#HitsOfTomorrow: A Weekly Rundown Of The ‘Should-Be’ Hits

Beyond Lana Del Rey and Ed Sheeran, we round up the latest must-hear songs, from BTS’ Jimin dropping “Like Crazy” to Illenium and JVKE’s “With All My Heart”

Only three months into the year and we’re already getting what is likely a solid contender for Album Of The Year. King’s wool returns this weekend with Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvdquite possibly her best record yet. While the artist has been teasing us with multiple new singles from the set over the past few weeks, the collective LP experience far outweighs the strength of any one single.

With feature artists range from Jon Batiste to Bleachers to Father John Misty, the set feels perhaps more collaborative this time around and that’s a good thing as we see just how unique Del Rey is in her ability to bring any artist from any world get woven beautifully into hers. “Candy Necklace” with Batiste in particular is both haunting and poignant while “Let The Light In” with Misty should be a Top 40 crossover hit if they push the single to radio.

Beyond Del Rey, we also see two R’s come together (yup, this is just “RR”, no third R in sight). Rosalia and Rauw Alejandro. The two powerhouses come together for a three-track set and let’s just say all three singles need no further attestation as they all are solid. My personal fave has to be “Promesa.”

Moving over to singles this week, Ed Sheeran leads the charge with yet another smash “Eyes Closed” while the love for Missy Elliott continues this week as FLO gets the rap icon to feature on their latest “Fly Girl” (which interpolates “Work It”) and Timbaland works with BIA on her latest “I’m That Bitch” (which interpolates “She’s A Bitch” by Elliott).

While these singles will likely impact the charts and streaming, there are several songs that might fall below the radar and get a shout-out here as we give you this week’s HITS OF TOMORROWthe should-be hits that deserve our attention!

“SMOKE” – Victoria Monet, Lucky Daye

Perpetually underrated Victoria Monet returns with her first new song since 2021’s “Coastin’.” This time, she joins forces with the equally underrated (but at least multiple Grammy-nominated and winning) Lucky Daye. “Smoke” is a steamy duet between the two that once again showcases why the two talents are so good at giving us R&B of today. Produced by D’Mile, Tim Suby and YogiTheProducer, the single has all the right ingredients to break from just conquering the sub-genre charts and be a solid hit on Top 40 radio. We don’t have anything nearly as smooth coming out these days that feels timeless from first listen, but this single does just that. And the music video, Monet has never looked more like a star.

“more than friends” – Isabel LaRosa

After the runaway success of “i’m yours” last year (and also featured in our year-end Top 100 of 2022), Isabel LaRosa is back with the EP YOU FEAR THE GOD THAT LOVES YOU. The five-track set is a solid next step in the journey of LaRosa and while each single could be a release, “more than friends” is being pushed as the next single and rightfully so. The track feels like a sonic progression from “i’m yours” but there is more lyrical depth and the LaRosa sounds both confident and sexy in her vocal delivery, making for a standout single that hopefully not only replicates the success of her previous single but makes an even larger dent on the charts, solidifying her as one of the most exciting new voices of recent times. Here’s hoping!

“LIKE CRAZY” (English Version) – Jimin

It seems like a week doesn’t go by without the release of a solo single from a BTS member. This week it’s Jimin’s turn and I have to say, I wasn’t expecting such a retro-tinged bop as “Like Crazy.” The very Eighties style single is the perfect song choice for Jimin as he clearly distinguishes himself not only as different from the rest of his group but also as an artist on his own, creating a sound and style that is his for keeps. Quite possibly the catchiest solo single yet from a BTS member, the single should be aided at radio with a full English version that fits right into any playlist without anyone having to use the term “K-pop.” That’s a good thing because programmers lately aren’t opting to feature more than one or two songs from that genre and this single is clearly for the masses, it’s Top 40 at its best. Congrats Jimin, this is a global smash.

“WITH ALL MY HEART” – ILLENIUM, JVKE

JVKE has slowly but steadily become a favorite at radio thanks to a series of singles that showcase the singer-songwriter at his humble and honest best. That sentiment shines even further here with the help of ILLENIUM, together they create “With All My Heart” as a far more cinematic pop experience. For those who felt like JVKE was staying in his comfort box, this single is a great showcase of what more is possible and yet again ILLENIUM has found a way to give talented singers a space to expand on their style and meanwhile, give us a hit song to dance along to!

“AM:PM” – NOTD, Maia Wright

Speaking of dance, nobody does it better than the Swedes and Swedish producers NOTD return, this time with Maia Wright on what should become a dance-pop smash with “AM:PM.” This bop could have released in 1999, 2009 or today and in every era, it would have been a hit because melodies like these are timeless and Wright delivers the right vocal punch to make it feel very current despite the production wrapped in Max Martin heyday nostalgia. Wright hasn’t yet got that star-making smash and the single feels like the “Quit Your Job” singer might finally get it. A few years ago, this would have been a no-brainer for chart success but in today’s fickle times, it’s hard to say. TikTok do your thing, this little gem needs your love to help it soar!