Future | 5ive Songs

1. Dua Lipa, “Future Nostalgia”

💿 Future Nostalgia • 🏷 Warner • 📅 2020

“You want the recipe, but can’t handle my sound / My sound, my sound (Future, future nostalgia).” From start to finish, 🏆 Grammy-winning English pop star 🎙 Dua Lipa is on autopilot on her sophomore album, 💿 Future Nostalgia.  She kicks things off with a bang on 🎵 “Future Nostalgia.”

“You want the recipe, but can’t handle my sound / My sound, my sound (future, future nostalgia).”  Dua Lipa is hella confident and super energetic on the title track.  She performs in an assertive, tongue-n-cheek, chanted style on the verses. On the chorus (partially excerpted above) she shows off her powerful pipes, in all their glory.

2. Billie Eilish, “My Future”

💿 “My Future” • 🏷 Darkroom / Interscope • 📅 2020

In the year of our lord, 2020, 🏆 Grammy-winning alternative pop musician 🎙 Billie Eilish dropped 🎵 “my future”. “My future” served up both familiarity and a couple new wrinkles. Eilish, known for her subtlety, continues in that vein, but comes off more optimistic compared to the past (“‘Cause I’m in love / with my future / Can’t wait to meet her…”). She remains hypnotic vocally; we’re drawn into every lyric and note.  That’s particularly notable on the first half of the song which is slow and indulgent.

Eilish shows her ability to deliver balladry without breaking a sweat. As always, 🎛 FINNEAS has her back from a production standpoint.  Perhaps the biggest surprise is the change of pace.  The addition of a sick groove and increased tempo is thoughtful and unexpected.

Also appears on 🔽:

🔗 🎧 Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy: August 2020

3. Justin Timberlake, “FutureSex/LoveSound”

💿 FutureSex/Love Sound• 🏷 Zomba • 📅 2006 

“She’s hopped up on me, I’ve got her in my zone / Her body’s pressed up on me, I think she’s ready to blow / Must be my future sex love sound…” Ah, allow us to turn back the 📅 calendar to 2006.  Picture it: 🏆 Grammy-winning pop musician, 🎙 Justin Timberake, returns with his highly anticipated sophomore album, 💿 FutureSex/LoveSound, a stark but welcome contrast to his big-time debut (💿 Justified).  The album is chocked-full of hits including its futuristic title track and opener, 🎵 “FutureSex/LoveSound.”  

Fittingly, Timberlake, 🎛 Danja, and 🎛 Timbaland drop up some of the sleekest, forward-thinking production of the aughts.  Electrifying beats and extraterrestrial synths lead the charge kicking some major ass.  Of course, Timberlake blesses the record with stellar vocals including a ripe, ultra-sexy falsetto.  Throw in catchy, memorable lyrics – particularly the chorus – and “FutureSex/LoveSound” remains potent in the 2020s.

4. Meghan Trainor, “Dear Future Husband”

💿 Title • 🏷 Epic • 📅 2015

“Dear future husband / If you wanna get that special loving / Tell me I’m beautiful each and every night.” On her full-length debut 💿 Title, more often than not, 🏆 Grammy-winner 🎙 Meghan Trainor checks off the boxes delivering a fun, svelte, retro pop/soul effort. 🎵 “Dear Future Husband” continues the throwback sound, appealing to pop and R&B bases.  Catchy, contextually, there’s no drop-off from the set’s most visible cut (🎵 “All About That Bass”).  “Dear Future Husband” even sports a key-change that 60s pop and soul was notable for.

Despite the ‘innocence’ and clean-cut sound of the record, it has been criticized, along with Trainor, for stereotyping female roles (“’Cause if you’ll treat me right, I’ll be the perfect wife / Buying groceries, buy-buying what you need”).  That said, the follow-up lyric might have you believe she’s more feminist than previously assumed 🤷 (“You got the 9 to 5, but baby, so do I / So don’t be thinkin’ I’ll be home and baking apple pies”).

5. Alabama Shakes, “Future People”

💿 Sound & Color • 🏷 ATO • 📅 2015

Alabama based alternative band 🎙 Alabama Shakes returned in 2015 with their 🏆 Grammy-winning sophomore album, 💿 Sound & Color.  Among the bright spots on Sound & Color was the record “Future People.”  “Future People” finds front woman 🎙 Brittany Howard hitting high notes and bestowing ample glory upon all who’ll partake. Among the most ‘sanctified’ moments of the song come by way of the edgy, in-your-face chorus.  The spirit of rock is definitely alive and well if this particular 2015 gem is any indication.

“Children
Take or leave it
Come, people
You got to give a little, get a little
And see it
Like future you people.”