Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
This week, Charli xcx releases her anticipated project Wuthering Heights, written for the Emerald Fennell-directed film of the same name (also in theaters today); MUNA announced its fourth album, Dancing On The Wall, out May 8, and released its title track; and ahead of Flea’s upcoming instrumental solo album, he shared his take on a Frank Ocean classic.
Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Charli XCX, Wuthering Heights
After previewing the album (and sonic direction of the film) with “House” and “Chains of Love” last November, Charli xcx released “Wall of Sound” in January. Today, with the release of her Wuthering Heights album as the buzzy movie hits theaters, Charli’s cinematic and airy “Always Everywhere” is receiving prime playlist placement. As she shared in a press release in November, director Emerald Fennell called her during Christmas 2024 asking whether she would write a song for the film. “I read the script and immediately felt inspired,” wrote Charli. “After being so in the depths of my previous album I was excited to escape into something entirely new, entirely opposite.”
MUNA, “Dancing On The Wall”
Pop trio MUNA returns this week with the title track off its upcoming fourth album — and as the band does best, the single balances a devastating sentiment with irresistibly uptempo production, bound together by Katie Gavin’s singular voice. The band revealed in a statement that “Dancing On The Wall” is “possibly our favorite song we’ve made as a band…it’s all the best parts of MUNA.” The track was produced by member Naomi McPherson.
Bleachers, “You and Forever”
Bleachers released its self-titled album in March 2024; two years later, the band has announced its upcoming fifth album, Everyone for Ten Minutes, out May 22. Led by single “You and Forever” — written and produced by founding member Jack Antonoff — the rock track sounds a bit inspired by The National, thanks to its deep and layered vocals that narrate a haunting side of love. As the press release teases of the album overall: “Despite moments where it briefly peers into darkness, it’s essentially an optimistic record that feels lovestruck and hopeful, leaping from harmony-laden folk rock to shimmering pop soul to the sax-assisted New Jersey sound that Bleachers have become synonymous for.”
Lykke Li, “Lucky Again”
“I’m going into my existential era,” Lykke Li shared in a statement, revealing the inspiration behind her upcoming album, The Afterparty, out May 8. “Lucky Again” offers the first glimpse into that era — and its euphoric, hopeful and a bit dizzying. “It’s samsara in a song,” the artist continued, writing of the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth. “The wheel of life: winning, losing, living, dying. Having had something and praying you’ll have it again.”
Flea, “Thinkin Bout You”
After more than four decades rocking with Red Hot Chili Peppers, founding member Flea is returning to his musical roots: jazz. As Flea approached his 60th birthday (he’s now 63) he felt it was now or never and vowed to practice the trumpet every day for two years — and so he did. The result is his debut solo album, Honora, out this March. The album will include six original songs composed and arranged by Flea, alongside his interpretations of songs he loves, including Frank Ocean’s “Thinkin Bout You.” As Flea wrote in a statement: “When [Channel Orange] came out, it really blew me away. I listened to it ten million times…”Thinkin Bout You” is one of the many great songs on that record, and I thought it would be fun to play on trumpet.”
