This week’s new music Friday features high-profile releases across rap, K-pop and country, with Drake, NewJeans and a collaboration between Noah Kahan and Kacey Musgraves among the drops.
Drake newest album effort, For All the Dogs, shows a return to form for the rapper, who enlists a series of star-studded collaborations to get the fans talking — including the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping collaboration with SZA (“Slime You Out”) and new additions with Sexyy Red (“Rich Baby Daddy”), J. Cole (“First Person Shooter”) and Chief Keef (“All the Parties”). The maximalist approach falls in line with the star power of Certified Lover Boy, and is likely to carry multiple tracks onto the upcoming Billboard charts.
NewJeans has made a name for itself through equal parts nostalgic and infectious R&B-inspired K-pop, but the hallmarks of their specific take on the genre are traded in for this year’s League of Legends World Championship anthem “GODS.” The quintet’s youthful lyrics are traded for assertive ones as they inspire gamers to ascend the ranks to victory against a backdrop and high-octane synth instrumentation and beat drops.
After Kahan and Musgraves had separate tracks with ascending country star Zach Bryan, the two come together to make some magic of their own on the collab “She Calls Me Back.” The song offers up heartfelt storytelling that details two lovers continually returning to each other and reaching equilibrium once reunited.
BLACKPINK‘s Jennie and Tems also return with new music this week.
Which new release was your favorite? Vote in our poll below.
