Stream DJ Khaled, The Descendents, And The Week's New Albums

For those in need of some extra inspiration, this week has a slew of releases just for you. The master motivator himself, DJ Khaled, has his brand-new album out, the Descendents will give you hope by way of their longevity in punk rock, and Nao’s debut is simply so good that you’ll just want to get off your couch and do something. In addition to that, we’ve also got new music from The Land Soundtrack, Fantasia, Bouncing Souls, a Titus Andronicus live LP, and much more. Here are the albums you need to hear this week.

DJ Khaled – Major Key

What is there to say about DJ Khaled that he already hasn’t said about himself? The greatest self-promoter since PT Barnum, people often ask, “What is it that DJ Khaled does, exactly?” This is a foolish question: Khaled makes hits. He’s one of those people that charms and schmoozes and builds relationships and works incredibly hard fostering all of that goodwill.

Major Key, his ninth album, is a return to form after the forgettable I Changed A Lot dropped in 2015. Lead singles “For Free” and “I Got The Keys” are both strong to start, and with too many features and producers to name, just know that Major Key features the best of the best. There’s no way that a fan of hip-hop can listen to the LP and not find at least one thing to bop their head to. If you can’t, well, you might have played yourself.

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Listen to DJ Khaled Major Key on Apple Music

The Descendents – Hypercaffium Spazzinate

When you come out of the gate with one of the greatest punk albums of all time like Milo Goes To College, it can be hard to live up to such a high standard. But somehow the Descendents have managed to last for more than three decades and keep making catchy, angsty punk tunes… well, in between lead singer Milo Aukerman’s biology career.

Their first album in 12 years, Hypercaffium Spazzinate honestly sounds like the group never left, with those trademark guitar riffs, bass lines and Milo’s gravelly wail. So what does a band like the Descendents have to say 35 years after their debut? Oh you know, the same, how they aren’t good enough, how the world sucks, how they aren’t good at relationships. Some things never change.

Nao – For All We Know

It would be impossible to ignore the wave of electro-influenced R&B singer/songwriters out of England like Nao at this very moment. There are a few I could name off top, but when I saw Nao perform at Pitchfork Music Festival 2016, the “Bad Blood” singer showed a dedication to craft that should absolutely elevate her to the top.

On For All We Know, her debut LP, Nao is a writer on all songs and producer on a handful of tracks. The warm, woozy soul found on the record is something that others have tried to capture, but somehow she effortlessly harnesses here.