Happy Music Monday! Last week saw new releases from your favorite artists like Ariana Grande, Mike Posner, Fifth Harmony, Alicia Keys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, and Meghan Trainor. Let’s take a look at the three singles released in the last week that show the strongest potential for success. Don’t forget to listen to these new tunes in the playlist at the end of this post.
1.) The Surefire Hit
Justin Timberlake – “Can’t Stop the Feeling.”
Objectively, Justin Timberlake’s new tune is a bit over-the-top: it was written for a movie about trolls, its music video features dozens of celebrities dancing, and the song opens with the lyric “I got this feeling inside my bones / It goes electric, wavey when I turn it on.” But like 2015 summer hit “Shut Up and Dance” which saw Walk the Moon pulling from late 70s rock, Justin Timberlake’s new single looks to the past—this time to old school R&B funk—to forge a bubbly new sound. “Can’t Stop the Feeling” wears its heart on its sleeve, featuring lyrics like “I got that sunshine in my pocket / Got that good song in my feet” on top of a melody that borrows from one of your favorite Beyoncé tunes. To keep things interesting, JT pulls off a key change in the pre-chorus (“Under the lights…”) and brings out a gospel choir to accompany him—but by the time that happens you’ll probably be singing along too.
Runner-up:
Meghan Trainor – “Me Too.”
If you’re one of those people who found “All About that Bass” a bit irritating at first and later came to like it, you may find yourself in a similar position with “Me Too” this summer. Either way, the spoken chorus “If I was you / I’d wanna be me too” is an unshakable earworm.
2.) The Newcomer’s Debut
“Guitar” – Bibi Bourelly.
Bibi Bourelly is quickly coming into her own with her debut EP “Free the Real (Pt.#1)” which came out on Friday. The singer-songwriter best known for writing hits for Rihanna makes a strong case for her balance of gritty soul and vulnerability. “Guitar” alternates between a warm, completely unexpected chorus, a gravely verse, and an electric guitar solo break (played by the artist’s father). The song plays out as an autobiographical journey that illustrates her roots in Berlin, Germany and plays homage to her relationship with her father, the guitarist Jean-Paul Bourelly. Stay tuned for a full look at Bourelly’s potential this coming Wednesday.
3.) The One-of-a Kind Track
“4 Degrees” – Anohni.
Remember when Beck won album of the year in the 2015 Grammys? His album Morning Phase wasn’t well-known beyond critical circles, and it didn’t move many units, but it did cause Kanye to nearly run on stage when it bested Beyoncé’s self-titled and surprise-released album. Anohni’s Hopelessness could be that album at the 2017 Grammys. Released last Friday, it is already critically-acclaimed for its unique look into issues like climate change, exploitative war crimes, the power of big government, and gender identity. First single, “4 Degrees,” is certainly a good introduction. Titled after the number of degrees the global temperature must rise to make irreparable damage to the earth, “4 Degrees” puts forth Anohni playing a sarcastic proponent of climate change: “All those lemurs and all those tiny creatures / I wanna see them burn, it’s only 4 degrees.” Her voice is dark, unshakeable, and damning as the song’s danceable pop beats throttle us through the track.
Runner-Up
“Burn the Witch” – Radiohead.
Speaking of unique artists making political statements, Radiohead, who have left social media in preparation for their album release, put out a song called “Burn the Witch” with a must-see stop-music motion video. It’s rumored that the video, which features a literal burning, may or may not be in response to a certain celebrity’s presidential campaign.
Take a listen below: