Y.E.S.: Megan Thee Stallion, “B.I.T.C.H.” – Megan Thee Stallion and her bionic knees have been unstoppable ever since her video “Big Ole Freak” went viral nearly a year ago. Since then, she’s released a critically acclaimed mixtape, collaborated with artists like Nicki Minaj and Normani, and launched last year’s Hot Girl Summer mantra. All of this, on top of going to college and dealing with the sudden death of her mother and grandmother. And now, Meg is here with the first single of her debut album, and just like everything else she’s done thus far in her career, she delivered. “B.I.T.C.H.” samples Tupac’s “Ratha Be Ya Nigga” and features an ever-confident Megan laying down the law, asserting, “I’d rather be a B-I-T-C-H/’Cause that’s what you gon’ call me when I’m trippin’ anyway.” There’s a lot to like here, especially the smooth, updated homage to ’90s West Coast hip-hop beats. But what stands out the most to me is Megan’s sense of humor: “It’s 2020, I ain’t finna argue ’bout twerkin.’” I mean, true! Don’t waste time on a man who wants to stifle your twerking, or anyone else’s. —Ashley Reese
Y: Hayley Williams, “Simmer” – And just like that, the era of solo Hayley Williams is upon us. The Paramore frontwoman (and only original member of the group) has lent her vocals for a few solo singles here and there (with Zedd, B.o.B., Chvrches, American Football, some other artists of note I am no doubt failing to mention here), but “Simmer” is something different, built from pieces of the past. Unlike anything in Paramore’s pop-punk repertoire (save for momentary blips of ’80s synth-pop syncopation), this is scary, and dark, and weird, and raw—things Williams has always been, cloaked in anthemic bridges. Now, instead, she’s leaning into her weariness. All of the comparisons to Radiohead are not wrong. —Maria Sherman
Y: Hayley Williams, “Simmer” – And just like that, the era of solo Hayley Williams is upon us. The Paramore frontwoman (and only original member of the group) has lent her vocals for a few solo singles here and there (with Zedd, B.o.B., Chvrches, American Football, some other artists of note I am no doubt failing to mention here), but “Simmer” is something different, built from pieces of the past. Unlike anything in Paramore’s pop-punk repertoire (save for momentary blips of ’80s synth-pop syncopation), this is scary, and dark, and weird, and raw—things Williams has always been, cloaked in anthemic bridges. Now, instead, she’s leaning into her weariness. All of the comparisons to Radiohead are not wrong. —Maria Sherman