{"id":717919,"date":"2026-06-06T00:28:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T00:28:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/717919\/"},"modified":"2026-06-06T00:28:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T00:28:11","slug":"taylor-swift-leads-weeks-best-new-music-friday-music-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/717919\/","title":{"rendered":"Taylor Swift Leads Week’s Best New Music: Friday Music Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tBillboard\u2019s\u00a0Friday Music Guide<\/a>\u00a0serves as a handy guide to New Music Friday\u2019s most essential releases each week \u2014 the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tExplore\t\t<\/p>\n

See latest videos, charts and news<\/p>\n

\n\tLast week<\/a>, we featured Ariana Grande, Labrinth, aespa and more.<\/p>\n

\n\tThis week: Taylor Swift\u2019s much-teased Toy Story 5 song, \u201cI Knew It, I Knew You,\u201d arrives ahead of the film; Niall Horan serves up the main course with his new album Dinner Party; and Tinashe teases her next chapter with a new single\u2026 plus much more. Check out all of this week\u2019s picks below:<\/p>\n

\n\tTaylor Swift, \u201cI Knew It, I Knew You\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\tAfter dropping a basketful of easter eggs, Taylor Swift confirmed this week that fans \u201cknew it\u201d all along when her came to her musical involvement on Toy Story 5. She wrote on Instagram, \u201cI\u2019ve always dreamed of getting to write for these characters who I\u2019ve adored since I was a 5 year old kid watching the first Toy Story movie.\u201d And on release night, she uploaded a video of her young self dressed much like Jessie, who inspired \u201cI Knew It, I Knew You.\u201d While the song was teased by Disney as a return to Swift\u2019s country roots, the production does fittingly tap into the genre, though her vocals are distinctly modern-era \u2014 resulting in a track that \u201cfelt like a musical departure and coming home at the same time,\u201d as she wrote in the caption of her cowgirl clip. \u201cCreating something for Jessie was a new challenge and also felt like second nature all at once.\u201d \u2014 LYNDSEY HAVENS<\/p>\n

\n\tRole Model, \u201cHigh Hopes 3000\u201c<\/p>\n

\n\tThis week, Role Model shared the first taste of new music post-\u201cSally\u201d virality (\u201cSally, When the Wine Runs Out\u201d became his first Billboard charting hit, eventually reaching No. 1 on Adult Alternative Airplay, thanks in part to a live show gimmick in which celebrity guests became each evening\u2019s designated Sally). After announcing his forthcoming third album, Chuck Timely & The Hourglass, the artist dropped lead single \u201cHigh Hopes 3000\u201d that explores the same country-inspired folk-pop landscape of his last album, Kansas Anymore. The new song tugs at a similar lyrical thread, too, with Role Model questioning his faith in finding love. \u201cI need some high hopes, Lord knows I could use \u2019em\u2026They say I\u2019m unappealing when I shoot my shot\/ Come here, honey, don\u2019t know how to do it\/ Does love come around or does one come around to it?\u201d Tune in to find out. \u2014 L.H.<\/p>\n

\n\tNiall Horan, \u201cTastes So Good\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\tNiall Horan\u2019s fourth solo album, Dinner Party, arrives today and delivers on its title \u2014 offering up a delectable soundtrack<\/a> perfect for any intimate gathering over food and drink. \u201cTastes So Good\u201d in particular plays into the title as well as the overarching theme of the album \u2014 being in love \u2014 by describing just how smitten he is. \u201cCan\u2019t take another breath without you\/ Can\u2019t walk down the street\/ No, I don\u2019t know what you\u2019re made of\/ But it tastes so good to me.\u201d With a line like that, who needs to see a menu? We\u2019ll have what he\u2019s having. \u2014 L.H.<\/p>\n

\n\tTinashe, \u201cToo Easy\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\tFollowing an appearance at Coachella\u2019s DoLab in April, Tinashe is back \u2014 and she\u2019s letting friend and foe know it. The bouncy \u201cToo Easy\u201d is coated in confidence, as she sings, \u201cIf you\u2019re mad, then go to therapy\/ I can\u2019t help that I make it look so easy.\u201d The clubby pop track clocks in at just under two minutes, only further proving that Tinashe really does have this locked; it sends a message to listeners, too, because it really is that easy to hit replay on a song this sticky. \u2014 L.H.<\/p>\n

\n\tRyan Beatty, \u201cSecret Language\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\tAlternative singer-songwriter Ryan Beatty was once a quiet force behind the scenes, offering backing vocals on BROCKHAMPTON projects among other collaborations. But his 2023 album, Calico, changed his career, becoming critically acclaimed and boosting his exposure \u2014 so much so, that Beyonc\u00e9 came calling. Beatty co-wrote a handful of songs on Cowboy Carter, winning him his first Grammy as the project took home album of the year in 2025. Now, he\u2019s teasing his fourth solo album, Sweet Fortune, out later this month. The sweet and serene lead single, \u201cSecret Language,\u201d shows off his tender writing, hinting at how his silence can say more than words ever could get across: \u201cI\u2019ll admit, I\u2019m a bit of a mess\/ \u2019cause I\u2019m fragile and tired\/ wounded and weak\/ and my words are a useless defense.\u201d \u2014 L.H.<\/p>\n

\n\tVybz Kartel, God & Time<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tIt\u2019s been almost two years since Kartel beat the case<\/a> and walked out of prison a free man \u2014 and he\u2019s finally ready to explore that vast range of emotion on a new studio album. Comprised of 14 slickly produced tracks, God & Time finds the superstar reuniting with TJ Records, the producer who helped craft landmark albums like Viking (Vybz Is King) and King of the Dancehall. Featuring collaborations with Shenseea, Wizkid, Skillibeng, Farruko and Spice, God & Time expands on Kartel\u2019s commitment to bridging dancehall, Latin music and Afropop, alongside a healthy dose of crossover appeal. The true standout, however, is \u201cHype Life,\u201d a historic reunion between Kartel and his Gully rival Mavado that champions maturity and the incomparable power of music. \u2014 KYLE DENIS<\/p>\n

\n\tVince Staples, Cry Baby<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tVince Staples has been one of music\u2019s most alluring artists for well over a decade, and his new Cry Baby LP marks a riveting new chapter. After turning inward on his last few releases, the Compton-born rapper prioritized live instrumentation on his new 10-track project. From the prickly, confrontational nature of \u201cDo You Know the Devil\u201d to the militant pace of \u201c7 in the Morning,\u201d Cry Baby is a remarkably comprehensive look at the urgency, tumult and tension of present-day America \u2014 an impressive feat considering the album\u2019s succinct runtime. \u2014 K.D.<\/p>\n

\n\thorsegiirL, Nature Is Healing<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat could have been a gimmick instead presents dually\u00a0as performance art and pure aural pleasure with horsegiirL\u00a0and her debut album, Nature Is Healing. The Berlin-based producer \u2014 who never appears without her horse mask and embodies the character of Stella Stallion, a half-woman, half-equine \u2014 has released a gorgeous 15-track LP that, as its title indicates, centers themes of the natural world. This too is done with great sophistication and real meaning, as the project crosses genres from ambient to house to gabber and Stella gallops through themes from love for another to love for nature itself, infusing the productions with samples of birds, insects, reptiles and fellow mammals. A cool, inventive and deeply listenable project, Nature Is Healing sticks the landing on the hype around horsegiirL. \u2014 KATIE BAIN<\/p>\n

\n\tProspa, Free Your Mind<\/p>\n

\n\tUK duo Prospa have been kicking around\u00a0the scene for years, so it feels at once strange and exciting that their debut album is out just today. Worth the wait, we say! The project wastes no time getting into the club vibe, opening with the slinky (and previously released) \u201cLove Songs\u201d with Kosmo Kint and then propelling itself along with nine other sleek house tracks that embody every phase of a quality night out, from the pre-party to the afters. Standouts including the Cloonee collab \u201cFree Your Mind\u201d \u2014 that heavily samples the vocals from Sybil\u2019s 1993 anthem \u201cOh, How I Love You\u201d and \u201cLet The Music\u201d \u2014 which drips with emotion about why dance music really means so much. Free Your Mind is out on the mighty CircoLoco Records.\u00a0\u00a0\u2014 K.B.<\/p>\n

\n\tLaci Kaye Booth, \u201cEthereal Redneck Shit\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tBooth intertwines sultry melodies with a penchant for vivid lyricism on this languid track, conjuring a scene of chaotic freedom in lines such as, \u201cI wanna levitate, dance on your Escalade\u2026French kiss with some Skoal in my lip.\u201d Her husky, worldly vocal delivery grounds the cooly romantic track, which offers a compelling preview of her forthcoming third album, Love Ain\u2019t For The Faint of Heart, due Sept. 18 via Lost Highway Records. \u2014 Jessica Nicholson<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Red Clay Strays, Grateful<\/p>\n

\n\tRecent Billboard Country Power Players honorees<\/a> The Red Clay Strays serve up more of their signature blend of Southern rock, gritty country and soul on their new album Grateful, while weaving in themes of faith, betrayal and yes, thankfulness. The rollicking country-soul of \u201cDown South\u201d feels like a perfect fit for any gritty small-town roadhouse, while their well-known Gospel inflections soar on \u201cDemons In Your Choir.\u201d They delve into social commentary on \u201cPeople Hatin\u2019,\u201d while piano and refined percussion spearhead \u201cDon\u2019t Wanna Know,\u201d as frontman Brandon Coleman\u2019s powerful voice efficiently lays out the storyline of a man who realizes a family member\u2019s marriage is marked by adultery. Elsewhere, \u201cDo Today\u201d is an uplifting ballad about making the most of every moment. This Alabama band has long established itself as a well-oiled musical group, whose musicianship is distinguished by precision and raw emotion. Their latest album cements that reputation. \u2014 J.N.<\/p>\n

\n\tBaby Rasta y Gringo, \u201cVisi\u00f3n\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tBaby Rasta y Gringo is one of the longest-lasting duos in reggaet\u00f3n history and to continue cementing that title, they have released a new single called \u201cVisi\u00f3n.\u201d Mainly known for their old-school perreo and reggaet\u00f3n de marquesina sound, the duo returns to those romantic roots that also made them a household name in the 90s. \u201cVisi\u00f3n\u201d is a sweet tune powered by a groovy electric guitar and sultry reggaet\u00f3n beats. Lyrically, the Puerto Rican pair sings about the important things every woman wants from their partner: reassurance, sincerity, love and commitment. \u2014 JESSICA ROIZ<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Billboard\u2019s\u00a0Friday Music Guide\u00a0serves as a handy guide to New Music Friday\u2019s most essential releases each week \u2014 the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":717920,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[49,48,75,247404,23420,16839,48453,6754,23827,259856,341,153686],"class_list":["post-717919","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-entertainment","tag-friday-music-guide","tag-genre-country","tag-genre-dance","tag-genre-hiphop","tag-genre-latin","tag-genre-pop","tag-movie-soundtracks","tag-music","tag-soundtrack"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/717919","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=717919"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/717919\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/717920"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=717919"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=717919"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=717919"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}