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Billboard鈥檚 Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday鈥檚 most essential releases 鈥 the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
This week, Lorde reinvents herself, Alex Warren brings ROS脡 into his sonic world, and KATSEYE continue a 鈥淕narly鈥 run of success. Check out all of this week鈥檚 picks below:
KATESEYE Release New EP ‘BEAUTIFUL CHAOS’: Stream It Now
Lorde, Virgin
The promotional campaign for Lorde鈥檚 long-awaited fourth album has involved tales of a bitter breakup and body dysmorphia, creeping feelings of stage fright and questions about her gender identity. Instead of retreating from the intimate pressure points and personal changes that have defined her mid-twenties, she poured them into a new album, and is now hoisting them up for the world to see. One listen to Lorde鈥檚 Virgin confirms that it is by far the bravest album of her career.
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Read the full review of Lorde鈥檚 new album.
Alex Warren & ROS脡, 鈥淥n My Mind鈥
A No. 1 smash will often result in some interesting phone calls about potential collaborations, and after Alex Warren followed up his enormous hit 鈥淥rdinary鈥 with the Jelly Roll team-up 鈥淏loodline,鈥 ROS脡 has now hopped on the latest single from his upcoming album You鈥檒l Be Alright, Kid, with the BLACKPINK star holding her own amidst the horns and kick drum on the somber, likable folk-pop sing-along.
KATSEYE, Beautiful Chaos
More pop songs should sound as audacious as 鈥淕narly,鈥 KATSEYE鈥檚 off-the-wall breakthrough single that leads off their new 5-song EP 鈥 and while that hyperpop sledgehammer sets up a slightly more subdued project, the girl group scores with slinky pop harmonies (鈥淕ameboy鈥), dance balladry (鈥淢ean Girls鈥) and a smart twist on the anthemic 鈥淕narly鈥 sound to close things out (鈥淢.I.A鈥).
Lizzo, My Face Hurts From Smiling
Although Lizzo has released a handful of pop-leaning singles so far in 2025, My Face Hurts From Smiling features none of them 鈥 instead, the surprise mixtape is a full-throated foray into rap music, designed to let her have a blast on tracks alongside SZA and Doja Cat and further regain her mojo before a presumably more mainstream-focused new album.
Don Toliver, 鈥淔WU鈥
Don Toliver鈥檚 helium-coated voice joins forces with Mustard鈥檚 hard-clapping production on 鈥淔WU,鈥 a new single that serves as Toliver鈥檚 first solo single of the year and boosts his momentum without high stakes 鈥 鈥淔WU鈥 rolls along ceaselessly and purposefully, meant to be played loud and more than twice.
Various Artists, F1 The Album
On the same day that the Brad Pitt racing drama zooms into theaters, the full F1 album is unveiled as the most star-studded soundtrack of the year, with previously released tracks by Don Toliver and Doja Cat, Tate McRae, Ed Sheeran and ROS脡 complemented by new offerings from Burna Boy, RAYE, Madison Beer and more 鈥 just be sure to save time for Peggy Gou鈥檚 bright, shuffling 鈥淒.A.N.C.E鈥 in the back half.
Barbra Streisand, The Secret of Life: Partners, Vol. 2
Barbra Streisand鈥檚 elegant sequel to her 2014 duets album Partners succeeds due to its smart guest list: while legends like Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan and James Taylor swing by to sing and pay homage, the appearance of artists like Hozier and Laufey nicely shake up the sound, and the Babs-Mariah Carey-Ariana Grande summit 鈥淥ne Heart, One Voice鈥 lives up to his high-powered pedigree.
Editor鈥檚 Pick: Blood Orange, 鈥淭he Field鈥
On the same day that a major new pop release that Dev Hyne contributed to, Lorde鈥檚 Virgin, is unveiled, indie fans can be equally enthralled by the first song in three years from his Blood Orange project: 鈥淭he Field鈥 鈥 which melds the voices of Caroline Polachek, Daniel Caesar and others with Hynes鈥 own 鈥 is hauntingly gorgeous, a hymn-like variation on Blood Orange鈥檚 danceable pop-R&B that hopefully previews more to come from the studio master.
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