I have a routine when it comes to music. It’s not intentional, but every time I fall into a similar pattern with my song preferences.

this is how excited i am about awesome new songs.

Ever since I discovered the awesomeness that is Spotify, I do this:

1. Hear a song on the radio, TV, someone humming it, whatever. Obsess over what song it is.
2. Use every method of research possible to determine said song. Otherwise known as Google.
3. Find song. Feel the glory of victory.
4. Add song to “new” list on Spotify. Wonder why, after however many months on this thing, I still have only two playlists.
5. Stop thinking about #4. Song is so amazing, forget everything that exists.
6. Listen to whatever the three newest songs are on over and over again. Take longer doing everything because I keep clicking back on the first song.
7. Get sick of an occasional song here and there. Instead of removing it from the playlist, move it to spot further back as to not contaminate cool new songs with old boring song. BOO BORING SONG.
8. Repeat 1-7 a few thousand times.
9. Scroll through mile long playlist and discover omg all those songs I used to be obsessed with! Play them again for nostalgia.
10. Feel bad for songs I discarded. Immediately pay for them on iTunes so I can redeem myself and listen to them forever.

I mean, that is just not normal. I can see what other people are doing on Spotify (it’s one of those amazing Internet tools that allows you to stalk mercilessly without punishment by law) and it doesn’t appear anyone else has listened to the same songs forty seven times in a twenty four hour period. I can’t explain it, but it’s what I do.

I listen to music constantly. In the morning when I wake up and I’m getting ready, driving in my car, working out once every three months. I barely ever listen to the radio anymore because people I hate morning talk and commercials are the bane of my existence. I’ve used some form of iTunes/Pandora/Spotify/Sattelite radio for the past four years or so, and as you can see by my previously mapped out erratic behavior, it’s an obsession.

These are the current tracks that have my brain (and my playlist) spinning:

“Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Ray Dalton
I don’t know if I can even count how many times I have played this song since I first heard it when the guys were guests on SNL. Like I am so obsessed with this song I don’t know if I can even put it into words. Like so many others, I was lured in by the catchiness of “Thrift Shop,” but I have secretly wondered whether or not I actually like it. I really hope that things work out for them, because after seeing them perform and then downloading half of their album, I can see they are so much more than a one-hit wonder. I just heard this song in a new Windows commercial the other day too, so hopefully it’ll catch on. If you’re not a bigot, you should download “Same Love” and revel in the fact that this could be a refreshing change in hip hop that will hopefully catch on. 

“Carry On” by fun.
I may have mentioned before that I caught this video on TV one day and started sobbing. I enjoy fun., but even their best songs have become a little repetitive once you’ve heard them 27,000 times. I thought “Some Nights” would be my jam 4-eva and then Kiss 108 murdered it into the ground. I am not yet sick of “Carry On,” so for now, this one has a pretty secure spot on my list. Plus I live on an island now that only gets about four radio stations, so I am totally in control of my musical future.

“Anything Could Happen” by Ellie Goulding
So probably the only good thing that came out of The X Factor (besides this) was that I discovered this song because that girl group called 5th Harmony that ironically, could not harmonize, sang this every chance they got. Once I got around to hearing the real version, I was like, this song is super annoying. But I kept it on my list and the more I heard it, the more it started to grow on me. I will admit, some of the lyrics I just don’t understand, but Ellie Goulding is just like a cute little water nymph and this song perfectly compliments her unique sounding voice, that I can only describe as one of the pre-pubescent kids from Oliver! that smokes a pack a day. 

“Hold On” by Alabama Shakes
Okay, I’m not going to lie. The first time I saw this band was at the Grammys, and all I could think is, “why is that girl dressed so bad?” She looked like an extra from O Brother, Where Art Thou? Then I saw them on SNL, and thought the exact same thing. But I also had a much better opportunity to listen to the band and I realized how well this chick can sing. I don’t even know if I would call it singing, perhaps it’s more like growling. Whatever it is, she has amazing stage presence and totally reminds me of Janis Joplin, but in a way that I actually like her. 

“My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)” by Fallout Boy
I am super excited FOB is coming out with new material. I don’t care what people say about them, I will always have a soft spot for them since From Under the Cork Tree was basically the soundtrack to my junior year of college. This is kind of a different sound for them (but with a hint of 80’s metal flair?), but the lyrics seem very true to how I remember them. It took me a little while to get into, as it’s definitely a little more rock than I normally listen to, but it’s a good “kick in doors song,” as Steve would say. Unfortunately, they started using this track in the ads for Revolution, which is totally appropriate but no less irritating. 

“Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons
I admit, a lot of the songs that come on my radar are from really short snippets that I’ll hear in an ad or in the background of a really sad scene on Grey’s Anatomy. This one was totally off the trailer for that new movie The Host, which I have absolutely no interest in but I was like holy crap what is that song I love it what is it called how do I find it?! After searching to no avail, I started clicking on random songs in the Top Lists section of Spotify, and there it was- at the number two spot! Anyway, it’s really good, but also maybe another one you have to be in the right mindset to listen to. 

“Next to Me” by Emeli Sande
The only thing I know about this chick is that she’s British and I love this song. I mean, that’s enough, right? As much as I love a good bitter revenge song, I like that this song is about a guy that is just a good guy.It’s kind of refreshing. Plus this song and her voice is so soulful, you kind of get chills because you can just tell how awesome she is. I hope she has other songs that make it out there because I have a feeling she is kind of amazing. 

“With Ur Love” by Cher Lloyd
Cher Lloyd is like a Spice Girl mated with a Jack Russell terrier. She’s like sort of annoying but also okay in small doses. I don’t know why I like this song but I do. I don’t have anything else to say about it. It’s just fun. 

So that’s it, momentarily. Well, that and about ninety five Glee tracks. 

~L