Throughout the week, we update our Best New Songs playlist with the new releases that caught our attention the most, be it a single leading up to the release of an album or a newly unveiled deep cut. And each Monday, we round up the best new songs released over the past week (the eligibility period begins on Monday and ends Sunday night) in this best new music segment.
This week’s list includes PJ Harvey’s sparse, darkly gentle ‘A Child’s Question, August’, the lead single from her first new album in seven years; Kari Faux’s smooth, dreamy new single ‘MAKE A WISH’, produced by Phoelix; ‘That! Feels Good!’, the ecstatic title track from Jessie Ware’s new record; Jess Williamson’s wonderfully rendered ‘Chasing Spirits’, which considers the shape of deep devotion when love is lost; The National’s ‘The Alcott’, a duet with Taylor Swift that serves as one of the most heart-wrenching moments on their new album; Gia Margaret’s ‘Hinoki Wood’, a lovely, quietly stirring introduction to her next album Romantic Piano; Julie Byrne’s achingly beautiful ‘Summer Glass’, which leads her new LP The Greater Wings; and ‘Black Magic’, a classic-sounding Beach House track from the duo’s new EP.
Best New Songs: May 1, 2023
PJ Harvey, ‘A Child’s Question, August’
Kari Faux, ‘MAKE A WISH’
Jessie Ware, ‘That! Feels Good!’
Jess Williamson, ‘Chasing Spirits’
Song of the Week: The National feat. Taylor Swift, ‘The Alcott’
Gia Margaret, ‘Hinoki Wood’
Julie Byrne, ‘Summer Glass’
Beach House, ‘Black Magic’