Author: Abby Graham
In February, I’m making it a goal to listen to new music. Once a week, I want to introduce both of us to new music and artists I’ve been loving lately. But before we start that, we have to take a dive into what I currently love and listen to. So, I’ve made a playlist full of my current top ten songs. Keep reading, because at the end I’ll be giving you a sneak peek of the artists I’m delving into—which will include interviews, concert reviews, and more!
Here is the playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2gUR1F4L6YwEh5xtEQYvxP?si=fyk9NqDyQBCt0N0ZC4x-6A
LDN – Lily Allen
First of all, I am in love with this woman. Lily Allen has been someone I’ve looked up to since I was a child. You may know her songs “Smile,” “Fck You,” or “Pssy Palace,” but I know her on a deeper, more spiritual level. I know her in a “my mom loved her music and always played it in the car and sang along, so I formed an unhealthy emotional connection to her music” way.
“LDN” (short for London) is from Allen’s 2006 album Alright, Still. The song has a fun-loving, light, airy beat while the lyrics are the complete opposite. It’s about Allen’s life in London and recounts the reality of city life. “When you look with your eyes, everything seems nice, but if you look twice, you can see it’s all lies,” she sings, highlighting how living in the city is often idealized and romanticized.
I hold this song near and dear and definitely hum it while walking around Seattle—because everyone wants to live here (including me), and then you get here and you’re like, “oh… this isn’t what I thought…?” Yet, as Lily Allen says, “why, oh why would I wanna be anywhere else?”
Hypnotize – XG
My girls. XG is one of the only groups/artists that truly has no skips. Every song eats, every performance eats—everything about them is just so cool. XG is also kind of an enigma: they’re signed to a K-pop company under a Japanese subsection, XGALX; all the members are Japanese; and all of their music is in English.
“Hypnotize” was just released on January 23rd (which is crazy because it’s only a little over a week old and already in my top ten). The song has a soundscape, house-beat feel, with heavy piano usage and a futuristic edge that translates well into house music vibes. “Cut the compliments, that’s just common sense, so watch me hypnotize you with my eyes, make you fantasize about me tonight,” which clearly gives girl-boss energy. BUT don’t let that fool you—this is also just a great dance song. It gives Fifth Harmony meets Camila Cabello energy. No shade to Fourth Harmony, lowkey.
Sue Me – Audrey Hobert
This song is currently on every white girl’s top ten—including mine. It’s truly the epitome of being a teen girl, but lowkey as an adult. The song screams, “I wasn’t very popular as a kid and now I’m upset about it,” and that’s exactly why I love it.
It has strong teen-pop vibes—like it belongs on the soundtrack of a middle school coming-of-age movie. The catchy, repetitive chorus (“sue me, I wanna be wanted”) sums up the entire meaning: sorry I’m not what you want, but I still deserve to be loved. PERIOD.
Cherry – Rina Sawayama
This song is beautiful. Before I even get into it, let’s take a moment to praise Rina Sawayama. She’s a deeply political artist who has spoken out against my enemy, Matty Healy, and his racist and misogynistic comments toward fans. She also writes about being part of the LGBTQ+ and Asian communities through subtle analogies and metaphors in her music.
“Cherry” (or mon chérie, meaning “my love” in French) is about falling in love with a woman at a subway station. This song was especially impactful because it was how she publicly announced that she is pansexual. To me, the song has a dreamy, coffee-shop feel—it makes me feel like I’m floating. It’s the reason this song has stayed in my top ten for nearly three months. It simply does not age.
1950 – King Princess
Another lesbian anthem! If you don’t know King Princess, get out right meow. In ten years, my kids will ask me why I only listen to King Princess, and this song will be the reason why. She is to me what P!NK is to cigarette moms.
“1950” is inspired by the movie Carol, which portrays a queer relationship during a time when being openly gay was considered a sin. The lyric “I hate it when dudes try to chase me, but I love it when you try to save me” works as a double entendre—loving someone so deeply that you want to be public, but being terrified because the relationship invites hate and harassment due to identity. The song has an 80s rom-com feel, kind of like Paul Anka if he were gay.
Squabble Up – Kendrick Lamar
Who doesn’t love Kendrick Lamar? Every week, without fail, I become obsessed with a new Kendrick song—and this week, it’s “Squabble Up.” The loop-based rhythm hypes me up and makes me want to join a boxing club.
Kendrick is one of those artists who forces you to confront the meaning of a song rather than just vibe to it. GNX as a whole is an incredible album—not only a political masterpiece, but also nominated for Album of the Year at this year’s Grammys (or, as some—me—might say, the “Scammys”). Not that awards determine quality, but it shows the impact this album has had. He got y’all to vibe and listen. AND—he did it while setting fashion trends (#SuperBowlJeans).
Talkin’ Bout a Revolution – Tracy Chapman
Okay, I promise I’ll stop glazing music… after this song. Tracy Chapman is another artist I grew up with, and I truly adore her. I know I’ve said I love artists before, but this one is the real deal—I promise.
Released in 1988 on her self-titled album Tracy Chapman, this song centers the voices of poor and marginalized people, showing how systemic inequality fuels a quiet but growing demand for economic and social justice. It has a folksy feel—kind of like Noah Kahan meets Marvin Gaye. Beautiful. Amazing. Tracy Chapman, I miss you. Come over, please.
Happily – One Direction
Okay, humor me for a moment—it’s One Direction. If you’ve ever heard one of my radio shows, you know I talk about them constantly. Midnight Memories was released on my birthday, which means they literally released it for me in 2013.
I still remember listening to this song through my iPod headphones while riding the bus to school. I honestly can’t even tell you what it’s about because I have such a parasocial relationship with my friend Louis Tomlinson that this song is just vibes to me. It was written by Harry Styles, Carl Falk, and Savan Kotecha, which makes me sad because Harry’s new music will never hit like this. #sorrynotsorry #LarryStylinson
Couldn’t Make It Any Harder – Sabrina Carpenter
This photo speaks for everything I feel about this song. No, I will not be explaining further. Barry Keoghan is trash, and this photo makes him look like a Korn Bratz baby (derogatory).
Nerdy Love – pH-1, Yerin Baek
Okay, my ex introduced me to this song—but just because he was awful doesn’t mean this song is. It has a warm, cutesy, lighthearted vibe, like a crush that makes everyday moments feel exciting. Lyrically, it’s about loving someone in an unapologetically “nerdy” way and choosing sincerity over trying to seem cool.
The song blends rap, pop-rap, and R&B, with a collaborative vocal performance from Yerin Baek. The lyric “If you can’t stop being you, I’ll just be a nerd for you too” perfectly captures the idea that being nonchalant is NOT cool anymore. You hear that, men? Stop being nonchalant. The only person you’re impressing is another dude.
These are my top ten! I know I did a lot of glazing, but trust me—you haven’t seen anything yet until you read the article I wrote about ATEEZ. In February, I’ll be posting tons of blogs, concert reviews, and album reviews. I hope you don’t get annoyed with me, because I have three concerts, two events, and multiple album releases lined up this month. So get ready to be introduced to your new favorite song.
Abby Graham | Digital Media Director