As some of you may know, I am a huge music fanatic. I love to sing along to my favorite songs even though, I sadly cannot sing (sorry for killing your ears). But while I am a huge music fanatic, radio hits are nothing to me. Sure, there are some good radio hits out there, but most of it sounds the same because it is all designed for the radio.
Artists tend to pull that one song off their album that is not the greatest one but has the potential to be a great radio hit. This is why I do not listen to the radio often because I know that the artists have something better to offer. You just have to dig deeper and listen to their album.
In 2016 I saw Shawn Mendes for the first time, and it was a dream come true. But the one thing I really took away from his concert was the speech he made right before he sang "Three Empty Words."
“I found myself narrowing it down to not the songs you hear on the radio every day, but those songs in the middle or at the very end of an album that you listen to right before you fall asleep. The ones that kinda make you feel like you're floating for like two and a half minutes. I wanted to create something that not only I would get lost in but every single person that listened to this song would also hopefully get lost in. I am most proud of this one not because it’s the biggest hit but because of how true and real and how relatable the story is. All the factors leading into it being that simple song right in the middle of the album that I listen to right before I fall asleep, really really proud of this one hope you guys love it. This is called Three Empty Words.” -Shawn Mendes
Truly, this speech not only inspired me, but I really related to it. I clearly remember standing above in the balcony, practically in tears because I felt like I could relate a thousand-percent. I had my best friend with me, and I knew she could not relate as much because she does not listen to full albums.
I am that girl that listens to an album from track one all the way to the last track. I get enjoyment out of it, and I learned the artist better than if I was just listening to the one radio hit.
Just like Shawn Mendes said, "those songs in the middle of the album or at the very end of an album that you listen to right before you fall asleep," there is always that one song I completely fall in love with. It is the song that is just so perfect you cannot get enough of.
I listen to it right before bed, when I get in the car right away or multiple times while I'm in the car or just playing it over and over again to cheer you up. That is why I listen to albums, to find that one song that is truthful and written with passion.
I remember falling asleep listening to the One Direction album "Up All Night" back in 2012. I would fast forward the first couple tracks because they were radio hits. I want to listen to what is in the middle and the end. I want it all. The songs at the very end were my favorite ones.
I want to listen to the song they were most afraid to write and put on the album because those songs are worth it. The songs they struggle to open up at first but then get it all down on paper. The song that made the album worth it to them.
Because going back to Shawn Mendes' song "Three Empty Words," it is definitely the one song on his "illuminate" album that I did fall in love with. I thank Shawn every day for his speech because I could not think of better words to say it in.
So say yes to albums and no to radio hits. Learn the artists and expand your playlist to something that inspires you and makes you feel alive.
