To be honest, I didn’t listen to a whole lot of artists besides Michael Jackson during May 2026. As mentioned in my previous post regarding Michael Jackson’s short films, I’ve been on the Michael Jackson train lately trying to make up for dismissing him for the past 17 years. I could’ve had this list filled with nothing but Michael Jackson songs. However, that’s no fun, so I tried really hard to dive deep into my complicated and annoying brain for songs by different artists that I listened to this past month, alongside Michael Jackson songs. There is a song by the Jacksons with Michael on lead vocals included on the list, so technically there are two Michael Jackson songs included, but not really if that makes sense? Oh well, with all that said, let’s get on with the music!
10. “Alive After Death (Last Plane Out)” by Airbourne from Airbourne (2026)
The rock ‘n’ roll heavens blessed us with the announcement of Airbourne’s sixth studio album, which will be released on August 28, 2026 through Spinefarm Records. The video for the first single, “Alive After Death (Last Plane Out),” was released on April 21, 2026. I remember seeing social media posts leading up to the single’s release and thinking, “Please let this song be from a new studio album; it’s been too dang long!” Actually, I remember thinking the same thing when the band released “Gutsy,” which was in June 2025. Airbourne’s last studio album, Boneshaker, was released in 2019 and I know the COVID-19 pandemic played a factor in the new album’s delay, but I hope this won’t be a pattern going forward because in case you haven’t noticed, people’s attention span sucks these days. I’m not sure how “Alive After Death (Last Plane Out)” compares to the band’s previous work, but it’s a headbanging song with catchy melodies and given their AC/DC formula, it’s better not to make comparisons and just enjoy the music!
9. “The High Road” by JoJo from The High Road (2006)
I’m currently at a point where I’ve established that my life is not over, despite my financial situation. Immediately, I thought of JoJo’s “The High Road” because the lyrics perfectly sum up my determination to succeed no matter the cost. “I’m gonna keep walking / Though it may seem far / I’m gonna keep reaching / When life gets too hard / Not gonna let you bring me down / I’ll take the high road.” Actually, JoJo talked about this song in her Over the Influence (2024) book, which is how I first discovered the song. Though she didn’t write “The High Road,” I think it suits her and the experiences she went through, especially in her 20s with her drug addiction and label drama. It’s an R&B song with gorgeous melodies, outstanding vocals from JoJo, and as hinted earlier, the song’s message is still relevant today.
8. “Hard to Find the Words” by Cinderella from Still Climbing (1994)
I love the vibe of Cinderella’s Still Climbing (1994) album because it emphasizes that hard work and determination are what lead to success. Unfortunately, that was Cinderella’s last studio album, so the timing was really bad. Nonetheless, the songs deliver important messages that dive into what truly leads to success. One of them being “Hard to Find the Words,” a ballad that was inspired by the death of Tom Keifer’s mother. The song teaches listeners to never take their parents for granted and to always be grateful for everything they’ve done to get them where they are today. In my case, my parents have done so much for me but with my sarcastic persona, sometimes I forget that, so “Hard to Find the Words” is a good reminder to be thankful for little things such as making my lunch and providing a roof over my head.
7. “State of Shock” by The Jacksons from Victory (1984)
Fun fact, “State of Shock” was supposed to be a duet between Michael and Freddie Mercury from Queen for the Thriller (1982) album. But due to schedule conflicts, that didn’t work out, which is why it was changed into a duet between Michael and Mick Jagger from The Rolling Stones. It was still slated for the Thriller album, but unfortunately, producer Quincy Jones didn’t select it for the album. Can you imagine though, the Thriller album with not only having a duet with Paul McCartney (“The Girl Is Mine”), but also a duet with Mick Jagger (“State of Shock”)? To be honest, I wish Jones swapped “The Girl Is Mine” for “State of Shock” because the latter is a better song. Strategically, it was the right call to pick “The Girl Is Mine,” but “State of Shock” is such a banger! It sounds like a Rolling Stones song with a rock ‘n’ roll beat, a funky groove, and I love the harmonies between Michael and Mick Jagger.
6. “Little Bit of Soul” by Bon Jovi from Keep the Faith (1992)
I don’t remember who said this, but someone on YouTube said that they don’t like “Little Bit of Soul” from Keep the Faith (1992). Since it’s one of my favorite songs on the album, my initial thought was, “Who the hell don’t like ‘Little Bit of Soul’”? Richie Sambora plays some sizzling, bluesy guitar work; it’s got a fantastic groove, the melodies are catchy, and it’s such a vibe! If you’ve seen Keep the Faith: An Evening with Bon Jovi (1993), where the band plays “Little Bit of Soul” live on MTV, you’ll see that this song is a hell of a good time! Plus, Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi’s harmonies are incredible. The lyrics also hit hard mentally, especially the part where it goes, “When you’re mad at the world and you feel like you’re losing control / All you need to get by is / A little bit of soul.” The song’s message is to remain hopeful with a positive attitude even when the world is against you.
5. “Yes, And?” by Ariana Grande from Eternal Sunshine (2024)
There’s a fitness YouTuber that I really admire called emkfit because her dance workouts are so much fun and she doesn’t shy away from the struggles she encounters in her fitness journey. I’m especially a fan of her kickboxing workouts because they are very therapeutic. One of those kickboxing workouts features Ariana Grande’s “Yes, And?” as the warm-up song and in my opinion, it’s the perfect song to begin a workout! The song is Grande’s response to the media for getting up in her business. As the lyrics go, “Your business is yours and mine is mine.” It’s a dance-pop song with an infectious hook and it promotes self-confidence. The music video is also dope because besides paying tribute to Paula Abdul’s “Cold Hearted,” it also references Grande’s past album covers with the statues in the opening sequence. Albums include Yours Truly (2013), My Everything (2014), and Thank U, Next (2019).
4. “Everyday Glory” by Rush from Counterparts (1993)
Sonically, “Everyday Glory” is such a gorgeous song! However, the lyrics take the song to a whole new level. The song’s message is to always remain hopeful in the face of difficulty. I love songs that promote positivity without sounding cheesy and happy. So obviously, “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten isn’t my jam. Geddy Lee’s bass playing is amazing, I love Alex Lifeson’s guitar melodies, and Neil Peart’s drumming is superb! Interestingly enough, the band never performed “Everyday Glory” live, which is a shame because it’s one of their best songs, then again, the same can be said for a lot of Rush songs!
3. “Gotta Get Out Tonight” by The Runaways from Waitin’ for the Night (1977)
I’ve been on a Runaways kick since the end of May and decided to bust out my Waitin’ for the Night (1977) CD. It still boggles me how young they were because musically, they sounded like pros! They were ahead of their time and paved the way for female rockers going forward. I’ve always liked “Gotta Get Out Tonight” because the melodies are super catchy and it’s got a great hook. Joan Jett sounds freaking amazing on the album, but believe it or not, for the band’s final studio album, And Now… The Runaways (1978), producer John Alcock tried to get rid of Jett. That’s why Lita Ford and Sandy West sang more on that album. It still irritates me because Waitin’ for the Night is The Runaways’ best album, in my opinion.
2. “Confident” by Demi Lovato from Confident (2015)
Besides kickboxing and dance workouts, I also do strength training. However, I need to stretch and loosen up my body first, so I do a warm-up song, one of them being “Confident” by Demi Lovato. I’ve always liked this song because of the instrumentation and catchy vocal melodies. It’s not one of those perky, self-empowerment crap songs; it’s a banger! There’s also a rock version of it that was released in 2023, but I’ll always prefer the original because it was fine to begin with. Lovato went through so much with her mental health leading up to that point, so it made sense for her to release a song like, “Confident,” giving the middle finger to the haters!
1. “Dirty Diana” by Michael Jackson from Bad (1987)
My first exposure to “Dirty Diana” was in 2018 through an episode of Lip Sync Battle, where the performers pay tribute to the King of Pop. Laverne Cox did a sexy performance of “Dirty Diana” and I remember thinking, “Oh, never knew Michael Jackson had THAT type of energy in him!” I only knew his dance songs like “Thriller,” “Remember the Time,” and “Beat It,” but “Dirty Diana” was different. It was sexy and seductive, and it had heavy metal influences. I completely forgot about the song until I dived into his music after seeing the Michael biopic, which I’ve already seen three times in theaters. “Dirty Diana” is creeping up to be my favorite Michael Jackson song, but we’ll see if that changes over time.
There you have it, people! Those are my favorite songs from May 2026. A little bit of variety on this list with pop, dance-pop, hard rock, R&B, and heavy metal. Let’s see if June 2026 can top that! I’m not quite done with my excursion on the Michael Jackson train just yet, so I think I’ll bust out my Bad (1987) CD after completing this post.
If you enjoyed this post, feel free to like it and share it with your friends. I write about music, Disney, movies, shows, and mental status. If that sounds like your cup of tea, please subscribe to my blog for more content like this! To help me keep this blog going, you can either make a donation or support me through Patreon. You can also follow me on social media through Facebook, Instagram, and X!
Don’t forget to leave a comment down below to start a conversation!
Take care and see ya real soon!
Lana
Lana Teramae | Me, Myself and Time 
Leave a comment