The CommRadio Weekly Playlist: Here members of the arts and entertainment department will talk about the songs that dominated their playlists during the week and what makes them so good.

“Baltimore” by Nina Simone

As the flowers start to blossom and the temperature begins to rise for springtime, I naturally start to listen to more upbeat songs.

I was looking through my older saved songs and I came across “Baltimore” by Nina Simone. Simone released this groovy jazz song in 1978 off her studio album of the same name.

Most jazz artists have extravagant voices and do fancy riffs; her voice is already special enough that she does not need to do anything like that.

The actual music of this song is a mixture between disco and jazz. It is calm like jazz, but it is upbeat like disco. I love bopping my head to this one.
 
The song is about the city of Baltimore and what someone would see during that specific year. Simone has hope for the city but wonders when the horror, depression and crime will end. The music masks the lyrics.
 
I love listening to this song when I am walking around or doing chores. Everyone reading this should listen to this song this week.  —Emily McGlynn

“Just Like Magic” by Ariana Grande

I woke up this week ready to seize every day, and this was my go-to song to motivate me to make things happen. This was not only my favorite song of the week, but it is one of my favorites of all time.

Grande’s message in this song is to manifest things into existence and make what you wish to happen happen.

The song makes me immediately happy after hearing the first few notes because of its feel-good melody.

The lyrics of this song are relatable as Grande sings about what her schedule for the day will look like and infers that it will be stressful, but if she thinks optimistically, it will be a good day.

To add, Grande’s heavenly background vocals are essential to creating happiness within this song. If you need a song of motivation, this is the one for you.

I always make sure to play it when I go on walks around campus, and since the weather this past week has been so nice, I put this song on for an instant boost of serotonin.  —Kennedy Kollar

“Drugs in California” by Transviolet

“Drugs In California” is the latest single from the electronic-pop group Transviolet. They have been one of my favorite groups since 2017, and this is without a doubt one of their best songs yet. I have listened to this song nonstop since it came out, and it has never gotten old.

It is the perfect vibe for the end of winter and beginning of spring. I think that Sarah McTaggart sounds phenomenal in this song. She sounds the best she has ever sounded. I love how Transviolet has evolved so much in the last few years, and I think that this new era has what it takes to be the best one yet.

I highly recommend you listen to this song. It has an amazing groove with interesting lyrics and out-of-this-world vocals. The song is absolutely addictive and will put you in a great mood. I cannot wait to keep listening to this song throughout the year!  —Jack Freiser

“Dream Away” by Keith Wallen

As for me, this past week was almost excruciatingly dull. Wellness day was nice, as it also cancelled one of my bigger routine assignments for the week. But, as the week progressed, I found less and less to do with it feeling like my work week was about over with after Tuesday.

That’s where “Dream Away” by Keith Wallen came in. It’s been out for over a month now, and the song has been a great addition to my Spotify playlists. It’s captivating and trippy; the lyrics allow the listener to sit back and dream themselves away.

With lyrics relating to self-reflection and losing yourself in thought, “Dream Away” was the perfect song for the week. It makes me sit back and dream of other places, look inward, and, as the song goes, “try to forget my worries for a while.”

Coming from Breaking Benjamin member Wallen, “Dream Away” is a fantastic new listen I recommend to anyone.  —Colton Pleslusky

Emily McGlynn is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email esm5378@psu.edu.

Kennedy Kollar is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email kzk5780@psu.edu.

Jack Freiser is a freshman majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email jef5614@psu.edu.

Colton Pleslusky is a junior majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email csp5289@psu.edu.