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 Maggie Lindemann, Porter Robinson, Kaye 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.
Maggie Lindemann, “Knife Under My Pillow”
Maggie Lindemann has followed up 2019’s ska-tinged “Friends Go” with another banger. “Knife Under My Pillow” sees the pop-rock singer exploring her edgier side, and marks her move to Caroline Records. An EP is due in January 2021, and we’ll be listening.
Allie X, Della Casa, “Downtown (2020)”
Here’s a delightful 2020 update of Canadian gem Allie X’s track “Downtown,” which appears on her 2017 album CollXtion II. There’s even a new “spinning” video from the pop singer — now with teleporting, too!
Aja, “Who’s Gonna Love You?”
Speaking of Canada, check out Toronto’s latest teen talent, the 16-year-old Aja. “Who’s Gonna Love You?” is just her second song to date, but it’s a clear display of strong vocals and masterful songwriting, indicating a long career ahead.
ONR, Nile Rodgers, “Kill TV”
Scottish artist ONR has recruited Nile Rodgers and Bastille drummer Chris Woods for this frantic track, which addresses “the negative impact of media and social media,” as the musician/producer (born Robert Shields) explains in a release. If nothing else, come for Rodgers’ unmistakable guitar genius.
KennyHoopla, Grandson, “Lost Cause”
“How Will I Rest In Peace If I’m Buried by a Highway” artist KennyHoopla and singer-songwriter Grandson are a match made in alt heaven, as heard on this remix of the former’s 2018 track “Lost Cause.” If you’re patiently awaiting new Twenty One Pilots music, Grandson’s rapid-fire second verse here might just fill the void.
Porter Robinson, “Mirror”
A dance track with a beating heart and grandiose ambitions, Porter Robinson’s “Mirror” is propulsive but warm, with interstitial voices that jump in, beats that shiver and drops that sound excellent in a good set of headphones. It stretches past the five-minute mark, but you won’t mind one bit.
Gracey, Alexander 23, “Like That”
“Like That,” a team-up of British singer Gracey and Chicago artist Alexander 23, is a marvel of pacing: the words tumble out of Gracey’s mouth on the chorus in a way that both conveys and provokes excitement, but the pair still give the disco-inflected production room to breathe.
Silvana Estrada, “Para Siempre”
Mexican singer-songwriter Silvana Estrada recently signed to Glassnote Music, and her first release is a loving reinterpretation of new labelmates CHVRCHES’ single “Forever”; the original’s muscular synth-pop has morphed into hushed acoustic rock, with Estrada’s voice remaining self-assured in the rework.
Grae, “Permanent Maniac”
A love letter to Robert Smith of The Cure, the video for Grae’s “Permanent Maniac” finds the Toronto artist sketching the iconic frontman in her notebook and singing to animated butterflies surrounding her bed. The concept works because the song is doused in a dreaminess that’s unrelenting and irresistible — and immediately puts Grae on your radar.
Kaye, “What A Time To Be Alive”
The former leader of San Fermin spends the sharp electro-punk track “What A Time To Be Alive” by “imagining a leader who cared for people over ratings,” and while the social commentary is unflinching, Kaye’s snarl and the production around her keeps the track more compelling than ham-fisted.