Mix Tape of the Day: February 7, 2015 - The Best of Youtube

In today's age, we experience content from throngs of amateur artists who can share their craft with the world instantly.  Today, I've picked those non-mainstream compositions that I find myself returning to again and again.

1. Russian Unicorn - Bad Lip Reading (2011) Musicless music videos, literal music videos, and the shreds series are all forms of my favorite type of musical comedy.  Taking the visuals of one source and replacing the audio with something different will always work for me.  And nobody does it better than Bad Lip Reading.  And they don't get better than "Russian Unicorn."  Even without the video, "Russian Unicorn" is a fantastic, silly love song.  But flipping the conceit of "Haven't Met You Yet" and creating this filthy ode to lust and rare, vermilion, Ukranian unicorns is just brilliant.

2. iPad - Parry Gripp (2010) Parry Gripp's usual MO is supplying cutesy soundtracks to cutesy animal videos.  But I love it when his songs have an edge of satire to them.  This song came out when we barely knew anything about the iPad, other than what that first commercial was telling us.  This brief song takes that idea of hype and uncertainty and carries it to it's logical(?) end.

3. Double Rainbow Song - The Gregory Brothers (2010) It wouldn't be a list of Youtube songs without an autotuned version of a previous viral video.  This is probably the Gregory Brothers' best as it is so catchy and positive.

4. Pork and Beans - Weezer (2008) This isn't a Youtube song, per se, but the video captured all the hottest Internet memes and viral videos from the early years of Youtube (2005-2007).  It was fun witnessing the birth and development of "pop culture controlled by the masses."  Sure, all of these references, may seem horribly dated and unfunny now, but this video is a little museum that captures our strange sense of humor for a brief moment in time.

5. Everyday - Carly Commando (2006) One of those early Youtube hits was the "Noah takes a photo of himself everyday for 6 years" video.  It was an early showcase of the creativity people had with this new technology at their hands.  The music specifically composed for the video is a haunting reminder of the passage of time and it is lovely on it's own.

6. the TV show - Manabe Takayuki (2009) I just love hidden gems on Youtube.  I mean, it's a pretty popular video now, but being exposed to a creation from across the globe is so cool.  The music is great, and I love the way the video builds on itself.  It is so clever and appealing.

7. Modify - Kniles (2013) An original song by our friends at Bad Lip Reading.  I guess they are trying to break out from their gimmick.  It works for me because they are clearly talented.  For me, this is the Game of Thrones theme song.

8. Freaks - Timmy Trumpet (2014) This isn't technically a Youtube song, but thanks to my favorite viral video of the past year, I think it should be included here.

9. Toyz Noize - Pogo (2010) Some of the best art comes from repurposing other art, as many Youtube artists prove.  Pogo takes sounds from film and television to create music that invokes the spirit of the original piece.  There are many great ones to choose from, but his work with the Pixar films is some of my favorite (and it even drew the attention of Disney who commissioned him to make some official songs).  While the Up and Monsters, Inc. ones are fantastic, I always come back to Toy Story.

10. Accidentally in Love - Julia Nunes (2008) A lot of Youtube artists have a long back catalog of songs featuring them covering hit songs while singing directly into their webcam.  Something about Julia Nunes' personality and voice allowed her to rise above the rest.  Whenever I was feeling down in college, I would just peruse through a bunch of Nunes's tuneses.  How can you go wrong with a uke and melodica?  (Also, Nunes just has my favorite type of voice for music.)

11. Beat It - Pomplamoose (2009) Here's another pair of musicians who I just find to be adorable.  They lways try to come up with clever ways to incorporate odd instruments and effects into their covers, but really, they could just perform the telephone book and I'd be happy.  "Beat It" was my introduction, and thus remains a personal favorite.

12. 4 Chord Song - Tetrastar (2010) Youtube has something for everybody.  When I fell in love with the "4 Chords" song, I searched for as many other similar mashups as I could.  I found this little band who seemed to be my musical soulmates as they covered all of my favorite songs.  They don't seem to be in operation anymore, but I downloaded their album to hear my favorite songs ("Hallelujah," "Such Great Heights," "Float On," "Numa Numa," etc.) in their signature style.  I also like their bizarre "Zebra Crossing."

13. A Thousand Years - The Piano Guys (2012) And sometimes, I just want some beautiful piano and cello covers of my favorite tunes.  And boy do the Piano Guys deliver.  Every one of their songs is gorgeous, and when they cross paths with Christina Perri, there is no way you could lose?

Mix Tape of the Day: January 19, 2015 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

1. Glory - Common ft. John Legend (2014) Composed for the recent film Selma, Common and John Legend combined their talents to promote the message of MLK, using a gospel-inspired chorus.  A fitting tribute to King.

2. Why? (The King of Love Is Dead) - Nina Simone (1968) This was the first song written after King's death, performed only a few days later.  It kickstarted a wave of similar songs.  Some focused on King's life, others his message, and decades later, songs about him would be linked to whatever inequalities are still being fought today.

3. If I Can Dream - Elvis Presley (1968) MLK's assassination was shortly followed by Robert Kennedy's, making 1968 a very difficult year.  For Elvis's end of the year special, it was rightfully decided that something should replace the standard Christmas fare.  And so, this powerful tribute to the year's fallen brethren was written.

4. Blackbird - The Beatles (1968) One of the Beatles' best songs, "Blackbird" was written with the Civil Rights movement in mind.

5. People Got to Be Free - The Rascals (1968) This song was more in tune with the standard call-to-action songs of the '60s.  Apparently, after the events of 1968, the Rascals refused to perform at any event where African-Americans weren't also on the billing.

6. Happy Birthday - Stevie Wonder (1980) For years after his death, people demanded that MLK's birthday become a national holiday.  It wasn't until 1983 when Reagan finally officially signed the holiday into existence.  Wonder wrote this song as a rhetorical plea advocating the change and fortunately he got his wish soon after.

7. Pride (In the Name of Love) - U2 (1984) U2 treated MLK as one of their idols and created The Unforgettable Fire album with him in mind, creating a few songs as tribute to the man.  "Pride" became one of their signature tunes that they still perform to this day.

8. Like a King - Ben Harper (1994) After the Rodney King incident of 1991 and the following riots, Ben Harper drew similarities between the two Kings in this song.

9. Renegades of Funk - Rage Against the Machine (2000) A cover of an Afrika Bambaataa tribute to history's greatest renegades, Rage Against the Machine lent their signature style and antiestablishment anger to this song.

10. Sharing a Gibson with Martin Luther King, Jr. - Lambchop (2008) This alternative country group paints a dreamlike scenario in which MLK lives on in heaven, overseeing the plights that continue to plague the world.

11. We Owe This to Ourselves - Anberlin (2010) Years later, we still need to be reminded of the tragedies of the past to avoid the tragedies of tomorrow.  This song has a simple message to never forget the past.

12. One Day (Vandaag) - Bakermat (2012) This instrumental club mix features King's words to paint an optimistic look at the future.

13. MLK, Jr.: I Have a Dream - The Gregory Brothers (2009) While it may seem tacky autotuning King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech, the Gregory Brothers at least showed restraint.  They used their skills not to make a funny mockery of the truth, but to add rhythm and power to King's words.