California pop duo X Lovers sign with Visionary/RCA Records. Eventually moving to LA setting up a music studio, the two 21-year-olds from Nevada City have been collaborating as a team since they were 10. Check out the track Easy. Give it a stream.

Fresh-on-the-scene 20 year old New Zealand producer who goes under the moniker of OSQAR releases the catchy pop tune Day By Day. Sonically, it’s reminiscent of The Weeknd. Starting as a drummer in an indie rock band, he found himself in electronic music and production this is where the vision for OSQAR started. Give it a stream!
osqarmusic@gmail.com

If it’s any act that has GOD’s anointing it is Hillsong United. The christian act won their first #1 album outpacing P!nk. Without any top 40 radio support and marketing, the latest effort is a LIVE album, not a big budget studio album. The album features 12 live tracks which was recorded in Sydney, Australia.

Joel Houston says “The hope for the project is simply understanding the power of music as a means of bringing people together, and letting it serve as a reminder that in our culture––the call to love our neighbour is a revolutionary act that perhaps rings louder now than ever.”

Now that the christian act scored their first album, is this a once in a lifetime event? Definitely not. With 5 studio albums and 14 Live Albums, the band has been growing in popularity for years. What I do know is that P!nk won’t be releasing her next album during the same week as Hillsong United, that’s of course if she wants a #1 album.

Look out for Chloe Castro . She just released the in-your-face pop track Drunk via indie label Kaleidoscope. Think early Jessie J when she came on the scene with attitude. The track made it on the popular Tom Robinson’s BBC Introducing Mixtape. Originally from Durham, UK, Chloe had her roots in street performing building a YouTube following, before appearing on ‘The Voice’ in the UK in 2016, making it to the finals. Give it a listen.
chloecastro.official@gmail.com

Taylor Swift returns with a new playful pop song ME! that features Panic’s Brendon Urie. The new single marks her first release on Republic (UMG). It should come to no surprise that she teamed up with Brendon considering he has a chart topping smash with ‘High Hopes’. Not that Taylor needs Brendon, but two big names coming together nearly guarantees strong airplay and placement.

Columbia Records struck gold with Lil Nas X ‘Old Town Road’ has topped Spotify’s daily U.S. Streaming Songs chart. As we mentioned earlier, it will be the memorable marketing campaign of the year.

In streaming news, Spotify hit 100 million paid subscribers. It was only a month ago that Apple said it overtook Spotify in paid subscribers but Spotify has turned the tables and is now claiming it has twice the number of subscribers as Apple. The streaming wars continue….

The biggest shocker this week is the cancellation of Woodstock 50. There is too much behind-the-scenes drama to draw any speculation.