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!
And just like that, we're still crazy in love with Beyoncé.
On July 29, the Beyhive was treated to a brand-new body of work called Renaissance, the first "act" in her upcoming album trilogy. Although the album leaked online three days prior, fans proved to be oh-so loyal to Queen B by waiting until midnight to hear the new tunes.
"You all actually waited until the proper release time to enjoy it all together," Beyoncé wrote on Instagram. "I've never seen anything like it. I can't thank y'all enough for your love and protection."
Ultimately, she's just the beginning of a big week of new music. Keep scrolling for more of our favorites below.
Beyoncé—"Cozy"
First and foremost, we recommend listening from start to finish without any skips. There is one song, however, already receiving major buzz from the Beyhive. This self-love anthem seemingly references Jay-Z and Solange's infamous elevator incident, while also providing worthwhile samples from trans activist and performer TS Madison's "Bitch I'm Black" monologue.
Hayley Kiyoko—"panorama"
It's finally here! The trailblazing pop star's highly anticipated sophomore album is out and the singer is ready to celebrate her present self on songs like "panorama." "I hope when people listen to the album, they feel seen, heard and understood and validated," Hayley told E! News July 29. "I'm so excited to be finally sharing it with the world and my fans."
Tove Lo—"2 Die 4"
Ahead of her upcoming Lollapalooza performance in Chicago, the Grammy nominee has released an irresistible and undeniable club banger perfect for summer festivals. "I wanted ‘instantly iconic' energy," Tove Lo said about her new song. "Lyrically I wanted it to be that ‘pick me up when I'm feeling down' song. At first, it's like a warm hug, then you shake it off, let out a scream and start dancing!"
Hailee Steinfeld feat. Anderson .Paak—"Coast"
The Pitch Perfect star is teasing her biggest, boldest and brightest chapter yet with the release of her new song. "This song is deeply personal to me and was influenced by my California roots and the music I grew up listening to with my family," Hailee told Rolling Stone. "The only artist I envisioned collaborating with on this track was my friend, Anderson .Paak. Knowing he loved the song enough to lend his genius to it is absolutely surreal, and I am forever grateful to have his support."
Lauren Spencer-Smith—"Narcissist"
Described by Island Records as a gorgeous pop ballad, "Narcissist" highlights Lauren's proven ability to articulate universally understood stories of love and life via the lens of her own experiences. Lauren will perform the single live on TV for the first time Aug. 8 on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Calvin Harris feat. Normani, Tinashe and Offset—"New to You"
This Grammy-winning producer can't stop and won't stop collaborating with the best of the best this summer. On his new track, Calvin delivers an R&B tune that will make fans even more pumped for the official release of Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2 out on Aug. 5.
Happy listening!