Memorial Day is right around the corner, which means that the unofficial start of summer is set to kick off. Along with the grill, the coolers full of beer, and the impromptu trips to the beach, this is the time of year that we also begin to hear the songs that will carry us through the sunnier months. The warm weather and longer days undoubtedly brings about a feeling of freedom and promiscuity, so it was only fitting that last summer was carried by the tunes of Get Lucky, Blurred Lines, and even We Can’t Stop. While it is still too early to tell what other singles will become the common backdrop at your favorite beer garden in the coming months, the music industry has given us a kick start with a drop of nostalgia in the form of the king of pop himself, Michael Jackson.
In case you don’t own a smartphone, computer, or radio, last week Jackson’s song entitled “Love Never Felt So Good” made its debut during the iHeartRadio Awards making it the first single on his posthumous album “Xscape”. The original version of the song with just Jackson’s vocals was recorded in 1983 and upon hearing it, instantly brings you back to his “Off the Wall” days as an artist. The radio version features Justin Timberlake, whose vocals, along with slightly enhanced instrumentals, help to modernize the track for today’s listeners. Together both Jackson and Timberlake create a sound that’s light, upbeat, and easy on the ears. It’s kind of like the first few times you heard Pharrell’s Happy before it became grossly overplayed on the airwaves and made you feel anything but.
I’m a fan of this song, not simply because it’s fitting for the start of the season as mentioned above, but more so because it’s a change of pace from what has become the norm in music today. With the prominence of Electronic Dance Music taking over popular culture as a whole, many of the genres we have come to love, including our beloved hip hop and R&B, have been influenced in one way or another by it. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, as music as a whole is a malleable entity, always changing and evolving to represent the current time. However, the base drop has become underwhelming generic, the constant screaming of sirens and high pitched synths anxiety inducing, and the lyrical content simplistic to the levels of Hooked on Phonics. Seriously, how basic have we become as a society where we promote that these girls ain’t loyal all while at the same time preen about two of our girls in the club? At the very least Michael’s song goes back to the R&B times when talking about the one you have feelings for can be catchy without being degrading.
Now I’d be lying to all of you if I said I didn’t get mesmerized by a girl at the club not droppin that dun dun dun, or if I said I haven’t screamed turn down for what. All I’m saying is that this song is a nice break away from those styling’s of music that when it’s all said and done, don’t do anything for you. Put another way, if you continue drinking sugary sodas every day, eventually you’re going to get fat or catch diabetes. Songs like Love Never Felt So Good are like that 8 ounce glass of water, refreshing the palette of your ear drum and giving you something a little healthier for your life.
For Jackson fans of old, the song will bring back a feeling and sound that either was lost in their youth or on his passing five years ago. For the younger listening crowd, it gives them a chance to hear the sound that gave the man the moniker of The King of Pop without it feeling too outdated. For me personally, the song gives me a feeling of anticipation in wait for what the rest of the album will sound like. Regardless of where you fit in, next time you’re on that drive to beach or at a family barbecue this summer, turn the volume up a little more, as this jam is sure to be topping the charts for the foreseeable future.