April's Refrain

I've had so much to say lately. So much I've wanted to write about on here. So much to catch you up on and too many words crammed in my head to get them all out in one place. It's been three months and I'm feeling a little rusty.

Forgive me. It's not for lack of ideas, or even lack of time, that it's taken me this long to write anything. Bridging the gap between an old habit and the feeling of starting fresh has been more difficult than it's ever been in the past. The more I thought about writing the harder it became, and the farther I let this blog slip away the easier it was to forget.

Maybe I'll fill in the gaps a bit more later, or maybe I won't, but for now I'll leave you with some music inspiration. Here's a full playlist option, or listen to each individual song below.

Keep Running by Tei Shi

Crowded Places by Banks

Carry You by Novo Amor

Belong by San Fermin

Only Song by The Wild Reeds

Love and Fear by Imelda May

Hate That You Know Me by Bleachers

You Can Cry Tomorrow by Betty Who

Say You Do by Tei Shi

Muddy Waters by LP

Happiness Will Ruin This Place by San Fermin

Silver by Waxahatchee

Nighttime Hunger by Overcoats

Lifetimes by Oh Wonder

Fire by Beth Ditto

Green Light by Lorde

Mama Say by Betty Who

Don't Take the Money by Bleachers

-S

Songs On Repeat

Do you have listening habits when it comes to music? I've always had the tendency to play a group of songs on repeat for a few weeks at a time and then I'll move onto the next phase. I cycle through my favorites and come back to them every so often, rediscovering lost loves from months or years before. Last week I picked up Sam Hunt's 2014 album Montevallo and Oh Wonder's 2015 self titled album. I've had both albums blasting on repeat since. They were great for my family's extended weekend road trip to Illinois.

Body Gold by Oh Wonder -




33 "God" by Bon Iver -




Raised On It by Sam Hunt -




Air 'Em Out by Clipping. - 




Kevin (Ft. Leon Bridges) by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis -





Without You by Oh Wonder- 




Into You by Ariana Grande -




Should I Stay or Should I Go by The Clash (This song has been stuck in my head all week. I blame it on Stranger Things. I'm currently on episode 5 and can't get enough.) -




Wherever Is Your Heart by Brandi Carlile - 





Tonight (Ft. Gangsta Boo) by Clipping. -





House Party by Sam Hunt -




After writing this post and looking at the list my only thought was, "wow, this seems so white girl." But maybe that has more to do with the fact that I am a white girl (sitting here drinking a Pumpkin Spice Latte) and less to do with the actual compilation of songs. Are we all walking clichés in one form or another?

Ok, time to float back into the shallow end and leave this post on a lighter note. Music is good. Music is universal. It helps connect us. Hopefully these songs made you feel connected. Or maybe they just got you to dance around your room for a little bit.

-S

Music For May

I haven't made a playlist for this blog in a while so I figured it was about time for something new. Despite the majority of the songs on this list having been released prior to 2016, I tried to stay true to the music I've been listening to the most this month. The list is full of catchy pop songs and rounded out with the occasional folk and rock track. Pop songs tend to be my spring time jams since they're great at getting me pumped for summer. You can also tell my KOL phases is still going strong this month. I made a full playlist on Youtube for anyone who wants to enjoy!

Birthday by Kings of Leon

Angela by The Lumineers

God Only Knows by The Beach Boys

The Sound by The 1975

If I Could Change Your Mind by Haim

Ain't No Man by The Avett Brothers

Dust in a Baggie by Billy Strings and Don Julin

Molly's Chambers by Kings of Leon

Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney

UGH! by The 1975

Soundtrack by Catfish and the Bottlemen

Cleopatra by The Lumineers

Wouldn't It Be Nice by The Beach Boys

I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow by Billy Strings and Don Julin

Please Pardon Yourself by The Avett Brothers

Forever by Haim

Stop Desire by Tegan and Sara

Fans by Kings of Leon

Can you believe it's been 50 years since The Beach Boy's album Pet Sounds was released? (That makes it sound like I was there 50 years ago... I was not) Those songs never get old. It took me a long time to figure out the track order for this playlist so hopefully it turned out alright in the end.

-S

What have you been listening to in May?

My Favorite Songs of 2015

Hey Guys,

As most of you have probably already gathered I'm a huge music lover and I wanted to take the time to highlight some of my favorite music in 2015.

Released in 2015:

Tennessee Whiskey by Chris Stapleton

When We Were Young by Adele

Make It Rain by Ed Sheeran

Ditmas by Mumford and Sons

Diners by The Lone Bellow

Make You Better by The Decemberists

The Hills by The Weeknd

Released prior to 2015:

Style by Taylor Swift

From Eden by Hozier

Aquaman by Walk The Moon

Bad Self Portraits by Lake Street Drive

10am Gare du Nord by Keaton Henson

To Me by Chet Faker

Young and Wild by John Butler Trio

Part of me feels like the list could go on and on, but we'll end it there. Other than the year they were released the songs are in no particular order. Most of the songs that were released prior to 2015 were released within the last couple of years and just managed to get played often throughout this year.

-S

Music I've Been Loving Lately 3

Hello Hello,

Time for another music update. I wanted to share with you some of the music I have been obsessing over lately.

My tastes have been all over the board recently. Swinging back and forth between older R&B, classical, and grunge rock. I know I listed a few of the rock sounds in my last links post, so if you're in the mood for that kind of music feel free to check that one out.

Reflections by Diana Ross and the Supremes: Since I've been playing they're Anthology records while editing videos recently, I've been completely hooked on this song. I spent an entire 6 hour shift quietly humming this to myself last week. Can't beat the classic Motown vibe.

And here's where we get to the songs I've been meaning to talk about since May and just haven't gotten around to it.

Ditmas by Mumford and Sons: I know people were surprised or upset that the band decided to make this album with electric guitars, but they really cemented their title as great musicians with this one (at least in my opinion). Musicians, as with all artists and people, evolve with time. Putting a band in a box, even if it's one they built themselves, never makes anyone happy. When I heard Believe for the first time I felt like they were almost trying too hard with random guitar heavy moments, but if you listen to the bands previous albums the songs are structured quite similarly. Same great band, same great musicianship and lyrical talent, only with a slightly different approach. It's nice to listen to interviews or watch sets now where the guys look revived by the new sound.

Fields of Gold cover by Joshua Davis: Talented musician and Traverse City native, Joshua Davis, made it all the way to the final four on this past season of The Voice. His sincere vibe and mellow voice is perfect for this song.

Have A Little Faith In Me cover by Will Chase and Maisy Stella: Along the lines of great covers, this song from the show Nashville had me singing along for weeks. Both Stella daughters have incredible voices but Maisy's really shines in this song. I can't even handle it. Also did you know that Will Chase played Roger in Rent?! I don't know how it took me this long to figure that out, but if you look at pictures he looks SO DIFFERENT.

One Night by Ed Sheeran: I will listen to anything Ed Sheeran releases because that little ginger has some serious power over me. Talented musicians are my weak spot. When I noticed 5, a group of projects he released on iTunes one day, I immediately started throwing money in his direction. I would gladly go broke as long as he never stopped releasing music.

Welp that's it. May and June have been pretty mainstream music months for me. None of these are too out of the box, but it doesn't hurt to keep. So what music have you been loving lately?

-S

Top Played Updated 2015

Well hello there,

Three years ago I shared a list of my top 25 most played songs in iTunes and I figured it was now time for an update. There are quite a few songs on this list that overlap with the previous list, but then again the two are surprisingly different. When I look at the 25 songs below I can still pin point when each one joined the group. All the songs have a different meaning or memory that I can connect to the different parts of my life. For that reason, this list seems more like a representation of myself than anything else I could create.

1. Nicest Thing by Kate Nash - 143 plays
2. Re: Stacks by Bon Iver - 136 plays
3. Skinny Love by Bon Iver - 135 plays
4. Winter by Joshua Radin - 131 plays
5. What Sarah Said by Death Cab for Cutie - 122 plays
6. World Spins Madly On by The Weepies - 122 plays
7. Wrapped In Piano Strings by Radical Face - 117 plays
8. Laundry Room by The Avett Brothers - 116 plays *
9. The Outdoor Type by The Lemonheads- 116 plays
10. I and Love and You by The Avett Brothers - 113 plays
11. Grey Street by Dave Matthews Band - 112 plays
12. Sunday Kind of Love by Etta James - 109 plays
13. Sleeping Sickness by City and Colour - 108 plays
14. I'm In Need by Mike Hale - 108 plays
15. I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie - 107 plays
16. We Sing In Time by The Lonely Forest - 100 plays
17. This Town by Joe Purdy - 99 plays
18. Jesus Christ by Brand New - 95 plays
19. The Freshman by The Verve Pipe - 95 plays
20. Kiss Me by Ed Sheeran - 94 plays
21. Mae by The Gaslight Anthem - 92 plays
22. From Eden by Hozier - 91 plays
23. Ho Hey by The Lumineers - 91 plays**
24. I'll Be Seeing You by Billie Holiday - 90 plays
25. Dead Sea by The Lumineers - 90 plays

Honorable Mentions:
26. Above The Bones by Mishka - 90 plays
27. Set The Fire To The Third Bar by Snow Patrol - 90 plays
28. The Galway Girl by Steve Earle - 90 plays
29. I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston - 90 plays

It's fun to look back at the old list and see how my music tastes have changed, as I've discovered new musicians or gone through lulls in listening to certain bands. I think I'll always love these songs. Even if I go through times where I don't feel like listening to these bands at all, eventually I'll rediscover them and it'll feel like coming back home. Certainly this is only a small representation of the music that I listen to and greatly appreciate. It'd probably be more interesting to see a list of the top 50 or 100 played because I'm sure that would have varied much more over the years. Most of these have been near the top since the very beginning and I doubt some will ever really change that much.

What are your top played song? Do you think they represent your current music taste or a broader timeline?

-S

*fun fact: I chose this video because that Bonnaroo live stream was where I first discovered The Avett Brothers. I like to rewatch that performance every now and then to get a sense of the magical energy I felt that day, even from hundreds of miles away through a computer screen. My love has only grown for these guys and the beautiful music they create.

**After searching the interwebs for a while I was saddened to discover they must have taken down the original video. That recording (which I obsessively watched for months before they even released the song for purchase) was another favorite of mine. I was instantly captivated by the raw joy you could see floating around the performance. It honestly looked like they were having a blast and although I understand why they might take it down to get people to watch the official music video instead, I'm sad it's no longer available. The one I linked to just isn't the same.

Music I've Been Loving Lately

Hey Guys,
It's been all summer and I don't think I've done one music update since my Spring Playlist. Three months is a long time to cover when trying to condense my ever-changing musical taste, but I'll give it a try. A lot of the new music I discovered or chose to listen to this summer was from movie soundtracks. A great movie soundtrack might be one of my favorite things in the entire world; it's like an instant playlist, blending new with old and bringing artists that you might never discover elsewhere to the forefront of your mind.

1. Head.Cars.Bending by The 1975 
As far as I remember the first time I heard of The 1975 was from missglamorazzi in some Youtube video of her's a while back. Then my friend sent me some early videos of their's when the EP was just coming out and I fell in love with the songs Sex and Chocolate. A while later when they're full CD was released, I bought a few songs here and there, going through phases and slowly adding to the collection. Saturday night I finally broke down and bought the whole Deluxe Edition; and I have no idea why I waited this long. I think sometimes bands are like a good meal, you don't want to jam everything in your mouth at once but chew each bite slowly giving yourself time to enjoy every piece of food.

2. At Your Door by Nathaniel Walcott, Mike Mogis & Big Harp (Stuck In Love Soundtrack)
Stuck In Love is amazing and the soundtrack just added to my big, giant love for the movie. Immediately after watching the film for the first time, I rushed to my computer to check out the album. Basically every song on the soundtrack is good.

3. In Remission by The Menzingers
"If everyone needs a crutch, I need a wheelchair..." Oh Menzingers how I love you so.

4. Hero by Family of the Year (Thanks for Sharing Soundtrack)
Another movie that encompassed everything I love. Not only was it a great story, but I adore every single actor/actress in it, and the soundtrack kicked serious ass.

5. Afterlife by Ingrid Michaelson
Lights Out is definitely one of my favorite albums of this year. Ingrid is awesome and I didn't stop listening to this entire album on repeat for about a week. Like all great albums, there's a perfect balance between catchy pop songs and slow emotional melodies. Go check it out.

6. I Want What You Have by Willamette Stone (If I Stay Soundtrack)
I finally got around to reading If I Stay last week and loved how strong of a role music played in the story. Mia, her parents, Teddy, and Adam's lives all revolve around creating and appreciating music (something I can definitely relate to). I figured most of the music on the soundtrack I'd already own, but I was still excited to hear the songs from Adam's band. I know it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea (it did take me a bit to decide whether I actually liked it or not), but I think they nailed down what I had expected from a popular high school band that's still developing their sound. The film also has a great cover of The Smashing Pumpkin's song Today.

7. Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85: 1. Adagio - Moderato by Jacqueline du Pré, London Symphony Orchestra & Sir John Barbirolli
Since The Brothers Karamazov takes more focus than usual to read, I've had to be more selective with the type of music I listen to while reading. Anything with lyrics distracts me too much from the words at hand, and I catch myself zoning into the music more so than the book. After reading If I Stay I felt inspired to listen to more cello music and this famous Elgar concerto performed by Jacqueline du Pré was a great place to start.

8. Afire Love by Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran is another artist that can do no wrong in my book. Pretty much everything he's released, I've felt a connection to. He's such a talented musician.

9. The Last Thing On My Mind by Stark Sands ft. Punch Brothers (Inside Llewyn Davis Soundtrack)
It wasn't really a surprise to me that I loved this film or it's soundtrack. A good folk song always gets me. I watched the film back around Oscar times, but wasn't able to get my hands on this album until last month.

10. Two Fingers by Jake Bugg
I first discovered Jake Bugg when his song Simple As This was on The Fault In Our Stars Soundtrack. That song quickly became one of my new favorites and I knew I had to get my hands on more of his music. Bugg has a unique voice that really sets his music apart from other songs of his kind. Bugg released a few albums now and they're all gold nuggets.

What's your favorite music from this summer? What songs have you been loving lately?
-S

Spring '14 Playlist

I haven't made a playlist in a while so I thought I'd share some of the music I've been listening to most for the past couple of months. I purchased The Fault In Our Stars soundtrack when it came out and I've been obsessed with that lately, so I've added a few songs from that list. I've also provided links to each individual song on youtube if you want to have a listen. It's kind of a grab bag of music but I think they ended up fitting together nicely.

1. I Ain't Leavin' Without Your Love by Nashville Cast

2. Bomfalleralla by Afasi and Filthy

3. Heart Out by The 1975

4. Girls Chase Boys by Ingrid Michaelson

5. Airwaves by Ray LaMontagne

6. Riptide by Vance Joy

7. Blood by Escapists

8. Let It Out by Black Prairie

9. Alone Again by Betty Who

10. Worthy by Jacob Banks

11. Supernova by Ray LaMontagne

12. Let Me In by Grouplove

13. One Light Shining by Nashville Cast

14. 1998 by Chet Faker

15. Not A Bad Thing by Justin Timberlake

-S

Holiday Playlist

For some reason I thought I had previously posted a winter/holiday themed playlist on this blog, but apparently that has not happened. I normally wait to play Christmas music until after Thanksgiving, but because the holiday falls so late this year I am officially starting today.

• Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays by Nsync
• A Mad Russian's Christmas by Trans Siberian Orchestra
• Last Christmas by Jimmy Eat World
• Snow by Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera Ellen
• I'll Be Home for Christmas by Michael Buble
• White Christmas by Otis Redding
• Away in a Manger by Bright Eyes
• Waltz of the Snowflakes by Tchaikovsky
• Christmas in the Room by Sufjan Stevens
• Fireside by Jim Brickman
• Christmas Lights by Coldplay
• Christmastime by Smashing Pumpkins
• It Snowed by Meaghan Smith
• Kiss Me at Midnight by Nsync
• Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Jack Johnson
• Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 by Trans Siberian Orchestra
• Wish List by Neon Trees
• Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! by Dean Martin
• Run Run Rudolph by Chuck Berry
• Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Frank Sinatra
• Blue Christmas by She & Him
• Seasons of Love by The Original Broadway Cast of Rent
• The First Noel by Bright Eyes
• Silent Night by Josh Groban
• The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole
• Winter Song by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson
• The Suite from the Polar Express by Alan Silvestri
• Winter Wonderland by Aretha Franklin
• Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by She & Him
• Christmas Auld Lang Syne by Bobby Darin

I love this time of year and had a lot of fun putting this list together. I also made a Playlist for this on Youtube so you guys can listen to all of these songs too if you'd like! Happy Holidays everyone!!

-S

So You Think You Can Dance Playlist

As a person who grew up with dance and had dance as such a big part of her life, I have always enjoyed watching So You Think You Can Dance. The show started back in 2005, right as I was heading into high school. SYTYCD gave me so much hope and inspiration as a young dancer. Now 10 seasons later the show still mesmerizes me; it's the one thing that never ceases to make me miss dancing and performing. Over the years SYTYCD has provided some amazing dancers, choreographers, and pieces that I will never get sick of.

Back in 2011 I made a post about my Top 10 Favorite Dances from SYTYCD, and now I want to share a playlist of songs from the show. I actually made this list back in the day in my iTunes and have slowly been adding to it each season. Hope you enjoy! (Links for each song provided)

1. Collide (Acoustic version) by Howie Day
2. Wonderful by Annie Lenox
3. At This Moment by Michael Buble
4. The Garden by Mirah
5. Time by Billy Porter
6. Eyes On Fire by Blue Foundation
7. 2 Steps Away by Patti LaBelle
8. Paris Is Burning by St. Vincent
9. The Dance by Charlotte Martin
10. No Air by Jordin Sparks
11. I Will Remember You by Ryan Cabrera
12. Fix You by Coldplay
13. Never Say Never by The Fray
14. On Your Own by Green River Ordinance
15. This Woman's Work by Maxwell
16. Mad by Ne-Yo
17. How It Ends by DeVotchka
18. Dancing by Elisa
19. Imagine by David Archuleta
20. This Bitter Earth And On The Nature Of Daylight by Dinah Washington and Max Richter
21. Gravity by Sara Bareilles
22. Beyond Words by Tenth Avenue North
23. Already Gone by Kelly Clarkson
24. Sundrenched World by Joshua Radin
25. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) by Eurythmics
26. True Affection by The Blow
27. Turn To Stone by Ingrid Michaelson
28. Hometown Glory by Adele
29. At Last by Etta James
30. Clarity by Zedd (ft. Foxes)

This list definitely turned out to be a long one, but it's hard to pick from so many over all the seasons. This is even a condensed version compared to what is in my iTunes. With this season coming to an end I'm getting excited to see who will be the winner. A few of my top picks have already been knocked off but there's so many talented people this year (I literally say this every season). I could never pick a favorite.

Do you guys watch SYTYCD? What's your favorite routine or song from the show over the seasons? Who do you think will win this year?

-S

June 2013 Playlist

Some music I've been listening to and loving this month.

1. High Society by Betty Who
2. Chocolate by The 1975
3. Bad Blood by Bastille
4. Bottom Of The River by Delta Rae
5. The Lonely Life by City and Colour
6. When I Was Younger by Liz Lawrence
7. Snowship by Benjamin Francis Leftwich
8. You Can Be All Kinds Of Emotional by The Lone Bellow
9. Clouds by A Firm Handshake
10. If I Loved You by Delta Rae
11. Things We Lost In The Fire by Bastille
12. We Are 1980 by Said The Whale
13. Gone by Olivia Broadfield
14. Tree To Grow by The Lone Bellow
15. Of Space And Time by City and Colour
16. Belong by Carter Brothers
17. Sex by The 1975
18. Pompeii by Bastille
19. Somebody Loves You by Betty Who
20. Dance In The Graveyard by Delta Rae

*And as a special mention because I didn't think it really fit in with the other songs Top Rated by Icona Pop.

Here's the link to the Playlist I made in Youtube if you want to have a listen.

I found a lot of these songs through The Vampire Diaries (yes, I shamelessly watch this), so whoever runs the music for that show has excellent taste. That and some stuff my friend has sent me. I hope you all enjoy these songs as much as I have.

-S

Feb/March 2013 Playlist

Music I've been loving throughout February and the first part of March.

• Old Pine by Ben Howard
• I'd Rather Go Blind by Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa
• Dark Doo Wop by MS MR
• You Don't Care by Fallulah
• The Fear by Ben Howard
• Girl From the North Country by Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan
• Always Alright by Alabama Shakes
• Sinner's Prayer by Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa
• I Lay My Head by Fallulah
• Symptoms by Atlas Genius
• Millstone by Brand New
• Hey Love by Miner
• Mouths to Feed by The Epochs
• Bones by MS MR
• Cliche by Hey Champ
• Oceans by Coasts
• Wake Up by AWOLNATION
• How Come You Don't Want Me by Tegan and Sara

I made a youtube playlist of the list because some of the songs weren't working on 8 tracks. I hope you enjoy these songs as much as I have been!

Fall 2012 Playlist

Stuff I've been listening lately. Some new and some older stuff (pretty typical). Here's a link to the 8 Tracks Mix I made of this.

• Live and Die by The Avett Brothers
• Here I am Alive by Yellowcard
• Hopeless Wonderer by Mumford and Sons
• Love Lost by The Temper Tramp
• Sleep Alone by Two Door Cinema Club
• Warm Whispers by Missy Higgins
• Fuck This Place by Frightened Rabbit
• Demons by Imagine Dragons
• Somewhere in Neverland by All Time Low
• Local Man Ruins Everything by The Wonder Years
• Maps by The Front Bottoms
• Torn by Natalie Imbruglia
• Lovers' Eyes by Mumford and Sons
• Everyone's Waiting by Missy Higgins
• Radioactive by Imagine Dragons
• Lakehouse by Of Monsters and Men
• Angela by Missy Higgins
• My Heroine by The Maine
• Carried Away by Passion Pit
• Dirty Paws by Of Monsters and Men
• Sun by Two Door Cinema Club
• Autumn Leaves by Ed Sheeran

I feel like I'm leaving out a ton of stuff I've been listening to, but I tried to choose those songs that I've been replaying a lot or songs that aren't exactly the songs played on the radio but I think are excellent songs by that artist.

Olympic Playlist

Yup that's right, I am so cool I made a playlist for the Olympics. Honestly I make playlists for everything. The list is kind of a mix between semi-old rap music, classic rock, and whatever it is I've been listening to this past week.

1. Home by Philip Phillips (thank you nbc for getting this stuck in my head... at least it's a really good song)
2. I Bet That You Look Good On the Dance Floor by the Arctic Monkeys (the opening ceremonies kind of reaffirmed my love for this band and this song)
3. Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen (just as I was thinking about how much I was beginning to hate this song the US swim team came out with this video and now I can't stop watching it)
4. Got Money by Lil Wayne (because it was summer of '08, we all know how Phelps loves Lil Wayne, and the olympians have money now)
5. Young Blood by The Naked and Famous (well I guess the name of the song and the name of the band kind of work for this pick)
6. The Waiting by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (seriously, they have to just stand around until the gun or whatever, that'd be hard)
7. Forever by Drake (last name ever first name greatest)
8. Under Pressure by Queen (just think about all that pressure of representing your country)
9. Livin on a Prayer by Bon Jovi
10. Boys Boys Boys by Lady Gaga (kind of self explanatory now isn't it)
11. The Fighter by Gym Class Heros
12. All I Do Is Win by DJ Khaled (all we do is win, the US has 83 medals currently)
13. I Won't Back Down by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
14. Bicycle Race by Queen (BICYCLE BICYCLE BICYCLE)
15. We Like Sportz by the Lonely Island (me this whole week, "hey do you want to go to a party with me? no the Olympics are on"
16. Bad Things by Jace Everett (I want to do bad things with a few of those Olympians)
17. Go Getta by Young Jeezy (talk about some go gettas)
18. Sexy and I Know It (because of this video)
19. Dirt Off Your Shoulder by Jay Z
20. Good Time by Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen
21. I Kissed A Girl by Katy Perry (because I will always think of Michael Phelps when I hear this song... don't ask why)
22. I'm So Paid by Akon (they mention Michael Phelps...)
23. Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men (My roommate has been playing this a lot this week. Obviously I don't mind)
24. Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by Daft Punk (because that's the way Olympians do it)
25. Want U Back (she's british and my roommate and I have been rocking out to this all week)
26. Another One Bites the Dust by Queen
27. Lose Yourself by Eminem (this is a classic go out and do your best because you've only got one shot song)
28. Wavin Flag by K'naan 
29. Don't Stop Believin by Journey
30. American Star by Lil Wayne
31. Star Spangled Banner by Boston (because USA that's why!)
32. Come Together by the Beatles (how awesome was that sing along during the opening ceremonies?!)
33. Wannabe by the Spice Girls (8 year old me is super excited about the opening ceremonies)
34. Bonus Track: Jeah! by Ryan Lochte (yes I made a sound recording off this video for my ipod. I die laughing every time)

So sit back and enjoy that masterpiece I just shared with you. Also go watch the Olympics because it only comes every 4 years, it's in London, there's hot people doing things you probably can't do and it's awesome!

Wrap Me In This Music Playlist

• Witchcraft by Frank Sinatra
• My Dearest Darling by Etta James
• A Song for You by Ryan Adams
• I'll Be Seeing You by Billie Holiday
• 2 BS by Charles Mingus
• What Am I to You by Norah Jones
• I Put A Spell On You by Nina Simone
• Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven
• She Belongs to Me by Harry Connick Jr.
• Summertime by Ella Fitzgerald
• At This Moment by Michael Buble
• My Funny Valentine by Miles Davis
• The Book of Love by Peter Gabriel
• Come Fly With Me by Frank Sinatra
• Fly by Ludovico Einaudi
• The Look of Love by Nina Simone
• Try A Little Tenderness by Etta James
• Come Away With Me by Norah Jones
• First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack
• Feeling Good by Michael Buble

This playlist should otherwise be known as the "music a guy needs to grab my hand and dance with me to."

I've been really into Jazz and Classical stuff lately, so this playlist is pretty heavily, if not all, into those genres. I'm also going to make a small note that I just got done with Fifty Shades Darker which had a few of these songs in it, so the list is slightly inspired by that.

Vans Warped Tour 2012 Playlist

So, I've heard a lot of people say "oh the lineup for Warped this year sucks." Well if you think it's not up to par, maybe I have a bad taste in music because I like about every band on the list. So much so, that I decided to make a playlist based off of it.

• Check Yes Juliet by We the Kings
• No One Does It Better by You Me At Six
• Oh Well, Oh Well by Mayday Parade
• Kiss Me by New Found Glory
• Kiss Me Again by We Are In the Crowd
• Dancing for Rain by Rise Against
• Burn, Burn by Lostprophets
• All That I've Got by The Used
• Loverboy by You Me At Six
• Head on Collision by New Found Glory
• Walk On Water or Drown by Mayday Parade
• MakeDamnSure by Taking Back Sunday
• Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard
• Dear Maria, Count Me In by All Time Low
• The School of Assassins by Anti-Flag
• You're So Last Summer by Taking Back Sunday
• Give it All by Rise Against
• When I Get Home You're So Dead by Mayday Parade
• My Friends Over You by New Found Glory
• Noise and Kisses by The Used
• Say You Like Me by We the Kings
• Raised by Wolves by Falling in Reverse
• 9mm and a Three Piece Suit by Streetlight Manifesto
• Something I Call Personality by New Found Glory
• One Year Six Months by Yellowcard
• Great Romances of the 20th Century by Taking Back Sunday
• Jaws on the Floor by You Me At Six
• Jamie All Over by Mayday Parade
• Damned if I Do You by All Time Low

My Top 25 Most Played

I felt like I needed a year. I got my new computer last year on March 1st, and I told myself I'd have a year to regulate my top 25 playlist before I shared it with anyone. I was going to make a post about it right before my last laptop broke, but obviously that didn't work out in my favor. I have no idea if my old laptop would even turn on anymore and I'm not really sure I want to try at this point. I do know that the old list was much different that this list is. Sure there are a few overlaps here and there, but I think it adds up to something new in the end. It's weird how time changes us and music is just one of the ways of measuring that. So I guess it's time to get down to it...

1. Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye - 76 plays (I've had this song in my itunes since early September and I'm sure it would have had many more plays if I hadn't obsessively watched the music video for a week before buying the song, or all those times I've watched it after the fact.)
2. Nicest Thing by Kate Nash - 72 plays
3. Re: Stacks by Bon Iver - 70 plays ("this is not the sound of a new man or a crispy realization" there's just something about that line that I've always been really attracted to)
4. Skinny Love by Bon Iver - 68 plays
5. The World Spins Madly On by The Weepies - 62 plays (I listened to this song for hours after my friend died because it said what I couldn't say. I also love this band and I love Grey's Anatomy.)
6. Fireworks by You Me At Six - 62 plays
7. Wrapped In Piano Strings by Radical Face - 56 plays
8. Winter by Joshua Radin - 54 plays (obsessed with this song since forever, thank you Zach Braff)
9. Kids in Love by Mayday Parade - 54 plays
10. Someone Like You by Adele - 53 plays (the 21 cd was actually the first music I bought on my new laptop and for the longest time half the cd was part of my top played. I was obsessed for weeks.)
11. The Outdoor Type by The Lemonheads - 50 plays
12. Set the Fire to the Third Bar by Snow Patrol - 49 plays (was number one played on my old computer)
13. We Sing In Time by The Lonely Forest - 48 plays
14. Set Fire to the Rain by Adele - 47 plays
15. Sleeping Sickness by City and Colour - 44 plays (another song where the lyrics describe everything)
16. E.T. / Waiting for the End by Michael Henry and Justin Robinett - 43 plays (I've mentioned them before but I just love this mashup and these guys are amazing.)
17. Laundry Room by The Avett Brothers - 41 plays
18. What Sarah Said by Death Cab for Cutie - 41 plays (sometimes I don't have the words to explain what a song means to me.)
19. To Kingdom Come by Passion Pit - 40 plays
20. The Freshman by The Verve Pipe - 40 plays (this song reminds me of high school)
21. I and Love and You by The Avett Brothers - 39 plays
22. Michicant by Bon Iver - 37 plays
23. Going to California by Led Zeppelin - 37 plays (because I really want to move to California, I swear I will play this the whole way out there whenever I do.)
24. Anna Sun by Walk the Moon - 37 plays
25. Stay With Me by You Me At Six - 37 plays

October's Playlist

Songs I've been frequenting in October:

• Wildcat by Ratatat
• Somebody that I Used to Know by Gotye
• Houdini by Foster the People
• Nantes by Beirut
• Is A Hope (Drinking Alone) by Laura Marling
• What You Know by Two Door Cinema Club
• Frick Park Market by Mac Miller
• Freshman by The Verve Pipe
• You Are a Tourist by Death Cab for Cutie
• It's Like That by Run DMC
• Money Honey by Lady Gaga
• Midnight in Her Eyes by The Black Keys
• Helena Beat by Foster the People
• Polish Girl by Neon Indian
• Towers by Bon Iver
• Homesick by Radical Face
• The Joker by Steve Miller Band
• East Harlem by Beirut
• When the Sun Goes Down by The Arctic Monkeys
• Too Dramatic (The Morning Benders Remix) by Ra Ra Riot
• What Sarah Said by Death Cab for Cutie
• Cheers (Drinks to that) by Rihanna
• Wildfire by SBTRKT
• Only Man by Audio Bullys
• Anthem Part 2 by Blink 182
• King of Rock by Run DMC
• Night by Night by Chromeo
• Naked Kids by Grouplove
• Love the Way You Walk Away by Blitzen Trapper
• Boys Boys Boys by Lady Gaga

I've been revisiting a lot of The Fame by Lady Gaga (I was not a fan of the Fame Monster at all) and the one band we all agree on in my art class is Blink 182 which kind of makes me laugh. Of course Run DMC is always good as well as anything Death Cab or Black Keys. Also, I've been loving Foster the People recently, the whole Torches CD is a recommendation (but I guess I recommend any band on this list).

* Here's the playlist on Youtube

Summer Music Playlist

Songs I just can't stop listening to. Some are old, some are new, some are pop, some are indie, some are rock. All in my opinion are great for summer.

• Miss Me by Andy Grammer
• Who Says by Selena Gomez & the Scene (yeah, I know, but it's a good song to jam to with the windows down or sing shout along to while dancing around the house)
• Paris (Ooh La La) by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
• Kids In Love by Mayday Parade (LOVE LOVE LOVE. I haven't been able to stop listening to it)
• Super Bass by Nicki Minaj
• Lost in my Mind by The Head and the Heart
• Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People
• Talk on Indolence by the Avett Brothers
• She Gives it Away by Beth Hart
• Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too by Say Anything
• We Sing In Time by The Lonely Forrest
• The Galway Girl by Steve Earle (this song is for every season and every year)
• Me & All My Friends by Walk the Moon
• Coyote by The Lonely Forrest (I know I've mentioned this before)
• Fragile Bird (I've mentioned this one too)
• We're Gonna Make It by The Orange Peels
• Animal by Ellie Goulding
• When I Grow Up by Fever Ray
• Crazy Bitch by Buck Cherry
• The Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga
• Dance Without You by Skylar Grey
• E.T./ Waiting for the End by Michael Henry and Justin Robinett
• Lisa Baby by Walk the Moon
• Going to California by Led Zeppelin (Classic)
• To Kingdom Come by Passion Pit (Passion Pit is always a good decision)

There we go. 25 songs perfect for the summer.... now that it's almost over. Listen to it on the beach, on a nice bike ride in the sun, on a run, on a walk, while reading a book while laying in the grass, blast it in your car, dance to it naked around your room, wake up to it, go to sleep to it, relax to it, or pump yourself up...

Live

Laugh

Love your life.

and love music.