Billboard has rounded up the biggest New Music Friday releases of the week, and this week’s picks include Miley’s Atlantic debut Bass Persuades, Carly Rae Jepsen’s double album Day and Night, Riley Green’s fourth country album That’s Just Me, and Rosé’s new single “New Trick.” The roundup also covers Kim Petras’ deluxe edition of Detour and a Travis Scott track from the Grand Theft Auto VI soundtrack.
The guide serves as a quick look at the key releases everyone will be talking about today, and that will dominate playlists this weekend and beyond. Last week’s picks included Jhené Aiko, Bleachers, Dove Cameron and more. This week’s lineup runs the gamut from pop to country to hip-hop, with something for nearly every listener.
Miley Goes Pop With Atlantic Debut Bass Persuades
For her Atlantic debut, Miley has left behind the surname Cyrus and is simply going by Miley now. She recently inked a new record deal with Atlantic Records, and the change marks the beginning of a new chapter ahead of her 10th studio album. The lead single and title track arrives as a full-on dance-pop banger, while the second single “Let’s Get Married” takes a more reflective turn as Miley sings lovingly about wanting to marry her fiancé Maxx Morando.
Across its 10 tracks, the record moves back and forth between two realms, with a “Bass Persuades Remix,” standing out among them. The common thread running through the whole thing is the clear sense that Miley is head over heels in love and eagerly waiting for whatever comes next as a result.
Carly Rae Jepsen Delivers Double Album Day and Night
Carly Rae Jepsen is on her eighth studio album, and she is giving fans a two-for-one special. The two-disc set fittingly features one set of “daytime” songs that explore varied tempos and spotlight songwriting, while the second set is purely sundown dance-pop productions. Together, the 24 songs make for a stellar one-and-a-half hour long sonic journey.
This double record works as a present for the listener, and it succeeds on both counts. Jepsen has spent her career crafting tunes with hooks that stick, and here she offers two separate tones within a single release.
Rosé Teams Up With Amy Allen On “New Trick”
The new Rosé single is a pop-rock track that cries out for an Olivia Rodrigo remix. It carries a grungy, high-energy production alongside a chorus built for screaming along, while each verse opens and closes with syrupy sweet vocals. As Rosé moves forward with her upcoming second full-length album, she has reunited with Amy Allen.
The two co-wrote “New Trick” together just a few days after this year’s Met Gala in May. A statement confirms this isn’t the album’s official comeback single, which will come next year. Still, considering how well the new tricks on this single land, here’s hoping she explores it more on whatever comes next.
Freya Skye Gets Playful With “Bad Taste”
Rising pop star Freya Skye’s latest is an ode to not knowing how to pick ’em — and owning it. As she told Billboard of the song, “‘Bad Taste’ is the first time I was a bit less serious. What meets the eye is a playful, kind of sarcastic tone that I’ve never gone into before.”
Now that she has, she’s hoping the song will get her fans excited “for the next shift…I do think it will feel more elevated than anything before.” The track marks a shift in Skye’s sound, moving away from seriousness toward a more playful, sarcastic tone.
Kim Petras Adds Four Songs To Detour
Four months on from the arrival of her third record Detour in May, Kim Petras has delivered a deluxe edition anchored by lead cut “Autobahn.”. The melodic pop offering sits as the most laid-back of the deluxe additions, tracing a similar path to “Jeep”, which appeared on the original record.
The deluxe version offers a revealing look at Petra’s more artistic side, adding four fresh tracks to the original release.
Riley Green Keeps His Country Reputation Intact
Riley Green’s fourth full-length, That’s Just Me, explores heartbreak and the freedom that comes with it. It follows Don’t Mind If I Do, which entered the top 10 on Top Country Albums last year.
As Jessica Nicholson writes in Billboard’s Tracks Ranked of Riley Green’s new set: “he’s remained focused on the main thing: continuing to cement his reputation as a musical purveyor of timeless-feeling country songs, and a writer on many of them, in the tradition of artists such as Alan Jackson and Toby Keith.”
The country sound that first put Green on the map still defines his music, though his fourth album finds him pushing into new territory.
AZ Chike Debuts Solo With No Rest For The Wicked
AZ Chike, the South Central LA rapper who first made waves almost exactly two years ago on “Peekaboo,” a standout track from Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy-winning GNX album, has now released his solo studio debut. The album, No Rest For The Wicked, was overseen by a creative team led by Lamar and including Sounwave, Pharrell, Hit-Boy, JMSN, Terrace Martin and Tyler, the Creator. It stands as a mature, clear-eyed look at an MC whose ambitions know no limits.
The album honors the West Coast style that defined his earlier work, while remaining unafraid of evolution. The creative team behind the project reads like a who’s who of modern hip-hop production, and Chike’s debut is the payoff.
Travis Scott Teams With Daft Punk’s Guy-Manuel For GTA Soundtrack
When you mix Travis Scott’s sound with Daft Punk’s Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo in a blender? One of the first six singles from the forthcoming soundtrack for the long-awaited Grand Theft Auto VI video game. The new track fuses Scott’, you get a trap foundation, paired with a background song built by Homem-Christo’s cinematic electronic soundscape, making for what’ that is sure to be a knockout.
Two distinct artists join forces on this track, which matches the game’s world perfectly. It is among the first six singles confirmed from the soundtrack.
The Week In Review
Here is how the week’s biggest releases stack up:
- Miley, Bass Persuades — the pop star’s Atlantic debut with a dance-pop lead single and a wedding-themed second track
- Carly Rae Jepsen, Day and Night — the double album with 24 songs spanning daytime songwriting and sundown dance-pop
- Riley Green, That’s Just Me — the country star’s fourth album exploring heartbreak and freedom
- Rosé, “New Trick” — the pop-rock single co-written with Amy Allen, with Olivia Rodrigo vibes
- Kim Petras, Detour (Rare N’ Deluxe) — the deluxe edition with four new songs, led by “Autobahn”
- AZ Chike, No Rest For The Wicked — the debut solo album from the rapper who stole the show on “Peekaboo”
- Travis Scott, “RHYNO” — the GTA VI soundtrack single featuring Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo
All seven picks are worth checking out. Miley’s Bass Persuades is a strong contender, especially for fans of her dance-pop sound. The wedding-themed second single “Let’s Get Married” is a welcome change of pace, and the remix version adds another layer to the album.
The country lineup gets rounded out by Riley Green’s That’, with Rosé’s “New Trick” and Kim Petras”s Detour (Rare N’ Deluxe) give pop and melodic pop fans fresh material. AZ Chike’s No Rest For The Wicked* marking a debut worth keeping an eye on, and the Travis Scott track serving as a welcome addition to the GTA soundtrack.
A digest like this one helps people stay current on what matters most from week to week.
Source material: “Miley, Carly Rae Jepsen, Riley Green, Rosé & More: New Music Friday Guide,” Billboard.
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