Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.
These 10 tracks from artists like Alec Benjamin, Snail Mail, Cuco and Foxes will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of all 10.
Snail Mail, “Valentine”
22-year-old Lindsey Jordan released an acclaimed debut project, Lush, as Snail Mail in 2018. She’s been relatively quiet since, but last week roared back with “Valentine,” a vibrant indie-rock return that, as both the lead single and title track off her forthcoming second album, hints at the direction of a highly anticipated album in the indie sphere. – LYNDSEY HAVENS
Dijon, “Many Times”
Rising experimental alt-pop artist Dijon will release his debut album later this year, which was previewed last week by lead single “Many Times.” The song functions with zero blueprint, sonically twisting and turning from the moment it kicks off and allowing Dijon to walk a fine line between fluidity and chaos. – LH
Cuco, “Under the Sun”
Twenty-three-year old pop-rock artist Cuco’s latest single, “Under the Sun,” is a hybrid of influences as he melds psychedellic instrumentation with his Mexican flair, weaving in a Spanish verse and giving space for a guitar breakdown near the song’s end. The track operates like a well-crafted film, with a strong delineation of sections and an ending that leaves you wanting more. – LH
Alec Benjamin, “Older”
While the lyrical approach on “Older” might recall a certain song called “7 Years” by Lukas Graham, here, Alec Benjamin is stuck in one specific moment and struggling to move on from it. Like so many in transition following the last year and a half of uncertainty, Benjamin sings of putting your things in boxes and telling friends you’ll see them next October, as his own experiences manage to reflect much more universal truths. – LH
Noah Kahan and Joy Oladokun, “Someone Like You”
Noah Kahan has tapped quickly ascending folk singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun for his latest single “Someone Like You.” Since Oladokun collaborated with Maren Morris earlier this year, her artistic circle has continued to expand, here polishing her pop tendencies while Kahan’s pre-chorus vocal run is its own delight. – LH
Foxes, “Sister Ray”
Nearly a decade after breaking through on a global scale as the voice of Zedd’s smash “Clarity,” British star Foxes is still consistently offering electro-pop whimsy: new single “Sister Ray” was inspired by the Velvet Underground song of the same name, but her account of a wild night out sounds a lot like the neon-streaked type of party that Robyn or Kim Petras might offer. – JASON LIPSHUTZ
Goody Grace, “Hold Me In The Moonlight”
In the same way that a song like Post Malone’s “Circles” translates modern pop and hip-hop melodies to a classic alternative template, Goody Grace’s new single “Hold Me In The Moonlight” sounds both fresh and immediate, but a little like the Gin Blossoms’ biggest hits. No complaints here: the Canadian singer-songwriter takes the concept and runs with it to create a romantic, satisfying sing-along. – JL
Moyka, “Illusion”
Norway’s Moyka has spent 2021 releasing singles following a pair of EPs in 2019 and 2020, and “Illusion” is her strongest of the new bunch, with chattering synths surrounding a longing for the type of emotional dreaminess that the production captures: “I bought into the illusion, that it could be us,” she sings on the hook, “I bought into the illusion, but that’s all it was.” – JL
Sagun & Carl Storm, “Phone By My Ear”
Last week, Nepal-based lo-fi producer Sagun and Swedish artist Carl Storm teamed up for a new EP, Solitude, that sounds primed to soundtrack those late nights of social media scrolling and ignoring sleep. Although created by two artists nowhere near each other physically, standout track “Phone By My Ear” sounds devastatingly intimate, cloaking its pop sensibility in viscous R&B. – JL
PawPaw Rod, “Lemonhaze”
Oklahoma City singer-rapper Rodney Hulsey had been dropping intriguing tracks ahead of his debut project, A PawPaw Rod EP, and the closing track suggests where he might be headed after it. “Lemonhaze” is the type of psychedelic hip-hop that still sports a hook that can draw in unfamiliar listeners; toss this on at a summer-capping barbecue and watch your guests groove along. – JL