This New Music Friday is packed with more than enough exciting music to carry through the weekend and the rest of the summer. This week’s biggest releases comes from two of music’s two most popular artists. Read on to view a complete list of top EPs and albums out now.
The Best of New Music Friday:
Charli XCX – Music, Fashion, Film
Who would have figured that Charli XCX, who took over the world only two summers ago with Brat, would want to take a break from music? The burnout from touring, becoming a social media trend, hearing from every critic in every corner of the world became too much for Charli, or so she claimed herself while touring around the world as the biggest pop star in 2024 and 2025. She wanted to take a break, but only found herself back into creative practices to ease the pain. “I think for me as an artist it would be extremely uninspiring to attempt to recreate what Brat was,” Charli said. “Because you sort of adapt and change and you react to the way your previous work is interpreted.” So now with a new outlook on stardom, Charli presents Music, Fashion, Film.
Charli cranks up the guitars right away on “Rock Music,” with fuzzy riffs and more raw drum tracks than she’s ever allowed on one of her tracks before. “I think the dancefloor is dead, so now we’re making rock music,” she proclaims in a sweet and elongated vocal effect.
“SS26” explores Charli’s life: the defiant cultural reset she brought with Brat; her turn to a celebrity scoundrel who dodges criticism; a reflection on the “Kamala is Brat” fiasco. It’s a lyrical time capsule for this current era of Charli’s past few years while jamming to her current instrumental sound.
Other songs bring the desire to bob your head more so than shake your ass. “Card Declined” continues the more metallic and rock sounding record that Music, Fashion, Film might become remembered for. While Charli has made plenty of echoey pop songs made fresh for the dance floor, this is not that kind of album. It’s probably a great showing of her artistry and knack for the new, but some of Charli’s newest fans might not be into it. But that’s clearly not why Charli attempted to make this album. It was to do something innovative to her, something fresh. Just look at it’s iconic album cover, featuring John Cale, Marc Jacobs and Martin Scorsese, three people who are synonymous with each of those industries. Charli is equally iconic, and at this peak in her career, this is a great opportunity for her to keep being bold. Which is one of the best ways to describe her newest venture. To go from top of the pop charts to a dream rock record is brave and it makes Charli perhaps more noticeable than before.
The Strokes – Reality Awaits
Listening to The Strokes first album in six years for the first time is one of the most exciting things to happen in music this year. The band had already released several singles, gone viral at Coachella for making comments on war and western compliance, and now have presented a full-length record that sounds like the The Strokes record Julian Casablancas always seemed determined to make.
There’s already been plenty said about autotune on this record. Let’s talk about the other stylistic choices: “Psycho Shit” is a crescendo-y opener, “Dine N’Dash’s” closing remark “I think that’s the minimum soft,” straight into the explosive opening line of “Lonely in the Future” is #badass. The album’s overall mixing is much different than a Strokes album has featured. The scratchy guitars or brief solos are always heard in the forefront. This is a Strokes album that begs to be listened to on a nice pair of headphones or speakers.
The carousel sound of “Falling out of Love” makes for one of the most beautiful Strokes songs ever recorded, and it sounds like the band isn’t quite over Daft Punk’s breakup. Its bridge and conclusion is being touted by fans as the most beautiful moment in the band’s entire discography.
While Reality Awaits is not necessarily changing how other bands approach music, it does stand out as a completely unique experience. For a band lauded for being “the same” in its first two albums, then lauded for making all their other records “too different,” The Strokes have decided to answer to no man. They have presented a brand new record, done on their terms, for others to enjoy from now and in their lonely futures, about 100,000 days from now.
New Music Friday Top Picks:
Alex Cameron – Late To Set [Self-released]
Ian Sweet – Shiverstruck [Polyvinyl]
Shania Twain – Little Miss Twain [Republic]
Willow – The Thread [Three Six Zero]
Which of these tracks from New Music Friday will you add to your favorite playlists today? Any we missed? Let us know in the comments or on Instagram!
Ben is a music journalist living and working in Chicago. They joined Beyond The Stage as an intern and have stayed on the staff for several years. Now serving on the editorial board, Ben is proud to be BTS’ Music Projects Manager, coordinating coverage between international record labels and our staff. Ben has interviewed, photographed and written about bands from across the world. Ben has lived all over the United States working in television and media. They are an Emmy Award-winning writer. Ben can be found spinning records as ‘DJ Wearing Sunglasses’ in clubs and basements across the US.
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