New Music Report - New Releases Week of July 31st

Happy Monday! Kickstart your week ahead by checking out all of the new music that has just been released in this roundup of new music that you need to be listening to. From new albums by Arcade Fire and Cage The Elephant, to new songs from Charli XCX and BØRNS, to new collaborations from Skrillex & Poo Bear and Macklemore & Lil Yachty, take a look at this week's New Releases.

Arcade Fire - Everything Now

It's finally here. Arcade Fire's first album in four years -- Everything Now. The record is the followup to 2013's Reflecktor, and features 13 new songs including the lead single and title track "Everything Now," as well as previously released songs like "Creature Comfort," "Signs of Life," and "Electric Blue." 

Everything Now was produced by the band, as well as Grammy-winning producer Markus Dravs (who helped produce their last three albums), Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter and Pulp bassist Steve Mackey, and was recorded at Boombox Studios in New Orleans, Gang Recording Studio in Paris, and Sonovox Studios in Montreal.

Arcade Fire's Everything Now is available to stream on iHeartRadio right HERE.

Charli XCX - "Boys"

Charli XCX ups the thirst trap ante with her new single, "Boys," and accompanying video, which dropped last Wednesday (July 25). Oh, and it features a string of famous boys, including Diplo, Joe Jonas, Brendon Urie, to name a few. In the almost-three minute visual, which she co-directed alongside Sarah McColgan, the 24-year-old pop star gathers a number of popular boys to strip down, look sexy and just be, well, boys in front of the camera. It's a minimal effort, with plenty of pink hues and VHS effects, but, let's face it, it works oh so well because of the familiar faces. Among the other stars in the clip include Charlie Puth, D.R.A.M., Flume, G-Eazy, Jack Antonoff, KAYTRANADA, Khalid, Mark Ronson, MNEK, and more.

Julia Michaels - Nervous System

After a rather seamless transition from behind-the-scenes songwriter to mainstream pop star, Julia Michaels has finally unleashed her new mini album, Nervous System. The EP, which includes previously-released singles "Issues" and "Uh Huh," is primarily a Mattman and Robin production piece, hearing the hitmaker take her narratives about love to the frontline with her own voice. See: "Uh Huh" and "Pink"

Skrillex featuring Poo Bear - "Would You Ever"

Skrillex is back with a brand new single, "Would You Ever," and it features Justin Bieber collaborator Poo Bear. "Would You Ever" follows Skrillex's "Chicken Soup" released earlier this year (which features producer/DJ Habstrakt), and is the uplifting, feel-good summer house track you need in your life. Poo Bear is one of Justin Bieber's songwriters and helped write "Where Are U Now" and "What Do You Mean?" as well as co-wrote Usher's "Caught Up," but "Would You Ever" marks his debut as a solo artist.

Kesha - "Learn To Let Go"

With less than two weeks left until Kesha drops her new album, Rainbow, the comeback kid has unveiled another new buzz track from the LP called "Learn To Let Go," and the accompanying visual dropped simultaneously with the song. "Learn To Let Go" follows the previously-released "Praying" and "Woman," and is all about letting go of the negative energy that she's been hit with in the last few years. In the Isaac Ravishankara-directed video, the pop star sits in her home and watches old home videos from her childhood, before the walls of the structure fall down and leave the singer in the forest to dance away her demons. Sing away your pain, Kesha.

The Killers - "Run For Cover"

The Killers have unleashed a new single called "Run for Cover" and it's set to be included on the band's first LP since 2012's Battle Born called Wonderful Wonderful. On the new single, the band offers up a bouncy cut that stays in line with their signature sound and yet feels very 2017. Fun fact: If you pre-order Wonderful Wonderful, you'll receive "Run for Cover" as an instant download. 

Macklemore featuring Lil Yachty - "Marmalade"

Macklemore and Lil Yachty collaborated to bring us one of the most summery-feeling songs that we've heard this year called “Marmalade.” that bad with it. "Watching Toy Story 3/ That’s a great f**king movie," he raps. "City of Jimi, Kurt, Quincy City of me, Eddie, and Bruce Lee (whoa)/ King of the road/ I drive slow like whoa/ And I just switched over to Geico like whoa/ Celebrating these life goals/ But you ain’t getting no ride home." Yachty raps on his verse, “This beat so happy, I will never frown/ F**k the cops and f**k Donald Trump, b**ch it’s Macklemore and Lil Boat.”

Cage The Elephant - Unpeeled

Earlier this year in April, Cage The Elephant hit the road on their "Live & Unpeeled: The Acoustic Tour," playing nine intimate and unplugged shows throughout the US. Performances from this tour were captured for the band's Unpeeled -- their second live album (released on July 28th via RCA Records). Unpeeled features 21 tracks, which includes their own songs from over the years, as well as three covers: The Stranglers' 1981 song "Golden Brown," Daft Punk's "Instant Crush" from the robot duo's most recent album Random Access Memories, and Wreckless Eric's "Whole Wide World."

During Cage The Elephant's iHeartRadio Album Release Party, the band's frontman Matt Shultz said of the inspiration behind the album and tour: 

"Not too long ago, we were invited to play a benefit that Neil Young throws called The Bridge School Benefit, and one of the stipulations for the event is that everything has to be acoustic. And so Nick had done some string arrangements, and we brought in a string quartet, and we were just really pleased with it. It was fun to re-imagine the songs, so we decided to make an entire tour out of it. I think that we were just trying to give the best interpretation of each song, song by song, whatever it asked for."

Thomas Rhett - "Unforgettable"

Thomas Rhett released a new song called "Unforgettable," the second single off his upcoming album Life Changes. The track is an uptempo flirty anthem, where a guy is telling a girl all the things he remembers about her, from when they first met. Rhett wrote "Unforgettable" with Jesse Frasure, Ashley Gorley and Shane McAnally. He says, that it really came out of thin air. "We kind of told this story of a boyfriend or husband describing to his wife all these amazing details, that she thought he had forgotten about."

Thomas is also set to take the stage at the 2017 iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas September 22nd and 23rd.

Brett Eldredge - "No Stopping You"

In anticipation of his new self-titled album, Brett Eldredge has shared a new song from the LP called "No Stopping You." "No Stopping You" is a slow song with heartfelt lyrics like "Hope you find me in a stranger's smile/Hope you hear me in the lonely miles/You gotta do what you were born to do/'Cause there's no stopping you." In fact, Brett told Rolling Stone Country of the new song: 

"'No Stopping You' is very much about my travels and about how sometimes you you fall out of love, or you fall in love and you realize the other person needs to go experience life a little more. They’re not ready for that commitment yet and you’ve got to let them run, got to let them go. Being able to let go sometimes is an important thing."

BØRNS - "Faded Heart"

BØRNS has finally returned with a brand new single called "Faded Heart." The song is the first new taste of music since 2015, the year he released his debut album Dopamine, and the song is inspired by realizations he learned after touring. He told Billboard of the single:

"I realized after tour it’s pretty crazy the power someone can have with their voice being projected to people. I felt this power on stage that I’ve never felt before. Then, just flash cut to me in my own bed at the end of tour, and I was like, ‘Woah, did that even happen?’ Like, now I have a sink full of dirty dishes and I’m trying to keep my house plants alive ... it’s like this snap of reality in a way, and so ‘Faded Heart’ is my dealing with my life and morality."

Future featuring Nicki Minaj - "You Da Baddest"

Future recruited Nicki Minaj to appear on his latest song “You Da Baddest.” The pair dropped a dope AF video for the track, as well. In this visual, Minaj is on some Trinidadian-carnival type flow, as she rocks a sexy, bejeweled two-piece and turns heads when she struts to meet Future. Once they come together, Fut and Minaj turn up together by the beach. The entire song is HNDRXX telling his significant other that she’s the number one woman in his life. Minaj raps about being the baddest woman that some people love to hate. Listen to “You Da Baddest” ASAP. Issa banger.

Dave East x Chris Brown - "Perfect"

Dave East and Chris Brown joined forces for “Perfect,” which is his first single off of his upcoming project, Paranoia. It’s slightly different from East’s usual released music because this one is more of a love/freaky track where he raps about showering a special woman with love. It’s shows East’s softer side when he’s attracted to someone that he’s infatuated with. “Perfect, that might not describe you (it might) / I need a word, that’s much better / I’m trying’ to get back up inside you (oh),” he raps. “I wanna know what you like / I wanna know if you smokin’, am I strokin’ tonight? (oh) / Picture us both, gettin’ low on a flight / Love is a gamble, I’m rollin’ the dice.”

Timeflies featuring Chase Rice - "Are We There Yet"

The pop and country worlds collide on Timeflies' new single "Are We There Yet" featuring Chase Rice. The dance-pop song includes elements of country as the duo's Cal Shapiro and Chase about hopping in the car with that special someone, hitting the gas petal to anywhere, and being in the present. Chase sings, "I don't care where we're goingYou know that I'm down for the ride." 

Timeflies tells iHeartRadio exclusively of the song:

"'Are We There Yet' is an introspective song about realizing that, sometimes always wondering about the future and trying to reach goals makes you forget that the present is such an incredible place. We always think about where were headed and wonder if we're there, and maybe the there is the here now. That, a little pontoon summer vibe from our boy Chase Rice, and a banjo and you've got a guaranteed good time."

Snakehips featuring Joey Bada$$ & Anne-Marie - "Either Way"

Snakehips' "Either Way" featuring Joey Bada$$ and Anne-Marie is the perfect soundtrack to a laid back summer BBQ. Throw in some tropical touches onto the production act's easy breezy haze and you have a three-minute cut that reps the US and Brooklyn. Expect to hear this during Snakehips' tour, which continues throughout the summer until early fall!

Passion Pit - Tremendous Sea of Love

Passion Pit has a Tremendous Sea of Love for fans -- literally. Earlier in the year, Michael Angelakos had shared the new album with fans in exchange for tweeted/retweeted about the important of science and research, and now the album has hit all streaming platforms. Tremendous Sea of Love is Passion Pit's fourth studio album, and follows 2015's Kindred. Michael wrote in a letter to fans of the new record:

"Tremendous Sea of Love is an album for us, for me, and for you. Something happened when I started making music 'professionally.' What happened is I forgot how fun, how beautiful it was to share the version of my music that was not the 'product.' When I say product, I mean the b version of the song, or album, that was done, finished, ready for a sale. Revisions are important, but we are so good at revising, so concerned with presenting perfect versions of ourselves that we miss the point. We become upset when people don't fully understand us, or assume things... That, my friends, is the business we are in. No, we were in. Because each song was quickly rendered, or written the night before it was uploaded, [and] was mixed to the best of my ability (after years of people telling me I couldn’t mix). They were not perfect, but they were honest. Honesty is important because clearly we can, as humans, detect falsehoods, and yet today we are discussing 'alternative truths.'"

To close his message he said, "You are tremendous, you are truly the reason I have, have always, and could continue to have anything. And you deserve a thank you. I do not need your money. I just want you, I just NEED you, to listen to me. No money can quantify what that means to me. I really, truly love you."

DJ Clue featuring Future and Tru Life – "Last Night"

Surprise! DJ Clue unexpectedly released a new track entitled “Last Night” out of nowhere. But, you won’t here us complaining one bit. The song features one of the busiest rap figures at the moment Future and Tru Life. Myles William produced “Last Night”. It’s been a minute Clue released a full-length project or individual tracks, which was why we were so shocked when this one dropped. Throughout the song, Fut and Tru rap about catching bodies. You know, the usual. Peep “Last Night” here. It’s lit.

Belly - "P.O.P."

Belly wants to hale the power of the P! The Canadian rapper released “P.O.P. (Power of P**sy) and it describes himself being possessed by a woman. “She had champagne dreams/Bottles she can’t afford/Oh no, not anymore/Now she model for Ford/Met a rich European/Even got her Dior/Gucci, Prada galore/Went and bought out the stores/Eighteen but she’s mature/Half a mil’ on the core/Dripping sauce, the Venice Porsche parked in front of the porch,” he raps.

When speaking to Complex about the song, Belly said that the inspiration of it was the understanding that woman can have power over men. “I think women in general have always been the focal point of art since the beginning,” Belly said. “Arguably the most famous work of art is the Mona Lisa. One of the inspirations I have always had for my music is women. Being in love, the heartbreak that comes with it. For me ‘P.O.P.’ is a song about the human experience and what we go through as humans on a day to day.”

Passenger - The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Michael Rosenberg -- AKA Passenger -- surprised fans last week by announcing he was releasing a full-length album via a Facebook live where he then proceeded to play the record all the way through. Many know Passenger from his 2012 multi Platinum hit "Let Her Go," and since then he's released several albums with his latest being The Boy Who Cried Wolf via his own label The new record follows 2016's Young as the Morning Old as the Sea, and features ten new songs including the title track. 

A1 featuring Chris Brown & Ty Dolla $ign - "Always"

A1 has been doing his thing in the music industry for a hot minute. Now, the producer ready to give us some more bangers, including his one entitled “Always.” The smooth R&B song features longtime friend Chris Brown and Ty Dolla $ign. The Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood star really outdid himself with this one. We haven’t been able to stop playing this track, even since we played it for the very first time. It’s a ode to a special someone who’s always on the producer’s singers’ minds… without a doubt, that would be singer/songwriter Lyrica for A1, who’s his wife.

DRAM, Cardi B - "Cute (Remix)"

D.R.A.M. called on Cardi B is assist with his "Cute (Remix)" and our ears aren't mad at the new spin on the track. D.R.A.M. is currently opening for Kendrick Lamar on the DAMN. Tour, along with Travis Scott. However, that didn't stop the artist from releasing some new music. The original "Cute" was featured on his debut album, Big Baby D.R.A.M., which was released on October 21, 2016.

It looks like D.R.A.M. wanted to add a little something extra to the track. So, that's why he called on the former Love & Hip Hop star to lay some of her classic bars on the beat. "You think I’m cute, but I think you ugly/ Trust me it’s cool, I use you for money," Cardi spits. "I’m a dog I don’t come with no leash/ This b**ch is ballin' just look at my piece/ Whippin' the foreign, I’m bending these streets.”