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 Little Mix, Bea Miller, Kississippi 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.
Little Mix, “Not a Pop Song”
Don’t you dare call it a pop song, but Little Mix’s latest is deserving of a place on this playlist. Perrie, Jesy, Leigh-Anne and Jade are sick of singing bubblegum songs about heartbreak, and “Not a Pop Song” is their stand against the standard. It’s catchy, yes, but it’s the courageous lyrics that make this one special; there’s even some shade towards Syco boss Simon Cowell (“I don’t do what Simon says”), who parted ways with the group in 2018. All together now: “I don’t give a what!”
Nova Miller, “Girls Like Us”
“Girls Like Us,” from Swedish singer-songwriter Nova Miller, is sugary-sweet — like candy corn that you can’t stop eating, but without the resulting stomachache. The dance-pop track will appear on Miller’s upcoming EP The Passion (Oct. 16), which will also include earlier bops “Mi Amor” and “Do It To Myself.”
Nessa Barrett, “If U Love Me”
The sophomore single from TikTok star Nessa Barrett is a pleasant, off-center surprise. On the sultry (and revenge-tinged) track, the 18-year-old warns, “’Cause what you don’t know/ When my heart goes cold/ I hold my demons close/ And I don’t let go.” Halsey-on-a-haunted-hayride vibes.
Haerts, Ed Droste, “For the Sky”
Haerts (Nini Fabi and Benny Gebert) bring a new-school Fleetwood Mac feel to this collab with Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste, which is also their first release since the duo’s 2019 album New Compassion. The video features a nine-months-pregnant Fabi, who says the song “came from a dream I had when I first found out” that she was expecting.
Cxloe, “Heavy”
“Heavy” fronts Cxloe’s new EP, out Friday (Oct. 16), and it packs a punch. “Used to be my anchor/ Now your anger’s all on me,” she growls, “But I let go of s–t that ain’t that deep/ It’s 4 in the morning/ And you’re still there in your corner/ There’s more than just a table in between.” Another winner from the Australian singer-songwriter, who truly hasn’t missed in 2020.
Bea Miller, “Wisdom Teeth”
Credit Bea Miller — a gifted singer-songwriter who is currently transitioning away from teen-friendly pop-rock into more mature, rhythmic fare — for effectively selling a song built around the idea that one might lose some wisdom upon the extraction of wisdom teeth. Did Miller just invent “dental pop”? Maybe. Either way, she’s blossoming into a star.
Jax Jones feat. Au/Ra, “I Miss You”
British producer Jax Jones pulls off two different percussive triumphs in new single “I Miss You”: the gentle clanging in the verses grabs the listener, and then the viscous thumping in the chorus forces them to move. Au/Ra makes for an impressive siren in one of strongest dance cuts in recent months.
I Love Your Lifestyle, “Car”
Allow Sweden’s I Love Your Lifestyle to transport you back to the yelp-y indie-pop of the mid-2000s with “Car,” a sunny anthem in which the group channels its emo ambitions into a killer sing-along: “No I’m not asleep/ My mind is still alive!”
Kississippi, “Around Your Room”
Speaking of indie-pop anthems, the latest single from Philly-based singer-songwriter Zoe Reynolds’ Kississippi project is a darn near immaculate interpretation of infatuation. Each 30-second chunk of the song soars higher than what preceded it, until Reynolds reaches a culmination of crashing drums and layered vocals. Play “Around Your Room” immediately to hear an artist reach greatness.
Cait, “Forgetful”
L.A. singer-songwriter Cait is a newcomer with an impressive vocal approach: on “Forgetful,” she glides over the lines that serve as connective tissue and lingers on the lyrics that pack an emotional punch, all as the acoustic-pop production keeps her story moving forward.