Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
This week, Zach Bryan delivers more fan treats, Kesha begins her Independence period, and A$AP Rocky comes back in fashion. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Zach Bryan, Streets of London
After debuting “Streets of London” during his BST Hyde Park concert last month, Zach Bryan has offered fans a studio version of the track, as well as a pair of additional songs, “River Washed Hair” and “A Song for You”; he noted in an Instagram post that the tracks “didn’t belong on the record, and they didn’t fit on an EP either,” but the prolific superstar’s ability to constantly supply his fan base with rock-solid songwriting is one of the reasons why Bryan has ascended to stadium status.
Kesha, Period
For longtime fans of Kesha, Period contains the type of club-friendly bangers that made her a pop supernova 15 years ago — but every song on her first release as an independent artist carries an undercurrent of growth and personal fulfillment, as if the party that comprises the fast-moving 11-song project is even more thrilling because of the effort it took to coordinate.
A$AP Rocky feat. Kaycyy, “Pray4DaGang”
Released on Independence Day as a 24-hour exclusive on Apple Music after being unveiled at Paris Fashion Week, “Pray4DaGang,” A$AP Rocky’s new collaboration with Kaycyy, impressively re-centers the veteran rapper’s musical approach during a busy moment for his brand: his flow is nimble and his lyricism sharp, once again building hype for his long-awaited next full-length.
Brent Faiyaz, “Peter Pan.” / “Tony Soprano.”
The duality of Brent Faiyaz’s appeal is on display with the double single release of “Peter Pan.” and “Tony Soprano.”: whereas the former puts a modern twist on buttery soul music and places Faiyaz’s croon up high in the mix, the latter is cold, laser-focused rhythmic rap, with Faiyaz declaring over a trap beat, “These days, I’m numb to it all” and demonstrating his range.
Of Monsters and Men, “Television Love”
Of Monsters and Men conquered different parts of the globe with their heartfelt sing-alongs a decade ago, and on their first new track in five years, the Icelandic indie-folk band returns with a viscous, slow-building amendment of their winning formula: “Television Love” may take longer to get going than “Little Talks” and “Mountain Sound,” but when it hits its stride, the song becomes another enveloping festival anthem.
Editor’s Pick: Sydney Rose, “Before & After You”
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Sydney Rose scored a viral hit recently with her track “We Hug Now,” and may have another one with “Before & After You,” which was inspired by the hit HBO video game adaptation The Last of Us — but even if the names Joel and Ellie don’t mean anything to you, it’s not hard to get wrapped up in Rose’s elegant vocals and knack for conjuring simple, emotionally resonant lyrics in confined spaces.
