The best new albums out May 16

It's Friday, and that means the summer reign of Morgan Wallen begins in earnest. His new album, I'm The Problem, is out today and will soon take root at the very top of the Billboard albums chart, where it will likely stay for months.

But we heard five albums that deserve their own time in the spotlight. This week's New Music Friday episode features Ro "Wyldeflower" Contreras from KCRW, and we get into the new Aminé record (featuring Waxahatchee!), the gorgeous evolution of Tune-Yards, and lots, lots more.

Listen to the show below and scroll down to see our long list of albums out May 16.

New Music Friday is a feature of NPR's All Songs Considered podcast. Hear the discussion on the NPR App, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts beginning at 3 a.m. ET.

Chris Yellen / Fueled by Ramen

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Fueled by Ramen

Our hosts share the backstories and best songs from the following albums:

💿 Amine, 13 Months of Sunshine (Stream)

• Recommended If You Like: Kaytranada, Disclosure

💿 Guitarricadelafuente, Spanish Leather (Stream)

• RIYL: C. Tangana, Shawn Mendes

💿 Tune-Yards, Better Dreaming (Stream)

• RIYL: Sylvan Esso, Lucius

💿 Rico Nasty, LETHAL (Stream)

• RIYL: Paramore, Avril Lavigne

💿 Lido Pimienta, La Belleza (Stream)

• RIYL: iLe, Owen Pallett

Kali Spitzer / Rounder Records

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Rounder Records

Five more albums we wish we had time to discuss on the podcast:

💿 Matt Maltese, Hers

💿 Don Glori, Paper Can't Wrap Fire

💿 Ken Pomeroy, Cruel Joke

💿 Miso Extra, Earcandy

💿 M(h)aol, Something Soft

Listen to each album's best songs on our New Music Friday playlists on Spotify and Apple, or wherever you stream music.

Emanuel Wallace / Don Giovanni Records

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Don Giovanni Records

For those who want to dig even deeper, here are the week's new albums sorted by genre:

• Mourning [A] BLKstar, Flowers For The Living
• Cautious Clay, The Hours: Morning
• MonoNeon, You Had Your Chance…Bad Attitude
• Surprise Chef, Superb
• Tanika Charles, Reasons to Stay
• Blxst, unreleased EP
• Emotional Oranges, Orenjii
• DRAM & Ellis Quinn, LEORPIO

• Morgan Wallen, I'm The Problem
• Bryce Leatherwood, s/t
• The Gentle Good, Elan
• BEATrio (Bela Fleck), s/t
• Avery Anna, let go letters
• Carolyn Wonderland, Truth Is
• Erin Durant, Firetrail
• Jessica Willis, Fisher Blooming
• Kat Hasty, The Time of Your Life
• Missy Raines & Allegheny, Love & Trouble
• The Lowtimers, Cracks
• Tyler Braden, devil and a prayer

• Shanti Celeste, Romance
• Beatrice Dillon Basho EP
• Olivia Block, Breach EP
• Goldie Presents Rufige Kru, Alpha Omega
• Organically Programmed, s/t
• Ben Frost, Under Certain Light and Atmospheric Conditions
• Ben Westbeech, Everything is Within You
• Mister Joshooa, Settle Down EP
• Coffin Prick, Loose Enchantment
• Throbbing Gristle, Live at the Volksbühne Berlin, New Year's Eve 2005
• Youth Code, Yours, With Malice EP
• Grischa Lichtenberger, Ostranenie
• Milian Mori, Triality

• Tagua Tagua, RAIO
• Awa Ly, Essence and Elements
• Yeri Mua, De Chava
• Prince Royce, ETERNO
• Takaya Kawasaki, Aimai Blue
• Sebastián Yatra, Milagro

• Marcus Gilmore, Journey to the New: Live at the Village Vanguard
• Jose James, 1978: Revenge of the Dragon
• Milena Casado, Reflection of Another Self
• Emi Makabe, Echo
• Tarun Balani, ڪڏهن ملنداسين (Kadahin Milandaasin)
• Alexander Hawkins, Song Unconditional
• Makeshift Spirituals, Volume 1

• Alexandra Savior, Beneath The Lilypad
• Ava Maybee, Orange Drive EP
• BOYNEXTDOOR, No Genre EP
• Kilo Kish, Negotiations EP
• MØ, Plæygirl
• Pink Martini, Bella ciao EP
• Sofi Tukker, butter
• Madame Ghandi, Let Me Be Water
• V/A, Chet Baker Re:imagined

• Richard Lin, Journey
• Alex Paxton, Delicious
• David Handler, Life Like Violence

• Snoop Dogg, Iz It a Crime?
• Chuck D, Enemy Radio: Radio Armageddon
• R2R Moe, Road 2 Riches Vol. 1
• Your Grandparents, The Dial
• Erick the Architect, ARCSTRUMENTALS 3 EP
• Homeboy Sandman, Manners EP
• Revival Season, Formless EP
• Tee Grizzley, Forever My Moment
• Valee, EGONOMICS
• Xzibit, Kingmaker
• Chuckyy, I Live, I Die, I Live Again
• Lecrae, Get Well Soon!

• Friendship, Caveman Wakes Up
• EKKSTACY, FOREVER
• Ydegirl & RIP Swirl, Emo Regulation EP
• Mark Fry, Not On The Radar
• Voom, Something Good Is Happening
• Arm's Length, There's a Whole World Out There
• Bardo Pond, Volume 4 & 5
• Ben Hackett, Songs for Sleeping Dogs
• Billy Nomates, Metalhorse
• Cuneiform Tabs, Age
• Dan Mangan, Natural Light
• Ezra Furman, Goodbye Small Head
• Full of Hell, Broken Sword, Rotten Shield
• Grails, Miracle Music
• Gruff Rhys, American Interior (2025 Remastered Bonus Edition)
• Jayla Kai, Love letter to everyone EP
• Nicole Lawrence, Time In Love
• Now, Now Does The Trick
• Paper Castles, I'm Sad as Hell and I'm Not Going to Fake It Anymore
• Pelican, Flickering Resonance
• Pete Doherty, Felt Better Alive
• Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Carpe Diem, Moonman
• Sleep Theory, Afterglow
• Slow Joy, A Joy So Slow At Times I Don't Think It's Coming
• spill tab, Angie
• Steve Von Till, Alone in a World of Wounds
• The Callous Daoboys, I Don't Want To See You in Heaven
• The Dandy Warhols, Rock Remaker EP
• The Mayflies, Kickless Kids
• Theo Bleak, Bad Luck is Two Yellow Flowers EP
• Thor & Friends, Heathen Spirituals
• Triathlon, Funeral Music
• Windser, s/t
• Yuno, Blest

Credits

• Host: Stephen Thompson
• Guest: Ro "Wyldeflower" Contreras, KCRW
• Producer: Simon Rentner
• Editors: Otis Hart and Elle Mannion
• Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
• Vice President, Music and Visuals: Keith Jenkins

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