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

Last week, we featured Gracie Abrams, Drake and Maluma.

This week: Ariana Grande releases the lead single from her anticipated upcoming album petal; aespa drops LEMONADE – The 2nd Album; and Labrinth delivers a cosmically-timed new project… plus much more. Check out all of this week’s picks below:

Ariana Grande, “hate that i made you love me”

Ariana loves a good bit — and she does them well. For longtime fans, her ongoing “maybe I will, maybe I won’t” approach to making more music has kept us on our toes; but thankfully, it never lasts too long, and petal is the latest proof. Despite Grande previously describing the album as “a little feral” in a video she shared on Instagram, lead single “hate that i made you love me” doesn’t sound that way at all. With plinking production that evokes a video game bubbling under water, the savagery is in the songwriting. “I’ve held your projections when you’ve felt so insecure/ Tell me why is it this way/ Why you so hate to see women endure/ Is it really my fault?” questions Ari, showing off her range with quiet confidence. And sure, one could argue “made you love me” is about a romantic partner — but dig deeper and it becomes about anyone who has ever loved (or hated) Ari enough to a point of detriment. And too often, it’s hers.

aespa, LEMONADE – The 2nd Album

Just one month ago, K-pop four piece aespa announced its second studio album, LEMONADE — the group’s first full-length in two years — that arrives today. With features such as G-DRAGON, Ty Dolla $ign and Becky G (who guests on the hyperpop title track), LEMONADE takes aespa to the next level — and right on time. As aespa prepares for its world tour, which extends through 2027, its clear that their high-powered production isn’t the only thing moving full steam ahead.

Jungle, “The Wave”

Like clockwork, at the first whiff of warm summer air and first sight of a delayed sunset, Jungle are right back at it. With a new album fittingly titled SUNSHINE on its way (out Aug. 14), the alternative dance act has shared the first taste with “The Wave.” The groovy, feel-good track delivers on all of Jungle’s best qualities, and sets the bar for more — and much-needed — good vibes ahead.

Labrinth, “THE LIVING”

As Euphoria’s current third season nears its finale on Sunday (May 31) — a season that has notably aired without composer Labrinth’s music after he pulled it from the series citing alleged mistreatment — the artist is filling that void with the release his Cosmic Opera Act II. Standout track “THE LIVING” opens with a bluesy guitar riff that become the song’s backbone as Labrinth tinkers around across intricate layers of sound, as he does. The result is a captivating, full-bodied track that, to no one’s surprise, would sound right at home soundtracking a show or film.

Violet Grohl, Be Sweet To Me

Sure, the last name may be familiar but the sound is entirely her own. With Violet Grohl’s debut album, the budding rocker makes a name for herself as a skilled vocalist, songwriter and producer. And the result is a knockout album that doesn’t let up across its 11 endearing tracks. On Be Sweet To Me Violet not only shows off what she’s capable of, but quickly cements her status as a torchbearer for rock’s current class.

Ariana Grande’s Petal era has officially commenced.

On Friday (May 29), the Grammy-winning superstar released “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” the lead single from her forthcoming eighth studio album, Petal.

“I know that I will find my way from you like flowers from a tomb,” the vocal powerhouse croons on her new single, which was co-produced by Max Martin, ILYA and Grande herself. Listed as the second track on Petal, “Hate That I Made You Love Me” also marks Grande’s first non-soundtrack single since 2025’s “Twilight Zone.”

Grande first announced Petal via her official Instagram page on April 28, later describing the 12-track set as “little feral.” “It’s definitely from a place I’ve been maybe too shy or polite to tap into before,” she said in a video clip. “This kind of just feels like, ‘F–k it.’” Petal is set to arrive on July 31 through Grande’s BabyDoll Music imprint label, exclusively licensed to Republic Records. The new album drops in the middle of her Eternal Sunshine Tour, which kicks off on June 8 in Oakland, Calif., and wraps with 10 shows at London’s O2 Arena in September.

On Wednesday (May 27), Grande shared a creepy new teaser for the official music video for “Hate That I Made You Love Me.” The clip opened with Weapons actor Justin Long peering into the rearview mirror, slightly adjusting it to reveal Grande’s piercing brown eyes staring back at his frightened face. The full video is set to premiere on Monday, June 1 at 8 a.m. PT.

Petal is the official follow-up to Grande’s last LP, Eternal Sunshine, which debuted atop the Billboard 200 in 2024 and spawned a pair of Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers in “Yes, And?” and “We Can’t Be Friends.” Notably, the album returned to the top of the Billboard 200 the following year after the release of its Brighter Days Ahead deluxe edition, which spawned the Hot 100 top 20 hit “Twilight Zone” (No. 18).

Since that album’s release, Grande joined fellow Oscar-nominated actress Cynthia Erivo in leading the Wicked and Wicked: For Good soundtracks, which both reached No. 2 on the Hot 100. At this year’s Grammys (Feb. 1), the two multihyphenates won best pop duo/group performance for their instant-classic rendition of “Defying Gravity.” Grande will return to the silver screen this fall with Focker-in-Law, alongside Robert DeNiro and Ben Stiller.

Stream “Hate That I Made You Love Me” now.

David May, a two-time Grammy Award-winning producer and long-time executive with Warner Music Group, passed away April 13 in Nashville, TN, at the age of 68. May died of natural causes, reps say.

In the studio, May was blessed with creative vision, deep technical expertise and a knack for archival preservation, and he used those gifts to pursue new audio formats and for mastering.

During his lifetime, May worked closely with many notable artists, including Metallica, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Josh Groban, R.E.M., Cream, Green Day, Stevie Nicks, Led Zeppelin, Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Michael Bublé, and George Harrison, for projects that ranged from studio sessions to live arena performances.

In 1998, May won his first Grammy for best long form music video (or best music film) for Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill, Live. Ten years later, in 2008, he received his second in the same category for Madonna’s The Confessions Tour concert film, presented at the Grammys 50th anniversary show. He was also nominated for best music film in 2007 for his work on Madonna’s “I’m Going To Tell You A Secret.”

May began his career as a recording engineer in the 1970s at Pasha Studios. Like so many music industry professionals who rose to the very top, May had a brief stint in the mailroom at Warner Records. An opportunity opened up for an industry expert with great ears to consult on a Madonna project. May didn’t drop the ball.

With experience and a passion for music and production, he’d go on to focus on live concerts and MTV promo videos from 1987 to 2010, serving in a full-time capacity in the Warner Records/Rhino Entertainment A&R and video department.  In 2010, he left the label to form Delixandra Music, an independent productions and consulting firm that has worked with Universal Music Group, Warner Records, Rhino, Iconic Artists Group, and others.

As a recording artist and songwriter, May released several original albums and successfully landed syncs on a slew of TV shows, including American Horror Story, The Sinner, Cold Case, and Brothers & Sisters.

May is survived by his wife Michelle (Dupuis); daughter Alex (Julius Francis), and daughter Devin (Tim Casey).

Those wishing to make a donation in his name are encouraged to do so at the Young Musicians’ Foundation in Los Angeles, CA, as well as Siloam Health in Nashville, TN, both of which provide care and education for underserved communities, or a charity of your choice.

John Farnham will be saluted with an all-star concert in Melbourne this September, which promises to shine a light both on his storied songbook and cancer, which Jack has battled with in recent years.

Rod Laver Arena will host The Songs Of John Farnham: A Living Legend The Celebration on Sunday, Sept. 20, featuring 120 artists and musicians, and raising funds for Head and Neck Cancer Australia.

Among those performers are Keith Urban, Tina Arena, Jimmy Barnes, Kate Ceberano, Ross Wilson, Human Nature, Richard Marx, Jessica Mauboy and Jon Stevens, with Celine Dion and Hugh Jackman joining in via satellite.

On the night, Farnham’s longtime musical director Chong Lim will lead the John Farnham Band, alongside a 38-piece orchestra and choir, “delivering a rich, powerful sound befitting the catalogue that has defined generations,” reps say.

“I’ve been incredibly lucky to spend my life doing what I love, and even luckier to have Australians embrace my music the way they have,” comments Farnham in a statement. “This night isn’t about me — it’s about giving something back and supporting a cause that means a great deal to me.”

Farnham personally invited each artist appearing at the show, and he has a record-breaking connection with the 15,000-capacity Rod Laver Arena, part of the Melbourne Park complex. He has performed at the Olympic Park venue on 94 occasions, doing so to more than 1 million total fans.

“The fact that so many extraordinary artists from around the world have so generously agreed to be part of this night is incredibly humbling and says far more about the spirit behind this event than it does about me,” he continues. “I hope everyone has a great night. Just enjoy the music and have a laugh too.”

With 1986’s Whispering Jack, Farnham became a comeback king, and a homegrown pop superstar. The Sony Music release spent 25 weeks at No. 1, en route to shifting more than one million copies, becoming the first domestic LP to do so. It remains the highest-selling album ever in Australia by a local talent.

Whispering Jack houses Farnham’s signature song, “You’re The Voice,” a top 10 hit in the U.K. and, four decades on, the unofficial anthem of Australia.

The legendary, ARIA Hall of Fame-inducted singer faced his toughest comeback yet, when he underwent major surgery to remove a cancerous growth in August 2022. Since then, he has made only a handful of rare public appearances, and in 2024 October was heard for the first time in more than two years by way of an audiobook excerpt for his memoir.

The singer was the subject of a 2023 documentary, John Farnham: Finding the Voice, which became the all-time highest-grossing Australian music documentary in these parts, and a musical on that classic album is in the works.

The one-off Melbourne concert is produced by Tony Cochrane and Thea Jeanes-Cochrane of Cochrane Entertainment Collective and Paul Dainty of TEG Dainty.

“John Farnham is truly one of the great voices of the world,” explains Celine Dion, who is both a fan of, and a collaborator with, the Aussie legend. “I have such beautiful memories of the time we shared on stage together — his generosity, his humor, and that incredible voice that fills your heart the moment you hear it. It’s such an honor and a privilege for me to be included to celebrate the extraordinary legacy John has given to music. He’s an iconic artist, and he’s also a deeply special human being.  I know his songs will continue to live in people’s hearts for generations to come.”

Tickets are on sale from Tuesday, June 2 at 10am AEST from Ticketek.