Happy Music Monday Muses! Give yourself a hand for getting through the first week of 2024. I always find the first week and sometimes the month of January as a whole, pretty weird. You’re technically out of the previous year but not necessarily settled into the new year yet. Speaking of the previous year, if you missed my blog on my favorite songs of 2023, you can check it out here and listen on Spotify here.
This week on the blog, our playlist revolves around some recent releases and some releases back in last year that I forgot. It’s nowhere near as long as my playlist last week and for that I’m sure is good. *insert laugh track here*
Let’s dive into this week’s playlist and talk a bit about who’s here.
- “Sensational” by Chris Brown featuring Davido and Lojay
- “Moonlight” by Arin Ray
- “Not My Fault” by Renee Rapp featuring Megan thee Stallion
- “Smoke Break-Dance” by Mick Jenkins featuring JID
- “Another life” by PinkPantheress featuring Rema
- “Hang Me Out to Dry” by Kyle Dion
- “La Perla” by Eric Bellinger featuring B HAM and Corey Cooper
- “A Change Is Gonna Come – Live” by T-Pain
- “Surround Sound” by JID featuring 21 Savage and Baby Tate
- “Violet” by Majid Jordan
- “Dance the Night” by Dua Lipa
- “Show & Tell” by Mick Jenkins featuring Freddie Gibbs
- “LOW TIDE” by DESTIN CONRAD
- “Tummy Hurts – Remix” by Renee Rapp featuring Coco Jones
- “That’s You” by Lucky Daye
- “Dreams, Fairytales, Fantasies” by A$AP Ferg featuring Brent Faiyaz and Salaam Remi
- “You Thought” by Teezo Touchdown featuring Janelle Monae
- “Good Good” by Usher featuring Summer Walker and 21 Savage
- “Can’t Wait” by Doja Cat
- “Tandem” by Terrace Martin, Gallant, and sneek
- “Never Too Much – Live” by T-Pain
- “Breathe” by Dinner Party featuring Arin Ray
- “2 Step in the Living Room” by Terrace Martin and Alex Isley
- “Paper Cuts” by Bas featuring J. Cole
- “Get Close” by Ari Lennox
- “Diamonds” by Bas
- “Insane” by Dinner Party featuring Ant Clemons
- “Another One of Me” by Diddy featuring The Weeknd, French Montana, and 21 Savage
- “Never Lose Me” by Flo Milli featuring Bryson Tiller
- “TANTRUM!” by DESTIN CONRAD
I am always a sucker for a good playlist. This is proven. This playlist in my opinion is pretty balanced. There’s a mix of different genres but also in a way, I feel like they complement them in a way that all the songs belong.
Some notes about the artists this week:
- As you can see Terrace Martin appears multiple times on this list, between himself and together with one of his groups called Dinner Party. I feel like Terrace Martin is an artist that is criminally underrated. He has a sound that in my opinion merges a couple of different genres together extremely well. He also has this ability to make sure whatever artists he collabs with are complimented by the choice of song they are collabing on. This is something truly special.
- To be honest with ya’ll, I had no idea Renee Rapp was a talented vocalist until all this stir around Mean Girls: The Musical. I first heard her sing during Dick Clark’s Rockin Eve in which she performed her remix to “Tummy Hurts” with Coco Jones. I intend to give her album, Snow Angel, a proper listen.
- Bas is an artist I’ve been listening to for years and I didn’t even know he dropped an album, We Only Talk About Real Shit When We’re Fucked Up. Everything I’ve heard from the album, I’ve liked and feel like I’ve done my ears a disservice for not knowing about sooner.
- I don’t know how I managed to miss the Usher x Summer Walker x 21 Savage collab! It’s a good banger. It also makes me think of what songs Usher is going to perform as the Super Bowl Halftime performer next month.
- Listening to to “Another One of Me,” has me thinking, is this really The Weeknd’s last collaboration of his career? If so, I’m kind of sad about it. It’s a great song, don’t get me wrong. However, I would miss him collabing with Ariana Grande and Doja Cat as well. I also wanted to see him collaborate with 6LACK. I’m sure there’s other collabs I’d want too but that’s the biggest one I’m thinking of right now.
In addition to our main playlist, I also have a little D-Sides for ya’ll this week as well. Our D-Sides is dedicated to my beautiful daughter, Reyna, who turns two months this week. These are songs that she kicked to consistently to when she was in the womb. She also becomes our youngest playlist curator on the blog.
Here’s the tracklist:
- “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye
- “Doo Wop (That Thing)” by Unwrapped
- “Love Music” by Earth, Wind, & Fire
- “Tainted” by Unwrapped
- “When You Smiled At Me” by Michael Franks
- “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See” by Unwrapped
- “Love’s Train” by Silk Sonic
- “Since I Have A Lover” by 6LACK
- “Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder
- “Rock With You” by Michael Jackson
- “For The Love of You, Pts. 1 & 2” by The Isley Brothers
- “We Might Even Be Falling In Love” by Victoria Monet and Bryson Tiller
- “Save the Overtime (For Me)” by Gladys Knight & The Pips
- “Half Time” by Amy Winehouse
- “My Cherie Amour” by Stevie Wonder
- “Best Friends, Right?” by Amy Winehouse
It was one thing feeling her kick to songs in the womb, it’s a whole other thing to see her eyes light up or smile when she hears these songs now outside of the womb.
Before I sign off, I also have some music news!
- The Internet is in the studio together. Their last album release from them came in 2018 with the album, Hive Mind.
- I will be covering Music’s Biggest Night, The Grammy’s as they air live on CBS on February 4th. You can follow me on Twitter for my live reaction and stay tuned here on the blog as well for content.
- The Weeknd’s Dawn FM album turned two this past Sunday. Check out the Amazon Music release party from that night.
- Kid Cudi’s newest album, Insano, drops this Friday.
- Also releasing this Friday are new singles from Ariana Grande (“yes, and?) and Lil Nas X, along with the soundtrack for Mean Girls: The Musical.
- Tinashe is taking her album, BB/ANG3L, on tour starting in Atlanta on January 31st.
- The K-Pop group, IVE, will be releasing their first English single, “All Night,” on January 18th featuring Saweetie.
- Kyle Dion is dropping a new EP, If My Jeans Could Talk, on January 19th.
- The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival lineup has been released! The festival goes from June 13th thru June 16th. The headliners are Pretty Lights, Fisher, Post Malone, Red Hot Chili Peppers, & Fred Again. Pre-Sale starts tomorrow. The annual music festival takes place in Manchester, Tennessee.
- The lineup for Hangout Fest has been released as well with Zach Bryan, Lana Del Rey, & Odesza headlining. The festival wil go from May 17th thru 19th. Pre-Sale starts Friday.
- It’s been announced that Doja Cat, Lana Del Rey, & Tyler, the Creator will be the headliners for Coachella in April.
What’s your favorite song from either playlist? Let me know! I’m sorry the blog was late but it’s worth it!
Musically yours,
Links:
+ Listen: The Muse Mixx Vol. 2 on Spotify
+ Listen: The Muse Mixx Vol. 2 on YouTube
+ Listen: The Muse Mixx Vol. 2 on Apple Music
+ Listen: The D-Sides on Spotify
+ Listen: The D-Sides on YouTube