If you could recommend a top 5 song playlist for someone who never cared for music for 30+ years, what would it be?

NoShanks

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As some of you may not know - I am hearing impaired and I got a cochlear implant a year ago and was activated in November 2018. Before the implant, I never cared much for music since its just a blast of loud noises in my hearing aid ear that I have severe to profound hearing loss thanks to meningitis when I was 2 years old.

After the implant and fast forward 6 months, I'm starting to learn to hear all over again in my implanted ear that I have not heard a sound for 30+ years. It's not perfect but still a work in progress.

Music at this point has started to become more enjoyable as I can hear the instrumental sounds better (lyrics still a challenge but if the voice is loud enough, I can follow along with lyrics in the video or a transcript of some kind)

I have no preferences in music and I am open minded. Only genre I cannot handle at this stage is heavy metal :oops:

So, I'm asking, what top 5 songs would you recommend to someone who is just getting into music?

thanks!
 
Clair de Lune by Debussy
Ramble On by Led Zepplin
The Sound of Silence by Disturbed
Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush
Longview by Greenday

Lemme know if you hate this, but that's a pretty broad gamut of music, IMO.
 
Tough question.
if you’ve got kids I’d start with “I loved her first” by Heartland.

I’d add for a little old school flavor, Gin and Juice

Cruise by Florida Georgia line.

I wish I was a Punk Rocker by Sandi Thom

Big Yellow Taxi by The Counting Crows.

Bonus round:
Johnathon coulton’s song Code Monkey.

if you don’t mind VERY adult content and enjoy something a little on the Raunchy Side: just about any song by Garfunkel and Oates.
 
I’ll take a different approach to this and skip lyrics altogether. Top 5 instrumental songs I’d suggest:

Allman Brothers Band - Jessica
Rush - YYZ
Led Zeppelin - Black Mountain Side
Mason Williams - Classical Gas
Patrick Street - Music for a Found Harmonium
 
Hey Ya by OutKast. I’m not really a pop guy, but I think it’s an awesome bouncy tune.

Rolling In The Deep by Adele, for a heartfelt ballad. If you like female singers, also try Rehab by Amy Winehouse.

im more a modern hard rock metal guy. Check out top hits by Maroon 5, Pink. Oh, got one - No Rain, by Blind Melon. Black Hole Sun, by Soundgarden.
 
My advice would be to not seek specific songs or artist but to find what type of music makes you feel good.
Pop culture offers a tiny sample of musical choices, outside of that bubble is an endless, wonderful world of musical enjoyment.
 
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What a wonderful world by Louis Armstrong
Sitting (on the dock of the bay) by Otis Redding
25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago
Sultans of swing by Dire Straits
In my own Time by Family

Then I would buy some albums by Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull and greatest hits/ best of by Queen,Free , Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff , Motown and Lynyrd Skynyrd
 
30 years? That's a long time, here are some bands (non-metal) that I basically like everything they have done. You can put them in Pandora or Spotify and roll. I also listed my favorite song so you can start there.

The Black Keys - Sister
311 - Beautiful Disaster
Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know
Foo Fighters - Everlong
Sublime - Garden Grove
Tom Petty - Breakdown
Weezer - Pork & Beans
 
Van Halen - And the Cradle will Rock
Eagles - Already Gone
Queen - Somebody to Love
Garth Brooks - Friends in Low Places
ACDC - Shook me All Night Long
 
What a great thread Eddie. I’ll add a couple and more later, but here’s a few:

Somewhere Beyond the Sea - Bobby Darin
December ‘63 - 4 Seasons
Marina del Rey - George Strait
Life is a Highway - Rascal Flatts
Redemption Song - Bob Marley
 
Tough call. It would really depend what kind of music you like.
 
I'm picking 5 albums:

1) Dave Brubeck Quartet: Time Out
From that album I absolutely love: a) Take Five; b) Blue Rondo A La Turk; c) Three To Get Ready

2) The Beatles: Rubber Soul
3) The Beatles: Revolver

4) Steely Dan: Aja

5) Holst: The Planets
 
Deep purple - smoke on the water
Miles Davis - so what
Van Halen - panama
Kansas - carry on my wayward son
Nirvana - smells like teen spirit
Beastie boys - intergalactic
Journey - don't stop believing
Sanatana - smooth
Ozzy Osborne - bark at the moon
Taylor swift - shake it off
 
First, congratulations on your new hearing. Both of my grandparents, on my father’s side, were born deaf, so I somewhat understand the hardships and loss of hearing to a person.

I am not a music person at all, as I generally only listen to sports radio. However, my favorite all time song is Bohemian Rhapsody. I don’t know if there are many song better written or performed.
 
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, 2nd Movement
Bonnie Raitt - I Can’t Make You Love Me
Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
Van Halen - Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

That should be a good starting point.
 
My kids really like Lights Shine Bright or backseat driver by Toby Mac, his music can very but has a good beat.
 
this is not specific songs but.....
If you have amazon prime radio or any variation thereof search Chris Stapleton station and hit play!

IMO one of the best stations out there. Lot of different genres played
 
Alan Jackson - Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)
Kygo - any Piano Jam
Pink Floyd - Wish you were here (live)
Rednex - Wild And Free
2CELLOS - With Or Without You

There are so many sounds in the world it's great you are getting the opportunity to hear what we all sometimes take for granted - enjoy
 
eddie i LOVE this thread. i am kinda jealous that you get to experience some of this music for the first time ever. i’m going to list 5, but it could easily be 50 songs! i stayed away from rap because you said lyrics can be a challenge. also tried to stay away from anything too heavily distorted because you said metal is tough for you. there are so many i left off, but these are 5 i could listen to on loop all day every day.

pink floyd - comfortably numb. the wall as an album is a masterpiece, but this may be the most iconic song. it holds a special place in my heart.

bela fleck and the flecktones - big country. no words, just ethereal major key banjo driven jazz fusion. it’s beautiful, melodic, happy music.

dave matthews band - #41/Say Goodbye. I’m cheating here, but the studio album of these songs was produced such that one transitions into the other. #41 is an iconic dave song, but the way the two songs work together is so good.

queen - bohemian rhapsody. just an amazing composition, and an inspired masterpiece.

guns n’ roses - sweet child o mine. might be a little too heavy for you, but to me this is one of the most perfect 80s rock songs. another one that has a special place in my heart.
 
This is an awesome topic and ,as others have said, so personal.

heres Five songs by probably my five favorite bands and if you like, let me know, we can dive deeper:

The Smiths: Cemetry Gates
Frightened Rabbit: Keep Yourself Warm
The Beatles: Day in the Life
Smashing Pumpkins: Mayonnaise
Neutral Milk Hotel: Holland 1945
 
Tough question.
if you’ve got kids I’d start with “I loved her first” by Heartland.

I’d add for a little old school flavor, Gin and Juice

Cruise by Florida Georgia line.

I wish I was a Punk Rocker by Sandi Thom

Big Yellow Taxi by The Counting Crows.

Bonus round:
Johnathon coulton’s song Code Monkey.

if you don’t mind VERY adult content and enjoy something a little on the Raunchy Side: just about any song by Garfunkel and Oates.
No one should ever have to listen to Florida Georgia Line my friend. That’s punishment on the ears.;)
 
No one should ever have to listen to Florida Georgia Line my friend. That’s punishment on the ears.;)

Was going to say, if you want some not-sh!tty country (ie everything mainstream) ask @Jman - dude knows some stuff.
 
I will agree that no heavy metal right now is a good call. Although Metallica has some songs that I think you would enjoy.

I would push you in a different direction to open up the sounds

1. Miles Davis - any song will work, but my favorites are "Autumn Leaves" & "Nature Boy"
2. Boyz II Men - again plenty to chose from, but I like "4 Seasons of Lonliness"
3.Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
4. Earth, Wind and Fire - Serpentine Fire
5. Eagles - anything they do but I like "Desperado" and "Hotel California"
6. Guns & Roses - November Rain
7. Justin Timberlake - "Drink You Away"
8. Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines
9. Taylor Swift - any song will work
10. Zac Brown Band - Highway 20 Ride or Colder Weather
 
1. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
2. Journey - Don't Stop Believin'
3. Billy Joel - Piano Man
4. Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
5. Boston - More Than a Feeling
 
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