10 Carly Rae Jepsen Songs Bound to Become Classics
Ever since starting her music career with the release of her first studio album over a decade ago, grabbing everyone’s attention with an unforgettable hit single in 2011 along the way, radio-pop-princess-turned-indie-queen Carly Rae Jepsen has proven to us time and time again that she’s not just your typical, pop-star-next-door.
Now, a year after the release of her fourth album, Dedicated, and a Side B to the album coming this Thursday, May 21st, she has received many accolades, garnering a loyal and dedicated (pun intended) fanbase from within and beyond the pop-sphere.
At this point, claiming that Carly’s breakthrough is one of the best things to happen to pop in the last decade is no longer an overstatement and is quite a pretty sensible a claim to make — what with records like E•MO•TION, E•MO•TION Side B, and Dedicated raising the bar high for CRJ’s contemporaries within the genre.
Here are ten songs that, in my opinion, will be regarded as classics further down the road:
#10. Call Me Maybe
Kiss may not showcase Carly’s prowess as a pop sensation the best. But for how spotty the tracklisting is, it did bring us her biggest hit single to date, Call Me Maybe. Nearly every element from this song — from its simple yet catchy melody to the innocence and desperation Carly embodies in her singing — are all present in her future works and are reasons why many people are drawn to her music. Call Me Maybe may be the only thing many people remember her for — and some die-hard, pleb filter-obsessed fans may not be happy about that — but it is still a fun and refreshing pop tune that, for its time, was way ahead of the curve— memes and radio presence aside.
#9. Higher
Carly’s signature charm is elevated ‘higher’ on this synth-pop madness of a track about romantic euphoria. The song, much like other songs from E•MO•TION Side B, features tight, analog synths and drum beats. It is paired with Carly’s carefree lyrics and a vocal delivery that captures the charisma of the king of pop himself, Michael Jackson. Admiring your special someone has never sounded so pleasant.
#8. Julien
Dedicated sees Carly taking on bolder steps on her sound, and the album’s opening track teases the listener of what’s to come. Julien is a cocktail-drenched disco tune with acid house sensibilities that is unlike any other from Carly’s discography. She hasn’t gone off-the-wall since Black Heart, but Julien is stickier that leaves you with an aftertaste.
#7. All That
E•MO•TION is all about the different kinds of emotion people feel, and this vocal-pop slow-burner is one of the album’s main high points due to the variety it brings to the table. Being the sole ballad song on E•MO•TION, All That is rather subtle in its presentation — from Carly’s passionate singing to the crystal-clear production — all without losing touch of catharsis. E•MO•TION wouldn’t be a complete ‘emotional’ package if not for this memorable track.
#6. No Drug Like Me
This song is as addictive as its title suggests. Much like Julien, No Drug Like Me shows Carly taking on an edgier and more mature direction, featuring a brisk and punchy synth bass riff in the chorus behind Carly’s breathy, adrenaline-filled vocal acrobatics that demonstrates her control over her own singing voice in ways that we’ve never heard prior to its release.
#5. Warm Blood
If there’s one thing E•MO•TION is remembered and praised for, it is the album’s true adherence to the 1980s pop sound palette, and Warm Blood is probably the track most representative of the synth-pop side of Carly’s extensive list of sonic influences for E•MO•TION. From the heavy, pulsating synths driving the momentum all throughout, to Carly’s compressed vocals, it all screams of the glamorous halcyon from whence the likes of Prince, Duran Duran, and Depeche Mode ruled the airwaves, which many young fans nowadays misinterpret as the disco era.
#4. Roses
Carly sure knows how to end an album on a high note. The closing track to E•MO•TION Side B, Roses, carries the most emotional baggage out of the entire 8-track EP. For as bleak as the image painted by the lyrics are, it is contrasted by colorful instrumentation and a powerful delivery from CRJ herself. It is certainly not the first time (no pun intended) Carly did this in the EP (Cry and Store), but they don’t offer the listener the same stimulus quite like Roses.
#3. E•MO•TION
E•MO•TION’s title track is celebrated by many a fan of CRJ. For one, it has a really captivating hook, and it’s probably enough reason why it is one of Carly’s best work to date. The chorus perfectly encapsulates everything Carly, being a pop artist of today, is about. She yearns for that ecstatic sensation of love yet she is full of life, and her crescendoing vocal performance shows just that. Her very peculiar taste for ’80s pop and rock fusion is also present in the instrumentation, complementing the innocence of her voice. Sometimes, all it takes is a single hook to show what you’re capable of.
#2. Love Again
Being a Japan-exclusive bonus track, not everyone had the pleasure of hearing this gem upon release, but it truly is that amazing. Co-produced by Christopher Baran, who also worked on the production for E•MO•TION (the title track), Love Again has everything the eponymous E•MO•TION has, but with a better song structure, and a deeper connection formed between the artist and her listener. The song is all about picking up the pieces, moving on, and learning to love again. It’s not everyday we see Carly communicate to her listeners on a personal level through a song, and the fact that it’s the final track of E•MO•TION’s deluxe edition makes listening through the entire album all the more gratifying.
#1. Run Away With Me
NME described New Order’s Bizarre Love Triangle as a moment of ‘pure pop’, a testament I can very much agree with — a genre cornerstone that took the breath and soul of an entire generation away. That is exactly what Run Away With Me is; a defining moment for pop music in the 2010s — pure and unadulterated. From the moment you hit the play button, you are already met with the iconic saxophone riff that plays out sporadically. Then come the verses that build up momentum for a grand and epic chorus. Everything cycles around until the final moments where everything comes together to create a mountain of interlayered sounds crashing down on your ears; every second feels larger than life. Carly’s lyrics and singing are sharp and emotionally potent, and the rest of the ensemble are all at their best here in Carly’s best song to date; it is indeed one of pop’s purest moments.
