‘Material Girl’

Madonna

Budget cuts, tuition increases  and government shutdowns … it couldn’t matter less to the rich and famous. If you’ve got tons of money and not a care in the world, celebrate your good fortune with this 1985 hit.

— Miranda Butler

‘This Is What Rock n Roll Looks Like’

Porcelain Black feat. Lil Wayne

Lil Wayne must have been hitting the syrup a little too frequently to agree to participate on this track — it’s pretty awful, but in the spirit of financial oopsies, save yourself one; it’s the free song of the week.

— Kim Kotel

‘C.R.E.A.M.’

Wu Tang Clan

Whether you grew up on the crime side or The New York Times side, staying alive is no jive without a little cash in your pocket. You need it to eat and to pay rent, let alone tuition. Someone needs to ask the university to ease off on the tuition increases before we’re doing hits for high stakes and making our way on fire escapes just to pay for our textbooks.

— Remy Albillar

‘Money’

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings

Soul singer Sharon Jones accuses money of being a fickle lover, yet she just can’t give him up. Jones asks, “”Why won’t you stay awhile? Was it something that I said? Was it something that I done?”” Sometimes, honey, we just don’t know.

— Steven Kwan

‘Bills Bills Bills’

Destiny’s Child

With the way things are looking lately, you might want to brush up on the lyrics to this 1999 R&B hit. You can set up shop on a corner and serenade it to passersby … you might make extra tips if you can find a dancing monkey to join you.

— Dallas Williamson