If there’s one thing that you can catch me doing during any time of year, it’s listening to music. While walking to class, doing school work, and just hanging out and rotting in my bed, music has been what’s kept me going through this spring semester. However, if you asked me to describe my music taste to you, I wouldn’t have a very clear answer. Simply put, it’s all over the place, and sooner or later, you’ll be able to determine whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Without further ado, here are five of my most listened-to songs this month that I think you should be adding to your playlists!
“5:15” by Bridgit mendler
I probably played this song 10 times in one day last week, and I’m not ashamed to admit that at all. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with Bridgit Mendler as I watched her on Good Luck Charlie every day after school. I even went to see her in concert when I was eight, and she was absolutely amazing (my mom says she was “horrendous” but most of her music opinions don’t matter in my book). With her being in the news recently, as she has become the CEO of a company she started called Northwood Space, I was inspired to go back and listen to her debut album Hello…My Name Is that came out in 2012. This song combines elements of pop, jazz, and soul music that blend together like a beautiful contemporary symphony. You’ll find yourself bopping your head and swaying from side to side as the backbeat naturally moves your body to the tune.
“the lakes” by Taylor swift
It only took me this long to mention Taylor Swift. I held it in for as long as I could (which wasn’t very long, evidently). This song is the last track on her album, Folklore, and it’s probably my all-time favorite on the album. This song is the definition of poetry, to put it simply. It will transport you to an ethereal forest straight out of a fairytale, and everything about it just puts you at ease and gives you a feeling of inner peace. This song is a wonderful depiction of what the best of Taylor Swift’s songwriting has to offer. It offers a stark contrast to any of her other mainstream albums, like Red and 1989, in the most beautiful way imaginable. There’s nothing quite like “the lakes,” and that’s what I love most about it.
“falling of the rain” by billy joel
Of all the music that Billy Joel has put out throughout his remarkable music career, this song that I’ve been listening to a lot recently is one that comes from his first-ever album, Cold Spring Harbor. It has a very recognizable piano motif that defines the melodic structure of the whole song, and in my opinion, it very much has this vibe that it’s supposed to mimic rain falling. The lyrics are also very poetic and tell a very unique story that shows off Billy Joel’s songwriting abilities, as well as his range. For his first album, the song has a very different vibe when we compare it to his more popular songs, such as “Piano Man” and “Uptown Girl,” but it’s a uniqueness that can’t be matched.
“Politician” by ryan mccartan
This song I discovered just last year, and it’s one that I didn’t expect myself to like at first, but it’s become one of my favorites. This is one of just a few singles from Ryan McCartan, who is probably best known for playing Diggie on the Disney Channel series Liv and Maddie, and for originating the role of JD in the musical Heathers. The song begins with what sounds like an ice cream truck jingle, which reminded me very much of my family’s vacation to Washington, D.C., where there were ice cream trucks lined up for miles along the National Mall. Ryan McCartan sings about a manipulative partner, equating them to a crooked politician in this amazing bop.
“Can’t sleep love” by pentatonix
This song has been making a comeback in my listening rotation recently. I used to be borderline obsessed with Pentatonix when I was in middle school, so much so that I managed to drag both of my parents to two Pentatonix concerts, and I don’t regret it for a single second. This song is from their self-titled album that came out in 2015, and like “5:15,” it’s very much a song that will make you bop your head from side to side and groove along to the slow beat. As an a capella group, Pentatonix’s vibe is unlike any other, and the blend of their five voices works together beautifully to create this soulful, and at times sultry song.
final Thoughts
As you can see, my music taste is quite varied, and I like to listen to many different genres and songs. All in all, they have a common theme; they are all beautifully written and contain poetic lyrics, and they all combine different elements of different genres to create something new and amazing. So I hope you walk away from this with some good ideas of what to listen to next, and maybe they’ll become part of your regular listening rotation as well.