New Music Friday is always a treat when it’s headlined by a star-studded A-list collaboration.
Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan lead this week’s roundup with their new “Expectations” remix, a slickly written reimagining of a standout track from O-Rod’s Billboard 200-topping you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love. With Chappell’s cinematic songwriting taking center stage in her own verse, “Expectations” lives up to the hype of being the first remix of this kind in Rodrigo’s career.
Tate McRae launched her new era with “Housewife,” a Grant Boutin and Ryan Tedder-produced bop that flips the term into one of empowerment and self-sufficiency. “I just wanna make a lot of money, be my own housewife,” she coos in the first line of the chorus.
This New Music Friday also featured new singles from A$AP Rocky (“Shroom Clouds”), U2 (“The Greatest Show on Earth”), Kygo and Ava Max (“Before You Know It”), Polo G (“Still Standing”), Tiffany Day and Gaive (“Meant to Be”), Shygirl (“Mantra”), Hudson Westbrook (“Thin Ice”), Rex Orange County (“Hannah Montana”) and Michael Kiwanuka (“Sing”).
Zach Bryan leads the way on the album side with his new eight-song EP, Young Manhood & Other Donatable Organs. Featuring collaborations with Lana Del Rey and Turnpike Troubadours, the new EP finds the country artist exploring everything from technology to masculinity.
Two major pop releases arrived by way of Rachel Chinouriri and Ashe. The former dropped her highly anticipated sophomore studio album, I Think I Spoke Too Soon, while the latter shared her fourth LP, The Girl of Your Dreams. Belgian pop star Angèle released Instinct; Irish rock band Fontaines D.C. unleashed its Rosalía-featuring Dopamine Chamber and Australian trio The Avalanches put out its long-awaited No Bad Memories LP.
Grammy-winning R&B star Lucky Daye also shared his new album, Aloud!, which includes collaborations with Leon Thomas, Pusha T, Akeem Ali, Muni Long and The Paradox. K. Michelle has been toiling away on her debut country album for about a decade now, and her nine-track Jesus & Whiskey set finally arrived on Friday.
This week, music fans also got new full-length projects from Nao (Autumn), KenTheMan (I Love 304s), Parker McCollum (Live from Sound City), lovelytheband (We’re All Feeling the Same), Blaqbonez (Nomadinho: 4th Prime), Tierra Whack (Whack’s Museum – Deluxe), Max Richter (While the Flood Rages), Sydney Rose (It Was My First Time – EP) and Emily Ann Roberts (Thread – EP).
Which of these songs, EPs and albums are you most hyped about this week? Let Billboard know which new release will be in constant rotation this weekend by voting for your favorite in the poll below.
