10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of October 27, 2023

We may be heading into the weekend before Halloween, but this week's new musical releases have been vibrant, unforgettable and anything but scary—and that's just the way we like it.

Of course, with Taylor Swift dominating the world of music news all month long, the biggest release of the week has to be 1989 (Taylor's Version), but with some iconic new collaborations, soulful album releases and hot tracks from our favorite up-and-comers, 1989 won't be the only thing on heavy rotation on our playlists this week. If you want to know what we loved best, just keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of Oct. 27, 2023.

1. SIPHO Shares His Soulful Debut Album, PRAYERS & PARANOIA

English R&B artist SIPHO. needs to be on everyone's radars as 2023 comes to a close, and if you're not yet a fan, there's no better place to start than with his debut album, PRAYERS & PARANOIA. Across its 13 stunning tracks, the singer-songwriter showcases his versatility, hopping between upbeat and playful chants to soaring anthems, and his evocative vocals never let us down. The album serves as an analysis and processing of his own human experiences, and the quiet ways he gets through the challenges and anxieties of life. "I'm neither an adult nor a child now, I'm in that space in between," SIPHO. shared in a press release. "It's not just doing society-based activities, but it's about showing up for people, it's the what-if of how I navigate my thoughts around life. I want to be grounded. It's the contemplation and praying to land in a good place."

 

2. Kevian Kraemer Ignores All the Expectations on 'Teenagers'

Up-and-coming indie-pop singer-songwriter Kevian Kraemer is best known as @GuyOnAGuitar on TikTok, enchanting fans with his vocal abilities and skillful guitar-playing, and he'll have you hooked, too, with his latest single, "Teenagers," The upbeat pop-rock track is all about those final years of high school, feeling the crushing weight of expectations and choosing to ignore them in order to try to enjoy life a little before it all winds down. "So I just started my senior year of high school and I wrote this song about how sh**** it is," Kevian shared in a video on Instagram. We dare you not to want to move along to this one.

 

3. Valencia Grace Can't Let Go of a Thorny Love on 'Roses'

There's a good reason that honey-voiced English singer-songwriter Valencia Grace has more than 2.5 million followers on TikTok, and her incredible talents are more apparent than ever on the new track "Roses." Not only are her vocals gorgeous, but they demonstrate she's in complete control, even as she sings about a relationship she can't turn away from, despite all of the pain it's causing it. The slightly haunting music video is just right for the season, featuring Valencia wandering through a cornfield under a purple-clouded sky. The song is also set to appear on her upcoming self-titled EP, Valencia, which will be released in early 2024.

 

Also read about: Thomas Day Chronicles the End of His Teenage Journey in Love Me for Another Day

 

4. Black Pumas Expand Their Eclectic Sound Even Further With Chronicles of a Diamond

GRAMMY-nominated psychedelic soul group Black Pumas made a huge splash with the release of their self-titled debut album in 2019, but their new album Chronicles of a Diamond, is even bigger, bolder and more irresistible than its predecessor. Across 10 tracks, the group proves just how comfortable they are seamlessly hopping between genres, whether they're tackling jazz, funk, pop, soul or psychedelia with a sound that's unpredictable yet instantly infectious with its incredible energy. "I knew the first record was good when we finished it, but I had no idea people would respond like they did," shared guitarist and producer Adrian Quesada in a press release. "This time around, there was a lot of pressure and expectation that we hadn't felt before, which was overwhelming at times, but we did our best to tune that out and focus on trusting ourselves like we always have."

 

5. Michael Gerow Shares a Tale of Heartbreak and Broken Trust on 'Friends Don't'

If you're like us and have been following Michael Gerow since his time on the 19th season of American Idol, you already know the 19-year-old artist has major pipes. Prepare to fall even harder for him with the release of his new single, "Friends Don't." The smooth and soulful acoustic-driven track is a story of broken trust in a relationship and discovering the person you're with has been cheating with someone they said was "just a friend." "I'm so happy that this song is finally out in the world for you guys to hear," Michael shared in a post on Instagram. "The amount of support I've received these past two months has been absolutely insane and I couldn't be more grateful for each and every one of you."

 

6. GALE and Bruses Team Up for Love Leter to Pop-Punk Girl Bands, 'Movie'

Puerto Rican singer singer-songwriter GALE is one of the fastest-rising artists in Latin pop, and on the new single "Movie," she teams up with Mexican indie-pop sensation Bruses to create a love letter to pop-punk girl bands. It's pure fun, regardless of whether you speak a word of Spanish, with an upbeat and empowering message that feels like it transcends language. "It's forward, exciting, upbeat and with a beautiful message of understanding you're the lead of this movie called life," GALE shared in a press release. "Nobody should dim your light or treat you like less. Let's remember our bad choices from our 20s and have fun while at it!"

 

7. Norah Jones and Dave Grohl Join Forces for a New Version of 'Razor'

Foo Fighters' "Razor" may be a bit of a deep cut, but it's one of the most beautiful and haunting songs in their entire discography, and we loved hearing it in a whole new way in this incredible collaboration between Norah Jones and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl. Recorded as part of the podcast Norah Jones Is Playing Along, this version adds twinkling piano to the rising and falling acoustic guitar, as well as Norah's luscious vocals. On Nov. 24, an album featuring other collabs from the podcast will also be available exclusively for Black Friday Record Store Day.

 

Also read about: 30 Memorable Foo Fighters Lyrics to Use as Your Next Instagram Caption

 

8. Hayden Summerall Makes a Triumphant Musical Return With 'Nothin' to Lose'

Here at Sweety High, we've been following Hayden Summerall's career since the very beginning, and we couldn't be more excited for his first new music in four years with the release of "Nothin' to Lose." The 18-year-old singer-songwriter is all grown up, and the summery new single is a feel-good romance anthem for the ages. "Yes, it is based on a real love story," Hayden shared in an interview with Sweety High. "What inspired me to write this song is all the times when I've thought about the crazy memories I've had. In particular, there's always the car rides in between those crazy memories where the music's loud, windows down and I feel on top of the world, in a place with the people I love. Those moments to me are more important than anything materialistic, so I wanted to create a story about that to share with the world."

 

Also read about: Hayden Summerall Makes an Epic Return to Music With New Track 'Nothin' to Lose'

 

9. Niall Horan and Lizzy McAlpine Collaborate on New Version of 'You Could Start a Cult'

Niall Horan's third studio album, The Show is about to get even better with a deluxe edition titled The Show: The Encore, out Nov. 3, but in the meantime, we're falling in love with a brand new version of "You Could Start a Cult" featuring Lizzy McAlpine. It's one of a whopping nine new bonus tracks, featuring a swooning and romantic new verse by Lizzy that adds even more texture and love to the original song. "I've been a huge fan of hers for a while now and am so grateful she was able to hop on the song and write a special new verse," Niall said of Lizzy in an Instagram post—and we have to say we're grateful, too.

 

Also read about: A Definitive Ranking of the 1989 (Taylor's Version)'s From The Vault Tracks

 

10. Taylor Swift Continues to Be the GOAT With 1989 (Taylor's Version)

Nine years after the original release of 1989, the album remains a tried and true classic, but it's no exaggeration to say that 1989 (Taylor's Version) is the definitive release, with reworked versions of the iconic songs that infuse them with brand new life. Just listen to the fresh take on "Style" to see what we mean—and that's not even to mention the five stylish From the Vault tracks, "Now That We Don't Talk," "Is It Over Now?," "Sl—!," "Suburban Legends" and "Say Don't Go," which we can't believe were relegated to the cutting room floor all those years ago. "I was born in 1989, reinvented for the first time in 2014, and a part of me was reclaimed in 2023 with the re-release of this album I love so dearly," Taylor wrote in a post on Instagram. "Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the magic you would sprinkle on my life for so long. This moment is a reflection of the woods we've wandered through and all this love between us still glowing in the darkest dark. I present to you, with gratitude and wild wonder, my version of 1989. It's been waiting for you."

 

Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of Oct. 20, 2023.