Were I faced with an intelligence not of this earth, but one that shares our understanding of what music is/for, these are the exemplars I would hold up for them to understand our cultures through my favorites:
- Hip-hop: “So whatcha want”, The Beastie Boys
- Rock and roll: “Highway to Hell”, AC/DC
- Symphonies: “Symphony No. 7”, Beethoven
- Pop: “Walkin' on Sunshine”, Katrina and the Waves
- Jazz: “Giant Steps”, John Coltrane
- Funk: “Mothership Connection”, Parliament
