The best new music from the week of January 30th
It’s New Music Friday! As a result of the Grammys going down this weekend, you can expect every artist to be on their best behavior. For this reason, the releases from this week mostly embrace the challenge of the added pressure. This week’s edition of New Music Friday features standout releases from Don Toliver, Rod Wave, DaBaby, and many more. Read on to find the latest tracks and albums that dropped this week.
New Music Friday Picks
Don Tolliver – ‘OCTANE’ (Album)
It should be noted that Don Toliver has still never released a mid-project yet. Seemingly, ‘OCTANE’ makes you wonder if he’s passed his predecessor in Travis Scott based on his consistency. Obviously, he doesn’t have anything as influential/impactful as ‘RODEO,’ but he does possess a more polished discography across the board. Clearly, anyone who thinks otherwise is blind to the unlimited range.
Rod Wave – “Feed The Streets”
As a result of Valentine’s coming up, you can guarantee that Rod Wave is in project mode, once again. Hence, this is why he began the rollout with “Feed The Streets” to set the tone. In brief, he surely made his point in this track left fans feigning for more immediately.
DaBaby – ‘BE MORE GRATEFUL’ (Album)
Truly, it must suck ass to have a fall-off like DaBaby did and be pushed aside. Undoubtedly, he just released one of his best projects in the last two years and frankly, no one actually cares. So much so, that he took the liberty to take more creative risks than usual, and his efforts will go completely unnoticed.
R&B Corner
Jordan Ward – ‘BACKWARD’ (Album)
Clearly, anyone who says R&B is dead should have their opinion immediately invalidated as we have ground-breaking artists like Jordan Ward. For example, his newly released album makes the most out of his hiatus by being more introspective and allowing his songwriting to mature. Most importantly, it feels like we are witnessing a new genre being born right before our eyes due to his creative innovation.
Thundercat – “I Did This To Myself” ft Lil Yachty
At this point in time, it’s well overdue for Thundercat to drop another album, as it’s been 6-years. To start the rollout, he dropped a single with Lil Yachty, and they definitely came correct. Driven by some beautiful live instrumentation & Yachty trying different flows, this track builds even more anticipation for his long-awaited album.
Rapper’s Delight
LaRussell – “I’m From The Bay” ft Lil Jon
Honestly speaking, it’s so easy to root for LaRussell based on how far he’s come. For instance, his latest track speaks volumes about his humility as he passionately embraces his Bay Area roots. In fact, this track is elevated to new highs thanks to the guest appearance from Bay Area legend, Lil Jon.
bdifferent – ‘Come On’ (Mixtape)
Of course, you can always depend on Atlanta’s hip-hop scene, with my current sights being set on bdifferent. In essence, he unlocked the power to utilize his voice like an instrument, which can be seen on full display on ‘Come On.’ All in all, he’s someone that’s primed for a big second half of 2026.
Yatta Bandz – “Memory Lane”
Lastly, our final spot of New Music Friday goes to Bay Area native, Yatta Bandz’s melodic single, “Memory Lane.” This emotional track finds Yatta in an emotional state as he painfully reflects on where things went wrong in his last relationship. Overall, he does an amazing job in painting a vivid picture for listeners of that bittersweet feeling that comes from breakups.
We hope you enjoyed this week’s edition of New Music Friday!
