10 Songs That Capture & Embody the Pandemic | Playlist 🎧

1. Twenty One Pilots, “Level of Concern”

🎵 “Level of Concern” • 🏷 Fueled by Ramen • 🗓 2020 

“Wonderin’ would you be my little quarantine? / Or is this the way it ends?” 🎙Twenty One Pilots (🎙Tyler Joseph and 🎙Josh Dun) release an instant hit with their hella catchy, groovy quarantine anthem, 🎵“Level of Concern”. “Level of Concern” is one of the musical crown jewels born out of the “horrible, awful, no good” coronavirus pandemic.  Joseph delivers an honest vocal performance, as he shares his thoughts on the state of the world and of course, his anxiety. “Panic on the brain, world has gone insane / Things are starting to get heavy,” he sings on the first verse, adding, “I can’t help but think I haven’t felt this way / Since I asked you to go steady.” Indeed, COVID-19 is not only novel in its virility but it also has forced a ‘new normal’ that’s uncomfortable, particularly the social effects.

Of course, the centerpiece of “Level of Concern” is the chorus, speaking directly to anxiety, discomfort, and uncertainty:

“Cause I told you my level of concern
But you walked by like you never heard
And you could bring down my level of concern
Just need you to tell me you’re alright
Tell me we’re okay.”

Joseph is accompanied by one of the most danceable, funky backdrops of his career, driven by the drum groove (Dun), rhythmic guitar, and keyboards. Joseph wrote this awesome record, producing it with 🎙Paul Meany. Twenty One Pilots are as concerned as anyone else about the novel coronavirus and its effects on everyday life, but “Level of Concern” is a truly outstanding means to convey it.  This is a well-written, well-produced, and an exceptionally performed record by all means, tailor made for 🎶Fun Friday No. 3 from 🎧Weekly Gems No. 3: Week of 4-13-2020.

2. Tyga & Curtis Roach, “Bored in the House”

🎵 “Bored in the House” • 🏷 Last Kings / Columbia • 🗓 2020

“Okay, I’m bored in the house and I’m in the house bored / Bored in the house and I’m the house bored.” Hmm, that’s, um, definitely enthralling stuff 🎙Curtis Roach.  Here’s the thing, though.  Roach and 🎙Tyga are actually ‘relatable’ on the utterly dumb, minimalist banger 🎵“Bored in the House”. Both rappers were bored AF, so they decided to make us all less bored with the minimalist, COVID-19 banger, “Bored in the House.” Does either rapper say anything noteworthy? Absolutely not, but with the COVID-19 pandemic affecting everybody in 2020, well “Bored in the House” definitely has more relevance than it ordinarily might.

“Bored in the House” hearkens back to the skeletal bangers of old (Think “Wait (The Whisper Song)”).  After Roach ‘brings it on home’ with the chorus and the utterly repetitive post-chorus (“I’m bored, bored…”), Tyga goes into his usual, sexed-up spill.  Naturally, he “Need [him] a thick chick” because he’s “Sittin’ on the couch… goin’ through Netflix.”  Even if he’s ‘healthy at home,’ he still thinks with his penis: “At home like Depot, ayy (Depot) / She gon’ suck it like mosquito, ayy.” Yeah, really rousing stuff there…

Roach gets his own verse to play up the effects of COVID-19, totally setting the mood: “I’m in the crib like an infant / With some Badu playin’, burning incense.” I would argue he has the more intriguing verse, with lines like “I’ma socialize at a distance / I’m living my best life, minding my business” and more specific examples of epic boringness that often eludes busy celebs like “Ramen noodles every night for my din-din / Hulu, binge watchin’ episodes of Ben-10.”  Sure, “Bored in the House” goes hella dumb – but, it definitely fits the times.  Transcendent it’s not, but hey, we all need something to lift our spirits.

“Bored in the House” previously appeared on the playlist 🎧15 Boring Songs That Are Totally Exciting.  Additionally, it was featured as the third track for 🎶Wacky Wednesday, which appears in the weekly playlist, 🎧Weekly Gems No. 3: Week of 4-13-2020.

3. Alec Benjamin, “Six Feet Apart”

🎵 “Six Feet Apart” • 🏷 Alec Benjamin • 🗓 2020

“They say distance is relative / And relative to the relatives I have / I’d say I’m relatively close / To breaking down / Because right now / I feel so alone…” Like many musicians, pop singer/songwriter 🎙Alec Benjamin decided to write a song about and related to the coronavirus pandemic.  Of 🎵“Six Feet Apart,” he states, “This song was inspired by COVID-19.  Been missing the world and I miss you guys.” Benjamin sings about the isolation of social distancing.  Social distancing, of course, is the chief means of preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

“Oh, I miss you most at six feet apart when you’re / Right outside my window, but can’t ride inside my car / And it hurts to know how lovely you are / And bee too far away too hold…” “Six Feet Apart” is a relatively simple, minimalist record – guitar and vocal.  Even so, it’s pitch-perfect in message and theme given the times; very thoughtful.  Alec superbly captures how hard it is to be away from friends, families, and for entertainers, their beloved fans.  On the chorus, he sings:

“So far, so far, but oh so close
Like a star out in the cosmos
Can’t touch the beauty I see
That’s how it feels at six feet.”

4. Thomas Rhett, “Be A Light”

Ft. Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott, Chris Tomlin & Keith Urban

🎵 “Be a Light” • 🏷 Big Machine • 🗓 2020 

“Yeah, it’s hard to live in color / When you just see black and white / In a world full of ate, be a light.” Those are definitely thoughtful lyrics that Grammy-nominated country musician 🎙Thomas Rhett sings on the uplifting single, 🎵“Be a Light”. Rhett isn’t the sole superstar to grace the COVID-19 relief record, even if he serves in the capacity as lead artist.  He’s joined by the star-studded cast of 🎙Reba McEntire, 🎙Hillary Scott, CCM standout 🎙Chris Tomlin, and 🎙Keith Urban.  Honestly, just reading through the names, it’s hard not to be in awe of “Be a Light.”

For the most part, “Be a Light” is a success.  Thomas Rhett is the main attraction. “In a time full of war, be peace,” he sings on the first verse, continuing the wisdom, singing, “In a time full of doubt, just believe.”  Yes, Thomas is the ‘head honcho,’ but gets welcome assists from everybody.  Chris Tomlin sings the second half of the second verse for example.  Reba and Hillary split the second chorus, following the Tomlin contribution.  Urban gets in on the action on the third verse, alongside Rhett, Scott, and Reba, with all five singers joining together on the final chorus. 

“In a world full of hate, be a light
When you do somebody wrong, make it right
Don’t hide in the dark, you were born to shine
In a world full of hate, be a light.” 

“Be A Light” successfully delivers a thoughtful, transcendent message – that’s the big takeaway.  Most pertinent to this list, the Dann Huff produced record is perfectly suited for the COVID-19 pandemic relief.

5. Ricky Dillard, “Let There Be Peace on Earth”

💿 Choirmaster • 🏷 Motown Gospel • 🗓 2020

Gospel standout Ricky Dillard joined by a mass choir and an anointed countertenor (🎙Thomas Allen), delivers a record for ‘times like these’ with 🎵“Let There Be Peace on Earth (Live)”, an advance from his 2020 album, 💿Choirmaster. 2020 has proven to be quite the turbulent year – not the way anyone anticipated commencing a new decade.  The biggest shocker has been the heartbreaking and deadly COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected the entire world. What better time, hence, to petition for ‘peace on earth?’

Dillard’s rendition of “Let There Be Peace on Earth” yields amazing results. Honestly, you don’t have to be a believer to arrive at that takeaway.  The mass choir rendition finds the spirit is lofty, led by the compelling, technically sound Thomas Allen. The arrangement also deserves recognition, opting against merely being tried and true version, expanding beyond. If you’re in need of music to help assuage and sooth anxiety, doubts, and troubles, particularly given the turbulence of 2020, “Let There Be Peace on Earth (Live)” is definitely worth adding to your listening rotation. Worth noting, “Let There Be Peace on Earth” was featured as the third track for 🎶Somber Sunday, which appears in the weekly playlist, 🎧Weekly Gems No. 3: Week of 4-13-2020. Additionally, this gem appears among 🎧11 Captivating Songs About the Earth – Well – Some of Them.

6. Kacey Musgraves, “Oh, What a World 2.0 (Earth Day Edition)”

🎵 “Oh, What a World 2.0 (Earth Day Edition)” • 🏷 UMG Recordings, Inc. • 🗓 2020

The introduction of the original 🎵“Oh, What a World,” from 💿Golden Hour (2018), commences with vocoder.  In my review of the album, when discussing the song, I made the remark ‘how country music has changed.’  It’s true, and Grammy-winning country musician 🎙Kacey Musgraves only expanded the genre further with that awesome album that drew rave reviews across the board.  Focusing on “Oh What a World,” the original version of the record is laid-back and beautiful.  Musgraves sounds calm, cool, and collected – incredibly mellow.  The sounds reflect the same – even the banjo comes off relaxed.

The same can be said of the new version, 🎵“Oh What a World 2.0 (Earth Day Edition),” which was released on Earth Day 2020 (April 22).  This record would have been a perfect fit for 🎧11 Captivating Songs About the Earth – Well – Some of Them.  It is shorter than the original, and while it retains the mellow, laid back vibes, it has more of a stripped, even more subdued sound.  In a press release of the reworked version of the song (via Pitchfork), Kacey Musgraves asserts:

“…In the face of a pandemic that has brought cities to their knees, a song can feel small. A melody can seem insignificant. This is a global moment of acknowledgment and respect for the power of nature and for so many of us – extreme challenges and sadness. But in the midst of all the loss and uncertainty there are signs everywhere of human compassion and renewal… In spite of all its troubles, it’s still a wild, beautiful world and if you need proof, it’s out there… Right now, there are so many brave people that deserve Medals of Honor: the nurses, doctors, grocers, the delivery and truck drivers, cashiers, gas station attendants, the scientists, restaurant workers, the single parents, and SO many others…“Oh, What a World” – dedicated to our planetary home and all the quiet heroes this Earth Day: You’re the northern lights in our skies.”

Oh, and in case you were worried, the vocoder that dominates the beginning of the original makes its way into “Oh What a World 2.0.”

7. Tiagz, “Bored in My House (Quarantine)”

🎵 “Bored in My House (Quarantine)” • 🏷 736948 Records DK • 🗓 2020

If you couldn’t gather it from the title, 🎙Tiagz is bored – very bored. “I’m so bored in my house tiktoking with their friends at that big nice house.” 🎵“Bored in My House (Quarantine)” is one of many products of the ‘spawn of Satan’ otherwise known as the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Canadian rapper keeps it short on this anthem of utter boredom – under two minutes to be precise.  His un-energetic approach certainly doesn’t make it a rousing effort but that’s actually the point – the man is bored out of his mind!

What does make “Bored in My House” compelling is the production; it’s certainly colorful sounding. And, even if Tiagz isn’t exactly thrilled to perform, it’s still, um, a ‘charming’ performance you might say.  A deadpan approach works out pretty well for some – looking at you 21 Savage. I’ll leave you with one last ‘gem’ from Tiagz:

“Anyway, anyway you
Did not know what I been through
How could you have a clue
You are not Scooby-Doo.”

“Bored in My House (Quarantine)” previously appeared on the playlist 🎧15 Boring Songs That Are Totally Exciting.

8. OneRepublic, “Better Days”

💿 Human • 🏷 Mosley Music / Interscope • 🗓 2020 

Like a number of musicians, 🎙OneRepublic were preparing to release a brand-new album, 💿Human.  Of course, everything changed with the arrival of the novel coronavirus.  Some musicians made the decision to release their albums, while others, like Alicia Keys, Dixie Chicks, Lady Gaga, and OneRepublic have postponed their new album releases indefinitely. In a USA Today interview, of new single, 🎵“Better Days,” 🎙Ryan Tedder states, “[“Better Days” is] a non-cheesy anthem about what it feels like now to be in this time and space we’re in. But the only way I could release it in good conscience was by donating profits to the Red Cross…”  Providing even more context, Tedder addresses the trickiness of releasing and promoting music during a pandemic morally, practically, and fiscally – “Unless you’re an artist who had a lot of momentum going into this pandemic… it’s really hard to get anyone to pay attention.”

Focusing on the song itself, “Better Days” is fitting for times such as these.  It starts off with the lovely and uplifting chorus, which was penned prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Literally, it really does!

“Oh, I know that there’ll be better days
Oh, that sunshine ‘bout to come my way
May we never ever shed another tear for today
‘Cause oh, I know that there’ll be better days.”

The verses are a different story, directly influenced by the current state of the world. The verses speak more to the effects that COVID-19 has had on everyday life across the world.  “Every day is like another storm /…I’m just trying not to go insane,” Tedder sings on the first verse.  On the second, he adds, “I been waking up with a new fear / But I know it’ll wash away,” showing at least a sense of hope that those ‘better days’ are indeed coming soon.  Short falling south of two-and-a-half-minutes, it’s potent, nonetheless.

9. Hopsin, “Covid Mansion”

🎵 “Covid Mansion” • 🏷 Undercover Prodigy • 🗓 2020

“Get back (Hey) / Move back, step back / Y’all better not touch me, ayy / … I done been told y’all niggas, back up (Move) / You don’t wanna see me call backup (no).” Well, you might say, everyone has a different approach to rapping or singing about the effects of COVID-19.  There are artists who tend to take a more thoughtful, uplifting approach, and then there are those who remain true to their unapologetic self.  🎙Hopsin isn’t a rapper known in the least for subtlety. I mean, after all, he legit had 💿No Shame in 2017 with the godawful, offensive 🎵“Happy Ending”, which easily earned a spot on 🎧The Worst Songs of 2017 – Year in Review (“If you no say nothing, I can give you sucky-sucky /If you give me more money, I give you something lucky”). Let’s just say, when I heard Hopsin had a pandemic song (🎵“Covid Mansion”), I had to hear it!

As the chorus suggests, Hopsin doesn’t want you up in his grille.  Fair enough.  Social distancing is encouraged to prevent the spread of the coronavirus so it’s reasonable if an aggressive take.  Undeniable is how catchy the chorus is, even if you question the seriousness and perhaps the sincerity of the rapper – need I remind you of “Happy Ending.” Where the real juice comes into play is during the verses, where he gives his honest opinions on his experience being quarantined in Thailand.  Expectedly, he’s not a happy camper:

“Now there just ain’t many plans I can move on
All because someone ate bat soup in Wuhan (What?)
Well, shit, that’s what I heard
I don’t know what it was mixed with (I don’t know)
But for someone to jeopardize everyone’s life
Man, it must have been fucking delicious (for real) This shit is fucking ridiculous
Can’t be with my son or my siblings, the government trippin’
My pussy appointments with dozens of bitches are cancelled
Now guess what I’m tuggin’ my dick with? (What?)
‘My right hand,’ (Ooh).”

Wow… that’s Hopsin for you.  There are plenty more lyrical ‘gems’ – well – perhaps ‘gems’ isn’t the correct word.  While you can argue with the rapper’s presentation and sensitivity spitting atop a malicious, yet playful minor-key backdrop, you can’t knock the emotions.  Who hasn’t been losing their minds in all honesty? This is a controversial record born out of the coronavirus pandemic, but certainly one worth discussing.

10. Avril Lavigne, “We Are Warriors”

🎵 “We Are Warriors” • 🏷 BMG Rights Management • 🗓 2020

“And we won’t bow, we won’t break / No, we’re not afraid to do whatever it takes / We’ll never bow, we’ll never break.” The COVID-19 pandemic has delivered a mix of new music as well as covers, reworked and rerecorded versions of previously released songs.  Following that ‘interesting’ record from Hopsin, we close out this pandemic list with something more encouraging and uplifting: 🎵“We Are Warriors.” “We Are Warriors” arrives courtesy of 🎙Avril Lavigne.  Is it a completely, brand-new song from the Canadian pop superstar? No.  Like “Oh What a World 2.0,” “We Are Warriors” is a rework of 🎵“Warrior,” which appeared as the closing cut on Lavigne’s 2019 comeback album, 💿Head Above Water.

Of “Warrior,” in my review of Head Above Water, I penned: “[It] has a similar vibe to the other ‘adult contemporary’ cuts [on the album], but give Avril credit for continuing to show fortitude, resilience, and the utmost resolve.”  The key takeaway from the original are those positive and uplifting vibes.  The key takeaways from the remixed “We are Warriors?” Those positive, uplifting vibes – nothing’s changed.  Basically, call this a secular hymn that perfectly embodies that collective phrase, we will get through this together.

“‘Cause we are warriors, we’ll fight for our lives
Like soldiers all through the night
And we won’t give up, we will survive
We are warriors
And we’re stronger, that’s why we’re alive
We will conquer, time after time
We’ll never falter, we will survive
We are warriors.”