10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of February 23, 2024
Pause everything—Selena Gomez has released her first new music of 2024, and it's about to be the soundtrack to our weekends.
"Love On" is a certified bop that we're about to hear everywhere, but it's only the beginning of our New Music Friday playlist. The last seven days also saw fantastic collabs, epic album drops and sizzling new singles from our favorite artists. Just keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of Feb. 23, 2024.
('Love On' via Interscope Records)
1. Sam MacPherson Begs to Share the Burden in'I Don't Wanna See You Try'
Kicking things off with a powerfully emotional track, singer-songwriter Sam MacPherson's "I Don't Want to See You Try" is a powerful plea. This luscious yet urgent acoustic-driven track is about seeing how badly someone is struggling, the frustration of wanting to do more to help and pleading to be let in. "'I Don't Wanna See You Try' is about the moment a family member told me they didn't want to be alive anymore," Sam shared in a press release. "It's a song that carefully acknowledges the struggles of someone fighting mental health battles, from the point of view of a loved one who couldn't imagine letting them do it alone. The times I've felt the worst about my own mental health were the times I was certain I was struggling alone. Writing this song was me reminding myself that's never the case."
2. LØLØ Recognizes False Love in 'poser'
When Canadian rock artist LØLØ sings, we listen, and her newest single, "poser," instantly caught our attention as an emotional breakup anthem. The gentle rock track is a reflection on a relationship, realizing that someone's love for you was false and that the entire time, they were nothing but a "poser." "'Poser' is about someone who really got me good, who really truly made me believe they loved me, when it later became clear to me, they simply couldn't have," LØLØ shared in a press release. "Being a girl who enjoys rocking from time to time, I've sadly gotten called a poser many times by internet bullies. I thought the word was actually really pretty though, so I wrote it down in my notes after seeing some comments on my page. Since then, I always thought it would be cool to use the word poser relating to love. This ones for all the real posers out there ;)."
Also read about: LØLØ Shares The True Story of Toxic Obsession Behind Her New Single, '2 of us'
3. Tenille Townes Takes an Indie Rock Turn in 'As You Are'
As longtime fans of country singer-songwriter Tenille Townes, we couldn't have been more surprised—and delighted—to hear her newest single, "As You Are." The track is more indie rock than her typical country fare, with light instrumentation that allows her gorgeously raspy vocals to soar as she sings of learning to reflect her most authentic self and share her truth with people. "I wrote this song about how I feel when it comes to letting people in," Tenille revealed in a press release. "I tend to keep my guard up high because it's scary to let somebody in and risk sharing my real self, but this song is what I want to hear when I am feeling that way. When I'm afraid or struggling emotionally, I am the most guarded. At that moment, I need to hear that I can show up exactly as I am."
Also read about: How Tenille Townes Dropped Her Mask and Confronted Her True Self to Write 'Villain in Me'
4. Audrey Nuna Teams Up With Teezo Touchdown for 'Starving'
Korean-American R&B singer-songwriter Audrey Nuna should be on everyone's radars in 2024, and with the release of her latest single "Starving," featuring Teezo Touchdown, we believe she's about to win over a whole new batch of superfans. The track has us instantly hooked on her bright, dreamy vocals, which pair with Touchdown Teezo's smooth, playful bars for a match made in heaven—even if the relationship they're singing about is anything but. As Audrey sings about yearning for a situationship to become something more, Teezo attempts to play it cool before fumbling the whole thing.
5. Caleb Hearn and ROSIE Connect on 'Little Bit Better'
We love songs that feel instantly anthemic thanks to their engrossing sounds and empowering messages, and "Little Bit Better," the new collab between Caleb Hearn and ROSIE, is just that. It's an uplifting ode to the beauty of having people you can count on, how powerful the connections between humans can be and the small things people do that sometimes change the course of someone our lives. "This song is about the one person that makes all of the heaviest times in life feel a little lighter," ROSIE explained in a press release. "Whether it's a family member, a friend or a partner, we all deserve someone who is a 'light' in our lives, someone who makes every day, a little bit better."
Also read about: ROSIE On Recognizing Her Rising Stardom Her Vulnerable New EP, 5 Songs For Healing
6. Pattie Gonia Sings Her Triumphant Birdsong in 'Made It Through the Night'
Pattie Gonia is a drag queen, singer-songwriter and activist with a powerful message to share, and we love the way it's encapsulated in her new single "Made It Through the Night." The uplifting track is inspired by the idea that birds call to each other in the morning to share that they've "made it through the night," acting as a metaphor for the queer community and a love letter to their courage. "This song is for everyone who has chosen to be courageous," Pattie Gonia shared in a press release. "Take pride in who you are. We made it through the night."
7. Kid Cudi Continues His Insano Era With (Nitro Mega)
When he heard that Kid Cudi was releasing Insano (Nitro Mega), we thought it was simply a deluxe edition to his January album, Insano. That couldn't be further from the truth, as (Nitro Mega) consists of 18 brand-new tracks that don't just add to the story, but fully continue and realize it. It's also jam-packed with incredible collaborations, including tracks featuring Wiz Khalifa, Chip the Ripper, Willis Wilkins, Willy McDoogan, Pusha T, Lil Yachty and Bone Thugs & Harmony, making for one of the most ambitious double-albums we've seen in a long time. "The deluxe is pretty much a whole nother album, in the spirit of INSANO, but a continuation, a elevation of the vibes." Kid Cudi shared in a Twitter post.
8. Huddy's Girl Can't Resist His Bad Boy Image in 'Mugshot'
We're obsessed with songs that manage to tell a complete story in just a few minutes, and that includes Huddy's latest single, "Mugshot." The energetic pop-punk track is all about the mad love between a bad boy and the girl who simply can't resist his twisted ways, with neither of them intending to change a thing. It's another earworm that we're sure we'll be hearing a lot this year.
9. TWICE Share Their 13th Mini-Album, With YOU-th
There's a good reason TWICE is one of the biggest K-pop groups in the world, and their lucky 13th mini-album, With YOU-th, might be our favorite yet. Across six effervescent tracks, the mini-album beautifully captures the unbreakable power of sisterhood and friendship between its nine members, and after nine years together, it's more clear than ever that they were born to make music together. We especially love the title track, "ONE SPARK," bursting with a lively and dynamic sound that makes us feel like we can do anything.
10. Selena Gomez Kicks Off 2024 on a High Note With 'Love On'
We've been eagerly awaiting new music from Selena Gomez for five months now, and her new single, "Love On," kicks off 2024 in the biggest way possible. The new pop track is breezy, fun and flirtatious as Selena sings of romance, inspired both by the energy of Paris and her new relationship with Benny Blanco. It's honestly hard to listen without a big smile on your face, and also likely to make an appearance on her long-awaiting next album. This one's going to be big.
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of Feb. 9, 2024.