Beth’s May Top Artists
Happy pride month B&B readers!! Here are my top artists & songs of May!
10. Flume
Song of the Month: My Boo (feat. Vince Staples, Kučka, Ngaiire, Vera Blue)
This song is a staple in my “Get Ready with Me” playlist, and this month I had a whole lot of getting ready to do so you’ll be seeing a pattern here in just a few. It all started with my old roommate, Adam, who really intensified my love for Flume during our time living together. He was always king of the aux chord, and this song was a regular in our house, especially when we were getting ready to go out. So, of course, when we went our separate ways, I had to add it to my playlist to throw a little bit of our Bosworth Ave energy in there.
9. Cleo Sol
Song of the Month: Reason
Cleo Sol is ethereal goddess realness personified. I feel like her songs have such a good manifesting quality to them, because, as you know, I truly believe music has serious manifesting capabilities. If you need a pick me up or a reminder of who you are or what you’re capable of, you must listen to her ‘Gold’ album from 2023. She talks about God and a higher power in such a beautiful, relatable way. Her albums are filled with love songs, but they are very focused on her and her hopes for love and her lovers. Her music makes me feel so in tune with my femininity, I recommend her to all the girls.
8. Doechii
Song of the Month: Yucky Blucky Fruitcake
I think you guys are well aware of all the love I have for Doechii so I’m going to attempt to keep this short and sweet. For some reason this month I have been throwing it back to 2020 Doechii, especially ‘Yucky Blucky Fruitcake’. Looking back through old playlists, I think ‘Yucky Blucky Fruitcake’ might have been the first Doechii song I ever fell in obsession with, which makes total sense considering its Tiktok fame. She’s having a bit of a resurgence this month and I’m so happy to have her back.
7. Thee Sacred Souls
Song of the Month: Love Comes Easy
I always come back to Thee Sacred Souls’ 2022 self-titled debut album, ‘Thee Sacred Souls.’ This is an album I desperately need to get on vinyl because I just feel like I’m not really getting the full experience without some cracks. I love the ‘70s feel of all of their music, especially that album. I just love to hear music like this being made today because I feel like we really don’t hear that sound anymore, despite literally all of the people I know loving ‘70s music and always returning to it.
6. The Cranberries
Song of the Month: Sunday
The Cranberries are an absolute fan favorite in this household. There was once a day I listened to ‘Linger’ approximately 20 times in a row because there was just nothing else that hit the same as she did. This month I have been listening to The Cranberries nonstop, especially since the two-year-old I nanny has become obsessed with them too. My fault for putting him on! He requests ‘Sunday’ every single day at lunch a minimum of 3 times, so this one goes out to him. I mean, can you blame him?
5. Sheryl Crow
Song of the Month: Everyday is a Winding Road
This song has been living absolutely rent-free in my mind all month, I can’t stop listening to it. I mean, seriously, I’ve listened to it so much that Sheryl Crow landed herself at #5 on this list. What is better than walking around Lincoln Park listening to some ‘’90s-early 2000s Rom-com-type music? Nothing, literally nothing! Once Summer hits, this is going to be a very common theme on these lists, so prepare yourself for that turn.
4. Sade
Song of the Month: Paradise
Sade is without a doubt my favorite artist of the month, and I’m shocked she’s not higher on this list if I’m being honest. Receiptify… what’s going on? She is the original queen of the slick-back, gold hoop combo; her style is timeless and iconic. Beyond her look, she is immensely talented in the vocal department. Her voice is one of the most unique and sultry of all time to me, I could just melt into her sound. I just admire her so much. She’s so private despite her major fame status, she even left the industry behind for motherhood which definitely sucks for her fans but it’s a move I just can’t help but respect the hell out of. She releases music on her own time and clearly puts so much passion into it, that I recommend her to literally everyone.
3. Rihanna
Song of the Month: Lemon - Edit (N.E.R.D)
Remember when I said I had a lot of getting ready to do this month? Well, here’s your evidence! Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, and Beyoncé own my getting-ready playlist and that is that on that. Lemon is a certified classic to my high school friends and me and it does a fantastic job hyping me up to go out with my friends. There is truly something about singing this word for word in my makeup mirror.
2. Kaytranada
Song of the Month: What You Need (feat. Charlotte Day Wilson)
You guys know I love Kaytranada, especially his album BUBBA. I seriously cannot put this album down, it has got me in a chokehold. ‘What You Need’ has such a groove to it, as so many Kaytranada songs do, and Charlotte Day Wilson’s smooth, sultry voice perfectly compliments it. When I want to bop around the house, especially cleaning or cooking, I love playing Kaytranada because it adds a bit of rhythm to every move I make. Why not add a little movement to the mundane?
1. Beyoncé
Song of the Month: ALLIGATOR TEARS
Well, I saw Beyoncé in the month of May so, of course, she’s my top artist! (As if she’s not every month… anyway!) I wrote an entire review and debrief of the concert under ‘The B Side’ already, so I won’t go too much into it here. Cowboy Carter has absolutely no skips for me, but ‘ALLIGATOR TEARS’ was never really a song I’d seek out if I wasn’t listening to the album in its entirety. However, seeing it live absolutely changed that for me. Her performance of the song didn’t have any major production pieces to it, just her standing alone on stage in my favorite outfit of the night, singing her heart out. That is the Beyoncé I fell in love with when I was a little girl, I fell in love with her voice before ever even seeing her and all she had to offer beyond vocal talent. It was just such a moment to hear her embracing her country twang when she used to be faulted for it. Hearing her sing “Sweet ‘thangs’ need time to grow” live will probably occupy a portion of my brain for the rest of my life.
I always love sharing these tidbits about my favorite artists, I hope you enjoy reading them too.
Write you soon!
Beth
