#this is a certified bop that she has on repeat

[ayrodynamic]

Kylie Minogue - My Oh My (With Bebe Rexha & Tove Lo) ♏︎ ♊︎ ♍︎

@ Rhys Ayr-Cullen (11/07/2024)

🌟OMG, Kylie fans, buckle up because the pop goddess herself has just dropped a brand new single, "My Oh My," featuring the sensational Bebe Rexha and the ever-fabulous Tove Lo! This banger, released through BMG, is the anthem I didn't know I needed, but now can't live without. 🎤✨

After a week of tantalizing teasers from this dream team, the wait is over, and "My Oh My" is finally here! With Kylie’s signature "la la la" charm, a thumping bass that hits right in the feels, and playful, catchy lyrics, this track is an instant dance floor classic. And let's not forget, it's produced by the legendary Steve Mac, whose magic touch has graced hits for Calvin Harris, Little Mix, and Ed Sheeran, to name a few. 💥🔥

But that’s not all, Kylie stans! Mark your calendars for July 13th because our pop queen is returning to the UK for her first live show of the year, headlining BST Hyde Park in London. This isn’t just a concert; it's a celebration of Kylie's unparalleled career, with a setlist that's sure to include some of her greatest hits and maybe, a sneak peek of what's to come. Can you feel the excitement? Because I'm already buzzing! 🌳🎶

2024 is shaping up to be another monumental year for Kylie. Following the massive success of her Number 1 album, "Tension," and the global phenomenon that was "Padam Padam," she's unstoppable. This year alone, Kylie has snagged the Global Icon Award at the BRITs, a Grammy for Best Pop Dance Recording, graced the Met Gala with her presence, completed a dazzling Las Vegas Residency, wowed at WeHo Pride, and released the electrifying "Midnight Ride" with Orville Peck and Diplo. 🌟🏆

Let’s not forget Kylie's extraordinary career stats: over 80 million records sold worldwide, five billion streams, nine UK Number 1 albums, and countless awards, including four BRITs, two Grammys, and two MTV awards. She’s the ONLY female artist to score a Number 1 album and Top 10 singles in five consecutive decades in the UK. Truly iconic! 👑🎉

Joining her on "My Oh My" are two powerhouse artists. Tove Lo, the Sweden-born, LA-based sensation, has been slaying the music scene since her platinum-certified debut, "Queen of the Clouds." Her latest album, "Dirt Femme," and recent dance EP, "Heat," with SG Lewis, have been on repeat for us! And let's not forget Bebe Rexha, the multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated superstar who’s been dropping hit after hit, including her latest bop, "Chase It (Mmm Da Da Da)," which she previewed at Coachella. Bebe's been dominating the charts with tracks like "I’m Good (Blue)" and "One In A Million" with David Guetta. 🎤✨

"My Oh My" is more than just a song; it's a celebration of pop excellence, a testament to Kylie's enduring legacy, and an undeniable hit that's going to be the soundtrack of our summer. So, what are you waiting for? Hit play and let’s dance the night away! 💃🕺

[typicalteencrap]

hello dorks you shall now be forced to look at my apple music replay

wow all that time on the school bus really added up

sounds about right lol

my sister uses my apple id so yeah this is mostly her, though i gotta say it's kind of a bop

i literally did not know my sister was listening to the puppycat lullaby until i did this lol

alright so far this is all me

ah, there it is! my sister's a big fan of kikuo, as you might have gathered

she had a brief melanie martinez phase, but toby fox? he has captured her soul

omori's all her, i listen to mitski a lil bit, but adam neely is all me, i have been playing his version of the girl from ipanema on repeat so much

first two are my sister's, second two are me. i love dealer so much, it is an absolute bop. certified hood classic.

once again the first two are my sister's and second two are mine. hope ur ok is my comfort song.

ooh now this is all me. btw if people don't know who ursa major is, that's ilyssa, who also runs illymation!

13 and 14 are both my sister, though i did listen to nobody a lil bit

this is all my sister lol, except for the undertale soundtrack which is slightly me

first 3 are mostly my sister, the fourth is my swiftie self! (ps i stand by karma feat ice spice)

bro my sister listens to the 3008 ost? i'm kind of ashamed 😭 i streamed the hell out of trick though, not sure why it's only 9th

taylor's version 4eva! can't wait for rep taylor's version to be on my top albums instead of rep scooter's version (🤮)

what even is the difference between alt and adult alt (shoutout to my sis for getting soundtrack up there)

my playlist is so so so huge, i just checked and it is literally 2 days, 4 hours, and 17 minutes long. damnnn

thank you for going through me and my sister's apple music replay ok byeee

[seblore]

girl wait can you rate Evermore when you're stable enough bc the Folklore rating was great. No Body, No Crime is an absolute bop and probably my fav that I've listened to so far but there are all wonderful! Also I hope you have a lovely day! <3

bdshjsmzmmz WHEN YOU ARE STABLE ENOUGH 🐥 and omg tysm <333 i’ll do it after a few more listens 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩

[strangerthingsharrington]

Can’t Fight This Feeling volume 2

when i’m with you

A/N - and we’re back with Steve Harrington and Louise Henderson following along for the events of season 4. Thanks for the support on volume one of can’t fight this feeling. Y’all are simply the best 💞💞

Warnings - cursing & there will be major spoilers for ST season 4 volume 1 & 2

Title credits to REO Speedwagon & Sheriff (when I’m with you - a certified bop) and GIF credit to owner.

-1-

I didn’t think Hawkins would ever go back to being my boring little town. But for the most part, in the eight months since the battle at Starcourt, my life had become pretty routine. Wake up, get ready, Steve would be at my house within hour of when I normally got up, we’d sit with my mom, then he’d drive to Robins, pick her up, and drive us to school.

Everything really seemed…okay.

I mean, except for the Byers and Eleven shipping off to California, Hopper being dead, Lucas distancing himself from my brother and Mike, Max severely distancing herself from the party…but still coming to talk to me on a few different occasions.

As for Steve and I, everything had been about as great as it could be. I really don’t think we had spent a day apart since Starcourt. Not that I minded, I loved him more than anything so spending time with him was all I really wanted. Being with him in Hawkins was all I wanted.

Which was why reading over my acceptance letters to Purdue, Indiana State and Notre Dame was a bit overwhelming to say the least. Especially when I got into the nitty gritty of the acceptance letter to Purdue where they offered me a full ride academic scholarship.

I groaned and flopped back onto my bed, the letters having been delivered while my mom was still at work, thankfully.

“Shit. Shit shit shit shit,” I repeated holding the letter in my clenched fist.

I had already gotten my acceptance letter for Hawkins Community College. We were waiting to see when Steve was going to get his and then we were both going to accept the offers and we’d be good. That was our plan.

I could hear the front door opening, “Lou?” my mom called from the front hallway.

I sat up and pushed the three new acceptance letters into my pillowcase and walked calmly out of my room.

“Mom?” I called back.

“How was school?” she asked when I made it to the kitchen where she was carrying pizza.

I nodded, “Yeah, same old. Just getting the last bit over before Spring Break starts.”

“Has Steve gotten his acceptance letter yet for the community college?” she asked hopefully.

I shook my head, “Not yet, but probably within the next week or so.”

“Are you excited?” she smiled.

I breathed out deeply and smiled back to her, “Yeah, I can’t wait actually,” I told her honestly. For the first time in my life, I was excited to stay in Hawkins.

“Did you hear from the other schools though? It’d be nice to see what they say too, so you can keep your options open, if you wanted to,” she stated gently.

“No,” I said shaking my head, “it doesn’t matter to me if they accepted me or not, I’m staying here. With you guys and Steve. That’s what I want.”

My mom was the one who insisted on me applying to more schools other than just the community college. She always reminded me about how my main goal even just a year earlier was getting out of Hawkins and going to Purdue. She always told me about how that was my dream. And it was.

Until it wasn’t anymore.

“LuLu, I’m just saying you’ve worked so hard during high school and you really wanted Purdue last year. I understand you have Steve now, but he’d be happy for you if you got in there and wanted to go,” she tried explaining, “he’d wait for you!”

I pursed my lips, “It doesn’t matter about Purdue, mom. This is what I want. I just…wanna stay home.”

“I’m just saying,” she began once again, “that Steve is a good guy, and he would understand, Louise. He wouldn’t want you to put a dream you’ve had for years on hold. If he knew…Lou you are going to tell him right?”

“Yes, mom,” I sighed, “yes I’m going to tell him. But I’m happy with my choice. Plans change and I’m happy to go to the college.”

She sighed and shrugged, not bothering to get into this discussion any more than we already had.

“Well,” she announced, “I’m going to grab the laundry from yours and Dusty’s rooms. Can you set the table? Dustin should be home soon.”

I nodded and went to the cabinets, opening the cabinet and taking the plates out setting them on the table for the three of us. I grabbed some glasses and out those down as well. I went back down the hall to see if she needed help with the laundry gathering. I saw Dustin’s hamper in the hallway so I went to my room where I saw mom sitting on my bed with her hand over her mouth. With my bedding on the ground. She was holding papers with my pillow on her lap.

Shit.

“Mom, what are you doing?” I questioned.

She looked up at me with tears in her eyes, “You got in?” she asked dabbing at her eyes.

I sighed and ran my hands through my hair, “Yeah…I mean…yeah,” I said lamely, leaning against the doorframe.

More tears spilled over from her eyes as she got up, my pillow falling to the ground, and rushing over to hug me, “Oh Louise, I’m so proud of you, baby,” she cooed as she squeezed me.

I hugged her back limply, “Thanks mom, but it’s not a big deal. My mind is made up. That’s what I want.”

She pulled back from me, still holding onto one of the letters tightly in her hand, just as I had, “But Lou…this is Purdue. And Indiana State and Notre Dame. You have your choice of whatever you want! And a scholarship, Lou, that’s amazing! Why didn’t you tell me? We just talked about it?”

I grinned lightly and shrugged my shoulders, “It doesn’t matter. My mind is made already. And I was going to tell you…it’s just…it didn’t matter now.”

“But, Lou, if you let Steve know…if you talk it out with him-“

“Mom,” I cut her off, stepping back from her, “stop. Please. I love Steve. And I’ll eventually tell him. But I’m not taking any of these offers. I’m staying here and going to Hawkins Community. They have all the courses that I need to get a job…I don’t need some fancy university. It’s all gonna be fine.”

“But you wanted Purdue, so badly. I know you love Steve, but he’ll be happy for you, you’re going to tell him right?” she questioned.

I nodded without hesitation. I would tell him. Eventually.

—

“And then Keith told me I was on the brink, basically of getting fired,” Steve complained on the phone to me later on that evening after his shift at the Family Video was done.

“He can’t do that, he just doesn’t like you, he’s bluffing,” I told him.

He huffed on the other line, “I know!” he exclaimed dramatically, “Its just annoying. Like, I was late from my break by…maybe three minutes.”

I grinned, “Was it actually three minutes or like, an extra fifteen?” I questioned playfully.

He gasped on the other end making me laugh, answering that question, “Hey, you’re my girlfriend, you’re supposed to be on my side here!”

My laughter trickled off, “I am, love. I’m always on your side,” I said easily.

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” he told me quietly.

“You’re not so bad yourself, Harrington,” I told him with a small giggle.

I sighed deeply figuring that I might as well get the university news over with, “Listen, Steve, there’s something I need to tell you,” I began.

“Oh! Wait! Sorry, but I forgot to tell you,” he started, effectively cutting me off, “surprise, surprise, my parents are out of town this weekend. So I was thinking…me, you, my bed, our song…” he trailed off suggestively.

I felt my face heat up and my brain went blank, “We can definitely manage that, love,” I whispered.

He chuckled lowly on the other end, “Okay, perfect. What did you need to tell me?”

I cleared my throat not wanting to dampen this mood, “I’ll-we’ll talk about it tomorrow. When you pick me up.”

“Okay, babe,” he sighed, “and don’t forget, my parents wanted you to come for dinner tomorrow.”

I grimaced, “Don’t worry, I remember,” I mumbled, “what was with this sudden invitation? I haven’t been there since Christmas Day.”

He groaned, “I have no idea…I’ve barely seen them since Christmas,” he reminded me seeing as how he pretty much was only at his house to sleep.

“Well I’ll be there,” I smiled, “and then we’ll go support Robin at the pep rally,” I giggled.

He chucked on the other end, “And watch Sinclair,” he added.

I nodded, “It’s a big game,” I acknowledged.

He sighed, “We should go to bed…I’ll be to your place in the morning, okay?”

I smirked and nodded, “Yeah, no problem.”

“I love you,” he said quietly, sweetly.

“I love you too, baby,“ I replied.

We hung our phones up and I got settled into my bed. My nerves were growing because of these acceptance letters. I was grateful, obviously. But…I knew that when I told Steve about them he’d try to talk me into it. Especially when I told him about the scholarship. He would tell them there wasn’t a reason in the world good enough for me not to take Perdue.

But he was the reason I wouldn’t. I didn’t want to do long distance with him, I didn’t want to only see him once a month if that. Or worse just on holidays.

He would try and talk me into it. But there was no way in hell it would work.

[void-imp-archived]

5 songs you’ve had on repeat lately ?

Oho!! Time to reveal my questionable taste in music 😎 (kidding these artists are really talented I'm the only one who's questionable here) Also I'm talkative today so I'll go into more detail than necessary so putting it under a cut lolol

1. Gloxinia - Xomu, Hyurin and Mitsine

I recently stumbled upon Xomu and I really dig their music! It's some kinda instrumental EDM and it just has a really happy and energetic vibe

2. Snowblind - Au5 feat. Tasha Baxter

More EDM?? This one's on Jab's playlist!

3. Warriors - Asketa & Natan Chaim x Requenze x M.I.M.E

So many people made this song wowie,, Oh fun fact, it's copyright free! Also on Echo's playlist because she's a girlboss 😎

4. Listen To Your Heart - Nightcore versiondnjgkhkl (original by Roxette)

This is a certified bop back from my time on moviestarplanet. I reckon this will play at random times in Aleksey's head: Jab or Jeremy could literally be handing him the butter and his mind will be like 'LISTEN TO YOUR HEAAAAART WHEN HE'S CALLING FOR YOU'

5. froggy sings

I couldn't find a 5th one because most of the stuff I listen to is Xomu atm djshgk please have a froge

[dailytomlinson]

At the stroke of midnight on January 31st, 2020, the music industry was single-handedly saved by just a young lad from Doncaster. We can all agree, in confidence, that the majority of artists won’t top the charts with their first LP, especially with little to no promo. “Walls” however, debuted at #1 on the worldwide iTunes charts, a feat not many will come by. Judging by its success, we can rightfully assume this album could be rather magical. Just over a month into the decade, I can happily testify that this may be one of the greatest pieces of work we’ll see over the span of the next 10 years. The only record I may allow to top it, will be Tomlinson’s sophomore album, which is fair to speculate will have a little less fan service and show a little more of the grunge britpop rockstar that Louis is dying to showcase.

Oh, this guy’s from One Direction, too. It’s a fact that doesn’t need to be honed in on, but in case you aren’t familiar with his older work, the UK-based band is where he found his origin story. Though hopefully after giving these tracks a listen, we’ll all be able to start celebrating him as the solo artist he was destined to become.

Kill My Mind

You hate me and I want more.

Perhaps I wasn’t alive during majority of the Britpop Movement of the 90s, but I can wholeheartedly say that if you played this opening track for anyone familiar with the genre, they would tell you it would feel right at home as a feature on one of Oasis’ final LPs or as a single brought to us by Blur. However, that is not to say it lacks originality. In fact, far from it. His thick Yorkshire accent demands your attention right off the bat. This song is confident, it’s loud, it’s sexy, it’s everything his loyal fanbase has been patiently waiting to see arise from the musician. It’s a different Tomlinson than the general public may be accustomed to, but it’s a perfect example of an artist finding their authentic self. The electric opener, Kill My Mind gives us a little tease as to what’s to come.

Don’t Let It Break Your Heart

What hurts you is gonna pass and you’ll have learned from it when it comes back.

After careful consideration, this may be the album’s weakest link. It draws on a bit of the pop-influence his previous audiences may be more familiar with. Previously, Louis released a single-edit and a piano version. The one featured on the album, is by far the most well mixed. It’s filled with beautiful harmonies and the layered vocals have a lot of potential. The message of this song is uplifting, about overcoming hardships with grace and allowing yourself to grow from them — A theme not uncommon in Louis’ writing or general life philosophy. Always the lyricist, coming from him, this message works and it works beautifully into the melodies of the song. My main issue comes down to production. The background vocals are choppy and make the general feeling of the song a little cheesy. Ultimately, it all just sounds forced. I can say however, experiencing this song live is a different story. Some songs are meant to be played live, and this just happens to be one of them.

Two of Us

We’ll end just like we started, just you and me, and no one else.

The lead single was one Louis himself proclaimed needed to be written, or else his other art would suffer from being insincere. “I just feel like musically, I almost needed to get this song off my chest,” He recently told Rolling Stone, “People say writing is a part of therapy and in a way, I feel like I’d been avoiding writing this song because I knew I only had one chance to get it right.” For those who may be unaware, at the start of his solo career, Louis tragically lost his mother, the person he was closest with, to leukemia. Out of respect to him, I won’t dwell on this, and it does feel fairly inconsiderate to put the piece under review, per say. I will, however, assert that it is a stunningly orchestrated song. You can feel the authenticity and honesty radiate from the words he’s singing, especially in the big build up of the chorus in comparison to the heart wrenching and softly sung outro. It’s rare we find artists who are proud to wear their hearts on their sleeves and speak with true openness. Each song is an example of this, but Two of Us broadcasts this vulnerability loudly, as he gives us an anthem of accepting that you’re grieving and reminding listeners to always hold onto hope.

We Made It

Nothing in the world that I would change it for, singing something pop-y on the same four chords.

Yes, she’s corny, yes her lyrics might not be up to standard with the rest of his work, and yes, she is my favorite song on the album. We Made It, is filled to the rim with nostalgia and embracing that although the tunnel was dark, there was in the end, a light. For anyone who has grown up with Louis and supported him through all the twists and turns of his decade long career, this song could be a celebration of us and our relationship with our favorite musician. There were always struggles along the way, but we, as fans, never turned our back on him. We were there for him when he needed us to lean on. The sentiment remains when reversed. Ultimately, whatever we needed, he was able to provide. It’s easy to see how much of a team Louis and his followers are, and this song is honoring that. If you’re less familiar with the singer himself, then this track is just a fun little guitar-driven song that reminisces those nights of getting smashed and blazed out of your mind with your young love, and what’s wrong with that?

Too Young

Face to face at the kitchen table, this is everything I’ve waited for.

Every album needs a song to cry to, and for Walls, this is the one. There aren’t too many complexities here, as Louis has said he generally likes to stray away from metaphors when he can. The calm strumming of the acoustic guitar, lends itself beautifully to the track, and never overpowers Louis’ voice. Vocally, this a huge example of a myriad of Louis’ strengths. It contrasts some of the heavily belted pieces we hear later on in the album, and focuses on the softness he’s able to convey in his killer range of a chest voice. His raspy tone demonstrates a certain intimacy. When the song is listened to through headphones with your eyes closed, it almost feels as if Louis is right there on your bedside, gently playing a personal piece he had just written and trusts you enough to perform it for you first. There’s a certain amount of emotional intelligence demonstrated in this song, as he never pulls the victim card, but instead takes the mature approach of admitting to where he’s gone wrong. This notion is used a lot in his writing, and is a sure telling of his character. This catchy little ballad wouldn’t feel out of place on albums of most genres, musically lacking some originality, which is made up for with the candor and polish in his vocals.

Walls

Why is it that “thank-you” is so often bittersweet?

Objectively speaking, this is the most well crafted track on the album. Perhaps even more Oasis-y than some Oasis hits, it even earned itself a writing credit from Noel Gallagher himself. By now, we are more than well accustomed to embracing Louis’ themes of overcoming barriers (or walls). It’s something he writes about often, and why shouldn’t he? He knows what it’s like to stand above what’s been dragging you down more than anyone. The most titular lyric opens and closes the tune, proclaiming, “Nothing wakes you up, like waking up alone.” As soon as you’re hit with this, you know you’re listening to a song which dares the audience to take the musician earnestly. Louis has always been the funny one who has chosen to never take himself too seriously in life. With his music, he had a hard time at the start, choosing to put out records which defined Top 40, but never himself. Walls forces us to accept the artist he’s become. It proves to every listener, that Louis Tomlinson is a musician, a lyricist, a vocalist; a true craftsman. He is a serious artist and this salient track forces us, for once, to accept him as one.

Habit

Took some time cause I ran out of energy, of playing someone I’ve heard I’m supposed to be.

Back in February of 2018, Louis teased this lyric on his twitter, sending fans into a frenzy of when and where this sentiment might come into play. In September of last year, he finally played it for us live. This live version of the song was a complete bore. Again, Louis’ biggest asset in his music may come from his lyrics. He wrote more songs for One Direction than any of the other boys, often partnering with Liam Payne who would work on the melodies, while Louis focused on cutting deep with his words. This is more than evident here, meaning any initial fondness of this song was independently due to the verses he was singing. When the album finally hit stands and we were able to hear the studio version, I have to say, my opinion on this absolute banger changed drastically. It may be a little controversial to say, but this song might have some “Yeehaw” vibes. If you played someone the opening, before his vocals take the forefront, it would’ve been fair to assume it was a Maren Morris hit. Country/Britpop/Indie isn’t exactly something I would ever even consider diving into, but let me tell you, this certified bop has been on repeat. Here’s to hoping him and his band can put together a new live arrangement before the world tour kicks off in March.

Always You

Waiting to wrap your legs around me, and I know you hate to smoke without me.

To be blunt, this song was a fan service. If it wasn’t for Louis’ persistent stans, this track may have been ditched months ago. However, when he gave us a glimpse of the songs upbeat opening lyric three years ago, we latched onto it. For years we bombarded Louis, telling him this song needed to stay on the record, and thank God he listened. He did realize partway through the writing process that this isn’t the sort of music he would like to put out anymore, so it may not resonate with someone looking for the more grungy side of the artist. Always You is almost pure bubblegum and it sounds like it should be radiating loudly off festival speakers. The tune will be a crowd-pleaser, and will surely bring the most hype for live audiences. It’s the sort of song you want to scream out while drunk on a rooftop in the summer atop the ocean in New York City, which is exactly what myself and approximately 6800 more fans will be doing this June.

Fearless

Cash in your weekend treasures, for a suit and tie, a second wife.

God damn is Fearless sexy. The slow and pulsing beat of this song, with the organic guitar, subtle production, and his sultry voice are a recipe for a great and sensual tune. The song was written with the inspiration of feeling youthful, and teaches what to center your sense of self-worth around. There’s a certain level of maturity that comes with a song of these intentions, and in that, Louis is able to showcase his ever growing wisdom. “What I wanted to try and capture with the song is the idea of feeling youthful and how important that is,” He recently said in an interview with Apple Music, “I’m at this age where I’m on the cusp — I’m definitely not a teenager, I’m not a young lad anymore, nor am I old, but I sit in this space where I’m aware of my age now. I hear it as a playground or going back to real youth.”

Perfect Now

Don’t you wanna dance? Just a little dance?

On release day, Louis did a signing, where he bravely asked a few fans what their least favorite track on the album was. Everyone said Perfect Now, earning them a high five from the man himself as well as his genuine agreement. While many look at it as a cheesy romantic love song, masquerading as a rejected early One Direction track, mirroring Little Things or What Makes You Beautiful, I wholeheartedly disagree. It’s easy to chalk it down to being “cheesy” when you approach it as being romantic, but if you look at it as, simply, a love song, that changes the perspective. Louis sings over an appealing and charming little guitar melody, and you can almost hear his smile. It’s easy to picture him singing this to his younger sisters as a piece of brotherly encouragement, or to a good friend who needs cheering up after a hard day. This darling melody invites you to dance around your bedroom feeling loved. Perfect Now proves that not everything has to be deep and serious; allow yourself to be open to simply feeling happy over the little things like a lyric that makes you smile. When in the chorus he prompts, “Keep your head up, love,” listeners can’t help but feel a sense of personal support from the artist, which is exactly what makes this song so special.

Defenseless

We’re sleeping on our problems like we’ll solve them in our dreams.

It’s understandable why Louis likes to stray from metaphors in his writing, because generally speaking, they simply aren’t good. This is proven with lyrics such as, “I’m running to you like a moth into a flame”. As well as this, the rhyming of “defenseless” with “fences” and then “defenseless” again, doesn’t exactly sit well. The song does grow to be much better than anticipated after the first verse. The pre-chorus has a strong beat, which you’ll find yourself accidentally clapping along to in public. The bridge allows Louis to explore his falsetto, which is something we’ve never heard from him before. It’s strong and poignant, and it’s a real shame that his old band never gave him the opportunity to use his voice in all its capabilities. The control Louis has over his vocals throughout this song is astonishing, and almost unheard of in most modern music outside of musical theatre. This track alone, proves that he is one of the most vocally gifted artists not only to come out of One Direction, but to come out of the last decade at all.

Only the Brave

It’s a church of burnt romances and I’m too far gone to pray.

The lyrics to this song are borderline poetry. Each and every word draws you in and leaves you speechless. It’s a short song, ending at one minute and forty-four seconds, and that works well. It leaves us wanting more, even when we’ve reached the very end of the whole experience. The tune feels like a mantra; something to sing to yourself as you prepare for something you’re nervous about or to congratulate yourself on completing a task you never thought you could accomplish. There’s no proper structure and his voice has a retro filter over top, giving the whole thing a bit of a wartime vibe. The most powerful moment is undoubtedly when he sings, “It’s a solo song, and it’s only for the brave,” as a way of patting himself on the back for where he is now in life and in his career. It’s the perfect way to bring home the album. After 12 tracks demonstrating it, it is proven to us that he doesn’t need his ex-bandmates, he doesn’t need a big production, he doesn’t need Simon Cowell, he doesn’t need other songwriters dictating what direction to go, because he is Louis Tomlinson and he is brave.

[on-the-shelves]

on my shelf: soundtrack to my fourth year of uni - summer

I’m finally done with my Bachelor’s thesis! I might make a separate, more detailed post about it, since the topic is relevant for what this blog is about (of course it is haha), but for now I can say my topic was an analysis of the use of elements from the “Pop-Star-System” in building up a girlgroup career. I looked at the history of Pop-Stars and analysed the album covers of the Supremes’ first two albums, as well as the Spice Girls and Girls’ Generation’s first albums/physical releases. It was a lot of work, but I really enjoyed the topic. Oh and if anyone was wondering, I’m doing a Media Studies degree, which is why I could tackle such a cool topic.

Anyway! So working on my thesis took up my entire summer semester because I luckily didn’t have any classes left to attend, so I was thankfully spared the whole online class ordeal. The music I mentioned in my last post (”Quarantunes”) has mostly stayed on repeat in the past few months. Besides an ever steady stream of BTS, there are a couple of new things to add to the list:

Tomorrow X Together: The Dream Chapter: Eternity (2020)

Now THIS is the release I’ve been waiting for from them. Their previous album had one song that had a co-writing credit for one of the members (Hueningkai on “Rollercoaster”), but this album has more! We’re finally starting to hear their writing talents more. “Maze in the Mirror” was written/demo’ed entirely by one member (Beomgyu) and in the process of preparing it for this release the other members also wrote parts. It’s a beautiful, melancholic, and dynamic song that I can highly recommend for listening to before going to sleep. The lyrics talk about how unsure they felt before debuting. I can’t wait to hear more songs where they talk about their personal experiences, because clearly they’re good at it. In general this album is much darker than their previous two releases and they suit them well. The songs are more varied, too: You have the classic TXT style opening song, but the lead single “Can’t You See Me?” is full of angst, which is new for them. “PUMA” is like dark R&B, while “Fairy of Shampoo”, a reworked cover of a popular 1990s Korean song, is more city-pop. And then you have “Eternally” which reminded me of twenty one pilots’ “Ode to Sleep” in the way it completely changes up its style several times throughout the song. It’s all coherent and flows well from top to bottom though, and I think they’re well on their way to carving their own niche in the saturated and often same-same (k-) pop landscape.

Agust D: D-2 (2020)

He finally came back. SUGA of BTS last released a mixtape under his solo moniker Agust D in 2016. That one was very dark, brazen at times, and incredibly open and honest about his struggles, ending on a note of hoping that things will get better. This follow-up release makes it clear that Agust D has become a slightly different person in the past few years. He’s still brazen at times, but he has good reason to be, looking at how incredibly successful BTS has become since 2016. As always, he makes fun of those who decide to be haters but cleverly never gets too specific - if you feel attacked, that’s on you. There is a lot of introspection on this album too. It’s generally much less defeated or dark than on the 2016 self-titled release, but it’s still not all sunshine and rainbows. His problems have morphed -  he has now achieved his dreams, but it’s not quite what he expected it to be. There are a lot of thoughts about dreams, about what it means to grow up, about what his position in the world means and feels like. That sounds like it’s very focused on himself and might be inaccessible to us non-famous people, but that’s absolutely not the case. A lot of it are quite mundane questions that everyone asks themselves in their 20s, like “what am I doing with my life?” and “what kind of person am I really?”. He makes it clear that he doesn’t have the answers, but he somehow makes you feel comforted in that uncertainty. The musical style is more like current hip-hop, where Agust D was more like harder, older hip-hop, but retains his (especially recent) typical, very melodious style, with him even singing some choruses. There are various styles and interesting production choices that make for a varied, but cohesive listening experience. 

Hayley Williams: Petals for Armor (2020)

I mentioned this album in the “Quarantunes” post as well, but the full album was released after that went up, so it deserves another mention here. This album tells a story of an emotional journey towards healing, without ever getting preachy or feeling insincere. In several interviews Hayley mentions her therapy journey and learning to deal with her trauma and how this album helped with that. Listening to all the songs in order, a journey of self-discovery, -acceptance, and -empowerment is laid out. All these things are typically found in little things and learning to change your perspective. It’s Hayley’s most feminine work yet, in the sense that she’s embracing all of her different aspects: the delicate, the powerful, the rage, the love. Everything is wrapped in sounds inspired by Alternative music, but more, as said before, the Björks, Radioheads, and synth-y 80s artists, instead of loud guitar bands. My favourite songs are “Crystal Clear”, “Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris”, “Over Yet”, “Cinnamon” and “Simmer”.

IU: Palette (2017)

When it was announced that IU and SUGA from BTS (two of the most popular artists in Korea) would release a collab song, I decided to check out her (IU’s) music more intensely, because I only knew one or two of her songs from the Dalkom Café playlist on Spotify. One of them is on this album, “Palette (ft. G-Dragon)”. This album, to me, best encapsulates IU’s sound: from heartbreaking ballads to satisfying light K-R&B, to slightly darker, groovy K-R&B (I think that’s the right genre term..), this one has them all. I’m not the biggest fan of ballads, but I enjoy IU’s voice so much that I don’t mind listening to them at all. I really love it, however, when she leaves that style behind for the slightly darker, or at least more pop sounds, like on “Palette”, but especially on “Jam Jam” and “Black Out”. She has a certain attitude on those songs that are slightly opposite of the pure, innocent image I previously had of her. It seems very sincere though, most likely because she writes on all of her songs. She has been utilising this style more often in recent years, on songs like “Bbibbi” and “Blueming” (both certified bops). “Eight”, the collab with SUGA, is an uplifting, yet bittersweet feeling pop anthem that almost feels like it could’ve been just a little bit longer. I’ll probably dive deeper into her lyrics soon and I’m excited for what I will find.

Sunmi: Warning (2018)

Last summer, Sunmi released the single “Lalalay” and I immediately loved it. I learned the choreography pretty much the week after I heard it the first time. Unfortunately, she didn’t seem to have much other music on her Spotify page though, just a couple of older singles (which I also immediately loved). This year she released “pporappippam” (which is basically the romanization of the Korean title which translates to Purple Night), a bittersweet, nostalgic, summer pop song, like only Sunmi can do. Seriously, no one else in K-Pop is releasing music like hers, and they probably don’t even dare to try. For those who don’t know, she used to be in one of the historically most popular girlgroups Wonder Girls. But besides that, she has been releasing her own style of pop since she started releasing solo music and Warning (which they must’ve only recently put on Spotify in full) is a pretty good encapsulation of that sound. It’s almost like a mix between K-Pop and K-R&B, but more like IU’s moodier songs for example. It’s not flashy and sparkly, but it’s not full-on groove either. It’s a bit of both and it works perfectly for her. 

--

Special mentions for new albums I haven’t listened to that much but do enjoy a lot: HAIM’s Women in Music Part III, Irene&Seulgi’s Monster, Taylor Swift’s folklore (released like a week before this post is published but it’s undeniably good and will get a longer write-up when I’ve had more time with it), Loona’s discography

[fuckyeahqueermusic]

FY!QM’s Favorite Albums of 2019 Part 2

Happy Super Bowl Sunday, here have a list of my favorite albums of 2019. You can click here to read part 1 if you missed it, but part 2 is all my absolute favorite releases from the year. Two of them aren’t even EPs, let alone full albums, but it is my list and I am the boss so I can do what I want!!

Obviously a ton of great music was released this year, but I think compared to 2018 it was a little lacking. Which is understandable, that was a bonkers killer year for new music, but I’m already psyched for all that’s coming out in 2020, and I have a feeling I am going to have a hard time doing a round up of everything I loved come next December (or January....or February, who’s to say!)

Anyways, onto my favs of 2019!

Carly Rae Jepsen — Dedicated Okay, so first off we have to talk about how one of the first working titles for this album was “Songs To Clean Your House To”, and how it is a CRIME we were deprived of that. Well, it will always be the real title in my heart.

So, Dedicated is not Emotion. It was never going to be Emotion, and that is okay. It is still an absolutely meticulously crafted, nearly perfect pop record. One that’s not only is full of great singles and individual certified bops (”Julien” anyone????), but actually works as a whole record, an increasing rarity in the mainstream pop landscape. But you can feel how much CRJ cares about what she puts out, and while some songs are weaker than others, there is no filler, and every track has something to enjoy on it. She is still the QUEEN of mid-tempo jams, with “No Drug Like Me,” “Too Much,” and “Automatically In Love” already up in the pantheon of all time mid-tempo jams. Some folks might have been disappointed we didn’t get Emotion 2.0, but I am thrilled CRJ wants to keep growing as an artist, and that she isn’t content to keep releasing the same thing over and over again, even though she very easily could.

Telethon — Hard Pop Telethon is hands down one of the best rock bands in the game right now, and I am thrilled they finally seem to be gaining a bit of traction outside the extremely cult following they’ve been building over the past five years. They have hooks for days, their music a master class in power pop song writing, combined with some of the densest lyric writing I have ever seen. Lead singer and lyricist Kevin Tully crafts each song like a short story about millennial mundanity and quarter life crises: using the exhaustion of finding a new apartment to examine long simmering anxiety, or trying to figure out if contentment is settling, and being too tired to know if you can tell the difference, while getting asked if you have weed at a terrible house party. It’s an album that feels like your late 20’s and early 30’s, with just enough optimism from a synth line to let you know that maybe everything will be okay in the end, maybe not, but it’s not stupid to hope.

Also they are not afraid of a ska influenced breakdown, and for that I must salute them.

Great Grandpa — Four of Arrows This is far and away my most listened to album of the year, and it only came out in October. Every song is masterfully crafted to stick in your head, and whenever I put on “Bloom,” “Rosalie,” or “Treat Jar,” I HAVE to listen to it at least three times in a row. The songwriting on this album is just fucking astonishing, and it completely runs the gamut from acoustic driven indie to 80’s big power chord pop rock, without feeling incongruent at all. It is incredible that this is the same band that made Plastic Cough only two years ago. Not that their debut was bad, but this album is just such a massive leap in skill and sound that it is truly amazing. Just a completely beautiful record from front to back, and I am so excited to see where this band goes next.

that dog — Old LP For the last 3 years that dog’s one semi-hit from 1997, “Never Say Never,” has been in my top 5 played songs of the year on Spotify (it currently has 186,000 plays. I would wager about 100,000 of those are me). I would argue it is the catchiest song ever written. It was on an album, Retreat From The Sun, that is back to back to back catchy jams. that dog should’ve been one of the most famous bands in the world, and I have been lamenting hard for some time that we never got more music from them. They broke up in 1997, scattering to the winds to be involved in making some of your favorite music (Josie and the Pussycats soundtrack anyone???)

Until last year. Anna Waronker got the band back together and that dog released their first album in 22 years, Old LP. And it’s like barely any time has passed. Old LP is practically perfect 90’s pop-rock, insanely catchy with enough of an edge and interesting flourishes (they credit basically a whole orchestra in the liner notes) to make you want to put the whole thing on repeat for a few hours. Or maybe that’s just me. Either way, I am so happy that dog is back in some capacity, and here’s hoping this is not the last we hear of them. 

(Also I picked this live performance of “Bird On A Wire” cause Allison Crutchfield from Swearin’ is there???)

Fireworks — Demitasse single This is not an album, or even an EP, but this is my list and I can do what I want and that includes fawning over a single from what is sure to be one of my top albums of 2020. Fireworks’ reunion was my biggest surprise of the year. They are a band that defined the last decade for me, their lifespan cut too short due to a crowded market and evolving too fast for their audience (they should be The Wonder Years level of famous and beloved, as they were, no offense to Soupy and the boys, the superior band). But after four years away they returned with a 6 minute slow burn of a song, solemn and sparse, until the full band crashes in more than ¾ of the way through. The first time I got to 5:08 in the song, the mix of pure catharsis and active anger that they disbanded in 2015 and we were denied new material from them until now I felt guaranteed Higher Lonely Power will almost certainly be THE album of 2020.

Team Dresch — Your Hands My Pocket “7 Perhaps even more important than Fireworks comeback, the biggest music news of 2019 for me was Team Dresch’s reunion. They are a band that I trace pretty much all my modern musical tastes to, and they are hugely influential to me and so many others in what they proved was possible for queer music to be. When that reunion ALSO came with new music, I about lost my mind. “Your Hands My Pocket” sounds like no time has passed since Captain My Captain came out: perfect hooks, heartfelt earnest lyrics, the vocal trade off between Jody Bleyle and Kaia Wilson, and all the queer pop-punk jubilation I want. The b-side “Baskets,” is classic Team Dresch emo (and yes I will argue to the ends of the earth that Team Dresch is one of the best emo bands of the 90s), with big volume shifts and longing vocals (and that bridge!). The only bad thing about this release is that there’s not more! Maybe if we all beg hard enough, they’ll make one more album.

[taste-in-music]

Check these artists out!

Yo here are some more recommendations for people that I think are really talented and make awesome music, along with my bumbling descriptions in attempt to communicate my appreciation for them. Enjoy!

Ariel Beesley: A model and singer from Los Angeles, California, Ariel Beelsey has been hailed as “the Blondie of our era.” Citing Blondie, The Cure, and New Order as her influences, Beesley blends the nostalgic, glitter flinging party vibes of 80s synth pop with a more modern feel. Her voice has a rich lower register that reminds me a bit of Annie Lennox and Marina Diamandis. 

My top tracks: Slower Than Usual (certified bop, I’ve had it on repeat for weeks,) Love Me Better

Frills: As mentioned in their Spotify bio, this duo was “ raised in New Zealand, live in Brooklyn.” With an airy, whimsical indie pop sound, their music is bound to make you feel both carefree and chill. Their sound reminds me a bit of Foster The People with a splash of Peach Pit. 

My top tracks: Drunk Girls, Drunk Boys (so so much fun to listen to,) My Love

Slayyyter: Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, Slayyyter  is showing up to be one of the most promising new voices in pop music, having been recognized by the likes of Charli XCX. Blending glossy dance pop beats with a do-it-yourself aesthetic, Slayyyter’s styles is a little bit sweet, a little bit electronic, and endlessly enjoyable. 

My top tracks: Mine, (it’s so fucking catchy, I can’t even,) BFF ft. Ayesha Erotica

Robinson: This fresh face in the pop scene only has a handful of songs, but all of them are gems brimming with energy. Songs like Medicine and Nothing to Regret combine earnest lyrics with soaring hooks that’ll stick in your mind for days. I’m hoping for more releases and mainstream traction for her in the future, because she holds a ton of promise. 

My top tracks: Medicine, Karma

Hatchie: If you’ve been craving an eighties throwback as of late, then I can’t recommend Hatchie enough. With a dreamy voice and atmospheric soundscapes dappled with nostalgic melodies, there hasn’t been a singer I’ve been hooked on quicker than her. Pitchfork deemed her the “dream-pop idol of tomorrow” and there’s certainly a reason why. 

My top tracks: Stay With Me (I’ve literally been so unhealthily obsessed with this song,) Sugar & Spice

Erthlings: I’ve got a new badass girl group in my sights! This group has apparently been together since the members were friends in elementary school, and now they’re only sixteen and already making waves in the indie pop scene. They may only have two songs to their name, but they’re certainly a group to watch for in the future

My top tracks: Bridges, Cuts & Bruises

Stella Donnelly: A Welsh-Australian musician hailing from Perth, Stella Donnelly mixes sharp, smart lyrics with a range of indie rock styles. With a charming voice and beyond-her-years intellect, she may be a new voice in the music scene, but has certainly made her mark, whether that be with her first EP for her debut album Beware of the Dogs.

My top tracks: Old Man, (the fuck-the-patriarchy bop you’ve been needing in your life,) Die

BETWEEN FRIENDS: Formerly HEIRS, this trio consisting of brother and sister Brandon and Savannah Hudson alongside drummer Brennan Benko have perfected taking the atmosphere of summer and distilling it into chill indie pop. They only have a handful of songs released, hopefully many more to be released in the future. 

My top tracks: affection, (I’m obsessed with this song lmao,) better friends

Tōth: If you’ve ever heard of the art-pop/indie group Rubblebucket, then you might be familiar with band member Alex Toth, who now has as a career making music on his own. Keeping with the quirky alternative style of Rubblebucket and mixing in a heaping helping of folk-driven elements, his solo work is more down to earth and just as wonderful. I can see fans of Hozier or Vance Joy really digging his sound. 

My top tracks: Copilot, When I Awoke

Gus Dapperton: Make sure to check this guy’s work out before his album drops on April 19th! Aside from making quirky and catchy alternative anti-pop music, he’s just a really cool and creative guy. His music videos are awesome and his voice is super unique, ranging from a nasally falsetto to raspy in mere seconds. 

My top tracks: Word Class Cinema, Fill Me Up Anthem

[tannervargas]

Sun-Drenched Bops for Your Summer

It’s that glorious time of year when everything is warm, gasping, and slightly moist. Which also means it’s time for the annual roundup of the best bops to cool down those airwaves. As the temperatures get hotter and skies fade to that deep summer blue, the perfect summer playlist stands tall to elevate any good summer day into a great one. Maybe this one delivers; maybe it doesn’t.

From the expected pop confections to sad disco and throwback screechers, this year’s playlist has every flavor from the local snow cone stand.

Check out the playlist below and dip your toes in with some highlight music videos.

She’s back.

Our Swedish queen of sad bops and club bangers ushers in the summer sun with a chill-bop beat about helping a friend realize how much better it can be after a breakup. The earworm melody and “he’s gone, he’s gone” loop leads into the hardest soft-drop of recent memory in the chorus. The music video only confirmed Tove’s masterful eye for imagery, and shows just how far she’s willing to go for friendship—and crafting certified bops.

The Brit phenom is fresh off her debut album, and already touring the US with live performances as fiery passionate and vocally perfect as contemporaries twice her age (she’s 21). “Uh Huh” is one of her breakout hits, complete with a sinusoidal energy building and breaking with each choral run (similar to the incredible “I Get No Joy”). If her cheeky lyrics and songwriter’s delivery don’t win you over, that memorable vocal should.

Rosalía is becoming a mainstay on this site, and for good reason. She teams up with J. Balvin and frequent collaborator El Guincho to deliver her first foray into reggaeton, a bold but not unpredictable stray from her modern flamenco fire of El Mal Querer. For juggling so many influences throughout her discography, it’s remarkable how singular she’s able to sound. The unmatched (and now trademark) visuals help, too.

Guppy was a damn good album.

Charly Bliss tones down their more immediate high-octane fire for a slow burn buildup in “Young Enough,” a reflective rock rumbling that holds lyrical gems (Do you remember running barefoot against the dark? / I elected to drown in you) and new-wave gleam. Their sophomore effort, of the same name, keeps the energy going and builds more dramatic shifts in the strum.

“Bags” almost immediately sounds like a patchwork of disconsolate parts. Somehow, it’s better for it.

Clairo has long been evolving, from breakout tracks “Flaming Hot Cheetos” and “Pretty Girl” to her more ambitious and inventive new work. The strums are hypnotizing and the jumpy piano strikes begin to play off the soft sturdiness of her voice amidst the chaos. In the end, the song breathes as a whole, or maybe sighs, as her voice grows strong enough to hold it all together.

This one is perfect for a self-pity swim. “Heartbreak Summer” has that easy wistfulness of Lana’s “Summertime Sadness,” but with a production landing somewhere between the original’s slow burn and Cedric remix’s EDM bass boom. K. Flay is the star here, emotion brimming to the top of her worn and fluttering-warm vocal.

Looking for the perfect song to longingly glance out of a window to? To walk with on a breezy day as you stroke rustling bushes and contemplate? Look no further. This strummy track is upbeat and melancholy all at the same time, while simultaneously gliding between two languages as smoothly as Ambar Lucid’s tranquil, Uchis-reminiscent voice. This one calls for repeat listening.

[dbphantom]

in case you're wondering what I listen to on repeat all the time while writing fic

i also have indiana evans's other songs but they're on 🤢 spotify. they go so hard in HQ tho so it's worth the struggle. not really a fan of Amy Ruffle's songs, tho I do like In My Garden bc it's a certified bop. she has a great voice don't get me wrong they're just not my style and do not have the nostalgia factor (i was in HS when it released)

... do you know how much it upsets me that we've never gotten an official OST release with ALL the official tracks? like Last Time by The Wells (plays for a maximum of 30 seconds in two Mako Mermaids episodes) or Bella Becomes a Mermaid (one of the prettiest tracks in the entire series!!!) I'm kinda debating emailing them again to ask once more for an official soundtrack release (the last time I emailed them they sent me a bunch of signed Mako Mermaids pngs, it was really cute lol).

I would imagine they're still using some of the songs in the Bureau of Magical Things if Ricky Edwards's webpage is to be believed, but I don't watch Bureau beyond hearing about all the new totally non-canon mermaid stuff...

oh, and I STILL CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LONELY SWIM AND LONELY SWIM - WILL & SOFIE. I'M 99% SURE THEY ARE THE SAME SONG WITH TWO DIFFERENT NAMES. WHAT'S GOING ON THERE!!!

brb putting lonely swim and lonely swim - will & sofie into davinci resolve to test this once and for all

ok the 3d effect near the end is pretty sick im ngl. but it is essentially the same song.

i think lonely swim - will and sofie peaks higher than lonely swim but they're pretty much the exact same song with minor edits. it does sound really cool with both of them playing at the same time tho

... this keeps crashing my davinci resolve lmao HOW IT'S JUST TWO AUDIO TRACKS

anyway im gonna merge them into one track and upload it here for funsies brb

[i-am-grell]

Here’s My Top 100 For 2018 From Spotify

And me trying to justify them! (Look, some are WIP-related, others are jams, some I really can’t explain I just got back into Glee for like a month at one point this year...) Here’s the playlist

1. From a Mountain In The Middle Of The Cabins - Panic! At The Disco

Look, I just love the bouncy piano and the tuba. You can never have a bad tuba.

2. The End. - My Chemical Romance

Goes along with Chapter 8 of my WIP, Interlude, because I’m mean

3. Blank Space - I Prevail

This also goes along with Interlude from Chapter 1 - 5

4. If It Means A Lot To You - A Day To Remember

This one goes with my WIP Blood Bound (This one isn’t posted anywhere) (specifically, book 5)

5. Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes - Fall Out Boy

Another Blood Bound one (Book 7)

6. This Could Be Anywhere In The World - Alexisonfire

Interlude

7. The Curse of Curves - Cute is What We Aim For

This was going to be Interlude-related but got replaced. Still a banger

8. Disturbia - The Cab

The theme song of Dreavyn from my WIP Aaron Being Normal and if anyone has any tips on how to control a chaotic bisexual OC please let me know

9. Jumpsuit - Twenty One Pilots

Funky bass

10. MakeDamnSure - Taking Back Sunday

A theme for Trace from Aaron Being Normal (Won’t be extremely relevant until book 3 (also this was supposed to be a standalone...))

11. Miss Murder - AFI

Funky bass part 2

12. Fences - Paramore

Interlude again - A Selena Walton Theme Song.

13. The Sharpest Lives - My Chemical Romance

Interlude - A Morgan/Selena/Mostly Selena Theme. (Also, a banger)

14. Camisado - Panic! At The Disco

Interlude - How many hospital scenes can I fit into 1 WIP about depressed teens? (Turns out three; maybe four, technically)

15. My Heart I Surrender - I Prevail

Cole’s character song (Interlude) (Also romantic AF)

16. I Don’t Care - Fall Out Boy

Interlude. Also a Mood

17. Holiday/Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day

Partially Interlude, partially because Holiday fucking slaps and BoBD is a classic

18. Ocean Avenue - Yellowcard

1/2 Interlude, 1/2 a Mood

19. I Don’t Wanna Be In Love (Dance Floor Anthem) - Good Charlotte

Dare I say, an aro-ace mood?

20. Check Yes, Juliet - We The Kings

I feel like half this playlist is just gonna be songs from the Interlude playlist...

21. Problematique - Hot Chelle Rae

Some funky bass, call and response, and fast rhyming - an ultimate jam

22. Postcards - Amber Pacific

Interlude playlist

23. Nico and The Niners - Twenty One Pilots

Look, I just really like Trench; it’s a good album

24. Demolition Lovers - My Chemical Romance

This is on the Interlude playlist but there’s such a Bonnie and Clyde feel to it, man...

25. Do You Know What I’m Seeing? - Panic! At The Disco

No. I don’t. Good song to dissociate to, though. I’m not good at instruments but good guitar/ukulele/whatever it is. Pleasant mood.

26. Rough Hands - Alexisonfire

Look, I’m trying to learn how to properly sing unclean parts (screamo parts) which will be absolutely shocking coming from a 5′2″ blonde girl; I need songs to practice to...

27. The Irony of Choking on a Lifesaver - All Time Low

Theme song to the Netflix adaptation of Interlude that plays in my head on repeat. Now if only I could actually finish writing the goddamn book...

28. Fat Lip - Sum 41

Interlude playlist, also listen to it and tell me you don’t hate everybody and this town

29. Say Anything (Else) - Cartel

I like singing the intro/chorus as sort of a vocal warm up...

30. Oh Well, Oh Well - Mayday Parade

Just a fucking MOOD my dudes

31. Whatever Happened To Saturday Night? - Glee Cast Version

No offense to Meat Loaf....but John Stamos... (Also Interlude (Travis) inspo) (Also I was really into Glee again earlier this year... Still haven’t actually watched past season 3...)

32. The Anthem - Good Charlotte

What I listen to when I consider dropping out and becoming a bog witch, but, like, a punk bog witch

33. Thunder - Boys Like Girls

Aaron Being Normal Inspo. The band’s name is ironic considering how Gay I make it...

34. Don’t You Know Who I Think I Am? - Fall Out Boy

I like singing this one when I’m drunk

35. I Don’t Love You - My Chemical Romance

Blood Bound (Book 2)

36. This Is Gospel - Panic! At The Disco

Blood Bound (Book 3)

37. Silver Bullet - Hawthorne Heights

Interlude Playlist

38. Weightless - All Time Low

MAYBE IT’S NOT MY WEEKEND BUT IT’S GONNA BE MY YEAR I scream to myself on a Tuesday

39. Who Do You Love - Marianas Trench

Have you ever looked up an a capella version of this one? Cuz yeah

40. Let The Flames Begin - Paramore

Anti-Depression, yet still Depressed Mood

41. Red Sam - Flyleaf

Depression Mood - also Interlude playlist

42. Jamie All Over - Mayday Parade

Interlude Playlist, and I think the Dreavyn playlist too... Look, it’s just a jam

43. Savior - Rise Against

Interlude Theme

44. Kiss Me, Kill Me - Mest

Another Interlude thing also a really good Selena x Morgan song

45. Hot To The Touch, Cold On The Inside - Fall Out Boy

Aaron Being Normal song also it’s about a hot pocket

46. Newport Living - Cute is What We Aim For

Interlude song that causes drama

47. Meant To Live - Switchfoot

Selena song - Interlude

48. Kill All Your Friends - My Chemical Romance

This is on the Interlude playlist purely because I’m Evil

49. You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid - The Offspring

On the Interlude playlist, also highly recommend blaring this through the hallways of your Catholic High School during lunch

50. Lights And Sounds - Yellowcard

Interlude Playlist also a banger

51. Angel With A Shotgun - The Cab

If this ain’t romantic as shit... Also it will make you wanna declare war on God Himself what a Mood

52. Somebody Told Me - The Killers

I’m not justifying why The Killer’s is on here I’m just shocked and appalled that Mr. Brightside has yet to make an appearance Spotify

53. Alright - Hot Chelle Rae

The English major inside of me wants to correct it to “all right” also Interlude epilogue Mood.

54. Changing - Saosin

Interlude Playlist

55. Bring Me To Life (Synthesis) - Evanescence

The Synthesis version is far superior and allows me to Properly showcase my Amy Lee impression

56. Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On A Bad Bed - Fall Out Boy

Along with J. Michael Tatum, Patrick Stump’s voice is My Religion - the first 23 seconds > The Beatles

57. Pas De Cheval - Panic! At The Disco

Sounds gallop-y

58. Be My Escape - Relient K

Interlude Mood/Theme

59. Science Fiction Double Feature - Glee Cast

Look, all Rocky Horror versions are great, even the Glee one...

60. Dear Maria, Count Me In - All Time Low

I like to sing this one when drunk

61. Stand - Flyleaf

Blood Bound (Final Book. End. Roll credits.)

62. I’d Do Anything - Simple Plan

A jam

63. Sweetness - Jimmy Eat World

The call-response, the spastic drums, damn boi, they’ve got it all

64. Say You Like Me - We The Kings

Catchy song, little fuckboi-ish if you really listen to the lyrics, but it’s not Baby It’s Cold Outside-bad???

65. AMBULANCE - My Chemical Romance

*Choir Ah-ing*, also an Interlude mood considering there are like 2 separate confirmed ambulance parts anyway...

66. crushcrushcrush - Paramore

Look me dead in the eye and tell me Hayley Williams didn’t put everything into her lyrics/singing here

67. Stay - Mayday Parade

Songs for when you’re heartbroken but to the point of dissociating while it rains outside, starting to storm, it starts out with just the grey pattering of a sheet of raindrops and soon the thunder starts to rumble with growing intensity and lightning splits the sky

68. There’s A Good Reason These Tables Are Numbered Honey, You Just Haven’t Thought Of It Yet - Panic! At The Disco

I am the victim of Dreavyn Hawthorne from my WIP Aaron Being Normal seriously if anyone can help me control a chaotic theatre bisexual...

69. Lyrical Lies - Cute is What We Aim For

This band’s lyrics are so fucking poetic it is Shakespeare to a guitar, y’all

70. Wilson (Expensive Mistakes) - Fall Out Boy

I always get like a falling slowly down one of those psychedelic tubes greenscreened into the background feeling at the intro but just like totally at peace falling, like kinda like listening to Ride by 21P type mood but then the chorus comes and it’s a jam

71. Backseat Serenade - All Time Low

Just a banger

72. My Own Worst Enemy - Lit

Look I don’t party too hard but when I do we go hard I was at a party on a Thursday night that didn’t end until the next morning no shit one guy I know did a kegstand before going to his English class

73. Come As You Are - Nirvana

Damn Kurt we miss you but you turned out some jams that no one can match

74. Traitor - Flyleaf

Blood Bound (Book 3)

75. Sadie Hawkins Dance - Relient K

The lyrics are so stupid but damn I love it

76. Poetically Pathetic - Amber Pacific

Did you mean literally 90% of my male OCs?

77. Saviour - LIGHTS

The first LIGHTS song I ever heard and I will defend my favourite singer until the day I die she’s Canadian like me, her family is ADORABLE, SHE is ADORABLE and I love her the end

78. Jersey - Mayday Parade

This goes with every WIP I’ve ever conceived and literally none of them are set in Jersey

79. The Middle - Jimmy Eat World

I feel like this song is just a universal mood but no one can explain exactly why

80. C’mon - Panic! At The Disco

Wholesome(TM)

81. Sunshine Riptide - Fall Out Boy

Interlude Playlist - I imagine Morgan singing it and that might end up happening in canon but idk yet...

82. Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond

Easily in the top 3 Neil Diamond songs if not the top, fight me.

83. First Date - blink-182

Literally just such an adorable song, blink-182 is the best

84. Last Hope - Paramore

Mostly a Selena song (Interlude) but idk I’ve destroyed many OCs wills to live so

85. Black Sheep - Metric

@spotify please put the Brie Larson version from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World on your streaming service I’m begging you - a very gay

86. When You Were Young - The Killers

Good song, real jam, where’s Mr. Brightside, spotify, where is it????

87. Broken Hearts Parade - Good Charlotte

A certified bop

88. All I Want - A Day To Remember

A song for my greedier OCs who just want to stop being tortured but yknow what children life aint fair

89. The Kids From Yesterday - My Chemical Romance

Put this in any of my WIPs really...

90. Threshold - Sex Bob-Omb

Try to tell me the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World soundtrack isn’t lit

91. Sorrow - Flyleaf

Blood Bound (Book 3)

92. Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea - Fall Out Boy

You know when you’re writing intense battles or going to get a tattoo and need a playlist of War Songs? This is like the first one on my War Songs playlist

93. Jesus Of Suburbia - Green Day

A staple in the punk rock genre

94. Neon Gravestones - Twenty One Pilots

Ngl I sobbed when I first heard this one so

95. Pressure - Paramore

Very vocal on the Interlude playlist

96. Starlight - Muse

I first got into Muse because it fueled Twilight but yknow what they’re still a damn good group and Supermassive Black Hole carried the baseball scene which was an astounding piece of cinema so

97. Sleepless in Phoenix - blessthefall

It’s literally just my favourite blessthefall song, fight me

98. Kids In The Dark - All Time Low

My mood for when my dad tells me “you’re 20 you should be able to figure it out” like excuse me for not learning how the entire world works the second I turned 18...

99. Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time - Panic! At The Disco

Refer to My Own Worst Enemy. Add drugs. I’ve never done drugs but..

100. Feeling This - blink-182

*screams I’m Feeling This at regular intervals* (I have no explanation it’s just a BOP)

[anhandfulgirl18]

TAYLOR SWIFT'S COLLABORATIONS RANKED. (Part 3)

AND NOW THE EAGERLY AWAITED TOP 10. (these are the songs I can't live without, that I never skip and that I most definitely gatekeep with all my being).

(GIF credit to @geyikperisi)

(Part one; Part Two)

10) Tim McGraw - Highway Don't Care (feat. Taylor Swift)

At first, I didn't like it that much, so this was a skip and, if things didn't change, not only this would be probably number 26 or 27, but I would have missed out on one of the best country collab ever. I'm not a fan of Tim McGraw, but this song slaps. A certified bop. I'm so glad that day I decided to listen to this song one more time instead of skipping it immediately as I used to do. Now, I can't live without it.

09) B.o.B - Both of Us (feat. Taylor Swift)

This was almost number 10. It's a tight game. The difference between this one and HDC is that this was instant love. I listened to it the first time and I was like ‘This song is a masterpiece, this is amazing’. And I've been obsessed ever since. Also, I do think people are truly sleeping on this one – on the other side is a good thing, so I can keep it to myself.

08) Exile (feat. Bon Iver)

This was Billboard's number one, right? Do i remember correctly? Nothing against that choice, I just don't share it and I think they picked the safest option but tastes are tastes... Anyhow, I love this song. Great lyrics, great music production, marvelous bridge (oh, that bridge gives me chills all over my body), I just don't listen to it quite as often as the next songs.

07) Big Red Machine - Renegade (feat. Taylor Swift)

“Is it insensitive for me to say get your shit together so I can love you?”. Do I need to add anything else? No, I don't. I'm kidding, of course I'm gonna add something else. I love this song, especially the second verse and the post-chorus. Such a phenomenal song, I wish it was on folklore or evermore so I could have listened to it sooner.

06) Evermore (feat. Bon Iver)

Damn, it looks like I'm not a big Bon Iver fan. Just kidding. I'm not a fan, but this does NOT mean that I don't adore these songs. Before evermore was released, exile would have been in this spot, but this song – in my modest opinion – has just that je n'ai sais quoi that makes me listen to it more than the other. Of course – I think you should know by now – it has terrific lyrics lyrics, great music production (omg, don't get me started on that piano and the way the music changes during the bridge) and a mind-blowing bridge – when their voices overlap and then she sings “You were there" with that voice so soft and ethereal, chills. all. over. my. body.

05) Nothing New (feat. Phoebe Bridges)

"How long would it be cute / all this crying in my room / when you can't blame me on my youth and roll your eyes with affection / And my cheeks are growing tired / of turning red and faking smile" (I wrote all of this without having to search a single word on the internet, I'm so proud of myself!). I'm not gonna add anything else, this speaks for itself.

04) Sugarland - Babe (feat. Taylor Swift)

This song is a pure masterpiece. I'm very sorry that Junk Gollum hurt my poor girl, but if he hadn't, she wouldn't have written this Shakespearean poem and my life would have been so much worse, gray and empty.

03) Run (feat. Ed Sheeran)

Now, THIS is my absolute favorite Ed Sheeran's collab. This is pure pop perfection, such a delicate ballad. I fell in love in the instant that I heard the first few notes (when Tay starts singing "Give me the keys" with her soft voice I just melted) on that Friday morning at probably seven in the morning. This song has been on repeat ever since that morning and I will never get tired of listening to it.

02) The Last Time (feat. Gary Lighthouse)

AND THIS WAS BILLBOARD'S LAST SONG? One of my fav out of Red, and it’s my favorite collab of that album. I won't lie, when Red TV came out and the first notes of this song started playing, I started bowling. By the second verse I needed a tissue, a napkin, something that was more efficient than the sleeve of my sweater, which was completely soaked by then.

01) Coney Island (feat. The Nationals)

BEST COLLAB OUT OF FOLKLORE/EVERMORE. The lyrics are so poignant, a few examples (now, I'm gonna need some help from the internet cause this is like reading Shakespeare):

"Break my heart in two / looking for you but you right here. / If I can't relate to you, than who am I related to? And if it's the long haul /how'd we get here so soon? / Did I close my fist on something delicate? Did I shatter you?"

"And do you miss the rogue / who coaxed you into paradise and left you there?"

Every time I listen to this song I can't help but crying like a baby (coming home from the bar... this one was good).

And that's all. I really thought this was going to be easier, but I had a total of 29 songs and I wanted 20 of them to fit inside the top ten. Overall, I think this is a much decent ranking than Billboard’s, but anyway, tastes are tastes, who am I to judge? I won’t judge yours if you don’t judge mine.

(I LIED. I will judge your taste, especially when you rank The Last Time as the last one. Sorry, not sorry).

[bringinbackpod]

Interview with Gavin Turek

We had the pleasure of interviewing Gavin Turek over Zoom video!  Gavin Turek has been a celebrated musician for years both for her “endlessly groovy and gripping” (NME) recorded work and spirited live performances (often featuring choreography she learned from her time spent in Ghana), and today finds the much anticipated release of her debut full-length album, ‘Madame Gold’ on her own Madame Gold Records. ‘Madame Gold’, is a stunning debut album that represents Gavin’s personal alter-ego who she sought strength in to overcome her inner saboteur. After bouts of self-doubt, discouragement from the music industry, and feelings of helplessness amidst the numerous global crises of the last year, Gavin entered the studio to complete the much-anticipated project and ended up creating a true powerhouse tour de force of modern R&B. Sonically the album trades the starlit disco vibes of her earlier work for an irresistible groove-heavy, R&B foundation. Tapping into the power that comes from vulnerability and taking inspiration from badass divas like Grace Jones and Diana Ross, 70s soul icons like Curtis Mayfield and the Isley Brothers, and modern day pioneers like Tame Impala and Raphael Saadiq, Gavin’s sound is an honorable throwback to the past while also undeniably fresh and current in the modern music world. The more contemplative moments on the album capture a completely different side of the songwriter.  "We took a more experimental route while creating the hybrid of soul and pop I'm known for, in order capture the inner transformation that was happening in me. I didn’t want to repeat what I did before,” said Gavin about the sonic direction of the album. NY Magazine’s The Cut said the LP (produced and co-written by Childish Gambino collaborator Chris Hartz) is “sure to be a summer staple”, while BUST called Turek “not only magical but a woman with integrity and heart.” Early singles “Illusions” and “Slide” (feat. bLAck pARty) garnered praise from Stereogum who praised the former as a "blissed-out love song”, and KCRW who called the latter “a perfect fit for your weekend on the boardwalk, or late-nite cruising down the boulevard.”  Also out today is the music film accompaniment for “Hero”, which Gavin says “tells the origin story of my alter ego Madame Gold, through a cinematic lens. At the height of the pandemic, I found myself depleted and discouraged, unsure how to move forward. One fateful day, I tuned in for an "artist talk" given by one of my favorite visual artists, Renee Cox. Her work and encouraging words were exactly what I needed to be reminded of who I was: a hero. Conceptually and creatively directed by myself and brilliantly directed by Josh Sondock, the HERO music film is meant to inspire people, especially women who feel lost and out of touch with their personal strength, to become their own heroes and save themselves instead of waiting for someone else.” Through the writing sessions for the album, Gavin exorcised deep feelings of personal pain, confusion, loss, love, moments of magic, and pressure. The result is an eclectic, pristine, and cathartic unveiling of an artist truly coming into her own -- be it on “Whisper” (a futuristic take on personal faith that includes a heartwarming interview snippet with Gavin’s mother), “Hero” (a certifiable bop about leaning into your own personal strength), or “Elevator” (which Refinery29 called the “perfect soundtrack for a fresh start”). According to NPR, “one way or another, Gavin Turek is going to entertain you”, whether through her live performances or her music. You may have heard of Gavin in the past through her entrancing solo work, acclaimed collaborations with TOKiMONSTA, her performance on CONAN, or performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! with Tuxedo, Mayer Hawthorne, and Cee Lo respectively. From growing up with a father who played piano and tagging alongside her mother who toured coffeeshops singing gospel, to studying dance in Ghana, to cutting her teeth as a working musician in Los Angeles, performing has been in the forefront of Gavin’s mind for her entire life, and with ‘Madame Gold’ the future is looking nothing but bright. We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com. www.BringinitBackwards.com #podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #GavinTurek #zoom Listen & Subscribe to BiB Follow our podcast on Instagram and Twitter!  source https://www.spreaker.com/user/14706194/interview-with-gavin-turek

[thee-morrigan]

🎵 + lelia/morgan and 🎵 + petra/ava please! ☺️

thank you so much for the ask! 💜💜 dropping them under the cut because I think my exegesis on the songs got a bit long, whoops.

for Leila/Morgan, something soft (both because of who I am as a person AND because soft!M agenda 💪)

“Weight Lifting,” Katie Herzig

Oh you were never mine to lose But your heart stayed there With your body too No you were never mine to win But I kept you close and you crept right in

This one is from the first playlist I did for them - I just plain love Katie Herzig’s sound, but the chorus (the lyrics above) just scream M to me (obvi Morgan in this case but also Mason). Knowing that their relationship wasn’t a relationship until one day it just *was*. And the “heart stayed there with your body too” line - I think of the first time M stays the night and I just-!

The idea that they're both explicitly agreeing to no strings and keeping it casual, neither one trying to "win" the other and somehow still they crept into each other's hearts and lives.

tl;dr - they're soft and so am I, your honor.

and for Petra/Ava, I'm going with "Sofia," by Clairo because it's beautiful and also because these lines are so perfect: You know I'll do anything you ask me to But, oh my God, I think I'm in love with you - I just wanna say How I love you with your hair down - There's things that I know could get in the way I don't want to say goodbye And I think that we could do it if we tried The whole song is a certified bop, but I especially love it for Petra and Ava because by the time we get to the end of Book 2 (to say nothing of the demo akdfjasd), she's very clear on the score. She has no problem acknowledging to herself that she's feeling a little more than collegial towards Ava, but she's also not blind, so she's pretty aware of Ava's repeated, intentional re-assertions of the line between them that she is clearly uncomfortable crossing at this point.

And she's fine with it, at least for right now. Petra's whole mentality is captured really well in this song -- the feeling of, "this may never happen for us, and if that's what you're comfortable with, then that's it. but if you ever change your mind, I think we could figure out the rest of it together." She's very determined to not make her feelings towards Ava a problem that Ava has to deal with, and to give her however much space she wants or needs. But she's also very much a person who is honest with her feelings and doesn't attach any undue/dramatic significance to them, if that makes sense?

Anyway I'll stop rambling about their playlists now, but thank you again for the ask! I love picking songs for characters, it makes my whole day.

Send me a ♫ + a character’s name and I will respond with a song that reminds me of them. Send a ♫ + a ship and I will do the same.

[scifibi]

Hi! Could I please have option 1, where Jasper thinks he’s the biggest Bellarke shipper, but surprisingly it’s actually Murphy, or if you have too many prompts maybe a gifset with Bellarke and Wicken parings? Thanks!

hello, Eponine! yes ofc you can have a fic =D

YOUR BELLARKE FIC: 

[ALSO ON AO3]

Jasper Jordan is many things. 

He’s rash and impulsive. He’s energetic and enthusiastic. He swallows without chewing when he’s hungry. He can be oblivious and selfish at times, but he always has good intentions. He’s loyal, but he holds grudges. He’s a little too into High School Musical, in a way that precariously toes the thin line between ironic and unironic.

But the one thing Jasper Jordan is not, is blind. 

He’s seen it ever since the first day of college — when he’d walked onto that courtyard, and saw a small, curvy blonde scowling at a broad-shouldered man with a head full of dark curls and a lazy smirk.

Bellamy Blake and Clarke Griffin are meant to be together.

“No, you’re not blind,” Monty had said in their dorm room later that night, “but it’s possible you you’re just a little too optimistic.”

“Aha!” he’d yelled, one finger jabbed towards his friend. “You said I’m not blind!“ 

What? The important thing was, he’d been right.

And he still is. Because after four years of him telling everyone that Bellamy and Clarke belong together, he’s finally being proved right. After four years of scheming to set them up on impromptu dates, of poorly disguised hints and pointed suggestions that were really only translucent at best, of being told to ‘shut up, Jasper’ whenever he crows over their obvious mutual attraction and respect and adoration, Jasper Jordan is finally receiving his vindication.

Because they finally are together!

Well. They’re living together, at least.

"It’s a step,” he insists as they spill out of Miller’s car. “It’s a step in the right direction. My direction.”

Harper pushes her sunglasses up to rest on top of her head, slipping her free hand into the pockets of her shorts. They’ve all dressed light, ready to help Bellamy and Clarke with unpacking and getting the apartment set up. “Maybe it’d help if you stop saying it like you’re a nineteenth century duchess matchmaking your pudgy son to his third cousin who’s, like, fourteen years old?”

“And keep your elbows to yourself when you’re sharing the backseat of a car with two other people,” Murphy snipes grouchily as he rubs over a lightly bruised rib. “I call shotgun next time." 

Monty shrugs unconcernedly as Miller locks up the car. "Shotgun rights are good for roundtrips. So, return trip included.”

Miller squints at them, the side of his palm pressed to his forehead to block out the sun. “You guys realise we’re all officially out of college now, right? As in, certified adults?”

They all start towards the building, mumbling non-committally.

Miller shrugs, pulling the door open for them. “Whatever. Monty’s right, anyway. Return trip included.”

Murphy rolls his eyes at Monty’s low hiss of triumph and accompanying fist pump.

Raven’s already in the kitchen when Bellamy lets them in, seated at the table and snorting over something on her phone as Clarke stands at the counter, mix up a large pitcher of something that looks fruity and hopefully at least mildly alcoholic.

“Took you guys long enough,” the brunette says, accepting a large Solo cup of the drink from Clarke.

Miller rolls his eyes, pushing her feet off the chair adjacent to hers so he can flop down into it. “We can’t all live two floors down, Reyes.”

“Is that sangria?” Jasper demands, bounding over to the counter. “I want sangria!”

“You’re getting it,” Clarke says dryly, handing him a Solo cup of his own. “We’d use real glasses and everything, but they’re still boxed up, and that’s what you’re all here for, so. This is what you get.”

“You had time to make sangria?” Monty asks, sniffing at the cup she presses into his hands.

“It’s basically just fruit juice and alcohol,” Harper points out, passing a cup along to Murphy. “Everyone has fruit juice and alcohol.”

“Everyone has alcohol, at least,” Murphy says, already pouring himself a refill.

“Go easy on that shit,” Bellamy warns, frowning as he accepts the cup Clarke hands him. “We’ve got a lot of work to do today.”

“Yeah, no, I’m just gonna keep drinking,” Murphy says. “Unless you’re planning on paying us actual money.”

Clarke rolls her eyes. “There’re two six-packs in the fridge.”

By the time they do get down to work, everybody’s at least one sangria in and pleasantly buzzed. Raven gets their speaker system set up first, plugging the auxiliary cord into Harper’s phone so they’ve got something to bop along to as they slice open boxes and unload utensils and books and other knick-knacks.

“The PlayStation!” Jasper exclaims, lighting up at the sight of the familiar PS4 console sitting in the box. He lifts it out eagerly, holding it high for everyone to see like it’s a lion cub and he’s a kooky old baboon standing on top of a giant rock. “You guys kept it!”

Clarke raises a brow, elbow deep in a box full of clothes, a grey scarf wrapped around her neck and a large pair of aviators propped on top of her head. “Were we supposed to throw it out?”

“In this hallowed box,” Jasper continues, blissfully ignoring her, “lies the sacred records that make up the Bellarke legend. How many Call of Duty campaigns have they conquered on this thing? How many Black Ops missions have they completed, with nothing but the sweat on their brows and the power of teamwork to pull them through? How many—" 

"How many more rhetorical questions can he think of before running out of steam,” Clarke interrupts dryly, casting an exasperated look at Monty. 

“How many times do we have to tell him to just use our names instead of some weird portmanteau,” Bellamy adds, hefting a box into his arms. “This one belongs in my room." 

Clarke stands too, lifting another box with her. "And this one belongs in mine. Back in a sec, guys." 

Miller prods his toe into the back of Jasper’s knee, causing his leg to buckle under him. "Quit holding it like that. You’re gonna drop it.”

“I will if you do that,” Jasper argues petulantly, pouting as he hands the console off to Raven. “They’re always so evasive.”

Harper turns from where she and Miller have just moved an empty bookshelf into place against the wall, dusting her hands off on her shorts. “Or, you were just being annoying,” she points out cheerfully,

Jasper scoffs theatrically. “I think I know evasion when I see it. Don’t I, Monty?" 

"Sure you do,” Monty says placidly. “Hey, anyone holding on to the boxcutter?”

“Here,” Raven calls, tossing it halfway across the room.

Murphy shoves a box into Jasper’s hands. “Here, master of evasion. Go ask Mom and Dad where this is supposed to go.”

Jasper frowns down at the box, tape sliced open but flaps closed. “Well, what’s in it?”

“Couple of cans of hairspray. Bunch of yearbooks. Waxing strips.” Murphy wrinkles his nose. “A Cluedo set.”

Jasper stares at him, wide-eyed. “Where’s all that supposed to go?!”

Murphy shrugs, already slouching away. “If I knew, I wouldn’t have asked you to ask them, would I?”

Jasper rolls his eyes, but starts out of the living room obediently. “You know,” he huffs on his way out, “saying ‘please’ never hurt anybody.”

“Please shut up,” Murphy says flatly.

Jasper cranes his head over his shoulder, sticking his tongue out before turning into the hallway.

He frowns, using his foot to push open the first door he comes to, but it turns out to be the bathroom.

“Damn it,” he mutters, adjusting his hold on the box before continuing down the small hallway. The door right at the end is closed, but the one just diagonally across from the bathroom is already ajar, so he just pushes right through with no preamble.

“Hey guys, where do you want the—”

Two heads whip around to face the doorway where Jasper is standing, gobsmacked. 

“Holy shit,” he breathes.

“Jasper,” Clarke says carefully, untangling her fingers from Bellamy’s hair. 

“Holy shit,” he insists, reeling back a step.

“Remain calm,” Bellamy warns warily, sliding his hand out from under Clarke’s shirt. His lips are shiny with a thin layer of gloss, peachy-pink to match the one dabbed all over Clarke’s mouth.

“Holy shit!” he yells stubbornly, backpedalling out of the room.

Clarke rolls her eyes, and Bellamy sighs.

“GUYS!” Jasper shouts, barrelling back down the hallway. “OI! YOU GUYS!”

(Behind him, he vaguely registers the sound of a loud scoff, followed by Clarke’s voice sarcastically echoing “Remain calm”.)

Raven pokes her head out from behind the TV when he charges into the living room, the rest of the group looking up as well. “What’s with all the ruckus? I’m workin’ here.”

“Kissing!” Jasper exclaims breathlessly. He would gesture wildly behind him, but his arms are still occupied with the box, so he just ends up doing a little body-roll type of move as he tries to point down the hallway with his shoulders and head. “Making out!”

“I told you he needed to get laid soon,” Miller scolds Monty. “Look at him. He’s desperate now.”

Harper shrugs, unruffled. “Still not the weirdest open invite I’ve ever received.”

Jasper actually jumps in frustration. “Not me!” He kicks out heatedly, jabbing his foot towards the hall from which Bellamy and Clarke are just emerging, hair and clothes fixed but with wry expressions on their faces. “Them!" 

Silence lands in the room.

Raven’s standing now, a small screwdriver dangling from her slack grasp. "Hold up.”

“Making out,” Monty repeats with a frown.

Miller lifts a hand, pointing directly at Bellamy and Clarke. “Those two?” he asks Jasper incredulously.

“Yes!” Jasper bursts out, the box rattling hollowly in his arms.

Silence again.

Bellamy runs a hand through his hair, exchanging a glance with Clarke before stepping forward. “Okay,” he begins, hands held out in front of him. “We just want to say — it really hasn’t been going on that long. Either way, we know we shouldn’t have kept this from you guys, but we just thought—”

He breaks off at the sound of a loud, sharp sob, blinking blankly at Murphy as the other man lunges forward, wrapping him in a tight hug.

Everybody looks on in stunned silence, jaws hanging open. As far as they all know, Murphy’s never once cried in front of them. (No one’s even sure if he’s physically capable of doing so.)

Clarke inches closer, flashing Bellamy a confused look over the sound of muffled sobs. “Murphy? Are you o—”

A skinny arm shoots out, hooking around her neck and dragging her into the hug.

“I’m so—” Murphy cries into the juncture where Clarke and Bellamy’s shoulders are mashed together, “—fucking happy for you guys. Fuck.”

“What the hell,” Jasper says loudly, finally dropping the box with an unceremonious thud. “What the hell!" 

"Huh,” Miller says thoughtfully, crossing his arms. “So, Jordan’s not the biggest Bellarke shipper.”

Bellamy’s gaze slides to Clarke, one brow lifted as they both pat Murphy’s shaking back. “Told you we should have just unpacked by ourselves.”