The Madrid-based singer-songwriter Elif Coskun turns a soft, cinematic alt-pop single into a clear-eyed hit of memory, forgiveness, and emotional honesty. Some songs hit because they say the messy thing before you are ready to admit it. Elif Coskun's "The Hardest Part" does exactly that, then lets the feeling hang there. This cinematic single from the Madrid-based singer-songwriter, shocks through care, not anger. That may sound...

Being compared with an ex is bad enough. Being compared with one over a driving electronic beat is Cameron’s answer. “Love Me Like Your Ex,” the 23-year-old Nashville pop artist’s single, turns a dating frustration into a compact, club-ready rush. The title gives away the provocation, but the record has a smarter hook than simple resentment: it asks what happens when a current relationship starts...