Though the September heat proved to be brutal, walks to class were made less miserable by a plethora of new songs that dropped all month long.
Here is a look at seven standout songs released during September:
“Arrows (Die For That Man)” by Carter Faith
Country music’s newest darling, Carter Faith, is gearing up to drop her debut album, “Cherry Valley,” on Friday, and she released “Arrows” at the beginning of September as a taste of what the album will provide.
The track is seasoned with love-tuned breathy transitions and tight strings that cue Cupid to shoot arrows at our man-obsessed songstress. Some lyrics are so suggestive, one might predict that a certain provocative pop star (Sabrina Carpenter) had a hand in the writing. This is particularly true on lines like, “Looking at him looking at me makes me wanna have all of his babies.”
“Center Of The Universe” by Hunter Metts
Hunter Metts recently signed with Position Music/Interscope Records and is amping up to release his debut studio EP, “A Crater Wide.” In promotion of the project, Metts dropped “Center Of The Universe,” an ethereal folky tune that sounds both woodsy and Western.
Metts’ voice haunts the listener and commands goosebumps to spawn as he whispers “You’re the center of the universe” through your headphones.
“Rainbow Connection” by Maddie Poppe
Though certainly not as magical as Kermit the Frog’s rendition, independent artist Maddie Poppe’s take on “Rainbow Connection” is both glittery and mystical. The cover marks Poppe’s first release in two years and calls back to her highly praised audition from her season of “American Idol” in 2018 — the season in which she was crowned victorious.
Poppe’s take feels like a fusion of Colbie Caillat and Sarah McLachlan. Hearing Poppe take on a Muppet classic with indie pop production can make the listener feel spiritual and celestial simultaneously.
“TIT FOR TAT” by Tate McRae
Fresh off her third studio record, “So Close To What,” Tate McRae dropped “TIT FOR TAT.” The song, which undoubtedly takes aim at her ex, The Kid LAROI, keeps the same upbeat, intense pop production and grainy pitch as her recent record, but it evokes feelings of vengeance, a theme aptly absent from “So Close To What.”
One can only assume “TIT FOR TAT” will lead fans of McRae into an angrier follow-up to her previous album effort that featured a collaboration with her ex.
“Jack & Jill Daniel’s” by Emily Ann Roberts
Emily Ann Roberts marries nursery rhyme and legendary whiskey on this new track.
“Jack went up the hill to build a still of whiskey / And drink away the hurt of his heartbreak history / Ain’t no mystery, that’s the way it goes / Behind every shot of Jack, there’s a Jill Daniels,” Roberts sings on the chorus of “Jack & Jill Daniel’s.”
The song follows a trend of turning classic childhood rhymes and songs into darker tracks. You can see similar efforts on GAYLE’s “abcdefu” and Carly Pearce’s “truck on fire,” but those songs are riddled with rage, whereas Roberts’ song is more centered around telling a neutral story of “This is what really happened.”
“Fallin’ For You” by Colbie Caillat ft. Maren Morris
In an attempt to “go country,” as so many other pop-originating artists have done recently, Colbie Caillat has released an album reimagining hits from her discography. For “Fallin’ For You,” Caillat’s RIAA-certified 2x Platinum hit, she snags Maren Morris — which is interesting, considering her alleged departure from the genre in 2023.
Nonetheless, the new take on a Caillat classic is country-flavored and should sound like a nostalgic reprise to fans being reintroduced to the singer’s archive of songs.
“Move On” by Kevin Powers and Shaboozey
“Who taught you how to move on?” sings Kevin Powers alongside the GRAMMY-nominated Shaboozey.
Our narrators detail the ease that a former lover is seemingly moving on from their fizzled relationship. “Move On” showcases the perspective of the two singers as they recount what they believe to be ease from their ex’s ability to move on.
The song is not necessarily groundbreaking, but it is relatable and should pluck familiar strings in the mind of anyone who has ever had to get over anything.
