Every week, there are hundreds of thousands of new songs hitting the airwaves. It’s too much for just your two ears to handle: With all those options, you can’t be wasting your time on tracks worthy of a thumbs-down click.
But don’t worry, we’re going to save you the hassle. We listen to some of the most-hyped and interesting songs each week, and tell you which are worthy of your precious listening time.
Here are our top 5 songs to stream this week — and remember to subscribe to our Spotify playlist for all of our weekly picks.
Father John Misty — Real Love Baby (Mastered version)
Father John Misty’s latest single Real Love Baby was released two months ago now, but had yet to be mixed and mastered — the process which increases a song’s loudness and balance for commercial playback across devices. Now fully complete, the single — a nostalgia-inducing slice of music which is surprising upbeat coming from the often-dark songwriter — shimmers more than ever.
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Nas & Erykah Badu — This Bitter Land
A song which pairs two legendary figures in black American music, This Bitter Land was written to accompany an independent film called The Land, which premiered this year at Sundance. It’s a tale of struggle that comes accompanied by soaring string arrangements, allowing the deep and introspective lyrics to capture your attention for all of its nearly five-minute run time.
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Ryley Walker — The Roundabout
In the new music video for Ryley Walker’s latest single The Roundabout, cameras follow the Illinois musician around Chicago during his neighborhood’s annual Fourth of July celebration. A humanizing single which documents the lives of average people, there’s an uplifting spirit to Walker’s message here — a tale of beloved misfits written by one of their own.
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Mac Miller — Dang! (Feat. Anderson .Paak)
Classic four-on-the-floor grooves meet silky vocals in the latest single from slow-burning emcee Mac Miller. Joined by Anderson .Paak — the hip-hop world’s current everywhere man — Miller’s latest cut is a breezy summer jam with clean horn lines and a tempo that will have you dancing right in your chair.
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Okkervil River — The Industry
The second single to hit public ears prior to the release of Okkervil River’s upcoming record Away, The Industry is a slow-rolling critique of the music world’s arbitrary rating systems. “I thought that you’d be on our side/I tuned it out when I heard you shit-talking our friends,” sings frontman Will Sheff, while donning an astronaut costume during the single’s quirky video to signify his solemn stature in a ratings-obsessed world.
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That’s it for now, but check back every week for more new tunes to stream!
