Last week I said I would unveil part two of my three-week series of albums from this decade that have affected me the most. This week I am doing seven through five on my list.

7. “Good Kid, M.A.D.D. City” by Kendrick Lamar

This album in particular is an album that either gets me in a motivated mood or in an I’m-about-to-vibe-and-spill-my-feelings mood. 

As you go through the album, there are vibe songs like “Don’t Kill My Vibe” and “Poetic Justice” that most people in general can relate to. 

We all know someone that can be a buzzkill to our vibe.

The best motivational song of the album is “M.A.D.D. City.” The beats and the lyrics alone wake me up inside and give me a motivated let’s-take-on-the-day feeling.

6. “Watch the Throne” by Jay Z and Kanye West

This album slaps — slaps as in there is no song on this album that most people can’t relate to or say they don’t like. 

This album came out before most fans were ready for it. In 2011, this was an album my soccer team and I gravitated to and got motivation from.

The most impactful or hype song on the album to me is “Otis.” The lyrics, the beats, the chorus of Otis Redding in the background culminated into one of the best songs on an album ever.

5. “Happiness Begins” by the Jonas Brothers

Growing up, I became a big fan of the Jonas Brothers. I saw them on the Disney Channel and heard them on our local station a lot in my childhood. 

The band split up, and then earlier this year they got back together and crafted one of the best albums of the decade. 

The band combined its old style with DNCE and Nick Jonas’ solo style to create this album. This album has songs such as “Sucker” and “Cool” that are good songs to sing along to and popular among most people. 

The song that impacted me the most on the album was  “Rollercoaster.” “Rollercoaster” talks about the lowest of lows in life and the transition to the highest of highs. 

Then the line that goes, “I’d go back and ride that roller coaster with you” hits me every time. In life we go through the lows and highs. I can for a fact say that I wouldn’t trade the lows or highs for anything in the world because it has given me what I have and made me who I am. 

Blake Faith is a senior journalism major. He can be reached at 581-2812 or at bmfaith@eiu.edu.