CommRadio Weekly Playlist: Sept. 16

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.

“I Am Not Okay” - Jelly Roll

Jason DeFord, better known as Jelly Roll, is topping the charts. In 2022, he released “Son of a Sinner” and “Need a Favor” which skyrocketed his career. Since then, his music has only gotten more popular.

Jelly Roll has been honored by playing performances at numerous award shows in the last year, his most recent being the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards. At the Emmys, he was able to beautifully perform “I Am Not Okay” during the in memoriam segment.

“I Am Not Okay” has really been on my mind since doing the Emmy live show coverage on CommRadio. Additionally, my dad and I will be seeing him live at the Bryce Jordan Center on October 1.

My dad got me to listen to Jelly Roll before he really hit it big. We definitely have developed a bond through loving country music.

The evolution of Jelly Roll’s songs as well as seeing his overall success, has been a really cool experience as a fan from the start.

As for “I Am Not Okay,” it just speaks to anyone going through a tough time. Being a college student is hard so I think just listening and knowing someone else is struggling too... it’s validating.

I cannot wait until the concert. I am not okay. -Isabel Sweet

“The River” - Bruce Springsteen

What better song to pick to celebrate the Boss’ 75th birthday? “The River” by Bruce Springsteen is a great story that exemplifies the struggle of living a life plagued by misfortune and difficulties in a coming-of-age story.

The use of the opening harmonica score paints the tone of the song as a dreary and bleak experience, one in which you feel the emotions of the characters involved in their uphill climb.

Bruce tells the story of a young couple trying to beat the odds while growing up in a blue-collar town. A 2012 biography called “Bruce” revealed that Springsteen had written the song based on his sister Ginny’s own life.

It’s a tune that you want to listen to over and over again in order to take in all the details. Every time I go back and listen to this song, I realize something I hadn’t picked up on the time before.

If you can handle the heavy, gloomy lyricism, it’s worth returning to this song multiple times. - Sketch Morton

“My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys” - Taylor Swift

I’m still in my Tortured Poets Department era.

Ever since Taylor Swift’s “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys” was released back in April, this song has been played multiple times a day, every day.

Because there are so many new and spectacular songs on this album, I feel that this song has not been as heard as some of the other songs, especially since “Fortnight” and “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” became the two singles.

It was played as one of the surprise songs on the Eras Tour on May 10 in Paris, and the video of it being played live is also one I watch quite often.

I find the lyrics to flow so well together, and I love the rhythm that is played. It’s different than any other song on the album and, to me, has more of an upbeat feeling compared to some of the other songs.

The meaning behind it has been said as the perspective of a child’s favorite toy until the toy is broken and the child does not want to play with it anymore. I think this is such a cool way to describe a past relationship, and I am always amazed at how Taylor Swift is able to convey her feelings into pieces of art.

I would be very surprised if this song did not become a huge hit within the next few years. - Ashley Mascaro

Isabel Sweet is a third-year majoring in film production. To contact her, email ips5219@psu.edu.

Sketch Morton is a fifth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email sam7539@psu.edu.

Ashley Mascaro is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, please email aem6398@psu.edu.