Unfortified Castle

Baby, can't you hear? It's nothing like what you expect from an idol like Britney Spears, but it's arguably her biggest hit.

The industrial instrumental's dark, chilling nature makes it a great fit for the holiday — but it also isn't exclusively an October track.

Furthermore, the title echoes a message not as frequently heard in the breakup song canon: kill it off now to save yourself the pain later.

...well, I'm writing about this song and band for the first time, but the theme of love and desire is nothing new for me or music at large.

Miguel's most successful song is a modern configuration of the genre, with an old-fashioned word at its core.

Why does it feel like so few songs even remotely touch on the theme of working through relationships?

Alan Parsons and company tenderly embrace this fact in a song that can soundtrack the end of many things.

In reinterpreting Roberta Flack's soul classic, Lauryn Hill does the heavy lifting, but she's also never alone.

It's a shame most Americans don't know this dance-inducing indie/garage gem.

Disclosure's masterpiece with Lorde has a downright outrageous beat and great lyric / instrumental coordination to drive home its narrative.

One of the many highlights on Lil Nas X's debut album, its personal narrative stands out to me.

It doesn't get more 60s than how the Friends of Distinction spun an instrumental classic. And how do Zambia and Jim Brown each play a part?

Mark Ronson and Camila Cabello combine for an anthem of post-heartbreak grief and processing.

It's light, it's upbeat... and the context in which it was written definitely explains its sound.

John Newman's hit starts slowly, but he soon unleashes its northern soul flavor.

This ska punk jam has one of the most unique origin stories for a track I've ever heard — one which makes me question my own life a bit.

The title of the Zombies' jumpstart single is an answer, but it, along with the rest of the song, only breeds more questions.

Happy birthday, Dad. Thanks for all your love, guidance, and CDs.

Tracy Chapman speaks of lost potential, but there might just be a light at the end of the tunnel.

On the day most associated with the group, I just had to write about them — but I had to do it my way.