NOW That’s What I Call Music 60! brings back Aaron Carter and younger pop contenders
America has made it to the 60th edition of NOW That’s What I Call Music. Since 2009’s NOW 32, each NOW release included up-and-coming artists in the NOW What’s Next section that closes the compilation. In NOW 60, the ghost of The Chainsmokers stalks NOW What’s Next, though their #1 “Closer” (ft. Halsey) is noticeably absent from the compilation. The NOW 60 bunch is surprisingly all male, all of whom land somewhere between pop-rock and dance. The elder statesman of the group is 28-year-old Aaron Carter. Yes, that early 00’s teen idol @aaroncarter who was famous for “Aaron’ Party” and for being the younger brother of The Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter. I guess after selling over four million albums in the pre-digital era of 1997 to 2002, 14-year-old Carter could coast for 14 more years before needing to get back to music. The comeback single “Fool’s Gold” abandons terrible early-00’s teen pop for modern dance-R&B that the Chainsmokers mastered with “Closer” and “Roses.” Unfortunately for Carter, the video is yet to break 1 million views on YouTube, but the man is busy at work on his fifth album LøVë and soon enough we will know if @aaroncarter can be back on the charts after a 14-year sabbatical.
Yep, that’s Aaron Carter getting his Justin Bieber on
Other acts on NOW What’s Next were babies during Aaron Carter’s first run on the charts. The Weathers from Los Angeles bring a poppier version of Millennial angst perfected by Twenty One Pilots. “I take my pills and I’m happy all the time” they sing over brooding rock. About right. Then there is Coin from Nashville who channel Walk The Moon and sing how “we talk too much.” Shut up and dance, fellas. Another Nashville product is singer-songwriter Jacob Whitesides who has a smooth hushed voice on “Lovesick,” which is the only song among NOW What’s Next peers that made the charts in the 20+ countries tracked by chart aggregator ACharts, making it to #41 in Portugal this year. @jacobwhitesides also has the most Instagram followers (1.5 million) among these acts, though he got ways to go to catch Shawn Mendes and his 16 million followers.
Jacob Whitesides got to perform “Lovesick” on a float shared with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Remaining members of the NOW 60 squad are the intense yet mopey singer Stanaj and bicoastal band LANY (LosAngelesNewYork). While Stanaj ponders “Ain’t Love Strange,” he needs to up the sexy to compete with Zayn. LANY take us back to @thechainsmokers with a hushed and impressive “ILYSB.” Check out a live performance of the song below, they love you so bad and along with @jacobwhitesides appear to be the most promising emerging artists among the NOW 60 What’s Next acts.