LaMusicJunkie

Tag: panic at the disco

  • 10 Hit Songs That Made 2016 Great 

    10 Hit Songs That Made 2016 Great 

    Have you ever heard a song that just won’t get out of your brain? You try to get rid of it but it just won’t budge. Like that earworm in Spongebob Squarepants.

    The only way to survive is to listen and sing it every other minute until it drives you and others crazy. People at this point tend to call you obsessed.

    Well, I am not ashamed to say it. I was obsessed in 2016. With not one, or three, but ten different songs. The best part is they were all ear-catching in their unique way.

    Let’s take a walk down memory lane. Here are 10 songs that made 2016 great (again).

    1. Adventure Of A Lifetime

    This was the first single off Coldplay’s seventh album A Head Full of Dreams. And it blew my socks away. From the well-choreographed apes to the old-school disco sound, it was that feel-good song that made you wanna stand up and dance.
    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtXby3twMmI]

    2. Death Of A Bachelor

    Panic! at the Disco, please come and receive your award for the most addictive song of 206. I seriously thought I was going crazy as I couldn’t go a day without listening to or singing this song in my head.
    P.S. Hunky Brendon Urie is unconditionally bae.
    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R03cqGg40GU]

    3. Down In The DM

    Most ratchet song of 2016, no? Even though you are a saint and the complete opposite of player, you couldn’t help but jam to this catchy song and hilarious video by Yo Gotti.
    It truly goes down in the DM.
    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXSpXO4N-tI]

    4. Stressed Out

    This unexpected hit song reminded the world that an American rock duo called Twenty One Pilots exists. And not every artist sings about the same old love themes we hear on the radio.

    Stressed Out has a message that most of us newly recruited adults can seriously relate to. Growing up is hard!

    It even compelled some of us to listen to their glorious album Blurryface.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXRviuL6vMY]

    5. Back To Sleep

    This was probably the sexiest song of the year. It was a winner with the old school vibe that Chris Brown stuck to in his 2015 Royalty album, and the seductive lyrics to top it off.

    I bet many lovers had fun with this sultry song.
    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQLuhelCaDQ?rel=0]

    6. Hold Up

    During my first watch of the 2016 visual album Lemonade, I knew this was a great song. And it still is.

    The slow tempo beat – a unique fusion of R&B and Caribbean – brings the focus to Queen Bey’s raspy voice and heartfelt lyrics. And the part she does a short Countdown preview just kills it. “Hold Up” is no doubt my favourite song off her sixth album. I even did a short cover of it.

    Her favourite is “All Night”, understandably.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeonBmeFR8o?rel=0]

    It’s true Bey, they don’t love you like I love you.

    7. Wherever I Go

    This was the 2016 comeback song of one of the coolest bands on the planet. There was a time I was convinced “Wherever I Go” was the song of the year, just by how obsessed I was by this lively song and video by OneRepublic. It definitely wins song of the summer for me.
    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXWrjWDQh7Q?rel=0]

    No easy love could ever make me feel the same.

    8. I Remember

    2016 was also the year of AlunaGeorge. The UK duo released hit after hit song that played all over the world, but I Remember – the title track of their sophomore album – was my favourite of all of them.

    Is it Aluna’s sweet mellow voice? Flume’s beautiful beats? Or the relatable lyrics? Maybe it’s all of the above.

    If you ever need a song to remind you of a past love, this is it.
    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCSpXp8s2Qo?rel=0]

    9. Feeling Irie

    Yup, LaMusicJunkie went rasta this year, with the help of Jamaican singer Jah9. She even came all the way to Nairobi Kenya in September to perform her conscious reggae music. This particular song makes you feel all kinds of irie inside (that means better than good).
    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4cewEb8x2Y?rel=0]

    * Books next flight to Jamaica *

    10. Never Be Like You

    Flume showed the world why we need to pay attention to his experimental music. 2016 will be remembered as the year the Australian producer broke out with his first single featuring Canadian singer Kai. This song is enchanting in so many ways, I suspect some drugs may have been slipped into it.
    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KPnyf8vwXI?rel=0]

     

    Now, which of these 2016 hit songs won’t get out of your brain?

  • Death Of A Bachelor

    Death Of A Bachelor

    I’m about to do something I have never done before. It’s strange and new to me. Will I do a good job, I don’t know. But I sure hope so.

    This is my first time doing an album review, and I really want to be special. Get some dark Belgian chocolate and some sweet French wine. With Marvin Gaye playing  in the background, you know? And of course my first time has to be with someone I truly adore. A band I adore, that is. So here it is, give it up for none other than…

    PANIC! AT THE DISCO

    *applause*

    Why won’t Lady Gaga applaud, gaddamit.

    So who is Panic! at the Disco? And why on earth did they pick such a peculiar name? Well Panic! is your typical American pop punk band, just like Fall Out Boy. Has a lead singer, a bassist, a guitarist, a drummer… oh wait, it actually has only one member. That’s the frontman and lead vocalist of the band, Brendon Urie. What happened to the other members you ask? I’ll tell you about that later. But I don’t think it’s because they hated Brendon. Is that even possible?

    Not so much of your average rock band now.

    Before we get into their new album, let me give you a bit of our history. I first bumped into Panic! through their 2015 release Victorious. One day I saw its video on YouTube and since I like discovering new music, I went ahead and watched it. After Victorious, I began checking out their other music videos that were surprisingly creepy and weird. I simply couldn’t understand half of what Brendon was saying. It’s like he was singing in a different language that resembles English.

    Then one day I found a “Teens react to Panic at the disco” video on YouTube that answered many of my questions. From the 4 minutes, I got to learn so much more about the band and its music. One hardcore fan praised Brendon for having the voice of a god. And that he has one of the widest vocal ranges ever -he hits the high notes just as well as the low ones. Now I don’t think I’ve heard a god sing, but I was willing to find out.

    Soon after I also discovered that he was popular Viner as documented in this vine compilation. From his hilarious Vines, I learnt that he’s a dog person, can imitate a hardcore rock artiste, and he raps too. I think that is the exact moment that my crush began. The only unfortunate fact about him, is that he has a wife. But married or not, it is highly unlikely we would ever date so allow me to crush, kay?

    brendon
    Just look at him!

     

    Panic! started as a four-man band in 2004, and they have released five albums. One interesting fact about them is that each album has a different sound from the last. However, their evolving musical style is also responsible for the departure of the other members over the years.

    Death Of A Bachelor is the band’s fifth and latest album – and the first one that Brendon did as a solo act. Released in early 2016, it’s the band’s first album to ever hit no 1 on Billboard 200 albums (take that former bandmates). The 28 year old co-wrote all the songs, and played most of the instruments in the album too. Mahn, maybe this is a god.

    When I learnt of their his new album, I wasted no time in getting it. Woke up one day and listened to it in the morning bus. The album is a grand mixture of rock and jazz that starts off with the triumphant single “Victorious”.  It includes mellow songs like “House of Memories” as well as loud ones like “Emperor’s New Clothes”. In the 11 tracks, he sings about crazy parties and lost relationships in his usual deep complicated lyrics. This album basically signifies his departure from the single life as a bachelor.

    For the first Panic! album I listened to, I was thoroughly impressed by the powerful instrumentation and Brendon’s vocal talent. It is true entertainment for any rock fan. The album perfectly ends softly with “Impossible Year”, a ballad that seems to thank you for listening, as well as saying goodbye.

    In my first listen -because I have heard it one too many times- I immediately identified my favorites, ” Victorious” being one of them. The gospel like “Hallelujah” also took a spot in my little heart. But don’t be fooled, this song has little do with the Gospel. And of course the title track, which has to be my favorite song in the album. Let me tell you why.

    Death of a Bachelor takes me back to the 50s, to an era in which I did not even exist. All from it’s amazing instrument-filled production to Urie’s rich flamboyant voice. You might think he a reincarnated Frank Sinatra. If you don’t know who Sinatra is, well he was a great American singer and actor who ruled the 1900s with his immense talent. He made a lot of jazz music that I still enjoy to date. And Brendon is a such a huge fan that the song was inspired by him. And Beyonce too.

    I have to admit this is one of the most addicting songs I have ever listened to. There was a time I was so addicted that I could not go a day without listening to it. Not just once, but at least five times. It was the first song I listened to when I woke up, and the last one before I fell asleep. As it would turn out I wasn’t alone.

    According to YouTube comments under the video, other fans were going through the same thing. And so I let my unhealthy obsession run its course, even though it felt like it would never end. Every time the song came to mind I just had to sing it out loud or replay the song, otherwise I might have gone mad. Don’t worry I am okay now, fully recovered without the help of therapy. But if you play this song in front of me today, I will still sing loudly word to word, from start to finish.

    Being my favorite single, I just have to share it with you guys. It  has a black and white video (how classy) in which the rockstar performs all alone on a stage with no audience. Except for the camera guys of course. It’s as if he’s saying “I don’t need them to be great. I’m already a star!”

    Then the he starts off the Sinatra-like masterpiece with “Do I look lonely? I see the shadows on my face…”. No Brendon. You look hot! (suppresses the fan girl in me).

    And when you finally get addicted to Death of a Bachelor let me know, kay?

    So ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the stage, the one, the only … Brendon Urie!

     

    Err,  I mean…. PANIC! AT THE DISCO

     

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R03cqGg40GU]

     

     

  • Music videos that simply Rock

    Music videos that simply Rock

    Did you know that rock songs have some of the most interesting music videos? Yup, it’s true. Maybe it’s to do with their rebellious nature since artistes have the freedom to express themselves in whatever way they wish to. I guess that is why rock music isn’t quite mainstream. Fortunately some of these songs make their way to the public and became instant hits.

    It’s no secret that I love rock music. But of late, my love for the genre has been renewed thanks to the fantastic songs that were released in 2015. Most of them were alternative rock, some were fun, while others had a message. And thanks to YouTube, we can enjoy their brilliant videos too.

    So here it is, a list of music videos that rocked 2015 and still do.

     

    “Renegades” by X Ambassadors

    Renegades is the very first successful single of the American rock band from their debut album VHS. Just like the song, the video is beautiful as it shows people with disabilities overcoming challenges and doing things you wouldn’t think they could. The message is clear, disability doesn’t stop people from going after their dreams.

    This touching video was actually inspired by the band’s pianist Casey Harris who is blind from birth. It’s deep, and that’s why it rocks.
    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u-niluB8HI?]

     

    “Victorious” by Panic! at the Disco

    This is the song that’s responsible for introducing me to my favorite rock band right now, Panic! at the Disco. Its video has quite an interesting concept; to celebrate all kinds of the victories whether big or small.

    This is one of the most entertaining rock videos I have ever watched.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUChk0lxF44?]

     

    “Irresistible” by Fall Out Boy

    Irresistible is the third single from Fall Out Boy’s album American Beauty/American Psycho. Personally, I prefer the remix featuring Demi Lovato to the original. But this particular video takes the cake with its incredibly cheesy humour.

    To be honest with you, it is quite irresistible.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8BGAYXNW74?]

     

    “New Americana” by Halsey

    New Americana has more of an alternative pop sound. However, it is by the rebel herself Halsey. The song comes from her 2015 debut album Badlands and talks about the new American generation which is ‘high on legal marijuana’. Perfect vibe for the 21-year old singer with blue hair who refuses to dress like a typical girl.

    The video itself looks like a cut from The Hunger Games or the TV series The 100. It is empowering and fierce, and that’s why it deserves to be on this list.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-eYbUVZedY]

     

    “SHUT UP + DANCE” by Walk The Moon

    Shut Up and Dance is undoubtedly one of the 2015’s dance anthems. It is also the biggest single (yet) of American rock band Walk The Moon from their second album Talking Is Hard.

    This hit song was actually inspired by the lead singer’s girlfriend who invited him to dance one day in an LA nightclub. And the rest as they say, is success history.

    What more can I say about this fun and colourful video? Nothing really. So lemme just shut up and dance!

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JCLY0Rlx6Q]

     

    Let’s hope that 2016 will also be a year filled with more great rock music because I just can’t get enough. In the meantime, allow me to listen to my current rock song obsession, for the fifth time today.