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 Taylor Swift coming out of nowhere to dominate 2020 all over again and Kid Cudi dropping a hyped release of his own. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.
Taylor Swift — Evermore
Most of the year-end top album lists have already been released, and Taylor Swift’s Folklore was at or near the top of a significant amount of them. That would be excuse enough to ride out the last few weeks of the year and take it easy, but that’s not Swift did. Instead, she came out of nowhere and released another new album, Evermore, which was birthed from the same sessions as Folklore, during which she and her collaborators “just couldn’t stop writing songs.”
Kid Cudi — Man On The Moon III: The Chosen
Poor Cudi thought he had a relatively quiet release week to himself before Swift swooped in with Evermore. Even if (when) that album blocks Cudi’s latest from a No. 1 debut, that doesn’t take away from the body of work he released. It’s mostly all him on the album as well, save for a few notable features from people like Pop Smoke and Phoebe Bridgers.
Jack Harlow — That’s What They All Say
In a year that had plenty of breakout stars, Jack Harlow was one of the biggest thanks to his hit single “Whats Poppin.” Part of that song’s story is the collaborators he got on it, and such is true of his new album, as it features guest spots from Lil Baby, Big Sean, Adam Levine, Bryson Tiller, and of course, “Whats Poppin” partners DaBaby, Tory Lanez, and Lil Wayne.
Sturgill Simpson — Cuttin’ Grass, Vol. 2: The Cowboy Arms Sessions
Simpson has had a bit of a Swift-ian year: He recently dropped a surprise album, and now, he has followed it up a couple months later with another unexpected effort. Where he diverged, though, is that instead of new songs, his albums are bluegrass reimaginings of his previous material. The second volume of Cuttin’ Grass tackles a new set of songs from throughout his discography and shows off his chameleonic abilities, as it arrives not long after his straight-up rock album from 2019, Sound & Fury.
Chance The Rapper — “The Return”
Years after it was initially released, Chance The Rapper and Jeremih have finally brought their Christmas album, Christmas Lil’ Mama, to streaming platforms (as Merry Christmas Lil’ Mama: The Gift That Keeps On Giving). The revamped album offers material beyond the original release, including “The Return,” which brings a classic holiday song aesthetic to 2020.
Russ — “Hard For Me”
It’s been less than a month since Russ dropped his new Chomp EP, but he’s not letting that stop him from releasing even more new music. Woe is Russ on the new hip-hop-ified blues single, and with output as regular and quality as this, it’s no wonder he’s managing to make big bucks with streaming.
Westside Boogie — “Outside” Feat. Joey Badass
After a farcical kidnapping, Westside Boogie (formerly known as just Boogie) has recorded new music, whether he wanted to or not. The first taste of this new material is “Outside,” an introspective and rhythmic track on which he is joined by Joey Badass.
Troye Sivan — “Easy (Remix)” Feat. Kacey Musgraves and Mark Ronson
Sivan already had himself a nice, slick pop tune with his original version of “Easy,” but he took the track to a new level with the help of some esteemed guests: Kacey Musgraves adds a delightful new verse and Mark Ronson re-worked the production a bit to convert the song into more of a thumping nighttime pop banger.
Chika — “FWB”
Chika broke out this year thanks to her major-label debut album, Industry Games. That project’s title track is a rapid-fire number that shows off her vocal dexterity, and “FWB” boasts another part of her skill set. The new song is more patient and R&B-indebted, on which Chika declares that she’s looking for a pal who can offer a bit more than platonic company.
Channel Tres — “Fuego” Feat. Tyler The Creator
Conflicted Donald Glover appreciator Tyler The Creator has had a mostly quiet 2020 after dropping and promoting Igor in 2019. He popped up once more before 2021, though, by guesting on a new one from Channel Tres, “Fuego.” Tyler adds a gravely verse to the uptempo tune, which slows down a bit and gets jazzier towards the end.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
