It’s a common misconception that professional singer-songwriters only listen to the same type of music they play. While this is true for some musicians, most have a broad range of favourite artists and songs that stretch across a wide spectrum of genres.
If you’ve ever wondered what some of the world’s famous musicians are listening to on their time off, you’re in luck – we’ve rounded up 3 all-time favourite songs from a few of the industry’s most popular musical artists.
1. Frank Ocean: Prince, “When You Were Mine”
Frank Ocean has a very distinctive musical style and sound. Like so many other artists who have praised Prince and cited him as an influential force in their art and careers, Ocean has been vocal about the role this iconic legend plays in his music.
Upon learning of his untimely death, Ocean penned a beautiful tribute to Prince, saying, “He wrote my favourite song of all time, ‘When You Were Mine.’ It’s a simple song with a simple melody that makes you wish you thought of it first, even though you never would have – a flirtatious brand of genius that feels approachable.”
Prince – When You Were Mine by npba-multimedia
2. Britney Spears: Whitney Houston, “I Will Always Love You”
Like most musicians, it’s hard for the Princess of Pop to nail down her favourite artist or song. Spears has praised Prince, Madonna, Michael Jackson, any many others as having influenced her as a young woman and performer.
However, in a recent Twitter Q&A, she praised Whitney Houston and said Houston’s iconic “I Will Always Love You” from the movie The Bodyguard was her all-time favourite. We have to agree – it’s a pretty incredible song!
3. Taylor Swift: Carly Simon, “You’re So Vain”
After the success of her most recent record, 1989, Taylor Swift went on record with Rolling Stone in 2015 and made a list of 7 songs that have shaped her as an artist and that made an especially meaningful impact as she transitioned from being a country star to diving into the world of pop music.
Carly Simon’s timeless classic, “You’re So Vain,” struck a chord with Swift – and probably for good reason. Swift, being well-known for her own famous breakup tunes, took Simon’s crooning about an ex as the permission she was seeking to tell her own breakup stories. In her Rolling Stone interview, Swift said, “After hearing that, it was like a key had just unlocked this forbidden area of storytelling for me. You can say exactly what you feel, even if it’s bitter and brazen!”
Music runs deep and takes root in all of us – even today’s hottest recording artists have favourite tunes and musicians that have influenced them and shaped who they are as artists. It just goes to show the impact music has in our lives and how it guides each of us to write our own stories.
What artists have made an impact on your music? What’s your favourite song? Why?
Share with us in the comments!
