Prom is a time that most kids either look back on with fondness or despair (when you play the game of prom, you either win or you die!). Some people look great and find the perfect person/people to share it with and others…don’t. Some even elect not to go at all. If you do plan on going, here are 8 songs for the perfect promposal that will help woo your guy/girl/hobo off the street into going with you, and hopefully, bring you one step closer to the night of your dreams and/or nightmares.
1) Let’s Go – Matt and Kim
Not everyone wants to go to prom. Some kids legitimately don’t feel like going, while others think they’re being cool non-conformists by staying at home, all while their friends are having the time of their lives. Basically, those who opt to stay home are the people who’ll regret their decisions later. Convince your girl or guy to go with you by playing this upbeat tune that chants “let’s go” over and over again. Eventually you’ll get them with the not-so-subliminal messaging alone.
2) Marry You –Bruno Mars
Prom is an excellent time for people who are in a relationship. In fact, in my final year of high school, prom was the primary motivation for even acquiring a boo. Even though your partner is a tailor-made prom date, you should still put in the effort when asking officially them to be your prom date. For the sake of cuteness, use this frankly adorable Bruno Mars song (note: just DON’T get married. Other than that, the rest of the song is pretty cute).
3) One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks) – One Direction
Maybe you have the perfect person in mind to take to prom; they’re cute, funny, nice, and you want to put your face on their face. But— plot twist—they have no idea that you exist. Use this song to tell them that you WILL get them to go to prom with you, one way or another.
Note: author not responsible for anyone being creeped out and/or terrified by this prom-posal tactic.
4) Umbrella ft. Jay-Z feat. Rihanna
Kiss me, I’m Irish! At least that’s what I’ll be telling any dapper looking dude this St. Patrick’s Day. It’s the one time of the year when the colour green doesn’t offend me and it’s politically correct to pretend to be from another country. Celebrate the man who drove all the snakes from Ireland with this playlist and get into some serious craic.
1) Green Garden – Laura Mvula
This is the holiday celebrating all things green, so why not start the day off right with a song that has green right in the title? Laura Mvula sings about enjoying a garden and the great outdoors which should please anyone thinking about good ol’ Ireland today.
2) Shots – LMFAO ft. Lil Jon
But lets not forget what St. Paddy’s Day (not Patty’s. Get it right, people!) is really about. Drinking copious amounts of (green) alcohol until you do something dumb/can’t see straight/fall over. Normally drinking this much shouldn’t be advocated, but when in Ireland (everywhere is Ireland today!) one must do as the Irish do.
3) Pour It Up – Rihanna Read more…
March is approaching which means this infernal, unending winter is almost over (I hope). March is also the time when most youths get a week off school and can jet to exotic locals that contain beaches and/or a lot of alcohol. But even if you’re not luckily enough to spend a week getting alcohol poisoning in the sun, you can still have a fun time at home. Fill your bedroom with sand and pretend you’re at the beach, or if your parents/roommates/cats object to that (as I am most certain that they will) turn up this playlist and jam out to these island-ish tunes while you spend every day of your break on Tumblr.
1) Island in the Sun – Weezer
To me, this is the quintessential vacation song. It just conjures images of floating around a pool with sunglasses on, while being fed grapes by some male servants (…or something like that, I definitely haven’t thought about it that much…). It’s also a great uplifting track to make you feel better when it’s March and it seems like the sun may never surface again.
Best for: starting the week, reminding yourself that you’re on vacation.
2) All Eyes on You – St. Luica
You might know this song from a recent series of Victoria’s Secret ads, but it was my official song of Summer 2012 (“I knew it before it was cool,” she said pretentiously). There’s just something so relaxed in the tone of this song, I think it’s perfect for unwinding during your at home vacation. You can bop your head enthusiastically while dancing around your kitchen as you eat Oreos or some similar domestic activity.
Best for: going to the pretty beach in your head
3) Cake – Toro y Moi
For me, vacations from school are doubly relaxing because I get to have the house to myself as everyone else slumps their way to work. I frequently use this alone time to play music obnoxiously loud while dancing/eating/instagramming. Toro y Moi is one of the reigning kings of chillwave and this track off his latest album “Anything In Return” is one of my favourite booty shakers.
Best for: pretending you’re in a Harlem Shake video but with better music.
4) Feel It All Around – Washed Out
You’re going to need some seriously relaxing tunes for this break. After all, you lead a stressful life. I mean, all those books about medieval England didn’t just read themselves this semester did they (full disclosure: I didn’t even read them. LOL)? Dedicate one day of your break to wearing a onesie all day, reading books, and drinking tea and/or the caffeinated beverage of your choosing and play this song while you do it. Whenever I hear this, a movie-like montage runs through my head: sitting on the counter boiling water, scratching a cat’s ears while you read, napping peacefully while your hair fans out like a halo around your head (I may watch too many movies). Feel the relaxation all around.
Best for: being a sluggish as humanly possible.
5) Domino – Jessie J Read more…
Valentine’s Day is a weird time for singletons… or at least this singleton. You spend half of the lead up to the big day feeling sorry for yourself for not having a Valentine and the other half screaming about how free and independent you feel about not being tied down to a significant other. This is a confusing time of year to say the least, and what better way to get through confusion than music? Here’s a playlist for all those feeling “forever alone” this week…featuring songs to play if your happy about being single, sad about it, or any make-it-weird feeling in between.
1) Dancing With Myself – Billy Idol
Right, it’s Valentine’s Day and you’re dateless. Sad. BUT, chocolate is discounted and you don’t have to stress all night about wearing the correct shade of red. Sometimes it’s just less of a hassle to be unencumbered by a mate so why not dance it out?! Sink another sink and jam out because nobody will ever love you as much as you love you.
Best for: Dancing around your room wearing silky underwear while eating a lifesized Toblerone (I may or may not be speaking from personal experience on this one.
2) It’s Not Fair – Lily Allen
Here’s another song for the “Thank God I’m Single” file. Here, Lily Allen (Cooper now for those counting at home) describes one of the more intimate issues that may occur on Valentine’s Day. Picture it: You’ve spent all night wooing the lad/lady of your choosing and you finally get them back to your house/apartment/spaceship and you simply can’t… perform. When you’re single this doesn’t/won’t happen, so stick that in your pipe and smoke it, people on dates (not bitter, nope, not me).
Best for: Get your mind out of the gutter, you filthy animal.
3) Don’t Let It Break Your Heart – Coldplay
Sometimes being alone on Valentine’s Day can be a major bummer, and not even that giant Toblerone can fill the hole in your heart. This feeling fills you with what the LOL Cats would refer to as “sedz” (read: sads). Coldplay is here to give you strength; sometimes being alone sucks but “come on baby, don’t let it break your heart” (Valentine’s Day was invented by card companies after all!).
Best for: Dragging you out of a hole of self pity.
4) Your Ex-Lover Is Dead – Stars Read more…
1. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Kiss”
2. Justin Bieber – “I Would” (Acoustic)
3. The Lumineers – “Stubborn Love”
4. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis — “Same Love” Read more…
You might think depressing songs are reserved for the iPods of angsty teens, but they play among us everyday, even if you don’t realize it. They’re lurking on the TV and radio, waiting for you to stop and go “hold up? What did they just say?” Here are some of the worst offenders that trick us into dancing until we have that “what the what?” moment.
(Note: If I was a complete sadist, this would just be a list of ten songs by The Smiths and by the end you would be a weeping mass laying on the floor but I think andPOP enjoys having readers so…)
1. Pumped Up Kicks – Foster The People
This was the chillest song from last summer, and definitely has to be the most popular song to ever feature whistling. I mean what’s not to like? It’s clearly about cool kids who have fun wearing nice sneakers, right? Lol jk it’s about a school shooting. The lyrics are as follows: “all the other kids with the pumped up kicks / better run, better run / faster than my bullets” and the song is from the perspective of a kid named Robert who finds his dad’s gun. I think we may have been better off just whistling along idly.
2. Small Bump – Ed Sheeran
Aww how cute, Ed Sheeran is singing a song to his future child. Plot twist: the child is dead. This songs starts off as a really cute message from a young, would-be dad to their unborn baby. He goes through all the lessons that the baby will learn during its life, and how it will look as it grows. Once we get to the end of the song however, we realise that Ed/the dad is singing about the child he would have had, had it made it to term. Ouch. Right in “the feels” with this one, Ed.
3. Girls Just Want To Have Fun – Glee Cast
This one is a bit of a reversal: It uses the very upbeat original lyrics by Cyndi Lauper and makes them depressing as hell. Finn sings this song to Santana because she’s being bullied after he forcibly outs her (or something along those lines… I watch Glee, but just barely). Glee’s cover puts a more melancholy spin on the 80s classic, and makes me feel that sometimes girls yearn for fun because it’s something that they just can’t have right now.
4. Valerie (ft. Amy Winehouse) – Mark Ronson
This song has an amazing jazzy and upbeat tempo that will have you looking for the nearest person that you can learn to Charleston with. But the narrator is actually pining for the troubled Valerie who has outstanding fines and a recent stint in prison. He’s actually physically pining for her (“since I’ve come on home, well my body’s been a mess”) and it’s a bit sad because you get the sense that Valerie kind of messed him up. The fact that it’s sung so amazingly by Amy Winehouse makes it even sadder because parts of it seem like it could be about her life.
5) Little Lion Man – Mumford & Sons Read more…
By Evan Ross
Ugh, it’s January you guys. January is probably the biggest bummer on the Gregorian calendar. I mean, it’s frigid, the only holiday is at the very beginning, and your stomach has started to expand greatly because of all the cheese you ate over the holidays (maybe that one’s just me). Worst of all, work and school drags on even more because you’ve just had several glorious weeks where your only concerns were which TV marathon to watch (the correct answer is Top Gear) and which sweats to wear while doing it.
Sometimes the only cure for winter blues is a spontaneous, midweek dance party with your roomies. This playlist might even give you the strength to carry on after your brand new Uggs get salt stains on them.
1) Radioactive – Rita Ora
I saw Rita Ora for the first time in UK Vogue and instantly became obsessed with her. My efforts to emulate her super red lips failed (can you say The Joker?) but I discovered that her debut album Ora is BOMB. This track is a great warm-up for your day; you just can’t help but bob your head and smile when it comes, and when it ends you’ll definitely end up with your “palms to the sky”
Best for: dance-walking down the street to subway (ignore judgemental glances from passersby and just do you).
2) Locked Out of Heaven – Bruno Mars
I really didn’t want to like this song. I successfully resisted Bruno Mars up until this point but he tricked me into liking this song by making himself sound exactly like Sting in his Police days. Bruno Mars is such a happy and pleasant little Hobbit that he just makes me feel all happy and pleasant. You’ve no doubt heard this song over one hundred million times by now, but that doesn’t negate its greatness or its ability to make me want to get my grind on. It’s also a pretty sexy jam, which is awesome…Wednesday is hump day after all *le exaggerated wink*
Best for: a) singing to yourself. Loudly. b) Convincing someone to…well Bruno does say his sex takes me to paradise.
3) Beauty and a Beat – Justin Bieber
Something about Justin Beiber’s recent scandal makes his music a lot more appealing to me. Combine his vices with the epic pool party that takes place in the video and you just feel chilled out, man. Like I said before, January is a depressing month but nobody could feel depressed having on-the-cusp-of-sexy (sorry tweens!) Justin croon to them. Sometimes we just need something light and bubbly to get us through and since it’s illegal to drink champagne in public, this song will have to do.
Best for: having a sunny disposition even though it’s grey and -30 outside.
4) Glad You Came – The Wanted
By Evan Ross
Happy 2013, ANDPOP readers! I have no doubt that more than a few of you made resolutions regarding the person you hope to be in 2013: A better athlete, a A+ student, a better eater, a professional One Direction stalker. This playlist is made up of my personal resolutions and the songs I will use to force myself to stick with them until 2014 (or at least until February). I hope they inspire you too!
1) Save money/shop less: “Price Tag (Rizzle Kicks vs. Rural Remix)” – Rizzle Kicks & Jessie J
In 2012 I almost completely overhauled my wardrobe which, unfortunately for my bank account, was not free. This habit quickly became a shopping addiction as I bought so many things I didn’t need (Dharma Initiative necklace, anyone?). This song reminds me that pleasure need not lie in the swipe of my credit card but can be found in nice everyday things. Perfect for: Either convincing yourself to stop shopping or convincing yourself to buy more things because it’s not about the price tag.
2) Eat better: “The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack” – Liars
I’m adding this song more for the title than anything else. This track has come up on my iPod on more than one occasion after a binge at McDonald’s and never fails to make me want to reach for the nearest piece of celery. If you need to be shamed into picking up some real grapes instead of grape flavoured candy than this is the song for you. Perfect for: Reminding you of the consequences of getting a breakfast sandwich with sausage AND bacon (see also: “Fat Bottomed Girls” – Queen).
3) Spend less time on social media: “Outside Inside” – The Streets
I can easily say that in 2012 my love of Twitter developed into an addiction. It’s the first thing I check in the morning and the last thing I check before I got to bed. It’s my goal in the new year to curb this habit before my iPhone Claw becomes a permanent affliction (I already have a serious case of texting thumb), and to stop spending three plus hours looking at gifs on Tumblr. This track on Mike Skinner’s final album reminds us that while all the info about outside is available on the Internet, it’s important to actually go outside and experience it once and while.
4) Read more: “Origin of Love” – Hedwig and the Angry Inch Read more…
By Evan Ross
While some cheerios relish holiday shopping and stringing garlic around their Douglas Fir trees, Christmas isn’t a merry time of year for everyone. In fact, according to the Evan Ross Institute of Science, Christmas comes second only to Valentines Day in the list of holidays that remind you how crushingly alone you are.
Music is a great way to replenish your spirits, whether it’s on at a Secret Santa mixer or a quiet Wednesday night. I know! Christmas songs can be super repetitive — sometimes repeating three times in an hour on the radio.
Here’s a list of pleasant Yuletide alternatives (and alternative covers) that won’t make you want to lose it on the person in front of you at Old Navy. (Disclaimer: you may still lose it, but it will be because of the hell of the holiday retail scene, rather than the music.)
“Donna and Blitzen” by Badly Drawn Boy
This is my favourite Christmas song ever. I first discovered it when I fell asleep during About A Boy during the credits. (Aside: is it just me or are Hugh Grant movies a recurring theme in this column?) The melody is infectious, and it heavily features sleigh bells, which is always a bonus. The lyrics are sweet without being cheesy, as they tell the story of two reindeer (magic, of course) who fall in love and take their first flight together. If it sounds familiar to you, that may be because it was featured in a Sears commercial few years ago, which totally did not make me tear up… nope, not at all.
Perfect for: Romantic skating/a cute Christmas shopping date.
“Christmas Day” by She & Him
What could be more perfect than Zooey Deschanel and Christmas music? Zooey is adorable (if you disagree, I will fight you) and this song is nearly as cute as she is. She & Him celebrate those of us, young and old, who will always be excited that a fat guy in a red suit is breaking into our house to give us presents. If you get up at 6 am every year just to tear into your gifts, this song is for you.
Perfect for: Opening presents while the log channel plays in the background.
“Sleigh Bells” — Karmin
There’s always that one Grinchy person who absolutely hates Christmas. You know the type; someone who frowns every time they see a caroler and makes the Burger Meister look cheerful (if you didn’t get that Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town reference than I don’t even want to know you). This song will definitely make them cheerier, and if it doesn’t, run in the other direction.
Perfect for: Pleasing the complete bummer in your life/rockin’ out.
“Just Like Christmas” by Low Read more…
Whigfield — “Saturday Night”
There’s a slight chance I’m the only one who remembers this song, but I’m clinging on to a little piece of hope that there are others out there. “Saturday Night” was the go-to song for getting ready for a night out. Not that I would actually know, since I was little kid when this had its heyday, but the song made us all imagine glamourous nights. Whigfield, known as an English “eurodance” singer also created other absolutely fantastic songs that I hope everyone remembers, like “Another Day.”
Other tracks to listen to: “Think of You,” and “Sexy Eyes”
The Moffatts — “The Girl of My Dreams”
Let’s just talk about The Moffatts, shall we? This group of brothers is like a hidden Canadian gem that needs to be re-discovered. Maybe it’s just me feeling really nostalgic about my 90s childhood. I don’t understand how it’s possible to resist a group of cute(ish) brothers who can sing. I think people forgot about them after a while, even though they made an angsty comeback with “Bang Bang Boom.” Such a shame. The guys are actually reuniting on Dec. 23 for a Christmas special on Stageit!
Other tracks to listen to: “Bang Bang Boom,” “Miss You Like Crazy.”
B*Witched — “C’est La Vie”
At some point in the 90s, “c’est la vie” was like the coolest French saying, all thanks to Irish girl group B*Witched. Even though we used to sing this song in our childhoods, we’ve all come to realize that the lyrics are quite possibly the dirtiest in the world. “I’ve got a house with the windows in doors/ I’ll show you mine, you show me yours,” they sing. Yeah, they took it to that level. I’m not ashamed to say that I still own the B*Witched CD, and some of the other tracks are definitely worth listening to. And no, they’re not as dirty.
Other tracks to listen to: “Blame it on the Weatherman” and “Rollercoaster”
Dream — “He Loves You Not”
Does anyone else remember Dream? Because I totally do. They were kind of a fleeting moment in girl group history, but what they contributed to the world at that time was fantastic.
Other tracks to listen to: “This is Me,” and “Crazy”
By Evan Ross
If you’re like me you’re about 5 foot 10, love Sour Patch kids, and absolutely cannot concentrate when it comes time to study. This is the worst time of year for students; everybody else is preparing for the holidays while we prepare for the seasonal joy that is exams. I myself have spent the past few days freshening up on European politics, so join me on my journey for songs that will prevent me from smashing my head against the wall while I hit the books.
1) “I Love NYE” – Badly Drawn Boy
I find it much easier to study with music that doesn’t have lyrics, and this track is an instrumental gem off the (excellent) movie soundtrack for About A Boy. A sweet, light piece of music, this is the perfect song to trick you into thinking what you’re about to do is enjoyable. It’s ideal for preparing your soon-to-be disorganized study area, and for convincing yourself that you care about the life of Charles de Gaulle
2) “Eg Anda” – Sigur Ros
If you want music that’s calming and surreal, look no further than Sigur Ros. This songs takes a while to get going, but once it does you’ll feel like you’re in a fairy tale dream world (if fairy tales took place in Robarts Library). It’s perfect for calming pre-exam jitters, when you realize you weren’t paying attention in class nearly as well as you thought.
3) “Michicant” – Bon Iver
Staying calm during the exam period is absolutely essential, and to stay calm you NEED Bon Iver. This song sounds like some sort of lullaby and every time I put it on I imagine myself in front of a fireplace in a cabin somewhere (snuggled with the hipster hunk of my choosing). This song is perfect for getting you into the zone of hardcore memory retention. Once you realize you haven’t actually done any readings this semester and have to do all of them within a 12 hour period, this song might cool you down.
4) “With Your Friends (Long Drive)” – Skrillex Read more…
By Evan Ross
If you don’t have at least one memory from college that involves a keg/smoke machine/glitter/tight RiR-esque outfits or any combination of those things, your college experience doesn’t really count. (Aside: I guess if you got a degree then it does count, but you had a pretty lame overall experience in my opinion.) And while alcohol (or soda if you’re under 19! *Wink) is probably enough to keep parties going all night, they would be nothing without the music.
I heard Rihanna’s “We Found Love” every single time I went out last year and it was always “the best song everrrrr.” But after a while the same song gets tiring. So, young party goer, what music should you play while hosting your very own rager? Look no further than the list below. The songs appear in the order I think you should play them, meaning I’ve literally done all the work for you.
1. “The Motto” ft. Lil Wayne – Drake
Also known (by me) as “The YOLO Song,” this is one track that at least 75 percent of your guests will know the lyrics to, and nothing loosens people up like a profanity-laced sing-along. Also, it has a great beat that makes even the nerdiest of nerds feel cool (I speak from experience). On three now: YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE, THAT’S THE MOTTO N***A YOLO.
Best for: Grinding on some honeys and leaning in a way that suggests you have swag.
2. “When I Was A Youngster” – Rizzle Kicks
This song works as a party track on two levels. First, Rizzle Kicks sample The Clash’s “Revolution Rock,” which will appeal to all the pretentious music snobs at the party (read: people like me). Secondly, the song is dead catchy, and can get even the stiffest of party goers onto the dance floor. As an added bonus, the lyrics are witty and the chorus is ridiculously catchy. It’s super fun to try and singalong using Jordan and Harley’s London accents.
Best for: Dancing manically and pretending you can rap.
3. “Levels” (Skrillex remix) – Avicii
You know that Flo Rida song that you’ve been hearing ad nauseum all summer? Well this much better song is where it originates from. By the time you play this, the party should be in full swing and people will be ready for some hardcore dancing. If this song doesn’t make you want to dance for hours on end then you’re probably a robot. It’s also sure to be a crowd pleaser considering how popular both dubstep and Skrillex have become in the past year and a half.
Best for: Dancing with your hands in the air, dancing while drunk, pleasing techno music snobs.
4. “Handclaps & Guitars” – Chiddy Bang Read more…
Victoria Abraham defines one up and coming artist each week so you can impress your friends with your musical brilliance. This week, she tackles Yuna, a songstress from Malaysia.
Yuna is already a successful singer in Malaysia, but she only recently began making inroads into the North American and European music scenes. Judging by a badass performance at the Converse Rubber Tracks in Brooklyn, her Pharrell-produced single “Live Your Life,” and scheduled performances at Lollapalooza in August, Yuna is set to conquer North America.
Origins: Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia
Full name: Yunalis Zarai
Known for: Yuna’s dazzling live performances and beautiful headscarves set her apart.
Used in a sentence: “Although Yuna describes her music as a mix between Mary Poppins and Coldplay, her sound has an unmistakably soulful quality that makes you want to sip a latte at the corner coffee shop.”
File next to: Bon Iver, Corinne Bailey Rae
Download now: “Live Your Life”
Fast facts:
“Oh Yeah” — Chris Brown ft. 2 Chainz and Snoop Dogg
Between getting into bar fights with Drake’s entourage and leaking a new song, Chris Brown has sure had a busy week. The young rap star just released a new single “Oh Yeah” as a promotional song for his upcoming album Fortune. And while fans might already recognize the single since Breezy released a solo version back in April, this new version enlists the help of his rap buddies 2 Chainz and Snoop Dogg. I listened to both versions and got sick of Brown’s autotuned rapping within the first 30 seconds, but this new version has some extra padding in the form of clear rhymes by the two big name rappers. I would advise you to check out both versions and make your judgments accordingly. Fortune hits shelves on July 3.
”Liquorice” — Azaelia Banks
Azaelia Banks is a “Wild West Liquorice Bitch” (her words, not mine) in the video for her new single “Liquorice.” As usual, her song mashes genres together, this time laying her feisty raps over a retro house/ dance track. The video itself plays out all the stereotypes of a typical western – leather chaps, riding horses alone through a valley, cowgirl on cowgirl showdown, hot dogs, …wait what? Okay, so I lied. The video is anything but typical, and with styling by Nicola Formichetti (of Lady Gaga fame) and direction by fashion photographer Rankin, the video is a must-see.
“The Only Place” — Best Coast Read more…
“Princess of China” — Coldplay ft. Rihanna
Princess of China, the much-anticipated collaboration between Coldplay and Rihanna, was finally released last week with a dramatic, eye-popping music video. I never thought Rihanna and Chris Martin’s voices could complement each other so well but RiRi impressively holds her own with the alternative rockers. The R&B songstress looks amazing in her sexy Asian-inspired outfits, and Chris Martin is a dreamboat as usual, playing Rihanna’s star cross lover. With flying ninja sword fights, desert landscapes, and some amazing on screen chemistry between Chris and Rihanna (hopefully Gwyneth Paltrow wasn’t too hard on Chris), the video definitely does the song justice.
“Run” — Flo-Rida ft. RedFoo
Once again, our friend Flo-Rida has taken an 80s classic and turned it into a sexualized pop hit (“Right Round,” anyone?) His new single “Run,” featuring LMFAO’s RedFoo, is a four-minute club banger that samples Bryan Adams’ “Run to You.” It includes Rida’s usual catchy hooks that will get stuck in your head for days, and of course, the chorus is ridden with some clever sexual innuendos. Somewhere, I’m sure Bryan Adams is shaking his head in shame, but the song makes me want to pour myself a shot, throw on some heels, and go out dancing, so it’s an A+ in my books!
“Spectrum (Calvin Harris remix)” — Florence + the Machine Read more…
“Silk Pillow” Childish Gambino ft. Beck
Have I died and gone to heaven? Childish Gambino and Beck in one song? And Beck finally rapping for the first time in six years? Music Gods, you are too kind. This collaboration has all the elements for an eccentric hit. The jam is a little on the somber side, with eerie backing vocals and electric piano chords backing Beck and Gambino’s intellectual rhymes, but in the fashion of both artists, they throw some synth in the mix to bring up the groove factor…amazing!
“Entitled” Leighton Meester ft. Check in the Dark
Leighton Meester decided to take some time off stealing boyfriends and ruining lives (on TV that is) to release a new song, “Entitled.” After skyrocketing to fame by playing Manhattan’s queen bitch Blair Waldorf on Gossip Girl, Meester launched a pop singing career, with her only memorable hit being “Good Girls Go Bad” with Cobra Starship. I was never a fan of Meester’s music, but I have to eat my words when it comes to “Entitled.” The girl has an impressive set of pipes and the song is just beautiful. It’s worth listening to, and Gossip Girl fans may be a bit surprised to see the girl who plays such a ruthless character can be such a sincere performer.
“We Are Young (cover)” — Alex Clare Read more…
I remember my prom, the big expensive dress I made my parents buy but only wore once, the stretch limo and our dates struggling to fit our dresses inside. That memory still makes me laugh.
But after the clock hit midnight, the dress, the shoes and the corsage were stored in the back of my closest. Other than pictures, the only reminder I have now is when the songs I heard at prom come back on the radio.
Okay… so cheesy introduction… I know. But it needs to be said, it’s prom right?
If you’re wondering what should be on your prom playlist this year, here are some suggestions. Of course we have the classics, like Vitamin C, mixed with some newer hits like Calvin Harris.
Vitamin C — Graduation
As sappy as this song is, no prom would be complete without it playing at the end of the night. The memory of this song playing at prom will stay with you for life. So do me a favor. When this song plays at your prom, grab your bestie and relive your high school memories together.
Jay Z and Kanye – Young Forever
I originally considering including Alphaville’s “Forever Young” but then thought, hey why not give it a new spin with “Young Forever?” Even if you didn’t love high school, prom is one of those landmarks that indicate you’re growing up.
Green Day — Good Riddance (Time of your life) Read more…
