Here Are the 5 Songs I Would Play If Aliens Demanded to Hear Earth Music

Mysterious drones are being reported in New Jersey and other states across the country. The sightings have left many scratching their heads wondering where they came from and why they’re hovering. However, others are confident that they know the answer to one of those questions. They believe that they aren’t drones but crafts from another world. Fictional depictions of alien invasions have never been great for humans but they never tried introducing our visitors from another planet to music.

I think one of the best ways to connect to other people is music. So, it would stand to reason that introducing aliens to some good earth music might bridge the interspecies gap. With that in mind, if a little green man came to my door and said, “Show me your earth jams,” this is what I would play and why.

1. “The Light Saw Me” by Jason Boland and the Stragglers

Red Dirt legends Jason Boland and the Stragglers released The Light Saw Me in 2021. It was a concept album about alien abduction and time travel. In the title track, the album’s protagonist sees an alien craft in the sky, and reports of his sighting fall on deaf ears.

I wouldn’t let the alien hear this track just because I wanted to introduce it to some top-tier country music. I would also like the visitor from another world to understand how contact with extraterrestrial crafts. It would hopefully inspire empathy in the ambassador from our future overlords.  

2. “Angel of Death” by Slayer

In a stark sonic shift to a completely different style of music, I’d let the alien hear Slayer’s “Angel of Death.” The opening track from the band’s classic 1986 album Rein in Blood has so much to offer. It starts with Tom Araya’s throat-shredding scream and features some blisteringly-fast riffage. More importantly, the song is about Josef Mengele and the atrocities of the Holocaust.

I’d want the alien to hear this to let it know that we, as a species, are resilient. We’ve seen atrocities but have the ability to heal, adapt, carry on, and thrive. This would either leave the alien with the impression that we’re a species worth respecting or too horrible to continue being the apex species on the planet. It’s a gamble I’m willing to take.

3. “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin

Look, I’m just as sick of hearing “Stairway” as the next person. However, you can’t deny the beauty of this song. There’s a reason everyone who has ever picked up a guitar wants to learn at least the intro to this Led Zeppelin classic. At the same time, the lyrics are pure poetry.

I would want the alien to hear this because I’d want it to understand that we’re capable of making beautiful art and music. Maybe it would dig the mellow tunes and decide not to wipe us off the face of the planet. Let’s just hope aliens aren’t as tired of hearing “Stairway to Heaven” as most humans are.

4. “Mars Attacks” by the Misfits

There are plenty of songs about the warlike nature of humans on both a personal and societal scale. However, none fit the bill like “Mars Attacks” from the Misfits’ 1997 album American Psycho. The song is about a Martian invasion of Earth that ends with the Red Planet being blasted to rubble by Earthlings.

If I was catching a particularly sinister vibe from the alien, no other piece of music would do. I’d play it “Mars Attacks” and tell it that the Misfits weren’t just horror punk pioneers but also prophets whose predictions consistently come true. Maybe the ultra-catchy song about the destruction of a planet wouldn’t strike fear into the heart of the invader but it would likely make it think twice about an all-out war with humanity.

5. “Up in Smoke” by Cheech and Chong

On the other hand, if I got some really chill vibes from the alien, I might play this song for it. For instance, if it smelled a little skunky, had a red tinge to its eyes, and was sporting a tie-dye space suit this would be the move. “Up in Smoke” is all about watching your money—and problems—float away on the breeze after partaking in the ol’ jazz cabbage.

If, by some off chance the alien seemed like it might dig the electric lettuce, this is the perfect music to let him know that earthlings are chill. Who knows, maybe they would decide to open a chain of otherworldly dispensaries instead of enslaving mankind.

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