So, we embark on our final decade of exploration of forgotten songs. These songs will have been out of mind for the least time of all our choices but hopefully we will still be able to surprise and delight you by stirring old memories in the way only music can do. So let us begin.
“Royals” is the debut single by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde, included in her debut EP The Love Club (2012) and debut studio album Pure Heroine (2013). Lorde wrote the song with producer Joel Little. “Royals” is a minimalist art pop and electropop song. The track’s lyrics express disapproval with the sumptuous lifestyle presented in songs and music videos by pop and hip hop-influenced artists. “Royals” received acclaim from music critics, who praised its songwriting, production, and Lorde’s vocal performance. The single attained international chart success, reaching number one in the United Kingdom. In the US, “Royals” spent nine weeks atop the Billbaord and was certified Diamond by the RIAA. It also was the second-most consumed song of 2013 in New Zealand and is certified nine-times platinum in Australia, seven-times platinum in Canada, and six-times platinum in New Zealand. In the media, the song has been credited for inspiring some artists to adopt its minimalist sound, and has been called an anthem for millennials.
“Elevate” by St. Lucia, a one-man band from Brooklyn, NY that produces soothing electronic music. “Elevate” opens with a refreshing beat that increases in volume and leads into Jean-Phillip Grobler’s nice, clear vocals. His voice feels like cold water splashed on your face on a hot summer day. “Elevate” is off of his debut album, When The Night. The band has its roots placed firmly in the hipster mecca of Brooklyn, however Grobler grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa and spent much of his childhood travelling the world as a member of the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir.
“Lovesick” is the second single performed by Emily Osment from her debut studio album, Fight or Flight (2010). It was released in February 2011. The music video premiered in January 2011, exclusively on Myspace. The EP version of the single has a different cover, using the same background photoshoot of Osment from the “Let’s Be Friends” single cover. It also uses the same font as the album cover, but instead of reading “Fight or Flight”, it reads “Lovesick”. In the UK the song was used as the official track, to promote popular multichannel ITV2 in the spring of 2011 and thus, has received strong download sales due to its popularity. The UK artwork uses the image seen on first single “Let’s Be Friends”. The single was released as Osment’s debut release in the UK and managed to reach No.2 on the official singles chart in South Korea.
“Airplanes” is a song by American rapper B.o.B., featuring vocals from Hayley Wilians of Paramore and American producer DJ Frank E. The song was released in April 2010, as the third single from his debut studio album, The Adventures of Bobby Ray. B.o.B co-wrote the song alongside Kinetics & One Love, Alex da Kid DJ Frank E, and Christine Dominguez. DJ Frank E also co-produced the song with Alex da Kid. The song was released to iTunes in April 2010, and then to urban radio later the same month. “Airplanes” peaked at number two on the US Bilboard. Outside of the United States, the song topped the charts in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and peaked within the top ten of the charts in Australia, Canada and the Republic of Ireland.
“Girl on Fire” is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her 5th studio album. Keys co-wrote and co-produced the ballad with Jeff Bhasker and Salaam Remi. The song contains an interpolation of the drums from the 1980 song “The Big Beat” by guitarist Billy Squier, who received a writing credit on “Girl on Fire”. Released in September 2012, as the lead single, “Girl on Fire” is Keys’ first release under RCA Records. “Girl on Fire” was inspired by Keys’ giving birth to her son Egypt and marriage to husband. “Girl on Fire” opened to extremely positive reviews from critics, with many praising Keys’ vocals and the song’s production. Keys performed “Girl on Fire” for the first time at the 2012 MTV Awards in September 2012, where she was joined by Minaj and American gymnastics gold-medalist Gabby Douglas. The song has been certified 5× Platinum by the RIAA.
