League 7 (Dec 2025)

Sam Ary: For your holy hour playlists

• Peter Seeley +2 — "I messed up ag-ay-ay-an" killed me
• Regina Scime +2 — Ok first of all, this sounds like something Sam would make for fun. Second, I need to listen to this whenever I’m feeling discouraged hahahahah
• shea nowicki +2 — Egregious. You nailed it.
• Claire +1 — “How did this not hurt Joseph?” “This has to be satire” -Fiona
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Would Joseph hate it? Yes. Would everyone else hate it? Yes. Would God himself hate it? I'm leaning towards yes.
• Spicey Riche +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Hating this song would feel mean. Also can’t hate anything with this much ambient guitar
• fionmul 0 — “This is going to wreck my Spotify algorithm for the rest of the year” - Claire
• judd.baker 0 — Something about this song itself actually feels inspired. For being a genuinely creative song with (probably intentionally?) imperfect vocals, however, it’s not really an inspired choice for this round. Joseph would probably dislike the vocals, sure, but that feels too obvious to me.
• ared56 -1 — I refuse to believe that anyone listens to this earnestly or for comedic value.

• SamRobertsND +3 — The best submission!
• ared56 +1
• shea nowicki +1
• Regina Scime +1
• Sam Ary +1
• judd.baker +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Only the line “backstreet’s back” has anything to do with the theme
• Peter Seeley 0 — No.
• fionmul -1

• ared56 +1
• SamRobertsND +1 — This is the vibe. Love this song.
• Peter Seeley +1 — Dolly, I must confess: I love you.
• judd.baker +1 — I think this is the most inspired submission on this list. I could totally imagine hearing this at a diner. It’s an unexpected pick with perfect sound and vibe for the imagined backdrop, which is delightful.
• Claire +1 — I can picture the entry for this one on the Kitchenette jukebox so clearly
• Regina Scime +1
• Sam Ary +1
• fionmul 0 — Didn’t have enough votes but liked this too
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Pretty good!
• Edward James 0 — Honorable mention as runner-up. I like this one a lot, and it would be playing in a good diner.

• Spicey Riche +3 — 💰
• fionmul +1 — Nice strings I do love sappy country Poetry This is the type of thing that would make my mom cry and I understand every year even more
• ared56 +1
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Beautiful. Tales of enduring love always get me.
• Claire +1 — I suspected Sammy might submit this. I really do like the read where the tears are poignant but not sad
• Edward James 0 — Good Sammy pick. Didn’t get the tears, but I enjoyed it.

• fionmul +1
• SamRobertsND +1
• Edward James +1 — The perfect song to end an indie film. I can see it in my mind's eye clear as day. This was going to be my submission, and I choose to take the honorable road and reward the person who beat me to it.
• Joseph Harvey +1 — This really hits. After the right film, could be extremely effective
• judd.baker +1 — No notes. John Hughes core 80s/90s coming of age type stuff
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Didn't care that much for the song other than the first few seconds which would be perfect at the end of a movie.
• shea nowicki +1

Peter Seeley: This song saved a member of the Marine Electric crew.

• Joseph Harvey +2 — Yes, this is what we’re looking for, even if it is a little on the nose. Thank you Peter
• fionmul +1 — My brother Patrick wants you to know you know ball
• Claire +1 — I don’t always love this genre of song but it’s a clever read of the theme, and for that I give it a vote
• shea nowicki +1
• judd.baker +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Peter?
• Brad Stalcup 0 — This is maybe better fitting for "We will be so back"

• ared56 +2
• Regina Scime +2 — Just yes
• fionmul +1 — Did you pay music league to make you first on the playlist?! Fr tho obvious but great pull 👌🏼😤🖤
• Sam Ary +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Feels a little too obvious and boring
• SamRobertsND 0 — Too easy
• Claire 0 — Obviously a good fit but too obvious

• fionmul +1 — I like this a lot personally. Added it to a playlist mid-listen. Is this Claire?? But im wondering if that means it’s more my taste than hers? But I can’t help but selfishly vote for it.
• ared56 +1
• SamRobertsND +1 — This song kicked balls, really amazing and I think Regina will like it too
• Edward James +1 — This is the song that stands out to me the most, and is most similar to Missing Piece, Regina’s top song from Music League wrapped (submitted by yours truly). I have a feeling this might be the other one she has heard already, but I’m willing to take that chance because of how good it is
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Several songs on here are going for this kind of thing, but this one pulls it off
• Brad Stalcup +1 — I WANTED TO SUBMIT THIS ONE EDDIE. Feel like I have to give it an upvote.
• Peter Seeley 0 — I loved the instrumentation. Not s huge fan of the vocals.
• Spicey Riche 0 — Peter
• Regina Scime 0 — this is making me realize that my perceived musical taste consists of great female vocal talent, so heck yes!

• ared56 +2
• SamRobertsND +1
• Peter Seeley +1
• Edward James +1 — Assuming this is Brad. This to me is the essence of the "gotta go fast" concept. This song feels much longer than it is. Banger.
• Regina Scime +1
• judd.baker +1 — Loved this. Brad (I assume) is a Music League revelation.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — I have no earthly clue who submitted this /s
• Brad Stalcup 0 — *Katie from halfway across the house* IS THAT YOUR SUBMISSION?
• Claire 0 — My honorable mention. Ska also an ideal venue for the short song
• fionmul -1 — Eh nah This fellllt too long somehow and I just sorta hated it Middle school band brass section If this is Richard congrats on your marriage and sorry im an angry elf If it’s not Richard, I am not sorry for downvoting you

• ared56 +1
• SamRobertsND +1
• Edward James +1 — Not my favorite from the playlist, but it nails the theme imo.
• Claire +1 — I dig it. Great song and I can totally see it being used in this way. The opening chords as the camera pans from the main character out to some nice panoramic shots before everything fades to black
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Great pull. As soon as the singing starts it changes to black. I can see it perfectly.
• shea nowicki +1
• judd.baker 0 — Never thought of this as an end credits song but seeing it in this context, I realize it’s been here all along

• Joseph Harvey +2 — I tried to submit this. I consider it a perfect submission.
• Peter Seeley +1 — Yes.
• shea nowicki +1
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Yep, especially when you pair this with we will rock you.
• Sam Ary +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Eh
• fionmul 0 — More of a credits one tbh
• ared56 -1

• fionmul +1 — Can’t not I….if only the boys really were back in town 😔
• Peter Seeley +1 — Irish music at its finest.
• shea nowicki +1
• Brad Stalcup +1
• Regina Scime +1
• Sam Ary +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Dad rock
• Claire 0 — again, obviously a good fit but too obvious
• Joseph Harvey -1 — We all thought about it. Curious to learn who took the low hanging fruit

• Joseph Harvey +3 — 🏆 The only submission (besides my own) that rises to the level of travesty. Degenerate, repetitive, utterly boring, and yet catchy enough to stay stuck in your head. I hate this kind of vapid major key rock and roll and this is an especially egregious example.
• ared56 +1 — If he knows/knew what this was about? Certainly.
• Claire +1 — NB: I (Claire) considered submitting this and now I’m kicking myself that I didn’t go with it “I think my knowledge of Joseph’s musical dislikes is incomplete because it doesn’t seem that bad to me” -Fiona
• judd.baker +1 — either this is Alex or Alex appeared to OP in a dream and told him/her to post this
• fionmul 0 — “This riff is so good” *dances* - Claire
• Edward James 0 — I think this is the best content choice, but don’t think Joseph would actually hate it
• Spicey Riche -1

• fionmul +1 — Wait I’ve never heard this I love.
• judd.baker +1 — Nice. Would listen to while enjoying black coffee and a short stack
• shea nowicki +1
• Claire +1 — This is the vibe
• Edward James +1 — Similar to Alex’s song, this one gets a vote because it both encapsulates what is most beautiful about what the diner represents, and it also sounds like something that would be playing in one
• SamRobertsND 0 — Sad story, not good enough though
• Peter Seeley 0 — Ok.

• fionmul +1 — Yes A great misheard lyric: “there’s a bathroom on the right”
• Peter Seeley +1 — Much enjoy.
• judd.baker +1 — CCR is the sort of thing I would hope for if diner-core is to be interpreted as 70s rock
• Spicey Riche +1
• Regina Scime +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Too hype for diner. Try again please!!
• Edward James 0 — Great song, and I get where you’re coming from, but didn’t stand out

fionmul: “You were my best 4 years”

• Edward James +2 — This is actually the only song that made me tear up (other than my own) therefore I award 2 upvotes on principle. Anything with kids and/or the passage of time gets me good.
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Dang this got me pretty close once I read the lyrics. That’s beautiful and very sad, artfully done Taylor
• Claire +1 — Devastating
• shea nowicki +1
• fionmul 0 — This mother wrote the song with Taylor about a real little boy who passed away. Since it was mentioned - I chose the Taylor’s version because think she sounds older, and dare I say more motherly, and understands this better the older she gets.
• Regina Scime 0 — Yeah this hurt

• ared56 +1
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Sure, based on vibes alone
• fionmul +1 — Homeschooled edgy
• Claire +1 — Hard to evaluate without reading the content of the movie into it, but I do think this song sufficiently captures the right vibe on its own. So good
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Wasn't going to give this one a vote except I was working out while listening and felt a new surge of being-back halfway through a set while this was playing.
• Peter Seeley 0 — No.
• judd.baker -1

• SamRobertsND +1 — There are better ELO picks imo but must respect
• Peter Seeley +1 — Yes.
• shea nowicki +1
• Brad Stalcup +1
• judd.baker +1
• Regina Scime 0 — I like this song, but the link to the prompt isn’t jumping out at me
• Claire -1 — It pains me to downvote ELO but the connection to theme seems tenuous at best. But maybe I’m missing something

• ared56 +1
• Joseph Harvey +1 — I would be thrilled to hear this in a diner
• shea nowicki +1
• Claire +1 — I could see myself picking to play this on a jukebox
• SamRobertsND 0 — Almost there. #4.
• fionmul 0 — Sure
• Peter Seeley 0 — Good.
• Edward James 0 — Richard, you were so close with this. I have to say, this, carry on my wayward , and the Dolly Parton song are the ones I think might be most likely to be playing in a diner. But my votes were based on the songs I think best encapsulate the feel of a diner.

• fionmul +1 — I think this is Regina so I’ll vote for it
• ared56 +1
• Sam Ary +1
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Great vocals. Great horn line.
• SamRobertsND 0 — Lazy slop
• Edward James 0 — I like the Motown connection, but I think the song connection has to come first. And I think there were a lot better choices in this genre imo.
• Claire 0 — Was a contender for me but ultimately edged out by other songs with that impressed me more
• Spicey Riche 0 — Judd

• Brad Stalcup +2 — My dad made a playlist for me not too long before he died. Many of the songs he put on there I'd heard hundreds of times. I'd only heard this song's title used as an expression, but never the actual song. When I first heard this song on that playlist, i just about broke down. I miss my dad. None of you could have known this, but I'm grateful for whoever submitted this song.
• Edward James +1 — I’m not gonna lie, I think this is kind of a mediocre song. But, and this is subjective of course, it didn’t get me closest to crying. Reflecting on life with my own brother. Therefore, the category demands it.
• shea nowicki +1
• fionmul 0 — Beautiful. Samewise Gamgee core
• Claire 0 — The sentiment of this song is lovely but I’m just not feeling the tears. Idk, maybe that’s a me problem

• SamRobertsND +1
• Edward James +1 — The idea of an album named Waterloo, Tennessee where a bunch of 2000s looking white women sing a song about Napoleon is guaranteed to get me. Well done
• Brad Stalcup +1
• Claire +1 — This is weird but in a way that I enjoyed
• fionmul 0 — 🦻🏼I’d turn off my hearing aids

• Peter Seeley +1
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Maybe my favorite of the list.
• judd.baker +1 — This is my favorite Beatles song and is I think the best and least obvious of the Beatles submissions here
• shea nowicki +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Gosh the Beatles were just great. That one guitar part is so darn cool. Tragically, this is not less than 2 minutes
• fionmul 0 — Like I said, Golden Slumbers is just too good and I couldn’t help but compare the other Beatles ones
• Edward James 0 — So many Beatles potentials but this one stands out to me for being less known and also fast.

judd.baker: I can just imagine this playing after some comedy as you file out of the theater

• fionmul +1 — Yeah I see the vision
• ared56 +1
• Edward James +1 — The image was perfectly laid out.
• Regina Scime +1 — I think this is Sam… I really liked this for some reason haha
• Peter Seeley 0 — 4th place

• fionmul +1 — Loses its charm unless it’s joseph on stage dressed as a newsie
• Claire +1 — insert sticker of Jharvey in his newsie outfit
• Regina Scime +1
• judd.baker +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Hi Joseph!!
• Brad Stalcup 0 — This may have gotten a vote from me if the theme had been "the boys are back"... seeing as how it's about boys. But it doesn't have the punchiness
• Peter Seeley -1 — This is the problem with child labor. They start organizing, and then it's just obnoxious.

• SamRobertsND +1 — Hell yeah
• Claire +1 — Now I want to rewatch hot rod
• Sam Ary +1
• judd.baker +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — This is a wonderful overture to the start of a new league, nay, a new year
• Brad Stalcup 0 — This would only work if you were watching the movie during it. By itself it fails to convey the being-back.
• shea nowicki -1 — I don't know why the instrumental didn't really land for me! :(

judd.baker: This song inspired this category

• Brad Stalcup +1 — I can just imagine Joseph listening to this song and verbally reacting to basically every stanza. Well picked.
• Regina Scime +1 — “Not in my good Catholic Hangar”
• shea nowicki +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — 🥈Blahhh. Hate the message but musically it’s basically ok. Not something that makes me want to crawl out of my skin. This doesn’t deserve second but there’s not much truly heinous on here I’m afraid
• fionmul 0 — “I could see Joseph furrowing his brow at this but I don’t think it would actually hurt him” - Claire
• Edward James 0 — Content over musicality. Meh
• Claire 0 — “Sonically this sounds like Bruce Springsteen mixed with Bob Dylan” -Fiona

• Edward James +1 — I hate the original song so much. And I didn’t even know there was a pentatonix version, which means I had to learn how much more I could hate it. It’s like everything I couldn’t stand in 2015 combined into one. But would Joseph hate it? Also yes
• Sam Ary +1
• Spicey Riche +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Cons: - Lesbianism - all the tiresome a cappella-isms Pros: - Good, memorable melodies - Undeniable vocal chops - cool production Ok on balance, enjoyed listening
• fionmul 0 — “Maybe Joseph will like this because the clicking noises will remind him of dolphins” - Claire 🐬🐬🐬
• Claire 0 — “Unfortunately we did this in show choir” “I had a gleeful time finding one of the worst Pentatonix covers so I could torture Joseph” *suspicious squeaking noise*“Oh I don’t like that sound.” “Maybe Joseph will like it because he hopes to find himself a cheerleader one day” -Fiona
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I thought about submitting "Cheerleader" as well. But not this version, which I think joseph would dislike more than the original. Joseph despises bland, predictable, and insipid songs like this one.
• judd.baker 0 — Pentatonix goes into the “generically terrible” and therefore non-upvotable wastebasket

• SamRobertsND +1
• Sam Ary +1
• judd.baker +1 — Hahaha I loved this, which is surely a sign it will perform well in a crowd of songs Joseph would hate
• Joseph Harvey 0 — This is just an amateur song
• fionmul 0 — “The lyrics are inane but the music is fine” - Claire
• Claire 0 — “This does seem kind of like Grease should sue [for copying their chord progression] …and maybe the country of Greece should sue for that shirt” -Fiona

Joseph Harvey: Actual torture

• fionmul +1 — “This seems like what Eddie would play to punish Joseph for bad roommate behavior or something” - Claire
• Edward James +1 — This is probably the perfect Bob Dylan choice. There are others that would work more, but everyone else would hate them so much, I don’t think they would do well. This is also a super popular song, but I hate it. I think it drags down what is otherwise a perfect album. Wish I had thought of it.
• Claire +1 — “Yeah this is bad” “Not even timothee chalamet likes this song” -Fiona
• Brad Stalcup +1 — I do think Joseph would hate this song.
• Peter Seeley 0 — What precisely did Sammy do to deserve this?
• judd.baker 0 — Bob feels like the easy way out. Fantastic song tho, and a pretty enlightened submission from among the Dylan corpus, I admit
• Sam Ary -1

• SamRobertsND +1
• Peter Seeley +1 — I laughed.
• fionmul +1 — “I have a sneaking suspicion this is Joseph because I think he’s the kind of person who would know about the hype this is getting and not understand the hype whatsoever” - Claire
• judd.baker +1 — Instrumentally I think this is fantastic, and it might be the type of alt rock song that Joseph inexplicably vibes with, but the particularly whiny Will Toledo-esque vocals tip the scales towards upvote for me
• Edward James 0 — Joseph would hate the insufferable Gen Z nature of this song more than anything
• Claire 0 — “I would throw ass to this” *proceeds to throw ass* -Fiona
• Brad Stalcup 0 — i dunno, i kinda dug this one. I think joseph would too.
• shea nowicki 0 — Fun fact: my MDiv classmate shared this song with me.
• Joseph Harvey -1 — This is actually a very interesting song and reminds me of Radiohead! The lyrics are really interesting too. Come on people!

• Peter Seeley +1 — A good twist on this type of music.
• shea nowicki +1
• Edward James +1 — The diner is the prism of America. This song makes me think of what I love about them. Well done Alex.
• SamRobertsND 0 — Father John Misty-ass song that plays at a diner called "Doc Brichter's Farmacy" that has a "Boozy Brunch" with a $30 omelette
• fionmul 0 — Nah
• judd.baker 0 — Bradcore. Awesome song, loved this. Good lyrics and a cool sound. Not upvoted, I just can’t really imagine hearing this at a diner
• Claire 0 — This is “song that would play at the end of an indie movie as a scene of characters at a diner transitions to a montage of everyday scenes from a small town”

• Joseph Harvey +1 — Was this big on TikTok or something? Incredibly cute, would enjoy over a Kitchenette omlet
• Spicey Riche +1
• Brad Stalcup +1 — 50's music is a shortcut to winning at diner core
• SamRobertsND 0 — Song goes hard as theme in Halloween II
• fionmul 0 — 🩷 cutesy Unfortunately I went with the retro one I didn’t know before because I dont have a 4th vote I’m sry
• Peter Seeley 0 — "lonely heart like Pagliacci/ with wavy hair like Liberace" is an amazing and messed up line.
• judd.baker 0 — But doctor, I have a lonely heart like Pagliacci
• Edward James 0 — See comment above on 50s/60s songs for diners

• Joseph Harvey +1 — This is absolutely stellar. I’m sure Regina will recognize that there is far more musical substance to this than any of the other jazz-pop tracks on here. I upvote in that hope
• Claire +1 — I like this read: a song that’s not squarely in the typical Regina genre but that I feel like she would probably enjoy. And the fact that it’s steely dan just sweetens the deal
• Spicey Riche +1 — Eddie
• Edward James 0 — This is such an incredible song that I can’t imagine Regina won’t like it. But I also don’t know if I think it will make her top three. Let’s all just sit back and enjoy the fact that a jazz fusion song about prehistoric cave paintings exists.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Man, I love this one. Horn lines are just tasty.
• Regina Scime 0 — first of all, the cover art would give me sleep paralysis nightmares lol. ok horn line! Harmonic intrigue!! It’s giving Chicago, which I love. love the saxophone! If I had another upvote, it would have gone to you:)

fionmul: “Now the Powers of Heaven” Best listened to with headphones on, lights off, eyes closed

• Peter Seeley +2 — Yes.
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Have to pay my respects to my fellow Russian chant submitter here 🫡
• fionmul 0 — Crazy I wasn’t the only Russian church music submission but just attests to Regina’s taste and poise
• SamRobertsND 0 — More Orthodox chant, I love it. Slightly edged out.
• Edward James 0 — This album art gives it away as Joseph immediately. I liked this one a lot.
• Spicey Riche 0 — Shea
• Regina Scime 0 — definitely like this one more than the Chesnakov

Sam Ary: Do yourself a favor and listen to this with your finest set of headphones 🎧

• Edward James +1 — This was my favorite of the mass pieces
• Claire +1 — Of all the choral submissions, this was the coolest imo
• Regina Scime +1 — spot on guess for choral music! Often paired with Pizzetti’s Mass (iykyk). Hints of the chant, which I LOVE!🥉
• fionmul 0 — This is far too long for a kyrie imo And the content didn’t convince me it was worth it I also hate the soprano line 6th minute was the best part Regina may have a different take from mine but im guessing it won’t make her podium
• SamRobertsND 0 — Low energy Jeb posting mass arrangements she's undoubtedly heard
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Beautiful. I don’t know this kind of thing well enough to know if it will hit home
• Spicey Riche 0 — Sammy
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Pretty sure Regina would love this. Feels a little on the nose though.

• Regina Scime +3 — This one brought me the closest to tears…. Probably just where I’m at spiritually right now. St Augustine describes the ache just SO WELL
• fionmul 0 — I liked this idea a lot but the “called and shouted” part and the voice in general isn’t doing it for me But a good shout nonetheless. This prayer is always so beautiful and relatable.
• Edward James 0 — Don’t like this guy’s voice, sorry.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — I loved Gungor in high school. A shame they become eastern synchrotists

• fionmul +1 — Friendship goals frfr ☺️😊🥹
• Peter Seeley +1
• Sam Ary +1
• Brad Stalcup +1 — *Katie from halfway across the house* IS THAT ROBIN HOOD?
• Edward James -1 — I'm not gonna lie this just vaguely annoyed me. I have no explanation for myself.

• fionmul +1 — They really came up with this and only made it 1:30 🤌🏼 Leave em wanting more ig
• Edward James +1 — Almost submitted this myself. One of the most beautiful little tunes ever written. I love the "Paul is Dead" conspiracy, because if he did die, they managed to replace him with the greatest musician/songwriter to ever live.
• Sam Ary +1

Edward James: Indie Coming-of-Age

• ared56 +1
• Claire +1 — This feels like an Eddie pick. Totally fits that genre
• Joseph Harvey +1 — This totally works. Painful nostalgia
• fionmul 0 — Sure
• Edward James 0 — The ultimate millennial "feeling of youth" song
• judd.baker 0 — I forgot this song existed, thank you for the reminder. Millennialcore throwback
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I was going to downvote this until I saw "indie coming of age."

• Peter Seeley +2 — Yes.
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Giving this one an upvote for thinking outside the box. It doesn't quite capture "we're so back," but I dig it.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Another train themed jazz tune. Will it soar to the heights of Masakela?
• SamRobertsND 0 — Lol this is cute
• fionmul 0 — Not the vibe my guy
• Regina Scime -1

• fionmul +1 — I listened to this before Claire submitted it and was affirmative of its badness. This one is the worst for Joseph by my estimation.
• Spicey Riche +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — 🥉 Would be merely a blah pop song without the grating liberal platitudes thrown in. Still a somewhat fun concept, though irritating in execution. AJR somehow have a sound at once instantly identifiable and utterly generic.
• Peter Seeley 0 — I laughed.
• Edward James 0 — This is the only song that made me feel visceral hatred. Complete millenniall slop. Great pick. Given the paucity of upvotes though, going to go with others. 4th place
• Claire 0 — “Yeah this is pretty bad to me and I’d think to Joseph too.” -Fiona
• Brad Stalcup 0 — This is a whiny song, which Joseph wouldn't like. But musically I think he'd be okay with it. It's kinda interesting.
• judd.baker 0 — I have no doubt Joseph would hate this, but so would any reasonable person, so it doesn’t feel particularly inspired

• Edward James +1 — To me, this is the song that best encapsulates the feel of actually being at a diner at the perfect moment for all the possible emotions it can create. A calm early morning, late night, feeling all the humanity of the people around you radiating out in all their goodness and brokenness. Long live the diner.
• Regina Scime +1
• Sam Ary +1
• fionmul 0 — Fits enough
• Peter Seeley 0 — Good.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Pretty interesting in the moment but also forgettable
• Claire 0 — A close runner up for me but ultimately lost out bc it was the most normie of my top 4 contenders
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I can definitely imagine myself sipping coffee while this plays through the grainy speaker barely audible over local news.
• ared56 -1 —

• Brad Stalcup +1 — thematically and stylistically on point
• Sam Ary +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Cute! But absolutely not.
• fionmul 0 — Nah
• Peter Seeley 0 — Mmmmm.
• Edward James 0 — Guys…I don’t think they’re talking about food

• SamRobertsND +1 — I liked this a lot! Original and something Regina probably hasn't heard
• Claire +1 — Hell yeah. This is the song Regina would sing to clinch the South Bend Idol victory
• Regina Scime +1 — YES! 10 Jesus points to whoever found this. Fascinating intersection of classical and jazz… I had no idea this existed. Looks like I have some new music to learn! I shouted when the sax first came in and was mesmerized by it all the way through🥇
• fionmul 0 — This is cool but idk if it’s an “I love this” song for me personally or for me in persona Regina
• Edward James 0 — Regina might like this, but I didn’t really like it that much
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Ok, this is out there, I’ll give it that. Classical vocal noodling accompanied by upright bass is a bold choice. Regina either submitted this or she will think it an amusing if questionable novelty
• Spicey Riche 0 — Corey
• ared56 -1

• fionmul +1 — The voice is sort of percussive in a good way. Grew on me overall as I listened. I think she would like this a lot. I hope this is Sammy since the artist is Sammy and that would be cute.
• shea nowicki +1
• Spicey Riche +1 — Brad
• Sam Ary +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Utterly awful
• Claire 0 — The second I saw this song on the playlist I was like “yes I see the vision.” Like it strikes me as very squarely Reginacore. I also recognize that Reginacore != songs Regina would love. I do think she’d enjoy this but decided to vote for other songs that impressed me more.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — This song was really swell. 4th place.
• Regina Scime 0 — this song makes me want to move my hips💃 I liked that this song was last on the playlist, the last 2.5 minutes were gold:)
• Joseph Harvey -1 — Sorry, even if this is Regina’s favorite song ever I just cannot. Far worse than anything in songs I would hate, this hurts to listen to
• Peter Seeley -1

• Edward James +1 — I really enjoyed this one. Reminds me a bit of so are the songs that I remember Regina liking in earlier leagues.
• shea nowicki +1
• Regina Scime +1 — LOVE! Immediately adding to my morning playlist:) I’m a sucker for a background choir with a gospel feel🥈
• fionmul 0 — Reminds me of our Saturday seratonin playlist, Regina Adjacent to “say it’s alright” and sort of a 90s romcom opener Got beat but this is in my top 5
• SamRobertsND 0 — Best of the Motown bits
• Joseph Harvey 0 — In all honesty this deserves a vote but there aren’t enough. Regina would bop for sure
• Spicey Riche 0 — Joseph
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Great vocals, upbeat, catchy. I think Regina would dig this. Love the random elevator music break halfway through.
• Claire -1 — It was hard to pick a downvote this round bc none of the songs this round struck me as ones she’d dislike. This one just didn’t leave much of an impression on me, positive or negative

Peter Seeley: Notably NOT about the Edmund Fitzgerald.

• fionmul +1 — This is making me wish I had submitted an Irish or Scottish song sorta (I know this isn’t Irish but it’s folky) This is something like the songs my brothers play in the living room and just break your heart
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Stan is very good at this
• SamRobertsND +1
• Edward James 0 — Hadn’t heard this and it’s so good. I don’t think this is something that would make me cry, but did make me deeply reflective.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I should probably be more moved at the sinking of a ship, but It really didn't jerk any tears from my eyes.
• Regina Scime -1 — Sorry, maybe it’s because I’m a woman but I don’t really get it

shea nowicki: Sandy Hook survivors 💔

• fionmul +1 — Ok like 🥲🥲🥲 My desire to homeschool my kids just escalated I hope I never listen to this again
• ared56 +1
• SamRobertsND +1
• Edward James 0 — If I need the context to understand why this version should be sadder, I don’t think it works. Would’ve probably gotten me if it was the Israel Kamakawiwoʻole version.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — This song gets its emotional power from the backstory, and not really the song itself.
• Claire -1 — I feel like a terrible person downvoting this but I had planned to do so before I realized who was singing it. It just feels very twee to me

• Joseph Harvey +1 — This got a big laugh from me both times I listened. Great musical comedy, nice work Judd
• SamRobertsND +1
• Regina Scime +1
• fionmul 0 — Trying to figure out what they’re trying to say here. Like that it should exist ig? I’m wishing we had the Dr Pepper song in here
• Edward James 0 — YES Loved this. Would probably get a vote if we still had 4.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Minimum lyrics
• Peter Seeley -1 — Not bad , just less interesting than the other submissions. Though I did like whip crack at the beginning

ared56: The end of a heartfelt buddy comedy with Eddie and Judd as novice Jesuits completing their novice pilgrimage experiment from St. Louis to New Orleans. Comment your characters that you see from ML as it jumps to everyone they’ve met on the journey.

• SamRobertsND +1
• Peter Seeley +1
• Brad Stalcup +1 — Eddie and Judd are moving along the railroad on one of those hand crank railcarts for their last 38 miles toward the novitiate. Recovering Alcoholic Richard finishes his first round of an intended several at the bar and as he reaches into his wallet but finds his polaroid from those goons. Checks out his tab and stares up at the stars in wonder outside the bar. A picture of Eddie and Judd that they had taken with their polaroid falls out of an epicurean Regina's purse. She smiles as she remembers those holy fools and sends a text to cancel her morally questionable meetup later that day. Tech bro brad thinking about microdosing on LSD again this evening. AI generated recap of the week hits his inbox, with a verbal description of the polaroid. He goes looking for it, and finds something from his childhood along the way, and stops and thinks.
• fionmul 0 — I know people said to leave a description but this is too much for me
• Edward James 0 — I love this song. I have heard it before but not in ages and wow it's great. I love the vision. This would have been my 4th vote.
• Claire 0 — This was my honorable mention. Thematically it fits this very specific movie concept perfectly. I’m envisioning Mike Whitman appearing as many different characters who are not canonically related to one another whatsoever, but no one’s sure whether it’s just a bit or has some deep mystical significance
• Joseph Harvey 0 — I see the vision
• judd.baker 0 — I am picturing Peter Seeley appearing multiple times as different and seemingly unrelated characters encountered along the journey, without explanation
• Regina Scime -1 — I HATE that I’m downvoting this because I love the OP’s comment, but this one I think felt the least like an end credits song to me… In my mind, this is the song that’s playing during the montage of scenes in which Eddie and Judd are traveling and ministering.

• Peter Seeley +1
• Joseph Harvey +1 — Great somber ending to a film. Would leave thoughtful and wistful
• fionmul 0 — Something about the opening chords absolutely sells this for me
• Edward James 0 — So many good choices here, where the make sense but just get beat by others.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — "it was just like a movie" is an interesting line for a movie ending song. I like it.

• ared56 +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Richard came to ML to late to learn my appreciation of girl pop. There is (almost) nothing objectionable here
• fionmul 0 — “This is not that offensive” - Claire
• Edward James 0 — Joseph wouldn’t like this but he wouldn’t hate it
• Claire 0 — “This one seems mildly bad to me” -Fiona
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Eddie and I have danced to this song many times. Hard for me to imagine Joseph hating that.
• judd.baker 0 — Songs Joseph Would Feel Lukewarm About

• SamRobertsND +1 — I hated this but Regina would love it I think so have your upvote
• Brad Stalcup +1 — I'm not the biggest P&W fan typically, but this is just so great. This is good music.
• fionmul 0 — She may have heard this before so that’s my main critique but this is a great one
• Edward James 0 — Have they created Gen Z versions of the 1990s protestant Church lady? I really enjoyed this one.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Regina would love the lyrics of this if not the utter dearth of musical substance
• Claire 0 — This is really lovely and while it didn’t make my podium I do think she’d quite like it
• Regina Scime 0 — Shea😭😭😭 all I can say is “amen, hallelujah!”
• Spicey Riche -1 — Fiona

Regina Scime: 🇺🇸🫡🥺

• ared56 +1
• SamRobertsND +1
• fionmul 0 — If you had written a scenario in the comments I may have considered (Military coming home videos are one thing that makes me cry without fail)
• Peter Seeley 0 — 🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡😭
• Edward James -1 — I see the vision, but didn’t work for me. Strikes me as low effort.

• Peter Seeley +3
• Claire +1 — Not sure if anyone here knows the extent to which this musical and book formed young Claire. Still gets me. (Of course my immediate thought was “oooh I wonder why this person decided to submit the Patti lupone version” bc naturally I have many takes about various casts and recordings. But I recognize that it’s probably not that deep.)
• fionmul 0 — Good pull. The Anne Hathaway one might have been better for me personally.
• Edward James 0 — This is a great example of the subjective element. Over the last few years, I don’t think I’ve ever made it through the Anne Hathaway version from the movie without crying. But this did nothing for me.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I played in the pit orchestra for my high school's performance of Les Mis. Because they're laced with nostalgia and the general distress of moving from high school to college and the reflection that produces, these songs always have a disproportionate emotional effect on me. But objectively, this is one of the saddest songs ever written.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Just can’t get behind this performance
• Regina Scime 0 — This one gave me, Peter, Paul, and Mary vibes
• ared56 -1 — Not even a top 5 crying song in Les Mis 1. Finale 2. A little fall of rain 3. Empty Chairs at Empty Tables 4. Javert’s Suicide 5. What have I done
• Spicey Riche -1
• shea nowicki -1

Edward James: Also my runner-up for songs Regina would love

• Joseph Harvey +1 — This was hard to get through
• fionmul 0 — My high school voice teacher would play this 🥹
• Edward James 0 — The passage of time always gets me. Lord, what is man that you take notice of him; the son of man, that you think of him? Man is but a breath, his days are like a passing shadow.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I wrote this song off when I first started listening, but man it's a beautiful carpe diem song. Plus these days anything that mentions the meaningfulness of being a father is gonna get me.
• Claire 0 — Corny as hell but I do still have a soft spot in my heart for this. At my Catholic school in the early 2000s they often had the eighth graders sing this at graduation, along with Seasons of Love from Rent

• Sam Ary +1
• judd.baker +1 — I had forgotten this song existed and was delighted to hear it on this playlist. The catchiness factor is high which is essential I think in a good sub-2 minute song.
• fionmul 0 — Fun
• Edward James 0 — One of my potential submissions. The White Stripes seem to get less attention now than they deserve.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I know this song from the Weird Al Polka cover of it. Which I think I prefer.
• SamRobertsND -1

• fionmul +1 — 😌 This is the sort of thing my brothers will play in the living room and it sounds like home.
• Regina Scime +1
• shea nowicki +1
• Edward James 0 — Good songwriting but didn't grip me musically. Sorry Alex.
• Joseph Harvey -1 — Not under 2 minutes and also not good
• judd.baker -1 — I think the mark of a great 2-minute song is that it leaves you wanting more. This song does not leave me wanting more and so gets the downvote.

• ared56 +1
• fionmul 0 — Super mid // millennial round again // stomp clap slop
• Edward James 0 — You should know better

Regina Scime: I’ll leave you to create your own narrative for this movie…

• Claire +1 — This feels like the sort of song that will get picked for movie credits because of its vaguely uplifting energy and lyrics but which will never have commercial success beyond that. The band will probably still have some success on the county fair circuit. Maybe play a set at four winds field sponsored by ND idea week. A respectable read of the category
• judd.baker +1 — This song is steaming garbage but I am duty bound to admit that it’s a perfect submission. It practically conjures the end credits scene of an aggressively mid action/kids movie on its own, title cards bearing Ryan Reynolds’ and Jeff Bridges’ names careening by as it plays
• fionmul 0 — Sure but I just don’t like it
• Edward James 0 — End of a late entry fast and furious movie
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Sounds like it would play after a terrible marvel movie
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I don't think I really saw this as a strong movie ending, to be honest.
• Peter Seeley -1 — Non-descript.

• Peter Seeley +1
• Regina Scime +1 — Really loved this song🥰
• Edward James 0 — I really liked this one throughout, but by the end of the playlist had forgotten it entirely.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Not quite
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Not the ending you were hoping for, but the guy is okay with the girl walking away, and this plays.
• SamRobertsND -1

• Claire +1 — Dang I haven’t thought about this song in close to a decade but it still hits
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Wow, this is a journey. This would destroy a “warnings against hubris” category, but I don’t know if it fits here. Still, kind of profound
• Peter Seeley 0 — No.
• SamRobertsND -1 — Just doesn't have the right energy, sorry

• SamRobertsND +1
• Edward James +1 — I am voting for this because I think Joseph would hate it musically, not because of the content
• Joseph Harvey 0 — This song is a great moral lesson in not being led by your passions and earns its length with meaningful development and storytelling interest. The baseball interlude is clever. Some moments are downright theatrical and the vocals are great. What’s to hate?
• ared56 0 — Fun fact: went to a wedding last year of a good friend where the grooms family does a whole bit to this song at every family wedding. All the guys sing the guy part and the girls sing the girl park and they form ranks and sing at each other. It was incredible.
• fionmul 0 — “They sang this on Glee” - Claire “…praying for the end of the song to come” - Claire in the 8th minute
• Claire 0 — “This song is eight and a half fucking minutes” -Fiona
• Regina Scime 0 — If I were voting on what songs I liked, this song would get three upvotes!
• Peter Seeley -1 — Too normal
• Brad Stalcup -1 — Honestly, this is pretty up Joseph's alley (other than the subject matter). "Now I'm preaying for the end of time" is just such a hilarious line.

• Joseph Harvey +1 — This song is a total banger and also could quite plausibly play in a diner
• SamRobertsND 0 — Too hype for diner. Try again please!!
• fionmul 0 — 🤘🏼feeling motivated to cry less and rock more
• Peter Seeley 0 — Good.
• judd.baker 0 — Tempted, this is canonically diner-core I suppose, but it feels too obvious and honestly, how many times have you actually heard this at a diner?
• Edward James 0 — As mentioned above, definitely likely to be playing in a diner. Great submission, but not getting a vote for the reasons mentioned above.
• Regina Scime 0 — Not quite diner-core for me, but I love this song
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Goes a little too hard for diner core.
• shea nowicki -1

Sam Ary: Meet me at the diner at 8 tonight? We can split a meat pie ;)

• fionmul +1 — Yeah I like the retro ones. Almost went this route myself.
• SamRobertsND 0 — Would ghost this person at the diner
• Edward James 0 — Sorry for the treatise (that’s a lie. I’m not sorry.) this song to me makes me think of the faux 1950s/60s diners that seek to freeze forever in resin a specific time period in America so that they can hoover up the vast surplus wealth of the boomers. The 50s and 60s diner might be iconic, but the diner is a living breathing institution. When I hear this, it just makes me think of cashing in on real American culture.
• Peter Seeley -1 — Fits the genre. I just think it exemplifies the worst of the genre.

• ared56 +1
• Peter Seeley +1 — Yes.
• fionmul 0 — I’m guessing she knows this but ofc it’s great
• SamRobertsND 0 — I was there Gandalf when Joseph discovered the Octavists. No dice, Miata Man.
• Edward James 0 — Can’t really remember this one, but it sounded nice
• Spicey Riche 0 — Claire
• Regina Scime 0 — mmkay Joseph. Maybe this is mean, but I feel like you just picked the choral music that you like👀 don’t get me wrong, I love Eastern/Orthodox choral music, but I’m pretty sure you’ve sent this song to me before lol
• Sam Ary -1 — Too basic
• Brad Stalcup -1 — Didn't really get into this one the way I did with the other choral piece. Felt like this one didn't stand out. Sorry, had to give one downvote.

• Sam Ary +1
• fionmul 0 — Mmm lake street drive is a good shout I liked this and I think she would too but ultimately got mogged *insert complaint about amount of votes*
• SamRobertsND 0 — Terrible
• Edward James 0 — I’m guessing this is one of the two that Regina has heard before
• Spicey Riche 0 — Sam
• Regina Scime 0 — love Lake Street Dive, spot on! Lots of vocal talent here, and I love their love songs and such because they’re not basic texts haha, they always make it a little interesting:) HORNS
• shea nowicki -1

• Joseph Harvey +1 — Everything you want in a short song. Amusing concept that doesn’t overstay its welcome
• Claire +1 — This song is way too catchy for its own good
• fionmul 0 — Might become my top song of the year (if you listened thrice it’s still under the time limit) Wish I could vote for my own I just love this song Sometimes I play it to get myself out of bed
• Edward James 0 — I really enjoyed this but novelty wasn't enough to make the leaderboard.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — So catchy
• Regina Scime -1 — Uncomf
• Sam Ary -1

• Joseph Harvey +1 — Cute ending to a phenomenal album
• shea nowicki +1
• fionmul 0 — This isn’t even the best Beatles submission so that’s what’s tough here
• Edward James 0 — Love this, just missed a vote. Paul at his most powerful, just forcing everyone to accept his grandma music.
• judd.baker 0 — Who did you bribe at Spotify HQ to make this the last song on the playlist
• ared56 -1
• Claire -1 — I just feel like it makes sense to downvote my least favorite of the three Beatles submissions. Sorry y’all

• judd.baker +1 — Initially I was gonna pass this one over because it takes too long for the hook to arrive, I think an essential feature of the end credits track is that the hook drops in exactly with the fade to black; too much build up ruins it. However I realized many other submissions did something similar, as though the final scene plays through the first 30 seconds or so and the fade to black drops in at like 0:39. Graded on that curve, this becomes one of the standouts I think
• Regina Scime +1 — I don’t think I’ve ever listened to an entire song of The Who… I really enjoyed this!
• fionmul 0 — I lowkey hear this more as the beginning of a movie
• Joseph Harvey 0 — I can’t picture when it would cut to black in this song. Intro is way too long
• ared56 -1
• Edward James -1 — I think this would be a better movie opener. Playing as the narrator voice lays out the context and the characters move about their average day. I downvote ONLY because of all the songs it's the only one where I thought "I don't see it".

• fionmul +1 — I mean yeah
• Edward James 0 — Thank you based Steve Harrington
• Joseph Harvey 0 — The beginning of this just wouldn’t work in a film. But there is something really sweet about this!
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I could see this coming more
• Claire -1 — I am kind of obsessed with this song. Was in Chicago last week and thought to myself "it's crazy how accurately Djo was able to capture what I'm feeling right now in a song." That being said, while I see how musically this has kind of a “roll credits” sound, I feel like lyrically/emotionally it’s something that’s not quite an end of movie feeling. It’s not an optimistic “new beginning” feeling, nor is it a poignant tragic feeling, so much as a melancholy but ultimately peaceful reflective feeling. Idk. A long winded way of saying I love the song but it didn’t feel right for the prompt

• ared56 +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Takes me back to middle school swimming carpool. Picture 13 yo Joseph hearing this before putting in his earbuds and listening to Milo Xyloto for the 300th time on his lime green iPod Nano
• fionmul 0 — I specifically was thinking Eddie would appreciate this; hope I’m right
• Peter Seeley 0 — No.
• Claire 0 — I absolutely got down to this song in 2012. It’s fun but it just didn’t perfectly hit the theme for me (also Carly you’re telling me you’ve dropped 2 phones in the pool? Or dropped the same phone twice? You good girl?)
• Brad Stalcup -1 — Owl City's voice sounds he doesn't even know what a good time is like.
• Sam Ary -1

• Joseph Harvey 0 — Genres I don’t usually listen to != songs I hate. This is nice enough and the super strong accent makes it interesting. Would happily spin again
• fionmul 0 — “People forget Joseph has a soft spot for Irish music. And as you know, I’m the authority on songs joseph would love” - Claire
• Edward James 0 — Nah
• Claire 0 — “Joseph wishes he could shred acoustic like this” “If Joseph upvotes this he hates the Irish people” People forget that Joseph does indeed enjoy a good Irish tune every now and then… -CM
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I think Joseph would love this song, except for the lyrics.
• judd.baker 0 — I’m not convinced Joseph would actually hate this song, but I am pleased to see the Catholic Worker Songbook represented among submissions
• SamRobertsND -1

• ared56 +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — This is a well done pop song, memorable if quite basic, and brings back swimming carpool memories. No hate
• fionmul 0 — “If you and I sang this at karaoke at the hangar, Joseph would bob his head” - Claire
• Edward James 0 — This song is like a millennial sleeper agent activation. It’s just so good. You can only imagine how must play this got in Tucson lol. I don’t think Joseph would like it, but he also wouldn’t hate it.
• Claire 0 — “I appreciate that this is the only other person who acknowledged his pop dislike” -Fiona
• judd.baker 0 — yawn
• Regina Scime -1 — Sometimes I think “yeah Joseph doesn’t like basic pop” but he likes Coldplay and Taylor Swift, so I don’t know what’s what anymore
• shea nowicki -1 — Feels slightly too common of a song to be an intense hatred. But perhaps... right on the mark for that reason?

• SamRobertsND +1 — Really deserves all three votes but I can't justify that with only 3 to spare
• ared56 0 — Pure Michigan.
• Peter Seeley 0 — I still don't see what this has to do with the band.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Cool but not a great fit
• judd.baker 0 — This would be a title winning submission if we were playing a game called Poem League
• Claire 0 — Respect the unorthodox read of the category and it’s a cool track but with a paucity of upvotes it didn’t quite make the podium
• Edward James 0 — "And they hadn't noticed the magic."
• fionmul -1 — …no
• Brad Stalcup -1 — This is music league not monologue league

• shea nowicki +1
• SamRobertsND 0 — Annoying as hell
• Joseph Harvey 0 — A little stomp clap stomp for Regina
• Claire 0 — I think she’d probably like it? But didn’t stand out enough to make podium for me
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Loved the trumpet solo
• Regina Scime 0 — this taps into my slight delight with millennial songs… I liked it, it just wasn’t up there for me
• fionmul -1 — The intro is sorta broadway to me in a good way and then he pronounced “lady” that way and it ruined it I think Regina would be less annoyed than I but wouldn’t dig the voice either
• Edward James -1 — The people singing this song make it sound like they have never actually felt this emotion

• Spicey Riche +1 — Alex
• fionmul 0 — Aww meet the robinsons. Lowkey this could be her but imma not vote for it since I liked some others better and I think she’s the J-Hud one.
• Edward James 0 — Alex, I applaud and respect you for this
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Lead guitar sounds like a ripoff of The Edge from U2
• Claire 0 — Classic movie, great song. Definitely got me feeling a lil sentimental. But I don’t have a strong intuition as to whether Regina would like this
• Brad Stalcup 0 — This song feels like high school nostalgia.
• SamRobertsND -1 — Alex thinks this is revenge for downvoting Chicago, and it probably is on some level, but I also think his caricature of Regina's taste here is horribly misguided. Jimmy Ruffin or something would've been more obvious. The real crime is that Alex didn't honor her heritage and submit Kid Rock.
• Regina Scime -1 — ok so I don’t think I’ve ever actually watched this movie. I didn’t dislike this song, but it didn’t really leave an impression. Now that I think about it, is this supposed to be a short joke…

• fionmul 0 — I see the vision but idk if this would ever make me choke up
• Edward James 0 — Doesn’t do it for me, sorry.
• Claire 0 — Even if it’s not a song that’s been submitted before, Sufjan feels obvious and a bit tired for this round, sorry (and to be clear I LOVE him and this song and album)
• Brad Stalcup -1 — Too hard to decipher. Sorry.

judd.baker: This song is the backing track to my parent’s divorce in my musical imaginary, so it might not have the same effect on everybody, but something about the just-faintly-hopeful instrumentation and the sad lyrics really does it to me

• fionmul 0 — Not gonna do it for me but I didn’t dislike
• Edward James 0 — Extremely Judd coded. Again, I see the vision, but this seems like a song that would have to be dripping in subjective meaning/association. I liked it a lot though!
• Brad Stalcup 0 — kinda had a hard time deciphering the meaning of this one. Tear-jerkery was sorely hindered as a result.
• Claire 0 — As the token diy/emo enjoyer in this chat I feel like I ought to vote for this, and to be clear I do enjoy this song, but it just didn’t get me nearly as much as many other emo songs I wish I could have submitted (but which would not have been well received)
• Peter Seeley -1 — The lyrics were too mumbly too understand

Sam Ary: 🫡

• Claire +1 — The punk genre is where the sub-2-minute song was really mastered
• Joseph Harvey 0 — I know this is what people think my music taste sounds like, but I hate this quite a bit
• fionmul 0 — I see what you did here If I downvote I look like a nazi supporter Tempting but I relent
• Peter Seeley 0 — This needs an Animaniacs inspired music video
• Edward James 0 — Sorry Judd, you should know this is not a safe space for libbing out And if this is Fiona, as the emoji might indicate, you should know it too
• judd.baker 0 — So true
• Brad Stalcup -1 — Least subtle song of all time. Don't get me wrong I'm not a fan of Nazi Punks, but I'm really glad this song was only a minute long.
• shea nowicki -1

Joseph Harvey: I once used someone’s extra Touchtunes points to play this at a restaurant

• SamRobertsND +1 — Probably a lot of Kitchenette customers like this so it works
• fionmul 0 — Love you but no. And no I didn’t listen to the entire thing.
• Peter Seeley 0 — I like to imagine some modern Phillip Neri had you submit this song as a penance for your vainglory. As the musical scapegoat, you will attract all the downvotes. But I refuse to give you that satisfaction.
• judd.baker 0 — I was sweeping and mopping my apartment while listening to this and it’s unexpectedly a vibe
• Claire 0 — Joseph this is a beautiful story but it didn’t make my top 3 sorry :(
• Brad Stalcup 0 — I could imagine the one highschooler who works in the kitchen playing this. Also I'm not sure I'd patronize a diner that has touchtunes.
• Spicey Riche -1
• Edward James -1 — Joseph, I would be tempted to vote for this if it was a meta critique on the fact that the working class people of America most likely to frequent the remaining real diners might actually be more drawn to this type of music. But I feel like you just wanted to submit it lol
• Regina Scime -1

Peter Seeley: I have no idea what this category is supposed to mean

• ared56 +1 — This song demonstrates diner supremacy. Only thing it messes up is that Denny’s would 100% make him that cheeseburger. Love “Love songs with Mr. Lundt”
• Spicey Riche +1
• Brad Stalcup +1 — A very nice pick. Definitely shows the devotion of a man to his local diner. Well done.
• fionmul 0 — I want to vote for it but I was taking it more seriously and I dont think I’d actually hear this at a diner
• Edward James 0 — This is a runner-up for sure. I haven’t heard this in at least 10 years, and I forgot how good it actually is.
• SamRobertsND -1 — Awful submission. Also adulting legitimation of VeggieTales needs to stop.
• Joseph Harvey -1 — I would hate to have to hear this while eating
• judd.baker -1 — The diner is the villain in this song
• Claire -1 — With apologies to the person who submitted this: I would not want to listen to this song at a diner
• Sam Ary -1

• shea nowicki +1
• Edward James 0 — Richard, I respect you. One of my potential choices was Indian Sunset by Elton John. Would’ve been great if we had two songs about Native Americans written by Europeans.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Tells an awful tale, but doesn't really jerk any tears for me.
• Peter Seeley 0 — I like this. Some what.
• fionmul -1 — The sound needs to match the lyrics for me this round
• Joseph Harvey -1
• SamRobertsND -1

• Edward James 0 — Middle of the pack for me, but a good choice.
• Joseph Harvey 0 — Sorry Peter, I’m not crazy about this
• judd.baker 0 — I enjoyed this
• Brad Stalcup -1 — This was the hardest sell as a movie closer.
• shea nowicki -1

• shea nowicki +1
• Edward James 0 — This would work, but not the most compelling for me.
• Brad Stalcup 0 — This song seems so weak when I listen to the others. Good job guys.
• fionmul -1
• Joseph Harvey -1
• judd.baker -1 — One of my all time favorite songs, but this has more of a beginning than an ending feel to me

Regina Scime: sorry not sorry, trying to play the game

• Sam Ary +1
• Joseph Harvey 0 — This is not a song I enjoy listening to, but that’s the whole point. It accomplishes its goal absolutely perfectly. I prefer more order with my dissonance, but there is a (limited) place for stuff like this.
• ared56 0 — Shelob
• Brad Stalcup 0 — Joseph would hate this song, but basically everybody else would too.
• fionmul -1 — “I respect this artistically and I can’t say the same for all of the songs on this list” - Claire I’m downvoting because I think Joseph might think it’s cool and most of these songs are mid to me. I’d listen to this again highkey.
• Edward James -1 — No
• Claire -1 — “This is what it would sound like for me to be drugged by the fear drug in Batman Begins” “Lowkey I’m having a better listening experience than I did with meatloaf” “(Joseph) likes screaming, remember?” (at the end) “I’m kind of sad that we’re going to listen to something else now” -Fiona Downvoting bc I feel like Joseph will respect this artistically in a way he wouldn’t with other songs -CM
• judd.baker -1 — This is awesome. Why would Joseph hate this