Machine Gun Kelly's 5 Most Impactful Tracks!

Happy Birthday to one of our favorite artists, Machine Gun Kelly (MGK)!

I first discovered MGK via the Sleeping with Sirens track "Alone" and fell instantly in love with his music. One of my favorite aspects of his music is the meaning behind his lyrics.

To celebrate his birthday, here are 5 of his best songs!

1. "At My Best" ft. Hailee Steinfeild

MGK has a lot of collaborations with other artists, so I tried to keep them to a minimum on this list. But I couldn’t leave this one off. I love Hailee and I feel their individual styles compliment each other so well in this song. The lyrics are all about accepting your flaws and finding someone who accepts yours. As the song (and the popular phrase!) goes, “if you can’t handle me at my worst, you don’t deserve me at my best.”

2. "Merry Go Round"

"Merry Go Round" is one of the darkest songs MGK has written. The song is a twisted "Romeo and Juliet" tale about drug abuse in the poor community. Bobby gets his girlfriend hooked on heroin. When Bobby joins the army, she continues to do drugs, learns she is pregnant, and, thinking he is dead, overdoses. When Bobby comes home to find her dead he commits suicide himself.

As dark as the song is, it is beautifully written and the Merry Go Round imagery is haunting. The song is a super important statement on drug use that everyone needs to hear.

3. "Spotlight" ft. Lzzy Hale

Lzzy Hale is the lead singer of another band I love, Halstorm, so seeing her collaborate with MGK is amazing!

"Spotlight" is another darker song that shows the messed-up “truths” of the world. The song questions whether the fame is worth it. It also brings up the terrible things happening in the world, focusing on the Black Lives Matter movement, poor communities, and drug abuse. He repeats the line, “So defiant I pop a Valium, turn up the volume”; Valium is a drug used for anxiety.

4. "Let You Go"

"Let You Go" is a breakup song about a relationship that just didn’t last. MGK reminisces about the night he met this girl. The song is a lot softer than some of his other music, with much less rap. MGK shows his talent as not just a rapper but a singer as well. 

I am also obsessed with the music video! It’s super lighthearted and funny.

5. "Burning Memories" ft. Lil Skies

This is another sadder song about MGK’s life. He starts off with being abandoned by his mother when he was a child, a strained relationship with his dad, and turning to drugs. This song shows him moving on and letting her go finally. I’ve never heard of Lil Skies before this song, but I absolutely love his part in it! MGK and Lil Skies flow together so easily.