#f2f › taylor swift .

[sophiebelindasx]

my sweet beautiful taylor, i'm so fucking happy you came out tonight. feel like i haven't gotten the chance to really thank you for being the best shoulder to lean on and just generally being the motherfucking queen. dragging you to the dessert table with me and pestering you for all the updates about your life. i've missed you so. / @tylrswfts

[alwaysin-l0v3]

@taylorswift @taylornation

[tobheath]

"I'd say I'm surprised to see you, but... considering you've taken over the world and are everywhere these days, kinda hard to do." Drink in hand, Tobin absently readjusted the lime sitting on the edge of her rim as she smiled up at the blonde. "You enjoying some time off after that super successful tour of yours?" // @tayalisonswifty

[poguestarkey]

playlist - t.nott

just the songs i have on my theo playlist for when i'm feeling really delulu (i.e. all the time)

-----

take me to church - hozier

pumped up kicks - foster the people

hayloft - mother mother

daddy issues - the neighbourhood

open arms - sza & travis scott

sweater weather - the neighbourhood

into it - chase atlantic

lovely - billie eilish & khalid

my boy - billie eilish

bad guy - billie eilish

kiwi - harry styles

woman - harry styles

far - sza

lust for life - lana del rey & the weeknd

the hills - the weeknd

video games - lana del rey

put your head on my shoulder - paul anka

laughing on the outside - bernadette carroll

swim - chase atlantic

or nah - ty dolla $ign, the weeknd & dj mustard

why'd you only call me when you're high - arctic monkeys

desperado - rihanna

only angel - harry styles

burning pile - mother mother

training wheels - melanie martinez

mr. loverman - ricky montgomery

smells like teen spirit - nirvana

nobody gets me - sza

cigarette daydreams - cage the elephant

all i wanted - paramore

pluto projector - rex orange county

when the party's over - billie eilish

you get me so high - the neighbourhood

idfc - blackbear

slow down - chase atlantic

don't blame me - taylor swift

another one bites the dust - queen

matilda - harry styles

castles crumbling - taylor swift & hayley williams

love is embarrassing - olivia rodrigo

i wanna be your girlfriend - girl in red

brooklyn baby - lana del rey

friends - chase atlantic

bellyache - billie eilish

bitches broken hearts - billie eilish

moral of the story - ashe

young and beautiful - lana del rey

happier than ever - billie eilish

labyrinth - taylor swift

i wanna be yours - arctic monkeys

kill bill - sza

f2f - sza

la di die - nessa barrett & jxdn

dazed & confused - ruel

i still do - why don't we

look at me - why don't we

lovebomb - nessa barrett

[billsfangearring]

Song Poll

Thanks for the tag, @allalrightagain <3

Put your Spotify library (or app of choice) on shuffle and put the first 5 or 10 songs in a poll so people can vote on which one they like the most:

…fascinating.

Tagging: @mblematic, @consistentsquash, @tahtahfornow, @broomsticks, @everythingbutcoldfire

[jlf23tumble]

@alienfuckeronmain, love it when you tag me!

Rules: shuffle your on repeat playlist and post the first 10 tracks, then tag 10 people

The Less I Know, the Better - Tame Impala ("Come on superman, say your stupid line," it gets me every time!)

F2F - SZA (song of the (last) year for me!)

Vampire - Olivia Rodrigo (it's not about Taylor Swift, you guys!)

New Romantics - Taylor Swift (eternally bummed this wasn't at my show, but forever indebted to live rips)

Sweatpants - Childish Gambino (this entire album, soundtrack to last month's roadtrip)

Joy'All - Jenny Lewis (underrated song on an underrated album)

Alright - Victoria Monet (feels like a fall album vs. summer one, but god, it's a grower of a song/album)

...Ready for It? - Taylor Swift (this is my fight song, etc.)

Coming of Age - Maisie Peters (anything on this album tho)

This Is Hardcore - Pulp (I re-fell in love with this video, ipso facto)

Rando all around! I'll tag @setsailtomorrow, @ahurricanebehindthedoor, @cloudslou, @kerasines, @scottspack, @wannaremember, @shark-myths, @uhoh-but-yeah-alright, @homosociallyyours, @aboutmetamorphosis, and anyone else who wants to!

[exposedfm]

The moment you've all been waiting for...

I'm here to present to you the roommates list for our Cabo cruise. The only case when the room arrangements may change is to shift things around for any new members that join during the duration of the trip. Make sure to interact with your roommate whether it be in para form, F2F, gif chat, text, etc. We want the dash to be lively with connections and give the gossip blog some quality content to talk about!

Olivia Rodrigo & Luke Hemmings

Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce

Florence Pugh & Harry Kane

John Krasinski & Emily Blunt

Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds

Billie Eilish & Victoria De Angelis

Barry Keoghan & Sabrina Carpenter

Hayley Williams & Taylor York

Dove Cameron & Damiano David

Andrew Garfield & Tom Holland

Niall Horan & Hailee Steinfeld

Karlie Kloss & Barbara Palvin & Glen Powell

Michael Clifford & Harry Styles

Elizabeth Olsen & Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Pete Davidson & Madelyn Cline & Ariana Grande

Kelsea Ballerini & Selena Gomez

Kelley O'Hara & Cari Fletcher

Sebastian Stan & Jennifer Lawrence

Jacob Elordi & Sydney Sweeney & Kaia Gerber

Dylan O'Brien & Emily Ratajkowski

Margot Robbie & Lewis Capaldi

Louis Tomlinson & Gigi Hadid & Adria Arjona

Austin Butler & Candice Swanepoel

Daisy Edgar-Jonas & Matthew Tkachuk & Nicholas Galitzine

Anne Hathway & Emma Stone & Bill Skarsgard

[taste-in-music]

taste-in-music’s top 30 songs of 2022

Hello everyone! Welcome back to my annual countdown of my 30 favorite songs of the year. 2022 had a lot of great music releases, and I’m so excited to recount the songs I replayed throughout the year. Now, on with the list!

This year was so jam-packed I have ten honorable mentions to share before we get to the list proper: tears in the club by FKA Twigs ft. The Weeknd, Destination l’amour by Pi Ja Ma, Little Freak by Harry Styles, Fast Times by Sabrina Carpenter, EMPATHY 4 BETHANY by Saya Gray, Be Cool by Maggie Rogers, This Hell by Rina Sawayama, Heavy Heart by Bartees Strange, Karma by Taylor Swift, and Shotgun by Soccer Mommy

F2F by SZA: “F2F” was a fast favorite that came late in the year, mostly for how pleasantly surprising it was. The 2000s pop-punk revival has been percolating for the past few years, and SZA’s entry into the genre suits her frighteningly well. She’s written on the complications of revenge sex and missing an ex before, but the area-ready bombast of the guitar-driven instrumental elevates it to the next level. It may have looked to the past for sonic inspiration, but it feels fresh.

君に夢中 (Kimini Muchuu) by Hikaru Utada: I didn’t know what to expect when I clicked play on J-pop icon Hikaru Utada’s new album on a whim, but when I heard “君に夢中,” which translates to “crazy about you” in English, I was immediately struck by a feeling of familiarity. It may be because the opening synth riff reminds me of “Boys Of Summer,” it may be Utada’s impassioned delivery, it may be the rattling hi-hats that instate an undeniable groove on the song’s back end. Whatever it is, Utada managed to capture something ethereal on this track, and I can’t wait to explore more of her catalogue in the future.  

Flower (In Full Bloom) by Luna Li ft. Dreamer Isioma: Romantic angst never sounded so damn dreamy. On “Flower (In Full Bloom),” Luna Li pleads with a lover that refuses to put in the effort in a relationship, while Dreamer Isioma provides the opposing perspective speaking about how the spark has already died. As the song progresses, the cushy soundscape of twinkling keys escalates to a bitching guitar solo that makes for one hell of a final moment.

Kissing Lessons by Lucy Dacus: If nothing else, “Kissing Lessons” is a marvel of concision. Each detail Dacus compiles, bracelet charms, hair tosses, dreams of buying a three-story house, all come together to form a rich vignette about a young girl’s budding sexuality and growing inculcation into gender roles in just under two minutes. Place those details over a rollicking rock instrumental and you’ve got on special sucker punch of a song that gives you just enough to want to know more. The only choice, then, is to hit repeat.

It’s Raining by Superorganism ft. Dylan Cartlidge and Stephen Malkmus: For Superorganism, there is no sample too silly, no instrumental flourish too strange to throw into their melting pot. Describing “It’s Raining” from their sophomore album World Wide Pop means describing the barrage of baffling moments it throws at warp speed. Frontwoman Orono Noguchi sings about a “cyborg grilled-cheese-sandwich machine” over thunderclaps. English rapper Dylan Cartlidge spits bars about Elon Musk over a backing chorus of what sounds like demented Muppets. Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus’s lyrics about riding a horse-drawn carriage are ushered in with clip-clopping hooves and a sample of a neigh. These moments come together to form a loopy, loping confection that’s as absurd as it is addictive.

Superfan by Chelsea Jade: On “Superfan,” Chelsea Jade navigates the blurred lines of talking to a crush, a situation where you’re trading adversarial jabs and confrontational quips and you can never tell if you’re flirting or fighting. Ultimately, Jade reveals the obsession lying beneath the surface, identifying herself as a “superfan” trying to play it cool. Driving home the playful awkwardness is Jade’s use of vocal samples throughout, whether they’re narrating along to her conversation or splicing through the chorus with hiccup-y clips of harmonization. It’s a song that cuts through the guise to reveal the vulnerability at its core.

Holding Back by BANKS: In the years since her debut, BANKS has become my go-to artist for electropop bangers that conjure emotional vulnerability and goddess-level confidence alike. “Holding Back” may be an outpouring of memories in the wake of a doomed relationship, but the hard-hitting electronic groove and boosted bass breathe new life into a familiar concept. As BANKS switches between vulnerable coos and full-chested belts, she unleashes the innermost desire for her care to be reciprocated. “I wrote you a melody,” she sings in the chorus, “can’t you see that?”

Whatever Fits Together by Skullcrusher: Skullcrusher has perfected the art of weaving immersive tapestries from whispy sonic fragments, a strummed guitar here, a gossamer synthesizer there, a lyrical fragment about leaving home to tie it all into a single package. “Whatever Fits Together” pulls disparate pieces from their distinct places in the ether to form something transient and melancholy, the mournful tone of Helen Ballentine’s voice balanced by a sunny tambourine. It’s ephemeral, it’s beautiful, it all fits together perfectly.

Another Man’s Jeans by Ashe: Ashe may have broken onto the pop scene with brokenhearted ballads, but there’s always been a confidence and cleverness to her delivery that’s made her stand out. On her comeback single “Another Man’s Jeans,” she douses her witty songwriting with pure funk concentrate and struts through a kiss-off to a situationship with more swagger than she’s ever showcased on tape before. It makes for one of the most fun party jams of the year.

girlfriend by hemlocke springs: I first encountered hemlocke springs via an Instagram Reel where she posted a video propositioning “do u wanna hear the weirdest bridge you’ll ever hear in ur entire life?” The subsequent bridge shows springs hurling her voice up and down the scale with reckless abandon over a spritely synth groove, and wile it might not be the “weirdest bridge” I’ve ever heard, it certainly was one of the most memorable the year had to offer. The rest of the song, a blasé kiss-off to a potential suitor, pulls of the rare achievement for a viral song and lives up to the catchiness of the initial clip.

Spitting Off the Edge of the World by Yeah Yeah Yeahs ft. Perfume Genius: “Spitting Off The Edge of the World” is awesome in the archaic sense, encapsulating the simultaneous awe and terror that comes from facing something so much bigger than yourself. It’s a song that earns it galactic sense of scope from the quiet moments it provides to contrast it, as Karen O and Perfume Genius trade demure, flitting verses before the chorus kicks in on the heels of a larger-than-life barrage synths and guitars. It’s titanic, it’s triumphant, it’s just awesome, (in that it’s also just damn great.)

The Loneliest Time by Carly Rae Jepsen ft. Rufus Wainwright: I remember when this song was released just ahead of The Loneliest Time album and questioning how this collaboration could possibly work. As soon as I heard it, the answer was clear: never question Carly Rae Jepsen. At this point, Jepsen has boiled pop music down to a science, but that doesn’t mean it’s sterile or forced. The string-adorned, disco-inflected groove on “The Loneliest Time” is the perfect landscape for Jepsen and Wainwright to trade verses about giving an old flame a second chance. It all culminates in that excellent bridge where Jepsen enthusiastically declares “I’m coming back for you baby / I’m coming back for you!” I, too, will continue coming back to this song, and Jepsen’s catalogue as a whole, when I need a pick up from my own personal loneliest times.  

fairy song by beabadoobee: Throughout her second album Beatopia, beabadoobee’s jaunty melodies and sugar-sweet vocals just barely cover a greater desperation for care and connection percolating beneath the surface. The best demonstration of this is “fairy song,” where a running list of self-care tasks atop perky pianos slowly cracks apart until it fully breaks into a buzzy whirlwind of distortion and beabadoobee’ screams just barely audible in the background. Then, just as the pandemonium reaches its peak, the song pulls itself back together and returns to the chipper atmosphere it began with. Ignoring one’s distress will only take you so far before the weight becomes too much to bear. Sometimes, drinking water and going outside isn’t enough. Letting the mess fly free every so often might just be the key to moving forward.

Cardigan by Sophie Cates: “Cardigan” is my silly pop song of the year, the track I turned to when I needed an instant sugar rush of endorphins. Sure, Sophie Cates rhymes “again” with “again” with “cardigan” with “again” again on the hook, but when it's set against the most instantly catchy melody of 2022, I hardly even notice. That’s not a slight against Cates’s writing though, the other choice details she employs throughout the song paint a vivid picture of a romance that’s lost its sparkle, and the wistful desire for the magic to return. It’s that undercurrent of longing that elevates “Cardigan” from being just a silly pop song to a great silly pop song, one that sticks around long after the initial rush has passed. 

Bump by Dora Jar: Dora Jar’s music captures the dark whimsy of a fairy tale, but the real fairy tales where the pixie dust and glass slippers come with a hungry wolf or vengeful witch lurking in the shadows. It’s a musical world that’s a little spooky, rife with curiosity, and lit up with a flicker of excitement. “Bump” is one of the best demonstrations of this quality, with Dora Jar describing the wonder of a chance encounter that may escalate into something more. The song is accented with astonished gaps, a swampy chorus of backing vocals, and an air-tight beat. It’s sweet and wondrous and a little claustrophobic, sonically capturing that tight-throated, heart-hammering anticipation to see what comes next.

In The Eyes Of Our Love by Yumi Zouma: “In The Eyes Of Our Love” is good in a way that just feels obvious, providing a breezy yet danceable energy that’s poised to play out the romantic climax of a teen movie from the 90s. Beneath its cheery surface, though, is a tremor of anxiety. Lead vocalist Christie Simpson signs of crumbling walls, splitting lips, and looming storms, worries that accelerate and melt away over the song's duration. Every great pop song grows all the greater with a sense of urgency, and “In The Eyes Of Our Love” threads that needle effortlessly while still being danceable as hell. What more could you want?

Part Of The Band by The 1975: Over the past few years, The 1975 have twisted the anthemic pop-rock that put them on the map to reveal the absurdity and anxiety at the heart of modern life. On “Part Of The Band,” the band’s first single off their 2022 album Being Funny In A Foreign Language, frontman Matty Healy’s musings on social upheaval are equal parts hilarious and insightful. After stuffing the song full of dizzying rhymes, (“vaccinista tote bag-chic baristas” with “communista keisters” especially comes to mind,) Healy finishes on a searing moment of self-reflection: “am I just some post-coke, average, skinny bloke / calling his ego imagination?” With a twitchily elegant backdrop crafted from plucky string swells, chopped-up vocal samples, and quivering synths, it’s a song whose catchiness, cleverness, and creativity lives up to the critiques on display.

ALIEN SUPERSTAR by Beyoncé: It was difficult to pick a favorite track from RENAISSANCE, an album so consistently excellent in its delivery of dancefloor euphoria. In the end, I had to go with the self-love celebration “ALIEN SUPERSTAR.” Every element of this song oozes self-assurance, from the spacy disco instrumental to Beyoncé’s vocals, which switch from sensual cooing to a British accent-inflected declarations to braggadocious belting at the drop of a hat. The result is a track poised to dominate dancefloors across the galaxy for years to come, and who’s surprised? She’s one of one. She’s number one. She’s the only one.

Nothing Gives Me Pleasure by Girlpool: I clicked play on Girlpool’s fifth album Forgiveness without any clear expectations. I certainly wasn’t expecting to be blasted with a wave of distorted synths followed by the most memorable opening line of the year: “Do you even want me if I even have to ask? / Break it to me gently with your fingers up my ass.” It’s an unforgettable one-two punch that immediately establishes the core themes of the album, trying to reconcile the desire for emotional and physical intimacy, and how those desires often conflict with and contradict one another. “Nothing Gives Me Pleasure” walks the power balance in a relationship built on mismatched expectations, trying to sate yourself with sex and coming up short. The soundscape skitters and heaves, the distortion ratcheting up as Harmony Tividad reiterates the title line over and over: “Nothing gives me pleasure like the words I know you won’t say.” 

cool by Uffie: Uffie made a name for herself in the bloghouse scene of the early 2010s, a musical moment defined by glitchy earworms, a punkish dedication to keeping the party going as long as possible, and lots and lots of glitter. For her 2021 comeback single with Company Records, “cool,” Uffie evolves the quirky maximalism of her past into something slick, modern, and effortlessly, well, cool. On “cool,” Uffie digs for gold in moments of stillness amidst chaos, chronicling moments of reprieve during a night out: sleepy Uber rides, poolside kisses, eating cereal with her partner. The best demonstration of this comes when, at the precipice of each chorus, all the music cuts out for a moment before Uffie ushers in the razor-sharp groove with a simple utterance of the song’s title, delivered with a blasé surety of someone who’s seen it all. As she sings in the song’s third verse, she’s “got nothing left to prove.” 

HENTAI by ROSALÍA: Amidst the raucous genreclash that makes up the rest of the MOTOMAMI tracklist, the gentle pianos of “HENTAI” may initially feel a bit out of place. But if you listen closely, there’s much to discover beneath its deceptively simple surface. First off, the lyrics are filthy as hell, (I know, big surprise for a song literally called “HENTAI,”) but the cheeky references to bike riding and tape making are balanced out by a tender backdrop that knows when to up the bombast. Whether it be the barely-there string flourishes, fluttering vocal runs, or the skittering blast of drums that drives the song’s closing moments home, “HENTAI” provides just enough off-kilter details that make the song transcend from mere sexy piano ballad into only “La ROSALÍA” could provide.

Simulation Swarm by Big Thief: Despite Big Thief’s fifth album Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You dropping all the way back in February, I found “Simulation Swarm” shamefully late in the year. But as soon as I heard it, I knew it would be on this list, and pretty high up too. Adrianne Lenker crafts songs that are immediately familiar, like I must have been listening to them from childhood. The details she employs throughout "Simulation Swarm” balance beauty and malice, painting the dark fairy tale and casual terror of modern life “crystal blood like a dream true,” “swallows in the windless field,” “river of light who I love / That I sing to in the belly of the empty night.” Set against a locomotive folk instrumental, “Simulation Swarm” feels like a gentle hug from the abyss, voicing the ability to face danger and walk forward with hope. 

Till We Run Out Of Air by Hatchie: I thought I knew what to expect going into Hatchie’s sophomore album Giving The World Away. Early singles like “Quicksand” and “This Enchanted” delivered another helping of the joyful shoegaze pop she’s been delivering for years. It’s a sound I’m always willing to gobble up, but there was an echo of something greater hovering right beneath the surface. With the final song on the album, Hatchie delivered a falcon punch of a finale that transforms that spark into a fireworks show. With its susurrus of swirling, watery synths and arena-ready chorus, “Till We Run Out Of Air” plows right through me with each repeated spin. It’s a song enraptured in the fine line between destruction and exhilaration, tracing the final moments in a romance with larger-than-life bombast. Perhaps the best encapsulation of this euphoria comes at the precipice of the chorus. “Open the curtains and let in the light,” Hatchie sings, before a glowing blossom of synths barrels the listener right into the song’s most anthemic refrain. It’s like the light at the end of the tunnel finally breaking through the darkness at just the right moment.

doomsday by Lizzie McAlpine: On her second album five seconds flat, Lizzy McAlpine elevated her personal songwriting with a cinematic scope. This approach is immediately introduced on the album’s opening “doomsday,” a slow-burning ballad chronicling a breakup though the lens of hindsight. McAlpine circles through deathly metaphors throughout the song: pulling the plug, violent ends, her partner as a “murderer” initiating their split on Halloween, the sample of a bone being split in half. This ghoulish gravitas of is backed up by an orchestral swell that makes the melodrama feel earned. These compounding elements build up the song’s momentum until McAlpine’s final revelation slams into you at full force: “I would’ve married you / If you’d stuck around / I feel more free than I have in years / Six feet in the ground.” The relationship may be dead and gone, but McAlpine makes it clear that she’s only getting started.

Lullabye by Grace Ives: Throughout Janky Star, Grace Ives concocts idea-stuffed soundscapes that vacillate between the anxieties and thrills of young adulthood. The earworms come so casually that they even materialize in the album’s moments of brevity. “Lullabye” is a perfect example of this. As the album’s closer, it shows the chaos winding down, giving way to moments of reflection. Ives’s breathily narrates the “lovely mess” of her life: watching movies on repeat, casually attempting gymnastics moves in the kitchen, and swapping confessions with a loved one late into the night. Set against gauzy landscape of synths, skittering drums, and chirpy backing vocals, I turned to the casual wisdom of “Lullabye” all the times this year when life got overwhelming. “No it’s nothing to be sad about,” Ives sings in the song’s closing moments, “It’s just something I’ve been thinking about.” It’s a welcome reminder of the power ruminating on small joys can hold.

Say It by SASAMI: On her latest album Squeeze, SASAMI took to flipping white male-dominated genres like punk and metal to articulate her own rage. One of the best examples of this is “Say It,” an unapologetic frenzy of glitchy rock scuzz. In an Apple Music interview, SASAMI stated that the song was “about the pain of someone not communicating with you,” carried out as she trades places with a bassy, distorted mirror of her own voice. Situated atop a strutting groove concocted of squealing guitars, grumbling bass, and booming drums, it all comes together to form something equal parts cathartic and terrifying. “Say It” might be one of the best rock songs the year had to offer, but amidst the ruckus, it’s first and foremost a call to throw your repentance to the wind and speak your mind. 

Yuck by Charli XCX: If you’ve been on TikTok for the past year or so, odds are you’ve come across the idea of “the ick,” the moment in a romantic relationship where something as simple as watching your beau chase a ping-pong ball across the floor flips your feelings of adoration into disgust. It only makes sense that one of pop’s most forward–thinking artists would capture this cultural phenomenon with masterful specificity and simplicity. Over a bouncy synth-heavy beat, Charli XCX lays out the moment when her love interest’s gooey romantic devotion starts to drive her away. Throughout “Yuck,” she takes romantic tropes like puppy dog eyes and bouquets of roses and flips them on their head. The result is the definitive song to throw on when the candy hearts get cloying. After spending the last few years of her career pushing pop to its very limits, her latest album Crash was a welcome reminder that even without all the hyperpop flourishes, she can still write damn good and effortless catchy bangers like this.

Free by Florence + The Machine: How do you persevere in the face of suffering? seems to be the question Florence Welch fixates on most throughout her projects with Florence + The Machine. She’s turned to several places in the past: making a break for freedom on her breakout hit “Dog Days Are Over,” self-destructive love on rock bangers like “Ship To Wreck” and “Shake It Out,” and reconciliation on her previous album, High As Hope. While the definite answer for such a question may never materialize, Welch has recognized how music can be one of the most potent salves for such woes. Her 2022 album Dance Fever provides several welcome additions to Welch’s growing catalog of musical catharsis, but it was “Free,” a free-spirited banger co-written by Jack Antonoff, that ended up hitting me the hardest. “Free” taps into something primal yet graceful, a raucous recognition that sometimes, the most inspiring feelings of freedom come hand in hand with singing at the top of your lungs. “For a moment, when I'm dancing,” Welch declares with titanic vocals over a propulsive drum beat and glittering keys, “I am free.” This relief may be temporary, but for the moment, it’s nothing short of magical.

American Teenager by Ethel Cain: On her debut album Preacher’s Daughter, Ethel Cain chronicles a journey of adolescent ennui and religious turmoil through sprawling, atmospheric ballads. Before she gets into all that, she also proves that she can write a teen pop anthem for the ages. “American Teenager” is the first official song on the album, and while it may be shorter and more immediate than its predecessors, it’s no less deftly crafted. Cain harnesses the larger-than-life, anthemic synth pop of the 80s, accenting the soundscape with shining synths, booming drums, and a bright saxophone solo. While the song relishes in altruistic Americana imagery of crying on the bleachers and whiskey-fueled rebellion, Cain also acknowledges the darkness lurking beneath the jubilation on the surface. The opening verse describes her neighbor’s brother being shipped home in a coffin, “another red heart taken by the American dream.” Still, despite this darkness, there’s a hope at the core of “American Teenager” that catapults it into the stratosphere, that suggests that maybe someday, those promises might come to fruition.

touch tank by quinine: I first came across “touch tank” as a fragment on TikTok, a looping clip of quinnie lip synching along to the first few lines of the chorus: “He’s so pretty / when he goes down on me.” And what an attention-grabbing set of lines they are, it’s not everyday that you stumble across a sweet, unassuming bedroom pop song explicitly discussing cunnilingus. But it isn’t just the refreshingly matter-of-fact  references to sex that make “touch tank” stick in the memory, it’s the atmosphere of intimacy quinnie builds around those lines. In its final form, “touch tank” builds an aqueous wonderland of small yet palpably intimate moments, freshly laundered t-shirts, discovering new tattoos, choosing to be gentle. “touch tank” is a tribute to those early stages in a relationship where you’re poking and prodding with care, trying to reach tender places without drawing blood. Rounded out with warm guitars, cooing flutes, and just a twinge of vocal distortion, it’s a song that feels lived in, welcoming, drawing you deeper into its depths with each repeated spin. 

What were your favorite songs from this year? Did I miss anything? Leave a comment or tag some in the reblogs and let me know.

This year has been an absolute whirlwind, and I hope you all have some good memories from it. Here’s to a safe, healthy 2023! 

[muniimyg]

+

playlist 

jungkook’s songs for oc

cardigan by taylor swift

closer by rm (with paul blanco, mahalia)

is there someone else? by the weekend

jin’s songs for oc

mary jane (all night long) by mary j. blige

anniversary by mulherin

seesaw by suga of bts 

oc’s songs for jungkook

f2f by sza

bad habit by steve lacy

something about you by the 1975

oc’s songs for jin

kiss it better by rihanna

space for you by avenue beat

honeymoon avenue by ari 

thank you note

this fic has been an absolute experience y’all... i don’t know why it took me so long to complete it. i literally went through so many breaks and random updates even though the plot and the notes were prepared before i posted it LOL. i guess life is jus life,, and with that being said i want to thank u for ur patience and interactions with this story! it was filled with so many ups and downs,, and i hope u were able to laugh and even stress with the characters. 

i want to thank @geekwang, kamlc, and my cousin rc for helping me with the plot LOL,, @pamzn, @avtrns, @joonsjuice​, and @floweryjeons for the constant love nd support ,, @jeonqkooks-main/ @jenrecs​ and @firesighgirl​ for freaking out in the cutest way possible in their thoughtful responses ,, and @boraength​ for reaching out when i went on a mini break huhuhuuuuhuuu. u have all made updating paraluman so much more exciting !!!

and an obvious thank u to everyone else not mentioned. from the anons to my regular readers and other moots <3

authors cut

oc did have feelings for jungkook in the past but they were more childish in a sense where it was formed out of comfort and familiarity. her confusing personality and inability to choose him roots from her parents leaving her. she has a people-pleasing aura and is constantly afraid of being abandoned. therefore, she attempts to maintain her friendship with jungkook while in a “secret” relationship with jin. as she begins to realize that her same best friend boundaries with jungkook do not mix well with her love life boundaries with jin, she begins to slip and get sloppy amidst her distress. 

yoongi and oc’s relationship ended in good terms. they try to give each other space in order to move on and the purpose of the two was really to emphasize on a first love’s impact. i thought it was important to incorporate their dynamic as yoongi provides insight that all the characters lack. along with hoseok, nam joon, taehyung, and jimin; yoongi is a static character. also, shout out to mfking hoseok for being oc and jungkook’s unpaid therapist! 

jungkook and jin’s tension and love triangle was my playful version of a classic love triangle. love triangles consists of person a and b both obtaining something that person c needs/is after. the catch, obviously, are the scarifies made. it’s choosing one or the other and the miscommunication, betrayal, and humane reactions that stir the story up. hence, jungkook, the childhood best friend who provides oc emotional security, and jin, the new mysterious love potential who tends to oc’s romantic physical needs, fall under “competition.” when jin begins to open up to oc and tries to make their relationship work, he begins to take on what jungkook offers. when jungkook realizes this, out of desperation, he oversteps and confesses his feelings; followed by a kiss. the kiss throws oc off as it translates to jungkook pressing on her romantic physical needs. the complexities of being childhood friends, growth, and circling with toxic habits are what makes paraluman, in my opinion, even more annoying and tension filled. 

there’s not much to say about jin or jungkook as most of their characteristics and insight were expressed throughout the fic. i think it’s important to note that in this au, all of them are supposed to be nepotism babies. jungkook’s jealousy stems from jin being the ideal son. also, since jungkook grew up challenging the world; i thought having (jin) a simple contrast would be someone who accepts his fate and grows from it. oc sees stability in jin and is ultimately attracted to it because it fills a void and helps her inner child heal. whereas with jungkook, she feels love and acceptance but has difficulty growing up. 

symbolism in this fic was so fun to write around. the vase, something jungkook handmade and shatters himself, represented his and oc’s friendship. keep in mind, when it shatters, it was jin who got hurt. the vase was always filled with flowers jin would gift oc. the vase was practically a reflection of jungkook. jin and oc’s peaches... yes, it was half-assed. literally because it was her underwear! but i chose peaches because it presents a warm feeling that connects to a summer love. oc and jin began hooking up in the summer. jin posting the peaches, obviously means he’s thinking of her, but it also indicates his longing for her. peaches in general symbolize longevity and immorality; somewhat depicting his patience and love for oc. 

the written itself… hmmm. i think after writing please love me, i knew that paraluman would have a more simple and underlying slow rising tension tone. i think my biggest thing about paraluman was to get readers to really think and not know who they want. aside from bias, i wanted to show that jin and jungkook had something significant to offer. i was particular with my word choice especially when it came to jungkook. moreover, i tried to add a lot of foreshadow for those who like to reread and notice details. the constant lines “if it’s not _____,” and lines that imply oc never chooses xyz... idk. i can’t remember all of them buT they are there! also,, yoongi calling oc “my love,” jungkook calling oc “my you,” and jin calling oc “my everything,” ..... BROOOO <3 

for the ending, i thought of making one of each scenario. a) oc ends up with jin, b) oc ends up with jungkook, c) oc does not choose any of them. the story went the way it did because i asked on my instagram close friends story so if you want to blame someone for the ending,, you can blame my irl besties <3 but in all seriousness, i really saw the ending go either way. i think i favoured this ending the most because everyone benefits. jungkook grows, oc grows, and even jin. in a sense, jin’s slow and steady change makes all the difference. 

in closing, i don’t think i’ll ever write a fic this long or “serious” again LOL. the fic timeline and character complex just seemed too complicated to turn into a lighthearted fic. i found that embracing it’s faint sadness and desperation from characters would be better told through multiple events and character arcs. it was nice to get this concept out there so regardless, i’m thankful for this journey <3

if you made it this far, thanks for reading my note! what about you? what were your thoughts? what were your favourite parts of the fic? let me know! i’d love to hear about them!

[antibayern]

Hello! 19, 40 and 95 for wrapped please 😄

hey 😼

19: f2f by sza

40: right where you left me by taylor swift

95: to someone from a warm climate (uiscefhuaraithe) by hozier

send me a number 1-100 and i’ll tell you the song it corresponds with on my top 100 playlist!

[holypowell]

rules: put your on-repeat playlist on shuffle and list the first 10 songs that come up

thank u @macheresin my love

good looking - suki waterhouse

tek it - cafuné

there is a light that never goes out - the smiths

f2f - sza

the perfect pair - beabadoobee

omg - new jeans

you’re on your own, kid - taylor swift

blue hair - tv girl

satellite - harry styles

attracted to you - pinkpantheress

no pressure tags: @howlscastle @homescomings @melodicblues @rooster-84 @callsignsaturn

[cityofdreamsrp]

WELCOME TO OUR SNOWMAN BUILDING CONTEST!

Everyone will be randomly paired together, and each team will build and decorate their own snowman. Once your snowman is complete, post a picture using the hashtag #codsnowman and tagging @cityofdreamsevents​ so that we can reblog for everyone to see. We have a panel of judges ready to select the winners, and the winners will receive an incentive of their choice! All contest entries should be posted by 8 PM EST on Wednesday, 2/22 to count towards voting. Any entries made after that will not count.

**We do ask that prior to posting your snowman picture, please check the tag to make sure someone else hasn’t used that particular one**

See below for the pairings! Get with your partner to plan out your snowman and get your post drafted. If you’d like to write out the process via F2F or gif chat, or even if you just want to headcanon it with your partner, will be entirely up to you!

Jessica Chastain & Talia Ryder

Emma Stone & Sidney Crosby

Lottie Tomlinson & Madelyn Cline

Joseph Quinn & Cody Christian

Saoirse Ronan & Shawn Mendes

Lauren Jauregui & Ariana Grande

Mitchell Marner & Florence Pugh

Robbie Amell & Max Domi

Dove Cameron & Jack Lowden

Margot Robbie & Sabrina Carpenter

Hailey Baldwin & Ryan Ross

Joe Burrow & Chris Evans

Sophie Turner & Pedro Pascal

Renee Rapp & Kelsea Ballerini

Jonathan Daviss & Natalia Dyer

Austin Butler & Sydney Sweeney

Gracie Dzienny & James Norton

Taylor Swift & Zac Efron

Nina Dobrev & Sofia Carson

Vanessa Morgan & Demi Lovato

Imogen Poots & Nick Jonas

Taylor Hill & Bill Skarsgard

Harry Styles & Hunter Schafer

Luke Hemmings & Winona Ryder

Rudy Pankow & Awsten Knight

Laura Harrier & Vanessa Hudgens

Elizabeth Olsen & Grace Van Dien

Troye Sivan & Travis Kelce

Patrick Mahomes & Jacob Elordi

Timothee Chalamet & Zendaya

Cari Fletcher & Ja’Marr Chase

Alexandra Daddario & Daniel Ezra

Gemma Chan & Selena Gomez

Joe Jonas & Alycia Debnam-Carey

Emilia Clarke & 

[mischas]

If you were to create a playlist for Ryan + Marissa, what songs would you put on it? It can be anything from songs that have been on the show, songs you feel fit them as a couple, songs in movies & other T.V. shows, etc.

This is such a fun question! It's also impossible to nail down completely because I honestly imagine RM when I listen to music, lol. Here's my working list (they include head canon/future ideas):

Savior Complex by Phoebe Bridgers

Smoke Signals by Phoebe Bridgers

ICU by Phoebe Bridgers

The Night We Met by Lord Huron and Phoebe Bridgers

White Flag by Clairo

Strawberries & Cigarettes by Troye Sivan

Lucky Strike by Troye Sivan

Nobody Compares to You by Griffin

Losing You by boy pablo

Prom by courtship.

Just Friends by Audrey Mika

New York by Snow Patrol

Make This Go On Forever by Snow Patrol

Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol

Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat by Del Water Gap

Summer Years by Death Cab

Near/Far by Death Cab

Transatlanticism by Death Cab

I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab

Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

So Contagious by Acceptance

England by The National

Light Years by The National

Slow Show by The National

I Should Live in Salt by The National

illicit affairs by Taylor Swift

tis the damn season by Taylor Swift

august by Taylor Swift

cardigan by Taylor Swift

exile by Taylor Swift and Bon Iver

Last Kiss by Taylor Swift

Mine by Taylor Swift

Labyrinth by Taylor Swift

I Almost Do by Taylor Swift

The Last Time by Taylor Swift and Gary Lightbody

Cornelia Street by Taylor Swift

Daylight by Taylor Swift

Afterglow by Taylor Swift

Renegade by Big Red Machine and Taylor Swift

Easy Silence by The Chicks

In My Veins by Andrew Belle

A Drop in the Ocean by Ron Pope

The Man Who Can't Be Moved by The Script

If You Ever Come Back by The Script

Breakeven by The Script

May I by Trading Yesterday

Love Song Requiem by Trading Yesterday

Orange Sky by Alexi Murdoch

Forever Young by Youth Group (Alphaville cover)

Paint the Silence by South

Maybe I'm Amazed by Jem (Paul McCartney cover)

Honey and the Moon by Joseph Arthur

Dice by Finley Quaye and William Orbit

Yellow by Petra Haden and Bill Frisell (Coldplay cover)

Fix You by Coldplay

California 2005 by Phantom Planet

In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Matt Pond PA (Neutral Milk Hotel cover)

Strange and Beautiful by Aqualung

Blue Light by Bloc Party

All Kinds of Time by Fountains of Wayne

Legendary by Lou Barlow

Trouble Sleeping by The Perishers

Nothing Like You and I by The Perishers

This is not at all exhaustive! A chunk of these came from this playlist. So much of my music tastes of the last year came from there. Whoever made it, bless you. Also I know the genres are kind of all over the place, lol. I tried not to make it too angsty, and I have songs like F2F by SZA that I think are applicable to very specific situations (late s3). Moon Song by Phoebe would work for s2 as well. Stuff like that. Basically every Phoebe song.

[chlodoll]

my top albums (and songs) of 2022 (with some links to my fav performances 😆)

1. le sserafim - antifragile | the live performances are so damn good! | antifragile, impurities, good parts

2. sabrina carpenter - emails i can’t send | i love when i can just depend on an artist to always put out good albums | nonsense, tornado warnings, bad for business, already over, emails i can’t send, because I liked a boy 

3. 4*town - turning red ost | this boy group is everything | nobody like u 

4. red velvet -  birthday | a hit after some misses | bye bye, on a ride

5. sza - sos | it just came out but idc | nobody gets me, f2f, conceited, shirt, gone girl, kill bill, smoking on my ex pack, good days, blind

6. beyoncé - renaissance | hey, look at us! who would’ve thought? not me! now if only we could get the visuals... | church girl, america has a problem, alien superstar, cozy, plastic off the sofa, virgo’s groove, energy 

7. taylor swift - midnights | here i am again riding for one of blondies albums | lavender haze, paris, sweet nothing, glitch, bigger than the whole sky

8. rm - indigo | it feels like the last archive of my 20s too... damn | closer, wildflower, yun, still life, change pt.2, lonely

9. flo - the lead | i have loved seeing their rise this year | cardboard box, immature, summertime

10. nayeon - im nayeon | my girl! | love countdown, candyfloss, no problem, pop!, sunset

11. summer walker - still over it | it came out in 2021, i know, but i really wasn’t vibing until 2022 | circus, bitter, insane, no love, 4th baby mama, 

12. new jeans - new jeans | i got my braids and i’ve been flipping my hair like they do in attention all the time haha | hype boy, hurt, attention

13. jhope - jack in the box | this is so him... and i saw it performed live?! | arson, safety zone, more, what if 

14. encanto ost | i was so scared this would get on my spotify wrapped lolll | what else can i do?, we don’t talk about bruno, surface pressure

15. harry styles - harry’s house | no one is more disappointed than me, but he did something here | satellite, daydreaming, keep driving, late night talking, daylight 

16. euphoria ost | shut up i know... and when s3 comes out i will be back playing the songs everyday | all for us, still don’t know my name, formula, nate growing up, forever, i’m tired, elliot’s song 

-

other songs i was obsessed with: 

black panther: wakanda forever - con la brisa (foudequesh), alone (burna boy) interlude (stormzy), no woman no cry (tems) | bts - run bts, yet to come, left and right (jungkook and charlie puth), stay alive (jungkook), the astronaut (jin), bad decisions, dreamers (jungkook) | chlöe - treat me, surprise | fka twigs - jealousy (feat. rema), oh my love, tears in the club (feat. the weeknd), papi bones (feat. shygirl)  | glorilla - tomorrow (with cardi b) | gracie abrams - block me out, better  | ice spice - bikini bottom | ive - love dive, after like | jessie ware - free yourself | latto - it’s givin, sunshine, big energy, wheelie (feat. 21 savage), like a thug (feat. lil durk) | loona - pale blue dot | kelsea ballerini - heartfirst | marren morris - circles around this town, background music | megan thee stallion - budget (feat. latto), not nice, her, plan b, sweetest pie (with dua lipa) | muni long - hrs & hrs | omar apollo - want u around (feat. ruel), hijo de su madre, tamagotchi, archetype, hey boy (feat. kali uchis) | paramore - this is why | red velvet - bamboleo, beg for me | stayc - run2u, same same | suki waterhouse - moves, good looking | taeyeon - some nights, sirens, invu, weekend, timeless | twice - talk that talk, brave

[whiskeyswifty]

rules: shuffle your ‘on repeat’ playlist and post the first 10 tracks, then list 10 songs you really like, each by a different artist. then tag 10 people to do the same thing (gonna add some commentary cuz i'm annoying)

tagged by @sapphicscience (sorry i just got around to this <3 u tho)

on repeat:

You're on your own, kid - taylor swift

the cause - Tommy Lefroy (genuinely shocked this wasn't my most listened song of 2022 it lyrically brilliant)

karma - miss swift again

lavender haze - swiftie strikes again

tonight - Phoneix (feat. my baby boy Ezra Koenig) THIS ONE BANGS IF YOU WANT A FUN SONG

pink slips - jenna doe

bejewled - you already know.....

I'm in love with you - The 1975 (THE LADS!!)

orange show speedway - lizzy mcalpine (BEST discovery of the year in the 11th hour no less)

looking for somebody (to love) - the 1975 (maybe favorite song of the year so infectious and callously frank)

10 songs i really like (currently gonna say cuz what a broad ask this is):

Scarlett - Holly Humberstone (AMAZING new artist can't wait to see more from her)

Close To You - Dayglow

Oysters in my pocket - Royel Otis (cute little song for a teen move opening sequence, methinks)

Anywhere with you - Maggie Rogers

Expert in a dying field - The Beths (GREAT song concept)

Alien Superstar - Bey (hard to pick one but this is my current rotating favorite)

Don't Delete the Kisses - wolf alice

Shelly - Grace Ives (another great new discovery, very into her rn)

her - Daya

F2F - SZA (literally just dropped and it's on REPEAT)

tagging a few of my buds who's opinions i enjoy and respect greatly on here even when we disagree (which tbh isn't often to my knowledge) and who i think are loads of fun to be swifties with (and who haven't been tagged yet i don't think) @yourorganicshoes @ohgaylor @godofsmallthings @bybdolan @fruitytaylor @honeybabymp3 @ataylorswiftsideblog @pressfc

[rhaenyratargayen]

tagged by my besties @aemondtragaryen @l-adysansa

rules: shuffle your ‘on repeat’ playlist and post the first ten tracks, then tag ten people.

1. F2f by sza

2. kyoto by phoebe bridgers

3. stronger by raveena

4. cool about it by boygenius

5. you all over me by taylor swift

6. paper bag by fiona apple

7. seven by taylor swift

8. under the table by taylor swift

9. love language by sza

10. what it is by amber mark

no pressure tags <3 @ginevranights @certifiedloverdyke @userspeaknowtv @w1segirl and whoever else that would like to!