The kids these days ...

hendulele

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Hi Seasonistas!

As you may know, I'm very active in a uke jam group and a couple of the other "leaders" wonder if our repertoire is getting a bit stale.

Most of us are in our 50s or older, so understandably, we play the music we grew up listening to, along with standards even older than that. We've had a tough time attracting younger folks who stay more than a couple of jams.

We want to freshen things up. Several regulars have Millennial kids (or grandkids), so they should be aware of more modern music that checks the boxes for a family-friendly group: it has a straightforward chord pattern; you can strum it; you can recognize a melody (GET OFF MY LAWN!!); the lyrics are not too vulgar.

We've brought in a few: Wagon Wheel (of course), Hey, Soul Sister (ditto), Sweet Pea (excellent), We Can. There must be something from the Disney universe worth adding, but my guess is, none of us go to Disney movies.

Since all of us shamelessly post videos of songs we may barely know from styles we may barely recognize, what would you recommend as accessible, 21st century pop/rock/country songs that would appeal to a younger crowd and might not cause geezers to run away screaming?

Thanks, y'all.

NOW GET OFF MY LAWN!!

P.S.: Ryan (RAB11) may be onto something with Season 324: Songs from popular video games. Suggestions for those would be welcome, too. ;)
 
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Here's two new-ish ones my group plays:

Someone To Lava, a Disney song.
Drop, Baby, Drop by The Mana'o Company.
 
I would also aim for stuff off of the Pitch Perfect movies.
How about Miley Cyrus - Party in the USA.
 
Riptide by Vance Joy
Count on Me by Bruno Mars
House of Gold by 21 Pilots
I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You - 21 Pilots (in 3)

And so many more...feel free to look through the play along library for more titles that might fit well.
 
Thanks, and keep 'em coming, please!

My better half suggested reviewing the song lists from the competition shows ("Idol," "Talent," etc.) Contestants often sing "classic" songs that even the judges don't know!
 
Ed Sheeran would probably be a safe bet. But throwing songs and artists at you probably isn't a big help because there is such a wide spectrum of new music being made at the moment that it really is going to depend on the individual.

If I walked into a uke club in my early 20s and they were playing Justin Bieber and Rhianna I'd probably walk straight back out. But others would love it.

A better idea might be to speak to the actual people joining the club to see if there's any songs they want to learn how to play. But I wouldn't assume that they'll immediately get turned off anything older than this century.
 
Ed Sheeran would probably be a safe bet. But throwing songs and artists at you probably isn't a big help because there is such a wide spectrum of new music being made at the moment that it really is going to depend on the individual.

If I walked into a uke club in my early 20s and they were playing Justin Bieber and Rhianna I'd probably walk straight back out. But others would love it.

A better idea might be to speak to the actual people joining the club to see if there's any songs they want to learn how to play. But I wouldn't assume that they'll immediately get turned off anything older than this century.

I think you're right about Ed Sheeran, Ryan. We may try one or two.

Perhaps we could have a challenge of sorts. Ask each person to bring in one song written in the 21st century that they enjoy and thing the group might enjoy, too. (I failed to mention one other major limitation: Some songs are not meant to be sung by ensembles unless the group is really tight. Some of my favorites to play have been disasters when I've tried to expand them to the group.)
 
The bonus is that Pop Songs are usually universally “easy” chords. Pop music formula doesn’t change much over the years
 
21 Pilots have a lot of really cool ukulele stuff. Also, with Stranger Things being so popular, the eighties are making a big resurgence and my 12 year old loves all songs eighties, especially Naked Eyes. Songs from the soundtrack include, The Clash' Should I Stay Or Should I Go, Psychedelic Furs' Ghost In You. Here's a link to a site with songs from it. https://www.soundtrack.net/album/stranger-things/

Thanks,
29moons
 
A better idea might be to speak to the actual people joining the club to see if there's any songs they want to learn how to play. But I wouldn't assume that they'll immediately get turned off anything older than this century.

I agree! When I teach kids ukulele lessons, the first thing I ask them is what they want to play. Then I base the songs we learn on that.
 
Riptide- Vance Joy. Every kid in the world knows it and currently it is the only thing they strongly associate with the Ukulele...at least 'round these parts. It is the "go-to" hook to get them playing. Super easy tot translate an ukulele song to ukulele as well ;) Of course, what they want to hear (or learn) changes quickly, but if they can hear it on the uke and translate it with some success, they are all in.
I also second Moons notion of riding the Stranger Things wave...and 13 Reasons. Both soundtracks are really good and well, my eighth graders are now asking me to play Joy Division in class (THANK GOD)
 
Riptide by Vance Joy
Count on Me by Bruno Mars
House of Gold by 21 Pilots
I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You - 21 Pilots (in 3)

And so many more...feel free to look through the play along library for more titles that might fit well.

Yes, check out Choirguy’s channel. It is excellent, and I play many songs there for my kids. (Thank you Choirguy, I visit your site almost every day for the fun after I’m done trying to learn harder pieces.)
 
I'm not sure what the 'kids' listen to these days, but whenever I put on the radio in the car, it all sounds like the same (annoying) noise to me nowadays (yes GET OFF MY LAWN is a new mantra), and I end up listening to NPR instead, but most of the time I favor silence when driving....anyway...

Amanda Palmer and Eddie Vedder are also recent pop/rock artists that both put out ukulele albums, along side their other music.

Maroon 5 (Payphone), Train (Hey Soul Sister), Jason Mraz (I'm Yours), Colby Callait (Bubbly), Regina Spektor and Ingrid Michaelson also all have uke-friendly songs.

Also, lots of Alicia Keys, Britney Spears, and Katy Perry songs follow the typical C-Am-F-G chord progressions, maybe in different keys, or different order, but the pattern persists nevertheless.

I can't help with the Rihanna/Beiber/Ariana Grande/Megan Trainor crowd since I switch all that off ASAP.

Hope some of this can help.
 
It's always good to search e.g. for last decades/years a.s.o.
http://www.chartsurfer.de/musik/single-charts-usa/jahrescharts/hits-2010er.html
Maybe there are some repetitions, but here are some songs I know from 2000 on:

Shalalala, Vengaboys, 2000 (orig. the Wynners 1974)
Island in the sun, Weezer, 2001
Whenever-wherever, Shakira, 2001
Long way home, Tom Waits, 2002
Behind blue eyes, Limp Bizkit, 2003 (orig. The Who 1971)
Wagon Wheel, Old Crow Medicine Show, 2004
Boulevard of broken dreams, Green Day, 2004
No No Never, Texas Lightning, 2006
You and I, Ingrid Michaelson, 2006
Hey There Delilah, Plain White T’s, 2006
Umbrella, Rihanna, 2007, here the Baseballs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URxzu8EFBVY
About you now, Sugarbabes, 2007, (scot. version: Skippinish, 2012 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCuzaL968Bo)
All summer long, Kid Rock, 2007
This is the life, Ami McDonald, 2007
Viva la vida, Cold play, 2008
Sweet about me, Gabriella Cilmi, 2008
Fun song, Spongebob, 2009
Everybody, Ingrid Michaelson, 2009
Hey Soul Sister, Train, 2009
Satellite, Lena Meyer-Landrut, 2010
Count on me, Bruno Mars, 2010
One of us, Glee Cast 2010 (orig. Osborne 1996)
Ai se eu te pego, Michael Telo, 2011
Little Talks, Of Monsters and Men, 2011
Radioactive, Imagine Dragons, 2012
Ho Hey, Lumineers, 2012
The moon song, Karen O, 2013
House of stone, 21 pilots, 2013
Hey brother, Avicii, 2013
Wake me up, Avicii, 2013
Lava, Disney Pixar, 2014
Oh my Love, Rea Garvey, 2014
Blame it on me, George Ezra, 2014
Budapest , George Ezra, 2014
All about that base, Meghan Trainor, 2015 (perfect PMJ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyTTX6Wlf1Y)
Reality, Lost Frequencies, 2015
Renegades, X-Ambassadors, 2015
The judge, 21 pilots, 2015
Love yourself, Justin Bieber, 2015
Shape of you, Ed Sheeran, 2017
Believer, Imagine Dragons, 2017
Something just like this, Chainsmokers/Coldplay, 2017
 
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Rick - here is what I found with the age groups. Its not necessarily the music, its the attitude and how its presented. You can take the most popular pop song of today and play it on a ukulele and not raise a single eye brow because it will never sound like the original. They still won't recognize it. Look at how the kids play music. When I was in high school, my alone music was much different (usually) than my with my buddies music. We would load up in the truck and the Hank Jr. or Alabama cassette would go in the deck. These albums were loaded with easy fun to sing songs. It is my feeling that you have a unique opportunity here for both the old geezers (like yourself ... lmao) and the young entitled folks to bring those two genres together. There are some popular songs that are very fun on the uke and easy to play. Riptide by Vance Joy is an example. Super easy to play, its a head bouncer and lots of fun. Listen for music that is made for the ukulele. Personally, I feel that if you are playing for a sing along, if you can't pick up a uke and a book and play the song, its too complicated. Disney. I love Disney songs but in my experience they are short lived on the uke and in sing alongs. Lava is a great song...I love that song...kids don't sing it. Down by the bay, goofy rifi song...kids and adults of all ages love. Video game soundtracks....this music is picked to go along with the flow of the games...but as you can tell from the selection of music this week, its not the most popular as evidenced by all the classical music. It is a very specific pick for a very specific niche. Younger kids definitely like to be entertained but I subject my kids at home to all sorts of crap that I try to play...Most of the stuff they have never heard of but quickly become ear worms in their daily lives. The latest...Toby Keith, You ain't much fun since I quit drinkin...I may not play that outside of a group of kids that I know...but at home, around the campfire, sitting in the yard...it is always a favorite. Here is a project idea...make a 20-30 song 'timeless' favorites song book. These are all songs that are 2-3 chords and are entirely meant to be sung, not performed. I have tons of examples from all decades and genres. Id love to participate.

Moral of my rant. Are you performing or leading? Performing you expect people to sit and listen....Leading you are trying to entice participation. I think these are two very different song books.
 
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This man speaks the truth.

Hell I go to the same open Mic night that rotates between three pubs. I'll play a different kind of set in each pub because of the regulars there. New open Mic nights I'll always go with the singalongs to get people interested.
 
You people ...

Are fantastic. Thanks for the ideas and suggestions. I'll see how many I can apply before the geezers throw me out!
 
Check out the mini-album "Me and My Uke" by Never Shout Never. They're a pop/rock band but the lead singer/songwriter is a ukulele fan. Both my kids got all excited when I covered one of his songs in the Seasons one time.
 
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Hey Rick,

Some of the teenage kids I teach are into Grace VanderWaal a lot. The younger ones consistantly ask for the songs from Frozen and Moana. . .
 
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