Category: Playlists

Dissecting the eclectic mix of music that represents grudges, love, heartbreak, and pure accidents. Essentially, 2020 in an article.

Like thousands around the world, I spend the first few days of December anxiously awaiting my Spotify Wrapped. Opening each year’s Spotify Wrapped is the adult, audiophile version of running around the corner on Christmas morning and squealing in delight as you see beautifully wrapped presents under the glistening lights of the Christmas tree. The Spotify Santas have done it again this year; this time with each page of Wrapped more shareable than ever. As a music psychologist who studies Spotify listening habits and is constantly checking my own statistics with Obscurify, I shouldn’t be that surprised at my year’s musical hierarchies. Yet, as with most things in 2020, I had to step back and laugh for a minute when I saw this year’s top artists. There’s only one artist that I even like, much less love, in my top five. 

 

1. The Beatles

Before I get immense hate for this, let me acknowledge that I appreciate what the Beatles did for the music industry and respect their innovation in marketing. That being said, I hate the Beatles. I’m not saying that to be edgy; I’m not one of those people who will tell you that the Beatles are overrated. Rather, I despise the fact that they stole styles from minorities and those less represented in the music industry, repurposed them, and sold them as their own without giving due credit. They also never credited many of these inspirations or the musicians who played on their albums — especially those who helped usher in a new era of “world music.”

Yet here I am, in the top 0.5% of their listeners for the year. How did we get here? After taking a course about the Beatles, I wanted educated opinions about why I hated them. I spent December and the first two months of 2020 excessively listening to their albums front to back, meticulously trying to understand and grasp why and how they made their music so alluring to generations. In the process, I discovered songs I did love, some of which still live in my head, rent-free. 

2. John Mayer

Out of my five top artists in 2020, I never would have expected John Mayer to make that list, much less steal the second spot. Similar to my opinion on the Beatles, I also don’t care for John Mayer that much, at least as a person. Unfortunately, I didn’t learn about his problematic nature until after I stopped listening to him. He’s a manipulative male singer who has dabbled in nearly every controversial topic, from dating Taylor Swift when she was 19 and he was 31 to cultural appropriation to a racially charged Playboy interview in which he used the N-word and described his penis as a white supremacist.

At this point, you’re definitely wondering why he’s on my top artist list. I genuinely wish he wasn’t, and I can say with confidence that this was by complete accident and a bit of psychology. Right before the pandemic struck America, I was returning to Ithaca from a weekend trip to Toronto. John Mayer’s 2006 album, Continuum, came up on shuffle on my friend’s playlist. His soothing vocals dance around the soft sounds of guitar right from the start of the album, and after a long weekend of exploring one of Canada’s best cities, I couldn’t help but fall asleep. I found this album to be the perfect sleepy-time soundtrack, and for the next week, I listened to it before falling asleep. Unfortunately, this led to me accidentally classically conditioning myself into only being able to fall asleep to this album. For all of March, April, and May, I fell asleep to this album every night. Continuum is the only Mayer album I’ve ever listened to, and I think I only know three songs outside of it. Next time, I’ll remind myself to start a Private Listening session before I fortuitously allow someone like Mayer to steal the spot of a deserving artist.

3. The Beach Boys

I was mentally preparing myself to see the Beach Boys near the top of this list, but again, they’re far from my favorite band. Growing up, my sister’s song was “Good Vibrations.” She sang it everywhere. I, of course, was annoyed, as older sisters usually are. This led to a deep-seeded hatred of the Beach Boys and their happy-go-lucky surf melodies. Until 2020, I don’t think I had even listened to a single Beach Boys song on Spotify, but this seems to be the Year of the Beach Boys for me.

In March, I started seeing someone whose favorite band is the Beach Boys. I wasn’t a fan — on our second date, we listened to both the Beatles and the Beach Boys and argued about who was better. Being the contrarian I am, I of course argued for the Beatles. I suppose that makes me a hypocrite, too. Nevertheless, my music taste began to change. I endlessly stalked his 10 hour, 53 minute Beach Boys playlist (this time, I remembered to use a Private Listening Session), eventually making my own much shorter version, and realized that the Beach Boys are much more than just surf rock. “Don’t Worry Baby” became the song of my summer, the song that gave me endless hope that life in this pandemic would be alright. I’m okay with the Beach Boys on this ranking; although I never would have seen that coming, I think this artist represents more than any other how 2020 has forced me out of my comfort zone.

 

4. All Time Low

Here is the only artist that I was confident would be on my top artist list. All Time Low, my guilty emo phase pleasure, stands as not only my #4 artist of the year, but also as my top artist of all time on Spotify. I had a long emo phase, but never stopped listening to All Time Low. Their album, So Wrong, It’s Right, is pinned on my wall against my bed. I haven’t listened to as much All Time Low since the pandemic started, and I’m not a huge fan of their new pop direction. Even their new song with blackbear, my #5 artist, stands no chance next to their mid-2000s music. I may not have been proud that such a remnant of my middle school self stands so high on my list when I posted my Wrapped on Instagram, but for my own sake, I’m happy that the first band I ever loved still remains in my repertoire of music-listening.

 

5. blackbear

I don’t know who blackbear is, what his real name is, where he came from, or what he even sang before “hot girl bummer.” Yet, I evidently liked him enough for him to be considered one of my top artists of 2020. Off the top of my head, I can name two blackbear songs beside “hot girl bummer,” those being “do re mi” and “idfc.” blackbear is popular with teenagers and young adults, especially since some of his songs got picked up on TikTok this summer. In fact, TikTok is the first place I ever even heard “hot girl bummer,” almost a year after it was released.

Music was an integral part of a relationship that I had been in, and after we broke up, I searched manically for new music. I was determined to not ruin music for myself, and although I risk sounding like a pining, whiny heartbreak song here (ahem, John Mayer), for a while, everything seemed to remind me of him. Thanks to TikTok, “hot girl bummer” became the new song of my summer. I hiked alone, reclaiming spaces for myself and listening to “hot girl bummer” and “hot girl bummer” alone for two straight weeks. It became somewhat of an anthem for myself and my roommates, as whenever we’d have relationship troubles, we’d shout into the living room, “Alexa, play hot girl bummer, volume 10!”

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More than ever before, my music taste is all over the place, and Spotify Wrapped made sure that I knew this. I have 2020 to thank for that, as during months of quarantine, I shifted my preferred genres from something my friends would call “pretentious and angsty” to something they would now call “an absolute mess.” Despite this change and the fact that I can no longer give a succinct answer to “What type of music do you listen to?,” I can say with confidence that I am grateful for the availability of music through Spotify and the people who have changed my music taste. 2020, that’s a wrap!

“Evening Song” – Cornell University Glee Club

At around 6:15 PM every day, from the narrow streets of Collegetown to the gothic towers of West Campus, there’s one sound that will always ring true: the Cornell chimes ending the evening concert with “Evening Song.” About fifteen minutes later, the Cornell Glee Club and Chorus come together on Ho Plaza, arm in arm, to sing the same piece as we watch the sunset grow and then fade over Libe Slope. Non-Cornellian passerbys may think it strange that the tune of “O Christmas Tree” or “O Tannenbaum” plays every day of the year, but Cornellians know better. This song represents generations of Cornellians coming together “when the sun fades far away in the crimson of the west” and giving thanks for friends, family, and memories. Looking for a sign to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve left them? This is it. – EMILY HURWITZ

“Midnight Rider” – Gregg Allman

December 8th marks what would be Gregg Allman’s seventy-third birthday, so it is fitting for one of his classics to make an appearance on this month’s playlist. A more laid back take on the 1970 Allman Brothers Band hit, Gregg Allman’s solo version of “Midnight Rider” digs deep with its raw and stripped-down arrangement. It is the first track off of his 1973 Laid Back album, and he takes the previously deemed untouchable masterpiece down a darker road. While the song does build throughout the piece with an orchestra rave-up, its overall tone still remains gloomy and solemn, a perfect soundtrack for a reflection overlooking a winter sunset. “Midnight Rider” fades out to a silence, leaving the listener inspired to ride out into the sunset on a winter evening. “I’m not gon’ let ’em catch me, no / Not gon’ let ’em catch the midnight rider.” – SPENCER NACHMAN

“Shake Your Lonely” –  Twin Peaks

East Coast Park, Singapore 

Shake Your Lonely by Twin Peaks is an indie-pop, folk-inspired tune for a tranquil evening. Cradled by the steady amble of the drums, the syrupy electric guitars sketch a melody which goes down easily, drowsy and mellow. Frontman Cadien James’s smooth, winsome crooning is swathed in airy, shimmering upper-register harmonies as he makes the earnest promise that however the day passed, “it’s gonna be good.” Twin Peaks paints a soundscape like a sunset haze, glowing russet gold and serene, gently easing into indigo as the song draws to a close, taking the day’s cares with it. – LYNN HONG

“Mess” – Noah Kahan

Cornellians are full of ambition, always working towards achieving some goal. In his song “Mess,” Noah Kahan writes an honest depiction of his own wistful longing for the life of normalcy prior to reaching his goal of success and fame. Kahan’s raw lyrics combined with his distinct, husky voice and gentle strums of the guitar give an acoustic, folksy vibe not often found in pop songs. He sings “I would wipe myself clean of what I knew was unimportant” and “I paid off my debts but found the world boring” to remind us all of our roots. It gives off a nostalgic feel for every person’s own happy moments like kicking back on Libe Slope with friends or running through Collegetown together to catch a TCAT. There is a sense of comfort knowing that even this up-and-coming artist gets told “oh, you’re a mess, you’re a mess, good God” sometimes. – MIA GLASS

“Talking Slow” – Dylan Jordan

Filled with reverb and echoing sirens, Dylan Jordan’s “Talking Slow” elicits a feeling of nostalgia from every listener. The melody is comfortingly simple, and supplemented by layers of sounds, from a chorus of vocals to steady cymbals to the few strums of a guitar. Synthesized instruments and the ad-libbed vocals backing Dylan’s voice paint a cloudy dreamscape, complementing the story being told, “You were mine, at one point in time.” As a college student home for the holidays, I find myself torn between the joy of being with my family once again and the longing that I feel for my life at school. “Talking Slow” offers solace to those who are yearning to return to their independence, as Dylan reassures himself quietly “I am fine,” and we are reminded that we aren’t the only ones homesick in a new kind of way. – GRACE STASOLLA

“Closing Time” – Semisonic

Last Spring, I drove away from Cornell as a defeated man. Coming off the abrupt cancellation of our season and the school year, I had nothing left to give. Making matters worse, I was worried about the Canada-USA border, and getting stuck in a game of strange geopolitics that would not allow me to get home. Sulking away from Ithaca down the west side of Cayuga Lake, I gave up the fight and played closing time on repeat. Now, staring down the barrel of my last semester in Ithaca, the sun is setting on my own time in the finger lakes. Closing time indeed. – JON DONVILLE

“anything” – Adrianne Lenker

Without the rest of her main band Big Thief contributing to the indie folk sound, Adrianne Lenker plays alone with her acoustic guitar and mousy, nasally, close voice. The song begins with “staring at the barrel of the hot sun / shining with the sheen of a shotgun,” but soon delves into friends’ names and specific moments such as hanging her girlfriend’s jeans with clothespins and Christmas Eve with her family. Written in a cabin during lockdown, Lenker captures a relationship before its end (most of the new album songs is about her breakup), a winding melody guiding us through soft moments with a lover: “I wanna sleep in your car while you’re driving / lay in your lap while I’m crying.” The instrumental is sparse, only a light tapping of percussion with Lenker’s enchanting guitar plucking. “anything” feels as if it was conjured right out of nature, a fitting tune for gazing at a sunset, wrapped in a warm coat. – ANDIE CHAPMAN

“Chicago” – Sufjan Stevens

The center of Sufjan Steven’s 2006 masterpiece Illinois is a balancing act between orchestral crashes and isolation. After each instrumental build of horns, bells, cymbals, and layers of strings, culminating with a wall of choir vocals, the bottom of the song falls out, leaving Sufjan alone above simple piano chords. There, he begins his song: “I fell in love again, all things go. All things go.” – MILES GREENBLATT

“Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” – Elton John

I don’t often roll down the windows, push the car stereo to the max, and let the rest of suburbia hear my undoubtedly ugly singing voice, but that’s just the Elton effect. Listen to this song at sunset and emotion will wash over you like Elton’s immaculate backing vocals wash over the instrumentation. Whether we want more time, more opportunities, or just a little more daylight in these dim December days, we can all relate to Elton’s plea to not let the sun go down on him. – JONAH LEVINE

“Nimrod (from “Enigma Variations”)” – Edward Elgar

Just as a sunset never fails to make me pause and stare, “Nimrod” imposes the same effect, never failing to make me stop everything I’m doing and solely internalizing this emotive work. The whispering awakening of violins lures in any listener who happens to stumble upon it. And just as there is a brief moment of a sunset, right before the sun dips below the horizon when the rays are most intense, “Nimrod” burgeons toward an impassioned climax, sustained by the restless roll of the timpani and blaring brass section before ending with a wistful egress. – PATRICIA KU

“Tag und Nacht (Day and Night)” – J. S. Bach

This aria for bass voice comes from a cantata of 1708 for the investiture of the Town Council in the German City of Mühlhausen. Written and performed when Bach was only twenty-two years old, the grandly ambitious work could be thought of as a senior thesis (though Bach never had the luxury of attending university): the cantata is full of newly acquired knowledge, original ideas, brave experiment—and new and beautiful music. The assuring tranquility of “Day and Night” projects both outward-looking wonder and interior reflection—those paradoxical emotions that sunsets so often inspire. In the aria’s instrumental introduction, pairs of flutes and oboes circle around one another, like the sun and earth, their motions marking the day and its end. The bass voice enters with a descending figure that divides the octave in half, as if chronicling the progress of the hours. As the piece moves calmly, inexorably on, we hear the passing of time and the moments—lingering, yet fleeting—between day and night.—DAVID YEARSLEY 

Alma Mater – Cornell University Glee Club

As we come to the end of a historic semester, we can’t help but reminisce in semesters past when attending class wasn’t a potential health hazard. What better way to do so than by listening to the iconic Alma Mater performed by none other than the Cornell Glee Club. A culmination of the best musicians and singers on campus, the stellar performance is sure to make you think of late nights at Olin Library, or long grueling walks up the Slope. The interplay between the various voice parts creates a powerful and resonant sound that is remembered by generations of Cornilieans. The perfect anthem to listen to as we come to the bittersweet ending of this momentous semester. – AARIK IBANEZ

“Dora” – Tierra Whack

One of the most exciting rappers working today released her first single of the year, an anthem celebrating Gucci sheets, going vegan, living on the beach, and leveling up in all areas (mostly financial). Bouncy hi-hats and a casual flow give way to immense talent and just enough optimism to make the future look bright, at least for two and a half minutes.—MILES GREENBLATT

 

“Little Drummer Boy  (feat. Mzansi Youth Choir)” – Leslie Odom Jr.

The release of Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr.’s 2020 holiday album resuscitates Little Drummer Boy from the catalog of overplayed Christmas music. The invigorating, alluring voices of 50 young choristers of the Mzansi Youth Choir sprinkled with an anticipating drum beat generates a refreshing gusto to the 1941 American tune. And while there’s nothing wrong with listening to Christmas tunes before Thanksgiving, it does help that the advent of distinct genres of pop, R&B, and traditional South African choral music make the song a suitable listen for anytime of the year. You’d never expect the bitter and green-eyed Aaron Burr to be so full of holiday cheer.—PATRICIA KU

 

“Probably Up (Live in SF)” – Lawrence

The soft, sweet trickle of piano notes leads you in, but you’d be jumping the gun to characterize this song as soft or tender. Any sentimentality is shattered by the horn line, which is elevated by punchy jabs at an electric organ. Add in a tight beat and the staccato tease of a guitar and you’ve got one serious funk groove. Drawing energy from the audience, Clyde Lawrence coats the tune in a warm, throaty wail that won’t fail to stave off your impending winter woes.—JONAH LEVINE

 

“I Wanna Get Better” – Bleachers

There are certain songs that beg you to dance, transforming your mundane life into an early-2000s rom-com montage, and Bleachers’ “I Wanna Get Better” is the pick-me-up we all need sometimes. Each time the choppy piano starts to play, my head prepares to bop and my pulse quickens, the booming drums enveloping me in energy. Though the lyrics detail moments of hopelessness and fear: “And I’ve trained myself to give up on the past ‘cause / I froze in time between hearses and caskets” each verse ends with Jack Antonoff’s optimistic belting. Bleachers’ first hit single is sure to inspire you to reflect on your troubles and decide to grow from them…because the first step in becoming happier is telling yourself, I wanna get better.—GRACE STASOLLA

 

“Hawái” – Maluma

Maluma, the Latin superstar from Colombia, took the world by storm when he released a summer bop on the 29th of July 2020 titled ‘Hawai’. The single quickly shot to top billboards for countries around the world and the official YouTube video has accumulated over 400 million views to date. With a soft entrance laced with synths and an electric piano, accompanied by Maluma’s soothing and rich tone, the listener is left to sway their head to the ballad-like nature of the opening. The classic Latin percussion enters shortly after, immediately transforming the song into a rhythmic and energizing piece of music for all people to enjoy and dance to. From catchy melodies to danceable rhythms, Hawái is the perfect song to blast on our porch speakers with the company of your friends on a hot summer day.—AARIK IBANEZ

 

“TWFNO” – Tiffany Day

Following her viral debut video of her singing “Hallelujah” into a well in Italy, Tiffany Day has been releasing her own airy, bedroom-pop songs ever since. “TWFNO” came out right before the pandemic hit, and the song’s candid idea that time waits for no one makes the world seem a little more manageable. The words “all that s*** built up inside is okay, feel alive” is met with a steady beat of the drum that gives a feeling of an unwavering, balanced life. When the drums are not playing there are electronic melodies that drift through the background and crisp snaps that will make you want to snap and sing along with Day. With its heart-to-heart lyrics and uplifting beat, “TWFNO” is the perfect song to blast when you want to forget about time and any responsibilities.—MIA GLASS

 

“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” – Marvin Gaye

If darkness is the absence of light, then Marvin Gaye’s legendary tune is the absence of sadness. Much like the persistent narrator of the song will not allow any obstacle to infringe on his ability to get to his love, so to will Gaye not stop from making the listener smile. The song has a melody that inspires a smile immediately, and the lyrics are as happy as can be. Gaye didn’t let the rock formations of thousands of year old glaciers stop him, and neither should you let the events of the day impact your life. There ain’t no mountain high enough to stop you from getting to the top and screaming that today will be a good day!—JON DONVILLE 

 

“Proof” – Paramore

Maybe you’re not in love. Neither am I. Proof by Paramore is still the perfect alt-rock song to enliven oneself, but also to forget about the imminently setting sun. With dynamic lyrics about the force of love and vibrant guitars and melodies, Proof is the shimmering reset for the inevitable seasonal melancholy (as well as the current pandemic). Swim in this song for a few minutes and don’t forget about the blushing, reggae-inspired bridge where Hayley Williams’ vocals shine with lovestruck joy. Taylor York’s deep guitar lines meld with Williams’ voice for that unique Paramore sound: the brightness of Hayley’s vocal melodies and the shadows of true emo influences from their early 2000s days. Proof begs to be danced to, giving you a reason to smile and sing along.—ANDIE CHAPMAN

 

“Tongue Tied” – Grouplove

Nearly ten years later, “Tongue Tied” by Grouplove is the one song that never fails to lift my mood. It’s the anthem that every Zillennial knows and loves, and has inspired countless Spotify playlists such as “if tongue tied by grouplove was a playlist,” which boasts 8,747 followers to date. This song remains Grouplove’s most popular song, as it’s often hailed as the synth-pop, alt-rock teenage party song of the decade. One scroll through TikTok today will reveal countless travel videos and summer memory montages set to “Tongue Tied.” From the chorus of crescendoing “Woooo!”s at the end of the guitar intro to the energetic, bouncy verses, there’s only one way to describe “Tongue Tied”: the auditory form of serotonin.—EMILY HURWITZ

 

“Some Skunk Funk” – The Brecker Brothers

There is nothing better than tapping your foot to an upbeat jazz tune, and “Some Skunk Funk” by The Brecker Brothers is no exception. At the same time that this song will push your jaw through the floor, especially the hyper-speed live version on their Heavy Metal Be-Bop (1978) album, the band is so deep “in-the-pocket” that the groove is bound to make you feel great. The Brecker Brothers is a jazz fusion duo fronted by Michael Brecker on sax and Randy Brecker on trumpet, and the band’s energy while playing this virtuosic piece live is so infectious that it feels like you are in the audience yourself while listening to the wild flow of melodic lines. If you prefer a more laid-back version of this masterpiece, head over to their The Brecker Bros (1975) album and you will be equally stunned and uplifted. “Some Skunk Funk:” groove first, then speed. —SPENCER NACHMAN

Buttercup by Hippo Campus

I’m not good with motivational quotes or the saccharine pep of “you can do it!” songs. Buttercup, by indie phenoms Hippo Campus, is the perfect cocktail of self-deprecation and obstinate resolution to shake off a bad day. Acerbic lyrics play off against the jaunty, teasing bounce of the guitar and synths, keeping the song taught with mischief even as it puts an uncomfortable finger on all the things going wrong.  Whether it’s an incomprehensible academic reading or a perilously close deadline, there’s something cathartic about yelling “yeah, swing, sucker swing, finish sobbing” with the band in full chorus. And like a charm, after those three and a half minutes, I feel ready to peel myself off the floor and lurch back into society. —LYNN HONG 

“Budapest Concert (ECM)” – Keith Jarrett

After all the pulse-racing, mood-boosting excitements of this playlist, here’s a dose of sonic calm to re-balance mind and body. One of the most wide-ranging, expressive, and original pianists of the last half-century. Keith Jarrett turned seventy-five in May, but he was not celebrating.  He was struggling to recover from two strokes suffered two years ago.  With aid, he walks again, but can no longer play the piano. Last month his famed record label ECM released a double album of his live 2016 concert in Budapest, a sprawling hour-and-a-half of music that traverses a vast stylistic terrain: jazz, classical, free improvisation, coloristic tableaux, and percussive ruminations. Jarrett’s kaleidoscopic cosmopolitanism is self-indulgent only in the best sense:  personal, inimitable, compelling, expansive. Jarrett has Hungarian ancestry and saw the Budapest Concert given at the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall as a kind of homecoming. Bartók has long been a vital influence on the pianist and its echoes, dances and sings throughout the evening, the audience enraptured by the music’s masterful surety and unbounded imagination. All material is original and spontaneous, Jarrett returning toward evening’s end—just before two popular song encores—to the Blues of his native land, the sound of one home heard in another. That this irreplaceable musician will not perform again is a devastating loss, but in the Budapest concert—and in the wealth of recordings stowed in the ECM vault to be released in the years ahead—there is uplift enough for several lifetimes, and for generations of listeners still to be moved by Jarrett’s undying art.—DAVID YEARSLEY

 

Complete playlist here:

“Wrath” – The Smashing Pumpkins

Autumn’s here, at last. Foliage, cute sweaters, and apple cider donuts fill my Instagram feed. But not only do we have carving pumpkins to look forward to, we also have The Smashing Pumpkins. The band is back, having recently dropped four singles from their upcoming double album, Cyr,  set for release on November 27. “Wrath,” released on September 25, showcases the band’s departure from guitar-saturated grunge into an equally heavy but electronic direction, which they hinted on their 2014 album, Moments to an Elegy. Billy Corgan’s wailing nasal voice dances around the empty sound of a synth with no guitar — a bold stylistic move for a band known for their quintessential 90s rock anthems. —EMILY HURWITZ

 

“Dear Mr. President” – Kiana Ledé

We are currently living through one of the worst pandemics recorded in history and mass civil rights protests unlike any other; two issues that can be attributed to the actions taken by the current sitting president. All the heartbreak and suffering we have seen this year gave re-birth to P!nk’s single ‘Dear Mr. President’ originally released on March 28th, 2011. Kiana Ledé released a beautiful rendition of the piece as a piano ballad single on the June 12th, 2020. The piece opens with chants from a protest where people are proclaiming ‘No Peace, No Justice’, directly referring to the protests we have been seeing recently. This is proceeded by the entrance of Ledés euphonious vocals accompanied by heavenly harmonies, making this piece a must listen to. Ledé asks the questions, directed towards the president, that everyone wants to know the answers to such as ‘How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?’. It is very disappointing to think that 11 years after the original release, this song could still be so relevant. —AARIK IBANEZ

 

“That’s on You (Japanese Remix)” – Joyce Wrice, UM

This collaboration breaks all barriers, combining different languages, R&B and neo-soul, and two half-Japanese, half-Black female icons. Rising artist Joyce Wrice released her single “That’s on You” back in May, but UMI joined her for the October 6th release of this powerful Japanese remix. The song still keeps the original storyline of an uncertain and hopeless love, but this time, the two artists’ voices melt together into a buttery, soulful blend of harmonies. The smooth bass-line coupled with the swaying rhythm of the guitar will bring on the sweet groove that everybody needs. —MIA GLASS

 

“Gwendolyn” – Jeff Tweedy

This week, Jeff Tweedy released “Gwendolyn,” a new song to preface the release of his upcoming solo album Love Is the King. Tweedy’s gentle, detached voice, became a cornerstone of his esteemed alternative rock band, Wilco. Once again, his rustling voice is featured prominently, yet the steady groove of the guitar and bass keep it from roaming too far from the melody. The result is a soft, yet infectiously toe-tapping tune.—JONAH LEVINE

 

“We Are Golden” – MIKA

Cornell’s pressure-filled climate makes it is so easy to get caught up in becoming a cookie-cutter graduate with a job lined up. And in doing so, many find themselves relinquishing the time and effort that should duly be put into exploring their interests and curiosities. With that said, as we are entering prelim season, or as I see it, the period of time where priorities get skewed and life perspectives are warped, MIKA’s “We Are Golden” is a tried-and-true reset button. The song’s uplifting beat and instrumentals backing up MIKA’s stern chants of this seemingly repetitive chorus will not fail to shake us out of this trance we’re in.—PATRICIA KU

 

“Little Dreamer” – Van Halen

After the death of the most influential rock guitarist, Eddie Van Halen, it would be remiss to exclude one of the band’s invigorating tunes in this month’s playlist. “Little Dreamer” is a neglected gem from Van Halen’s debut record in 1978, being overpowered by the mighty “Eruption” and radio hit “Runnin’ with the Devil.” This mid-tempo masterpiece formed an integral part of the Van Halen setlist even before they hit the studio, and it resultantly became its own force of nature by the time the red record button was pushed. Eddie’s signature tapping style makes a brief but ferocious appearance mid-song, but “Little Dreamer” proves that groove beats speed. Eddie Van Halen inspired a generation of guitarists and air-guitarists alike that continue to look up to him as the ultimate guitar god. —SPENCER NACHMAN

 

“Why Are Sundays So Depressing” – The Strokes

In the blur of the months, an album that shines through is The New Abnormal by the Strokes. It is their first full-length release since 2013 and produced by the industrious Rick Rubin. I chose the arbitrarily titled “Why Are Sundays So Depressing.” It blends early Strokes guitars with more eccentric vocals from Julian Casablancas, redolent of his experimental band The Voidz. The sugary guitar melodies and vocoder-based chorus feel like a new atmosphere of joy, far away from the current strangeness. This song is a fresh alternative cut in a collection of rock oddities. If you love The Strokes and haven’t yet heard this, get ready for your next true love. —ANDIE CHAPMAN

 

“Mustang” – Bartees Strange

Though Bartees Strange’s impressive, genre-hopping debut Live Forever was filled with wonderful tracks, the album’s highlight, “Mustang”, an indie-rock banger replete with distorted riffs an infectious synth line, demonstrates Strange’s powerful voice and emotional range, along with his ability to craft a song that begs to be screamed and replayed until your voice gives out. —MILES GREENBLATT

 

“Atoll” – Nail Palm

Accompanied by a single electric guitar, Nai Palm croons a promise of healing on “Atoll,” singing “When the damn thing breaks/ I’ll be there to take you home”. Also known also as the frontman of the futuristic jazz-funk quartet Haitus Kaiyote, Nai Palm sings spring-loaded with intention, purring the melody in her husky lower register before curling into her airy falsetto. The song blooms into harmony in the verse, the hum of voices swelling and overflowing from the ends of each line, rich but never cloying. Ending in an exuberant chorus, Nai Palm ensconces the listener in this momentary atoll. —LYNN HONG

 

“Good Job” – Alicia Keys

Self doubt is something that effects college students in the best of times. In 2020, there isn’t a college student who hasn’t doubted themselves, or been discouraged by the pandemic and its alterations on normal life. Alicia Keys’ soothing voice in her single “Good Job” brings memories of Robin Williams famously telling Matt Damon that “its not your fault.” Keys wrote the tune before the pandemic, but its message to regular people and workers is especially inspiring. She sings, “You’re doing a good job / A good job.” A message we all need to hear right now, only made better by her charisma and talent. A great addition to this playlist.—JON DONVILLE

 

“You Sad” – Tkay Maidza

As the weather grows colder and the sky becomes darker, it is easy to forget about the joyful parts of life. Tkay Maidza’s “You Sad” encourages listeners to take life less seriously, with a kooky music video and a catchy chorus. The song is an amalgamation of quirky little sounds – from shakers and bongos to whistles that echo throughout. Maidza’s music video is scattered with vibrant colors and butterflies, emulating the magical energy that her song exudes. Released on August 7, “You Sad” has the carefree energy of the summer and is the perfect listen for anyone missing the sun. —GRACE STASOLLA