10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of July 26, 2024
Rap sensation Ice Spice is causing quite a stir with the release of her debut album, Y2K!, but this stunning release is far from the only big thing to happen in music this week.
Over the last seven days, we also saw Zach Herron's debut single as a solo artist, a bold new collab between Amy Shark and blink-182's Tom DeLonge and so much more. To keep up with everything we loved, continue scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of July 26, 2024.
(Y2K! via Dolo Entertainment)
1. Chesle Laments the Chill of Lost Love in 'snow in tennessee'
Rising singer-songwriter and producer Chesle should be on everyone's radars in 2024, and after releasing incredible singles "sunsets & cigarettes" and "Letter 2 Myself" earlier this year, he's back with his latest track, "snow in tennessee." The song shows Chesle at hie genre-bending best, combining elements of folk with pop and hip-hop to create a powerful narrative of the frigid sensation of cold that results from being left by his love. "I am so proud of this song," Chelse wrote in a post on Instagram. "Made it with some really talented people and I'm thankful to have captured the moment the way we did with this song. I hope for 2 minutes and 10 seconds your day gets a little better."
2. Badflower Examine Their Relationship to Success in 'Detroit'
Nashville-based rock band Badflower are no strangers to success—even if being on top hasn't been everything it's cracked up to be. Their newest single, "Detroit," serves as a loving message to their fans, as well as an introspective reflection on their own success, realizing it's not fame itself that's made them happy—it's the experience of bringing music to their fans that makes them feel truly fulfilled. "I think anyone who has achieved something that they always thought they wanted has felt the disappointment in finally reaching that goal," Badflower frontman Josh Katz shared in a press release. "It's like, 'I have it, now what do I do?' And then you realize how fun it was chasing the thing you wanted—it was the journey that meant everything. Fans are so involved in those feelings. That's the thing I was chasing for so long, to be loved by a lot of people. And for those people to be involved in this song—it's just another layer of Badflower being honest with you."
3. Noah Rinker Builds on His After Dark EP With 2 New Tracks
22-year-old folk Americana artist initially released his After Dark EP in April of this year, but it got a re-release this week with two brand-new tracks, and we're more in love with it than ever. The repackaged version of the self-produced EP increases the song total from three to five with the addition of "Hand on My Gun" and "I Hope It Hurts." The latter is our personal favorite of the EP, with a gorgeous, angst-ridden sound that make it clear why he's a TikTok fan favorite.
4. Jojo Tua Reminds Us We're All the Same in 'Human'
Alt-pop singer-songwriter Jojo Tua's new album, Dreamer, is set to launch this fall, and we just got another taste with his moody new single, "Human." With a laidback beat and catchy bassline, its all about reminding us all we're only human, to accept our imperfections and allow ourselves some forgiveness when things get tough. "'Human' is about normalizing errors and that judgment is a matter of perception," Jojo explained in a press release. "At the end of the day, we are all the same."
Also read about: JoJo Tua Reveals the True Meaning Behind His Autobiographical Track, 'Sleep Paralysis'
5. Michael Sanzone Reflects on the Past in 'Going, Going, Gone'
Viral artist Michael Sanzone may still be early in his career as a singer-songwriter, but he's already established himself as both a lyrical and vocal powerhouse. His newest single, "Going, Going, Gone," is an inspiring folk-pop track, powered by his signature raw vocals, about losing someone you care about and the double-edged sword of being trapped in the nostalgia of long-gone memories. Michael's debut EP is set to be released later this year, and we can't wait to hear what else it might have in store for us.
6. Cameron Whitcomb Leaves Behind Parts of His Life in 'Quitter'
21-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter and American Idol alum Cameron Whitcomb has been on a role this year, and he shows no signs of slowing down. His new single, "Quitter," has been one of those tracks that goes viral before it's even released, with its teasers racking up more than three million listens on Instagram, and the full song proves to be even more impactful. The rousing, raspy country single is all about what it means to "quit" and overcoming addiction, with Cameron's authentic story at its heart. "I'm trying to be better than I was yesterday, and some days it's a struggle," Cameron revealed in a video on Instagram. "There's a lot of things I had to quit to … be who I am right now, and I'm proud of who I am right now. I think I'm a good person. I'm trying to be, anyway." He also just announced his headlining Quitter tour across North America, kicking off on Oct. 1 in Portland, Oregon, where the song is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Also read about: Everything You Wanted to Know About 'Shoot Me Dead' Artist Cameron Whitcomb
7. Sam Tompkins Lets It All Out on Debut Album, hi, my name is insecure
If you've been on TikTok at all in the last three years, chances are that you're quite familiar with Sam Tompkins breakthrough track, "Talking to the Moon." If you loved the song, you're going to instantly fall for his new debut album, hi, my name is insecure. The album features 16 raw, vulnerable tracks, including favorites including "lose it all," "time will fly" and "die for someone," that come to life with heart-wrenching lyrics and Sam's instantly arresting vocals. "I've waited my entire life to say this, but my debut album hi, my name is insecure is coming July 26th," Sam shared in a post on Instagram. "I have gone through so much to be here especially recently and it's finally happening. I've put my heart and soul into every single piece of this album from the writing, to the production, to the artwork, mixing, mastering, everything. I'm so grateful for all the amazing support that has facilitated this dream that I've had since i was just a child. Thank you to every single one of you who made this happen for me by sticking by me throughout the years from busking on the street, to playing music on stages I could only dream of being on. thank you to my family, my friends and my team for putting all their faith in me over the years and a special thank you to my dad. I so wish he could've seen this, but I'm so glad he got to see what he did. Hope I'm doing him proud up there. My single "phones in heaven," which is now officially out and this whole album is dedicated to him."
Also read about: Everything You Wanted to Know About who do you pray to? Singer-Songwriter Sam Tompkins
8. Amy Shark Recruits blink-182's Tom DeLonge for 'My Only Friend'
Australian indie-pop artist Amy Shark is gearing up to release her highly anticipated third album, Sunday Sadness (out this August), and nothing has made us quite as excited for its release as her latest single, "My Only Friend," featuring Tom DeLonge of blink-182. After working with blink-182's Mark Hoppus on "Psycho" in 2018 and Travis Barker on "C'mon" in 2020, she now has collaborations with the full trio, but this moving story about the power of friendship may be our favorite yet, with Amy and Tom's voices melding together to perfection."The song is about those moments in life when you're in a situation with someone you love, whether a party, a dinner, a wedding—and you feel for them, you're worried about them, and they seem alone in the corner while you know everyone," Amy explained in a press release. "It's isolating for them but your love and care for them is stronger than the moment and the people around you. Sometimes you feel they just need to hear the words, don't worry, I got you, you're my only friend."
9. Zach Herron Embarks on His Solo Career With First Single, 'Caroline'
After years of performing as the younger member of boy band Why Don't We, 23-year-old Zach Herron just released his first-ever solo single, "Caroline." You'd never know this was his debut, with an infectious confidence ringing through the bold summer anthem. It's an energetic, power chord-driven pop track about young love, packed with references to classic songs, both lyrically and sonically, to make it feel like an instant classic as well. "This song means so much to me," Zach shared in a press release. "The past two years have been a ride, I've grown more than I ever have. This one marks the start of something great. This is me."
Also read about: 20 Confident Ice Spice Lyrics to Use as Instagram Captions
10. Ice Spice Reminds Us Why She's on Top With Debut Album, Y2K!
Ice Spice was born at the turn of the millennium on Jan. 1, 2000, so the title Y2K! really couldn't be more appropriate for her debut album. Over 10 tracks, we're reminded again and again why Ice Spice is one of the biggest names in the game right now, with her completely irresistible hooks and pulse-pounding beats driving each and every track. It also features some major starpower with features from Travis Scott, Gunna and Central Cee, coming together to create something that's bold and chaotic in the best way possible. Next week, she also kicks off the North American leg of her Y2K! World Tour, and these upcoming shows feel destined to be some of her best yet.
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of July 19, 2024.