The best and worst of New Music Friday: Stormzy, Imagine Dragons, Hailee Steinfeld

Here we go again... New Music Friday has rolled around, with its usual cornucopia of delights and disappointments. Here's a selection:

1) Stormzy - Big For Your Boots
The first single from Stormzy's long-awaited debut album Gang Signs & Prayer, this contains this amazing couplet: "I was in the O2 singing my lungs out / Rudeboy, you're never too big for Adele."




2) Zara Larsson ft Ty Dolla Sign - So Good
Zara's urban-pop anthem was technically out last week, but now she's done a video to go with it. So here you are.




3) Imagine Dragons - Believer
Weirdly, this comes from the advert for Nintendo's new Switch console - but it's still a pretty heartfelt song, with Dan Reynolds explaining it depicts his "realisation that the emotional pain I faced the last few years actually helped me progress to this healthier mental space". Whatever, the new Zelda game looks amazing.



4) Liv Dawson - Searching
A solid, soulful, house track produced by Disclosure. Liv is just 18 and hails from Shepperton, fact fans.





5) Muna - I Know A Place
A powerful and timely video about acceptance and tolerance.
NB: Muna's excellent debut album is out today, and you should buy it.




6) Brooke Candy ft Sia - Living Out Loud
Sia's formula is starting to wear thin - you could set a watch by the arrival of her choruses. But her writing is still more electrifying than 99% of her peers. Basically, if you like Sia you will like this and if you don't like Sia you will don't like it.





7) Salen - Heartbreak Diet
"I used to dream of dying so you would cry at my funeral," sings Ellie Kamio on this infectious pop-hop jam. The London trio are rapidly becoming ones to watch.






8) Digital Farm Animals ft Hailee Steinfeld - Digital Love
A totally abhorrent Chainsmokers rip-off with some of the worst lyrics ever committed to tape. "I swipe right, cause I see just what I like / It's called Digital Love."

Shame on you, Digital Farm Animals. Shame on you all.

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