10 Current Favorite Songs

Hi, I'm Stellar, and welcome to Stellar in Neverland! At the end of last week's post, I stated:

"I'm going to do something different. Not necessarily the topic, but the format and theme are unlike anything I’ve ever done on here."

What was that something different? Well, the 60th Grammy Awards were on Sunday, January 28, 2018. And I watched them, because I like watching music award shows. They're fun to watch because I don't really care about the awards themselves, I just like watching all the performances. However, there was one award snub this year above all else that just made me angry. In the Best Pop Solo Performance category, "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran beat out "Million Reasons" by Lady Gaga, "What About Us" by Pink, "Love So Soft" by Kelly Clarkson, and most disappointingly, "Praying" by Kesha. My intention for last week's post was to write an essay about why Kesha deserved the Grammy. I wanted to write about how with all the sexual assault cases in the past year, it would've been symbolic to see a song that is very clearly about overcoming those tragic events win the award. I wanted to write about how the Grammys' choosing of the ONE male nominee in the category (with a mediocre song and performance, I might add) over four unbelievably talented women with amazing performances feels sexist. I wanted to write about how unjust it is that a song about a woman surviving truly despicable circumstances and becoming a better person because of them lost to a song where Ed Sheeran sings about hooking up with a girl over the beat to "Cheap Thrills" by Sia. But then I decided it probably wasn't a good idea, because I don't see myself as a thinkpiece writer. If I wrote that post, I would be talking about some really touchy subjects, and I would probably say something stupid that I'd regret. Besides, there are plenty of other thinkpieces on the Internet about Kesha's Grammy robbery and how the Grammys are sexist, so if you want to, read some of those:

Why Kesha Should Have Won the "Best Pop Vocal Performance" Grammy
Women in music deserve more than a forgettable #MeToo moment at the Grammys
All The Times Women Were Robbed Of Awards They Deserved At The 2018 Grammys

So, now that y'all know I'm not writing a thinkpiece...what AM I doing? Taking the simple route and writing about 10 songs I love at the moment. Think of this as a sequel to the Fall 2017 Playlist, with one big difference. The previous playlist focused a lot on "these songs remind me of fall!", but this one is just a bunch of songs I really like listening to at the moment. These aren't really in any particular order, it's just a list of 10 songs I've been obsessed with lately.

How I feel about these songs...

1. "Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B
I said this list wasn't really in any order, but this one is first because it would be number one if I were properly ranking them. The "Finesse" remix has been in my life for less than two weeks, but in the brief period of time I've known it,  I've probably listened to it fifty times. I've actually never listened to the original, but I know it can't compare to the remix, which is so much fun. The beat is a jamming throwback to '90s hip-hop and Bruno and Cardi are just so charismatic and have so much personality. I can already tell I'll get sick of it at some point, but for now, I can easily say that "Finesse" is my favorite song.
2. "LOVE." by Kendrick Lamar ft. Zacari
I discovered this song from another post I did, the Songs That Deserve More Recognition post from a few weeks ago. Despite there being other songs in that list that got higher scores, this is the one I've come back to most thus far. It's unlike most rap songs I've heard because it is one of the few I would genuinely describe as pretty. It's softer in tone and style than a lot of Kendrick's other stuff, making it a good pick for someone who doesn't like rap but maybe wants to try it. Plus it's just catchy. I've had this song in my head for hours at a time but I'm not complaining. Also in that previously linked post, I said it wasn't as good as "HUMBLE.", which I take back. I mean, "HUMBLE." is still great, but I think I've gotten sick of it. I prefer "LOVE." to "HUMBLE.", but it's not my favorite Kendrick song. That honor goes to...
3. "DNA." by Kendrick Lamar
This one! I had heard about this song in the past, but never fully listened to it until late last year when I was doing a school project. Ever since then, I've had it on repeat. It's a complete banger with not one, but two beats, both of which are insane. The part when the beat switches up made my jaw drop the first time I heard it. It's a banger, but it's actually not mindless rap cliches. In this song, Kendrick talks about how he's proud of his black heritage, and his flow (especially in the second half) is angry and extremely impressive. Part of me wants to learn all the words, but then I realize that I am way too white to do that. Also fun fact: Kendrick performed this at the Grammys, and he opened up the whole thing. My brother told me the Grammys started at 6:30, but I was just like "no, they start at 7, that's just the red carpet preshow!" I turn on the Grammys at 7, only to realize that I missed the first half hour! I went to see if I missed anything, and I saw that I missed the performance of this song, and I was pissed.
4. "Redbone" by Childish Gambino
If you've read my blog for a while, you're probably thinking, "Stellar, this song's been out forever, and you've already talked about it so many times! Why is it here?" *sigh* It is on here because of an Apple commercial. Apple's released a few commercials for their iPhone X and its Animoji feature recently, and they all feature Animojis lip-synching to various songs. I first saw the "Alien" ad, which shows the emojis mouthing along to "Redbone", during the Grammys, and I immediately became obsessed. I have watched this commercial so many times it's not funny. It's just SO CUTE. Plus the song is still a jam and probably always will be. STAY WOKE.
5. "Mercy" by Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T, and 2 Chainz
Most of the songs on this list are relatively recent, having been released within the past year. This song was released in 2012, making it the big exception. It's not like this song is super-current, but I've been listening to it quite a bit as of late. I feel like a lot of people wouldn't expect me to be into rap like this, but I'm full of surprises. It's a complete banger that just goes hard every time you listen to it, and despite being over five minutes long, it can keep my attention for its entire runtime. I've gone on quite a few long car trips over the past few months, and I always listen to this song for some reason.
6. "Rockstar" by Post Malone ft. 21 Savage

I know this song's been out for quite a while now and its popularity is starting to fade, but I still like it. I feel like I should hate this song considering that I’ve criticized many songs like it for being boring and generic and the lyrics glamorize doing illegal drugs and shooting up people. Hell, I don’t even know why it’s called “Rockstar” when it’s a trap song with no guitars to be found. But that hook, man. I’ve caught myself singing it to myself on numerous occasions because of how catchy and addictive it is. I also really like when 21 Savage says "They like, 'Savage, why you got a twelve car garage when you only got six cars?'" I just find that hilarious for some reason.

7. "Young, Dumb, and Broke" by Khalid
My birthday's coming up in a few weeks, and for my birthday post, I'm going to describe myself in 16 songs, seeing that I'm turning 16. I bring this up because I am absolutely putting this song on there. The title just describes me so well! Of course, I do love the song itself. I know Khalid is really popular with some of my classmates and even though I've only heard a few songs, I feel comfortable in saying he's worth the hype. His music is chill, laid-back, and relatable, and his voice is so unique and deep. The message of "Young, Dumb, and Broke" basically narrows down to YOLO, but it basically sums up the feelings of your average teen. I first listened to this song late at night on the way home from a long car ride, and I liked it instantly.
8. "Quit" by Cashmere Cat ft. Ariana Grande
I discovered this song because it was in the same playlist as "LOVE." I've actually only listened to it a few times, but I felt it was worth mentioning because I discovered it in the same time period as some other songs on this list. I went more in-depth in that post, but I'll briefly summarize what I said there. "Quit" is a stunning collaboration between my favorite singer and a producer who always seems to bring out the best in her. Ariana sounds gorgeous on this somber EDM ballad about a love she can't let go of, and Cashmere Cat's production is complex and works well with her pretty vocals. Although my play count on this song is low, I predict it will rise over time.
9. "New Rules" by Dua Lipa
I actually planned on putting this on the Fall playlist, but I think I ended up choosing "Havana" by Camila Cabello instead. I still love "Havana", but at the moment, I think I like "New Rules" more. Dua Lipa’s US breakthrough hit is a really catchy banger that I think will be remembered for years to come. Hopefully this is just the start of a long-lasting career for her, because she’s got a unique voice and personality, as well as some excellent pop music from what I’ve heard of it. Also, “if you’re under him, you ain’t getting over him” is one of those lyrics that takes a little bit to get, but is really clever when it hits you.
10. "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran
One of the reasons why I didn't want to do the Kesha thinkpiece was because I might say something that would make it sound like I don't like Ed Sheeran. I mean, I think "Shape of You" is an overrated song that didn't deserve the Grammy, but Ed's got some good songs, like "Perfect". At first I thought this one was just a knockoff of "Thinking Out Loud", but upon repeated listens, I realized that I liked it more than I've ever liked "Thinking Out Loud". It's adorable. The lyrics are so cute and the way Ed sings is so sincere, and the entire song just feels cozy. More than any song on this list, this song reminds me of winter and snuggling by the fire, but that's probably just because of the music video.

So there you have it: ten songs I really like at the moment. This probably isn't my best post, but hey! I can't be great all the time! Next week's post is the second installment of The Stellar Adventures of Catalina in Neverland, my original series of short stories. It's going to be posted on Valentine's Day, and while it won't be a straight-up Valentine's Day special, I do think it will be fitting for the occasion. I'm Stellar in Neverland, and I'll see you then. Peace!

Stellar

Favorite Book Covers *ft. my friend Nike*

Hi, I’m Stellar, and welcome to Stellar in Neverland! I’m very excited, because today we have a very special guest...my friend Nike! Nike has been one of my best friends for quite a while now. We have a lot of similar interests, like reading and writing, and we share many of the same views on various topics. We also wrote on the Brick Wall Blog together back in middle school, but I’m not going to reveal which pen name was hers. It’s a pleasure to have her back on Blogger, if only for one single post. (Also: the name Nike is obviously another pen name, and it’s a reference to an old nickname she had in middle school. Although it would be pretty cool if her real birth name was Nike…)

Nike let me add her Bitmoji because, like, half of my Snapchat buddies have almost identical-looking ones so you really can't tell what she looks like based off of it.

Today we’re going to talk about some of our favorite book covers, because we both have loved books for our entire lives. The idea for this post came when we had a conversation at school about book covers we liked and disliked. I had wanted to collab with Nike on here for a while, and when she finally had time, I knew this was the perfect topic. They say you can’t judge a book by it’s cover, and while the metaphorical meaning of that expression is true, we do have to admit: a great, eye-catching cover can make all the difference in whether we decide to read a book or not. We like all of the books we chose for this list as stories, but we might not have read them if their covers weren’t as awesome as they are. Each of us will pick five covers, and warning: we have pretty different tastes in art, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Even if you disagree with our picks, we hope you find what we have to say interesting.

Nike’s First Pick: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone is Leigh Bardugo’s first novel and the beginning of the Grisha Trilogy. This is one of my favorite series and my favorite cover from the series. Everything on the cover (including the title, unlike the other books in trilogy) is fitting for the actual contents of the novel. Both shadows and bones are incredibly relevant to the plot of the novel, and the building in Russian architecture is reminiscent of Ravkan architecture. What’s most beautiful about this cover is how discreet both the shadows and the bones, or antlers, are. At first glance, it’s just a fancy design, but the almost whimsical curves are more than they may seem.

Stellar’s First Pick: The Elite by Kiera Cass

My first pick is the second book in Kiera Cass’s The Selection series, The Elite. Not only is the series one of my all-time favorites, but all of the covers are gorgeous as well. They all look very similar, featuring beautiful girls wearing beautiful gowns in various shades, so I struggled to choose just one cover. But in the end, I chose The Elite because I just love that red color. It stands out from the rest of the covers, and the gown the girl (who is supposed to resemble America, the protagonist of the series) is wearing is magnificent.

Nike’s Second Pick: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

The cover for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has always been my favorite. The color scheme of the greens and golds and black are wonderfully complementary of each other. I just noticed recently that the three people behind Harry are the other three wizards in the Tri-Wizard tournament, although I have no idea who I used to think they were. The dragon tail, golden egg, and greenery give a thinly veiled and aesthetically pleasing hint toward the plot, which I really enjoy.

Stellar’s Second Pick: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Everything Everything is the debut novel by Nicola Yoon, and it was made into a movie recently. I haven’t seen the movie, but I adore the book and its cover. The cover on this thing is truly a work of art. I like how the top half is minimalist, but it’s contrasted with the insanely detailed bottom half. I love how the things on the bottom half do have prominent roles in the book (such as the airplane and sea creatures) and don’t just serve as eye candy. You notice something different every time you look at the bottom half, and I also find the bright colors really eye-catching. It’s just a gorgeous, intricate cover.

Nike’s Third Pick: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

This is the British version of the cover for Heir of Fire, which I prefer over the American version. The color scheme of the greens, blues, and blue-greens are more fitting for the whites and grays of Celana and her armor. The white combined with Celana’s greens is more fitting for the themes of this installment in Celana’s story. They highlight the themes of rebirth so prevalent throughout the novel. Not to mention, the artist wonderfully captures two different sides of Celana in their incredible art style.

Stellar’s Third Pick: The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

This one is different from the other covers on my list. The other covers are bright, vibrant, and mostly minimalist, but this one is the opposite. The Percy Jackson series will always be a favorite of mine, and even though the official artwork for the characters is pretty bad...

Jesus Christ, why does Nico di Angelo look so derpy?

...the covers of the books are really cool. I chose The Last Olympian because I just love how dark and intimidating it looks. The silhouette of Percy holding his sword and riding his pegasus Blackjack in front of the Empire State Building is something that instantly sticks in the brain because of how epic and menacing it looks. I also like the color scheme, which is fitting considering the actual book is pretty dark. Plus, the book itself happens to be my favorite in the series.

Nike’s Fourth Pick: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

The most aesthetically pleasing part of the cover for Crooked Kingdom is how seamlessly the feathers of the crow and the edges of the buildings fit together. My personal favorite part of the cover is how the very bottom building is not-so-discreetly a crown, a perfect fit for the characters who rule the city of Ketterdam. The red splatters of blood are also a nice touch.

Stellar’s Fourth Pick: Paper Towns by John Green

John Green is my favorite author, and while I like most of his books’ covers, Paper Towns is the only one I really love. There are quite a few different covers you can find of this book, but the one above is the one I’m talking about. It’s so simple and minimal, but it really captures the essence of the book. It features a pushpin on a map, which is a nod to the themes of exploration and road-tripping in the story. I also feel like it’s sort of quirky in a way, and pretty much every Green book has its quirks. I don’t really know how to describe why I like it so much, but I think it’s a cool cover.

Nike’s Fifth Pick: The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

This cover is so splendidly beautiful, what with the blues and blacks to fit with a winter theme. The Raven King cover is tastefully crafted with its fine brush strokes. I was so amazed the first time I ever saw this cover that I gasped. The blue aura to the deer and the ravens in the background capture the utter magic of this novel and this series. Aside from the great art, the format of author name and the title of the book are unlike any I’ve ever seen, but I prefer this format, what with the title in the corner, over the traditional spanning across the bottom.

Stellar’s Fifth Pick: Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door, and Isla and the Happily Ever After, all by Stephanie Perkins

I know I’m cheating by picking three covers for one spot, but they’re all in the same series and I couldn’t decide which one I liked more so I decided “Screw it, I’ll put them ALL on!” Both of us LOVE this series wholeheartedly (although we both agree that Isla was the weakest of the bunch), and we both happen to really like these covers. (Side note, the original covers are way worse.)

Anna's looks like an ad for a cheesy dating website, and Lola's face on her cover is terrifying.

The covers I chose all match the books by having faded pictures of each city the books take place in (Paris, San Francisco, and New York, respectively), and they have my three favorite colors on them. These covers are simple, but they’re basically my personal aesthetic and if I ever write a book, I’m getting the person who designed them to make the cover.

That’s all we have for now! What’s your favorite book cover? Don’t be afraid to comment it below. Next week, it’s just me, Stellar, and I’m going to do something different. Not necessarily the topic, but the format and theme are unlike anything I’ve ever done on here. I’d like to thank Nike for kindly featuring on here, as well as you, the reader, for reading! I’m Stellar in Neverland, and I’ll see you next Wednesday. Peace!

Stellar

My Top 20 Favorite Panic! At The Disco Songs

Hi, I’m Stellar, and welcome to Stellar in Neverland! I was planning on doing a collaboration this week, but things didn’t work out, so what do I have? Funny story, actually, because I was actually planning on doing this post at some point in the future, but not this soon. My original plan for this week if the collab didn’t work was to review the latest Kidz Bop album, entirely for the sake of comedy and irony. But last week, I said I would temporarily abstain from doing First Impressions posts, and I wanted to keep that promise for more than a week. Besides, I was home alone on Saturday and listening to a bunch of old Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, and Twenty One Pilots songs, reminiscing about my emo phase from two years ago. This got me into the mood to talk about my favorite Panic! At The Disco songs of all time. I know it would make more sense to list my favorite Fall Out Boy songs since they just dropped a new album, but I decided to talk about Panic! instead because it was easier for me. I’ve had this list relatively planned out for quite some time now, but I’d have to re-listen to a bunch of Fall Out Boy songs and put them in order for the post. So without further ado, here are my Top 20 Favorite Panic! At The Disco Songs. Remember, this is based solely off of MY opinion, and if you disagree that’s totally fine. Let the long, nonsensical titles that don’t have anything to do with the song ensue.

Hahaha...get it...cause DISCO! oh my god I hate myself
Also, DISCLAIMER: I'm going to get EXTREMELY geeky in this post and probably embarrass myself. But hey, that's what this blog is for! 

20. “Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time” (Death of a Bachelor)

Built around a sample of “Rock Lobster” by the B-52’s, “Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time” is a big fan favorite off of the band’s most recent album Death of a Bachelor. That album was the first one I had listened to from the band and this was an instant favorite of mine. I like this one because of the lyrics, which were inspired by parties frontman (and sole remaining member) Brendon Urie had been to in real life and are very tongue-in-cheek. My favorite lines are “I lost a bet to a guy in a chiffon skirt, but I make these high heels work” and “I’m not as think as you drunk I am”.

19. “Sarah Smiles” (Vices and Virtues)

The 2011 album Vices and Virtues is my second-favorite from the band, with only the debut A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out ahead of it. I just really love the vintage-pop vibe found on that album. Brendon wrote “Sarah Smiles” as an attempt to win over his eventual wife Sarah, and the lyrics are just adorable. The chorus goes, “Sarah smiles like Sarah doesn’t care, she lives in her world, so unaware, does she know that my destiny lies with her?” and it’s just so cute, especially considering that they’re now happily married.

18. “All The Boys” (Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die!)

Next we have “All The Boys” from the Japanese and Target editions of 2013’s Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die!. This is one of Panic!’s more synth-poppy songs, which might be a turn-off if you’re not into that style, but I personally love it. The chorus on this one is insanely catchy, and it matches the Vegas electropop vibe of its parent album perfectly. I think it should’ve made the album proper rather than just being a bonus track, and in my opinion, it’s one of their most underrated songs.

17. “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” (A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out)

That’s a fun way to transition, going from a hidden gem to the band’s signature song and biggest hit. “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” was the big single from the band’s debut album, and it was so popular that I still hear it every now and then on the radio. I won’t deny that there are better songs both on Fever and in the band’s discography as a whole, but come on, “I Write Sins” is such a classic. With an instantly recognizable intro, quotable lyrics, and one of the most iconic videos of the 2000’s emo scene, I can’t help but love it.

16. “LA Devotee” (Death of a Bachelor)

Back in the prime of my emo phase in 2016, this was my favorite song on Death of a Bachelor. While there is one song I love even more from that album, I still have a soft spot for “LA Devotee”. The lyrics are about a woman who embodies everything about Los Angeles, and while there are some good lines, I mainly just love the way this song sounds. It sounds like if you took the 80’s-synthpop of Too Weird and combined it with the horns that appear throughout Death of a Bachelor, and the melodies are amazing. Plus there’s a KEY CHANGE!

15. “This Is Gospel” (Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die!)

While in my emo phase, I thought this song was overrated, but coming back to it afterwards, I realize that I was an idiot for thinking that. The song was written about former member Spencer Smith’s battle with alcoholism and addiction, and it has a very powerful message about going through tough times. It has a bombastic sound not unlike what labelmates (and the band that signed Panic!) Fall Out Boy were making around the same time period, a memorable hook of “if you love me, let me go”, and some of Brendon’s most powerful vocals.

14. “Camisado” (A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out)

Similar to the last song, “Camisado” was inspired by a battle with alcoholism. Former Panic! guitarist Ryan Ross wrote the song about his father’s struggles and the anger he felt as a result of them, and they’re vivid with imagery of being stuck in a hospital. There’s also an urgency in the way Brendon sings the song, which is fitting. This song is another one with a great chorus that should’ve guaranteed it as a single (it wasn’t, though), and it has a pop-punk edge I enjoy. The only reason why it isn’t higher is because there’s this weird squelching noise in the bridge that is confusing and weird, but it doesn’t take away from my enjoyment of the song too much.

13. “Trade Mistakes” (Vices and Virtues)

This song is on here mainly because I just think it sounds pretty. The strings that bookend the track are nice and soothing to listen to, and the synths are twinkling and beautiful. The song sounds like a lullaby, which makes sense considering one of the lyrics is “If I could trade mistakes for sleep, count me away before you sleep”. The song is about admitting your mistakes, and it’s a pretty and emotional song that’s easy to immerse yourself into.

12. “Build God, Then We’ll Talk” (A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out)

One of my friends who was also into Panic! around the time I was didn’t like this song because it’s about prostitution. For me, the topic of the lyrics doesn’t matter, which is why I’m able to love “Build God, Then We’ll Talk” so much. More than the meaning of the lyrics themselves, I just like how they flow. They have sort of a show-tune-esque melody, and the dark parody of “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music in the bridge is genius. Plus, there’s a cello solo in one part, which is just awesome and unexpected. I don’t like the video, though, it’s kind of horrifying and not in a good way.

11. “Nicotine” (Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die!)

Call me a hypocrite for complaining about how songs that compare love to drugs are cliche and overused on numerous occasions but putting this on here, but “Nicotine” is such an irresistible song. Yes, the lyrics are somewhat cliche, but the song contains what is probably the best guitar riff the band has ever had and an amazing hook. The somber bridge is also fantastic. It has a rock sound to it that makes it stand out from its album, but it’s not too out of left field that it doesn’t feel cohesive with the rest of the tracks from Too Weird.

10. “Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off” (A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out)

With a hefty 14 words, “Lying…” (as I prefer to abbreviate it) has the longest title of any song on my list. Long, pretentious titles were a staple of Panic!’s earlier work, and this song is classic Panic! The lyrics are about the narrator being cheated on, and they’re angsty but super fun to sing along to. I love the contrast between the moody verses and explosive chorus, as well as the outro, which just strips the chorus down to a piano and is actually a really pretty arrangement. I like to belt this one out when I’m home alone.

9. “That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed)” (Pretty. Odd.)

The band’s 2008 sophomore album Pretty. Odd. is a fan favorite, but I never really got into it. It had a drastic shift in sound from the debut, being heavily inspired by the Beatles, and while I respect it, it just doesn’t appeal to me. Still, there are two songs on it that I absolutely love, and this is one of them. This is one of the most positive songs Panic! At The Disco has ever written, with a great message about being okay with change. The music is 60’s-inspired and very jovial, and it’s one of those songs that just makes you feel happy when you listen to it.

8. “Northern Downpour” (Pretty. Odd.)

Here is the other song from Pretty. Odd. to make my list, although it’s very different in mood from “That Green Gentleman”. “Northern Downpour” is introspective and acoustic-based. The lyrics have lots of metaphors and make you think. I also like how this is pretty much a duet between Brendon Urie and Ryan Ross, and I love the harmonizations in the song. This song is one of the band’s most emotional and calming, and despite not being a huge fan of the album it’s on, it’s a song that has stuck with me for quite some time.

7. “Bittersweet” (Vices and Virtues)

THIS SONG IS SO UNDERRATED IT PHYSICALLY PAINS ME. Released only as a bonus track for those who pre-ordered Vices and Virtues on iTunes, it should’ve been on the regular album. Pretty much every bonus track from Vices is incredible, but “Bittersweet” has been my favorite ever since I discovered it on YouTube, and I like it more than every song on the album except for one. It juxtaposes upbeat vintage pop instrumentals with sarcastic, brilliant lyrics (“I’ve been to Tokyo and to South Africa, so many places that you might say I’ve seen it all, but my favorite place is the warm embrace of holding your hair back in a bathroom stall” is hilarious to me). Brendon’s vocals are also really cheerful and I love the doo-wop style “ba-ba-ba”’s before the first chorus. This is one of my all-time favorite Panic! songs and it deserved so much better.

6. “House of Memories” (Death of a Bachelor)

To be honest, I don’t really care for Death of a Bachelor as an album that much. It’s not as cohesive as the other albums and most of the songs don’t hold up after repeated listens for me. But of course, the album has its standouts, with this being its high point. The song sort of sounds like “Just One Yesterday” by Fall Out Boy, but I like it better (don’t hate me). I love the addition of horns and the swell the production has, and it has some of Brendon’s best vocals to date. The way he belts out the lyrics during the bridge is amazing, and he’s why the bridge in this song is my favorite of all Panic!’s songs (“Nicotine” is a close second”). The lyrics are really introspective and I love the line “And when your fantasies become your legacies, promise me a place in your house of memories”. But above all else, this song is just on here because of that bridge. So good, man.

5. “Far Too Young To Die” (Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die!)

Initially I shrugged this one off as mediocre, but with repeated listens, it quickly became one of my favorites off of the album. It’s definitely one of the moodier songs on the album, but I love it so much. Brendon’s known for his insane vocal range and hitting lots of high notes, but in this song he stays in his middle range, focusing more on emotion than hitting high notes. I see this song as being about wanting to have one last moment of passion in a relationship because you never know when it’s going to end. It’s like if YOLO was romantic, and I can’t believe that’s a sentence I actually typed. The instrumental is my favorite thing about the song, especially when the guitars kick in before the final chorus. That part is just eargasmic. The moody atmosphere of this song feels like it would be perfect to listen to when driving at night, and when I get my license, I’m totally going to do that.

4. “Hurricane” (Vices and Virtues)

If you saw my Fall 2017 playlist, you should’ve known this was coming. Pretty much everything I said in that post still stands, so I’m just going to copy and paste it because I am the laziest person on the planet.

“Throughout most of my emo phase, Fall Out Boy were my #1 favorite band, but Panic! At The Disco were a close second. Once I realized I was starting to get sick of Fall Out Boy, I started to become obsessed with Panic! and I still really like them to this day (also I did NOT expect to put this many songs from my emo phase on here lol). This song, "Hurricane", is on their album Vices and Virtues, which is one of my favorites. It's always been my favorite song from the record and it's one I believe is really underrated. It's a slightly dark and maniacal song (there's some evil cackling in the background), but it's infectious and fun to sing along to. You can bet I know all the words.”

3. “But It’s Better If You Do” (A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out)

“But It’s Better If You Do” was the follow-up single to “I Write Sins Not Tragedies”, and while it sounds a lot like its predecessor, I’ve always preferred it. It has a sort of cabaret-vintage vibe to it with some interesting instruments like the accordion and a horn section. The lyrics are about going to a strip club, which is funny because the members of the band were all teenagers and, to quote Brendon Urie, “I don’t even think any of us had been to a strip club when we wrote this song.” Say what you want about the lyrical content, it still is really fun to sing along to with a bunch of great moments. I love the long note Brendon holds after the first chorus and the two claps during the line “Well I may have faked it”, the latter of which I always do when I listen to the song. This is a song I loved instantly, and I have yet to get tired of it. (Also side note: The music video, while not exactly NSFW, is my favorite video the band has ever done. I love the aesthetic, the storyline, and Brendon’s kind-of-horrible New York accent in the skit in the beginning. It’s just so good.)

2. “Time To Dance” (A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out)

6 of the 20 songs on this list are from A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, which is more than any other album. This is the last one, though, because it’s my favorite. At first, this one wasn’t an absolute favorite, but I did still love it, but one weekend I just listened to it over and over again and fell in love. “Time to Dance” is a fan favorite and a staple of Panic!’s live shows, and it’s one of my goals in life to see this one live. The intro is a blast of guitars and an instantly catchy synth riff, and it keeps that frantic speed throughout the entire song. Like many of the songs on Fever, it has a sort of Broadway-esque melody that is incredibly fun to sing along to. The song structure is also really interesting, in that it doesn’t really have a true chorus, more like a few mini-hooks. My absolute favorite part is the line “When I say ‘Shotgun’, you say ‘wedding’! Shotgun wedding! Shotgun wedding!” It’s just so much fun to scream. The lyrics are inspired by the book Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk, which is a book I’ve never read, but if I do, it will be because of this song, and only because of this song. This song is so close to being my #1, but so far. So what is #1?

1. “Collar Full” (Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die!)

Obviously, I love “Time To Dance”, and I love every other song on this list, but none of them compare to my love of “Collar Full”. I like to think I’ve been able to sum up why I love most of these songs in a few sentences, but I’m going to have to try extra-hard to not write an essay about what this song means to me. I’m willing to admit that there are probably better songs lyrically and musically, as well as more creative and original ones in the Panic! catalogue, but there are, like, three songs in existence that even come close to giving me the euphoria that I get from “Collar Full”. Back in early 2016 when I first started getting into Panic!, this was a close second for my favorite song from the band (my #1 was “Ready To Go (Get Me Out Of My Mind)” for a short period of time, and that song was a contender for this list but fell short). But after a few listens, I decided I liked “Collar Full” more and I never looked back. I feel like I’ve brought up that the songs from Too Weird are all 80s-esque many times, but one thing I should bring up is that this one was specifically inspired by “Take On Me” by A-ha, which makes so much sense to me. Of course my favorite Panic! song is inspired by my favorite 80s song! The song has lots of cool synths, and as soon as I hear the twinkling opening, the biggest smile appears on my face. The lyrics are pretty much fluff, but I find them adorable. “If you’re gonna be the death of me, that’s how I wanna go” is just...awww. Brendon sounds great as always, and I specifically love the way he sings the bridge in a more low-key way, which really adds to the emotions in the song. The best way to describe the song is like if you combined the 80s vibes of “Shut Up And Dance” by Walk The Moon with the lovestruck ecstacy of “Into You” by Ariana Grande (both of which are all-time favorites for me), then threw in a hint of the unique flair only Panic! At The Disco should bring. Some people might overlook it since it wasn’t a single, but I’m not one of those people, and I will gladly write an essay about why it’s not just my favorite Panic! At The Disco song, but one of my top 5 favorite songs ever.

Whew, we’re finally done here. I’m going to congratulate myself for not being too wordy (although I got a little carried away in the end), but I’ll admit that more than any other post, this is probably going to be the one I look back on and cringe at. Still, I’m proud of this, and I liked getting to go back into my emo-nerdy side. Next week’s post will be the collab, which I’m really excited for! It’s different from anything I’ve ever done, but I think it’ll be a fun one. I’m Stellar in Neverland and I’ll see you next week. Peace!

Stellar