#MusicMonday - We're going dancing.

As usual, it's been a minute since I've posted on here and as you may have noticed, some things have changed. I'll address the changes in an upcoming post but for now, it's playlist time.

In honor of the #FirstDayOfSpring, March Madness and pedicure weather, I've put together a very "stuck in my office but the weather is incredible" playlist for y'all to enjoy. As always, there are some songs you've probably heard of, some songs you probably haven't and some songs in some other languages. It's one hour and 44 minutes of spring-y goodness.

• Dennis Rodman by mansionz - This song is weird and only gets weirder when the actual Dennis Rodman comes on and starts word-vomiting. But it's catchy AF and has maybe my favorite lyric on this playlist: "I don't care about who's watching..... Dennis Rodman." I can't even begin to talk about the duo that is mansionz though....
• Slide by Calvin Harris (ft. Frank Ocean, Migos) - Could easily be the song of the summer. Could also easily be on the soundtrack at Old Navy. Could be both. Either way, this song is a BOP. I effing love a groovy song with a great bass line. Totally on board with this one.
• Spring Day by BTS - First of all, the song title basically forced me to include it, right? Second of all, it's in Korean. I know, I know... but here's the thing- it's a fantastic mid-tempo pop song. Truly fantastic. I have no idea what they're saying and while I could easily Google the lyrics, I have no desire to. This song is about the awakening the world experiences from winter to spring and also a great down beat. That is all.
• Piece Of Mind by Kehlani - This girl has a great voice. Another mid-tempo tune with a good beat. That's really why it's on here. I like it and the beat is just mellow enough for a work environment. Lyrics NSFW AF though.
• Shape of You (Major Lazer Remix ft. Nyla & Kranium) by Ed Sheeran - Listen. I'm SO over the original of this song already. It's the best damn song but it's been played approximately 923654521228 times too many. But this is just another really good Major Lazer remix. Probz too aggressive for an office environment but sometimes a girl just wants to dance, ok?
• Don't Recall by K.A.R.D - Again, I know you can't understand most of the lyrics but who cares? Great beat. Island vibe. One of the dudes has a superrrrrrr deep voice and it makes my heart warm. I like this song. You will too. Get over the language thing.
• Can't Have Everything by Drake - I like when Drake raps. I especially like it when he's clearly rolling his eyes and condescending.
• Trap Queen by Enzo Bennett - This is incredibly mellow and the dude's voice is like butter. Such a good reworking.
• Blood In The Cut by K.Flay - This is like if Halsey was actually as badass as she wants you to think she is. Rock vibe. Going to be in a commercial for some show about a female lawyer who is "breaking down walls" soooooooooon.
• Selfish by Future (ft. Rihanna) - This song sounds a lot like Stand By Me but I really enjoy how chilled out RiRi and Future are while they're harmonizing. This song sounds like watching the sun come up after staying up all night drinking.
• Faded by Asiahn - This is just such a vibe. Great voice. Mellow beat. She's pissed though.
• About You by xxyyxx - Ok y'all. This one is so mellow and relaxing. It samples some random stuff and then plays some of it backwards.... it's weird but really good to put on for productivity purposes. If you figure out what the lady is saying when it's backwards, let me know.
• By Your Side by The 1975 - You know I'm not going to leave my boys off of a playlist. I'm especially not going to do it when it's a mellow Sade cover.
• Teenage Fever by Drake - 100% included for the J.Lo sample which I find audacious and so freaking Drake.
• Not Today by BTS - This song is about 12,000% too hype for this playlist but y'all NEEDED to know about it, OK?! Again, not in English. Suck it up. This song is incredible.
• Netflix & Dusse by Smino - This is another catchy one and the word play on the chorus is really fun. Honestly, I feel like they are tap dancing over the beat. So good.
• Bom Bidi Bom by Nick Jonas (ft. Nicki Minaj) - I love a soul guitar and a repetitive chorus. This one will crawl up into your ear and hibernate.
• Shot Down by Khalid - Khalid is easily the most exciting singer of last year and I'm so amped on his new album. Like I tried to tell y'all about The 1975, Lorde and k-pop, I'm telling you about Khalid. Get. On. Board.
• Au Volant by Elsa & Emilie - This is one from my favorite genre: Angelic Female Voices Over Hudson Mohawke Style Beats. (I need to work on the name of the genre.....)
• Waves by Kanye West - I'm obsessed with this song. I cried when Yeezy cancelled his Columbia, SC show because I wanted to be a part of the crowd screaming, "WAVES DON'T DIE" while Kanye looked down on us. Sadz.
• Trap Trap Trap by Rick Ross - Idk. I just like this song. Rick Ross is great and I enjoy walking around saying, "Trap trap trap trap trap trap."
• Who That Be by Rich Chigga - I cannot stress how much I like this song. It's like if Lil Dicky was a 17 year old Indonesian kid with a deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep voice. Song goes hard. I love it.
• Cave Me In by Gallant (ft. Tablo, Eric Nam) - This song sounds like driving with the windows down at night feels. I literally have no other way to describe it. It's great though.
• Once by Maren Morris - If you watched the Grammys, you saw Maren perform this with Alicia Keys. It's better solo. It's so soulful. So powerful. If this is the direction country music is going then I'm all in.
• Poolside by Baynk - This song is hard to listen to in my office because it sounds exactly like sitting poolside. Very California sounding though I think the dude has a British accent? Definitely on the Urban Outfitters soundtrack within a week.
• Girl At Coachella by Matoma (ft. MAGIC!, D.R.A.M.) - The song is good but it's really on here because of the title. #NeverTrustAGirlAtCoachella

I really like this playlist and I hope you will too. Listen on Spotify here:

 

Enjoy!

-C.xx.

#MusicMonday: k-pop is more fun than whatever you are listening to. seriously.

Sometimes y'all don't trust my music recommendations. Believe me, it hurts my feelings.

Y'all didn't want to listen to me about Lorde when I started tweeting about her three months before Royals was even released in the United States. In fact, the same month Royals was released as a US single, I wrote a blog post telling you about how good her second single was. None of y'all seemed to care........

I'm assuming The Lion King was on ABC Family? Whatevz.

And a few short months later, the first week of September/the week The 1975's debut album, The 1975, was released (to very little American fanfare, I might add) I started a three year Twitter-spree/obsession with those wonderful British giants. Now, I will say, y'all slowlyyyyy but surely kind of started to listen to me. It took a full year before any of y'all really listened, though.

No worries, I know what it means now.

And like that slow, agonizing campaign I led for y'all to enjoy the (Guita)R&B stylings of The 1975, I have a new mission- and y'all are going to HATE it. But then, you're going to love it and I won't have to say, "I told you so" too loudly.... I'm seriously telling you that K-POP is the next BIG thing in music. Yeah, I said it.

http://todayspictures.slate.com/20120522/

Before I give you the playlist, I'm going to give you a few reasons why you should give k-pop a real shot.

1. The production value is unmatched. Seriously, as far as the music goes, Justin Bieber and Diplo and Skrillex have NOTHING on any of these songs. Not Nicki Minaj, not Demi Lovato, not anyone trying to do pop music that makes you dance. There really is no comparison.

2. The language barrier really doesn't matter. Don't tell me you won't give these songs a chance because you can't understand what they're saying. Lyrics don't matter to you- two of your favorite songs this year only used the word "WORK" for their entire chorus. You don't care about the lyrics, you want to bop along in your car, when you're getting ready, when you're pregaming, etc. You want repetitive choruses? K-pop has that on lock.

 

http://rebloggy.com/post/bigbang-bang-bang-bang/120445219701

3. The music videos are better than most movies. When Swifty's Bad Blood video premiered, everyone was blown away by the sheer scale of the produciton and how much it must have cost. That video literally isn't even special in comparison to any of these. It's wild. Also, the videos display the choreography, wardrobes and editing that are UNPARALLELED.

http://kenh14.vn/bts-dua-voi-lua-trong-mv-tai-xuat-cuc-chat-20160502000101547.chn

So now that I've convinced you to give these 11 songs a chance, let's get down to business.

1. Blood, Sweat and Tears by BTS



This is a song that Justin Bieber would kill to release. It has that weird island-techno-dance-trap vibe that everyone seems to be doing these days. These seven Korean kids do it as good, if not better, than anyone else attempting to do it right now. The album with this song on it came out last week and it broke a bunch of k-pop records for US charts. This won't be the last you hear or see of BTS.

2. 21st Century Girl by BTS



If *NSYNC, Flo Rida and Limp Bizkit had written One Direction's What Makes You Beautiful and performed it in Korean, it would sound EXACTLY like this. From what I can tell, this is straight out of the "don't need makeup/you're in charge/get it girl" playbook but wayyyyyy more fun to dance to. There is no video (yet?) and the choreography is kinda silly but this is a BOP. Since there's no video, this might not even be a single for BTS but if you put it on US radio, it would be the song of the year. I can't wrap my head around it.

3. Ain't No Party Like An AOMG Party by Jay Park and Ugly Duck



So this is technicallyyyyy k-hip hop (I think?) but who really cares when every k-pop group has at least one rapper for every three members? This isn't as catchy as the rest of the songs but I still reallyyyyy enjoy it. With very little research done, I think Jay Park might have lived in the United States for a period of time and I think you can really hear that in this song. Again, the production value of the song AND the video is ridiculous. Like when is G-Easy ever going to get to make a music video like this? He probably lost his chance since the Suicide Squad album has come and gone though....

4. Bang Bang Bang by Big Bang



This group has been releasing music together for 10 freaking years. Can we take a second to appreciate how wild that is?! *NSYNC and One Direction didn't even combine for 10 total years. Anyway, about the song........ This song is good and then the chorus comes in and everyone I've ever played it for LOSES THEIR DAMN MIND. I love the reaction. Also- there's no way this video cost less than $5 million dollars. And this song is such a big deal in Korea that when North Korea got antsy earlier this year, South Korea set up big speakers on the border and blasted this song into the demilitarized zone. THIS IS A TRUE STORY. Kpop- the greatest weapon. 

5. Zutter by T.O.P and G-Dragon (two members of Big Bang)



Once you get past the eyeliner and brightly colored hair and skinny jeans, these two are apparently two of the coolest and most admired people in all of South Korea. In fact, Mr. G Dragon (orange hair) is probably the most famous Korean after the freaking dictator of North Korea. No big deal. Anyway, this song's title translates to "dope" and it is the perfect way to describe it. Put this in English, play it in a frat basement and watch all the white kids lose their damn minds. Seriously, Drake or someone should find a way to translate and get the rights to this song. Song of the year, easily. Or if you're in South Korea, just the third or fourth single off an album. Whatevz. (Also, Mr. Dragon is one of the WORLD'S fashion darlings. That animal print blazer? Saint Laurent. And he had access to that particular collection before anyone else in the world. No big deal.)

6. Hello Bitches by CL



So this fireeee song is pretty much 60% in English which is wonderful. It's the ultimate girl power/don't bother me banger and I am SOOOO here for it. From what I gathered in my very limited research, CL is kind of like Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj in Korea and I could listen to this song over and over again until the end of time. PS- love that she got the dancers from the Sorry video and is actually keeping up with them. Get. It. Girl. I really need her silver hair. She's perfect. I feel like I'm rambling. I love her.

7. MTBD by 2NE1 (CL Solo)



Another one that doesn't have a music video, just a fire track on an album. This one happened to be on her girl group's album. Like they actually let her have a solo song on there and go on tour which is a veryyyy foreign concept to me but seemed to work. Anyway. This is straight fire. Great beat. Words are irrelevant. Get. It. Girl.

8. BOOMBAYAH by BLACKPINK



This is what I consider the most "traditional" pop song of the list. It's some cutesy girls singing and dancing and occasionally kinda rapping? But they dance better than any of our pop stars. By far. Again, don't know what this song is about but I really freaking love to blast it in my car while I'm driving down the road screaming, "Boombayah!" Can you imagine being a pop group and THIS is the first song and first video you release? Ariana Grande is still working up to a video this cool. Demi Lovato may never get there. These tiny Korean girls did it day one.

9. How's This by Hyuna



So if CL is Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj then Hyuna is Rihanna and Miley Cyrus a.k.a. pretty damn crazy pants. Her songs are some of the more simplistic on the list as far as artistry goes but they might have the best production value. She is clearly working with whoever Korea's equivalent of Skrillex is and they are killing it. This song in English would be on every white girl's pregame playlist. Every single one of them. #CatchyAF.

10. Roll Deep by Hyuna



Out of all the songs on this list, I am convinced this one would play best on American radio. It's got a throwback and futuristic vibe which is wild. The chorus is one of the catchiest things I've ever heard in my life. It's a solid pop hit all around. I'm sad more people in the United States don't get to enjoy it. You're lucky I'm here to educate you.

*BONUS* Fire by BTS



This one didn't make the list because there are already two BTS songs on it and it's not on Spotify. Who ever heard of a k-pop group having an Apple exclusive song in the United States? Well, now you have. They're taking over, I promise. Anyway, this song is called "Fire" because it is fire AF. Roll Deep is the one on the list that could play the best on commercial American radio. This one is a veryyyy close second. It's so freaking good y'all. Flo Rida, Shawn Mendes and whoever the next screaming rapper a la Eminem is, please release a song like this. I'm begging you. Don't tell me ESPN wouldn't play this 100 times on football Saturdays.

So..... now that I've given you all the proof you need, enjoy these 10 songs on Spotify and tell ALL of your friends why they should be listening to k-pop, you know you want to.

 

 

Let me know what you think over on the Twitter machine at @RulesForBelles.

 

Enjoy!

 

-C. xx. 

#MusicMonday - Slow To Mid-Tempo Songs By Super Chilled Out Dudes

I know I've been gone a long time. Being in an office from 8:30 am - 6 pm every day will put your blog on hiatus every time. But I still consistently get tweets & DMs about playlists really regularly. Soooooooooo because I love y'all, the playlists are coming back. I was going to do one big playlist the last week of each month but when I asked y'all, this is what you voted for:

Once a week it is.

So without further ado.... this week's playlist theme is:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2865984/Man-jailed-punching-HOLE-8million-Monet-painting-despite-claiming-fist-fell-heart-condition.html

 

-Wat's Wrong by Isaiah Rashad featuring Zacari & Kendrick Lamar - This song is dope and, as you could probably imagine, Kendrick's verse is fire emoji good. I'm a HUGE fan of a classic hip hop slow jamz beat. Roll the windows down when you're driving at night and turn this one way up and just flyyyyyyyy.

-Location by Khalid - This is the song I play at a party or in the car when I want to blow basically anyone's mind. I've yet to find someone who dislikes it. (Bonus - dude is from Texas so I automatically like it more)
-The Shortchange by Thomston - I can put this jam on repeat and leave it for an entire workday. It's so mellow but still has such a good beat, it's wild. This British kid's voice is androgynous and perfect and he clearly loves Hans Zimmer scores because he uses those electric horns liberally and boy am I here for it.
-From The Ground by Danny Brown - I can never wrap my mind around how much I vibe to Danny Brown tracks. I also can never wrap my mind that someone with his speaking voice can lay down something this good. No idea who the woman on the chorus is but she's great. This song has such a good vibe. I really really like it.
-Bubblegum by TOTEM - Y'all might find this wild but this track is the absolute best song I've heard in 2016. I don't understand how it's not all over Top 40 radio. It's literally the perfect Alt-Pop (aka Oxymoron Genre) song. I read an article that described it as "unapologetically upbeat in spite of characteristically downtrodden lyrics" and I don't know if I've ever related to anything more. I neeeeeeeed to see TOTEM perform this in his hometown of Atlanta. Like, tomorrow.
-Wave(s) - Demo Taped Remix by Lewis Del Mar - Not only is this one of the more upbeat songs on this list (wild because it's not very upbeat) but it's legit the perfect driving song. The lyrics don't matter. It's about the medley and the beat. It's just such a tuneeeeeee.
-Somebody Else - Alt Edit by The 1975 - The original version of this song is easily one of the stand out track of the best band in the history of the world's sophomore album. This "Alt Edit" is different in a great way but I really can't describe to you the differences (other than it's a minute shorter).... does that make me a bad fan?

http://earthlingsophie.tumblr.com/

I guess they cut some of the fat and condensed it to a killer song for radio. I think this is a FANTASTIC commercial follow up to The Sound's success.
-Prblms by 6BLACK - I've been trying to figure out who this Atlanta singer/rapper/viber sounds like for days. He definitely has a Bryson Tiller/Tory Lanez vibe but it's still so different. DVSN is probably as close as I can find to this sound but, again, it's just different. Prblms has a distinctly 90s feel while feeling completely modern and influenced by technology. It's a simple song that is a complete conundrum. (PS - no idea why it's the edited version. Ugh.)
-Concrete by Melle Jutte - I have no idea who the actual vocalist is on this one, I've looked. But if the kid from the Netherlands that produced it (Melle Jutte) is who actually recorded the vocals, I'll die from shock. He looks like he's 14 years old and the dude singing sounds like he's the 30 year old choir leader for a church in Atlanta. Regardless, though, this one is a TUNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEE y'all.  T U N E E E.
-Black Mambo by Glass Animals - This song is YEARS old but fits this playlist perfectly. One of my all time favorites. Another one where the dude could be not saying actual words and it wouldn't matter. The vibe is incredible. The fact that a song that sounds like this came from four British kids from Oxford will never cease to amaze me.
*Bonus: No Reason by Manatee Commune - I kind of view this playlist as a productivity/at work/getting ready/cleaning/studying playlist and this one is a perfect way to wrap it up.

So I hope you're as excited for the playlists to be back as I am. If you have any theme requests, let me know over on the Twitter machine at @RulesForBelles.

Enjoy!

-C. xx.

October Playlist Part Two: Remixes and Other Weird Things

I'm back, back again... you know the rest. (Pretend he's saying, "Hey. What's up? Hello." in that .gif. He's not but pretend he is anyway.

via http://raaaaaaaandy.tumblr.com

Soooooooo here we go.

2. Remixes and other weird hip hop things

via http://bryanstarsgifs.tumblr.com

• Big Spender by Theophilus London feat. A$AP Rocky - Y'all know I'm pretty obsessed with Rocky but add a Cabaret sample and another really smart rapper? I'M SO HERE FOR IT. This is one of those songs that should NOT work but it does. Shout out to Caleb at Barstool Dixie for including this song in one of the Dixie Days episodes. 
• Settle Down (Young Ruffian Remix) by The 1975 - This song sounds like what I would assume a robot would feel like if it was high as a freaking kite. It has a really breezy quality but also a very metallic, tinkery sound... this literally makes NO sense but it is what it is. It's a fantastic remix of an already great song. Enjoy it. 
• The Hills (RL Grime Remix) by The Weeknd - So this remix took all of the really harsh qualities of the original version and just made it groooooooove. It's a dance tune now. And I'm for it. I am HERE FOR IT. 
• Slow by Lido X Halsey - So take one of the coolest female voices in this decade, add a Jaden Smith sample and one of the chillest DJs in this decade and you get a really cool alt-hip hop remix that I could listen to for hours on end. It somehow feels like a throwback and almost too current. It's unbelievable, honestly. And she is like, not about this dude. I love it. 
• Do It by A.K. Tribe feat. Tunji Ige - This sounds like a casual hip hop song that's fine until the chorus hits and you're like wait... what? I feel like this is hip hop for the internet generation and I'm genuinely excited for more music that doesn't make sense but works reallllllll good. 
• Panic Cord (HUCCI X G Fresh Remix) by Gabrielle Aplin - So this song originally sounds like an Ed Sheeran sad acoustic song. And then these British rappers came in and turned it all upside down. I'm not usually a fan of British rappers but maybe because it's kind of slow it works? I'm not sure but this song REALLY does it for me. I listen to it a lot. And I'm almost not ashamed to admit I found it via a Kylie Jenner snapchat story. Almost. 
• Remember Me by Leather Corduroys feat. Knox Fortune - This is another song I found from the Dixie boys. This is played in the most recent video when they're grocery shopping and while, I don't understand how it works, it works. It's cool groove. I don't know that I love the end but the beginning is good enough to make up for it. Listen to it. Dance around your apartment. Dance around a grocery store. Have fun. 
• Be Alright (Jarreau Vandal RmX) by Kendrick Lamar - This is just a funky, brand new song that kind of samples Alright by Kendrick. It's cool. Probably good to drive to. I like it. It's weird. The syncopation of the snare drum is particularly pleasant. But that might just be me...
• I See Fire (Kygo Remix) by Ed Sheeran - This is by far the coolest remix I think I've ever heard. It takes that song from the Lord of the Rings movie and turns it into a straight up, Oriental groove. Ed Sheeran's ginger angel voice does not hurt, either. 
• Hotline Bling (Remix) by Erykah Badu - This one, again, is just weird. But it's basically a funky, female cover of the best song of the year. So enjoy. 
• Jolene (Kygo Edit) by Dolly Parton - I know I've already got a Kygo remix on here but come on.... who am I to pass up a chill remix of one of Dolly's most iconic songs? Like it's Modern Magnolias in a song. It might become our official theme song. We're still talking about it over here at HQ. I'll keep you posted. 
• Pity Party (Myles Travitz Remix) by Melanie Martinez - I can't tell if this remix made this weird song weirder or more normal. (If you haven't given Melanie Martinez's album a listen, stop reading and go do that now. Come back here later.) It definitely makes it MORE. 
• Forbes by Borgore feat. G-Eazy - Y'all know I love some G-Eazy. No explanation needed. Listen to it. 
• Free Bread At The Outback - Probably my favorite rapper of the year. This dude takes comedy rap to the highest level I can imagine. It's just real good rap that happens to be pretty damn funny. I love this guy. Anyone want to go see him on Halloween in Atlanta with me? Tweet me. For real. 
• Afterhours by TroyBoi feat. Diplo & Nina Sky - This songs sounds like it's going to be chill and then a super funky beat comes out of nowhere and it's like YESSSSSSS. I'm on a real Diplo kick right now. (PS - I heard this on Apple's Beats Radio before I heard it on Barstool Dixie so don't tweet me that I found it through them. kthnxbai.)
• Revolution (Unlike Pluto Remix) by Diplo feat. Faustix & Imanos and Kai - Speaking of Diplo... so this song was straight fire before this remix but now it's like, indescribable. It's a little more chill but just as fabulous. I'm obsessed. I'll listen to it a lot in the next month. Guaranteed. 

And last but not least...

via http://anything-could-happen-93.tumblr.com

• Good Boy by GDragon X Taeyang (Big Bang) - Ok. This is a place in my life I never thought I'd get to. I'm officially beyond obsessed with a K (hip hop) Pop song. The beat is TOO good and because they're speaking Korean, for the most part, I can just decide what I want the song to be about. I mostly want it to be about shaking my ass and it's working out really well so far. Also, they do legit choreography in the video and I've pretty much learned all of it. Be more jealous. You can't. 

Again, I'm really lost as to what they're saying other than gangster and love affair and good boy but do I need to know what they're saying? NO. It's perfectly fire without English words. Now start dancing.

It's a Soundcloud playlist this time because let's be honest, these are not available for purchase or on Spotify. It's fine.

Is this the best playlist I've ever posted? Probably. And it's just PART TWO. There's a whole nother piece coming your way. Just not tonight. 

Enjoy!

-C. xx. 

October Playlist - Part One. Chill Brit Pop/Rock-ish.

Guess who's back y'alllllllllll. 

via Buzzfeed

(I know I've been gone for months with no explanation but trust me, I'll tell y'all at some point. But not now.) 

I'm back and I come bearing gifts of good music. You. Are. Welcome. 

via Buzzfeed

So this is kind of a long list so I'm going to break it down into sections.

1. Chill/Rock/Brit Pop

http://eliassyafiq.tumblr.com

• Cool Blue by The Japanese House - This girl is literally too cool for school. This song has the most 80s vibe I've ever heard from a song not recorded in the 80s. Chill. Brit. Pop-ish. Also, like her producers (The 1975), I have no idea what she's actually saying. Whatevz. 
• I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times) by Jamie XX, Young Thug, Popcaan - This is more hip hop than Brit chill but it's too weird to include but it's good driving, pregaming, drinking by yourself music. SOLD. 
• The Beach by The Neighbourhood - So the title is misleading. It's WAY too chill and dark and moody to have literally anything to do with a beach. But it's good. It's reallllll good. As long as you aren't looking for anything happy or uplifting... Jesse's voice has definitely gotten stronger and it's a nice, mellow departure from some of their earlier music but not crazy different from what their fans expect of them. Nice balance. 
• Wildest Dreams by Ryan Adams - If you're reading this, I assume you know exactly how I feel about Taylor Swift... Her version of this song grates on my nerves in the most obnoxious way but Ryan takes this to a very windows down, radio up, Fleetwood place that I reallyyyyyy dig. Four for you Ryan Adams. And none for Taylor Swift.
• Monday by Matt Corby - This dude is a conundrum to me. But I enjoy listening to whatever it is you would actually call this kind of doo wop, a capella, falsetto, groove thing. I like it a lot.
• Snakeskin by Deerhunter - Ok. Take Arctic Monkeys (the AM years) and imagine they grew up in West Texas. This is the kind of music they would have made. It just makes you feel like you've just opened whatever pregame drink you prefer and are about to go dance with your girls but your boyfriend's friends like listening to it too. 
• Roman Holiday by Halsey - This is probably the album of the year for me. Halsey is the anti-Taylor Swift. She is the female singer who is singing about what I care about and relate to (to a certain extent). She is pissed off and won't take no for an answer and a straight up boss. I love her. This song is therapeutic and sounds like riding in a car with the boy you like. It makes me feel exactly what she intends for me to feel and I just want to get away. 
• White Noise by PVRIS - This is just a fun, very British pop song. I don't have a ton to say about it but I like it and you should too. It's got a Paramore feel but it's more melodic and dreamy. LISTEN TO IT. SO THERE. 
• Weathered by Jack Garratt - Remember when I tried to tell y'all about Lorde and you completely ignored me until seven months later when Royals hit the radio? This is about to be another one of those moments. This dude. I don't get him. I can't figure out what genre he is or what's his deal. It's like he took the majority of the sounds and qualities I love in a song and put them all together. It shouldn't work but it SO does. He has a great voice, an interesting story to tell and some really good music. Follow him. He's going to be make waves.
• Ocean Drive by Duke Dumont - I almost included this in the hip hop post but it's just SO BRITISH so I felt it had to go here. It's just a good, groovy British pop song. It's fantastic. It's fun. It's cool.  

AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST:

• Love Me by The 1975 - Y'all know very well that this post had to wait until it was midnight in England so I could include this song. It's like a Duran Duran song, an Aerosmith groove, a girl on Tumblr and a Nickelodeon theme song morphed into one weird but amazing pop song. I hate that I'm going to have to dedicate the next two years of my life to these idiots...

So this has been longer than I thought it would be. So there will be two more parts to this playlist. I'll post a link to the whole thing at the end of the series. For now, here are these songs on Spotify. 

Stay tuned for Part Two and Part Three!

Enjoy!

-C. xx.

#TuesdayTunes. On A Thursday. - 02.

This post was supposed to go out on Tuesday but I suck and it didn't. Please forgive me.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/niralishah/fear-me?utm_term=.sxzZrpr7W&sub=3675905_5013278

Anywaysssss. I kind of really love this playlist. There are some new artists that I'm really really really excited about.

1. Memo by Years & Years



This London-based trio is a particular favorite of mine right now. I'm really into electropop with R&B undertones at the moment. These boys certainly fit that bill.

2. ILYSB by LANY



This is another electropop with R&B undertones type of group. ILYSB is super catchy. I can't stop listening to it. Y'all better enjoy it too.

3. Too Cool To Dance by Eden XO



I've found my new getting ready/pre-game song. So sassy. So funky. So good.


Listen to the rest of the playlist below. Be sure to send me your thoughts over on Twitter!




Like I said, I really love this playlist. 

Enjoy y'all!

-C. xx. 

#MusicMonday becomes #TuesdayTunes

Fun fact: most new music is released on Tuesday. I'm not sure why, probably something to do with distance from the weekend/nothing really happens on Tuesday. That being said, I have officially decided to stop posting playlists on Mondays because it's pretty darn hard knowing better/new/exciting music is coming out the next day. So #TuesdayTunes is officially a thing here on Modern Magnolias. 

http://buzzfeed.com/giffeed/4063944

 1. Medicine by The 1975.
 

If you've been here for more than five minutes, you are well aware that The 1975 is a pretty big deal to me. Their self-titled debut album has been played about 392 times in the year that it's been out. But new music from these boys is a BIG deal. A radio DJ in the UK, Zane Lowe, decided to rescore the Drive soundtrack (which 1,000% did not need to be rescored) and this track is a result of that experiment. 

This is the kind of song you dream about falling in love with someone to. I love it so much. 

2. Hurricane by Halsey
 

So I'm not sure of what you would call this genre of music but I'm so obsessed I can't even. Similar to Tove Lo, Lorde, etc. whom I've posted about before, Halsey is a girl to watch. Ethereal vocals over a hip hop influenced downbeat and sad/glamorous lyrics are where. it's. at. y'all. Also, she's a One Direction fan. Here tumblr is named after one member's tattoo and she first garnered attention from The Haylor Song. You can join the club Halsey. We will take you gladly. 

3. Teacher by Nick Jonas
 

I can't even begin to talk about this new Nick Jonas. We have come a very long way from purity rings y'all. He's going to teach us how to love? As long as it's set to a super funky beat, I'm fine with it. Literally, put on your dancing shoes before you press play on this one.

4. Cut Your Teeth by Kygo, Kyla La Grange
 

So I really liked the original version of Kyla's "Cut Your Teeth" but it always seemed a little too minimal to me. Like, I really wanted there to be something more to it. Enter Kygo. It's literally so chill and perfect and I love them and her and her hair and this song. Still minimal. Still fantastic.

5. One Touch by Baauer feat. Rae Sremmurd & AlunaGeorge
 

As I love all things Atlanta, I am a sucker for trap music. I like Baauer. I love AlunaGeorge. I'm so on board with this more relaxed take on a trap song. Still has a great downbeat but it's nice to just kind of chill every once in a while, right? I will say, Rae could stand to chill a bit more... (FYI - not exactly suitable for work)


6. Can't Stop by Theophilus London feat. Kanye West

Keeping with the chill vibe that this playlist seems to have taken, this song has been on repeat for me. I love a rap song with an easy beat and nice groove. If this is where rap is heading, I'm so on board. 

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

-C. xx. 

My favorite songs.

This is one of those posts that stems from a need I have, not any request. I do get asked all the time about my favorite songs and I always kind of fumble around or respond with a request to define "favorite" - favorite of ALL TIME, favorite right now, favorite in a particular genre, favorite from my childhood, etc. It's a genuine problem I have in my life... I don't have one favorite song. I usually say Beast Of Burden by The Rolling Stones or You by The 1975 you know, to make sure I pick the two most different songs ever. 

http://buzzfeed.com/giffeed/4122359

Anyway. I went through all of my playlists and just added songs that I would call my "favorite" and put them into one playlist. It's 69 songs long... it would be longer but Hootie & The Blowfish are not on Spotify. I figured I'd share it with y'all because I love you. A lot. 

Enjoy y'all!

-C. xx.

#MusicMonday - 10.06.14

It's #MusicMonday again y'all!!!!!!!!!  

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mrloganrhoades/things-that-only-make-sense-when-youre-really-drunk?sub=3465017_3943231?sub=3465017_3943231#4hpj0um

First things first, my boys have a new song. And it's catchy. SO FREAKIN' CATCHY. 

1. Steal My Girl - One Direction



Like crawl into your ear and hatch level of catchiness. And I freakin' love it. It has an arena-rock-y vibe and was influenced, clearly, by Journey. I think my only issue is with the lyrics. Like, in what world is someone going to manage to steal a girl away from a member of One Direction?? When they announced the title of the song, I thought it was going to be about them stealing literally everyone else's girl. Now that is a scenario I would believe... Regardless, this is a fun song that will do really well on radio. And you'll probably catch your boyfriend singing it under his breath without realizing what he's actually doing. 

2. Like Em Young - Tove Lo




Last week's #MusicMonday post featured Tove Lo. Next week's #MusicMonday post will probably feature Tove Lo. She's quickly becoming one of my favorite artists. This girl power-y, pregame anthem is constantly stuck in my head. And now yours too. #YoureWelcome

3. Feel For Me - Foy Vance




Any artist that has Ed Sheeran's stamp of approval, has my stamp of approval. 

I swear to god, foy vance is better than everyone. It's not a contest, he's better than everyone.
— Ed Sheeran (@edsheeran) September 6, 2014

Foy may be Irish but this has a blues feel that makes me believe he could be from the South. He has a timeless kind of croon that genuinely makes me happy. 

4. Yellow Flicker Beat - Lorde




I don't know what her parents fed her growing up but I need some of it. All of her songs are just. too. good. She's getting me SO darn excited for the new Hunger Games movie y'all. So freakin' excited. 

5. Personal - Jessie J




These pipes y'all. These pipes need NO words. 

6. Dance With The Devil - Rachel Taylor



This is potentially my new favorite song. With biting lyrics and a synth-infused beat, this is a diva power anthem that goes down smooth. Another good pregame/getting ready song.

7. Shake It Off - Us The Duo



I have never been shy about my feelings for Swifty. However, I find Shake It Off too catchy to ignore. Thankfully, Us The Duo has given me a reason to really love this song and not have to even think about Swifty. #winning

8. Something In The Water - Carrie Underwood



My girl, Carrie, belting about Jesus and baptism? All the chills. It sounds like a typical Carrie Underwood song but it feels like Easter morning. Bonus - she sings Amazing Grace at the end. I heart it. I heart her. #blessed




Anything I missed? Let me knowwww over on the Twitter machine!

-C. xx. 

#MusicMonday - 09.29.14

http://www.buzzfeed.com/sheridanwatson/a-defininitive-ranking-of-every-high-school-musical-song-num?sub=3456332_3886960?sub=3456332_3886960#4hpj0um

Recently, it has taken more and more self-control to not constantly post song lyrics/just talk about music. Some of y'all got excited when you saw this tweet:

I'm about to change @ModernMagnolias to a music blog. It's allllll I want to talk about anymore.
— The Rules (@RulesForBelles) September 24, 2014

But after discussing it with some of the other Magz, they decided I could have one day a week. So here we go- the first (of probably many) #MusicMonday post.

#MusicMonday - 09.29.14

I'm not sure that this playlist has a theme, other than I cannot stop listening to these songs right now.

1. Moments by Tove Lo

Most people recognize the Swedish singer from her song "Habits" but that won't be all they know her for. Her debut album, Queen Of The Clouds, will be released in the US on September 30th and it could easily be one of your new favorites to dance around your room to while getting ready to go out for the night!

2. Shut Up and Dance by Walk The Moon

Literally, the catchiest song. Like, the chorus just BEGS to be belted out. This alt-pop group is primed to be a success on radio when their new album comes out later this year/early next year. 

3. I'm An Albatraoz by AronChupa

I'll just throw it out there- I don't know what an albatraoz is. I also have no clue what this song is talking about. What I do know is that it is fantastic. I don't know if this is considered EDM... but if so, I like EDM. However, I am kind of upset since this has now been inexplicably removed from Spotify.

4. Ex's & Oh's by Elle King

I'm not really sure if this is supposed to be country or not... but it is full of sassy, girl power so I'm for it. This is another full-length album coming soon one. *Fun fact- her dad is Rob Schneider and her mom's first name is London. That's cool in my book.

5. Jealous by Nick Jonas

I'm still getting over the fact that this song is not only by a white person but that white person is a JONAS BROTHER. Like, whaaaattttt?????? After you get over the first few seconds sounding very much like a Drake song, it is literally such a tuneeeeee. Even though the lyrics are pretty darn ridiculous, I have listened to this on repeat more than once in the past few days.

6. Fireball by Pitbull feat. John Ryan

While it's unclear whether this song is about everyone's favorite liquor to take shots with (and the liquor I hate more than anything), it is clear that this super catchy song will inevitably crawl into your ear canal and take root. Just like all the other Pitbull songs in existence.

7. Burnin' Up by Jessie J feat. 2 Chainz

Not that Bang Bang needs a follow up yet because it's still my  j a m  but Jessie J gave us one anyway. And this time, we get 2 Chainz. Like, thank youuuuuu. I feel like she's probably going to release an album pretty soon too...

8. Girls by The 1975

It is NO secret that I am obsessed with The 1975 and this song is one of the reasons. A super fun, super catchy, upbeat pop song, it just makes you want to dance. In the most amazing way. It's just SO good. *Fun fact- they are not about to release a new album, they released one over a year ago. Lolz.

9. Beggin For Thread by Banks

Honestly, I can't remember if this was on a playlist I posted here previously but if it was, it deserves to be posted again. Banks (a.k.a. the next Lorde) should be your next obsession. Seriously, her and Tove Lo are everythingggg. You need them in your life. 

Get excited y'all. I'll probably be doing this AT LEAST every other week, potentially every week. y a y y y ! ! ! 

-C. xx.