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, The Pop Break)
Song: “No Voices in the Sky”
Artist: Motorhead
“No Voices in the Sky” is a 35-year-old banger from the almighty Lemmy and Motorhead. The third track off their 1916 album is not just an absolute banger, but it’s truly one of the true sleeper songs from the prolific, iconic heavy metal outfit that inspired … well … everyone. Musically, this track feels more at home on an Iron Maiden record, but the Maiden-esque qualities combined with Lemmy’s soaring vocals, and one of the best guitar solos in the band’s catalog, elevates it to a heavenly anthem. It’s more driving, freewheeling, and somehow uplifting than any of the bombastic 100 mph doom-filled rippers the band is none for. There’s something above this song that makes me want to throw my fist in the air and scream the chorus out my car window as thoughts of positivity race through my mind. Admittedly, it’s the weirdest song to be the soundtrack to your hopes and dreams, but 2026 makes no sense, and I’m diving headfirst into it with Lemmy by my side.
Christal Garcia (Rutgers University Spring Writing Program)
“U Make Me Wanna”
Jadakiss (feat. Mariah Carey)
Jadakiss, the rapper/songwriter, is known for his songs ‘Why?’ and ‘We Gonna Make It’ He originally wrote the song, “U Make Me Wanna,” for his Kiss of Death”album back in 2004. As it’s currently trending and doing numbers on Instagram, it has a soothing melody of Mariah Carey combined with his lyrical rap. “U Make Me Wanna” will have you feeling confident and loved. Imagine riding back home after a long day, this is the song that will uplift your energy before going home. This is a song you listen to with your loved one or even alone. ” U Make Me Wanna” is a song that makes you feel a boost of self confidence and affection; wanting to be cherished by your loved one or for yourself.
Nynoshka Vazquez Suazo (Staff Writer, Pop Break + Underground Edit)
Song:“DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS”
Artist: Bad Bunny
In honor of the most-viewed Super Bowl performance in history, my selection for this month’s playlist is “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” by Bad Bunny.
It’s literally translation is “I should’ve taken more photos,” which already gives an emotional feel, but when you look at what the song is truly about, you can’t help but tear up. It’s a nostalgic reflection on the loss of loved ones. The understanding that once the ones you love are gone, you spend your time reminiscing on memories and trying your hardest to keep their face vividly in your mind. When you wish you had more time, and more photos of them to remember them by.
The lyrics read:
Disfrutando de todas esas cosas que extrañan los que se van // Pero queriendo volver a la última vez / Que a los ojos te miré /Y contarte las cosas que no te conté // Y tirarte la’ foto’ que no te tiré
Translation:
Enjoying all the things that the ones who leave miss //But wanting to go back to the last time / that I looked you in the eyes / And tell you all the things I didn’t tell you // and take the photo of you that I didn’t take
Hidden beneath the fun dance vibes of the production is a story of grief, regret, and love. One of my all-time favorites.
Corynn Winston (Rutgers University Spring Writing Program)
Song: “After Hours”Artist: The Weeknd
There’s just something about this song that always hits, especially with this back and forth weather we’ve been having lately. One minute it’s sunny, the next it’s gloomy, and the song kind of feels the same way. It starts off slower and more reflective, then builds into something more intense, and that shift makes it feel different every time I play it. Depending on my mood, the song can feel like a late night drive or just sitting in my room thinking too much. The production is strong without being overwhelming, and the emotion in it feels real. The After Hours album as a whole has no skips for me, but this track always stands out in a way that feels natural, not forced. It’s one of those songs that changes slightly depending on when you listen to it, and that’s what keeps me going back to it.
Brandon Hoffman (Rutgers University Spring Writing Program)
Song: “Dean Town”Artist: Vulfpeck
In a musical world filled with loudness wars, I recently revisited a band that bucks those loud trends. Vulfpeck’s style is best described as funky and filled with soul. In “Dean Town,” the bassist Joe Dart shows off his insane riffing and tight picking with the accompanying instruments. Cory Wong on the guitar with a beautiful amount of compression complements Dart’s bass while not overshadowing anything else. Woody Goss on the Wurlitzer piano has the time of his life just riffing along the main melody. Two separate people play different parts of the drums, including Jack Stratton on the kick and snare. The funniest instrument found in the music video, Theo Katzman playing the hihat and lampshade.
The vibes of all five guys jamming out together to form this low-volume headbanger always makes me smile. Usually, Geddy Lee and Flea would dominate my list of top bassists in the world, but Joe Dart gradually earned a top spot alongside them thanks to songs like “Dean Town.” The thickness of Dart’s bass blending with Cory’s compressed guitar and Woody’s piano created magic in the room. It never gets old to hear. Pretty ironic too, considering people assume Vulfpeck is an older band because of their quieter funky style. They started off in 2011; there’s your fun fact for the day.
Olivia Aiere (Pop Break Staff Writer, Host of Liv Talks to Much)
Song: “Playing God”
Artist: Paramore
I’ve dubbed this winter a “Paramore winter” since their songs have been carrying me through the colder weather. The distinct differences between their albums makes for a fun listening game when putting them on shuffle. The variety in their discography made picking just one song difficult, but “Playing God” stood out with its softer verses and playfully accusatory lyrics. The lyrics bounce back and forth between forgiving and threatening, creating a push-and-pull even with just the one voice. Its catchy chorus is a product of the early 2000s pop-punk sound and reminds me of all the television theme songs I loved growing up, feeling both nostalgic and timeless in my ears.
Gabrielle Sangataldo (Staff Writer, Co-Editor-in-Chief of The Underground Edit)
Song: “today”
Artist: Nectarine Girl
An instrumental track on Nectarine Girl’s latest album, Good Excuses for Laziness, “today” quickly made its way onto my own classical music playlist despite its home on a florist grunge album. The track is an almost-three-minute-long piano piece that could easily serve a place on La La Land’s soundtrack, with a hauntingly wistful melody painted with musical accidentals. If you’re looking for a break from devastating lyrics but still want that gut punch to the emotions via atmospheric music, “today” might be the perfect song for you.
Justin Mancini (Co-host of Podelay)
Song: “Looking for a Lady”
Artist: Dan Fogelberg
For me, returning to Dan’s music is like reconnecting with an old friend. Here was a singer-songwriter whose work showed a deep recognition of the problems in our world—but also an ever-present belief in our capacity to solve them. For some, the matter-of-factness of this track from his debut album Home Free may come off as quaint, even obsolete in an era where irony has laid waste to sincerity. But within it, he strikes an exquisite balance between painful life experience and an irrational hope for the future. Tender, loving acoustic guitar matches with a placidly weary vocal from Dan, so aching you want to reach out and give it a hug. This is the ballad of a person dutifully putting the pieces of their heart back together, forcing it to pump again, keeping it open despite the trauma endured. Finding love may not always be in our control, but our conviction that we are worthy of it very much is.
Sam Cohen (Pop Break Staff Writer, Host of Slanted & Enchanted Radio on WRSU)
Song: “That’s Us / Wild Combination”
Artist: Arthur Russell
I had heard Arthur Russell’s name here and there previously, but last weekend was truly the first time I dove in—and wow—a legend, indeed. All of his bios describe him as a ‘classically trained cellist,’ which never intrigued me until now. “That’s Us / Wild Combination” hooked me, and I haven’t been able to pin down who he reminds me of, which is usually a good thing. There’s a Byrne/Eno thing going on, and some Ryan Davis as well, but each track of Russell’s feels exceptionally singular.
My real first taste of Russell came during Geese’s concert in Philly last November. A few songs into the set, a fan threw an Arthur Russell tee onto the stage for lead singer Cameron Winter. Winter muffled his enjoyment and tossed it beside his beer and water bottle. An hour later, when Geese trotted back for a “Trinidad” encore, Winter wore the same Russell tee. Everyone wants the legends to cosign the young guys, but sometimes, a newcomer’s approval of a legend is the final push an unordained listener needs.
Kris Ingersoll (Staff Writer, Co-Host of Podelay! | Co-Host of Media/Lit Podcast)
Song: “Girl From the North Country”
Artist: Bob Dylan with Johnny Cash
When the days grow short and the sky stays grey, a good folk song goes a long way to warm the soul. For my wintry New England soul, there’s no song more cozy or comforting than Girl From the North Country – a duet from Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash off Dylan’s ninth studio album, Nashville Skyline.
Sure the original is great but the duet with Cash is hygge is music form. You can almost hear the crackle of a fireplace emanating warmth from the corner of the room somewhere in the background as Bob and Johnny share this slow walk down memory lane. With a soulful longing, the song begs the listener – an imagined traveler on some snowy northbound road – to look in on a long-ago love. The signature vocal sounds of Cash and Dylan are a perfect compliment to one another as they express the simple hope that this mystery woman will be warm against the howling winds of the north country.
Compared to the jaunty fingerpicking of the original from Dylan’s second studio album, the duet in ‘69 almost sounds like a lament but there’s nothing mournful about it. The stripped down, pick and strum sound of the guitar evokes something deeply familiar, like the song is a memory of your own from some long forgotten winter. And the woman? Her memory doesn’t invite the sadness of a love that was lost but rather a feeling of fond longing, kept in that part of the heart that stirs when the rivers freeze and the summer ends.<
Taylor Memoli (Staff Writer, Co-Editor-in-Chief of The Underground Edit)
Song: “If I Should Fall Behind”
Artist: Faith Hill
Listen, I am a Bruce Springsteen fan through and through, but Faith Hill’s version of ‘If I Should Fall Behind’ is one Springsteen cover I would argue is better than the original. What Hill brings to the song, and what I think is missing from Springsteen’s studio version, is the feeling of a true duet. To me, the backing vocals on her track serve as a conversation between two lovers dedicating their devotion to one another, rather than just Springsteen singing to Patti Scialfa about his love for her. Hill transforms that singular perspective into a shared promise, one committed from both sides of the relationship, which gives the song a deeper emotional punch and makes its raw lyrics feel even more intimate and resonant.
Randy Allain (Staff Writer, Co-Host of Podelay! | Co-Host of Media/Lit Podcast)
Artist: Camera Obscura
Song: “The Blizzard”
This Pop Break reviewer is currently hunkered down in the jackpot zone of an historic blizzard. There’s not much else to do but lean back and embrace the vibe….and if the vibe you’re embracing is an apocalyptic winter hellscape, there’s no better place to turn than the Glasgow indie rock scene. Not many bands can capture a dreary atmosphere quite like Camera Obscura, and “The Blizzard” masterfully juxtaposes warm folksiness and jingly bells with the tale of man and his horse freezing to death in a failed attempt to make it home for a Christmas celebration:
There’s a blizzard comin’ on, how I’m wishin’ I was home
For my pony’s lame and he can hardly stand
Listen to that northern sigh, if we don’t get home we’ll die.
At first, our narrator daydreams about the warm treats and atmosphere waiting at the end of the journey, but in the end, those hopeful images aren’t enough to get him over the finish line. The doomed duo pause for their final rest a mere 100 yards from their destination.
For anyone else struggling to dig out of a storm, it’s a fun way to embrace the drama and count your blessings. For anyone in a warmer clime, this is an absolute gem to store away for a very hip Christmas mix next year.
Stay warm, everyone!
Joshua Jacob (Rutgers University Spring Writing Program)
Song: “The Weekend Whip” (15th Anniverary)
Artist: The Cast of Ninjago
If you were a fan of Cartoon Network during the early 2000s and 2010s, you grew up with some peak content. From iconic shows like Teen Titans, Adventure Time and Ben 10, this channel helped shape a generation of fans and redefined how amazing storytelling can be through children’s animation. But there’s one cartoon that not only continued on after Cartoon Network’s golden era, but is still going to this day. This show continues to show how powerful the story is, one brick at a time. That’s right! I’m talking about none other than Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu. In honor of the 15th anniversary, the cast of Ninjago took to the recording booth on January 23rd to surprise us fans with a nostalgic treat: a new version of The Weekend Whip” sung by the cast themselves.
This iconic theme song (usually sung by the band “The Fold”), starts off with a nice drum beat before Kai (voiced by Vincent Tong) kicks off the track as the first ninja. Maybe it’s because Kai was always my favorite character, but Tong’s unique vocals brought me back to the early days of the show where Kai was the original main character. Now I can’t help but feel that he shines again as the unofficial lead of the song just like when he was the lead of the team. Each cast member takes turns singing a line of the first verse, from the robotic effect of Zane’s voice (voiced by Brent Miller) to Andrew Francis standing out as the new voice of Cole, reminding me that he replaced the late Kirby Morrow after his passing following Season 14. The harmony between Nya (voiced by Kelly Metzger) and Jay (voiced by Michael Adamthwaite) reflects their on-screen relationship with their voices blending smoothly before Kai cuts in with his strong tenor vocals. As the chorus builds, all six ninja sing together in unison, creating a powerful sense of teamwork that mirrors the one in the series.
The shorter second verse and chorus is led this time by the voices of Cole, Lloyd Garmadon (voiced by Sam Vincent) and his uncle Master Wu (voiced by Paul Dobson). This might just be because I was in choir for most of my life, but I personally feel that Vincent’s and Dobson’s vocals are slightly lower to perfectly blend well with the pitch of the instrumental on their own. However, I will say that it pairs well with Francis’ voice, helping to balance out the more bass voices with his baritone voice to better harmonize with the song. As the second and similar chorus ends, the thumping beat of the bridge begins, with the voices breaking apart into teams of two together smoothly.
I like to think this mirrors the moments in the series where the Ninja team have found themselves divided from the whole group, such as Lloyd and Nya when the other four were marooned in the realm of Oni and Dragon during Season 9, Nya and Jay when they were the last remaining ninja in both Season 6 and Season 12, and Kai with Lloyd being seen as the two main characters of the show. The bridge fades out then builds back up into the chorus with the unity of the whole team returning with Master Wu, reminding how much stronger the Ninja team are together than apart.
As the song closes, a calming feeling of nostalgia and peace can be felt to the listener who has missed a core piece of their childhood. With the fourth season of their sequel series Ninjago: Dragons Rising in production, this song reminded me why I used to love this series as a kid and honestly makes me consider giving the sequel a watch to see how the storytelling continues beyond the original plotline.
