The music industry produces, markets, and forgets songs so quickly that it’s easy to completely miss a catchy, potentially great song. From Ariana Grande to Spoon, this week was full of Top 40 staple releases, and a couple of off-beat tracks. Here are five new songs worth listening to:
5 songs released this week you need to hear
Ariana Grande: “Break Free”
Ariana Grande came in second only to Iggy Azalea’s “fancy” for the revered “song of the summer“ title with her hit ”Problem”(which also featured Iggy Azalea). “Break Free” is the second single from her upcoming album My Everything, and it’s the first that really showcases Grande’s Mariah Carey-like vocals. Unlike “Problem,” where she did little more than sing the chorus, Grande carries the vocal weight on this song. “Break Free” is a fun, if repetitive, pop track, and it’s catchy as hell.
Kenny Chesney: “American Kids”
Happy birthday, America! Kenny Chesney made a song about you. Chesney’s “American Kids” video was released on June 30 as a preview of his album The Big Revival, due out in September. It’s littered with lines like “We were teenage dreamin’, backseat leanin’, baby come give me a kiss,” that scream nostalgia. I’m not a huge country music lover, but this song has the chant and the groove to compete on any backyard barbecue playlist.
Spoon: “Do You”
Notable dad-rock band Spoon is back with another single. Four years after the very meh album Transference, Spoon is back with a song that has the grooves and power of some of their much earlier work. Think “You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb“ and ”I Turn My Camera On.” Brit Daniels cooes, “Do you wanna get understood?” And really, how could you not?
Freddie Gibbs/ Young Thug/A$AP Ferg: “Old English”
Young Thug and A$AP Ferg are two of the newest big names in hip hop. They’re rappers with a linguistic ability unmatched by their peers. What’s incredible about “Old English” is ,despite their prominence, lesser known rapper Freddie Gibbs leads the charge. Together, the three have built a song out of substance and rhymes even better than the beats behind them.
Florrie: “Little White Lies”
Florrie began her career in the background on tracks for artists such as Kylie Minogue and Pet Shop Boys. She's produced three EPs since 2010, but no full length albums. Regardless, "Little White Lies" is a perfect pop song. It's catchy, the vocals are great, and it follows the classic verse, chorus, verse format. The electronic piano background is overlayed with rhyming lyrics and Florries melodic voice. The video for "Little White Lies" will be out next week.
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