Weekly Tracks Reviews (17/4/26): Best & Worst Songs Of The Week
Hi everyone, it’s Anthony Stirford from Anthony XO.Music, and I’m back with another weekly track review.
This week I’m switching the format up a little. Instead of my usual Top 10, I’m splitting this into two clear halves — the five tracks that actually delivered this week, and the five that honestly didn’t. I think this format is more honest. Not every release deserves a ranking slot just because it came out. Some weeks the gap between the best and the worst is wide, and this week that gap was very real.
Let’s get into it.
TOP 5 BEST TRACKS OF THE WEEK
Number Five: Young Miko – “BIAF >3”
Coming in at five is Young Miko with “BIAF >3.” This song shows a pretty clear difference from Miko’s usual style. More controlled, more mature, more deliberate. Young Miko has been building real momentum and this track doesn’t slow that down. The energy here feels natural, not forced. It goes beyond her usual aggressive Latin trap style, and that’s exactly why it earns its spot.
Number Four: Lana Del Rey – “First Light”
At four is Lana Del Rey with “First Light.” After “White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter” earlier in the month, Lana comes back with something quieter but no less deliberate. The production surprised me — she adds more warmth here alongside her usual heavy reverb and wall of sound. She’s in a space right now where almost everything she releases feels considered and earned. “First Light” is no exception.
Number Three: Jessie Ware – “Superbloom”
At three is Jessie Ware with “Superbloom.” This is the kind of track that reminds you why Jessie Ware is one of the most consistent artists working right now. More confidence and control in the delivery, and the mix of spiraling piano riffs and funk elements creates a genuinely soulful atmosphere. It doesn’t overreach. It just delivers, cleanly and confidently.
Number Two: Rosalía – “Focu, Ranni”
At two is Rosalía with “Focu, Ranni.” Rosalía doing anything is already worth paying attention to, but this track feels like it’s operating on its own plane. The production is a masterclass in tension and release, handled alongside frequent collaborators Noah Goldstein and Dylan Wiggins. The arrangement is unpredictable in the best way, and it feels like a strong extension of her current conceptual project. This almost took the top spot, and it wouldn’t have been a wrong call.
Number One: Olivia Rodrigo – “drop dead”
At number one this week is Olivia Rodrigo with “drop dead.” Olivia is no longer experimenting with her usual messy pop-rock influence. She’s leaning into a more 80s-inspired New Wave sound, and it works. The songwriting has always been her strongest asset and on “drop dead” she uses it without apology. Direct, emotionally clear, and it hits exactly where it’s supposed to. Putting it at number one isn’t a reflexive call. It genuinely stood above everything else released this week.
TOP 5 WORST TRACKS OF THE WEEK
Now for the other side. These are the five tracks that came out this week and didn’t land for me. Some of them are from artists I genuinely rate, which makes it harder to say — but it needs to be said.
Number Five: WizTheMac – “Wait For You Now”
At five on the worst list is WizTheMac with “Wait For You Now.” This song feels like a sonic sequel to his hit single “Show Me Love,” and that’s the biggest issue — it sounds too familiar. It’s not offensively bad, but it arrived without a clear reason to. There’s a version of this track that works. This isn’t it.
Number Four: Sexyy Red & ATL Jacob – “Rackies”
At four is “Rackies” by Sexyy Red and ATL Jacob. This is not the energetic banger you’d expect from Sexyy Red. The chorus is simple and repetitive in a way that doesn’t work, and the track as a whole feels like a quick release rather than a meaningful one. She’s shown she can deliver tracks with real energy behind them. This one doesn’t have that.
Number Three: The Kid LAROI – “I CONDEMN”
At three is The Kid LAROI with “I CONDEMN.” LAROI is back in his rap roots with this emotional, gritty track, but I don’t think it was the best way to deliver that emotion. He barely showed what he could do with 80s-inspired R&B and pop sounds, and this sudden shift feels distracting. LAROI is an artist with real ability, which is exactly why a track like this is frustrating. When the gap between potential and output is this visible, it’s hard to ignore.
Number Two: Sombr – “Potential”
At two is Sombr with “Potential.” “Homewrecker” was decent, but this one is overproduced and leans too hard into that same “back to friends” style hook. The flat production buries the emotional range that made him interesting in the first place. The title is almost ironic, because potential is exactly what this track had and didn’t use. There are moments where it almost gets there. Almost isn’t enough.
Number One Worst: Oxis – “Gray Mullet”
The worst track of the week is “Gray Mullet” by Oxis. This song is unconventional with zero replay value. As a Gen Z listener I want a punchy chorus that hits instantly, but this track has mantra-like repetition throughout that just leads to conceptual burnout. Nothing about it felt like it was trying in the right direction. In a week where Olivia Rodrigo, Rosalía, and Lana Del Rey all released music, you can’t afford to put out something that isn’t fully baked. “Gray Mullet” wasn’t.
That’s the full list — five tracks worth your time, five that aren’t.
This format felt right for a week where the quality gap was too obvious to flatten into a single ranked list. The best tracks genuinely rewarded attention. The worst ones made that contrast even sharper.
I’ll be back soon with more. Until then, keep listening carefully.
Listen to my “Best Songs Of 2026” playlist on Spotify:
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