Weekly Track Reviews 24/4/26 exposed a brutal split in quality. This week’s best songs sounded focused and replayable, while the worst releases felt lazy, trend-chasing, or creatively empty.
Hi everyone, it’s Anthony Stirford from Anthony XO.Music, and I’m back with another weekly track review.
This week’s release slate was a mixed bag. Some tracks genuinely delivered, some didn’t come close. I’m keeping the same format from last week: five tracks worth your time, five that aren’t. No padding, no courtesy placements. Just honest picks based on replay value, songwriting, and whether the track actually earns its running time.
Let’s get into it.
TOP 5 BEST TRACKS OF THE WEEK
Number Five: Conan Gray – “Door”
At five is Conan Gray with “Door.” Conan has always been one of the more emotionally precise pop songwriters working right now, and this track doesn’t change that. It’s controlled, clear, and knows exactly what it’s trying to do. Nothing about it feels accidental. It doesn’t overstay its welcome, and it doesn’t reach for something it can’t hold. That kind of restraint in pop songwriting is harder than it looks, and “Door” pulls it off. Emotionally, I think this is better than most of his recent work.
Number Four: Ella Langley, Morgan Wallen – “I Can’t Love You Anymore”
At four is Ella Langley and Morgan Wallen with “I Can’t Love You Anymore.” After spending time with Dandelion, it’s clear Ella Langley knows how to carry emotional weight without overdoing it. That same quality shows up here. The chemistry between her and Wallen feels natural rather than manufactured, and the songwriting does the heavy lifting the way good country writing always should. I’m not a fan of Morgan Wallen’s music, but this one pulled me in. People often say Ella is Wallen’s female counterpart, and this collaboration is pretty solid proof of that.
Number Three: Shaboozey – “Born To Die”
At three is Shaboozey with “Born To Die.” Shaboozey keeps operating in a space that doesn’t have a clean label, and that’s exactly what makes him interesting. This track pushes in its own direction without apologizing for it. The production has real weight behind it, and the writing doesn’t take the easy road. I thought he was a one-hit wonder who would fade after “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” but this track suggests he might actually stick around. Placing him at three is a deliberate call, and that’s part of why it belongs here.
Number Two: Noah Kahan – “Doors”
At two is Noah Kahan with “Doors.” Noah Kahan has built his whole career on writing that feels like it costs him something to put out, and that doesn’t change here. There’s no performance of emotion in this track. It just is what it is, and that honesty is what makes it land. The production supports the writing without getting in the way. It almost took the top spot, and that wouldn’t have been a wrong call.
Number One: Kehlani, USHER – “Shoulda Never”
At number one this week is Kehlani and USHER with “Shoulda Never.” This is the clearest winner of the week and it wasn’t a difficult decision. Kehlani has always had the vocal control and emotional range to carry a track like this, and Usher brings exactly the kind of presence that elevates rather than competes. The pacing is right. The production sits where it needs to. The writing gives both of them something real to work with. A collaboration between Kehlani and Usher has always been a dream for R&B fans, and this one arrives with perfect execution. No doubt, this is my favorite track of the month.
TOP 5 WORST TRACKS OF THE WEEK
Now for the other side. These are the five tracks released this week that didn’t land. Some of these are from artists who are capable of better, which makes it harder to say — but that’s exactly why it needs to be said.
Number Five: Ringo Starr – “Long Long Road”
At five is Ringo Starr with “Long Long Road.” Legacy is not a free pass. Ringo has an untouchable history and nobody is taking that away from him, but “Long Long Road” doesn’t ask anything of the listener and doesn’t offer much in return. It sounds like a track made because the opportunity existed rather than because there was something left to say. I’m not deeply familiar with his catalog, so I can’t call it outright bad, but as a young music fan, legacy nostalgia without strong songwriting and melody doesn’t do much for me.
Number Four: Sleepy Hallow – “Young & Dumb”
At four is Sleepy Hallow with “Young & Dumb.” There’s no moment in this track that justifies coming back to it. The energy is flat, the writing doesn’t push anywhere interesting, and the whole thing feels like it was finished before it was really started. Sleepy Hallow has shown he can work with real momentum behind him. This isn’t that.
Number Three: Meghan Trainor – “Shimmer”
At three is Meghan Trainor with “Shimmer.” Meghan Trainor has been in the same lane for a long time now — clean, inoffensive, built for background listening. “Shimmer” doesn’t suggest she’s interested in moving anywhere new. There’s nothing technically wrong with it, but there’s nothing that earns a second listen either. Safe is a creative choice, and it comes at a cost. This is not an opulent or elegant song. She didn’t go beyond the obvious here.
Number Two: MGK, Fred Durst – “FIX UR FACE”
At two is MGK and Fred Durst with “FIX UR FACE.” This is exactly the kind of collab that looks provocative on paper and delivers nothing in practice. Two artists whose whole thing is being loud and disruptive, making a track together, should produce something with real edge behind it. Instead it’s just noise with a gimmick attached. The concept ran out before the song started. One of the most avoidable releases of the week.
Number One Worst: The Kid LAROI – “PIECES”
The worst track of the week is “PIECES” by The Kid LAROI. This is the second week in a row LAROI has landed on this list, and that’s not a coincidence — it’s a pattern. The ability is clearly still there, which is what makes this frustrating rather than dismissible. “PIECES” doesn’t take a risk, doesn’t push his sound forward, and doesn’t give you a reason to stay with it. An artist with his profile coasting at this level is a bigger problem than a bad song from a nobody. Expectations matter. His latest R&B-leaning album felt right for where he was, but these unusual hip-hop detours are messing with that. Easily my least favorite track of the week.
That’s the full list. Five tracks that held up, five that didn’t.
The gap between the best and the worst this week was wide enough to be worth naming. Kehlani and Usher reminded you what a genuinely well-crafted collab sounds like. LAROI and MGK reminded you of what one doesn’t. That contrast is part of the story.
I’ll be back soon with more. Until then, keep listening carefully.
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