Words by KC Orcutt for Spotify x Billboard.com
Every week, Spotify updates their "New Music Friday" playlist, featuring 50 of the freshest new tracks hitting the service that week.
On the heels of Billboard’s partnership with the streaming giant, we’ll be tapping Spotify’s editors to sift through the soon-to-be-hits and highlight the best of the bunch.
Check out the picks and listen to the entire “New Music Friday” playlist below
Green Day - “Bang Bang”
Green Day, reputed for their politically charged pop-punk anthems, returns with their new single, “Bang Bang,” which doubles as the first promotional track in advance of their forthcoming twelfth studio album, Revolution Radio, due out on October 7. Of the track, frontman Billie Joe Armstrong explains that the song examines “the culture of mass shooting that happens in America mixed with narcissistic social media.” The veteran trio is no stranger to addressing difficult topics and unapologetically presenting them with their celebrated, signature brand of punk, and “Bang Bang” makes for a timely conversation about what Armstrong describes is “this sort of rage [that’s] happening.” Factoring in that this ‘rage’ is also now being filmed as we’re constantly under surveillance admittedly freaked the singer out, revealing that once he wrote this single, the rest of the album unfolded organically. Especially given the current unrest our nation is experiencing — and with the next presidential election drawing near — the group has endless material right in their wheelhouse to work with, and we’re more than welcoming of another strong middle-fingers-up collection of songs from the legendary punk trio.
PARTYNEXTDOOR - “Don't Know How”
OVO Sound’s elusive crooner, PARTYNEXTDOOR, has today released his next installment in his self-titled series, P3. The highly anticipated project comes after rolling out several singles, including the 16-track album’s lone feature from label boss Drake on “Come And See Me.” The singer-songwriter has long been a staple of the OVO roster, with his unique take on fusing traditional R&B with electronic soundscapes leading a movement many genre-bending artists are being inspired by. His beautifully raunchy track “Don’t Know How” makes for a great introduction to PND’s sophomore full-length album, as he serenades the ladies with an intriguing mixture of his smooth confidence and subtle vulnerabilities. In a letter addressing his fans, the singer-songwriter promises to be better at interacting with his fans, as part of his intrigue has come from his behind-the-scenes moves, writing humbly that “it’s still hard to believe that you want to hear the kid from Mississauga sing his stories.” We’re ready to get to know PARTYNEXTDOOR in a new, real way and on P3, he gives us ample opportunity to do so through his music.
Tritonal/Jenaux/Adam Lambert - “Broken”
Adam Lambert shows his versatility as a vocalist as he weaves his way into the soft EDM-foundation built by production duo Tritonal. Their collaborative single, “Broken,” is off of the group’s debut studio album, Painting With Dreams, out next month on September 9. Of the single, Tritonal explains, “Some records just seem to fall from the skies, and ‘Broken’ was just this. Written in a few hours and produced in three days, ‘Broken’ showcases why Adam Lambert has one of the biggest voices on the planet." The musicians crossed paths for the first time when Tritonal remixed one of Lambert’s songs and from there, it only made sense for all parties involved to team up once more, as well as recruit Jenaux into the mix. “I loved the remix that Tritonal did on my single 'Ghost Town' and that's when I discovered their music and became a fan,” Lambert says. “So when they approached me to do a feature it was a no brainer!” While the title may suggest differently, the artists come together on the track in a healing way, with the chorus backing up the organic nonchalance their combined talent holds, as they collectively sing, “when we met, you made me forget / that my heart was ever broken.”
OneRepublic - “Kids”
OneRepublic returns with the second single off of their upcoming fourth album, due out early this fall. As frontman Ryan Tedder shared with Billboard, the project is the longest amount of time the Colorado natives have spent recording one collection of music. “We did a lot of living in the past four years,” he says. “There was a lot to write about.” As the group proves that the best art takes time to put together, they are keeping busy preparing for their upcoming performance of their punchy, synth-driven new single “Kids” at the NFL Kickoff on September 8, where an estimated 25 million Americans will be tuning in. The song, inspired by M83, is what Tedder describes as a “conscious departure,” showing that despite almost a decade of making music together, the group is consistently still evolving with each single and with every power move. It’s looking like this fall season might just belong to OneRepublic.
Lil Uzi Vert - “Seven Million” featuring Future
Philadelphia’s Lil Uzi Vert is back with his new mixtape, The Perfect Luv Tape, which he set free to celebrate his 22nd birthday. The rapper has seen a tremendous amount of growth since the release of his first self-released EP back in 2014, now racking up an impressive average of over 1 million streams on Spotify daily. “Seven Million” was reserved for the last slot on his new project, with Future blessing the song with an especially clean hook, as the two rock over an addictive atmospheric beat meticulously crafted by Nard & B, XL and Don Cannon. The track features both rappers flexing but not in an overtly obnoxious or competitive way, and the result of their collaboration makes for what can only be considered a summer anthem, perfect for rolling up to the club and soaking in the infinite possibilities that a breezy night in mid-August holds.