rolling pop 2020s

Josie Dunne, a singer/songwriter I’m into (someone on here described her song Back to It as “if Meghan Trainor were good”), has been rolling a new project called Tennis — each track is released monthly as an Episode. It’s good stuff, if you’re into her sound.

^the new one she just dropped ("Episode 3: Cooped Up") is particularly nice:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtYqiFVXC5s

New Foxes single is great

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cqddw9iUDE

that's good but that lyric is ridiculous

really into the josie dunn, thank you! gettin CRJ energy myself

The entirety of that Josie Dunne album (Tennis) is now out – it's nice, sort of "experimental," in that some of the tracks are more sketches than fully fleshed-out songs (by design).

thanks for the bump, i really liked what i heard before!

lol this thread's title should just be updated to rolling pop 2020s

^I may make that mod request, lol

Has anyone heard A-N-Y good stuff lately? I'm in the mood for something new, but the usual playlists have pretty dire stuff – fake Olivia, fake Billie (...and that's the better slice of it).

Here's a gem for y'all:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPe9MJMn7i4

Have had this on heavy rotation the couple of months

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMfIuOooDIc

Great song! Her voice is raspy in almost a Kim Shattuck kinda way.

I like this new song by NIKI, an artist on 88rising... it's sort of literate, emo-ish, singer-songwriter pop:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMqcb16umH0

(the whole album is nice, though it's mellow... this is probably the poppiest track)

A little more on Niki, as I'm really digging this Nicole album (btw, I mischaracterized it above... all of the first four songs are really poppy).

Her previous LP, 2020's Moonchild, is an exercise in basic trend-hopping: there's a Reputation-era–Taylor style song; an Ariana clone (complete with "yuh"s); a tasteful nu-disco tune; a Billie Eilish ripoff... etc. (these are all in a row, btw). The songs aren't bad, but they're obv. not distinctive, and Niki's voice isn't strong enough to create interest ("Plot Twist," another Taylor soundalike, is pretty good IMO).

She also had an earlier single, "Lowkey," which people seem to know (it has 237mm plays on Spotify). It's fine, but fairly generic pop/r&b.

So it's fascinating how Nicole suddenly features a "voice" (both literal and metaphorical) – the songs are personal, specific, compelling, and don't really sound like anyone else in particular. Turns out that many of these are re-recordings/recreations of old songs she released online... she cites the "Taylor's Version" projects as a comparison, but it sounds more like a Car Seat Headrest–type thing to me.

It's really cool to hear an artist evolve like this, even if the "evolution" actually involves circling back to an earlier approach (which clearly plays to her strengths more than simply aping chart-toppers).

Sorry to triple-dip on this... but after listening to Nicole a few dozen times, I'm convinced it's a truly top-tier album. Her songwriting is really strong, the production is on point, and every song is good. Anyone who's into Taylor, post-Taylor (or, heck, pre-Taylor) personal singer-songwriter pop really should check it out.

I think it's hard to write a big, emo-y ballad like "Oceans & Engines," and stay on the right side of corny (...tho I may have an atypical tolerance for corn):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ0pazUc3ZA

It's a good album!

I like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPgN4EfzUrU

Rema & Selena Gomez - Calm Down

REMA : days of Rave & Roses (& of course Bangers)

there is a rema thread

"calm down" rules but gomez was not a good fit at all

Thx

Heard this playing in a coffee shop... I dig it. Sorta nü-Sheryl Crow:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_miaFW4nRYk

(Ashe - Another Man's Jeans)

Here's a really nice ballad ("Love Is Letting Go") from the same album – featuring Diane Keaton, of all people:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBqh2CiDPyM

Feel like this year was kinda… good??

Hottest Record Of The Year 2022 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001fv8t

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MUPTcjjiCA
Klara Keller - Sad Thinking of You

I guess this is Bebe doing Miley, but I like it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrGhXL9zCPQ
Bebe Rexha • Heart Wants What It Wants

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSMryyB315A

not totally sure where to post this incredible jam with all of 9k views but an early soty for me

This is a good place for it! I like to see this thread revived… :)

I've got this vibey jam on repeat:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYBlOxyB3sU

Audrey Nuna ft. Teezo Touchdown - Starving