The driving force and bombastic vocal chords behind indie band Florence and the Machine, London-born Florence Welch has conquered Europe with her hands-in-the-air 2009 debut album Lungs and the spine-tingling live performances that followed. Mixing Kate Bush–indebted gothic looks onstage with YSL and Givenchy couture on the town, she has also established herself as a style icon. Her "Breaking America" playlist for NOWNESS features the tracks that fueled her 2010 US tour. ''They have been on repeat in my head and on the stereo. It's all amazing, forward-thinking, truly inspiring pop music," Welch says.
Florence’s “Breaking America” Playlist:
1. Drake – “Fancy”
This is the song Drake performed at the VMA awards in LA. No one in the history of music has ever done rapping and singing together as well as him. We went for a little after-the-afterparty in his studio on VMA night and it was a trip.
2. Lloyd Banks – “Beamer, Benz or Bentley”
We went to see Jay-Z play this enormous gig at the Yankees Stadium in The Bronx. It was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen: 60,000 people celebrating hip-hop music in the heart of the borough where it was born. Eminem supported, and Lloyd Banks came out and performed “Beamer, Benz or Bentley,” and it was actually kind of moving.
3. Kanye West – “Runaway”
Kanye West makes some of the most interesting music in the universe right now. We went to a screening in New York for the crazy-beautiful film Kanye made to accompany the song. Kanye, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Common, Diddy and Lizzie from Gang Gang Dance were all there—it was the coolest.
4. Chris Brown – “Deuces”
“Deuces” is a great paean to getting rid of girls after you've had sex with them, and although its central sentiment is a bit reprehensible, it remains a total masterpiece.
5. Arcade Fire – “Month of May”
This is one of my favorite tracks from Arcade Fire's amazing last record. It's all self-referential about "making a record in the month of May," which seems kind of cool to me.
6. Yeasayer – “Ambling Alp”
This is such an earnest, heartfelt kind of song, with some wonderful lyrics about sticking up for yourself and all that. Plus, it's great to jump around to in the dressing room before gigs.
7. Tom Waits – “Hoist That Rag”
My favorite Tom Waits song by miles. I think he once recorded the sound of himself punching a cow's carcass and used it on a record, and I've always been impressed by that kind of thing. I aspire to make music out of meat and flesh and death.
8. Violet – “Hole”
Violet is Pixie Geldof's new band. My guitarist Rob is in it, and they've been recording in LA with über-producer Dave Sitek. This song rules!
9. Hanni el Khatib – “Fuck it, You Win”
Hanni was our support act for this American tour and a total godsend. He's one of the guys that run the super-cool label HUF in San Francisco, and the music he makes is like something from some bygone era of moody, slickback American youth. All the boys in my band are a little bit in love with this guy. He's that cool.
10. Alicia Keys – “Unthinkable”
This is basically one of the best songs of the last decade. Drake wrote it for Alicia and it is practically perfect in every single way. My boyfriend wants this played at our wedding or at his funeral���whichever comes first.