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I don't like to boast, but I have a knack for spotting great artists before they hit it big. If you hopped in a time machine, you'd find me jamming to artists like Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Chappell Roan, Charli XCX and Kacey Musgraves years before they took over the charts.
While in college, my love of music and uncanny ability to sniff out talent led me to the Student Programming Association, where I booked free concerts for Penn State's nearly 50,000-strong student body. The goal was to bring in top-tier talent without paying top-tier prices, which meant finding stars before they streak across the sky.
And when not booking artists, I'm in the crowd -- I've seen more live music performances than I can count. While not all of the artists or songs I want to share today are brand new, at the very least, they're new to me and, hopefully, new to you too! Here are eight of my favorite songs I've been streaming recently:
"undressed" by sombr
Maybe I like this one because it hurts so much, but "undressed" -- fresh out of the studio, courtesy of co-producer Tony Berg -- is perfect for mourning that breakup.
As sombr will tell you, "There's nothin' worse than seein' your love moving on while you still suffer."
A ballad for sure, this track's production isn't overly, well, somber, even though the lyrics might be. On the surface, the song is about not wanting to be intimate with someone new after a past love. But it cuts deeper than that. undressed isn't just about physical intimacy, it is also about emotional vulnerability. About the fear of being truly seen, of exposing the rawest parts of yourself -- the secrets, the weaknesses, the things you thought were meant for one person and one person only.
It's a heartbreak anthem that lingers, not just in your ears, but in your chest.
"Ojos Tristes (with The Marías)" by Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco
While minding my business last night, this song shot me 47 times.
"Ojos Tristes" (or "Sad Eyes" in English) from the Hollywood power couple's new album "I Said I Love You First..." samples Jeanette's song "El Muchacho de los Ojos Tristes." This stunning rendition -- sparkling with the beautiful Spanish voices of Gomez and The Marias -- is haunting, especially when your ex-partner was a die-hard fan of the band. That's not to mention the brujeria Blanco must've infused into its production.
This track weaves a narrative that explores the duality of love: its ability to redeem loneliness and leave deep scars.
Even if you don't speak Spanish, this one will still resonate with you.
"It Ain't Me, Babe" performed by Timothee Chalamet,
Monica Barbaro
Plucked from Chalamet's Oscar-nominated performance in the Bob Dylan biopic "A Complete Unknown" (2024), "It Ain't Me, Babe" was originally performed by Dylan and his lover, Joan Baez.
Rather than the sociopolitical lyrics that defined much of his early work, the final track from Dylan's 1964 album, Another Side of Bob Dylan, is a more traditional love song, about not being able to live up to the idealized version of himself his lover has created in her mind.
I haven't seen the movie, but this track convinced me I ought to. Needless to say, I wasn't familiar with Barbaro and Chalamet's game.
"I Couldn't Be More In Love" by The 1975
Known for their cheeky, distinctly British lyricism, The 1975, despite their poor reputation (thanks to Matty Healy's on- and off-stage antics) remains one of my favorite bands of all-time.
Despite "A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships" being my favorite album by the band, this track somehow slipped through my fingers until this weekend when Spotify served it up on a silver platter.
According to Matty, the song isn't a love song but rather "about what happens when no one cares anymore."
This soul-powered ballad, featuring a "proper guitar solo," is made even more haunting by Healy's raw, pained vocals -- recorded just a day before he entered rehab for addiction. It gave me chills.
If you like this one, I beg that you listen to the entire album.
"Vanish Into You"
by Lady Gaga
Hot off her spectacular album Mayhem, Lady Gaga weaves a story of love that transcends the mortal plane, set against truly spellbinding production.
Seemingly inspired by her deep friendship with music legend Tony Bennett, whom Gaga collaborated with several times before his passing in 2023, "Vanish Into You" is littered with references to Bennett's discography. The lyrics of this gothic love song reference everything from "High on a Hill" to "For Once in my Life."
"Bleed (feat. Omar Apollo)" by Malcolm Todd
An undeniably sexy song, Malcolm asks if you "wanna know about me?" -- evidently, without the restrictions of clothes.
Like "undressed," this track is all about intimacy and letting someone in, but here, the singers welcome the connection rather than resist it.
Omar Apollo's voice, smoldering in the background, makes my heart bleed. And while this may not be his song, Apollo's presence is undeniable. I wouldn't be surprised if he became America's next male pop star, and you can take that to the bank.
"The Winner Takes It All"
by ABBA
I'll be the first to admit -- I should have been streaming this long, long ago. It was released in 1980, afterall. But maybe you've experienced this too: sometimes, you hear a song, and it feels like you're hearing it for the first time all over again. That's what happened to me here.
Lately, ABBA's label, Atlantic Records, has been heavily pushing this track, especially on TikTok, and suddenly, I see why.
A breakup song, written by singer Agnetha Faltskog's ex-husband, "The Winner Takes It All" is a masterclass in heartbreak. Its raw emotion and sweeping melodies make it a timeless gut-punch that never loses its power.
"The Giver"
by Chappell Roan
Topping the country radio charts, this song -- about, well, being a giver (in the bedroom) -- carries on a proud tradition of queer country music.
The Express's one and only Midwest Princess is a favorite in the office, and this track is an earworm you won't want to take your headphones off for, especially if you grew up on country music like I did. Inspired by her roots, the song blends seamlessly into the genre's classic sound, so much you'd hardly bat an eye if you heard it on country radio. That is, until you realize that, unlike many of its predecessors, it's unmistakably and unapologetically gay.
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Hunter Smith is a reporter for The Express.