The internet and music are a matched made in Heaven... or Hell. I'm not sure which, honestly. When a song is released and receives enough traction, there is a strong chance that the deep recesses of the internet will take the music and make a joke out of it, or turn it into a meme. Songs turn into memes really easily and a lot of times, the memes cause people too look at these songs in a different light. In this case, I don't want to do that. I want to acknowledge these memes as the great songs they are. So here are five meme songs that are genuinely great.
Before we begin, what actually constitutes as a meme? Well, Merriam Webster defines a meme as "an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture." By that logic, pretty much every song in existence is a meme. With this list, I am not going in that direction. I am talking about the songs that are shared in a joking context, with the joke getting in the way of the quality of the song. And when I say "meme songs," I'm not talking about anything made by Neil Cicierega (although his songs are amazing) or anything of the sort. I'm talking established songs by well established bands and artists that happened to be tainted by the comedic side of the internet. Also, this list is in no particular order. These are simply five meme songs that I think are really solid out of context. I'm sure there are some that I missed as well, so please, let me know what meme songs you like. With that out of the way, let's begin.
Release Date: July 27, 1987
I can't talk about meme songs without talking about the ultimate song meme that is the Rickroll. Mayhaps this was the first YouTube meme. It was the ultimate prank video. Directing someone to a video only to have this play? A few seconds of a random video plays before this cuts in? Good stuff. I have to admit that this song is somewhat of a go-to karaoke pick for me. It is the perfect amount of 80s cheese and I love it. The production sounds great even after all these years. I love the sound of the synths, the drum machine, and the backup singers at the bridge. They all make for such a fun and lively musical experience. But the real star of the show is Rick himself. His deep singing voice is full of so much character. It sounds enticing, sultry even, and it adds to the overall cheesy vibe. It's wonderful. And that chorus is fantastic. Every time I hear it, I cannot help but belt it at the top of my lungs. It is legitimately one of my favorite choruses is any song ever. In my opinion, this is a perfect pop song. It's corny, it's bouncy, it's charismatic, and it's oh so much fun.
Release Date: August 13, 2001
Like many people, I found this song to be pretty ridiculous and hilarious when I first heard it. The way Serj Tankian sings and screams is very wild, the phrasing is odd, the lyrics are strange, and oh yeah, the song is called "Chop Suey!" You know... like the Chinese food. Phrases like "why'd you leave the keys upon the table?" and "grab a brush and put a little makeup" were certainly joked about and the song as a whole was almost treated like it's a comedy. First off, I have to say, I haven't heard every song SOAD has released, but this song is super tame. Compare this song to "BYOB," "Vicinity of Obscenity," "Sugar," and "This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This Song." You'll see how truly weird these guys get. But anyway, "Chop Suey!" is a song that I feel gets unfairly shrugged off because of how aggressive it is and how weird it is compared to mainstream rock and metal, because this is a fantastic song. The musicianship is incredible and every instrument sounds great. The riffs are fast and headbang-inducing, the drums are heavy, and the melodic switch up into the choruses are beautiful. I love how passionate and theatrical the vocals are, as well as how surprisingly sad the lyrics are, and the two part harmonies incorporated are truly amazing. And the final chorus is euphoric. This is a phenomenal piece of music, acting as one of the best metal songs you'll ever hear on the radio. Also, side note: System Of A Down... please come back to us. We need more music from you.
Release Date: August 7, 2009
The shooting stars meme has always been one of my favorites. The amount of effort and creativity put into those videos is great, and the fact that this song is the accompaniment to the character's ascent into space travel adds so much to the experience. On top of that, this song is quite good. It is a nice piece of dance pop with a grooving bass, a nice wall of buzzing synths, and some very pleasing mellowed out vocals. And then there's the synth lead. You know the one. If you know the meme, you can already hear it. It's a great riff that somehow manages to not get annoying at all. I love the mood and the vibe, as well as the build to the sonic explosion that is the climax. I don't do drugs, but I can imagine this song being a great song to listen to while high. It's spacey, dreamy, and pleasing from start to finish. It's a shame the song died when the meme did.
Release Date: June 24, 1997
Oh, Spongebob. You have given birth to some of the best, worst, and weirdest memes of all time. In this case, we have one of the best. "Ocean Man" was the credits song for the Spongebob Squarepants movie, and it has stuck with us ever since. At 2 minutes, the song gives us a quirky sound with great production, charming instrumentation, and goofy yet captivating vocals. The lyrics are simple, but they get stuck in your head. And the guitar solo is great as well. It doesn't overstay its welcome, lasting just as long as it needs to to get its point across. There's honestly not a whole lot to say about this track. It's weird, it's goofy, it's charming, and it's really fun. It ended the movie perfectly and I'm glad it turned into a meme.
Release Date: November 17, 2016
I bet you forgot this song was even a meme. I don't blame you. I forgot this song was a meme until I put off writing this blog for a week and came back to it. You know, like usual. To be fair, the meme surrounding this song was pretty forgettable. First there was the whole "What Redbone sounds like in a bathroom at a party" meme, then came the mashups of putting various vocals on the instrumental. Don't get me wrong, some of those mashups were pretty amusing, but this song doesn't elicit that kind of meme potential, in my opinion. But that's besides the point. This song is fantastic. I love the instrumental and how smooth and sensual it is. The production sounds very nocturnal, as if the only way to properly listen to the song is in the dead of night. The synth lead is nice and the bass melody is great. And Glover's vocals are incredible. He brings a lot of old school soul into his inflections and timbre, giving him a nice raspy falsetto. The verses are nice, the chorus is infectious and the instrumental outro is psychedelic in the best way possible. This is a great song for an otherwise mediocre meme.
Thank you for reading! Are there any songs that you think I missed? Make an account on this here blog and let me know in the comments below. I won't read them, but still, do it. Who knows, maybe I'll make a part two? We'll see what happens. Anyways, stay safe and I'll see you next time. Or not. I don't control your life. Okay bye.