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!
Are you ready for it?
After Beyoncé started the week off with a bang thanks to the release of "Break My Soul," Taylor Swift ended it with the full version of her song "Carolina," which will be featured in the new movie Where The Crawdads Sing.
"Where The Crawdads Sing is a book I got absolutely lost in when I read it years ago," Taylor previously wrote on Instagram. "As soon as I heard there was a film in the works starring the incredible @daisyedgarjones and produced by the brilliant @reesewitherspoon, I knew I wanted to be a part of it...I wanted to create something haunting and ethereal to match this mesmerizing story."
What came next was a song that needs to make your weekend playlist. Keep reading to see more new music musts from Sam Hunt, Meghan Trainor and other artists.
Sam Hunt—"Water Under the Bridge"
Described by Sam's record label as a fun, fast paced trip down memory lane, the country singer's newest song features a melody reflecting on the carefree days of youth. "We had it made, we didn't know it / We were young, dumb, and so full of it," he sings. "Broken bottles and graffiti, beer and girls and poppin' wheelies / Love was fun and life was easy. Now it's just water under the bridge."
Charlie Puth feat. Jung Kook—"Left and Right"
After teasing the collaboration on TikTok for several months, Charlie is ready to officially release his new song with the BTS singer. The track instantly captivates with its vibrant, funk-fueled sensibilities that effortlessly fuse the two hitmakers' signature sounds. "Memories follow me left and right / I can feel you over here," the duo sings. "I can feel you over here / You take up every corner of my mind."
Meghan Trainor feat. Teddy Swims—"Bad for Me"
In a preview of her fourth full-length album, Takin' It Back, Meghan's newest track finds the singer tapping into her doo-wop roots once more with a whole lot of fresh fire. "The song is a true story for me," Meghan said. "It's about how I stood up for myself and took a step back from a relationship that was hurting me more than anything. It's hard to do, but I needed to in order to feel better."
Lady A—"Summer State of Mind"
Prepare to celebrate good times and even better memories with Hillary Scott and the band's new song. "When we got together and wrote this song a few months ago, it almost started writing itself," Hillary said. "We were all looking ahead to the warmer months and those easygoing moments that we enjoy most."
Taylor Swift—"Carolina"
Attention Swifties! After much anticipation, Taylor released the full version of her song "Carolina" from the upcoming movie Where The Crawdads Sing. "I wrote this one alone in the middle of the night and then @AaronDessner and I meticulously worked on a sound that we felt would be authentic to the moment when this story takes place," Taylor wrote on Twitter. "I made a wish that one day you would hear it." That dream has now come true.
Dove Cameron—"Breakfast"
Coming hot off the heels of her massive hit "Boyfriend," Dove's new track emphasizes the strength of femininity and embracing one's inner power. "I got tired of this pervasive and constricting male-dominated energy all around me making me feel like I was somehow set-up to lose a game I didn't even want to play," Dove said. "So I've been writing songs that allow me to take up space, to stop diminishing my power and to explore the fullness of who I am in a new and sexy way."
Echosmith—"Hang Around"
Sydney Sierota and her siblings have returned to their roots as they strip back the pop polish, embrace their true indie spirit and head into an alt-pop direction that best represents the original musical heart of the band. The open and honest love song will remind you why you fell in love with the "Cool Kids."
Zac Brown Band and Blake Shelton—"Out in the Middle"
Ahead of Zac Brown Band's deluxe version of The Comeback, out later this summer, the group decided to re-record a few of the tracks with some special guests. "Blake Shelton is a country music powerhouse and sharing ‘Out in the Middle' with him, a song that represents our southern roots and country pride, is absolutely unreal," Zac said.
Blake added, "This song in particular really resonated with me. It reminds me of how I was raised and where I come from—out in the middle!"
Dylan Conrique – "i miss you (skin to skin)"
Fresh off the success of "Birthday Cake," Dylan is ready to release a mid-tempo track that effortlessly captures the universal experience of coming-of-age heartbreak. Expect to hear it at the 18-year-old's first-ever international summer tour kicking off July 12 in Los Angeles.
Wiz Khalifa—"Bad Ass Bitches"
Before kicking off his co-headlining tour with Logic and Vinyl Verse, Wiz released the second single from his upcoming album Multiverse. "This track came together through [producer] Hitmaka," Wiz said. "As soon as I heard it immediately jumped on as it's a banger."
Tyler Dial—"Left of Center"
The rising country singer created a take-me-as-I-am manifesto for those who follow their own beat with his latest track. "I knew immediately ‘Left of Center' would become a cornerstone of the Way Back When EP," Tyler said. "In Nashville, it can be so tempting to write love songs and party songs, but this one is different. It was the first time I was able to sum up my story and my values in three minutes, and I'm immensely proud of it."
Jordana Bryant—"New Friends"
Some friends come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. For Jordana's new single, she decided to write about the gal pal who leaves her life a little earlier than expected. "I came up with the idea for ‘New Friends' one night when I was feeling like I was drifting apart from one of my best friends whom I had been friends with for practically my whole life," Jordana said. "Growing apart from old friends and making new ones is just a part of life that everyone goes through, but it was hard to watch someone who had been such a big part of my life become less of it, so I wrote a song about it to help me, and hopefully other people too, get through it."
ekkstacy—"I Guess"
The Vancouver-born alternative artist released his new single executive produced by Mike Dean. The dreamy track combines synths and guitars to create a sound that is both melodic and powerful.
Happy listening!