The definition of “good music” is one of the most subjective out there. So what happens if I gather my friends’ favorite tracks and tell the truth about how I feel about them? Odds are, I’ll end up trashing my friends’ favorite songs! Hopefully it’s as entertaining as I expected when I came up with the idea.
Friend #1: Emily
When asked about her favorite song, Emily’s mind immediately went back to 2011. The classic throwback, “Titanium,” is by David Guetta and features vocal powerhouse, Sia.
To be completely honest, “Titanium” used to be one of my favorites, too. When I hear it come on in a store, I immediately get familiar fuzzies of nostalgia that trace back to middle school and sweet sixteens. For this fact, “Titanium” earns a few points in my book. The obviously well-produced track is catchy and thought-out, albeit not my usual listening in 2019. That being said, Sia’s vocals are smooth and heartfelt, the electronic backing of the track ebbs and flows with tension, and the lyrics themselves are surprisingly inspirational for the genre: “I’m bulletproof nothing to lose / Fire away, fire away / Ricochet, you take your aim / Fire away, fire away / You shoot me down but I won’t fall, I am titanium.”
For the above reasons, I’ll give Titanium 3/5 stars.
Friend #2: Derek
Derek’s pick of “Pirates 2009” by Bullets and Octane confused me at first. The song’s name just sounds like a joke! Once I started listening, I immediately recognizes the catchy verses and chorus: “La da da da di da da da / La da da di da di da…. Its a long way to go / And I don’t know if I will make it / I wanna know if you still love me / Take me far away / Take me far away.” I love the upbeat guitar riffs and the scratchy tone of the vocals. Even though I didn’t remember it by name, “Pirates 2009” was immediately recognizable and a fun listen.
For the above reasons, I’ll give “Pirates 2009” 4/5 stars.
Friend #3: Gail
“Sweet Dreams” by Børns was something I would expect from Gail despite her diverse music taste. That being said, I was still very impressed with it! Its dreamy aesthetic and simple, hazy instrumentals give it a feel similar to From Indian Lakes’ music, which has always been a hit in my book. Its lyrics follow in the track’s bare-bones nature, with repeated verses that were pretty and poetic in nature, but not overly descriptive: “Hearts in the cage, hearts in the cage / You, you flipped the page and slipped away / Never thought that you were / Someone to say things that you didn’t mean / You didn’t even call to wish me sweet dreams / Really thought we made a sweet team / But don’t cry, consider this a lullaby / Sweet dreams.”
For the above reasons, I’ll give “Sweet Dreams” 4/5 stars.
Friend #4: Seren
Seren’s pick was “Bouncin” by Kiana Ledé. Out of all of them, this track was probably the furthest out of my usual musical comfort zone. Still, when listening with an open mind, I was able to pick out things I liked from the song, and I understand why Seren likes it. The track’s rhythms are fun and bouncy, giving it an easy-listening or dance-ability depending on your mood. Kiana’s voice is also light and airy, but has just the right amount of depth to it to make it something I want to listen to. If she took on a genre-bending track that went into a genre that I typically gravitate towards, I wouldn’t hesitate to listen. The lyrics, however, weren’t for me: “I get mad in my feelings (Mad), I go to music recordin’ (Mad) / My wife is the baddest, she not a dime, she a quarter (She bad) / I go get the bag, it’s for my two sons and two daughters (Who) / Bounce it, then back it, and pop that shit with no order (Hey) / I done fell for a bad one (Fell), better than the last one (Yeah).”
For the above reasons, I’ll give “Bouncin'” 2/5 stars.
Friend #5: Mary
When asked about her favorite song, Mary chose “Home” by Machine Gun Kelly, X Ambassadors, and Bebe Rexha as her current favorite. The track is an interesting combination of the three styles of the artists, and it works well. While I’m not typically a Machine Gun Kelly or Bebe Rexha fan, I am fond of the X Ambassadors, and their influence was obvious in the composition of the track as well as a portion of the vocals. The layout of the song worked well, and it didn’t feel crowded despite the variety of artists it featured. The lyrics are welcoming and honestly, heartwarming: “Home / A place where I can go / To take this off my shoulders / Someone take me home / Home /
A place where I can go / To take this off my shoulders / Someone take me home / Someone take me….”
For the above reasons, I’ll give “Home” 3/5 stars.
The good news is that friends can be friends even with differing music tastes! While my taste in music is obviously the best, I love and respect all of my friends who were amazing enough to participate and allow me to trash their favorite songs if I wanted to! That’s truly what friends are for! <3
One Reply to “I Trash My Friends’ Favorite Songs!”