January 1st, 2022
Peter Stone – Cold
Pietro Carallo is an Italian singer-songwriter, musician and music producer. He started playing the piano at the age of 8, while adding singing and song-writing to his palette at 15. In 2020, he released his first single under the Peter Stone moniker.
On Christmas Eve, his debut EP Unlabeled came out. It contains his recent single Lead Me, as well as four new songs. The track Cold is a highlight in my ears. Its opening notes bring the intro of Duran Duran’s Save A Prayer to mind. Elsewhere, the ‘80s are omni-present as well. Check the The Weeknd-like drum fills, the propulsive synths or the guitar solo, for instance. Despite those influences however (or perhaps because of them), the song fits the current musical climate like a glove.
All in all: a track that deserves to push Peter Stone’s career firmly in the right direction.
Follow Peter Stone on Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Emmy – Stupid Big Teeth
There used to be a time when wannabe artists learned themselves to play an instrument. Next, they’d form a band with like-minded people and do endless amounts of shows in bars or at street corners. Eventually, almost none of them would be discovered or start a proper career in music. In 2022, things are way different and much more efficient.
Take 22-year-old Cleveland TikTok phenomenon Emmy Hartman, for instance. She’s been treating her fans with a capella covers of artists like Lorde and Billie Eilish, amassing over 3 million followers. Apparently, this number is substantial enough to serve as a launch pad for her music career.
Stupid Big Teeth is only Emmy’s debut single, and it’s a promising one. Co-written with celebrated songwriter Amy Allen (Harry Styles, Halsey, Selena Gomez), it was recorded using little more than the human voice. With added finger snapping and a synth element that sounds like it’s borrowed from Control-era Janet Jackson, this is an infectious tune.
Follow Emmy on Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
For more great new music, follow the constantly updated Carte Blanche Music playlist.

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.
Your Favourites (2021)
My container playlist Carte Blanche Music 2021 doesn’t only include all of the 998 songs I recommended last year. It also holds the 100 best tracks in my opinion, the Carte Blanche Music Top 2021, which I published last week. But that’s only my selection. Isn’t it more interesting to see which of my recommendations you read the most? In other words: which of them were Your Favourites in 2021?
Apparently, the Carte Blanche Music blog has a strong archive function. A quarter of the Top 100 below consists of blog posts from earlier years, which you find via search engines. ‘Google is your friend’, as they say… Also, I think it’s wonderful to see young and upcoming artists like Angèle, Aili x Transistorcake, Mina Okabe, Eyjaa and Videoclub having more than one track amongst your favourites. These are acts to keep an extra keen eye on!
Thank you for being such loyal visitors of Carte Blanche Music. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and you won’t miss a single recommendation. You’ll find all of these brand-new songs and more in my daily updated Spotify playlist.
And now, enjoy last year’s greatest chart of all: Your Favourites 2021!
- Drew Sycamore – 45 Fahrenheit Girl (WC)
- Aili x Transistorcake – Dansu (2020)
- Super db – Wait For Me
- Japanese Breakfast – Paprika
- Just – Walk Slow Smile More
- The Blue Stones – One By One
- Saint Motel – A Good Song Never Dies (2020)
- Mina Okabe – Miss Those Days
- Håkan Hellström – Alla Drömmar Är Uppfyllda (2020) (WC)
- Agnes – Here Comes The Night
- Pixey – Free To Live In Colour (2020)
- Laura Mvula – Got Me
- Angèle – La Loi De Murphy (2017)
- Temples – Paraphernalia (2020)
- Who – Hey! Get Out The Way (WC)
- Julietta – Not Today
- Lola Le Lann – Portofino (2020)
- a-ha feat. Ingrid Helene Håvik – The Sun Always Shines On TV (MTV Unplugged) (2019)
- Eyjaa – Don’t Forget About Me
- Indochine x Christine & The Queens – 3Sex (2020)
- Me & My Toothbrush – Funking Around (2020)
- Jealous Of The Birds – Something Holy (2020)
- Saint Motel – Preach (2020)
- Izo FitzRoy – Red Line (2020) (WC)
- Videoclub – Enfance 80 (2020)
- Therapie Taxi – Eté 90
- Christopher – Fall So Hard
- Isaac Dunbar – Fan Behavior
- Mina Okabe – Walk Away
- Alfie Templeman – Things I Thought Were Mine (2020)
- Danilo – Bringing It Back
- Negramaro – Ora Ti Canto Il Mare
- Videoclub – En Nuit (2019) (WC)
- Good Health Good Wealth – Guinness
- Ivan & The Parazol – Mást Vártam
- Placebo – Beautiful James
- Super-Hi x Neeka – Following The Sun
- Trunky Juno – Daddy’s Gone For Cigarettes
- Shanguy – Toukassé (2019) (WC)
- Del Amitri – Close Your Eyes And Think Of England
- Raffaella – Ballerina (2019)
- Ali Barter – You Get In My Way
- The Roop – Discoteque
- Izzy Bizu (feat. Chris Martin) – Someone That Loves You ’19 (2019)
- Fear Of Tigers – Tiger Blood
- Grand Corps Malade – Pas Essentiel (WC)
- Olivia – Can’t Break A Broken Heart
- The Bamboos – Ride On Time
- Angèle – Balance Ton Quoi (2019)
- The Vices – In And Out (2020)
- The Academic – Not Your Summer
- Gotts Street Park feat. Flikka – Favourite Kind Of Girl (2020)
- Aili x Transistorcake – Pari Pari
- Mélodie Lauret – À Quoi Tu Penses Quand Tu M’adores ? (2020)
- Eyjaa – The Wrecking Crew
- Dubstar – Tectonic Plates
- Tom Jones – Talking Reality Television Blues (WC)
- AKA George – Manic Machine
- You Am I – The Waterboy
- Grand Corps Malade – Des Gens Beaux
- The Vices – Looking For Faces
- Kuzko – My Mama Says
- Alessia Cara & The Warning – Enter Sandman
- L U – Liquid Gold
- Ruby Waters – Blow
- IBE – Table Of Fools (2019)
- Banji – Listen
- Moby feat. Gregory Porter & Amythyst Kiah – Natural Blues [Reprise Version]
- Rori – The Same Way
- Gracie Abrams – Friend
- Said The Whale – Honey Lungs
- Clara Luciani – Respire Encore (WC)
- Papooz – Theatrical State Of Mind (2019)
- Lou Hayter – Time Out Of Mind
- Mia Nicolai – People Pleaser
- Why Don’t We – Slow Down
- Miss Machine – Regarder Les Choses
- Sitting On Stacy – Chest Hair
- Devon – Warning Signs
- Videoclub – Roi
- Kristiane – Wish I Could Be Your Girl (2020)
- Laura Mac – Garage Full Of Dreams (WC)
- Dopha – The Game (2020)
- Maty Noyes – New Friends
- Bugs – Old Youth Feeling
- Kailee Morgue – This Is Why I’m Hot
- Calby – Burnout (2019)
- Dry Cleaning – Scratchcard Lanyard
- Our Lady Peace (feat. Pussy Riot) – Stop Making Stupid People Famous
- Eelke – Too Much Too Soon
- Troi Irons – She Loves Me Not
- Niko Rubio – Bed
- Aly & AJ – Don’t Need Nothing
- Luz – Counting Houses
- Son Mieux – 1992
- Valeras – Rita
- Amen Mustang – (The Shit You Say) When You’re High
- Angèle – Libre (*)
- Milo – What’s The Matter
- The Hisunz – CNTRDCTNS
(WC) ex Carte Blanche Music Wildcard
(*) album track

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.