Pink Floyd - "The Wall"

PINK FLOYD WERE THE ARCHITECTS OF TWO MAJOR MUSIC MOVEMENTS—PSYCHEDELIC SPACE-ROCK AND BLUES-BASED PROGRESSIVE ROCK—AND BECAME KNOWN FOR THEIR BITING POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL COMMENTARY.

With 1973's Dark Side Of The Moon and 1979's The Wall, the band created two of the most ambitious (and best-selling) albums of all time—and underscored that personal torment could resonate on a massive level.

Pink Floyd were an English rock band formed in London in 1965. They achieved international acclaim with their progressive and psychedelic music. Distinguished by their philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, extended compositions, and elaborate live shows, they are one of the most commercially successful and influential groups in popular music history.

Pink Floyd were founded by students Syd Barrett on guitar and lead vocals, Nick Mason on drums, Roger Waters on bass and vocals, and Richard Wright on keyboards and vocals. They gained popularity performing in London's underground music scene during the late 1960s, and under Barrett's leadership released two charting singles and a successful debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967). Guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour joined in December 1967; Barrett left in April 1968 due to deteriorating mental health. Waters became the band's primary lyricist and conceptual leader, devising the concepts behind their albums The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977), The Wall (1979) and The Final Cut (1983). The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall became two of the best-selling albums of all time.

Following creative tensions, Wright left Pink Floyd in 1979, followed by Waters in 1985. Gilmour and Mason continued as Pink Floyd; Wright rejoined them as a session musician and, later, band member. The three produced two more albums—A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) and The Division Bell (1994)—and toured through 1994. After nearly two decades of enmity, Gilmour, Wright, and Mason reunited with Waters in 2005 to perform as Pink Floyd in London as part of the global awareness event Live 8; Gilmour and Waters stated they had no further plans to reunite the band. Barrett died in 2006, and Wright in 2008. The last Pink Floyd studio album, The Endless River (2014), was recorded without Waters and based almost entirely on unreleased material.

Pink Floyd were inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. By 2013, they had sold more than 250 million records worldwide.

They shook up the listening audience. They changed the game, then they changed it again. They had an iconic sound that lasted through round after round of lineup changes, and were somehow able to create some of the most iconic music of our century.

So today, with hands off, I choose Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” as my, we don’t need it, live without it, back up off it, song for a, this is a story about a boy named pink, long day’s journey, little leaps of faith, Wednesday.

Sia - "Elastic Heart"

Still one of her most powerful pieces, that speaks so honestly to the intangible ability of the heart to stretch into the hurt places. Not to mention Ryan Heffington’s incredible choreo.

So today, with forever mood, I choose Sia’s “Elastic Heart” as my, stretch into the pain, move through the music, let the things that not longer hold fall away, song for a, never stop fighting for peace, sing for the kids who can’t hear you, one more chance to bend, Wednesday.

Ben Harney & Sheryl Lee Ralph - "When I First Saw You (Dreamgirls)"

In 1981 this show changed the landscape of American Musical Theatre. It broke barriers and it changed perceptions. It is a pivotal moment in the art form’s evolution and it will never be forgotten.

Dreamgirls, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen, was based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Supremes, The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, the musical follows the story of a young female singing trio from Chicago, Illinois called "The Dreams", who become music superstars.

Staged with a mostly African-American cast and originally starring Jennifer Holliday, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Loretta Devine, Ben Harney, Cleavant Derricks, Vondie Curtis-Hall, and Obba Babatundé, the musical opened on December 20, 1981, at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway. The musical was then nominated for 13 Tony Awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical, and won six. It was later adapted into a motion picture from DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures in 2006. The film starred Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson, Danny Glover, Anika Noni Rose, and Keith Robinson.

Today I woke up with this song in my head, grateful for the dreams that are still on their way to me, and especially for those that I have already found.

So, with dreams winding their way to me, I choose Ben Harney & Sheryl Lee Ralph’s version of "When I First Saw You” from Dreamgirls as my, life has a funny way, every crooked road you’ve walked, never a straight line, song for an, inspiration comes in waves, rest and rejuvenation are vital parts of the creative process, be proud of how far you’ve come, Tuesday.

Emeli Sandé - "Breaking The Law"

Known professionally as Emeli Sandé, she’s a Scottish singer and songwriter. She was born in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear to an English mother and Zambian father. She was raised in Alford, Aberdeenshire. She became prominent after she was featured on the 2009 track "Diamond Rings" by the rapper Chipmunk. It was their first top 10 single on the UK Singles Chart. In 2010, she was featured on "Never Be Your Woman" by the rapper Wiley, which was another top ten hit. In 2012, she received the Brit Awards' Critics' Choice Award.

Sandé released her first solo single "Heaven" in August 2011. She has two number-one singles across the UK and Ireland with "Read All About It" with Professor Green and "Beneath Your Beautiful", a collaboration with Labrinth. Her album Our Version of Events spent ten non-consecutive weeks at number one and became the best-selling album of 2012 in the UK, with over 1 million sales. In 2012, she performed in both the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the London Olympics.She won two Brit Awards at the 2013 ceremony: Best British Female Solo Artist, and British Album of the Year.

In 2016, she released her second studio album Long Live the Angels, which debuted at number 2 on the UK album chart. In 2017, she won the Brit Award for Best British Female Solo Artist, becoming her fourth win in total.

Sandé was also appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for her services to music.

While making her debut album, Sandé began to work with Tinie Tempah. She co-wrote "Let Go", on which she provided guest vocals. She also started working with Devlin after recording a song titled "Dreamer". Sandé later revealed she would be working on Alesha Dixon's upcoming album, The Entertainer. She co-wrote the hit single "Radio" along with Shahid Khan. and co-wrote tracks on Cheryl Cole's albums as well as Professor Green's album, which Sandé gave guest vocals on. She said that she is Simon Cowell's favourite songwriter at the moment[when?]; due to her writing songs for Leona Lewis and Susan Boyle. Sandé stated in an interview; she said that she would love to meet Boyle after writing songs for her saying, "I haven't met her yet. I just sent her the song. I'd love to meet her because I think she is a bit of a rock star." Sandé cowrote "This Will Be The Year" for Boyle and songs for Leona called "Trouble" and "Mountains". It was revealed after Professor Green announced his album tracking list for his album, At Your Inconvenience, that Sandé would feature on the first single from the album, "Read All About It". The single was released in October 2011 before the album was released. The pair also performed the song live on The X Factor results show. She draws on influences for her music from Nina Simone, Joni Mitchell, Lauryn Hill and Amy Winehouse. Sandé said that all her songs were about World peace and political issues.  Sandé said that the key to a good song when songwriting is using "honesty" and "raw emotion" as the best way to write. She said that if she attempts to write something which is "too smart", the creative process will not work for her. "Kill the Boy" was one of the first ideas that came to Sandé's head. She said if she has to work on a song longer than a day, she will not go back to it, as she said it won't work. She went on to say if it was to work, that the idea for the song would be almost instant.

She gives us inspiration, in her voice, her lyrics, and the sheer power she packs into each performance, and some days, a little extra inspiration is a very welcome thins.

So today with grit in my teeth and a smile across my face, I choose Emeli Sandé’s “Breaking The Law, as my, turn it up, slow it down, make it your own little moment, song for a, remember the road you’ve walked, pick back up where you left off, gently my love - gently, Monday.

Dyan - "Looking For Knives"

Meet DYAN. The buzzy new synth pop act, comprised of film composer duo Alexis & Sam (a.k.a Alexis Marsh and Samuel Jones) and Dan Dorff Jr., has been steadily on the rise since their singles "Days Upon Days" and "Looking for Knives" first lit up the hype machine in recent months.

The duo have worked on the project since 2012, with Marsh writing all of the songs and co-producing alongside Jones. They teamed up with Dorff, who was part of Jim James' solo band and also appeared on Ray Lamontagne’s Ouroboros, in the final stages of recording at La La Land Studio in Louisville, KY.

They’ve got a gorgeous blend of classical harmony and song shape, mixed with film composition style that’s soft and inconspicuous, layered with a beautiful synth pop vocal that is at once calling and yearning.

So today, with hands reaching out into the darkness, I choose Dyan’s “Looking for Knives” as my, keep reaching, strive for more, do not let a stumble stop your momentum, song for a, break off the parts of you that no longer serve, the shell you once needed is only slowing you down, your heart is fastest thing you can send out beyond yourself, Friday.

Otis Redding - "These Arms of Mine"

He is remembered, his legacy lives on in popular music, and he is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. Redding's style of singing gained inspiration from the gospel music that preceded the genre. His singing style influenced many other soul artists of the 1960s. During his lifetime, his recordings were produced by Stax Records, based in Memphis, Tennessee.

Redding was born in Dawson, Georgia, and at the age of 2, moved to Macon, Georgia. Redding quit school at age 15 to support his family, working with Little Richard's backing band, the Upsetters, and by performing in talent shows at the historic Douglass Theatre in Macon, Georgia. In 1958, he joined Johnny Jenkins's band, the Pinetoppers, with whom he toured the Southern states as a singer and driver. An unscheduled appearance on a Stax recording session led to a contract and his first single, "These Arms of Mine", in 1962.

Stax released Redding's debut album, Pain in My Heart, two years later. Initially popular mainly with African-Americans, Redding later reached a wider American pop music audience. Along with his group, he first played small gigs in the American South. He later performed at the popular Los Angeles night club Whisky a Go Go and toured Europe, performing in London, Paris and other major cities. He also performed at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.

Shortly before his death in a plane crash, Redding wrote and recorded his iconic "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" with Steve Cropper. The song became the first posthumous number-one record on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts. The album The Dock of the Bay was the first posthumous album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart. Redding's premature death devastated Stax. Already on the verge of bankruptcy, the label soon discovered that the Atco division of Atlantic Records owned the rights to his entire song catalog.

Redding received many posthumous accolades, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In addition to "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," "Respect" and "Try a Little Tenderness" are among his best-known songs.

So today, with eyes of gratitude turned towards the past, I choose Otis Redding’s “These Arms of Mine” as my, you can only hold him, it doesn’t get better quickly, the hurt only heals with time, song for a, break down but not apart, circle your wagons, take care of your people, Thursday.

My heart flies to you dear one. May your passage be swift, beautiful and easy. You have been so loved.

August D. Valentine - "Autumn"

A simple song for a simple day. Live life savoring every golden moment. Autumn is in the air.

So today, with my heart on my sleeve, I choose August D. Valentine’s “Autumn” as my, slowly, calmly, quietly, song for a, like a cat sneaking up on you, like a child laughing in another room, like a sunset on a cloudy day, Wednesday.

Autumn, a song by August D. Valentine on Spotify

Rita Ora - "Anywhere"

She’s got a sterling pedigree, and the chops to back it up. Rita Ora is the kind of pop princess that prefers to dive into the pool without making a splash. This hopefully ensures that she’s not a flash in the pan but something worth keeping around.

She rose to prominence in February 2012 when she featured on DJ Fresh's single "Hot Right Now", which reached number one in the UK. Her debut studio album, Ora, released in August 2012, debuted at number one in the United Kingdom. The album contained the UK number-one singles "R.I.P." and "How We Do (Party)". Ora was the artist with the most number-one singles on the UK Singles Chart in 2012, with three consecutive singles reaching the top position.

On 26 May 2017, Ora released her first solo single in almost two years, titled "Your Song", which peaked at number seven in the UK. The track is expected to be the lead single from Ora's upcoming second studio album, after previous attempts at her second record were lost in her lawsuit against her former label, Roc Nation. Ora performed at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend on 28 May 2017. The second single, "Anywhere", became her eleventh top ten song in the UK, peaking at number two.

In January 2018, Liam Payne and Ora released the song "For You", from the soundtrack of the film Fifty Shades Freed, in which Ora co-stars. In February, "For You" reached number eight in the UK, marking Ora's 12th top-ten song and equalling a 30-year-old record, jointly held by Shirley Bassey and Petula Clark, for most top-ten songs by a British female solo artist.

So today, with vacation dreams in full effect, I choose Rita Ora’s “Anywhere” as my, a million miles away, forever in your eyes, eternity in your arms, song for a, fly with me, silver wings, one more adventure checked off the list.