Spotify New Music Friday May 22

Spotify’s New Music Friday update for May 22 centered on Olivia Rodrigo, whose single “the cure” landed her on the cover of the playlist, according to Hits Daily Double. The trade publication’s May 22 roundup also listed Charli xcx, 6LACK, LE SSERAFIM, Maisie Peters and others among the week’s featured additions. Spotify’s playlist page showed New Music Friday carrying 100 tracks and about 495,600 saves when viewed on Saturday. The May 22 refresh fit the usual New Music Friday pattern: a headline-making lead track, a mix of major-label pop releases, and a wider field spanning R&B, rap, dance and K-pop. Billboard’s Friday music guide the same day also led with Rodrigo and highlighted Charli xcx and Lola Young among the week’s biggest releases. (hitsdailydouble.com) ### Which artists were most visible in Spotify’s May 22 update? Hits Daily Double’s top 20 list for May 22 opened with Olivia Rodrigo’s “the cure,” followed by Lola Young’s “From Down Here” and Charli xcx’s “SS26.” The same list also included Bleachers’ “we should talk,” 6LACK, Leon Thomas and AZ Chike’s “All that Matters,” and LE SSERAFIM’s “BOOMPALA.” (billboard.com) Additional highlights named by Hits Daily Double extended beyond the top 20. The outlet listed Lizzo featuring Sexyy Red on “HOES” from *Scary Movie*, ZAYN’s “Daydreamin’,” Niall Horan’s “End of an Era,” Stormzy and Odeal’s “24 Hours,” and Vince Staples’ “White Flag.” ### Why was Olivia Rodrigo the focal point? Olivia Rodrigo was the cover artist for the playlist “compliments of ‘the cure,’” Hits Daily Double wrote in its May 22 playlist roundup. (hitsdailydouble.com) Billboard’s Friday guide separately said Rodrigo had released the second single from her forthcoming album *You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love*. Billboard described “the cure” as one of the week’s central releases, placing it at the top of its own New Music Friday guide. That overlap between Spotify playlist placement and trade coverage made Rodrigo the clearest anchor of the May 22 cycle. ### How broad was the genre mix this week? LE SSERAFIM’s inclusion gave the playlist a K-pop entry near the top tier, while 6LACK’s collaboration with Leon Thomas and AZ Chike represented R&B and hip-hop. (hitsdailydouble.com) KETTAMA, TOKiMONSTA and Kygo also appeared in Hits Daily Double’s rundown, pointing to dance and electronic representation alongside pop releases. (billboard.com) Lizzo, ZAYN, Niall Horan and Maisie Peters added more mainstream pop weight. Billboard’s guide similarly framed the week as one led by pop releases, with Rodrigo and Charli xcx at the center. ### What about the physical releases tied to May 22? HMV listings for May 22 showed a separate physical-release lane running alongside the streaming playlist cycle. (hitsdailydouble.com) The retailer listed *Paddington The Musical – Original Cast Recording* as released on May 22 in CD and vinyl formats, and said Michael Ball’s album *Glow* was released the same day ahead of in-store signing events from May 23 to May 26. HMV’s New Music Friday page also showed LE SSERAFIM’s *PUREFLOW Pt.1* among current new-release inventory. That retail view matched the broader picture from streaming and trade coverage: May 22 was packed with pop-led releases, but not limited to digital-first singles. ### Where can listeners track what comes next? Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist page remained live on Saturday with 100 tracks, making it the clearest running snapshot of the week’s additions. (hmv.com) HMV’s release pages and artist event listings also point to the next step in the cycle, with Michael Ball signings scheduled through May 26 and May 22 physical titles already on sale. (open.spotify.com) (hmv.com)