The final New Music Friday of September certainly didn’t disappoint!
Taylor Swift leads this week’s round-up with “Patient Zero,” the new single from The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, which arrived on the same day and adds four new tracks to her history-making LP. Blending a country-teasing intro with a standard pop production courtesy of Max Martin and Shellback, “Patient Zero” functions as a Trojan Horse for the sonic possibilities of a post-Showgirl Swift.
On the other end of the spectrum, Madonna tapped Charli xcx for her latest Afterhours remix. This time, the two dance-pop maestros united for a reimagining of “Danceteria” that bridges Madge’s L.E.S. origin story with the history of PC music’s development in Los Angeles. Another powerhouse collaboration came by way of Maren Morris and Michelle Branch, who joined forces for a new version of Branch’s nearly 25-year-old Billboard Hot 100 No. 21 hit “Goodbye to You.”
This week also featured notable new singles from Dolly Babe and Megan Thee Stallion (“Pink Blush” remix), Kirk Franklin and GloRilla (“This Time”), Shenseea (“Vulnerability”), Maeta (“Decimate”), Labrinth (“I Want to Know What Love Is”), Brandy (“A Different World”), Tame Impala and Fcukers (“Loser” remix), serpentwithfeet (“Sentinel”), Miranda Lambert (“Two Things Can Be True”) and Imogen Heap (“Chapter 4”).
Tinashe has one of the week’s buzziest full-length releases with her aptly titled Popstar, an all-out manifesto for a new understanding of pop stardom that centers her experience as a Black woman and independent artist in that space. Rising pop star Jae Stephens explores similar themes on her highly anticipated debut album, Audacity, and Grammy-winning soulman Leon Bridges leaned into tempo on his new Happiness Anytime. Country superstar Kenny Chesney also shared his new Silver Sands Marina, while indie rocker Blondshell dropped her third album, Violins. Mexican singer-songwriter Emjay also shared a new 13-track set titled Pop Pesado.
This New Music Friday also includes new albums from Tee Grizzley (They Forgot), J.I the Prince of N.Y (Tears from a Weeping Prince), DDG (Hit-a-Thon), Tank (Experience), Warren Zeiders (No Brakes), Topaz Jones (New Life), Nippa (Homegrown) and Nessa Barrett (Tough Love).
Which of these songs, EPs, and albums are you most excited about this week? Let Billboard know which release is staying on repeat this weekend by voting for your favorite in the poll below.
