Check out buzz’s picks for the top 10 new music releases of the past week, updated weekly. The list consists of the best songs, albums, EPs and music videos from all genres of music. Feel free to let us know if we missed anything!
“The Party Never Ends” — Juice WRLD (POSTHUMOUS RELEASE)
Juice WRLD’s final studio album — and his third posthumous album — presents the last of his recorded tracks. Including features from Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Offset, Fall Out Boy, The Kid Laroi and Benny Blanco, Forbes dubs “The Party Never Ends” a “fitting farewell” to the rapper. The tracklist has a bit more of an upbeat feel, as opposed to some past works from Juice WRLD, and it feels like a high note to end the rapper’s career.
Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!
“DELUSIONAL” — Kesha
The second single from her upcoming studio album, “DELUSIONAL” sees the popstar coming for her ex-partner — hard. Kesha referred to the electro-pop ballad as her “best song yet” on TikTok, likely referring to the fact that it’s one of the first pieces of new music from her self-titled label, which launched in September. “DELUSIONAL” doesn’t present many new sounds from the artist and has been thoroughly criticized by audiences for the single’s artificial intelligence cover art.
“King Steps” — Disclosure, Pa Salieu
“King Steps” doesn’t disappoint after being teased on stage during a performance last month. The British collab creates a fast-paced track filled with that hazy-electronic vibe that Disclosure is well known for. Pa Salieu brings a fresh energy to the track, matching up nicely with the Grammy-nominated DJ duo’s beats.
“Butterfly II” — UMI
Following her two EPs released in 2024 — one of which featured V of BTS — UMI has dropped her first stand-alone single of the year, “Butterfly II.” Following up on her 2018 single “Butterfly,” which had a notably more lo-fi feel, “Butterfly II” features the same silky vocals but brings in a subtle electric guitar and upbeat drums to give the track a more energetic, positive feel.
“No More Heroes” — Polo G
Polo G gets incredibly real on his latest single, “No More Heroes,” rapping a slew of emotional lyrics over a heavy beat. The track highlights how the rapper is truly “still healin’ up,” reflecting on living as a celebrity and where his values lie. The throwback to Polo G’s childhood and journey as a rapper in the industry creates a touching, introspective track.
“Vibes” — 41, Kyle Richh, Jenn Carter
Rap group 41 has dropped its latest in a line of singles in 2024, “Vibes.” The slower hip-hop track sees the rappers asking for brutal honesty, confessing a confused muddle of feelings throughout the song. Kyle Richh brings a smooth flow over the beat, which complements the backing bassline well.
“Home” — David Guetta, Kiko, Olivier Giacomotto
The nearly lyric-less track brings three DJs together in an ultimate collaboration. Shortened significantly from its original four-minute cut, the track still presents a fluorescent energy that showcases each DJ’s talents and full potential. Feeling like it almost reaches an end only a minute and a half in, the track revamps with a new beat and continues to expand on its original ideas for an additional minute.
“Friday Night Lights” — J. Cole
While this technically may not be considered “new” music — J. Cole’s original “Friday Night Lights” mixtape was released in 2010 — the tracklist has been moved to streaming platforms. One of the rapper’s first commercial mixtapes, the songs stayed off his debut album due to his label not believing they would sell. The mixtape received notably positive reviews in the early 2010s and has accumulated millions of listens on Spotify over three days.
“Nada” — G-Eazy
Released alongside his other new single, “Vampires,” G-Eazy clearly hasn’t stopped working on new music during his ongoing tour, which finished its 2024 portion last night. Sampling the famous tune “Tom’s Diner,” “Nada” brings a fresh take to the classic that sees G-Eazy confidently flexing his success as a rapper.
“Fig Tree” — Chloe Slater
Perfect for indie-alternative lovers everywhere, Chloe Slater’s latest single, “Fig Tree,” is the singer’s candid reflection on life, love and the impossibility of growing up as a woman. The song is accompanied by a raw music video showing Slater running through streets and scenes of the United Kingdom in a somewhat freeing fashion. The alt-rock artist promises a strong future, already accumulating nearly 200,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and preparing for a tour in the U.K. this coming spring.
