Keeping up with the best 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 a surprise release from Taylor Swift (featuring a surprise collaborator) and a pair of J. Cole singles. Yeah, it was a great week for the best new music. Check out the highlights below.
Taylor Swift — Folklore
Taylor Swift usually executes album rollouts in a traditional way, but not this time. She announced the existence of Folklore, and less than 24 hours later, it was out. That wasn’t the only way in which Folklore departed from Swift’s usual fare: It featured heavy involvement from The National’s Aaron Dessner, a first-time Swift collaborator. The results are inarguable, as the album has already sold over a million copies and will more than likely be another No. 1 debut for Swift.
Logic — No Pressure
There really is no pressure for Logic here because this is his final album. He said so himself when he announced it, but this won’t be the last fans will see of Logic, as he’s moving on to twitchier pastures (he’ll be streaming on Twitch). As for why Logic decided to drop the mic once and for all, he’s “over it, man.”
Gunna — Wunna (Deluxe)
Releasing a deluxe edition of an album quickly after the original version has become a new musical standard in 2020, and Gunna is the latest to hop on the bandwagon. The expanded edition adds about 20 minutes of music to Wunna, including collaborations with Young Thug, Lil Uzi Vert, and Future.
J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny, and Tainy — ‘Un Dia’
In a time when hope can be hard to find, J Balvin has offered a dose of it with “Un Dia.” Joined by an all-star cast of collaborators — Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny, and producer Tainy — he squeezes light out of the darkness, and Dua expresses romantic optimism: “One day you’ll love me again / One day you’ll love me for sure.”
Gorillaz — “Pac-Man” Feat. Schoolboy Q
Gorillaz’s Song Machine project rolls on, and the latest collaborator to be brought into the fold is Schoolboy Q. He joined the virtual group on “Pac-Man,” which truly is about the titular video game, as 2-D sings, “I’m a mad Pac-Man / Living in leveled world / Everywhere I go / I don’t know where I am.”
Jaden Smith — “Cabin Fever”
Jaden Smith has been confidently out of his father’s shadow as an artist for some time now, and he has proven so again with “Cabin Fever.” The track is a bit of a stylistic departure for the often experimental artist, as “Cabin Fever” is about as close to straight-up pop as Smith has gotten.
J. Cole — “The Climb Back” and “Lion King On Ice”
After a beef with Noname that didn’t go so well, Cole is focusing on his upcoming album. He previewed the forthcoming effort with a pair of new songs last week, “The Climb Back” and “Lion King On Ice.” Whenever Cole’s next effort drops, it will look to extend the rapper’s famous “platinum with no features” streak.
Headie One and Drake — “Only You Freestyle”
Headie One is a rising star who has become a face of UK drill in recent years, so much so that he caught the attention of Drake. The Canadian rapper gave Headie a co-sign by hopping on “Only You Freestyle,” which features threatening verses from the rappers and a classically hip-hop video featuring fancy cars and posses on standby.
Guapdad 4000 — “Orgasm Full Of Pain” Feat. Deante Hitchcock
Guapdad has been restless lately, and he continues his productive streak by recruiting Deante Hitchcock for the colorfully titled “Orgasm Full Of Pain.” Although the pair both appeared on Revenge Of The Dreamers III, this is their first collaboration, and the hard-hitting result is welcomed.
Flo Milli — “Weak”
The 20-year-old breakout star recently released her debut EP, Ho, Why Is You Here?, and she celebrated the release by dropping a video for a favorite from the collection, “Weak.” The song is anything but what its title suggests, and instead sees Milli going after men who aren’t so strong.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
