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.
Radiohead — Lift
Radiohead this week released a visually stimulating music video for late-’90s single Lift, a tune that was recorded during the band’s lauded OK Computer era. The slow-rolling tune starts with a drum groove and eventually builds into a classic vocal-driven Radiohead number fueled by the haunting lyrics of frontman Thom Yorke, who appears as an elevator-riding main character in the band’s new visual accompaniment.
Weezer — Beach Boys
Syncopated bass and clean guitar stabs lay the foundation for Weezer‘s latest single, a Beach Boys-themed tune from the band’s upcoming album Pacific Daydream. Frontman Rivers Cuomo has fun with the music and lyrics on this one, crafting a pop tune that is musically rooted in 2017 but is still full of fun vocal layers that recall the Beach Boys’ (i.e., Brian Wilson’s) classic wall-of-sound approach.
Son Little — O Me O My
If you’re looking for a seriously vintage-style cut to jam out to this week, there is perhaps no more appropriate recent release than R&B songwriter Son Little‘s O Me O My, which feels like it could be blasting on the jukebox of a 1960s diner. “O Me O My/Frozen in time,” sings Little on the catchy new single, which the songwriter described to Consequence of Sound as “a meditation on the anxieties of the modern world.”
L.A. Salami — Day To Day (For 6 Days A Week) (and more, live from NPR’s Tiny Desk)
There’s a distinct Bob Dylan influence to the sound of songwriter L.A. Salami, whose rambling and poignant lyrics observe and report the state of the modern world, but are channeled through the musician’s U.K. upbringing. Salami is in good form during his recent appearance at NPR’s Tiny Desk, showcasing the vocal, harmonica, and guitar skills that have helped make him one of the top up-and-coming voices in modern folk music.
Phoebe Bridgers — Funeral
Los Angeles-based songwriter Phoebe Bridgers has spent her formative years working closely with some of the most intimate voices in modern songwriting, having recorded or toured with poignant lyricists like Ryan Adams, Conor Oberst, and Julien Baker. It’s that crowd of wordy and dark songwriters that has had a clear influence on tracks like Funeral, a soft and haunting piece that will sate the appetites of those in search of a sad song to contemplate the turning season.
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:
