10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of July 22, 2022

Anytime we get a surprise music drop from Billie Eilish, we know it's going to be a great weekend—and that's only the beginning of some of the incredible music that came out in the last seven days.

We may be fully in the throes of the heat of summer, but it seems like our favorite artists, including The Weeknd and NCT U, are already thinking ahead to the fall with more thoughtful, gentle and contemplative tunes. Curious about what we'll be listening to? Keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of July 22, 2022.

 

1. Edie Bens Gives Old Poems New Purpose With 'Had You Never Gone Away'

We have to admit that we weren't familiar with 21-year-old Welsh singer-songwriter Edie Bens before this week, but she's fully proven herself with her Glassnote Records debut, "Had You Never Gone Away." The track is delicate yet fully moving, incorporating found poetry that stunningly captures the feeling of losing someone close to you. "I was on tour in Manchester and we stayed with my drummer's dad," Edie explained in a press release. "It came up that Joe's dad had written these beautiful poems about his late mother that had been published in the local paper. They were in the frame on the wall and after reading them I had an internal sob and felt so moved, I promised I'd write a song about them."

 

2. Imaad Wasif Teases New Album With Dreamy Single 'Fader'

Indian singer-songwriter Imaad Wasif is known both as a solo performer and for contributions to other groups, including being a touring guitarist for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but if you're not already familiar with him, his dreamy new single "Fader" is the perfect introduction. Featuring vocals from The Postal Service's Jen Wood, the romantic track feels like the perfect accompaniment to your next slow dance. We can't wait to hear his new album, So Long Mr. Fear, when it drops on Aug. 9.

 

Also read about: JVKE Shares the Magical Feeling—and the Classical Artist—That Inspired New Single 'Golden Hour'

 

3. corook Shares 'it's ok!,' the Ultimate Ode to Executive Dysfunction

Many of us have those days where it's a struggle to just get out of bed and do the basic things we do to take care of ourselves, but it's never been put into song quite like corook's new single, "it's ok!" With its gentle, soothing sound, the track really feels like a nursery rhyme reminding us it's okay to feel off, and whether you're just having a day or you deal with mental health or neurodivergency, it's a friendly reminder that you're not alone. "I wrote this song with the intention of making a lullaby for myself," corook shared in a press release. "It's for the days I have a hard time getting out of bed or when my worries take over the day. When I posted a clip of this song on TikTok, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I think the most interesting response was the amount of people taking videos of themselves in bed singing the song. It felt like a really simple but meaningful sign of solidarity like 'Yes, I do that too.' Watching those made me feel so much less alone in this feeling. I hope this song is a reminder that your only task of the day is to do what you can and to please yourself."

 

4. Will Linley Takes Listeners Into His Head With kill all my feelings EP

South African singer-songwriter Will Linley has made quite the name for himself over the last year with viral hit after hit on TikTok, and his new EP, kill all my feelings, feels like the culmination of all the ways he's been growing as an artist in that time. We especially love the title track about not wanting to feel everything you feel when the girl you love starts seeing someone else. "The kill all my feelings EP is a snapshot into my mind over the last two years and is an amalgamation of different sounds, feelings, and emotions," Will shared in a press release. "When putting this EP together I tried my best to never fall into 'one sound' for all my songs. I've tried to cover a variety of different genres throughout this project. Although each song has its own unique world, they somehow all fit together as a cohesive body of work, and that is why I love it so much. This EP is a part of my heart that I'm giving to the world and I'm so excited for everyone to hear it."

 

5. Em Beihold Is as Relatable as Ever With Her Egg in the Backseat EP

We've all been obsessed with Em Beihold since the release of her single "Numb Little Bug," and her new Egg in the Backseat EP contains six additional painfully relatable but completely irresistible tracks. Whether Em's crooning about falling for the wrong person, having a tough time connecting with the world or struggling with self-blame, each song is as vulnerable as it is unpretentious while being presented in an infectious pop package that's guaranteed to get stuck in your head. "I am so excited for Egg in the Backseat to be released into the world," Em said in a press release. "I had the most fun making this EP with my collaborators, and I feel it comes through in the music. If you liked 'Numb Little Bug,' be prepared for some more blunt, sunny pop."

 

Also read about: Everything You Should Know About 'Numb Little Bug' Artist Em Beihold

 

6. Justice Carradine Makes a Bold Return With 'Tears in My Eyes'

After not releasing any new music for more than a year, Justice Carradine is back with the stunning and emotional new single "Tears in My Eyes." The song was inspired by Justice's experience of his first-ever panic attack, which hit hard as he was driving from his home in Utah to Los Angeles to record new music. We love his openness on the track, as well as the production of his otherworldly vocals. "I think the human spirit is resilient," Justice shared in a press release. "We always find a way to push through challenging or intense experiences. To me, 'Tears In My Eyes' reflects that in a vulnerable way."

 

7. Benson Boone Gives a Taste of His Upcoming EP With 'Better Alone'

Now that Benson Boone has released his fourth single, we firmly believe that the man is incapable of writing a bad song. His latest, "Better Alone," is a track about the power of understanding that you need to work on yourself before you'll be ready for a relationship. It's the first track off his upcoming debut EP, Walk Me Home…, which releases in a week, and we already know it's going to be a quick favorite. "I wrote this song about relationships," Benson explained in an interview with Sweety High. "Sometimes, we rely on them too much and allow them to control our outlook on ourselves. 'Better Alone' is just me realizing I need to take time for myself to figure out who I am before I let someone else in."

 

Also read about: Benson Boone Takes the Time to Figure Himself Out in Single 'Better Alone' and Teases New EP

 

8. NCT U Drops New English Language Track 'Rain Day'

While we all love the challenge of falling in love with a new K-pop track and learning all of the lyrics phonetically in Korean, we definitely appreciate English-language tracks and how much easier it is to sing along with them. NCT's Teil, Kun and YangYang teamed up for NCT U's new song "Rain Day," a song about missing someone and wanting to start over with them after a breakup, and we think this one will be a hit among K-pop lovers and new fans alike.

 

Also read about: NCT 127's JOHNNY Dishes on His Favorite Moments From Johnny's Communication Center

 

9. The Weeknd Shares New Horror Music Video for 'How Do I Make You Love Me?'

"How Do I Make You Love Me?" has always been one of our very favorite tracks from The Weeknd's Dawn FM, and this week, it got its very own animated music video, picking up where "Out of Time" left off. In the video, a cartoon version of The Weeknd, with a bronze mask replacing his face, escapes from the hospital to go on a haunting escapade throughout the city. The super creepy horror film elements of the video had our eyes completely glued to the screen throughout the song—and the ending leaves plenty of space for a bizarre sequel.

 

10. Billie Eilish Unveils Her Guitar Songs EP

Is there anything better than surprise music from Billie Eilish? She made our week with the release of her new Guitar Songs EP, consisting of two gorgeously stripped-back tracks, "TV" and "The 30th." Both songs are primarily acoustic, allowing Billie's breathy vocals, delicate yet strong, be the true stars of each powerfully introspective tune as she sings about trying to live your life when the world is falling apart around you, and the devastating consequences of a friend's car accident.

 

Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of July 15, 2022.