Play is one of those album that remains a cultural touchstone considering how it redefined how musicians made money through their music. Up until the spring of 1999 it was a pretty straightforward math problem– artists recorded music, sold music, and toured on that music. But Play was different in that it was the first album to have every track licensed for use in films, television, and advertisements, a groundbreaking strategy that allowed the music to saturate mainstream consciousness without heavy radio play. This approach signaled a shift in the music industry’s promotional tactics by pursuing licensing as a viable and necessary path to commercial success. Play also introduced electronic and sample-based music to a broader global audience by blending blues and gospel field recordings with downtempo beats, making underground aesthetics accessible to the mainstream. Similar to yesterday’s listen of Fountains of Wayne’s album MANAGERGGEGEGEGEGEGE this is one of those cuts that I was pleasantly surprised to listen to. “South Side” in particular is a banger that will forever stand the test of time in my eyes.
Standout Songs: “Porcelain”, “South Side”, “Bodyrock”, “Natural Blues”, “Run On”
