Ah, Labor Day weekend — that three-day stretch where we celebrate summer’s eventual end, anticipate the start of school and relax at a get-together. But have you thought about which tunes to play if you’re the one throwing the party? With the HEOS hi-fi wireless sound system, these go-to tracks are sure to put everyone in great spirits as they hear every note throughout and around your home.
Guaranteed Crowd Pleasers
There are certain songs that just about everyone is guaranteed to love, particularly as themes for the last embers of summer's fire. Consider these examples:
Bruce Springsteen, "Born to Run" and "Glory Days:" It's impossible to go wrong with The Boss in rotation because of his mass appeal to multiple generations. The former track is a rock anthem of undeniable defiance, while the latter pays wonderful tribute to days gone by.
Earth, Wind & Fire, "September:" Although Labor Day precedes this song's reference to "the 21st night of September," it's still a wonderful, dance-inducing soul classic about the persistence of love.
Oasis, "Champagne Supernova" and Blur, "Tender:" A perfect Britpop one-two punch that'll be ideal near the end of the night.
Aretha Franklin, "Respect:" The Queen of Soul's music will live forever as the deep wellspring that represents everything we love about music. Aretha Franklin gave us dozens of classics, but this in particular truly resonates, especially for those headed back to school — a reminder they ought to be courteous to all.
The Jackson 5, "I Want You Back:" It’s an impossible-to-dislike soul tune. Clean, driving rhythm guitar. Elevated percussive thrills. Intentional keys. Young Michael singing like everything’s on the line. You’ll want another chance to listen after it’s over. In this case, it’s okay to push repeat.
Hot New Hits
Most likely, people won't want to listen to classics the whole time. So, let's check out a few more recent tracks that should hit the spot, many currently on the Billboard 100.
Cardi B, "I Like It:" A clever interpolation on Pete Rodriguez's boogaloo (soul-mambo fusion) hit "I Like It Like That" by the reigning queen of New York hip-hop.
Drake, "Nice For What:" Toronto rapper, singer (and extremely vocal fan of his hometown Raptors) Drake goes for a '90s throwback sound on this homage to independent women.
Ariana Grande, "No Tears Left to Cry:" An upbeat pop anthem full of hope for the future —romantic and otherwise.
Teyana Taylor, "Issues/Hold On:" Listeners might ask when this moving R&B torch song came out. Despite the vintage (and beautiful) sound, it's a 2018 tune. (Her entire new album K.T.S.E. is well worth adding to your playlist for this reason.)
Florence + the Machine, "Hunger:" A piano-based rocker anchored by Florence Welch's world-shaker of a voice.
The Carters, "Summer:" Beyonce and Jay-Z reunited sounds so good, as evidenced by this reggae-influenced mid-tempo duet of rejuvenated love.
Kacey Musgraves, "High Horse:" Musgraves is one of modern country's premier stars, and the highly danceable "High Horse" will even appeal to those who might not consider themselves an overall fan of the genre.
These examples are but a speck in the musical universe you can choose from when making your Labor Day party playlist, and you certainly shouldn't feel limited to them. But if you're having trouble deciding, you'd do well to start with these songs as your baseline. They'll sound immaculate on your HEOS system, and it's easy to change musical lanes at any time using the accompanying HEOS app.
