League 2 (May 2025)

Joseph Harvey: A beautiful proggy journey to catharsis

• Regina Scime +3 — I can hear him singing this
• judd.baker +2 — 7+ minutes of prog-ish metal with high register male vocals and a whole 1 minute of Dune soundtrack outro. Diagnostic specimen of the Josephcore genre
• Edward James +2 — This to me is the type of music Joseph strives to make. It’s a dangerous statement, but in persona Joseph I must trust my instinct and reward.
• [DELETED] +2
• Claire +1 — Hell yeah
• SamRobertsND +1 — This is what Joseph’s music sounds like to me
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Best bass tone of all time
• fionmul 0 — joseph would like this but hasn’t he heard it? probably

Sam Ary: Unparalleled speeding

• [DELETED] +3
• Joseph Harvey +2 — Road tested, Miata approved. Great soundtrack to breaking the law
• Edward James +1 — Hell yeah (2)
• SamRobertsND +1 — The archetype for this category. If you’re a Millennial, you better be voting for this, as it was probably responsible for your conception.
• ared56 +1
• Claire +1 — 10/10 would speed to this
• fionmul 0 — "that's racecar" "another monster truck" "that's definitely a monster truck"
• Regina Scime 0 — I liked this, but not enough upvotes:(

• ared56 +2
• Joseph Harvey +2 — YES! Someone understood the assignment as they say
• Sam Ary +1
• fionmul +1 — see, this is it
• Edward James +1 — Perfection. Bravo. A testament to the genre
• Regina Scime +1

Sam Ary: iykyk

• Regina Scime +3 — I had to😘
• [DELETED] +3
• ared56 +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Motown has entered the chat! Sandlotcore, Squint just went for it. Although back in the day a first kiss after a good date wasn’t too strange, it still feels like we’re well in established relationship territory. But lyrically and tonally, this might be my personal favorite song on the list.
• fionmul 0 — Well-chosen. And given a place of honor, last song in the last playlist. Still struggling with that falling vs. realizing distinction and tbh just ran out of votes
• Claire 0 — This one comes close for me but misses the top 3 bc it’s arguably not explicitly enough about “falling” either (idk about you but in my mind the “falling” typically occurs, at least in large part, prior to the point at which I would actually kiss the person in question…)
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Music like this rarely feels heartfelt like, say the Lizzy on here
• Edward James 0 — Great song but didn’t compel me as much as others. It does get the “when you know you know” vibe right

Claire: This song dances from irony, to honest confession, to feigned innocence, until it’s impossible to tell which is which. If that’s not a femme fatale I don’t know what is

• Sam Ary +1
• fionmul +1 — Britney is a bad girl summer icon forever and always. Stay Toxic, girls!
• Edward James +1 — Came in expecting to dismiss this, but it’s too on theme. The casual indifference is the key. Also, never caught the titanic reference in the spoken word part. Very 2000
• SamRobertsND +1 — Britney has probably caused many a fan suicide. Indeed fatal.
• judd.baker +1 — Can’t resist upvoting
• [DELETED] +1

SamRobertsND: "Alright, big fella! Let's crash this party!"

• Sam Ary +1 — Nice.
• fionmul +1 — "ferrari, definitely ferrari " "somebody having a really good day like Gru having a good day"
• Edward James +1 — Hell yeah (3)
• judd.baker +1 — Strong contender
• ared56 +1
• Claire +1 — Sammy Roberts: known Shrek 2 enjoyer. Unfortunately for my competitive chances, this song is a generational banger (not to mention the fact that I sang it in footloose the musical in 2019). I have no choice but to upvote
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Almost, but the length of the song drags
• Regina Scime 0 — Not enough upvotes:(

Claire: Curious to see what the man himself thinks of this song, but in my mind this is pure Josephcore

• Joseph Harvey +2 — Giant soaring chorus? Pop infused metalcore? Unrequited love?? Claire understood the assignment.
• SamRobertsND +1 — Yeah this sounds like the bullshit I have to listen to on the way home from Saint Joe Mish
• ared56 +1
• fionmul +1 — love this actually
• Sam Ary +1
• Edward James 0 — This guy has the bad version of millennial voice.

• SamRobertsND +3 — Best song in this garbage dump of a round and it’s not even close. Darius alone is top tier Sammybait, but in composition and tone this song works too well.
• Sam Ary +1
• Regina Scime +1 — It’s Hootie & The Blowfish, I have to
• Edward James +1 — Yep yep yep Darius knows what’s up. I always wonder what the Blowfish are up to these days
• fionmul 0 — I wish I had more votes this round bro
• judd.baker 0 — This was a good Alexcore interpretation of the category. I like it
• Claire 0 — Classic. But I think the girl might be sadder than the guy in this song

• [DELETED] +2
• Sam Ary +1
• Edward James +1 — I have a colleague who went on a road trip during college and they started the trip with this song. One of them said oh man, I love this song. They then played it again as a joke and he said the same thing at the beginning. They then proceeded to play this song and only this song for the entire six hours of the road trip and at the start of each time, the guy would say oh man I love this song.
• Claire +1
• Regina Scime +1
• fionmul 0 — The keyboard sound would annoy me
• SamRobertsND 0 — “Twinks: The Great Adventure.” Good but not for this.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Takes a little too long to get to the point
• judd.baker -1 — This song takes 3 and a half minutes to start sounding like anything

• Sam Ary +1
• SamRobertsND +1 — The Ur heartbeat of generations old and young
• Edward James +1 — I already listened to this song repeatedly, so might as well keep it going forever
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Hard to go wrong
• [DELETED] +1
• fionmul 0 — the 80s bias is coming thru this round

• Joseph Harvey +1 — Absurd title, meh song, upvote
• fionmul +1 — nice.
• SamRobertsND +1 — Cheating is submitting a Sting song for a Joseph category. As long as the name and song go hard, I’m in.
• Edward James +1 — This is the only song that got me based on title alone lol.
• Sam Ary +1
• Claire 0 — Fun but it’s too much of a caricature of a death metal title rather than a truly meaningful aesthetic choice (I recognize that that’s the point but just didn’t merit top 3 for me)
• judd.baker 0 — Golly are they deathly allergic to melody or something
• ared56 0 — Sounded like a super smash bros intro

• ared56 +2
• Edward James +1 — Bumps. Interesting read of the category, I like it.
• [DELETED] +1
• Sam Ary +1
• Claire 0 — Hate to say it but this song is just so good. Title also goes hard but not hard enough to make my top 3 unfortunately
• judd.baker 0 — I had never heard this song all the way through before and it’s just unforgivably goofy
• fionmul 0 — ✌🏿not as hard as possible but have to be somewhat ladylike
• SamRobertsND 0 — I love this song but title doesn’t go hard thank you for playing try again next week.

• Claire +1 — I don’t think I realized until this listen just how much the lyrics could be about Jesus. And musically it has just the right blend of melancholy and consolation
• Joseph Harvey +1 — I’m not excited about the song but the thematic connection is there
• ared56 +1
• Sam Ary +1
• [DELETED] +1
• judd.baker 0 — I’ve never thought of this song as Christological before but now every time I hear it I will think of St. Faustina. Thank you for this
• Edward James 0 — Also a great submission and idea, but one that just didn’t hit home fully for me. I do thing the line “after my picture fades” gets to the constancy of Christ’s love
• fionmul 0 — I do NOT have enough votes. This gets my imaginary 4th

• Claire +1 — There’s a reason this song is cliche/basic/enduringly popular. It refracts the human condition—the way we long to be loved—in a way that’s somehow both concrete and universally relatable (even if people don’t realize that this longing is only truly satisfied by God)
• SamRobertsND +1 — Sammybait, wisely chosen.
• Joseph Harvey +1 — It fits
• Sam Ary +1
• fionmul +1 — UGH! I cry. I love this song. Eucharistic.
• Edward James 0 — I like this read a lot, but for me this was a glancing shot off the theme instead of a direct hit
• Regina Scime 0 — I wanted to vote for this but didn’t have enough votes:(

Edward James: Thaxted!

• ared56 +2
• fionmul +1 — Crying at Thaxted.
• Claire +1 — I am one of those basic hoes who cries to thaxted every time
• Regina Scime +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Thaxted is beautiful but the rest is Looney Tunes clown music, a very disjointed thing overall. Planets individually are nice but as a whole it’s messy.
• Sam Ary -1

• judd.baker +2 — Good choice
• Sam Ary +1
• fionmul +1 — 🤍 This would cure me
• SamRobertsND 0 — A bop but not for this sadly
• Edward James 0 — Like it, but just wouldn’t pick it for the theme

• Sam Ary +1 — Only song that comes close to Kickstart my Heart
• fionmul +1 — "race car" "it's a monster truck" "putting on sunglasses in a huge truck"
• Edward James +1 — Hell yeah (1)
• SamRobertsND +1 — Objectively good but Master of Puppets would’ve been better
• Regina Scime +1
• Joseph Harvey -1 — Not a fan of boomer metal

• Claire +1 — The harmonies in this are so good and we know Joseph loves a good harmony
• judd.baker +1 — Good song and I think Joseph would like but it’s just not as memorable. Still upvoting for diversity in interpreting the theme tho
• [DELETED] +1
• Sam Ary +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Good song, but kind of an unsatisfying arrangement. The king may need to look into getting better singers
• Edward James 0 — Joseph’s English blood will only allow him the appropriate amount of enjoyment here. Impossible for it to ascend to the necessary heights to unseat other options.
• fionmul 0 — the lack of effort in this selection is relatable but yeah… lacking

judd.baker: Putting all my chips on 80s/90s new wave.

• Claire +1 — This feels like a Joseph vibe and also I loooooove midnight oil, whoever submitted this is my goat
• ared56 +1
• Edward James +1 — I see exactly what you’re doing, and you clearly did too. I am not sure if this is an artist specific Joseph love, or a genre specific love. However, given the paucity of other options, I give it one vote.
• Sam Ary +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — I wanted to vote for this but I have a distinct memory of Joseph not like Talking Heads or other new wave bands. Or that he’s indifferent to most of them except for the Police for whatever strange reason. So no vote.
• fionmul 0 — this is cool

Joseph Harvey: I mean come on

• [DELETED] +2
• Claire +1 — Yeah this title is excellent. No notes
• judd.baker +1 — Yawn- take the upvote and go
• fionmul +1 — ok yeah 🔥 voice is a bit scraggly tho
• SamRobertsND 0 — Went so hard that it annoyed me. You had your time, Joseph
• ared56 -1 — So tough! So edgy! I’m sure these people are hardcore!

• Joseph Harvey +1 — Yes
• Edward James +1 — Hehehe bad word funny
• Regina Scime +1 — Just yes.
• Sam Ary +1
• fionmul 0 — slaps frankly
• SamRobertsND 0 — Crass is not the same thing as hard but it’s also a funny song that more people should know about. I pass over it.

Sam Ary: Boohoo

• Joseph Harvey +3 — Nothing else here made me feel the slightest thing. This produced tears
• Regina Scime +2
• judd.baker +1 — Absolutely no notes. Went with the obvious choice and you will be rewarded for it
• Claire +1 — No boy has ever been sadder than Sufjan. Impossible not to upvote
• fionmul 0 — 😿
• Edward James 0 — A GOAT, one of the best to ever do it. But even though Sufjan is certified Sad Boi™, this song is not the one I would choose and I’m going to be honest I can’t articulate why.
• ared56 -1
• [DELETED] -1
• SamRobertsND -1 — Sufjan rose from rags to riches by embodying the emotivism and sensitivity that women narcissistically wish men had. However a fruit with a banjo does not sad boy summer make.

• [DELETED] +3
• ared56 +1
• Sam Ary +1
• fionmul 0 — Lonesome fella and sad boy are different to me
• judd.baker 0 — I like the interpretation of the theme but it’s a stacked round, I’m sorry
• Edward James 0 — Correct, and an all time great song. But you have to properly interpret the zeitgeist, and this does not reflect such study
• Claire -1 — The cowboy has chosen a lonesome life. If he’s sad it’s his own damn fault

• judd.baker +1 — Can’t resist. It’s so great
• Claire +1 — No notes. Lyrically spot on, absolute banger. Well played by the good doctor
• ared56 +1
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Banger. Great angle on falling in love with the denial and whatnot
• fionmul 0 — Being in denial about being in love isn't the same as falling to me but perhaps it's part of it for some? idk. Narrowly escaped the downvote since I think the song is overrated but it isn't from Shrek lmao
• Edward James 0 — I loved both Disney songs this round, but have to vote for the other because it surprised me while this is a tried and true classic

• SamRobertsND +1 — I don’t love the Cranberries except for when I send a 5 minute long Zombie voice memo to Joe Torma, but since I’ve been guided by the being vs falling distinction, I have to reward this song for absolutely nailing it.
• fionmul +1 — This invited me to really listen to the words for the first time and what I found is this is sorta perfect for this theme! Good job kid! Even the yell-singing at the end is like same girl same
• Edward James +1 — This is probably the definitive answer. There’s a special thing where a song not just describes the thing it’s trying to convey through lyrics, but really FEELS like it, in its very essence. This was my first love’s favorite song, and after we broke up I didn’t listen to it for 5 years, except one time when it came on the radio in a steak and shake in Rosemont, IL and triggered an existential crisis
• Sam Ary +1
• judd.baker 0 — Don’t have an upvote to spare, but fabulous inclusion.
• Claire 0 — I hope that listening to this brought back fond memories of Joe Torma yodeling at karaoke
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Tormacore

SamRobertsND: Anxiety. Fear. Dread. Hope. Courage. Peace. An incredibly cathartic song that spans the whole emotional spectrum and can always be returned to.

• fionmul +1 — I would draw strength to somehow make my way home with this sort of soundtrack
• ared56 +1
• Regina Scime +1
• Edward James 0 — Too melancholic for endless desert Island listening

fionmul: "They say looks can kill and I might try... Lately I've been dressing for revenge"

• Edward James +1 — Is Taylor Swift doing femme fatale cringe? Yes. Would work on me….yes 😔 Therefore I must upvote.
• Claire +1 — Yep this unquestionably fits the theme
• Joseph Harvey +1 — 🎯
• Regina Scime +1
• fionmul 0 — If you downvoted you hate women (if you're a woman it's within your rights)
• SamRobertsND 0 — Again, I don’t think “I’m a bad bitch, baby” is the vibe
• [DELETED] -1

• fionmul +1 — "corvette" "like a really fast crazy car" "a hotdog truck"
• judd.baker +1 — I’m not sure if this is the best submission for the theme but it is my favorite
• Regina Scime +1 — A truly transcendent experience
• Edward James 0 — Entirely neutral on this one
• SamRobertsND 0 — Nice but it doesn’t really make me want to speed???? Spiritus mundi

Sam Ary: Title and song go pretty hard 😮‍💨

• Regina Scime +2
• Claire +1 — This song is so fun
• Joseph Harvey 0 — This is the kind of metal I find painful to listen to and not in a good way
• fionmul 0 — song went hard fs
• SamRobertsND 0 — Wow, the title and song go pretty hard😮‍💨?? It’s almost as if that was the point or something! Good but would’ve been better for the speeding category.
• Edward James 0 — Thought about this for the speeding category

Claire: Are you really a sad white boy if you don’t listen to the national?

• fionmul +1 — the background guitar alone was enough for me
• judd.baker +1 — Perfectly understood the assignment, glad to see the National here
• ared56 +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — I don’t like his voice. I’m sorry he needs his girl but the song didn’t convince me to care
• Edward James 0 — Just don’t like The National, simple as
• SamRobertsND 0 — Nice

Sam Ary: To whoever submitted Yellow by Coldplay so that I couldn’t — we have beef now

• Edward James +1 — I came in expecting to pass this one over - but wow is it right on theme. Especially BECAUSE you would expect to pass it over, and then you think about it and it’s right on target. For being truly unintentional (to me), it earns a vote.
• Claire +1 — Perfect pick. Both because the song itself is perfect and because I can’t believe I didn’t realize until now just how perfectly it captures the Christian experience. I can’t believe this wasn’t already on my personal “songs about Jesus” playlist
• ared56 +1
• Regina Scime +1
• fionmul 0 — Wait I am sad there's no Yellow now. A bit too hard for me for this theme but I see you and respect you.
• SamRobertsND -1 — Ah, you were successfully duped by the members of Evanescence into thinking that they aren't a Christian band. This song is most intentionally about Jesus.

• Edward James +1 — This is such a good entry. At first glance you might not think it, but the final line really says it all. I am definitely rewarding “unintentional” and this is definitely the most unintentional of them all, I thinks
• SamRobertsND +1 — Understood the assignment, as Joseph says.
• Joseph Harvey +1 — This song is definitely capturing something. Wish it were slightly more interesting but it’s close to being great
• judd.baker 0 — Love seeing Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker here but I didn’t get it until the chorus
• Claire 0 — Idk about you guys but ever since I first heard this song a few years ago it’s spoken to me of the particularity and intimacy of Jesus’s love for me. “I can’t hide from you like I hide from myself” got me crying in my Kia soul every time (Also “You already hurt my feelings three times” is such a Peter moment)
• fionmul 0 — Never heard this; I like. I bet Joseph didn't like it though

fionmul: beachy and timeless like your involuntary stay on the island

• SamRobertsND +1 — Fun in the sun!!!!
• Edward James +1 — Upbeat and beautiful enough to enjoy, and fittingly brutal, knowing you will never again feel the love of a woman
• fionmul 0 — manifesting this sort of island ☀️🌞🕶️🌊🏝️👙⛱️ vs this sort 🦂🏜️🌵
• Claire 0 — Not sufficiently melancholy for a desert island (ie not melancholy at all)
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Very fun

• Joseph Harvey +2 — Blew me away!
• Claire +1 — Sondheim supremacy
• SamRobertsND 0 — Meh
• Edward James 0 — Very good, but didn’t fit the theme for me personally
• ared56 -1

• SamRobertsND +1 — Meatloaf’s distant descendant
• Regina Scime +1
• fionmul 0 — I didn't like it.
• Edward James 0 — IMO there’s an important difference between the badass woman stereotype and the femme fatale
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Let’s let this sound stay in the 80s shall we

judd.baker: Dos baddies, dos idiomas, un temazo

• Sam Ary +1
• SamRobertsND +1 — Somewhere Peter’s students are booping to this while not doing his homework.
• Claire +1 — Not clear that this is femme fatale energy but the caption merits an upvote
• Edward James 0 — I love Ana Tijoux, but sorry Judd, lightning isn’t striking twice
• fionmul -1 — There are far better Spanish songs you could have chosen for this round, Judson. And for this reason I downvote to call you higher.

• SamRobertsND +1 — Euro pop prelude to a solid wraparound a tree in your leased Lexus going 110mph.
• ared56 +1
• fionmul 0 — "cybertruck"
• Edward James 0 — Would be perfect music for speeding around on a poorly animated cloud in an early 2000s music video. Not perfect for actual speeding
• Joseph Harvey 0 — I feel like I’m slowly losing my sanity
• Regina Scime 0 — Will always be down to dance to this

Edward James: Mechanical Music!

• Sam Ary +1 — Rush makes me want to rush on the road.
• Regina Scime +1 — Freaking loved this!! Good words, good music!
• fionmul 0 — "corvette" "a car without any top" "that's called a convertible"
• SamRobertsND 0 — We haven’t hit the Joseph category yet.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Not intense enough for speeding music, but total classic
• Claire 0 — Rip to Neil Peart the goat

• Joseph Harvey +1 — Oh my gosh yes. Thank you Corey for introducing me to jungle. This track has everything you could possibly ask for
• SamRobertsND +1 — I think this more accurately pins down Joseph’s basic musical principles more than any other song on here.
• ared56 +1
• Claire 0 — Funky but idk if I see the vision here
• judd.baker 0 — This put me to sleep which probably means Joseph would love it
• Edward James 0 — To me this is not a song Joseph would like. BUT it gets an honorable mention for perfectly presenting what I imagine Joseph’s internal monologue to be: constant drum and bass tracking interrupted only by thoughts like “other world lifeforms” and “a new era of scientific technology”
• fionmul -1 — stressful. no. is this even music?

• judd.baker +2 — To help out the Congolese I too would become a vengeful headless spirit
• Claire +1 — Unhinged title, unhinged story. What a song
• SamRobertsND +1 — Norwegian ghosts gunning down people, doesn’t get harder or more Sammycore than that
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Left zero impression on me
• fionmul -1 — not going too hard to me
• Regina Scime -1 — Good lyrics, and I honestly think the music fits. But if I heard this song, I wouldn’t describe it as “goes hard”

• fionmul +1 — I like dis
• judd.baker +1 — Great song and the ending is part of what does it for me. It doesn’t only end on a pathetic but also a creepy and somewhat fantastical note. Utterly unsympathetic protagonist but does what it’s trying to do well. Dark sad boy summer. Excellent
• Claire +1 — Quintessential sad boy narrative. Good pick
• ared56 +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Great song.
• Joseph Harvey -1 — 💤
• Regina Scime -1

• judd.baker +2 — Wow this is perfect
• Regina Scime +1
• Edward James 0 — Love this and it’s a fantastic love song, but errs too far on that side to get the vote from me.
• Claire 0 — If this song were in Italian it would be in the CL songbook (complimentary). Lyrically love it but musically it didn’t do it for me
• SamRobertsND 0 — Quit submitting songs I can't understand, Judd.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Chorus is actually really nice. I like the melody which is rare for Spanish songs
• fionmul 0 — 🥰 😍
• Sam Ary -1

• [DELETED] +2
• fionmul +1 — This is so good for this. Love this freaking category
• Edward James 0 — This was great, and I liked it more than I expected, but like Judd’s submission I feel it leans a bit too far towards romantic (at least in my listen)
• Claire 0 — “I crawl back into your open arms” got me. But up to that point it wasn’t really hitting as a Jesus song ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
• SamRobertsND 0 — An incredible song. I loved it!
• judd.baker -1 — Great song but this was the least resonant of the lot for me

• SamRobertsND +1 — I considered this song and honestly can’t believe more people didn’t go Disney, it’s such a deep well for songs about falling in love specifically. Despite being from a more recent movie, this is one of their best for sure. Flynn’s “chasing down a daydream” and “never seeing things for how they really were” impact me on a deep level. Very good choice.
• Claire +1 — So good. The songs that get a vote from me this round are the ones that vividly, relatably capture the interior experience of realizing you’re falling.
• Edward James +1 — I loved both Disney songs this round, but have to vote for this one because it surprised me while the other is a tried and true classic
• fionmul 0 — This is a good pick. I am just struggling with the distinction of "falling" vs "realizing you're in love." Maybe it's the same?? but I am not sure
• ared56 -1

fionmul: why do I feel so weird?

• Joseph Harvey +2 — Ought vibes from this lovely little Lizzy track. Dwelling on whether falling in love is supposed to feel a certain way resonates. Great musically and lyrically as always
• judd.baker +1 — This is really good. Does a great job capturing the anxious, insecure parts of the experience of falling in love at the same time as the good feelings
• Claire +1 — Full disclosure, I generally like Lizzy but did not expect her to make my top 3 this round. But the lyrics were concrete and genuine, narrating the emotional experience of falling in love so beautifully. Gotta hand it to her
• fionmul 0 — The falling: weird and scary but you like it
• SamRobertsND -1 — I love the vulnerability; she’s a talented songwriter for sure, and I’m glad to now appreciate her talents. But this song just wasn’t capturing the vibe for me. Probably me not being a woman and not appreciating the feminine experience of falling in love might be part of it. Also I hated the therapist line, locks the song into the historical epoch of therapy-addicted Millenials and Zoomers.
• Edward James -1 — “If he wanted to, he would” set to lyrics. “Is this what it’s supposed to feel like?” NO Girl you are not falling in love you are being dragged along by a man who considers you an afterthought he can return to when convenient

• fionmul +1 — Irish femme fatale, a fresh take and I liked it. You got my last vote.
• Claire +1 — She was the blueprint
• Edward James 0 — Very good and on theme but just got beat out by others
• SamRobertsND 0 — Wholesome but I want to hear the woman, not the dumb simps
• Sam Ary -1

• judd.baker +1 — I was surprised by how much I enjoyed speeding to this
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Frantic is the word, and for this theme it works
• Claire +1 — Never heard this song before but can absolutely imagine myself speeding to it
• fionmul 0 — "it sounds like a bike" "banjo"
• Edward James 0 — Banger but doesn’t fit the theme for me
• SamRobertsND 0 — The Great Northern Alex (Chungus Akroniensus) sits on the porch of his Appalachian cabin, taking pot shots at lost Ravens with his over under 12 gauge while drinking factory made “Moonshine”
• Regina Scime -1 — The varying tempi made me feel like I was having a stroke
• [DELETED] -1

• Joseph Harvey +1 — Not a good song but title gets it
• Claire 0 — My honorable mention. Great song. I thought about doing a smiths/Morrissey song but was worried you guys would all be lame smiths haters
• fionmul 0 — mid
• SamRobertsND 0 — Meh
• Edward James 0 — Eh

• Edward James +2 — A testament to the genre. The line “it’s nothing, it’s nothing” captures more understanding of the male romantic experience than entire artist discographies
• Claire 0 — This was a cool song but not maximally sad
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Gross title
• SamRobertsND 0 — Forgettable
• fionmul -1 — ew

Joseph Harvey: Beautiful aching ennui

• Sam Ary +1
• fionmul 0 — a wee bit boring innit
• judd.baker 0 — Joseph’s submission for this category is also the exact intersection point of our music tastes
• Claire 0 — Beautiful song. If I had a fourth vote I’d give it to this one
• Edward James 0 — Don’t like Radiohead, simple as
• SamRobertsND 0 — The Catholic communists at Hillsdale told me to like Radiohead but idk it never worked

Edward James: We need more entries in the “Philosophical girl pop” genre

• judd.baker +1 — This was fantastic
• Claire 0 — It’s giving I still haven’t found what I’m looking for in a different font
• SamRobertsND 0 — An unknowingly Christian song, yes, but it describes the longing more than Christ himself. I neither vote nor down vote you; I look on with compassionate disdain.
• fionmul 0 — Very Disney Channel to me in a good way
• Regina Scime 0 — Agreed, I want my eyes to be opened to this genre

• judd.baker +1 — Fabulous choice. After all isn’t all true love accidental
• Edward James +1 — This is what it actually feel like imo
• Sam Ary +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — It’s Shrek 2, very well done in my book. One of my favorite songs from the soundtrack, captures the feeling of being in love so perfectly, so bouncy. However, since so much fuss was made about falling vs being in love, I don’t think I can vote for it. Hits more like someone thinking about how good their current relationship is, just as it is used in the movie.
• Claire 0 — Not obviously about falling in love. Seems like it could be about an existing couple. But this song and soundtrack and movie are generational
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Better than I was expecting but a bit too major key
• Regina Scime -1 — Didn’t want to downvote this, but I don’t completely get the Shrek hype😬 so alas
• fionmul -1 — Love the CC, don't love S Also the lyrics aren't creative enough to me idk Downvote because I had to and this is Fiona hate bait even though it is objectively pretty good so that tipped the scales

• SamRobertsND +1 — This song kicks so much ass holy crap. This made such a huge impact on me. Fits the theme and I utterly love the music. A well-earned upvote, friend!
• judd.baker 0 — Enjoyed this way more than I expected to. Good entry
• fionmul 0 — A not unpleasant throwback! Just don't like the song enough. But the words are on-theme. Also didn't realize how much it reminds me of the Buggles until now
• Claire 0 — Really like this song and it would’ve gotten a vote if I had one more
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Musically pretty slick and better than I was expecting from what I’ve heard of Daft Punk, but the lyrical angle is not especially interesting here
• Edward James 0 — This was so good. Loved the song but didn’t make me feel the vibe of the theme.

• [DELETED] +2
• fionmul 0 — Liked it more than I'll admit in-person but the yelling is just not bonita fo me boo
• Edward James 0 — Nope
• SamRobertsND 0 — When the girl who glanced at you during young adult event doesn’t ask you out afterwards.
• Claire 0 — I don’t have any more votes left but excellent song
• ared56 -1
• judd.baker -1 — I liked zero percent of this

Edward James: An essential trait of the femme fatale is the ability to turn a man into a pathetic, simpering mess who she can then hold just a hair’s breadth away. This song examines the man’s perspective.

• ared56 +1
• fionmul 0 — the femme fatale don't give a shit about your simp-ass perspective; stay on-theme
• SamRobertsND 0 — If you have to explain this much, the song doesn’t speak to the theme on its own well enough. I like the song, though.
• judd.baker 0 — Lyrically I think I get it but this doesn’t *sound* like a femme fatale song
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Less F150 commercial than most AM but it’s not enough
• Claire -1 — 10/10 song but the lyrics are also perfectly compatible with the girl being utterly wholesome and the guy just being a hopeless romantic (or a simp)

• judd.baker +2 — This was so good
• fionmul 0 — The vibe was close but lyrics weren't it for me (googling led to more confusion)
• Edward James 0 — Not fatale
• ared56 0 —
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Too goofy to be fatale
• SamRobertsND -1 — Reminds me of the shit that gets blasted into my ears by the gym speakers.
• Regina Scime -1

Sam Ary: 🎧

• Claire 0 — This scratches my indie pop brain
• SamRobertsND 0 — Idk this doesn’t resonate with anything I know about his tastes
• judd.baker 0 — I’m curious to hear the canonical judgment on this one because I’m just not seeing it
• Edward James 0 — Meh
• fionmul 0 — i had to go listen to Judy You Hung the Moon after this to remind myself of their song that I actually like

• fionmul +1 — mmm I am a sucker for Lew sometimes
• Claire 0 — Could be sadder. At least he has someone to hold him for now…
• Edward James 0 — Sorry ladies, this is a boys round ^this was the comment I had here for 10 min before I realized this singer is actually a man. Went back and listened to the song again and realized there is no way I could have thought that, and therefore the song must have left so little of an impression that I forgot the gender of the singer. Also, terminal case of zoomer voice.
• SamRobertsND 0 — AI Generated
• judd.baker -1 — It’s sad indie pop and yet doesn’t have the true sad boy summer sound. It’s an ephemeral thing. But this is too poppy

• Claire +1 — My initial reaction was “this is literally what AI would produce if you told it to write a melancholy white boy pop song.” At first I thought that was a point against the song, but the more I thought about it the more I started to think that this means it deserves a vote for being perfectly on theme
• fionmul 0 — this ends the first episode of Riverdale and that’s how i found it back in 2018 or something
• Joseph Harvey 0 — This is decent if generic
• SamRobertsND 0 — Somehow worse than the other AI song maybe it’s a Lewis thing?
• Edward James -1 — “You are sheltering an attempt at a hit pop song in your sad boy summer, are you not?”

• Regina Scime +1 — Mmm thank you for painting the scene
• judd.baker 0 — I liked this a lot, surprised me
• Edward James 0 — This is the first time a comment has swayed me. Great interpretation. Well chosen even though it wasn’t my fave
• Claire 0 — I do like the lyrics of this a lot but didn’t hit hard enough to be in my top 3
• SamRobertsND 0 — Unfortunately, the tide has turned against explanatory captions.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Wow, sweet sound although the thematic connection is a stretch. Love the shoegaze though
• fionmul 0 — Not quite it for me here but this is a cool song
• ared56 -1

judd.baker: For reasons I can’t fully explain, this song always gave me the impression of being about encountering the disfigured, haunting face of Christ in the poor (plus weird Southern vibes)

• Edward James +1 — This is phenomenal. It’s like a Flannery O’Connor story set to music. Fits the theme in that you really have to think outside the box to see the (then clearly) strong correlation, which is what I was hoping for this round.
• ared56 +1
• Claire 0 — I think I get where you’re trying to go with this one but it just doesn’t fully hit imo
• SamRobertsND 0 — Too explicitly religious in its grungled angels, discarded.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — My ears just tune out Alexcore, I’m not capable of receiving it
• fionmul -1 — Okay I am sorry I hated this voice so much. Liked the vibe but the voice was a no. Also this seems explicitly to intend a Christian theme. ...ok for real this reminds me of the youtube videos “___ but off key”
• Regina Scime -1

judd.baker: Love can make you weak

• fionmul +1 — sitting here looking forward to when I get to add this to a playlist about falling in love again :) I had never heard this; thanks for showing me. My fave this round I think.
• SamRobertsND 0 — I loved this song and am grateful that you introduced me to it. However, it feels like the singer is describing love as such or existing love, rather than the experience of falling in love with someone.
• Claire 0 — Love the song. But doesn’t specifically feel like it’s about an actual experience of falling in love so much as a higher order reflection on what falling in love is like. I respect this as an interpretation of the theme but it’s not how I read it
• Edward James 0 — Kind of forgettable for me. I feel this is a Judd pick, so I fear I betray him with this comment. But I cannot tell a lie
• Joseph Harvey -1 — This holds no appeal to me

Edward James: Her magnum opus

• fionmul +1 — I remember the first time I heard this, laying on my tummy on the carpet at a friend's 13th bday party, drinking in the lyric book like a medieval peasant after a drought. A wise woman calls it her strongest opening track. A very mature TS selection. "I love you doesn't count after goodbye" (iykyk) I considered this for both this round and last one.
• ared56 +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Objectively great song, one of the best on Red. But again, I’m getting established relationship vibes more than longing or moment of first attraction.
• Claire 0 — Probably her best opening track but not her best track specifically about falling in love. Love the song though
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Kind of sounds like U2 with the guitar leads especially. Unfortunately doesn’t grab me
• [DELETED] -1
• Sam Ary -1

• fionmul 0 — I would sing this sweetly to a volleyball
• SamRobertsND 0 — Credits music for 80s movie about delinquent teens, set in some Minnesota town called Amber Falls.
• Edward James 0 — Banger
• Claire -1 — Good song but downvoting bc not the best Dennis deyoung song on this list

• fionmul 0 — "riding a horse" "a really old pickup truck like back in like the 80s"
• Edward James 0 — This is superb cruisin’ music, but it is not speeding music
• SamRobertsND 0 — Jeff Lynne is one of the masters but this song doesn’t fit the theme
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Lovely song, poor fit
• Claire 0 — Love ELO but this just wasn’t giving speeding ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
• ared56 -1

fionmul: trying to navigate the minefield of Joseph’s pop opinions, duc in altum or whatever (mostly I like this song and Joseph is a 1989 boi)

• Joseph Harvey 0 — This is music as lyrics delivery mechanism. Taylor has done much better - maybe this one should have stayed in the vault
• Claire 0 — Devastating lyrics but Joseph probably doesn’t care 💅
• SamRobertsND 0 — Fiona doing the Alex BNL bit but with Taylor.
• Edward James 0 — This person correctly identifies in their song choice and in their description that Joseph is an indecipherable fan of girl pop. The 1000s of inputs that spit out love or hatred at the end of that algorithm are entirely unknowable. Based on the single mention of astrology, I am willing to bet this falls into the “no” category.
• fionmul 0 — yeah i care about lyrics sorry not sorry
• [DELETED] -1

• SamRobertsND +1 — The Disturbed cover goes harder but they could only do so with a hard song to begin with.
• fionmul 0 — Disturbed version goes harder tho
• Edward James 0 — This is a good read of the category. Hard in terms of poignancy.
• Claire -1 — 10/10 song but just didn’t feel like the title was off the wall enough
• judd.baker -1 — This song goes the opposite of hard in some ways (still love it tho)

• fionmul +1 — no oxford comma is disappointing but this was a really good submission.
• Claire 0 — Enjoyed this one a lot musically but title wasn’t wild enough to secure a top spot for me
• judd.baker 0 — This song gave me a heart they can’t medicate
• Joseph Harvey 0 — I can see what they’re going for
• Edward James -1 — Not a hard enough title for what I then had to listen to.
• Sam Ary -1

• fionmul 0 — mmm but this song scared my niece
• Claire 0 — Good song but the prompt was sad boy, not sadistic boy
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Ok… I can see what this is going for but the execution feels unprofessional to me
• Edward James 0 — Nah
• SamRobertsND 0 — Truly terrible, I’m assuming a Corey or Joseph poast?
• Sam Ary -1

• SamRobertsND +1 — Someone profited from their reading of Paradiso Canto I.
• Sam Ary +1
• fionmul +1 — Regina ily (even if this isn't you) I am a sucker for nautical metaphor ofc
• Edward James -1 — On theme, but I just can’t stand his voice.
• Claire -1 — 100% Jesus coded lyrics but musically it’s giving “secular Christmas song” in a way that detracts from the lyrics imo
• Joseph Harvey -1
• [DELETED] -1

Regina Scime: throwback to me weeping in O’Rourke’s on a Tuesday night

• Sam Ary +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — A beautiful, heartbreaking song, perhaps the best written of any on here. Because, at least as I hear it, he’s begging for someone to come back who was once there. I’m looking for first moment or encounter here, so I have to pass on.
• fionmul 0 — I can't explain why but I have sorta never liked this song... Overall I think it is almost too deep and further-along than the "falling in love" stage (But Regina I love you much)
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Incredible and tear jerking song, but where’s the “falling” part?
• Edward James 0 — Didn’t leave much impression overall, but a good song.
• judd.baker -1 — This one is too much being in love with someone in particular and not enough of the experience of falling for that person
• Claire -1 — Again I love this song so much but it’s not obviously, clearly about the *falling*. There is no song I could’ve downvoted without it being genuinely painful, but it must be done and the lot has fallen on this one.

Joseph Harvey: Feast your ears on this crown jewel of 70s English prog

• judd.baker +1 — I thought I wouldn’t like it but in fact it was awesome
• fionmul -1 — I listened to the whole thing and I did two duolingo lessons in different languages during it since I was boreddd and it is STILL GOING.
• SamRobertsND -1 — This song sucks so badly. Made me want to bash my brains out against my steering wheel.
• Edward James -1 — I understand the idea behind picking a 15 minute song as the only one you’re gonna get to hear. But it’s gotta be a worthwhile 15 minutes.

judd.baker: Deeply nostalgic song on one of the greatest albums of all time

• SamRobertsND +1 — I’m a sucker for AF, dark carnival core, the theme music for immortal slutty men (Thranduil, Howl, Jareth, etc). Incredible beat.
• fionmul 0 — really good but alas few votes
• Edward James 0 — This song is deeply Eddie coded, and despite the fact I do not like arcade fire, I actually really liked this song. Sadly they’re modern Canadians, and I just can’t encourage that sort of behavior.
• Joseph Harvey -1 — While I share the urbanist ideology of this song, it left no lasting impression on me
• [DELETED] -1
• Regina Scime -1

• fionmul 0 — not badass enough; too kosher.
• SamRobertsND 0 — Hillary Clinton Rally-core, unfortunately played at Bengals games. Sung by women who protest too much methinks.
• judd.baker 0 — It’s missing the fatale imo
• Claire 0 — This song is girlboss but not sufficiently gaslight or gatekeep
• Edward James -1 — Absolutely not
• Joseph Harvey -1 — This song is a violation of the Geneva conventions

Regina Scime: “I got no plans on slowing down”

• Edward James 0 — Much love to Jeremy Renner, glad he made it through the snowplow thing. The music equivalent of the Marvel content he pumps out. Not a bad song, surprisingly good, but on principle can’t vote for a Jeremy Renner song. It also has 0 edge to it, which is essential imo.
• SamRobertsND 0 — I didn’t know Renner also sang, he has a nice voice!! Anyway, Harbor Freight commercial music
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Eh
• Claire 0 — I knew this man had an app but I had no idea he could sing too
• fionmul -1 — "a honda civic" "I know! a punchbuggy"
• judd.baker -1 — Too much stomp and clap, not enough pedal to the metal

• fionmul +1 — a relief after the last one. pretty ✨
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Love that it’s a Sting song, but it’s not clear to me what this cover adds and it fails to earn the extra minute of runtime over the original.
• Edward James 0 — Joseph would find this pleasant and nothing more imo
• Claire -1 — This is cheating bc it’s not sting but it’s also sting
• SamRobertsND -1 — Cop out with a cover, you rat bastard. Nice cover, though.
• judd.baker -1 — I suppose this counts but it still feels like cheating

Edward James: Let not the metal facade obscure the theater kid within

• Joseph Harvey 0 — Mmmm this is great and resonates on several levels. It was almost enough
• Claire 0 — I love this song but it doesn’t feel maximally Joseph coded so didn’t get a vote
• SamRobertsND 0 — Very true, Eddie, very true. He has the muscles for it.
• fionmul 0 — ok so fair but this isn’t even the one to pick from this act
• Regina Scime -1 — I would be *mostly* surprised if Joseph hasn’t heard this before
• ared56 -1

• fionmul +1 — Joseph has never been up in the club and it shows
• Claire 0 — JH europop era. I see the vision
• SamRobertsND 0 — French Riviera Joseph, sweat drenching through his purple button up shirt, dancing his heart away in a discothek, making small talk with a beautiful, hair swoop Ukrainian girl who will spike his Scotch and steal his kidney.
• judd.baker 0 — Brave choice
• Joseph Harvey -1 — Uh what
• Edward James -1 — This song sucks, and is made worse by the Zoo Tycoon type noises constantly blaring in the background.
• Sam Ary -1

Regina Scime: nothing goes harder… ‘MERICA🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸

• ared56 +1
• Claire 0 — I promise I love America and I also love Jon batiste but title didn’t do it for me
• fionmul 0 — Regina my patriotic little angel ❤️🤍💙
• Edward James 0 — Great song….but that’s a no from me dog
• Joseph Harvey -1
• SamRobertsND -1 — You might’ve been spared but for the comment.
• [DELETED] -1

fionmul: Ending goes hard

• fionmul 0 — "uh uh" "it sounds like a limo" *thumbs down* *vehement head shaking*
• judd.baker 0 — Thematically I see it but I can’t see myself speeding to this
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Absolutely love this song but it encouraged me to set the cruise at 35 mph
• Sam Ary -1 — Ending does go somewhat hard, however I feel like I would only want to drive fast to this song after a breakup when I don’t have the emotional bandwidth to understand that speeding won’t be good for me in that moment. Cheers.
• Edward James -1 — The first minute of this song is so transcendently beautiful and describes a feeling I pray each and every one of us gets to encounter. But then it takes a steep nosedive when the guy joins in and never recovers. Also, not on theme vibe-wise imo. Earns the downvote only because of how much that guy annoyed me.
• SamRobertsND -1 — I’m sure Joseph is shedding tears onto the keyboard of his Assbook Pro while listening to and voting for Lizzy, but not me. This is speeding music for the Villages, Florida’s Friendliest Home Town.
• Claire -1 — Good song but despite the fact that it is about reckless driving, I would not drive recklessly while listening to it