It’s official: Legendary rock band Arctic Monkeys is playing Manila for the first time ever on Mar. 6, 2023 at the Filinvest City Events Grounds. And as the rock band’s full-time stan, I’m making it my duty to bring as many people as possible into this fandom by listing some of their songs that are bound to get you hooked. It doesn’t matter if you’re an introvert, a pop fan, or a loveless MF, just consume this playlist and you’ll easily find your groove.

“Dance Little Liar” (2009)

I’m saying this as objectively as I can: “Dance Little Liar” is a superior track from the band’s lyrically underrated album “Humbug.” The song explores a cheater’s mind—how the guilt of their lies and infidelity starts consuming them that they couldn’t seem to rise from it anymore. NGL, it intensified (and somehow validated) my rage against cheaters.

The music production is pretty rad, too. It starts off eerie with an electric guitar solo before building up to a bass-boosted chorus. It also has an impressive instrumental bridge section that gives the song an extra kick.

“Brianstorm” (2007)

Last time I checked, “Brianstorm” isn’t a bed, so why is everyone sleeping on it? Not only is it a song that would pump you up, it also has an interesting backstory. In an interview with NME, frontman Alex Turner revealed that the track was inspired by an actual person named Brian (which explains the pun) whom they met post-gig in Osaka, Japan. “When he left the room, we were a bit freaked out by his presence. So we did a brainstorm for what he was like, drew a little picture, and wrote things about him,” said Alex.

Lyrics-wise, it’s definitely not the band’s best song. But sometimes, all you need is a serotonin-filled track you can carelessly bob your head to—and “Brianstorm” is a prime example of that.

“Cornerstone” (2009)

As mentioned earlier, “Humbug” is arguably the band’s tour-de-force; each song is a lyrical masterpiece that perfectly narrates a normal person’s internal struggles. But as much as I like every song in this album, I’ve always had an undying soft spot for “Cornerstone.” It’s relatively calm, which is a welcome change from the band’s usual color. The song features Alex’s flawless vocal delivery accompanied by an easy-to-listen drum-heavy production. It all comes together in a very interesting way, making it one of those tracks that’s impossible to dislike.

“Perfect Sense” (2022)

Fresh off their latest album “The Car,” I dare say “Perfect Sense” is Arctic Monkeys’ best production to date. It has all the elements of a great song, like beautiful instrumentals that would make you want to slow dance with somebody, and poetic lyrics that encapsulate the band’s journey: “Keep reminding me that it ain’t a race / When my invincible streak turns onto the final straight.”

Through this song, the band seems to acknowledge the possible end of their popularity while reminding themselves to make the most of it and treasure what they’ve achieved throughout the years.

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Photo from “R U Mine? (Live)” on YouTube