This month’s playlist is all about songs that make us feel impulsive. The songs within it are personally chosen by our writers to highlight music we’re listening to right now. The title, “I’m Getting Bangs” is illustrative of the trending desire to cut your hair on a whim or make a drastic change in your life.
Lauren Krueger – Out of Touch by Shameface
It’s the kind of angsty-indie song that belongs in a coming-of-age film. It makes me want to stick my hands out of a sunroof and stay up all night. I like to play it when I’m driving around with friends and doing something random or stupid; it’s along for the ride, and it makes me feel like I am too.
Josh Skarda – primadonna by ericdoa
“Primadonna” is one of those songs that I really shouldn’t be allowed to listen to every day. It’s an absolute firecracker of a pop song, and the momentum of that chorus is enough to give anyone a dangerous amount of confidence. I think it’s all in the opening line: “feeling like Britney, I did it again.”
Parker Hurkman – Can’t Be Tamed by Miley Cyrus
I’m not sure what is in this song, however whenever I listen to it while I’m running, I end up running an extra mile. This song makes me want to run wild like a horse.
Brady Jager – Twice by Charli XCX
If the phrase “YOLO” could be encapsulated in one track, it would be “Twice” by Charli XCX. If I am ever feeling impulsive, I put this song on as an affirmation to my decision making. Just like Charli says in the chorus, “Don’t think twice about it.”
Cael Byrne – This Is Why by Paramore
I chose this song because it came out recently, after several years of not hearing from Paramore at all. It is a very good comeback in my opinion. I like it because it speaks to me as an introvert. It’s also very matter of fact and passive aggressive, and I love that tone.
Ryan Johnston – Freestyle 4 by Kanye West
The song instrumentally is all of over the place, while the lyrics are wildly impulsive. I don’t know what’s more impulsive then fantasizing about f*cking on the table at a dinner party 😂
Anna Gipple – House on Fire by Mimi Webb
It may sound a bit chaotic to have this on repeat, while getting ready at 7 a.m., but I won’t stop for anyone. I can’t sit still to the sound of Mimi’s voice. It’s just one of those, dare I say, “girl boss” anthems.
Carmella D’Acquisto – The One by The Lemon Twigs
I’d argue that 85% of Lemon Twigs songs make me feel impulsive, but this one in particular screams of that impulsivity, manipulation and chaos of on-again, off-again relationships. It makes me want to fake my death, move across the world and start a brand-new life.
Hunter Turpin – Dirrty by Christina Aguilera
This song gives me a headache, like actually. Much like the music video, this song makes me want to create an alternate identity that I become at night when I go to some underground freakshow and get in fights or something. This song came out in 2002 when I was too young to understand what was going on, let alone know that dirty wasn’t actually spelled with two r’s. Still, I can’t remember a time this song didn’t make me feel “rowdy…unruly…naughty…dirrty,”—all words that, when combined with the headache-inducing track and vocals, make me feel impulsive.
Emily Prochaska – Heroes by David Bowie
I first heard this song in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, my favorite movie at a very significant time in my life. The song is played during the part of the movie where Emma Watson is standing in the truck bed while the characters are speeding through a lit tunnel at night. Through this scene, the song for me became synonymous with freedom, letting go, being yourself and the passage between adolescence and adulthood. It represents living in the present and making decisions for yourself, regardless of how impulsive. This is a great song to make you feel invincible and to have your own tunnel moment of living presently.