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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.
It’s no big secret that the music industry has a toxic culture of heteronormativity and homophobia. No matter the level of notoriety or success achieved, nothing makes queer artists immune to intolerance, mistreatment, and outright hate (I’m looking at you, Migos). Artists are pressured to be less gay, less feminine, less their true selves. And in an industry where your persona is your everything, being told to essentially suppresses your true identity and put on a mask for society is incredibly demoralizing.
Most associate classical music with the past and the likes of Mozart and Bach. But the genre has found a strong voice here at Penn with the help of three intrepid graduate students.
For the first time in its 45 year history, Spring Fling will no longer be held in the Quad. Spring Fling, which falls on Saturday, April 14 this year, will now be a single day event that coincides with the traditional headliner musical performance. Penn's Social Planning and Events Committee (SPEC) has announced significant changes to the structure of Spring Fling this year, including a new venue and shortening of the overall festival.
Man, the 2000s were a strange time for music. Hip–hop was in a weird, adolescent phase, traditional rock and roll had become completely obsolete, and electronic dance music had yet to blow up. The only unsurprising fact is that pop reigned supreme, as it has since the 1990s. As the 2010s come to a close, it still feels weird to consider that songs like “Live Your Life,” “Viva La Vida,” and “Love in this Club” came out ten years ago.
When founders Steve Beckett, Rob Mitchell, and Robert Gordon came together to form Warp Records in 1989, they likely didn’t realize they were about to form a record label with one of the most cohesive sounds and artist rosters today. The time and place of Warp Records’ origins undoubtedly influenced their aim for its future musical sound. The three came together in Sheffield, UK in 1989. Beckett and Mitchell were record store workers (Gordon, a producer) who aimed to replicate the atmospheric techno sound that was starting to boom in Sheffield at the time. Warp quickly began to gain traction not only in Sheffield but in the United States as well as they began getting music from similarly industrial areas in the U.S. such as Chicago and Detroit.
Iconic. Inescapable. Made for wild fiestas and weekend DFMOs. You walk into a fraternity house, and immediately detect the distinctive bass of a familiar EDM tune. Like clockwork, your body starts gyrating to the beat, edging towards a dance floor full of sweaty, rowdy, and hormonal college students. Suddenly, the song changes, and most of the crowd groans while a select few cheer. Clearly, not all party songs are created equal. Some have staying power, some don’t, some are currently the rage, and some I really just like a lot. Without further ado, here are Street’s rankings of frat party songs.
Hear, hear!
I often find myself to be an anomaly among my music–loving peers. While many are dying to hear any live music they can get their ears to absorb, I really just prefer listening to music on my own earbuds. I’m just not as drawn to concerts as other music fans. Although it’s not a popular opinion, and some music junkies may look down on me, I still find myself enjoying my listening experience much more in a setting of my own choosing while playing my recently–created Spotify playlist.
One could say Kygo has managed to avoid a musical step backwards in his latest album, Kids In Love, but that’s exactly the issue—he hasn’t moved anywhere at all. When he first began releasing tracks publicly in 2014, Kygo’s melodic, tropical, and atmospheric remixes on Soundcloud of popular tracks took many by storm. His remixes of “High For This” by Ellie Goulding, “Sexual Healing” by Marvin Gaye, and “I See Fire” by Ed Sheeran had racked up 12 million, 30 million, and 60 million plays on Soundcloud, respectively.
To quote a tweet I saw the other day: “Every time I remember that Lil Pump is a 17–year–old who got rich and famous for saying ‘Gucci gang’ for three minutes, I have to remind myself that life is a meaningless simulation in order to calm down.” Yes, that last part might be a little dark and hyperbolic, but the point remains the same.
The painfully obvious has now become at long last official.
“All Mine,” an electronic pop ballad, written by Penn’s very own Karis Stephen (C '18), will leave you dreaming of sandy beaches and sweeping vistas. Over Sense’s tropical beats, Stephen’s sultry vocals will charm you with the promise of love so easy and so effortless that time seems to stand still. Together, Karis and her counterpart Blue Bookhard (C '17) form a poppy R&B duo called Eleven. “All Mine,” which features French electronic group Sense, is Eleven’s third single.
Rex Orange County is more than a smooth R&B voice featured on Tyler, the Creator’s Flower Boy. Although this album may have been the first place many listeners came across his velvety British voice, the 19–year–old had actually released a couple albums before that. Hailing from Haslemere, England, Rex’s real name is Alex O’Connor, but he picked up the moniker from a high school teacher who nicknamed him “the OC.” He’s kind of like Ed Sheeran before Ed Sheeran started making radio pop, in that when he sings it sounds like he’s speaking directly to you. His voice is so genuine that it feels as if you’re hearing a story or the internal musings of one of your good friends.
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