10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of January 26, 2024
While we're not quite sure where January went, we can at least say that 2024 has been a pretty monumental year for music so far—and things keep getting better.
This week saw a preview of Cavetown's next project, Asher Angel's first single in years and Lil Nas X's most emotional track yet as we gear up for the release of his original documentary Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero on MAX, and that's only scratching the surface. Keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of Jan. 26, 2024.
1. Hunter Daily Indulges in Infatuation With 'Girl Friend'
If you've ever developed a secret crush on a friend, prepare to fall in love with Hunter Daily's newest single, "Girl Friend." With a romantic acoustic sound, "Girl Friend" is a dreamy anthem about becoming infatuated with a girl friend and finally admitting your feelings to yourself. "'Girl Friend' is an amalgamation of a bunch of different girls I've encountered throughout the years, but the week that I wrote it I did have one girl on my mind in particular," Hunter shared in an interview with Sweety High. "She had just been popping up on my social media a lot and I had been running into her at parties and couldn't get her out of my head! She was just so magnetic and I wanted to dive a little deeper into my infatuation."
Also read about: How Hunter Daily Opened Up and Admitted to Her True Feelings on New Single 'Girl Friend'
2. Sarah Jarosz Releases Seventh Album, Polaroid Lovers
If you're a country music lover, you have to know the music of Nashville-base, Grammy-winning artist Sarah Jarosz, and her seventh album, Polaroid Lovers, is the perfect entry point for new fans. Across 11 tracks, Sarah explored a new side of her artistry as she collaborated with other artists for the very first time and moved back south after many years in New York City. The album was released alongside a new music video for the vibrant focus track, "Runaway Train." "I had been itching to write a raucous, fun, upbeat country banger that would be fun to play live," Sarah shared in a press release. "Jon Randall helped me do just that. This song just poured out of us one day and is all about the wild, exciting (sometimes chaotic) over the top joy at the beginning of a relationship."
3. Paris Paloma Explores the Before and After of Grief in 'my mind (now)'
Indie-pop singer Paris Paloma first flew onto our radars with her viral single, "labour," and we're expecting her newest release, "my mind (now)" to be just as massive. The unusual dark pop track begins with a mellow, almost lullaby-like sound before it transcends into something triumphant and explosive as Paris navigates the timeline of the ups and downs of her life thus far. "my mind (now) is about the BC and the AD of trauma, and what it did to my mental state, the feeling that an event was so cataclysmic that it rearranged the chemical makeup of my mind," Paris shared in a press release. "The song is a reflection of my struggle with OCD and anxiety as a response to traumatic events, and the electrical storm of emotions that exists inside my head, filling it with noise that never seems to leave, as I search for a few seconds of respite and quiet from it. It is also about the power other people hold to set that trauma into motion, and both the fragility and strength of the human mind. 'my mind (now)' is an embodiment of theact of creation in the form of art and writing as a coping mechanism that comes out of the overwhelming noise and chaos of the mind."
4. Jenna Raine Falls Hard in 'Lovesick'
Our girl Jenna Raine has never written a track we didn't love, and her newest single, "Lovesick," has us particularly obsessed. It's a bouncy pop track about the type of romance that has you completely infatuated (against your best judgment), and it is all too relatable. "This song has such a special place in my heart," Jenna shared in a post on Instagram. "So happy it's finally out in world! Buy yourself some flowers and jam out this weekend."
Also read about: 20 Wistful Jenna Raine Lyrics to Use as Your Next Instagram Caption
5. Fave Can't Escape Toxic Love in 'Belong to You'
Nigerian Afrobeats sensation Fave is kicking off 2024 in a big way with her first track of the year, "Belong to You." Featuring vulnerable lyrics and her signature enchanting vocals, "Belong to You" is about loving someone, even when you know they're bad for you, and wishing you were stronger but being fully unable to resist their pull. She's an artist we'll be watching very closely throughout the year, and we truly can't wait to see what she does next.
6. VCHA Make Their Official Debut With 'Girls of the Year'
We've been eagerly awaiting the official debut of VCHA, the world's first-ever global girl group trained through the K-pop system, ever since they were assembled on the competition series A2K, and "Girls of the Year" does not disappoint. The two-song release also includes the new track "XO Call Me" and proves how groundbreaking VCHA is with an upbeat, energizing sound and playful choreography that's impossible to resist. Truly, VCHA are the girls of 2024.
7. FLETCHER Teases Her Sophomore Album With 'Lead Me On'
FLETCHER's upcoming sophomore album, In Search of the Antidote, is one of our most highly anticipated releases of 2024—especially following the release of her latest single, "Lead Me On." The angsty, pop-punk track is all about yearning for something real, yet desperately settling for less. "For some people 'Lead Me On' might sound like a breakup song, where I'm telling someone that I'll take whatever crumbs I can get from them," FLETCHER shared in a press release. "Or it might sound like a song where I'm speaking to a better, healthier version of me that exists in the future. It's a version that's a higher self in some way, and I'm connecting with her through these little moments of clarity or intuition and asking her to keep guiding me down that path. All the songs on this album were written on multiple levels, and they exist in many dimensions at one time." In Search of the Antidote drops on March 22, and we're already counting down the days.
8. Cavetown Plays With a New Sound on 'let them know they're on your mind'
It appears that Cavetown is getting a bit experimental in 2024 with the release of "let them know they're on your mind." The new single doesn't sound quite like anything we're used to from the star, adding a touch of punk-pop edge to their usual alt-pop sound as he sings about making his romantic feelings clear and wanting the same in return. Their next project, Little Vice, is out Feb. 23 and promises even more innovation and newness. "These are songs a lil different and I'm excited for u to hear all of them," Cavetown shared on Instagram.
9. Asher Angel Debuts an Evolution in His Sound With 'Flip the Switch'
After taking a break from making music to focus on his acting career, Shazam! star Asher Angel is back with a more refined and mature sound with his new single, "Flip the Switch." The 21-year-old artist takes a new turn on the pop-R&B track with a smooth and brash sound that matches its confident lyrics. "'Flip The Switch' is about being confident and comfortable in your own skin," Asher shared in an interview with Sweety High. "Speaking from my own personal experience, social media can be a very negative place. There's a lot of hatred in the world and there will always be people who doubt you, and that can really affect your mental health. But, I finally decided to "flip the switch" on my mindset to focus on positivity and the importance of unapologetically being yourself. That's the message that I want to share with this song!
Also read about: How Asher Angel Dove Deeper Into His Creative Artistry With New Pop-R&B Single 'Flip the Switch'
10. Lil Nas X Looks to the Future in 'Where Do We Go Now?'
Tomorrow, Jan. 27, the new documentary Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero debuts on MAX, and we're biding our time by listening to the artist's compelling new track, "Where Do We Go Now?" The touching single is a more emotional turn for Lil Nas X, with a delicate sound as he considers the challenges that can come with early success, realizing he can't dwell on the present forever as he looks to the future with optimism and hopes for the best.
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of Jan. 19, 2024.