By Shereen Masoud-Jointe, Senior Account Executive (Europe)
What are the awkward middle school years if not for a little boundary-pushing? A few of the new songs on our list are all about that.
111. Holy — Justin Bieber feat. Chance The Rapper
112. All Star — Smash Mouth
113. Lose Yourself — Eminem
114. Abscondence — Stefanie Sun
HA-SJ Senior Account Executive Kayla Harper remembers feeling like an all-star singing along to Smash Mouth as a young ’un:
I’m a big fan of the ’90s and early 2000’s, because for me this was the time that I started listening to mainstream music — yes that would put me at about the ripe old age of 10.
For background, I grew up in a semi-religious home (like in the way that we said prayers before bed, but didn’t go to church on Sundays), and attended a private Christian school from kindergarten to eighth grade.
And while my family loved music (my dad being a musician after all), I only really listened to Christian and radio Disney music through elementary and middle school, along with my dad’s music of the Beatles and Fleetwood Mac and other ’60s and ’70s bands because they were much more wholesome than “this new age s***” that was playing on the airwaves in my youth.
However, at the end of each school year, my private Christian school would celebrate the coming summer by going on a field trip to a rented-out roller skating rink. It was there that I heard this song for the first time (a couple years after it was released), and so did my friends.
We joined the rest of the world and learned all the words. During summer pool parties and sleepovers and in the years to come, we’d sing along, making sure to yell, “She was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb in the shape of an ‘L’ on her forehead…” because that was like the most rebellious thing we’ve ever said at the time, and just enjoy life in all its glory.
My parents were fine with it.
So now, as an adult, I freakin’ LOVE blasting this song and singing along. It always puts me in a good mood.
As always, you can follow along on our Spotify playlist.
