Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.
This week saw Reneé Rapp score a major collaboration and Beyoncé surprise with a classic fan favorite. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.
For more music recommendations, check out our Listen To This section, as well as our Indie Mixtape and Pop Life newsletters.
Reneé Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion — “Not My Fault”
Rapp is set to lead the upcoming Mean Girls remake as Regina George, but she’s also quite the musician, having released her successful debut album, Snow Angel, earlier this year (and she’ll be the first SNL musical guest of 2024). So, she’s a natural fit to contribute a song to the movie soundtrack, and she did by teaming up with Megan Thee Stallion on “Not My Fault,” a groovy and sugar-sweet pop tune that gets an added edge from Meg’s verse.
Lil Baby — “Crazy”
Lil Baby hit a snag towards the end of the year when there was a shooting at one of his tour dates, but he ended his year on a higher note last week by dropping a pair of new songs, “Crazy” and “350.” Uproxx’s Flisadam Pointer notes of the former, “Baby takes out his frustrations on the beat, showing that he’s a fighter who won’t give up his spot in the game.”
Nicki Minaj — “Beep Beep” Feat. 50 Cent
Minaj dominated a couple weeks ago with Pink Friday 2 (which ended up debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart), and she let the fun spill over into last week with some bonus tracks. Among those was a link-up with fellow hip-hop veteran 50 Cent, who contributed to a revamped version of “Beep Beep.”
Beyoncé — “Grown Woman”
“Grown Woman” was a Beyoncé-era fan favorite that didn’t actually make it onto the album, but a decade later, the song has finally hit streaming services. This caps off a year in which Beyoncé fans ate, whether it was by seeing her on her massive Renaissance tour or by catching the tour movie in theaters.
Gucci Mane and B.G. — “Guwop & Gizzle”
Gucci Mane and B.G. came through with a holiday surprise, announcing the joint album Choppers & Bricks last week and releasing it the very next day. This is a big one for B.G. fans since it’s his first full length release since 2009, as he spent 11 years in prison before getting released earlier this year.
Lil Dicky — “Mr. McAdams”
Lil Dicky produced one of 2023’s most entertaining seasons of television with Dave, a highlight of which was the multi-episode arc in which Dicky developed a bond with Rachel McAdams. There was even a song, “Mr. McAdams,” and now the full version of that track is available on streaming platforms.
Playboi Carti — “2024”
Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign’s album Vultures didn’t end up dropping as expected last week, but some new Kanye still made it out into the world: Playboi Carti’s “2024,” co-produced by West, is a jubilant number that looks forward to what next year has to offer.
Bas — “Home Alone” Feat. J. Cole
Bas just rounded out the year for Dreamville with his latest album, We Only Talk About Real Sh!t When We’re F*cked Up. He’s long had a supporter and collaborator in J. Cole, and the two have linked up once again on “Home Alone.” It’s a perfect time for this one to drop, too, with its lyrics referencing the classic Christmas movie Home Alone.
Luh Tyler — “The Grinch Freestyle” Feat. Latto
Speaking of holiday-inspired tunes, Luh Tyler and Latto prefaced Christmas with “The Grinch Freestyle,” which sees the two rappers in a back-and-forth, accusing each other of Whoville-hating behavior.
Karol G — “Que Chimba De Vida”
Karol G had a big 2023 with her album Mañana Será Bonito and follow-up mixtape Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season), and she was feeling reflective with her final song of the year last week, “Que Chimba De Vida.” She wrote on Instagram, “Last song of the year … 2023 taught me more than any other year that everything I lived, witnessed, and experienced over the years, let me say today QUE CHIMBA DE VIDA [WHAT A GREAT LIFE]! With all the ups and downs. G R A C I A S !”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
