We may have taken a quick pause the past few weeks, but the hype and constant stream of new music has not.
With this weekend bringing us brand new albums from icons like Twenty One Pilots and Olivia Rodrigo, a new EP from SSR favorite Charming Liars, and dozens of brand new singles from artists both new and old, New Music Friday (on a Sunday): May edition is rolling on full speed ahead.
So without further adieu, here are our top picks of this week all ready for your weekend streams. And as always, you can listen to all of our tracks mentioned here in our NMF May playlist, linked at the bottom.
If you are looking for relaxed indie-bops and perfectly crafted springtime tunes, Summer Salt is the band for you and their new single “Clover” is the perfect introduction.
A single about finding ride or die friends and falling in love with one of them, “Clover” has a happy-go-lucky feeling that will leave you smiling from ear to ear and bobbing your head along to the beat, all while wondering why you haven’t listened to Summer Salt before today.
Masters of writing music that will have you feeling an overwhelming sense of calm and lust for life (check out “Monday’s Facil” featured last month), Summer Salt are sure to be one of our spring/summer go-tos and “Clover” will be at the top of all playlists.
And if this track is something you enjoy, be sure to stay tuned for Summer Salt’s new album, Sequoia Moon, out June 25th.
“Break In The Current” by Dead Eyes
Though we enjoy a great relaxing single, we also can never pass up a good old fashioned rock track- especially one that resonates with us on levels like Dead Eyes’ new single “Break In The Current.”
A song about fighting against the odds and choosing to move forward despite the negativity in life, “Break In The Current” is a track dedicated to persevering and has us also ready to tackle our own inner demons. With a mix of heavy instrumentals/vocals and a clean, hard hitting chorus, this track is a great reminder of how far we have all come on our own journey’s and a great indicator of what 2021 may have to bring from Dead Eyes.
“[The lyric] ‘feet bruised by the miles travelled looking for myself and I need help,’ I wrote when I was 19 and held on to it for almost a decade,” the band shares. “This was the last song written for the record but the first in all those years that could be the vehicle for that feeling. At this point in the writing session we knew the direction we were driving; it was less exploratory and more a display of us taking this cool new vision of the band for a spin. The entire song was written and recorded in 8 hours, this was the moment we knew who we were.”
“White Leather Electric Chair” by Charming Liars
Yesterday Charming Liars dropped their new EP and we couldn’t have been more ready to hear some brand new Charming Liars music.
Titled Sequence 1: Noise Maker and featuring the previously released singles “Pieces” and “Why Did We?,” the new release also comes with the fresh new track, “White Leather Electric Chair.”
A song about learning to be kinder to yourself and forgiving yourself for any past transgressions- regardless of how serious they may have been- “White Leather Electric Chair” is an ode to the underdog. With extremely kind and forgiving lyrics, the song is a reminder that life can always get better and that even when you may feel at your lowest, there are always people in your life who are willing to help support you through whatever you may need. You’re not alone and this song is a perfect reminder.
New Music Friday may be all about the singles, but this week there were too many good albums to completely leave them ignored- and one came from our favorite bands, We Were Sharks.
Titled New Low the album features 10 new tracks, including previous NMF features “Shameless” and “Problems,” as well as today’s single of the day- title track “New Low.”
A pop punk anthem about preparing to cut ties with someone in your life, “New Low” explores feeling as though you’ve reached rock bottom, but with a high energy level that leaves you feeling ready to conquer the world rather than wanting to wallow in any self pity or negativity. And, in a quintessential pop punk fashion, this track leaves us ready to swing at any less than ideal thoughts that may creep into our own minds or feelings of self doubt.
Truly a song to rock out to- regardless of what state of mind you’re in- this song is easily on our top list of songs we NEED to hear live this year, and fingers crossed we will get to.
“hope ur ok” by Olivia Rodrigo
If you have somehow not yet heard a single song by Olivia Rodrigo, we strongly suggest you change that, and this weekend is the perfect time to start.
At only 18 years old, Rodrigo is one of the top forces in the pop world right now, and easily on her way to becoming the next Taylor Swift (if she hasn’t already officially been given that title. that is.) With deep cutting lyrics written almost entirely by herself, a vocal range that will give even the biggest music snobs chills, and a likability that makes her feel like America’s little sister, the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star has undeniable talent that seeps through every aspect of her debut album, SOUR. And though any track from the album could make this list, we chose “hope ur ok” as our New Music pick because of how beautifully raw and emotional it is- as well as how important the message behind the song is.
An anthem of overcoming the odds and continuing to support those in your life that you may have lost touch with, “hope ur ok” is one of Rodrigo’s more emotional singles (which is saying a lot if you’ve heard “driver’s license”) and it reminds listener’s of all ages/backgrounds/states that they are loved- even if they may not feel it at the moment. An easy tear-jerker, this single closes out the album in a beautiful way that leaves us ready to hit repeat and start it all over again.
“Saturday” by Twenty One Pilots
Another artist who has given fans a plethora of new content this month, Twenty One Pilots have just dropped their new album, Scaled and Icy this weekend, and yet again have given us new music to lose our minds to- including one of our favorite tracks, “Saturday.”
The perfect song for getting yourself hyped up after a year of uncertainty, stress and a longing for any sense of normalcy the world could offer, “Saturday” is just, well, a vibe. With catchy instrumentals and lyrics that are both relatable and aspirational as we move towards once more “painting the town” on the weekends, the track reminds us why we love Twenty One Pilots and gives us a taste of their ability to switch things up- going from their classic introspective and deep tracks to a light and fun weekend anthem.
And if that doesn’t convince you to check it out, the song features a cameo of honorary band member Jenna Joseph- which is enough to make the track an easy fave for any Jenna stans.
You can stream all of the above tracks now, wherever you stream music, and be sure to check out our full and ever growing May playlist, linked below.
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