Song of the Day - He Like That - Fifth Harmony

I mentioned in this week's New Music Fridays that this is only the second song ever by popular girl group Fifth Harmony that I really like, and for good reason...nice rhythm, catchy hook, and all around fun.  Check out He Like That...

Song of the Day - Gold - Camden Cox

Today's song is one I featured on August 18th's New Music Fridays.  The tune is by London-based singer Camden Cox and it's a light, yet fast-paced pop dance track that's very easy on the ears.  Check out Gold...  

New Music Fridays: August 25th, 2017 - The Week's Hottest New Tracks

Hello and welcome back to John's Music World New Music Fridays.  This week's slate of releases was not overly stellar, but as always there are a few new nice tracks to sink your teeth into.  Check out this week's best in new music...

New Rules - Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa is a British artist who released her debut eponymous album back in June.  The album has already spawned seven singles, and this, the sixth, has been the most successful.  The tune was actually released in July, but just discovered by me on my weekly expedition for new music, and it caught my ear for its tropical, easy-breezy grooves and its mellow vocals.  If you love tropical house, then you're going to love this one.  Check it out...

You Already Know - Fergie, featuring Nicki Minaj

On Friday, Fergie, of the Black Eyed Peas, released two surprise (well, to me, anyway) singles from her upcoming Double Dutchess album.  When I first heard the news, I immediately checked them out.  One, Hungry with Rick Ross, I wasn't crazy about, but this one...ooh!  Vintage bad girl funkdified Fergalicious!  Check out my Song of the Day post of the jam here.

He Like That - Fifth Harmony

After their irresistible smash, Work From Home, I tried, I really tried to like this girl group known as Fifth Harmony.  I went through their catalog of tunes and never quite found anything that floated my boat, until this one.  He Like That is a funky, mid-tempo tune that's got head bopping beats, and a nice, catchy hook.  Check it out... 

Look What You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift

I am not now, nor have ever been any sort of fan of Taylor Swift, so this one is included simply for posterity.  I've seen a lot of negative comments from Swift fans about this newest single from her upcoming Reputation album, and even a really bad review of the song and the video in USA Today.  I don't think the song is all that bad.  Yeah, it does sound like she's kind of whining about whatever negatives have floated her way over the years, but musically this one is pure unadulterated pop, and proving it so, Swift's video shattered a record previously held by Adele for most YouTube views in a 24 hour period.  Check it out for yourself...

Havana - Camila Cabello, Young Thug

This last entry is unusual for this sort of post, mostly because it's not really mainstream.  It's got an irresistible mid-tempo Spanish back beat set to former Fifth Harmony member Cabello's sultry vocals.  I loved this one from the very first listen.  Check it out...

Song of the Day - There's Nothing Holding Me Back - Shawn Mendes

I really have no idea why I haven't posted this song before now.  It's been in my rotation for a long, long time now and I absolutely love it!  I got to watch a clip of his performance from the VMA's the other night and judging from the crowd's reaction, this very talented young man is now a big, huge, bona fide star.  Check out the very catchy There's Nothing Holding Me Back...

Song of the Day - Shape of You - Ed Sheeran

One of the biggest hits to come out of the last year has surely been Ed Sheeran's Shape of You, and MTV's Artist of the Year did an amazing performance of the song last night with special guest, rapper Lil Uzi Vert, who joined Sheeran on stage towards the end of the number. The clip is not available to us here on this blog, but you can check it out right here.  In the meantime, check out the real thing...

Song of the Day - You Already Know - Fergie, feat. Nicki Minaj

What a coincidence! I've long been updating my playlists on Spotify and I was just working on creating one for the members of the Black Eyed Peas, most notably will.i.am, Pras and Ms. Fergie. Well lo and behold during that exact time, I get an email that Fergie had just released two new tracks from her upcoming Double Dutchess album (I didn't even know she was working on an album!), Hungry, featuring Rick Ross, and this one, an instantly recognizable Fergie tune that's downright catchy and fun.  Check out You Already Know...

Song of the Day - Water Me - Lizzo

I am free, yeah yeah

Come water me, oh oh

Love you so, but if you don't

I have to leave, oh no

Here's a song I featured last week on New Music Fridays.  The tune is by Minneapolis native Lizzo, and it's not only got an irresistible hook and backbeat, but it's got a great, positive message of loving yourself.  With a lil bit of humor thrown in, this song is the bomb!  Check out Water Me...

Flashback Friday Song of the Day - Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John

I just spent three days in Philadelphia, my fifth trip there in the past year, and like always, it was a great time.  The city itself is beautiful, the people friendly, and the food...yum!  I'm already looking forward to my next trip, but in the meantime, here's a classic ode to the City of Brotherly Love by Elton John...

Song of the Day - Sunny Days - Bel Heir

pastemagazine

I don't normally post tunes on the rockish side of things, but here's a summertime gem from a trio that call themselves Bel Heir.  Paste Magazine says it hearkens a ride down a winding California road on a sunny day.  Yeah, that's exactly what this is.  Check out Sunny Days...

Hump Day Song of the Day - Same Girl - Mark Johns

Here's a sexy, sultry song I featured on New Music Fridays a couple of weeks ago.  It's by new recording artist Mark Johns, and this debut single, produced by Skrillex,  was featured on Billboard, which also named her an artist to watch.  Check out Same Girl...    

Song of the Day - Raise Your Glass - P!nk

Earlier today on John's World, I posted a commentary on P!nk's newest, What About Us, and kind of serious, tune. Well now here's a song that's simply nothing but fun.  Check out Raise Your Glass...

Song of the Day - Something To Hold On To - Emily Warren

I've got something a little different for you today, a piano ballad that hearkens back to the likes of Carole King or Carly Simon.  Emily Warren is more known for her songwriting than her singing, penning tunes for such high profile artists as The Chainsmokers, Fifth Harmony, Naughty Boy, Sean Paul and many more.  Well now she's released a song on her own, a tender tune that I liked the very first time I ever heard it.  Check out the beautiful Something To Hold On To...

New Music Fridays: August 18th, 2017 - The Week's Hottest New Tracks

Hello and welcome back to John's Music World New Music Fridays.  This is an above-par week for new music, with some great new dance tracks that are immediately likable on first listen, as well as some new Miley Cyrus, The Vamps, and of course, the Biebs.  Check out this week's picks...

Friends - Justin Bieber, featuring Bloodpop

It's been awhile since Justin Bieber has put anything out on his own, though he's been doing just fine singing along on other artist's songs.  Well, this week Justin releases a brand new single with Bloodpop that's more of the same great pop/dance/R&B we've come to know, with pleasant melodies nice vocals, and an easy to learn chorus.  Take a listen...

Younger Now - Miley Cyrus

The new Miley just released the third single from her upcoming album of the same title, and like the previous two, Malibu and Inspired, this one's a ballad with beautiful melodies and equally beautiful lyrics and vocals.  Check out the tender Younger Now...

Water Me - Lizzo

My favorite new release of the week is fast, funky and it's got a whole lotta positivity going on.  Oh yeah, this one, by full-figured singer Lizzo, is a fun three minutes of funk that got me on the first listen.  Check it out...

Gold - Camden Cox

Yet another funky dance track released this week, Camden Cox's Gold is nothing but.  Very likable, a lot of fast-moving fun with some nice boom-y beats.  Take a listen...

Can't Resist - Halogen, feat. Adriana Gomez & Lub X tpf

I told you this week's picks are full of hot new dance tracks and this one, by Halogen, is another bass-driven dance floor filler with nice dueling vocals between Adrianna Gomez and Lub X tpf.  Very hot tune! Take a listen... 

So there you have it, my top five new music picks for the week.  As always, I hope that you've found something here to whet your appetite for new music, and actually these aren't the only good songs to come out this week.  Here's a list of honorable mentions that I am sure you can find on YouTube if you so choose:

Gravitation - Petit Biscuit

Heatwave - Amber Mark

What We Do - Aexcit

Wicked Ways - Saba Abraha

Check them out...they'er all worth a listen!

Song of the Day - I Feel So Bad - Kungs, feat. Ephemerals

Back in 2016, French deejay/producer Kungs released his debut album, Layers, and the first single from that album would go on to become one of my favorite all-time songs. This Girl is such a great tune, with a chill vibe and a dancey center featuring some really great horny horns.  So when I saw that he'd released a brand new song from a forthcoming sophomore album (More Mess, featured in last week's New Music Fridays), I started to check out that first album.  Here I found another great tune called I Feel So Bad, which has a funky backbeat and vocals reminiscent of something Avicii would do.  Check it out...   

Song of the Day - Another Life - Afrojack & David Guetta, feat. Ester Dean

I don't know why I haven't featured this one earlier.  Not only is it a very noteworthy collaboration between two superstar deejay/producers, but it's a truly great song, with nice beats, great vocals, and a killer hook.  Check out Another Life...

Flashback Friday Song of the Day - Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO

I know that all of y'all remember this one.  It was all over the place just six short years ago.  Well it came on the radio last night and I immediately knew I was going to post it today.  Still as fun now as it was then.  Enjoy...

Everyday I'm shufflin...

Song of the Day - Line of Sight - ODESZA, featuring WYNNE and Mansionair

From Billboard Magazine:

Line of Sight is a beat-driven single with a sweeping synth melody that gives a pop sheen to the Odesza sound. A catchy vocal melody from WYNNE provides an immediate hook, with additional vocals from Mansionair. A rising chorus at the song's end brings a seriously cinematic feel to the tune that fans have begged for nearly three years.

Great song! Check it out...

Song of the Day - Hung Up - Madonna

Time goes by, so slowly...

Today is Madonna's birthday and so we commemorate with one of her best, from one of her best albums, the classic Confessions on a Dance Floor.  Check out Hung Up, and oh, Happy Birthday Madonna!

New Music Fridays: August 11th, 2017 - The Week's Hottest New Tracks

Hello and welcome back to John's Music World New Music Fridays.  It was another slow week last week in new music (I only tagged 7 songs...a new low!), but what did come out is exciting, including the new album by Kesha, some new Avicii, and of course a highly anticipated release from P!nk. Check out my picks for this week's hottest new tracks:

What About Us - P!nk

Friday (actually Thursday) saw a highly anticipated debut track from P!nk's long awaited new album, beautiful Trauma. The song is vintage P!nk, beautifully written and performed.  I posted it as Song of the Day earlier, so check it out here.

Lonely Together - Avicii, featuring Rita Ora

Superstar deejay/producer Avicii released two new tracks this week, the up tempo Without You, featuring Sandro Cavazza, and this nice, sweet track featuring a new favorite singer, Rita Ora.  Check it out...

Little of Your Love - HAIM, BloodPop

HAIM is a trio of sisters with sweet voices whose music I either love or hate.  This new remix of their song Little of Your Love by BloodPop is da bomb.  Check it out...

Let 'Em Talk - Kesha

I am loving this new Kesha!  Her latest outstanding track, from her newly released Rainbow album is three minutes of fast-moving fun, plain and simple.  Check it out... 

Well, I told you it was a slow week, but an exciting one nonetheless.  I hope you find something here to whet your appetite for new music.  Stay tuned for more...

Song of the Day - What About Us - P!nk

I can't believe it has taken me a whole four days to get to this, but ah well, we waited long enough. Finally, the tease I cautiously posted about actually came true.  On Thursday of last week, P!nk finally released a debut single from...yes...a new album, and now I am officially excited!  The new album, beautiful Trauma, comes out October 13th and I have already circled that day on my calendar. If this new song, What About Us, is a harbinger of things to come, then that makes me even more excited because the tune is the kind of tender, yet uplifting song we've all come to know from this uber-talented singer-songwriter.  Check it out...

Song of the Day - Two Hearts - Kylie Minogue

I know, I know, I just posted Kylie on Friday.  Well I love Kylie, and she kept me rocking in my car on my way home from a weekend camping in Pennsylvania.  This one, from her 2007 X album (my favorite!), is total Kylie...sultry, sexy and oh so delicious!  Check out the burlesque-ish Two Hearts...

Flashback Friday Song of the Day - Into the Blue - Kylie Minogue

When I've got my back up against the wall

Don't need no one to rescue me

Cause I ain't waitin' up for no miracles

Cause tonight I'm running free

Into the blue, with nothing to lose

Into the blue

Today is a feel good Friday and here's a feel good song to start your weekend!  Enjoy!

Song of the Day - It Ain't Me - Kygo, featuring Selena Gomez

It's such a beautiful day outside that I wanted to post one of the most beautiful songs of the summer. Kygo's It Ain't Me has it all, some nice, feel-good music, great vocals and a killer hook.  Check it out...

Hump Day Song of the Day - F**k They = Sofi Tukker

Back in January I posted this song called Johny by an alternative duo that call themselves Sofi Tukker.  The song was very Euro-alternative and I really liked it, but I hadn't come across anything else by the duo in the months since, so I really forgot about them.  But when I was penning July 28th's New Music Fridays, I came across this mindless, bass-thumping and very funky jam with the explicit and I thought I recognized the name, but wasn't sure exactly who they were until just a litle while ago.  The two songs are so different, I never would have guessed they were recorded by the same artist, but yeah, that voice of singer Sophie Hawley-Weld is unmistakable on both.  Funky, funky song, really, but warning, explicit lyrics ahead...

Song of the Day - Almost Home - Sultan + Shepard

I featured this song on New Music Fridays from July 21st and I've grown to like it even more since,  I love how this one starts out as a chill song, but gets real dancey towards the chorus.  Great tune!

Song of the Day - Blood in the Cut - K. Flay

I need noise

I need the buzz of a sub

Need the crack of a whip

Need some blood in the cut

I first posted this one back in March and it's been a part of my regular playlist ever since.  I played it for my pals during a road trip and they were both like, who is this?  Yeah.  I think that last time I compared her to Alanis Morissette, not really in voice, but in that style...a lil bit of angst, a lil bit of in your face, and a nice hard rocking track to go along.  You should definitely check this one out...

New Music Fridays: August 4th, 2017 - Five Hot, Fresh Tracks for You

Hello and welcome back to John's Music World New Music Fridays. It's kind of a slow week this week for hot new tracks, but nevertheless there are some great new tunes to get excited about.  Check it out...

More Mess - Kungs, featuring Olly Murs & Coely

You may or may not remember this artist from his utterly awesome tune This Girl, but he is back with another great single.  More Mess is a fast and frenzied up tempo gem, quite different from the previously mentioned track, but great stuff nonetheless.  Check out More Mess...

Wild Thoughts - DJ Khaled, featuring Rihanna & Bryson Tiller

DJ Khaled has been pumping out lots of great, smooth dance tracks of late, and he's worked with some of the hottest artists in the business today.  His latest, featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller, samples Carlos Santana and is as smooth as dance tracks go.  Check out Wild Thoughts...

That's a Man Maury - Manila Luzon, featuring Willam

Former Rupaul's Drag Race star Manila Luzon brings out a humorously fun track and video dedicated to those famous segments on The Maury Show.  Check out That's a Man Maury...

Ruler - Rainer, featuring Maéday

Here's a bass-heavy dance track that reminds me a lot of Disclosure.  Check it out...

Same Girl - Mark Johns

Here's a sultry new track by singer Mark Johns.  The tune was produced by Skrillex and is smooth as ice and as fiery as well, fire.  Check out Same Girl...

Well, compared to last week, this week's new entries into the music world are not as plentiful (I only bookmarked 8..a small number for me!), but these five are sure to be in my listening playlist for a long time to come.  Stay tuned for more new music on John's Music World.

Song of the Day - Sit Next to Me - Foster the People

I have to admit that the band Foster the People had never entered into my radar until earlier this year with the release of S.H.C., from their newly released third album Sacred Hearts Club.  I absolutely love the up tempo sound of that one and this, more mid tempo piece of ear candy.  Check out Sit Next to Me while I go and check out some more of their album...

Song of the Day - Woman - Kesha

So far Kesha has released three tracks from her upcoming Rainbow album, due out next Friday, August 11th, and from what I've heard I am loving.  Both the lyrics and the music are a departure from the sassy, brash and dance-oriented material she's so well known for.  Her absence from the recording studio seems to have brought her to a new place, a more thoughtful and mature one.  The songs Prayer and Hymn take on much deeper issues than, say Tik Tok, and are both tender ballads that are well-written and memorable.  This one, my personal favorite so far, is downright honky tonk, with a lil bit o' Kesha thrown in.  Check out the brash Woman...    

Flashback Friday Song of the Day - When Doves Cry - Prince

For a long long time, Prince had removed all of his videos from YouTube and every other single video service out there.  Now, in the time since his death, that has changed.  Though I believe he probably still wouldn't want his stuff out there, I love his music, and so here's one of his all-time best...

Song of the Day - Interweb - Poppy

For the first time today we feature a tune first mentioned in the all-new New Music Fridays column just a couple of weeks ago.  At the time of that writing, I had no idea who this mysterious Poppy was, but she appeared on James Corden's The Late Late Show just last night and now I've finally found some stuff on the Internet on this quirky performer.  It turns out that she's originally from Nashville, but now lives in LA. She's got a very popular YouTube channel and she's been recording 80's/new wave-inspired music since 2014.  She'll be taking her show on the road this fall for her first North American tour and no doubt this song will be one of the highlights of the show.  Check out last night's performance of the hypnotic Interweb...  

New Music Fridays: July 28th, 2017 - Hot, Fresh Tracks

Hey and welcome back to John's Music World New Music Fridays.  I apologize for the tardiness in this week's post, but I was away until Monday night and there were an inordinate amount of new tunes to pore through and choose for this week's spotlight.  So without further adieu, here are some of my favorite new songs from this past week, and the week's offerings are so good, there's way more than five:

Would You Ever - Skrillex & Poo Bear

I've never been a big Skrillex fan...always seemed a little too hardcore for me, but this fresh new one's got a great, thumping, happy groove.  Check it out...

Medusa - Grace Savage

I love a great chill tune, you know, the kind of song that you can be playing that makes great background music that's doesn't get in the way of good conversation yet keeps everyone grooving in their head. Yeah, that's this one...

Learn to Let Go - Ke$ha

Oh, Ms. Ke$ha's got a brand new sound.  With all of the tribulations she's gone through over the past couple of years, she's come out of it and is now proving what a prolific and talented songwriter she truly is.  Gone are the days of brushing teeth with a bottle of Jack and here we are treated to a more mature and thoughtful singer/songwriter...and it works!  Check out Learn to Let Go...

Fashion - Randa

Here's one of those songs I just can't seem to find anywhere on the Internet, but it is definitely worth a mention here.  The tune's got a hot groove and the vocals are rapalicious!  Check it out on Spotify.

F*ck They - Sofi Tucker

Here's a mindless and hypnotic, bassy dance tune by dance duo Sofi Tucker.  Check it out...warning, explicit lyrics ahead...

There you have it, five of the freshest new tracks from this past week.  As I said, though, where last week's selections were slim pickins', there are even more new and noteworthy tunes from this week. Here are the honorable mentions...

Don't Wanna Wake Up - Capital Kings - A nice, dancey tune.

No Fear - DeJ Loaf - R&B groovealicious!

Hide & Seek - Felon - I almost chose to highlight this thumping dance track, but here it is anyway.

New Romantics - Taylor Swift - I am not now, nor have ever been a Taylor Swift fan, but this is one tune that's surely pleasing to the ears.  

Make It Up to You - Julia Michaels - This one reminds me a little of early Kelis, with a thumping beat, deep, sexy vocals and finger-snapping beats to boot.

Well that's it for now.  Hopefully this coming Friday's list of new songs won't be so extensive.  For now, though, I'm going to be enjoying some of this hot new stuff.  I hope you will be too!

Song of the Day - Waterloo - ABBA

It all started last April when I was on the school Europe trip in Stockholm, Sweden and noticed a blip on the map that said 'ABBA Museum.'  I insisted on spending some of my free time checking it out and convinced my fellow chaperones to join me.  It was a corny, but fun blast and we had a lot of laughs.  It was one of my fondest memories of the trip.  

Flash forward to July...I noticed that the musical, Mamma Mia was playing at the Patchogue Theater in my hometown, and I suggested that we chaperones get tickets and relive a fun time.  I had seen the play on Broadway twice, but that was a long time ago.  Of course I loved it then and last night I fell in love with the musical all over again.  

If you lived during the 70's, and even a little beyond, you couldn't help but know and love at least a few ABBA tunes.  Beyond the Dancing Queens and the Waterloos, their catalog of cleverly written songs runs deep and the words and music endure in the minds of fans everywhere.  It was hard to decide which song to post today, but I chose the one song that wasn't in the play, but did appear as the finale for a fun mini-concert at the end of the show.  Here's ABBA's first, and one of their best, Waterloo...

Song of the Day - Swish Swish - Katy Perry

Well I am back from my Roller Coaster Road Trip and ready to get back to blogging.  Now if there is one song that will forever remind me of this trip it is Katy Perry's Swish Swish.  It's the kind of song that you just want to listen to over and over again...and we did!  Enjoy!