Tip #5 (27/03/2025) – The King’s Music Room Playlist

What songs are you listening to? How often do you listen to songs in other languages? Do you listen to artists from the Caribbean? Africa? Oceania?

This month, we share The King’s Music Room, a playlist which was released on 10 March 2025 to mark Commonwealth Day 2025. It is claimed that the songs were personally selected by King Chales III and that it “brings together an eclectic mix of genres and artists, ranging from iconic 1930s crooners to today’s Afrobeats stars, alongside disco divas, reggae legends, and much more.” (Apple Music Website)

What is the Commonwealth?

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific. The Commonwealth’s roots go back to the British Empire, but today any country can join the modern Commonwealth. (The Commonwealth Webpage)

This is a topic that can be explored is our classrooms. The playlist may be used as a starter to discuss cultural, historical and geographical background of the member states; explore examples of World Englishes; expand vocabulary and improve listening skills.

Here are two videos about the Commonwealth:

The playlist

When describing this playlist, King Charles III explains that

“Throughout my life, music has meant a great deal to me. I know that is also the case for so many others. It has that remarkable ability to bring happy memories flooding back from the deepest recesses of our memory, to comfort us in times of sadness, and to take us to distant places. But perhaps, above all, it can lift our spirits to such a degree, and all the more so when it brings us together in celebration. In other words, it brings us joy.” (King Charles III, 2025, RoyalUK Website).

Here is the list of songs and its artists:

• Could You Be Loved – Bob Marley & The Wailers (Jamaica);
• My Boy Lollipop – Millie Small (Jamaica);
• The Loco-Motion – Kylie Minogue (Australia);
• The Very Thought of You – Al Bowlly (England);
• La Vie En Rose – Grace Jones (Jamaica);
• Love Me Again – Raye (England);
• Mpempem Do Me – Daddy Lumba (Ghana);
• Kante – Davido (feat Fave) (Nigeria);
• The Click Song – Miriam Makeba (South Africa);
• My Country Man – Jools Holland & Ruby Turner (England and Jamaica);
• Indian Summer – Anoushka Shankar (India);
• Anta Permana – Siti Nurhaliza (Malaysia);
• E Te Iwi E (Call to the People) – Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (New Zealand);
• Haven’t Met You Yet – Michael Bublé (Canada);
• Hot Hot Hot – Arrow (Montserrat);
• Crazy in Love – Beyonce (feat Jay-Z) (United States) and
• Upside Down – Diana Ross (United States).

Here are some links where you can listen to the complete playlist: 

• Official link (Apple Music)
• Non-official playlist on Youtube
• Non-official list on Spotify

Other topics that can be explored:

• Overview of British Colonialism Lesson

• English Variations Around the World

Other playlists

Did you know that we have three playlists on Spotify? (1) Songs for Kids; (2) Beginners/Pre-Intermediate; (3) Intermediate/Advanced. Visit them here.

REFERENCES:

Apple Music Website (Playlist) – Available at: Apple Music

Royal UK Website – Available at: Royal.uk

The Commonwealth Webpage – Available at: https://thecommonwealth.org/about-us