Music can be interpreted in many languages; some may say it speaks with love, others with determination and confidence. Either way, music plays a huge role in today’s society and can make or break certain situations, such as movies and other memorable moments. Here is a list of my favorite songs from various music genres so you can enjoy some fun new tunes on Oct. 8 to celebrate Universal Music Day.

Pop music 

Pop music: the one genre that everyone has listened to at least once. I’m not an avid listener of the genre, but I can confidently say that I’ve heard songs from an array of artists. In light of this, my song pick for the pop genre is “Prisoner” by Miley Cyrus featuring Dua Lipa. 

This song was released on Nov. 12, 2020 and is criminally underrated. I heard it this year when watching a video of two of my favorite movie characters. I usually don’t listen to Miley Cyrus, let alone Dua Lipa, but I had this song on repeat for two days straight. The song has a perfect formula: an overall upbeat vibe, a switch in style just when you’re about to lose interest and a perfect tempo. 

R&B

This is my main field of music. Given that I grew up listening to mainly R&B, hiphop and rap (against my free will, might I add) it only makes sense that I cover this genre. The song I’d like to give more attention to is “Not My Job” by FLO. FLO is a relatively new group in the music industry; it formed in 2019, but just recently started releasing music. There are too many factors that make this song great. For one, their voices are heavenly; the group members Renee, Stella and Jorja have a beautiful way of harmonizing together. We hear this throughout the song, but specifically during the acapella chorus verse and the astonishing harmonization at the end of the song. I would also recommend that you listen to their entire EP as it will most definitely have you either dancing around your room or aggressively singing as if you were betrayed.

Pop-Punk 

Listening to pop-punk music is one of my guilty pleasures. I remember one of the first songs I heard outside of my usual bubble: “Believer” by Imagine Dragons. Did it get old after a while? Yes, but the pop-punk genre will always have a place in my heart. Recently, I started listening to 5 Seconds of Summer again after having the band’s songs on repeat following its comeback in 2018. I heard their song “TEARS!” off of their new album “5SOS” and fell in love. The song provides that fast paced tempo that my soul craves, and every time I listen to it, I feel the need to click replay at least 15 more times before I’ve had enough. 

Kpop

I wouldn’t say that I am a die-hard Kpop fan, as there are many groups that I haven’t listened to before, but I will say that from all of the songs that I’ve heard, “Glitch Mode” by NCT Dream tops them all. You only need to listen to it once for it to randomly pop up in your head later. My father can attest that I randomly scream out, “Scratch that. Bring it back!” (the opening line of the song) every once in a while, simply because I am that addicted. The song showcases an array of styles, ranging from slow-tempo melodies to techno vocals, and though it may sound like a lot in one song, it’s all mixed perfectly together.

Rap

It’s time for my rap knowledge to shine. For this genre, I would like to recommend a classic: “No Role Modelz” by J.Cole. In this day and age, everyone should know this song and how great it is. The reason I didn’t mention J.Cole in the hiphop area is because his musicality seems more rap to me. “No Role Modelz” is a perfect depiction of that; the lyricism, cadences, beat and the tone of his voice just makes the song feel godly. We can’t forget about the iconic lines in this song (if you know, you know.) Either way, no matter what anyone says, this song is going down in history. 

Jazz

This one is for all of my classical people out there. I have two suggestions for you: “Mack the Knife” sung by Ella Fitzgerald and “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra. Both of these songs just hit something in my soul. I never realized that I loved the subtle aggressiveness in a jazz singer’s voice, but I absolutely adore it. Both of these songs have a similar vibe, with “Mack the Knife” being a little more fast paced and more projective vocally. However, Sinatra reals it in with his light baritone voice, making his song just as enjoyable.