The Lead Sheet ~ 8/19/25

The Lead Sheet is your guide to this week’s new music - taking a look at newly released albums, who made them, and how listeners are responding. 

Indie-pop-singer-songwriter and former YouTuber Conan Gray released his new album, Wishbone, this week to positive reviews. The artist has been gaining momentum with his most recent album Found Heaven debuting at number fourteen on Billboard’s 200 in 2024. Wishbone is receiving praise for its emotional authenticity, storytelling, and stand out tracks like “Vodka Cranberry” and “This Song.” Wishbone is also Gray’s first album in which he owns the rights to the music, marking a new era in the singer’s discography. 

Dijon Duenas, known professionally as Dijon, released his second studio album, Baby, to excellent reviews, scoring higher than his first project, Absolutely. The new alternative R&B album features experimentation with subgenres like neo-soul, bedroom pop, and psychedelia. After collaborating with other prolific artists like Charlie XCX, Kanye West, and most recently, Justin Bieber on Swag, earlier this year, Dijon has been turning heads and getting more recognition as a legitimate artist in his own right, and some are even saying Baby may have a shot at album of the year. 

Chance the Rapper doesn’t commonly release albums, instead mostly releasing singles and mixtapes. His new album, STAR LINE is only his second LP to date, despite having a fairly rich catalog of songs. The seventeen track album is being celebrated for its catchy melodies and hooks, and was inspired by the performer’s recent travels to Ghana and Jamaica. Some fans feel that certain tracks seem like Chance is trying too hard to seem tougher than he is, and they ring inauthentic. Chance the Rapper is preparing for his upcoming “And We Back Tour” which will start in Texas late September and run through the end of October of this year. 

Pop-rock band Maroon 5 released Love is Like this week. The new album is getting mixed to somewhat poor reviews, despite notable collaborations by Lisa, Lil Wayne, and Sexyy Red. Fans and critics are in agreement that the album is overall fairly bland, hollow and lacks any memorable tracks or big summer hits. Love is Like is on the shorter side for an LP, at just ten tracks and twenty-seven minutes, and will have a counterpart tour this fall in October and November. Maybe Maroon 5 will be able to re-capture some of their former glory, but this album likely won’t be the one to make that happen. 

Audrey Hobert is a rising star in indie-pop; the singer pivoted from being a staff-writer at Nickelodeon to songwriting, collaborating with musician Gracie Abrams on her 2024 project The Secret of Us. This week Hobert released her debut studio album, Who’s The Clown? To optimistic reviews. Fans and critics are saying the album is an excellent first foray into a solo career, but still leaves some room for improvement. Tracks on Who’s The Clown? Are well-composed and catchy, but also simple lyrically, which is both good and bad. Additionally, some feel the songs are all a little too similar to one another. Despite these criticisms, the overall consensus is that the work is solid, and Hobert is definitely one to watch. 

Conan Gray - Wishbone

Released August 15

Republic, Universal Records

Dijon - Baby

Released August 15

R&R, Warner Records

Chance the Rapper - STAR LINE

Released August 15

Self-Produced

Maroon 5 - Love is Like

Released August 15

Interscope Records

Audrey Hobert - Who’s the Clown?

Released August 15

RCA Records