This week is all about pop, featuring Harry Styles, King Princess and Halsey.
This Week’s Music is a weekly column that discusses the weeks’ best, worst, and most interesting songs. We try to select songs of different artists and genres to keep things interesting and to please a variety of music fans.
This week features an assortment of pop songs from Harry Styles, King Princess and Halsey. Check them out:
Pop
Harry Styles – Lights Up
Accompanied by his usually spot on musical video productions, “Lights Up” is Harry Styles’ last single, dropped without much buildup or anticipation. Like his previous album, Styles’ music continues to surprise, adding new dimensions to his music and blurring all sorts of genres. “Lights Up” is a proud pop song with a dash of psychedelia, backed by an elaborate production that features pianos, guitars and all sorts of musical flourishes. Although the lyrics are cryptic and up to interpretation, Styles continues to release the best music when compared to his 1D band mates and to many of his contemporaries in the business.
King Princess – Playboy School of Pop
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King Princess is a product of her time and also an anomaly. While she represents much of what defines young artists (political, progressive and self-aware) she’s also making music that stands completely by itself. Her songs are honest, queer and unrepentant, showing a depth in songwriting that’s well past her 20 years of age. She’s one of the most promising artists of her generation.
Halsey – Graveyard
Halsey is an incredibly prolific artist, with three records under her belt, all filled with pop songs that have earned mainstream acclaim. “Graveyard” provides nothing new from her, but it packs some of what’s made her successful, which is incredibly catchy chorus and lines. A large part of the song blurs together, but some bits stand out in rhythm and sneak their way into your brain. Halsey is an artist that’s comfortable in her zone, returning to subjects and sounds she enjoys. Still, her work is interesting, suggesting that at some point she’ll strike gold.