It is No. 3 on my most visited websites, third only to Facebook and Gmail.
Texts From Last Night? My Life is Bro? Collab? Good guesses, but no. Third place goes to fratmusic.com, now known as fratmusic.fm. There are lesser-known music compilation sites as well - fratbeats.com and grooveshark.com - but nothing can compare to the original.
fratmusic isn't just for raging anymore - it's all day, everyday. Even a year after its conception, I'm surprised by how many people haven't heard of it. Only 2,000 some 'likes' on Facebook? I can guarantee there are more than 2,000 people at U.Va. alone obsessed with the site.
I was left with a hole in my heart when the website closed down for the summer - one vestige to remind me of great times from first year was gone. Fortunately, about one month ago, fratmusic.com made its triumphant return. The website's Facebook page proclaimed, "fratmusic is back. Get fratty with a natty." Yes, this may have been the site's original purpose, but now it's grown to include playlists for every college activity - studying, pregaming, partying and general broin' out occasions.
I recommend "Broin Out" or "Day Drinking," created by "vomandrally," for studying, and for raging, there's only one real choice - "Frat Classics." The general all-purpose play list can be found when you first log onto the website, beneath the heading "Music's Coming From Here, Brah!" Perhaps the only thing more entertaining than the actual music is the playlists' clever titles.
But when did fratmusic become more than bumping beats in a questionable, dirty basement? The answer is when frat bros started blasting the country classics more frequently. "Wagon Wheel." "Song of the South."
These songs, which used to be reserved for those legitimate enough to own a real pair of cowboy boots, enrich the frat scene. Nearly every playlist on fratmusic.com worth its web space contains one of these classics. Even if you hail from north of the Mason-Dixon line, I ask that you give these country and bluegrass hits a chance. These songs aren't too intense for those of you non-country lovers, but just country enough. I guarantee learning the words will enrich your raging experience. A sing-along with your 200 used-to-be-randos-now-best-friends can be a great bonding experience. You might come to appreciate these classics more than you think. They provide a mellower alternative to the latest mash-up of "in-songs." You can only grind to Drake for so long.
fratmusic.com allows for lesser-known artists to become more mainstream - look at discoveries of Chiddy Bang, Wiz Khalifa and the like. These would-have-been underground artists are made more popular with fratmusic.com, but they still remain less mainstream to the world outside of college. And with all of this added variety, why would you need to listen to anything but fratmusic.com?
I have but one grievance with fratmusic in its current state. That is the underappreciation of "Midd Kid." Granted, this is not Middlebury. This is U.Va. where lax bros and library kids far outnumber hippies and those openly obsessed with Quidditch. But the lax bro, the hippie, the Harry Potter fanatic and the studious college student all exist here, and the video and song are not only relatable to all but also just plain good. Baller, if you will. The only group of students I know of putting out this caliber of music video would have to be the a cappella groups - see the Hullabahoo's Da Wes Lon Boiz, "Can I Git Wit Ya?". Why is "Midd Kid" so underplayed? It's for sale on iTunes. It's made by college kids for college kids. It's got great beats and great lyrics. What more could you ask for?
Despite this one letdown, the genre of frat music has more to offer than your typical musical style. Whether you're too "mature" for the frat scene or just discovering all the wonders fraternity parties offer, you have to admit frat music deserves more respect. Whether the beats remind you of good times with your best friends or that random person you haven't spoken to since that one night, they bring the university community together. fratmusic.com helps us make these memories and allows us to discover new songs. The guys who started it are actual geniuses. I, for one, am eternally grateful.
Abbi's column runs biweekly Tuesdays.
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