Psych yourself up with our Black Friday playlist

So, it’s Black Friday: that horrifying post-Thanksgiving day of hysteria and mad scrambling for the sales which has somehow osmosed into British society from America.

The term ‘Black Friday’ originates from the city of Philadelphia, where swarms of frantic pedestrians would cause massive disruptions to traffic. Another explanation, according to Wikipedia, is that retailers traditionally operated at a financial loss (‘in the red’) from January till November, and ‘Black Friday’ indicates the point at which retailers come back ‘in the black’ – ie. making profit.

Whether you were waiting at your screen for the online sales come midnight or were the first clawing at the Urban Outfitters flagship store’s oak doors at the crack of dawn, we’ve put together a playlist to pump you up. Brace yourself for MAYHEM.

Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Two Tribes  (1984)

No song will make you feel more ready to fight through the crowds. Let’s go.

Katy Perry – Last Friday Night T.G.I.F. (2010)

Miss Perry is spot on – we’ll probably suffer from (voluntary) memory loss after this dreaded day.

Lady GaGa – Fashion (2013)

Who better to sing about clothes than this modern slayer of fashion rules?

Drowning Pool – Bodies (2001)

‘Let the bodies hit the floor.’ It might sound a bit morbid, but as evidence from previous BF disasters will tell you, it’s hardly inaccurate.

The O’Jays – For the Love of Money (1973)

The title says it all, and you’ll be needing a lot of it to take advantage of all Black Friday has to offer. Just remember – it may be pay day, but there’s another month to go before Christmas!

Lil Kim – Black Friday (2011)

The hip-hop queen released this song as a major diss to rival Nicki Minaj, referencing Minaj’s album Pink Friday. The ongoing feud between Lil Kim and Minaj might sound familiar to rival shoppers eyeing that last cashmere jumper…

Madonna – Material Girl (1984)

Many of us may turn a little materialistic today. We are living in a material world, after all.

The Rolling Stones – Paint it Black (1966)

Take any ordinary Friday and paint it black, indeed. The Stones’ hit song is sneaky, sinister and suitably suspicious of strangers – exactly like a BF shopper.

Gwen Stefani feat. Eve – Rich Girl (2004)

Keep a spring in your shopping-weary step with Gwen’s upbeat tune. It has never been more appropriate.

Rebecca Black – Friday (2011)

No playlist of this kind would be complete without this song. It got an unprecedented – and frankly, inexplicable – amount of hate when it was released, but that negativity probably sums up how some of us feel about Black Friday.

Main image: John Henderson at Flickr Creative Commons

Sadie Hale