The 4.5 Songs You Need to Hear Right Now
In last week's roundup of songs you need to hear right now, we heard from artists like BLACKPINK, ROSALÍA, and Kim Petras, all of whom are part of the new class of pop dictating the future of music. This week, we've got Shawn Mendes proving once again what a lasting force he's proving to be in modern pop; J. Cole affiliate Ari Lennox with a scorcher of a song; Bhad Bhabie with rap's most exciting new voice, Megan Thee Stallion, on a certified hit-in-waiting; and more. Here are the songs you need to hear right now.
Ari Lennox, "Chicago Boy"
For some reason, my editor has steadfastly refused to turn this week's column into a tribute to Ari Lennox's debut album, Shea Butter Baby. I've been left with no other choice but to select my favorite track, which I will begrudgingly do, though it is imperative I firstly note that this is, thus far, the R&B album of the year.
"Chicago Boy" is the project's opening song, and when a wavy-as-hell steel pedal guitar makes its grand entrance at the 30-second mark, you will immediately feel an overwhelming urge to light some incense and dim the lamps of whatever room you're in. (Please do not do this in a public space.) Lennox is really, really good at crafting songs that are equal-parts sexy and accessible, in that she vividly describes relatable scenarios—literally the first verse is her lusting after a hot dude in a CVS while she's sick and looking for cough drops. She somehow transitions this to lines like "I know that I'm speedin' up this vibe / Is you gon' judge me If I fuck you 'fore I catch this flight?" My only reaction, naturally, is to side with Lennox: Chicago boy, you owe Lennox an answer, ASAP. The rest of you owe Lennox a listen, like right now.—Alex Shultz, editorial assistant
Alex Cameron, "Miami Memory"
Alex Cameron is back to elevate your relationship goals to kinky new heights. Complete with hand-holding at the strip club and orgasms that register on the Richter scale, “Miami Memory” is a sultry jam for the summer months. Fair warning, though: in a trip back to 2014, the chorus features the line, “Eating your ass like an oyster,” so... brace yourself.—Colin Groundwater, assistant to the editor in chief
Bhad Bhabie feat. Megan Thee Stallion, "Bestie"
I knew we were in for a treat when Megan Thee Stallion hopped on Bhad Bhabie’s “Bestie” remix, and I wasn't disappointed. The Houston rapper brings her signature flow to the snackable song, replacing a lackluster Kodak Black verse and giving us yet another reason to be excited for her upcoming mixtape Fever (which drops next Friday).—Luke Leifeste, senior social manager
slowthai, "Nothing Great About Britain"
"Nothing Great About Britain" is a firmly FUCK BREXIT track from one of my favorite voices at the moment. The track is this really perfect blend of modern and mid-aughts grime, and slowthai makes the most of rapping in his distinct off-beat flow over a delightfully menacing beat. The video is absolutely worth a watch as well; it features our protagonist leaning sideways out of a speeding Volkswagen while swinging Excalibur (yeah, like the one from the stone, you know what I’m talking about) above his head. Anyways, fuck Brexit! As you were mate.—Gabe Conte, digital producer
And our .5 of the week...
The Chorus on Shawn Mendes's "If I Can't Have You"
Really, this whole Shawn Mendes song is dynamite, but wow what a chorus. It's like ABBA rose from the metaphorical grave and joined forces once again (yeah, I know they keep promising a comeback EP, but where is it?) to craft a modern-day hook as close to bulletproof as pop can get. Many in the music industry have pointed to the "chorus-first" effect that's been happening lately, a carefully tailored product of the Spotify age that demands immediacy—listeners will smash fast-forward if they're not hooked within the first few seconds, the theory goes, which has caused pop songwriters to literally change the way music is made because of... well, an algorithm, really. So us getting the "If I Can't Have You" chorus within seconds? Calculated, sure. Ingenious, yeah. But first and foremost: catchy as hell, so who are we to complain?—Brennan Carley, associate editor
Originally Appeared on GQ
