10 Cool New Pop Songs to Get You Through The Week: Aespa, Dove Cameron, Dayglow & More
Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.
These 10 tracks from artists like Aespa, Dove Cameron, Dayglow and more will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of all 10.
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Aespa, “Life’s Too Short”
Aespa’s new single slyly harkens back to some stone-cold classic singles from girl groups like the Spice Girls and Destiny’s Child by not only showcasing the vocal prowess of each member, but building a message around unity, living your truth and saying farewell to time-wasters. Preceding the K-pop group’s new EP Girls — The 2nd Mini Album, “Life’s Too Short” is light as a feather, but sticks with the listener for a while. – JL
Dove Cameron, “Breakfast”
As her breakthrough single “Boyfriend” demonstrated earlier this year, Dove Cameron’s voice contains a smokiness and not-too-subtle hint of danger that distinguishes the former Disney star from the rest of her new top 40 competition. “Breakfast” accentuates that edge once again — its title comes from the line “I eat boys like you for breakfast” — but pairs Cameron with harder percussion and fluttering strings that combine to heighten the drama. – JL
Pure Shores, “Light of My Life”
It’s late June, summer is here, and you need some tunes to add to your beach playlist. Pure Shores, the duo of Swedish pop singer-songwriters Marlene and Ji Nilsson, are happy to oblige: “Light of My Life” is sun-kissed bliss, with both artists conjuring hooks out of thin air and dropping a chorus that’s as charmingly fluffy as cotton candy. Pure Shores has shown promise on past singles, but “Light of My Life” is their most perfectly timed treat yet. – JL
Aidan Bissett, “Twenty Something”
Timing is everything when you’re trying to make a relationship work, and singer-songwriter Aidan Bissett isn’t able to synch up with a significant other on “Twenty Something” — hence the shout-along chorus, which dials up the angst as Bissett narrates his woes. Scrunching up his face and thumping his fist against his chest in the “Twenty Something” music video, Bissett flaunts a star quality that makes his early tunes worth monitoring. – JL
Christine and the Queens, “Je te vois enfin”
Some of Christine and the Queens’ most compelling tunes, from “Tilted” to “People, I’ve Been Sad,” possess a call-and-response quality that morphs into a sort of inner monologue, as if Hélo?se Letissier is blurting out her secrets and society keeps silencing her. “Je te vois enfin” operates in this mode, with religious language quelling her racing thoughts as the rubbery production bounces along, and the single serves as another triumph. – JL
Dayglow, “Then It All Goes Away”
Much like breakout hit “Can I Call You Tonight,” the latest from indie-pop artist Dayglow is built around a bright, uptempo riff — and leans into the uncertainties that come with dating. Yet there’s something particularly moving about how “Then It All Goes Away” is a shrug of sorts, exemplified by the pre-chorus as Dayglow matter-of-factly states, “It goes like…” before dipping into his falsetto to explain just how not ideally things have been going down — and why even though he’s aware of his unhappiness, “nothing seems to change.” – LH
Mura Masa, Channel Tres and Shygirl, “Hollaback Bitch”
Ahead of the release of third album Demon Time, electronic producer Mura Masa is proving the project will color outside all genre lines. With the help of hazy and hushed vocals from Channel Tres and Shygirl, single “Hollaback Bitch” is built around a bouncy beat — then throws listeners for a loop with the unexpected addition of horns just over a minute in. Like any Mura Masa track, this one comes without a structural roadmap — and is better off for it. – LH
Empress Of and Jim-E Stack, “Turn the Table”
Having worked together before, Empress Of and producer Jim-E Stack have developed a sonic shorthand, one which his intricately layered productions simultaneously elevate and contrast her airy vocals. It’s that contrast that helps “Turn the Table” arrive as an alt empowerment hit, with Empress Of declaring in her airy, soft-spoken way: “That girl ain’t afraid of you now.” – LH
Julia Wolf, “Hot Killer”
Self-declared “Hot Killer” and Queens singer-songwriter Julia Wolf has found her lane in assertive — verging on vindictive — music that, as she’s said, is for girls too afraid to speak their minds. Fortunately for fans, Wolf also isn’t afraid of crossing genre lines, and the way in which her pop vocals skate over a bass-heavy, hip-hop inspired beat here is the latest result. – LH
Lolo Zoua?, “Blur”
On “Blur,” rising French-American artist Lolo Zouai has fun with Ariana Grande-inspired harmonies and intimate little details of a rule-breaking encounter, like waking up with a new partner’s sweats on. But above all, it’s the self-awareness — and desire for a bit of fun — that are most intriguing, as Zoua? says: “Let you call me your girl / That don’t mean I’m falling / You’re every single thing that I deserve / Maybe that’s too boring.” – LH