There’s new music. Then there’s New Music Friday.
We at Young Entertainment Magazine are dedicated to finding 20 new, lesser-known songs from little-known music artists each week. If you’re looking for brand-new music, you’ve come across the best listicle in the business. Here are our 20 songs for the week ending June 9, 2023.
Click here or scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the Spotify Playlist
1. “Insane For A Moment” by Karen Harding
https://www.instagram.com/karenhardingmusic/
https://soundcloud.com/karenharding1/insane-for-a-moment/s-b5euVGlzYFN
Australian singer-songwriter Karen Harding has struck a chord.
Harding’s new, emotionally-charged pop single “Insane For A Moment” creates an immersive musical experience by combining rhythmic, tribal, and percussive beats and haunting and ethereal harmonies and vocals that resonate to the core.
Harding has come a long way since her debut in 2021. The Melbourne, Australia native has been fearlessly pushing the creative boundaries by collaborating with a wide variety of music artists and producers from around the world.
2. “Gunslinger” by M. Byrd
https://www.instagram.com/mbyrdddddddd/
German music artist M. Byrd has dropped his new single “Gunslinger” in recent days.
M. Byrd’s “Gunslinger” combines reflective lyrics and a raw and gritty composition. M. Byrd also added guitar for a pleasing but delicate texture that further pads out the thoughtful single’s arrangement.
When asked about the single’s lyrical and musical inspiration, M. Byrd told Broken 8 Records, “One day, I was on the internet, and I stumbled on a pop-up … It said, ‘You can go to a Ukrainian embassy in Berlin and be at war in a few days to fight.'”
3. “Hard To Believe” by Low Coast
https://www.instagram.com/lowcoastyams/
The American band Low Coast has been making waves in recent months.
Low Coast, a new band fronted by former Gameface frontman Jeff Caudill, has released a new single “Hard To Believe” off the band’s debut album, Existing the Dream, which was released on May 26, 2023.
Caudill told THOUGHTS WORDS ACTION, “I’ve been dreaming about this album for decades, and waiting years to release it. I feel like my patience is finally paying off. Low Coast is the band I’ve always wanted to have. These guys take my songs to places I could never get to on my own. We made this record during a really volatile time in history – and the songs reflect that. ‘Hard To Believe’ is about the growing ideological and political divide in our country. It’s meant to be a song of hope as much as it is an anthem of frustration.”
4. “Peaches and Cream” by Spoilers
https://www.instagram.com/sbamrocks/
The English punk band Spoilers specializes in melodic punk rock music.
Speaking of melodic punk rock, Spoilers has released a new single “Peaches and Cream” and a new EP, There or Thereabouts, in recent weeks. “Peaches and Cream” can be described as a high-energy song that tells an important message: There’s a difference between being stuck between living the dream and feeling out of place and between feeling great and being envious.
Spoilers singer Dan Goatham told NYRDCAST, “It was something a bloke I used to drink with would say, he’d have a really positive story always ending somehow on a downer.”
5. “Goin’ Out For Smokes” by Versus The World
https://www.instagram.com/versustheworldmusic/
The American band Versus The World has been working on picking up the pieces in recent days. Versus The World, who’s best known for their post-punk music, has released their new single “Goin’ Out For Smokes” to the public.
“Goin’ Out For Smokes” isn’t about smoking at all. According to a recent article from Alchemical Records, it’s about weakness.
Versus The World singer Donald Spence said, “Looking back on a moment you’re not proud of and admitting that you didn’t have what it took to pull it. It’s about a time in my life where I had to put myself back together and see where I failed and went wrong. There’s no resolve in the song, which I kind of like… no ‘the hero wins in the end.’ Just ‘I messed this up… what do I do now?'”
6. “Pump It Up” by Midtown
https://www.instagram.com/midtownnj/
The American band Midtown has returned for all the right reasons.
Midtown’s new single “Pump It Up” is actually a cover of Elvis Costello’s “Pump It Up” ahead of their new EP, We’re Too Old To Write Songs, So Here’s Some Old Songs We Didn’t Write.
Midtown guitarist Tyler Rann shared to the Prelude Press, “To this day I can still quote PCU, the underrated Jeremy Piven movie that first introduced me to ‘Pump It Up.’ But my intro to Elvis Costello is from a far more impactful movie – Fast Times at Ridgemont High. I remember seeing an image of this bizarre looking person on the wall of Damone’s room – so strange and uncool (even next to Devo!) that I actually found it appealing. Shortly after, I picked up This Year’s Model at my local CD store and found that nerdy guys named Elvis could rock out and play fast and angsty enough to appeal to young teenage punk rockers living in suburban New Jersey. The crossover between pop, new wave, and punk completely broadened my horizons. Elvis Costello broke down so many of my misconceptions about what music should sound (and look) like.”
7. “War” by The Suicide Disease
https://www.instagram.com/thesuicidedisease/
American grunge rock band The Suicide Disease has waged a war.
The Suicide Disease’s new single “War” was produced by KJ Strock and Ricky Armellino. As you might’ve guessed, “War” speaks about the threat of suicide, and how those missed beyond the grave could tempt their loved ones to join them.
The band was originally produced by Ricky Armellino and managed by Steve Feinberg. Armellino told THOUGHTS WORDS ACTION, “I heard the band’s demo and absolutely fell in love so we all decided to make a batch of songs together at my studio in Lancaster.”
8. “Summer Bummer” by Life In Idle
https://www.instagram.com/lifeinidle/
American four-piece band Life In Idle has made a splash just in time for summer.
Life In Idle’s specialty is pop-punk music, and the pop-punk band’s new single “Summer Bummer” takes listeners — like you — on a rollercoaster of emotions, like, say, you’d feel the song’s truth as you tap your foot.
When asked about the song’s theme, David French told BuzzMusic, “We tried to tackle a lot of the heartache and disillusionment to find some healing and closure in all of it, which led us to write the song.”
9. “Please Don’t Walk Away” by Another One Down!
https://www.instagram.com/anotheronedownri/
American band Another One Down! has unleashed two new offerings.
Another One Down! has released a deluxe version of their album, A Bitter Descent, and their album’s opening track “Please Don’t Walk Away” to showcase their raw emotion and unfiltered honesty.
The Providence, Rhode Island-based band wrote “Please Don’t Walk Away” to describe the end of a relationship and wanting to scream out all the words that were left unsaid, according to idobi Radio.
10. “To The Wolves” by ALPHAMEGA
https://www.instagram.com/alphamegamusic/
American rock band Alphamega has a new single in store for you.
Alphamega’s new single “To The Wolves” is off the band’s debut album, Regeneration Machine, which was recently released through Ironshore Records.
The Los Angeles-based band told the media about their style, “No idea is off limits, no style, no genre … It’s through a hard rock lens – we aren’t likely to release a bluegrass or trap song. But creative freedom is essential to us, and we want to set an expectation right out of the gate that our material will be diverse. Expect the unexpected.”
11. “Cool Guy” by Izzy Mahoubi
American singer-songwriter Izzy Mahoubi captures the world around her by writing songs and poems while creating melodies of unique stories.
Izzy Mahoubi’s new single “Cool Guy” is only the beginning of her music career as she’s just 18-years-old.
The Arizona-based singer-songwriter explained the songwriting process to brothersinraw.com, “Writing Cool Guy was one of the most effortless, cathartic, and fun experiences I’ve ever had songwriting. After a four month whirlwind of being swept into the indie music scene in Phoenix, I stood back and realized what looked so glamorous and exciting was all a facade. “The high life seemed so pretty” – Once the lights are off, and the music’s over, you begin to realize all of the tough guys and cool groupies are simply just people.
I don’t think I could have told this story more authentically than how I did because I simply wrote what happened. I think anyone who listens to Cool Guy can relate to the feeling of romanticizing someone or some lifestyle that promises the world even though the red flags are there from the start. Some of the lyrics in this song make fun of the indie/underground concept, more so, I’m making fun of myself for taking that whole idea so seriously. Cool is dead. Do what you want.”
https://www.instagram.com/izzymahoubi/
12. “Hall Pass” by Gardenia
https://www.instagram.com/gardeniatheband/
American duo Gardenia has a new album and a new song.
Gardenia dropped their debut album, Knowing You Know Nothing, and their debut album’s lead single “Hall Pass” on May 26, 2023. “Hall Pass” told a story about the more intense world of stan culture in a society of constant connection and parasocial relationships.
The Brooklyn-based duo told the Prelude Press that they aim to tell their listeners one thing, “We’re pissed, and you should be too.”
13. “Jello” by Birthh
https://www.instagram.com/woabirthh/
Italian-born, Brooklyn-based alternative pop artist Birthh announced her third studio album, Moonlanded, due on September 1, 2023.
In the meantime, Birthh shared a new single “Jello” and an accompanying music video. The alt-pop artist described “Jello” as a single about a person being lovestruck.
In an interview with Wildfire Music + News, Birthh shared, “When COVID hit it just felt like it was gonna be over in a couple months, I ended up not going back home for two and a half years. A lot of life happened in that timespan. This is my journey into what it feels like to be a sensitive human in their 20s in the 2020s, through all the pressure coming from within and from the world we were left with. Landing is finding a way to stay present and to love the process, it’s about creating space for ourselves and realizing that each of us is the protagonist in our own story.”
14. “Always On The Run” by The Intersphere
https://www.instagram.com/theintersphere_official/
German alternative rock band The Intersphere marked the announcement of their new album, Wanderer, in a unique way.
The Intersphere released their new single “Bulletproof” ahead of their release of Wanderer. “Bulletproof” features hard-hitting staccato riffs and drums and a groove-laden chorus that mirrors the conflicting feelings of today’s online presence.
The Intersphere’s lead singer, Christoph Hessler, said in an interview with XS Noize, “‘Bulletproof’ deals with the constant availability that communication media has brought with it and what this does to us as human beings. The lyrics are inspired by Hartmut Rosa’s ‘The Uncontrollability of the World’, whose theses state that the true value of human feeling lies in the unpredictable and the power of creation and creativity in lingering. Through the constant availability of everything, we deny ourselves the most beautiful things of human existence.”
15. “ADHD” by FRND CRCL
https://www.instagram.com/frndcrcl/
American pop-punk band FRND CRCL have returned to the music scene with a new single.
That’s right. The Pennsylvania-based band dropped “ADHD” and achieved instant results as the up-tempo track was selected to a handful of huge Spotify playlists.
The band said in an interview with New Noise Magazine, “‘ADHD’ is everything we excel at with FRND CRCL. It’s lightning-fast pop-punk structures bodes well with the rapid-fire melodic, hip-hop delivery bouncing in the verse … It finally gives way to explosively catchy, sing song chorus.”
16. “Fine To Me” by Trey Joshua
https://www.instagram.com/treyonwords/
Canadian singer-songwriter Trey Joshua didn’t hold back in his new single and music video.
Trey Joshua didn’t mince any words in “Fine To Me” after releasing his first single “Drunk” of the year. “Fine To Me” contains lyrics that focus on love and partying and how the two can overlap.
The Toronto singer-songwriter told Tinnitist, “The dancing after the song was made also had a big influence on the strategy of how I wanted to promote the song, because what made me love this song more than anything was the sight of people I didn’t know dancing to it and having a good time … I was just glad that a song I made had that effect on people and that I could be a part of their good time.”
17. “If I’m Gunna Be Sad (I Might As Well Look Hot Doing It)” by Rachel Bochner
https://www.instagram.com/rachelbochner/
New York City’s Rachel Bochner has emerged as a rising star in the American pop music scene.
Rachel Bochner gave her listeners, both old and new, an exciting breakup song in “If I’m Gunna Be Sad (I Might As Well Look Hot Doing It).” Bochner’s new single features a fire ablaze that prompted listeners to start fires within themselves.
Bochner sings with a teasing spirit, “Think I wanna start a fight. Something wrong might make it right” and “I’m not gonna lie. I look so pretty when I cry. So put some glitter on these eyes.”
18. “The Other Side” by Rachael Sage
https://www.instagram.com/rachael_sage/
New York’s Rachael Sage has returned to the American alternative folk-pop music scene.
Rachael Sage released the title track “The Other Side” from her forthcoming album, The Other Side, due July 21, 2023. “The Other Side” boasts an uplifting horn section, a soulful organ, a spirited Elton-esque piano, and rapid-fire poeticism.
Sage shared in an interview with Newswire, “‘The Other Side’ is my favorite track on this record and the one I think that exemplifies where I am right now in my life and as an artist. The lyric is very patient, and approaches the idea of love as something very distinct from romance…it’s more about connecting with both yourself – your inner sense of freedom and authenticity – and your loved one (s), without judgment and with a sense of unconditional acceptance.”
19. “Miracles” by Andrew X
https://www.instagram.com/andrewxmusic/
American musician Andrew X has come a long way from his North Carolina roots.
Andrew X creates what he describes as, “pop-rock with a classic feel and positive vibes.” Andrew X’s new single “Miracles” was released ahead of his new album, Driving At Sunset, set to be released on September 20, 2023.
Regarding his new album, Andrew X shared in an interview with the Prelude Press, “Driving At Sunset is an album about reflecting on what is good in life, having the courage to deal with and overcome life’s challenges, and moving forward in life with great expectations of a bright future. It is my hope that these songs leave the listener feeling like they have been wrapped in the warmth and comfort of a summer setting sun.:
20. “Be With You Again” by ERASE THEORY ft. Fred Mascherino
https://www.instagram.com/erasetheory/
Erase Theory is an American one-person music project consisting of Jeff Sahyoun. Sahyoun was originally a guitarist in letlive. for ten years before the band split, citing creative differences.
Erase Theory, however, has a new, radio-ready, alternative rock track “Be With You Again” that features Fred Masherino of Taking Back Sunday and The Color Fred. “Be With You Again” has a yearning yet sing-a-long chorus that’s emotive to the core and conjured echoes of both music artists’ formative years.
