Charlie Puth has released a new single, “Beat Yourself Up,” on Friday (Jan 16), as his second official preview of his upcoming album Whatever’s Clever! and landing just weeks before he steps onto one of the biggest stages in American music and sport. The track drops ahead of Puth’s scheduled performance of the national anthem at Super Bowl LX on February 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Out now via Atlantic Records, “Beat Yourself Up” follows October’s “Changes” and continues to sketch the emotional and sonic contours of Whatever’s Clever!, due out March 27. Where “Changes” leaned reflective, the new song pivots toward groove and texture, drawing from late-1980s and early-1990s pop and R&B. Built on thick basslines, brassy flourishes, and a deliberately retro bounce, the track feels knowingly out of step with current pop minimalism, and that appears to be the point.
Lyrically, Puth frames the song as a quiet intervention. Originally written as a message to a friend, it unfolds as a broader meditation on self-criticism and the exhausting habit of internal blame. The hook carries a lightness that offsets its message, and that balance gives the song its pull. Co-produced with BLOODPOP, the track favors musicianship over spectacle, reinforcing reports that Whatever’s Clever! is shaping up as one of Puth’s most technically focused projects to date.
The timing is notable. Charlie Puth is set to perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” during the Super Bowl LX pregame ceremony, alongside Brandi Carlile and Coco Jones, with Bad Bunny headlining the halftime show. Following online scrutiny of anthem performances in recent years, Puth has signaled a carefully considered vocal arrangement, positioning the moment as more than a formality.
Beyond the Super Bowl, “Beat Yourself Up” also arrives as Puth prepares to launch his largest world tour yet this spring. Together, the single, the album rollout, and the high-profile NFL appearance mark a recalibration, less about chasing trends for Puth, and more about control, craft, and confidence at scale.
Listen to “Beat Yourself Up” below:
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