So, a couple of weeks ago, I highlighted some of the TV shows I’ve been watching lately. The third season of Atlanta on Disney+ has been especially odd for me. Some of these episodes barely have Donald Glover in them at all! Today, let’s switch gears a bit and dive into the infinite playlist of streaming music. (Nick and Norah, eat your heart out?) For my part, I find that some of these recommendation algorithms are a little too spot-on, always recommending the same songs over and over again.

If you’re feeling the same way, maybe one of these 5 songs will resonate with you. Play them enough and maybe your Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music or whatever your preferred streaming platform will start to recommend some fresh tunes for you too. For all of the songs listed below, I encourage you to explore their respective albums as well.

Okay. Let’s hit play.

Saturation (Strange Love) by Grey Daze

Let me tell you about myself
Some say I got a bad attitude
Let me tell you about myself
Some say I have a lot to prove

I don’t normally give too much weight to celebrity deaths. But, the two celebrity deaths that hit me the hardest were Anthony Bourdain and Chester Bennington. Before he rocked the world as the lead vocalist of Linkin Park, Chester Bennington screamed his heart out with Grey Daze in the mid-1990s.

The alt rock group just released its second tribute album to their late band member. With The Phoenix, we’re gifted with previously unreleased vocal tracks by Chester, including this track: Saturation (Strange Love). Right away, after saying he’s not the Lizard King, Chester Bennington chills us to the bone with his iconic scream. “And this is what I said!!!!” Chills. No one has ever had or will ever had a voice quite like his.

Uh Huh by Jade Bird

She’s got you on your knees like a little boy
Everybody sees that you’re just a little toy
She’s got a boxful that her daddy likely bought
She asks you if you love her and you nod and say
Uh huh

Like everyone else who’s been watching Stranger Things this season, I’ve listened to “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush more than a few times in the past couple of weeks. Because of this, the YouTube algorithm decided to serve up a cover of the song by UK artist Jade Bird. This lead me down the rabbit hole of suggested tunes until I arrived at this single. It’s really short at just 2:20, but “Uh Huh” is a fun little jam that you’ll surely have on repeat too.

Crown by Kendrick Lamar

Uh, I can’t please everybody (I can’t please everybody)
Uh, I can’t even please myself (I can’t even please myself)
Uh, I thought a new car would help (I thought a new car would help)
Uh, but when that new car get old (but when that new car get old)
Uh, I’m sure to want something else, I-I-I

From “A.D.H.D.” to “Swimming Pools,” “The Blacker the Berry” to “Humble,” Kendrick Lamar has solidified his place among hip hop’s elite. Some people might even crown him as the greatest of all-time. For K.dot, his fame and influence have been a bit of a troubling double-edged sword, one that he explores in depth with Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

While there are “bigger” tracks on the double album, like “N95” or the somewhat controversial “Auntie Diaries,” one song that really stuck out for me was “Crown.” In it, Kendrick recognizes and acknowledges how everyone turns to him to be all things to all people, but he can’t do it. He “can’t even please himself.” It’s one of these simple yet profound observations many of us can apply to our own lives, even if we’ll never been as influential as he is.

Doomscroller by Metric

For a true doomscroller
And I’m a true doomscroller
I can’t seem to shut it down
Until the worst is over
And it’s never over

Funnily enough, I first learned of Metric years ago because of “Black Sheep” in the Scott Pilgrim movie. I’ve been a huge fan ever since. And as we all thumb our ways through our Twitter and Instagram feeds, we surely see a lot of ourselves in “Doomscroller.” The 10+ minute track (yes, you read that correctly) is almost like three or four songs in one, seamlessly transitioning from one music style to the next, defying genres.

The new album, Formentera, comes out next Friday, July 8, 2022. Don’t give up yet.

Trauma by H.E.R. featuring Cordae

I don’t want the drama from the trauma
Bad energy, it’s the problem
I take it personal, I ain’t perfect though
But it hurts, you know? That make it worse, you know?

Born Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson in Vallejo, California in 1997, American R&B singer-songwriter H.E.R. is wildly talented. If you look up old clips of her on YouTube, even 10-year-old Gabi Wilson oozed confidence as she covered Alicia Keys on the Today Show. And justifiably so. She’s got all the swagger of someone like Lenny Kravitz, plus the vocal chops to infuse heart-wrenching emotion into her songs. H.E.R. tears straight into your soul and I am here for it.

What Songs Are on Your Playlist?

Just like when it comes to the endless catalog of TV shows and movies at our disposal, it can be equally challenging to find new music to enjoy too. Or to find the time to explore all that is out there. All this being said, I’ve got to ask what are you tuning into these days? What songs or artists, both new and new-to-you, have earned the honor of an endless repeat in your car or on your headphones?

Disclosure: As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.