THROWBACK THURSDAY
Welcome back to throwback Thursday! I have compiled a playlist of songs that have come out this week in the past; ranging from singer-songwriter to classic rock, there is undoubtedly a song for everyone in this week’s list.
Before we get into our playlist, I’d like to mention some notable events that took place this week in music history, beginning with none other than The Rolling stones who released their very first single in the United States, a cover of Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away.” This ended up being one of the band’s first hits.
In the realm of debut singles, in 1997 The Spice Girls also released theirs. “Wannabe” officially hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in the United States on February 22. This was ultimately their first and only number one hit in America.
Award season has been upon us, and the Grammys undoubtedly heavily influence the music world. In 1983, Lionel Richie won his first ever Grammy award, following 18 nominations. He took home Best Pop Vocal Performance for his debut solo single, “Truly.”
Going into our playlist for the week, we first have Bon Iver’s “For Emma”. This song is one of my personal favorites, and is part of Bon Iver’s debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago, which landed on Rolling Stone’s list of greatest albums of all time at 461.
“For Emma” - Bon Iver (2008)
“She’s The Boss” - Mick Jagger (1985)
“In The Air Tonight” - Phil Collins (1981)
“Turning Tables” - Adele (2011)
“Mr. Roboto” - Styx (1983)
“Are You Gonna Go My Way” - Lenny Kravitz (1993)
“Creep”- Radiohead (1993)
“Jessie’s Girl”- Rick Springfield (1981)
“Head Over Heels”- Tears For Fears (1985)
“Please Please Me”- The Beatles (1963)
“In The Air Tonight” was Phil Collins’ debut single, released in February of 1981. This became one of Collins’ biggest hits, hitting number one in several countries, and reaching two in the United Kingdom. The song is well known for its drum break, which is near the end of the song.
The fourth song on our list takes us into a more contemporary-pop field, with Adele’s “Turning Tables.” This track is on her second studio album, 21, which holds some of the singer’s most well-known songs to date, including “Rolling in the Deep”, “Someone like You” and “Set Fire to the Rain.”
Radiohead’s debut album, Pablo Honey was released in February of 1983, and included one of their most popular songs “Creep”. It has since become one of the most covered songs, being sung by artists including Prince and Weezer.
“Jessie’s Girl” by Rick Springfield comes in later on in our playlist, tapping into a more up-tempo classic rock. Although it climbed the charts slowly, it became one of Springfield’s most famous hits, eventually reaching number one, and winning him a Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.
Lastly, “Head Over Heels” is a personal favorite of mine, and I was elated to be able to incorporate it into this week’s list. It peaked at number three on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in the United States, and garnered similar success in several other countries. It’s a light-hearted, metaphoric love song that in my opinion is some of the band’s best work.
Join us next week for a brand new playlist with blasts from the past from your favorite artists and bands!
