As I alluded to throughout the year and talked about while writing some of my end-of-the-year lists, I thought that 2023 was not a very good year for new music, particularly mainstream music. One of the reasons I shifted so heavily towards independent(and Milwaukee-based artists, of course) music with Eastside Vibes(besides for the fact I have always just loved sharing music from up-and-coming artists who deserve more coverage) is because I thought a lot of the mainstream music that was coming out was just bland. So much great, innovative music came out last year by the hands of lesser-known, independent artists, but the main titans of the music industry dropped the ball. Fortunately, I feel like that has greatly changed in 2024. Although I have continued to try to focus on as much independent music as possible because I find it to be so rewarding, I can not deny the fact mainstream artists, in particular mainstream Pop artists, have been killing it this year. From Charlie, Sabrina Carpenter, and Billie Eilish to Schoolboy Q, Gunna, and Tyler The Creator, it feels like mainstream musicians have tried to pick things up this year. Artists are taking more risks than they have in the last couple of years and thinking outside of the box more often, making for some very interesting and enthralling music. In the past on this blog, I would frequently make lists of some of my new favorite mainstream tracks I have been listening to. I had gotten away from that for a while but picked it back up this summer with a couple of posts about some new songs that I love. I wanted to continue to get back to doing this. Eastside Vibes will always be a blog that champions Milwaukee-based and Independent music, but it is rewarding for me to cover high-quality new mainstream music as well. With that being said, here is a little list of some new tracks by some big artists that I have been digging lately. Please let me know in the comments what you think of these tracks, and also comment the names of any other new songs you love that I should check out!

2 SLIPPERY – LUH TYLER FEAT. BOSSMAN DLOW

‘2 Slippery’ is the only track here that I could see people not considering was made by true mainstream artists. Technically, Luh Tyler and Bossman Dlow are probably not considered mainstream yet(although, I would say they are close), but I would say they are pretty close. Both of these artists have been starting the renaissance of gritty and harsh Florida Trap music, and I absolutely love it. This song gives birth to such a menacing and grating sound. The melody is driven by glitchy, foreboding horns that give me the shivers, and the beat bangs in a way that makes me want to hit a lick when I listen to this one As great as the instrumental is, the vocals are even better. I really enjoy how Luh Tyler’s low, raspy voice and laid-back flow contrast with the more high-pitched and high-key tone and flow that Bossman Dlow raps with. These two complement each other so well and add different elements to the song that makes it pop. ‘2 Slippery’ is the latest hit by these two rising stars who are quickly becoming two of the most intriguing rappers on the rise right now. 

DISEASE – LADY GAGA

For years, so many Pop music fans have been clamoring for the old Lady Gaga to come back. Do not get me wrong, her releases with Tony Bennett, the movies she made, and even Chromatica are all great pieces of art that show off Lady Gaga’s massive talent. But there is something about what she was doing at the beginning of her career that was so special, and we have not really gotten the Lady Gaga that everyone truly loves since ARTPOP. It is safe to say, that with Disease, the old Gaga is back. This song immediately made me think of some of Lady Gaga’s early work. It takes me back to the enthralling ElectroPop she was making in the early 2010s. Even the intro is reminiscent of songs like ‘Judas’ or ‘Poker Face.’ This makes ‘Disease’ feel nostalgic and modern at the same time. For the most part, the melody and beat have a pretty standard and Dark Synth-Pop sound and tempo that is palatable to casual Pop fans. The track is riddled with weird sound effects and levels of distortion that make it hit hard, though. Lady Gaga does not do anything crazy with her vocals on this track, but she does hit some high notes that will remind listeners of how great a singer she is(especially in the outro). ‘Disease’ is a little teaser that the old Gaga is back, and I am very excited about that. 

AQUAMARINE – ADDISON RAE

Addison Rae has had a pretty riveting online transformation/rebrand over the last couple of years. She has gone from TikTok star and Meme Queen to a new rising Pop star. I will be completely honest and say I was a little(probably unfairly) skeptical of her music career at first, but I am certainly seeing the vision now. She has been on a hell of a run this year, first with her feature on Charli Xcx’s ‘Von Dutch’ and then with her single ‘Diet Pepsi,’ which is one of my favorites of the year. Addison Rae shows even more of her artistic vision and diversity in ‘Aquamarine.’ This is a sleek, fun little ElectroPop track with a classic feeling that I really enjoy. The instrumental reminds me of the Trancey EuroPop music that was big in the late 1990s. Particularly, this melody and beat make me think of artists like Real McCoy or La Bouche, whose music I have always thought deserves how much love for how cool and unique it is. Addison’s Rae’s vocals on this track are ethereal and sweet. She embodies the floaty feeling of the instrumental perfectly, making ‘Aquamarine’ so fun to listen to. ‘Aquamarine’ is more proof that Addison Rae is a budding Pop star with a style and persona that stands out, and I am here for it. 

YOU DON’T LOVE ME – GUCCI MANE FEAT. SEXYY RED

At this point, when I see Sexyy Red featured on a song, it is pretty safe to assume that it is a banger. Do not get me wrong, she makes very entertaining music on her own, but it does seem like she is at her best when she is hopping on someone else’s track and adding her weird, individualistic flair. Sexyy Redd has always stated that she is inspired by old Gucci Mane music, so it is not surprising that she sounds so great on this track. ‘You Don’t Love Me’ feels like a classic early 2010s Gucci Mane song, and I love it. This is the Gucci music I grew up on; it may not have the most amount of appeal for more casual Pop-Trap fans, but fans of old Trap should love this one. This instrumental is just so chunky, dirty, and hard-hitting. Gucci Mane and Sexyy Redd more than match the feeling of this instrumental and deliver larger-than-life performances. Their chemistry on this track is so palpable and lively, making ‘You Don’t Love Me’ so pleasurable to listen to for me. ‘You Don’t Love Me’ is not the most crisp or modern Trap track, but it is so beguiling for what it is. 

ROC STEADY – MEGAN THEE STALLION FEAT. FLO MILLI

Earlier this year, Megan Thee Stallion already slayed the game with the release of her album MEGAN, which peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. She recently released the extended version of this record, ACT II, which has quite a few more awesome tracks(including a new remix of ‘Mamushi’ with K-Pop icons TWICE). My favorite track off of ACT II ‘Roc Steady’ with Flo Milli. This track follows a trend that a lot of great Hip Hop tracks have been following, and that is interpolating a classic, already beloved track. The song that provides the basis for the instrumental of ‘Roc Steady’ is ‘Goodies’ by Ciara. Because of this, ‘Roc Steady’ is the perfect club song. ‘Goodies’ is already obviously a song that makes people want to dance, and ‘Roc Steady’ extends that feeling. Megan and Flo absolutely kill in on this instrumental. They rap with flows and tones that match the raucous feeling of the track perfectly, making the listener want to party the night away. ‘Roc Steady’ might not be the most sophisticated or riveting song here, but it is very cool for what it is. 

SAO PAULO – THE WEEKND FEAT. ANITTA

This year has been full of super exciting releases, but there is probably no record coming out this year that I would say I have been anticipating more than the new one from The Weeknd. He has released three singles so far from this record, and each has had a very different sound from one another. Each single has been appealing in their own way and shows The Weeknd’s diversity. This new single, ‘Sao Paulo’ with Anitta, definitely leans into the sound of its feature. Anitta is a Brazilian artist, and this song certainly leans into Brazilian Electro-Pop and Funk music. The instrumental has a melancholy, underground, and dirty sort of feeling that is sort of frightening, but also inviting. It is the kind of instrumental that makes it seem like something crazy could be on the horizon but also makes me want to live in and enjoy the moment. Of course, The Weeknd and Anitta are great vocally on this track. Their chemistry is palpable, and they both show off their vocals in a way that takes the song’s quality over the top. ‘Sao Paulo’ is the latest reason to get pumped for this new album from The Weeknd, which is only a couple of weeks away now. 

RIGHT NOW – YOUNG NUDY

I would not necessarily say that Young Nudy is a true mainstream rapper, but he is adjacent. I.E., he is associated with and close to enough top artists in the game for me to consider him kind of mainstream. Whether or not you think he is mainstream or underground, one can not deny that he is just a dope rapper. His music is so raw and quirky; it definitely stands out among other Atlanta Trap artists he is associated with. His new track, ‘Right Now,’ is the latest example of why his music is so interesting and fun. ‘Right Now’ has a quirky and cool sound that weirdly feels uplifting to listen to. The melody for this one is provided by twinkling synths that sound like they are played on a xylophone and have a hypnotic tone to them. The way they sit on this hard-hitting, distorted beat makes the track so bright and full. Young Nudy raps with an easy-going flow and gruff tone that somehow complements and contrasts the instrumental at the same time. ‘Right Now’ is the latest groovy Trap banger from Young Nudy that sets him apart from his peers.

*** On the day I wrote this, Young Nudy released another eccentric banger called ‘Get Fu*ked Up’ which I dig a lot as well. I needed to shout this one out as well, as it is just as entertaining as ‘Right Now.’ If you love Trap music, make sure you listen to both of these tracks.