As if Fridays weren’t your favorite day already, Refinery29 will also be gathering the best new music out each week, and breaking down why each track deserves a spot on your weekend playlist.
The year may be (finally) coming to an end, but the music industry is showing no signs of slowing down ahead of the last days of 2020. Instead, new releases continue to hit streaming platforms daily, with artists showing a determination to close out this eventful year with a bang.
In this week's New Music Friday roundup — the very last one of 2020! — we're highlighting the last minute drops that spark joy (amongst other feelings). From elegant duets to saucy drill rap solos, these tracks make for a powerful grand finale fitting for the year we've had. Ahead, the new music you need to know.
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Aly and AJ, “Slow Dancing”
If there's anything that 2020 has taught Aly & AJ, it's how to find peace in the stillness. This gentle new acoustic single from the sisters seems to be a product of that important life lesson, seeing them relish in the mundane, everyday moments.
Coco & Clair Clair, “Pop Star”
Never mind the fact that Coco & Clair Clair are just making their official start in the music industry — you can't tell this duo that they're not already at the top of their game. And with "Pop Star," their effortlessly glamorous party girl anthem, Coco & Clair Clair just might be predicting their futures.
Anna Shoemaker ft. Invisible Will, "Silver Cowboy Boots"
Anna Shoemaker reminisces on a love lost in "Silver Cowboy Boots," a painfully relatable dark pop ballad written in the hangover of a relationship breakup.
Get all our recommendations. Listen to the full New Music To Know in 2020 playlist on Spotify:
Ivorian Doll, “Clout”
I've said it once, and I'll say it again: 2020 was THE year for the rap girls. Newbie rapper Ivorian Doll closes out her successful official debut on the UK drill scene with "Clout," a hard-hitting clapback for anyone speaking on her name with ulterior motives.
"Came up with that crown, baddest bitch that's in town," she raps with gusto on the powerful chorus. "Now they're sayin' I'm wavy, but I know it's just for the clout."
JoJo and Tori Kelly, "(You Make Me Feel) Like A Natural Woman"
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Powerhouse vocalists JoJo and Tori Kelly join forces to pay homage to another iconic belter in their remake of Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel) Like A Natural Woman." The Global Citizen duet, as expected, is a pitch-perfect meld of their unique sounds that would make the Queen of Soul herself proud.
NISHA, "Paris"
Singer-songwriter NISHA shines on the reggae-inspired title track of her debut EP Paris, their breezy vocals standing out amidst the plucky sounds of the traditional Trini steelpan.