5 albums you need to hear this week
With music from Beyoncé, J-hope, Ride, Sum 41 and Blu De Tiger.
In the age of streaming, it’s never been easier to listen to new music — but with over 60,000 new songs added to Spotify every day, it’s also never been harder to know what to put on. Every week, the team at Rolling Stone UK will run down some of the best new releases that have been added to streaming services.
This week, we’ve highlighted records by Beyoncé, J-hope, Ride, Sum 41 and Blu De Tiger.
Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter
Yeehaw! Cowboy Carter sees Beyoncé explore country music for the first time – and the results are well worth the wait. As well as the previously released singles ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ and ’16 Carriages,”’Cowboy Carter also has tracks that look up to the legends of the genre. There’s a nod to Willie Nelson on ‘Smoke Break’, the trailblazing Linda Martell on ‘The Linda Martell Show’ and even Dolly Parton on a cover of ‘Jolene’. It’s a perfect salute to the power of those artists, while also adding Beyonce’s own brilliant contribution to country history.
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music
J-hope – Hope on the Street Vol. 1
Following the release of his single ‘Hope on the Street’ last year, BTS‘ J-hope has returned with a mini-album of the same name. It arrives alongside a six-part Amazon Prime Video docuseries of the same name, deepening the lore around the K-pop star. It also takes fans back to the singer’s early days as a street dancer. Features come from BTS bandmate Jung Kook, Benny Blanco with Nile Rodgers, Gaeko with Yoon Mirae, Le Sserafim vocalist Huh Yun-Jin and JINBO the Superfreak.
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music
Ride – Interplay
After initially reforming in 2014, 18 years after they had broken up, shoegaze darlings Ride are now well into their stride on their second act, joining the likes of Slowdive in enjoying a more harmonious and solid run at being a band second time around. New album Interplay arrives at a time of a new shoegaze explosion among Gen Z fans, and sees the band slowly and subtly expanding their sound while keeping the core dreaminess that has always provided their biggest allure.
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music
Sum 41 – Heaven :x: Hell
If this truly is Sum 41’s last ever album, then the pop-punk stalwarts are offering the strongest of farewells, delivered on their own terms. Across a double LP, the group look back at nearly three decades at the top. This means there’s sonic reflections on the sounds that made them a defining band for teenagers of the early noughties, while songs like ‘Bad Mistake’ offer a frank look at the addiction struggles of frontman Deryck Whibley. Die-hard fans and nostalgists alike will lap it up.
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music
Blu DeTiger –All I Ever Want Is Everything
Best known for her work on the bass guitar and as a hired hand for the likes of Olivia Rodrigo and Bleachers, Blu DeTiger’s long-awaited debut album is as funky as you’d expect. Over irresistibly catchy bass-led songs, she balances hard and soft and sings of highs and lows with equal care, proving that she’s far from just a bassist. On this evidence, she could become a great pop star too.
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music