PTJ Playlist: January 30th, 2026
Hello and welcome! I’m glad you’re here.
It’s been almost two years since I’ve sat down and composed a PTJ playlist and I figured it was about time I got off my butt and did it again. After the first round in ‘24 I had plans of doing them more often but then life happened and got in the way of everything else, as it does some times.
I don’t know about y’all, but lately this thing call life has felt like the equivalent of a raccoon riding on top of a dumpster that’s on fire as it floats down a flooded street. The world is a little scorched and for me, music has been one of the few comforts getting me through. Well, that, AND Heated Rivalry, but we’ll talk about that later.
I wanted to do something to add some lightness into whatever timeline we have now stumbled into. Someone please, I’m begging you, put the infinity stones back where they belong!
Ok without further ado, let’s get into the music blarring from my currently on fire dumpster.
I’m starting with a song that came out 30 years ago this February. It’s probably been one of my favorites since then too. However, last year was the first time the band went on tour in 15 years. It’s also served as a great reminder from the universe of how to move on from the year I never want to speak of again known as 2025.
1: Don’t Look Back In Anger by Oasis
If you would have told me five years ago the fate of the free world depended on the brothers Gallagher getting back together and going on tour in ‘25, I would have said well it’s been nice knowing you. I would have been wrong too. Oasis’s reunion tour stop was in Chicago the day before the My Chemical Romance show I was in town for. Seeing how excited everyone was and Oasis gear all over town for next three days, just proved how much the world needed Liam and Noel to make up.
I think I also needed the reminder that the unexpected can bring great things too, not just anxiety and fear of the unknown.
https://youtu.be/cmpRLQZkTb8?si=gvQCrmi5Te_UT_SE
2: All The Things She Said by T.A.T.U/Harrison
OOOOOOOHHH HEATED RIVALRY has entered the chat. What an amazing, beautiful, obsession you’ve become. And just at a time when I needed you the most. Any way, all of us who share this obsession know the exact reason why this made the list. Episode 4. The SCENE. Now, if you are one of the few people who have yet to watch Heated Rivalry, I do not want to ruin the most dramatic beautifully filmed scene in recent tv history for you, so I will just say Jacob Tierney is simply brilliant for the way this is shot. The musicality, the angles, the point of views, the looks, the heartbreak, the feelings invoked, all so damn good, eh. So good in fact that when I hear this song now, (and I was around when it was originally popular) that all I see in my head is this scene. Well done Mr. Tierney and crew, well done. I included Harrison in here as well because the remake is so fire and the way it is mixed in the show, why do we not have the mashup version available to download yet?!?! So so good.
On a personal note, I wanted to say that Heated Rivalry has become my recent comfort show. I rewatch some episode almost every night before bed. I didn’t watch it when it first came out in November but it was always on my HBOMAX watch list, and then there was a death in my family and I needed to escape life for a few hours and Heated Rivalry was there. It is so exquisitely executed and comforting in moments that I just can’t explain, it’s very human and all that implies, which I think is why it’s such a big hit. It’s been such a wondeful distraction to help get through a rough time so, if any of you ever happen to see this, a massive thank you to Rachel Reid, Jacob Tierney, Connor Storrie, Hudson Williams, and crew for all giving me the eyes that provide sunshine right now.
(I’ll Believe in Anything by Wolf Parade is also amazing. The entire soundtrack is)
but for now, you need a T.A.T.U fix
https://youtu.be/8mGBaXPlri8?si=dbE6BnA5pNwMJpDs
Harrison’s version here:
https://youtu.be/hJ17Dq9TxWQ?si=nj9sX8J0FRF4nWPl
3: Supermassive Black Hole by Muse
Do we need or want to talk about ANOTHER book super fandom turned into a silver screen super fandom, cause we’re gonna. If you didn’t automatically think of vampires playing baseball when you read the song title, then you absolutely have no idea what I’m talking about. Way before Heated Rivalry existed, there was a little fandom called Twilight. I never read the books with this one, but I did watch the movies (Team Jacob for life, sup, Taylor Lautner) and there is a very specific scene in which the Cullen’s and Bella play baseball in a thunderstorm in a field while this song plays in the background. Again, epic cinema set to music. All that aside, Black Holes and Revelations is a great Muse album and I just discovered it again and have had this song playing since. It doesn’t have the skin of a killer, Bella, but it does have some killer lyrics and beats.
I also wanted to send my thoughts out to my friend Erin who enjoys a Twilight marathon and is going through life stuff right now. Keep your head up girly, and get well soon!
https://youtu.be/Xsp3_a-PMTw?si=eKWr7kA-5L-1EG93
4: Somewhere To Hide by Shiny Toy Guns
There’s a whole part of my life that I don’t talk about. It was the early 2000’s and I was young and directionless. One day a former friend convinced me to go with her to Chicago to see a band, Shiny’s was not that band, however, like a year or so later, STG opened for that band, we both fell in LOVE with their sound and the rest is history. I spent the better part of the 00’s going anywhere with in a 2-8 hour drive to see them. Their lighting/sound engineer turned into one of my all time favorite humans who unfortunately we lost in 2011. I also just spent the better part of 9 years looking for their first album We Are Pilots on vinyl because it reminds me of some of the best times of my life. This tune is from what turned out to be their third and final album III and it randomly just popped into my head a few weeks ago. It made me smile that day and has continued to do so and I wanted to share it with everyone else who could use some dance music these days. Also, check out their other two albums, We Are Pilots and Season Of Poison. Both excellent. If you need song suggestions, You Are The One, Starts With One, LeDisko, and Chemistry Of A Car Crash off of Pilots… Ricochet, Ghost Town, and Blown Away off of Poison.
https://youtu.be/S_MHWc44yxY?si=jwBqzjWZLdBunOv7
5: Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac
It’s all over social media mixed with Piano Man by Billy Joel in those POV one day some one will ask you to do something it’s very important you do so videos but what you need to see, is their 1997 live performance of this song. Watch it and read the comments. Stevie Nicks is still the Queen of everything. Be a Legend, Y’all.
Actually, here’s the link for the 1997 performance, thank me later.
https://youtu.be/eDwi-8n054s?si=MZqsligaAGC77BK5
6: Almost Doesn’t Count by Brandy
Before the Bieb’s there was Brandy and her album Never Say Never. It’s probably one of the best albums of 1998. I bought the vinyl last year and it just reminded me of youth and the power of music. I’ve always loved this song. The line, “I can’t keep on lovin you one foot outside the door” still hits hard almost 30 years later, I kid you not. I’m sad I didn’t get to see her and Monica on their tour last year. I hope they do it again.
https://youtu.be/is9b77WXqmY?si=ddblyrEmhhmKRHmY
7: Babe, I’m gonna leave you by Led Zeppelin
There’s another show that I rewatch ad nauseam because again, it’s one of my top comfort shows. It is also a cult classic known for the music on the show which is part of the reason why I fell head over heels when I caught it for the first time in reruns on the SOAP network. It’s based around the lives of people in a little town in North Carolina. Nope, not that one, the other ONE. One. Tree. Hill. Have you seen it? Do you know the scene on the bridge after the Naley wedding? Yeah, this song.
https://youtu.be/X791IzOwt3Q?si=59tYjX6qhY7Nyyqc
Pink also does an amazing cover of this one. Like goosebumps.
Pink’s cover is here:
https://youtu.be/iP8f5r67scA?si=sCZKBgfvOMfRnqXX
8: Heaven by Niall Horan
1D was a little past my time so these next two are super surprising. I know it came out a couple of years ago but I heard it again at lunch the other day and it hit the right nerve at the right time and it has stuck.
https://youtu.be/4G9LwTTnn_k?si=E-m2NVJhovSHE3Wy
9: Aperture by Harry Styles
It lets the light in. Thank you Harry for using the word properly and reminding us all in times of despair we need to fix our aperture to let more light in. Simple as that.
https://youtu.be/7sxVHYZ_PnA?si=_MqUiozmDPwr2PYs
10: Famous Last Words by My Chemical Romance
Long live the Black Parade, long live EMO. 19 years after the album came out, I went into the city, to see an Emo band. This song still lives on in my heart and I still think about the same person I thought about in 2007 every single time I hear it. Music is powerful, I swear.
https://youtu.be/8bbTtPL1jRBeis?si=xWysYCoN9P9Sx3rK
11: Race The Dream by Kill Hannah
If you read the paragraph that came with number 4, you know that a former friend convinced me to go to Chicago to see a band, Kill Hannah was that band. The same rule applied to seeing them as it did STG, anywhere in a 2-8 hour drive, we’d be there. There was one summer I saw KH more than I saw my family. Being around the guys and the live music scene at their shows is what made me want to get into the music business. Best years ever. Last year marked the 10th anniversary of their final show and nostalgia hit. Race the dream is probably one of their lesser known songs, but if you’ve ever watched the aforementined One Tree Hill, you’d know Kennedy which was featured on an episode in season one and is probably one of their bigger songs. Lips Like Morphine off of their Until There’s Nothing Left Of Us album was also pretty big. For Never and Ever is the album this one is on if you want to check it out too.
https://youtu.be/oM1QUaFIgZU?si=ydcZ8rOyC3Exq1wH
I feel like ending this edition of the playlist with two emo bands/songs kind of sums up my state of mind these days. I know there is alot going on in life right now and so if turning up your music on a sad day makes you feel better, I’m all for it.
Well, I hope you have enjoyed the playlist and who knows, maybe I even turned you on to something new!
Here’s hoping 2026 changes your aperture if so needed!
Until next time!
Peace, Love, and Don’t Look Back In Anger, I heard you say.
PTJ Playlist: Take 1, Part 2
Welcome back! I hope you enjoyed part 1 and are ready for part 2!
So where did we leave off?!
Seven, right?!
7. Nose On The Grindstone by Tyler Childers
This one is hard for me to write about. It’s almost too personal, but I am going to do my best here without getting into a lot of details. This is the one that turned the light bulb on that illuminated the path to my massive 1am breakdown on a beach by myself. I saw him at the beginning of April at his first Sold Out show at The Forum in LA. Medium Build was the opener and impressive. I’m still looking for a song he (Medium Build) did that night and I’m coming up empty or just delulu to the name which is a total possibility. Any way, Tyler sat and shared a story of how he’s been a fan of MB for a while and he was glad he could be on this tour, what he wasn’t expecting was to have a good cry while watching Medium Build that night right before he had to go on stage. Tyler went on to tell this sold out crowd that it was ok though because “it was a good healing cry and it felt needed.” So cut to about half way through the gospel that is a Timmy show, he comes out with his acoustic and about a song later the cords for this very song start. The sea of cell phones that went up all at once was an incredible sight to see and was only topped by what seemed to be the sound of the entire crowd singing. Enter the start of the breakdown. For some damn reason, it was almost like I was actually hearing the words of this particular verse for the first time and in that moment it hit me like a 110mph slapshot to the face that I was unprepared for, leaving me broken, bloody and covered in my own tears. I know it was because of life. Absolutely 100%, I know that has everything to do with it. What I was not expecting was this song to be the catalyst for me rage screaming into the pacific ocean as I decided that some things in my life needed to go ahead and drown, right there, that night.
Keep in mind that a man's just as good as his word
It takes twice as long to build bridges you've burnt
And there's hurt you can cause time alone cannot heal
Keep your nose on the grindstone and out of the pills
Well Daddy, I've been tryin', I just can't catch a break
There's too much in this world I can't seem to shake
I played it all night, I fell asleep to it, I played it the next day, I drove down the PCH playing it, and I’m literally playing it right now because it’s a reminder of how hard this verse now resonates through me like a tsunami. So thank you Tyler Childers for the good healing cry that will send shock waves through my life from April 2024 and beyond. And that’s all I have to say about that.
https://youtu.be/_QzcrflqDCg?si=qNEF6A0vx8bgijsu
8. Baby, I Love Your Way by Peter Frampton
About a week after the tsunami hit me, it was a cold, wet night at The Greek. I posted this song on my Facebook page that morning because it’s my favorite Frampton song. I don't know why, it's just always been the one I've gravitated towards the most. Let me tell you, the actual, live in person, hearing of Peter singing this is even better than the Frampton Comes Alive! version which I did not think was possible. Now listen, being a huge Simpsons fan, I would be remised if I didn’t bring up that my absolute favorite thing is his line in an old episode called Homerpalooza that goes something like this “Homer Simpson wrecks my pig, Cypress Hill steals my orchestra, and Sonic Youth’s in my cooler, get outta there you kids!” Congratulations on getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame this year!
Here’s a little video from the show you so know I’m not lying…
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19odAoZ_4kVZv-17Xxi0CSVkF5jOTMUyO/view?usp=sharing
And then the song in it’s entirety
https://youtu.be/h6vpdMhkenY?si=WCvbzinxlGZr2LCc
9. I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) by Meatloaf
I love this song. Straight up it’s the greatest Meatloaf song. It’s on my list for a few reasons. I can not seem to get it out of my space lately for one. It’s been in movies and all over SXM radio for no apparent reason. The song isn’t actually in the movie Leap Of Faith, but he is and it’s a stupid good movie and every time I presently watch it, I think of this song. Two, I find myself praying more to the god of rock and roll, than anything else these days. (Especially for the answers I seek.) And C: the theme of the song seems to just go with my life right now and I really don’t need a better explanation for myself than that. Plus, it’s Meatloaf, the guy you’d least expect to be a rock star, and he was probably one of the late 70’s/ early 80’s finest.
And some days I pray for silence
And some days I pray for soul
Some days I just pray to the God
Of Sex and Drums and Rock 'N' Roll
https://youtu.be/BPYnpiJlBBY?si=pG_cCgZUKW0DtnaV
10. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift and I have one thing in common. Our unparalleled ability to kill it while we, ourselves, actually feel like dying. I didn’t say it was a good thing to have in common, just one that we do. My heart break though was overall and not just in one area of life, but I was entire wasteland of heart break. 2023 was one big smoke screen. Much like Taylor, I had the whole production, lights, mirror balls, fog machines, shiny outfits, and lie after lie of “yeah, I'm good" but really on the inside, I just wanted to collapse to the floor and never get up. I remember my “breaking down I hit the floor” moment like it was yesterday. Thankfully, I was alone in the green room before a show when the full on panic attack hit so no one really knew. However, a member of the band ended up walking in and asking me what was wrong and when I replied “nothing” he hit back with “unhuh, what’s wrong” so that’s kind of when I knew I had finally crashed to the floor. The weight from all the things I had been doing in this broken heart stage had gotten so heavy I couldn’t keep up the show anymore. When this song came out a few weeks ago I immediately wanted to find a way to thank Taylor for it because I felt like someone finally got it. I think it is one of the greatest things she’ll ever do. Maybe it won’t be a hit, but she went out and showed the entire world a few things with it. Example, you have no ideal how much someone sacrifices their own happiness for others some times. And how we all wear masks in this life. You honestly have not one single fucking clue of how miserable a human being is because at the end of the day, they only show you what they want you to see. Taylor is a very successful woman, who has the world, in the eyes of the rest of us and she hid how unhappy she was as to not let anyone down but herself. Hopefully, she’s recovering and loving someone isn’t ruining her life anymore. Which Fortnight is not really my jam but that lyric of I love you, it’s ruining my life, is the most heavy hitting lyric for anyone doing it with broken heart. She seems, seems being the key word here, to be doing ok now and that gives me hope for myself. And this is all coming from a non-Swiftie, too.
'Cause I' m a real tough kid, I can handle my shit
They said, "Babe, you gotta fake it 'til you make it" and I did
Lights, camera, bitch smile, even when you wanna die
https://youtu.be/i8_w_m6HLJ0?si=3jpZ5qf24STebhki
11. The Mortal by The Broken Relics
If you scroll down about two articles from this one, you’ll find one on these guys. They are not a well known national band at this point, but my god, I hope some day, they are a household name in music.
This song is one of their sleeper hits in my opinion. I’ve been a fan of it for a really long time. At some point earlier this year, I found myself walking around with it just continually stuck in my head for numerus days at a time. No reason, they hadn’t even played it live in a while, it was just there. Then, I started seeing a theme in the music that was impacting my life at certain points. Do you know what the definition of the word mortal is? A living human being, often in contrast to a divine being, subject to death. Or causing or liable to death; fatal.
Fatal. As in: Done. Over. Finito. Functions have ceased. Dead, dead, deadski as Beetlejuice would say.
I’m pretty sure that 2023 was sent to kill me because it was just more than what one person can handle. I honestly do not know how or why I made it through. Or maybe 2023 was a lesson to make me realize that being human is a condition and whether it is physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual, all roads, are at some point, fatal and you just have to deal with the mortality of it. 2024 is about that part. Dealing with the death of it all and healing what is left.
Ohh
I cannot lose and I cannot take no more
Supposed to be the highway to take me home
Riddled away I'm already half gone
I'm so dizzy I cannot get no sleep
https://youtu.be/ZPpDAq4BZco?si=1a9d49e8kz85bTTb
12. The Door by Teddy Swims
Some times, no matter how bad you want them to be, things just aren’t worth saving. Some times you got to ask yourself, what’s the point? Is it going to hurt more to leave or stay and keep replaying the damn thing over and over. Plain and simple. Teddy gets it. Teddy is wise.
I don't wanna lose you, baby
But I can't play this game no more
I thought it would kill me
But tonight I saved my life when I showed you the door
https://youtu.be/VSXT4a2kRHA?si=G46bISUb42ZAGEqu
Well, that’s it! Thanks everyone who took time out of your busy life to read this BS about mine. Maybe I’ll do another one in the summer. Until then, take care of yourselves cause you are a mortal and it’s just a quick trip.
PTJ Playlist: Take 1, Part 1
When I opened the site up to write this, I realized it’s been over two years since I’ve done anything here for myself. Still sitting in my drafts is an ode to Foo Fighters that I started in 2021 and haven’t touched since after Taylor’s death in 2022. I swear to you, I’m going to finish that some day. Even more has happened that I need to add and talk about now.
What brought me here tonight is reflection, loss, and crazy thinking. This idea started back in February of this year. One of our local well known radio stations, who shaped a bunch of people’s lives, went off the air. It was tragic for a lot of us who grew up with CD 101 and it showed by the number of people in the building that night to say goodbye.
Back in the day, there was this thing called CD101 Guest DJ. Lesley James would ask you to email her a list of like 10 songs and if you got picked, you got the opportunity to go in on her show one afternoon to play and talk about those said 10 songs. I think mine was the first one of 2009. Anyway, I always wanted to be a DJ because it was the coolest fucking job on the planet to me. You sit and play music all day, you connect with people, you bring music to the masses, and you get to share the joy of music really being magic every day of your life. Plus, you know, I kind of wanted to go to shows for free and meet rock stars too. (Which 15 years later, is still my motivation for wanting to be in the music industry. Haha) Long story short, I did the thing and went to broadcasting school.
So when all this with CD 92.9 (formally CD 101) went down in February 2024, I thought to myself, what can I do to keep a part of it alive. More specifically, a part that changed my life forever and that’s when I had the crazy idea of trying to do like a PTJ Guest DJ thing. I put feelers out and a couple people said “sure” but we never really got around to scheduling anything so I was like meh, ok.
Then, for no reason what so ever, I decided that I wanted to sit down and make a list of the songs that I’ve been listening to over the past couple of months, and why they struck a cord with me. (Ah the clever word play) Much like JLO’s new album, no one asked for this either and I doubt it will gain traction except with my faithful 3 friends who will come here from the Facebook link. No shade to JLO btw, I just saw a comedian in an Instagram reel use that line in reference to JLO’s new stuff and thought, that’s so relevant in every day life that I can’t handle it. She had some bangers back in the early 00’s for real though.
Ok, so, without further ado, here’s the first 6 songs on the list of 12, with explanations of why they are my jams right now, that no one asked for, probably doesn’t want and are now like, why am I wasting my time.
I should pre-face with 2024 has been an interesting year thus far, and my mood very much influences what I’m listening to because I’m that person who is like “oh I can’t find the words, OMG, here’s this song that does”
You’ve been warned, enjoy!
I want to start out with Yes, I’m a Mess by AJR. I literally could not think of any better song to describe how I am currently feeling in life. There is nothing more telling than lyrics such as…
Why should I fix the shit I've done
When I could just pack my shit and run?
Delete every number from my phone
So long
I can not tell you the number of times in 2024 that I’ve already wanted to “blow up my life” and we’re only in April. This song just perfectly hits every time.
https://youtu.be/22Iot0IbkjQ?si=SmWf28tf-qiophX0
2. All Out Of Fight by P!NK
I have loved this woman since I witnessed her open for *NSYNC back on their No Strings Attached tour in 2000. She was the FIRST BIG artist I had the opportunity to photography professionally when I wrote an article about her back in 2019. It was the single greatest moment of my life. I’d still love to meet her someday. Trustfall is her most raw album to date in my opinion and I remember crying in my car this first time I played this song. I think we all get involved with situations in this life that drain the fight right out of not only your body, but your soul too and when it’s just her singing
I'm all out of fight
My heart will always know your name
I'm all out of love
But look at all the love we made
I'm all out of life
Oh babe, it's killin' me to say
I'm all out of love, I'm all out of life, I'm all out of fight, oh
I felt it in mine. P!NK if you ever read this, thank you for the 24 years of pure “fuck off “ inspiration.
https://youtu.be/5DuZkK_trYY?si=NZjVpPFynPOAiqsg
3. Drown by Justin Timberlake
NSYNC > BSB is the only way to live life. Kidding, but JT has been my go to since he tragically went solo. FutureSex/LoveSound is STILL the greatest Timberlake album in this lifetime hands down in this woman’s opinion. 20/20 was also pretty stellar. Everything I Thought It Was is kind of a return to that classic Justin Timberlake sound and franky, I’m here for it. (And the new *NSYNC song, but we’ll get to that later) Drown had a lot of people wondering if it’s an updated version of What Goes Around and maybe it is, but I love it for the honesty of admitting you’ve gotten yourself in too deep with someone/something who drowned your ass and could have tried to save you but instead just let it happen. I think we’ve all been there. God knows I have.
Yeah, you know I was blinded by my heart, sinking from the start
Should've never followed you this far, now I'm in the deep end
And you let me drown
You didn't even try to save me
https://youtu.be/g-n0AkzFjjQ?si=oN59WnhamyNXi43g
4. We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for your love) by Ariana Grande
Oh lord JESUS. Ari got my ass good with this song. Like I said earlier, I use music a lot to speak about how I’m feeling when I can’t find the words and Ariana just gave a whole damn speech. This entire song wrecked my existence so much, I played it on repeat for 48 hours straight. In the car, in the house, everywhere.
First of all, the video and her homage to Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind and Sixteen Candles is brilliant. I remember the first time I watched Eternal Sunshine and thinking holy fuck, I wish this was a really thing. A place where you could go to wipe your memory clean of a person who meant so much to you but now is just heartbreak and despair in your mind. And what hopeless romantic from the 80’s movies era doesn’t want that scene at the end of Sixteen candles to be a thing? The man of your dreams just showing up for you, then sitting on the table with a birthday cake wishing you a happy birthday and telling you to make a wish, like Jesus Christ. John Hughes wrecked me.
And unfortunately for me, this song literally hit the day before my birthday and I knew my fate would not be that of Sam and Jake at the end of Sixteen Candles but more of Peaches in Ariana Grande’s video. Trying to wipe my memory clean of this person who means so much to me and all the times we’ve had but now having to forget because…. we can’t be friends. (No matter how hard we try.)
I didn't think you'd understand me
How could you ever even try?
I don't wanna tiptoe, but I don't wanna hide
But I don't wanna feed this monstrous fire
Just wanna let this story die
And I'll be alright
The second I heard those lyrics, I knew. I knew that this was a song that was staying with me for a while, if not a lifetime.
https://youtu.be/KNtJGQkC-WI?si=LPfOlRIdKkeJ16C9
5. Paradise by *NSYNC
As a long time Nsyncer, there is nothing more I have wanted for oh say the last idk, 22 years than some type reunion. BSB did it, 98 Degrees have done it, hell, NKOTB can’t stop doing it now. Yet, we get nothing from these guys. I get it, I understand it, you want to move on with your life, but guess what, (It’s Gonna Be May, sorry HAD to) any way, us fans never got that chance because you kind of just left us here to figure out what to do with all this love we had for a band that just stopped being a band. You tore up our hearts *NSYNC and it just wasn’t cool. Then March 13th, 2024 happened and all HELL broke loose. The rumors of a new song not only turned out to be TRUE but Justin also orchestrated a FREAKING reunion at his pop up show in LA. I was up watching the live feed that night and it crashed so many time it was unreal!! This is going to sound so dumb from a grown woman but, I can not tell you how much joy and hope it brought me to see those 5 on the same stage together. NSYNC was a massive part of my life growing up. They represent this time where I was still me and life hadn’t quite hit yet. No depression, no anxiety, hopes, dreams, and ideations of love still a plenty and like a lot of us, I’d give anything just to feel that way again, even if it’s just a fleeting moment at a reunion tour. So of course hearing the guys sing
Cause I've waited
I've been waitin' forever
Right here for this moment
Between you and I
Everything is happenin'
And it's just what I imagined
I imagine it would feel like (oh-oh-oh)
Paradise
hit a really good place in my soul because us *NSYNC fans have been waiting right here for this moment for 22 years and it honestly did feel like a bit of paradise. Almost like hope restored. So I want to put out this plea out to, justiN, chriS, joeY, laNce, jC, please, please do a reunion tour. We miss you and we’ll show up if you do, this I promise you.
https://youtu.be/k8iqN8hOvQA?si=6hb9jjLf0AYxY3PU
6. Eyes Closed by Ed Sheeran
It is widely known I am not a huge fan of Ed Sheeran’s music. He’s a super talented singer/song writer, and performer, who has a ton of great songs but he’s just not in my wheel house. That was until I watched his documentary, The Sum Of All Things. I gained a whole new appreciation for him as a musician and as a human.
This song ultimately deals with the death of his best friend Jamal Edwards and anyone who’s been there knows how damn hard it is to get over losing an entire piece of your heart.
I wanted to pick out just a few lyrics that hooked me with this one but truthfully, I can’t because it’s the whole song. I woke up one April morning about two weeks ago, 13 years later STILL dancing with my eyes close because everywhere I look I still see him.
I take all those years of my Ed Sheeran lack of respect back.
https://youtu.be/u6wOyMUs74I?si=btJR3HsWmknN5YzL
A good place to end it, I think. Look for part 2, songs 7-12 to follow soon.
*On a updated note, I woke up this morning to the news that the WWCD era has now officially ended, so I would like to dedicate this blog to everyone at WWCD101, CD 102.5, and CD 92.9 who influenced a generation. Thank you all for everything.*