Hey DJ
TOP Songs I Love that I hope my kids love too (eventually)
ATCQ - Can I Kick It (love that Lexie latched onto, and uses the line "Put your arms out if you really need a hug")
Al Green - Lets Stay Together (because it's one of the best songs ever made)
Ray LaMontagne - Part Two - In My Own Way (this is the sound of enjoying summer. They already do like the song, but I hope when they're older, they'll play this song and think of summer days floating in the pool w/ dad under the sun, with this song playing)
Mary J - I Love You (because it's one of my favorite songs, it is the perfect rn'b song)
Frankie Smith - Double Dutch Bus (it somehow became one of their favorites from me playing stuff in the car, and Lola will still ask on occasion for "an oldie but a goodie", asking for this one)
DJ-J-ME writes
Just to add a little bit more, maybe it’s the dj’s perspective of playing a “set” or telling a story through the whole evening, but I’m not as connected to specific songs. There’s songs I love, and songs I almost always play, but hoping Lola & Lexie like the same songs that I do, it’s never been a thought for me. I also realize that you like different music at different stages of your life, so what I’m appreciating right now in my 40’s, isn’t what they’re gonna enjoy now as kids, or even as they become teenagers or into their twenties. My philosophy on music is that when you’re younger, regardless of the genre of music you like, you need energy in the music. When I was in elementary school, before being introduced to hip hop, I loved hard rock. I listened to Van Halen and Motley Crue (when Lola heard and liked Gn’R’s “Welcome to the Jungle” in the movie Megamind, I started putting together a playlist of rock on my ipod, because she wanted to know more about it and she loved really heavy stuff like Black Dog by Led Zeppelin) When you’re young you need big drums and guitars, aggressive music with energy. Although I started liking rock (instead of radio pop), I then discovered hip hop which had a different kind of energy, but it still had big aggressive drums and had that head nod factor. Then I found house music that had a faster tempo and energy to it; when you’re younger you need that. But now that I’m in my 40’s, I want music that I can listen to, not just dance to or get pumped up with. My house music has gotten more chill, and more lounge vibes, not even really house anymore (most of the new stuff out now is to repetitive and lacks a musical quality). I even started appreciating indie folk music with soft whispery voices and acoustic guitar...I didn’t want to listen to that when I was younger! When I was younger I wanted to listen to NWA and Ice T! (which I don’t really want my daughters listening to now lol! Similarly, I don’t want them to start liking the the garbage that’s passed off for hip hop today!!! I did their school’s grade 8 grad and the girls, only a year or two older than Lola, were the ones requesting and singing/shouting along word for word to all this crappy new hip hop like Future Mask Off and Migos Bad & Boujee or Lil’ Uzi Vert...get the f outta here! I definitely don’t want them thinking that that ignorant strip club music is “hot”!)
For now, I just want my girls to appreciate the art of music the way I do, and to actively search for whatever they find to be “good music”, but hopefully, when they’re older, they’ll appreciate the more chill vibes that I’m into now.
Hope this helps with whatever you’re working on,
by DJ-J-ME