Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond. 

This week, Big Sean puts in the work, A$AP Rocky has a gift for fans and Muni Long is back with more R&B gems. Check out all of this week’s picks below:

Big Sean, Better Me Than You 

“Back to the basics, back to the work,” Big Sean raps in the opening minutes of his new album Better Me Than You — and the Detroit star’s first album since 2020 indeed carries a sense of head-down purpose, with guest artists like Gunna, Syd, Kodak Black and Bryson Tiller lending a hand as Sean carries the torch of no-frills hip-hop.

A$AP Rocky, “Tailor Swif” 

A previously leaked track that A$AP Rocky has properly released as a gift to fans, “Tailor Swif” finds the rapper quickly jumping between come-up stories and double-entendre boasting: “Even when I was po’, I was out here, eatin’ goats,” he spits, as the flute-laden production urges him to keep going.

Muni Long, Revenge 

After waiting many years for her solo moment, then achieving it with the top 20 smash “Hrs & Hrs,” Muni Long has happily returned sooner than later with Revenge, which follows 2022’s Public Displays of Affection: The Album as another R&B songwriting showcase, highlighted by the electric recent hit “Made For Me.”

Tommy Richman, “Thought You Were the One” 

After “Million Dollar Baby” zoomed into the top 10 of the Hot 100 and “Devil is a Lie” continued his upward trajectory, Tommy Richman shows off his vulnerable side on “Thought You Were the One,” which molds his new jack swing riffing and falsetto croon into a more heartbroken pose.

Zedd, Telos 

When you revive Jeff Buckley’s “Dream Brother” for a dance remix, you know you are taking some big swings — and Zedd, the veteran EDM star who has scored hits by taking chances in the pop world, spends new album Telos pushing his style into intriguing new territories as a wide smattering of guests (Muse! Dora Jar! John Mayer!) swing by to help.

Noah Kahan, Live From Fenway Park 

At long last, Noah Kahan has left the road after spending multiple years gradually growing his fan base and venue size — but before wrapping up a tour that eventually made him a stadium headliner, the singer-songwriter recorded Live From Fenway Park, a live album that captures Kahan beaming through his catalog at the hometown gig.

Victoria Monét & Usher, “SOS (Sex on Sight)” 

Continuing a fruitful year in which Victoria Monét won the best new artist Grammy and Usher headlined the Super Bowl halftime show, “SOS (Sex on Sight)” allows both artists to warble about desire and showcase their abilities as master collaborators — some of their strongest respective work has been alongside other artists, and “SOS” is another winning team-up.

Editor’s Pick: Fireboy DML, Adedamola 

For casual fans who only know Nigerian singer-songwriter Fireboy DML’s global smash “Peru,” new album Adedamola is both a sumptuous listen and personal new entry into his discography, building upon his global success with anecdotes about his journey and engrossing relationship musings; this album simmers, and never loses your attention.

The 2025 Eurovision Song Contest is setting up roots in the northern Swiss town of Basel. Organizers announced the news on Friday (August 30), revealing that the 69th edition of the international singing competition will visit Switzerland for a third time next May 13, 15 and 17 when it sets up shop Basel’s 12,000-capacity St. Jackobshalle Arena; Eurovision previously took place in Lugano for the very first edition in 1956 and Lausanne in 1989.

Switzerland took home the top prize in the inaugural year of Eurovision, when Lys Assia’s “Refrain” came out on top and then won again in 1988 when Celine Dion triumphed with “Ne partez pas sans moi.” Following last year’s win by Swiss singer Nemo, riverside town Basel, the third largest city in the country, was tapped to host this year after beating out Geneva for the honor.

Nemo thrilled the crowd last year in Malmö Arena in Sweden when the singer — who identifies as non-binary, representing the first Eurovision win by a non-binary act — performed their song about coming to terms with their identity.

The annual Eurovision finals are one of the most-watched TV events of the year, with the 2024 edition drawing in more than 160 million viewers. According to a release announcing next year’s host, the two Swiss cities who were the final candidates were chosen according to criteria including hotel capacity, security, available venues, sustainability, transportation infrastructure and experience with large events.

“The EBU is thrilled that Basel has been selected as the Host City for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025,” said Eurovision executive supervisor Martin Österdahl in a statement. “The Contest was born in Switzerland in Lugano back in 1956 and it’s great to be bringing it back to its birthplace almost 70 years later. Basel’s strategic location at the crossroads of Europe makes it the ideal setting for an event that celebrates the power of music to connect people across borders.”

He continued, “With its unique blend of tradition and innovation, Basel reflects the spirit of the Eurovision Song Contest. The city’s exceptional St. Jakobshalle venue and outstanding hospitality will ensure a memorable experience for delegations, artists and fans alike. Following Contests in the Italian and French speaking parts of the country in 1956 and 1989 we’re also excited to bring the Eurovision Song Contest to German Switzerland for the very first time.”

Basel, a town of 177,000 situated on the River Rhine, is one of the country’s cultural capitals, home to dozens of museums and world-class architecture. Tickets for the nine 2025 shows, including dress rehearsals, are expected to go on sale in the next few months.

Check out the 2025 announcement below.

LL Cool J and Eminem have joined forces for the first time on a brand new track slated to land on LL’s upcoming The Force album, which arrives on Sept. 6.

The single finds the pair of lethal MCs passing the baton back-and-forth while spitting rapid-fire bars, one hotter than the next. “Murdergram Deux” landed on Friday (Aug. 30) without much of any notice from LL or Em that the track was on the way.

“Give blessings to my disciples, professional I’m a sniper/ Like eight miles away, me and Marshall doing murders/ With dirty burners, break them down and melt them in the furnace,” LL Cool J raps over the skittering Q-Tip production.

Eminem closes out “Murdergram Deux” seemingly without taking a breath and brings the uptempo track across the finish line with a hat tip to his Dr. Dre and 50 Cent-assisted “Crack a Bottle.”

“Go ahead and crack a bottle, ’cause this is E and J/ Meaning me and James (Yeah), got that avocado/ And we the sociopaths, and we got your ho on our laps/ And we’re goin’ back to Cali so she can blow on our sax,” he spews.

It’s been a turbulent journey for “Murdergram” to receive an official release, as an unfinished version of the track was leaked earlier this year, which frustrated the Queens-bred icon.

“It’s not A.I., but it’s not official. It’s not official, it’s not the right version,” he previously told Raymond T. “People just walk all in the kitchen, touching the rolls before they’re done — you know, how your grandmother slaps your hand when you try to check the pots early. It’s not A.I., it’s a real joint.”

Em joined LL Cool J as a guest on his Rock The Bells radio show in 2018, during which the Detroit artist recalled meeting the rapper for the first time on the set of his “Just Don’t Give a F–k” video.

“I’m like, ‘Yo, he’s in here by himself.’ I was buggin’ the f–k out,” Em said. “You quoted a lyric back to me. You said, ‘Yo, how can I be white/ I don’t even exist.’ You quoting that lyric back to me, was like, ‘I think I s–t myself.’”

Eminem also made an appearance at the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction for LL Cool J, where the duo performed his “Rock the Bells” hit.

LL Cool J’s The Force album serves as his first since 2013’s Authentic, and is slated to feature Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Saweetie, Nas and more.

Listen to “Murdergram Deux” below.