billboard Women In Music Game Changer Award acceptance speech, calling him a “kindred spirit.” Of course, Nicki and Thug had previously teamed up on a remix of one of Thug’s early hits, “Danny Glover,” as well as on Elton John’s 2021 Lockdown Sessions cut, “Always Love You.”

Meanwhile, Metro Boomin has been on a stellar run himself, dropping the awesome Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse soundtrack just about six months after releasing the well-received Heroes & Villains.

You can listen to “Money” above and check out Metro’s Version of Business Is Business here.

Young Thug is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Shakira has been through a lot in recent times. Specifically, she and Gerard Piqué had a bitter break-up after allegations that he was cheating on her. It turns out that moment hit extra hard for Shakira because her father, William Mebarak Chadid, was in the hospital at the time after a bad fall.

In a new interview with People en Español, Shakira said (as People translated from Spanish), “He went to Barcelona to console me after I was consumed with sadness because of my separation. While he was at Milan’s first communion, he was gravely injured in an accident. Everything happened at once. My home was falling apart. I was finding out through the press that I had been betrayed while my dad was in the ICU.”

She also said of her dad, “The man I have loved the most in my life, my father, was leaving me when I needed him the most. I couldn’t talk to him, or go to my best friend for the advice I needed so much. […] He has overcome COVID once, two accidents, one pneumonia and five surgeries — all of this at 91 years of age, in less than six months. My dad is the biggest example of resilience, and my mother has been by his side day and night. They have both been a reflection of that dream that didn’t come true for me. But I hope they are role models for my kids of love, of patience in relationships, of absolute devotion and zest for life.”

Read more from the interview here.

Drake raps about riding through the 6 (slang for Toronto, Canada) with his woes and attending Toronto Raptors games, but he has love for another North American city. The “Parade On Cleveland” rapper was just awarded the key to Memphis — more specifically, to the county in which the city falls into, Shelby County. However, fans immediately took issue with it as he’s not a native of the city.

As the clip of Chairman Mickell Lowry presenting Drake with the honor hit social media, users shared their confusion.

One user wrote, “A Canadian? *no offense *.”

Another hinted that this key should have gone to a host of other native rappers, posting a meme with the caption, “Every Memphis Rapper Right Now [crying emoji].”

While one person alleged that Drake doesn’t truly care for Memphis or the greater area after he pulled out of a prior commitment. “But rescheduled our concert in Memphis that was THIS Thursday ……oh okay,” penned the user.

On the other hand, some users didn’t care about the honor per se but rather that Drake didn’t bother to dress up for the occasion. “When you got the key to the city ceremony at 12 and pick up game at 12:30,” posted a user.

Although Drake isn’t a native of Memphis, his father, Dennis Graham, is. Drake has, as Chairman Lowry pointed out, shown Memphis a deal of respect in his solo music as well as in his collaborations with native Memphis acts. In 2013, he shot his video for the single “Worst Behavior” off the album Nothing Was The Same in the city. The visual, directed by Director X, featured appearances by hometown heroes Turk of the Hot Boys, Juicy J, Project Pat, and MJG from 8Ball & MJG.

Also, in his 2018 collaboration with native BlockBoy JB, “Look Alive,” Drake highlighted his family home in the city by rapping, “901 Shelby Drive / Look Alive / Look Alive.”

Elon Musk’s dad isn’t thrilled about the brewing cage fight between the Twitter CEO and Mark Zuckerberg. The whole thing started as a joke between the social media moguls, but it didn’t take long for UFC President Dana White to get involved and claim both men are now willing to get in the arena.

If the fight actually goes down, Errol Musk predicts it will go badly for his son. Via The Sun:

Speaking from his home in South Africa, retired electromechanical engineer Errol, 77, said: “The thing is if this crazy fight goes ahead, if Elon beats this guy, Elon will be called a bully, being so much heavier and taller, while if he loses the humiliation would be total.

“It’s a no-win situation for Elon.”

The elder Musk then chastised both billionaire CEOs for letting the situation get to this point. “I think Elon has got himself into a difficult situation as a result of high school behavior,” Errol said. “They both have.”

Of course, there’s a very good chance the cage fight could sizzle out before it even begins. Elon recently took part in a Twitter Space sessions where he admitted that nothing is set in stone, and if the fight does happen, he’ll have to start training. He also conceded that Zuckerberg has the upper hand because he’s been taking his jiu-jitsu career pretty seriously.

When a Bloomberg reporter said the fight “could go badly,” Musk admitted, “yeah, that’s possible.”

(Via The Sun)

Nearly 120 billion pounds of food go to waste in the U.S. each year. This waste not only contributes to food insecurity, which millions of Americans are impacted by, but also has a detrimental impact on our climate. In large part, this comes down to a misallocation of resources.

We need to bridge the gap between food waste, the planet, and those in need. By doing so, we can drive sustainable food systems and get food to those who need it most. In fact, Project Drawdown has found that reducing food waste is the number one most impactful solution to climate change.

The foundations of Spoiler Alert were laid during my time at MIT Sloan in 2013 when I met my soon-to-be co-founder Emily Malina. With my consulting experience with brands and retailers on carbon, water, energy and waste initiatives and Emily’s background in supply chain transformation and technology adoption, we knew there was a supply chain solution that could help businesses better manage their food waste. That’s when we started Spoiler Alert.

Ricky Ashenfelter & Emily Malina, Co-founders of Spoiler Alert

Spoiler Alert is a B2B waste prevention software that helps CPG brands better manage excess and short dated inventory. This inventory arises from various sources, whether that’s overproduction, unsuccessful innovations, seasonal items, or promotional packaging.

We’ve built a sales and supply chain platform that provides manufacturers with the workflows, pricing intelligence, and networking tools to effectively discount this excess inventory that they’re not able sell to their normal everyday customers and prevent unnecessary waste.

Years later, we’re proud to be working with some of the largest brands in the world like Campbell Soup Company, Danone North America, Mondelēz International, Nestlé, and Kraft Heinz, and to have a team that’s as mission-driven and excited about our work as we are. Spoiler Alert’s commitment to its mission goes beyond software solutions. We’re a remote-first company that cares deeply about DEI, impact, and giving back to our local communities. We hold quarterly volunteer days that connect back to our work on food waste, and we’re proud members of Pledge 1%.

In 2022 alone, our platform helped manufacturers sell 325 million pounds of food that would otherwise have gone unsold. That’s the equivalent impact of 270 million meals, or taking almost 13,000 cars off the road for a year.

Today, we’re focused on continuing to connect with new brands to help optimize their supply chains. But we’re also seeing how impactful these same process improvements can be for items outside of food, like health and beauty care, which still have expiration dates and are at risk of going to waste.

Along with our dedicated customers, we’re on a mission to make an impact on processes, people, and the planet.

During Boygenius‘ recent show in Nashville, Tennessee, the band pushed back against the state’s anti-drag show bill by coming out on stage in full drag outfits. Phoebe Bridgers’ name was Queef Urban (poking fun at the country star accidentally leaking her kissing Bo Burnham), Lucy Dacus went as Lucille Balls, and Julien Baker took Shenida Turns.

It was also important to protest Governor Bill Lee’s proposed legislation from March for Baker especially as it is her home state.

“Today I’m so grateful for my life, not because I get to stand onstage with my best friends… but because I’m content with the person that I am,” Baker said. “I have a lot of anger for the people that have made me feel small, and feel erased. And I’ve found it’s a really powerful and humiliating tool to make those people f*ck off. I would like you to scream so loud that Governor Lee can hear you.”

After her speech, the trio guided the crowd in a “F*ck Bill Lee” chant. Fans on social media appreciated Boygenius using the stage for that — especially as early photos of the concert and the members’ drag outfits started making the rounds. Baker had seemingly modeled herself after Elvis, Dacus brought some fun shades, and Bridgers rocked a “b*tch” choker.

Continue scrolling for some fan reactions.

Ted Cruz’s down-at-the-border adventures are not the stuff of legends. He might believe that he did something while lurking in the bushes at the border and filming himself in the dark. Yet he will always be the guy who foolishly decided to jet to sunny Cancun while his constituents literally froze during a deadly ice storm. Ted has since been the subject of endless Cancun jokes, and to his credit, he did endure them for a few years. However, he also tried to tell his own joke, which was not a great joke, and people let him know that those are not his jokes to tell.

Also, Ted now appears to have let the world know that the Cancun jokes are getting old, which is not the type of thing that you admit to the Internet.

To recap a bit more: Ted and Stephen King have a history of firing verbal shots at each other. Ted has tried to outwit one of the most prolific authors of our age, and in return, King has used the bluntest of instruments to take out his opponent. The latest installment, however, involves King goading Cruz over his assertions that Biden somehow created the mess at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“You’ve also spent a lot of time in Cancun,” King tweeted over the weekend. “That’s pretty south, right?”

Well, Ted was not amused. In response, he baselessly fired out an absurd accusation: “Multi-millionaire Leftist @StephenKing sits in his mansion in Maine and laughs at the kids being abused & the women being sexually assaulted on our Southern border.” Clearly, Ted was upset while continuing and concluded like so: “He doesn’t give a damn about their suffering–or about the 853 migrants who died last year or the 100k Americans who died of drug overdoses. Nope. What does he want to talk about? Cancun.”

King was ready for him, and yes, he tossed in another Cancun joke. “You’re worth three mil yourself, Teddy,” The Stand author answered. “Guess you can go to Cancun pretty much whenever you want. How are your constituents doing?”

Cruz really let the world know that these jokes get under his skin, didn’t he? People noticed, and it’s on.

Here’s a bonus: a parting joke that bypasses Cancun altogether.