top 50 in shuffle

Ok, so for those of you who are following me on Instagram, you may or may have not noticed I was doing a music countdown consisting of my favourite songs EVER. I’ve lost track of where I was in the countdown and realised iTunes had actually messed up my list. So, I’ve decided to do my Top 50 in shuffle because trying to order them is difficult plus the 50 I had actually shared on Instagram weren’t really in any particular order anyway.

Had some last minute inclusions in this 50, decided to replace certain songs with others. Not sure if nostalgia got the better of me…

Anyway… Straight onto it.

Izzo (H.O.V.E) – Jay Z

Being a hip hop head growing up, I remember the first time I heard this, I thought this song had the most amazing beat I’d ever heard at that point. It’s kinda funny when you’re young and you enjoy music for their musical values, be it the melody or the beat etc. but you never really FULLY understood just why or how that song resonates with you. Over a decade later, I realised just how good this song is. “Not guilty, he who does not feel me is not real to me therefore he doesn’t exist.” Jay Z hit his prime after releasing the Blue Print and really paved the way for Kanye West and Just Blaze as Hip Hop producers. There are no features bar one song in the whole of The Blue Print. Izzo is a classic hip hop anthem from a classic rap album.

Busy Earnin’ – Jungle

I remember when a friend of mine texted me saying, “I can’t wait for funk to make a comeback.” Then a few months later Jungle started making waves. I didn’t really dig their first single, ‘The Heat’ but when I heard Busy Earnin’, I was blown away. At the time I was working this job that I fucking hated and this song was on high rotation so I heard it quite regularly. It had become the soundtrack to what I was experiencing and it wasn’t long after I decided I had enough of the 9-5 and that it was time to focus on what I love.

Around The World – Daft Punk

People don’t get why I rate Daft Punk so highly and why I love them so much. If you listen to this song, actually any song by Daft Punk, you’ll notice there isn’t really all that much going, like 4 or 5 instruments and this song just says, “Around the world” continuously. They’ve structured and arranged it so well that the song doesn’t become boring. If you can name an artist that uses a lot of repetition in their music but still manages to keep you hooked in, I’d be interested to know who they are because no one does it better than Daft Punk. Their music is constant reinforcement for me – that less is more and to always ‘keep it simple’. Not just my approach to making beats, but life in general too. Oh, and fuck, how good is that bass line?!

Cosmic Love / Dog Days Are Over- Florence and the Machine

Look, both songs are absolutely flawless. I actually can’t fault anything about them. They both tick all the boxes — they’re beautifully written, dynamic and produced very well.

Shooting Stars – Bag Raiders

The bass is very French House-esque and it makes me want to dance and that’s if you take away the vocals. But if you were to strip this song down just to it’s vocals and a piano to accompany it, I will probably bawl my eyes out. Beautiful lyrics that really paint a picture. A song that makes me want to cry and dance at the same time.

Little Bit – Lykke Li

Unf. This is just perfect. Lykke Li’s fragile and ethereal voice just nails it. To me, I feel like she’s in love but at the same time hesitant and reluctant about, uh, being in love. This is my go to song when I am insanely smitten over someone. See, I don’t even phrase it as ‘being in love’ because that makes me feel quite vulnerable. Not sure who of my old flames I’ve played this to but they have all mistaken it as me being crazily in love with them. No, I’m too proud for love..

So Sick – Neyo

Produced by the Norwegian pop heavyweights, Stargate, this song put Neyo on the map. Talk about a good hook, the opening chords of this song really hits the spot for me. Again, just the ‘less is more’ concept. Amazing stuff. So amazing that when I was doing my Diploma, we had to choose one song to play to the class and I chose this. Believe me, I rate this highly.

Date With The Night- Yeah Yeah Yeahs

My friends and I say it’s impossible to feel sad on ecstasy and that’s exactly how I feel about this song. One that really gets me pumped up.

Backseat Freestyle – Kendrick Lamar

The soundtrack among myself and several friends. ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city’ will go down as a classic rap album. If you don’t know the lyrics of this hook, we probably can’t hang out. (I’m just kidding but y’know?)

Juicy – The Notorious B.I.G

Easily in my top 5 favourites. Timeless tune I will never get sick of. I still remember the first time I heard this. I was on msn and my friend told me to turn up the radio (Groove 101.7 which was a 24/7 R&B and Hip Hop radio station in Perth back then). Well, that was the first time I really paid attention to it and I remember just feeling so happy. My sister and I always played it in the mornings getting ready for school. Pretty grateful mum let us turn it up in the AM.

Dreams – The Game

Another classic produced by Yeezy. I’m actually not too familiar with The Game and never listened to The Documentary cause by the time that came out, I wasn’t listening to Hip Hop as much but this was MASSIVE at the time. If you don’t know Hip Hop all that well, you just won’t get what he’s rapping about. But if you want to know where to start, start with this song.

The End – The Doors

Not a huge fan of lengthy tunes but there are some exceptions with The End by The Doors being one of them. I’m not sure exactly where this song takes me but The Lizard King definitely takes you on somewhere with this one. And I have no idea exactly what the fuck he’s actually going on about but that is one of the reasons why I really enjoy this song. It kinda sounds like death to me but not in a morbid way. I love the unique production on this one. Drums panned hard left, guitar and keyboard panned hard right. I feel like that type of extremeness (in technical aspects) is something that is gonna have it’s time soon. It’s coming…

Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen

If you actually don’t know the words to this song, we honestly can’t hang out. Unless you want to know them, we MUST hang out. Funny how this was something that was sung between friends and I in high school then became the soundtrack among friends of drunken nights years later. One of the greatest, hands down.

White Witch – Birds of Tokyo

Favourite Australian band that I have seen many, many times. This one always puts me in a good mood. Great song, even better live. Actually great band, even better live.

Blank Space – Taylor Swift

Guilty as charged.

Flashing Lights – Kanye West feat. Dwell

I have a lotta love for this man and I have many favourites by him but this is one that stands through the test of time. Love that beat. Those strings and that synth… Amazing hook.

Mr. Brightside – The Killers

I know I had this somewhere between 100-51 but look, I love this song too much. It’s my go to song when I wanna cut bitches up. This song makes me super sad and like I said, unless it makes me cry or makes me dance, I won’t listen to it again.

Latch – Disclosure feat. Sam Smith

This song always takes me back to Brighton, England. I was staying at this hostel and used to chill downstairs in the early AM and this song always came on and I never caught the title until one night, I finally did. This song blew up and then it blew up some more 2 years later.

Heartbeats – The Knife

I love Jose Gonzalezs’ cover of this but it’s hard to go past that bass and synth in the original version. Discovered this in one of my sister’s old CD’s that was left lying around. It’s funny because when I heard the Jose version, I thought to myself why is the melody so familiar then it all clicked. Pure pop goodness.

Da Rockwilder – Method Man & Red Man

I don’t know how many listens it took for me to get over In Da Club by 50 but I reckon I have listened to this song if not more, then just as many times and I’m still not sick of it. This one’s a family soundtrack. This is what my time with my siblings consisted of, being super ghetto to this song.

Take Care (Album) – Drake

I honestly can’t decide which song I love the most on this album and it’s currently constantly changing so… Like, right now I love Shot For Me. But for now here’s the song that started ‘Yolo’…

Where Did You Sleep Last Night? – Nirvana

This song gives me the goose bumps and a feeling that no other song can make me feel. Actually, the whole of Nirvanas’ Unplugged In New York makes me feel SOMETHING. I’m not really sure why Nirvana’s music resonates so much with me. They weren’t a band that I had become familiar of until the start of high school and up until that point, I honestly had never heard of them. But from my very first listen of Smells Like Teen Spirit to even now when I listen to their music, I just feel it. Whatever ‘it’ is and no other musical act has ever made me feel ‘it’.

One Crowded Hour – Augie March

I don’t think I’ve ever come across a song so beautifully written. This is song writing at its best. Like I always say, I haven’t heard a Hottest 100 numero uno that is so deserving of that spot like this song.

Flame Trees – Sarah Blasko

Sarah Blasko covering a Cold Chisel classic and absolutely nailing it. Once had a dance off with an elderly man in a sleezy pub to the original. The ecstasy got the better of me. I can’t play this song in my car without singing my lungs out.

Someone Great – LCD Sound System

Yes, another discovery from my older sisters’ CD’s left lying around. I read years ago that this song was about the death of a close friend. Cleverly written song by James Murphy. The video below is the radio edit and it’s sped up, just keep that in mind.

Wolf Like Me – TV On The Radio

I really love Dear Science but this was the song that put them on the map and the one that got me curious about them. Really love the way this was written and I love the overall production on this one.

Bitter Sweet Symphony – The Verve

It is crazy to believe that The Verve won’t make a cent out of their biggest hit but unfortunately that is the case. Despite of the controversy, this is an anthem among many people I know. Honestly there aren’t many modern day songs that can pull of having symphonies in them. Timeless classic.

First Day Of My Life – Bright Eyes

Thanks to an old flame that introduced this to me. Although she didn’t come up with the words, I thought it was still the sweetest thing someone had ever said to me — “glad I didn’t die before I met you.”

Retrograde – James Blake

I want to sample the shit out of this beautiful song.

Two Weeks – FKA twigs

This is another song that I find flawless. It is hauntingly sexy. A very good production indeed. And is it just me or does anyone else thinks there’s something very Aaliyah-esque about twigs?

O.N.E – Yeasayer

Thanks to this tune for making those bakery days bearable. I used to crank this right up. I once ended up backstage at Laneway and hung out with Yeasayer, Two Door Cinema Club, Foals, War Paint and Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti. Will never forget that!

Sleepyhead – Passion Pit

This song makes me want to cry and dance at the same time. That is a very rare feeling. I remember listening to the acoustic version of this song, I just wanted to cry because it was that beautiful. But also, this song is very important to me. The soundtrack of my pre-adult adversity.

Milk It – Nirvana

Again, this would definitely be in my top 5. I feel like In Utero is a truer reflection of Nirvana’s music more so than Nevermind. Love the rawness of this song.

The Suburbs – Arcade Fire

This track didn’t really get to me at first but then all off a sudden it started to get stuck in my head and then it finally won me over big time. This reminds me of New Slang by The Shins for some reason. This is a well written song taking you back to the old stomping ground.

Win Again – Nicki Minaj

Look, I have to put this in my 50. Nicki absolutely kills it in this one. In an entire album that’s very intimate and personal where she reveals she’s secretly emotional, we are also reminded about the cocky side of Nicki. Showing her ability not just as a rapper but as someone who can hit the right notes, she sings, “I am still gonna do what they sent me to do and that’s kill, kill everything in my way.” Still not sure how this didn’t make the original cut aside the fact it was probably done in favour of clever marketing. Those additional tracks on the deluxe such as Truffle Butter and this one are definitely better than B-Sides. Watch The Pink Print mini movie below…

Pyramids – Frank Ocean

Channel Orange, a very very solid album indeed. A near 10 minute tale with 2 parts. I love the second half of this song especially. Look, I really love the way this was written and produced.

Hell of a Life – Kanye West

I’m a huge fan of Kanye and I will happily admit to that any day. People who don’t like Kanye just don’t get the technical aspect of his music. This came from a MASSIVE album, one that aspiring rappers and rap producers will try and use as a template. To me, MBDTF is like the equivalent of Radioheads’ OK Computer. It’s one that pushed the boundaries. This is one that gets heavily played while I’m driving. Love the production on this.

Superman – Eminem

Growing up, if you didn’t have a copy of The Eminem Show, you just weren’t cool. All the boys I hung out with had a copy of this album and they knew the words to every song. I remember I used to ask my sister to print lyrics out for me so when she used to come home from high school, I’d be so excited to learn the lyrics to my favourite songs. That is where this song takes me back. Being 11 years old. Not sure how my parents allowed us to listen to rap but nonetheless I think we turned out fine. Forever vicariously living through rap…

Hit ‘Em Up – 2pac

On my 12th birthday, all I wanted was any 2pac album so I could explore more of his music. My sister ended up buying me the double disc Greatest Hits and I fell in love with it. It was all I listened to for a long time. This was a great song I could channel my anger through since at the time I started to heavily resent my parents, and that’s not because I was listening to rap, it’s because, at the time, I strongly felt they ruined my life (obviously they didn’t).

Cheerleader – Grizzly Bear

Hard to pick which song from Veckatimist does it for me as it was such a solid album. But it was Cheerleader that really got me curious about the 4 piece from New York. Beautiful harmonies all throughout the album and a very distinct trademark sound. Love how this song ends.

Pink Matter – Frank Ocean feat. Andre 3000

Another song I can’t fault. Just beautiful from start to finish. Ocean’s vocals really hit the spot. One of my favourite songs lyrically. And Channel Orange, there’s never been an album that’s made me want to cry, dance and love. Below is a snippet of the track…

re: Stacks – Bon Iver

This is definitely one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever come across, and most certainly one of the most beautifully written by Justin Vernon. That last stanza…

Milk – Kings of Leon

I took out a song I really love to make way for this one. I can’t stress enough on how much I love this. I must see this band live again in the near future.

Pon De Floor – Major Lazer

Southbound, 2010. Honestly one of the best weekends of my life and this song always takes me there. Can’t stress enough how much I love this one by Major Lazer. If it has Diplo’s name, I’m a fan.

Something Good Can Work – Two Door Cinemas Club

Look I always struggle trying to get the words right for this song but one day, surely… The soundtrack between an old flame and I. But also perhaps the most fun song to sing along to.

Everybody’s Free To Wear Sunscreen – Quindon Tarver

You know I had Radiohead here originally but I was like, you know what? I fucking adore this song too much and it is very deserving to be in my 50.

Hearts A Mess – Gotye

Perfect. Absolutely perfect. Gotye is a fucking genius. This song is way ahead of it’s time.

Hysteric – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Look, I’m not really sure why this song but it’s one that gets to me with every single listen and I have listened to this plenty of times. Definitely not the Yeah Yeah Yeahs we know but their ‘pop approach’ to ‘It’s Blitz’ was a good move as it produced many great tracks.

Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran

Too soon? Nah, not even. A great melody is an irresistible melody. And plus, this song makes me swoon… And is always a great reminder that I’m as naive as they come. Ed Sheeran is an exceptional song writer.