Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.
This week saw Ed Sheeran drop an anticipated new album and Megan Thee Stallion treat her fans to some goodies. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.
For more music recommendations, check out our Listen To This section, as well as our Indie Mixtape and Pop Life newsletters.
Ed Sheeran — “Overpass Graffiti”
Ed Sheeran graced 2019 with No.6 Collaborations Project, but as far as proper solo albums, his latest one before that was 2017’s รท. He got back on the mathematical horse last week, though, with his fourth solo album, =. On the album’s release date, he marked the occasion with a video for “Overpass Graffiti,” which has a propulsive The War On Drugs-like rhythm that makes it a perfect driving tune.
The War On Drugs — “Change”
Speaking of The War On Drugs, Adam Granduciel and company dropped a new album last week, too, titled I Don’t Live Here Anymore. They’ve become today’s best purveyors of heartland-inspired rock, and they showed that off with their final pre-album single, “Change.” The track is the band right in their pocket, pumping out rock that’s epic and grand without being overbearing.
Megan Thee Stallion — “Megan Monday Freestyle”
Megan Thee Stallion treats her fans well, like last week when she dropped a new mixtape, the name of which makes clear it’s especially for them: Something For Thee Hotties. The project is a collection of loose tracks from Meg’s archives, and appealingly, it makes some fan-favorites available on streaming platforms for the first time, like 2020’s “Megan Monday Freestyle.”
Jay-Z and Kid Cudi — “Guns Go Bang”
Jay-Z is showing off his versatility with one his latest projects: serving as a co-producer on the Western movie The Harder They Fall. He lent his musical talents to the film as well, as he and Kid Cudi linked up on a track for the movie’s soundtrack, “Guns Go Bang.” The track includes influences from the film’s subject matter and is far more than just OST filler.
Big Sean and Hit-Boy — “Loyal To A Fault” Feat. Bryson Tiller and Lil Durk
Former GOOD Music artist Big Sean came out of nowhere last week with an intimate treasure trove of new material, teaming up with Hit-Boy to drop a new six-song project, an EP called What You Expect. While the effort is mostly just Sean and Hit-Boy unaccompanied by nobody but each other, they let Lil Durk and Bryson Tiller in on the fun with “Loyal To A Fault.”
Spoon — “The Hardest Cut”
The last time we got an album from Spoon was 2017 with Hot Thoughts, but now Brit Daniel and his cohorts are plotting a return for next year with Lucifer On The Sofa. They announced the project last week, at which time they also shared the single “The Hardest Cut,” the working title of which is a fine indication of what’s going on here: “Texas Riff.”
ASAP Ferg — “Green Juice” Feat. Pharrell and The Neptunes
As far as songs about juice, ASAP Ferg and The Neptunes/Pharrell had probably last week’s best one with “Green Juice.” Uproxx’s Aaron Williams notes of the track, “While [Ferg] stomps his way through a signature brag-filled verse, The Neptunes’ buzzing, booming production, and Pharrell’s oddly inspirational chorus, make ‘Green Juice’ into a futuristic, chest-thumping anthem.”
Lil Uzi Vert — “Demon High”
Lil Uzi Vert’s The Pink Tape was initially set for a Halloween release, but he ultimately ended up delaying the project. What did manage to drop in time for spooky season, though, is the single “Demon High,” of which Uproxx’s Aaron Williams wrote, “Employing a Pro Logic-produced, ’80s New Wave-inspired beat, Uzi dances his cares away as he laments a lost love, expressing his distrust for women.”
Baby Tate — “Pedi”
Baby Tate is fresh off a rebrand (she goes by Yung Baby Tate no longer) and her first output under her new moniker is “Pedi.” The track, her first song released as a Warner Records artist, is energetic and frenetic and comes with a wild video that matches that energy.
Snail Mail — “Madonna”
Lindsey Jordan is now just days away from releasing her upcoming Snail Mail album Valentine, and last week brought a preview of it, “Madonna.” She explained that it’s about one way in which love may not be how it seems: “In summation, it’s about why love can’t exist between a person and a concept of a person. Remove the pedestal and you might realize there was never anything there at all.”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
