‘Tis the season.
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Tunes Du Jour Celebrates Bastille Day
Happy Bastille Day!
On this date in 1789, the French people stormed the Bastille Prison in Paris to shout “No More Kings!” They probably shouted that in French. I can’t say for sure as I wasn’t there that day. Anyhoo, it worked! How’ bout that? This uprising ultimately led to the birth of democracy in France.
To celebrate, I compiled a Bastille Day playlist. I’ll be the first to tell you that there are far more accurate Bastille Day playlists out there. I’m using the holiday as an excuse to compile tracks from French artists, songs sung in French, songs with French titles, and one song by Chicago-born 60s song parodist Allan Sherman. I learned more from that three-minute record, baby, than I ever learned in school about the French Revolution.
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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 8-18-24
On today’s playlist we’re celebrating the birthday of The xx’s Romy.
Tunes Du Jour Presents Vampire Weekend
In the realm of contemporary music, few bands possess the multifaceted allure and enduring charm quite like Vampire Weekend. This indie rock band has carved out a unique niche in the musical landscape, blending a diverse array of influences into a cohesive and captivating sound. Let’s delve into what makes their music so compelling.
One of the hallmarks of Vampire Weekend’s style is their ability to seamlessly fuse disparate genres, creating a sound that is both familiar and refreshingly original. Tracks like “A-Punk” and “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” exude an infectious energy, drawing listeners in with their vibrant rhythms and catchy hooks. Yet, beneath the surface lies a complexity that sets them apart from their contemporaries.
Central to the band’s appeal is frontman Ezra Koenig’s lyrical prowess. His insightful and often introspective lyrics add layers of depth to their music, inviting listeners to contemplate themes ranging from identity and belonging to the absurdities of modern life. Whether pondering the intricacies of grammar in “Oxford Comma” or grappling with existential questions in “Unbelievers,” Koenig’s words resonate long after the music fades.
Moreover, Koenig’s willingness to collaborate with other artists demonstrates his commitment to innovation and exploration. Tracks like “New Dorp. New York” with SBTRKT and “Tonight” with Phoenix showcase his versatility and ability to adapt his sound while maintaining a distinctive identity.
Ultimately, what sets Vampire Weekend apart is their ability to evoke a sense of longing through their music. Whether it’s the sun-soaked imagery of “Horchata” or the wistful introspection of “Step,” each song transports listeners to a vividly imagined world, rich with emotion and atmosphere.
Theirs is a legacy built not on fleeting trends or commercial success but on a genuine commitment to artistic excellence and creative exploration. The evidence can be heard in the playlist below.
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My Favorite Songs Of 2023
Five years after then president of The Recording Academy proclaimed that women need to step up, the ladies have responded with “How’s this, jerkface?” Women dominate this year’s Grammy nominations. More importantly, all but two of the top 20 songs on my year-end list are led by female artists (with one guy showing up to provide guest vocals). That’s a record, I think, but don’t quote me on that. I’m too lazy to check. I don’t have a deep analysis for this phenomenon, but I do have a deep appreciation for the talent and diversity of these women (not that women have ever been underrepresented in my annual tallies). The highest placing male acts on my 2023 list are none other than The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. Yes, you read that right. The legends are back, and they still can show the young-uns how it’s done. With their song “Angry,” The Rolling Stones have achieved a remarkable feat: the longest span from first appearance to most recent appearance in my year-end surveys. In 1981, my first year of making such lists, the group placed with “Start Me Up.” The 80s are also well represented by Kylie Minogue and Madonna, each of whom made a triumphant return to my list after long absences. Welcome back, ladies! And last but not least, let’s give a round of applause to Megan Thee Stallion, who has been in my top five for five years in a row. That’s a record, I think, but don’t quote me on that. I’m too lazy to check. Now, without further ado, here is my list of the best songs of 2023. Enjoy!
- Ice Cream Man. – RAYE
- vampire – Olivia Rodrigo
- Kill Bill – SZA
- Bongos – Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion
- Not Strong Enough – boygenius
- Flowers – Miley Cyrus
- Escapism. – RAYE & 070 Shake
- Paint the Town Red – Doja Cat
- Lipstick Lover – Janelle Monáe
- Nobody Gets Me – SZA
- Dance the Night – Dua Lipa
- Shirt – SZA
- AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM – Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar
- What Was I Made For? – Billie Eilish
- Padam Padam – Kylie Minogue
- Cobra – Megan Thee Stallion
- Brenda Put Your Bra On – Ashley McBryde, Caylee Hammack & Pillbox Patti
- Angry – The Rolling Stones
- Now and Then – The Beatles
- Cool About It – boygenius
- RATATA – Skrillex, Missy Elliott & Mr. Oizo
- Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd – Lana Del Rey
- Calm Down – Rema with Selena Gomez
- Gorilla – Little Simz
- Seven – Jung Kook feat. Latto
- My Love Mine All Mine – Mitski
- bad idea right? – Olivia Rodrigo
- Jaded – Miley Cyrus
- Tropic Morning News – The National
- Someday At Christmas – Lizzo
- Used To Be Young – Miley Cyrus
- Pretty Girls Walk – Big Boss Vette
- River – Miley Cyrus
- Light On In The Kitchen – Ashley McBryde
- Out Alpha the Alpha – Megan Thee Stallion
- Bubblegum – Dawn Richard
- Rush – Troye Sivan
- It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody – Weyes Blood
- Weightless – Arlo Parks
- Psychos – Jenny Lewis
- The Sea – Romy
- Lil Boo Thang – Paul Russell
- Popular – The Weeknd & Madonna feat. Playboi Carti
- The Narcissist – Blur
- (It Goes Like) Nanana – Peggy Gou
- Tukoh Taka – Nicki Minaj, Maluma and Myriam Fares
- Freak Me Now – Jessie Ware
- Standing Next To You – Jung Kook
- Eyez – The Arcs
- What Now – Brittany Howard
- Thinking About You – Beck
- Wall of Eyes – The Smile
- Good Lookin’ – Dixon Dallas
- Girl Like Me – Dove Cameron
- Wild Flower – RM with youjeen
- Helmet – Steve Lacy
- Everybody’s Got to Learn – First Aid Kit
- Flip a Switch. – RAYE feat. Coi Leray
- Nothing Left To Lose – Everything But The Girl
- Say Yes To Heaven – Lana Del Rey
- Moonlight – Kali Uchis
- Bending Hectic – The Smile
- In My Head – The Lemon Twigs
- Snooze – SZA
- Attention – Doja Cat
- get him back! – Olivia Rodrigo
- Will Anybody Ever Love Me? – Sufjan Stevens
- Tux (Your Body Fills Me, Boo) – US Girls
- Lottery – Latto feat. LU KALA
- Bug Like an Angel – Mitski
- The Hands – serpentwithfeet
- A day in the water – Christine & the Queens
- Drummer Boy – Titus Andronicus
- Little Things – Jorja Smith
- Daydreaming – Harry Styles
- True Love – Christine & the Queens & 070 Shake
- Evicted – Wilco
- Got Me Started – Troye Sivan
- Eye For An Eye – Rina Sawayama
- Water Slide – Janelle Monáe
- Single Soon – Selena Gomez
- Odyssey – Beck & Phoenix
- I Don’t Know What You See In Me – Belle & Sebastian
- Seem an I – PJ Harvey
- Begin Again – Jessie Ware
- One of Your Girls – Troye Sivan
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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 6-21-23
When recording started it was called Bird World. Somewhere along the way Lana Del Rey changed the title of her 2019 album to Norman Fucking Rockwell! The actual middle name of artist Norman Rockwell is Percevel. Fucking is a better middle name.
Lana Del Rey turns 38 today. Showing her lots of love on today’s playlist.
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My Top Songs Of 2022
Congratulations to Megan Thee Stallion, who has placed a song in my year end top five every year since 2019. Her “Her” is my number two song of ’22, kept from number one by Beyoncé, who guested on the remix of MTS’s “Savage,” my number 4 song of 2020. 2022 was a year that left me wanting, so my top 100 has 92 songs. Here they are:
- BREAK MY SOUL – Beyoncé
- Her – Megan Thee Stallion
- About Damn Time – Lizzo
- As It Was – Harry Styles
- This Hell – Rina Sawayama
- Coconuts – Kim Petras
- Goodbye Mr. Blue – Father John Misty
- Wild – Spoon
- Sacrifice – The Weeknd
- All the Good Times – Angel Olsen
- BILLIE EILISH. – Armani White
- Measure of a Man – FKA twigs feat. Central Cee
- Meet Me at Our Spot – THE ANXIETY, WILLOW & Tyler Cole
- Burning – the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- CUFF IT – Beyoncé
- TV – Billie Eilish
- If I Was a Cowboy – Miranda Lambert
- Mistakes – Sharon Van Etten
- I Hate U – SZA
- Simulation Swarm – Big Thief
- Big Energy – Latto
- The Smoke – The Smile
- Bad Habit – Steve Lacy
- Boyfriend – Dove Cameron
- Hideous – Oliver Sim feat. Jimmy Somerville
- Gasoline – The Weeknd
- edamame – bbno$ feat. Rich Brown
- Lift Me Up – Rihanna
- Slide Tackle – Japanese Breakfast
- Don’t Let the Light Go Out – Panic! At the Disco
- MORE – j-hope
- Pressurelicious – Megan Thee Stallion feat. Future
- MAGIC – Vince Staples and Mustard
- Late Night Talking – Harry Styles
- Once Twice Melody – Beach House
- Edge of the Edge – Panda Bear and Sonic Boom
- Music for a Sushi Restaurant – Harry Styles
- Out of Time – The Weeknd
- Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) – Bruce Springsteen
- Another day in America – Kali Uchis & Ozuna
- Out of My Head – First Aid Kit
- Lost Track – HAIM
- Tonight – Phoenix feat. Ezra Koenig
- Beach House – Carly Ray Jepsen
- Tomorrow – Waxahatchee
- Funny Girl – Father John Misty
- Softly – Arlo Parks
- EDGING – Blink-182
- Cash In, Cash Out – Pharrell Williams feat. 21 Savage & Tyler, The Creator
- Falling Apart (Right Now) – Wilco
- Father Time – Kendrick Lamar feat. Sampha
- camera roll – Kacey Musgraves
- My Babe – Spoon
- Popular – M.I.A.
- Silent Hill – Kendrick Lamar with Kodak Black
- The Lightning – Arcade Fire
- The 30th – Billie Eilish
- The Curse of the Blackened Eye – Orville Peck
- Fractals – Beth Orton
- Should’ve Been Me – Mitski
- Ur Mum – Wet Leg
- Catch Me in the Air – Rina Sawayama
- new body rhumba – LCD Soundsystem
- Megan’s Piano – Megan Thee Stallion
- Sweetest Pie – Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa
- Die Hard – Kendrick Lamar feat. Blxst and Amanda Reifer
- The Ick – Panic Shack
- Get Inspired – Genesis Owusu
- Cheat Codes – Danger Mouse & Black Thought
- Postman – Toro y Moi
- The Only Heartbreaker – Mitski
- hollaback bitch – Mura Masa with Channel Tres & Shygirl
- Male Fantasy – Billie Eilish
- Stay Soft – Mitski
- Fruit – Oliver Sim
- Run the Credits – Oliver Sim
- B-Side – Khruangbin & Leon Bridges
- Down – Hot Chip
- Can I Get It – Adele
- No Decent Shoes for Rain – Dry Cleaning
- Unconditional I – Arcade Fire
- Fleez – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- N95 – Kendrick Lamar
- Angelica – Wet Leg
- Rich Spirit – Kendrick Lamar
- 2 Be Loved (Am I Ready) – Lizzo
- One Right Now – Post Malone with The Weeknd
- Bam Bam – Camila Cabello feat. Ed Sheeran
- Love Me More – Mitski
- Change – The War on Drugs
- Strange – Miranda Lambert
- High Priestess – Santigold
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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 11-21-22
Today’s playlist celebrates the November 21 birthdays of Carly Rae Jepsen, The Sugarcubes’ Björk, Phoenix’s Thomas Mars, Dr. John, WAR’s Lonnie Jordan, Vivian Blaine, and Amanda Lepore; and the November 22 birthdays of Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club’s Tina Weymouth, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Karen O, Cypress Hill’s Sen Dog, Max Romeo, The Trashmen’s Steve Wahrer, The Youngblood’s Jesse Colin Young, Climax’s Sonny Geraci, Jason & the Scorchers’ Jason Ringenberg, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band’s Steve Van Zandt, Lynda Lyndell, and composer Hoagy Carmichael.
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