While the dark, bitter cold of winter trudges on, we can look to music for fresh sounds to get us through. The start of a new year also marks the start of “single season” when artists begin to tease their new albums and drop long lists of tour dates on their Instagrams. Artists such as Harry Styles, Noah Kahan, Mitski, Snail Mail and Courtney Barnett have kicked off the season by releasing new songs these past couple of weeks. This time of year is when I decide what concert tickets are worth purchasing, so here is my very personal guide to what you should tune into this “single season.”
Lindsey Erin Jordan, commonly known as Snail Mail, released her single “Dead End” from her upcoming album “Ricochet” on Jan. 20. The song is in typical Snail Mail fashion with nostalgically broken-hearted lyrics moaned over bright, repetitive guitar riffs. In the late 2010s, Snail Mail emerged as a fresh voice in bedroom pop, and her sound has slowly matured since. Her most recent album “Valentine” was sharper with a noticeable edge: there was a slight rasp in her voice, rageful lyrics and powerful guitar leading the charge. However, I do not feel “Dead End” is an adequate example of all Snail Mail has proven she can accomplish. Vocally, as she describes an old love that flourished on the cul-de-sacs of her hometown, her voice sounds thinner and more whiny than ever, lacking the complexity and fullness her voice has proven on past records. Even more, “Dead End” is predictable, lacking an exciting shift in the melody. The song’s simple bridge is unsatisfying and gives way to some repetitive “Na, na, na-na, na, na”s which finish off the song; it feels less passionate than Snail Mail’s usual. Although, with the song’s simplicity comes a great deal of playfulness. The chords she has chosen to reverberate throughout the song are light and springy, making way for her March album release. Ultimately, I will be curious to see how this song fits into her new album “Ricochet.”
Courtney Barnett released two singles on Jan. 20, one featuring indie-country artist Waxahatchee. “Site Unseen (feat. Waxahatchee)” and “Stay In Your Lane” are extremely promising singles for her upcoming album, “Creature of Habit.” Both showcase two completely different sides of Barnett’s artistry. “Site Unseen (feat. Waxahatchee)” is twangy in nature with Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee and Barnett harmonizing over the droning, echoey electric guitar. The song’s lyrics are contemplative but ultimately indecisive: “Let’s figure out the rest another day,” Barnett promises at the end of the song. “Site Unseen” feels light and free-spirited, starkly contrasting the harshness of her second single, “Stay in Your Lane.” This song is more classically Barnett, starting out with a punch of dark chords bellowing from her rumbling bass guitar. Her voice lazily pierces through the sharp production, talking to listeners in her typical tone of nonchalance. Barnett speak-sings about things not going her way, which she attributes to her own mistakes. She regretfully shouts, “This never would’ve happened if I stayed in my lane.” The noisy guitar keeps listeners on their toes as the chords move in all directions throughout the song. Both of these songs hooked me right away. They feel fresh, but as Barnett sings, “I stayed in my lane.” I look forward to “Creature of Habit,” which is to be released on March 27.
Additionally, Mitsuki Laycock, or Mitski, returns from a two-year hiatus with the single “Where’s My Phone?” from her upcoming album, “Nothing’s About to Happen to Me.” This song is punchy, like Barnett’s “Stay In Your Lane,” but with a uniquely ominous tone that Mitski has mastered across her decade-long music career. She sings eerily in minor chords as her lyrics meld from worried questioning—“Where’s my phone?”—into poetic contemplation about the blankness of her mind in the age of the smartphone: “I’ll stay out until my mind is like a clear glass.” Mitski has always been an expert at deeply examining issues that her listeners can relate to with her metaphorical lyrics. This single is a great example of this expertise, as it is a frightening reminder of our worsening disconnect from reality. The song ends with the roar of her distorted, muffled electric guitar, possibly symbolizing the frustration she feels with her addiction to technology. “Where’s My Phone?” is a powerful single in both meaning and sound, hopefully making way for some of Mitski’s best work on “Nothing’s About to Happen to Me.”
It is 2026, and some of your favorite 2010s bedroom pop artists are back with new sounds. While “single season” is in full swing, now is the best time to snatch up concert tickets before they disappear and become impossibly expensive. Tours have been announced by Barnett, Snail Mail and more artists who provide smaller, more intimate concert experiences as opposed to the larger tours and residencies announced by artists like Harry Styles and Bruno Mars. Now, we can eagerly look to early spring for “album season” to kick off.