We are officially one week away from Christmas and- if you are in New England- under a few feet of snow. Perfect conditions for the upcoming holiday celebrations, this week is ripe with brand new music from some of our favorite artists- new and old.
With a Christmas cover, some new solo music, a Stevie Wonder rendition, and several more hot new tracks, we have once more prepared our list of the top ten singles of the week to share with you.
So get bundled up, fire up Spotify, and dive into our New Music Friday playlist, linked below.
When TWIN XL debuted in 2018, we knew they would be one of the best electronic meets pop meets emo collaborations to break into the music scene. And since their first single to their most recent EP the band have done nothing but prove us right- their latest single “Lemonade” being no exception.
Released this morning, “Lemonade” is an uptempo, fun sounding dance track about trying to get your brain and your heart to be in agreement.
With catchy lyrics and an equally exciting beat, this track makes us want to dance immediately while also wanting to grab a glass of cold sugary lemonade and hoping everything will be alright.
If there is one thing we could use more of during the holiday season, it is some of our favorite bands covering classic tunes that could use a bit of a freshening up. Luckily for us, today came with a beautiful “Silent Night” cover by pop rock band Broadside.
Leaning into the song’s usual slow and beautiful styling, the band put a heavy focus on the vocals and a light piano backing, with ethereal sounding instrumentals accompanying the two. Elongating some verses to add to the overall softness of the track, the band showcase their ability to master more than just upbeat rock music- further proving their musical talent will last long beyond the days of the “emo” revival.
“Find Me Here” by Hayley Williams
“Find Me Here” is the latest single by Hayley Williams and also one of three singles off of Williams’ new EP Self Serenades, which also debuted today and features several acoustic tracks off of her debut solo record Petals For Armor.
A soft spoken track that showcases Williams’ vulnerability and vocal range, “Find Me Here” is a ballad of encouragement. Though the track is short and sweet, Williams makes listeners feel less alone. Crooning lyrics such as “as long as I am loving you, you’ll never be alone,” the song is a reminder that even when we are feeling our worst and most frightened, there are people in our lives ready to be there as support systems. In this case, that support happens to be one of the best vocalists of our time.
A solo project by The Maine’s John O’Callaghan, John The Ghost made a return earlier this year with his single “Rolled Down Window,” and now with his new single “Live Once.”
An anthem for living life to the fullest and to the best of your ability, “Live Once” is a fun pop track that makes you want to reassess your own life. Are you living a life that makes you happy? If not, why?
Keeping us thinking, John the Ghost keeps his solo endeavors from fitting into any one mold, helping distinguish them from his main act by staying authentic to his own style- something many fans of both groups can enjoy.
“Oil & Water” by Nataliya Nikitenko
A soft yet powerful ballad, “Oil & Water” is the debut single by songwriter Nataliya Nikitenko, who is now ready to make her solo debut after years working behind the scenes.
Using her unique and beautiful vocal styling to tell the story of a relationship that is not going as well as hoped, Nikitenko shares the difficult side of deciding to call it quits when a small part of you wants to hang onto what is no longer there.
A perfect showcase of both the singer’s voice and her songwriting prowess, “Oil & Water” is the perfect introduction into all of her future songs to come- which we cannot wait to hear.
“For Your Love” (Stevie Wonder Cover) by Sammy Johnson
Australian singer/songwriter Sammy Johnson is preparing audiences for the release of his upcoming album Cool & Easy with a taste of his vocal stylings on a classic Stevie Wonder song.
Covering “For Your Love,” Johnson adds a touch of reggae flair- switching up Wonder’s more piano pop driven track for a relaxed yet powerful island vibe. And as the first and only cover song released by the singer to date, he felt it was important to both pay homage to the original song while also putting his own style on full display and keeping a feel-good attitude present in the release.
“It is one of those timeless feel good songs that always hits the spot.” Johnson shared. “To me the song represents all the good things about music especially soul music and the era in which it was created. I think as music evolves a lot of great things are added but also a lot of great things are lost. There’s something about music created in that time that just resonates with me more.”
Following “Cool & Easy” as the second song from his upcoming album, this cover gives listeners a further idea of what to expect from Cool & Easy, and a deeper look into the mind of Sammy Johnson.
“Options” by EARTHGANG feat. Wale
When you are casually dating, one of the most difficult parts of navigating a new relationship is figuring out what level of commitment you are in for. Are you planning for the long haul, or just a casual fling? If you are unsure but open to either, or have ever been in this situation, the new single by EARTHGANG featuring Wale may just be the perfect new track for you to check out.
Titled “Options,” the new song is a hip-hop dream all about navigating your relationship with another person. Playing up on the idea of having plenty of dating “options,” the track lets a potential partner know that while their current situation is fun, there are also other options for you to pursue if things aren’t going as hoped.
A real and brutally honest song, this track keeps listeners engaged with catchy hooks, engaging beats and lyrics that will have anyone who has ever dated someone say “been there, felt that.”
Songs that call attention to mental health are always some of our favorites. With honest, emotion driven lyrics, tracks that delve into the difficulty of practicing mental health care and being real with yourself and those around you, these types of songs help those struggling feel less alone and help to battle the stigma surrounding mental illness. This week, one track that does just that comes from UK based Drones, in the form of their new single “Epitaph.”
A raw take on struggling with mental illness and suicidal ideation, “Epitaph” is a punk rock diary entry of sorts that is based on the internal battle that comes with feeling blessed and cursed at the same time. Struggling with the idea of being “ungrateful” vs being “a little lost,” the song takes listeners through the mindset of vocalist Lois McDougall, who in part based the song on her own battles as a method of coping.
“Epitaph” is the emo anthem of our new record,” the vocalist shared. “The umbrella term ‘mental health’ is so widespread and complex that it can be hard to pinpoint the exact problem that one person is experiencing… Personally, I’ve done a lot of exploring over the last few years to try and find out which wires are crossed for me and since writing this song I have finally found some appeasing answers. A diagnosis can really help free you from the spiraling mess that depression can cause, and writing “Epitaph” was just one step of that process for me.”
“Epitaph” is also the latest single to be released from Drone’s upcoming album Our Hell Is Right Here, set to debut February 12th.
“in case (there’s a change of heart)” by Max Leone
At only 21 years old, singer/songwriter Max Leone has a voice and presence well beyond his years- even on an acoustic demo track such as his latest release “in case (there’s a change of heart).”
A heartbreaking recounting of a relationship that has fallen apart and the hope that comes with the months following a breakup when the potential of a reunion still feels possible, despite the internal knowledge that it is likely not going to happen- “in case,” is a sentimental look back on what could have been. From dressing to impress to curating your social media to seem better than you are, the track takes listeners through the post-breakup struggles nearly everyone has experienced at one point or another. With a stripped back acoustic feel, the song places heavy focus on Leone’s vocals and gives listeners a chance to hear a raw and emotional sound.
And though this song is not available on streaming services just yet, you can check it out now on Soundcloud.
“I’m With You (acoustic, live)” by Mayday Parade
Technically, this track is not new. But, this version is- and it is arguably more emotional than the original- which is saying a lot for a track coming from the kings of emo, Mayday Parade.
Reimagining the band’s 2019 Christmas anthem “I’m With You,” vocalists Derek Sanders and Jake Bundrick have taken to Decatur City Church to perform and release a new stripped down, live version of the single. Adding vocal flair and stripping down the single to solely the dual vocals and a piano instrumental track, the band have taken the song to a new level- which arguably hits harder after the mess that has been 2020.
And as a perfect song to get into your feels- both Christmas and regular- we couldn’t pick a better track to close out the final NMF before the holiday season comes to a close.
You can stream all of the above tracks now, wherever you stream music, and be sure to catch up on all of our favorite releases from the past two weeks via our playlist below.
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