Taylor Swift just dropped her 10th studio album Midnights, and while we could easily talk about it for a week straight, it’s far from the only huge thing that happened in music this week.

In fact, our favorite artists were offering us show-stoppers left and right. From rising singer-songwriters including Abby Sage, Barny Fletcher and Sam Williams releasing striking new tunes to us finally getting a music video for Thomas Rhett and Katy Perry‘s iconic collab, this week was one for the ages. Curious about our picks? Just keep scrolling to discover the 10 biggest things that happened in music the week of Oct. 21, 2022.

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1. Abby Sage Shares Sophomore EP, The Florist

Alt-pop singer-songwriter Abby Sage has a cool, dreamy sound that we simply can’t resist, but it’s her introspective lyricism that really makes her one of our favorite rising artists. Today, she dropped her second-ever EP, The Florist, featuring five thoughtful tracks about the difficulties we face at various stages of growth. “The Florist, I leaned heavily into a ‘fly on the wall’ mentality,” Abby shared in a press release. “I was spending a lot of time alone but surrounded by many people in transit. I wrote the project with others in mind; others and their experiences and stories, particularly struggles people face through the various stages of life. For example, ‘Pool Party’ really zeroes in on moments of youth feeling unprepared, overwhelmed, and a bit out of sorts. To contrast this, I included a conversation I had with my Nanna (the interlude ‘Irene’) where she speaks on the troubles she faces and her overarching feeling of falling behind, regarding technology in particular. I think we really glorify youth and there are a lot of pieces of work out there that focus on ‘firsts,’ such as first love, first heartbreak, etc. My Nanna really inspired the project because I wanted to get both sides of the timeline. The beginning and the end, that’s what I wanted to capture with The Florist.” If you’re not already obsessed with Abby, this EP is a great starting point.

2. Barny Fletcher Drops Massive JETPACK Mixtape

If you’re looking for a new sound that’s as fun as it is fresh, look no further than the work of London artist Barny Fletcher. We love his eclectic sound, bringing in various influences to form his own fusion of hip-hop and pop that’s as charming as it is chaotic. This guy’s going places, and you have to check out the music video for his quirkily romantic track “Weakness” below.

3. Sam Williams Unveils ‘Tilted Crown’ Music Video From His New Deluxe Album

As a queer artist in the country music space—and a member of the genre’s most famous families—Sam Williams has a unique and powerful story to tell, and his 2021 debut album Glasshouse Children was a vulnerable and open exploration of navigating his own identity and place in the world. Last week, that story got even bigger with the release of the album’s deluxe edition, Glasshouse Children: Tilted Crown, and today, that title track got its own heartbreaking yet cathartic music video, showing Sam watch his life unfold before him as a stage play. “The first verse of ‘Tilted Crown’ was a poem that I had been writing, and I had just run into a dead end with it,” Sam explained in a press release. “I just knew that I had to take that and transform it into song. It’s kind of if everyone’s life was royal or medieval or however you want to explain it and the things that were happening to me in that phase of my life… I felt like I was losing things and God kept taking things from me and I was in this position of a war with my life. I think it’s about carrying your legacy, and I don’t just mean my legacy in music. I mean everyone’s legacy and living that out the best way possible with everything you face in this life.”

4. Dora Jar Honors the Calm Before the Storm in New Song, ‘Spell’

If you’re not already a fan of pop singer-songwriter Dora Jar, do yourself a favor and have a listen. With her breezy, gentle vocals and simple instrumentation, she manages to create soundscapes that transport you to another place and time, and that’s especially true in her enchanting new single, “Spell.” “’Spell’ is a song about the feeling of calm before the storm, a pensive reflection and anticipation of change, a wish for a deeper understanding of nature, and a yearning to know my role within the ebb and flow,” Dora shared in a press release. “I usually get seasonal depression in October, which is also my sister’s and my birth month, so I wanted to release it as a gift to honor the melancholy of transition.” Dora’s also gearing up to head out on her first North American headline tour, starting Nov. 3, and we’re crossing our fingers this track will be on the setlist!

5. Anna of the North Channels All the ’80s Vibes ‘I Do You’

Do you ever feel like it’s a lot easier to love and support other people than it is to treat yourself right? Norwegian singer-songwriter Anna of the North certainly does, and she brings the idea to life in her new ’80s-evoking, synth-pop-driven single “I Do You.” We dare you to listen and not love yourself a little more after listening. “Too many times have I been in the situation where I put other people before myself,” Anna explained in a press release. ” I imagine everyone around me being so happy and successful. Like other people are so in control of themselves and their feelings. It’s like I give other people superpowers. We say that we’re our own worst enemy. And I’m definitely mine. I wish sometimes that I could see myself from another perspective. I wish that I could look at myself, like I look at others…If I did me, like I do you.” If the rest of her upcoming Nov. 4 album, Crazy Life, is this good, we’re going to have a huge hit on our hands.

6. DWLLRS Release ‘Dividends’ Ahead of First Tour

We’ve been hooked on California indie-pop duo DWLLRS ever since their debut single “And Then We’ll Be Alright,” and with the release of their new single, “Dividends,” it’s clear they’re ones to watch. Backed by a simple acoustic guitar and drumbeat, the song feels like a worry-free daydream, with smooth vocals and lyrics about growing older and learning, while gently yearning for the past. If you adore the track as much as we do, catch them on their first tour ever starting Nov. 2 in Los Angeles, California.

7. Ari Hicks Gives Into the Numbness With ‘Sad Ghost’

Known for her unique brand of dark pop, singer-songwriter Ari Hicks is just the gal we’ll be listening to all Halloween, and her new song “Sad Ghost,” off her upcoming It’s Not That Deep: Chapter 2 EP, is exactly what we’ve been waiting for. It has a haunting sound, complete with creepy twinkling piano, while capturing feelings of being stuck—something many will find relatable all year round. “It’s about getting a little too familiar with an emotion that you probably shouldn’t, and allowing yourself to get a little too comfortable and stuck in that place of being,” Ari shared of the track in a press release. “There’s a vacancy in my presence in this song or almost lack thereof, meant to signify the moment I noticed that I felt whatever this was for so long, I could barely even feel it at all anymore if that makes sense. Feeling alone, secluded, tired, tired of being disappointed and let down. Eventually the easiest thing to do becomes numbing yourself from it almost entirely. ‘Sad Ghost’ is the voice I gave to that numbness.”

8. Devon Cole Shares Bold and Flirty Single ‘Hey Cowboy’

If you saw the title “Hey Cowboy” and expected this track to be a classic country jaunt, think again. Singer-songwriter Devon Cole does things a little differently, and this new track takes a soulful pop approach to boldly beckoning the cowboy who’s caught her eye. We love that it’s as empowering as it is fun. It’s the anthem about hot cowboys we’ve always been waiting for!

9. Thomas Rhett and Katy Perry Join Forces for the ‘Where We Started’ Music Video

It’s hard to believe it’s been six months since Thomas Rhett and Katy Perry first blessed our ears with their gorgeous collab, “Where We Started,” but thanks to its new music video, we’ve rediscovered the track and realized it’s just as perfect as it ever was. These two truly are a dream team, and we’re hoping and praying this isn’t the last we’ll see of them together. “Working with Katy has been a really collaborative process,” Thomas said in a press release. “From tracking the song in the studio, to performing on it American Idol, to this video—her input has made this whole experience really special for me.” Katy added, “I loved being able to create a dreamy world for ‘Where We Started,’ going back to the Nashville singer-songwriter roots of where I started.”

10. Taylor Swift Blows the World Away With Midnights

Swifties around the world didn’t know quite what to expect from Taylor Swift’s 10th studio album, Midnights, but the moment it dropped, we knew she’d gifted us with something truly special. Has Taylor ever missed the mark? The album’s 13 tracks are instantly iconic—and we’re eating up all of the amazing bonus tracks, too! “Surprise!” Taylor wrote on an Instagram post. “I think of Midnights as a complete concept album, with those 13 songs forming a full picture of the intensities of that mystifying, mad hour. However! There were other songs we wrote on our journey to find that magic 13. I’m calling them 3am tracks. Lately I’ve been loving the feeling of sharing more of our creative process with you, like we do with From The Vault tracks. So it’s 3am and I’m giving them to you now.” She both wrote and directed the music video for “Anti-Hero,” starring two Taylors and a ghost, which is sure to win over even the most skeptical music-lovers.

Missed our favorite tracks last week? Click HERE to check out our top 10 favorite releases for the week of October 14, 2022.

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10 Big Things That Happened in Music the Week of October 21, 2022

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