When asked to describe college students, most people’s first response is “broke.”
Students have to pay for tuition, meals, gas, rent, books and so much more, so it gets hard to hold on to extra cash.But if you listen to this playlist of rich rhythms, you can feel richer, even while eating ramen noodles out of a coffee mug.
ABBA - “Money, Money, Money”
Sugar daddies and mommas have been –– and will always be –– a hot topic.
More and more people are including their Venmo or CashApp usernames in their social media bios in hopes of attracting someone who will pay them.
So a song fantasizing about being in a relationship with a rich man is an appropriate entry here.
Released in 1976, “Money, Money, Money,” is considered a classic ABBA song. The track is from the point of view of a woman who, despite working hard, cannot make ends meet, inspiring her search for a wealthy man. The song had critical success, reaching No.1 on the Australian Singles Chart.
Lil Pump - “Gucci Gang”
One of the biggest symbols of money is fashion. Of the thousands of fashion brands around the world, Gucci is among the most high-end. Lil Pump uses “Gucci Gang” as an opportunity to brag about his Gucci products and other luxury items, like Balmains and private jets.
The overplayed, outdated and always financially satisfying “Gucci Gang” was originally released on SoundCloud on Aug. 27, 2017. The song peaked at No. 3 on the BillboardHot 100 chart and its repetitive lyrics about carefree luxury can make any listener feel like they’re truly part of a “Gucci Gang.”
Barenaked Ladies - “If I Had $1,000,000”
For many people, it’s fun to fantasize about what you could buy if you came across a million dollars. The Barenaked Ladies song “If I Had $1,000,000,” understandably, plays on this idea.
The song talks about buying practical items, like a house and furniture, to more extravagant goods, like exotic pets, limousines, John Merrick’s remains. However, the song wholesomely comes to the conclusion that the best purchase would be to “ … buy your love.”
“If I Had $1,000,000” is one of the Barenaked Ladies’ most popular songs, charting on Canada Top Singles and UK Rock and Metal at No. 13. The song was even used as an advertisement for the New York Lottery.
Donna Summer - “She Works Hard for the Money”
Though it’s fun to fantasize about having money, the reality is that money comes from hard work. Donna Summer’s song, “She Works Hard for the Money” highlights this struggle.
“She Works Hard for the Money” describes the life and work of a dedicated blue-collar woman. Summer based the song’s protagonist after a restroom attendant named Onetta Johnson, who was later mentioned in the song and featured on the album’s back cover.
“She Works Hard for the Money” was a critical success, staying at No. 1 for three weeks on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart. The song was also Hit 15 on Billboard'sbest-performing songs of 1983 chart. “She Works Hard for the Money” can also be considered one of Summer’s signature songs.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - “Thrift Shop”
Shopping on a budget may lead to valuable and fashionable purchases. Macklemore and Lewis’ “Thrift Shop” celebrates the trend of thrifting and, therefore, making affordable purchases. The song describes items that can be bought from a thrift shop, like gator shoes, brown leather jackets and leopard minks while avoiding expensive items from mainstream stores, like $50 T-shirts.
Released on Aug. 27, 2012, “Thrift Shop” became a critical success pretty fast. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold six million copies in the U.S. The song also charted at No. 1 in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, France, Denmark, Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand. “Thrift Shop” also won two Grammy Awards in 2014, for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song, before Macklemore publically explained that Kendrick Lamar deserved the Grammy over him.
Same.
Still, the glamorization and success of affordable shopping is definitely something for students on a budget to celebrate.
Julianna Tracey is the senior arts editor and can be reached at julianna.tracey@ubspectrum.com and on Twitter @JTraceySpec.
Julianna Tracey is a freshman music theater and history double major. She’s excited to explore all that the Buffalo arts scene has to offer.
