If your nervous system is completely frazzled from the late-nighter you’re currently pulling to start that major essay due TOMORROW (which you had all semester to work on), we feel you. We’ve all been there! To help you survive through the wee hours of essay-writing, we’ve compiled a playlist of nostalgic noughties R&B hits that will motivate you with their infectious beats and keep you (somewhat) focused – we can’t guarantee you won’t be compelled to get out of your desk and bust a move though.
But hey, sometimes a dose of pure, unadulterated dancing like no-one’s watching is what you need to get your blood circulating and pumping to your brain cells. So go on, get out of your seat for a minute and shake out the stress to these hits that’ll bring you back to your high school days.
Survivor – Destiny’s Child
Source: HerSweat
An optimistic start to our playlist: let Beyonce, Kelly, and Michelle assure you that you’ll get survive this all-nighter…only leave next semester’s assignments to the last minute again.
Don’t Cha – Pussycat Dolls ft. Busta Rhymes
Source: PopScreen
Who else remembers afternoons after school spent with your best friends, singing along to this track in the mirror, complete with your own interpretive dance routines, enthusiastic hair flicks, and hairbrush microphones?
Me & U – Cassie
Source: Wallpapers XI
Cassie’s soft voice as she croons over a simple beat is what makes this song so addictive. Definitely a track you can listen to on repeat without getting bored!
Heya – Outkast
Source: Celebuzz
If this perennial party starter doesn’t get you out of your seat and shakin’ it like a polaroid picture, then you must be allergic to infectious beats, hey?
Confessions (Part 2) – Usher
Source: Billboard
Aaah, Usher! If you attended high school in the early to mid-2000’s, we’re sure you had a poster of a topless Usher on your wall at some point. Taken off his 2004 album Confessions, this song was a hit for its catchy beat and Usher’s yearning voice as he laments over his unfaithful ways.
Hot in Herre – Nelly
Source: MotherJones
Especially suitable if you’re in the tail end of semester two, when the Sydney summer is approaching. This song is a perfect accompaniment to when you wish you were going for a late-night dip instead of cooped up behind your desk, with your brain about to combust from writing about Locke, Hume, or yet another dead white philosopher.
Too Close – Next
Source: YouTube
Lewd lyrics aside, this song remains a quintessential 90s R&B hit that will surely get your head bopping as you type the final words of your essay. Younger folk may recognise the beat from this hilarious internet meme!
Got your own study playlist? Have we missed a song?
Let us know which hits you NEED on your study playlist in the comments below!
