Taylor Swift Beth Garrabrant
Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to New Music Friday’s most essential releases each week — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
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Last week, we featured Ariana Grande, Labrinth, aespa and more.
This week: Taylor Swift’s much-teased Toy Story 5 song, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” arrives ahead of the film; Niall Horan serves up the main course with his new album Dinner Party; and Tinashe teases her next chapter with a new single… plus much more. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Taylor Swift, “I Knew It, I Knew You”
After dropping a basketful of easter eggs, Taylor Swift confirmed this week that fans “knew it” all along when her came to her musical involvement on Toy Story 5. She wrote on Instagram, “I’ve always dreamed of getting to write for these characters who I’ve adored since I was a 5 year old kid watching the first Toy Story movie.” And on release night, she uploaded a video of her young self dressed much like Jessie, who inspired “I Knew It, I Knew You.” While the song was teased by Disney as a return to Swift’s country roots, the production does fittingly tap into the genre, though her vocals are distinctly modern-era — resulting in a track that “felt like a musical departure and coming home at the same time,” as she wrote in the caption of her cowgirl clip. “Creating something for Jessie was a new challenge and also felt like second nature all at once.”
Role Model, “High Hopes 3000“
This week, Role Model shared the first taste of new music post-“Sally” virality (“Sally, When the Wine Runs Out” became his first Billboard charting hit, eventually reaching No. 1 on Adult Alternative Airplay, thanks in part to a live show gimmick in which celebrity guests became each evening’s designated Sally). After announcing his forthcoming third album, Chuck Timely & The Hourglass, the artist dropped lead single “High Hopes 3000” that explores the same country-inspired folk-pop landscape of his last album, Kansas Anymore. The new song tugs at a similar lyrical thread, too, with Role Model questioning his faith in finding love. “I need some high hopes, Lord knows I could use ’em…They say I’m unappealing when I shoot my shot/ Come here, honey, don’t know how to do it/ Does love come around or does one come around to it?” Tune in to find out.
Niall Horan, “Tastes So Good”
Niall Horan’s fourth solo album, Dinner Party, arrives today and delivers on its title — offering up a delectable soundtrack perfect for any intimate gathering over food and drink. “Tastes So Good” in particular plays into the title as well as the overarching theme of the album — being in love — by describing just how smitten he is. “Can’t take another breath without you/ Can’t walk down the street/ No, I don’t know what you’re made of/ But it tastes so good to me.” With a line like that, who needs to see a menu? We’ll have what he’s having.
Tinashe, “Too Easy”
Following an appearance at Coachella’s DoLab in April, Tinashe is back — and she’s letting friend and foe know it. The bouncy “Too Easy” is coated in confidence, as she sings, “If you’re mad, then go to therapy/ I can’t help that I make it look so easy.” The clubby pop track clocks in at just under two minutes, only further proving that Tinashe really does have this locked; it sends a message to listeners, too, because it really is that easy to hit replay on a song this sticky.
Ryan Beatty, “Secret Language”
Alternative singer-songwriter Ryan Beatty was once a quiet force behind the scenes, offering backing vocals on BROCKHAMPTON projects among other collaborations. But his 2023 album, Calico, changed his career, becoming critically acclaimed and boosting his exposure — so much so, that Beyoncé came calling. Beatty co-wrote a handful of songs on Cowboy Carter, winning him his first Grammy as the project took home album of the year in 2025. Now, he’s teasing his fourth solo album, Sweet Fortune, out later this month. The sweet and serene lead single, “Secret Language,” shows off his tender writing, hinting at how his silence can say more than words ever could get across: “I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a mess/ ’cause I’m fragile and tired/ wounded and weak/ and my words are a useless defense.”