So many artists, so little time. Each week we review a handful of new albums (of all genres), round up even more new music that we'd call "indie," and talk about what metal is coming out. We post music news, track premieres, and more all day. In these concertless times, that includes daily livestreams and live concert videos we love. We update a playlist weekly of some of our current favorite tracks. Here's a daily roundup with a bunch of interesting, newly released songs in one place.
CHANCE THE RAPPER - "THE RETURN"
Chance the Rapper and Jeremih (who was recently released from the hospital following his COVID-19 diagnosis) are releasing Merry Christmas Lil Mama: The Gift That Keeps on Giving on Friday, and it'll include this soulful new song from Chance, which is holiday-themed but isn't necessarily "holiday music." It'd sound good any time of year.
--
TROYE SIVAN - "EASY" (ft. KACEY MUSGRAVES & MARK RONSON)
Troye Sivan has released a new version of his song "Easy" which features crossover country great Kacey Musgraves and superproducer Mark Ronson. Kacey also stars alongside Troye in the Bardia Zeinali-directed video, which comes with an epilepsy warning.
--
DOLORES DIAZ & THE STANDBY CLUB - "ONCE A DAY" (CONNIE SMITH COVER)
Conor Oberst's country cover band, Dolores Diaz & The Standby Club, release their live album Live at O’Leaver’s tomorrow (12/11), and they've shared one more single ahead of that, a soulful Connie Smith cover with vocals from Conor's ex-wife, Corina Figueroa Escamilla.
--
THE AISLERS SET - "COLD CHRISTMAS"
'90s/'00s era indie band The Aislers Set went dormant in the mid-'90s and this track dates from 2010. How could they have kept this wonderful, warm holiday song from the world for 10 years?
--
SIBILLE ATTAR - "DREAM STATE"
Here's another single from Swedish artist Sibille Attar's upcoming A History of Silence. “For a long time in my life, I tried to sit in certain constellations to please other people,” Sibille says. “And it didn’t work, because I could only do it for a little while before I’d get frustrated and want to do things my own way. There was a time when I felt like I couldn’t trust the business, and it was draining me of my love for the music. Eventually, I realised you can’t live your life trying to fit into somebody else’s mould all the time.” With thundering drums and glistening synths, "Dream State" builds towards a towering crescendo.
--
GUY BLAKESLEE (ENTRANCE BAND) - "SOMETIMES"
“A few Summers ago, my life had come crashing down. You could say I had destroyed it,” says Entrance Band's Guy Blakeslee. “Abandoning all illusions of security and leaping off the uncertain edge, I landed in a tiny windowless room overflowing with my broken musical instruments. A chance encounter with a friend of a friend led me to a cat-sitting gig in an Old Hollywood apartment where Man Ray and Orson Welles had once lived. When I wasn’t chasing the devious felines up and down many flights of ancient stairs I would lose myself for hours at the well worn piano, where I could feel my former identity slipping away.” That piano led to Guy's new album, Postcards from the Edge, will be out February 5 via Entrance Records. This is the first single.
--
SUN JUNE - "BAD GIRL"
Austin band Sun June's sophomore LP, Somewhere, is due out February 5 via Run for Cover, and the latest single is the twangy, languid "Bad Girl." "'Bad Girl' is about a deep manic drive to regress into the person I used to be — back when being bad was cool and being cool was everything," the band's Laura Colwell says. "I was given a lot of freedom as a teenager and always took advantage of it. After I lost a good friend in high school, my fear of death was overwhelming. The song reflects on how that fear combined with my own thrill-seeking affected my decisions since. It cycles through self-destructive choices I’ve made in relationships to avoid responsibility, and how my fear of loss has lead me down some dumb paths. The tone is sad and resigned, but also self-righteous somehow."
--
JANE INC (U.S. GIRLS) - "GEM"
Carlyn Bezic, who is one half of Toronto duo Ice Cream and also plays in U.S. Girls live band, makes music solo as Jane Inc and will release Number One on March 8 via Telephone Explosion. "Gem" is the slinky, synthy first single.
--
KAREN ELSON - "WE'LL MEET AGAIN" (VERA LYNN COVER)
Karen Elson has announced a new EP of covers, Radio Redhead, due out December 18 and featuring her rendition of songs by Elton John, Cher, Abba, Robyn, and Vera Lynn, whose "We'll Meet Again" Karen covers in the first single. "'We’ll Meet Again' really feels like the impetus to this entire Radio Redhead project," she says. "It feels so poignant for the times that we’re in: with COVID, with so many of us being separated from friends and family, it just felt like the right song to sing at this time."
--
FRANK IERO AND THE FUTURE VIOLENTS - "SEWERWOLF"
Following the "Losing My Religion" cover, Frank Iero has shared an original song from his upcoming Heaven is A Place, This is A Place. "Sewerwolf" finds him going in heavy, grungy Headbangers Ball territory.
--
FOR YOUR HEALTH - "BIRTHDAY CANDLES IN THE EFFIGY"
"Birthday Candles in the Effigy" is the intense lead single off Ohio screamo band For Your Health's anticipated debut album, and you can read more about it here.
--
THOU & EMMA RUTH RUNDLE - "HOLLYWOOD" (THE CRANBERRIES COVER)
Thou and Emma Ruth Rundle just released an awesome collaborative album, and now they've already announced that they'll also put out a collaborative EP in January. It's first single is a Cranberries cover and you can read more about it here.
--
HAYLEY WILLIAMS - "SIMMER" (ACOUSTIC)
Hayley Williams has shared the first single off her upcoming acoustic EP, and you can read more about it here.
--
KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD - 'IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN?"
Prolific Australians King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard just released their 16th album K.G. so it should be no surprise that they're already back with something new.
--
CHEVAL SOMBRE - "IT'S NOT TIME" FT SONIC BOOM
Cheval Sombre has two new albums on the way in 2021 and while details haven't been shared, this new single has. "It's Not Time" was produced by Sonic Boom and he also plays keyboards on the track. Celestial synths intermingle with delicately plucked nylon string guitars while Cheval's gentle vocals only lightly breaking through the ether.
--
CAITHLIN DE MARRAIS - "(LET ME HAVE A) DIAMOND HEART)"
Rainer Maria singer/bassist Caithlin De Marrais has announced her third solo album, and you can read more about this lead single here.
--
DEVON KAY & THE SOLUTIONS - "A LITTLE BIT"
Horn-fueled power poppy punks Devon Kay & the Solutions have new project on the way, and you can read more about first single "A Little Bit" here.
--
THE END OF EVERYTHING - "THE COMPANY I KEEP"
Las Vegas hardcore wrecking crew The End of Everything are gearing up to drop a new record on War Against Records next week, and you can read more about its lead single here.
--
JON HOPKINS - "DAWN CHORUS" (THOM YORKE COVER)
Jon Hopkins shared a hauntingly beautiful rendition of the piano-led Thom Yorke track, which appears on his 2019 solo album ANIMA.
--
Looking for even more new songs? Browse the ‘New Songs’ archive.