#Hits Of Tomorrow: A Weekly Rundown of the “Should-be” Hits
P!nk is back, and joins the likes of Sam Fender and Ellie Goulding with songs that should be charting
Halfway through the month of July, we have big new releases including the latest collaboration from Calvin Harris, this time featuring Justin Timberlake, Halsey and Pharrell. While the song has nothing particularly exciting about it, it does have all the bells and whistles to chart high across the globe, simply given the individual superstars coming together. The week also sees the release of Lizzo’s album Special, which is likely going to give us several additional hits after “About Damn Time,” which is already a smash. There are several winners here, but “2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)” is screaming for a single release! While these singles are shoo-ins for striking gold, here are this week’s Hits Of Tomorrow and tracks that deserve an extra nudge.
“Everything Goes On” – Porter Robinson
Video games don’t often emotionally charge us unless there’s a background score or a familiar song that can get us invested. So, it’s refreshing to see the collaboration between Riot Games and singer-songwriter Porter Robinson on “Everything Goes On,” the official event theme track for their Star Guardian event in League of Legends, an online game. The single tells the story of two Star Guardians who are learning how to deal with loss and finding the tools needed to move on. While the gaming audience is sure to lap this up, this track actually doesn’t need gamers or anime fans to get listeners’ attention. The song fits just as perfectly on Top 40! It would be an injustice to Robinson for the track not to get pushed out beyond the scope of the 10-week event, so here’s hoping “Everything Goes On” goes on beyond anime and onto the charts.
“Irrelevant” – P!nk
Leave it to P!nk to turn her anger and frustration about the backlash she received upon the verdict of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe Vs. Wade into lyrics. Leave it to P!nk’s biggest supporters then encouraging her to turn her words into music. And there you have it. “Irrelevant” works on countless levels. It’s a great response to those who wished to dismiss the artist as just a singer, and basically told her to “shut up and sing.” It’s also a powerful message about not backing down. And most importantly for the column here, it also happens to be a kick-ass new single by P!nk. She may not have had it in mind but this single can very well give the talent another Top 40 hit, and it’s about damn time we got some more P!nk on the radio, not to mention some meaningful lyrics and activism again on the charts.
“Alright” – Sam Fender
Normally a B-side wouldn’t warrant inclusion in a column, but when it’s Sam Fender and the B-side is as good as “Alright” is, it is warranted. The track, recorded as part of the sessions for the artist’s stellar album Seventeen Going Under, was previously featured alongside the single “Long Way Off.” In many ways, this is the stronger track. The single, if pushed to radio, can actually be as big and we may get one more chance for the songwriter to break through onto Top 40 across the globe in the many markets that still haven’t discovered the artist yet. “Alright” is the perfect track to keep us going until Fender is ready to unleash a new era, and we are quite all right with that.
“Easy Lover” – Ellie Goulding, Big Sean
First of all, no, “Easy Lover” by Ellie Goulding and Big Sean is not a cover of the Phil Collins-Phillip Bailey hit. Secondly, Goulding hasn’t really had a big hit in a while, so the new single can actually get the singer back off this column and into the big league again, where she really should still be. The single is easy, breezy and will fit perfectly into today’s Top 40 landscape if given the right push. Big Sean’s verse is also clever and doesn’t feel as forced as Goulding’s recent previous collabs have felt. A winner.
“Dolls” – Bella Poarch
TikTok great Bella Poarch is back with “Dolls,” a single that will likely become a music video hit out of the gates thanks to featuring everyone from Grimes to Sykkuno to Madison Beer. Of course, thankfully, just like her previous “Build A Bitch,” the song is actually good and “Dolls,” a self-empowerment theme if there ever was one, works because it’s a catchy af song. Poarch has thankfully restricted herself musically and so, with a big release like this, she warrants attention and hopefully this time around, she not only gets eyeballs to view the video but listeners on streaming and on Top 40 radio.
“Worlds On Fire” – Afrojack, R3HAB, Au/Ra
Dutch heavy-hitters Afrojack and R3HAB come together again after nearly a decade (their last collab was in 2011 for “Prutataaa”) for “Worlds On Fire” featuring Au/Ra. The track is the official anthem for 2022’s Tomorrowland and just like “Everything Goes On,” this theme has the potential to go well beyond its intended audience. While the track will be featured live in their sets, the song has the potential to break through on Top 40 thanks to its euphoric feel, the surprisingly poignant lyrics, and emotional delivery by Au/Ra. It’s a mature release that must get a push as this would sound oh-so-good this summer blasting from the car radio!
Even More Hits!
COMBO – Mwuana, Reegolito
GET YO BREAD – SEB
MESSAGE – PawPaw Rod
BETTER – MK, BURNS, Teddy Swims
Listen To #HITSOFTOMORROW Playlist on Spotify!
