23 New Songs Out Today

So many artists, so little time. Each week we review five new albums (of all genres), round up even more new music that we’d call “indie,” and talk about what metal is coming out. We post music news, show recaps, track premieres, and more all day. That includes a lot of tour announcements, a list of tonight’s NYC shows, and NY shows that just went on sale. We publish a monthly playlist of some of our favorite tracks. Here’s a daily roundup with a bunch of interesting, newly released songs in one place…

MAXO KREAM – “STILL”

Houston rapper Maxo Kream followed his great 2018 album PUNKEN with the new single “Meet Again” earlier this year, and now he signed to a major label and released another new single, “Still.” It’s a little smoother and slicker than his pre-major label stuff, but not in a bad way at all. If anything, “Still” is proof that he’s still getting better.

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JOHNNY HOSTILE & JEHNNY BETH (SAVAGES) – “LET IT OUT”

Savages’ Jehnny Beth and her partner and frequent collaborator Johnny Hostile have composed the score for new Chelsea Manning documentary, XY Chelsea. They’ve just shared “Let it Out” from it, to which they say, “It is about being inside Chelsea’s head at the moment she decides she won’t be hiding anymore. It’s a great moment of human bravery that can inspire anyone in this world to go beyond their own fear and accept who they are no matter the consequences.”

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MADONNA – “I RISE”

“I wrote ‘I Rise’ as a way of giving a voice to all marginalized people who feel they don’t have the opportunity to speak their mind,” says Madonna of her new song “I Rise,” which samples Emma González, a survivor of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, sahing “[They say] us kids don’t know what we’re talking about, that we’re too young to understand how the government works. We call BS.”. Madonna adds, “This year is the 50th anniversary of Pride and I hope this song encourages all individuals to be who they are, to speak their minds and to love themselves.” The song is from her forthcoming album, Madame X.

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SEBADOH – “SUNSHINE”

“‘sunshine’ is about going inside,” says Lou Barlow of Sebadoh’s new single. “Giving up, for the moment, on finding answers in nature or social rituals. Going inside, where I feel safe, and finding strength in intimacy.” Sebadoh’s new album, Act Surprised, is out May 24.

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OPERATORS – “I FEEL EMOTION”

Dan Boeckner’s Operators will release new album Radiant Dan on May 17 via Last Gang, and here’s a new song and its accompanying video. The band’s keyboardist, Devojka, talks about both: “‘I Feel Emotion’ is a song for anyone who feels like they don’t know how to be alive in the world today. The video we made for ‘I Feel Emotion’ is compound nostalgia. It was inspired by a video installation I saw at an exhibition at MOMA called ‘Toward A Concrete Utopia, Architecture in Yugoslavia 1948-1980’. The installation was a stack of tv screens playing short loops taken from what looked to be old commercials and footage of people in various states of everydayness. As a first generation ex-Yugoslavian, I was surprised to find myself fascinated and moved; the intimacy of a woman ecstatically twirling with her purse flung on her shoulder in her smart and modern skirt completely arrested me. I come from a long line of pain, and I’ve been estranged from my family for some years now. Making the video was a way to connect to this heritage; something equally familiar and foreign to me. I combed through hours of footage from old Yugoslavian films looking for those intimate moments – the moments that happen between the BIG EVENTS in our lives.”

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RHYE – “NEEDED”

“These are songs about love in my life, but also about the love for piano brought back into my life,” Mike Milosh writes about his new project as Rhye, Spirit, due out May 10 via Loma Vista. First single “Needed” was co-written by Dan Wilson of Semisonic, and the LP also includes collaborations with Thomas Bartlett (aka Doveman) and Ólafur Arnalds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q1LbZH1y7g

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JACCO GARDNER – “FADING COSMOS”

Jacco Gardner is releasing a new 12″ with two songs that were recorded in Lisbon during the sessions that produced his 2018 album Somnium but left off of it, because “while being thematically similar,” they are “significantly different in their approach.” “Somnium was intended as one 43-minute journey,” Jacco writes, “while these two tracks respectively interpret the concept of transformation within 8 minutes of improvisation. The concept of a journey of exploration, mixing cinematic and electronic sounds with a more jazz and folk, live improvisation type of performance has been very inspiring while working on this EP.”

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MARTYRDOD – “PHARMACEPTICON”

Martyrdod’s anticipated new album comes out next week and a third single is out now. This one’s more of a mid-tempo stomper than the previous two, but killer in its own way and keeping our hopes high for the rest of the LP.

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BHAD BHABIE – “BESTIE” (ft. MEGAN THEE STALLION)

In case you haven’t been following along, the “cash me ousside” girl Danielle Bregoli is now a rapper called Bhad Bhabie, and now she has a song out with one of the best new rappers around, Megan Thee Stallion. It’s so easy to get cynical about her rise to fame from human meme turned rapper, but this song is kinda great. Howbowdah indeed.

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SHE KEEPS BEES – “DOMINANCE”

She Keeps Bees release their first album in five years, Kinship, on May 10 via Ba Da Bing. New single “Dominance” gives off soulful, smoky vibes reminiscent of Fiona Apple’s Tidal material.

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BLU & EXILE – “TRUE & LIVIN'”

Underground rap staple Blu already released a collaborative album with Oh No, A Long Red Hot Los Angeles Summer Night, this year, and now he’s gearing up to release an EP with frequent collaborator Exile, True & Livin’, on May 24 via Dirty Science Records. The EP will feature Choosey, Aloe Blacc Fashawn, Dag Savage, Cashus King and Blame One, and the title track is out now. It’s an instantly appealing, head-nodding throwback, and it’s getting us excited to hear the rest of this EP.

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STYLES P – S.P. THE GOAT: GHOST OF ALL TIME (ALBUM STREAM)

Veteran New York rapper Styles P is back with a new album, S.P. The Goat: Ghost of All Time, and it features his LOX groupmates Jadakiss and Sheek Louch, plus Lil Fame, Nino Man, and Whispers.

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YG – “GO LOKO” (ft. TYGA, JON Z)

YG is gearing up to release his new album 4Real 4Real, and following his aggressive 6ix9ine diss track “Stop Snitchin,'” he goes in a more tender direction with the Latin-tinged guitars of “Go Loko,” featuring Tyga and Puerto Rican rapper Jon Z (and featuring YG decked out in a Mariachi outfit for the artwork).

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LOGIC – “HOMICIDE” (ft. EMINEM)

We already knew Eminem liked Chris D’Elia’s impression of him, but he must have really liked it because he samples it on his new collaboration with Logic, which is set to appear on Logic’s upcoming album Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. Logic and Em sound like they’re in a competition to see who can fit more syllables in a single second on this one.

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SLOWTHAI – “NOTHING GREAT ABOUT BRITAIN”

UK rapper slowthai’s anticipated debut album Nothing Great About Britain comes out May 17, and today he shared the title track and its video. The video is equal parts funny and powerful, and it makes the theme of this album — slowthai’s dissatisfaction with his home country — very clear. slowthai is also playing US shows soon, including two nights at NYC’s Elsewhere Zone One (night one sold out, night two on sale).

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HOLY GHOST – “DO THIS”

“This song is about sticking to our guns, going after what we always have, and believing that music fans still want more than Diplo’s latest cultural co-opt,” says Holy Ghost! frontman Alex Frankel of the dance duo’s new single. “There’s a data epidemic in the music industry. Everyone is obsessed with likes, stream counts, ‘the algorithm’ etc… For a band like us, who like to take our time in the studio and perform with a live band and make actual records from scratch, it starts to really bum you out when people around you are more focused on Instagram stats and ‘reactions’ than the music. At certain times it can feel like: what’s the point of doing this anymore? Thank god we have a small group of people we love and trust that we work with and really great fans that keep us motivated.” Holy Ghost!’s new album, Work, is out in June.

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THIS IS HEAD – X (EP STREAM)

Swedish dreampop band are back with their first new music in four years. Celebrating their 10th anniversary, the band are embracing their original idea of longer instrumental songs that give them more time to explore the music. No vocals, but this is engaging gorgeous stuff.

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FLAMINGGODS – LEVITATION (ALBUM STREAM)

UK band Flaminggods make a fun, danceable blend of psych-rock, pop and dance music. Their second album, Levitation, which is out today via Moshi Moshi, pulls influence from the ’70s disco of the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

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BRION STARR – “FACULTY OF THE SENSES”

NYC artist Brion Starr draws a lot of inspiration form ’70s glam, and Brian Eno in particular, on his debut album, Global Identity, as you can hear on this mutant stomper.

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PATIENCE – “MORAL DAMANGE”

Roxanne Clifford, who used to lead Veronica Falls, brings her voice and songwriting talents to a synthpop palette on her debut album as Patience, which is out today. On “Moral Damage,” she brings a little French flair and cool, too.

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VAMPIRE WEEKEND – “BAMBINA”

Vampire Weekend’s first album in six years is out today and it was worth the wait. One of the best of its 18 songs that wasn’t previously released as a single is “Bambina.” Check that one out and read our full review.

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MORMOR – SOME PLACE ELSE (EP STREAM)

MorMor surprise released a new EP today, featuring previous singles “Pass The Hours” and “Outside,” plus four new songs. Read more here.

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METAL SWIM 2

Adult Swim released the second edition of their metal compilation series featuring music by Baroness, Sunn O))), Eyehategod, Dreadnought, Oathbreaker, The Body, members of Thou, and more.

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Looking for even more new songs? Browse the ‘New Songs’ archive.