David Byrne has shared a new playlist on his website on Wednesday called “David Byrne Presents: Pop Music.
The 30-track playlist features Carly Rae Jepsen, Childish Gambino, Rihanna, The Weeknd, Drake, Grimes, Justin Bieber, Migos, Selena Gomez, who sampled Talking Heads on “Bad Liar,” which appears on the list. In an accompanying post on his website, Byrne explained that the list includes current and older songs and is the result of a longtime accumulation of “total earworms for me.”
Byrne also included Selena Gomez‘s recent track ‘Bad Liar’ which sampled the Talking Heads track 1977 single ‘Psycho Killer.’
“In my world, certain people look down their noses at pop music. I believe they consider it inauthentic, pandering, manufactured and lacking any intention other than being a ‘hit.’ Much of that is true, but of course there are many exceptions—great songs that speak to their times and also become hits,” he writes on his site in an essay setting up a 31-track list that includes pop nuggets from Post Malone (“I Fall Apart”), Sam Smith (“Stay With Me”), Skrillex and Diplo (feat. Justin Bieber) (“Where Are Ü Now”), Britney Spears (“How I Roll”), Drake (“Hotline Bling”), Sia (“Chandelier”), Carly Rae Jepsen (“Call Me Maybe”), Halsey (“Bad at Love”), Camila Cabello (“Havana”), Rihanna (“FourFiveSeconds”) and Selena Gomez (“Hands to Myself”), among others.
In an accompanying post to the playlist, Byrne explained his picks. “Though the sounds and styles vary, I’d say that one has to admire the skill and craft involved in the creation of these hooks, the incremental dribbling out of little surprises and the production that holds your attention,” he wrote.
Byrne is currently on tour after the release of his album American Utopia. On Sunday, he closed out his performance in New Orleans with a rendition of Janelle Monáe’s “Hell You Talmbout” after explaining that she gave him her full permission to do so. Her song with Grimes, “Venus Fly,” appears on the playlist. Listen below.
> Shiuly Rina
David Byrne Shared a ‘Pop Music’ Playlist Which Includes Rihanna, Grimes, Justin Bieber and More
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