The Playlist is a brand new column for Pop Break celebrating the songs we love at this very moment, and we think you, our readers, should be putting in your life as well! This column features recommendations from the writers, podcasters and photographers of Pop Break as well as our friends from the world of journalism, entertainment, podcasting and our everyday lives.
Bill Bodkin (Editor-in-Chief/Co-Host Socially Distanced, TV Break, Bills vs. The MCU):
Song: “Valhalla”
Artist: Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country
My autumnal anthem, for the foreseeable future, will be “Valhalla” by Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country. Donato’s one-two punch of breezy psychedelia and earnest Americana are on full display in this song. It is the perfect song to drive along the highways and byways as the leaves turn wonderful shades of red, orange and yellow or as the crisp and brisk autumnal air caresses your face as you take a meditational walk. The distortion on Donato’s guitar work and his Tennessee by way of New Jersey twang give it this soaring, ethereal vibe that just absolutely fits this time of year. Oh yeah, and check out my interview with him — one of my all-time favorites.
Nynoshka Vazquez Suazo (Staff Writer)
Song: “Dile Luna”
Artist: Karol G. featuring Eddy Lover
Current music fixation: “Dile Luna” by Karol G ft. Eddy Lover. This is off her recent album Tropicoqueta, released in June of this year. The second it played, it was immediately a DON’T YOU DARE SKIP-PUT THE VOLUME UP track. It scratches my ear in all the right places. The rhythm and production are hypnotic. Her voice, angelic. The lyrics speak of longing and loving, asking the moon for questions. Top of the Latin sphere for me, for sure.
Randy Allain (Staff Writer, Co-Host of Pod of Doom | Co-Host of Media/Lit Podcast)
Song: “Alice’s Restaurant Masscaree”
Artist: Arlo Guthrie
It’s time for the annual pilgrimage to Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
When Arlo Guthrie dropped “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” in 1967, he served up a Thanksgiving anthem that couldn’t be beat. In fact, this 18-minute behemoth offers a full-course meal. Guthrie jokes and finger-picks his way through the meandering tale of two Thanksgiving dinners, an overzealous small-town cop, and the flaws and hypocrisy inherent in the draft system. While this protest song hails from the Vietnam War era, its timeless plea for common sense and humanity in the face of cold bureaucracy still has the power to unify people:
Can you imagine 50 people a day walking in and singing a bar of Alice’s Restaurant and walking out? They may think it’s a movement.
And that’s what it is, the Alice’s Restaurant Anti-Massacre Movement, and all you got to do to join is sing it the next time it comes around on the guitar.
With feeling.
Even if you aren’t inspired to join the movement, please note that singing a bar of “Alice’s Restaurant” and then walking out is also a proven method for dodging unwanted conversations at the Thanksgiving dinner table. So finish that turkey, loosen your belt, and settle in for a great story.
Marshall Stevenson (Co-Host of Blerd Watchers)
Song: “Folded”
Artist: Kehlani
Folded has been going double Platinum in the Blerd Watchers house since its release in June. Smooth production, melodic rhythm and incredible tone on display from under-appreciated songstress Kehlani, who in a stroke of genius, capitalized on the viral nature of the track that has produced countless dances and covers with the Homage Pack EP!
This collection features some of the best remixes/verses from our favorite R&B Artists, like Tank, Mario, Brandy, Jojo, Ne-Yo and Toni Braxton. this pack has revitalized a song we already couldn’t put down! Whether it be the OG track, one of the many DJ mixes (the 90s remix is one of Courtney’s personal favorites-check it out!), or this brand new Homage Pack, make sure y’all come pick up your clothes. We had them folded.
Andrew Howie (Staff Writer):
Song: “Cattywomp”
Artist: Gwenifer Raymond
I discovered Gwenifer Raymond through the lineup for Big Ears 2026 (coincidentally my favorite music festival in the entire country, if you’d like to know). Born in rural South Wales but raised here in the US of A, she is an absolute virtuoso of acoustic fingerpicking guitar, and her song “Cattywomp“ is a blistering sprint through the hollers of the American South, chased by an ominous, devilish wind chomping at your heels.
Breakneck speed aside, Raymond’s technique is astounding. She does Appalachia proud, her towering, funeral dirge intros giving way to rapturous ecstasy in a breathless, runaway horse carriage of death under a blackened sky and a blood red moon. If you’re looking for instant goosebumps, look no further.
Olivia Aiere (Rutgers University Fall Writing Program)
Song: “bittersweet”
Artist: Madison Beer
Madison Beer’s distinct sound has flown under the pop radar, but not under mine. Her single “bittersweet” is going to be on her new album “locket” in January, which is sure to be another addicting addition to her unique discography. Her music utilizes a variety of textures and sounds, and “bittersweet” is no exception. With an arpeggiating synth hook, the song has that otherworldly sound she’s been excelling in. It builds a simple yet effective drum beat that carries through the chorus with its strong snare. The bass and chords carry that synth feel to the refrain to support her vocals.
Beer’s vocals sit nicely atop the instrumentation in the verses and take more center stage in the chorus with the same softness. She riffs during the bridge with the same quality, and her use of head voice for the catchy melody elevates the reflectiveness of the lyrics. “bittersweet” perfectly encapsulates the oxymoronic feeling, with the upbeat chorus and major key contrasting the disappointment in the verses. The bridge even plays with this internal conflict with the lyrics, “I lay awake thinkin’, ‘How did I let you go?’ / Gettin’ away unscathed for so damn long” with the intentional pause between lines giving the quote separate meanings. Beer’s clever songwriting combined with the ethereal production of “bittersweet” has made the song a staple in my November playlist, perfectly encapsulating the melancholy of late fall.
Danielle Adelaide Cairo (Rutgers University Fall Writing Program)
Song: “Sunset Driver- (Demo)”
Artist: Michael Jackson
Sunset Driver was a song Michael originally wrote for Thriller album, but unfortunately didn’t make the cut but was released as a bonus track on The Ultimate Collection in 2004. The song is oozing with rhythm and groove, a total vibe. A unique rhythm upholding picturesque lyrics, very easy to imagine cruising on a summer’s day hitting the town on a night out. This song creates a euphoric cast over the body, pleasure runs through the ears. This would have done a number in the ’80s.
“Sunset driver/ Midnight rider/ Friday’s brighter/ Morning rider/ You’re a Saturday nighter (oh).”
Sam Cohen (Staff Writer, Host of Slanted & Enchanted on WRSU)
Song: “Name The Band”
Artist: This Is Lorelei
After a decade of under-the-radar albums and EPs Nate Amos aka This Is Lorelei found a hit with his 2024 album, Box For Buddy, Box For Star. Over the last year, he’s had his “moment,” and while most people obsessed over the new stuff, Amos focused on how to make his old material heard.That’s when he had the idea, re-record his own songs and release it as a new album. Think of it as a greatest hits, except they’re great in the eyes of Amos, instead of the listener. The first taste of the record came via “Name The Band,” a 90 second, upbeat, conversation about, you guessed it, naming a band. If you’re not into This Is Lorelei, it’s time to pay attention, his songwriting is next level, and he’s also half of the very talented, Water From Your Eyes.
Taylor Memoli (Staff Writer, Co-Editor-in-Chief of The Underground Edit)
Song: “SUPERSCAR”
Artist: ADÉLA
This month, I am completely obsessed with all things ADÉLA. If you’re unfamiliar, Adéla Jergová is a Slovak singer-songwriter who first rose to prominence on the talent-competition reality show Dream Academy, the same series that produced KATSEYE. Adéla was eliminated in the later rounds after judges claimed she “didn’t work well in groups,” but this controversy only amplified her appeal. Now, she is a pop powerhouse who is rising in popularity from her dance-pop soundtrack. Her biggest hit, “SUPERSCAR,” is nothing short of pop perfection with its sexy, powerful lyrics and club-ready beat. ADÉLA is a rising star, and she definitely has the catalog to back it up.
Gabrielle Sangataldo (Staff Writer, Editor-in-Chief of The Underground Edit)
Song: “Karma Police – Live In Denver”
Artist: Panic! At The Disco
Oh man. This song release has been 20 years in the making. P!ATD performed at the When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas this October to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out. Accompanying that was the long-awaited streaming service release of Live In Denver, the live recording of their first tour. Though “Karma Police” is originally a Radiohead song, this track should be a masterclass in how to effectively cover a song. A Radiohead classic with a Panic! twist, “Karma Police – Live In Denver,” went platinum on YouTube in my room in 2015, and it’s going platinum again on my Spotify in 2025.
