Big Brat Energy

 Welcome to what the media are calling “Brat Summer” thanks to Charli XCX’s universally adored new album Brat. I am fully on the Brat train and I have Charli’s track “360” playing on repeat. I was so inspired that I decided to find my own Big Brat Energy with a playlist of some of my favorite songs that give off those bratty vibes. I probably could have made an entire playlist of strictly British artists because they tend to excel at brattiness but I tried to open things up a bit. I did leave off a bunch of my favorites because I had featured them on previous playlists. Apologies to Blur, The Go-Go’s, Pavement, Pulp, etc. you would have been right at home on this playlist. 

Aside from Charli XCX, this playlist features is his royal brattiness, Prince with “Controversy” and infamous UK bad boy Robbie Williams with “Let Me Entertain You.” By the way, I highly recommend watching Robbie’s Netflix docu-series if you haven’t already. It is so good.  

Taking this bratty playlist back to the ‘60s, The Sonics were a garage band that went on to influence so many others from The Stooges to the White Stripes. I’ve included their song “Strychnine.” 

The Irish band Fontaines D.C. have a new album coming next month but their 2018 song “Boys in the Better Land” is much more bratty than their newer material so that is what I have used here. And then there is Bow Wow Wow. Any band that Malcolm McLaren is involved with you know that bratitude is involved. 

British band The Libertines ooze brattiness and it is not just because the lead singer once threw a bottle of wine at my husband’s head. Although it doesn’t exactly hurt the case either. The Ramones perfectly follow up The Libertines “I Get Along” with “Judy Is a Punk.”  

Certain late ‘70s and early ‘80s artists really give off great brat energy. Case in point, I have added feminist post-punk band Delta 5 and their classic “Mind Your Own Business” and California siblings Sparks’ song “Moustache.”

Lawrence Hayward is mostly known as the frontman for the English band, Felt. He also led a band called Denim who released their only album in the early 90s. Their song “Middle of the Road” from that record is a bratty glam rock tribute and a total earworm. 

Spank Rock’s “Bump” made it on to so many of my mid-aughts playlists. This track is sassy as hell and definitely Rated R, so you have been warned. 

I am slightly shocked that it took me this long to include a B-52’s song one of these playlists but they work so well on this one and “Legal Tender” is a favorite. 

One of the original riot grrrl bands, Bratmobile, are back and playing live shows again. Unfortunately I was out of the country when they played NYC so if you are reading this, Bratmobile, please come back!  For the playlist I chose their cover of another brat group, The Runaways’ song “Cherry Bomb.” Redd Kross are another pair of bratty brothers from California (see also Sparks). Their song “Switchblade Sister” gives us the send off from this playlist that we need. 

Let me know what you think and hit me with your favorite brats. Until then, enjoy the rest of your Brat Summer my friends! 

xo, 

Julie 

Charli XCX - 360 

Prince - Controversy

Robbie Williams - Let Me Entertain You 

The Sonics - Strychnine

Fontaines D.C. - Boys in the Better Land 

Bow Wow Wow - C30, C60, C90, Go 

The Libertines - I Get Along 

Ramones - Judy Is a Punk 

Delta 5 - Mind Your Own Business 

Sparks - Moustache 

Denim - Middle Of The Road 

Spank Rock - Bump 

The B-52’s - Legal Tender 

Bratmobile - Cherry Bomb 

Redd Kross - Switchblade Sister