Bop Shop: Songs From Harry Styles, Rina Sawayama, Bad Bunny, And More

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The search for the ever-elusive “bop” is difficult. Playlists and streaming-service recommendations can only do so much. They often leave a lingering question: Are these songs really good, or are they just new?

Enter Bop Shop, a hand-picked selection of songs from the MTV News team. This weekly collection doesn’t discriminate by genre and can include anything — it’s a snapshot of what’s on our minds and what sounds good. We’ll keep it fresh with the latest music, but expect a few oldies (but goodies) every once in a while, too. Get ready: The Bop Shop is now open for business.

  • Post Malone ft. Fleet Foxes: “Love/Hate Letter to Alcohol” (Live on SNL)

    In 2022, the attribution “Post Malone ft. Fleet Foxes” isn’t a jolt to the system the way it might’ve been in, say, 2015. This is for a few reasons, namely that the sonic hallmarks of anything resembling “genre” were dismantled long ago. And so you have one artist who ostensibly began his career as a white rapper (but with an arsenal of stealth influences including grunge and emo) working with one of the paragons of indie-folk. As Post proved on the May 14 episode of Saturday Night Live backed up by a chorus of voices including that of FF creative chief Robin Pecknold, his strengths lie in pushing his own vocal performances to the limit — wringing out every ounce of melodrama in the process. It’s genuinely cool that Post, one of the most famous musicians on the planet, has taken his Fleet Foxes fandom to a place of collaboration, giving Pecknold some shine on a massive stage. It reminds me of first hearing Justin Vernon sampled on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (and Posty’s set design for SNL bares more than a passing resemblance to Ye’s own icy minimalism). Except now, it’s more common than ever, and that’s a great thing — a rising tide lifting all boats and the like. I guess what I’m trying to say here is this collab is neat and I like it! —Patrick Hosken

  • Harry Styles: “Cinema”

    There will be plenty to read into on “Cinema,” a breezy and horny new jam that arrives halfway through Harry Styles’s third LP, Harry’s House, especially given his high-profile romance with a noted A-list actor-director. But I offer you a choice — simply get lost in the airy sonics that would do well on a playlist sequenced immediately after Michelle’s “Syncopate,” or obsess over the salacious details. (Helpful hint: You can actually do both.) —Patrick Hosken

  • Rina Sawayama: “This Hell”

    Is it hot in here, or are we just in hell with Rina Sawayama?! As we prepare for the second coming of Sawayama via her sophomore album Hold the Girl (and dare I say the “Rinaissance”), we’re being taken to boptastic eternal damnation with her latest single “This Hell”” Inspired by women in country music, the Japanese-British singer-songwriter wanted to write a “euphoric and tongue-in-cheek country-pop song,” she said in a press release. “I put in as many iconic pop-culture moments as I can, but the song is more than that.” The devil’s in the details, with the openly pansexual supserstar including lyrics that reference messages of solidarity for pop stars that were burned by culture and society, as well as the reality of anti-LGBTQ+ religious dogma being forced on the queer community. “When the world tells us we don’t deserve love and protection, we have no choice but to give love and protection to each other.” In the end, if we’re going to go to hell… at least we’re in it with Rina! —Zach O’Connor

  • She & Him: “Darlin'”

    There’s something undeniably sunny, groovy, and adorable about Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward’s musical project She & Him. It’s only fitting that the duo’s forthcoming release is a tribute album dedicated to Beach Boys cofounder Brian Wilson, whose music is known for being all of the above. Their take on “Darlin’” is as infectious as its origin material, with both Ward and Deschanel taking turns serenading each other before the track concludes with a cascade of heavenly “oohs.” I dare you to watch its retro QVC-inspired visual without cracking a smile. —Carson Mlnarik

  • Charlotte Sands ft. Aaron Gillespie: “Out of My Head”

    It’s safe to say that 2022 continues to be a banner year for Charlotte Sands. She’s been on the road nonstop opening for iconic alternative acts like Yungblud, The Maine, and My Chemical Romance while racking up some really exciting features along the way. But this time, the charismatic singer-songwriter with the trademark blue hair is top billing with an assist from the legendary Aaron Gillespie of Underøath. On “Out of My Head,” Sands lyrically and vocally conveys both anger and vulnerability as she navigates the emotional complexities of a toxic relationship. The music video is a simple yet colorful performance that allows Charlotte’s commanding stage presence to further drive the emotions of the song as Gillespie pounds the drums. “Getting to write with Aaron Gillespie is always a privilege, but having him play drums on this song as well blew my mind,” Sands said in a statement. “He’s such a magical person and an incredible creator, and I’m so lucky I get to witness it in so many ways.” —Farah Zermane

  • Bad Bunny: “Después de la Playa”

    The news that Bad Bunny set a Billboard chart record or two this week — boasting four Spanish-language songs in the Top 10 of the Hot 100 — should only come as a surprise if you haven’t been paying attention to the ascendent Puerto Rican superstar’s rise. At this point, years into his global domination, that seems nearly impossible. But if you’re somehow still getting familiar with Benito, “Después de la Playa” is a great song to dive into: atmospheric scene-setting that cannonballs into a colorful rush of Dominican merengue. Bow down to the bunny. —Patrick Hosken

  • Miley Cyrus: “You”

    From her no-holds-barred dialogue to her raspy and inspired covers, Miley Cyrus has garnered a reputation for some of the greatest live performances in the music industry, which makes her new album, Attention: Miley Live, such a gem. While unexpected mashups like “Wrecking Ball x Nothing Compares 2 U,” takes on Hannah Montana-era tracks, and a guest appearance from Anitta are certainly treats, the real showstopper is unreleased song “You,” which has become such a fan favorite Cyrus included it on the tracklist twice. Over barebones piano chords, Cyrus romantically serenades a lover prepared to take her as she is — drunken nights, tender moments, and all. “I got some baggage / Let’s do some damage / I am not made for no horsey and carriage,” she bellows, before the track builds to a sea of horns and belt notes. It’s a performance that sonically finds her in a sweet spot as a writer, performer, and personality and Miley, this is my personal plea to give us the studio version soon. —Carson Mlnarik

  • Anthony Green: “Center of It All”

    The prolific Circa Survive and Saosin vocalist is back with yet another solo LP, Boom. Done., dropping on July 22. Ahead of that, he’s shared a few songs, the latest of which feels like a cozy party in a park lodge. “Center of It All” has a very soft touch, but it packs a wallop of emotion, courtesy of some strategically placed warm trumpets. Let them embrace you. —Patrick Hosken

  • Art Moore: “Muscle Memory”

    Once on a spring day in college, I skipped all my classes to walk around my small campus and pay attention to its tiny details. Flowers budding, the graying color of the sky, dead ivy on the brick buildings slowly crawling back to life, and the like. Listening to “Muscle Memory” by Art Moore feels like that: languid but crisp, with tiny particulars zooming into view the more closely you listen. Bonus points for its delightfully saturated, cozy fable of a music video that feels like a cousin to Harry Styles’s “Adore You” clip. —Patrick Hosken

  • Bop Shop
  • Music
  • Miley Cyrus
  • Fleet Foxes
  • Post Malone
  • Harry Styles
  • Bad Bunny
  • Rina Sawayama
  • Anthony Green
  • She & Him
  • Aaron Gillespie