Best Songs of the Week

It's always a pleasure to witness an artist's growth, but Appleby's in particular has been pretty remarkable thus far. Distinctively human, from "Spit On Me" to "Drinkin'," he has showcased just what it is that he's capable of. Acting as some sort of capitalization of his initial promise, "Drinkin'" reads like another torn page from Appleby's remarkably honest diary.

The atmosphere is dark, almost emotionally apocalyptic, and it's only heightened by the fatalistic lyricism. The step-up in polish is jarring at first, but this is the type of music he's been hinting at since his debut. That we're getting music this finely crafted this soon in his career is amazing, but what's really amazing is how natural this sudden progression sounds.—Joe Price

Read our interview with Appleby here.

Break-ups suck. I always try and find a more eloquent way to express this idea, but I can't. The end of a relationship is painful, regardless of the reason it ended. It's a weird concept, the life cycles of relationships.

Tobias Jesso Jr.’s fantastic "How Could You Babe" tackles this idea and then some. Here, Jesso laments not only a love lost, but a lover who then went on to find someone else. The track starts off subtly over piano until he reaches the chorus, where he croons over and over, "How could you babe?" His hurt and bewilderment is honest and straightforward, making the song heartbreakingly relatable.—Katie K.

Denai Moore’s got a beautiful voice. It would be so easy for her to go for straightforward melodies that allow her to fall safely into that general "vocalist" category, which so often becomes territory for bland piano ballads, coffee shop music, and Christmas albums. But with each release, Denai proves that she's so much more than that.

Over interesting production, with a voice that wanders with each line delivered and an undeniable precision to pull it off, Denai is a special kind of vocalist. More Sampha than Adele or Sam Smith, Denai Moore balances technical skill with the less obvious, and "Elsewhere" is another great example of how not playing it safe can pay off.—Confusion

Future might be best known for hard-hitting, aggressive tracks like "Move That Dope," "Sh!t," or "Same Damn Time," but recently his emotionally raw, personal tracks have been the standouts. "Hardly" (dedicated to his dead friend OG Double D) was the best track on the Monster tape, and "Just Like Bruddas" has emerged as the song I keep going back to on Beast Mode. With Zaytoven's twinkling keys behind him, Future shows that he's one real dude, treating his goons in the cut "just like bruddas."

Where so many rappers are trying to prove how hard they are on a me against the world tip, Future gives us the real him—flaws, pain, and all.—Constant Gardner

The amount of talented female pop artists right now is overwhelming. A new artist can no longer survive on just strong vocals alone. Instead, there needs to be something interesting to really hook listeners. It's just the result of there being this much good music out there.

So when someone actually does wow you, it's a big deal. Which is what Tove Styrke has done between her Borderline EP and now once again with "Ego." She infuses a mix—part Grimes, part Lykke Li, part Elliphant, even part Björk—to create something unique and utterly infectious. Last night I saw her live and her performance only further impressed me. She has a quirky, captivating energy on stage that makes every moment fun and exciting. It was here first ever show in New York City but her confidence and comfort on stage would've fooled anyone. She's a commanding force, and one that's ready for much bigger things. And personally, I can't wait to see it all happen.—Katie Kelly

Who would've thought that the dude who made that "Birthday Sex" song would be one of the more progressive R&B artists of 2015? Jeremih has been on a creative hot streak, and "Planes" keeps it going strong. Some credit here has to go to producer Vinylz, though—this beat is a genius blend of moody and smooth-as-hell.—Confusion