The DJs are at the helm of this week’s New Music Friday releases. One dropped the highly anticipated second installment to his summer-ready album, another collaborated with two rappers, and the third teamed up with the biggest group in K-pop and a West Coast rap icon.
Calvin Harris finally dropped Vol. 2, the follow-up to his 2017 set Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1. Much like the first installment, Vol. 2 pulled out all the stops and delivered a star-studded lineup. Listeners are first treated to powerhouse collab “Potion” with Dua Lipa and Young Thug, which is followed by “Stay With Me” with Justin Timberlake, Halsey and Pharrell. Now, the album sees unique pairings in Charlie Puth and rising dancehall star Shenseea on “Obsessed,” and Busta Rhymes attacking the beat solo on “Ready or Not.”
DJ Khaled also got a pair of his friends — Drake and Lil Baby — to team up for “Staying Alive,” a track that feels primed to take over rap radio and hypebeast TikTok feeds. The Toronto rapper goes for one of his calling cards, an emotive, yet languid delivery of the song’s title for the chorus, while Baby goes in for the kill with the bulk of the verse — no Bee Gees references or instrumental disco elements to be found.
And after teasing the track over the past few months, Benny Blanco gives fans — and BTS ARMY — “Bad Decisions,” the lead single from his yet-to-be-titled album. The track sees group members Jin, V, Jung Kook and Jimin showing off their vocal talents and seeing what trouble they can get up to, as Snoop Dogg provides an assist in his signature laid back flow.
WILLOW, The 1975 and Lauv also return, but which release was your favorite? Vote in our poll below.
