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5 songs you need to stream this week: Father John Misty, Nas, Erykah Badu, and more

best songs to stream 7 29 16 erykah badu
Erykah Badu
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.

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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 - Real Love Baby

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.

Download on:

iTunes

Nas & Erykah Badu — This Bitter Land

"This Bitter Land" - Nas & Erykah Badu (The Land Soundtrack) [HQ Audio]

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.

Download on:

iTunes

Ryley Walker — The Roundabout

Ryley Walker - The Roundabout (Official Video)

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.

Download on:

iTunes

Mac Miller — Dang! (Feat. Anderson .Paak)

Mac Miller - Dang! (feat. Anderson .Paak) (Official Audio)

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.

Download on:

iTunes

Okkervil River — The Industry

Okkervil River - The Industry (Official Video)

The second single to hit public ears prior to the release of Okkervil River’s upcoming record AwayThe 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.

Download on:

iTunes

That’s it for now, but check back every week for more new tunes to stream!

Parker Hall
Former Digital Trends Contributor
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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