If all of humankind were represented by a piece of music, what would it be? According to TMZ (who heard it from Reddit), the crew running the Mars Curiosity Rover Mission like to jam to a little classic rock -- like Simon & Garfunkel and the Doors -- when exploring new worlds.
To be frank, we're a little disappointed. What do they expect to find over there? A bunch of Dads? After the jump, check out County Grind's Top 10 songs we would make sure were on our smart phones before launching a mission to Mars.
10. Meat Loaf - "I Would Do Anything For Love"
Meatloaf's epic breakthrough single runs the gamut of human emotion and experience. Love, morality, balance, compromise. It's all in there. Plus, maybe the Martians can help us figure out just where exactly the '80s pop star draws the line when it comes to actions he would undertake as to obtain a mutualistic romantic relationship.
9. Hologram Tupac - "California Love"
Or maybe NASA should have loaded the rover with a Coachella-quality projector so they could beam in Makaveli. Imagine loitering around the the Gale Crater's "bad neighborhood" for late night screenings of Tupac's sex tape in 4-D.
8. Chris Gaines - "Lost In You"
Perhaps Garth Brooks could have dressed up as Chris Gaines, who would then don a space suit and become the official human-Martian musical liaison. What we're saying is: We'd leave him there.
7. Irwin the Dynamic Duck - "Theme From Close Encounters of the Third Kind"
What about an emotional appeal tempered by the (presumably) universal charm of animated ducks?
6. Yes - Fragile (whole album)
Playing prog classic in its entirety could possibly deceive the Martians into believing we come from a highly intellectual, intricately conceptual society.
5. Shelter - "In Praise of Others"
Just between us, if we'd been a part of the team of scientists and engineers behind Curiosity, we would have given extraterrestrials (that will inevitably be found on the planet's surface) an earful of Hare Krsna hardcore, if only to see the confused look on their green faces.
4. Will Smith - "Theme from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"
Will Smith is one of the most powerful men on Earth. And County Grind is dedicated to his supremacy on, not only the Red Planet, but the entirety of the Milky Way. All intelligent life will come to kiss the ring of the Fresh Prince.
3. Pitbull ft. Lil Jon - "The Anthem"
You came in peace, bro? Then make the soundtrack to your landing sound like a New Year's Eve party in Hialeah.
2. Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody"
If science fiction audiences are an indication, there's a very good chance that any aliens mankind encounters will be a bunch of Magic the Gathering-playing, pocket protector-wearing geeks. And there's nothing a huge dork loves more than an embellished rendition of Queen's greatest hit.
1. Akinyele ft. Kia Jefferies - "Put It in Your Mouth"
Hopefully, the Martians don't turn out to be a bunch of prudes.
Follow @CountyGrind
