Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.
These 10 tracks from artists including Mimi Webb, Gracie Abrams, Temples, M83 and more 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.
Mimi Webb, “Red Flags”
The energetic “Red Flags” is the latest taste from pop singer Mimi Webb off her upcoming debut album, Amelia, out this March. Taking a page from Dua Lipa’s “New Rules,” here Webb cleverly counts the various stages of red flag sightings while dating — though when she makes them sound this good, it’s easy to understand why, as she says, “I keep runnin’ through these red flags.” – Lyndsey Havens
Hemlocke Springs, “Stranger Danger”
Known for her TikTok hit “Girlfriend,” the latest from alternative singer-songwriter Hemlocke Springs (the stage name of Isimeme Udu) is just as perfectly quirky and catchy. Built around a creeping beat to drive home the song’s title, “Stranger Danger” exists in the same universe as Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ Hot 100 hit “Unholy” … slightly eerie yet entirely enticing. – L.H.
Freya Ridings, “Weekends”
“Weekends” opens with Freya Ridings’ immediately recognizable tone as the English singer-songwriter declares: “I don’t really have friends, don’t go out on weekends.” But, like any good pop ballad, the sparse and somber lyrics are soon supported by glimmering, dancefloor-ready production. And yet, the sadness she sings of is still felt — making “Weekends” a perfect addition to any crying in the club mix. – L.H.
Blake Rose, “Use Me”
Emerging pop artist Blake Rose confidently instructs the subject of his latest song to “use me” — a dating faux pas that often happens but is rarely welcomed. The pop-rock song flips the script on self-empowerment anthems, as Rose decides for himself that being used by the person he desires is better than not being with them at all. — L.H.
Gracie Abrams, “Where Do We Go Now?”
Gracie Abrams carefully considers each lyric on new single “Where Do We Go Now?,” each word about an imperfect romance escaping her mouth with utmost caution before she throws her hands up and repeats the titular phrase on the chorus. With Aaron Dessner’s production delicately burning beneath her, Abrams demonstrates a magnetic restraint here — she’s just getting started, but her performance on “Where Do We Go Now?” is wise beyond her years. – Jason Lipshutz
Jessie Murph, “About You”
Accusations, rhetorical questions, pissed-off commands and threats of revenge — they’re all part of the toxic web that Jessie Murph weaves on “About You,” a pop song simmering with frustrations and flirting with hip-hop cadences. Murph flaunts her skill set while trying to escape a fractured reality, and although some of the shots hit harder than others, the singsong chorus lands with the correct blend of hooks and resignation. – J. Lipshutz
Vagabon, “Carpenter”
On her first piece of new music since Vagabon’s 2019 self-titled album, singer-songwriter Laetitia Tamko puts in a bid for the most hypnotic single of 2023’s first frame: “Carpenter” combines handclaps, slippery bass, polyrhythms and beckoning harmonies into a sumptuous mix that whizzes by in three minutes and change. And as Tamko sings about recognizing, then subsequently overcoming, personal hindrances, “Carpenter” suggests that the promising indie artist is prepared for a major 2023. – J. Lipshutz
Ber, “Your Internet Sucks”
Minnesota singer-songwriter Ber (no, it’s not a play on the state’s sub-zero temps — her name is Berit Dybing) continues to impress with her latest single, “Your Internet Sucks.” A charmingly petty diss track aimed at an ex in London (she studied music in the U.K.), “Sucks” soars thanks to an insistent, gentle rhythm, fuzzy guitar flourishes and delightfully mean-spirited lyrics (“If you’re drinking coffee, I hope that you burn your lips on the cup / And when you’re playing Fortnite, I hope that your Internet sucks”). – J. Lynch
Temples, “Gamma Rays”
English psych-rockers tease an upcoming fourth album with new single “Gamma Rays,” a muscular yet impish trip into outer space via the lens of A Saucerful of Secrets-era Floyd. Fittingly, it clocks it an 4:20, and seems ready-made for an outdoor festival. – J. Lynch
M83, “Oceans Niagara”
On latest single “Oceans Niagara,” M83 frontman Anthony Gonzalez goes back to his shoegaze and dream pop roots. A true return to form and the first official taste of the group’s forthcoming album Fantasy, the song dabbles in both live and synth-driven instrumentation, with Gonzalez’ voice uplifting the atmospheric – and heavily nostalgic – track. – Starr Bowenbank