Hey, Texas music fans! What are you listening to now your favorite shows are cancelling and venues closing? If you’re looking for some great tips, take a peek at our newest feature, shining the spotlight on Texas artists and the tracks we just can’t get enough of.

Tip: Click the photos or titles to watch

1. ”Blue,” Beyoncé 

The Houston-born singer Beyoncé is a performer in every sense, her vocals wow the crowd and her dance moves impress all audiences. Above all this, she is also a mother. The love of a mother to a daughter can be heard through the lyrics of her song, which even features some voice recordings of Blue Ivy, Beyoncé’s first child. 

My favorite lyrics: “Each day, I feel so blessed to be looking at you. ‘Cause when you open your eyes I feel alive.”

2. “Neon Moon,” Brooks & Dunn (with Kacey Musgraves)

Brooks & Dunn originally debuted this song in 1991 but, in 2019, released their album “Reboot,” featuring some of their older hit songs redone with newer twists. Kacey Musgraves sings lead vocals on the new version of “Neon Moon,” and adds a pop feel to it as well. Musgraves was born in Golden, TX, and has had nationwide success in recent years. 

My favorite lyrics: “There’s always room here for the lonely to watch your broken dreams dance in and out of the beams of a neon moon.”

3. “Come Together,” Gary Clark Jr. cover

The Beatles released “Come Together” in 1969, and the song went on to be a No. 1 hit. Since then, it has been covered by many artists too, including Texas-born Gary Clark Jr., who amps the song up with some metal guitar riffs. Clark released the cover in 2017, for the “Justice League” soundtrack.

My favorite lyrics: “Got to be good-looking ‘cause he’s so hard to see.”

4. “Creep,” Kelly Clarkson cover

Fort Worth native Kelly Clarkson quickly became famous after winning American Idol in 2002. Her amazing ability to belt out a song really shows in What makes her 2016 cover of Radiohead’s 1992 hit “Creep”  so impressive is that it’s from a live performance, where Clarkson shows off her natural ability to hit high notes while keeping a rock-and-roll tone. 

My favorite lyrics: “You float like a feather iIn a beautiful world
I wish I was special. You’re so very special.”

5. “Si Una Vez,” Selena

This Selena song makes you want to get up and dance, but also has a sad tone to it, full of regret. She was so passionate whenever she performed that the audience could feel the meaning behind this powerful song. Selena, from Corpus Christi, was called the “Queen of Tejano music,” and this is just one of many songs which proves her title. The 25th anniversary of her early death is on March 31st, and her legacy lives on.  

My favorite lyrics:  “Si una vez dije que te amaba, no lo vuelvo a hacer
(If I once said I loved you, I won’t do it again)
Ese error es cosa de ayer”
(That mistake is a thing of yesterday)

6. “Dearest,” Buddy Holly

This love song is short, sweet, and to the point. Buddy Holly sings in his velvety and mature voice at the age of just 22 in December 1958. The song was from his “Apartment Tapes,” recorded in his New York apartment where he lived with his wife, Maria Holly. Buddy Holly died shortly after in a plane crash, but his influence has lived on through others such as The Beatles and other Rock & Roll Hall-of-Famers. 

My favorite lyrics: “You may be a million miles away. Please believe me – umm ya, when you hear me say I love you.”

7. “The Long Way Home,” Norah Jones

Jones grew up in Grapevine, TX, and majored in jazz piano at UNT. Billboard named her the top jazz artist of the 2000s, and she has won nine Grammys and many other awards. Her music is a unique blend of jazz and pop, with other influences mixed in, which can be heard in “The Long Way Home,” released in 2004. 

My favorite lyrics: “I put food on the table and roof overhead. But I’d trade it all tomorrow for the highway instead.”

8. “Mercedes Benz,” Janis Joplin

Joplin grew up in Port Arthur, Texas, and attended school at UT Austin. She rose to fame in the late ‘60s, when she gained recognition for her unique blues vocals. This song is a comment on materialism, something that many protested and moved away from in the late ‘60s. Janis Joplin and her powerful music were a significant part of this movement. 

My favorite lyrics: “Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends, so Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz?” 

Cover photo  Susan Mohr on Unsplash

Gracie Watt is the Digital Intern at Texas Lifestyle Magazine and a sophomore at St. Edward’s University in Austin, studying Journalism. When she’s not writing, Watt enjoys singing, playing the guitar and doing volunteer work. @gracie.whatt