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The grand opening -

The playlist kicks off with one of the greatest music acts to come out of the UK. We’re talking, of course, about The Beatles. The first track on the playlist is ‘Come Together.’

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‘Come Together’ -

More than a classic, the song seems to make a lot of sense, given the tension between the royal family and Prince Harry.

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Unity -

It’s also a hopeful song for a post-Brexit UK, haunted by political and economic instability. Union is very much welcomed and indeed needed, and King Charles III has a vital role to play in it.

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It started off with a controversial pick -

The playlist originally contained 28 songs. Track number 28 was ‘Dance Wiv Me’ by Dizzee Rascal. “A track featuring Dizzee Rascal was included in error and as soon as this was identified it was removed,” communicated the DCMS.

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It started off with a controversial pick -

Why was it so controversial? The British grime artist recently lost his appeal after being found guilty in April 2022 of assaulting his then-fiancée Cassandra Jones.

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It’s a celebration of the Commonwealth…or is it? -

The DCMS said that “the playlist has been created to celebrate British and Commonwealth artists ahead of the upcoming coronation.” However, there seems to be a lack of diversity when it comes to representing the nations of the Commonwealth.

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Entire regions are not represented -

The UK dominates the playlist and there is no representation whatsoever of African or Pacific Commonwealth nations.

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Non-UK artists -

Only three songs are from outside the UK, namely 'Daddy Cool' by German-Caribbean outfit Boney M, ‘Slave to the Rhythm’ by Grace Jones, who’s originally from Jamaica, and ‘It's a Beautiful Day’ performed by Canadian artist Michael Bublé.

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Lack of representation -

The Commonwealth consists of 54 countries (including the UK), so one could argue that there is indeed a lack or representation of the other countries.

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Left out -

And it’s not like there are not huge artists in the Commonwealth nations. Barbados-born Rihanna, Australia’s Kylie Minogue, or British-Sri Lankan singer M.I.A. are just a few examples.

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Lack of diversity -

The criticism also extends to the lack of diversity amongst the artists chosen to be included on the playlist, and how they don't reflect modern Britain. There are only four non-white artists, and only six songs performed by women.

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Criticism -

Euronews harshly criticized the song choices on the “safe-bet playlist.” Some songs in particular, including Queen’s 'We are the Champions,' were described as “self-congratulatory patriotic nonsense.”

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Criticism -

Euronews went on to point out that the playlist “doesn't sit well with the fact that for a collection of songs supposed to celebrate a new monarch but also a country and its people, it's very one-note and depressingly uniform."

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Coronation playlist -

Despite the criticism, the playlist does have some really good songs on it. Let’s dig deeper into some of them, and some of their possible meanings (and controversies).

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Let’s dance -

There are quite a few danceable tracks on the playlist, namely David Bowie's ‘Let's Dance,’ George Ezra’s ‘Dance All Over Me,’ and the disco classic 'Daddy Cool' (by Boney M.).

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Let’s dance -

There's also a 1985 song that saw a surge in popularity in 2022 thanks to the Netflix show ‘Stranger Things.’ We’re talking about Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God).’

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It’s full of stars -

The playlist is full of stars. There’s English band Coldplay with ‘A Sky Full of Stars’ and Ellie Goulding with ‘Starry Eyed.’ There’s also Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé's song ‘Starlight.’

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A tribute to the monarchy -

Two choices in particular can be seen as an ode to the monarchy. We have Queen with the classic ‘We are the Champions,’ as well as ‘King’ by Years & Years, which is the closing track on the playlist.

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Morality and nature -

The playlist includes the song ‘Green, Green Grass of Home’ by Tom Jones. Throughout his life, King Charles has been an advocate for environmentalism and a lover of all things nature, so such a green title sounds appropriate. The song is about nostalgia and a man in his last days remembering his life, and Charles can indeed say he did a lot before he became king.

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‘Treat People with Kindness’ -

It may sound like a motto, but it’s actually the name of one of the tracks on the playlist. The track by Harry Styles resonates with the message the King delivered after Queen Elizabeth II died: "I shall endeavor to serve you with loyalty, respect, and love."

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‘Say You'll Be There’ -

The Spice Girls had to feature on this playlist. After all, they do have a history with King Charles. Upon meeting the then-prince in 1997, Geri Halliwell reportedly said he was "very sexy" and pinched his bottom!

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‘Say You'll Be There’ -

Though Ginger Spice did say years later that she didn’t leave Charles red in the face after pinching his bottom. She patted him instead. “Patting him on the bottom was against royal protocol but we're all human," said Halliwell.

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Unexpected choice -

While some artists are indeed relevant enough to be included on the playlist, one band in particular have political views that may go against the country’s politics and indeed the monarchy. The band in question are The Proclaimers, with the song ‘I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles).’

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Unexpected choice -

The band have been openly in favor of the independence of Scotland and don’t shy away from republicanism either. "It's almost like seeing an old friendly dog needing to be put out of its misery," said Charlie Reid of the monarchy in an interview.

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Capital -

Of course, there's also a song about the capital. ‘Waterloo Sunset’ by The Kinks makes reference to London and the River Thames.

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An optimistic, yet unrealistic, song -

We can see how ‘Mr. Blue Sky’ by Electric Light Orchestra can bring an air of hope and positivity with the lyrics "The sun is shining in the sky / There ain't a cloud in sight / It's stopped raining, everybody's in the play / And don't you know it's a beautiful new day?" But it’s not a true reflection of typical British weather, is it?

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Other songs -

Other songs on the playlist include Ed Sheeran’s ‘Celestial,’ Elbow’s ‘One Day Like This,’ ‘Our House’ by Madness, and ‘All Over the World’ by Pet Shop Boys.

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Other songs -

The playlist also includes ‘People Get Ready’ by Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart, Sam Ryder’s ‘SPACE MAN,’ Spandau Ballet’s ‘Gold,’ ‘Shine’ by Take That, and ‘Love Reign O’er Me’ by The Who.

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Coronation -

The coronation of Charles III and Camila will take place on May 6 at Westminster Abbey in London. The Coronation Concert will take place on May 7 at Windsor Castle, and Monday, May 8 is a bank holiday in the UK.

Sources: (Euronews) (Grunge) (Nicki Swift) (The List) (The Big Issue)

See also: The dark secrets of the British royal family

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