10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of January 27, 2023
Another week is officially in the books, and that means it's time to enjoy all of the new music we were blessed with.
This week, in particular, was full of some hits we think are going to become instant classics. From GUNNAR to Sam Smith and The Kid LAROI, everything we heard left us so impressed. Interested in finding out about our faves? Just keep scrolling to get a look at the 10 big things that happened in music the week of Jan. 27, 2023.
1. Rachel Grae Releases New Single 'How Dare You'
We originally noticed singer-songwriter Rachel Grae through TikTok, and boy are we glad that the algorithm gave us a look inside her talent. Racking up millions of views and collective followers, it seems like everyone (us included) is impressed with her latest single, "How Dare You." This powerful song was made for those of us in situationships, and it will cut you to your core. "'How Dare You' is about someone who left my life and tried coming back when it was convenient for them, leaving me feeling like my patience and loyalty were taken for granted," Rachel told Sweety High in an interview. "I wrote this song to say everything I never said to that person. The songwriting process helped bring peace and honestly helped give me closure. It seems to be resonating a lot with listeners on socials, so I'm excited for everyone to have the full song to listen to."
Also read about: Rachel Grae Reveals the Real-Life Heartbreak That Inspired 'How Dare You'
2. Surf Mesa Shares New Song 'City Of Love' Featuring Selah Sol
At just 22 years old, Surf Mesa is back and better than ever since the release of his hit song "ily" (which has over 12 billion streams) with "City Of Love," featuring Selah Soh. We're getting the classic sound we've come to expect from the artist, with a soulful twist. With an accompanying music video shot in Malibu, California, this track is one that fans will absolutely adore. "My heart has taken its time to sit with this song for a while now," Surf Mesa shared in a press release. "I first heard the vocal from Selah Sol in October of 2021 and I spent that same night in the studio, drawing my imagination to audio. Countless versions and revisions have been made until this one and I could not be more ready to share it with the world!! This song resonates with my life and sonic sound to a T and I hope it resonates with listeners, too."
3. Chase Rice Unveils New Song 'Bench Seat' Along With Music Video
Country singer-songwriter Chase Rice never fails to get us in our feels, and with his latest song, "Bench Seat," we're sitting here left in tears. The gut-wrenching song discusses difficult topics like addiction and trauma, and with the music video showing a man and his dog, who is there for him through the good times and the bad, we think it's just the kind of song a lot of people need to hear and really listen to. "For the first time in my career, I could envision the whole video as I was writing the song," Chase shared in a press release. "I wanted to shine a light on the topic of mental health because this is something that makes way too many people feel alone and especially when addiction becomes part of the picture, one bad moment can have horrible consequences. I personally know how hard it can be to ask for help when you need it, but I hope this helps start a few more conversations and lets people know they really aren't alone."
4. T-Pop Group PRETZELLE Drop New Single 'U R Mine'
We've been loving T-pop girl group PRETZELLE for quite some time now, and with their comeback single "U R Mine," we're even more obsessed. With a flirtatious beat and R&B vibes, this is one song we think everyone needs to listen to at least once. "We wanted to create a song that speaks to that experience and empowers listeners to trust their instincts and be confident in their feelings," ICE of PRETZELLE told Sweety High in an interview. "We hope that this song will reach a wider audience and that our listeners who have the same experience with this song, and feel that they have friends to share the same experience and feel happy with our songs."
Also read about: T-Pop Group PRETZELLE Dishes on Comeback Track 'U R Mine'
5. GUNNAR Shares New Rock Single 'F*** A Broken Heart'
If you don't already know who Gunnar Gehl, aka GUNNAR, is, allow us to make a long-overdue introduction. The 21-year-old rocker has people like Scooter Braun and Brendan O'Brien in his court, so it's clear he's the real deal. And with his latest single "F*** A Broken Heart" out, we finally have the perfect song to rock out to. It's full of passion and heart, and will absolutely put a smile on your face after watching the music video. "'F*** a Broken Heart' is a song about the goalkeeper no longer being at the goalpost," GUNNAR shared in a press release. "It's about finally syncing up with the person that you have been waiting for. There was a person that I had known for a long time—we just had chemistry with each other from the jump, but the timing never worked out. When she finally got out of the wrong relationship she had been in, I didn't want her to be sad or heartbroken at all—because it was finally time for her and I to have what we had been yearning for. F*** A Broken Heart."
6. SG Lewis Releases New Album AudioLust & HigherLove
Raise your hand if you plan on watching SG Lewis at Coachella this year! We know we sure do, and with the release of his new album AudioLust & HigherLove, we just know his set is going to be unmatched. The 15-track album is full of some incredible beats and songs, like "Oh Laura" and "Missing You." If you're into deep house music, trust us when we say you need to give this album a listen. "The album is clearly split into two worlds," SG Lewis shared in a press release. "AudioLust is the darker, lusty, infatuated, short-lived, and ego-driven version of love. The second half represents a much deeper, actualized, and fulfilled version of love. Songs fall on either half of the record. I feel like I exist in the space between DJing and being an artist. The bulk of the album was written across a series of intensive studio residencies in the height of the pandemic, with the help of some incredibly talented friends, and allowed me to explore myself as an artist in a way that I would never have dared before."
7. Bad Bad Hats Drop 10th Anniversary Edition of It Hurts
Bad Bad Hats released It Hurts a whopping 10 years ago, and to celebrate the important anniversary, the band decided to come out with the It Hurts EP (10th Anniversary Edition). With all of the original songs, as well as some new insights and demos that were not previously released, the new EP blends indie sounds and a pop appeal. "You only get so many anniversaries as a band, so I really wanted to take a moment and commemorate these last 10 years of making music—get a chance to be nostalgic and reflect on how far we've come and all the adventures we've had," Kerry of Bad Bad Hurts told Sweety High in an interview. "And it helped that It Hurts had never been printed into a physical form (no CDs, no tapes, no vinyl, no nothing!). So we knew we could do something super special to celebrate with the fans."
Also read about: A Decade After It Hurts, Bad Bad Hats' Kerry Alexander Dishes on the 10th Anniversary Edition
8. The Kid LAROI Gets Emotional In New Single 'Love Again'
It seems like ever since The Kid LAROI teamed up with Justin Bieber for their hit song "Stay," he's been in the limelight and refuses to leave—and we are not complaining! The 19-year-old has already cemented himself as an artist in the music industry, and we're counting down the days until the release of his upcoming album. But in the meantime, we can listen to his new single "Love Again," which also has a unique music video that we couldn't look away from. All we'll say is he kisses a mannequin—do with that what you will.
9. Maisie Peters Drops New Song 'Body Better'
Maisie Peters is gearing up to release a new album, but before the official announcement, she graced us all with her new single "Body Better," and it's a total banger. The pop song is brutal, honest and contains a lot of the thoughts we tend to get going through our heads after a breakup. "'Body Better' is one of the most honest songs I've ever released, and definitely the most personal," Maisie shared in a press release. "I wrote it after a breakup and it deals with the ugly things you think to yourself in the aftermath, when you're painstakingly going through everything small thing you did and were and wondering what you could have changed. It's a song about insecurity and vulnerability, about giving a lot of yourself away to someone who decides they don't want it anymore, and knowing where to go from there."
10. Sam Smith Finally Shares New Album Gloria
If you have plans right now, cancel them immediately and listen to Sam Smith's new album, Gloria, instead. It seems like we've been waiting forever for this album to drop, and now that it's finally here, we can honestly say it was well worth the wait. The 12-track album, which features artists including Kim Petras, Jessie Reyez, Koffee, Ed Sheeran and Calvin Harris, is full of emotional, riveting songs we plan on listening to on repeat. "I was not gonna write a heartbreak album," Sam shared in a press release. "A challenge that was huge! I wanted this to be the opposite. When I was a kid, just walking out of the house, I needed armor. Rihanna, Robyn, Beyoncé, they were my armor. And I feel like Gloria is the album I needed that I never had."
Missed our top 10 from last week? Look HERE for the 10 big things that happened in music the week of Jan. 20, 2023.