New Music Friday – August 28, 2026
This New Music Friday takes a look at the most thrilling releases in pop and rock music today. Read on to see a full list of top picks to listen to now. First, here’s an in-depth look at the most noteworthy release out today.
The Best of New Music Friday:
Mike D – Thank You
This is a brief love letter to Mike D, the Beastie Boys member who today released his first solo album (unless you count Country Mike’s Greatest Hits in 2000) and has historically blessed the rap world by dropping outstanding lines such as “I’ve got more action than my man John Woo and I’ve got mad hits like I was Rod Carew.”
Thank You is the name of his awesome electronic, industrial and rhyme heavy record. It’s also the name of the record’s closing track, which is an emotional ending to an LP and project that never seemed possible. When Beastie Boys founder MCA (real name Adam Yauch, RIP) died from cancer, Mike D and the DJ Ad-Rock committed to never releasing another track under their world-famous moniker. They’ve made appearances on tracks over the years, but it stunned virtually every hip-hop head when Mike D announced his new project and played small shows in select cities.
His comeback was the jaw dropping and whimsical single “Switch Up,” which is a certified banger. It’s filled with hard snare drum hits to carry the beat and inspires some serious dancing. There’s tons of electronic elements that aren’t such a far cry from the Beastie Boys final album Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2. “What We Got” is another slick song with some odd tones that pair perfectly with some mixing that places the track in a dreamscape. It sounds at times like Mike D threw down a rhyme over an Avalanches song.
Mike D’s new venture is inspiring. For an age 60 New Yorker who debuted in the 1980s, it’s great to see a slight reinvention from such a beloved artist.
Thank you, Mike D.
New Music Friday Top Picks:
Denzel Curry – ii [Loma Vista]
Interpol – This Mirror Weighs a Ton [Partisan]
Pulp – Live! [Rough Trade]
Rod Wave – Don’t Look Down [Alamo]
Saul Williams – Leap Life [Big Dada]
Turnstile – NEVER ENOUGH (VERSIONS) [Roadrunner]
Ty Segall – Chrome [Drag City]
Which of these tracks from New Music Friday will you add to your favorite playlists today? Any we missed? Let us know in the comments or on Instagram!
- New Music Friday – August 28, 2026 - August 28, 2026
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- New Music Friday – July 24, 2026 - July 24, 2026
