Happy New Music Friday! It’s every audiophile’s favorite day of the week, and some of our favorite artists from all different genres have blessed us with new tunes.
Maren Morris spoke to the current cultural moment with a powerful protest song inspired by her baby boy, Shawn Mendes launched a “Wonder”-ful new era with a soaring, introspective single, and DaBaby joined Dua Lipa for a remix that will leave you “Levitating.”null
Plus, BLACKPINK dropped their first full Korean-language album, Mariah Carey released her The Rarities collection and Dolly Parton blessed us with her new holiday album!
Read on for some of our favorite recommendations for new songs and albums to listen to this week — plus, where you can stream them now!
“Better Than We Found It” – Maren Morris
Morris welcomed her first child, son Hayes, earlier this year, amid the cultural unrest and coronavirus pandemic that has thrown America into chaos. Inspired by her baby boy, she was moved to write this song, which speaks to the power of activism, with direct and powerful lyrics about immigration reform and police violence, and a Gabrielle Woodland-directed video that spotlights real-life victims and families.
“I wanted to write something to address exactly how I feel right now, and this came together pretty quickly,” Morris said of the track. “It’s a protest song—it’s the most American thing to protest and protest songs have been so embedded in American culture: Bob Dylan, Nina Simone. I think the world right now is sort of in a perpetual mourning period and I wanted to have a song that had weight but also had hope. I still have hope for this country and for the future of it, and as a new mother I wanted to promise my son that I’m going to do everything in my power to leave this world better than the one I came into and the one I see right now.”
Stream “Better Than We Found It” now on Spotify or Amazon Music.
The Album – BLACKPINK
The mega-popular K-pop girl group dropped their first full-length Korean-language album on Friday, which includes eight new BLACKPINK tracks, including the previously released singles “How You Like That” and “Ice Cream,” the group’s collaboration with Selena Gomez.
“We gave a little sneak peek with ‘How You Like That’ and ‘Ice Cream’ — how many genres we are gonna explore,” Lisa told ET this week ahead of The Album release. “We just want our fans to enjoy whichever one that you like. ‘Cause we have everything ready for you.”
“They’re all a little bit of BLACKPINK,” Rosé added, noting that it’s the “hardest question” to try and choose a favorite track. “We all know what fans might be excited about — we do have a collaboration in there,” she noted, nodding to the song “Bet You Wanna,” which features a verse from rapper Cardi B.
“Also I’m very excited for our fans to hear ‘Lovesick Girls,’ our title song,” Lisa adds, “because I feel like we showed like the BLACK side with ‘How You Like That,’ and the PINK side with ‘Ice Cream.’ So they’re probably wondering like, ‘Oh, where are they gonna go from here?'”
Stream The Album now on Spotify or Amazon Music.
“Wonder” – Shawn Mendes
The Canadian crooner launched his new era with a soaring, introspective single, “Wonder,” off the album of the same name, which is due out on Dec. 4. Mendes spoke to RADIO.com about the creative evolution that brought him towards the new songs, and how months in lockdown had inspired him to look inward as he grappled with toxic masculinity and insecurity in his relationships.
“When it comes to matters of the heart, you don’t really have to be a professor of it. You just have to know morally inside what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is bad,” he shared. “I feel like ‘Wonder’ is in a lot of ways me just reflecting on my life, and life in general… I’ve never really done that before, probably because I didn’t have the mental capacity and clarity to even be able to reflect, and also probably because I was really scared of what people would think if I started to reflect in my music.”
Stream “Wonder” now on Spotify or Amazon Music.
“Levitating (Remix)” – Dua Lipa feat. Da baby
Dua Lipa keeps blessing us with Future Nostalgia remixes, and this one might be the most fun yet. Pumping up the groovy dance track with one of the hottest rappers of the moment is a surefire recipe for success, and the pair even teamed up for an intergalactic dance party in the music video!
Stream “Levitating (Remix)” now on Spotify or Amazon Music.
The Rarities – Mariah Carey
Carey is sharing more than ever with her fans this week, thanks to the release of her memoir,The Meaning of Mariah Carey, as well as a new collection of previously unreleased songs, hand-picked by Mariah herself from her extensive archive.
“This one is for you, my fans,” Carey shared on Instagram. “It’s to celebrate us, and to thank you for years of pure love and support. I am so grateful to you.”
Stream The Rarities now on Spotify or Amazon Music.
Holiday Preview:
A Holly Dolly Christmas – Dolly Parton
It’s finally October, which means the holidays are right around the corner! Get in the spirit early with Dolly’s new collection of Christmas classics and holiday originals, with guest appearances from Miley Cyrus, Willie Nelson, Michael Bublé, and more!
