Every December, Jordan Roseman, a.k.a. DJ Earworm, releases a mashup of songs representative of the past year, and this year was no exception. On Dec. 3, DJ Earworm released, “Do What You Wanna Do,” his tribute mashup to 2014. The song is entertaining, comparable to the successful, “Blame It On The Pop,” mashup of 2009.                  
It is evident that DJ Earworm believes in storytelling because the lyrics of 25 songs transform into a mashup representative of the year. It's like magic. So what did DJ Earworm have to say about 2014?    

Self-Actualization 

The song title, “Do What You Wanna Do,” clearly supports the idea of self-actualization. For those of you who have forgotten Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, self-actualization is realizing and fulfilling your potential. The lyric, “It was all inside of you,” acknowledges that everyone has the strength inside to fulfill his or her dreams, it’s just a matter of finding that strength. 

Confidence 

Confidence is closely related to self-actualization. It is the quality you must possess in order to reach self-actualization. Confidence is a clear theme featured in, “Do What You Wanna Do,” with multiple meanings found in multiple lyrics such as, “I’m all about that bass/‘bout that bass, don’t tell ‘em,” or “Remember my name/well, now they know,” and even, “There’s no going back.” All of these lyrics embody the idea of confidence through body image, making a name for yourself and having the confidence to commit to something without regret.      

Finding inspiration 

To have confidence and attain self-actualization, inspiration is necessary. Inspiration is everywhere, but people find inspiration in different ways. In this mashup, DJ Earworm zeros in on a few common ways to find inspiration. “Am I tripping/Or having a vision? My prediction/I’ma be on the top of the world,” is the first source of inspiration mentioned from DJ Earworm. These lyrics note success and being on top of the world due to a sense of inspiration. The source of inspiration is not openly stated, which confirms that people find inspiration in different ways.

Inspiration is also mentioned through the lyrics, “You can do what you wanna do/From LA to Tokyo.” This set of lyrics hints at the concept of travel and incredible locations leading to inspiration. Finally, the lyrics, “Amen, amen,” strongly hint at religion being the cause for inspiration and the drive for success.      

Love of music 

Lyrics from the mashup indicate that music is beautiful, it gives us a reason to dance and it just might be the answer to happiness. Overall the song expresses a genuine passion for music. Lyrics like, “Do I have to tell you this music/is beautiful too/All I really need to understand is/I’ll be alright,” acknowledge the beauty of music and the ability to relate to music which allows listeners to be at ease. The lyrics,  “Say yes, say yes, the answer is/is music,” confirms the idea that music has a positive influence.     

So, we are back to the original question. What is DJ Earworm saying about 2014 through these themes? Most likely, the message is about breaking free of conformity and having the confidence to be unique and be yourself. This year was about individuality and having the strength to believe in yourself. Taylor Swift shook off criticism, Ariana Grande dismissed problems, and Pharrell Williams insisted on being happy.

These are just three examples of being yourself in a long list of songs from DJ Earworm’s 2014 mashup, “Do What You Wanna Do.” In the end you can do what you wanna do and we’ll see how it effects 2015.