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You’re not crazy if you hear Daniel Caesar’s “Best Part” and feel a sudden urge to fall in love. While some songs stimulate greater feelings than others, the scientific tie between music and emotions, such as love, is very real. Hearing music produces a litany of internal neurological processes, unlocking various emotional experiences.
We've all heard it before: it's not cool to like pop music. Let's take a look at the Spotify USA Top 50 as of now (because in my opinion, this is a much more accurate representation of what people are listening to than the Billboard or iTunes charts): the top 15 songs are all rap or hip–hop, with one quasi–pop track thrown in at #6 ("Mine" by Bazzi), which will likely soon be driven out by the juggernaut of a record that is Black Panther: The Album. The first true pop song clocks in at #22, "Never Be the Same" by Camila Cabello.
PHILLY DILLY! (Did I do that right??) As the city has been throwing a week–long party in the wake of the Eagles' Sunday Super Bowl win, getting in the Philly spirit hasn't been too difficult. From storming Broad Street after the game to the darty—I mean, parade—Jim Kenney threw for us on Thursday, it's been impossible to escape the throaty chants and off-key crooning of fans across the city. The official victory chant "Fly, Eagles, Fly" has been deliciously interspersed with verses of Meek Mills' "Dreams and Nightmares" more times than your ears would have thought imaginable. I know you're definitely not tired of either of those songs yet, but get this: there are loads of great (and some not so great) Philly related songs out there. A whole playlist worth, in fact. We've got everything from your throw back faves (Boyz II Men, Hall and Oates) to lesser known babes (Japanese Breakfast, Whitney, The War on Drugs). Oh, and also, pretty much every song ever to have Philadelphia in the title.
The college love culture has nothing to do with love at all. Intimacy is based around one–night stands and stories of passionate sex that flitter away with each new weekend. It is rare that we, as college students, talk to someone we are interested in about what it means to feel vulnerable, to be wanted, and feel safety in the grasp of a lover. These topics stay in the shadows, lingering in our minds as fantasies constricted by communal expectations. Mike Milosh, lead singer and leader of Rhye, an LA–based group focusing on transient disco funk and romantic ballads, brings these issues out of the shadows in their new album Blood. Through the 11–song album, Milosh brings to the forefront themes of solace and comfort in a relationship in a manner that makes you want to sway with your S/O on a dimly lit dance floor, but does not dive much deeper than that.
The hours after the Eagles’ Super Bowl win were a blur. As a sea of green and white clad fans—some die hard, some fresh on the bandwagon—ran through the city towards Broad Street and City Hall, the city’s morale was at an all–time high and inhibitions were at an all–time low. Fireworks ricocheted off the city buildings lining the street, raining green crystals down on the crowd and filling the air with a sulfurous smoke. Traffic lights were knocked down and their lights kicked out. The Ritz’ awning fell with about as much grace as Tom Brady when he (finally!) got sacked in the fourth quarter.
Every Valentine’s Day, there’s an overwhelming emptiness that creeps into the hearts of single people. Cuffing season has been canceled, and the countless PDAs and DFMOs visible on campus and off elicit many a cringe and stinging pangs of jealousy. One wants what one can’t have. Fortunately (or really, unfortunately), Street decided it would be a great idea to make a playlist of lonesome songs for single people for the 14th of February—because why not twist the knife a little further?
Following my Master of None phase (actually I think that phase is still alive and well), I started to explore Italian music. Since a small town in Italy is the setting for the first couple episodes of the second season, the show's music supervisor, Zach Cowie, incorporated lots of Italian music into the series. I used the songs from the soundtrack as my base and let Spotify's recommended songs and artists take me from there. I discovered that just about all Italian music is beautiful. It might be the lovely Italian language or the delicate–but–cheery instrument use, but all Italian music just makes me happy. Do I know what any of the words mean? Not one. Does it matter? Not a bit.
There is a Youtube Live station with a constant 10,000–person viewership of a looped video of an anime girl sitting at a desk, looking tired and staring at a whole stack of work to her right as music plays in the background. The live chat is a constant stream of 4:20 blazers, depressed 14 year–olds looking for solace in other depressed 14 year–olds, and music heads from all across the globe. It’s a journey back through the ether of internet chat rooms, but the project is a new venture by Chillhop Music, a promoter of different artists that all make the same kind of transient synth–wave instrumentals. This music is called Lo–Fi Hip Hop and it has already overtaken your taste in music without you even knowing it.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you know that Philly Super Bowl Mania has officially taken over the City of Brotherly Love. The street poles have been greased, Philly has been painted green and white, and “Fly Eagles Fly” has been plastered on every possible public surface. Regardless of how into football you are, it would be impossible to not get caught up in the hype. And, regardless of how into the Super Bowl you are, almost everyone tunes into the halftime show. In celebration of Super Bowl 52 and the Eagles victory, here are Street’s picks of some of the best acts to ever take the field.
Sometimes it’s a bit jarring to try to listen to a song in another language. You don’t understand the words, and you can’t really sing along to the track. Still, there’s something about its pure quality that still makes it a worthwhile listen. One of my favorite records of the last few years is “Unravel,” a Japanese pop song by Toru Kitajima (better known as TK) from the Japanese pop band Ling Tosite Sigure. A haunting melody, it seeps into one’s soul with its angst and frustration as one listens to TK’s pained falsetto. The balance between the piano, the drums, and the electric guitar create a sonic mural that evokes a hypnotic emptiness. There’s something about the fragility of TK’s voice that makes “Unravel” inescapable and beautiful.
Each year, XXL Magazine reveals a roster of its top 10 up–and–coming hip–hop artists, appropriately titled the “XXL Freshman” class. The magazine has been doing it since 2007, and many artists lucky enough to be welcomed into the XXL Freshman roster end up rising to international fame. Since only 10 artists are selected each year, it’s a highly venerated achievement, and some notable former XXL Freshman include Lupe Fiasco, KiD CuDi, Big Sean, Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Schoolboy Q, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Uzi Vert. 2017’s Freshmen make up an interesting roster of up–and–comers, but there are some notable names on the list. Kamaiyah, Philadelphia’s own PnB Rock, MadeinTYO, Playboi Carti, Aminé, and Ugly God all made the cut. The list, which is annually released in the middle of the summer, has been out for over six months at this point — which means it’s time to take a look at some of the highlights of the selections.
It's no secret that a killer playlist can motivate you to get on the bike, the track, or the squat rack. Music can make or break a workout, and convince us to push our bodies just a little farther. For Penn’s athletes, music is a must. It plays over the sound system during warm–ups, in their locker rooms before they come out, and in their earbuds traveling to and from games. Music is a huge part of most teams’ pre–game routines. It brings teams together. It calms them down. It gets them in the headspace they need to be in before their big moments.
It’s a pretty well–known fact that cafes are one of the best places to hear good music, whether mainstream or alternative. Williams Cafe (Wilcaf) is no exception. You’re not alone if whenever you order a coffee at Wilcaf you find yourself bopping to whatever tune is playing on the speaker. Music is a big part of Wilcaf’s culture, so Street took a deeper look into the baristas’ choice of songs and how much of a role music really plays in their work.
It is popular among college students to claim that music can help with focus. But, admittedly, it kind of doesn’t make much sense—shouldn't music distract from getting shit done? The simple statement “music helps study” might not be very helpful when arguing with your parents—you need some scientific proof.
It’s January 31 and the room is packed. To be quite frank, I didn’t quite expect the room to be as full as it was. Still, I walk in and settle into a chair at the very exterior perimeter of the room (on account of my own time management, so the fault was all mine). Ahead of me are rows and rows of people, an audience with a diversity almost impossible to find elsewhere on campus. I am at the Kelly Writers House. For those unfamiliar, it’s the quaint beige and green building obscured by either by the greenness of surrounding trees or the flurry of snow that blankets the branches, nestled comfortably between Perry World House and Sigma Chi.
Last week, Migos dropped their long–awaited album Culture II. It was an exciting moment for trap fans everywhere as this was one of the most hyped albums of the year. Quavo, Takeoff, and Offset were predicted to give us a new set of bangers to last us through 2018. This album was expected to successfully follow up their much loved Culture, which featured prominent songs such as “Bad and Boujee,” “Get Right Witcha,” and “Slippery.” However, clocking in at an hour and 45 minutes, Culture II is almost two times as long as the first album, and only half as good.
The 2018 Grammys were a whirlwind of pride and disappointment, talent and mediocrity. In all of the hub bub and craziness that goes along with one of the biggest nights for music in the year, some artists emerge triumphant while others take some major L's. Here are Street’s lists of the winners and losers of this year’s ceremony.
As I sprinted back to my computer in Harnwell from a late Sunday night meeting, only one thing was on my mind: whether or not the Grammys would finally award a lauded hip–hop or traditional R&B artist its highest honors. Unfortunately, as I opened the live stream with anticipation, the Recording Academy decided to stick to the worrisome trend of average pop singers or artsy musicians that lack any in-depth quality. Pop performer Bruno Mars was handed Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and (most absurdly) Album of the Year.
Ahh, Super Bowl 52 is finally almost here. While the game may not kickoff until 6:30, it’s also a great day to start drinking at noon. And what better way to pregame for America’s holiest sports day than with the Street–sanctioned playlist? Including everything from Justin Timberlake (to get you hyped for his halftime performance) to classic pregame anthems and football–themed song titles, this playlist will help you prepare for the joy/misery of watching your team win/lose.
In college, there’s consistent excitement when discovering a new artist—you google them, find out where they’re from, hear what other music they’ve made, and a little part of you even hopes to be like them when you’re older. With Steve Lacy, the experience may be a little different. You can still google him, find out where he’s from, and hear other music of his, but you’re likely too old to look up to him. At just 19, he’s already an accomplished guitarist, producer, and singer. Actually, scratch that. It might even be hard to google him, too. When you do, another Steve Lacy, a deceased Soprano Saxophonist, comes up.
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