Music Streaming

This Week in Music: Jennifer Lopez and Bad Bunny, Sade, Little Mix

Each week, we share a playlist with the songs and artists who are making headlines

Listen to the latest YouTube Music playlist here.

Jennifer Lopez & Bad Bunny, “Te Guste”
Sounds like:A trap-pop gamechanger
Perfect for:Reminding your partner why they like you in the first place
J. Lo and Bad Bunny knew how hard it would be to dislike their first collaboration, so they cut to the chase with the title: “Te Guste.” The trap-pop rom-com of a duet has the pair playfully competing over who has the most likable qualities while recalling a romantic meet-cute. Spoiler alert: it’s a tie.

Sade, “The Big Unknown”
Sounds like:A stirring return to form for R&B groundbreakers
Perfect for:Soundtracking a fall thriller
Sade has kept a low-profile since 2010’s Soldier of Love, but the iconic singer has returned with two new songs this year, both for film soundtracks. Following the transcendent “Flower of the Universe” for Ava Duvernay’s A Wrinkle in Time earlier this year, she’s followed up with “The Big Unknown” for Steve McQueen’s latest film Widows. It’s a smoky, quiet storm masterpiece that’s as stirring as the revenge-centric thriller looks to be. 

Jpegmafia, “Puff Daddy”
Sounds like:A heavy dose of radio-friendly pop from a surprising source
Perfect for:Contradicting yourself
Rising Baltimore star Jpegmafia is known for his pop-averse, experimental music, so “trying something new” for him means giving the standard verse-chorus-verse structure a chance. “Puff Daddy” is a punishingly heavy trap banger that has him going against everything you think you know about him, both through the lyrics and the way the song sounds. “I’m a pop act,” he claims early on the track. Though it seems like it’s an intentional joke, his chops make a pop future seem plausible.

Little Mix, “Told You So”
Sounds like:She told you so
Perfect for:A girls’ night in
A real, genuine friendship needs a touch of pettiness to keep things exciting. On the guitar-driven ballad “Told You So,” U.K. girl group Little Mix celebrate that while offering up some sisterly comfort to a heartbroken friend. Of course, like any truly good friend, they admit that they weren’t the biggest fans of the culprit-at-large even before the relationship’s end, singing together on the bridge “I’m never gonna say I warned you/But I’m just so glad that you know.”

The Beatles, “Good Night”
Sounds like:A convincing case that this White Album cut deserved more attention
Perfect for:Forsaking sleep in order to listen to this on repeat
The Lennon-penned lullaby “Good Night” tends to be the most overlooked track from the Beatles’ White Album, but for its 50th anniversary, it finally gets it due. The Super Deluxe version of the White Album features a variety of takes of the tender tune, many of which strip away the orchestral arrangement of the final version. Take 10 is a standout where all four Beatles soothingly harmonize in a way that makes you want to do anything but go to sleep.

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