Sounds Of Blackness’ Ann Nesby was born on this date in 1955. A couple of their tracks are included on today’s playlist.
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Tunes Du Jour Presents 1997
Music in 1997 was a true reflection of the decade’s diversity and boundary-pushing spirit. From the era’s biggest mainstream pop acts to the underground scenes bubbling up, the hits of ’97 showcased an exciting range of styles and genres commingling.
On the one hand, you had the unstoppable rise of wildly popular all-female groups like the Spice Girls with their debut smash “Wannabe” and the soaring vocals of Whitney Houston on “Step by Step.” At the same time, 1997 was also the year that brought the world jarring yet brilliant alt-rock statements like Radiohead’s sci-fi epic “Paranoid Android” and the dark, literary narratives of acts like Nick Cave.
Hip-hop continued evolving in dozens of directions, from the stunning lyricism of Notorious B.I.G.’s “Hypnotize” to the early flashes of what would become the dominant sound of the 2000s with Missy Elliott’s groundbreaking “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly).” The year’s electronic/dance highlights came in all tempos and styles, whether the gritty yet blissful big beat of The Prodigy’s “Firestarter” or the sleek Daft Punk groover “Around the World.”
While teenager pop captured the mainstream with acts like Hanson’s “MMMBop,” the alternative/indie realm gifted 1997 with timeless gems spanning rockist earnestness (Ben Folds Five), fuzz-pop dreaminess (The Cardigans’ “Lovefool”), and idiosyncratic lo-fi (Elliot Smith, Yo La Tengo). It was an era of strange but beautiful hybrids, like the trip-hop soul of Erykah Badu’s “On & On.”
Looking back at 1997’s musical landscape, you’re struck by not just the sheer quality of the output, but the vibrant plurality of styles. It was a moment when the underground and the overground were engaged in an intriguing conversation, shaping what came next.
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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 12-2-23
According to my Spotify Wrapped, pop was my top genre of 2023, thanks to the many hits I jammed to this year. But did you know I almost missed one of the greatest pop songs ever? Back in 1999, I barely heard Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time” when it was a chart-topper. It was only when the song was descending on the charts and I joined Jive Records, her label, as their head of Licensing that I discovered this masterpiece. I’ve been a loyal fan ever since, even after I left the company.
We had a party at Jive when Britney turned 18. It’s hard to believe that today she turns 42. A few of her hits are on today’s playlist.
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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 8-6-22
Today’s playlist celebrates the August 6 birthdays of The Chiffons’ Judy Craig, Elliott Smith, Leftfield’s Neil Barnes, Spice Girls’ Geri Halliwell, Yaeji, Timbuk 3’s Pat McDonald, Joyce Sims, and Andy Warhol; and the August 7 birthdays of Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson, Throwing Muses’ Kristen Hersh, B.J. Thomas, Positive K, and Stan Freberg.
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Throwback Thursday: 1997
“I wanna really really really wanna zig-a-zig-ah”
“Beep beep, who got the keys to the Jeep? Vroom”
“Pissin’ the night away”
“Joni Mitchell never lies”
“Poppa been smooth since days of Underoos”
“Love me, love me / Pretend that you love me”
“What I look like? Patti LaBelle or somebody?”
“Kiss me here, touch me there, hanky-panky”
“Mmm bop ba duba dop / Ba du bop ba duba dop / Ba du bop ba duba dop / Ba du yeah yeah”
“Woo-hoo!”
So many memorable lyrics emerged in 1997. Hear the ones above and then some below:
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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist (11-29-20)
Inspired by the season and the November 29 birthdays of The Rascals’ Felix Cavaliere, The Mamas and the Papas’ Denny Doherty, Meco, Zapp’s Roger Troutman, The Game, and Firesign Theater’s Peter Bergman.
Your (Almost) Daily Playlist (11-17-20)
Inspired by the November 17 birthdays of The Byrds’ Gene Clark, Jeff Buckley, Gordon Lightfoot, Foxygen’s Sam France, RuPaul, Ronnie DeVoe, The Moldy Peaches’ Kimya Dawson, Girls Aloud’s Sarah Harding, and Martin Scorcese; and the November 16 birthdays of Odyssey’s Lillian Lopez, Chi Coltrane, Arrow, Color Me Badd’s Bryan Abrams and Count Five’s John Byrne.
Your (Almost) Daily Playlist (8-6-20)
Inspired by the August 6 birthdays of The Chiffons’ Judy Craig, Spice Girls’ Geri Halliwell, Timbuk 3’s Pat McDonald, and Andy Warhol.
Your (Almost) Daily Playlist (5-29-20)
Inspired by the May 29 birthdays of Oasis‘ Noel Gallagher, Spice Girls’ Mel B, Procol Harum’s Gary Brooker, Status Quo’s Francis Rossi, Melissa Etheridge, Disco Tex, Sylvia, Rebbie Jackson, The Hives’ Pelle Almqvist, LaToya Jackson, Danny Elfman and Churchill’s Bethany Kelly.