[2026] Great for drives too! A roundup of the latest stylish Western music

I Wish I Didn’t Waste Your TimeThundercat

Thundercat – ‘I Wish I Didn’t Waste Your Time’

Thundercat, the musician who wields a virtuosic six-string bass and moves effortlessly between jazz and soul.

After winning a Grammy in 2021 for his album It Is What It Is, he’s finally dropped a long-awaited solo track.

Released in September 2025, this song centers on a bittersweet, beautiful sentiment: regret over having “wasted” time with a former lover.

His signature blend of flowing bass lines and sweet falsetto remains intact, melding with dreamy synths.

This time, producer Greg Kurstin is on board, crafting an intimate yet richly layered sound.

It’s a track that’s perfect for a solitary night when you want to sink into a sentimental mood.

Baby Blue (feat. Oliver Sim)SG Lewis

SG Lewis – Baby Blue (feat. Oliver Sim)

SG Lewis from the UK is a multifaceted artist active as a singer-songwriter and producer.

Seamlessly traversing genres like deep house, synth-pop, and funk, he’s a proven talent who has also written songs for numerous artists, including Dua Lipa.

This is the lead single from his third album, “Anemoia,” set for release in September 2025.

The track features The xx’s Oliver Sim on vocals and comes together as a dance tune imbued with the sparkle of disco.

Reflecting the album’s overarching theme—nostalgia for an era one has never experienced—it blends a certain wistful emotion into its glamorous sound.

Its nostalgic world evokes faint memories of young love, making for a wonderfully comfortable vibe.

It feels like the perfect song for moments when you want to linger in a touch of sentimentality, wrapped in sophisticated production.

Countryside (ft. Eva Tolkin, Liam Benzvi, Ian Isiah)Blood Orange

Blood Orange – Countryside (Audio) ft. Eva Tolkin, Liam Benzvi, Ian Isiah

Blood Orange is the project of Devonté Hynes, an artist who moves fluidly across genres from singer-songwriter to filmmaker.

The work he released in August 2025 features an enchanting, dreamlike sound woven from airy synths and gentle guitars.

It poetically portrays a sense of nostalgia and longing—gazing out the window and thinking of someone far away.

The scene of a fog-laden city quietly beginning to breathe seems to invite listeners into an introspective world.

This track appears on Essex Honey, his first album in six years, and suggests a larger narrative of returning to his roots and finding healing.

It’s a perfect listen for nights when you want to forget the city’s clamor and sink into contemplation.

FACEDOWNChase Atlantic

Chase Atlantic – FACEDOWN (Official Lyric Video)

Chase Atlantic, the Australian trio fusing alternative R&B with rock and trap, are drawing attention with their distinctive dark aesthetic.

Openly influenced by The Weeknd and The 1975, they released a new single in August 2025.

Intertwining dreamy, weightless melodies with hypnotic beats, the sound feels quintessentially them.

This work vividly portrays struggles with mental health and an inner turmoil like drowning in a bottomless pool, striking deeply at the listener’s heart.

Overcoming the hardship of losing their production data, they completed the acclaimed masterpiece LOST IN HEAVEN; this new release further deepens that world, making it a perfect listen for late-night solitude and contemplation.

in plain sightKhalid

Khalid – in plain sight (Official Video)

Since earning wide acclaim with his debut album, American Teen, singer-songwriter Khalid has been at the forefront of the R&B scene.

He has now released the lead track from his upcoming album, After the Sun Goes Down, slated for October 2025.

Marking a departure from his previous chill sound, this new work is an exhilarating dance-pop track, shimmering with synths that evoke ’80s disco.

In contrast to its lyrics about breaking away from betrayal, the sound feels boundlessly liberating—an intriguing juxtaposition.

It’s a powerful statement of self-liberation from an artist who, in November 2024, shared his true self with fans.

This is a track that can give you courage when you want to shake off the past and take a step forward.