10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of November 18, 2022
We don't know about you, but we can hardly believe that next week is already Thanksgiving—and the short week ahead for the holiday means that this week is even more packed with epic musical releases from all of our favorites.
We got some stunning new tracks from rising stars including Angelo De Augustine and Sebastian Mikael, as well as massive new hits from stars including Chance the Rapper, Sam Smith and Nessa Barrett—plus some original holiday songs for good measure. Curious to see what we loved this week? Keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of Nov. 18, 2022.
1. Angelo De Augustine Returns With Double Single '27' and 'Hologram'
SoCal singer-songwriter Angelo De Augustine just released his first new music since 2021, but it's clear the wait has been worth it because the two new tracks are precisely the folksy, dreamy ballads we've been waiting for. Both songs were recorded, produced and mixed by Angelo himself, with a whispery, gentle sound and profound storytelling, whether he's singing about the search for love or evoking ancient mythology. They leave us hungry for more, and eager to hear whatever he has up his sleeve next.
Also read about: VERIVERY Talk About the New Message Of Love Within Single Album Liminality – EP.LOVE
2. Sebastian Mikael Shares the Funky Music Video for 'Overgold'
Brooklyn-based R&B artist Sebastian Mikael released his vibrant new EP PHILEO last month, and this week, we were graced with the music video for its first single, "Overgold." With its blend of soulful funk, the track tells a simple tale of optimistic, devoted love, and we can't stop listening. "I wanted to talk about love not in a romantic aspect or in a cliche way, but more as love being a foundation for who we are and as a lifestyle," Sebastian explained of the EP in a press release. "When we move in love, we're more powerful because God is Love." We especially love the accompanying music video, with a slowed-down vibe that makes us feel like moving and getting right into that weekend mood.
3. Zach Seabaugh Laments a Missed Connection on 'Girl in a Coffee Shop'
Have you ever spent days, or even weeks, daydreaming about what could have been if you'd just taken your chance with someone? We've never heard the feeling summed up better than in rising indie-pop artist Zach Seabaugh's newest release, "Girl in a Coffee Shop." Over lullaby-like instrumentation, Zach sings about a missed connection with a girl in a coffee shop, romanticizing what she might be like, and what their life could have been together. It's about the pain that follows when we don't take chances with love, and we don't know if there's anything more relatable. "'Girl in a Coffee Shop' is a song about seeing a stranger in public and wondering what I would say if I got the nerve to walk up to her," Zach said in a press release. "It's a feeling that I hope others can relate to when they have wished they said hello to somebody, but felt more comfortable imagining the scenario in their head. By nature, it's a simple song, but one of the most honest songs I've written and I hope others can find relatability in it."
4. Thomas Day Sees Hope for the Future in 'The End'
It can be all too easy to lose hope in the aftermath of a breakup, but Thomas Day's powerful new single "The End" is an empowering new anthem about persevering through the pain. He hasn't let us down yet with his expansive, soaring vocals, and "The End" might be his most impressive performance yet, with a tone that's heartbreaking yet uplifting, and a chorus that'll make you want to scream right along with it. "This song is definitely the most emotional I've released so far and this was actually the first time I'd ever cried while I was recording a song," Thomas revealed in a press release. "The ending of anything is my biggest fear. I hate change, I'll do anything to fight for keeping things the same, which is kind of hypocritical because I broke up with a girl I'm in love with. This song is a fight for everything to be okay, but even if it isn't, knowing it will be ok in the end."
Also read about: Thomas Day Sees Through the Facade With His Uplifting New Song 'Wildflower'
5. AJR Reflect on Success in 'The DJ Is Crying for Help'
We've been devoted fans of indie pop brother trio AJR for over a decade now, and while they've proven themselves to be anything but one-hit wonders, early viral success can still come at a price, as reflected in their latest release "The DJ Is Crying for Help." The track starts out slow, backed by thoughtful piano, before the orchestral strings kick in, along with the pace, as the band reflects on where they thought they'd be, versus where they actually ended up. "'The DJ Is Crying For Help' is about the worry of having peaked already," AJR explained in a press release. "You set these huge expectations for your life early on, and the song is about the moment when you realize life is not turning out the way you planned."
6. TikTok's Jordi Debuts Her First-Ever Single, 'Hate You'
With nearly 10 million TikTok followers, singer-songwriter, dancer and creator Jordi has already made her immense talents clear to the world, but we firmly believe her debut single, "Hate You," is going to earn her even more beloved fans. It's a relatable pop ballad about the pain of still loving someone despite all of the pain they've caused you, and it's poised to be a new anthem for the heartbroken. "I wrote this song when I was in a very vulnerable mindset," Jordi shared in an interview with Sweety High. "To me, it's kind of like a diary entry that I've put to music and am sharing with the world. Even though it's so personal to me and tells a story from my life, I want the song to feel just as personal to the listener and for them to really be able to relate to the lyrics. I hope listeners are able to really feel whatever emotions this song brings up for them."
Also read about: TikTok Sensation Jordi Reveals the Vulnerable True Story Behind Debut Single 'Hate You'
7. Rebecca Black Enters a New Era With 'Crumbs'
We've loved watching Rebecca Black reinvent herself musically and make the world consider her in a whole new way as an empowered and incredibly talented artist, and with her sizzling new single "Crumbs," she's ushering us into yet another era of her artistry. The sultry track comes with a sci-fi video that shows precisely how she gets into her body and out of her head, and it's quite a sight to behold. "As I enter this new moment, I wanted to explore the vulnerability I've felt in finding balance with submission, dominance and sexuality," Rebecca shared in a press release. "I've had to dive into my own body to feel the deeply powerful but also dangerous feelings of relinquishing control." "Crumbs" is our first peek at Rebecca's debut album, Let Her Burn, slated to release early in 2023, and we already have faith it's going to be something special.
8. Nessa Barrett Adds to the young forever Narrative With New, Extended Version
Nessa Barrett's debut album young forever dropped last month, giving us the perfect collection of darkly complex tracks, weaving Nessa's pain and experiences in life into every note, and it just got even bigger with a new extended version. young forever (extended) adds five rich new songs, including a cover of Arctic Monkeys' "505" (which just might be even better than the original). "Each and every song on this album is so personal to me," Nessa shared in a press release. "Music is how I cope and writing this album was my therapy. I've questioned why I had to go through so much pain in life and always felt like it was a curse. But now I've realized it was so I could make songs like these to help others go through theirs."
9. Sam Smith Drops New Christmas Classic, 'Night Before Christmas'
Sam Smith is having a very good year, and their newest release, "Night Before Christmas," is a holiday tune that is destined to become a new classic that magically reappears each and every year around December. It's a sweet, festive love ballad with a smooth sound that makes the newly chilly weather feel extra cozy, perfect for celebrating with someone special. They're releasing a Christmas compilation, The Holly and the Ivy, in December, and it's about to dominate our entire holiday playlist.
Also read about: Lorelei Marcell Shares the True Story Behind New Holiday Classic 'Love Me Back (Maybe Next Year)'
10. Chance the Rapper Teams Up With King Promise for 'YAH Know'
It's clear that Chance the Rapper aims to do so much more than just entertain with his music, and his latest track, "YAH Know," featuring King Promise, isn't just a song. The track and its music video really are an interdisciplinary work, created with visual artist Mia Lee to tell a greater story. By incorporating '80s house music and sampling Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know," the song represents various generations of Black music and storytelling, and the visual aspects of the music video take that concept even further. "This is definitely without a doubt my favorite project," Mía Lee said of the collaboration. "Chance really immersed me into the project from the very beginning. Felt very much like a real collaboration because we were pretty much making the pieces of the project at the same time. Like while he'd be in his studio finishing verses I was in my studio painting. But we got to really talk consistently and just have these really open conversations which led to us telling stories about our family which inspired the piece that I made—aside from the song just being very very fire on its own."
Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of Nov. 11, 2022.