Taylor Swift did not release new music, but she still had a hand in this week’s best new pop because her omnipresence is undefeated. Charlie Puth told Rolling Stone that he “probably wouldn’t have had the courage” to release “Hero” without Swift name-checking him in her The Tortured Poets Department title track.
Elsewhere, Muni Long recruited pop royalty for a “Made For Me” remix, Romy Mars enjoyed a pop girlie coronation, and Alexander 23, Jeremy Zucker, and Lauv channeled Step Brothers for their “Cozy” video.
Check out all of that and more in Uproxx’s Best New Pop Music roundup below.
Charlie Puth — “Hero”
Charlie Puth’s musicality is well-documented. In some ways, he’s an artistic tactician — known now for documenting how he pieces together a song’s multi-layered production on TikTok — which makes “Hero” all the more refreshing because it serves as a reminder that Puth’s songwriting is as resonant when paired with a light, more simplistic pop soundscape. “I just wanted you to know I f*cking care, she said,” Puth sings, weaving between his familiar melodic delivery and soaring high-register runs. “I don’t need a hero, I don’t want to be saved (I don’t want to be saved) / But I said I’ll be here every night and day.”
PinkPantheress — “Turn It Up”
PinkPantheress’ “Turn It Up” further validates Usher’s son, Naviyd, in loving PinkPantheress so much that he just had to hack into his father’s Instagram to let her know. PinkPantheress wrote on Instagram that she had “been sitting on this track for a while, but, honey, I am so glad it’s out into the world. I hope everyone loves it [because] it feels like a special track to me.” No notes.
Alexander 23, Jeremy Zucker & Lauv — “Cozy”
Alexander 23, Jeremy Zucker, and Lauv did what needed to be done. Their “Cozy” video scratches the itch for the ever-elusive Step Brothers sequel, except Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly’s raunch is replaced by endearing comedic moments during the best sleepover ever. Alexander 23, Lauv, and Zucker built their respective artistic reputations on relatable, sentimental songwriting, so it checks out that “Cozy” is extra sweet — like a three-headed cuddle bear. “And I don’t know what it is, it’s like you know me,” they sing in the chorus. “And there’s a thousand reasons why / We should stop and say, “Goodnight” / But I don’t care ’cause you’re so damn cozy.”
Romy Mars — “Stuck Up”
Romy Mars is much more than her viral TikTok about her famous parents grounding her. The seventeen-year-old made her musical debut with two Claud-produced songs, “Stuck Up” and “From A Distance,” presented as a double A-side single. “Stuck Up” particularly stands out, with Mars’ descriptive lyrics about a fleeting, intense summer romance complemented by an upbeat soundscape.
RM — “LOST!”
The direction of RM’s solo career is anything but lost. Across Right Place, Wrong Person, his freshly released solo sophomore album, the BTS superstar blends genres and allows the music to breathe. Standout track “LOST!” crams those characteristics into a hypnotic four-minute sprint that gives the listener no choice but to get lost in RM’s world. The video, creative directed by San Yawn, is additionally enticing, generating over 4.8 million views in three days.
Muni Long, Mariah Carey — “Made For Me (With Mariah Carey)”
Mariah Carey’s remix tour continues. Earlier this year, Carey hopped on Ariana Grande’s “Yes, And?” remix. And last week, Carey put her fingerprints on Muni Long’s recently platinum-certified R&B groove “Made For Me.” Long’s remix with Carey is still peak R&B, but any song that features Carey’s iconic high-pitched vocal automatically qualifies as pop.
“When I got the call from [Jermaine Dupri] to work on the ‘Made For Me’ remix, I said yes immediately,” Carey said in a statement, per Rolling Stone. “Muni is an amazing writer and performer, and this collaboration is a match made in heaven!”
Astrid S — “I’m Sorry, I Love You”
I’m not sorry; I love this song. Astrid S’ Joyride is perfectly titled, as she described it on Instagram as her “mini summer roadtrip album,” and “I’m Sorry, I Love You” is begging to be blasted at sunset while driving with the windows down. The song is actually biting, with the Norwegian singer-songwriter calling out a selfish lover (“Can’t admit you’re not right, you’re not able / But when I get out the shower / There’ll be gas station flowers on the table”) and feeling unfairly confined, while maintaining a free sonic spirit.
Nelly Furtado, Tove Lo & SG Lewis — “Love Bites”
Direct any questions about Nelly Furtado’s impact to Taylor Swift, who gushed to Furtado about “I’m Like A Bird” at the 2023 MTV Music Video Awards. Furtado performed “I’m Like A Bird” and other iconic Timbaland-produced hits during her newly posted NPR “Tiny Desk Concert,” but she isn’t relying on nostalgia. “Love Bites” with Tove Lo and SG Lewis proves Furtado didn’t lose her fastball. Lewis’ high-energy dance-pop beats adds an extra charge to Furtado and Tove Lo’s empowered lyrics about indulging in lust.
NewJeans — “How Sweet”
K-pop powerhouse NewJeans dropped their How Sweet EP, comprised of “How Sweet” and “Bubble Gum” as well as instrumental versions for each track, and “How Sweet” warrants title track stature. NewJeans’ “How Sweet” video is extremely ’90s coded, which is always a winning strategy. The song combines English and Korean lyrics, displaying Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein’s collective world-beating versatility.
Bbno$ — “It Boy”
Frankly, I’ve just had this stuck in my head for a week: “I-T B-O-Y, B-B-N-O-dollar sign / That’s me, that’s right / That’s me, that’s right / I-M H-I-M, the Gen Z Eminem.” Bbno$ has perfected crafting unapologetically braggadocious yet slightly self-deprecating hooks, and “It Boy” shows him firmly in his bag.
