Every week, there are hundreds of thousands of new songs hitting the airwaves. It’s too much for just your two ears to handle: With all those options, you can’t be wasting your time on tracks worthy of a thumbs-down click.
But don’t worry, we’re going to save you the hassle. We listen to some of the most-hyped and interesting songs each week, and tell you which are worthy of your precious listening time.
Here are our top 5 songs to stream this week — and remember to subscribe to our Spotify playlist for all of our weekly picks.
Chance The Rapper — We The People
Chance The Rapper’s latest release was produced in partnership with Nike to coincide with this year’s Olympic games, aiming to give U.S. athletes the upper hand in their head-to-head battles for world athletic supremacy. Simple piano chords outline The Rapper’s poetic words and gentle melody on the tune, accompanied by an inspiring black and white video from the apparel giant.
Cass McCombs — Medusa’s Outhouse (NSFW Video)
Dark lyrics meet a beautifully crafted melody in Cass McCombs’ single Medusa’s Outhouse, accompanied by a freshly-released video that was shot on a seedy Los Angeles porn set. The juxtaposition between the music and visuals here is brilliant, where innocent-feeling sounds and dark lyrics clash in a vignette of a gritty real-world setting.
Isaiah Rashad — Free Lunch
The latest release from LA’s hottest hip-hop label Top Dawg Entertainment is a modern-classic. Free Lunch, from rapper Isaiah Rashad, is most astonishing for its deep rhythmic pocket. Rashad easily nails his eighth notes on the track, providing listeners with a head-bobbing cut that seems designed explicitly for some combination of brown paper bags, summer evenings, and park benches.
Noname — Diddy Bop (Feat. Raury and Cam O’bi)
Another Chicago rapper who has been bolstered by the success of Chance The Rapper, Noname uses her latest single Diddy Bop to prove that she’s got the skills to be an international success. With perfectly-executed rapid-fire verses, the young talent showcases every bit of her potential here, providing one of the best hip-hop tunes of the summer in the process.
The Jayhawks — Quiet Corners & Empty Spaces (and more)
Classic alt-country superstars The Jayhawks appeared at NPR’s Tiny Desk this week, offering a catchy batch of new songs for listeners new and old. Despite slowly greying hair and years of personnel changes, the band’s lead singer Gary Louris continues to astound with perfectly-penned melodies and undying taste; If ever a band could be described as timeless, it’s The Jayhawks.
That’s it for now, but check back every week for more new tunes to stream!
