Looking for some Monday motivation to help power you through the start of another week? We’re right there with you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.
These 10 tracks from artists like King Princess, Milck, Josh Levi and more 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.
King Princess, “Only Time Makes It Human”
King Princess more than proved her songwriting chops on debut album Cheap Queen, while her Mark Ronson collaboration “Pieces of Us” demonstrated what she’s capable of with some bouncier production. New single “Only Time Makes It Human” expands upon that skillset, translating her lyrical prowess to a lush, elastic groove, and making a lasting impression.
Annie, “Forever ’92”
Norwegian treasure Annie has finally returned after 11 years without a proper album, and while Dark Hearts is worth perusing in full, the wistful “Forever ’92” is among the more uptempo highlights, with Annie’s delicate memories and a sax solo reminiscent of some of M83’s nostalgia-soaked pop moments.
Big Wild, “Who Do You Believe”
Portland-based producer-songwriter Jackson Stell takes on the age of misinformation with “Who Do You Believe,” an urgent and slightly sinister psych-dance opus that reaches a moving crescendo at the two-thirds mark. Even as it thumps along, the track is dazzlingly unpredictable right until its collapsing fade-out.
Josh Levi, “Don’t They”
Pop-R&B newcomer Josh Levi already has a lot of famous supporters, including Normani, who appears in the music video for his minimalist standout “Don’t They”; with Levi showcasing his vocal range while yearning for a semblance of normal love on the song, it’s easy to see why he’s already getting some top-level attention.
YDE, “Stopped Buying Diamonds”
Australia-born, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter YDE (pronounced EE-dee) worked with Justin Tranter and Mattman & Robin on her debut single — that’s quite the pedigree for the 17-year-old’s musical bow, but YDE sells “Stopped Buying Diamonds” herself, knowing exactly how to deploy lyrical gems like, “Why should I have to grow thicker skin / When you can just stop saying s–t?”
Milck feat. Bipolar Sunshine, “Somebody’s Beloved”
Written amidst Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality, Milck’s “Somebody’s Beloved” is a moving call for racial justice. “More than a number/ More than a story/ More than a memory/ Somebody’s friend/ Somebody’s daughter/ Somebody’s beloved,” Milck (born Connie Lim) sings on the emotional ballad, which also serves as a dedication to Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Nina Pop and George Floyd.
The track is “a labor of love, grief, hope, and empathy,” Lim tells Billboard in a statement. “Bipolar Sunshine and I have centered our focus on humanity and love, because we believe deeply in the need for more understanding between peoples, no matter how different we all are.” She adds, “This song is one of the most meaningful songs I’ve ever worked on…we are all so connected, and sometimes our culture leads us to forget that.”
Cory Wong feat. Kimbra, “Design”
Kimbra, who has been largely quiet on the musical front since her 2018 album Primal Heart, makes a welcome appearance on Cory Wong’s funky new effort. “We are in a weird time where we have our ‘digital’ selves, and our ‘analog’ selves,” Wong explains in a release. “This song is a loosely abstract approach to convincing ourselves that we are human and not machine.”
Astrid S, “Good Choices”
Astrid S’s debut album Leave It Beautiful contains many a stunning moment, and the ballad “Good Choices” is certainly one of them. “I really wanna make good choices/ But I keep messing up over and over/ And some days I swear/ It’s like trouble keeps calling my name, saying, saying/ Good choices/ Avoid it,” the Norwegian artist admits.
Royal & the Serpent, “Choke”
L.A.’s Ryan Santiago, who performs as Royal & The Serpent, has emerged as one of the most spirited songwriters of 2020. After making her major label debut via Atlantic Records with the dark-pop banger “Overwhelmed” — now a TikTok hit — she’s unleashed her new project Get a Grip, which is topped by the equally excellent “Choke.”
Maja Kristina, “Imma Show U”
Discover another stellar Swedish export in 22-year-old Maja Kristina: the singer-songwriter recruited Rami Yacoub — who, ahem, produced “…Baby One More Time” alongside Max Martin — and Rob Knox (Lil Wayne, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake) for this bold new single, which is a promising taste of her upcoming debut EP.