Enlarge photo illustration by: Todd Wiseman / Paul Hudson

From the budget bill to a new university in South Texas, a number of big agreements were reached in the Capitol this week. Fittingly, our playlist inspired by this week's Texas news opens with The Format's "The Compromise."

Enlarge photo by: Tamir Kalifa

President Barack Obama speaks at Applied Materials, Inc. in Austin.

President Obama paid Texas — and Gov. Rick Perry — a visit on Thursday. To mark the occasion, the latest edition of our playlist inspired by the week's news begins with the U.S. Marine Band playing "Hail to the Chief."

Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

The crowded House floor during debate on SB 1 April 4, 2013.

We have reached the "Month of May," which, in addition to being the final month of the Legislature's 83rd regular session, is the title of a song by Arcade Fire. It leads off our latest playlist inspired by the Texas political news of the week.

Enlarge photo by: Filipa Rodrigues/KUT

George W. Bush speaking at the dedication of the Bush Presidential Center on the SMU Campus in Dallas

With the country's attention  focused on one of Texas' major cities  for the opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, we begin our weekly news-inspired playlist with Joe Ely's "Dallas."

Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

Flanked by Education Commissioner Michael Williams, l, and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Gov. Rick Perry makes a statement on the West, TX disaster on April 18, 2013.

It has been an undeniably rough week, from the Boston Marathon bombings to the devastating fertilizer plant explosion in West. In light of those and other tragedies, our news-inspired playlist begins with Eastmountainsouth's version of "Hard Times."

Enlarge photo by: Tamir Kalifa

Evan Smith joins Evan Smith joins Sens. Sylvia Garcia, Leticia Van de Putte and Judith Zaffirini for a discussion about the Texas Senate in the 83rd session. for a discussion about the Texas Senate in the 83rd session.

At a TribLive event on Thursday, three Texas senators discussed the "Kumbaya" session. Little did they know that, in doing so, they were also selecting the first track of this week's news-inspired playlist.

Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

State Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, votes to table an amendment on SB 1 state budget bill on April 4, 2013.

This week's news-inspired playlist is entirely dedicated to Thursday's budget debate in the Texas House. To set the stage, we begin with Stevie Wonder singing "We Can Work It Out."

Enlarge credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst with Rep. Jim Pitts R-Waxahachie during a press conference on Feb. 7, 2013

The strong message sent by Texas lawmakers to UT System regents about their plan to pay for an external review of UT-Austin is summed up in the first song on this week's news-based playlist: Sister Hazel's "Change Your Mind."

Enlarge photo illustration by: Todd Wiseman / Caleb Bryant Miller

In honor of Gov. Rick Perry's desire to bring the state’s gold reserves back from a New York vault to Texas, this week's news-based musical playlist leads off with the Shirley Bassey classic "Goldfinger."

Enlarge photo by: Gage Skidmore

George P. Bush

Astute audiophiles noted that George P. Bush initially selected a surprising back-track for the YouTube video announcing his bid for Texas land commissioner. That song — "Halo" by Beyoncé — leads off this week's playlist.

Enlarge credit: Bob Daemmrich

Senators (l to r) Royce West, D-Dallas, Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler and Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, listen to testimony from CPRIT officials in Senate Finance on Feb. 5, 2013.

This week, state Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, filed a tax bill. And so, paying homage to that development, our weekly news-themed playlist leads off with Texas' own Stevie Ray Vaughan and his rendition of "Taxman."

Enlarge photo by: Bethany

Much to the internet's delight, a picture of Gov. Rick Perry playing Guitar Hero with a teenager surfaced this week. We commemorate it on our latest playlist with Bread's "Guitar Man."

Enlarge photo by: Tamir Kalifa

Students of "Wind Ensemble 1," rehearse in the auditorium of Bowie High School in Austin, Texas.

At the end of each news-filled week, we like to set some of our best stories to music. This week, in honor of reporter Brandi Grissom's "Trouble in Mind" series, we kick off our playlist with Janis Joplin singing a classic song of the same name.

Enlarge photo by: Reynaldo Leal

Ted Nugent performs with his band during the May 1 concert in Hidalgo, Texas.

It's no surprise who leads off this week's playlist of songs based on the week's news. We just had to start with a song by controversial State of the Union attendee Ted Nugent.

Enlarge photo by: WFUV

With the weekend almost upon us, it's time to kick back and relax with the Tribune's latest feature: a musical tribute to the news of the past seven days!