{"id":1691,"date":"2025-05-07T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/?p=1691"},"modified":"2025-09-27T12:19:51","modified_gmt":"2025-09-27T16:19:51","slug":"shame-listens-a-playlist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/2025\/05\/07\/shame-listens-a-playlist\/","title":{"rendered":"Shame Listens: A Playlist"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"seriesmeta\">This entry is part 1 of 9 in the series <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/series\/playlists\/\" class=\"series-44\" title=\"Playlists\">Playlists<\/a><\/div>\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">By Imaginary Gardens Staff, Introduction by Heather Schroeder, Faculty Mentor<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-spotify wp-block-embed-spotify wp-embed-aspect-21-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: Staff\u2019s Shame Listens\" style=\"border-radius: 12px\" width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/playlist\/6SvNK3IeoXz1y9XYyixkga?si=vwFpN84PSoWAgPUgsnRXEA&#038;pi=m-aTYvT-R0qw6&#038;utm_source=oembed\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Everyone has songs on their playlists that make them cringe when someone else sees them. Maybe they\u2019re favorites from bygone summer days or a super secret new listen that you love, but don\u2019t dare play for your friends because you <strong>know<\/strong> what they\u2019ll say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My final challenge for the <em>Imaginary Gardens<\/em> staff this school year is to reveal their deepest-held secrets by compiling an official shame playlist. As I said in my introduction to the challenge\u2026it\u2019s not enough to offer up the artist. Everyone had to answer the question: \u201cWhy you savage? Why?!?\u201d and provide a favorite song they think is underrated from the artist\u2019s oeuvre.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, in the interest of fairness and transparency, I\u2019ll start:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Heather Schroeder, Faculty Mentor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Lana Del Ray<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Listen, I know she\u2019s problematic, but her voice is silky sweet and calms me when I\u2019m feeling stressed. Her music sounds to me like what a dank basement with a bouquet of peonies smells like. You know, saccharine sweet with an undercurrent of doom. Perfect shame listening! (Now when you see me on campus and I seem preternaturally calm, you\u2019ll know why.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA&amp;W\u201d from <em>Did you know that there\u2019s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Draven Copeland, Editor-in-Chief<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Playboi Carti<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s going to sound crazy but I actually have been vibing with Carti\u2019s newest album, <em>MUSIC<\/em>, so much more than any of his other previous albums. I really don\u2019t know why\u2026 he doesn\u2019t really have bars, Swamp Izzo\u2019s producer tags get annoying as fuck only a couple songs into the 34 track album, and the beats often aren\u2019t anything special (although, I will say, something about the synths in \u201cCRUSH\u201d really do something for me). Even though I really hate his frequent descent into misogyny with his lyrics, something about his self-proclaimed \u201cKing Vamp\u201d vibe taps into my high school emo phase in a way that I can\u2019t really explain, especially considering I never listened to him in high school when he was at his peak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEVIL J0RDAN\u201d from <em>MUSIC<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Anna Trevathan, Managing Editor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Justin Timberlake&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Justin has had his moments (<em>see<\/em>: general 2000\u2019s frosted tips energy) but when that man was in the studio he cooked! \u201cMy Love\u201d is the peak of this y\u2019all. I fear I never recovered. Deep down, my shame listening to Justin Timberlake makes me crawl back into a 10 year old dancing in the backseat of my parents car. Now, this song hits even more. It\u2019s the epitome of the songs I thought would (and honestly still should) be playing at the club. It makes me feel like my most daunting and delusional version of myself.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy Love\u201d from <em>FutureSex\/LoveSounds <\/em>(2006)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rocket Belden, Staff Writer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Engelbert Humperdinck<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My man Arnold Dorsey, better known as Engelbert Humperdinck, (seriously, who chooses Engelbert Humperdinck<em> <\/em>as their stage name) is a man I don\u2019t listen to infrequently. I\u2019d say my parents get rather tired of hearing \u201cQuando Quando Quando\u201d repeatedly in the car. <em>A Man Without Love<\/em>, one of his more popular albums, has a very grand style to it. Nothing quite fills me with joy quite like belting along to his incredible voice, as much as it pains me to admit that deep inside, I\u2019m a romantic. Just don\u2019t tell Tom Jones I said so, as they\u2019re known to be feuding.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cQuando Quando Quando\u201d from <em>A Man Without Love<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Emma G. Harrison, Staff Writer\/Marketing Team Member<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Justin Bieber<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am definitely going to get some weird looks with this one, but oh well. I grew up hating Bieber because everyone was obsessed with him. Well, here I am, roughly 15 years later, jamming out to his best songs. Shameful\u2026I know. But hear me out, I truly think his whole persona in his young years was hilarious. I really started listening to him as a joke with one of my coworkers about three months ago, so seriously listening to him was never the intention(s), pun intended.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What began as a joke has now turned into a total secret obsession. I truly admire Bieber\u2019s ability to co-write and sing songs with such a variety of other artists. I think it is so fun when people can get together to do the thing they love and make something beautiful out of it. Picking a favorite one of his songs is hard since he has been through so many phases from being an artist for so long, so I will give you a few. \u201cBaby\u201d Feat. Ludacris is a Justin Bieber classic that you can never go wrong with. \u201cDespacito &#8211; Remix\u201d with Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, and Justin Bieber. Now listen\u2026if you do not like this song, you are lying to yourself. It is a banger and you know it. Fun fact: this remix was also extremely popular in Ireland when it was released in 2017. I\u2019m talking, it was the top song in Ireland during that time. The Irish know what&#8217;s up. My last favorite Bieber song is \u201cI Don\u2019t Care\u201d with Ed Sheeran, which, in my opinion, is the perfect balance of chill and upbeat. Let\u2019s just say it&#8217;s going to be a \u201cBieber Fever\u201d summer for me.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">James Cochran, Photographer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bruce Springsteen<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nicknamed \u201cThe Boss,\u201d he\u2019s a bit problematic when it comes to his relationships (fun fact: He had an affair with his bandmate Patti Scialfa on tour while married. Yikes!) and tries to relate to the working-class with his songs while being filthy rich. In fact, if you see his ticket prices, you\u2019ll be even shocked that he even writes about the working-class! Though he is a bit hypocritical nowadays, his back catalogue is full of excellent tracks. Springsteen tracks are best enjoyed live, so take a listen to <em>Live 1975-85 <\/em>to hear some great versions of hits and album cuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCadillac Ranch &#8211; Live at Meadowlands Arena, E. Rutherford, NJ &#8211; July 1981\u201d from<em> Live 1975-85<br><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Leyli Izadpanah, Staff Writer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Taylor Swift\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Swift is both highly admired and criticized, both for good reason. From her private jet usage controversy in 2022 to her \u201ccelebrity industrial complex\u201d by allowing many business corporations to promote their brand and increase her fame, Swift has had her fair share of bad moments. But listen, she\u2019s the people\u2019s pop princess and I love that. She is basically the world\u2019s most adored female musician, and I can\u2019t blame them. Her music takes me back to simpler times when all I had to worry about was elementary school; her albums <em>1989<\/em> and <em>Speak Now<\/em> were basically soundtracks of my childhood. I try to stay away from controversial artists, but Swift has my heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCowboy Like Me\u201d from <em>Evermore<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Kaleb Guzman, Assistant Photo Editor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bo Burnham<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The song I listen to is \u201cWelcome to the Internet.\u201d The reason why I like to listen to this song is because it captures the internet very well\u2026 even the worst parts of it, which is why I try to avoid listening to it around other people.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An underrated song from Bo Burnham is \u201cThat Funny Feeling.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sophie Perrins, Photo Editor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>The Hamilton Soundtrack<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I resisted learning all the lyrics for as long as I could in high school to try to fit in, but eventually gave in to the catchy history lesson and can still (horribly) rap most of the songs. I was lucky enough to see the musical on tour and get my playbill signed by some of the performers, so listening feels nostalgic for me as well.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I regularly listen to \u201cWait for It\u201d to remind me that \u201cI am the one thing in life I can control\u201d and this song is definitely worth a listen.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An extremely unhinged and random honorable addition to shameful listens is \u201cMonki\u201d by Sposato.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Charlie Dobyns, Sci-Comm&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Katy Perry<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s really hard to argue in favor of Katy Perry. She is arguably a garbage human being. Between her 11 minute, multimillion dollar, environmental disaster of a PR spaceflight, to her known collaboration with sexual predators, she\u2019s in the flop era of all flop eras. That said, \u201cWaking up in Vegas\u201d is an undeniable hit and features on many of my \u201cget pumped\u201d playlists. I spent my teenage years screaming along to all of the songs on California Girls, so there\u2019s a lot of nostalgia there for me. I usually don\u2019t believe in guilty pleasures when it comes to music, but Ms. Perry makes it hard for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Underrated hit: \u201cWaking up in Vegas\u201d from <em>One of the Boys<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">William Dishmon, Photographer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Magma<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>French neo-classical jazz progressive rock, aka \u201cZeuhl.\u201d Most lyrics are in a meaningless language invented by founding member and drummer Christian Vander for the purpose of musical expression. I like their music because of the originality, energy and musicianship. It\u2019s not like anything else I&#8217;ve heard, and sometimes borders on avant-garde, so it\u2019s kind of an acquired taste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My underrated favorite song is \u201cThe Last Seven Minutes&#8221; from their album <em>Attahk<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Evelyn Hawkey, Lead Cartoonist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Two Steps from Hell<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have grown up in a household where we listened to concertos and sonatas religiously. We would go to live concerts and sit for three hours listening to Tchaikovsky and Beethoven. Mother told us to imagine a story in the music, since we were little kids who are incapable of sitting in a single seat for three hours and who can only be entertained by our own imaginations. Today, I love creating stories and writing dramatic scenarios in my head; I listen to \u201cTwo Steps from Hell\u201d to get me in that action-packed mindset.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I tell people about this, I am met with a stifled giggle. When something is two steps away from something, it means that it\u2019s going to hit the ceiling oscillator! But it is actually full of beautifully orchestrated instrumentals with choir music and intense electric guitar rolled into one. Phil Rey, Thomas Bergusen, and Jo Blakenburg are some of the artists that collaborated with 2SFH. The two albums that have a few of my favorite pieces are <em>Battlecry<\/em> and <em>Skyworld.<\/em> I also listen to other orchestral artists like Gothic Storm, Epic Music, and Elfisio Cross. I listen to music scores from movies, composed by Hans Zimmer, Rupert Gregson Williams, and John Powell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The music itself takes you on a magical journey through your imagination. Music plays an important role in your life, even if you don\u2019t realize it. It makes you feel things, takes you on adventures, and motivates you to take on those obstacles in life. People may laugh, but at least I feel like I\u2019m marching with Joan of Arc in the Hundred Years War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCaramelldansen\u201d by the Caramella Girls; the perfect anime web song.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"seriesmeta\">This entry is part 1 of 9 in the series <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/series\/playlists\/\" class=\"series-44\" title=\"Playlists\">Playlists<\/a><\/div><p>By Imaginary Gardens Staff, Introduction by Heather Schroeder, Faculty Mentor Everyone has songs on their playlists that make them cringe when someone else sees them. Maybe they\u2019re favorites from bygone&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1742,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,7],"tags":[],"series":[44],"class_list":["post-1691","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts","category-lifestyle-social","series-playlists"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1691","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1691"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1691\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1759,"href":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1691\/revisions\/1759"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1691"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=1691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}