13 Fabulous, Showstopping Show Songs | Playlist

13 Fabulous, Showstopping Show Songs features music courtesy of Foo Fighters, John Legend, Luh Tyler, Niall Horan, and SNOW WIFE.

One thing is fo’ sho’ – the SHOW must go on! What show, you ask? Why, the show of the musical compendiums on The Musical Hype, of course! In this case, the show happens to be the keyword/central theme of the playlist – 13 Fabulous, Showstopping Show Songs! In this list, the requirement is the S-H-O-W us all something! 13 Fabulous, Showstopping Show Songs features music courtesy of Foo Fighters, John Legend, Luh Tyler, Niall Horan, and SNOW WIFE among others. So, if you’re prepared to be shown some excellent, showstopping music, look no further than 13 Fabulous, Showstopping Show Songs!

1. Niall Horan, “The Show” 

The Show • Neon Haze Music Ltd. / Niall Horan / UMG Recordings, Inc. • 2023

“If everythin’ was easy, nothin’ ever broke,” Niall Horan sings, continuing, “If everythin’ was simple, how would we know? / How to fix your tears, how to fake a show.” “The Show” marks a fine track from The Show, the third studio album by Horan.  Vocally, he gives a mature, nuanced performance; his tone is radiant.  Besides the maturity of the performance, the songwriting (Horan, Mike Needle, Dan Bryer, and Jamie Scott) is alluring. “Life is like a dance floor some of the time /  Dancin’ with the stars, oh every night,” Horan sings the sconed verse, continuing, “And gravity comes and wraps her arms around you again / It’s all fun and games until the party ends.” Furthermore, the arrangement and production (Joel Little) are picturesque. Those strings add substantial warmth, sigh.     

2. Alicia Keys, “Show Me Love” (Ft. Miguel) 

ALICIA • RCA • 2020

“Show me love / Treat it like we freakin’ on the weekend, show me love / I heat up the seconds, times and reasons for your love…” Alicia Keys collaborates with fellow Grammy winner, Miguel on “Show Me Love” (ALICIA, 2020).  “Show Me Love” features plenty of repetition, and lacks depth when it comes to songwriting, but the vibe is quite electric. The production by Keys and Morgan Matthews shines. “Show Me Love” is sensual sounding without crossing any lines, giving it a sense of ‘classicism’ that’s hard to come by in modern R&B. Vocally, Alicia Keys and Miguel sound awesome, separately and simultaneously.  Perhaps it’s the fact that “Show Me Love” lacks a more traditional form with multiple verses as opposed to one that leaves the listener yearning for a bit more oomph where songwriting is concerned.  Still, a vibe!   

Appears in :  

• Show: 5ive Songs No. 31 (2020) 

3. Luh Tyler, “First Show”  

“First Show” • Luh Tyler / Motion Music, LLC / Atlantic • 2020  

“They like, ‘Damn, boy, you got your own flow, you on some different shit’ / This ho getting my nerves, I need a different bitch.” Safe to say, the young Luh Tyler is confident AF and possesses ample rizz. The messaging on “First Show” is tried-and-true rap shit.  Said rapper feels himself, while he cuffs none of these lame chicks, so, he gets a new one.  We’ve actually been to this show many times. Still, Tyler does bring youthful exuberance and freshness even if the script is familiar.  You always remember you first: “At my first show, I might have your bitch front row (Front row) / White bitch, look like Elsa, had to let her go (Let her go).” Admit it, you laughed, or at least smirked at that ice-cold Frozen reference! It’s not all Elsa either as Tyler mentions John Cena, Lil Gnar, John Wall, and, perhaps most importantly, Frosted Flakes (“A nigga feel like Frosted Flakes, I been feelin’ great”). Nothing more needs to be said.    

4. SNOW WIFE, “AMERICAN HORROR SHOW”  

QUEEN DEGENERATE • SNOWGLOBE • 2023   

“What I gotta do to find a sub who down to choke me? / Tie me up and hold me down and get a little dirty.” Holy shiitake mushrooms, SNOW WIFE ! The singer is bold and unapologetic on “AMERICAN HORROR SHOW”, the seventh track from her 2023 EP, QUEEN DEGENERATE. The artist is adept at shock value, something that caught my ear on “FUCK”, featured in the playlist, 12 Eyebrow Raising, F Songs (2023). She adds in the first verse, “Haven’t tasted boujee spit since homie hit on Thursday / I’ll be there in 30 ‘cause a bitch is getting thirsty.” Damn !

SNOW WIFE doesn’t stop there. She keeps things sexual, mentioning blowing her back out and the skill of older men in the bedroom. Ooh-wee! It doesn’t cease in additional verses either, where she sings, “Hey baby / Take a picture when we fuck,” and “It’s a freak snow, baby, I’m a ring leader.” That part DEFINITELY seems true! Fittingly, prior the chorus, SNOW WIFE is a “stone cold monster.”  Of course, it’s the chorus where this American Horror Show goes down, in all its grotesque glory:  

“I kiss freaks that treat me like an animal 

Fuck on me and eat me like a cannibal 

I’m miss fish, that Rocky Horror Picture hoe 

They call me an American Horror Show.” 

“AMERICAN HORROR SHOW” is… something else.  That’s the best way to describe this two-and-a-half-minute show produced by Stryv, Mac & Phil, Slush Puppy, and Jahs.  

Appears in : 

• SNOW WIFE, AMERICAN HORROR SHOW: Midnight Heat No. 1 (2024)   

5. Foo Fighters, “Show Me How”  

But Here We Are • Roswell • 2023  

“Where are you now? / Who will show me how?” Sigh, what reflective, thought-provoking lyrics.  “Show Me How” appears as the seventh track on But Here We Are, Foo Fighters’ 2023, first post-Taylor Hawkins LP.  Compared to preceding tracks, “Show Me How” provides stark contrast.  How so? Notably, there are the addition of female vocals to the mix, courtesy of Grohl’s daughter, Violet Grohl.  She sings wonderfully duetting alongside her father, Dave Grohl (“Where have you gone? / Walk in circles, back to square one / Made it through yesterday / Spilling wine, thinking of the time”). At the end, Violet gets a few solo moments, which are incredibly sweet (“(Ooh) I’ll take care of everything”). Besides the kinder, gentler sound contributed by those vocals, “Show Me How” feels different – certainly NOT hard rock.  Rather, it dwells in a pop-oriented realm. Even so, it doesn’t feel like selling out. Given the somberness of the record, the sound feels appropriate.  

6. Solange, “Way To The Show” 

When I Get Home • Columbia • 2019 

“Call me, even on the way to the show / Way to the show, candy paint down to the floor.” Hell yeah! Houston, Texas – H-Town, baby – is well-represented on the Solange record, “Way to the Show.” “Way To The Show” appears as the fourth track on the Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter’s 2019 LP, When I Get Home. Solange keeps the lyrics simple – uncomplicated to the nth degree: “Uh-huh, uh-huh, you can get it.” While poetry isn’t exactly a factor within the songwriting (“Wait, you don’t know / Known to make rain like a God”), the sound of “Way To The Show” manages to blend soul, jazz, and hip-hop superbly. Solange produces alongside John Carroll Kirby and John Key. The big takeaway: paying homage to Houston. WOO! #CandyPaintDrippin’! 

7. Peter McPoland, “Shit Show” 

“Shit Show” • Columbia • 2021

“If I could, I would drink my troubles down the drain / But I don’t wanna drink alone today.’ Amen, brother, Amen! Want to hear some expressive, angst-filled vocals? Look no further than Peter McPoland, who serves up a heaping dose of emotion on “Shit Show.”  While the situation he describes is a shit show, there’s nothing the least bit ‘shitty’ about the song itself! Written by McPoland, and produced by McPoland alongside Steve Rusch, “Shit Show” is rad. If potty-mouthed song titles aren’t your thing, don’t let the s-bomb dissuade from the excellence of the lyrics or theme.  Thematically and narratively, Peter is on the struggle bus known as life, basically.  Still a young man, these happenings in McPoland’s life are standard: falling in love, growing up, losing and finding yourself, etc. Basically, we’re all participants in this “Shit Show,” with our own respective narratives.  

Appears in :  

• 13 Delightful “Sugar Honey Iced Tea” Songs (2022) 

8. Melanie Martinez, “Show & Tell” 

K-12 • Atlantic • 2019 

“Show and tell / I’m on display for all you fuckers to see.” You fuckers, Melanie Martinez? Wow, them’s fightin’ words, girl! She continues singing on “Show & Tell,” less explicitly, “Show and tell / Harsh words if you don’t get a pic with me.” It’s still giving #WOW, but with additional context, it makes sense where the former Voice contestant is going. “Show & Tell” appears on Martinez’s 2019, sophomore album, K-12.  She perfectly captures the plight of being famous. She doesn’t enjoy the fame because she feels, “I’m just like you, you’re like me / Imperfect and human, are we?” She’s got a point to say the least, one that perhaps justifies that f-bomb she throws at us! 

Appears in :  

• Show: 5ive Songs No. 31 (2020) 

9. Black Atlass, “Show Me” 

Dream Awake •  XO / Republic •  2020 

“I used to get so high off of love,” Black Atlass sings, continuing, “Now I’m so scared of the distance.” So, Alexander Fleming, you handsome, talented Canadian, what do you need? According to “Show Me,” which kicks off the second half of his 2020 LP, Dream Awake, “So, won’t you show me / Show me what I’m missin’ / You wanna be the one?” That’s it! It’s the love he’s missing on this moody, slickly produced (S.L.M.N, Akeel, DZL, and DannyBoyStyles) ballad. Fleming excels at balladry – that’s where his bread is buttered. Falsetto is his calling card.  Here, however, he wows us with his lower and middle register.  Adding to the vibe are the numerous production cues, vocal effects (distortion included), and, of course, the focus on matters of the heart. “You think you got what it takes / And baby, I don’t doubt you,” he sings in the chorus, “I see it on your face, you want me to want you / If you do me right / This won’t be the only night.” Damn! Five words: “So won’t you show me.”

Appears in :  

• Show: 5ive Songs No. 31 (2020) 

10. Britney Spears, “Private Show”  

Glory • RCA • 2016

“Sit you down, hop onto your pot of gold / You make me come alive.” Pot of gold, huh? Oh, Britney Spears, we know that you are not talking about leprechauns and St. Paddy’s Day! No, girl, you’re talking about some lit S-E-X went comes to “Private Show”! “Put on a private show / Pull the curtains until they close,” Spears sings on this aggressive, sexy standout from her 2016 album, Glory. She continues singing, “I put on a private show / We’ll be wiling all on the low.” WOO! Oh, sugar honey iced tea! “Swing it to the left, swing it to the right!!!” As the lyrics suggest, the show that Spears plans is NSFW! Helping her to bring this naughtiness to life is slick production work (Young Fyre) blending pop, hip-hop, and urban cues. Her assertiveness is through the roof, truly selling this sexy gem. The chorus, excerpted above, is utterly infectious – naughty yet irresistible as she suggestively sings about her intentions. It continues as follows: “Work it, work it, boy watch me work it / Slide down my pole, watch me spin it, and twerk it / Work it, work it, boy watch me work it.” Ooh, Britney, you nasty! The one-liners are potent AF, with the likes of “All my tricks, they’re spectacular / My encore is immaculate.” Yaaasss Brit, Yaaasss!!!  

Appears in :  

• Show: 5ive Songs No. 31 (2020) 
• Britney Spears, Private Show: After Dark No. 49 (2022) 

11. John Legend, “Show Me” 

Once Again • Getting Out Our Dreams / Sony Music Entertainment • 2006

“Show me, that you love me / Show me that you walk with me.” Ah, “Show Me” marks one of the elite songs from the John Legend catalog, PERIOD.  This reflective and thoughtful neo-soul record also appears on one of the Academy and Grammy award winner’s best LPs, Once Again, released in 2006.  Written alongside Estelle (yes, of “American Boy” fame), Robert “Fonksta” Bacon, and Raphael Saadiq, Legend seeks answers and clear-cut signs from God. As the beloved scripture reads, We walk by faith and not by sight.  Still, faith is quite difficult to attain, and faith crises aren’t far-fetched, even for the most devout.

Early on in “Show Me,” Legend addresses the laxness of his relationship with God: “I realize as I lay down to sleep / We haven’t spoken in weeks / So many things that I’d like to know / Come have a talk with me.” In the lyric, John turns the tables, asking for God to come to him and talk as opposed to visa versa.  The conversation he does have, of course, is deep and incredibly inquisitive.  One of the age-old questions he asks, “O God of love, peace, and mercy / Why so much suffering?” Often, the trials and tribulations worldwide mark a point of skepticism for believers and nonbelievers alike – a true test of faith. Does Legend get the answers he desires? It doesn’t seem like it, as he later sings, in that gorgeous, soulful voice, “Maybe we’ll talk / Some other night / Right now I’ll take it easy / Won’t spend my time / Waiting to die / Enjoy the life I’m living.” Perhaps it’s too much for one conversation, after all, you don’t build any relationship with just one conversation.  At worst, Legend comes off as more agnostic than atheistic, considering he doesn’t close the door to another conversation with God. Ultimately, “Show Me” speaks to the complicated nature of faith and spirituality.  What isn’t complicated, or disputable, is how epic this song is.  It’s deep, nuanced, stupendously written and produced – sits atop the illustrious John Legend collection. 

Appears in :  

• John Legend, Show Me: Bangerz N Bopz No. 20 (2023) 

12. Lupe Fiasco, “The Show Goes On”  

Lasers • Atlantic • 2011 

“Alright, already, the show goes on / All night, ‘til the morning we dream so long.” Woo! Sing that chorus, JR Get Money! “Anybody ever wonder, when they would see the sun up / Just remember when you come up, the show goes on.” Amazingly, Grammy-winning rapper Lupe Fiasco has secured two top-10 hits on the pop charts.  The Chicago rapper has the skill to deliver incredibly complicated, intricate rhymes. That said, he also delivered more accessible moments in career, such as his highest charting hit, “The Show Goes On.” “The Show Goes On” peaked at no. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2011, spending 33 weeks on the charts.  Furthermore, it’s been certified multiplatinum by the RIAA – impressive.  Parent album, Lasers, also attained commercial success, debuting at no. 1 on the Billboard 200 and being certified gold. “The Show Goes On” benefits from its hella catchy chorus, as well as sampling Modest Mouse (“Float On”) and Lil Wayne (“Right Above It”). Lupe Fiasco deserves ample credit for his bars, rapping ferociously over the course of three verses (“Yeah, yeah, the world is yours, I was once that little boy / Terrified of the world, now I’m on a world tour”).  In his third and final verse, Lupe leaves us with a bullet: “Even if they turn the lights outs, the show is goin’ on, alright.” ALRIGHT, indeed! 

13. Al Wilson, “Show and Tell”  

Show and Tell: The Best of Al Wilson • Fuel 2000 • 2006  

“These are the eyes / That never knew how to smile / Till you came into my life.” Aww , those feels – those lovey dovey feels! Al Wilson sho nuff does show and tell about his feelings for her on “Show and Tell”.  While Wilson had other songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, his best-known song also ended up being a no. 1 hit.  After debuting in 1973, the highlight from his album, Show and Tell, ascended to its peak position in 1974.  So, who wrote this dedicated soul gem? That would be Jerry Fuller, who also produces. “Show and Tell” doesn’t require extensive analysis.  The lyrics speak for themselves: “Whoa, and here is the man / Who needs to know where you stand / Don’t you know I’ve done all I can?”  In the tuneful chorus, Wilson urges her to express her feelings and hopes she feels the same way as he does (“Girl, so show me and tell me / That you feel the same way too / Say you do, baby”). Wilson is on autopilot from a vocal perspective, making all who hear this song see just how gifted he was. Furthermore, the music is idiomatic of 1970s soul – lush, rousing, and sophisticated. So, rather than me write anymore about “Show and Tell”, listen to this beloved soul classic – it speaks for itself. 

Appears in :  

• Al Wilson, Show and Tell: Throwback Vibez ️ No. 75 (2023)  

13 Fabulous, Showstopping Show Songs (2024) [: Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype; Atlantic, Columbia, Fuel 2000, Getting Out Our Dreams, Luh Tyler, Motion Music LLC, Neon Haze Music Ltd., Niall Horan, RCA, Republic, Roswell, SNOWGLOBE, Sony Music Entertainment, UMG Recordings Inc., XO; Monica Silvestre from Pexels]