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Bop Shop: Songs From Charli XCX, MUNA, Hayley Kiyoko, And More

A throwback MUNA joint, an anthem for battling agoraphobia, and more this week in this week's shop

The search for the ever-elusive "bop" is difficult. Playlists and streaming-service recommendations can only do so much. They often leave a lingering question: Are these songs really good, or are they just new?

Enter Bop Shop, a hand-picked selection of songs from the MTV News team. This weekly collection doesn't discriminate by genre and can include anything — it's a snapshot of what's on our minds and what sounds good. We'll keep it fresh with the latest music, but expect a few oldies (but goodies) every once in a while, too. Get ready: The Bop Shop is now open for business.

Twin XL: "Good"

In the subjective world of music, titling a track "Good" is a lot of pressure to put on a listener. But if there’s one thing Twin XL accomplishes in their debut single, it's making you feel, well, good. From its perky whistling intro to its punctuated declaration that "Nobody gonna kill my vibe," the song is a Certified Bop™ fitting for both swaying in the car in on a sunny day and power-walking into the office when you’re running late.

The L.A. alt-pop trio is a who's who of producers and musicians, having done their time in bands like The Summer Set and Nekokat and working with artists like All Time Low and Lindsey Stirling. Their EP How to Talk to Strangers demonstrates that their sound is decidedly their own: shiny, bright, and daring the alt-pop genre to out-sleek itself. Put this one on and let the good vibes roll. —Carson Mlnarik

Vivian Girls: "Sick"

Thank god. Vivian Girls are back, and not a moment too soon. "Sick," the lead single/banger off their first album in eight years, finds the recently reunited trio not missing a step, doling out the same fuzzy, melody-driven indie rock that the band was beloved for in just over two minutes. Singer-bassist Katy Goodman told Rolling Stone, "We always knew we had something special, and even when we broke up, we knew there was a strong chance we would reunite someday." Memory, Vivian Girls's fourth LP, is out September 20. —Bob Marshall

MUNA: "End Of Desire"

MUNA's 2017 debut, About U, is a pitiful breakup album that crawls through all the hallmarks of uncoupling: the grief of what we've done, the relief of leaving it all behind, the anxiety of a marked past and a blurred future. But its penultimate track, "End of Desire," is a blissful ask to not feel much of anything, calling upon some kind of savior, from within or without, to take us away from the need to want. —Terron Moore

Hayley Kiyoko: "I Wish"

Welcome back, Lesbian Jesus! For her first new release in over a year, Hayley Kiyoko vents about a cold, callous girl who broke her heart: "We butt heads / 'Cause you're paying him attention / And you're selfish with your affection." But just when you’ve pegged "I Wish" as a cool, confident act of vengeance, Kiyoko lets down her guard: "I wish, I wish, I wish I found love," she repeats on the chorus. All of those conflicting emotions come to life in the spellbinding video — she's wishing for love, but first she needs to dance off that black-hearted ex (even if it means gulping down some witchy potion). —Madeline Roth

Ric Wilson: "Yellowbrick"

Chicago-based hip-hop artist Ric Wilson's "Yellowbrick" is impossible not to listen to with a big dumb smile on your face. After a minute-and-a-half of lovelorn crooning, the track morphs into an absolute jam — an ideal companion for sweating it out on the dance floor this summer. "I just wanted to make a song that sounded like it could be in a black rom-com," Wilson says. "A song that sounded like the black love songs I grew up too." And yes, Wilson does fall for a puppet in the music video. Hey, no judgment here. —Bob Marshall

Delacey: "My Man"

I'd never plead with another woman to not steal my man, but this song absolutely slaps. Even though I can't relate, and I'd never stand for my partner leaving me for someone else or worse, telling anyone I'd be OK with it (that'd be a cold day in hell), the vibe Delacey brings to "My Man" makes it such a chill song that the lyrics don't matter so much as the way the music makes me feel. I can't stop listening to it, despite hoping no one out there is actively having to ask the "other woman" they're worried about, even in secret, not to steal their lover away. Instead, I throw it on at night while working, bob my head along, and let the rhythm take me over. It's insanely catchy, and I dare you to try to get it out of your head. —Brittany Vincent

Chastity Belt: "Ann's Jam"

After a brief hiatus following the release of the 2017 album I Used to Spend So Much Time Alone, Seattle all-girl indie quartet Chastity Belt returns with more of their homespun strain of hazy shoegaze. On September 20, the band will release their fourth studio album, a self-titled record co-produced by Melina Duterte (Jay Som) that sees the group dusting off old tracks as well as experimenting with new strings and vocal harmonies. "Ann's Jam," the album's slow-burning lead track which dropped last week, offers a nostalgic reflection on changing friendship, culminating in a refrain that joins the voices of all four bandmates: "We were driving South in your parents' car / Singing aloud to scratched CDs / Feeling meaningful, thinking / This is a start." —Coco Romack

Charli XCX feat. Christine and the Queens: "Gone"

Charli XCX has kept fans exceptionally well-fed in the lead-up to her forthcoming third album, and for her latest trick, the pop savant has given us a relatable ode to battling agoraphobia. Bolstered by clanky beats from A.G. Cook and the bilingual funk-pop of Christine and the Queens, "Gone" is all about breaking down and breaking free: a concept Charli takes literally in the accompanying video. As she and Chris set fire to the rain, they belt out life's tough questions, asking, "Why do we love if we're so mistaken?" Existential panic, but make it slap! —Madeline Roth

Tony Shhnow ft. 95 Reddo: "No Kap"

DP Worldwide's Almighty Red always has an ear to the streets, tapping in with rising artists like Slimesito and ATL Smook – two artists I've been a fan of for more than a year now. He's preparing a compilation LP, St. Valentine's Day Massacre, and his recently released single "No Kap" by Tony Shhnow and Reddo is perhaps the fiercest punch-in, punch-out record I've heard this year. There's a certain power in those throwback trap records like "Hard in da Paint" and "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)" that made the early 2010s a lucrative time for 808 drums. "No Kap" feels inspired by this early wave of bass-dominant street music with its simplistic repeating backdrop. Where it differs is the manner of rap style; instead of fierce punchlines, Tony Shhnow and 95 Reddo punch in and out with a precise method that makes each line fit perfectly behind the last. Whether it's a smooth, Cheshire Cat-like delivery or a whispering, mischievous flow, the rappers sound like they're tracing a detailed image calmly. "No Kap" is one of my favorite new songs at the moment. No cap. —Trey Alston

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