“Tonight’s gonna be a good good night”

It’s Friday night and you are getting ready to head to a party. You may not know who will be there or how fun the night will turn out; however, one thing that will not be a surprise is the music you will hear. After surveying OU students about the most commonly played songs at college parties and attending parties this weekend to do some research myself, I have assemble a top 10 ten playlist of college party songs.

10. “LoveGame”– Lady GaGa
9. “I Gotta Feeling” – Black Eyed Peas
8. “Shots” – LMFAO and Lil Jon
7. “Forever” – Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Eminem
6. “Single Ladies” (Put a Ring On It) - Beyoncé
5. “Sexy Bitch” - David Guetta (feat. Akon)
4. “Wasted” - Gucci Mane
3. “Party In The U.S.A.” - Miley Cyrus
2. “Bad Romance” – Lady GaGa

And the #1 song is…
1. “TiK ToK” - Ke$ha

People either hate or love the song “TiK ToK” by Ke$ha. So why does it seem to be the #1 song played at parties? Even though many people find this song annoying, they have for sure heard it and maybe even know some of the words. The song “TiK ToK” provides common ground that all party goers can discover. The party scene brings groups of people together to enjoy night life. So it makes perfect sense that the music heard at parties is the type that is well known to a lot of people no matter what actual type of music they prefer outside of the party scene.


Upbeat and energizing commonalities among these songs are appropriate ingredients for a party atmosphere. The lyrics mention parties and drinking, which sort of sets a standard for how parties should be in real life. Listening to these songs at parties transfers that sensation.

The songs we party to are just another way music relates us, giving us something to share. When one of these songs comes on at a party, the catchy beat brings about a harmony among the group, resulting in a good time.

-J-

Song of the Week: “TiK ToK” by Ke$ha (No matter how bad this song may seem)

Can’t get you out of my head

Have you ever gotten the catchy jingles played during commercials stuck in your head to the point of annoyance? Or have you ever recalled a product just because of the melody of the music in the background? Remembering a commercial or product because of the music within the advertisement is not coincidence. Advertisers set out to include music and jingles to evoke consumer memory.

Hearing music in advertisements is an indirect way music affects our lives. Even if we choose not to play an instrument or listen to music from an IPod, music in advertisements is something hard to avoid.

For the past few hours tonight I have been paying close attention to the commercials on popular TV channels. While working on my computer at the same time, I noticed that the TV caught my attention every time music was included within an advertisement.

Repeating a small set of lyrics with a rhythm is one way advertisers promote their products. Subway has been successful in doing this with the “five dollar foot long” song.

Using a popular music artist’s song as a complement to the video in a commercial is another way advertisers intrigue the audience. The IPod Nano-Chromatic commercial features the song “Bruises” by Chairlift. This contemporary song parallels the new technology of the IPod Nano.

Other advertisers use catchy jingles to aid memory. The Empire Carpet commercial has included their phone number in their jingle to ensure audiences know how to contact the company. 800-588-2300 Empire! I will never forget their phone number because of that jingle.

Seeing that music has such powerful effects in advertising is an astounding reality. Next time you sit down on your couch to catch a few hours of TV, instead of making a snack during the commercials, listen for the utilization of musical influence.

-J-

subway $5 footlong construction worker commercial

Empire Today

Save the sound and hear the music

I can still remember the first time my experience with music began, 12 years ago when I received a small child’s keyboard attached to a Christmas book that allowed me to play a few notes. Playing songs with this child’s toy jump started my nine years of piano lessons after I convinced by dad to buy a piano for our home. Throughout these years of strict hourly long, weekly lessons, learning mostly classical pieces, piano began to seem like a chore. Practicing daily and sitting through two hour piano recitals was not my “thing.” It was not until I stopped taking piano lessons around the age of 18 that I realized how music changed my life and how much I would appreciate my teacher nagging on me to count the beats every time I played. Looking back on it now, those lessons were worth every minute of loathing because I am left now with a talent that I would never want to give up. Learning how to play the piano has given me an outlet to express my personality.

Determining how music has positively affected my life has inspired me to write this blog to find out how music plays a role within the Athens community. Playing an instrument is just one way music can sound within us. In a less direct manner, music is evident in many other areas of our lives. This blog will seek to locate these ways to discover how music relates to us all.

-J-