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Billboard
Friday Music Guide: New Music From Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, Post Malone, LISA & Rosalía and More
By Jason Lipshutz,
2024-08-16
Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
This week, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars link up for a surefire hit, Post Malone tries on a cowboy hat and LISA brings in a friend for a pop banger. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile”
The superstar collaboration “Die With a Smile” apparently came together when Bruno Mars invited Lady Gaga over to his studio one night, played her the bones of the track, and the two stayed up until dawn finishing it; that backstory is befitting of an epic duet about not wasting the finite time we all have, as Gaga and Mars let their melodies ricochet off of Andrew Watt’s guitar snarl.
Post Malone, F-1 Trillion
Posty may have brought in Nashville’s varsity squad to help him craft his debut country project — Tim McGraw, Morgan Wallen, Blake Shelton, Dolly Parton and Hank Williams Jr. all appear on F-1 Trillion , and that’s just the first five tracks! — yet the pop-rap polymath is also a songwriting savant, and knows precisely how to translate his storytelling into a new form.
LISA feat. Rosalía, “New Woman”
After launching her new solo era with “Rockstar,” Blackpink’s LISA has summoned more firepower for “New Woman,” a multi-lingual electro-pop track featuring Rosalía oozing charisma, sleek production courtesy of Max Martin and Ilya, and ample room for LISA to showcase her attitude and spirit.
Tinashe, Quantum Baby
Tinashe may have recently revived her mainstream fortunes with the viral smash “Nasty,” but she’s been releasing danceable, self-assured R&B for a decade — and Quantum Baby , a sumptuous new 8-song project full of immediately likable beats and flirtations, simply continues the positive momentum.
Grupo Firme & Demi Lovato, “Chula”
Demi Lovato has a long history of singing in Spanish on her own projects and as a collaborator, and with “Chula,” the pop veteran links up with Grupo Firme to explore the regional Mexican sound that has exploded over the past few years, as well as toss out an anthem that works well in the waning summer days.
Continuing a huge year that has included the first Hot 100 chart-topper of his career (“Too Sweet”) and packed arena audiences, Hozier has unveiled Unaired , a three-song EP that toasts the success of his Unreal Unearth album on its one-year anniversary as well as finds a home for the rollicking new soul-rock single “Nobody’s Soldier.”
Halsey, “Lonely is the Muse”
Although Halsey didn’t work with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross on new single “Lonely is the Muse,” the spiraling rock track recalls the work that the trio created on 2022’s excellent If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power , with crashing guitars failing to wash away the pop star’s insecurities or blunt her anger.
Benson Boone, “Pretty Slowly”
“Oh, how come all the best things fall apart?” Benson Boone wonders on “Pretty Slowly,” a stomping folk-rock track that examines a breakup from all angles and allows the singer-songwriter’s falsetto to heighten the drama; after the breakthrough of “Beautiful Things,” Boone may have another hit on his hands here.
Foster The People, Paradise State of Mind
“Pumped Up Kicks” may forever be their biggest hit, but Foster The People have fashioned an impressive decade-plus run out of the opening provided by their smash single, and Paradise State of Mind , their Atlantic Records debut, is a jaunty mix of disco, rock, psychedelia and retro pop that showcases Mark Foster’s pinpoint songwriting instincts.
Editor’s Pick: Wishy, Triple Seven
Indianapolis quintet Wishy revel in being unclassifiable, with their songs ranging from anthemic pop-rock to hard-guitar emo to bleary shoegaze — but debut album Triple Seven is so captivating in its shaggy charm and searing hooks that you won’t care which genre lines it does or doesn’t cross.
Bruno Mars & Gaga? Really? I saw the video 👎 Tony Bennet, maybe, but Bruno does not need her! He is incredible without her! I saw the video . . . she looks like his mom!
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