10 Cool New Pop Songs to Get You Through the Week: Rebecca Black, UPSAHL, Cuco & More

December 13, 2022 E Jazz Reporter

The must-hear pop songs of the week, with a tidy playlist for your listening pleasure.

Rebecca Black

Jade DeRose

Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week – particularly as we get within striking distance of the end of the year? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.

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These 10 tracks from artists like Rebecca Black, UPSAHL, Bree Runway & Stormzy, Cuco, BLK ODYSSY & BNXN (fka Buju) will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of all 10.

UPSAHL, “Kickflip”

UPSAHL’s new EP Sagittarius explores complementary and contradictory facets of her personality. Opening track “Kickflip” finds the alt singer-songwriter in an uncompromised state of casual confidence as she declares, “Wow, I just fell in love with myself” over a shuffling rhythm and some fuzzy little guitar hiccups. – Joe Lynch

Porsh Bet$, “364”

Rising independent talent Porsh Bet$’s returns with “364,” a gentle, contemplative tribute to a relationship that ended just one day shy of a calendar year. Bet$’s voice is marinated in sweet melancholy, as if he knows the goodbye is final but hasn’t yet finished sneaking a few glimpses in the rearview mirror. – J. Lynch

BLK ODYSSY & BNXN fka Buju, “Lay Low”

BLK ODYSSY’s (Sam Houston) aptly titled “Lay Low” is a smooth, syncopated slice of lush R&B with elements of cool jazz and Afrobeats, the latter thanks in part to Nigerian singer-songwriter BNXN, who keeps the energy percolating even while the vibes remain chill. – J. Lynch

Bree Runway feat. Stormzy, “Pick Your Poison”

Fresh off a five-track EP titled Woah, What a Blur!, Bree Runway said in a statement she is “pressing restart after what a blurry year this has been … I became alive again putting this together.” Standout track “Pick Your Poison” features a more meditative Stormzy, as he opens with a simple wish in his warm and calming tone: “When you pick your poison, I just hope it’s me.” – Lyndsey Havens

Daniel Seavey, “Runaway”

After making his solo debut with the explosive “Can We Pretend That We’re Good?” the Why Don’t We co-founder is back with the similarly punchy and experimental “Runaway.” The self-produced song seamlessly slithers through thunderous production to tinnier, grittier beats before closing with an unexpected piano melody. With Seavey on his own, it’s clear he’s overflowing with ideas — and wasting no time exploring them all at once. – L. Havens

Rebecca Black, “Look at You”

Written about a best friend, Rebecca Black’s latest single, the uptempo “Look At You,” gives fans a crisp idea of what to expect from her upcoming debut album. Equal parts confessional (“I’m so jealous of you”) and rallying (“She’s got nothing on you, I hope you see that now”), the electric riffs help Black’s delicate, airy vocals hit home. – L. Havens

Ella Jane and Charlie Hickey, “Sore Loser”

Brooklyn-based newcomer Ella Jane tapped Saddest Factory’s Charlie Hickey for “Sore Loser,” a raw and clever ode to those who aren’t often victorious in the game of love (or life). “I’m getting kinda sick of watching the scoreboard … I don’t think I can play you anymore,” Jane admits. Hickey’s own verse finds victory in being vague, leaving the listener to decide if the two are opponents or teammates. – L. Havens

Cuco, “Pendant”

Loss is never easy to experience and can be even harder to articulate, but Cuco does so on new track “Pendant” with humility, grace and reverence for the person who is no longer with him. The track kicks off with a forlorn piano melody, which accompanies the Mexican-American artist’s dreamy delivery as he sings, “Crawlin’, now you’re walkin’/ Then you’re running out of time/ Forgot to reminisce/ But don’t forget to say goodbye.” Sometimes, there’s freedom and bliss in letting go, as seen in this song’s seismic shift to an uplifting psychedelic groove where Cuco assures himself, “I’ll find my way, I’ll be okay.” – Starr Bowenbank

Surf Rock Is Dead, “pretenders”

The plucky electric guitar notes and booming drumbeats of Surf Rock Is Dead’s “pretenders” (the opening song on the band’s new EP, Drama) lets listeners know that tension is on the horizon. According to the band, the song — through a fuzzy blanket of psychedelic rock — explores the ennui and despair of knowing a relationship is reaching its end. – S. Bowenbank

The Greeting Committee, “Anything But You”

The Greeting Committee’s latest effort “Anything But You” sums up falling in love – the stolen kisses, moments spent waiting by the phone, sloppy dances and more – in song form. The instrumentation matches the lyrics’ sunny vibes perfectly, flitting between sappy acoustic and electric guitar as well as a small but noticeable element of country twang throughout the indie gem. – S. Bowenbank

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