Singer/songwriter Chelsea Jade has released her sophomore album, "Soft Spot." Her latest record, "Soft Spot," is a collection of songs that contain both the effervesce of a summer day and the nihilism of Nietzsche. A self-described “art school dropout,” the singer tinkers with those aesthetic tastes most pleasurable to herself, "Soft Spot’s" moody temperature was alternating between warm sensuality and calm reflection. The album’s soundscapes remain consistently evocative in tone and atmosphere. As a lyricist, Metcalf shows an uncanny knack for crafting wittily forward confessions that reveal her place at the center of an era in transit. Essential tracks “Superfan” and “Best Behaviour” boast some of Metcalf’s finest lyrics, her truths riding high upon her irresistible pop hooks, proving her as an artist like her more prominent peers. Innate creative confidence facilitates an exploration of self, from elated proclamations of passionate fascination to detailed sketches of personal and romantic dysfunction. "Soft Spot" is a promising release by a unique talent who only seems to strengthen herself with each effort. "Soft Spot" remains a stable release and is guaranteed to please its core audience. If anything, “Optimist” and “Superfan” will undoubtedly prove themselves as great “art kid” summer jams, and “Night Swimmer” will likely warrant retrospective reconsideration as a noteworthy achievement in modern art-pop. Indeed, Chelsea Jade has produced a commendable album, entirely worth the listen and conversation, its sophistication the mark of an artist with plenty of great work to come.

21-year-old Charlie Hickey will release his debut album later this month via Saddest Factory Records, the label owned by Hickey's long-time friend and collaborator Phoebe Bridgers. The Marshall Vore-produced record, entitled Nervous At Night, has already earned praise from the likes of NPR Music and Rolling Stone for early singles "Dandelions" and "Nervous At Night," and today, Hickey shares another track off of the forthcoming album entitled Gold Line." The track arrives disguised as a windows-down singalong, but hidden underneath is a deeper layer, as Hickey sings about feelings more immense than he can control or resist. Fitting for Mental Health Awareness Month, "Gold Line" offers insight into how Hickey uses songwriting and performing to cope with his anxiety and OCD. "Nervous At Night" is a gorgeous, 11-track record that finds Hickey detailing life's graceless passage between teenage years and adulthood and the noise that permeates. Hickey has always navigated the intricacies of life through a musical lens, both as a child of two musicians and as an artist who has surrounded himself with talented peers. Charlie Hickey made his SXSW debut earlier this year and just wrapped his first-ever bi-coastal tour of the U.S. in support of Wolf Alice and Lucius. Hickey will celebrate the release of "Nervous At Night" with shows in NYC and LA, performances at The Great Escape in the UK, and opening for labelmates MUNA in London.

Following the release of his fantastic comeback single "Give Me The Reason," James Bay has now released an acoustic version of the song and a video. The singer, who will be appearing at Hits Live in Liverpool next month, shared a video clip on Instagram. He tells his fans: "It’s always fun to re-explore, rework or reinvent a song in a more stripped back way, creating an acoustic version. My musical life began with lots of performing acoustic, either solo or with a couple of others onstage." He continued: 'So for me, it’s a familiar way to make music. Here’s Give Me The Reason sounding a lot like it did when I first demo’d it. But with some extra special excitement peppered throughout by mine and @foyvance ‘s co-writer and brilliant producer @gabesimonsays Enjoy! X." Before releasing the acoustic version, James also shared some of his thoughts behind writing the song telling his fans: "So many different thoughts and processes go into writing every song. Here are some of the thoughts behind the writing of "Give Me The Reason." As well as releasing new music, James is due to start his UK tour on 29th April in Oxford. He has also teased a new album telling his fans back in March: "Give Me The Reason," the first single from my third album, is finally here. It’s been a long and winding adventure making all this new music, but every moment was worth it. I love this song; I hope you all love it too." James Bay will join The Lumineers on nine dates of their upcoming stadium tour this fall.

Lady Gaga has released her new single “Hold My Hand,” which will appear in the upcoming Tom Cruise movie "Top Gun: Maverick," which opens in theatres on May 27. The stadium-ready single was produced by Lady Gaga and longtime collaborator BloodPop, with additional production by Benjamin Rice. The version of “Hold My Hand” that appears in the film features additional production and scoring by Harold Faltermeyer and Hans Zimmer. “When I wrote this song for Top Gun: Maverick, I didn’t even realize the multiple layers it spanned across the film’s heart, my own psyche, and the nature of the world we’ve been living in,” Lady Gaga explained on Twitter. “I’ve been working on it for years, perfecting it, trying to make it ours. I wanted to make music into a song where we share our deep need to both be understood and try to understand each other — a longing to be close when we feel so far away and an ability to celebrate life’s heroes.” The sequel to Tom Cruise’s 1986 classic has been delayed many times, with several of its most recent setbacks due to the pandemic. When producing the music with Bloodpop and Benjamin Rice, Gaga said she wanted to make “a song where we share our deep need to both be understood and try to understand each other—a longing to be close when we feel so far away and an ability to celebrate life’s heroes.” The song is Gaga’s first release since Love for Sale, her final collaborative album with Tony Bennett. The long-awaited sequel to 1986’s "Top Gun" was initially scheduled for release in 2019 but was postponed to “work out all the complex flight sequences.” It was delayed once more due to the pandemic.

The massive hit “Gangnam Style” paved the way for the rise of K-pop — and now Psy is tapping the top Korean star of today: BTS’ Suga. Psy released a new single, “That That,” from his aptly named new album, "Psy 9th." The record was also released Friday and is Psy’s first full-length since 2017’s "Psy 8th 4X2=8." The “That That” video features Suga, who also produced the K-pop hitmaker’s record. Rocking cowboy outfits, the two are seen dancing in a saloon and in a car to the catchy tune. Psy opened up about what it was like to work with the boy band rapper in a video titled “best friends 16 years apart.” “When meeting younger artists, I don’t want to make them feel uncomfortable. I don’t want to be someone who’s hard to approach. He just wasn’t my junior in the business, but also he truly feels like a friend,” Psy said. “It was hard to feel any age gap. If he thinks of me as a bestie, that’s great for me.” Suga also shared what it was like to work with Psy on the track. “At first, because he’s many years my senior and someone who’s well-respected in the business, I was quite nervous. It felt like working with a childhood friend, so it made the songwriting process that much more fun,” Suga said. “We became besties in a way.” “That That” is one of 12 tracks on "Psy 9th," which also includes tracks “Happier” featuring Crush, “Forever” with Tablo, and “Everyday.” Psy teased “That That” for several days leading up to the song’s debut, sharing visuals from the music video and an image of a cartoon version of himself posing in the desert.

MONSTA X has released their new mini-album that focuses on love and will hardly surprise anyone who’s been paying attention to the group. The Starship Entertainment six-piece (leader Shownu is currently absent from promotions while he completes his military service) has made sexy, sultry musings on love and romance a big part of their brand. It doesn’t take much digging into their back catalogue to pull up tracks – or even whole albums – centred on those themes, like the 2020 English-language album "All About Luv" or right at the start of their journey in debut single "Trespass," which positions them as bad boy heart stealers about to capture your affections. Opening with a vengeance, "LOVE" is buoyed by red-hot 90s hip-hop vibes, filtering boom-bap elements through an R&B lens. Dripping with energy, it’s a highly immediate track with addictive re-playability. "BURNING UP" finds Monsta X lining up alongside R3HAB, and it takes the project in a slightly more subtle, soulful, and explicitly emotional direction. "Wildfire" is all layered vocals and potent lyricism, with I.M. contributing extensively. "Breathe" is a snappy, quickfire offering, while the closing cut "AND" is led by stadium-level guitar lines, reminiscent of Coldplay but within a definitively K-Pop context. A highly personal song, ‘AND’ seems to encapsulate Monsta X at this point in their career: each door closed has the potential for something new, and each end contains a new beginning. Or, as I.M. notes: “there’s only one letter difference between "END" and "AND..." Packed with thrills for fans, "Shape Of Love" is a nimble six-tracker which demonstrates the continued prowess of Monsta X – we can’t wait to see, or indeed hear, where they go next.

Harley Jayne, aka HARLEE, released her major debut song, “Reset,” on April 29, 2022, via Island Records. She is better known for her uncredited vocals on the 2020 single “Lonely” by British DJ Joel Corry, which reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. The track was written by Robert Harvey, Lewis Thompson, Laura Welsh and Harlee Jayne and produced by Lewis Thompson, Robert Harvey and Neave Applebaum. HARLEE shared on social media, “Reset is finally out after holding onto it for over two years!. I'm SO happy it's out, and I really hope you like it. Reset is about the power of regret, which is a big emotion we all feel. We all wish we had the opportunity to start over again with something, realizing you might've took something for granted, but I want you to interpret the song HOWEVER you like, but mostly I want you to FEEL GOOD! You better crank the volume up and be the main character when you listen to it. this song is so special to me and wouldn't be what it is without my amazing co-writers Robert Harvey Lewis Thompson; Laura Welsh; thank you to my publicist Darryl Parkinson Warner Chappell Music UK label Island Records & managers Ian Robinson Robert Harvey for making this dream a reality THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.” This sultry spitfire seems young but has the voice of an old soul, and like many of today's pop artists, Harlee initially showed the world her talents by sharing covers on YouTube. Harlee exudes talent and has been honing her profession since she was 11 years old. The UK-based singer is signed with Steve Madden’s 5Towns Records.

Pop singer-songwriter Jamie Miller is proud to unveil his debut EP, "Broken Memories," via Atlantic Records/Geaux Uptown Records. "Broken Memories" sees Jamie Miller affirming his talent for transforming heartache into songs with a profoundly uplifting power. The anthemic single further celebrates the EP release, “It Is What It Is,” produced by Louis Schoorl (5 Seconds of Summer) and Cal Shapiro (Timeflies) and co-written by Miller, Schoorl, and Shapiro. “‘It Is What It Is’ is what I tell myself anytime something doesn’t go my way,” Miller says. “It means that you can get through it and move on whatever happens. It was important to me to include that song on the EP and let my fans know that even when things are dark, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.” The six-song Broken Memories includes the Wales-born, Los Angeles-based artist’s breakthrough hit, “Here’s Your Perfect,” along with such radiant new tracks as “Last Call“ and “I Lost Myself In Loving You.” Jamie made his heartfelt debut TV performance of “Last Call” on the Emmy Award-winning Kelly Clarkson Show. Currently boasting over 380M global streams and over 93M video views via YouTube thus far, “Here’s Your Perfect” proved a monumental triumph following its April 2021 release, spending 13 weeks on Billboard’s “Global Ex-US” chart amidst acclaim from major outlets like Rolling Stone on the strength of Miller’s fearlessly confessional songwriting and warm yet commanding vocal work. Now with well over 21M global streams, “I Lost Myself In Loving You” is joined by an official music video currently approaching 7M individual views via YouTube. These tracks have helped Jamie earn over 480M global streams and 2.5 million TikTok followers.

Ed Sheeran has teamed up with the Ukrainian band Antytila to release a reworked version of “2step”. Antytila’s band members have been fighting in their country following the Russian invasion. They shared a video to Sheeran in March asking to play a two-hour benefit show for Ukraine taking place in Birmingham, U.K. Organizers refused, explaining that the event had to avoid association with the military and instead focus on the humanitarian situation. However, Sheeran has since reached out to the band and created a powerful music video with their help. Any royalties earned from streams of the YouTube video will be donated to Music Saves UA, a non-profit fundraising project created by the Ukrainian Association of Music Events to provide immediate humanitarian help to those immediately in need in Ukraine. Sheeran said of the music video originally being filmed in Kyiv, according to NME: “I filmed the video for ‘2step’ in the city of Kyiv, Ukraine, before the devastating acts of violence started to take place. It was my first time visiting the country, and I felt so welcomed during my stay there – everyone from the production crew to the many people I met across my days off. Ukraine is a proud and resilient country, and I’m grateful to have had the chance to film my video there. I stand with Ukraine and will be donating my record royalties from YouTube streams of the video to the DEC’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal,” he added. According to a press release, Sheeran will be teaming up with a host of artists from across the globe for further remix versions of "2step."

Singer-songwriter Chloe Lilac has released her new EP titled "you were good to me." The project is released alongside a brand new single, "lily's backyard." A project derived from Chloe's personal, nuanced experience with loss, the mixtape is a journey through the delicate layers of what it means to face failure and its lasting, formative effects. A masterclass in forward-thinking indie-pop, the mixtape glides seamlessly among pop-punk stylings, bedroom pop instrumentals, and razor-sharp lyricism that defines Chloe's writing from day 1. Speaking on the mixtape, Chloe notes, "This mixtape is all about losing the people you love most. Whether that's losing a best friend, losing a romantic partner, or losing yourself. It can be hard to let go when people come in and out of your life; you could feel betrayed, you could feel heartbreak, you could feel anger, but at the end of the day, it all comes back to love." Alongside the mixtape comes brand new single, "lily's backyard," a bombastic, guitar-driven track, of which Chloe describes: "Lily's backyard is about betrayal. When you let someone in, and they let you down." The new mixtape is the follow-up to Chloe's widely acclaimed December 2021 mixtape, "when I feel better," an exposé defining Chloe Lilac's growth over the past year. Chloe‘s been getting a ton of critical acclaim leading up to the release, including support on Spotify’s New Music Friday and Salt playlists earning her over 20 million streams on Spotify, and she’s also toured with many acts, including Charlotte Lawrence, mxmtoon and Tessa Violet.

Martin Garrix has dropped his 11-track debut album titled "Sentio," another word for “perceive, feel, experience.“ "Sentio" is exactly what this album is. The album has been felt throughout Martin’s sets over the past year (and even older for some). With the world returning to normality with shows, these anthems have had their fair play on the festival circuit and certainly received a positive crowd reaction. Garrix showcases a range of his styles on the LP, from progressive house to main room hitters. The LP is filled with festival records that are sure to make up his sets in the future. Every single record is a collaboration, largely with STMPD frequents. One notable collaboration is with Zedd, which actually was the first single of the project. Martin Garrix explained the album; ‘’The crazy thing is I’ve never released a Garrix album. During COVID, I made zero club music because it felt weird to make festival music when there were no shows. When the shows came back, I had so much new, revived energy that I made tons of new club music. We’ve decided to release a lot of the tracks in the coming weeks and bundle them into a club album. I feel like people have collected new energy the past two years, and I can’t describe how amazing it feels to be back on tour and seeing everyone’s reactions to all the new music.” "Aurora" is the latest in a dizzying of "Sentio" collabs, which kicked off in March with the Zedd-assisted ("Follow"). Garrix went on a new music rampage from there, releasing joint tracks with the likes of Brooks ("Quantum"), DubVision ("Starlight") and Julian Jordan ("Funk"), among others.

In each of her seven consecutive No. 1 albums, Miranda Lambert has presented a chance to explore a new theme while pushing herself across varying sonic landscapes. With the progressive 15-song album "Palomino," Lambert has crafted a record that explores the world and its people, seeking beauty and adventure all around. On "Palomino," her inner stranger travels lyrically from Fort Worth to the Mojave Desert; Battambang, Cambodia to Maine; the Crystal Palace in Bakersfield to the Rocky Mountains and beyond. In each destination and with every character met along the way, Lambert’s freewheeling trek is a work of unbridled freedom and self-discovery without painful introspection. Her first solo album since 2019’s Grammy-winning "Wildcard." "Palomino" opens with a slow build and a low-slung vibe on "Actin’ Up," with the opening track serving as the first in a series of postcards from the road, images and moments, places seen and swallowed whole, characters you won’t forget. Tapping longtime songwriting collaborators Luke Dick (Eric Church, Kacey Musgraves) and Jon Randall (Emmylou Harris, Dierks Bentley) to co-produce with her, Lambert once again pushes the envelope of country music. Whether the bump-and-grind thump of the one who can’t be extinguished on "I’ll Be Loving You," the skunk weed strut of the "Marfa Sessions" revisit "Geraldene," the gorgeously hushed vintage bar-room heartbreak of "That’s What Makes the Jukebox Play," or the sunny life code that informs the ever-curious songwriter on "Tourist," Lambert has fashioned an excellent song cycle, a journey of one woman questing for happiness and the folks she meets along the way.

Neneh Cherry has announced his upcoming album "The Versions," which drops on June 1st. It will feature reworked versions of her songs, performed by artists with a personal connection to her music. It’s out June 10. Cherry has enlisted Sia to reimagine her 1989 song “Manchild” for the occasion. The 10-track album also includes contributions from ANOHNI, Jamila Woods, Sudan Archives, Kelsey Lu, Honey Dijon, Seinabo Sey, Greentea Peng, Tyson, and Cherry’s rendition of “Buffalo Stance” with Robyn and Mapei. Sia said in a press release, “Neneh was my favourite artist when she hit the scene. I saved my pocket money for red Filas and dreamt one day we would meet. When I was struggling with my mental health in my early twenties, I somehow ended up in their house being taken care of as if I was one of their own children. I called her husband during a suicide attempt, who had been mentoring me as an incredible music producer, and they gave me all the love I could have dreamt of.” Reacting to Robyn’s cover of ‘Buffalo Stance’ earlier this year, Neneh Cherry said: “It feels strange to be doing this with everything going on in the world right now, but… I am still so honoured & excited to announce that my incredible friend Robyn has covered ‘Buffalo Stance’ with Mapei & Dev Hynes for a beautiful new version!” Cherry’s last album, "Broken Politics," came out in 2018. The following year, she reissued her debut, "Raw Like Sushi," and shared a video for “Natural Skin Deep.” Cherry also hopped on a new song with the Avalanches and was remixed by Forest Swords.

Every week, we highlight the cream of the crop in music through our best music of the week column. Here's our round-up of the best tracks and music videos across our desks. This week, we're bringing you the best new music that popular culture offers. Genres mean nothing to us, so be prepared to take a vision quest down many different avenues. SASHA ALEX SLOAN | NEW NORMAL Following her 2020 critically praised debut album, "Only Child," indie-pop artist Sasha Alex Sloan returned with her singles, “WTF” and "I Blame The World." The nihilistic and dreamy track. She now has released the follow-up single entitled "New Normal" from her upcoming sophomore album, "I Blame The World," set to release on May 13 via RCA Records. The forthcoming record finds Sloan embracing the weary apathy of the world around her and ushering in a bold new era of musicality. Sloan describes the new album as an “honest, non-hopeful” collection of work, distinctly encapsulating the all-too-relatable emotions of hopelessness and isolation through unflinching and insightfully nuanced lyricism and a razor-sharp sensibility. After emerging in 2017 and appearing on a handful of high-profile collaborations, Sasha Alex Sloan had garnered over 2 billion streams worldwide before even releasing a debut album. Sasha has established herself as a true wordsmith, crafting emotionally rich, left-of-center releases filled with potent melodies and poignant lyrics. Sasha gained attention through the release of hit singles including “Lie,” “Normal,” “Older,” and “Dancing With Your Ghost,” leading to sold-out headlining tours in North America and Europe. GAVIN JAMES | SWEETEST PART Having clocked up over 1.8 billion Spotify streams throughout his remarkable career – as well as one diamond record, 45 platinum and gold records, a No.1 album, and a sold-out world tour – Gavin James is set to release his third studio album, "The Sweetest Part," on July 22. Now he has released the title track from the album, which was written and produced by Gavin and Kodaline guitarist Mark Prendergast and will feature previously released singles "Greatest Hits," "Circles," and "Jealous." The album, which will explore "the highs and lows of love and relationships," was written and produced by the Irish singer-songwriter alongside some of pop music’s most highly regarded names – including Ivor Novello-nominated songwriter Mark Ralph (Years & Years, Clean Bandit, Jax Jones), Fiona Bevan who co-wrote One Direction’s number 1 hit ‘Little Things’ with Ed Sheeran, Patrick Pyke Salmy and multi-Platinum awarded Richard Muñoz (Zoe Wees), Ollie Green (Freya Ridings, Lewis Capaldi) and Jimbo Barry (The Script). Following his UK tour with James Blunt, which kicked off earlier this year, Gavin will also embark on his Irish headline tour, album in hand, later this year. HOLLY HUMBERSTONE | SLEEP TIGHT Holly Humberstone released a new track and a music video for her sweet yet melancholic single “Sleep Tight,” It follows her as she rides a messy minivan through a sleepy neighbourhood. “I wrote the song during the first summer out of lockdown, which was a pretty crazy time for my friends and me. We finally had our freedom back, and it kind of felt like we had nothing to lose after such a difficult few months,” Humberstone tells Rolling Stone as she premieres the song’s video. “I wanted the video to have this lighthearted and carefree feeling and ultimately be something fun at heart.” Humberstone enlisted none other than the 1975’s Matty Healy to piece together the song’s lyrics after the two worked together on “Please Don’t Leave Just Yet” from her debut EP. After releasing her EP, "The Walls Are Way Too Thin," last year, Humberstone dropped a set of singles, including “London Is Lonely” and “I Would Die 4 U,” this year. The new music from Humberstone comes as the rising star is currently on tour supporting Olivia Rodrigo in the US and will return to the UK for her biggest headline dates in June, ahead of a summer of festival appearances. RUELLE | IN IT There’s a reason: the Nashville-based singer-songwriter Ruelle's tracks give you goosebumps. They’re full of intense urgency and ethereal mystery, something rare in pop but perfect for dramas full of emotion and turmoil. Ruelle’s cinematic approach and emotionally fierce lyrics have graced a wide range of popular shows, from "Love Island" and "Dancing with the Stars" to "Teen Wolf" and "Shadowhunters." Ruelle helped shape the sound for "Shadowhunters," including the original song written for an iconic, long-awaited kiss scene that wowed fans. “There is just something so magical and powerful about her music,” explains music supervisor Chris Mollere. “It has everything to do with the brilliant instrumentation, arrangement, performance, songwriting and of course, her gorgeous vocals. Her music lends itself so beautifully to a plethora of scenes by creating a way for the story to be told onscreen through the actors, but at the same time taking the scene to a whole other amazing level.” The young songwriter built her career on sync when she got a surprise call while living overseas. Someone at Apple heard a track from her indie-released debut EP and messaged her, asking if they could talk about using it in a Japanese commercial for the brand. STEVE AOKI & HRVY | SAVE ME HRVY and Steve Aoki have collaborated on a new single, "Save Me," a club-ready dance-pop bop with lyrics that pack an emotional punch. "My mind wasn't pretty, Until you took me somewhere else, Got high 'cause I'm feeling low, No, I'll never let you go 'cause, One night in the city, One night you changed it all," sings the English singer and songwriter. Discussing the track and its accompanying video, Aoki said: “For ‘Save Me,’ I wanted to create a vibrant and fun drop that had a special bounce to match HRVY’s incredible vocal style. When we did the video, it felt like a haunted church vibe was the perfect setting for what the soul-stirring lyrics depict.” Commenting on the collaboration, HRVY added: "I’ve always been a huge fan of Steve’s. So after I wrote the song last year and heard he wanted it to be single, it was an immediate yes. We’d not actually met until the shoot in LA, and I’m hoping we’ll be able to perform it together at some festivals in the summer and throw some cake out too!!” The single follows HRVY's 'Views From The 23rd Floor' EP that came out in January, Aoki's recent singles "Stop The World" with Marnik and Leony, and KULT with Grandson featuring Jasiah. MADELINE THE PERSON | MEAN Breakout alt-pop star Madeline, The Person, has returned with her empowering and honest new single, “MEAN!”. The song’s raw, relatable message is reflected in the Tess Lafia-directed video, which showcases the young artist’s inspiring outlook on otherness. “MEAN!” is the introduction to Madeline’s much-anticipated upcoming EP, Chapter 3: The Burning. The video finds Madeline dressed as a clown at a party. Outcast by the cool kids, the singer/songwriter ultimately connects with another like-minded soul, rocking clown makeup. “One single event, or even a couple of words, can literally impact your whole life and crush your self-esteem,” Madeline says of the song and video, which she made “in the hopes of letting others know they’re not alone in the sinking feeling that rushes over you when you hear hurtful words. The cool part about it is that you will find people who love every part of you.” She is her own person and is always her authentic self. The Houston, Texas native has spent long hours building a significant following on TikTok through her soulful covers of everyone from Frank Ocean, Phoebe Bridgers, and Harry Styles. Now she is rising up at only 19 and releasing her very own personal music. MORE NOTEWORTHY NEW MUSIC LAUREN WEINTRAUB | NOT LIKE I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU ALEXANDER STEWART | WHEN YOU LOVE SOMEONE EMLYN | THE AUDACITY JAX | U LOVE U (FEAT. JVKE) KIAN | FIT IN HERE

The veteran duo The Knocks have long flexed a unique ability to produce blockbusting music at the intersection of disco and house, but they've yet to release a genuine tour de force. However, that changes as they have released their new album entitled "History." Although, it won't be a stretch to call the record a darkhorse for the year's best dance album. The Knocks have teamed up with a formidable group of collaborators for "History," such as MUNA, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Cold War Kids, Parson James and Yoke Lore, among others. Longtime fans are safe to expect the bubbly indietronica sound they've known and loved. The tandem is also joining forces with Grammy-nominated band Foster The People, with whom they've enjoyed a long creative partnership that dates back to as early as 2018's global hit "Ride Or Die." That single appeared on The Knock's last album, "New York Narcotic," released in 2018. From their early days crafting bangers in their tiny East Village apartment, Ben Ruttner (B-Roc) and James Patterson (J-Patt) have always been in service of unforgettable dance music. They originally began producing remixes for other artists in the late aughts (including tracks for Jay-Z and Britney Spears). Still, they quickly moved to make original music emphasizing disco-tinged pop. As they continued to rise to the epicentre of dance music royalty, they began collaborating with everyone; scoring hits with Foster The People, POWERS, and SOFI TUKKER. And now, The Knocks are headed back to their funk-inflected, disco-oriented basics for the bright, eclectic "History."

PJ Morton has released his thirteenth studio album, "Watch The Sun," which is his most “cohesive and seamless collection” thus far. "Watch The Sun" is regarded as “an unapologetic and expansive album about the challenges he has faced in life and love.” With features including Stevie Wonder, Alex Isley, Jill Scott, El DeBarge, Nas, JoJo, and more, It will uncover the storied musician at his most open and intentional. “With the world changing so quickly in the last couple of years, it called for a bunch of reflection,” Morton shared in a statement. “I reflected on what I wanted to change in my life and keep the same. What was left to say as an artist. I think these last couple of years taught us to identify what is truly important. It was important for me to tell an honest story on this album. The album is an unapologetically soulful painting about the true challenges in life and love.” Morton recorded his latest LP at Studio In The Country, located in Lousiana, as a means of escapism. The secluded space outside of New Orleans is also where Stevie Wonder recorded 1979’s "Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants." The illustrious genre-bending musician invites fans to experience his dynamic LP on some of music’s most influential stages. Spanning more than 35 shows nationwide plus international headlining appearances in Australia and Indonesia, the "Watch The Sun Tour" will include stops at the Apollo Theater in New York City, the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater in Detroit, the Theater at Ace Hotel in Los Angles, and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Morton will also be visiting his hometown for exceptional performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. This June, the tour kicks off in the U.S. and will wrap in early October.

Every week, we highlight the cream of the crop in music through our best music of the week column. Here's our round-up of the best tracks and music videos across our desks. This week, we're bringing you the best new music that popular culture offers. Genres mean nothing to us, so be prepared to take a vision quest down many different avenues. SKIP MARLEY | CHANGE Chart-topping two-time Grammy-nominated Skip Marley releases a new track, “Change.” Produced and co-written by Oscar Holter (The Weeknd, Coldplay, Katy Perry, P!nk,) the feel-good, reggae-tinged track brings all of the positive vibes at a time where the world needs it most. “Change” follows Skip’s latest release, “Vibe,” featuring Jamaican MC Popcaan, which was produced by Rykeyz, who also produced Skip’s history-making RIAA gold #1 global hit “Slow Down” with two-time Grammy Award-winning artist H.E.R. In spring 2020, "Slow Down," with over 200 million global streams, became the quickest and biggest-streaming song in Marley family history, and elevated Skip to over 440 million total global artist streams. It was the first time a Jamaican-born artist reached the #1 spot on the Billboard Adult R&B chart. At the same time, Skip became the first Jamaican-born artist inside the Top 15 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart in nearly a decade and a half (since Sean Paul and Keyshia Cole in 2006 with “When You Gonna Give It Up to Me”). After completing a successful first leg of his first headline tour, the "Change Tour," Skip will continue the second leg this fall. EAGLE-EYED CHERRY | RISING SUN The Swedish-American singer Eagle Eye Cherry returns with a sixth album which will arrive in stores on October 7, 2022. A new opus which succeeds “Streets of You” was released in 2018. The artist is broadcasting their single "Rising Sun" and announcing an upcoming “Summertour” tour to keep his fans waiting. Eagle Eye Cherry returned to the studio for a sixth album which will hit stores on October 7, 2022. A recording was made just after the singer's world tour at the end of 2019. “Rising Sun” is a song about loss. The loss of love, friendship and the past. But it's also a celebration of life and memories. All the good times you had together helped you get through this. The artist loves this song because it captures both the grief one feels when a loved one has passed away and the celebration of life! Eagle-Eyed Cherry's 1997 single "Save Tonight" achieved commercial success in Ireland, the United States and the United Kingdom and was voted song of the year in New Zealand. Cherry is the son of American jazz artist Don Cherry and Swedish artist and designer Moki Cherry. His debut album "Desireless" was released in 1997. Since his debut, he has released several other albums, has co-written for other artists and films, and has guest-starred on reality television. BOW ANDERSON | MAMA SAID Scottish singer Bow Anderson has released her new single "Mama Said," which follows the viral hit " 20s ", which reached over 4 million streams on Spotify just six weeks after its release and established itself as her first song in the top 50 of the official German airplay charts. After touring with the likes of Mimi Webb, Ella Eyre and Tom Walker and her debut EP "New Wave," "20s "was Bow Anderson's kick-off for 2022. Bow Anderson released her debut track ‘Sweater’ at the start of lockdown in March – perhaps not the best time for a pop starlet to launch her career. On the contrary: four months from its debut, "Sweater" has now surpassed four million streams. Of course, turning adversity into strength has been a recurring theme in Bow Anderson’s career. As a teenager, Bow took part in competitive trampolining, training with people who went on to be part of Team GB before a freak accident put a halt to her competing at the National Championships. With her athletic dreams shattered, Anderson – who faced the prospect of never walking or dancing again – found salvation in music. Following intensive rehabilitation, Anderson upped sticks and moved to London to study music at the renowned BIMM Institute, making industry contacts and eventually securing a deal with Universal. SARA KAYS | MATH Math may have been everything but Sara Kays’ favourite subject in school, but when the pen and paper meet in front of her, you can be sure it’ll add up to a future hit being made. Rising songstress Sara Kays returns with her new single, “Math,” an introspective single that taps into Sara’s perception of her image. “Math’ is about how I see and use numbers related to body image in my life,” she says. “I hated math in school, and I still hate it now.” Led by a warm guitar riff, “Math” evokes the satisfying feeling of an early-mid 2000s pop/rock track. A sense of nostalgia can be a plus in our lives, but Sara Kays has also created her own precious memories. After releasing her EP "Struck By Lightning" last year, Sara joined Alec Benjamin on his North American tour and will also be heading out on her own headlining tour, kicking off on May 31 in Philly. As of March 2021, Sara Kays has amassed 1.6 million followers on TikTok. In addition, her song "Remember That Night?" was released in November 2020. This specific TikTok post blew up, with almost three million views and 720 thousand likes in a few days. "Remember That Night?" is Kay’s most famous song on Spotify, with over 64 million streams. RENE MILLER | STANDING IN HIS SHOES René Miller has become a songwriter streamed billions of times through his work for Zoe Wees, Topic & A7S or Alok & Steve Aoki. Now has come for the native Swabian, who lives in Berlin and London, to step into the spotlight himself as he releases his debut single, “Standing In His Shoes.” It's a song that embodies all the characteristics that have made his previous songwriting efforts so immensely powerful to others - genuine emotions that are equally heartwarming and uplifting, powerful images that turn personal stories into universal metaphors, melodies which are catchy yet never interchangeable– now performed in his own voice. And it has it all: warm in tone, incredibly soulful, powerful even in the highest registers. Add the uplifting production, which manages to sound classic and timeless while still being modern and fresh. René processed a personal experience in the song: “I've been dating a woman for quite a while. We used to meet at a little coffee shop that we both loved. We dated a lot, but then it stopped overnight. I never really understood why - until I went back to our coffee shop and saw her there with a new guy. The moment you find out that the person you still have feelings for, for now, has someone else hits you without warning. And he blows you away." LAUFEY | EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT LOVE Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter Laufey has released her new single, "Everything I Know About Love" is a family affair. Her mom and sister play a Bach arrangement on violin alongside her own cello. Mixing pop with classical flourishes, Laufey captures everyday emotions, like falling in love, and elevates them with a degree of musicality and flair that is anything but ordinary. Transforming everyday feelings into something remote and inspired, her painterly touch marks the single. At just 22, she doesn't shy from her inexperience, instead of pouring it into this new song as she sings about the idea of a romantic kind of love and weighing it up against a reality that hasn't quite met expectations. The song comes with a video premiering, in which Laufey leans into this romantic yearning. In the video, we see her in an idyllic-looking park as two guys attempt, and ultimately fail, to woo her. Once again, the idea of love and flirtation gives way to a reality that feels more true to her as she chooses honesty over fantasy. Laufey said about the song, "This song is about all the magical things that I was told love was like, but I’ve never gotten to experience. I’ve tried many times but fail every time. Turns out, I don’t know anything about love! The intro composed by Bach is played by myself on cello, and my mother and sister on violin." MORE NOTEWORTHY NEW MUSIC MUNN | I DON'T WANNA LOSE AGAIN BABY QUEEN | COLOURS OF YOU OFENBACH | 4U LINDSEY LOMIS | DIE WITH MY FRIENDS LAUREN AQUILINA | HANGING BY YOUR HALO

Los Angeles-based trio MUNA - composed of Katie Gavin (she/they), Naomi McPherson (they/them), and Josette Maskin (she/they), have today released a new single, "Kind of Girl," along with a Taylor James-directed video. Katie Gavin of MUNA tells us, "This song is the album's country moment, and in some ways, we feel it is the heart of the record. This song explores the power of language and the words we use to describe who we are and who we want to be. Even though it is a happy, hopeful song, I shed the most tears on the record in the vocal booth recording this chorus. I think there's something very vulnerable about plainly expressing my desire to be kinder to myself and comfortable receiving love (and my desire to garden even though I kill everything I plant)." Gavin continues, "The video for this song highlights another layer of meaning that we feel the song holds, which is that we as queer people are particularly vulnerable when we are sharing how we identify and how we would like to be perceived. We wanted to play with the gendered nature of this song because we all three have different relationships to girlhood (and Naomi is non-binary, so not a girl at all!). It was a gift to be able to king for this video in a way that felt earnest and comfortable, and hot. The experience brought home the fact that it's not enough for queer and trans people to be clear about who we are - we also need a community around us that hears us, believes us, honours us and supports us. We're very proud of what we made and grateful to everyone who was a part of it. We hope the bigots absolutely hate it."

Singer-songwriter Skylar Grey released her self-titled third studio album and a new music video for “Runaway." Before the release of the new album, she had released three albums, but her debut album “Like Blood Like Honey” was released in 2006 as Holly Brook, not Skylar Grey. It is her first album in six years since the 2016 album “Natural Causes” and her first album as an independent artist. She started making albums in January 2021. Initially, the album title was “Partly Cloudy with a Chance of Tears.” But the album artwork and the original title were scrapped due to a similar to Billie Eilish's second studio album “Happier Than Ever” cover, which was released in June 2021. Skylar Grey wrote on Facebook at that time, “I just saw Billie Eilish posted her album cover (which is dope, and I'm excited), but I figured I better ditch mine or people will think I copied her. So here it is so my [fam] can at least see what we made. Oh well. Back to the drawing board.” The album comprises 10-track, produced by Skylar Grey. MADS and Jayson Dezuzio co-produced on “Destroyer.” Skylar Grey wrote all songs. Elliott Taylor co-wrote “Partly Cloudy With A Chance Of Tears,” “Vampire At The Swimming Pool,” and “Destroyer.” Jayson Dezuzio and Madalin Rosioru co-wrote “Destroyer.” Skylar Grey shared on social media, “I can't believe it's here already… my 3rd studio album “Skylar Grey” drops. This is a heavy moment for me… I poured my heart and my pain into this album… I've never released anything this emotionally raw and honest." The music video for “Runaway” was directed by Ryan McKinnon, who filmed in the coast of Oregon.

Justin Bieber’s fans have been gifted with the release of new music. Lately, the pop star has been switching between two main lanes — straight-ahead pop reminiscent of his earlier days and hip-hop-leaning collaborations that reflect where the mainstream sound has gone now. His last album, "Justice," might not have pleased everyone, but the hit single “Peaches” was an example of the latter sound, featuring both Daniel Caesar and Giveon. For his latest single, Bieber is collaborating with Travis Scott’s protege, Don Toliver, for his new single “Honest,” a song that sticks to the same subject matter of most of his songs — how happy he is being married to his new wife, Hailey Bieber. In the video, the pair are out in snowy climes, rapping and singing in beautiful ski chalets, riding snowmobiles out into the wilderness, and even smoking a blunt together around a fire. Leading up to the release, Bieber dropped another video for the humorous song “I Feel Funny,” which he used to tease “Honest” and was shot in-between scenes for the “Honest” video. He had sent Bennett the song a while back, and they joked about making a video for it. And then, while they were filming the official video for “Honest,” Bennett brought it up: “I went into his trailer and said, ‘Remember that song you sent me? Let’s shoot a video for it on my phone in between takes of the actual video.'” Earlier in the month, Bieber made a surprise appearance during Coachella’s first weekend to perform “Peaches” with Daniel Caesar. The singer also recently teamed up with Kehlani for a new song, “Up All Night,” which appears on Kehlani’s album, "Blue Water Road."