10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of January 5, 2024
Just like that, Christmas and New Year's Day are behind us, and 2024 is in full swing.
With the New Year comes all kinds of change and newness, and if the first five days of 2024 have been any indication, it seems 2024 is primed to be an extraordinary year for new music. The last week gave us new hits from K-pop and K-pop faves, a sizzling new Mean Girls music video from Megan Thee Stallion and Reneé Rapp and so much more. Just keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of Jan. 5, 2024.
('Not My Fault' via Interscope Records)
1. Britti Sings of Safety and Peace in 'Lullaby'
New Orleans-based artist Britti is gearing up to release her debut album, Hello, I'm Britti, on Feb. 2, and her new single, "Lullaby," is the perfect taste of what's to come. Featuring the star's angelic vocals, this smooth and soothing, almost dream-like track transports us to a different place as she sings about love and the comfort and safety it brings. "If I am the matriarch of healing for my ancestors, I want to know what my lineage went through so I can do that healing," Britti shared in a press release. We also adore the music video, appearing in striking black and white before the color sets in during the final moments.
2. Theresa Rex Faces the Pain of Back-Stabbing With 'BAD BLOOD'
Who knew that getting stabbed in the back could be so much fun? Danish pop artist Theresa Rex just released her first single of the year in the form of "BAD BLOOD," a bouncy and irresistible electro-pop bop about the ultimate betrayal—her best friend stealing her boyfriend. "'Bad Blood' is the story of two friends—a close friendship in that 'blood pact,' ride or die-kind of way. But also, the song is about the ultimate betrayal, because she stole my boyfriend," Theresa revealed in a press release. "I quickly forgot about that guy who cheated, but the loss of that friendship was heartbreaking. She stabbed me in the back and found it extremely hard to realize that this forged bond I thought we had between us was so easily broken. Friend break-ups are just one of the things that hurt the most."
3. Ruby Haunt Have Someone to Rely on in 'Lean-To'
We're new to the dreamy pop sounds of L.A. musical duo Ruby Haunt, but with the release of their newest track, "Lean-To," we're instantly obsessed. The group consists of childhood friends Wyatt Ininns and Victor Pakpour, who flawlessly capture the emotion of a unique type of trust and having someone you can rely on, both in the lyrics and in the listless, moody sound. It's also the first single off their upcoming BETWEEN HEAVENS B-SIDES EP, which will be released on Jan. 25, and we cannot wait to hear the rest.
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4. Chloe Star Finds Peace in the Aftermath of a Bad Relationship in'Happy Place'
Alt-pop singer-songwriter Chloe Star is on a roll with her latest singles "Fool" and "Found My Peace," detailing the various stages of the end of a toxic relationship, and with her newest release, "Happy Place," she rounds out the trilogy with pop-punk flair. With the new song, she's finally able to release the negativity and find peace in singledom. "I tell a story with these three songs—the heartbreak, the awakening, and the release," Chloe explained in a press release. "'Happy Place' is about that feeling of relief that you experience when you finally feel comfortable being on your own. That's 'Happy Place.'" We're hoping to see a lot more of Chloe in 2024.
5. Sarah Jarosz Reminds Us All It Gets Better in 'Days Can Turn Around'
There's a good reason Nashville-based country artist Sarah Jarosz is the proud owner of four Grammy awards, and we're eagerly anticipating the release of her new album, Polaroid Lovers, on Jan. 26. After previously sharing singles "Jealous Moon," "Columbus & 89th" and "When The Lights Go Out," her newest offering, "Days Can Turn Around" is our final glimpse of the album before its official release, and it's our favorite yet. With a folksy, sweet sound and dreamy vocals, it's all about the ups and downs of life, keeping your head up and those magical, surprising moments when everything comes together and things get better. "Daniel [Tashian] and I wrote this in the same session as 'Columbus & 89th,' while overlooking the gulf coast," Sarah explained in a press release. "It seemed like the perfect setting to write a hopeful gem. We wanted to try to include as many nuggets of a mother's wisdom that could help anyone get through a bad day… knowing that even the worst of times can turn around and get a little bit better."
6. Arden Jones Continues His Beloved age tape Series in 2o24 With age tape 10
Ever since singer-songwriter and rapper Arden Jones started his age tape series in 2022, with each one consisting of three tracks, it's been a fan favorite, and he's keeping the fun going in 2024 with the 10th installment, age tape 10. Blending electronic-infused pop with edgy hip-hop sounds, this age tape consists of "hard enough to stay alive," "indigo" and "count me in," featuring Łaszewo. "We took a long time trying to figure out how we were gonna roll out all this new music and just couldn't get away with how much fun age tapes were," Arden shared in a press release. "So here you go—age tapes are back for 2024."
7. Mckenna Grace Explores Friendship and Infatuation in 'Natalie'
17-year-old Mckenna Grace may be best known as a big Hollywood actress, but she's also a singer-songwriter with a uniquely powerful story to tell, and that's especially clear in her new single "Natalie." It's a song about lifting young women up and the unbreakable connection of friendship—wishing you were more like them and maybe even developing an innocent crush in the process. "Rather than dwelling on the negative and what I lack, I wanted to create something positive—a love song that celebrates the qualities I cherish in my best friend," Mckenna revealed in a press release.
8. Snow Man Is Pulled in by Dangerous Love in 'LOVE TRIGGER'
Japanese pop group Snow Man is wasting no time as we move into 2024 with the release of their stylish and energetic new single, "LOVE TRIGGER." It's a fun and fast-paced song about a dangerous love you simply can't resist, which makes it the perfect theme song for the J-drama Koisuru Keigo 24 Ji. The show also happens to star Snow Man's own Hikaru Iwamoto as a body guard. We also dare you to resist dancing along to the music video's infectious choreography.
9. RIIZE Liken First Love to an Emergency in 'Love 119'
K-pop rookie group RIIZE is still relatively new to the scene, but with their confidence and musical prowess, it's clear they're not going away anytime soon. They debuted in September of 2023 and have already had several smash hits, with new single "Love 119″promising to be the next big thing. This soft and romantic piano-driven track is about first love and the way it can send us into a panic, just like an emergency. It even references South Korea's emergency phone number, "119."
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10. Megan Thee Stallion and Reneé Rapp Team Up Yet Again for the 'Not My Fault' Music Video
Megan Thee Stallion and Reneé Rapp's unforgettable Mean Girls collab, "Not My Fault," has been stuck in our heads even since it first dropped in December, and with the release of its music video, it's setting the mood for 2024 in a big way. The duo positively sizzles in the playful, hyper-pink video. "It was only right for @meangirls to recruit thee Black Regina George for this one" Megan wrote in a post on Instagram—and we couldn't agree more.
Missed our favorite tracks from our last New Music Friday of the year? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of Dec. 22, 2023.