Best new songs to stream: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sufjan Stevens, and more

By Parker Hall October 15, 2017

best new songs to stream — Flickr/Jules Minus

Every week, there are thousands of new songs hitting the airwaves — and it’s just too much for your two ears to handle. With all those options, you can’t be wasting your time on tracks that deserve a thumbs-down click — you want the best new songs to stream right now.

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 five best new songs to stream this week. And don’t forget to subscribe to our Spotify page for a playlist of our weekly picks, which can also be found at the bottom of this post. Not sure which streaming service is best for you? Check out our post about the best music streaming services, or go in depth and learn the differences between Apple Music and Spotify to better weigh your options.

Lin-Manuel Miranda — Almost Like Praying

Lin-Manuel Miranda - Almost Like Praying feat Artists for Puerto Rico [Music Video]

Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda has been outspoken in his support of those affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, and he took his support a step further this week with the release of this star-studded charity single. Hispanic musicians Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Gloria Estefan, Fat Joe, John Leguizamo, Rubén Blades, Camila Cabello, Joell Ortiz, Juan Luis Guerra, Dessa, and more appear at various points in Almost Like Praying to offer a powerful and uplifting message to those who could use it most.

Sufjan Stevens — Wallowa Lake Monster

Sufjan Stevens - Wallowa Lake Monster (Official Audio)

Songwriter Sufjan Stevens promoted the upcoming release of a collection of unreleased B-sides called The Greatest Gift with the release of this gorgeous seven-minute single, an outtake from his 2015 full length album Carrie & Lowell. Fans of Stevens will love the new track — a thoughtful, ambiance-filled song that sounds like it barely missed the final cut of the album.

Landlady — Cadaver (and more, live at NPR’s Tiny Desk)

Brooklyn’s Landlady recently performed this series of perfectly arranged songs at NPR’s offices in Washington D.C. The groovy and compelling tunes showcase each member of the quartet’s outstanding and creative musicianship. They are joined by a string quartet for the final track, not that you’ll need that as a reason to stick around until the end of the 20-minute live video.

Lo Tom — Bubblegum (and more, live on KEXP)

Lo Tom - Full Performance (Live on KEXP)

Lo Tom‘s Bubblegum is the kind of song you imagine putting on when you start up a vintage muscle car or put on a black leather jacket. A driving bit of rock ‘n’ roll with a clean and hooky melody, the tune showcases powerful distorted guitars and fat drum tones. It’s just the kind of thing you need to start your engines.

Gregory Porter — Smile

Gregory Porter - Smile

The velvety vocal tone of singer Gregory Porter is perfectly suited to this Nat King Cole tune, part of an upcoming tribute to the late, great vocalist. Porter is joined by a full jazz orchestra and strings on the track, a beautiful recording that we can easily imagine becoming one of the definitive versions of this standard.

That’s it for now, but tune in next week for more songs to stream, and check out the playlist loaded with our recent selections below:

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Parker Hall is a writer and musician from Portland, OR. He is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin…

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Every year, there are thousands of new songs and music videos hitting the airwaves -- and it's just too much for your two eyes and ears to handle. With all those options, you can't be wasting your time on tracks that deserve a thumbs-down click.

But don't worry, we've saved you the hassle. We listen to and watch some of the most-hyped and interesting songs and videos each week, and tell you which are worthy of your precious listening time.

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The best songs about friendship

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There's nothing better in the world than a good friend -- except, perhaps, a good song about friendship. A theme that spans all genres -- from pop and rap to electronic and country -- musical artists have been pondering and praising friendship since time immemorial. Alas, we don't have recordings of ancient Etruscan or Sumerian odes to friendship, but we do have some other dope tracks on this Spotify playlist, by everyone from Biz Markie to Bette Midler. Grab a friend and take a listen to the best songs about friendship.
Deep Fried Frenz by MF Doom (2004) [Amazon, iTunes]
Deep Fried Frenz, the fifth track off of MF Doom's food-related 2004 album Mm.. Food, samples an old-school rap song by Whodini called Friends, so you're kinda getting two friendship-themed songs in one. If you're friends with the masked rapper, don't worry: He doesn't really want to deep fry you. He does, however, want to know who his real friends are. Hip-hop can be a tough game, but it's made better with some quality pals.
Just A Friend by Biz Markie (1989) [Amazon, iTunes]
Poor Biz Markie can't catch a break in this 1989 lamentation of forlorn groupie love, in which the Clown Prince of Hip-Hop meets a girl while on concert and, after trying to date her, discovers she already has a man -- who she insists is "just a friend." This single was a one-hit wonder and Biz Markie hasn't been able to climb the charts since (appearing on reality shows and Men In Black II instead), but what a wonderful hit it is. Just A Friend is now a dance floor sing-along staple and a reminder that friendship can be bittersweet.
You've Got A Friend In Me by Randy Newman & Lyle Lovett (1996) [Amazon, iTunes]

The Toy Story franchise and its theme song, You've Got A Friend In Me offers another bittersweet take on friendship. The song -- written by Randy Newman and performed as a duet by Newman and Lyle Lovett -- is a perfect tribute to friends helping each other when times get tough.
I'll Be There For You by The Rembrandts (1995) [Amazon, iTunes]
We go from bittersweet to syrupy with I'll Be There For You by The Rembrandts, best known as the irritating yet catchy theme song for the TV show Friends, making it a begrudgingly suitable track on this playlist. We're really sorry. It has some nice and appropriate sentiments about friendship though, we promise!
I'll Be There by The Jackson 5 (1970) [Amazon, iTunes]
I'll Be There, The Jackson 5's soul song about soul mates catapulted the quintet beyond the realm of mere bubblegum pop into the stratosphere, according to no less an authority than Michael Jackson himself. If you want more I'll Be There in your listening life, check out Mariah Carey's equally- powerful MTV Unplugged rendition.
You're My Best Friend by Queen (1975) [Amazon, iTunes]
So far, our songs about friendship are pretty straightforward and You're My Best Friend by Queen is no exception. Written by the band's bassist John Deacon -- who also provides those Wurlitzer piano notes -- it's a catchy pop ballad about Deacon's relationship with his wife and the joys of a friendship that evolves into marriage.
Stand By Me by Ben E. King (1961) [Amazon, iTunes]
Ben E King's R&B classic has scaled the Billboard charts twice: First when it was released in 1961, then in 1986 when it was re-released, coinciding with the blockbuster coming-of-age film of the same name, demonstrating the song's timeless appeal. Both versions of Stand By Me serve as anthemic monuments to childhood camaraderie.
Lean On Me by Bill Withers (1972) [Amazon, iTunes]
A friend in need is a friend indeed, as the saying goes, and Lean On Me by Bill Withers is a stirring expression of that sentiment. This song topped the Billboard charts twice: The Withers original went number one in 1972, then the Club Nouveau cover reach the top spot in 1987, also winning the Grammy for Best R&B Song.
With A Little Help From My Friends by Joe Cocker (1968) [Amazon, iTunes]
With A Little Help From My Friends was first recorded by this British band called The Beatles -- maybe you've heard of them. In this case though, we went with the Joe Cocker rendition, which is a friendship-themed classic in its own right, slower and bluesier than the poppy Beatles version. This version of With A Little Help From My Friends also found new life 20 years after its release as the theme song of the nostalgic series The Wonder Years.
Umbrella by Rihanna (2007) [Amazon, iTunes]
"When the sun shines, we'll shine together/Told you I'll be here forever/Said I'll always be a friend/Took an oath I'mma stick it out til the end." Is there a better expression of friendship than that? Rihanna had a string of early successes before Umbrella, but this 2007 single was her breakthrough hit, turning her into the chart-topping titan she is today. It's also an affecting and danceable tune about the everlasting bond between friends.

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Every week, there are thousands of new songs hitting the airwaves -- and it's just too much for your two ears to handle. With all those options, you can't be wasting your time on tracks that deserve a thumbs-down click -- you want the best new songs to stream right now.

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.