#HitsOfTomorrow: A Weekly Rundown Of The ‘Should-Be’ Hits

Beyond Ed Sheeran, we tune in to hot new releases from ITZY, Dean Lewis, Empress Of and Rina Sawayama and more

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September 30, 2023

Hot on the heels of their reunion at the MTV VMAs, *NSYNC release their “comeback” single, “Better Place” off the Trolls Band Together soundtrack. Seven years ago, bandmate Justin Timberlake scored a massive #1 hit with “Can’t Stop The Feeling!” from the first Trolls movie and even landed an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for the track. Will this track get the same traction? Likely not. While the disco-laced song is okay for the film, it’s not really offering anything we haven’t heard Dua Lipa or even JT himself do better. Honestly, the Timberlake collab with Timbaland and Nelly Furtado felt like a better moment, but even that felt lackluster to the original glory.

Beyond the boy band, we have Ed Sheeran giving us a whole new album with Autumn Variations, his emo-esque, kinda dull, kinda heartfelt new record that just feels lazy compared to his earlier works. The singer is just releasing too much subpar material at record speed and the once mighty songwriting now just feels a bit so yesterday.

Ditto for Jungkook’s collab with Jack Harlow “3D.” The song is formulaic, highly unmemorable and Jungkook is not doing anyone any favors by just sounding like a new voice on good demo tracks. “Seven” was a risky but genius move by the BTS member but sadly here, the track feels blah and there just seems to be very little of sonic substance to keep us engaged.

Of course, that’s not going stop the track from skyrocketing up the charts. There are plenty of other better tracks that deserve our attention — the SHOULD-BE hits if you will. Here are this week’s #HitsOfTomorrow.

“Trust Me Mate” – Dean Lewis

Dean Lewis continues his steady rise to global stardom as his latest single “Trust Me Mate” proves to be another winner. Co-written and co-produced by his long-term collaborator John Hume, the single is bound to garner the same level of attention “Be Alright” did and with Lewis continuing to tour the globe (next stop, U.S.), the track is a great teaser to Lewis’ next LP slated for a 2024 release. We are seeing a bit of a return to more adult Top 40 even if the acts themselves are younger. This is a good sign as the mainstream playlists could use a bit more maturity to make it feel more real than just remakes and the top 5-6 recording artist’s latest track being played to death.

“Mamacita” – Chase Atlantic

The thing I appreciate most about Chase Atlantic is their willingness to give unabashedly playful pop music without pretension. What you hear is what you get and this time around with “Mamacita,” we’re getting some Latin beats, some tropical drums and melodies that feel rooted in the summer but will keep you warm through the cooling seasons upon us. Hands down, one of the most surprising and promising acts out there – this is a winner. Programmers take note, please!

“RINGO” – ITZY

What happens when K-pop goes J-pop? “Ringo” is what! Itzy give us a sneak peek into their upcoming J-pop album with the title song which is a refreshing slice of pure melodic pop. While the song follows the same sonic trajectory of their most recent singles, there is something more here that resonates with the listener. Maybe it’s the rawness of the vocals or that there is a less manufactured/hyper-produced feel to the track but it works to keep Itzy standing a bit apart from the other girl groups right now.

“I Don’t Wanna Dance” – Tyler Cole, Baby Tate

Venturing one step further into his solo career, THE ANXIETY’s Tyler Cole gives us “I Don’t Wanna Dance” featuring the always lovely Baby Tate. The track is the follow-up release to “Good Drugs” and “Bad Joke” and frankly is his strongest solo release to date. The song possibly works because Tate adds a heft to the track (like Willow did with THE ANXIETY) making for a more dynamic exchange between the two performers. It also could be that the track is just instantly foot-tapping and catchy. Cole is a star waiting to happen and his Existential Crisis Boy (Part 1) is a brilliant showcase of his talent and reach.

“Kiss Me” – Empress Of, Rina Sawayama

Touring mates Empress Of (opening act) and Rina Sawayama come together for “Kiss Me,” a perfect first single for the upcoming new album. While Empress Of is not listed as a songwriter for the single, the track carries much of a similar vibe to her previous release and the addition of Sawayama makes the track jump from indie pop to mainstream (mind you Sawayama is hardly getting play at Top 40 too). Still, the song is the absolute reason Top 40 exists as the song would be a perfect addition to the mainstream charts. Here’s hoping!

Even More Hits!