MC’s MUSIC LOUNGE: Charli Rocks On

Rock never goes out of style. There was a time when every song on the radio was a rock song, but as music tends to do, the genres shifted and more “traditional” rock songs became less frequent on mainstream radio. It’s not like there has been a shortage of incredible bands making music, the genre just started to be kept locked away for a niche audience, especially in the last ten years or so. But rock still lingered beneath the surface, in the swag of stadium-sized country shows or the leather-and-lace aesthetic of pop arena shows. Charli xcx is making it her goal to show us all that rock life is alive and well as she releases her new single “Rock Music”. Call it the Gen-Z version of rock music because it hardly is what one would typically consider to be a rock song, but between the dark eyeliner in the music video and the all-around “f-ck you” attitude, she’s rocking to the beat of her own drum. This week with songs that feature rock influences or interpretation by current pop artists like Charli xcx to classic bands like The Rolling Stones, there’s something for the rocker in everyone.

Charli has had a wild couple of years ever since the release of Brat in June 2024. She has said that when she was recording that album, she felt free to create whatever sound she wanted since she hadn’t been experiencing commercial success anyway. With low expectations came a completely blank canvas to fill as she pleased. Things are different now and there are a lot more eyeballs on any music she puts out. She insists, though, that she isn’t letting that hinder her creative process. And if you think about it, Charli is something of a modern day rockstar, including on the surface, since she definitely smokes and parties like a throwback to the 80s. This new music feels like a purposeful attempt to weed out any of the casual listeners who were only around for her viral moments with Brat, and bring it back to the OG fans that kept her going for more than a decade beforehand. Rock but make it electro? In Charli’s world, anything goes.

But we can’t talk about rock influences in popular music without mentioning Beyoncé whose long-rumoured rock-inspired project has become one of music’s fascinating “what ifs” and “when???”, even though at this point we, as a society, have collectively decided that the rock album is happening, right?

Next week is one for the Canadians because we have new music from both Drake and Shania Twain. Drake of course off the heels of his ice installation in downtown Toronto is releasing his newest album ICE MAN. I can’t promise I’ll enjoy it, but I can promise that I’ll listen to it and report back to you so that you don’t have to. Shania on the other hand is releasing a new single “Dirty Rosie”, just in time for her spot opening for Harry Styles in London this summer. This week, along with the rocking sounds of Charli xcx and The Rolling Stones, we have music from Calvin Harris, Lykke Li and Bruno Mars. Plus, a viral pick straight out of 2007.

Listen on…

MC’s PICKS OF THE WEEK

“Rock Music” by Charli xcx

As if it wasn’t obvious at the time, Charli’s recent British Vogue article where she declared that “the dancefloor is dead” was nothing but a promotional tactic for her new track, as the statement is a direct lyric from the song. They say there’s no such thing as bad publicity, so while she may have pissed off John Summit and a few other dance music snobs, she kept her name in the conversation. The song is a departure from the hyper-pop style that Charli has made her signature over the last decade or so, however there are some nods to her previous works. For one, the way the chorus is structured is very similar to “Club classics” at least melodically. “Rock Music” is meant for a gritty, down dirty dance party – it wouldn’t be Charli if that was not a factor. The initial reaction online to the song is mixed, but for those of us who remember back in 2024, Brat had a similar initial reaction and the album didn’t pop off until a few months after the fact. Charli may not ever replicate that success and why should she have to? The alluring part of Charli as an artist has always been her toeing the line between experimental artist and commercial pop darling. This new “rock” era could very well be her returning to those experimental roots. I like the song and I can enjoy it for what it is, but I also recognize how it could very well not be everyone’s cup of tea. The thing about Charli is that to me, it’s still true to the type of artist she has always been. Charli isn’t like Taylor Swift or Sabrina Carpenter type of artist making music for all music listeners. If anything, intentionally going forward with this musical departure is the most authentically “Charli” piece of art she could have released.

“In The Stars” by The Rolling Stones

Mick Jagger is something of a renaissance man at this point because he’s still got the same zest for life and passion for his music that he had in the ‘60s. His musical instincts are as sharp as ever too because “In the Stars” is a strong track and feels current while still exuding the feel-good elements of a classic Stones song. The band is on the verge of returning to the spotlight with their 28th studio album Foreign Tongues which drops in July. “In The Stars” has that classic Stones feeling while still managing to sound contemporary. It’s a fine line for legacy acts to make new music because while you don’t want to alienate the fan base that is the foundation of who you are as an artist, you still want to be able to grow with the times and find a new audience while keeping the core happy. This track does that – with strong guitar riffs and soaring backgrounds in the chorus that give it that euphoric classic rock energy. The Rolling Stones are etched into the culture, even if you’ve never considered yourself a fan. Just that famous lips and tongue logo alone lives in the minds of the majority. I had a Rolling Stones pencil case as a child and at that point the only song I could’ve named was “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” and it was because Britney Spears covered it, LOL. Flash forward to today and yes, I know much more than that song, and I am eagerly awaiting the release of this new project.

“Satisfy” by Calvin Harris, Jazzy

Calvin Harris is more than your average Producer/DJ. For one, he never lets his sound get boxed into the EDM category and has embraced all subgenres of dance. Sure he attracts the crowd of ravers that only like a wild beat, but he also attracts those of us who appreciate a stunning vocal performance. For his latest single release, he has tapped Irish DJ and singer-songwriter Jazzy to contribute her soulful vocals to this summer-ready anthem that is screaming to be blasted through the speakers of a day club in Mykonos (or wherever it is 2019 Lindsay Lohan would party). The piano keys that play as a base for the song’s structure give it a 90s throwback feel – a call back to a time where the music being created was at peak innovation. Calvin cemented his title as King of Summer anthems in the early 2010s when he dominated the charts with songs like “Summer” and “Sweet Nothing”, making “Satisfy” the latest in a long list of proven wins. Calvin has been known to work with heavyweights like Rihanna and Frank Ocean, but by choosing an up-and-coming artist like Jazzy for “Satisfy” he keeps things fresh, allowing for his music to avoid being pigeonholed in the “legacy” category which the music industry loves to do to artists who have been around for more than a decade. The real magic in “Satisfy” is in the piano house sound and Jazzy’s vocals - blending for a perfect nostalgic summer tune.

“Happy Now” by Lykke Li

Lykke Li is back with a new project The Afterparty and this Swedish pop girlie has understood the assignment. She has long been compared to Robyn, so the fact that both ladies have released music this year puts the pressure on Lykke to stand out in her own right. With this new album and the banger track “Happy Now” she does just that. The track is dreamy and further enables the escapism that her music has encouraged since she burst out onto the scene in 2008. It’s emotional, it’s a little bit disco, and it’s synth-y as hell. Like I said, she’s a Swedish pop girlie and as pointed out back in January when Robyn reconnected with Max Martin, the Swedes know a thing or two about writing a catchy pop song. The lyrics describe a woman who is being taken on an emotional rollercoaster from euphoric highs to devastating lows. The final line in the chorus “Felt like China White, I swear. Why’d you have to take me there?” uses recreational drugs as a metaphor for the type of high that this love gave her – quick and appetizing for more with no amount of pleasure enough to fill her cup. It’s a lonely place to be, to always be chasing that high. It’s a feeling that many entertainers say is comparable to being on stage, you get so high that eventually the crash is unbearable. A dark theme for sure, but when you have Lykke singing the lyrics disguised under a pop melody and a higher-pitched vocal tone, it all sounds pretty f-cking magical.

“Lo Arriesgo Todo” by Bruno Mars

Arriba! Bruno has released the Spanish version to his bachata inspired love song “Risk It All”, and it feels like we’re finally getting to hear the song the way that it was meant to be heard. Bruno in Spanish is the gift that none of us knew we needed. Don’t get me wrong, the original version in English is beyond stunning. In fact, of all the songs I’ve featured in my column this year so far, it’s in my top five. But there’s something so effortlessly romantic about the Spanish language, especially when Bruno is singing in it. It just makes you want to fall in love. Clever move on the part of Bruno and his team to release this version. For one, there’s the obvious Latina influence throughout this track and many songs on the album it comes from, The Romantic. Also, it helps to appeal to his massive global fan base. Back in the 90s it was very common for top-selling recording artists to release Spanish versions of their biggest hits in an effort to boost sales in the regions where that is the primary language. Mariah Carey is a great example of this as she has an entire EP appropriately titled Mariah En Español, featuring Spanish versions of three of her hits from the decade. If you’ve never heard the Spanish version of “My All” then get ready to get your life. I’m already predicting that Bruno will release something similar in future years - feel free to quote me.

MC’s VIRAL PICK

“Hey There Delilah” by Plain White T’s

We all know the term “spring cleaning”, however it is generally reserved for cleaning your space as the seasons change. Well, in 2026, your physical space isn’t the only place that can get cluttered. Your digital space is as important (if not more important in some cases) so naturally, that requires a cleaning as well. Behold, this week’s viral trend – the “spring cleaning” of your camera roll. Hundreds of thousands of users on TikTok are now clearing out their camera rolls to the soundtrack of “Hey There Delilah” by the Plain White T’s. The trend begins with a photo or video of you or said subject today, and just as the song kicks in to the chorus, you share a throwback image of the same subject. It could be your child, significant other, dog, you name it – the idea is that it pulls at the heartstrings in the same way that the beautiful melody in the song does. The exact caption that users are putting over their posts is something along the lines of “My camera roll is getting full, maybe it’s time to delete some videos”, and the magic unfolds. The trend has made so much noise on the app that the band the Plain White T’s have caught on and posted their own version. For a band that hasn’t seen a top charting hit since the 2000s, it’s moments like these that they pray for to help revive their commercial careers.

@xkatbabyyx Mercy laying on my belly feeling my babies kicks when he was just a baby. Now he’s my sons best friend 🤍 #CapCut #fyp #foryou #dogsoftiktok #pitbullsoftiktok ♬ original sound - 🦋~E~🦋

@zoelaverne

My baby 😊❤️

♬ original sound - 🦋~E~🦋

@officialplainwhitets Heard we’re cleaning out our camera roll? 📸 🎥: @Hailey #PlainWhiteTs #PWTs #HeyThereDelilah #fyp #nostalgia ♬ Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's

“Hey There Delilah” is one of the most beautifully written love songs to come out of the 2000s, there’s a simplicity in the melody that makes its appeal universal to people all over the world regardless of their own personal musical taste. Back in the song’s heyday, it actually took a few years before it popped off, which is further proof of the song’s timeless appeal. While it may forever be associated with the emo rock bands of the time, it has also managed to have several bursts of virality over the years. Here we are more than 20 years later and it’s getting another round in the sun. Delilah couldn’t have ever known she’d be the muse for millions of emo kids in America for generations.

The 2026 “MC’s MUSIC LOUNGE” Spotify playlist is live. You can add it here to keep up to date with my weekly picks throughout the year.

With Love, 

MC