10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of August 30, 2024
There's something special about New Music Fridays that lead into holiday weekends, and as we prepare to celebrate Labor Day and the unofficial end of summer, our favorite artists have not let us down.
This week saw incredible new album releases from everyone from Marianas Trench and David Kushner to Paris Paloma and stunning collaborations between LP Giobbi and Alabama Shakes, and Cordae and Anderson .Paak, and that's just scratching the surface. Start the party early with us and keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of Aug. 30, 2024.
(Image courtesy of Warner Music Group)
1. Marianas Trench Go on a Hero's Journey in 6th Album, Haven
Canadian pop-rock band Marianas Trench have been making music for nearly 20 years at this point, and their ever-evolving sound has reached something unforgettable with their sixth studio album, Haven. It's an orchestral, sometimes operatic, tale of 13 tracks, taking listeners for a ride as it follows the narrative laid out by author Joseph Campbell's notion of the hero's journey. "If you look at the songs one by one, you'll see how they each align with the key plot points that Joseph Campbell studied in The Hero With a Thousand Faces," the band's bassist, Mike Ayley, shared in an interview with Sweety High. "It really gave the album direction early on in the creative process. Later in the process, it added unique challenges we haven't experienced before because we had to make sure that we both addressed the listening flow of an album while still making sure the plot points were met. It was a fun one to see come together and no easy feat for Josh [Ramsay] to accomplish."
Also read about: Marianas Trench Bassist Mike Ayley Dishes on the Journey Behind the Band's Sixth Album, Haven
2. Paris Paloma Makes Sense of the Noise in Her Mind With Debut Album, Cacophony
English artist Paris Paloma's breakout single, "labour," hasn't left our minds since we first heard it last year, and if you also love the track, you need to hear the rest of Paris's new debut album, Cacophony. It's 15 tracks are equal parts dreamy, vulnerable and raw as Paris tells her story the way only she can, with a dark indie-pop sound that transmutes the anxiety and chaos within her into something somehow universal. "There's a lot of noise that exists in my mind, which makes writing music really constructive as a way of coping with it," Paris explained in an interview with Sweety High. "I was vaguely inspired by the idea of the Greek creation myth of Chaos. Stephen Fry in his book Mythos describes it as the beginning of all things. Instead of the Big Bang, in Greek mythology it's this great yawning chasm, this void of cacophony and chaos and darkness and noise. That's what the inside of my head felt like for a really long time. In the same way, out of Greek Chaos, creation sprang forth in the form of the sky and the earth. Out of the chaos of my mind, all these songs came from the coping mechanism of writing music."
Also read about: Paris Paloma Makes Sense of the Noise and Chaos in Her Mind With Debut Album, Cacophony
3. Hank Heaven and Beach Bunny Deal With the Loneliness Inherent in Anger in 'Beloved'
We're watching rising singer-songwriter and guitarist Hank Heaven very closely in 2024, especially following their new collab with multi-Platinum artist Beach Bunny, "Beloved." The vulnerable track channels angsty pop-punk vibes as the duo sing about cutting someone off in anger and how lonely and isolating that can be, even when you've done what's best for both of you. "'Beloved' is a song about how isolating anger is," Hank revealed in a press release. "Though hating someone is a lonely experience I was stoked to have Lili of Beach Bunny feature on the track to show how universal that loneliness is."
4. thủy's Love Takes Her Beyond Cloud 9 in 'cloud 11'
Fans have been eagerly anticipating the release of thủy's "cloud 11" since she first performed it at Coachella earlier this year, and now that the wait is over, we can say it's been worth every second. The effortlessly catchy R&B-pop track oozes with airy, romantic vibes, reflecting the kind of pure elated romance that takes you beyond cloud nine into "cloud 11." "The song is such a feel-good song," thủy said in a press release. "Everyone knows cloud 9 is a place of happiness, and I wanted to take that feeling even higher. 'cloud 11' is a place of pure bliss and elation, and this song is about the person who takes you there. 'cloud 11' was the first song that I worked on for the upcoming project and it really set the tone for my next project and the themes I wanted to focus on." We also adore its cinematic music video referencing thủy's real-life history as a wrestles, depicting a high-energy adrenaline rush akin to falling in love.
5. Isabella Kensington Imagines What Could Have Been With 'in another life'
Viral TikTok singer-songwriter Isabella Kensington just announced her new EP, not in a dollhouse anymore, which will release on Sep. 20, and we just got a taste with her striking new single, "in another life." Isabella's vocals take us on a journey of longing and loneliness as she dreams of an alternate reality where she could be with the one she loves. "I wrote 'in another life' with Phil Cook and Phia Brenan, on a day where I was really mourning the life I could've had," Isabella said in a press release. "I had just finished Taylor Jenkins Reid's Maybe In Another Life, which explores parallel love stories based on a single decision. While I was knee-deep in post-breakup heartbreak, her book gave me peace, reminding me that happiness is still possible—and maybe, in another life, there's a version of me that never went through it to begin with."
6. LP Giobbi Shares the Powerful 'Until There's Nothing Left,' Featuring Alabama Shakes
Powerhouse DJ and producer LP Giobbi is releasing her sophomore album, DOTR, on Oct. 18, featuring "Bittersweet" with Portugal, The Man, "So Nice to Be in Love" with Mascolo and her epic newest single, "Until There's Nothing Left" featuring Alabama Shakes. The song features the explosive, aching vocals of singer Brittany Howard on Alabama Shakes' "Don't Wanna Fight," with the bold production reinforcing the message of her plea. "I first saw Brittany Howard when Alabama Shakes performed more than a decade ago at Oakland's Fox Theater where I was working," LP Giobbi shared in a press release. "Partnering on the Shakes' 'Don't Wanna Fight' was a dream for me; the result feels like an epiphany, Brittany's voice rising above spirals of synth like a prayer delivered onto the dance floor."
Also read about: Photo Diary: LP Giobbi Crafts Musical Magic and Community at Lightning in a Bottle
7. Megan Moroney Finally Finds the Right Kind of Love in 'Am I Okay?'
Country phenom Megan Moroney has had a big summer, with her recently released sophomore album, Am I Okay? debuting at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 chart. We're even more excited now that our favorite song on the album, title track "Am I Okay?," is officially a single. It's a sweetly infectious song about the disbelief that accompanies falling for a man who's actually good for her after a lifetime of heartache and bad boys. It's euphoric and romantic, and we hope it becomes an anthem for ladies everywhere who manage to fall for the right guy.
8. David Kushner Explores the Contradictions of Life in Debut Album, The Dichotomy
David Kushner's "Daylight" was one of the songs that defined 2023, and now, it makes for a very powerful closer to his debut album, The Dichotomy. The album's 17 tracks are driven by David's signature deeply soulful and haunting vocals, with each song exploring the struggles between light and dark, goodness and sin, and his voice highlighting these themes tonally with every note. "The album name The Dichotomy represents the contrast and balance of opposing forces that we all experience in life," David explained in an interview with Sweety High. "Whether it's love and hate, light and darkness or peace and conflict, these dichotomies shape our existence. The word 'dichotomy' felt perfect because it captures the essence of the album, which explores these contradictions in a way that's deeply personal but also universal."
Also read about: How David Kushner Explored the Contradictions of Life With Debut Album, The Dichotomy
9. Chance the Rapper Reflects on His Humble Beginnings in '3,333'
These days, Chance the Rapper is one of the most well-recognized and beloved rappers in the world, but it wasn't always that way, and in his new single, "3,333," he reflects on his struggles getting started in the industry. The title reflects the number of tickets he sold at the Minnesota State Fair out of a possible 14,000, highlighting a time he wasn't sure he'd make it as an artist, but even that was a bit step up from playing to 17 people at tiny shows when he was a kid. Regardless, he shares how he loses himself and his worries to the music every time he goes onstage to perform. In a very sweet touch, Chance's 8-year-old daughter, Kensli, also illustrated the single's colorful artwork.
10. Cordae and Anderson .Paak Reunite for Breezy 'Summer Drop'
Just in time for the long weekend and the end of the season, hip-hop sensations Cordae and Anderson .Paak have joined forces for the unforgettable "Summer Drop." This is actually the third time the two have collaborated, following hits "RNP" and "Two Tens," but this relaxed, breezy track is our favorite between them yet. It's a song about dreams and ambition, and working hard to pull yourself out of having nothing, reflected in the freedom and optimistic of the music video. It also serves as a great tease for Cordae's newly announced third album, The Crossroads, set to arrive later this year.
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of Aug. 23, 2024.