All Songs Considered

NPRThese Go To 11: Songs Best Heard Extra-Loud

  • November 9, 2011, 10:30 AM

The fictional band from This Is Spinal Tap plays a real-life concert in 1984. Nigel Tufnel, the guitarist played by Christopher Guest, favored amplifiers whose volume could be cranked up to 11. - The fictional band from

There's no denying certain songs are best experienced when played as loud as possible. Since this Friday, 11/11/11, is Nigel Tufnel Day — the unofficial holiday honoring the fictional Spinal Tap guitarist, who cranked his amplifiers past 10 — this week's episode is all about the songs that instantly make you want to turn the volume up.

Such songs can be simple and anthemic, like The Modern Lovers' garage-punk or Kelly Clarkson's roller-coaster pop. Or they can be densely layered, like LCD Soundsystem's studio wizardry or OutKast's all-out aural assaults. But in each case, the message is the same: Let the music, whatever it might be, overwhelm you.

What songs do you prefer to hear as loud as possible? Leave your suggestions here.

Copyright 2012 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

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