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 including Baby Queen, Daniel Seavey, Honey Dijon with Channel Tres and Sadie Walker 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.
Baby Queen, “Lazy”
Fresh off opening for Olivia Rodrigo in Europe, rising UK star Baby Queen channels her pop cheekiness toward a slacker anthem (“I could be a hero, baby / But I’m too f–king lazy,” she shrugs) marked by cozy guitar strums and a clap-along rhythm. Baby Queen’s singles thrive most clearly when Bella Latham’s singular quirks are in full view, and “Lazy” gives us a gloriously unvarnished persona. – Jason Lipshutz
VeeAlwaysHere feat. Ian360, “Ego”
VeeAlwaysHere’s story is impressive — a native of Siberian Russian, he’s a self-taught producer/mixer who picked up English thanks in part to American pop music — and so is his ability to create genre pastiches like “Ego,” the best track from his eight-song release of the same name. “Ego” gallops, hoisting up pop-punk, alt-rock, hip-hop and bubblegum influences into a sleek two minutes about romantic frustration. – J. Lipshutz
Men I Trust, “Billie Toppy”
Montreal group Men I Trust’s latest sounds something like the Cocteau Twins trying to re-create Parquet Courts’ “Stoned and Starving”… in other words, post-punk bliss, but in a crunchy shell. The drums and bass line push “Billie Toppy” downhill, but Emmanuelle Proulx’s voice elevates this affair into something mysterious and gorgeous; the result is a studio masterclass that also begs to be experienced in cancert. – J. Lipshutz
Madison McFerrin, “Stay Away (From Me)”
Singer-songwriter Madison McFerrin’s new track contains straightforward declarations — “I don’t know / How to go / Unrestricted / I’m conflicted,” she sings — that leap off of the lyrics page as McFerrin twists her voice around each syllable, climbing into her upper register as the self-produced rhythmic pop track finds a sensual groove. “Stay Away (From Me)” sounds simple, but there’s a ton to like underneath the surface here. – J. Lipshutz
First Aid Kit, “Turning Onto You”
Like all great First Aid Kit songs, “Turning Onto You” opens with the duo’s engulfing harmonies — which here are just a brief warm up before the production and their voices grow even more powerful. With lyrics like “I’m listening out for the sound of my sanity tuning out,” and “Fell in love with a dream, I guess,” this latest single off upcoming album Palomino proves the pair is successful as ever at patching up emotional wounds through their music. – Lyndsey Havens
Reneé Rapp, “Don’t Tell My Mom”
While many songs capture the highs and lows of a mother-daughter relationship, Reneé Rapp’s “Don’t Tell My Mom” stands apart for the way in which she sings of the most delicate dance of all:the point when a daughter begins to protect her mom. As Rapp chronicles, over a steadying yet stripped down backbeat, the various weak points she wishes to hide from her mom, she repeats the sentiment that “at least in her mind her daughter is fine.” – L.H.
Daniel Seavey, “Can We Pretend That We’re Good?”
The slinky and electric “Can We Pretend That We’re Good” ushers in a new era for Why Don’t We co-founder Daniel Seavey: his solo chapter. Blending hits roots of rock, pop and alternative with enticingly sharp and experimental production, Seavey co-wrote and produced the track, saying in a statement, “It’s fun to dive into who I am … I consistently try to take different sounds and assemble something you’ve never heard before. I’ve always wanted to do this, and I’m excited to be able to now.” – L.H.
Honey Dijon & Channel Tres ft. Sadie Walker, “Show Me Some Love”
Channel Tres’ alluring, laid-back flow is a perfect complement to Honey Dijon’s swirling mix of ‘90s house and Detroit techno on “Show Me Some Love,” while boasts a gorgeous guest vocal from Sadie Walker and leaves us hungry to experience the full Black Girl Magic when the DJ’s album drops Nov. 18. – Joe Lynch
Softee, “Molly”
A funky indie-pop vibe-fest, “Molly” finds Softee (Nina Grollman) pondering if she’s falling in love or just buzzed atop a percolating rhythm section that’s punctuated by soulful horns. The lyrics might suggest confusion, but there’s a sweet sincerity to her delivery that makes it clear: love is the drug she’s tripping on here. – J. Lynch
Little Fuss, “Guardian Angel”
Hailing from Little Fuss’ debut album Girls at Parties, “Guardian Angel” paints a picture of a woman crying in front of the bathroom mirror at a soireé, praying “to a god I don’t believe in” as she tries to find some grace during an emotional low point, which the art-pop duo brings to life with painful clarity and beauty. – J. Lynch
