USHER
“Good Kisser”
RCA Records
In the 20 years since his first album, Usher has been around the world and back with a slew of blockbuster albums, singles and tours. And he has journeyed musically as well, moving away from the urban Lothario cuts that put him on the map and into dance (“OMG”) and electro (“Climax”). But with “Good Kisser,” the lead single from his forthcoming eighth album on RCA, Usher skillfully looks back to his hip-hop/soul wheelhouse – and then even further back than that. His persuasive-as-ever falsetto sounds like a 2014 Marvin Gaye; the sparse track, led by a looping snippet of plucked bass and drum rolls, sounds like a Meters outtake. Much like his past best work – or a good kiss, for that matter – it works for both the club and the bedroom. -Brad Weté
TIESTO FEAT. MATTHEW KOMA
“Wasted”
Casablanca/Republic
Can a summer pop anthem also be a secretly depressing recognition of a crumbling relationship? Dutch DJ Tiesto has cooked up a springy instrumental and hummable melody for his best bid for top 40 dominance, but singer Matthew Koma’s lyrics focus on what can make a bad romance worthwhile: “The only time we really talk/Is when our clothes are coming off/I like us better when we’re wasted,” goes the eerily chirpy tune. -Jason Lipshutz
BROOKE CANDY
“Opulence”
RCA Records
Brooke Candy exists in the dark world of L.A. grime, her persona swathed in a dystopian lacquer. It’s odd, then, to hear the rapper flaunt her riches – “I could fit your condo in my backyard” – on her official debut single. Still, the Diplo beat throbs with seductive force, and Candy commands attention even while not quite connecting the dots. -Dan Hyman
ESTER DEAN
“Get My Dough”
Zone 4/Interscope
Ester Dean has been working diligently to forge a new identity outside of her work as a Midas touch songwriter for Katy Perry and Rihanna. “Get My Dough” is her latest attempt to add a hip-hop edge to her increasingly recognizable take on shiny pop, and her most successful yet as a solo artist. “I’m not a slut/I’m not a ho/but I’ma get my dough,” she sings, with a gritty delivery that matches her determination. -Andrew Hampp
MASTODON
“High Road”
Reprise Records
With “High Road,” prog-metal band Mastodon has finally delivered a classic rock anthem. The verses trudge forward with signature sludge-core relentlessness, as bassist Troy Sanders tells a faceless enemy, “You are the plague that was brought here by rats.” But it’s all about that chorus – a lighter-waving scream-along destined to dominate summer hard-rock festivals. -Ryan Reed