Music matters to different people in different ways. To musicians, music is an outlet. They can find inspiration from their favorite songs, and channel that into songs of their own. For a casual listener, music may be a distraction. It has the power to pull you out of your everyday life and allow you into another, even for a brief few minutes.
For me, music is really just music. Sure, I’ve ugly cried to numerous songs, and I would be flat out lying if I said a new song didn’t genuinely give me chills at least once a week. But I don’t listen to music for any of the aforementioned, often therapeutic reasons. I listen to music because it’s something I can’t live without and something that can make me feel genuine emotions.
Over the years, different songs have hit me in different ways, for the weirdest reasons. I am infamously known within my social circle for calling a new song “the best song of all time” on a weekly basis. Usually, these songs are ones that would never be found on an actual “greatest songs of all time” list compiled by people who know what they’re talking about, but lists like these annoy me, anyway.
“Rainbow Connection,” made famous by Kermit the Frog, is a song I genuinely believe is one of the best of all time. One time, I was at my brother’s middle school chorus concert, and the company of 12-year olds performed “Rainbow Connection.” Sitting next to my mother, I genuinely began to cry. Like, full on tears falling out of my eyes at a middle school chorus concert. It may very well be one of the most well-written songs I have ever heard in my life, and it was written for a FROG. It’s a gorgeous song about dreams, and hope and faith and reality, and it’s so complex that I actually feel like a genius for resonating with it.
Other, more universally accepted songs, have also struck something in me. I had heard samples of “I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross multiple times throughout my life, but when I really sat down and listened to the song in its entirety, I was completely blown away. The entire intro is better than maybe anything I’ve ever listened to, and the trumpet solo is something that I literally felt. Like, it reaches untapped parts of my consciousness that I did not even know existed. The same could be said about the bridge of Diana Ross’ rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” which figuratively causes me to absolutely lose my mind.
One song that I am consistently referring to as the best ever is “Ready or Not” by ex-Disney star Bridgit Mendler. As a pop fan, I can say that I have not, in all my years of living, heard a better pop song than “Ready or Not.” And I say that with full confidence in my words. The American population are actual cowards for not getting that song to number one.
“Rather Die Young” by Beyoncé is the best love song ever released. Others have tried to capture the things they would do for love, or the things they feel when they are in love, but no one has done so better than Beyoncé did. She would literally rather DIE… YOUNG! Than live without someone. I don’t know what love feels like, but I don’t think I want to if it’s not THAT!
These five songs I’ve offered are just a glimpse into the extensive catalog of music that has made me feel something. Now that I’ve thrown that all down, I can’t fully explain what the point of it was, so I will leave you with this: Next time someone asks you what your music taste is, don’t just say “rap” or “everything but country.” Stand your ground, take a deep breath and with your full chest admit that one of your favorite songs of all time is “Rainbow Connection” by Kermit the Frog.
