Whether they were released this week or are celebrating their first birthday, these new songs and artists have made it to the Top 100 Chart, to the Top Indie Artists list, or have been embraced in new television series. Some are unique originals, others are reimaginations of classics, and three were even inspired by antiquated poetry. Regardless of origin, all twenty are powerful additions to their genres – and well worth a listen.
1. Rock and A Hard Place by Bailey Zimmerman.
Bailey Zimmerman works through romantic doubts in this slow Country jam. With haunting lyrics accompanied by heavy drums and sorrowful guitar, Rock and A Hard Place pulls the listener into the angst and heartache of the singer.
2. Favorite Song by Toosii.
The intro track of a child-like voice accompanied by a solo piano sets a harmonious mood for this gentle Rap serenade. Toosii sings of a meaningful relationship filled with real desires and concerns. The artist manages to express tranquility and triumph through simple vocals and a modest use of instruments.
3. Next Thing You Know by Jordan Davis.
This poignant Country song tells the story of a lifetime of love, unfolding from the moment the lovers meet in the prime of their youth, through the birth and raising of their child, to becoming grandparents in the twilight of their years.
4. Love Again by The Kid Laroi.
The Kid Laroi mourns the loss of love in this mix of Alternative rock and soft Rap. With reference to a car crash and other strong imagery, the lyrics effectively display the pain of the broken-hearted artist.
5. Thank God by Kane and Katelyn Brown.
Thank God is a lovely duet between real-life husband and wife, smoothly mixing R&B with Country Pop to share their gratitude in a sweet love note to one another.
6. Cupid by Fifty Fifty.
Newcomers to the KPOP scene, Fifty Fifty charted with this fun part-English, part-Korean message about giving Cupid a second chance to finish the job. Effectively combining Pop and Rap, the song heralds that the new young group has the potential to make a refreshing splash in the KPOP scene.
7. Eat Your Young by Hozier.
Eat Your Young is the opening salvo of a three song EP of the same name which, according to an interview with Rolling Stones, follows a framework inspired by two of Dante’s Inferno’s nine circles of Hell. The vivid lyrics speak of rushing to a gluttonous feast and filling the table by selling weapons, representing the third circle of Hell, as well as allude to Hosier’s antiwar stance.
8. All Things End by Hozier.
Hozier intended this song, a story about the impermanence of love, to represent both his views on the ending of relationships and the heresy of betrayal which one might experience at that ending. All Things melodically addresses this heresy represented in Dante’s sixth circle of Hell.
9. Through Me (The Flood) by Hozier.
This third and final addition to the EP is inspired not only by Dante’s Inferno but also Ovid’s Metamorphosis. Hozier paints the picture of losing someone, but never mentions who is lost. The chorus, however, speaks of losing his concept of self.
10. People Are Strange by The Dead South.
Originally released by The Doors in 1967, People Are Strange is a simple explanation of the title’s message. Set to moody melodies, The Dead South lends a hint of Blue Grass to this Classic Rock song.
11. Chop Suey by The Dead South.
Not very often do listeners experience a Blue Grass Band performing a screaming Heavy Metal Song. This cover of System of a Down’s Chop Suey is fun, eclectic, and worth a listen.
12. Just a Girl by Florence + The Machine.
Florence + The Machine covered this classic, originally released by No Doubt in 1995, for Season 2 of the Showtime original series Yellowjackets. The cover is a haunting, darker rendition of the energetic Female-Empowerment ballad.
13. Dirty Paws (Cabin Sessions) by Of Monsters and Men.
This is a fantasy story set to a beautiful melody. The rerelease has changed the Indie rhythm slightly, successfully adding an etherealness to it.
14. Little Talks (Cabin Sessions) by Of Monsters and Men.
The song is about losing love and struggling against that loss. The new release has a slower tempo giving it a sadder note than the original.
15. Cursed by King Princess.
Cursed is an Indie vibe lamentation of a toxic friendship that can’t be released. The vocalist doesn’t want the relationship but also doesn’t want to be alone.
16. Supernatural (Acoustic) by Barnes Courtney.
There is something special about an acoustic Alternative song. The singer is possessed with a feeling of invincibility due to a lover’s power over him. But said lover won’t stop playing games with his mind.
17. Hurricane by Dorothy.
Dorothy wasn’t looking for romance, but she finds it in this song about accidental love. The guitar rift lends a Classic Rock vibe to this engaging love ballad.
18. Astronomy by Conan Gray.
The slow acoustic guitar sets the mood for this sad Indie Pop song about young love growing apart. With the lyric “Stop trying to keep us alive, you’re pointing at stars that have already died,” the singer urges their partner to move on from fast-fading love.
19. Stranger by Lauv.
Stranger advocates the opposite perspective to the previous entry. The singer is trying to keep love alive, declaring promises and intentions to stop his partner from leaving in this Electronic-Pop song.
20. On the Radio by Spoon.
