10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of September 20, 2024
Some New Music Fridays, it feels like our favorite artists are doing the best they can to keep us busy. With this week's incredible new album releases, it's definitely one of those days.
The last seven days saw new album drops from everyone from Keith Urban and Mitchell Tenpenny to Noga Erez, Wilderado and Jaz Karis—and that's not even to mention the stunning singles we can't get out of our heads at the moment. To listen to everything that's got our hearts buzzing, just keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of Sep. 20, 2024.
('What's Left of Me' via Pulse Records)
1. Keith Urban Gets Open and Honest With 11th Album, HIGH
If you needed a reminder why Keith Urban is a bona fide country music superstar, just listen to his new album, HIGH. This 11th album from the artist is the follow-up to 2020's The Speed of Now Part 1, offering 12 of his most emotionally stirring tracks to date. Whether you need a good cry or to dance your heart out, this album has you covered with incredible songs including "Straight Line," "WILDSIDE," "MESSED UP AS ME" and one of our personal favorites, "CHUCK TAYLORS." "This album is the result of a prior record I started in 2022," Keith shared in an Instagram post. "It's 40 minutes top to bottom, and is completely expressive, true, honest and is so much more of what I actually wanted to say when making that scrapped record. I hope these songs bring you joy, levity, some new understanding, energy and escape!"
Also read about: Keith Urban Gets 'Explosive, True, Honest' With His 11th Studio Album, HIGH
2. Bo Staloch Leaves His Worries Behind Him in 'Santa Fe'
Texas-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Bo Staloch is one to watch this fall, kicking off a fall tour with Wyatt Flores before supporting Richy Mitch and TCM later this year. His new single, "Santa Fe," is one that fans will love to hear live. The track is quintessentially Bo, seamlessly blending alternative and Americana sounds as she sings about the anxieties of his past before realizing the power of learning to leave his worries behind him. "'Santa Fe' urges you to let go of fear," Bo shared in a press release. "It's a push to let go of anxiety about something that isn't even there. This song is the first to embody me as a person. Something that evokes a smile or a tap of the foot. It's a message to everyone to lower your shoulders, to smile, to dance, to sing, to yell, to yell louder, hold each other's hands, skip a few skips, skip a few stones, get stoned, just let go."
3. DARUMAS Demonstrate Their Strength in 'Francotirador'
Latin pop-funk DARUMAS have a uniquely irresistible sound that's all their own, and following the release of their debut album earlier this year, they're more attention-catching as ever with their new single "Francotirador." The title means "sniper" in English, with a funky, bass-driven sound and lyrics about being resilient, even when the world doesn't believe in you. Vocalist Vedala Vilmond sings of being a bulletproof sniper who never misses her mark—just as this song fully hits its target.
Also read about: Aldana, Vedala and Ceci of DARUMAS Talk Making Music and Their Self-Titled Debut Album
4. Wyn Starks Rediscovers His Joy in 'Happy Again'
Viral pop-soul artist Wyn Starks has been rapidly on the rise since his time on American's Got Talent, and we just got another tease of his sophomore album, releasing sometime in 2025, with the new single "Happy Again." The song is a gorgeous, soaring anthem about strength in the face of hardship, holding on to hope and reminding how to rediscover your joy, even when times get tough. In a press release, Wyn shared, "Whether it's due to loss, relationship struggles, or career issues, we're all finding ourselves asking, 'When will we be happy again?"
Also read about: Wyn Starks on the Success of 'Who I Am,' Support From Celine Dion and His Upcoming Album
5. Jaz Karis Embarks on a New Journey With Debut Album, SAFE FLIGHT Debut Album
At last, English R&B artist Jaz Karis is ready to share her debut album with the world, and SAFE FLIGHT powerfully invites us into her life in a way only Jaz could. The album gets its name from the messages Jaz's family sends her as she jet sets across the world as a music superstar, with 13 tracks that are soulful, sleek and confident as she sees the opportunities ahead of her and steps into her place in the world. "I am so proud and so happy to announce my debut album SAFE FLIGHT," she explained in a press release. "The whole concept of this album came to me whilst I was working in L.A. This past year or so I have traveled back and forth between London and Los Angeles so much that I hadn't realized how much my life was changing before my eyes. The title SAFE FLIGHT felt fitting due to the amount of times I had heard it this past year, it also felt like I was embarking on a new journey which is exactly what this album has been for me. The majority of this album was created in Los Angeles, bar a few songs made in other places such as New York City, Atlanta and Texas. With only one song being created at home in London, it felt like I really had begun a new chapter in life with this body of work. I wanted the features to also reflect my travels and I'm so fortunate to have had so many stellar artists from across the globe collaborate with me on this. The music also goes into different worlds, but I would like to think that soul runs throughout every song, making them all feel like a flowing body of work. From me to anybody listening, I hope you have a safe flight."
6. Wilderado Embrace Their Oklahoma Roots on Sophomore Album, Talker
As fans of indie-rock trio Wilderado, we've loved seeing them get more in touch with their Tulsa, Oklahoma roots, and those influences are on fully display in their sophomore album, Talker. The album's 12 tracks are honest and confessional as they reflect on what what it means to call the state tehir home while infusing a touch of country and Americana into their rock sound. "We've always had an eclectic catalog and an 'anything goes' mentality, where the only thing that matters is the song itself," the band's lead singer and guitarist, Max Rainer, shared in a press release. "A lot of our first LP was about being on the road, and I didn't want to regurgitate that same idea on our new album. Instead, I decided to get confessional and vulnerable."
7. Isabella Kensington Captures the Essence of Growing Up in not in a dollhouse anymore EP
British-American artist Isabella Kensington has a soothing retro-pop sound we simply can't resist, and her storytelling is better than ever on her new EP, not in a dollhouse anymore. Its six tracks serve as a diaristic peek into her life, graduating high school and attending university, and living between London and New York over the last few years. There's something cozy and almost therapeutic about her musical approach, and it's no wonder her style has been dubbed as "healing girl pop." "This EP is the rollercoaster of the last few years of my life," Isabella revealed in a press release. "There are stories of heartbreak, love, desperation, empowerment, and every song symbolizes a pivotal moment for me. This project means a lot to me. It's been a couple of years since my last EP, and so much has changed. I graduated high school, moved to New York alone, started attending university, met new people and left some behind. I experienced emotion after emotion, and telling these stories got me through each day."
8. Noga Erez Breaks the Rules With New Album, THE VANDALIST
Alt-pop singer-songwriter Noga Erez caught our attention in a big way with the release of her single "Vandalist" this spring, and we couldn't imagine a better title track for her latest album, THE VANDALIST. With its 16 tracks, Noga rebels against an unkind world, embracing her own sensitivity as she rewrites the rules with bold sounds and witty, brash lyricism. "I feel like whenever I try to describe it, it changes a little bit," Noga shared in an interview with Sweety High. "Today, THE VANDALIST is about a side in me that likes to disrupt the norm. It's my journey towards accepting the rough edges in me. It is my way, in a world that seems increasingly more tough and hard to understand, to declare I don't follow the rules of this world any longer. "
Also read about: Noga Erez Sets Out to Break the Rules With Album THE VANDALIST
9. Mitchell Tenpenny Explores Legacy and The Future With Third Album, The 3rd
Platinum-selling country artist Mitchell Tenpenny was born James Mitchell Tenpenny III, named after his father, and his father before him, and that legacy plays an important role in his new album, The 3rd. Not only is this his third album, but it plays homage to his ancestors while reflecting on his own identity, as well as what his future might hold for him. It's an eclectic collection of 20 tracks demonstrating all of the musical pieces of who Mitchell is as an artist, with his unforgettable voice at the forefront of each song. "I am James Mitchell Tenpenny the 3rd," Mitchell shared in an interview with Sweety High. "It's a little weird singing my name in a song, but I think about how I got my name a lot, since both my grandfather and father have passed on. If I do have a son, will he be the 4th? I'm not sure, but now that I am married it's definitely something that's right in front of me. This song definitely stood out as the title track an everything fell into place after that."
Also read about: Mitchell Tenpenny Explores Legacy and the Future With Eclectic Third Album, The 3rd
10. Grace VanderWaal Reckons With Change and Heartbreak in 'What's Left of Me'
Singer-songwriter and actress Grace VanderWaal has come a very long way since her viral America's Got Talent audition nearly a decade ago, and her recent return to music has shown us just how much she's grown. She made a big comeback last month with "Call It What You Want," and just followed it up with the epic and anthemic "What's Left of Me." Driven by her gripping vocals, it's a raw track reckoning with the challenges of a situationship, feeling as she's losing a part of herself as it falls apart. The music video turns her inner battle into a war as she dons knightly armor in the style of Joan of Arc. "'What's Left Of Me' is a track about feeling as though you're a breathing legacy of a fallen relationship," Grace shared in a press release. "Everything about me is in some way directly or indirectly caused by you. An inescapable touch, acid burned kiss, I'll never be the girl I was before. It's a robbery of identity."
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of Sep. 13, 2024.