Charli XCX releases 'Playboy Bunny'

Charli XCX released “Playboy Bunny” on Saturday, May 23, as the B-side to her recent single “SS26,” adding another off-platform track to the early rollout for her next album. Billboard described the song as a pop-punk or “punky” companion to “SS26,” and reported that Charli posted it through her “b.sides” Instagram account rather than through the main streaming services. Far Out reported that Charli had previewed the strategy a day earlier, saying the B-sides were songs made during the album sessions that belonged to the same world but were not intended for the final record. In that explanation, she said the tracks were being paired with the main singles because they worked as opposites. (billboard.com) ### Why is “Playboy Bunny” being framed as a B-side to “SS26”? Far Out reported that Charli described “Playboy Bunny” as the B-side to “SS26” and said the two songs were matched because they were “extremely opposite” in sonic terms. Billboard separately identified “Playboy Bunny” as the B-side to “SS26” in its report on the release. (faroutmagazine.co.uk) May 23 is the date Billboard attached to the release post, and the outlet said Charli shared a black-and-white video for the song on social media. Billboard also quoted Charli’s caption saying the clip was shot the day after the “SS26” video and that she was “honestly v hungover.” ### How does this fit with the earlier “Rock Music” release? (faroutmagazine.co.uk) May 9 is the date Far Out gave for “I Keep on Thinking about You Every Single Day and Night,” which it said was released via Instagram as the B-side to “Rock Music.” The same report said Charli viewed those two songs as opposites as well, using the pairing to define the purpose of the B-side series. (billboard.com) Stereogum was cited in the source briefing as reporting that “Playboy Bunny” followed “Rock Music” and its B-side in the same release pattern. Taken together, the reports describe a campaign in which each headline single is accompanied by a second track issued outside the usual album-and-streaming sequence. (faroutmagazine.co.uk) ### Why are some of these songs not on streaming platforms? Charli said on Instagram, as quoted by Far Out, that she made “a few songs” that felt part of the album’s world but knew they were not going to appear on the album itself. She said those songs became the B-sides. Far Out also quoted her saying, “The B-sides are never going to go on streaming, I don’t think,” while adding that the plan could still change. (faroutmagazine.co.uk) In the same explanation, she said she wanted the songs to “live here” on that account and said each B-side would also be pressed to seven-inch vinyl. ### What does the release say about the sound of the next Charli XCX album? (faroutmagazine.co.uk) NME reported in April that Charli had said, “The dance floor is dead, so now we’re making rock music,” describing a move away from the electronic sound associated with “Brat.” The outlet said she framed the new record as a deliberate attempt not to make “Brat 2.0.” (faroutmagazine.co.uk) Billboard’s description of “Playboy Bunny” as a pop-punk track fits that broader shift, at least in the material released so far. “Rock Music,” “SS26” and now “Playboy Bunny” have all been presented in coverage as part of the same next-album campaign. ### What comes next in this rollout? Charli said, in comments quoted by Far Out, that the B-sides are tied to songs “coming out ahead of the album,” indicating more pairings are planned before the full record arrives. (nme.com) Far Out also reported that the tracks are being housed on her secondary Instagram account rather than added immediately to streaming services. (billboard.com) Seven-inch vinyl is the other named next step. Charli said each B-side would be pressed in that format, giving fans two places to find the material for now: the “b.sides” Instagram account and the physical singles she said are planned. (faroutmagazine.co.uk)