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“11 Songs Driven by Dying” features music courtesy of Logic, MGMT, Panic! At the Disco, Thomas Rhett, and YUNGBLUD among others.

“You – I would die for you, yeah!” Addressing the ‘death’ in the room (see what we did there), the title of this playlist is a bit morbid – 11 Songs Driven by Dying.  The central word, ‘die’ isn’t exactly encouraging to say the least. But, honestly, none of these songs will kill you.  No, you won’t be buried ‘six feet under’ just because you checked out this playlist – no fears. Obviously, can’t speak beyond that… Anyways, artists contributing to this list includes Logic, MGMT, Panic! At the Disco, Thomas Rhett, and YUNGBLUD.

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1. Logic, “Everyone Dies”

YSIV • Def Jam • 2018

“I just took a hiatus and wrote a novel, motherf**ker / I got more verses than the Holy Bible, motherf**ker.” Logic certainly has no shortage of confidence on “Everybody Dies”,a standout from his fourth studio album, YSIV. He continues to show just how much he believes in himself.  At times throughout the single, there’s even a sample praising his awesomeness– “You are watching a master at work.” The entertaining joint begins with a soulful instrumental intro, follow by an unapologetic statement, “Yeah, f**k that shit.”

“Everybody Dies” features a dusty, soulful, East Coast rap beat.  Furthermore, the synths and pads are effective – nothing too crazy but naturally suit Logic’s explosive flow. He isn’t playing around on the hook, which is definitely catchy:

“This what you all been waitin’ for, ain’t it?
Rap game owe me, I been waitin’ for the payment
All these little rappers come and go, wonder where they went
Ten years of runnin’, yeah we came up from the basement.”

As aforementioned, he serves up cocky, confident, and turnt-up rhymes, with no shortage of memorable, punch lines. “Man, I wish I could be a dog in a rich family / Oh how nice would that shit be, my life a catastrophe,” he spits on the first verse.  He continues, asserting, “Now my shit a masterpiece, No Limit like Master P.” Later, on the same verse, he states, “I am not top ten, more like top three / I am not two ‘cause, nobody could top me / Get the pussy wet like Jodeci, you know it’s me / I can’t seem to put my finger on it like a rotary.” Notably, you’ve gotta love how Logic’s vocals are layered throughout “Everybody Dies,” coupled with the agility and speed of his rhymes. He talks a lot of shit on “Everybody Dies,” still, you have to admire his flows, and some of the bars as well.

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2. Panic! At the Disco, “Dying in LA”

Pray for the Wicked • Fueled by Ramen • 2018

“The moment you arrived, they built you up / The sun was in your eyes, you couldn’t believe it.”  While Brendon Urie and Panic! At the Disco begin promising with “Dying in LA,” as the introductory lyrical excerpt suggests, eventually, the song showcases the disappointing aspects of the dream destination – Los Angeles, California.  “Drink of paradise, they told you, ‘Put your blood on ice’,” Urie sings on the second verse, continuing, “You’re not gonna make it.” The chorus sums up the harsh reality of anonymity and failure in Los Angeles.

“But nobody knows you now, when you’re dying in LA / And nobody owes you now, when you’re dying in LA… / Oh, the power, the power, the power / Of LA.”

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3. YUNGBLUD, “Die for the Hype”

21^st Century Liability • Geffen • 2018

“They tried to put me on Ritalin / Visions of calming me down / They tried to put me on Ritalin / Hopin’ I don’t make a sound.” British newcomer YUNGBLUD (Dominic Harrison) may be a self-described 21^st Century Liability on his debut album, but the tortured soul is no liability when it comes to making cool music. What stands out about this young artist is how eclectic and truly unique he is. “Die for the Hype,” the second track off from 21^st Century Liability, finds YUNGBLUD addressing his own death: “Where the f**k am I? /Tell me, did I just die? / ‘Coz I don’t understand why / I’m in a room I don’t recognize.” Throughout the course of the song, he references all things associated with dying, even going so far as to make a Biblical allusion on the chorus.

“I Just wanna die for the hype…

Crucify like Jesus Christ.”

If that isn’t a tortured, young soul, then I don’t know what is.

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4. MGMT, “When You Die”

Little Dark Age • Columbia • 2018 

“Go f**k yourself / You heard me right / Don’t call me nice again.” Safe to say, alternative duo MGMT ‘have an attitude’ on “When You Die”.  ‘Course, if you were dying, you might be a little salty too. “When You Die” is a terrific, compelling record.  It’s energetic – particularly the vocals – well-written, and well-produced. From the jump, the record sounds mysterious – quirky and left of center. Andrew VanWyngarden exhibits bite vocally, conveying the “mean” tilt of the lyrics.

“I’m not that nice / I’m mean and I’m evil / Don’t call me nice / I’m gonna eat your heart out / I’ve got some work to do / Baby, I’m ready, I’m ready, ready, ready to blow my lid off.”

Creepy. PSYCHO…logical. Suicidal… Disturbing. Anyways, the second verse gets more twisted. Later, on the third verse, curses and meanness continues, while the chorus sums up the darkness, with some incredibly disturbing humor.

“You die

And words won’t do anything

It’s permanently night

And I won’t feel anything

We’ll all be laughing with you when you die.”

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5. CHVRCHES, “Never Say Die”

Love is Dead • Glassnote • 2018

“All I want is to play at playing god / But I’m falling in, I’m falling out… / Never, ever, ever say die.” Alternative trio CHVRCHES returned in 2018 with their sophomore album, Love is Dead. “Never Say Die” served as the set’s third advanced single. Lauren Mayberry serves up clear, effectives vocals on the verses, sans frills. “Weren’t you gonna be sorry and weren’t you gonna be pure? / Weren’t we gonna be honest and weren’t we gonna be more?” She elevates her game on the dynamic pre-chorus and chorus sections (excerpted above). Alongside her burgeoning assertiveness, the production grows as well.  The biggest selling point of “Never Say Die” is its exuberance. Set in a major key, this is an alluring, bright, energetic cut.

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6. Father John Misty, “Please Don’t Die”

God’s Favorite Customer • Sub Pop • 2018

“One more wasted morning / When I could be holding you / To my side, somebody stop this joyless joy ride / I’m feeling older than my thirty-five years.” Following the lighter “Date Night,” Josh Tillman, aka Father John Misty, becomes much more reflective and serious on the slower “Please Don’t Die.” Clearly, he’s been in a bad spot regarding his mental health and his wife is extremely worried about potentially losing him.  Not only does Tillman seem to realize how he’s affecting his wife, but he sings from her perspective on the thrilling chorus.

“Oh, and honey, I’m worried ‘bout you / You’re too much to lose / You’re all that I have / And honey, I’m worried ‘bout you / Put yourself in my shoes / You’re all that I have so please don’t die / Wherever you are tonight.”

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7. The Decemberists, “We All Die Young”

I’ll Be Your Girl • Capitol • 2018

“It was late one night, I was counting out my stitches / Laying by the side of the road / I was a long time gone, slipping off my britches / Feeling like it’s time to go home / Yeah, feeling like it’s time to go home.” The Decemberists bring some energy to the table on “We All Die Young,” a highlight from the indie-rock collective’s 2018 album, I’ll Be Your Girl.  The sound blends vintage pop, rock, and a good ole, happy major key.  Frontman Colin Meloy sounds energetic and invested as he assertively proclaims on the chorus, the obvious – “We all die young.” That’s about the size of it.  Worth noting is the soulful tenor sax solo.

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8. Miley Cyrus, “I Would Die for You”

Younger Now • RCA • 2017

“You are everything to me / And I, I would die for you.” How sweet.  As sweet as it is, Miley Cyrus seemed doomed from the start with the promo campaign for her sixth studio album, Younger Now.  She did a stark about-face stylistically, trading urban-pop for country-folk/singer-songwriter.  None of the teaser tracks were completely horrid, none of them were surefire either (you could make an argument for “Malibu”). Nonetheless, despite a lack of flashy records and singles, she exceeded expectations on Younger Now.

The song at hand, “I Would Die for You” trades acoustic guitars for electric guitars.  What remains unchanged from the majority of Younger Now are the country sensibilities, which carry over specifically from the preceding song, “Miss You So Much.” Initially sans percussion, eventually, a light, countrified groove arrives, anchoring “I would Die for You.”  Of course, the chorus is the centerpiece, successfully conveying Cyrus’ dedication:

“When you’re gone, time moves so slow

Like the grass, I’ve watched us grow

I’ve heard you reap only what you’ll sow

How could I never let you know?”

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9. 2 Chainz, “Sleep When U Die”

Pretty Girls Like Trap Music • Def Jam • 2017

“Hibachi my menu, my bracelet on igloo / Every song is a single, you hear the money talk.” Can you say flex-fest?  On “Sleep When U Die,” 2 Chainz is so ‘high’ (on life supposedly) that the only time he’s worried about sleeping is when he dies.  He spits on the chorus: “Look in my eyes, look in my eyes / You can sleep when you die, you can sleep when you die.” 2 Chainz’s life is too lit to sleep, apparently.  It should be noted, he doesn’t seem to be in any rush to die.

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10. The National, “Day I Die”

Sleep Well Beast • 4AD • 2017

As a buzz single for The National, “Day I Die” came off respectably without being transcendent or game changing.  Contextually, within the Grammy-winning Sleep Well Beast, “Day I Die” stands out more. Following the tense opener (“Nobody Else Will Be There”), its quickness and rock-oriented sensibility gives the album more spunk.  It’s exuberant, yet still showcases pessimism lyrically.  Perhaps it isn’t the crowning achievement of Sleep Well Beast (looking at you “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness”), but it definitely packs more punch than initially credited.

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11. Thomas Rhett, “Die a Happy Man”

Tangled Up • Valory • 2015 

“And if I never get to see the Northern lights / Or if I never get to see the Eiffel Tower at night / Oh, if all I got is your hand in my hand / Baby, I could die a happy man.”  No sugarcoating it – “Die A Happy Man” is the biggest hit of country musician Thomas Rhett’s career.  In the context of his sophomore album, Tangled Up, it opts for a more traditional sound. Even so, the record recalls the Ed Sheeran mega-hit, “Thinking Out Loud”, a soulful pop record that recalls classic soul. “Die A Happy Man” is country – the pedal steel itself is enough to signify this – but also soulful with crossover appeal.

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Photo Credits: 4AD, Capitol, Columbia, Def Jam, Fueled by Ramen, Geffen, Glassnote, Pixabay, RCA, Sub Pop, Valory

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