Tunes Du Jour Presents 2012

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The pop music of 2012 was built around memorable hooks, but it did not follow a single formula. Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” made romantic uncertainty sound bright, tidy, and instantly singable, while P!nk’s “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)” gave the breakup song a sharper pop-rock edge. Psy’s “Gangnam Style” became an international sensation through its comic video, choreography, and highly recognizable refrain, showing how quickly a song could travel through YouTube and social media. Adele’s “Skyfall,” meanwhile, looked backward to the grand tradition of Bond themes, using orchestration and vocal drama rather than a dance beat. Together, these songs suggest a mainstream that could accommodate both carefully polished pop and something genuinely unexpected.

Electronic music also occupied a more visible place in the year’s popular sound. M83’s “Midnight City” paired a driving beat with glowing synthesizers and a saxophone solo, giving indie electronic music a strong pop presence. Grimes’ “Oblivion” was stranger and more intimate, using bright, sometimes uneasy production beneath an unusually light vocal. Major Lazer’s “Get Free,” featuring Amber Coffman, leaned into spacious reggae and dancehall influences, while M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls” turned a spare, bass-heavy beat into a forceful statement. Elsewhere, Todd Terje’s “Inspector Norse” offered a playful disco workout. These tracks were distinct from one another, but they shared an interest in texture, rhythm, and production as central parts of the songwriting.

R&B in 2012 often found power in restraint. Frank Ocean’s “Thinkin Bout You” is direct and emotionally exposed, yet its arrangement leaves plenty of room around his voice. Usher’s “Climax” transforms a breakup into a slow, tense electronic pulse, while Miguel’s “Adorn” draws on classic soul without sounding like a period exercise. Solange’s “Losing You” is more buoyant, using crisp percussion and layered vocals to give its sadness some movement. The year’s R&B did not always aim for a huge chorus or a crowded arrangement; many of its strongest moments came from pauses and carefully controlled atmosphere.

Hip-hop presented several different ideas about what a rap hit could do. Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “Ni**as In Paris” was built for impact, relying on repetition, forceful delivery, and dramatic samples. Nicki Minaj’s “Beez In The Trap” emphasized attitude and rhythmic precision, while Azealia Banks’ “212” moved between rap, house, and club music with restless energy. Kendrick Lamar’s “Swimming Pools (Drank)” sounded catchy enough for a party but used its verses to examine peer pressure and drinking culture. The contrast is important: 2012 rap could be boastful, dance-oriented, experimental, or reflective, sometimes within the same track.

There was also plenty of room for detailed, traditional songwriting. Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well” built its emotional force through specific memories rather than broad declarations. Fiona Apple’s “Every Single Night” turned anxious thought into something rhythmically unpredictable, and Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games” treated romance through a slow, cinematic lens. First Aid Kit’s “Emmylou,” Miranda Lambert’s “Over You,” Jessie Ware’s “Wildest Moments,” Jack White’s “Love Interruption,” Bat for Lashes’ “Laura,” Beach House’s “Myth,” and Japandroids’ “The House That Heaven Built” all drew on older forms—country, folk harmony, torch-song drama, blues, dream pop, and guitar rock—while keeping their own contemporary identities. Looking back, 2012 stands out less for one dominant style than for how comfortably these different approaches existed side by side.

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Tunes Du Jour Presents 2015

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“Uptown Funk” opened 2015 by daring the rest of pop music to be as fun, and not much else quite matched it on that front — Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars had assembled something so precisely calibrated to delight that it almost didn’t seem fair. From there the year spread out in several directions at once. Drake’s “Hotline Bling” turned a mid-tempo, vaguely melancholic R&B track into a cultural event largely on the strength of its own awkwardness. The Weeknd crossed into genuine ubiquity with “Can’t Feel My Face” — a song that managed to be both a mainstream smash and, lyrically, a fairly dark piece of work. And then there was Adele, who released “Hello” in October and promptly reminded everyone that a big voice and a big melody, executed without a trace of irony, can still stop a room. The song broke streaming records almost immediately and felt, in its very straightforwardness, like a rebuke to the year’s more studied cool.

If one artist owned 2015 critically, it was Kendrick Lamar. To Pimp a Butterfly arrived in March and immediately reoriented conversations about what rap could do structurally and politically. “King Kunta” was the album’s most visceral punch — confrontational, funky, and specific in its references in ways that rewarded close listening. Elsewhere in hip-hop, Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen” was one of the year’s most improbable success stories: a track rooted in trap music’s skeletal, skittering beats but softened by Fetty’s melodic looseness and a surprisingly affectionate lyrical premise. It peaked at number two on the Hot 100 and spent most of the year on the chart. Rihanna’s “Bitch Better Have My Money” drew from the same trap well but to a very different emotional effect — harder, more confrontational, and delivered with a precision that made the demand feel non-negotiable. Nicki Minaj, meanwhile, was doing something technically sharp on “Truffle Butter”: she announces early in her verse that she has a dozen flows, and then proceeds to demonstrate it, cycling through registers and tempos within a few bars in a way that most listeners registered as energy without necessarily clocking how much control it required.

Some of the year’s most durable music came from artists working at a slight remove from the mainstream. Carly Rae Jepsen’s Emotion became a critical darling almost in slow motion — “Run Away With Me” is the kind of opening track that makes you understand why people proselytize about a record. Tame Impala released Currents, and “Let It Happen” announced a shift toward synthesizers and a more expansive, unhurried sound that influenced a lot of what followed. Courtney Barnett’s “Pedestrian At Best” was wired and funny, running on nervous energy throughout. Grimes put out “Realiti” as a demo and it felt more fully realized than most finished records.

The year also had room for artists doing something closer to American roots music, though rarely in straightforward ways. Leon Bridges arrived with “Coming Home,” drawing on early soul so precisely that it occasionally felt like an exercise, but an extremely well-executed one. Alabama Shakes’ “Don’t Wanna Fight” was rawer and harder to categorize — Brittany Howard never let genre expectations dictate what she does, and her voice on that track does things that make those expectations feel beside the point. Father John Misty’s “Chateau Lobby #4” was a love song about his wife, filtered through deliberately bizarre imagery — satanic Christmas Eve, a wedding dress someone was probably murdered in — that somehow landed as genuinely romantic. Sufjan Stevens released Carrie & Lowell, and “Should Have Known Better” is among the most quietly devastating songs of the decade — it moves from grief into something that feels, carefully and without overselling it, like hope.

What holds this particular year together isn’t a unified sound but a productive restlessness. Run The Jewels brought Zack De La Rocha in for “Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)” and made something that sounded urgently necessary. Skepta’s “Shutdown” was a reminder that grime had been building momentum for years and was finally getting its due internationally. Missy Elliott, back after a long absence, sounded exactly like herself on “WTF (Where They From)” — which is to say, like nobody else. Thundercat’s “Them Changes” and Julia Holter’s “Feel You” pointed toward where adventurous R&B and jazz-adjacent pop would head over the next several years. EL VY — the side project of National frontman Matt Berninger — closed things out with a song whose title alone (“Return to the Moon (Political Song for Didi Bloome to Sing, with Crescendo)”) tells you something about the year’s appetite for work that didn’t feel the need to make things simple.

Dig into thirty of the best offerings from 2015.

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Tunes Du Jour Presents Britney Spears

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If you scroll through a playlist of Britney Spears’s greatest hits, you’re not just looking at a list of popular songs. You’re tracing a remarkable path through modern pop music, one that is often defined by its distinct chapters. The journey begins with the now-iconic “…Baby One More Time,” a song that launched a career and set a new standard for late-90s pop. Tracks like this, along with “Oops!…I Did It Again” and “(You Drive Me) Crazy,” presented a specific, highly polished image: the approachable girl next door, navigating first loves and heartbreaks. Even in these early days, however, songs like “Lucky”—a surprisingly melancholic look at a famous girl who is crying behind her smile—hinted at the complex relationship with fame that would become a recurring theme in her work.

It wasn’t long before that polished image began to intentionally crack and evolve. The shift is palpable. You can hear it in the slinky, breathless production of “I’m a Slave 4 U,” a track that signaled a clear departure from her previous sound and a confident step into a more adult persona. This era wasn’t just about a new sound; it was about a new narrative. In songs like “Overprotected” and “Stronger,” the lyrics became declarations of independence, pushing back against outside control and expectations. It was a crucial pivot, one where the artist began using her music to comment on her own public journey, a theme she would revisit with even more focus later on.

As her career progressed into the mid-2000s, Spears became a central figure in the electronic and dance-pop wave that would dominate the decade. This is perhaps her most sonically adventurous period, producing some of pop’s most enduring anthems. The frantic, string-driven beat of “Toxic,” the demanding pulse of “Gimme More,” and the robotic sneer of “Womanizer” are all masterclasses in dance floor command. This period also saw the subject matter of her songs become its most self-referential. With “Piece Of Me,” she directly addressed the media frenzy surrounding her life, turning the camera back on the audience with a defiant and clever hook. It’s a bold move that transformed her from a subject of pop culture into one of its sharpest commentators.

Of course, the story isn’t all high-energy production and defiant statements. Woven throughout this catalogue are moments of striking vulnerability that offer a different kind of insight. The simple, piano-led melody of “Everytime” stands in stark contrast to the high-octane tracks that often surrounded it, revealing a quiet fragility. This emotional range is a key part of her artistry. Similarly, her collaborations show her ability to stand alongside fellow icons, from the dance-off with Madonna in “Me Against The Music” to her graceful return on the warm, inviting duet “Hold Me Closer” with Elton John, a track that feels less like a comeback and more like a welcome continuation.

Listening back, from the earnest pop of “Sometimes” to the commanding instruction of “Work Bitch,” what emerges is the sound of an artist continuously recalibrating. Her discography tells a story of growth, defiance, and resilience, all filtered through the lens of pop music. Each song is not just a hit, but a snapshot of a specific moment, capturing a young woman defining herself, a global star navigating immense pressure, and an artist creating a body of work that has profoundly shaped the sound and style of pop for more than two decades.

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Tunes Du Jour Presents Eminem

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Eminem, born Marshall Mathers, has been a dominant force in hip-hop for over two decades. Rising to fame in the late 1990s with his major-label debut The Slim Shady LP, Eminem quickly became known for his rapid-fire delivery, complex rhyme schemes, and controversial lyrics. His subsequent albums, including The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show, solidified his status as one of the best-selling artists of the 21st century.

Throughout his career, Eminem has produced numerous chart-topping hits. Tracks like “Lose Yourself,” “The Real Slim Shady,” and “Without Me” showcased his ability to blend catchy hooks with sharp lyricism. His storytelling abilities, evident in songs like “Stan” and “Mockingbird,” have set a high bar for narrative rap. Eminem’s impact on the genre extends beyond his solo work. His collaborations have often resulted in memorable tracks, from “Forgot About Dre” with Dr. Dre to “Forever” alongside Drake, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne. His work with D12 on songs like “Purple Pills” and “My Band” demonstrates his ability to work within a group dynamic.

Despite his undeniable success and influence, Eminem’s career has been marked by persistent controversy and criticism. Many critics point to the misogynistic and homophobic content in some of his lyrics. Songs such as “Guilty Conscience” and “97′ Bonnie & Clyde” have been criticized for their graphic depictions of violence against women.

The problematic aspects of Eminem’s work extend beyond specific themes. Some listeners find his humor juvenile and distasteful, citing songs like “Just Lose It” as examples. Critics argue that despite his technical prowess, Eminem’s core themes and style have remained largely unchanged over the years, suggesting a lack of artistic growth.

These ongoing debates around Eminem’s content raise important questions about artistic expression, social responsibility, and the expectations placed on artists as they progress in their careers. Despite the criticisms, Eminem maintains a significant fanbase and continues to be a prominent figure in hip-hop. Whether Eminem can continue to evolve and remain relevant in a rapidly changing music industry remains a topic of discussion among fans and critics alike.

Tunes Du Jour Presents The Weeknd

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The Weeknd is one of the most successful and influential artists of the 21st century. His music spans genres from R&B to pop to new wave, and his lyrics explore themes of love, loss, addiction, and identity. He has won multiple Grammy Awards, sold over 75 million records worldwide, and set several streaming and Billboard chart records. Beyond his musical achievements, The Weeknd is also a generous and outspoken philanthropist who supports various causes around the world.

The Weeknd was born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye in Toronto, Canada, to Ethiopian immigrant parents. He grew up speaking Amharic, one of the two main languages of Ethiopia, and attended an Ethiopian Orthodox church as a child. His cultural roots have influenced his music and his philanthropy. In 2016, he donated $50,000 to the University of Toronto to help establish an Ethiopian studies program. In 2021, he donated $1 million to the United Nations World Food Programme to provide meals for people affected by the conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.

The Weeknd has also shown solidarity with other communities in need. In 2020, he donated $300,000 to Global Aid for Lebanon to help the victims of the Beirut explosion, which killed more than 200 people and injured thousands more. He also donated $500,000 each to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund and to frontline health workers at Scarborough Health Network, the health care network in his hometown. Additionally, he has been a vocal advocate for racial justice and social change. He has donated to organizations such as Black Lives Matter, the Equal Justice Initiative, and the Colin Kaepernick Know Your Rights Camp Legal Defense Initiative. He has also used his platform to raise awareness and call for action on issues such as police brutality, systemic racism, and human rights violations.

The Weeknd’s music reflects his passion and his vision. His songs often feature collaborations with other artists from different backgrounds and genres, such as Daft Punk, Kendrick Lamar, Ariana Grande, and ROSALÍ. His albums showcase his artistic evolution and experimentation, from the dark and gritty House of Balloons to the bright and more pop-oriented After Hours.

The Weeknd is more than just a musical star. He is a humanitarian star who uses his talent and his influence to try to make a positive difference in the world. Thirty of his best tracks are in the playlist below. Hit play and enjoy The Weeknd!

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My Favorite Songs Of 2023

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Five years after then president of The Recording Academy proclaimed that women need to step up, the ladies have responded with “How’s this, jerkface?” Women dominate this year’s Grammy nominations. More importantly, all but two of the top 20 songs on my year-end list are led by female artists (with one guy showing up to provide guest vocals). That’s a record, I think, but don’t quote me on that. I’m too lazy to check. I don’t have a deep analysis for this phenomenon, but I do have a deep appreciation for the talent and diversity of these women (not that women have ever been underrepresented in my annual tallies). The highest placing male acts on my 2023 list are none other than The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. Yes, you read that right. The legends are back, and they still can show the young-uns how it’s done. With their song “Angry,” The Rolling Stones have achieved a remarkable feat: the longest span from first appearance to most recent appearance in my year-end surveys. In 1981, my first year of making such lists, the group placed with “Start Me Up.” The 80s are also well represented by Kylie Minogue and Madonna, each of whom made a triumphant return to my list after long absences. Welcome back, ladies! And last but not least, let’s give a round of applause to Megan Thee Stallion, who has been in my top five for five years in a row. That’s a record, I think, but don’t quote me on that. I’m too lazy to check. Now, without further ado, here is my list of the best songs of 2023. Enjoy!

  1. Ice Cream Man. – RAYE
  2. vampire – Olivia Rodrigo
  3. Kill Bill – SZA
  4. Bongos – Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion
  5. Not Strong Enough – boygenius
  6. Flowers – Miley Cyrus
  7. Escapism. – RAYE & 070 Shake
  8. Paint the Town Red – Doja Cat
  9. Lipstick Lover – Janelle Monáe
  10. Nobody Gets Me – SZA
  11. Dance the Night – Dua Lipa
  12. Shirt – SZA
  13. AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM – Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar
  14. What Was I Made For? – Billie Eilish
  15. Padam Padam – Kylie Minogue
  16. Cobra – Megan Thee Stallion
  17. Brenda Put Your Bra On – Ashley McBryde, Caylee Hammack & Pillbox Patti
  18. Angry – The Rolling Stones
  19. Now and Then – The Beatles
  20. Cool About It – boygenius
  21. RATATA – Skrillex, Missy Elliott & Mr. Oizo
  22. Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd – Lana Del Rey
  23. Calm Down – Rema with Selena Gomez
  24. Gorilla – Little Simz
  25. Seven – Jung Kook feat. Latto
  26. My Love Mine All Mine – Mitski
  27. bad idea right? – Olivia Rodrigo
  28. Jaded – Miley Cyrus
  29. Tropic Morning News – The National
  30. Someday At Christmas – Lizzo
  31. Used To Be Young – Miley Cyrus
  32. Pretty Girls Walk – Big Boss Vette
  33. River – Miley Cyrus
  34. Light On In The Kitchen – Ashley McBryde
  35. Out Alpha the Alpha – Megan Thee Stallion
  36. Bubblegum – Dawn Richard
  37. Rush – Troye Sivan
  38. It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody – Weyes Blood
  39. Weightless – Arlo Parks
  40. Psychos – Jenny Lewis
  41. The Sea – Romy
  42. Lil Boo Thang – Paul Russell
  43. Popular – The Weeknd & Madonna feat. Playboi Carti
  44. The Narcissist – Blur
  45. (It Goes Like) Nanana – Peggy Gou
  46. Tukoh Taka – Nicki Minaj, Maluma and Myriam Fares
  47. Freak Me Now – Jessie Ware
  48. Standing Next To You – Jung Kook
  49. Eyez – The Arcs
  50. What Now – Brittany Howard
  51. Thinking About You – Beck
  52. Wall of Eyes – The Smile
  53. Good Lookin’ – Dixon Dallas
  54. Girl Like Me – Dove Cameron
  55. Wild Flower – RM with youjeen
  56. Helmet – Steve Lacy
  57. Everybody’s Got to Learn – First Aid Kit
  58. Flip a Switch. – RAYE feat. Coi Leray
  59. Nothing Left To Lose – Everything But The Girl
  60. Say Yes To Heaven – Lana Del Rey
  61. Moonlight – Kali Uchis
  62. Bending Hectic – The Smile
  63. In My Head – The Lemon Twigs
  64. Snooze – SZA
  65. Attention – Doja Cat
  66. get him back! – Olivia Rodrigo
  67. Will Anybody Ever Love Me? – Sufjan Stevens
  68. Tux (Your Body Fills Me, Boo) – US Girls
  69. Lottery – Latto feat. LU KALA
  70. Bug Like an Angel – Mitski
  71. The Hands – serpentwithfeet
  72. A day in the water – Christine & the Queens
  73. Drummer Boy – Titus Andronicus
  74. Little Things – Jorja Smith
  75. Daydreaming – Harry Styles
  76. True Love – Christine & the Queens & 070 Shake
  77. Evicted – Wilco
  78. Got Me Started – Troye Sivan
  79. Eye For An Eye – Rina Sawayama
  80. Water Slide – Janelle Monáe
  81. Single Soon – Selena Gomez
  82. Odyssey – Beck & Phoenix
  83. I Don’t Know What You See In Me – Belle & Sebastian
  84. Seem an I – PJ Harvey
  85. Begin Again – Jessie Ware
  86. One of Your Girls – Troye Sivan

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Your (Almost) Daily Playlist: 12-7-22

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Today’s playlist celebrates the December 7 birthdays of Tom Waits, Damien Rice, Louis Prima, All Saints’ Nicole Appleton, and Harry Chapin; and the December 8 birthdays of Nicki Minaj, The Doors’ Jim Morrison, The Allman Brothers Band’s Gregg Allman, Sinéad O’Connor, Jerry Butler, Jimmy Smith, Geto Boys’ Bushwick Bill, George Baker, Dan Hartman, Martin Circus’s Gerard Blanc, Sammy Davis Jr., Fox’s Noosha Fox, Alice DeeJay’s Judith Pronk, and Chrisette Michele.

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