Dee McGee

YouTube video by Cate Le Bon Cate Le Bon - Moderation (Official Video)

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 36

Cate Le Bon, "Moderation", Wales, 2021

Her ethereal voice floats surreal lyrics over a cool bass groove:

"I get by pushing poets aside
'Cause they can't beat the Mother of Pearl
I quit the earth
I'm out of my mind
And the fruit of it all"

youtu.be/M6a7WeVYnSs?...

YouTube video by joweyo SAULT - Free (Music Video)

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 35

SAULT, “Free”, 2020, UK

youtu.be/_xWmPGhqWRM?...

YouTube video by BeyoncéVEVO Beyoncé - TEXAS HOLD 'EM (Official Lyric Video)

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 34

- Beyoncé
- “Texas Hold ‘Em”
- 2024
- Texas

youtu.be/jCOX8dT9q8M?...

YouTube video by Daniela Sarahí Shameika- Fiona Apple (Live 2020) The New Yorker Festival

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 33

Fiona Apple, "Shameika", 2020, USA

I'm normally drawn to Fiona Apple for her lyrics, but "Shameika" shows off what a talented musician and performer she is. That piano is played like a hurricane, and she absolutely rocks her vocal performance over it.

youtu.be/s4M8VqJkBWk?...

YouTube video by SabrinaCarpenterVEVO Sabrina Carpenter - Espresso

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 32

Sabrina Carpenter, “Espresso”, 2024

A fun, frothy song of the summer. My favorite bit is the wordplay - seems frivolous but is so hard to do well!

“That’s that me espresso”
“Walked in and dream-came-trued it for ya”
“My give-a-fucks are on vacation”

youtu.be/eVli-tstM5E?...

YouTube video by beabadoobeeVEVO beabadoobee - Beaches (Official Video)

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 31

Beabadoobee, “Beaches”, 2024, UK/Philippines

This one has such a warm nostalgic feel. Listening to it is like being wrapped in a warm blanket on a cold rainy day.
youtu.be/nNXSSfSmbao?...

YouTube video by SZAVEVO SZA - Kill Bill (Official Video)

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 30

SZA, “Kill Bill”, 2023, USA

Layers of soft dreamy vocals over a synthy, groovy beat. And wryly funny lyrics: I might kill my ex / Not the best idea / His new girlfriend’s next”.

youtu.be/MSRcC626prw?...

YouTube video by ArianaGrandeVevo Ariana Grande - we can't be friends (wait for your love) (official music video)

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 29

Ariana Grande, “We Can’t Be Friends (wait for your love), 2024, USA

I don’t listen to a lot of Ariana, but I find myself singing this one in the car quite a lot. (It’s tough. Girl has some range!)

youtu.be/KNtJGQkC-WI?...

YouTube video by SelenaGomezVEVO Rema, Selena Gomez - Calm Down (Official Music Video)

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 28

Rema & Selena Gomez, “Calm Down”, 2022, Nigeria / USA

Both versions of this song are pretty great. But the remix featuring Selena Gomez has an extra layer of depth and richness to it. A well-deserved monster hit.

youtu.be/WcIcVapfqXw?...

YouTube video by TroyeSivanVEVO Troye Sivan - Rush (Official Video)

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 27

Troye Sivan, “Rush”, 2023, Australia

It’s Saturday night, let’s party.

youtu.be/b53QJYP-lqY?...

YouTube video by LordeVEVO Lorde - Solar Power

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 26

Lorde, “Solar Power”, 2021, New Zealand

It’s November now and the weather has turned cold and windy. Time to put on my headphones, close my eyes, and turn the volume up on this day-at-the-beach-in-a-song.

youtu.be/wvsP_lzh2-8?...

YouTube video by ourmemoriestonight Lana Del Rey - A&W (Lyrics)

#TheTwen2ie5 HM 5

Lana Del Rey, “A&W”, 2023, USA

I get the same feeling from this song as I do watching a horror movie. Such a sense of foreboding; you want to yell to her, “don’t go deeper into the haunted house. Run away!”

youtu.be/7NyPEtPUTRg?...

YouTube video by Don Giovanni Bat Fangs - Talk Tough (Official Music Video)

#TheTwen2ie5 HM 4

Bat Fangs, “Talk Tough”, 2021, USA

Channeling 80s hair metal and Pat Benatar, this duo makes some really fun music.

youtu.be/zcKY7JBL2kg?...

I don’t see my name on that list, and I’ve used all 5 bonuses already.

YouTube video by Smithsonian Folkways No-No Boy - "The Best God Damn Band in Wyoming" [Official Music Video]

#TheTwen2ie5 HM 3

No-No Boy, “The Best God Damn Band in Wyoming”, 2021, USA

I had never heard of this project or this song before it was posted by someone here. It hits hard after watching ICE terrorize people across my country and in my city.

Powerful and beautiful.

youtu.be/lepePDvpugE?...

YouTube video by SparksVEVO Sparks - The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte

#TheTwen2ie5 HM 2

Sparks, “The Girl is Crying in Her Latte”, 2023, USA

Such an infectious song. I think these Sparks kids are going places!

youtu.be/UTAxPhxADo0?...

My cab driver in Arkansas was a Bush-McCain-Romney-Trump-Trump-Trump voter. He said he hadn't given much thought to the 2028 election, but that if Zohran Mamdani becomes mayor of New York, the Democrats can kiss his vote goodbye.

YouTube video by EnglishTeacherVEVO English Teacher - The World’s Biggest Paving Slab

#TheTwen2ie5 HM1

English Teacher, “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab”, 2023, UK

I’ve slept on this band but someone posted this song a few weeks ago and I really liked it.

youtu.be/YNkbgumvYyA?...

YouTube video by Lizzo Music Lizzo - About Damn Time [Official Video]

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 25

Lizzo, “About Damn Time”, 2022, USA

I like the funky disco beat
I really like the positive message
I love the “In a minute, I'm a need a sentimental / Man or woman to pump - me - up” part.

youtu.be/IXXxciRUMzE?...

YouTube video by Bad Bunny Bad Bunny - Tití Me Preguntó (Video Oficial) | Un Verano Sin Ti

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 24

Bad Bunny, "Tití me preguntó", 2022, Puerto Rico

A mega-hit from the world's biggest artist of that year, and a deserved one.

youtu.be/Cr8K88UcO0s?...

YouTube video by girl in red girl in red - Serotonin (official video)

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 23

girl in red, "Serotonin", 2021, Norway

This one got some decent airplay on my local college radio station. By the time I really noticed its disturbing lyrics it was too late; I was hooked.

youtu.be/Gh8Gl2GwB6s?...

YouTube video by Tove Lo Tove Lo - No One Dies From Love (Official Music Video)

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 22

Tove Lo, “No One Dies from Love”, Sweden, 2022

I love how the song builds and builds until that final chorus and then it just stops. Leaves you wanting more. (I usually just push Replay)

youtu.be/CMWLX0KXwF4?...

YouTube video by Taylor Swift Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero (Official Music Video)

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 21

Taylor Swift, “Anti-Hero”, 2022,USA

It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me.

youtu.be/b1kbLwvqugk?...

YouTube video by KaceyMusgravesVEVO Kacey Musgraves - Cardinal (Official Music Video)

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 20

Kasey Musgraves, “Cardinal”, USA, 2024

Lush and pretty.

youtu.be/dHI7wnv58ws?...

YouTube video by TheBeachesVEVO The Beaches - Blame Brett

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 20

The Beaches, "Blame Brett", 2024, Canada

It's fun, it's funny, and it rocks.

youtu.be/h2kUX_Fmj7k?...

Boooooo! 👎🏼

Sorry, this is for Day 18

YouTube video by LilNasXVEVO Lil Nas X - MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) (Official Video)

#TheTwen2ie5

Lil Nas X, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name), USA, 2021

Gotta respect the move: Lil Nas X has the longest-running US no. 1 ever with Old Town Road and is embraced by mainstream America. Then he releases this, and is like, “LOOK AT WHO I AM.” Plus, it rocks.

youtu.be/6swmTBVI83k?...

YouTube video by SelenaGomezVEVO Selena Gomez, benny blanco - Sunset Blvd (Official Video)

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 17

Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco, “Sunset Blvd”, 2025

It’s sexy, provocative, funny… AND it’s a total bop. It’s everything that Selena’s BFF was *trying* to accomplish on her latest album, except this song does it so well.

youtu.be/nJG5CWsne8E?...

YouTube video by TheWeekndVEVO The Weeknd - Blinding Lights (Official Audio)

#TheTwen2ie5 Day 16

The Weeknd, "Blinding Lights", 2020

Billboard has declared this the biggest pop song in US history. It's everywhere in the culture but it really is a gem: it has a glossy 80s synthpop melody; it's easy to sing along to; and it makes you want to dance.

youtu.be/fHI8X4OXluQ?...