New Music Report - New Releases Week of June 12th

Happy Monday! Kickstart your week ahead by checking out all of the new music that has just been released in this roundup of new songs, new albums, and new artists that you need to be listening to. From new albums by Katy Perry and Lady Antebellum, to new songs from Miley Cyrus and Lorde, to new collaborations from David Guetta & Justin Bieber and Lecrae & Tori Kelly, take a look at this week's New Releases.

David Guetta featuring Justin Bieber - "2U"

After teasing fans that an EPIC collaboration was on the way this week, David Guetta and Justin Bieber's "2U" is finally here! The new melodic dance track may just be your new summer anthem, which comes with an accompanying music video featuring your favorite Victoria's Secret models lip syncing to Justin's lyrics. "2U" combines David Guetta's ability to produce an addictive dance song, fusing EDM with hip hop, combined with Justin's signature vocals and heartfelt lyrics.

In a statement, David Guetta says of this new song, "Justin has such a unique voice and I have so much respect for his talent but also for his choices. He took some risks reinventing himself lately in such a cool amazing creative way. I'm very proud to finally share a record with him. I feel like 2U is an incredible combination of emotion energy with a huge melody combined with edgy sounds."

Katy Perry - Witness

After a long promotional campaign, Katy Perry can let out a big sigh of relief as her fifth studio album, WITNESS, dropped worldwide and to celebrate the occasion, she gave her fans an inside look into her weekend Big Brother style. This marks the pop star’s fifth studio album and wave of different reactions to the released singles, including “Chained to the Rhythm,” “Bon Appétit” and “Swish Swish.” Despite her agenda to create a collection of woke pop, the star hooks up with several hitmakers (Max Martin, Duke Dumont, Jack Garratt) for a batch of radio friendly cuts that dive into the dance floor realm sans the big punches from her earlier years. 

Katy Perry

Christina Grimmie - All Is Vanity

Almost a year to the day that Christina Grimmie passed away, fans are remembering the singer/songwriter with her a new album All Is Vanity. Republic Records, along with ZXL and the Grimmie family have released a new collection of music for her loyal #TeamGrimmie. All Is Vanity features seven new songs and three previously released songs like "I Only Miss You When I Breathe," "The Game," and "Invisible."

In a press release Christina's mother Tina said, "We are truly blessed to have been surrounded by so many people who want to continue to honor Christina’s legacy and help us release her music." Her father Albert added,  "Her producer, Stephen Rezza, did a tremendous job in creating the sound that she wanted. We love what he has done and are honored to be able to share it with her fans."

Christina Grimmie

Lady Antebellum - Heart Break

Heart Break is Lady Antebellum's seventh studio album, and the followup to 2014's 747 record. The new album features 13 new songs, including its lead single "You Look Good," as well as previously released songs like "Hurt," "This City," "Somebody Else's Heart," and the title track, "Heart Break." This is the longest the trio has gone without releasing a new album, and they certainly do not disappoint with Heart Break. The group even teamed up with producer busbee (Maren Morris, Shakira, Keith Urban) on the record.

Lady Antebellum

alt-j - RELAXER

After the release of 2014's This Is All Yours, alt-J returns with their third studio LP, RELAXER. It’s a short set with only eight tracks, but provides the fanbase with a change of pace in their discrography. They cover death. They cover sexual rendezvous. "We’ve always sort of done our own thing and never really tried to be anything that we’re not. And not take other people’s advice, not let other people influence our albums. I think we’ve learned that was a really good way to work,” Gus Unger-Hamilton said of the lessions learned going into the making of the new LP. "I think that also not trying to be willfully unusual or different, remembering that if we’re not interested in what we’re doing then other people probably won’t be either is a really big one.” See “SWW” and “Deadcrush"

alt j

SZA - Ctrl

After several delays, SZA makes her grand splash with her debut album, CTRL. The collection was four years in the making and hears the TDE songstress approach her songwriting in a literal sense as opposed to writing about her life through a metaphorically lens. Throughout the 20-song set, the 26-year-old crooner touches on several topics from ex-flames, her twenty something years and the power of the good ol’ P. CTRL features collaborations from Kendrick Lamar, Travi$ Scott, James Fauntleroy and Isaiah Rashad. See: “Doves In The Wind” and “Broken Clocks"

SZA

Pharrell Williams - "Yellow Light"

Pharrell blessed the world with a new song entitled “Yellow Light.” The fun, family-friendly song gives us all the same happy vibes as another hit song of his…”Happy”! “Yellow Light” is featured on the Despicable Me 3 soundtrack. Being the amazing artist that he is, Pharrell is even executive producing the entire soundtrack, too! The music video shows him walking and dancing around the city, as adorable little minions follow him – and unsurprisingly fuss and fight with one another.

Lorde - "Sober"

Ahead of the release of Melodrama, Lorde drops another taste of the upcoming LP in the form of "Sober.” Atop some drums and synth, the New Zealand singer croons about the the debauchery that occured during a wild weekend. "These are the games of the weekend," she sings. "We pretend that we just don't care/ But we care/ But what will we do when we're sober?” Lorde’s initial inspiration for “Sober” arrived in the back of an Uber and prompted her to head over to Jack Antonoff and Lena Dunham's kitchen table. "I'll never forget writing the first demo," she tweeted. "It was like a trance I guided jack to the chords almost wordlessly with my hands on his shoulders."

Sia - "Free Me"

Sia gives us a break from the "Cheap Thrills" rip-offs floating around radio airwaves with “Free Me." For her new piano-led ballad, the singer calls for some assistance to relieve her from the chronic pain she has been suffering, which is the direct result of the pain that HIV patients suffer from. It’s part of an initiative related to the Abyzme Research Foundation, which works on game-changing approaches to HIV vaccinations using HIV-neutralizing antibodies. "Free me, free me/ from this pain I've been running from," Sia sings during the track’s emotional hook. "I'm tired and I'm free falling/ Free me, free me/ from this shame I've been running from/ I'm lost and I am calling you."

Kelsea Ballerini - "Legends"

Kelsea Ballerini is back with brand new music! The country star released her first new single since her 2015 debut album The First Time, and it's called "Legends." The mid-tempo track is full of meaningful lyrics, and was written by Kelsea, along with Hillary Lindsey, and Forest Glen Whitehead. Kelsea recently told iHeartRadio of her new song:

"'Legends,' to me, is nostalgia. Whether that is looking back at a relationship that's ended, or a loss in your life in any form. Or even a relationship that you're in that you're just reflecting on, which I wrote it from the perspective of a heartbreak, of a breakup. But now, I sing it, and it's about my love story right now that I can look back on, but I'm presently still in. That's why I love it so much, I feel like it takes on all these different meanings as I live with it. It's one of the first songs I wrote for this next record, and when we wrote 'Legends,' along with a couple of others that are on the record, we knew that was going to be the sound and the cornerstone for the next step. I just hope people gravitate towards the lyrics. There are so many lyrics in the song that I'm really proud of that, to me, just bounce off the page when we wrote it, and hopefully the radio now. I just hope they find the lyrics that they related to."

Vic Mensa - The Manuscript EP

Roc Nation artist Vic Mensa released The Manuscript EP, which he’s previously said that he wants to be called a “capsule.” The project consists of four songs, where Pusha T and Mr. Hudson serve as the only features. Mensa worked with one of his idols Pharrell on the song “OMG.” The famed Neptunes artist produced the track. In an interview with iHeartRadio, Mensa spoke about how much he enjoyed working with Pharrell on “OMG” and the overall vibe of The Manuscript, which he released prior to his upcoming album, which is also set to drop this summer.

Vic Mensa

Lecrae & Tori Kelly - "I'll Find You"

LeCrae called on Tori Kelly to contribute to his latest song “I’ll Find You.” In true LeCrae fashion, it’s an inspirational track that may be useful for someone who’s going through a difficult time, at the moment. Kelly’s powerful vocals make the single just that much more moving. “They say ‘Don’t get bitter, get better’/I’m working on switching them letters/But tell God I’ma need a whole lot of hope keeping it together/I’m smilin’ in everyone’s face/I’m cryin’ whenever they leave the room/They don’t know the battle I face/They don’t understand what I’m going through,” raps LaCrae.

Khalid - "Young Dumb & Broke (Rae Sremmurd & Lil Yachty Remix)"

Khalid is continuing to drop remixes of songs that are featured on his debut album, American Teen. After releasing a “Location (Remix” featuring Kehlani and Lil Wayne, and a “Let’s Go (Remix)” featuring GoldLink, he’s now given us a “Young Dumb & Broke (Remix)” featuring Rae Sremmurd and Lil Yachty. Having these two acts on the new song makes much sense, if you think about it. Rae Sremmurd and Yachty call themselves the new voices of the youth. So, of course, they would be a great addition to a single about young people. Throughout the track, everyone sings and raps about broke millennial problems.

Yachty raps, “Back in high school Boat was so emotional/Now I’m super rich and everything I do is so promotional. I didn’t finish college, so my momma thought I wouldn’t be shit/I had to prove her wrong (yah)/That’s why I talk about her now in every single song.”

Fetty Wap - Lucky No. 7 EP

There’s been yet another surprise release! Following in the footsteps of Wiz Khalifa, Yo Gotti & Mike Will Made-It, PartyNextDoor; Fetty Wap dropped a brand new, surprise mixtape in honor of his 26th birthday. His big day was June 7. So, Fetty naturally named his new project Lucky No. 7. It features seven songs. There aren’t any features on any of them. But, some producers who are credited on it include Boogey Beatz, Ace Bankz, Tim May Beatz, and more.

Fetty Wap

X Ambassadors - "The Devil You Know"

X Ambassadors shared yet another new song with fans called "The Devil You Know" which follows their previously released 2017 tracks "Hoping" and "Torches." The rock song appeared in a trailer for the film American Made, which stars Tom Cruise, and although there has been no official announcement of a new full-length album from the band this year, it sure sounds like they're sitting on a lot of unreleased tunes.

Tyga featuring Vic Staples - "Playboy"

Early last week, Tyga dropped a single entitled “Playboy.” It features Def Jam rapper Vince Staples. The new song caused quite a few headlines, as many people believed that Tyga was throwing some subliminal shade at his ex-girlfriend Kylie Jenner. "She a superstar / She got it bad for me / If I hang up, she call right back to me," Tyga spits. "You cut her legs off / She crawls right back to me / I call it playboy tenacity." Ouch! We wonder how Jenner new boo Travis Scott feels about those lyrics?

A$AP Mob featuring A$AP Rocky & A$AP Ferg - "Wrong"

A$AP Mob is back with yet another catchy banger. This new song is called “Wrong” and it’s probably one of the realest tracks we’ve ever heard from the Rocky and Ferg. Throughout the song, Ferg raps about his wifey catching him in the act of cheating with another woman. He knows that he keeps breaking her heart, but he’s always making terrible excuses for his actions because of his music-making lifestyle. Rocky has some touches to “Wrong” on the chorus. The music video’s treatment is superb. It’s a high-fashion experience, as the two rappers admit the wrong things they do to the person closest to them.

Chris Brown featuring Cal Scruby - "Welcome To My Life"

On Tuesday (June 6), Chris Brown premiered his documentary “Welcome To My Life” for one night only in Los Angeles. Afterward, he released the title track that basically summaries the film. On the song, Brown sings about the ups and downs of his life; and the struggles of continuously trying to be a better a person. The singer enlisted the bars of Ohio rapper Cal Scruby to contribute and it’s a must listen. True Breezy fans will definitely appreciate the artist’s honestly and vulnerability throughout it.

Jhené Aiko - "While We're Young"

Jhene has a sweet new single called “While We’re Young” and an accompanying music video, as well. “While We’re Young” is the first released track from her upcoming second solo project, which is set to drop later this year.  On it, Aiko speaks about loving someone unconditionally. The music video takes a page out of the movie “50 First Dates,” as Aiko plays a woman who suffers from short-term memory loss. But, her significant other does everything in his power to make her remember that they’re an item.

Don Diablo - "Say A Little Love"

Welcome to the newest EDM gem onto the scene: Don Diablo's "Say a Little More." Released via Protocol Recods, the dance record hears the Dutch DJ offer listeners with an uplifting melody and a drop that leans more on the soft end than harsh. "Save A Little love" was first previewed during his Lollapalooza set in Brazil. 

Krewella - New World Pt. 1 EP

Krewella is back with a new EP! The duo released their new EP New World Pt. 1, following the release of their new single "Love Outta Me" last week. The new EP was released on June 8th, which is the day the girls decided to quit school to pursue a music career full-time. They both have tattoos to commemorate the date. The EP features seven new songs, including "Love Outta Me," as well as their previously released tunes "Team" and "Be There."

In a statement, they said of the EP, "In honor of 6/08/10, the day we decided to quit our side hustle and drop out of school to dedicate ourselves to Krewella full-time, we are releasing an EP called New World on 6/08/17. Through the highs and lows of our career and personal lives, not a day has gone by that we haven’t regretted that decision to stay focused and committed to making music."

Krewella

Method Man "Eviction" featuring Dave East, Max B, Joe Young & Hanz

Later this year, Method Man’s upcoming project Methlab 2 the Lithium will be dropped. In anticipation of the release, Meth blessed us with his latest single “Eviction,” which features Dave East, Max B, Joe Young & Hanz. Dame Grease produced the track and it gives us ALL the 1990s, rap feels. The old school vibe is what we live for, as we replay it over and over and over again. We can’t get enough of the jam. If this is just a small taste of what Meth’s new project is going to be, we’re too hype for it to come.


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content