Bop Shop: Songs From Joy Oladokun, Denzel Curry, Euphoria, And More
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64 The search for the ever-elusive “bop” is difficult. Playlists and streaming-service recommendations can only do so much. They often leave a lingering question: Are these songs really good, or are they just new?
Enter Bop Shop, a hand-picked selection of songs from the MTV News team. This weekly collection doesn’t discriminate by genre and can include anything — it’s a snapshot of what’s on our minds and what sounds good. We’ll keep it fresh with the latest music, but expect a few oldies (but goodies) every once in a while, too. Get ready: The Bop Shop is now open for business.
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Charli XCX: “Beg for You” (ft. Rina Sawayama)
Longtime friends Charli XCX and Rina Sawayama teased the hell out of “Beg for You,” and for good reason. The London-based pop queens’ amorous collab samples September’s 2005 dance-pop hit “Cry for You,” infusing some early-aughts nostalgia into the club-ready banger. “Oh, don’t you leave me this way / Won’t you wait another hour or two?” a desperate Charli implores on the chorus. “You know I need you to stay / Don’t make me beg for you, ’cause I’ll beg for you.” Crash, Charli’s highly anticipated fifth studio album, arrives in March, so there’s no need to beg for more. —Sam Manzella
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Denzel Curry: “Walkin”
Denzel Curry’s tenacity is undeniable. In the video for his first new single of 2022, he stands alone in the desert, dripping sweat, proclaiming, “Clear a path as I keep on walkin’ / Ain’t no stopping / In this dirty, filthy, rotten, nasty little world we call our home.” The subject matter (and accompanying visual) is relentless, but the music is laidback and smooth, allowing all the urgency to emanate from Curry’s rapid-fire delivery. The refrain “keep on walkin'” becomes like a mantra, something to repeat in the midst of ongoing crisis. —Patrick Hosken
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Joy Oladokun: “Keeping the Light On”
It makes sense that Tracy Chapman inspired Joy Oladokun to pick up a guitar because the Nashville-based singer’s new single is a slice of pop empowerment, sounding like a mix of Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten” and India.Arie. In fact, “Keeping the Light On” would be the perfect soundtrack for a rom-com trailer — the highest of compliments! Oladokun says the song is “my little musical way of saying it’s really hard to keep trying but I think part of life is doing so anyway and seeing what magic comes out of it.” A reminder to keep going, even during these stressful times. It’s a message I think Tracy Chapman would approve of. —Chris Rudolph
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Tove Lo: “How Long”
Regrets, heartbreak, and a dance-floor beat keep the record spinning in Tove Lo’s new cut for the Euphoria Season 2 soundtrack. There’s something eerie and unsettling but completely addictive about the track, which finds the narrator learning about a cheating lover in real time. “You’re an honest man when you’re drunk / Wish I never asked ya / But it’s killin’ me to wonder,” she sings before launching into a drunken stream of consciousness. While the song might spell out disaster for one of Euphoria’s choice couples, it’s at least ecstasy to the ears. —Carson Mlnarik
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Lana Del Rey: “Watercolor Eyes”
Speaking of HBO’s Euphoria, it’s a show that consistently confounds me in just how good it really is. The effortlessly great performances, the dizzying pivots from real-life grit to highly stylized and dreamlike sequences, and of course, the music. What other than a vaporous new Lana Del Rey song could appropriately end an episode like last week’s? “Watercolor Eyes” is as light and bleary as its title, easy on the ears and tinged with just a bit of heartbreak. —Patrick Hosken
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The Maine: “Loved You a Little” (ft. Taking Back Sunday, Charlotte Sands)
The new emo revival is in full swing, and I am here for it. “Loved You a Little” is an epic collaboration from alternative mainstays The Maine and Taking Back Sunday, along with relative newcomer Charlotte Sands. The song stacks three powerhouse vocalists who effortlessly bounce off each other to build an energetic, yet emotionally brutal breakup anthem that graces us just in time for Valentine’s Day. “This song is for anyone feeling like they wasted their time on a feeling,” The Maine frontman John O’Callaghan said in a statement. I love this track a lot, so here’s hoping we get to hear it live during the When We Were Young festival, which boasts sets from The Maine, Taking Back Sunday, and many more. —Farah Zermane
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Soak: “Last July”
The cover of the new album from songwriter Bridie Monds-Watson, who releases music as Soak (typically styled in all caps), is blurry and smeared, like a memory. But their music is crystalline in its clarity: riffy guitars make “Last July” instantly memorable, and their direct lyrics hone in on a genuine ache. “I don’t wanna be a souvenir / I don’t wanna be a Polaroid,” they declare, heart open. “I wanna buy your groceries.” That blend of general and specific is present on the song titles on Soak’s upcoming album, too, where “Pretzel” and “Swear Jar” mingle with “Guts” and “Get Well Soon.” If I Never Know You Like This Again is out May 20. —Patrick Hosken
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Darren Hayes: “Let’s Try Being in Love”
Darren Hayes embraces every part of himself on “Let’s Try Being in Love,” the former Savage Garden frontman’s first single in a decade. It may only be winter, but it’s hard not to imagine this disco and falsetto-soaked track on repeat during the sweaty and sexy summer months. With a beat that won’t quit and sultry, whispered verses, Hayes sings with palpable tension about passionate and all-consuming feelings that might just be worth the risk: “Am I five decades / Am I 24 / Laden with desire never felt before.” The video is a wink at the past life of Hayes — who married his husband in 2005 — following him at a dinner party with his wife while fantasizing about the hunky host, played by none other than Chris Evans’s brother Scott Evans. —Carson Mlnarik
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Lauv: “26”
Lauv has always put himself on the line, sharing his innermost thoughts and feelings (regardless of how sad or lonely or dark) with his fans around the world. His newest release, “26,” not only follows suit, but expands upon that level of honesty. The Philadelphia native layers an upbeat synthpop melody with heartfelt, emotional lyrics reflecting on the pain of growing older, a feeling that any twentysomething knows all too well. If the track is anything like what’s to come for L2, let’s just say we’re in it for it. —Sarina Bhutani