On Friday, legendary singer songwriter Carly Simon dropped a surprise single. It was her first new music in 18 years.

Simon’s “Howl,” is insane ear candy, the catchiest new song released this year. If anyone knows their way around a hit single it’s the creator of songs like “You’re So Vain,” “Anticipation,” and “Nobody Does It Better.”

There’s no wonder that she’s one of Taylor Swift’s idols. (Taylor loves “You’re So Vain so much, she asked Simon to make a rare appearance and perform it with her on stage.)

“Howl” is five years in the making. I first heard a demo in 2021, and waited patiently as Simon built it up from scratch. At one point, a famous guitarist wanted to be on it, but it didn’t work out. Simon considered a male duet partner, as well.

But in the end, the song — co-written and produced with David Spencer — was strong enough to stand on its own.

“Howl” is the lead track from a new album called “Comes in Waves,” set for a mid August release. They are all original songs, and Simon’s voice sounds better than ever. One I have heard, called “Peaches,” is a smash. Another, called “The Father Daughter Dance,” has an intriguing back story. (Stay tuned.)

As for Taylor Swift, Simon won’t say if she’s going to the wedding. I tried to pry it out of her, including details. But she’s kept the secret of who “You’re So Vain” is about for 50 years. So she’s blabbing about what she’s getting Taylor and Travis for a wedding gift!

Harry Styles has a new style.

He’s dropped his dresses and other machinations, put on adult men’s clothing, and turned himself into a crooner.

In London, at the Southbank Centre last night — collaborating with the Jules Buckley Orchestra and House Gospel Choir for a special concert created exclusively for his curation of Meltdown 2026 — Harry performed Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

The performance is perfect. Even Art Garfunkel would have to admire Harry picking up this legacy.

Harry is reinventing himself as a serious artist, and it’s working. By the time he hits Madison Square Garden this summer, there’s going to be a whole new gestalt. It’s a very smart move.

Two years ago, the Rolling Stones — in their 60th year — turned in an excellent album called “Hackney Diamonds.” It was maybe their best album of new music in over 30 years. Who’d a thunk it? Andrew Watt produced, Lady Gaga sang on one masterpiece, and it was all good.

Now comes “Foreign Tongues,” also produced by Watt, which somehow tops “Hackney.” It’s a career highlight, unexpected because let’s face it, the remaining Stones could just coast at this point. Their legacy is secure in rock history.

And yet, “Foreign Tongues” is so good you have to listen to it a couple of times to make sure you’re just not overreacting. It’s also kind of amazing because their contemporary, Paul McCartney, just gifted us with his sensational “The Boys of Dungeon Lane,” also produced by Watt.

Watt’s up with that? (Sorry.)

We already knew two singles, the blues number “Rough and Twisted,” and the very Stones-y “In the Stars.” On past Stones albums post 1980s, that pair would have been enough to satisfy everyone. Because think of it — a Stones live show, always electric, has to accommodate a monster list of hits, so they can only add in one or two new songs.

But “Foreign Tongues” has a robust 14 tracks, and not one of them is a sleeper. More than even with “Hackney,” the boys — so to speak — and Watt decided to make this album one after another. No coasting, far from it. The work that went into “Foreign Tongues” is evident. But there’s also a lot of magic.

When the album was first being talked about, they promised a track called “Mr. Charm” as the launch single. That didn’t happen, but now we have it and I can see why they will wait until the album drops on July 10th. “Mr. Charm” is a home run. Will radio play it? Probably not. Classic rock radio ignores all new material. But “Mr. Charm” sounds like a missing track from 1978’s “Some Girls.” It’s kind of dizzying to think 80 years could pull off a rock track this good.

Between now and the 10th we will probably get the mid tempo “Jealous Lover,” more in the realm of “Wild Horses” with Mick Jagger’s not so often heard anymore falsetto slicing through a blues-pop foundation made for radio and Spotify. This is one full of beats and claps, and repeated lyrics that should make it a big streamer.

I say all of this with a lot of cockeyed optimism. The McCartney album is just as good but is having trouble selling 100,000 copies. Is it because all the fans are dead? No younger people care to hear perfectly executed music made by musicians playing actual instruments? Do they have to feature Lady Gaga to get the attention of the current generation? What miserable conclusions.

I, however, will listen for the rest of the year to “Divine Interruption,” “Ringing Hollow,” and “Hit Me in the Head.” The former, with Mick yelling “Dance in the flames,” is rapid fire. “Some of Us,” a fresh take on a long available demo, brings together Jagger and Keith Richards in a rare duet — a little gem among these gaudy jewels. There’s also “Covered in You,” hidden at number 11, with delicious lyrics and hooks.

Over the next week we’ll get into the last four tracks, and all of the lyrics, including “Covered in You,” . But the main thing to know now, is that the Stones have delivered something we don’t deserve. Like “Dungeon Lane,” this is the real thing. These two will be on constant play in my car. Also, Watt has so lavished them in aural richness that you want to hear them through real speakers or great headphones, not just as background music for a subway ride.

More to come…