So much new music has come out in the past few weeks, and here are my favorites that are staying on repeat in my playlists.
- “Once in a Lifetime” – All Time Low
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A new single from All Time Low is always a good time. This one is especially great for driving across the Ravenel at night with the windows down. This song just fills me with positive vibes when I’m getting work done or just going for a walk to clear my head. It really just makes me want to make the most out of the time we have right now because it will only happen once, so make it worth remembering.
I always feel very nostalgic listening to All Time Low, this song being no exception, but I also feel very optimistic about the future given what we’ve been able to achieve in the hardest year of our lives. Living through this historical event has made me treasure the days of when things were “normal” and think about all the times I would stay home instead of going out with my friends. I’ve realized during this past year that these once-in-a-lifetime moments are so precious and we should take advantage of the time we have with the people we love.
- “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” – Lil Nas X
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I first heard a clip of this song on TikTok and I became obsessed with it leading up to its release. After it dropped, it received a lot of criticism based on the music video’s references to Biblical lore, but I really like it and highly recommend everyone see it because it is truly a work of art. I think that this reflects artistic expression in the purest form as Lil Nas X is using this song as a letter to his younger self to accept him for who he is. This song is super catchy and the message behind it makes me hit repeat even more.
- “3 O’Clock Things” – AJR
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Off of AJR’s new album, OK Orchestra, this song samples what sounds like a 1950s house band and chorus which I really love. I always appreciate AJR’s creativity when it comes to creating a certain vibe within a song through the use of unique sounds. It also talks about a lot of thoughts we have as young people growing up and beginning to question the contradictions in the world around us. This is especially true in the modern political climate we saw last November and the lines that it drew. The band really strikes their main message near the end of the track with the lyric “if you’re f***ing racist, then don’t come to my show” which makes this song even more powerful.
- “Heavy” – MOD SUN feat. blackbear
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A collaboration with MOD SUN and blackbear is the song I never knew I needed. This song is the perfect combination of pop-punk and rap without being too “heavy” in either genre. It’s really fitting that this song was released almost a year after everything with the pandemic really kicked off and we all went into lockdown. It was a really dark time full of intense topics being covered including the pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, upcoming presidential elections, and much more. It impacted all of us and how we look at and live our lives from day to day. This song just makes me think back to all that has happened and how we kept going even when everything seemed to be stacked against us. It makes me really hopeful for the future and what we are going to be able to accomplish once this is all over.
I hope this list provides some tunes to spice up those same 3 songs you’ve been listening to on repeat for the past month.