After disappearing from the public eye for a year, singer/songwriter Joshua Bassett released a new single last night.

After the release of “Just Love,” fans did not get a peep out of Joshua Bassett for months. No posts, no music, no photos. However, he recently started posting regularly on TikTok and Instagram. Fans were overjoyed when he announced a new single that would drop on May 17th. He posted a 12-second snippet of the song, teasing listeners with his vocals. It was heavily hinted that his new single would be about ex-girlfriend Olivia Rodrigo, who is now dating British actor Louis Partridge. 

After almost a year of waiting and the delay of his first album, Joshua Bassett has finally surprised fans with the single, “The Golden Years.” 

The three-minute song was good. Though, sadly, Bassett has yet to move on, it is good to know that he is self-aware. The single was bittersweet, and nostalgic, and showcased his euphonious vocals. 

A big contributor to the 4-star rating would be the lyricism. In the song, he explains how he misses what life was like four years ago, and that if he knew those would be the highlight of his 20s, he would go back and cherish those moments more appreciatively. That message is impactful and reminds listeners that they only live once and should hold memories dear to their hearts. 

The chorus states: “If I would’ve known

Those were the golden years

I would’ve held you longer that night when you kissed me goodbye through your tears.” 

This lyric is heartfelt because—as longer fans would know—Bassett had to act in a break-up scene in season 3 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series with his real-life ex-girlfriend. It was rumored that the tears spilled in that scene were real, as both stars were deeply hurt by the ending of their relationship. 

In the bridge (which is always the best part of every song), Bassett admits that he is “still in love with the story of us,” as in—missing his ex. Not only that, but many could resonate with the idea of reminiscing the best years of their lives. 

 The lyricism was ultimately the best part of the song. Both breathtaking and deep, and it added a lot to the song that instrumentals and vocals wouldn’t be able to get across.

The reason that the rating is not 5 stars is that it is disappointing that Bassett is still writing about Rodrigo. Please move on. However, not to say that his last single was a flop, “The Golden Years,” is one of his better singles. Regardless, as that is the only con, the song deserves to be on everyone’s Summer ‘24 playlist!

Thank you Bassett for finally providing fans with the long-awaited single. “The Golden Years,” is beautifully crafted and worth the listen.