CommRadio Weekly Playlist: Sept. 11

Here, members of the Arts and Entertainment Department will talk about the songs that dominated their playlists during the week and what makes them so good.

“Black Hole Sun” - Soundgarden

Soundgarden’s most iconic track, “Black Hole Sun,” still has a hold on me with its grungy, almost eerie guitar riffs that create a sense of tension and unease and complement the lyrical theme.

The lead singer Chris Cornell’s powerful vocals paired with the explosive chorus is what made this song a chart-topper in the 1990s and still widely enjoyable today.

One interpretation of "Black Hole Sun" is that it is a metaphor for a place of darkness or emptiness that people may encounter in life. Another is a more literal interpretation of the world ending as the sun transforms into a black hole.

This song is on my Wii Karaoke Revolution American Idol game that I still occasionally play, so it has been one of my favorites for a while. – Rachel Fisher

“POPSTAR” - DJ Khaled ft. Drake

I know, I know listening to DJ Khaled in 2023 is borderline criminal, but “POPSTAR” deserves an exception.

Starting with the classic “we the best music” intro, DJ Khaled and Drake pulled out all the stops for this song. Extremely catchy with fun lyrics delivered in a phonetically pleasing tone, this track has been my favorite walking song so far this semester.

There is a slow-mo audio sound in the back of the entire track, but the chorus and certain verses feature a very in-your-face but basic trap beat.

Though it was released in 2020, “POPSTAR” was recently featured in the Netflix Original “You People.” Starring Eddie Murphy and Jonah Hill, the movie is how I stumbled across it due to my lack of day-to-day interest in anything DJ Khaled or Drake related.

So while it is embarrassing to like a DJ Khaled song this much, just remember that embarrassment isn’t real and this song deserves an unbiased listen. – Megan Kelby

“Summer In New York” by Sofi Tukker

Summertime is fully over, but it doesn’t seem this way when I listen to this song. The beat sampled from the 1982 song, “Tom’s Diner,” by Suzanne Vega, has an upbeat, spunky and eccentric musical presence.

Sofi Tukker’s album, “WET TENNIS,” has many other pop-inspired, but still interesting, songs including, “Original Sin” and “Sun Came Up.”

“Summer In New York '' has been playing on repeat while I do homework, walk to class and get ready to go out. My favorite lyric: “The serendipity of summer in New York,” shows Tukker's vocal talents while adding a different cadence than the rest of the song.

“Summer in New York,” along with the rest of “WET TENNIS,” will continue to play in my headphones as we head into Penn State’s cold fall and brutal winter. – Natalie Simone

Rachel Fisher is a third-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email rlf5481@psu.edu.

Megan Kelby is a fourth-year majoring in journalism. To contact her, email mkk5701@psu.edu.

Natalie Simone is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email nvs5790@psu.edu.