Bop Shop: Songs From Lil Nas X, Kehlani, Parquet Courts, And More
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62 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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Lil Nas X: “Lost in the Citadel”
This lovelorn cut off Montero, Lil Nas X’s newly birthed debut album, stands out from the rest of the tracklist, and for good reason. The 22-year-old rapper leans into the angsty, guitar-driven sound that dominated pop-rock while he was growing up, fashioning a nostalgic backdrop for his most dazzlingly poetic lyrics to date. “My god, you’re an angel,†he realizes. “I only see you in your halo.†—Sam Manzella
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Sex Education Cast: “Fuck the Pain Away”
Sex Education Season 3 has finally arrived on Netflix, upping the ante with more raucous teenage sex scenes, a field trip to Paris, and the introduction of Jemima Kirke’s character, who’s a complete 180 from Jessa on Girls. The show’s soundtrack, which primarily features tracks by Ezra Furman, has always been second to none, however it’s the show’s glee club-style take on Peaches’s “Fuck the Pain Away†that I haven’t been able to get out of my head. There’s something so absurdly hilarious about hearing a teenage a cappella group croon, “Sucking on my titties like you wanted me / Callin’ me all the time like Blondie,†but when they turn its raunchy chorus into a Queen-esque anthemic roar, you can’t help but dance along. —Carson Mlnarik
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Kehlani: “Altar”
There’s such beauty in the way “Altar,” the lithe new single from Kehlani, sounds on a purely sonic level, thanks in part to expertly gentle production touches from Pop Wansel. As the R&B singer mentioned on social media with the song’s release, that beauty goes much, much deeper. “Understanding grief and death has been a journey,” Kehlani wrote. “The last year has showed me that even after people have passed on, if I choose to, I can have an even closer relationship. … this is my offering.” —Patrick Hosken
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Iann Dior ft. Lil Uzi Vert: “V12”
In the 14 months since “Mood” dropped, Iann Dior has collaborated with an increasingly diverse roster of artists: Jxdn, Mike Shinoda, LilHuddy and Tyson Ritter (!), and now, Lil Uzi Vert. Impressively, he’s sounded at home with all of them. On “V12,” he takes center stage with a golden hook and so much charisma that it feels effortless. Uzi, as ever, is Uzi, and together, they make quite a potent pair. Who’s next? —Patrick Hosken
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Alaska Thunderfuck: “Red”
Oops, she did it again! Legendary RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Alaska Thunderfuck is no stranger to serving bops. From “This is My Hair†to “Come to Brazil,†she finds her way on many a playlist. Her latest, “Red,†is no exception. Inspired by her Season 6 video, “Red†finds Alaska channeling pure ‘90s and 2000s bubblegum pop with visual references to Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!†and more. Both the song and video are perfect for a boost of serotonin after a long week and to kick off the weekend. What can I say? I’m seeing “Red.†—Zach O’Connor
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Afgan & Robin Thicke: “Touch Me (Remix)”
Those precious summer nights don’t technically have to be over just yet. Add “Touch Me†by Jakarta-based rising star Afgan and Robin Thicke and heat up any evening in just three minutes. With undercurrents of house and R&B, Afgan’s sweet vocals seek to explain just how that first, second, and third touch electrifies them: “You can’t deny what is true / Every time you touch me / I go ooh, ahh, too high.†So lose your cool just a little bit and hit repeat on this dark and sexy bop. —Daniel Head
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Yumi Nu: “Bouquets”
I’ll always champion live drums on pop and R&B songs, so obviously I ride for musician and model Yumi Nu’s “Bouquets,” a tender song of self that radiates pure nocturnal energy. “In the process of falling in love with someone, I fell in love with new parts of myself,” she says in a statement. “This song was written in the re-emergence of my own confidence.” —Patrick Hosken
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Wrabel: “London”
Fall is here, and Wrabel got the memo. This poignant, atmospheric cut off These Words Are All For You, the veteran singer-songwriter’s long-awaited debut album, transports listeners across the pond to the site of an ill-fated romance. Time has passed, but Wrabel’s feelings still linger, brought to the surface every time the mercury drops in L.A. “Sometimes I miss London,†he croons over the gentle strums of his guitar. “Sometimes I miss you.†—Sam Manzella
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Chaz Cardigan: “We Look So Good”
It’s hard to place L.A.-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Chaz Cardigan into any one box, and that’s almost certainly the way he prefers it. On the surface, his latest single “We Look So Good†is a banging alt-pop earworm about a rocky relationship that’s too good to let go of. But as he writes on Instagram — and showcases in his tongue-in-cheek visual — it’s his way of writing a toxic break-up anthem with a struggling America. “If it looks so good on paper / I’m gonna stay until it feels right,†he sings, before interrupting the beat to say, “The War on Drugs was a tactic to fill up private prisons.†This is a bop with layers! —Carson Mlnarik
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Parquet Courts: “Black Widow Spider”
For Parquet Courts’s latest album, Sympathy for Life, the long-running Brooklyn art-rock band worked with Scottish producer Rodaidh McDonald to hone a particular feel through improvisational sessions and lots of jamming. The end result, as heard on “Black Widow Spider,” is far removed from that looseness, instead opting for a tight, metallic crunch and a sing-songy melody from Andrew Savage. To complement, check the accompanying claymation music video and get lost in the noise. —Patrick Hosken
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Ovlov: “Land of Steve-O”
Let’s stay in the Brooklyn guitar scene for a minute to praise Ovlov and how much the quartet does with a great melody on “Land of Steve-O.” I always love songs whose verses feel like mini-choruses, though I think the real star here is the wall of squelching distortion that overtakes things right before the band bows out at just under three minutes. It’s not about Steve-O from Jackass as far as I can tell, but in my headcanon, it’s a wonderful celebration of him. Either way, sounds great. Can I get a “yeah, dude!”? —Patrick Hosken