Playlist “15 Songs That Reference Stars” features songs courtesy of Arctic Monkeys, Bazzi, and Kendrick Lamar & SZA, among others.  

Ah, star power can’t be denied! On our latest playlist that’s exactly what we serve up – star power! Sigh, after dropping 17 Songs Inspired by Outer Space…to an Extent at the end of May 2018, we return with “15 Songs That Reference Stars.”  The criteria is super simple – the song title must feature S-T-A-R.  Artists appearing on this list include Arctic Monkeys, Bazzi, and Kendrick Lamar & SZA, among others. Prepare to be all starry-eyed!

1. Arctic Monkeys, “Star Treatment”

Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino • Domino • 2018

The loungy vibes of Arctic Monkeys’ Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino commence with song number one, “Star Treatment.” Notably, “Star Treatment” features one of the album’s signature riffs, which just happens to trend jazzier (piano-based) than rock-oriented.  Lyrically, Alex Turner kicks things off with a bang: “I just wanted to be one of the Strokes.” He’s being honest. Throughout, Turner reminisces on the past (particularly the 70s), which is years prior to his existence (he was born in 1986).  While six minutes is an incredibly ambitious listen, particularly as the opener, Turner sounds terrific, singing with expression and passion, while the throwback production and vibes are incredible.  Early-on, the Leonard Cohen songwriting influence is perceptible.

2. Kendrick Lamar & SZA, “All the Stars”

Black Panther Music from and Inspired By • Interscope • 2018

“This may be the night that my dreams might let me know / All the stars are closer, all the stars are closer, all the stars are closer.” Kendrick Lamar and SZA shine on “All the Stars”, the stellar promo single from Black Panther Music from and Inspired By (Black Panther Soundtrack).  “All the Stars” has more of a pop, electro-driven urban sound.  Not necessarily what’s normally expected from either musician, ultimately, it works out magnificently.  Following the stellar chorus by SZA, Lamar delivers his awesome rhymes without a hitch.  SZA goes on to shine on her own verse.

3. Bazzi, “Star”

COSMIC • 2018

“I see it all now / You’re a star / I can see it all now / You look…” Bazzi (Andrew Bazzi) is a 20-year old, rising urban-pop artist from Michigan, now based in California.  His breakout moment comes by way of single, “Mine”.  But, we’re focusing on another excellent song from his debut album COSMIC, “Star.” “Star” features exuberant vocals by Bazzi – he’s young and chocked-full of confidence and swagger.  In addition to those shimmering pipes, Bazzi is lifted by bright, major key production that keeps things relatively simple.

“Like you straight out a movie
Naked in the jacuzzi
Stuntin’ like you Madonna
That beautiful persona.”

4. Lord Huron, “Emerald Star”

Vide Noir • Republic • 2018

Indie-rock collective Lord Huron makes a compelling return on their conceptual, third studio album, Vide Noir. Vide Noir translates roughly as empty black (black void). While there are individual songs that are enjoyable listens isolated from the album, Vide Noir is best examined as a whole given its conceptual nature. On the final cut, “Emerald Star,” set in a major key, there is resolution.  The protagonist (who at one point comes back from the dead during Vide Noir) realizes that the woman he loved “never loved me” and proclaims himself “a fool.” His realizations seem to be spot-on.  If you’re totally confused, well, you probably need to listen to the entire album, with lyrics in front of you preferably.

5. The Decemberists, “Starwatcher”

I’ll Be Your Girl • Capitol • 2018

“Starwatcher, starwatcher in the night… / Skywatcher, skywatcher rules the day…” Hmm, very interesting. Of “Starwatcher,” the fourth track from I’ll Be Your Girl, The Decemberists frontman Colin Meloy wrote on a reddit AMA:

“I think there are two figures — the starwatcher and the skywatcher and they’re both like wild psychedelic prophets looking in at our current predicament and not only signaling warning but also calling for resistance and hope!”

With Meloy being the singer and the songwriter, who can argue with him? The dramatic, pummeling drums and overall production, as well as the lyrics back up his assessment of his work.

“There are figures on the shore
At the laundromat, they’re whispering of war
There’s a lady on the stair
All a-shambling with thistles in her hair
Singing: hold, hold, hold your ground.”

6. Knox Fortune, “Stars”

Paradise • Knox Fortune • 2017

“You could be a star / You could be so much bigger than that / You could see the planet, but I guess it’s not in your plans yet.” Rising twenty-something Chi-town singer-producer Knox Fortune earned a spot on 100 Best Songs of 2017 playlist thanks to his psychedelic-tinged gem, “Lil Thing.” The best way to characterize Fortune stylistically is alternative.  His alternative characterization is confirmed on “Stars,” the exuberant, tripped-out fourth track from his debut album, Paradise.  Will “Stars” be for everybody? No… in fact, there’s a lot of “no’s” in the song, but it’s certainly ‘one of a kind.’

7. BROCKHAMPTON, “Star”

SATURATION • QUESTION EVERYTHING, INC. / EMPIRE • 2017

“I might go interstellar, I feel like Matthew McConaughey.” Woo! Multi-member rap collective BROCKHAMPTON are electric on “Star,” a single from album SATURATION.  Interestingly, the collective dropped a total of three albums in 2017 – SATURATION, SATURATION II, and SATURATION III.  Only three members rap on this hook-less juggernaut: Dom McLennon, Ameer Vann (now kicked out of the band), and Kevin Abstract.  While Dom slays with the aforementioned opening lyric, Abstract shines with his Shawn Mendes reference: “Bruh, I don’t f*ck with no white boys ‘less the n***a Shawn Mendes.”

8. Starset, “Starlight”

Vessels • Razor & Tie • 2017

“I don’t know what to say / But I’m going to want you till the stars evaporate / We’re only here for just a moment in the light / One day it shines for us the next we’re in the night.” On the cinematic “Starlight,” it’s clear that Dustin Bates, the frontman of Ohio rock band Starset, is singing about relationship that is fading.  At least, that seems to be what he’s getting at, with some nerdy, outer space references thrown in. As the distance between him and his girlfriend grows, he urges her, “Show me your starlight and pull me through / Don’t leave me lost here forever…/Bring me back to you.”

9. Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone, “City of Stars”

La La Land (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) • Interscope • 2016

“City of stars / Are you shining just for me? / City of stars / There’s so much that I can’t see.” “City of Stars” doesn’t need much (if any) explanation.  Simply put, this is the centerpiece of the Academy-Award-winning film, La La Land (NOTE: Moonlight won Best Picture).  This is the Justin Hurwitz song that drew the most accolades.  It is simple, yet hypnotic and moving at the same time. Ryan Gosling (Sebastian) and Emma Stone (Mia), deliver a magical performance.  To quote Lady Gaga, “Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I can say)”.

10. The Weeknd, “Starboy”

Ft. Daft Punk

Starboy • Republic • 2016

“Starboy” featuring Daft Punk, kicks off Starboy sensationally. The Weeknd flaunts his high-pitched voice in all its distinctive, beautiful glory. Even so, he packs a punch with his toughness, referencing cocaine and being profane, most notably on the chorus (“Look what you’ve done / I’m a motherf*ckin’ starboy”). He flexes throughout the course of the record, including bragging about his “All red Lamb’” – Lamb being short for Lamborghini of course! Beyond the lyrics, “Starboy” is superbly produced.  After opening with tone-setting distortion, a respectable groove anchors “Starboy” down.  The overall sound is urban, but there’s enough pop cues to give The Weeknd crossover success.  Ultimately, it’s a catchy, well-produced record oozing in swag.

11. Alessia Cara, “Stars”

Know-It-All • Def Jam • 2015

“Stars” isn’t the most thrilling song from Know-It-All, the debut album from Grammy-winning pop musician Alessia Cara.  Nonetheless, like everything else on the album, it’s incredibly relatable.  Cara is yearning for a relationship that you feel could be great.  Often, it’s that sense of having “stars in your eyes.” In this case, Cara thinks her and her potential lover “could be stars.”

12. Logic, “City of Stars”

The Incredible True Story • Def Jam • 2015

“I know that I’ve been living / In the city of stars, where there’s flying cars / A brand new home for everyone and even life on Mars.” Okay… Sebastian and Mia – Ryan Gosling and Emma Roberts – aren’t the only ones singing about the “City of Stars.” Prior to La La Land, Logic dropped his own “City of Stars” on his sophomore album, The Incredible True Story. “City of Stars” is a lushly produced, mostly sung record.  According to a tweet by the MC, he is breaking up with the preconceived notions of what hip-hop should be. It’s not all singing though – by the end of the lengthy number, he’s a rapping machine once again.  Notably, he references being biracial on the third verse.

13. August Alsina, “Porn Star”

Testimony • Def Jam • 2014

“She ride me like a porn star, she ride me like a porn star / She ride me like a pro she did this shit before.” Grammy-winning alternative collective Arcade Fire make a valid point on “Porno” (Reflektor) about the problems with porn culture in young men.  R&B standout August Alsina has no such message, focusing on what his girlfriend can and does ‘do’ to him.  She’s no porn star, but from his perspective, that’s how she performs. To his credit, he portrays her in a position of power.

“She ride it like she never gonna ride this dick again
She thinking like a G and she ain't never giving in
She ride it in the back of my car, on the bar
On the stash, on the bed, she ain't scared cause.”

14. OneRepublic, “Counting Stars”

Native • Interscope • 2014

“Lately, I’ve been, I’ve been losing sleep / Dreaming about the things we could be / But baby, I’ve been, I’ve been praying hard / Said no more counting dollars / We’ll be counting stars.” OneRepublic has a knack for incredibly catchy, surefire hits.  It all started ‘back in the day’ with “Apologize”, which first appeared on the Timbaland album, Shock Value.  Since then, Ryan Tedder and company have been ‘on fire,’ even if their albums were less celebrated than the singles.  One of the best hits of their career is “Counting Stars,” which hails from their 2014 album, Native.  The aforementioned chorus is easily recognizable.

15. My Darkest Days, “Porn Star Dancing”

Ft. Zakk Wylde / Ludacris

My Darkest Days • Island • 2010

“She wraps those hands around that pole / She licks those lips and off we go / She takes it off nice and slow / Because that’s porn star dancin’.” The adult entertainment is real on “Porn Star Dancing.” My Darkest Days aren’t shy describing her naughty antics. Ludacris is definitely ‘turned on’ on the bonus track version.

“‘Cause she a stone cold stunna, hotta than the summer
When she step up in the club, every man and woman want her
She make me wanna get a stripper pole up in my home
‘Cause her porn star dancin’ got me in the zone!”

Again, quoting Lady Gaga – “Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I can say)”.

Photo Credits: Atlantic, Capitol, Def Jam, Domino, EMPIRE, Interscope, Island, Knox Fortune, Question Everything, Republic