Hits Of Tomorrow – A Weekly Rundown of the ‘Should-Be’ Hits

From K-pop act aespa to funk/soul duo Jungle, different artists have launched singles worthy of Top-40 love

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June 3, 2022

Hello June! We are nearly halfway through the year and the releases keep showering us with pleasant surprises and, of course, plenty of ear aches – but here, it’s about the tracks that deserve that extra little bit of attention needed to break out. The big story among the new releases is Post Malone launching his highly anticipated album, Twelve Carat Toothache, working with everyone this time from Doja Cat on the aptly titled “I Like You (A Happier Song)” to The Kid LAROI on “Wasting Angels.” The album’s biggest surprise is his collaboration with Fleet Foxes on “Love/Hate Letter To Alcohol,” a likely multi-format crossover smash in the making. While Malone probably needs no help in getting airplay these days, here are this week’s Hits of Tomorrow – tracks we hope get the push they deserve!

“ILLUSION”– aespa

It seems every week that another K-pop act is finding their breakout moment and this time, it’s aespa, who’ve released what is most definitively their strongest and most globally accessible single with “Illusion.” There is zero reason for this song not to blow up the charts, other than the oversaturation of tracks competing for the same “placement” many programmers are keeping for multiple acts getting their moment at the same time on Top 40. Still, this track is just perfect for summer and aespa would be best advised to promote the track heavily to ensure its deserved dominating status!

“WANT WANT” – Maggie Rogers

With her forthcoming album Surrender due at the end of July, Maggie Rogers previews the record with “Want Want.” Co-produced by Kid Harpoon and Del Water Gap alongside Rogers, the song is quite possibly the best alt-pop album the artist has released since Heard It In A Past Life, her breakthrough album release, or any other artist has in recent times. The song would sound oh-so-perfect on radio this summer – taking us back to those amazing years in the mid-to late-1990s when female singer-songwriters dominated Top 40 with their kick-ass attitude and Lilith Fair coolness.

“GOOD TIMES” – Jungle

Funk/soul duo Jungle are back with a pair of new releases, “Good Times” and “Problemz.” Of the two, the former is most definitely the highlight – the single shimmers in its nostalgic tint but with enough of 2022 to make it sound like that perfect out-of-left-field curve ball Top 40 needs right now. This is a summer jam for the ages, timeless on its first listen itself. Can’t wait for their upcoming fourth LP – till then, let’s enjoy the good times with them!

“HI-FIDELITY” – Lava La Rue, BiigPiig

As soon as the beat kicks in in “High Fidelity,” you know you’re kickin’ it old-school style, but that’s a blessing in today’s market. Lava La Rue has continually surprised us and this track featuring BiigPiig is absolutely the right single for the world right now. The song can seamlessly blend into a 1995 mixtape sandwiched somewhere between Groove Theory and Jamiroquai. We don’t get such understated soul productions these days, and La Rue makes what we loved hip all over again.

“READY FOR SOMETHING” – The Amazons

After the superb “Bloodrush,” The Amazons return with the even stronger “Ready For Something” in advance of their third LP, How Will I Know If Heaven Will Find Me?. The single nicely blends ’90s rock (there’s a little bit of Lenny Kravitz’s “Are You Gonna Go My Way?” that is beyond exciting) with today’s melancholic sentimentality, creating a track that should ideally take the Reading rockers to the next level across the globe. Thankfully not hyper-produced, the track has that live euphoric feel that gets us moving our heads like we haven’t in decades!

“I NEED” – MJ Cole

UK producer and garage pioneer MJ Cole is back with his signature MJ Cole ways, but with stellar 2022 layering giving us a gorgeous atmospheric jam to get every beach party started this summer. Relying heavily on samples, there is never a dull sonic moment even at its most quiet parts. Two-step never sounded this mature and sexy, and we love it!

On the cusp!