New music Fridays are a thrilling, yet daunting prospect for any music lover.
It's essentially a weekly holiday where fan-favorite artists and fresh faces alike drop their latest offerings for all the world to hear, flooding streaming services and digital retailers with an onslaught of aural goodies. But who has the time to sit there and listen to everything before updating their playlists? There's just too much good stuff! (And, if we're being honest, usually a few stinkers, too.)
As it turns out, we do. Welcome to The MixtapE!
It's never too early to be fallin' in love with holiday music.
With Halloween costumes back in the closet, Alicia Keys is ready to celebrate the next season with her first-ever holiday album.
Titled Santa Baby, the body of work features the Grammy winner's soulful and fresh reimaginings of seven beloved holiday classics. At the same time, she's introducing fans to new music with four original songs perfect for the weeks to come.
Whether you're ready to deck the halls with Alicia or simply want to dance with P!nk's latest release, we have your music picks for the weekend below.
P!nk—"Never Gonna Not Dance Again"
Before performing at the 2022 American Music Awards on Nov. 20, the Grammy winner released a vibrant pop single that is a joyful ode to dancing through the hard times. Get ready to turn this one up and dance the night away.
Alicia Keys—"December Back 2 June"
While some music lovers will immediately want to blast Alicia's versions of iconic holiday hits like "Santa Baby" and "Ave Maria," don't forget to listen to her original songs featured on the new album. "For this Christmas don't need wishes / Not since I met you (It's just Christmas time)," she sings. "Every season you give reason to love you / From December back to June (Back to June)."
Avril Lavigne feat. YUNGBLUD—"I'm A Mess"
This slow-burning guitar ballad begins with Avril singing about an absent loved one. The drums kick in, however, ahead of YUNGBLUD's verse. "But I know I'm a mess, I'm a mess," the duo sings. "When we're not together / Such a wreck, such a wreck / I hope it's not forever / Will I see you again?"
Jimmy Fallon and Dolly Parton—"Almost Too Early for Christmas"
Goodbye Halloween and hello holidays! If you already put away the pumpkins to make room for trees and garland, this song is for you. "It's almost too early for Christmas, too soon to be singing this song," the pair sings in the addictive chorus. "There's still Halloween decorations and haters will say that it's wrong / Let's turn on the lights for Mariah, tell Rudolph to shine up his nose."
Billy Porter—"Stranger Things"
Ahead of Election Day on Nov. 8, the actor released a song with a message of hope. "I'm proud to say that 'Stranger Things' is a call to action," he said. "A reminder that none of the extreme trauma that we've been experiencing in this moment is new, and that the human spirit is resilient. No one is going to save us from ourselves but ourselves. Stranger things have already happened to all of us. So—it's time to get to work."
Luke Bryan—"Prayin' In a Deer Stand"
Before co-hosting the 2022 CMA Awards on Nov. 9, the American Idol judge surprised fans by releasing a new track. "This is such a personal song to me," Luke shared. "The world can be a busy place and I, like a lot of people, have a ton of different things going on but getting to be outside, it grounds and reenergizes me. There is just something about it that never gets old."
John Legend feat. Sebastián Yatra—"Nervous"
After collaborating on a bilingual version of Sebastián's No. 1 hit "Tacones Rojos," John couldn't resist the opportunity to drop a breathtaking bilingual interpretation of his own hit single. "Sebastian is such a gifted artist," John said. "I'm so glad we could collaborate again on this special version of 'Nervous!'"
Becca Bowen—"Boy"
If there's one song you listen to from the self-proclaimed Country Barbie's new album, make sure it's "Boy," an introspective track about relationships. "For this album, I wanted to stay with the authentic country sound that I grew up listening to but also combine some pop country tunes on the album as well," Becca shared. "I have always wanted to take my listeners on a journey of finding love, the struggles of relationships, heartbreak and then the strength that follows after loss."
Happy listening!