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.
Christal Garcia (Rutgers Summer Writing Program)
Song: “REPLICA”
Artist: GIVĒON
GIVĒON, the singer/songwriter known for ‘HEARTBREAK ANNIVERSARY’ and ‘TWENTIES’ originally wrote the song, “REPLICA,” for the BELOVED: ACT II album which premiered earlier this month. The track is currently trending on TikTok and doing numbers on Apple Music.
“REPLICA,” has a soft melody with a mix of rock. His lyrics are relatable to anyone stuck between letting go of someone they struggle to love. “REPLICA,” will make you feel heard if you have struggled with someone who is unreachable. GIVĒON incorporates heartfelt and distraught lyrics that make you feel more distant to your distant lover. This is a song you listen to when you feel tired of trying with someone who does not care for you properly, leading you to find someone else instead. “REPLICA,” is a song that makes you feel like moving on and finding someone else is the right thing to do.
Bill Bodkin (Editor-in-Chief of the Pop Break, Co-Host of Socially Distanced)
Song: “You Call This a Good Time”
Artist: The Black Crowes
Is this song making the playlist because we have an interview with Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes hitting the site next week? Well, yes and no. Yes, because it’s an interview with a member of The Black Crowes which is beyond awesome. No, because this song stands alone on its own merits as just an absolute banger. This has all the whiskey-drenched, bluesy Southern rock swaggadociousness that The Robinson Brothers and company are known for. This is a fresh, unapologetic rock ‘n’ roll song that cuts right through the airwaves and straight into your soul. It’s a hand-clappin’, hip-shakin’ earthworm that reimagines vintage Black Crowes through the lens of 2026.
Justin Mancini (Co-host of Podelay)
Song: “South Side of the Sky”
Artist: Yes
They may be too esoteric for some, and I’d certainly never describe their discography as “consistent.” But gosh darn it, when Yes were good, they were transcendent. Running the gamut from delicate serenity to cataclysmic upheaval, this pummeling epic from their 1971 album Fragile deserves classic status alongside “Roundabout” and “I’ve Seen All Good People.”
But unlike those well-worn radio cuts, “South Side” is more unnerving, beginning and ending in a tempest of layered sounds, complete with an infectious call-and-response between Jon Anderson’s dire vocals and Steve Howe’s towering riffs (meanwhile, Chris Squire’s thuddy bass holds it all down). And in between? An eye in the storm: an extended run of wordless vocal harmonies, Rick Wakeman’s gossamer piano, and Bill Bruford’s methodical drums.
Culminating in a surprisingly playful solo from Howe, the song makes us feel we’ve summited an impossible peak before ascending further into the ether. It’s progressive rock at its most evocative, tapping into our most primal—and primeval—of emotions.
Bill Bodkin (Editor-in-Chief)
Song: “Fuckin in the Bushes”
Artist: Oasis
As you may have noticed this column is a little light this month, so as the boss, I afforded myself one more entry. The (mostly) instrumental Oasis anthem “Fuckin in the Bushes.” I first heard this song in the Guy Ritchie classic Snatch. The loud garage rock drums combined with the gritty, twangy riffs make it the perfect soundtrack for literally any high energy playlist you want to create. Even though I was never an Oasis fan (until recently), this song always remained in heavy rotation. And that’s why it comes up in this playlist. As part of the Spotify 20 trend this month, this song is my #1 all-time played song in the 15 years I’ve been subscribed to the streaming platform. If you’ve never listened to this one, here’s your opportunity to make this important change in your life.
