Looking for some Monday motivation to help power you through the start of another week? We’re right there with you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.
These 10 tracks from artists like Y2K & JoJo, The Vamps, Bryce Vine and The Neighourhood 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.
Y2K & JoJo, “Damage Is Done”
What have we done to deserve all this top-notch JoJo music? After releasing her singular R&B full-length Good To Know and an acoustic version of the album earlier this year, the once-long-dormant singer is already back with a slinky new dance cut, this time teaming up with producer Y2K for a change in tempo.
Claudia Valentina, “Obsessed”
After impressing with her debut single “Seven,” British newcomer Claudia Valentina delivers her lines with the braggadocio of a hip-hop superstar — “Been leaving all these messages on read / I’ll have time for sleeping when I’m dead / Married to the money, newlywed,” she sneers — on “Obsessed,” a more fully realized follow-up with a lilting hook.
Griff, “Say It Again”
London star Griff lends a helping hand on “Say It Again,” on which she addresses someone who’s struggling by offering endless reassurance. The message can’t help but resonate during this trying year, but the song’s compact pop arrangement and Griff’s soulful deliver turn it into a playlist staple.
Bryce Vine, “Life Goes On”
Best known for breezy hits like “Drew Barrymore” and “La La Land,” Bryce Vine plays it somber and scores on “Life Goes On,” which finds power in its streamlined percussion and a drooping guitar lick as Vine tries to move on from tragedy and struggles finding a sense of normalcy in an abnormal time.
Yorke, “Gravity”
“Gravity” is the sort of pop anthem that shakes you awake, a pristine piece of bubblegum that attacks its hook head-on and reveals its production details slowly, only after repeated listens. Australian singer-songwriter Yorke worked on the track with ex-Death Cab For Cutie member Chris Walla, and came up with a track that’s stronger than anything on her recent (still very good!) EP, Liberosis.
Sody, Cavetown, “Is Your Bedroom Ceiling Bored?”
Two very good rising U.K. singers — Sody, 19, and Cavetown, 21 — have united for a nice duet about lying awake in bed at night, wondering what that special someone is thinking. Think of this as the British answer to “If The World Was Ending.”
The Neighbourhood, “Cherry Flavoured”
The Neighbourhood still have the ability to tug those heartstrings with their specific brand of atmospheric alt-rock, as is evident on their first new song in about a year. The animated video for “Cherry Flavoured,” a creative nod to old Nickelodeon cartoons, presents frontman Jesse Rutherford as the character Chip Chrome, and the rest of the band as The Mono-Tones. It’s all an intro to the group’s new album Chip Chrome & The Mono-Tones, due in September.
The Vamps, “Married in Vegas”
Lead singer Brad Simpson’s vocals are as flawless as ever, but it’s that jaunty piano interlude after each chorus that makes “Married in Vegas” a banger. Created during lockdown aside producer Lostboy (Dua Lipa, Rita Ora, Anne-Marie), “Married in Vegas” is a promising first taste of The Vamps’ fifth album Cherry Blossom, due in October.
Jamie Miller, “City That Never Sleeps”
New Atlantic Records/Geaux Uptown Records signee Jamie Miller is off to a strong start. The U.K. singer’s debut single “City That Never Sleeps” showcases his incredible vocal range and control — man, that falsetto!
Television Skies, “One For the Road”
New York’s Television Skies just put out their third album in as many years, and the prolific duo has already followed it up with the gritty, melodic “One For the Road,” which will mesh well with the 1975 and Twenty One Pilots tracks on your playlist.
