Breaking news: it's Friday. So that means we have a whole week's worth of new music. After Billie Eilish basically broke the internet by announcing a new album this week, everyone's wondering who else is gearing up to release some future Grammy nominees. My guess? Harry Styles. (Or is that just a wish?)

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Look, concerts are great. I would love to see my entire Spotify Wrapped lineup live. And I’ve spent thousands of dollars on Harry Styles' events alone — judge me if you want, I don’t plan on stopping. But my wallet isn’t as enthusiastic.

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New Releases

Phoebe Bridgers and Maggie Rogers Cover the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris"

All proceeds from the sales will go to Stacey Abrams' Fair Fight organization.

Phoebe Bridgers - Kyoto (Copycat Killer Version) (Official Video)

"And I don't want the world to see me, cause I don't think that they'd understand," sing Phoebe Bridgers and Maggie Rogers in perfect harmony.

The musicians, who have both settled into a sweet spot between pop stardom and indie credibility, recently released the cover that none of us knew we needed.

Like a lot of what Phoebe Bridgers releases, it's heartbreakingly beautiful, a little bit tongue-in-cheek, and made even edgier thanks to political overtones.

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Music Features

Before Its Time: How EDM Transformed Ellie Goulding's Folk-Pop

The British pop star's career might've looked entirely different if it weren't for the DJs like Bassnectar and Calvin Harris.

In 2010, a singer-songwriter by the name of Ellie Goulding went from a relative unknown to the newly crowned ruler of the British music charts.

Raised in a village of fewer than 1,000 people, Goulding went on to study at University of Kent, where she was spotted by her future manager. After building a presence on MySpace and linking up with various producers, the budding star inked a record deal with Polydor, who released her first EP, An Introduction to Ellie Goulding, in 2009. The Guardian called her a "pop sensation" before the EP had even hit stores.

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New Releases

RELEASE RADAR | Maggie Rogers Releases a New Album

Plus new music from Deerhunter, Kid Bloom, The Day and more.

RELEASE RADAR is here to give you the breakdown of the top singles, albums, and videos of the week, so you can head into your weekend with a new list of killer tunes.

SINGLES

Sam Setton | "Gum"

NYC's Sam Setton put a moody spin on otherwise classic R&B in his latest track.

You Might Also Like: Majid Jordan, Kyan Palmer, HONNE

Follow Sam Setton on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Forever X2 | "Walk the Ocean"

LA's Forever X2 turns it up to 11 with the second single from their forthcoming EP, replete with power chords and expertly executed feedback.

You Might Also Like: Blur, Beck, Lovelytheband

Follow Forever X2 on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Kid Bloom | "Sugarcoat"

On "Sugarcoat," an otherwise indie rock track, Kid Bloom adds some of their signature flair with quirky beats and backing vocals.

You Might Also Like: Foster the People, The 1975, Tame Impala

Follow Kid Bloom on Facebook | Spotify | Instagram

Matt Koelsch (ft. Georgia Feroce) | "All My Friends"

When they first met in LA, Matt Koelsch and Georgia Feroce connected instantly. The result is a heartwarming single about friendship.

You Might Also Like: Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson, KT Tunstall

Follow Matt Koelsch on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Follow Georgia Feroce on Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Cally Rhodes | "Like I Used To"

Cally Rhodes dances between traditional pop and R&B in her latest single. "'Like I Used To' is about realizing you're no longer in love with your ex and coming to terms with it," she shared.

You Might Also Like: Tove Styrke, Mackenzie Ziegler, Bebe Rexha

Follow Cally Rhodes on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

ALBUMS/EPS

Deerhunter | Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared?

In their catchy, albeit haunting, new record, Deerhunter raises a question about the state of society, (Why hasn't everything already disappeared?) but they don't exactly answer it. In fact, they dodge the question altogether and jump from track to track in an unpredictable pattern, leaving behind even more questions. Great album.

You Might Also Like: Real Estate, Grizzly Bear, Ariel Pink
Follow Deerhunter on Facebook | Twitter | Spotify

Maggie Rogers | Heard It In A Past Life

The first full length album from Maggie Rogers includes the singles that first thrust her into the spotlight as well as tracks that round out her unique electro-folk sound.

You Might Also Like: Betty Who, Overcoats, Julien Baker

Follow Maggie Rogers on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Greensky Bluegrass | All For Money

Greensky Bluegrass are no strangers to the trials and tribulations of making a great record. You can hear their experience on each track of their carefully crafted seventh full-length album.

You Might Also Like: Railroad Earth, The Infamous Stringdusters, Yonder Mountain String Band

Follow Greensky Bluegrass on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

✨ PREMIERE ✨ | The Day | Midnight Parade

Equal parts dreamy pop and post-punk with an edge, the each track on the The Day's latest album lives and breathes in a constant state of paradox.

You Might Also Like:Cocteau Twins, Warpaint, The xx

Follow The Day on Facebook | Spotify | Instagram


Allie Delyanis is an award-winning and losing freelance journalist based in New York City. She likes bands, books, breakfast food, and would love to be David Sedaris when she grows up. You can find more of her work on www.delyanis.com.



POP⚡DUST | Read More #ReleaseRadar...

RELEASE RADAR | Premieres from Memory Keepers, Nora Keyes & The Rococo Jet, Madison Ryan

Press Photo

I'm not a Mumford & Sons fan. Or at least I wasn't. Usually, banjos are a deal breaker for me, and un-ironic suspenders make me uncomfortable. So, when I was asked to attend and cover Mumford & Sons' performance at MSG last night, I hesitantly and unenthusiastically agreed. But today, I showed up to work repping a shirt from the concert and humming "Little Lion Man." What is happening to me?

Press Photo

It's not that I explicitly disliked the band before, or was unaware of their superstardom, I just never understood the phenomenon. But apparently, I was part of a minority, because the moment I posted on social media about going to the show, my phone began trembling with "I'm so jealous!!!!!!!!!!" messages and heart-eye emojis (and that emoji with the stars popping out of its face, but that one creeps me out).

Among the jealous-Jamies was Popdust's very own Brooke Ivey Johnson, who recently reviewed the band's fourth studio album, Delta, which arrived November 16th. Like many fans, Brooke had mixed feelings about this latest body of work, but nonetheless considers herself a day-one fan.


Despite fan's reservations about Delta, Madison Square Garden was packed, and the energy that filled the stadium was almost spiritual. When Marcus Mumford left the stage mid-song and ran through the crowd, you could tell the frantic fans that were touched by even a drop of his sweat felt #blessed. The crowd was reactive to the band's every move, and it was clear that Mumford and his sons were experienced in creating a spectacle worthy of post-show-dry-blinkless-eye syndrome. Beams of light shot on and away from the stage, which was situated in the middle of the arena, giving people on all 4 sides a "front row" experience. Elevated platforms on either end of the stage featured full drum kits, allowing for some pretty sweet moments where Marcus Mumford and Chris Maas played simultaneously.

To me, the stage reminded me of an old pirate ship, and the thought of folk-pirates galavanting around their vessel with vests and banjos made me really happy.

The platforms also allowed for more intimate moments, when the performers would stand together on one end of the stage, sharing a spotlight, playing acoustic instruments and flexing their harmony game. Maggie Rogers — the extremely impressive singer/songwriter that opened for M&S — even joined the band on stage during one such moment. The combination was brilliant, the crowd was mesmerized, and Rogers' stage presence and voice gave me major Joplin vibes (that is forever a compliment). The only thing lacking, in my opinion, was some nod to the Christmas season and to New York City. Normally I'm not one for Christmas songs, and I understand if they wouldn't want to alienate fans of varying faiths, but M&S surely would have hit a home run with a quick cover of The Pogues' "Fairytale of New York." That would have made it 10/10 perfect.

So...what's happened to me? Does this mean I am finally going to embrace living in Brooklyn and grow a mustache? Am I now a part of the global cult of Mumford & Sons' fans? ARE WE THE SONS? AM I DEAD?!

Regardless of these questions that will surely keep me up at night, as Isaac Feldberg wrote in his review of the band's recent show at TD Garden,

"What Mumford & Sons have done exceptionally well across the past decade, then, is craft sonic sermons that preach to the widest-possible audience, songs that don't directly exalt in religiosity so much as recognize the omniscience of its precepts in everyday life and channel those into something with unifying appeal."

Perhaps I really have been converted. Cheers to M&S for putting on a show that was undeniably dope (can folk be dope?); from the sound, to the special guests, to the lights and the pyrotechnics, and that cool thing where a bunch of confetti rains down after a big moment. The tour is definitely worth catching, and I guess I'm okay with considering myself a fan. Mustache TBD.


Brent Butler is a NYC-based rapper, producer, and guitarist. He is a regular contributor to Popdust and host of Popdust Presents. Follow Brent on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Soundcloud | and check out his debut solo EP, | L I L A C|