I’ve recently been toying with Music League:
The app that lets members of a group pick and vote for songs that best represent a set of assigned themes.
The leagues are created by fellow users. Sometimes they center around a broad genre, or a mood, but plenty of them invite all sorts of submissions.
The league designer sets the number of rounds per league, and the challenge for each round. For instance, you could be asked to submit:
- “A song released in 1962.”
- “A song that you love, but are a little embarrassed to admit it.”
- “A song that makes you think of your grandparents.”
All songs submitted by the deadline will be voted on and ranked. Victory in each round is based on popular opinion among the league members. Unlike previous tnocs posts for best holiday songs, there is no tournament structure here – just a set of standalone contests.
So it’s a bit like rollerboogie’s music questions…
…And also a little like Cards Against Humanity.
I doubt any of my selected songs will ever get voted to the top, but that’s not the point.
It’s all about geeking out with fellow fans.
And sometimes you can find great songs you didn’t know about. It’s pretty fun.
I especially appreciate when the curator of a league gets creative with the assignments.
For instance:
- “What are the best songs to represent the seven deadly sins?”
- “Or the circles of paradise as described by Dante?”
- Or something that counts as…“post-technical anti-noise?”
That last one was just pure nonsense, but it admittedly got me thinking about what a representative song might be!
But of course, we’ve already got our own league here!
So why not try a round or two together?
Or ten?
Submit one song to best match each theme:
1. Something that captures a potent childhood memory?
2. Something that is guaranteed to make you cry if you heard it now?
3. Something that energizes you, perfect for running or exercise?
4. Something that is perfect for cruising down the highway?
5. Something that makes you dance around your bedroom?
6. Something that captures the feeling of springtime?
7. Something that captures the feeling of summer?
8. Something that captures the feeling of fall?
9. Something that captures the feeling of winter?
10. Something you used to despise, but now you love?
We don’t have to worry about rating and ranking.
Just sharing and commenting will do!
Let the author know that you liked their article with a “Green Thumb” Upvote!
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This is cool! Most of these have tons of possible answers, but I’ll try not to overthink it.
1. Something that captures a potent childhood memory? “Do Ya”- Electric Light Orchestra (jumping up and down on the beds with my sister to this)
2. Something that is guaranteed to make you cry if you heard it now? The River by Bruce Springsteen. It speaks for itself.
3. Something that energizes you, perfect for running or exercise? Noise- Nightwish
4. Something that is perfect for cruising down the highway? Got a Love For You (Hurley’s House Mix)- Jomanda
5. Something that makes you dance around your bedroom? Everybody Dance- Chic
6. Something that captures the feeling of springtime? Dawning is the Day- The Moody Blues
7. Something that captures the feeling of summer? Time of the Season- The Zombies
8. Something that captures the feeling of fall? Autumn Leaves
9. Something that captures the feeling of winter? Skating (From “A Charlie Brown Christmas”)- Vince Guaraldi
10. Something you used to despise, but now you love? Louie, Louie- The Kingsmen. Despise and love are both overstating it, but I have come around.
I’m curious to see if people’s seasonal choices reflect the climate where they reside or grew up. For instance, around here, spring is a mixed bag, and a total toss up as to what we’re going to get day to day. Sure, everything is going to bloom, but it could snow after that. The weather varies from day to day, anywhere from the idyllic to the completely miserable. I found it interesting that my instincts were to choose a song for spring that evokes a variety of moods and feelings.
Good intuitions. I do wonder how that will vary.
Thanks for the prompts and the fun column, Phylum!
Here are my picks:
1. Something that captures a potent childhood memory? Theme from “Jaws” by John Williams
2. Something that is guaranteed to make you cry if you heard it now? .(Lump in the throat at least) “I’ll Be Here With You” by Nancy LaMott
3. Something that energizes you, perfect for running or exercise? “Hot Stuff” by Donna Summer
4. Something that is perfect for cruising down the highway? Doobie Brothers’ “Long Train Runnin’”
5. Something that makes you dance around your bedroom? Emotions’ “Best of My Love”
6. Something that captures the feeling of springtime? Daniel Boone’s “Beautiful Sunday.”
7. Something that captures the feeling of summer? Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer in the City”
8. Something that captures the feeling of fall? LeBlanc and Carr’s “Falling”
9. Something that captures the feeling of winter? Annie Lennox’s “No More I Love Yous”
10. Something you used to despise, but now you love? Still don’t care for Charlene’s “I’ve Never Been to Me,” except in the context of “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.”
“I’ve Never Been to Me” has always been complete camp to me, as I was introduced to it via Priscilla.
And yet the rise of angry natalists like JD Vance these days sure helps the patriarchal dimension of the song weigh a whole lot heavier.
I realized after the fact that an easy way out of the seasons questions would have been to just pick Donna Summer’s Four Seasons of Love album to cover all of them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3IP4Vp2A-U
Other options offering an easy way out.
For the classically inclined, there’s Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.
Or Crowded House; Four Seasons In One Day.
This sounds great! I’m installing the app now.
1. Something that captures a potent childhood memory? – Millie Smalls – “My Boy Lollipop”
2. Something that is guaranteed to make you cry if you heard it now? – The only song to get me misty at a live concert, The Who – “Love Reign O’er Me”
3. Something that energizes you, perfect for running or exercise? – The Ramones – “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker”
4. Something that is perfect for cruising down the highway? Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Sweet Hitchhiker”
5. Something that makes you dance around your bedroom? – Whale – “Hobo Humpin’ Slobo Babe”
6. Something that captures the feeling of springtime? Fishbone – “Everyday Sunshine”
7. Something that captures the feeling of summer? – Mungo Jerry – “In The Summertime”
8. Something that captures the feeling of fall? – Dakota Staton – “Moonray”
9. Something that captures the feeling of winter? – This is a bit on the nose but – The Bangles – “Hazy Shade Of Winter” The original Simon & Garfunkel version is good too, but I prefer this one.
10. Something you used to despise, but now you love? – George McCrae – “Rock Your Baby”
I’m BACK, baby! Not sure what was with my log-in page, but this morning it finally let me into the TNOCS community!
What a great suggestion – is this going to be a weekly thing? Here goes:
Welcome back! Ditto on the B-52s, and I nearly picked “Running Down A Dream,” too.
Good grief, ‘gue, I’m sorry for the login issues – I had no idea. Very glad to see you back!
Welcome back!
Maybe not a weekly thing, but it could be a regular thing!
1. Something that captures a potent childhood memory?
“Sunday Will Never Be the Same” – Spanky and Our Gang.
I was having a bad day at school and afterwards, my father took me out for a ride to cheer me up. He silently changed his usual big-band-centric station over to something that he thought I might like to hear instead. This was playing.
2. Something that is guaranteed to make you cry if you heard it now?
“Who’s That Man” – Toby Keith.
All of it gets to me, to a degree. But when he sings line about seeing his dog? Lights out. I’m a puddle of soup.
3. Something that energizes you, perfect for running or exercise?
“Theme From Rocky.” – Bill Conti.
I hear you laughing. But it works for me.
4. Something that is perfect for cruising down the highway?
{TBA – coming soon in an upcoming article}
5. Something that makes you dance around your bedroom?
“Theme From Rocky.” – Bill Conti.
I know. I need to get out more.
6. Something that captures the feeling of springtime?
“Springtime For Hitler.”- ‘The Producers’- (Soundtrack)
(I’m sorry. I couldn’t’ help myself.)
7. Something that captures the feeling of summer?
“Light My Fire” – The Doors
This was everywhere, all summer long in 1967.
8. Something that captures the feeling of fall?
“Hot Rod Hearts” – Robbie Dupree
“Cheek to cheek, sweatshirt to sweater.” ‘Nuff said.
9. Something that captures the feeling of winter?
“Twin Sons Of Different Mothers” (entire album) – Dan Fogelberg and Tim Weisberg
A long story. I’ll tell it someday.
10. Something you used to despise, but now you love?
“Sugar, Sugar” – The Archies
There is a Stereogum Music League with 39 participants (so far). I just joined it a couple of weeks ago. For example, we’re currently voting on submissions in the category “40 Years Ago: Songs from 1984” (I submitted “Joanna” by Kool and the Gang). Last week it was “Not in the Lyrics: Songs whose title does not appear in the lyrics (no instrumentals)” (I submitted “Deceptacon” by Le Tigre).
If you’re interested, I can send a link.
We also have a LOT of discussion in the SG Discord — a specific Music League thread that may get 100+ comments in a day (not usually, but not unheard of).
Or if we want to have our own separate one, we’d need at least I think 10 participants to get a good range of submissions / perspectives / hot takes.
Definitely interested, thanks!
https://app.musicleague.com/l/9ae3021aa81c45c1bbe665d9a8e4c05f/cfdeed0b05f74737bca9f02afb276451/
(unwieldy URL…)
Thanks!
I don’t have good answers for all these, so I’ll just answer selectively:
2. Something that is guaranteed to make you cry if you heard it now?
“Where’ve You Been” by Kathy Mattea or “Sometimes” by Christine Lavin
4. Something that is perfect for cruising down the highway?
“Ain’t Life Grand” by Widespread Panic
5. Something that makes you dance around your bedroom?
“Let’s Groove” by Earth Wind & Fire
10. Something you used to despise, but now you love?
“Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepson
Whoops, didn’t answer my own questions!
Delighted to see Nick Drake come up. Stay tuned for something coming up soon on that very subject…..
Nice. Feel free to brighten my Western sky.
Well that passed half an hour thinking of these. Excellent questions.
1. Childhood memory = Meat Loaf – Bat Out Of Hell
2. Guaranteed weepy = Cinematic Orchestra – To Build A Home
3. Energizer = Leftfield – Phat Planet
4. Highway = Mercury Rev – Goddess On A Hiway
5. Dance = Faithless – Insomnia
6. Springtime = Sigur Ros – Hoppípolla
7. Summer = Beloved – The Sun Rising
8. Fall = James – Sometimes
9. Winter = Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart
10. From hate to love = M/A/R/R/S – Pump Up The Volume
Ugh…I have a love/hate relationship with this place. I hate how much time that it takes me to invest in these articles (also interpret as: I wish I had more time to spend on these articles!) And yet, an article like this begs a response. I love it!
I am the son and the heir…of a wryness that is quintessentially Smithic. But yes, that song is indeed a gem.
Thanks for the great idea, Phylum!
I’ve done a few and I love Music League, but it takes a lot of time.
1. Something that captures a potent childhood memory?
Talking Heads – Take Me To The River (my mom drumming on the steering wheel and my legs whenever it came on the radio)
2. Something that is guaranteed to make you cry if you heard it now?
Megan Washington – Lazarus Drug (song from the end of the Bluey episode The Sign)
3. Something that energizes you, perfect for running or exercise?
The Marked Men – Ditch
4. Something that is perfect for cruising down the highway?
Lucero – When You’re Gone
5. Something that makes you dance around your bedroom?
Jeff Rosenstock – Liked U Better
6. Something that captures the feeling of springtime?
Haley Hendrickx – Oom Sha La La
7. Something that captures the feeling of summer?
Ozomatli – Como Ves (if I translated the lyrics, it probably wouldn’t fit)
8. Something that captures the feeling of fall?
MONSTER MASH!
9. Something that captures the feeling of winter?
Psalmships – Slow Heart Snowfall (local but great)
10. Something you used to despise, but now you love?
Used to not be able to take screaming vocals.
Glassjaw – Motel of The White Locust