1. “Who Do You Love” by 5 Seconds of Summer and the Chainsmokers (February 7, 2019)
I’m not a big fan of the Chainsmokers, but I have loved 5 Seconds of Summer since the summer of 2014 when my cousin introduced me to the band while she was learning to play “She Looks So Perfect” on the guitar. Their last album, Youngblood, was amazing, so I was very excited when this song was released. You can definitely hear the Chainsmokers’ style in the music, but the voices are strictly from 5SOS. This song is a good angry breakup song, but it has upbeat melodies that contrast from the lyrics.
2. “Please Me” by Bruno Mars and Cardi B (February 15, 2019)
After their success on “Finesse,” Bruno and Cardi are back. The song is upbeat again, but more provocative this time. I’ve been listening to Bruno Mars since “Grenade” came out in 2010, and his style has changed a lot since then but his songs still so good. I really like this song and it’s a good song to dance to.
3. “Nights Like This” by Kehlani ft. Ty Dolla $ign (January 10, 2019)
Kehlani released her mixtape February 21, 2019, a little over a month after “Nights Like This” was released. This song is more melancholy as Kehlani reflects on the girl who left her and broke her heart. It’s like “Who Do You Love” in that it’s a breakup song, but Kehlani’s song is more heartbreaking and seems to take place after the breakup, once she has had time to process things. She and Ty Dolla $ign sound really good together. This is one of my favorite Kehlani songs, and her music video adds a different dimension to the story.
4. “Walk Me Home” by P!nk (February 6, 2019)
I have been listening to P!nk forever, as well as many of the other artists on this list. She sings a lot of sad songs (and has been public about her sometimes-turbulent relationship with her husband), but this song is hopeful that everything will be okay in the end, even when she reflects on earlier, and easier, times.
5. “Talk” by Khalid and Disclosure (February 7, 2019)
I really like Khalid, I love so many of his songs. This song is like a lyrically-similar but a musically-different version of “Location”: he emphasizes the need to communicate, and he apologizes for his excitement for the relationship as he adds that he has never felt like this before. Khalid is an artist that I recommend to anyone who wants new song or artist suggestions. His songs are relatable and he’s only 21, so his songs feel like he’s going through the same types of relationships as we are.
6. “Swan Song” by Dua Lipa (January 24, 2019)
“New Rules” was really the only Dua Lipa song I liked, but “Swan Song” has been growing on me the more I listen. According to the lyrics and her twitter, the lyrics “staying silent’s the same as dying” is a reference to activists and advocates for those with HIV and AIDS in the 1980s, and she said that her song is to represent those who fight against injustice. This song was released for Alita: Battle Angel, which I have not seen, but Dua Lipa said that the titular character stands up for justice and the song represents that.
7. “i’m so tired” by Troye Sivan and Lauv (January 24, 2019)
Lauv’s songs always make me emotional, but his style complements Troye Sivan’s upbeat sound. This is another melancholy song, like “Nights Like This” both have lyrics that are longing for somebody they don’t have, but the music is so nice and distracts from the sad lyrics.
8. “Dancin with a Stranger” by Sam Smith and Normani (January 11, 2019)
“Dancin with a Stranger” is about moving on from someone to a new person. Neither Sam Smith nor Normani wants to be alone, and they blame their actions on their ex. The song is a little sad, and a little vengeful, but their voices sound so good together.
9. “Seventeen” by Sharon Van Etten (January 8, 2019)
The song is full of memories, and Sharon Van Etten dedicated it to New York City. Songs that memorialize a part of the singer’s life are always a little sad, but the song is different than what I usually listen to and the instrumental sounds are strong against her voice.