September's Essential Listening: Rebecca Black, Paris Paloma Lead Standout New Releases
This week's crop of new releases showcases artists at pivotal career moments, from viral sensations cementing their artistic legitimacy to emerging voices demanding attention. NPR Music host Stephen Thompson convened a panel of DJs from across the public radio network to identify the standout albums arriving September 4.
Joining the conversation were Nastia Voynovskaya from KQED in San Francisco, Julie Bee from Marfa Public Radio in west Texas, and DeShun Nance from WJSU in Jackson, Mississippi. The team narrowed dozens of releases down to five essential albums, with additional recommendations featured in a rapid-fire lightning round.
Rebecca Black: From Viral Phenomenon to Artistic Statement
Rebecca Black's second studio album Age of the Exhibitionist arrives as a bold statement of artistic evolution. The self-released project follows her 2023 debut Let Her Burn and last year's Salvation EP, marking significant growth for an artist who first entered public consciousness at age 13 with the 2011 viral hit "Friday." That song, which accumulated over 178 million YouTube views, became a cultural touchstone for millennials and an internet phenomenon that could have defined Black's entire career.
Instead, Black has steadily rebuilt her artistic identity on her own terms. Recent career momentum includes opening slots on Katy Perry's Lifetimes Tour, after which she completed album tracks "Metamorphia" and "Hot Wet Delirious." The new record showcases an artist comfortable in her own skin, exploring themes of identity and self-presentation with the confidence of someone who has nothing left to prove. Black will promote the album on her Exhibitionism on Tour run, including festival appearances at All Things Go 2026 and Austin City Limits 2026, plus a headlining show at New York City's Webster Hall on October 17.
For listeners drawn to contemporary pop artists like Addison Rae and Slayyyter, Black's latest offers sophisticated songcraft wrapped in accessible melodies.
Paris Paloma Examines Love Through Multiple Lenses
British singer-songwriter Paris Paloma delivers her sophomore album The Fatal Flaw via Nettwerk Records, following her 2024 debut Cacophony. The new project represents an ambitious philosophical inquiry into love itself, examining the concept through various frameworks including love as art, love under patriarchy, and love as political resistance.
Paloma built her following through authenticity and emotional resonance. Her 2023 single "Labour" sparked a massive viral response on TikTok, receiving 1 million Spotify streams within 24 hours of release and inspiring thousands of women to share their own experiences with sexism and gender inequality. That connection with listeners translated into a devoted fanbase eager for deeper explorations of identity, feminism and human connection.
The Fatal Flaw draws listeners into Paloma's contemplative universe, where questions about connection, nature and self-discovery intertwine. Fans of Suki Waterhouse and Florence + The Machine will find kindred spirit in Paloma's approach to emotionally charged, intellectually engaged pop music.
Sharp Pins, 1-800-MIKEY and Button Masher Round Out the Top Five
Seattle act Sharp Pins delivers Mod Mayday 23 through K Records, offering guitar-driven energy that channels the spirit of bands like Lifeguard and The Replacements. The album captures the raw immediacy of punk-influenced rock with melodic sensibilities that transcend simple genre exercises.
Memphis-based 1-800-MIKEY presents IN YUN via Goner Records, a project brimming with nervous energy and angular post-punk urgency. The album sits comfortably alongside contemporaries like Snõõper and Twisted Teens, delivering tightly wound songs that refuse to sit still.
Electronic producer Button Masher unveils Super Button Masher on Brainfeeder, the Los Angeles-based independent label founded by Flying Lotus in 2008. The label, which partnered with Ninja Tune for worldwide distribution in 2010, has established itself as a home for experimental electronic music and instrumental hip hop that pushes boundaries. Button Masher's album fits squarely within that tradition, crafting intricate electronic compositions that recall the adventurous spirit of Flying Lotus and Daft Punk while carving out distinct sonic territory.
Lightning Round Recommendations
The panel also highlighted five additional releases deserving attention: Senri Oe's contemplative Homework, Madi Diaz's stripped-back Fatal Optimist UN-unplugged, Medium Build's exuberant King of Having Fun, Chat Pile's confrontational Who Loves The Sun, and Steven R. Smith's atmospheric Half Light Unfolding.
NPR Music production assistant Dora Levite added her personal picks: Lily Seabird's Lightspheres on Their Way and Cyst's experimental ᲘᲘ.
The full episode features audio clips, extended commentary and context for each selection. Listeners can sample all discussed albums through NPR Music's curated New Music Friday playlists on Spotify and Apple Music.
