10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of September 9, 2022
Can you feel the change in the air? The official start of autumn is so close we can taste it—and we can feel it in all of this week's best new music, too.
The season comes with a bit of extra thoughtfulness, introspection and reflection, and with great new tunes from up-and-comers including Petal Crush and Abby Sage, as well as huge stars like Kane Brown, John Legend, Kelly Clarkson and Dolly Parton, this week's music was all about digging deep into our feelings. Keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of September 9, 2022.
1. Petal Crush Teases Upcoming EP With 'Lucky Ever After'
Andy Petrusky, aka Petal Crush, left a successful tennis career to pursue his dream in music, and his new single "Lucky Ever After" is proof he made the right choice. It's vibey and nostalgic, with lyrics about making the very most of the life you're dealt, whatever happens. It's also the title track off his upcoming EP, and we think it's just the thing to get us through the wind-down of summer. "Wanted to share again just how proud we are to finally release our single, 'Lucky Ever After,'" Petal Crush's Andy Petrusky shared on Instagram. "It's been a blessing working with such amazing individuals AND family. We have a video premiering in no time at all and more updates to come, so thank you all! Please keep listening to rock!"
2. Abby Sage Can't Seem to Get Ahead in 'Backwards Directions'
Ever feel like no matter how much you move forward, you're still not making any progress? Abby Sage certainly does, and in her new single "Backwards Directions," the indie artist sings about the frustrations of making mistakes and losing your forward momentum, driven by her warm, breathy vocals and a driving bass rhythm. The track comes complete with a creative music video filmed entirely in reverse. "'Backwards Directions' is about constantly making the same mistakes, not moving forward as planned, and asking for forgiveness or at least a sense of understanding for wrongdoing and lack of growth," Abby shared in a press release. We have to say we can relate, and can't wait for her EP, The Florist, which comes out on Oct. 21.
3. The Womack Sisters Drop Their Legacy EP
The Womack Sisters, BG, Zeimani and Kucha, are the granddaughters of the King of Soul Sam Cooke, and it's clear that musical talent runs in the family as they carry on his musical legacy. It's appropriate, then, that their new EP is also called Legacy, with six striking tracks evocative of the '60s soul classics. "Legacy represents a full circle moment for us," the Womack Sisters shared in a press release. "We've waited our whole lives to bring a project that listeners can relate to, from love and happiness to heartbreak and sadness. It represents it all and this is just the beginning of our own legacy that we are carrying on from our family."
4. NOTD Shares Their Delf-Titled Debut EP, NOTED…
Swedish producer duo NOTD is known for their memorable melodies and earth-shaking collabs, and their first-ever EP, NOTED…, shows off just how talented the pair truly is. It includes six tracks featuring The Band Camino, Nightly, kenzie, Kiiara, Hastings and Quinn XCII, with each collab bringing out the very best in its artists. "This EP is very special to us," NOTD explained in a press release. "Until now, we've released only singles, so to be able to put out a project like this feels surreal, and to be honest it's also a bit scary. Being stuck at home these past few years because of covid gave us the time to experiment with new sounds and see how we could implement them in our music. We're both such big fans of rock/alternative/indie music, so you're going to hear some of those influences in these new songs. We are so thankful we got to collaborate with such amazing artists and songwriters to bring it to life, and we're so proud of how it turned out."
Also read about: Everything You Need to Know About Swedish Producer Duo NOTD
5. MASN Feels the Weight of Infatuation in 'Crush'
Have you ever wondered why they call it a "crush"? MASN's vibey new single of the same name makes it all make sense as he compares the concept of being fully consumed by infatuation to being crushed alive. "'Crush' was inspired by the feeling of someone having enough emotional pull to figuratively crush you," MASN explained in an interview with Sweety High. "It feels as if you're being physically crushed, but really it is just in your head. We don't always realize how much pull someone has over us.
Also read about: MASN on His New Single, Emotional Dependence and Why It's Called a 'Crush'
6. Em Beihold Gets in Touch With Her Senses in the New Video for '12345'
Em Beihold dropped her vulnerable sophomore EP Egg in the Backseat in July, and we're delighted that one of our favorite tracks, "12345," now has its own captivating music video. The song references a method for dealing with panic attacks that involve getting in touch with your five senses, and we adore the way its artsy new video brings it to life. "In writing '12345,' my co-writers Dallas Caton, Alex Veltri and I wanted to bring attention to the 54321 method used to help ground you during a panic attack," Em revealed in a press release."The method involves naming five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste. Panic attacks are scary, but the point of this song is to remind people of ways to help stop them and to also remind everyone that they're not alone."
Also read about: Everything You Should Know About 'Numb Little Bug' Artist Em Beihold
7. Echosmith Brings Back a Classic With 'Cool Kids (our version)'
When Echosmith's "Cool Kids" came out in 2013, it was a sensation, and you couldn't put on the radio or even go to the mall without hearing it blasted from every corner. Today, it's still regarded as a relatable classic—and it's gotten even more help thanks to going totally viral on TikTok. Nearly a decade later, the band is entering a new era—and they've also decided to record an updated version of the track, with a new bridge to bring things full circle. "Our approach for 'Cool Kids (our version)' started with the question, 'What if 'Cool Kids' isn't finished yet?'" the band's Sydney Sierota told Sweety High in an interview. "That question led us to write a whole new bridge for the song, which turned out to be such a therapeutic, full-circle moment. We were playing with the song in the studio when this bridge sort of just came out of us. We recorded the vocals for it in just a few quick takes and that raw vocal is what you hear in the final version. Lyrically, the bridge captures where we're at now: the growth, the growing pains, our new perspective on life and how we still struggle with that desire to fit in. Musically, we rerecorded everything and added a lot of fun new things to the track. One of my favorite things that we did was add group vocals to every single chorus because I could never imagine singing this song alone because it's everyone's song now."
Also read about: Echosmith's Sydney Sierota on the Legacy of 'Cool Kids'—and Its Stunning New Version
8. Kane Brown Drops Third Album, Different Man
Country heartthrob Kane Brown has been one of our favorites ever since he started posting covers on Facebook almost a decade ago, and with his third album, Different Man, it's clear he's one of the most captivating artists in the genre today. "One Mississippi," "Like I Love Country Music" and "Grand" were instant hits, but we have to say our favorite single from the album is "Thank God," a remarkable duet above love, featuring Kane's talented wife, Katelyn Brown.
9. John Legend Reveals His Self-Titled Album, LEGEND
John Legend's eighth studio album, the self-titled LEGEND, is also his most anticipated yet, as it's his first release since 2020's Bigger Love, and comes with double the magic as a two-act release, with a whopping 24 tracks in total. It's also jam-packed with iconic collabs, featuring Rick Ross, JID, Free Nationals, Jhene Aiko, Ty Dolla $ign, Amber Mark, Jazmine Sullivan, Saweetie, Muni Long, Jada Kingdom, Rapsody and Ledisi. "LEGEND is that synthesis of looking forward, but also connecting with where we come from," John explained in a press release. We think every track is a winner, and starting off with the opener, "Rounds" featuring Rick Ross, will get you in the mood to listen all the way through.
10. Dolly Parton and Kelly Clarkson Team Up for Iconic New Version of '9 to 5'
Now here's the duet we never knew we needed in our lives. Dolly Parton originally recorded the upbeat worker's anthem "9 to 5" in 1980 for the comedy film of the same name, and we weren't sure what to expect when we heard that Dolly and Kelly Clarkson were joining forces for a new take on the track. The result is a song filled to the brim with passion—a desperate yearning for the chance to work for a better life. It's more moving than ever, and inspiring and aspirational, in spite of everything, making it the perfect Friday afternoon listen as you look forward to a well-deserved weekend break.
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of September 2, 2022.