13 Ill Songs with ๐ถ MUSIC ๐ถ in the Title features MUSIC songs courtesy of Harry Styles, Hozier, Lana Del Rey, Prince, Rihanna, and Yarbrough & Peoples.ย
Music is a big deal on The Musical Hype.ย Thatโs what we do, baby! However, believe it or not, more than eight years into its existence, The Musical Hype has yet to publish a music-themed playlist ๐คฏ. Say what? WTF you mean? I mean, the word ๐ถ MUSIC ๐ถ hasnโt been the keyword driving any of our playlists until now with the arrival of 13 Ill Songs with ๐ถ MUSIC ๐ถ in the Title.ย The premise is simple โ the word MUSIC must be used in the song title. 13 Ill Songs with ๐ถ MUSIC ๐ถ in the Title features ๐ถ MUSIC ๐ถ ย songs courtesy of Harry Styles, Hozier, Lana Del Rey, Prince, Rihanna, and Yarbrough & Peoples. So, without further ado, enjoy the highly MUSIC experience that is 13 Ill Songs with ๐ถ MUSIC ๐ถ in the Title!
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1. Yarbrough & Peoples, โDonโt Stop the Musicโ
2. Jake Shears, โToo Much Musicโ
3. Rihanna, โDonโt Stop the Musicโ
4. Harry Styles, โMusic for a Sushi Restaurantโ
6. Colm R. McGuinness, โMusic of the Nightโ
7. Lana Del Rey, โMusic to Watch Boys Toโ ย
9. Hozier, โAlmost (Sweet Music)โ
10. *NSYNC & Gloria Estefan, โMusic of My Heartโ
11. Rick Ross, โMafia Musicโ
12. Wild Cherry, โPlay That Funky Musicโ
13. Arthur Conley, โSweet Soul Musicโ
1. Yarbrough & Peoples, โDonโt Stop the Musicโ
The Two of Us // UMG Recordings, Inc. // 1980
โDonโt you know youโve got me mesmerized / Wit the beat I always fantasize / Donโt stop the music cause it tends to soothe / I can tell you want to groove.โ Ooh-wee! Yarbrough & Peoples โ Calvin Yarbrough and Alisa Peoples โ delivered a surefire vibe in 1980.ย That surefire vibe as โDonโt Stop The Musicโ, the opening track from their album, The Two of Us.ย โDonโt Stop The Musicโ was the sole top-40 hit by the funk duo.ย It performed superbly well on the pop charts, peaking at no. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. The fun, irresistible joint was written by Peoples alongside producers Jonah Ellis and Lonnie Simmons.
So, what makes โDonโt Stop The Musicโ a surefire vibe? The instrumental is EVERYTHING. The picturesque sounds and effects make this song.ย Scintillating synths, funked-out riffs, and a marvelous, rhythmic synth bass line excel.ย The groove = I-N-F-E-C-T-I-O-U-S! Body movement is inescapable while listening to this.ย Given all the ear candy from the instrumental, itโs unsurprising that โDonโt Stop The Musicโ is often sampled. Of course, itโs not only the instrumental that shines. Calvin Yarbrough and Alisa Peoples โbring the heatโ with their vocals.ย Yarbrough secures the songโs excellence with the chorus,ย โDonโt you stop it, donโt you stop / Donโt stop the music,โ repeated throughout the song.ย As for Peoples, she has her fair share of highlights.ย One of her most memorable moments comes when she sings, โI just wanna rock you (Oh, baby) / All night long (To my love song).โ The power of music and dancing are the big takeaways.ย โI can tell you wanna boogie.โ Indeed, Yarbrough & Peoples.ย The duo still has us dancing something fierce to โDonโt Stop The Musicโ.
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2. Jake Shears, โToo Much Musicโ
Last Man Dancing // Boys Keep Swinging / Mute Artists Ltd. //ย 2023โฏโฏย
โThere can never been too much music.โ Amen, Jake Shears (Jake Sellards), you handsome, talented man, you! The former, Scissor Sisters frontman returned with his sophomore album, Last Man Dancing, in 2023. Leading the charge was his infectious promo single, โToo Much Musicโ. The production (Ryland Blackinton and Vaughn Oliver) is exuberant and spirited, perfectly suiting the voice and personality of Shears.โฏ That beat instantly makes you want to get that disco finger up and hit the dance floor.โฏ Shears penned โToo Much Musicโ alongside Blackinton, Oliver, and Dominic Thomas.โฏ There are plenty of fun, noteworthy lyrics such as, โOh, I feel the sweetest salvation / Flowing through this heart of mine / I see the blooms of a budding spring / Your love, it makes me get up and sing.โ Awe-inspiring! Shears informs us, weโve arrived, baby โ Let the music take control!โฏโฏย
Appears in ๐ป:ย ย
- Awesome Songs: February 2023
- Best LGBTQ ๐ณ๏ธโ๐ย Songs of 2023 (so far)
- 15 Songs That Highlight the Power of TOO (2024)ย
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3. Rihanna, โDonโt Stop the Musicโ
Good Girl Gone Bad // The Island Def Jam Music Group // 2007ย
Five words: โPlease donโt stop the music.โ 2007 was a huge year for Rihanna.ย That statement is an understatement. The biggest album of her career, Good Girl Gone Bad arrived.ย The album featured a crown jewel, a diamond-certified single, โUmbrellaโ, as well as several multi-platinum songs. The sextuple platinum โDonโt Stop The Musicโ peaked at no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2008 (it debuted in December 2007). The StarGate-produced gem received a lift from a famous sample: โWanna Be Startinโ Somethinโโ by the late, great Michael Jackson. Specifically, beloved lyrics โMama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssaโ (forgive the spelling) earned RiRi and MJ a lawsuit from Cameroonian musician, Manu Dibango. It is one of the most memorable parts of this dance-pop gem, and MJโs classic too.
The chorus of โDonโt Stop The Musicโ is infectious to the nth degree:
โI wanna take you away
Letโs escape into the music, DJ, let it play
I just canโt refuse it
Like the way you do this, keep on rockinโ to it
Please donโt stop the, please donโt stop the music.โ
Yeah, more like HELL YEAH! DONโT STOP THAT MUSIC! Thematically, โDonโt Stop The Musicโ is focused on the dancingโฆ and taking it beyond the dancefloor (โWhat goes on between us, no one has to know / This is a private show, ohโ). Ooh-wee! The โbeyondโ the dancing is kept suggestive โ no bad language or explicitness to be found here. ย After all, Good Girl Gone Bad arrived before Rihanna would become edgier with her Rated R phase. To this day, โDonโt Stop The Musicโ is a dance-pop/contemporary R&B banger that kicks ass and takes names. Keep that music going!
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4. Harry Styles, โMusic for a Sushi Restaurantโ
Harryโs House // Erskine / Columbia // 2022
โGreen eyes, fried rice, I could cook an egg on you.โ Um, okay! โMusic for a Sushi Restaurantโ commences Harryโs House, the third studio album by Grammy-winning pop musician Harry Styles, in groovy fashion.ย โMusic for a Sushi Restaurantโ is nothing short of an exuberant, electrifying start.ย So, what makes โMusic for a Sushi Restaurantโ the catโs meow???ย The production by Tyler Johnson and Kid Harpoon is a big deal. It stands out with its infectious beat, bass line, rhythm guitar, harmonized backing vocals, and horns. The ear candy is legit, finding Styles fusing multiple music genres, all of which hearken back to the past.ย Instantly, the record serves as a contrast to songs heโs personally released in the past.ย For part of the verses, Styles sings coolly, in an undertone.ย He grows more overt, but never forces things โ he barely breaks a sweat.ย He doesnโt need to โ โMusic for a Sushi Restaurantโ speaks for itself and tickles the hell out of my fancyโฆ or something like that!ย
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5. Leela James, โMusicโ
A Change is Gonna Come // Warner // 2005
From the beginning of her career, the beautiful and gifted Leela James had an uphill battle. Her voice is a mighty weapon โ cutting, gritty, and oozing with soul.ย In 2005, when A Change is Gonna Come arrived, the album sounded like it could have been released in the late 1960s or 70s. ย The retro-soul, old-school vibes made the project special. That said, A Change is Gonna Come was a debut album unlikely to ignite the pop charts or contemporary R&B charts on fire. That didnโt seem to faze James, who celebrated and hearkened to that old-school music on the single, โMusic.โ James references her favorite musicians (primarily soul) including Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Tina Turner, Marvin Gaye, and Donny Hathaway.ย She laments in the chorus: โWhere did the soul go? / Itโs all about the video / We donโt sing no more (no more) / Whereโs the music gone?โ The good news for James is, that even if the โsingersโ she cites donโt exist, she matches and revives that aesthetic and energy.ย The songwriting is reminiscent, while the accompanying instrumental superbly captures the earthy and lush old-school sound โ those Avila Brothers (Bobby Ross Avila and Iz Avila) are RIGHT! โMusicโ didnโt move the needle on the dominant sound in 2005 but, it gave us soul enthusiasts a gem from a talented artist to sink our teeth into. In 2022, James earned her first gold single (โFall For Youโ).
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6. Colm R. McGuinness, โMusic of the Night
โThe Music Of The Nightโ // Colm R. McGuinness // 2023
โNighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation / Darkness stirs and wakes imagination.โ Those lyrics hail from โThe Music Of the Nightโ, one of the preeminent songs from the Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway musical, The Phantom of the Opera.ย Originally, Michael Crawford performed this mesmerizing ballad, playing the iconic role of The Phantom.ย In the 2004 movie, it was Gerard Butler who took the reins. Now, in 2023, simply covering โThe Music of the Night,โ is the talented, Irish musician, Colm R. McGuinness.ย He doesnโt disappoint.ย McGuinness, who is also a violinist and composer, has a magnificent voice โ an understatement. He delivers an expressive, nuanced performance of โThe Music of the Nightโ that makes the listener believe he couldโve originally performed it.ย His technique is flawless โ a professional through and through.ย ย He never over-sings or over-dramatizes, providing balance and poise. He pulls back and ups the ante when it feels natural. Colm is also supported by a lushly orchestrated backdrop, which retains the warmth, spirit, and most importantly, the sanctity of the original.ย Sure, the Michael Crawford take earns definitive honors, but Colm R. McGuinness shines on โThe Music Of the Nightโ, PERIOD ๐ช.ย ย
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7. Lana Del Rey, โMusic to Watch Boys Toโ
Honeymoon// Polydor Ltd. // 2015
โ(I like you a lot) / Putting on my music while Iโm watching the boys /โฆ Play โem like guitars only one of my toys / No holds barred, I was sent to destroy, yeah.โ Those are fascinating lyrics. โMusic To Watch Boys Toโ is the second track from Honeymoon, the 2015 album by alternative pop singer/singer Lana Del Rey. In โMusic To Watch Boys To,โ Del Rey is listening to (and recording) music as she watches men. The title explains that much. However, those men also exit her life.ย The Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter doesnโt cover it up either: โI, I see youโre going / So I play my music, watch you leave.โ Music is therapeutic for loss, which sheโs not going to sweat over. These losses are recurrent.ย Even so, being single is not her cup of tea: โVelveteen and living single / It never felt that right for me / I know what only the girls know / Lies can buy eternity.โ Word. โMusic To Watch Boys Toโ is a โtried-and-trueโ Lana Del Rey performance and song. Itโs dark and dramatic, the lyrics are engaging, and the aesthetic โ the vibe โ is marvelous. She penned โMusic To Watch Boys Toโ alongside Rick Nowels. Del Rey and Nowels produced with Kieron Menzies.
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8. Prince, โMusicologyโ
Musicology // NPG / Legacy Recordings // 2004ย
โHeard about the party now / Just east of Harlem / Doug Eโs going to be there / But you got to call him.โ Woo! According to the American Musicological Society, โthe word musicology literally means โthe study of music,โ encompassing all aspects of music in all cultures and all historical periods.โ Notably, a music major can earn degrees, including a PhD, in musicology. In โMusicologyโ, the opener from the 2004 Prince LP (also titled Musicology), The Purple One takes us on a funky musical trip. His voice sounds awesome โ reenergized for one of his best songs and one of his best albums of his later career. โMusicologyโ reflects on music with that โitโ factor from the past โ the stuff that sticks with us.
The second verse is a prime example of reminiscing:
โWish I had a dollar
For every time they say
Donโt you miss the feeling music gave you
Back in the day?
Letโs Groove, โSeptemberโ
Earth, Wind and Fire
โHot Pantsโ by James
Sly is gonna take you higher.โ
Prince not only wows with his distinct and expressive voice, but he also commands with a big personality.ย You buy what heโs selling about โKick the old school joint / For the true funk soldiersโ as well as the memorable interlude: โGet back! Move, get back! Donโt you touch my stereo, these are my records!โ Quirky, โMusicologyโ is perfectly suited to Prince, an adventurous and fearless musician.ย The ending, with a breakdown section and outro is EVERYTHING.
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9. Hozier, โAlmost (Sweet Music)โ
Wasteland, Baby! // Columbia // 2019
โPlayed from the bedside / Is โStella by Starlightโ / โThat Was My Heartโโฆ / The drums that start off โNight and Day.โโ Thatโs several different songs referenced, to say the least on โAlmost (Sweet Music)โ, one of the highlights fromย Wasteland, Baby!, the sophomore album by Irish singer/songwriter, Hozier. Notably, Hozier references jazz icons like Duke Ellington, Chet Baker, and later, John Coltrane (โThe very thought of you and am I blue / A Love Supreme seems far removedโ). Like many songs by the Grammy-nominated musician, thereโs plenty to adore.ย First and foremost are his distinct, powerful vocals. The production and sound are another selling point, with an incredible instrumental palette including guitar, piano, various percussion, and organ courtesy of Booker T โ #ICONIC.ย This backdrop superbly fuels the singer/songwriterโs fire. Of course, the songwriting is arguably the most awesome thing, particularly the catchy chorus.
โI wouldnโt know where to startย
Sweet music playing in the darkย
Be still, my foolish heartย
Donโt ruin this on me.โย ย
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10. *NSYNC & Gloria Estefan, โMusic of My Heartโ
Greatest Hits // Zomba Recording LLC // 2005
โYou taught me to runย / You taught me to fly / Help me to free the โmeโ insideย / Helped me hear the music of my heartย / Helped me hear the music of my heart.โย Woo! Diane Warren excels at writing meaningful and memorable songs. Amazingly, her Academy Award remains elusive ๐ก.ย She penned an inspirational and uplifting record for boy band extraordinaire, *NSYNC, and Grammy-winning Latin-pop standout, Gloria Estefan.ย Many songs recorded by *NSYNC were drizzled in schmaltz โ bubblegum pop ran rampant in the late 1990s and early 2000s.ย However, โMusic of My Heartโ โhits different.โ The featured single from the movie Music of My Heart peaked at no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold.
ย
*NSYNC and Gloria Estefan show appreciation for those who have helped and influenced them.ย In the first verse, a young Justin Timberlake proclaims, โYouโll never know / What youโve done for me / What your faith in me / Has done for my soul.โ His partner in crime, JC Chasez adds, โYou made me hope for something better / And made me reach for something more.โ In the second, Estefan acknowledges, โYou were the one / Always on my side / Always standing by / Seeinโ me through.โ In that same verse, Gloria gets responses from JT, JC, and *NSYNC. The crowning achievement is the chorus which is tuneful and authentically pays ode.ย Also, making โMusic of My Heartโ sublime is the lush introduction, warm vocal harmonies, a contrasting bridge, and the key change that further elevates the energy and intensity.ย โMusic of My Heartโ was nominated for two Grammys (Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals and Best Song Written For A Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media) at the 42nd Annual GRAMMY Awards. Diane Warre was nominated for Best Original Song for a fifth timeโฆ and earned a fifth loss.ย
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11. Rick Ross, โMafia Musicโ
Deeper Than Rap // Def Jam // 2009
Grammy-nominated rapper Rick Ross made a bold assertion about the top in his song, โMafia Musicโ: โThe rumors turn me on, Iโm masturbatinโ at the top / These hoes so excited, so they catchinโ every drop.โ Deeper Than Rap, indeed, Rick. This is one of my favorite lyrics from Ross. โMafia Musicโ is a badass way to commence his third studio album released in 2009. In the lyric, Ross uses masturbation as a means of touting his status in the rap game. While we assume the hoes he speaks of are female, drinking his โsweet semenโ, we know that Ross has a sizable male following too. I dunno, is this a case of โNo Homoโ or does he care that his male following is โcatchinโ every dropโ too? Over-analysis, of course, and the greatness of the hook-less โMafia Music,โ sleekly produced by The Inkredibles and Lee Major isnโt solely shaped by a skeet reference.
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12. Wild Cherry, โPlay That Funky Musicโ
Wild Cherry // Sony // 1976ย
1976 delivered a surefire gem that still holds up to this day. Former no. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit โPlay That Funky Musicโ by Wild Cherry is five minutes of sheer glory. The key lyric highlights the race of the band: โPlay that funky music, white boy / Play the funky music right.โ Yes, Wild Cherry, is a white rock band playing disco, funk, and R&B, two styles associated with black musicians.โฏ It worked out well for them. According to an American Songwriter article, the band had to embrace disco out of necessity (โRock clubs were closing down and discos were opening upโ).โฏโฏย
โฏโOnce I was a boogie singerโฏย
Playing in a rock and roll bandโฏย
โฆ And I decided quickly, yes, I didโฏย
To disco down and check out the show.โโฏโฏย โฏย
Everything about โPlay That Funky Musicโ is fun, period.โฏ The infectious groove demands that you move your body โ itโs funky AF. The riffs from these white boys kick serious ass from the rhythmic guitar, looped, robust bass line, and the accented horns (especially baritone sax).โฏ As for the vocals (Rob Parissi), they are laden with personality; I love the playfulness of the performance, particularly on the chorus.โฏ Before the chorus, the pre-chorus is memorable as well:โฏโYeah, they were dancing and singingโฏย / And moving to the groovingโฏ/ And just when it hit meโฏ/ Somebody turned around and shoutedโฆโโฏโฏAlso, shout out the killer guitar solo.โฏWild Cherry had to tweak their style to survive, and it gave them the biggest hit of their career.โฏโPlay That Funky Musicโ gave them that once-in-a-lifetime, special hit.โฏ The band even earned two Grammy nominations, which is rad.โฏโฏย
ย
Appears in ๐ป:ย ย
- Wild Cherry, Play That Funky Music: Throwback Vibez ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ 13 (2021)
- Incredible Songs: 1970s, Vol. 2 (2023)ย
13. Arthur Conley, โSweet Soul Musicโ
Sweet Soul Music // Warner Music Group โ X5 Music Group // 1967
โDo you like good music? / Huh, that sweet soul music / Just as long as itโs swinginโ / Oh yeah, oh yeah.โโฏโSweet Soul Musicโ marked the first and biggest hit by soul musician and Otis Redding protรฉgรฉ, Arthur Conley (1946 โ 2003). How big was this ode to soul music? Well, the opener from his 1967 album, Sweet Soul Music, peaked at no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Epic!โฏ
โSweet Soul Music,โ penned by Conley, Redding, and Sam Cooke would be the sole top-10 pop cut for Conley.โฏ Notably, Cooke was deceased by the time โSweet Soul Musicโ arrived (he died in 1964).โฏ Cooke gets a writing credit thanks to a prominent interpolation of his song,โฏ โYeah Manโ (โDo you like good music? / Crazy โbout music / Any old music / Yeah, yeahโ).โฏโฏโฏย
โSweet Soul Musicโ is the ultimate tribute.โฏ Arthur Conley encourages dancing to the music โ โAh, going to a go-go.โโฏ He also spotlights marvelous musicians โโฏLou Rawls, Sam and Dave, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding (of course), and James Brown โ and in some cases, their respective, groundbreaking songs.โฏ A prime example: โSpotlight on Sam and Dave, yโall / Ah, donโt they look great, yโall / Singing, โHold On Iโm Comingโ / Oh yeah, oh yeah.โ Oh yeah, indeed! Thereโs no way you listen to the vintage โSweet Soul Musicโ and you donโt appreciate the great music that precedes, as well as the greatness of the song itself. โSweet Soul Musicโ is one of the giant soul songs of the 1960s, period.โฏ What better way to end 2023 than highlighting it!
Appears in ๐ป:โฏโฏย
- Arthur Conley, Sweet Soul Music: Throwback Vibez ๐ถ๏ธ๐ถ 196 (2023)โฏ
- 11 Songs That Are Incredibly Sweet, Vol. 3 (2024)โฏ
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13 Ill Songs with ๐ถ MUSIC ๐ถ in the Title (2024) [๐ท: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Boys Keep Swinging, Colm R. McGuinness, Columbia, Def Jam, Erskin, The Island Def Jam Music Group, Legacy Recordings, Mute Artists Ltd., NPG, Polydor Ltd., Sony, UMG Recordings, Inc., Warner, Zomba Recording LLC; Gordon Johnson, Mickey Mikolauskas, OpenClipart-Vectors, Paulo365, from Pixabay]
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