As a serial playlist curator who is obsessed with conjuring up the perfect vibe to fit the occasion, I am always looking for new songs to spice things up. Let’s be real, as much as we all love “Doses and Mimosas” by Cherub and “The Spins” by Mac Miller, I can only lip sync them so many times while cautiously applying eyeliner. So, here are my top 10 songs right now that you can throw in the mix and make your friends immediately break out into song and praise you (and you can take credit for all of them).
- “Magnets” – Lorde
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If you don’t know this song – get acquainted with it. It’s a dramatically underrated single Lorde released in 2015 featuring Disclosure. Lyrical genius Lorde describes a summer love but alludes to the possibility of someone else, adding a mysterious and secretive element that dramatizes the story against an otherwise light-hearted electronic feel.
- “Locked Out of Heaven” – Bruno Mars
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This is one you may have forgotten about but scratches an itch in my brain every time I hear it. Nothing compares to OG Bruno Mars; his heartache and longing is so relatable and so catchy.
- “Perfect (Exceeder)” – Mason, Princess Superstar
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If you’ve seen Saltburn then you know this song was crafted perfectly to feel, I would say, electric. This is absolutely honed to spice up a party vibe and make you feel like you’re in one of those TikTok edits. It was originally released in 2006 and became a club hit all across Europe. Now associated with a highly rated and booming new psychological thriller, this song is climbing the charts in the U.S. and finally getting the recognition it deserves.
- “Paper Planes” – M.I.A.
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This is one my mom used to play in the car when I was around 10 years old. I would sing every lyric as if I, too, were getting high as planes. And somehow all the words have been ingrained in my brain since. Relatable or not, this singalong banger is guaranteed to rile up a group regardless.
- “Hello” – Martin Solveig
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This is a classic that makes me want to drive down the Malibu Coast in a Bentley with the top down. It feels like the intro to a really good movie – usually the highlight reel before everything goes wrong. I love the message behind this one, because a hi and goodbye followed by an Irish exit sometimes is just the vibe.
- “Cool Girl” – Tove Lo
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The song lives up to the name. I’m always wanting to throw some sunglasses on when I hear this one, because somehow that increases my mysterious and cool girl effect.
- “Disco Tits” – Tove Lo
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Released in 2017, this is an underrated Tove Lo song that I didn’t discover until recently. How it flew under my radar I have no idea, but I can’t stop listening. It’s a sexy single that, when paired with a Thursday night and your best friends, is guaranteed to start the night off right.
- “Zeze” – Kodak Black
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Another throwback, if you’re not seeing a theme by now. I’m a big advocate for a good throwback, one that everyone loves but has since forgotten. This was a popular one at any middle school function in 2018. But hey, it was good then and it’s good now.
- “See You Again” – Miley Cyrus
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Okay, so, big Hannah Montana fan over here. I had this album on CD back in the day. I actually performed her songs religiously for my family as my brother mimed as my backup dancer. This is a nostalgic one for me, and for anyone else who also devoted a good portion of their formative years to Miley Cyrus, this one will strike a chord. Flip this one on, pull out your hand microphone, and sing your heart out.
- “Shut Up and Drive” – Rihanna
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What would this list be without Rihanna? She’s usually thrown into the mix somewhere with some of her more popular, recent songs. However, this one deserves just as much praise and recognition as any. It’s sassy, it’s sexy, and it’ll pump you up. Much love for the boys, but this one’s for the girls.
