Tunes Du Jour Celebrates Black History Month

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Music has always been more than just a backdrop to history; it is a living, breathing part of it. It’s the coded message in a spiritual, the roar of protest in a soul anthem, and the unshakeable pride in a hip-hop verse. This playlist was curated with that spirit in mind. It is not just a collection of songs by Black artists or about Black experiences, but a deliberate sonic journey where each track serves as a chapter in the long, complex, and powerful story of Black history. From the harrowing journey of the Middle Passage in The O’Jays’ “Ship Ahoy” to the defiant celebration of identity in Beyoncé’s “BROWN SKIN GIRL,” every song here is a direct link to a person, an event, a movement, or some combination of the three.

The running order is intentional, designed to guide the listener through a powerful emotional and historical arc. We begin in the depths of oppression, bearing witness to the brutality of slavery, the terror of Jim Crow, and the pain of foundational betrayals. From that bitter root, the playlist pivots to the fire of resistance. It chronicles the fight for Civil Rights in America and the parallel global struggle against apartheid, honoring the heroes who led the charge and the anthems that fueled their movements. The narrative then moves into the modern era, where the fight for justice continues in the face of new challenges, chronicled with unflinching honesty by artists from Bruce Springsteen to Janelle Monáe.

This journey through pain and protest ultimately leads to a place of empowerment, joy, and hard-won hope. The final act of the playlist is a celebration of contribution, a lesson in self-love for future generations, and a recognition of monumental triumphs. It culminates in the profound resilience of Aretha Franklin’s “A Change Is Gonna Come”—a final, stirring testament to an unshakeable faith in the future. This Black History Month, we invite you to not just hear these songs, but to truly listen. Follow the stories, look up the names, and feel the weight and glory of the history they carry. Let the rhythms move you, but let the histories change you.

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50 Songs Named After Real People

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Today is the birthday of two music icons – Jam-Master Jay of rap pioneers Run-D.M.C. and disc jockey Wolfman Jack. Besides their place in their history of rock and roll, both men have another thing in common – they were the subjects of songs. That inspired me to put together today’s playlist – songs named after real people.

I found fifty songs whose titles are actual people. Actually I found more than fifty, but I didn’t want to subject you to Chiddy Bang or Mac Miller. I made a few rules for myself:
1) The title can’t have words besides the person’s name, hence no Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes” or Sleater-Kinney’s “I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone.”
2) The title has to be the full name the person is known by, so no “Springsteen” by Eric Church or “Jessica” (about Jessica Simpson) by Adam Green. Allowed are “Galileo,” “Joan of Arc” and “King Tut,” as that is how most people identify Galileo Galilei, Joan d’Arc and Tutankhamun.
3) The song doesn’t have to be about the person after whom it is titled, so “Jack the Ripper” and “Rosa Parks” are in.
4) The track has to be on Spotify. This means I left out Bob Dylan’s “George Jackson” and Hoodie Allen’s “James Franco.”

Amazingly for a playlist based on such a goofy concept, it holds together quite well, if I say so myself.

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