Browsing Category single track
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 39):
Wildcard (week 39):
Stone – If You Wanna
2022 saw Liverpool band Stone break the 1 million Spotify streams mark for the first time. Their great single Money (Hope Ain’t Gone) did the trick. It eventually ended up on the quartet’s first EP Punkadonk. 27 October, they’ll release a follow-up EP, simply titled Punkadonk 2. It’ll serve as a prelude to Stone’s debut album, which they’re currently finishing in the United States.
The outfit’s sophomore EP will explore identity, ego, and the impossible standards felt by young people. It features previous singles Left Right Forward and I Gotta Feeling. Also included is their new single If You Wanna, which sounds like an updated version of classic ‘90s Britpop. No wonder, if you know Stone frontman Fin Power is the son of John Power, of The La’s and Cast fame.
The band explain: “With If You Wanna, we wanted to write the type of song you would wanna sing along to with your friends. The song is about finding positivity in this colourful Gen Z experience.”
If You Wanna by Stone is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. This implies that it will be prominently displayed at the top of the blog for an entire week.
Recommended as well:
Money (Hope Ain’t Gone)
Follow Stone on Facebook | Instagram | X | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2023 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 38):
Wildcard (week 38):
Skylar – Why Men Love Bitches
Skylar Sanyal, or Skylar for short, sure is a part of the social media generation. A rising songstress, the 20-year-old Londoner is already an internet sensation. As for so many youngsters, TikTok is her platform of choice. In no-time she attracted almost 500.000 followers and 8,7 million likes. She does well on Instagram and YouTube as well, by the way.
All of these internet friends are now helping her kickstart her music career. But it would be a pointless venture without talent and good songs. Thankfully, Skylar’s got plenty of both. The singer-songwriter describes her sound as ‘quintessentially British’.
Following her breakout EP, this year’s I’d Step On Lego For You, she’s back with a new banger. Why Men Love Bitches is built around a simple piano melody, a fair amount of horns and a tight beat. It sounds like a classic pop song with modern production. It reminds me a bit of Closer by Lemaitre feat. Jennie A., which was an equally epic tune.
Why Men Love Bitches by Skylar is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. This implies that it will be prominently displayed at the top of the blog for an entire week.
Follow Skylar on Instagram | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2023 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 37):
Wildcard (week 37):
Rews – Lock Your Horns
Rews is the one-woman rock band from Belfast powerhouse Shauna Tohill. The singer and multi-instrumentalist will release her third album Meridians on 13 October. Six of its tracks – about half of the lot – have already been released as singles.
Marking another impressive step in songwriting, brand-new track Lock Your Horns is Rews’ strongest to date. Progression is also the song’s main theme. It tells the story of enduring disappointment and setbacks, yet summoning an unwavering spirit to keep pushing forward and rise against the odds. It’s a reminder that moving towards your goals and dreams comes with trials. Within these moments of adversity our inner strength shines brightest. The music video, which has a boxing theme, supports this message.
Tohill explains: “Lock Your Horns is a reflection of my journey amidst music industry and personal challenges. Despite adversity, the love for music empowered me to pick myself up and persist as an artist, making this song a rallying, musical battle cry of resilience and determination!“
Sonically, Lock Your Horns is a soaring, high-energy rock track with anthemic hooks. It combines raw power with emotional depth. A (rock) radio-friendly tune that’ll appeal to a large audience.
Lock Your Horns by Rews is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. This implies that it will be prominently displayed at the top of the blog for an entire week.
Follow Rews on Facebook | Instagram | X | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2023 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 36):
Wildcard (week 36):
Nea – Cold Turkey
Linnéa ‘Nea’ Södahl is one of Sweden’s most acclaimed writers. You can find her name in the credits of hits by Zara Larsson, Skott, Felix Jaehn and many more. Hence she stepped into 2023 with over 2 billion streams as a songwriter and several international awards behind her.
But Nea is also an artist in her own right. Her first single Some Say was an immediate success in 2019, with 240 million streams on Spotify alone. The Felix Jaehn Remix did even better.
In November, she’ll release her debut album Transparent, and Cold Turkey is the fourth single to be released ahead of it. It was written by Nea, Joakim Åhlund (Charli XCX, Robyn, Sia), Cecilia Mix and Erik Hassle (Shakira, Icona Pop). Åhlund produced the track with Daniel Ledinsky (Shakira, Rihanna), who also produced large parts of the album.
Cold Turkey is a swinging bop, influenced by Nea’s personal favourites, such as No Doubt, Alanis Morissette and Fleetwood Mac. It’s stuffed with production tricks and treats, which provide a fresh and modern sound.
She says about the song: “Cold Turkey plays on the darkest sides of being in love. When the feeling of never wanting to let go of the other person goes to such an extreme that you seriously never intend to let go, until death literally do us part. But with a large dose of self-irony :-).”
Cold Turkey by Nea is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. This implies that it will be prominently displayed at the top of the blog for an entire week.
Follow Nea on Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2023 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 35):
Wildcard (week 35):
Brooke Alexx – Never Liked Your Name
Brooke Alexx is a talented 29-year-old singer and songwriter. Half-Caucasian, half-Japanese, she was born in New Jersey and currently lives in Nashville. While building a career on social media, she first reached a large audience representing her state on the TV show ‘American Song Contest’, the US spin on the ‘Eurovision Song Contest’. Soon after, she had her big break with her song All My Exes’ Moms. She wrote and produced that track with all Asian musicians.
For her new single Never Liked Your Name, Brooke brought in an all-Asian team all the same. The result, which hits out to her exes once again, is as catchy as her break-through hit. Short and snappy, it’s another infectious, well-produced tune, that’ll go down well with fans of Maisie Peters and Taylor Swift. After teasing the song via TikTok for a few weeks now, it’s finally out.
Never Liked Your Name by Brooke Alexx is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. This implies that it will be prominently displayed at the top of the blog for an entire week.
Recommended as well:
All My Exes’ Moms
Follow Brooke Alexx on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2023 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 34):
Wildcard (week 34):
May-a – ifyoulikeitlikethat
Last week was a good one for rock music. 90% of my favourite new tracks were guitar-based. But only one can be the best of the bunch. This time, for the second time in her career, I’ve chosen May-a’s new single as my ultimate recommendation.
I’ve been following Maya Cumming ever since she debuted in 2019. It’s great to watch her grow and grow. Her autobiographical songs get ever more confident and her music more mature.
Two years after her first EP Don’t Kiss Ur Friends, she’s about to release its follow-up. This EP, Analysis Paralysis, will be out on 1 September. It sees May-a continuing to explore and experiment with new sounds and experiences. The EP is already taking shape, with five out of its seven tracks being released already.
Ifyoulikeitlikethat is her brand-new single. A massive track, based around a driving drum rhythm. Combining ‘90s grunge elements with modern pop production, this sounds like a song that’ll do well live.
Ifyoulikeitlikethat by May-a is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. This implies that it will be prominently displayed at the top of the blog for an entire week.
Recommended as well:
Central Station
Apricots
Green
Follow May-a on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2023 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 33):
Wildcard (week 33):
Hoodzy – Mum Warned You
Outside Oceania Michellie Pohutuhutu may not be a household name, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s about to change. The 21-year-old MC, artist name Hoodzy, has roots deep in New Zealand, but was born in Australia. She describes herself as ‘gay, brown skin and chasing the same dream even if the odds are already against me’.
Over the past years, Hoodzy developed her own brand of fearless, youthfully energetic music. Her sound is part hip hop, part punk, part rave. It’s characterized by her honest and funny rhymes that flow effortlessly and naturally.
On her new single she doesn’t hold back. Hoodzy says about the tune: “Mum Warned You was the one that started the new sound for me. Writing it only took a few hours, it just fell into place so easily. I experimented with so many different styles and genres, but this one really stuck so I ran with it. This track kind of just runs you through the day in the life of me and what it was like when I wrote it. I was in my young, dumb and in my messing around with girls era. I was a teenager at the time so of course my life consisted of not taking anything super seriously. This track captures that perfectly.”
Mum Warned You is based around a White Stripes kind of guitar riff, but most importantly a great sing-along lyric. ‘I’m the kind your mother warned you about’ will sound great coming back from the crowds Pohutuhutu is about to attract. Really great stuff!
This week, Hoodzy’s new single Mum Warned You has been selected as the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. This implies that it will be prominently displayed at the top of the blog for an entire week.
Follow Hoodzy on Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2023 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 32):
Wildcard (week 32):
Leith – Good Time
26-year-old Toronto-born Jessie Munro is currently London-based. In between, she attended Boston’s Berklee College of Music and lived in Los Angeles for a while. Now known as Leith, she already collaborated with talented artists like Dylan Fraser and Matilda Mann. Meanwhile, she’s steadily building a great portfolio of her own pop tracks. Following a feature on Spotify’s RADAR Canada, she’s also heralded as one of BBC Radio 1’s Future Artists.
Good Time is only Leith’s sixth single, four of which can be found on het debut EP, last year’s Birthdays In July. Her new tune is exactly what it says on the tin: a carefree, fresh, feelgood song. It’s a high-energy anthem with relatable lyrics that are both honest and funny.
A song of liberation, Good Time is about cutting free of your ties, embracing freedom wherever it can be found. In her own words: “It’s about letting go, feeling liberated and not taking anything too seriously. We’ve all had amazing nights we’ll never forget and this song is a reminder that you can sweat the small stuff tomorrow.”
Long story short: it’s a summer hymn to independence.
Good Time by Leith, my 2000th weekly music tip since 1985, is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. That means it’ll be featured prominently at the top of the blog for seven whole days.
Follow Leith on Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2023 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 31):
Wildcard (week 31):
Kula Shaker – Waves
Kula Shaker have reformed before, but things are different now. This time around, all four original members of the band’s classic line-up reunited for the first time since 1999. Yes indeed, keyboard wizard Jay Darlington has returned from a decade with Oasis and various Gallaghers. His comeback signals a restoration of the band’s classic sound as well. A very, very welcome return!
Waves is the first single from Kula Shaker’s upcoming 7th studio album. A relentless burst of excitement, it’s an upbeat song of optimism, with a stadium-ready na-na-na part. Unmistakably, it features Darlington’s swirling Hammond organ riffs from the get-go. The track is further powered by the band’s legendary rhythm section, Alonza Bevan (bass) and Paul Winter-Hart (drums). Obviously, the euphoric lyrics are written and sung by front man Crispian Mills.
All in all, this tune brings the band’s best-known hit Hush to mind. It deserves to score big, like the band did so many times in their early years, circa 25 years ago..
This week, Kula Shaker makes Waves on Carte Blanche Music as our new Wildcard. That means it’ll be featured prominently at the top of the blog for a whole week.
Follow Kula Shaker on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2023 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
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.
single track, wildcardWildcard (week 30):
Wildcard (week 30):
Belot – VIP
Maya Belot, professionally known as Belot, doesn’t only like huge glasses. More importantly, she’s fond of big tunes. Following her debut EP Electric Blue (2020) and last year’s EP Harmless Fun, she’s entered phase 3 of her career.
This year, the London-based talent released Cool Whip and Get This (co-written by Oscar Lang). But third time’s definitely the charm. VIP is an energetic example of her ‘awkward pop’ sound, and the title might as well prove to be prophetic. Influenced by the likes of Dr. Dre, 50 Cent and Eminem, VIP is an upbeat fun track. Belot explains it’s about ‘glitz, glamour, success, redemption. It just had to be. The story of becoming the biggest artist one could be’.
Clocking in under the 2-minute mark, it’s quirky, bright, catchy and groovy. Following support slots with CBM favourites Ellie Dixon, Pip Millet, Caity Baser and others, this is the track that’ll have her stand on her own feet. Sounds like a hit to me!
VIP by Belot is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. That means it’ll be featured prominently at the top of the blog for a whole week.
Follow Belot on Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
In the Wildcards 2023 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.
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.
