Billboard’s First Stream serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most important releases — the major music everyone talks about today and will dominate playlists this weekend and beyond.
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Watch the latest videos, charts and news
Watch the latest videos, charts and news
This week, Miley Cyrus grows up in “Flowers,” Shakira doesn’t hold back with Bizarup, and Sam Smith recruits two companions to keep evolving. Here are this week’s first stream picks:
Miley Cyrus “Flowers”
Throughout her career, Miley Cyrus has reshaped her image and sound at the start of a new album era. cannot be tamed to the bold hip-hop influence of bangers To pensive country pop young now To guitar rock that pays homage plastic heartThe sophisticated disco-adjacent mid-tempo pop track “Flowers” is the first taste of the upcoming album. endless summer vacation, doesn’t tilt its hand to reveal Cyrus’ radical sonic reinvention, but in this context it actually benefits the singing superstar of changing course and finding self-actualization after a breakup. increase. Singing with wisdom and a steady sense of space on “Flowers,” Cyrus shows that pop can still evoke his magic, but still feel comfortable in his own skin.
Bizarrap & Shakira, “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol.
“This is for chew-and-swallow, swallow-and-chew regrets,” Shakira declares in volume 53 of Bizarrap’s acclaimed (and increasingly popular) Music Sessions. Shakira’s ex-husband, football star Gerard Pique, has already made headlines on her social media. But don’t let tabloid headlines eclipse Shakira’s most vibrant single in years. 53″ is full of hooks, beat changes and exuberant vocals, as if dunking her ex-boyfriend unleashed the most dazzling version of a superstar of all time.
Sam Smith feat. Coffey & Jessie Reyez “Gimme”
Sam Smith’s renaissance continues with ‘Gimme’. This singer-his-songwriter recently tinkered with Mike’s persona on his sweaty hyperpop smash “Unholy,” going for a more subtle and sensual delivery, downplaying their squat voices and turning it into a great song. Finishing up. effect. Instead of sacrificing the intimacy of a sexually charged song like “Gimme,” guest stars Koffee and Jessie Reyez switch up the song’s chemistry, clashing from the chime refrain to his second We make every moment of the track as impactful as possible, right down to the verses.
Moneybagg Yo & GloRilla “On Wat U On”
Two solid Memphis rappers, Moneybagg Yo and GloRilla, are becoming increasingly important to mainstream hip-hop, and give them a deep bass beat with menacing piano lines and the result is It will probably be great. But “On Wat U On” represents more than a reliable headknocker from its fellow CMG label. The pair form a solitary symbiotic relationship that knows what they want and is able to justify a kiss-off while cosplaying in a precarious relationship. (GloRilla gets extra points for punctuating the line by dropping “Hate yo’ ass!”).
Margo Price strays
In the summer of 2020, in the throes of a pandemic, Margo Price and her husband and co-creator Jeremy Ivey spent six days in South Carolina, ingesting copious amounts of hallucinogenic mushrooms, eventually releasing an album and I wrote an album furiously. straysits backstory not only explains the restrained songwriting at the heart of the country-folk mainstay’s fourth album, but also how the album manages to be nuanced in between its more freewheeling moments. is emphasized. Tracks like the crisp “Been to the Mountain” are powerful tales of “County Road,” a poignant message to young victims of car accidents, and one of Price’s best works about abortion. The ballad “Lydia” is balanced.
PartyNextDoor “her old friend”
Around 95 seconds into new single “Her Old Friends,” PartyNextDoor rocks into the groove, reminding casual fans why he’s still an exciting presence in popular R&B. The new track follows singles like “Sex in the Porsche” and “No Fuss”, and is the first since 2020. The PND alludes to a full-length…but regardless of when it arrives, moments like the one halfway through “Her Old Friends” are worth savoring.
