The Best New Songs We Heard in April

“I love this song. When I first heard it, I immediately started it over. It’s dramatic, catchy, and mentions my home state of Florida. Truly, what’s not to like? The video is also very fun (shoutout to Ethan Hawke).”—Juliana Ukiomogbe, assistant editor

“The former Fifth Harmony member’s first single from her debut album Dopamine is the perfect kind of mellow. Light some candles, dim the lights, and groove to Normani’s return to music.”—Samuel Maude, associate editor

“I dare you to play this song and not feel the sudden urge to jump around like a lunatic. ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ sounds like it belongs in one of those nostalgic teen coming-of-age movies. It’s fun! It’s energetic! It gets the people going!”—JU

“Who needs caffeine when former Disney Channel star Sabrina Carpenter’s new single, ‘Espresso’ is a full bolt of energy? The catchy track proves that Carpenter is one of the biggest names to watch out for in pop music. Pull a shot of that sweet espresso and put this one on your summer playlist immediately.”—SM

“No one—and I mean NO ONE—is doing it like Willow Smith right now. After each first listen for her recent singles so far, I’ve had to pause, collect myself, and pick up my jaw. She starts this song singing, ‘I’ve got such big feelings,’ but she has big ideas too, which are unexpected and a little bit chaotic, but which she pulls off flawlessly. There are Fiona Apple-like moments, jazz-inspired riffs, and her voice twists and swirls in surprising ways. I cannot wait to hear this album.”—Erica Gonzales, senior culture editor

“Omar Apollo returns with a single that captures those post-breakup feelings. Those, don’t ruin this progress for me, feelings. He sings in the chorus: ‘Why you gotta ruin every night? Every time I see you on my phone, hate that I still need you in my life.’ Though the music star has deeper pockets to deal with these feelings (‘$50K I spend it out of spite’), he sings about them accurately.”—EG

“This lead single from Tems’ long awaited debut album is warm, inviting, and shows off her buttery alto vocals. Paying homage to her childhood, she interpolates the ’90s Nigerian hit song of the same name from Seyi Sodimu. She sings ‘love me jeje (loosely translated to softly in Nigerian) / love me tender,’ and the song lives up to its lyrics.”—EG

“After listening through Maggie Rogers’ new album, Don’t Forget Me, for the first time, I immediately went back and replayed this track. With one of the catchier hooks in Rogers’ discography, the chorus begs you to sing along, even as it switches POV and paints a complicated, yet honest portrait of a past relationship.”—Madison Feller, digital deputy editor

“Ahead of Coachella weekend, Doja Cat released the deluxe version of her album Scarlet and led with ‘MASC’ as the lead single. I feel like I’m not seeing enough love and attention for this song, and that’s a travesty. I love when Doja Cat gets into her moody and melodic bag, and this is a great new addition to her oeuvre. ‘ACKNOWLEDGE ME’ is another of my favorites from the project.”— JU

“It’s been a minute since Taylor Swift released a certified banger. With pulsating synths, bass lines, and a pounding electropop beat, the song practically begs you to dance—whether or not you’re reeling from a breakup. Consider it the antidote to all the sad-girl ballads on TTPD. ‘Lights, camera, bitch, smile!’”—Claire Stern Milch, digital director

“One half of City Girls is gearing up for her solo mixtape, and the project is already sounding fire from the looks of JT’s recent singles. This one is especially killer, with sassy lyrics like: ‘I’m pretty than a motherfucker, hoes be lookin’ okay / She think that she fuckin’ with me, is this bitch okay?’ It’s no wonder the hook is already soundtracking videos by baddies all around TikTok.”—EG

“The Gen Z heartthrob’s album Fireworks & Rollerblades has many gems, but the standout track is ‘Cry.’ There’s something about someone screaming-singing the word ‘cry’ that is perfectly cathartic. It’s time to cry until dawn.”—SM

“I love a little beep boop, and Griff’s ‘Cycles’ off her EP ver2igo vol. 2 makes you feel like you’re trapped in a washing machine (non-derogatory). It’s a song that sounds like its lyrics. ‘It’s an endless cycle, turns me upside down / Always right behind me / And I don’t know how to shut you out,’ she says.”—SM

“In a statement about the song, Tinashe declared, ‘This is that all summer long kinda BOP!’ She is absolutely right. ‘Nasty’ is a sweaty summer banger, and the Janet influences are clear.”—EG

“Country Taylor, is that you? ‘But Daddy I Love Him’ might be the closest we get to a throwback on Swift’s latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, and damn, does it hit different. Here, Swift switches back into ‘Love Story’ mode, essentially scolding her fans who told her to stop dating The 1975’s Matty Healy and singing the already iconic line: ‘I’ll tell you something about my good name / It’s mine along to disgrace.’ More of this, please!”—MF

“I don’t speak Spanish so when I first heard The Marías’ latest single ‘Lejos de Ti,’ I had no idea what was being said, but I knew I loved its icy and melancholic vibe. And after translating the lyrics, I love it even more. It’s all about not wanting to be forgotten by someone you love. Who among us can relate?”—JU

“St. Vincent gets those anxious thoughts too. She told NME that this song, off her new album All Born Screaming, is the personification of that voice in your head that says, ‘You think you’re something and you’re fucking nothing, you idiot!’ But here, it comes with a funky bassline and ’80s-style harmonies.”—EG

“Justice released their first new album in eight years, and to celebrate the occasion, they’ve enlisted a spectacular roster of features from Thundercat to Miguel, but this collab with Tame Impala might just take the cake.”—EG

“Amber Mark’s first new song in two years is here and she’s perfect. The slinky R&B single is equal parts soulful and soothing. With lyrics like ‘Boy, I ain’t got high hopes / But, damn, you’re kinda fine though,’ it’s the perfect flirty song for hot days and cool nights.”—JU

“I was honestly startled the first time I heard the chorus of this song come in; Sinéad Harnett’s effortless belt hits you like a wall of sound.”—EG