12 H Songs: No Rhyme or Reason, Vol. 2 | Playlist 🎧

12 H Songs: No Rhyme or Reason, Vol. 2 features Cardi B, Charlie Puth, Glass Animals, John Legend & Kendrick Lamar.

Ah, the fun of creating a playlist with limited criteria – freedom feels so free! Are you as prepared as I (we) am (are) to highlight the letter H? We’re back with another NO RHYME OR REASON playlist, covering the eighth letter of the alphabet.  The main criteria for 🎧 12 H Songs: No Rhyme or Reason, Vol. 2 are that the title of the song must begin with the letter ‘H’ OR the word that begins with ‘H’ must be the first word of note. Also, it’s worth noting that 🎧 12 H Songs: No Rhyme or Reason, Vol. 2  is the sequel to the 2021 compendium, 🎧 13 H Songs Selected with No Rhyme or Reason.

🎧 12 H Songs: No Rhyme or Reason, Vol. 2 features music courtesy of 🎙 Cardi B, 🎙 Charlie Puth, 🎙 Glass Animals, 🎙 John Legend, and 🎙 Kendrick Lamar among others. As always, we keep our compendiums eclectic – there’s something or everybody! Let’s grab some ‘phones and a snack and get into these stellar ‘H’ songs selected with NO RHYME OR REASON – Vol. 2!!!

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1. Charlie Puth, “That’s Hilarious”

💿 Charlie • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2022 

“You took away a year / Of my fuckin’ life / And I can’t get it back no more.” WOO! 🎙 Charlie Puth doesn’t kick off his third studio album, 💿 Charlie hilariously in the least on 🤩 🎵 “That’s Hilarious”.  If you go into this slickly produced single expecting Puth to crack jokes you’ll be sorely disappointed.

The 🏆 Grammy-nominated artist is angry at HER. “You didn’t love when you had me / But now you need me so badly / You can’t be serious (Ha-ha-ha) / That’s hilarious (Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha).” He’s not lying when he says, “Thinkin’ I would still want you / After the things you put me through / Yeah, you’re delirious.” “That’s Hilarious” sets the tone for Charlie, which finds Charlie much more emotional than he’s shown in the past.

Appears in 🔻:

• Funny: 3 or 4 BOPS No. 22 (2022)

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2. Cardi B, “Hot Shit” (Ft. Lil Durk & Kanye West)

🎵 “Hot Shit” • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2022

“I thought I killed you hoes before, it must be déjà vu / It’s either that or I’m catchin’ body number two.” WOOO! After an extended hiatus, 🎙 Cardi B returned with some 🎵 “Hot Shit” in 2022 like OKURRRRR! The 🏆 Grammy-winning rapper enlisted 🎙 Lil Durk and 🎙 Kanye West for the assist.  🎛 Tay Keith gives Cardi B a banging beat. I love how rhythmic it sounds on the bottom – WOO, that bass! The percussive inspiration is there.  As far as energy, Cardi has no shortage of it in the first verse as well as her chorus (those final two lines = 🔥).

Lil Durk is energetic in the second verse, and Kanye is energetic in the third.  Are the rhymes game-changing? Nope.  Cardi places emphasis on being a bad bitch in the first verse, with some potent lines (“Pretty when I wake up, I’m a bad bitch at breakfast / Still might slide on a opp (It’s electric)”). Lil Durk brings toughness and references his label and the late 🎙 King Von. As for Mr. West, his verse may be the most interesting.  He cries foul about social media, remembers Virgil Abloh, and, as usual, is confident AF – that Kanye ego! Perhaps the shit isn’t so hot on 🎵 “Hot Shit”, but it fills a need on 🎧 12 H Songs: No Rhyme or Reason, Vol. 2.

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3. John Legend & Muni Long, “Honey”

💿 LEGEND • 🏷 John Legend Music, Inc. / Republic • 📅 2022

🏆 Academy/Grammy Award-winning musician 🎙 John Legend returned in 2022 with sweet, sweet  🎵 “Honey”. He collaborates with 🎙 Muni Long, renowned for her hit single, 🎵 “Hrs & Hrs”. The results are positive, despite the fact that “Honey” is brief, clocking in at under two and a half minutes in duration.

“Honey” commences with a soulful instrumental intro that sets the tone.  The fabulous production and sound of this record are attributed to the skills of 🎛 Mr. Franks, 🎛 Ryan Tedder, 🎛 Lindgren, and 🎛 TBHits.  This backdrop is the perfect fuel for John Legend’s fire. As always, his vocals are expressive, commanding, soulful, and sexy (him too, of course, 😉). Following the relatively simple first verse and pre-chorus, he drops the simple but chill, memorable chorus:

“You’re sweeter than honey

You’re sweeter than honey

(Want all the) Money

(Give me that) Sunday, Sunday, Sunday.”

Muni Long first appears in the second verse; I love her tone, providing a nice contrast to Legend. The join forces for the second pre-chorus and chorus, at least at select moments, before Legend closes things out. “Honey” isn’t game-changing, but I enjoy this collaboration.  It is a nice addition to the R&B catalog all told.

 

Appears in 🔻:

• Honey 🍯: 5ive Songs No. 33 (2022)

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4. Tiësto & Charli XCX, “Hot In It”

🎵 “Hot In It” • 🏷 Musical Freedom, LLC / Atlantic • 🗓 2022 

🎙 Tiësto and 🎙 Charli XCX make a formidable team on 🎵 “Hot In It”.  The record is just two minutes and some change, but that’s sufficient to create an earworm you won’t easily get out of your head. Tiësto produces with 🎛 Goldfingers on this lit dance joint. As to be expected, the production is exuberant and energetic to the n^th degree. This is the perfect fuel for Charli XCX’s fire.

Charli exhibits ample personality, exuding confidence that’s through the roof. “You won’t see me cryin’ on the bathroom floor, I ain’t never comin’ back for more,” she asserts in the first verse, later informing him, “Boy, you just lost a ten out of ten.” Woo! Of course, the biggest attraction is the chorus, where Charli – well – she’s unstoppable!

“Tonight, I’m gon’ be rockin’ it, droppin’ it

Shake my ass, no stoppin’ it

I look hot in it, hot in it

I look hot in it.”

Charli outdoes herself on the performance end of things, “shaking her ass, no stoppin’ it!” Meanwhile, Tiësto and Goldfingers get it done behind the boards.  “Hot In It” is – wait for it – HOT!

Appears in 🔻:

• Awesome Songs: July 2022

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5. Kendrick Lamar, “The Heart Part 5”

💿 Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers • 🏷 Aftermath / Interscope • 📅 2022

“I come from a generation of pain, where murder is minor…” 🏆 Grammy and Pulitzer Prize winner 🎙 Kendrick Lamar made his return in 2022 official with 🎵 “The Heart Part 5”. His first new solo single in five years, it arrived ahead of 💿 Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, eventually added to the comeback LP.

“The Heart Part 5” runs an ambitious five and a half minutes.  It’s five and a half minutes of #WINNING. The opening portion of the record is spoken word.  Kendrick thanks his fans and listeners. He begins rapping about 40 seconds in, backed by strong production work by 🎛 Beach Noise. The backdrop is soulful and hella groovy, thanks to a sample of the soul classic, 🎵 “I Want You” by 🎙 Marvin Gaye. The chorus highlights the beloved classic.  The main attraction, however, is Lamar, who, as always, drops an electrifying flow.  I love the variations in the production when Lamar tells producers to “take the drums out” (nearing three-and-a-half minutes). Eventually, “The Heart Part 5” is rebuilt featuring rhythm guitars, lush strings, and of course, that signature Gaye groove.

Appears in 🔻:

• Awesome Songs: May 2022
• 30 Best Songs of 2022 (So Far)

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6.Beyoncé, “Heated”

💿 RENAISSANCE • 🏷 Parkwood Entertainment LLC / Columbia • 🗓 2022

“Got a lot of bands, got a lot of Chanel on me / I gotta fan myself off  (Fan me off) / … I gotta cool down, heated.” In 2022, the most awarded woman in 🏆 Grammy history, 🎙 Beyoncé, began her 💿 RENAISSANCE.  While it took six years for this renaissance to commence, the dance/house-driven makeover is a bold, ultra-successful return for one of music’s brightest stars.  The brilliant LP didn’t arrive sans controversy, including the heat-driven record at hand, 🎵 “Heated.”

“Heated” is another enjoyable, well-rounded musical selection from RENAISSANCE.  I wouldn’t doubt that some might dub it a highlight.  All told, “Heated” continues the badassery of Beyoncé and the album.  That said, originally, there was an ableist slur – much like 🎙 Lizzo’s 🎵 “GRRRLS” –  that had to be removed.  Does the fact that there was an ableist slur, albeit not intended to be harmful, dim the shine of “Heated?” Personally, I don’t think so, but everyone is entitled to their own opinions.  From my perspective, “Heated” is superbly produced, Beyoncé serves up ample personality, and the lyrics in the chorus specifically are catchy.  In other words, don’t let the controversy, which has since been atoned for, get you too heated on “Heated” 😉.

Appears in 🔻:

• Heat: 5ive Songs No. 42 (2022)
• 11 Songs That Generate Tremendous Heat

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7. Alexander 23, “The Hardest Part”

💿 Aftershock • 🏷 Interscope • 🗓 2022

“I guess the hardest part of getting old / Is that some people that you love don’t.” That is incredibly heavy, 🎙 Alexander 23 (Alexander Glantz); it hits something fierce. The handsome pop musician shines on the sad but ultimately superb 🎵 “The Hardest Part”. Glantz penned “The Hardest Part” alongside 🎼✍ Amy Allen and 🎼✍ 🎛 Daniel Nigro. Notably, he produced with Nigro as well.

The theme of “The Hardest Part” is grief.  Alexander 23 expresses his skepticism about releasing the record but goes on to say he hopes it comforts those experiencing grief.  He laments the fact that the person he sings about won’t live to grow old – their life ended at just 28 years old.  Glantz offers some poetic specifics in the first verse, asserting, “And the year is gonna get a lot colder / But you will always be stuck in June.” So, so sad! In the second verse, he recollects, “Yeah, I cried when I read / The last text that you sent / ‘Cause I’ll never see those three dots there again.” Of course, the centerpiece is the chorus, excerpted at the beginning, and commencing with the words, “I never said goodbye, and now it’s sinking in / The last time I saw you we were kids…” All told, Alexander 23 sings well, and the songwriting is terrific.

 

Appears in 🔻:

• Awesome Songs: June 2022

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8. Lady Gaga, “Hold My Hand”

🎵 “Hold My Hand” • 🏷 Paramount Pictures / Interscope • 🗓 2022

“Hold my hand, everything will be okay.” So uplifting, 🎙 Lady Gaga! Those lyrics, excerpted from the first verse, hail from 🎵 “Hold My Hand”, the theme song for the movie 🎦 Top Gun: Maverick.  Lady Gaga was tasked with composing and performing the theme song for the sequel to the original film.  She wrote and produced “Hold My Hand” alongside 🎼✍ 🎛 BloodPop®.

Clearly, listening to “Hold My Hand,” Lady Gaga and BloodPop® had the 80s in mind. Gaga was born in the 80s, and Top Gun originated in the 80s.  The record features synths (keys), prominent guitars, and mammoth drums 💪.  Matching the grandiosity of the sound – particularly on the chorus – Gaga serves up big, dramatic, and emotional vocals.

“So, cry tonight

But don’t you let go of my hand

You can cry every last tear

I won’t leave ‘til I understand

Promise you’ll just hold my hand.”

Throughout the record there is no doubt that she ‘feels it’ – she sells it well.  It’s all inspiration and good vibes from the Lady: “I can see everything you’re blind to now / Your prayers will be answered, let God whisper how” 🙏 🙌.  I like the positive message and the power she brings to this record.

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9. iann dior, “hopeless romantic” (Ft. Travis Barker)

💿 on to better things • 🏷 10K Projects • 🗓 2022

I’d argue that Puerto Rican-American musician 🎙 iann dior is both versatile and difficult to characterize.  In my eyes, both things can be true. Sometimes, he’s more hip-hop oriented while at other times, he leans more pop/rock. On 🎵 “hopeless romantic,” the closing cut from his 2022 album, 💿 on to better things, dior embraces his pop/rock side – sort of pop-punk, emo… He’s assisted by the ubiquitous 🎙 Travis Barker, who produces alongside pop guitar resurrection-ist, 🎛 Omer Fedi.

Again, I’ll emphasize the versality of iann dior, who comfortably navigates this ‘pop’ record – or, perhaps, melodic rap? Anyways, iann exemplifies being a hopeless romantic.  In the first verse, he sings, “If you keep running / I’ll keep running with you / I don’t think this is healthy / Can’t keep doing this with you.” Well, at least he admits it’s probably not healthy.  Of course, in the chorus, dior keeps on doing his thing, hopelessly romantic:

“Wherever we go, wherever the wind blows

I’ll be here to walk you through the meadow

Whenever life gets too much to handle

I’ll be here to give you what you as for.”

 Does iann dior go deep here? Eh, it is what it is, and perhaps, depth is perceived differently by different folks. Food for thought! If nothing else, consider it a vibe with driving guitars and of course, the tuneful chorus.

Appears in 🔻:

• 13 Songs Filled with Hope

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10. Jennifer Hudson, “Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)”

💿 RESPECT (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) • 🏷 Epic • 📅 2021

It’s been far too long since 🏆 Academy Award/Grammy winner 🎙 Jennifer Hudson released new music. Thankfully, that wait has come to an end! Hudson plays the late, great 🎙 Aretha Franklin in the biopic, 🎦 RESPECT. The anointed, robust-voiced diva isn’t only blessing us with her acting chops, but also, her singing on the 💿 RESPECT (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).  In addition to covering Franklin, she shines on a brand-new original, penned in the style of Franklin, 🎵 “Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)”.

“Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)” was written by 🎼 ✍ Carole King, 🎼 ✍ Jamie Hartman, and Hudson.  🎛 Will.i.am and 🎛 Johnny Goldstein produces the gospel-infused, neo-/retro-soul record.  With thoughtful lyrics and an old-school backdrop, Hudson has elite material to work with.  You know what she possesses that elite? That voice, and as you’d expected, she sounds angelic, nuanced, and soulful on “Here I Am (Singing My Way Home).”  It begins with a dramatic, free intro, something that Aretha was known for and comes directly from black church/gospel music.  Soon enough, “Here I Am” settles in with more flow, and J Hud delivers the goods. Upping the ante are backing choral vocals – gotta love a supporting gospel choir! “Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)” has the spirit of Aretha Franklin is written all over it. Hudson slays.

Appears in 🔻:

• Awesome Songs: July 2021

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11. ICE NINE KILLS, “Hip to Be Scared”

💿 Welcome To Horrorwood: The Silver Scream 2 • 🏷 Fearless • 📅 2021

“You’ll find no escape once you’re captured on tape / I’m aware it’s a bit avant-garde.” Indeed, indeed! With a metal/metalcore band like 🎙 ICE NINE KILLS, there’s never a dull moment – understatement. 🎵 “Hip to Be Scared” serves as a highlight from the band’s 2021 album, 💿 Welcome To Horrorwood: The Silver Scream 2. INK enlists 🎙 Jacoby Shaddix (🎙 Papa Roach) for the assist.

“‘Not the fucking face, you piece of bitch trash!’” “Hip To Be Scared” is foreboding, set in a minor key predominantly. This, of course, perfectly suits ICE NINE KILLS. “Hip” begins enigmatically, embracing and maintaining a horror schtick.  As always, 🎙 Spencer Charnas ‘gets it done’ in the vocal department, serving up both a sweet melody and some expressive, shouted vocals that fit the ‘scared’ vibe (and colorful lyrics).  Besides awesome production and top-notch vocals, I like the shifts incorporated throughout this record, keeping things unpredictable and intriguing to the nth degree.  So often, songs can be more monolithic, and INK ensures that is not the case here.  The chorus is one of the biggest selling points:

“So, to hell with good intentions

So, to hell is where I’ll go

But the Devil makes exceptions

For all-American psychos.”

Rock TF on. ICE NINE KILLS serves up an excellent mix of impressive musicianship and entertaining, tongue-in-cheek, horror-laden moments.

Appears in 🔻:

• Awesome Songs: July 2021
• Don’t Be Too Scared of These 13 Songs

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12. Glass Animals, “Heat Waves”

💿 Dreamland • 🏷 Wolf Tone • 📅 2020

“Sometimes, all I think about is you / Late nights in the middle of June / Heat waves been fakin’ me out / Can’t make you happier now.” 🎙 Glass Animals had a truly dominant hit with 🎵 “Heat Waves,” which hailed from their 2020 studio album, 💿 Dreamland.  The collective led by 🎙 Dave Bayley, hadn’t previously charted on the Billboard Hot 100! That, of course, changed with the ascent of “Heat Waves,” which made history by rising to no. 1 in its 59^th charting week! “Heat Waves,” unsurprisingly, has been certified multiplatinum by the RIAA while Dreamland benefits too, earning the band’s first gold album.

What makes “Heat Waves” so good and impactful? Starting with the impactful part, Glass Animals can thank TikTok, which is a gargantuan force in the music industry. Beyond the addictive, viral app, “Heat Waves” is just one of those awesome records.  The lyrics are catchy, particularly the centerpiece, the chorus.  Dave Bayley sings well, in his traditional voice.  Also, the pitch-shifted vocals, which appear early on, are a cool effect.  Beyond songwriting and vocal performance, the production is another selling point.  “Heat Waves” benefits from an infectious groove and its dreamy, colorful synths.

Appears in 🔻:

• Heat: 5ive Songs No. 42 (2022)
• 11 Songs That Generate Tremendous Heat

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12 H Songs: No Rhyme or Reason, Vol. 2 [📷: 10K Projects, Aftermath, ArtsyBee, Brent Faulkner, Columbia, Epic, Fearless, Interscope, John Legend Music, Inc., Monika Grafik, Musical Freedom, LLC, The Musical Hype, Paramount Pictures, Parkwood Entertainment LLC, Pixabay, Republic, Wolf Tone]

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