Bop Shop: Songs From Lil Nas X, Kehlani, Parquet Courts, And More

Bop Shop: Songs From Lil Nas X, Kehlani, Parquet Courts, And More




The search for the ever-elusive "bop" is challenging. Playlists and streaming-service suggestions 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 could contribute anything — it's a snapshot of what's on our minds and what sounds good. We'll keep it fresh with the latest music, nevertheless expect a couple of oldies although goodies) every once in a while, also. Get ready: The Bop Shop is currently open for business.





  • 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 if 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 visualize you in your halo.” —Sam Manzella






  • 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 habitually been second to none, although 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 order croon, “Sucking on my titties like you wanted me / Callin’ me all of the time like Blondie,” nevertheless any time if they turn its raunchy chorus into a Queen-esque anthemic roar, you can’t help although dance along. —Carson Mlnarik






  • Kehlani: "Altar"



    There's such aesthetics 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. Because the R&B singer said on social media with the song's release, that aesthetics goes much, much deeper. "Understanding grief and death has been a journey," Kehlani wrote. "The last year has showed me that even right after people have passed on, if I pick to, I can have an even closer relationship. ... This is my supplying —Patrick Hosken






  • Iann Dior ft. Lil Uzi Vert: "V12"



    In the 14 months since "Mood" dropped, Iann Dior has collaborated with a more and more diverse roster of artists: Jxdn, Mike Shinoda, LilHuddy and Tyson Ritter (!), And right now, Lil Uzi Vert. Impressively, he's sounded at residence with all of those. On "V12," he takes center stage with a golden hook and thus much charisma that it feels effortless. Uzi, as ever, is Uzi, and with each other, they make quite a potent pair. Who's next? —Patrick Hosken






  • 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 several 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 brilliant for a boost of serotonin soon after a long week and to kick off the weekend. What can I mention? I’m seeing “Red.” —Zach O’Connor






  • Afgan & Robin Thicke: "Touch Me (Remix)"



    Those precious summer nights don’t technically have to be over just nevertheless. Add “Touch Me” by Jakarta-based rising star Afgan and Robin Thicke and warm up any evening in just three minutes. With undercurrents of residence 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, also high.” So lose your cool just a little and hit repeat on this dark and sexy bop. —Daniel Head






  • Yumi Nu: "Bouquets"



    I'll routinely champion live drums on pop and R&B songs, so of course I ride for musician and model Yumi Nu's "Bouquets," a tender song of self that radiates pure nocturnal energy. "In the method 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






  • 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, yet 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






  • 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 definitely 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 also good to let go of. Yet 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 up until it feels right,” he sings, before interrupting the beat to mention, “The War on Narcotics was a tactic to fill up private prisons.” This is a bop with layers! —Carson Mlnarik






  • Parquet Courts: "Black Widow Spider"



    For Parquet Courts's latest album, Sympathy for Life, the long-running Brooklyn art-rock musical group worked with Scottish producer Rodaidh McDonald to hone a particular feel through improvisational sessions and many jamming. The end result, as heard on "Black Widow Spider," is far removed from that looseness, alternatively opting for a tight, metallic crunch plus a sing-songy melody from Andrew Savage. To complement, check the accompanying claymation music video and get lost in the noise. —Patrick Hosken






  • Ovlov: "Land of Steve-O"



    Let's live in the Brooklyn guitar scene for a minute to praise Ovlov and why much the quartet does with a good melody on "Land of Steve-O." I routinely love songs whose verses feel like mini-choruses, though I think the real star here's the wall of squelching distortion that overtakes things right before the musical group bows out at just under three minutes. It's not about Steve-O from Jackass as far as I can tell, however in my headcanon, it's an impressive celebration of him. Either way, sounds excellent. Can I get a "yeah, dude!"? —Patrick Hosken













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