Every man I’ve ever loved is just Joe Jonas in a different font. Yes, even/especially my now boyfriend Luke (he’s told me he’s encouraged by the comparison…for now lol).

I’ve talked before about how important the brothers are to me when they reunited. But it’s about time (no pun intended) that I explain an important part of why I have had a lifelong love for Joseph Adam Jonas. In honor of his birthday today of course.

I first became a “Joe girl” in 2008.

The Jonas Brothers had been around on Disney Channel for a couple years, singing random theme songs in their teenage family-friendly punk rock way. I didn’t really think too much of them until they started coming out with their own music and appearing on Hannah Montana (because I was obsessed with her). I was onboard with them. I thought Joe was kind of cute with his straightened hair.

BUT THEN, they were about to drop the music video for song of the summer 2008, “Burnin’ Up”. Joe’s hair was coiffed in this perfectly slicked back way that still honored his curls. And all of a sudden, the switch flipped and I was in love.

Joe has always had this down to earth charisma that’s made me go “ya that’s the kind of man I need to marry”. He’s funny and fun-loving, he’s got a great sense of style, seems really kind, and just exudes this undeniable confidence that makes you forget he’s a short king. I jumped the gun when I made my personal email address at age 12 thinking my last name would one day be Jonas but honestly who didn’t?

Yeah yeah, yeah, he’s been the blueprint for my dream man my entire life. But all of that served as his sleeper agent disguise for the way he’s contributed to MY music taste. So I want to take the time to talk about one quality of Joe’s that I need more people to recognize: his TASTE.

The Joe Jonas sonic universe deserves to be studied and IN THIS ESSAY (er, BLOG POST) I WILL. Listening to the evolution of Joe’s vocal performances and music styles he’s explored has made it so clear that he LOVES music. Obviously his brothers do too, but I can just tell by the secret playlists he’s launched into the world and the random DJ sets he’s done that he truly savors music. And his willingness to be open to so many different kinds of music is a big reason why I still am such a big fan of him and the brothers.

So, to celebrate his birthday, I want to highlight what I think is some of his best work musically, including why you need to explore his solo era music more. The man has taste what can I say.

Highlights

Games by Jonas Brothers

Probably my favorite from this album. The reggae vibe in this song has always been one of my favorite of the Jonas Brothers’ sonic explorations. It catches you off guard but it just works so well with the straight up rock they were doing in this album. I also love the overlapping bridge singing between Joe and Nick. Joe’s vocals here are raw and punky, a teenage middle kid’s plea to be heard. This era was my first introduction to the Jonases and it was a memorable one at that.

BB Good by Jonas Brothers

The amount of feral screaming in this song was enough to make me lose my 12 year old mind over Joe Jonas. I still remember seeing this song live with my dad and getting so shy that Joe was giving his ALL in this song, especially when he sang “I don’t wanna hurt you, I wanna kiss you!!” I got so flustered omg. This album era of Joe was him leaning into being a heartthrob and honestly feeding the fantasy for all the people that had a crush on him. A Little Bit Longer is to me the classic Jonas Brothers pop rock vibe. Like if I had to explain to an alien what the Jonas Brothers were I’d probably show them this album.

Much Better by Jonas Brothers

This song might have gone famous in 2009 internet circles because people were like “omg this is his response to the 27 second breakup call to Taylor Swift!!” but I think it deserves acclaim because sonically, it is so GOOD. It’s this soulful/pop/rock blend that makes my eyes just sparkle upon hearing it. Joe’s voice is this almost R&B pop lower register vibe that was sexy then and is still sexy now. The way the horns and guitar solo bounce off in the bridge interlude has amazed me since I was a teenager. This was the Jonas Brothers’ first venture into new sonic territories and I ate it up. From bombastic arena rock to country to rap/rock storytelling with Common to flirting with a more indie rock sound, this album tried it all. It’s one of my favorite albums from them because it was so unafraid to try it all.

Just In Love by Joe Jonas

Joe’s first solo album Fastlife flew under my radar, and what a damn shame because he was onto something here. He was taking his aim at being a pop boy here and in so many ways, it felt like the right transition from teenage rockstar to sexy man in music. It’s this song that seemed to lay the foundation for the explosion that would be “Cake By The Ocean”.

Doctor You by DNCE

This song is perhaps the reason I felt compelled to go full fangirl on this blog post because this song is a BOP and I need more people to shake their ass to it. What I’ve loved about the DNCE cinematic universe is that it’s not afraid to get funky and freaky and honestly I’m here for the invitation. It’s raw, it’s fun, and it’s not here to take itself so seriously. This era was Joe branching out and crafting something new — and it felt so refreshing in the mid-2010s landscape. Tapping into the groovy, sexy stuff sounds here laid the foundation for later songs that the Jonas Brothers would release. So I say thank you Joe for venturing into this sound.

Strangers by Jonas Brothers

This is one of my favorite Jonas Brothers songs ever. Joe’s punchy vocal in the chorus is a moment of pure passion that just electrifies my very being. I remember how absolutely feral I went when I heard it live at the show in 2019. This song captures the euphoric feeling of falling in love. The Happiness Begins era was Joe leaning on what he, Nick, and Kevin loved from their contemporaries while still echoing back to the pop rock they were known for. I was just happy to hear his voice again and it reminded me just how in love I’d been.

Vacation Eyes (Live) by Jonas Brothers

There’s a reason this song is informally known as “Joe-cation Eyes”. Exhibit A: the sexy little growl he does in his verse. It absolutely steals the show. This perfect yacht rock love song just showcases the Jonases at their best. To me, The Album really is Joe and the brothers’ era of integrating the best of their influences into their music. It feels nostalgic and new at the same time and my biggest gripe with it is that I wish the songs on this album were a little longer.

Sip Your Wine (with Sierra Ferrell) by Joe Jonas

This song was such a vibe when I was traveling in Ireland recently. The lyrics conjure up a desert vibe but in such a dreamy way. The styles of songs Joe explores in his second solo album Music For People Who Believe In Love are such a gorgeous survey of his taste and a peek into his heart. You get folk pop moments, an echo back to “Games”, Brazilian bossa nova, euphoric power ballads, and even this folk country driving song. This is me telling you to listen to that album because it really got me good, it’s a damn delight. You also have to listen to “Hey Beautiful” which he wrote for his daughters, just so precious.

Heat of the Moment by Jonas Brothers

Of all the songs on the Brothers’ latest album Greetings From Your Hometown, this one makes me ascend. It’s the sister to “Strangers” in that euphoric ‘in love’ feeling. Joe’s voice here feels like a hug from a father. It’s just so beautiful and I’m just continuing to listen with an open heart.