Written by Nick Hopton
Ladies and Gentlemen, what the fuck even is this year? It has gotten to the point where we’ve gone from “Ok, it can’t possibly get any worse” to saying “Ok, what’s next?” It’s a year of fear. A year of uncertainty. Every day we walk into a new unknown, wondering what the hell is coming.
BUT… I’m here to say, I have hope. We, as one people, have made incredible strides in the few months since we last spoke. A full-blown uprising is going on in our streets right now. And as scary as the news might make it, in reality, it is a beautiful thing. It’s an attack on the old ways that have held us back as human beings. Voices are FINALLY being heard.
We are changing the world.
With that said, I felt compelled to compile my own soundtrack to this new beginning. The songs that I can always rely upon to bring me out of any hole I might be in. EVERYONE is going to have a different list and that’s what is beautiful about music. Every song hits everyone a different way, but we all use it to resonate with our current emotions. This is just mine. And I can’t wait to inevitably hear yours in the comment section.
So, here goes my best John Cusack impersonation…
The Rolling Stones: You Can’t Always Get What You Want
How could you not begin a list with this? An opening choir straight from the heavens. That instant boost. You know everything is going to be alright immediately after you hear it. The subtle Keith Richards guitar sits behind Mick Jagger’s story for the ages. The build is perfect…and by the end of the song we’ve been shot into the sky. Its the perfect embodiment of 2020. This might not be the year that we want, but it’s the year that we need.
Queen: Don’t Stop Me Now
I dare you to name one song that can take you from 0-100 as this one can. An absolute classic. A speeding limousine ride to a glamorous evening full of, as I like to call it, “fuck it.” Mr. Fahrenheit himself, Freddie Mercury, the greatest singer of all time, takes us on a journey through his mind and into the feeling of what it’s like to be on top of the world.
Elton John: Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting
Ok. If there is ONE song that matches up to the aforementioned Queen escapade, surely Elton John’s classic romper is up to the challenge. We’re able to reminisce of the nights tearing a town up with our friends, something that comes as a rarity now given the current situations. But a Saturday night out with the ones you love, laughing, dancing, forgetting about life for a while; those are the nights you remember forever. Speaking of which, this is the single greatest soundtrack to a bar fight ever made. Fight me.
New Radicals: You Get What You Give
Is this one ringing a bell? Listen to it for less than 15 seconds and you’ll remember it. My 90’s brothers and sisters, this was that anthem. A totally jived up, let loose tune that still strikes true today. We might not have the world, but we got the music. It’s all about what we can do for each other to better ourselves. A much needed positive outlook that we must remember to adopt every day we are here. Don’t give up.
Kendrick Lamar: i
A funked-up, riptide that perfectly sums up the movement going on outside your windows right now. I DARE you to not dance. I DARE you to not listen to what King Kendrick says and have it not resonate with your soul. While the beat and crazy good guitar work might draw you in…Kendrick’s lyrics will rip into you like the hand of God. And if they don’t, then you’re really not listening to anything going on. Also, I state this here and now: Kendrick Lamar is the greatest rapper alive.
Faces: Ooh La La
Let’s bring it down a bit. Hit those heartstrings. There’s never been a more reminiscent song created than what Faces made with this one. ‘I wish that I knew what I know now when I was younger.’ If that doesn’t sum up how we all feel right now than I don’t know what will. Would you have done things differently knowing where we are right now? I certainly would. But, we learn from our past in order to make our future a better place.
Bruce Springsteen: Thunder Road
In my opinion, the most beautiful song ever made. There’s no better storyteller than Bruce Springsteen. No one. It’s a story of love, hope, and faith. All three of which we need more than ever right now. It’s a landscape painting on tape. It’s the life a lot of us want. The one without turmoil, without hate. The simple. The beautiful.
The Beatles: Hey Jude
Naaaaaaaa na na NA NA NA NAAAAAAAAA.
Enough said.
The Struts: Could Have Been Me
The newcomers on the list. The next rock and roll legends. You might not know a whole lot about them yet, but you will. They’re destined to become one of the greatest bands of all time and this was the song that started it all. It holds a special place in my heart forever, as it got me through the toughest point of my entire life. Hopefully, if needed, it can do the same for you.
My Chemical Romance: Welcome To The Black Parade
I saved the best for last. If you thought there’s no way a band like My Chemical Romance can make this list, honey you were wrong. One of the most epic songs in the history of music. A marching band blasting straight out of the afterlife leading you right back into it. And while it might seem like we’re reaching the end of our time here, just remember, we’ll carry on.
