caitlyn smith – Early Bird Music

Scroll below to view the music video for each song of the day for January, and press play on the SoundGood player below to listen to our daily picks for the year via the “Project 365” playlist.

SONG OF THE DAY: JANUARY

01/31: “Ready To Let Go” by Cage The Elephant

If “Ready To Let Go” is an indication, Cage The Elephant is going to mold all of their previous sounds into a new-but-familiar combination with their fifth album, Social Cues, which they announced will drop on April 19th. The new single falls somewhere between songs like “Cold Cold Cold,” (Tell Me I’m Pretty) “Shake Me Down,” (Thank You Happy Birthday) and “Spiderhead” (Melophobia).

01/30: “EXPLOSION” by Jordan Hollywood

Even though you might not know his name yet, Jordan Hollywood isn’t brand new to the rap scene. He’s spent time in the industry ghostwriting for different artists and producers from French Montana, Jason Derulo, Lil Baby, Tory Lanez, SkippOnDaBeat and Hitmaka. Signed to the renowned Quality Control Music label (Migos, Stefflon Don, City Girls, Lil Baby, Lil Yachty) Hollywood released his debut album FINALLY in November and continues to ride the wave of success that’s resulted. Today, he was announced as tour support for Lil Baby and will be opening for him on April 8 at Terminal 5 in NYC. Check out “EXPLOSION,” one of our favorite songs off of the album.

01/29: “Cigarettes” by Chloe Lilac

An underrated track of Lilac’s latest three-track project, “Heartbreak City Sessions,” Cigarettes is classic bedroom pop fit for a coffee house or a rainy day.

01/28: “SAVIOR” by Elley Duhe

If you weren’t living under a rock in 2018, you heard Elley Duhe on some of the year’s biggest dance-pop hits with the likes of Zedd (“Happy Now”) and Gryffin (“Tie Me Down”). The Alabama-born singer has a uniquely recognizable voice that turns heads, and her EP “DRAGON MENTALITY” puts it on display. “SAVIOR” is one of Duhe’s best songs, and yet it seems no one knows about it. As one of Early Bird’s most-slept-on songs of 2018, this song deserves your attention immediately. Duhe performs tonight in Brooklyn at Baby’s All Right – tickets are still available.

01/27: “Faded” by Alan Walker

Alan Walker’s international smash hit “Faded” is approaching 1 BILLION streams on Spotify, a monumental feat for the Norwegian EDM producer. The song’s music video (which has 2.2B views on YouTube on its own) is excellent and the song is a shining example of his distinctive production style that can turn any ballad into a dance banger.

01/26: “When We Were Young” by Lost Kings feat. Norma Jean Martine

The Lost Kings knew they had an anthem the second this song was ready. “When We Were Young” is a song you want to scream at the top of your lungs with all of your friends at a concert, just like their show last night at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

01/25: “Crashing” by ILLENIUM feat. Bahari

Illenium continues to flex his musical muscles with his new single, “Crashing,” his first song of 2019. The new single is far less dub-steppy and much more in line with a traditional pop song, making for a pleasantly upbeat and catchy tune that you’ll be playing on repeat over the weekend and beyond.

01/24: “La Di Da” by Lennon Stella

Lenno Stella, of ABC Nashville fame, released her EP, Love, me the week before Thanksgiving and support for it’s lead single, the song has been building since. The song is now over 14 million streams on Spotify alone, and her profile is skyrocketing as a result. The singer also released an acoustic version of the song today and has an upcoming concert at Irving Plaza on

01/23: “Handmade Ego” by TENDER

Feeling a little indie today, I went for indie alt group TENDER, and their latest EP Fear of Falling Asleep. The first track, “Handmade Ego” is a catchy indie tune with heavy synths and a sweeping soundscape, without losing its organic qualities like a noticeable kick & snare, and clean bass rhythm.

01/22: “Forgive Me Friend” by Smith & Thell

The Swedish duo’s song “Forgive Me Friend” reckons back to when The Lumineers and Mumford and Sons were having their moment in the sun. Maybe Smith & Thell can bring folk music back into the popular mainstream.

01/21: “Going Bad” by Meek Mill feat. Drake

This is more of a Drake song, it seems, than a Meek Mill song. But hey, we’re not complaining – this song bangs.

01/20: “Hello” by Martin Solveig feat. Dragonette

01/19: “How Deep Is Your Love” by Calvin Harris feat. Disciples

01/18: “Mile High” by James Blake feat. Travis Scott

01/17: “Almost (Sweet Music) by Hozier

Hozier is back in 2019 with his first single and a newly announced album dropping March 1st. If Nina Cried Power and “Almost” are any indication, the new album is going to be less rock-y and more melodic, but none of that is a bad thing.

01/16: “Hit the Road Jack” by Throttle

One of the more masterfully re-done dance covers of all-time, Aussie DJ Throttle remixed Ray Charles’ “Hit The Road Jack” into a house-heavy club banger.

01/15: “No Chance” by Jarami

Producer/DJ duo Jarami continue to put out tracks that make listeners want to dance. This song is understated through its verses and drops into a perfectly vibey, groovy beat that keeps the song driving through. Jacob Olofsson, one half of the Jarami duo, was recently nominated for two Grammys, having co-written “Electricity” by Silk City feat. Dua Lipa (nom. Best Dance Recording), and for co-writing on Camila Cabello’s debut album (nom. Best Pop Vocal Album).

Listen to their December EP, Sketches II, below:

01/14: “Move All Night” by SNBRN & Autograf feat. KOLE

01/13: “Firestone” by Kygo feat. Conrad Sewell

01/12: “Scared of Love” by Rudimental

01/11: “Trampoline” by SHAED

The song that’s blown up since being featured in a sync for the new Macbook Air computer is crazy catchy, with a chorus that’s sticky and a whistling component that’ll have you whistling along without even realizing it.

01/10: “Longshot” by Catfish and the Bottlemen

My absolute favorite rock band, Catfish and the Bottlemen, released a new single on Tuesday, “Longshot.” The Welsh rock outfit are poised to release a new album in 2019. “Longshot” was released in conjunction with a 2019 US Tour run.

01/09: “Instruction” by Jax Jones feat. Demi Lovato & Steflon Don

01/08: “Batshit” by Sofi Tukker

01/07: “Take It” by Dom Dolla

My favorite house track from 2018 belongs to Australia’s Dom Dolla. The song hits hard and stays interesting from start to finish without falling prey to the repetition bird.

01/06: “I Can’t Hold On” by GTA & Dillon Francis

Highlighted earlier in 2018 in my “TGINMF” weekly post, this song from Dillon Francis and GTA is a dance hit you won’t be able to get out of your head.