10 Cool Pop Songs to Get You Through the Week: Caroline Polachek, TWICE, Overcoats & More

Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.

These 10 tracks from artists including TWICE, Caroline Polachek, Overcoats, Alison Goldfrapp and more will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of all 10.

TWICE, “Moonlight Sunrise”

2021 saw K-pop darlings TWICE release their first-ever English single, “The Feels,” which notably charted at No. 83 on the Billboard Hot 100 following its release. Now, the girl group is back with their second stab at an English release with “Moonlight Sunrise”; the track sees members Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu demanding ’round the clock affection and attention from their lovers against a backdrop of bouncy synths and subtle trap beats (Dua Lipa & Megan Thee Stallion’s “Sweetest Pie” comes to mind). The girls also step more into their mature sides, delivering lines like “baby, let’s do it all night” with a certain cheekiness. – Starr Bowenbank

Caroline Polachek, “Welcome to My Island (George Daniel & Charli XCX Remix)”

Caroline Polacheck’s “Welcome to My Island” was a serene, at times bubbly, look into isolation, but with the newly released George Daniel (The 1975) and Charli XCX remix of the track, the isolation turns into an all-out dance party filled to the brim with rave-ready instrumentation. Charli spits on the track, asserting her relationship demands, sexual prowess and love for expensive, luxury goods while Polachek’s pitched-up vocals add another dash of dopamine. – S. Bowenbank

Eli Smart, “Done Me” 

This breezy, whistling tune from newcomer Eli Smart is a refreshing take on beachy pop-rock, as he repeatedly questions, “What have you done to me?” But with production this catchy and lighthearted, it seems he’ll recover just fine. As the Hawaii-born singer-songwriter said in a statement, “The tune came very naturally, and we just danced around my room … it gave us a version of the sunshine we were yearning for.” — Lyndsey Havens

Raine, “Never Tell”

“Never Tell” is just as intriguing as its maker; little is known of emerging singer-songwriter Raine, other than her age (19) and home base (Los Angeles). The single plays out like a colorful and winding staircase, introducing new tempos and beats at every turn. All the while, Raine’s crisp and inviting voice is what guides listeners along — even through the sudden pauses — ensuring no one will get lost on the unexpected journey that is “Never Tell.” — L. Havens

Ashley Kutcher, “Everyone and No One”

Baltimore singer-songwriter Ashley Kutcher deploys the titular phrase of her new midtempo ballad in the lynchpin line “Am I the one you want when everyone and no one’s watching?” — a question that betrays an uncertainty in her partner during loud and quiet moments. Kutcher navigates the situation with an open heart and sense of pace, her voice growing more commanding as the song (which follows her promising 2022 EP Survive My Own Mind) engrosses the listener. – Jason Lipshutz

Malady, “Pressure Builds”

After opening for Wet Leg last year, London quartet Malady hope to enjoy a breakout year of their own with debut EP All Pressure, No Diamonds, out next month. They’re off to a strong start with “Pressure Builds,” a woozy, shuffling alt-pop track with fuzzed-out guitar sparring with vocal hooks that sound primed for packed clubs; there are a lot of whirring details, especially in the song’s back half, which suggests a bevy of ideas to be presented on Malady’s upcoming project. – J. Lipshutz

Girl Scout, “Weirdo”

As the world shut down due to the pandemic in 2020, Girl Scout singer-guitarist Emma Jansson was working at a grocery store, trying to understand adjustments in social interactions and generally feeling pretty strange about everything. “Weirdo” captures that anxiety within a crisp indie-pop shrug, as the intriguing Swedish group makes a declarative statement about an abnormal time and comes up with one of their best tracks to date. – J. Lipshutz

Alison Goldfrapp & Claptone, “Digging Deeper”

“Everything has changed,” Alison Goldfrapp open her new Claptone collaboration, “Digging Deeper.” If the longtime member of synth-pop duo Goldfrapp is thinking about unleashing more work as a solo artist, this kinetic new single is a strong first step: “Digging Deeper” is designed for dance floor euphoria and delivers a drop that needs to soundtrack your next treadmill sprint. – J. Lipshutz

Brye, “Diet Culture”

A sharp arrow aimed at unfair and narrow body standards in society, Brye’s “Diet Culture” is an indie pop confection about not just loving yourself but loving the way you look, too. Over bubbling syncopation and unusual string flourishes, the Chicago singer-songwriter defiantly tells off anyone who would dare “look at me with pity” because they’re “afraid to gain a pound or two.” – Joe Lynch

Overcoats, “Never Let You Go”

Ahead of their April 7 album Winner, Overcoats share “Never Let You Go,” a beguiling meditation on the way you sometimes feel an increased attraction and dependency in the midst of a breakup. But even if the topic is bittersweet, the single is an irresistible, tightly woven slice of moody pop elevated by the NYC duo’s gorgeous harmonizing and a shimmering piano solo. – J. Lynch