Showing posts with label Spotify. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spotify. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Spotify: Songs of the Year (1960-2025)

Spotify:

Songs of the Year, 1960-2025

These are the top songs each year (1960 to present) according to most streams on Spotify.

Click here to see other ‘Songs of the Year’ lists.

Resources/Related Links:

First posted 11/6/2021; last updated 12/31/2025.

 
at 6 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, December 26, 2024

Streaming: Billion Airs Club

Streaming:

Billion Airs Club

These are the songs which have reached one billion streams, mostly via Spotify. Different versions of songs have been combined. Because this list has now ballooned to more than 600 titles, only the top 100 are ranked. After that, songs which have reached the billion air status are listed alphabetically by artist without the figures included.

Click here to see other song lists based on charts, sales, and airplay.

Check out the Spotify playlist of these songs here..

The Top 100 Most-Streamed Songs of All Time

3 billion +:

1) 4154.87: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” (2019)
2) 3833.89: Ed Sheeran “Shape of You” (2017)
3) 3674.35: Ed Sheeran with Beyoncé “Perfect” (2017)
4) 3406.07: Luis Fonsi with Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber “Despacito” (2017)
5) 3401.43: The Weeknd with Ariana Grande “Save Your Tears “ (2020)
6) 3301.19: Lewis Capaldi “Someone You Loved” (2018)
7) 3233.72: Post Malone with Swae Lee “Sunflower” (2018)
8) 3146.40: The Weeknd with Daft Punk “Starboy “ (2016)
9) 3119.13: Harry Styles “As It Was” (2022)
10) 3069.25: Drake with WizKid & Kyla “One Dance” (2016)

11) 3020.09: Tones and I “Dance Monkey “ (2019)
12) 3009.00: The Kid Laroi with Justin Bieber “Stay 2021)

2.5 to 2.9 billion:

13) 2934.82: Dua Lipa with DaBaby “Levitating” (2020)
14) 2911.89: Imagine Dragons “Believer “ (2017)
15) 2908.87: Post Malone with 21 Savage “Rockstar” (2017)
16) 2900.80: Glass Animals “Heat Waves” (2020)
17) 2797.37: The Chainsmokers with Halsey “Closer “ (2016)
18) 2753.62: The Neighbourhood “Sweater Weather” (2012)
19) 2718.27: James Arthur “Say You Won’t Let Go” (2016)
20) 2717.64: Billie Eilish with Khalid “Lovely” (2018)

21) 2690.90: Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road” (2018)
22) 2679.61: Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello “Señorita” (2019)
23) 2603.91: Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar” (2019)
24) 2536.67: Dua Lipa “Don’t Start Now” (2019)

2.4 billion:

25) 2491.79: Juice Wrld “Lucid Dreams” (2018)
26) 2488.58: The Chainsmokers & Coldplay “Something Just Like This” (2017)
27) 2472.82: Drake “God’s Plan” (2018)
28) 2470.33: Billie Eilish “Bad Guy” (2019)
29) 2465.87: Ed Sheeran “Photograph” (2014)
30) 2456.46: Ed Sheeran “Thinking Out Loud” (2014)

31) 2444.27: Hozier “Take Me to Church” (2013)
32) 2425.54: Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975)
33) 2419.78: Vance Joy “Riptide” (2013)
34) 2400.49: Post Malone “Circles” (2019)

2.2 to 2.3 billion:

35) 2382.59: Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper “Shallow” (2018)
36) 2358.73: One Republic “Counting Stars” (2013)
37) 2356.26: Justin Bieber “Love Yourself” (2015)
38) 2307.40: Imagine Dragons “Thunder” (2017)
39) 2306.43: John Legend “All of Me” (2013)
40) 2296.32: Travis Scott with Kendrick Lamar “Goosebumps” (2016)

41) 2292.85: Tom Odell “Another Love” (2013)
42) 2286.41: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Ray Dalton “Can’t Hold Us” (2011)
43) 2245.68: Twenty One Pilots “Stressed Out” (2015)
44) 2242.41: Avicii with Aloe Blacc “Wake Me Up!” (2013)
45) 2232.04: The Weeknd “The Hills” (2015)
46) 2209.28: Ariana Grande “7 Rings” (2019)

2.1 billion:

47) 2187.27: Coldplay “Yellow” (2000)
48) 2183.88: Passenger “Let Her Go” (2012)
49) 2182.87: XXXtentacion “Sad!” (2018)
50) 2171.23: Imagine Dragons “Demons” (2012)

51) 2144.13: J. Cole “No Role Modelz” (2014)
52) 2143.66: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” (1806)
53) 2141.79 Kendrick Lamar “Humble” (2017)
54) 2140.51: XXXtentacion “Jocelyn Flores” (2017)
55) 2131.12: The Weeknd with Ariana Grande “Die for You” (2016)
56) 2116.93: Eminem “Lose Yourself” (2002)
57) 2114.05: Olivia Rodrigo “Drivers License” (2021)
58) 2104.76: Arctic Monkeys “Do I Wanna Know?” (2013)
59) 2104.29: Olivia Rodrigo “Good 4 U” (2021)
60) 2103.64: Calvin Harris with Dua Lipa “One Kiss” (2018)

2 billion:

61) 2097.86: Shawn Mendes “Treat You Better” (2016)
62) 2086.13: Travis Scott & Drake “Sicko Mode” (2018)
63) 2084.00: The Killers “Mr. Brightside” (2003)
64) 2081.95: Marshmello with Bastille “Happier” (2018)
65) 2079.74: DJ Snake with Justin Bieber “Let Me Love You” (2016)
66) 2075.87: Lil Uzi Vert “XO Tour Llif3” (2017)
67) 2051.29: Dua Lipa “New Rules” (2017)
68) 2040.24: Eminem “Without Me” (2002)
69) 2028.62: Camila Cabello with Young Thug “Havana” (2017)
70) 2028.20: Justin Bieber “Sorry” (2015)

71) 2027.28: Sam Smith “Stay with Me” (2014)
72) 2018.28: Calvin Harris with Rihanna “This Is What You Came For” (2016)
73) 2017.36: Maroon 5 with Cardi B “Girls Like You” (2017)
74) 2013.42: Bruno Mars “When I Was Your Man” (2012)
75) 2009.25: Major Lazer with DJ Snake & MØ “Lean On” (2015)
76) 2004.65: Sam Smith “Too Good at Goodbyes” (2017)
77) 2000.70: Bruno Mars “That’s What I Like” (2016)

1.9 billion:

78) 1998.21: Arctic Monkeys “I Wanna Be Yours” (2013)
79) 1997.64: Coldplay “Viva La Vida” (2008)
80) 1997.30: Bruno Mars “Just the Way You Are (Amazing)” (2010)

81) 1993.38: Halsey “Without Me” (2018)
82) 1978.42: Lil Nas X with Jack Harlow “Industry Baby” (2021)
83) 1968.90: Shawn Mendes “There's Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” (2016)
84) 1959.30: French Montana with Swae Lee “Unforgettable” (2017)
85) 1753.04: Maroon 5 “Memories” (2019)
86) 1947.94: Taylor Swift “Cruel Summer” (2019)
87) 1941.55: Post Malone with Quavo “Congratulations” (2016)
88) 1940.32: Nirvana “Smells Like Teen Spirit (1991)
89) 1938.58: The Police “Every Breath You Take (1983)
90) 1935.98: Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!” (2014)

91) 1933.63: Linkin Park “In the End” (2000)
92) 1928.90: Bad Bunny with Jhay Cortez “Dakiti” (2020)
93) 1925.54: Oasis “Wonderwall (1995)
94) 1920.36: Lord Huron “The Night We Met” (2015)
95) 1919.35: Elton John with Dua Lipa “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)” (2021)
96) 1917.62: Post Malone “Better Now” (2018)

1.8 billion:

97) 1899.95: Eminem with Nate Dogg “Till I Collapse” (2002)
98) 1897.95: Mike Posner “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” (2015)
99) 1894.73: Saint JHN with Imanbek “Roses” (2016)
100) 1894.55: Alan Walker “Faded” (2015)
<

The Billion Airs Club

These are all the songs with a billion airs listed alphabetically by artist. Songs ranked in the top 100 are marked with an asterisk.

A:
  • Abba “Dancing Queen” (1976)
  • AC/DC “Highway to Hell” (1979)
  • AC/DC “You Shook Me All Night Long” (1980)
  • AC/DC “Back in Black” (1980)
  • AC/DC “Thunderstruck” (1990)
  • Bryan Adams “Summer of ‘69” (1984)
  • Adele “To Make You Feel My Love” (2008)

  • Adele “Rolling in the Deep” (2010)
  • Adele “Someone Like You” (2011)
  • Adele “Set Fire to the Rain” (2011)
  • Adele “Hello” (2015)
  • Adele “When We Were Young” (2015)
  • Adele “Send My Love to Your New Lover” (2015)
  • Adele “Easy on Me” (2021)
  • Aerosmith “Dream On” (1973)
  • A-ha “Take on Me” (1984)

  • Rauw Alejandro “Todo de Ti” (2021)
  • Anne-Marie “2002” (2018)
  • Anuel AA with Daddy Yankee, Karol G, Ozuna, & J. Balvin “China” (2019)
  • Arctic Monkeys “505” (2007)
  • Arctic Monkeys “R U Mine?” (2012)
  • Arctic Monkeys “Do I Wanna Know?” (2013) *
  • Arctic Monkeys “I Wanna Be Yours” (2013) *
  • Arctic Monkeys “Why’d You Only Call Me When You're High?” (2013)
  • Eslabon Armado with Peso Pluma “Ella Baila Sola” (2023)
  • James Arthur “Say You Won’t Let Go” (2016) *
  • A$AP Rocky with Skepta “Praise the Lord (Da Shine)” (2018)
  • Ava Max “Sweet But Psycho” (2018)
  • Avicii with Aloe Blacc “Wake Me Up!” (2013) *
  • Avicii “The Nights” (2015)
  • Avicii “Waiting for Love” (2015)
  • Avicii with Sandro Cavazza “Without You” (2017)
  • Axwell & Ingrosso “More Than You Know” (2017)

B:
  • Ruth B “Dandelions” (2022)
  • Backstreet Boys “I Want It That Way” (1999)
  • Bad Bunny & Drake “MIA” (2018)
  • Bad Bunny with Tainy “Callaíta” (2019)
  • Bad Bunny with Jhay Cortez “Dakiti” (2020) *

  • Bad Bunny “Yonaguni” (2021)
  • Bad Bunny with Chencho Corleone “Me Porto Bonito” (2022)
  • Bad Bunny “Efecto” (2022)
  • Bad Bunny “Moscow Mule” (2022)
  • Bad Bunny “Tití Me Preguntó” (2022)
  • Bad Bunny with Bomba Estereo “Ojitos Lindos” (2022)
  • J. Balvin with Willy William & Beyoncé “Mi Gente” (2017)
  • J. Balvin with Bad Bunny “La Canción” (2019)
  • Bastille “Pompeii” (2013)
  • James Bay “Let It Go” (2014)
  • Bazzi “Mine” (2017)
  • The Beatles “Here Comes the Sun” (1969)
  • Alec Benjamin & Alessia Cara “Let Me Down Slowly” (2019)
  • Beyoncé with Jay-Z “Crazy in Love” (2003)
  • Beyoncé “Halo” (2008)
  • Justin Bieber “What Do You Mean?” (2015)

  • Justin Bieber “Love Yourself” (2015) *
  • Justin Bieber “Sorry” (2015) *
  • Justin Bieber with Quavo “Intentions” (2020)
  • Justin Bieber with Daniel Caesar & Giveon “Peaches” (2021)
  • Justin Bieber “Ghost” (2021)
  • Bizarrap with Quevedo “BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 52” (2022)
  • Blackbear “Hot Girl Bummer” (2019)
  • Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling” (2009)
  • Blackpink “How You Like That” (2020)
  • Black Sabbath “Paranoid” (1970)
  • Benny Blanco with Halsey & Khalid “Eastside” (2018)
  • Blink-182 “All the Small Things” (1999)
  • Jonas Blue with Dakota “Fast Car” (2015)
  • Jonas Blue “Perfect Strangers” (2016)
  • Bon Jovi “You Give Love a Bad Name” (1986)
  • Bon Jovi “Livin’ on a Prayer” (1986)
  • Benson Boone “Beautiful Things” (2024)
  • Børns “Electric Love” (2015)
  • Chris Brown & Drake “No Guidance” (2019)
  • Chris Brown “Under the Infulence” (2022)
  • BTS with Halsey “Boy with Luv” (2019)
  • BTS “Dynamite” (2020)
  • BTS “Butter” (2021)
  • Kate Bush “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” (1985)

C:
  • Camila Cabello with Young Thug “Havana” (2017) *
  • Lewis Capaldi “Bruises” (2017)
  • Lewis Capaldi “Someone You Loved” (2018) *

  • Lewis Capaldi “Before You Go” (2019)
  • Capital Cities “Safe and Sound” (2012)
  • Alessia Cara “Scars to Your Beautiful” (2015)
  • Cardi B with Bad Bunny & J. Balvin “I Like It” (2018)
  • Cardi B with Megan Thee Stallion “WAP” (2020)
  • Mariah Carey “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (1994)
  • Sabrina Carpenter “Espresso” (2024)
  • Sabrina Carpenter “Please Please Please” (2024)
  • Casper Magico with Nio Garcia, Darell, Bad Bunny, Nicky Jam & Ozuna “Te Boté” (2017)
  • The Chainsmokers with Rozes “Roses” (2015)

  • The Chainsmokers with Halsey “Closer “ (2016) *
  • The Chainsmokers with Daya “Don't Let Me Down” (2016)
  • The Chainsmokers “Paris” (2017)
  • The Chainsmokers & Coldplay “Something Just Like This” (2017) *
  • Childish Gambino “Redbone” (2016)
  • Cigarettes After Sex “Apocalypse” (2017)
  • Clean Bandit with Jess Glynne “Rather Be” (2014)
  • Clean Bandit with Sean Paul & Anne-Marie “Rockabye” (2016)
  • Clean Bandit with Demi Lovato “Solo”(2018)

  • Coldplay “Yellow” (2000) *
  • Coldplay “The Scientist” (2002)
  • Coldplay “Fix You” (2005)
  • Coldplay “Viva La Vida” (2008) *
  • Coldplay “Paradise” (2011)
  • Coldplay “A Sky Full of Stars” (2014)
  • Coldplay with Beyoncé “Hymn for the Weekend” (2015)
  • Coldplay & BTS “My Universe” (2021)
  • J. Cole “No Role Modelz” (2014) *
  • J. Cole “Wet Dreamz” (2014)
  • J. Cole “Middle Child” (2019)
  • Coolio with L.V. “Gangsta’s Paradise” (1995)
  • Joel Corry with MNEK “Head & Heart” (2020)
  • Jhay Cortez with J. Balvin & Bad Bunny “No Me Conoce” (2019)
  • The Cranberries “Zombie” (1994)
  • Creedence Clearwater Revival “Fortunate Son” (1969)
  • Creedence Clearwater Revival “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” (1970)
  • Taio Cruz “Dynamite” (2010)
  • Miley Cyrus “Party in the U.S.A.” (2009)
  • Miley Cyrus “Flowers” (2023)

D:
  • DaBaby with Roddy Ricch “Rockstar” (2020)
  • Daddy Yankee with Snow “Con Calma” (2019)
  • Daft Punk with Pharrell Williams “Get Lucky” (2013)
  • Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber “10,000 Hours” (2019)
  • Trevor Daniel “Falling” (2018)
  • Lana Del Rey with Cedric Gervais “Summertime Sadness” (2012)
  • Lana Del Rey “Young and Beautiful” (2013)
  • Jason Derulo “Want to Want Me” (2015)
  • Jason Derulo with Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign “Swalla” (2017)
  • Dire Straits “Sultans of Swing” (1978)
  • Desiigner “Panda” (2015)
  • DJ Khaled with Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, & Lil Wayne “I'm the One” (2017)
  • DJ Khaled with Rihanna & Bryson Tiller “Wild Thoughts” (2017)
  • DJ Snake with Bipolar Sunshine “Middle” (2015)
  • DJ Snake with Justin Bieber “Let Me Love You” (2016) *
  • DJ Snake with Selena Gomez, Ozuna, & Cardi B “Taki Taki” (2018)
  • DNCE “Cake by the Ocean” (2015)
  • Doja Cat “Say So” (2019)
  • Doja Cat “Streets” (2019)
  • Doja Cat with SZA “Kiss Me More” (2021)
  • Doja Cat “Need to Know” (2021)
  • Doja Cat “Woman” (2021)
  • Doja Cat “Paint the Town Red” (2023)
  • Drake “Hotline Bling” (2015)

  • Drake with WizKid & Kyla “One Dance” (2016) *
  • Drake with Rihanna “Too Good “ (2016)
  • Drake “Passionfruit” (2017)
  • Drake “God’s Plan” (2018) *
  • Drake “In My Feelings” (2018)
  • Drake “Nice for What” (2018)
  • Drake “Nonstop” (2018)
  • Drake “Toosie Slide” (2020)
  • Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg “Still D.R.E.” (1999)
  • Elley Duhé “Middle of the Night” (2022)
  • Dynoro with Gigi D'Agostino “In My Mind” (2018)

E:
  • Eagles “Hotel California” (1976)
  • Earth, Wind & Fire “September” (1978)
  • Billie Eilish “Ocean Eyes” (2016)
  • Billie Eilish “I Don't Wanna Be You Anymore (idontwannabeyouanymore)” (2017)
  • Billie Eilish with Khalid “Lovely” (2018) *
  • Billie Eilish “When the Party’s Over” (2018)

  • Billie Eilish “Bad Guy” (2019) *
  • Billie Eilish “Everything I Wanted” (2019)
  • Billie Eilish “Happier Than Ever” (2021)
  • Billie Eilish “What Was I Made For?” (2023)
  • Billie Eilish “Birds of a Feather” (2024)
  • Eminem “The Real Slim Shady” (2000)
  • Eminem with Dido “Stan” (2000)
  • Eminem “Without Me” (2002) *

  • Eminem “Lose Yourself” (2002) *
  • Eminem with Nate Dogg “Till I Collapse” (2002) *
  • Eminem “Mockingbird” (2004)
  • Eminem with Rihanna “Love the Way You Lie” (2010)
  • Eminem with Rihanna “The Monster” (2013)
  • Eminem “Rap God” (2013)
  • Eminem with Juice Wrld “Godzilla” (2020)
  • Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This” (1983)
  • Evanescence with Paul McCoy “Bring Me to Life” (2003)
  • George Ezra “Budapest” (2013)

F:
  • Fall Out Boy “Centuries” (2014)
  • Farruko with Pedro Capo “Calma” (2018)
  • Farruko “Pepas” (2021)
  • Fetty Wap “Trap Queen” (2014)
  • Fifth Harmony with Ty Dolla $ign “Work from Home” (2016)
  • 50 Cent “In Da Club” (2002)
  • 5 Seconds of Summer “Youngblood” (2018)
  • Fleetwood Mac “Dreams” (1977)
  • Fleetwood Mac “The Chain” (1977)
  • Flo Rida “My House” (2015)
  • Flo Rida with T-Pain “Low” (2007)

  • Luis Fonsi with Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber “Despacito” (2017) *
  • Foo Fighters “Everlong” (1997)
  • Foster the People “Pumped Up Kicks” (2010)
  • The Fray “How to Save a Life” (2005)
  • Fun. with Janelle Monáe “We Are Young” (2011)
  • Nelly Furtado with Timbaland “Promiscuous” (2006)
  • Future “Mask Off” (2017)
  • Future & Drake “Life Is Good” (2020)

G:
  • Karol G & Nicki Minaj “Tusa” (2019)
  • Karol G “Provenza” (2022)
  • Martin Garrix with Bebe Rexha “In the Name of Love” (2016)
  • Martin Garrix with Dua Lipa “Scared to Be Lonely” (2017)
  • Ali Gatie “It’s You” (2019)
  • Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (1967)
  • Gayle “abcdefu” (2021)
  • G-Eazy with Bebe Rexha “Me, Myself & I” (2015)
  • Giveon “Heartbreak Anniversary” (2020)
  • Glass Animals “Heat Waves” (2020) *

  • Gnarls Barkley “Crazy” (2006)
  • Gnash with Olivia O’Brien “I Hate U, I Love U” (2016)
  • Selena Gomez with Marshmello “Wolves” (2017)
  • Selena Gomez “Back to You” (2018)
  • Selena Gomez “Lose You to Love Me” (2019)
  • Goo Goo Dolls “Iris” (1998)
  • Gorillaz with De La Soul “Feel Good Inc.” (2005)
  • Gotye with Kimbra “Somebody That I Used to Know” (2011)
  • Ellie Goulding “Love Me Like You Do” (2015)
  • Ariana Grande “Santa Tell Me” (2013)
  • Ariana Grande “One Last Time” (2014)
  • Ariana Grande “Dangerous Woman” (2016)
  • Ariana Grande with Nicki Minaj “Side to Side” (2016)
  • Ariana Grande “Into You” (2016)
  • Ariana Grande “God Is a Woman” (2018)
  • Ariana Grande “No Tears Left to Cry” (2018)
  • Ariana Grande “Thank U, Next” (2018)

  • Ariana Grande “7 Rings” (2019) *
  • Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber “Stuck with U” (2020)
  • Ariana Grande “Positions” (2020)
  • Ariana Grande “We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” (2024)
  • Conan Gray “Heather” (2020)
  • A Great Big Adventure with Christina Aguilera “Say Something” (2013)
  • Green Day “Basket Case” (1994)
  • David Guetta with Sia “Titanium” (2011)
  • David Guetta with Bebe Rexha “I'm Good (Blue)” (2022)
  • Guns N’ Roses “Welcome to the Jungle” (1987)
  • Guns N' Roses “Sweet Child O’ Mine” (1987)
  • Guns N’ Roses “Paradise City” (1987)
  • Gym Class Heroes with Adam Levine “Stereo Hearts” (2011)

H:
  • Calvin Harris “Summer” (2014)
  • Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding “Outside” (2014)
  • Calvin Harris & Disciples “How Deep Is Your Love” (2015)

  • Calvin Harris with Rihanna “This Is What You Came For” (2016) *
  • Calvin Harris & Frank Ocean “Slide” (2017)
  • Calvin Harris with Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry, & Big Sean “Feels” (2017)
  • Calvin Harris with Dua Lipa “One Kiss” (2018) *
  • Calvin Harris with Sam Smith “Promises” (2018)
  • Halsey “Without Me” (2018) *
  • H.E.R. with Daniel Caesar “Best Part” (2017)
  • Whitney Houston “I Wanna Dance with Somebody Who Loves Me” (1987)
  • Hozier “Take Me to Church” (2013) *
  • Hozier “Too Sweet” (2024)

I:
  • Ice Cube “It Was a Good Day” (1993)
  • Imagine Dragons “Radioactive” (2012)
  • Imagine Dragons “Demons” (2012) *
  • Imagine Dragons “Believer” (2017) *

  • Imagine Dragons “Thunder” (2017) *
  • Imagine Dragons “Whatever It Takes” (2017)
  • Imagine Dragons “Natural” (2018)
  • Imagine Dragons “Bad Liar” (2018)
  • Imagine Dragons with JID “Enemy” (2021)
  • Imagine Dragons “Bones” (2022)
  • Internet Money with Don Toliver & Nav “Lemonade” (2020)

J:
  • Jessie J with Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj “Bang Bang” (2014)
  • Michael Jackson “>Billie Jean” (1982)
  • Michael Jackson “Beat It” (1982)
  • Jawsh 685 with Jason Derulo “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)” (2020)
  • Jay-Z & Kanye West “N****s in Paris” (2011)
  • Carly Rae Jepsen “Call Me Maybe” (2011)
  • Jimin “Who” (2024)
  • Joji “Slow Dancing in the Dark” (2018)
  • Joji “Gimpse of Us” (2022)
  • Elton John “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Gonna Be a Long Time)” (1972)
  • Elton John “I’m Still Standing” (1983)
  • Elton John with Dua Lipa “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)” (2021) *
  • Jonas Brothers “Sucker” (2019)
  • Journey “Don’t Stop Believin’ (1981)
  • Vance Joy “Riptide” (2013) *

  • Juice Wrld “Lucid Dreams” (2018) *
  • Juice Wrld “All Girls Are the Same” (2018)
  • Juice Wrld “Robbery” (2019)
  • Jung Kook with Latto “Seven” (2023)
  • JVKE “Golden Hour” (2022)

K:
  • Keane “Somewhere Only We Know” (2004)
  • Ke$ha “Tik Tok” (2009)
  • Alicia Keys “If I Ain’t Got You” (2004)
  • Khalid “Location” (2017)
  • Khalid “Young, Dumb & Broke” (2017)
  • Khalid “Better” (2018)
  • The Kid Laroi with Justin Bieber “Stay 2021) *

  • The Killers “Mr. Brightside” (2003) *
  • Kina with Snow “Get You the Moon” (2018)
  • Ben E. King “Stand by Me” (1961)
  • Kings of Leon “Sex on Fire” (2008)
  • Kodak Black with Travis Scott & Offset “Zeze” (2018)
  • Kodaline “All I Want” (2014)
  • Kungs vs. Cookin’ on 3 Burners “This Girl” (2016)
  • David Kushner “Daylight” (2023)
  • Kygo with Conrad “Firestone” (2015)
  • Kygo with Selena Gomez “It Ain’t Me” (2017)

L:
  • Steve Lacy “Bad Habit” (2022)
  • Steve Lacy “Dark Red” (2022)
  • Lady Gaga “Poker Face” (2009)
  • Lady Gaga “Bad Romance” (2009)
  • Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper “Shallow” (2018) *

  • Lady Gaga “Always Remember Us This Way” (2018)
  • Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande “Rain on Me” (2020)
  • Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars “Die with a Smile” (2024)
  • Kendrick Lamar with Jay Rock “Money Trees” (2012)
  • Kendrick Lamar “Humble” (2017) *
  • Kendrick Lamar with Zacari “Love” (2017)
  • Kendrick Lamar “DNA” (2017)
  • Kendrick Lamar with SZA “All the Stars” (2018)
  • Zara Larsson “Lush Life” (2016)
  • Zara Larsson with Clean Bandit “Symphony” (2017)
  • Cyndi Lauper “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” (1983)
  • Duncan Laurence “Arcade” (2019)
  • Lauv “I Like Me Better” (2018)
  • Brenda Lee “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (1958)
  • John Legend “All of Me” (2013) *

  • Dean Lewis “Be Alright” (2018)
  • Lil Baby with Drake “Yes Indeed” (2018)
  • Lil Baby with Gunna “Drip Too Hard” (2018)
  • Lil Mosey “Blueberry Faygo” (2020)
  • Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road” (2018) *

  • Lil Nas X “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” (2021)
  • Lil Nas X with Jack Harlow “Industry Baby” (2021) *
  • Lil Nas X “That’s What I Want” (2021)
  • Lil Peep “Star Shopping” (2015)
  • Lil Peep with XXXtentacion “Falling Down” (2018)
  • Lil Tecca “Ran$om” (2019)
  • Lil Uzi Vert “XO Tour Llif3” (2017) *
  • Lil Wayne with Wiz Khalifa & Imagine Dragons “Sucker for Pain” (2016)
  • Lillywood & the Prick with Robin Schulz “Prayer in C” (2014)
  • Linkin Park “In the End” (2000) *
  • Linkin Park “Numb” (2003)
  • Dua Lipa “New Rules” (2017) *
  • Dua Lipa “IDGAF” (2018)
  • Dua Lipa “Don’t Start Now” (2019) *

  • Dua Lipa with DaBaby “Levitating” (2020) *
  • Dua Lipa “Break My Heart” (2020)
  • Lisa “Money” (2021)
  • Tove Lo “Habits (Stay High)” (2013)
  • Logic with Alessia Cara & Khalid “1-800-273-8255” (2017)
  • Lorde “Royals” (2013)
  • Lord Huron “The Night We Met” (2015) *
  • Lost Frequencies with Calum Scott “Where Are You Now” (2023)
  • Loud Luxury with Brando “Body” (2018)
  • Demi Lovato “Sorry Not Sorry” (2017)
  • Lukas Graham “7 Years” (2015)
  • The Lumineers “Ho Hey” (2012)
  • The Lumineers “Ophelia” (2016)
  • Lynyrd Skynyrd “Sweet Home Alabama” (1974)

M:
  • M83 “Midnight City” (2011)
  • Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Ray Dalton “Can’t Hold Us” (2011) *
  • Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Wanz “Thrift Shop” (2012)
  • Magic! “Rude” (2013)
  • Major Lazer with DJ Snake & MØ “Lean On” (2015) *
  • Major Lazer with Justin Bieber & MØ “Cold Water” (2016)
  • Major Lazer with Nyla “Light It Up” (2016)
  • Maluma with the Weeknd “Hawái” (2020)
  • Måneskin “Beggin’” (2017)
  • Manuel Turizo “La Bachata” (2022)
  • Maroon 5 “She Will Be Loved” (2002)
  • Maroon 5 with Christina Aguilera “Moves Like Jagger” (2011)
  • Maroon 5 with Wiz Khalifa “Payphone” (2012)
  • Maroon 5 “Maps” (2014)
  • Maroon 5 “Animals” (2014)
  • Maroon 5 “Sugar” (2014)

  • Maroon 5 with Cardi B “Girls Like You” (2017) *
  • Maroon 5 with SZA “What Lovers Do” (2017)
  • Maroon 5 “Memories” (2019) *
  • Bruno Mars “Just the Way You Are (Amazing)” (2010) *
  • Bruno Mars “Grenade” (2010)
  • Bruno Mars “Talking to the Moon” (2010)
  • Bruno Mars “Locked Out of Heaven” (2012)
  • Bruno Mars “When I Was Your Man” (2012) *
  • Bruno Mars “24K Magic” (2016)
  • Bruno Mars “That’s What I Like” (2016) *
  • Marshmello with Khalid “Silence” (2017)
  • Marshmello with Bastille “Happier” (2018) *
  • Marshmello with Anne-Marie “Friends” (2018)
  • Masked Wolf “Astronaut in the Ocean” (2019)
  • Tate McRae “You Broke Me First” (2020)
  • Meek Mill & Drake “Going Bad” (2018)
  • Shawn Mendes “Stitches” (2015)
  • Shawn Mendes “Treat You Better” (2016) *
  • Shawn Mendes “There's Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” (2016) *
  • Shawn Mendes “Mercy” (2016)

  • Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello “Señorita” (2019) *
  • Metallica “Enter Sandman” (1991)
  • Metallica “Nothing Else Matters” (1991)
  • Metro Boomin with 21 Savage & the Weeknd “Creepin’” (2022)
  • Julia Michaels “Issues” (2017)
  • Miguel “Sure Thing” (2010)
  • Milky Chance “Stolen Dance” (2013)
  • Nicki Minaj “Starships” (2012)
  • MKTO “Classic” (2013)
  • French Montana with Swae Lee “Unforgettable” (2017) *
  • Jason Mraz “I’m Yours” (2008)

N-O:
  • The Neighbourhood “Sweater Weather” (2012) *
  • The Neighbourhood “Daddy Issues” (2015)
  • NF “Let You Down” (2017)
  • Nirvana “Smells Like Teen Spirit (1991) *
  • Nirvana “Come As You Are” (1991)
  • The Notorious B.I.G. “Hypnotize” (1997)
  • Oasis “Wonderwall (1995) *
  • Danny Ocean “Me Rehúso” (2016)
  • Frank Ocean “Lost” (2012)
  • Frank Ocean “Pink + White” (2016)
  • Tom Odell “Another Love” (2013) *
  • Of Monsters and Men “Little Talks” (2011)
  • Offset & Metro Boomin “Ric Flair Drip” (2017)
  • One Direction “What Makes You Beautiful” (2011)
  • One Direction “Story of My Life” (2013)
  • One Direction “Night Changes” (2014)
  • One Direction “Drag Me Down” (2015)
  • One Republic “I Ain't Worried” (2022)
  • OutKast “Hey Ya!” (2003)
  • Don Omar with Lucenzo “Danza Kuduro” (2010)
  • OMI “Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)” (2014)
  • One Republic “Counting Stars” (2013) *

P:
  • Panic! At the Disco “High Hopes” (2018)
  • Papa Roach “Last Resort” (2000)
  • Passenger “Let Her Go” (2012) *
  • Sean Paul “No Lie” (2018)
  • Christina Perri “A Thousand Years” (2011)
  • Katy Perry “Firework” (2010)
  • Katy Perry “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” (2010)
  • Katy Perry with Juicy J “Dark Horse” (2013)
  • Katy Perry “Roar” (2013)

  • Pink with Nate Ruess “Just Give Me a Reason” (2012)
  • Pitbull with Ne-Yo, Afrojack, & Nayer “Give Me Everything” (2011)
  • Pitbull & Ke$ha “Timber” (2013)
  • Pitbull with Ne-Yo “Time of Our Lives” (2014)
  • Plain White T’s “Hey There Delilah” (2005)
  • The Police “Every Breath You Take (1983) *
  • Pop Smoke “Dior” (2019)
  • Pop Smoke “What You Know ‘Bout Love” (2020)
  • Pop Smoke with Lil Baby & DaBaby “For the Night” (2020)
  • Portugal. The Man “Feel It Still” (2017)
  • Mike Posner “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” (2015) *
  • Post Malone “White Iverson” (2015)
  • Post Malone with Quavo “Congratulations” (2016) *
  • Post Malone “I Fall Apart” (2016)
  • Post Malone “Go Flex” (2016)
  • Post Malone with 21 Savage “Rockstar” (2017) *
  • Post Malone “Candy Paint” (2017)
  • Post Malone “Wow.” (2018)
  • Post Malone “Better Now” (2018) *

  • Post Malone with Swae Lee “Sunflower” (2018) *
  • Post Malone with Ty Dolla $ign “Psycho” (2018)
  • Post Malone “Circles” (2019) *
  • Post Malone with Young Thug “Goodbyes” (2019)
  • Powfu with beabadoobee “Death Bed (Coffee for Your Head)” (2020)
  • Charlie Puth & Selena Gomez “We Don’t Talk Anymore” (2016)
  • Charlie Puth “Attention” (2017)

Q:

R:
  • Radiohead “Creep” (1992)
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers “Under the Bridge” (1991)
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers “Californication” (1999)
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers “Can’t Stop” (2002)
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers “Snow (Hey Oh)” (2006)
  • Regard “Ride It” (2020)
  • R.E.M. “Losing My Religion” (1991)
  • Rema with Selena Gomez “Calm Down” (2022)
  • Bebe Rexha with Florida Georgia Line “Meant to Be” (2017)
  • Tommy Richman “Million Dollar Baby” (2024)

  • Rihanna with Jay-Z “Umbrella” (2007)
  • Rihanna “Only Girl in the World” (2010)
  • Rihanna with Calvin Harris “We Found Love” (2011)
  • Rihanna “Diamonds” (2012)
  • Rihanna & Drake “Work” (2016)
  • Rihanna “Love on the Brain” (2016)
  • Rihanna “Needed Me” (2016)
  • Rihanna with Kanye West & Paul McCartney “Four Five Seconds” (2015)
  • Rihanna with Mikky Ekko “Stay” (2012)
  • Chappel l Roan “Good Luck, Babe!” (2024)
  • Roddy Ricch “The Box” (2019)

  • Olivia Rodrigo “Drivers License” (2021) *
  • Olivia Rodrigo “Good 4 U” (2021) *
  • Olivia Rodrigo “Déjà Vu” (2021)
  • Olivia Rodrigo “Happier” (2021)
  • Olivia Rodrigo “Traitor” (2021)
  • Olivia Rodrigo “Vampire” (2023)
  • The Rolling Stones “Paint It Black” (1966)
  • Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!” (2014) *
  • Rudimental with Jess Glynne, Macklemore & Dan Caplen “These Days” (2018)

S:
  • Saint JHN with Imanbek “Roses” (2016) *
  • JP Saxe with Julia Michaels “If the World Was Ending” (2020)
  • Robin Schulz with Francesco Yates “Sugar” (2016)
  • Calum Scott “Dancing on My Own” (2016)
  • Calum Scott with Leona Lewis “You Are the Reason” (2018)

  • Travis Scott with Kendrick Lamar “Goosebumps” (2016) *
  • Travis Scott “Butterfly Effect” (2017)
  • Travis Scott & Drake “Sicko Mode” (2018) *
  • Travis Scott “Highest in the Room” (2019)
  • The Script with will.i.am “Hall of Fame” (2012)
  • Shakira & Wyclef Jean “Hips Don’t Lie” (2006)
  • Ed Sheeran “Thinking Out Loud” (2014) *
  • Ed Sheeran “Photograph” (2014) *
  • Ed Sheeran “Shape of You” (2017) *

  • Ed Sheeran “Castle on the Hill” (2017)
  • Ed Sheeran with Beyoncé “Perfect” (2017) *
  • Ed Sheeran “Galway Girl” (2017)
  • Ed Sheeran “Happier” (2017)
  • Ed Sheeran with Justin Bieber “I Don’t Care” (2019)
  • Ed Sheeran with Khalid “Beautiful People” (2019)
  • Ed Sheeran “Bad Habits” (2021)
  • Ed Sheeran “Shivers” (2021)
  • Sheck Wes “Mo Bamba” (2017)
  • Sia “Chandelier” (2014)
  • Sia with Sean Paul “Cheap Thrills” (2016)
  • Sia “Unstoppable” (2016)
  • Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson Paak) “Leave the Door Open” (2021)
  • Skrillex with Diplo & Justin Bieber “Where Are Ü Now” (2015)
  • Smash Mouth “All Star” (1999)

  • Sam Smith “Stay with Me” (2014) *
  • Sam Smith “I’m Not the Only One” (2014)
  • Sam Smith “Too Good at Goodbyes” (2017) *
  • Sam Smith with Normani “Dancing with a Stranger” (2019)
  • Sam Smith with Kim Petras “Unholy” (2022)
  • Willow Smith “Wait a Minute!” (2015)
  • Snoop Dogg with Wiz Khalifa & Bruno Mars “Young, Wild & Free” (2011)
  • Snow Patrol “Chasing Cars” (2006)
  • Britney Spears “Toxic” (2003)
  • Spice Girls “Wannabe” (1996)
  • Hailee Stenfield with Grey & Zedd “Starving” (2016)
  • Hailee Steinfeld with Alesso, Florida Georgia Line, & Watt “Let Me Go” (2017)
  • Harry Styles “Sign of the Times” (2017)
  • Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar” (2019) *
  • Harry Styles “Adore You” (2019)
  • Harry Styles “Falling” (2019)

  • Harry Styles “As It Was” (2022) *
  • Surf Curse “Freaks” (2021)
  • Survivor “Eye of the Tiger” (1982)
  • Swedish House Mafia with John Martin “Don’t You Worry Child” (2012)
  • Taylor Swift “Shake It Off” (2014)
  • Taylor Swift “Blank Space” (2014)
  • Taylor Swift “Style” (2014)
  • Taylor Swift “Look What You Made Me Do” (2017)
  • Taylor Swift “Don’t Blame Me” (2017)
  • Taylor Swift “Lover” (2019)
  • Taylor Swift “Cruel Summer” (2019) *
  • Taylor Swift “Cardigan” (2020)
  • Taylor Swift “August” (2020)

  • Taylor Swift “Anti-Hero” (2022)
  • Teddy Swims “Lose Control” (2023)
  • System of a Down “Chop Suey” (2001)
  • SZA “Kill Bill” (2022)

T-U:
  • Tame Impala “The Less I Know the Better” (2016)
  • Jane Taylor (words), unknown (music) “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” (1806) *
  • Tears for Fears “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (1985)
  • Tiesto “The Business” (2021)
  • Bryson Tiller “Don't” (2015)
  • Justin Timberlake “Mirrors” (2013)
  • Justin Timberlake “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” (2016)
  • TLC “No Scrubs” (1999)
  • Tones and I “Dance Monkey” (2019) *
  • Topic with A7S “Breaking Me” (2020)
  • Toto “Africa” (1982)
  • Train “Hey, Soul Sister” (2009)
  • Meghan Trainor with John Legend “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” (2015)
  • 24K Goldn with Iann Dior “Mood” (2020)

  • Twenty One Pilots “Stressed Out” (2015) *
  • Twenty One Pilots “Ride” (2015)
  • Twenty One Pilots “Heathens” (2016)
  • 21 Savage “Bank Account” (2017)
  • Tyga with Offset “Taste” (2018)
  • Tyler the Creator with Kali Uchis “See You Again” (2017)
  • U2 “With or Without You” (1987)
  • Kali Uchis “Telepatía” (2020)
  • Usher with Lil' Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!” (2004)

V-W:
  • The Verve “Bitter Sweet Symphony” (1997)
  • Alan Walker “Faded” (2015) *
  • Walk the Moon “Shut Up and Dance” (2014)
  • The Walters “I Love You So” (2021)
  • Morgan Wallen “Last Night” (2023)
  • The Weeknd “Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)” (2014)
  • The Weeknd “Can’t Feel My Face” (2015)
  • The Weeknd “The Hills” (2015) *
  • The Weeknd with Daft Punk “Starboy “ (2016) *
  • The Weeknd with Daft Punk “I Feel It Coming” (2016)
  • The Weeknd with Ariana Grande “Die for You” (2016) *
  • The Weeknd “Call Out My Name” (2018)

  • The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” (2019) *
  • The Weeknd with Ariana Grande “Save Your Tears “ (2020) *
  • Kanye West with Jamie Foxx “Gold Digger” (2005)
  • Kanye West with Daft Punk “Stronger” (2007)
  • Kanye West with Dwele “Flashing Lights: (2007)
  • Kanye West “Heartless” (2008)
  • Wham! “Last Christmas” (1984)
  • Jay Wheeler “La Curiosidad” (2020)
  • Wiz Khalifa with Charlie Puth “See You Again” (2015)
  • The White Stripes “Seven Nation Army” (2003)
  • Pharrell Williams “Happy” (2013)

X-Z:
  • XXXtentacion “Jocelyn Flores” (2017) *
  • XXXtentacion “Everybody Dies in Their Nightmares” (2017)
  • XXXtentacion “Look at Me!” (2017)
  • XXXtentacion “Revenge” (2017)
  • XXXtentacion with Trippie Redd “Fuck Love” (2017)
  • XXXtentacion “Sad!” (2018) *

  • XXXtentacion “Moonlight” (2018)
  • XXXtentacion “Changes” (2018)
  • XXXtentacion “Hope” (2018)
  • YNM Melly “Murder on My Mind” (2017)
  • Jaymes Young “Infinity” (2022)
  • Zayn with Taylor Swift “I Don't Wanna Live Forever” (2016)
  • Zayn “Pillow Talk” (2016)
  • Zayn with Sia “Dusk Till Dawn” (2017)
  • Zedd & Alessia Cara “Stay” (2017)
  • Zedd with Maren Morris & Grey “The Middle” (2018)
  • Arizona Zervas “Roxanne” (2019)

Resources/Related Links:

First posted 1/30/2018; last updated 12/26/2024.

at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, November 3, 2023

Aural Fixation: Today’s Music Doesn’t Suck. You’re Just Lazy.

Aural Fixation:

Today’s Music Doesn’t Suck. You’re Just Lazy.

“Aural Fixation” is a music-themed column I wrote for PopMatters.com from 2011-2013. They are no longer online there, but I have reformatted them here at the DMDB blog with additional videos, photos, and links, such as where to buy referenced albums. I have also used the title “Aural Fixation” for any essays I have written outside of PopMatters.com as well. To see the essays, check out the Dave’s Music Database Aural Fixation page.

The essays from PopMatters.com have been gathered in book form as Aural Fixation: Essays from a Music Obsessive. Essays written from 2009 to 2011 have been gathered in the book No One Needs 21 Versions of “Purple Haze”. You can purchase the essays in book format here.

Nothing screams, “I’ve arrived! I’m now irrelevant!” more than the petulant whine that “Today’s music sucks.” It’s almost a litmus test to acquire one’s AARP card or get that ten-percent senior discount on coffee at the local eatery.

However, it isn’t just Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) and Generation Xers (born 1965-1980) raising canes and screaming at young whippersnappers to get off their lawns. Some millennials (born 1981-1996) have even acquired “grumpy old men” status. An article in Global News says people start dismissing new music around the age of 33. “They find modern music less relatable than what they were listening to during their crucial coming-of-age musical years (approximately 13 to 23).” GN

A study in Music and Science confirms that people “disproportionately recall memories from when they were 10 to 30 years old.” NS When it comes to music, people are more likely to know music from and choose their favorites from this era. NS In other words, regardless of age, people will reminisce more fondly about the music of their youth.

The study cited in Global News also explains that those with three decades under their belt are more likely to return to the era of their youth and mine stuff they overlooked the first time around than to explore more recently made music. GN No problem. There’s no mandate to embrace the new. However, if you’ve chanted any of the following mantras, you’ve proclaimed that you’ve given up.

  • Radio never plays anything good anymore.
  • MTV used to play actual music.
  • We didn’t need autotune in my day.

Technology has continued to grow even if you haven’t. Guess what? Radio and MTV are not where it’s at anymore. Here’s a revelation for you – music isn’t – and most likely has never been – marketed to your age group. Since the rock and roll era launched in the 1950s, music has been targeted to the youth. That means if you’re over thirty years old, you might have to work a bit harder to find music you like. It isn’t spoon fed to you anymore.

The good news is that if you’ll put in a little effort you have more opportunity for new music discovery than ever before. According to an article from Music Business Worldwide, 43 million new tracks will have been uploaded to Spotify and other music streaming services by the end of 2023. MB To dismiss all of today’s music would therefore require listening to 120,000 new songs a day MB and not liking a lick of it. Not one song. One melody. One note.

That’s a helluva lot of music to dismiss. You sound pretty stupid to say you don’t like anything from an entire era of music, especially when you’ve barely listened to any of it. Let’s also consider how a proclamation that “today’s music sucks” requires the complete setting aside of irony. After all, didn’t we universally roll our eyes at our parents for telling us our music was crap? How is it different now? Why can we toss aside our kids and grandkids’ taste without cringing even slightly at our hypocrisy?

Here’s some truth for you. It’s possible to enjoy your music – from whatever era, whatever genre – without condemning others’ tastes. I know! It sounds unbelievable, but it’s true. Look, I get it. People are very passionate about their music. Music is very personal to people. That, however, is exactly why not to lash out at others’ tastes. I believe music is more connected to one’s soul than any other art form. People care deeply about their music. When you attack another person’s music, you attack their souls.

Take it from Plato, the Greek philosopher born 2400 years ago. He said, music “gives a soul to the Universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, gaiety and life to everything.” He also said, “Rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul.”

Resources and Related Links:

First posted 11/3/2023.

at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , ,

Saturday, May 29, 2021

Why the "Today's Music Sucks" Argument Is Rubbish

image from Love Music and Something Facebook page

 This essay was prompted by a post on Love Music and Something which said, “I hope the next big trend in music is talent.”
I responded, “What’s with posts like this which play on the idea that today's music sucks and the music of yesteryear was awesome? Let's dispense with the idea that quality and talent only belong to certain eras.”

This evoked a lengthy discussion with agreement and disagreement. I ended up posting about it on my personal Facebook page. Here's what I said:

I've gotten myself entrenched in a lengthy battle/discussion on Facebook (I know many of you are stunned 😜) about music. At the heart of the issue is the initially proposed view that, in essence, today's music sucks and yesteryear's was awesome. I'm not fond of any overall characterizations subscribed to any generation, but particularly roll my eyes about music. Here's some of my most prominent arguments:

  1. Every generation has music that is "good" and "bad." (We won't even get into how subjective such a comment is).

  2. We tend to fondly remember the music of our youth and anything that comes after pales by comparison.

  3. As people grow older, they seem to forget that music has been marketed toward the youth since at least the rock era, so about 70 years. If you're 54 like me, you aren't likely to hear music targeted to you on the most prominent radio stations.

  4. Which leads to my next point (by this time, I'm sure many of you have moved right on past my rant, which is certainly understandable). Any way, if you are looking to discover new music and aren't in your teens or 20s, you need to expand your search beyond conventional radio.

  5. Last (finally) - luckily, we live in an era where we have more means of accessing and discovering music than ever before. You can find whatever fits your tastes. Soap box preaching over. Thoughts?
I was so encouraged by some of the responses I got on my personal FB post, that I decided to post it here on the DMDB blog.

Karin: I concur & at 54 years of age, also with 2 teen aged sons, I let them introduce me to what current music they like. I, however, usually go back to the music of the 60s, 70s & some 90’s alternative.... because that is what I like. Music touches the soul ... so if it makes you happy, or helps you through a funk, or motivates you to be a kind person ... then I’d say keep listening. Now, back to the issue at hand, we would miss out on great music if we chose to generalize the younger generation’s popular music as garbage. However, I am not actively wanting to expand my listening library - but I’m impressed that Spotify offers me suggestions.

Jennifer: What I like about music today if the wide variety available to everyone! Kids playlists are rarely confined to one genre. When we were kids, we listened to one or two stations and then albums of our favorite artists. Kids today have access to all genres, all cuts anytime they want them. Their musical tastes tend to be much more eclectic than most of us when we were kids.

Mike: Agreed! My daughters have both introduced me to new music. Do I like everything they have me listen to? Absolutely not!! I have, however, enjoyed the moments when I do. I have also discovered a lot of new music via Shazam (then finding it on Spotify). I've also rediscovered some older music, and have a greater appreciation to the nuances of different artists.

Steve: Even though I'm putting the finishing touches on a nearly 500-page book on great song recordings before 1930, I still find time to listen to many music channels on SiriusXM, including a lot of new and recent stuff. The pickings of good music from the current Billboard Hot 100 may be slimmer than before, but there's never a shortage of excellent new material to be found elsewhere.

Dar: Spotify and Pandora have changed everything. The variety is huge and you don’t need to be “discovered” to get airplay. I have found more talent but adventuring down the rabbit hole than I ever heard on the radio.

Forrest: There is a ton of great music coming out now. The Record Company, Lake Street Dive, Samantha Fish, Alabama Shakes (before they broke up), Father John Misty, Dawes, Anderson East, Madisen Ward and Mama Bear are just a few of the “newer” bands and artists putting out fantastic music. A person is doing themselves a giant disservice if they do not continue to try and discover new music.

Stephen: I'll settle this for you. Music I like. Awesome. Music I don't like. Sucks. Glad to be of help. For more answers, follow me on Facebook.

Paul: So here's a weird way to think about it…I’m 40 years old. I had a student this year that loved to talk to me about 90s music, the music that grew up with…I just realized that the 90s are as far away for him as the 60s we're for me (when I was his age). Nirvana for him is the equivalent of the Beatles for me…Fudge…I'm getting old.

at 2 comments:
Labels: , , , , ,

Saturday, January 23, 2021

Olivia Rodrigo debuted at #1 with “Drivers License”

Drivers License

Olivia Rodrigo

Writer(s): Olivia Rodrigo, Dan Nigro (see lyrics here)

Released: January 8, 2021

First Charted: January 23, 2021

Peak: 18 US, 15 BA, 13 DG, 14 ST, 16 RR, 9 AC, 14 A40, 19 UK, 17 CN, 16 AU, 7 DF (Click for codes to charts.)

Sales (in millions): 6.0 US, 1.8 UK, 12.68 world (includes US + UK)

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 710.97 video, 2293.45 streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

Olivia Rodrigo was only 17 years old when she hit #1 with “Drivers License.” She had previously been known for roles on Disney Channel’s Bizaardvark and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. The “atmospheric power ballad,” WK produced by Dan Nigro, was the lead single from her first album, Sour. Billboard magazine’s Gab Linsberg and Jason Lipshutz called it the kind of debut single “that aspiring artists dream of.” WK

The song mixes “bedroom pop, indie pop, and power pop” WK and is characterized by “a minimalist, piano-led production, incorporating kick drums, harmonies, syncopated hand-claps, and a dreamy bridge.” WK Rodrigo has said the song has Taylor Swift and Lorde influences. WK Rolling Stone’s Brittany Spanos echoed this, saying the production of the song “is reminiscent of Lorde’s Melodrama…while the lyrics and detailed storytelling channel Swift’s Fearless.” WK

She was inspired to write the song after breaking up with her boyfriend. They used to talk about how exciting it would be once she had her driver’s license and could drive to his home. Instead, she ended up driving aimlessly around the suburbs of Los Angeles listening to sad songs and longing for him. SF She said, “Putting all those feelings into a song made everything seem so much simpler and clearer – and at the end of the day, I think that’s the whole purpose of songwriting. There’s nothing like sitting at the piano in my bedroom and writing a really sad song. It’s truly my favorite thing in the world.” UR

On its fourth day of release, the song set a record on Spotify for the most single-day streams for a non-holiday song. It also had the biggest first week for a song on Spotify (65 million) SF as well as Amazon Music. The song debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, making her the youngest artist to achieve that feat. The song’s eight weeks at the pinnacle made it the longest-running number-one debut single in the history of the chart. WK It also hit #1 in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Resources:

Related Links:

First posted 10/26/2021; last updated 10/12/2024.

at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)