My 2012 Beats

As I mentioned before, I made a year-end list of my favorite music. While most popular lists are ranked in order of awesomeness, my list is chronological. Since blogging is just an outlet for me and I’m not trying to influence anyone, let’s have fun! All of the songs on my list mean something to me and at some point during the year, they were “my jam”. 🙂

So, without further adieu…

Robyn – “Call Your Girlfriend”

Okay, this song is older than 2012, but…from December 2011 to at least Spring 2012, this was my shit. Who am I kidding, it’s STILL my shit. So here’s what happened: Pitchfork posted a review of Robyn’s performance on Saturday Night Live over the previous weekend. It piqued my curiosity, since I’d always kind of liked Robyn ever since the 90s. When I watched the above clip, I was mesmerized, shocked, awed, all that. Most of all, I was infected by the song. Its beat and melody refused to leave my head, and I played it over and over (and still do). Besides, how can you not be impressed by her not missing a note while doing a back-flip on stage…in platform shoes?

Norah Jones – “Happy Pills”

“With ya gone, I’m alive, makes me feel like I took happy pills…”  Well said. Being someone who can finally sing along with this and mean it, it does feel pretty good to be over him. Check out the video for this also, it’s done well and Norah sports a foxy new ‘do.

Kelly Clarkson – “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”

Ever accidentally like a song? I truly didn’t mean to like this one. It seemed so cliche of a “getting over you” song compared to Norah Jones’s “Happy Pills”. But it came on the radio one day while I was running on the treadmill (which I HATE and have since quit doing – ha), and it got to me. I found myself turning it up and even dancing a little. Oops. But in my defense, Kelly really is a phenomenal singer. In fact, she’s one of my favorite female vocalists. There, I said it. I’m out of the Kelly Clarkson closet.

Drake – “Make Me Proud”

More treadmill inspiration. Never was a Drake fan or a Nicki fan, but this song was just good. The beat, the lyrics, it just moved me.

Drake ft. The Weeknd – “Crew Love”

So smooth… Damn, Weeknd. Yeah, discovered the rest of Drake’s album because of “Make Me Proud” and found this gem.

Major Lazer feat. Amber of Dirty Projectors – “Get Free”

Thanks, Sirius XMU for the plethora of random good shit like this you threw my way this year. Love. This. Song.

Alabama Shakes – “Hold On”

My “cool” friends were shouting “listen to Alabama Shakes!”. I resisted. I do that sometimes when people tell me “listen to this”, “read that”, or “watch this.” Does that make me an asshole? Doubtful, because I’m pretty sure everyone does it! Anyway, I had a feeling I would enjoy their live show, so I was sure to catch them at the Hangout Festival 2012 in Gulf Shores, AL. Wow. Never will I forget the moment they started playing this song. I was on the beach at the concert with one of my best friends, the warm breeze off the ocean was blowing our cover-ups as we shielded the sun from our eyes. The guitar and melody on this song kicked in and I felt it in my soul. Sounds corny, but…true story.

Selena Gomez – “Love You Like A Love Song”

I have no excuse for this one. it just grew on me and reminds me of the 26 hours in the car I spent with my friend on our Hangout Festival trip. Oh, and somewhere on the interwebs is a lip-sync of this by James Franco, whom I adore. I might have watched that a few times.

One Direction – “What Makes You Beautiful”

This, above all, should shout to the world that I am in no way a serious music blogger. All the serious ones would discredit me for this, and that’s okay…they probably should! Here’s why I like this song: It’s fun. It’s ridiculous. It’s pop in it’s truest form and completely void of substance. It’s the ice cream that you didn’t know you wanted but you blew your diet on it anyway after the first bite. Guilty. Pleasure. Yeah.

Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe”

Speaking of guilty pleasures…! I know a lot of people who secretly love this song. You know who you are. I tried to resist this one as well, and was successful until a friend posted the Chatroulette version (above). It made my day, my week, my month, I laughed so much. Ever since then, if it comes on the car radio, I turn that shit up and sing it to the other drivers on the road. It helps with road rage. Really.

Usher – “Climax”

I truly thought I was the only one in love with this song over the summer. But, as I discovered recently, a whole mess of people with different music tastes loved it. [See previous post https://shesmyuptowngirl.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/end-of-year-music-lists/] Sigh…beautiful from beginning to end.

Ellie Goulding – “Lights”

Really, just a cool little song.

Yeasayer – “Henrietta”

Loving Yeasayer, glad to have finally found them this year.

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – “Baby”

Avant-garde, indie artist sings a lullaby so smooth, it’s reminiscent of Smokey Robinson. This was my slow, sleepy summer jam. “You’re so baby…”

Foster The People – “Houdini”

Sometimes just a beat is enough to catch me and reel me in to a song. Such is the case with “Houdini”. While most pop listeners only know “Pumped Up Kicks”, they should really check out more from Foster The People. They look to be an awesome live band as well…

Miguel – “Adorn”

What a smooth-assed jam. I even heard someone describe this as the new “Sexual Healing”.

Muse – “Madness”

This song has had a hold on me since the first moment I heard it. First let me say that I never considered my self a Muse fan. They were just “okay” to me. But I was driving one night and this song came on the radio… I couldn’t believe how different it was for Muse and how much I loved it. Its understated intensity is mesmerizing, and the beat is just sexy.

Yeasayer – “Longevity”

This song just jams.

Frank Ocean – “Lost”

I love Frank Ocean. He just doesn’t give a shit, does he? He’s smooth, creative, controversial… Does this song sound like Prince to anyone else? This isn’t a bad thing, btw.

Purity Ring – “Fineshrine”

While electronic music is normally not my scene, this song just sucked me in. Purity Ring makes another appearance later in the list, so maybe I’m starting to like this genre…

Solange – “Losing You”

Beyonce’s badass indie little sister gets airplay on both Sirius XMU and The Heat (R&B), that’s always interesting! I love this song and video so much that I don’t even know where to start. It almost deserves its own blog post. Hmmm…

Britney Spears feat. Ke$ha & Nicki Minaj – “Till The World Ends (Remix)’

I’m just as surprised as anyone else that this song moves me. One day it came on Pandora, and I found myself singing along to the club-inspired “oh-oh-ohhhhs” and it got stuck in my head. Then, I heard the remix (above) and for some reason was hooked. Ke$ha sounds so futuristic and badass, reminiscent of Katy Perry’s “E.T.”, maybe?

The Weeknd – “Wicked Games”

Hot. Again… just DAMN, Weeknd. Such a seductive track, yet the lyrics reveal something deeper: vulnerability.

Wiz Khalifa feat. The Weeknd – “Remember You”

Not to be redundant with mentions of The Weeknd, but… it’s good stuff, what can I say? I also love me some Wiz, have had a little crush on him ever since 2011’s “Roll Up”. He didn’t rap quite enough in this, but I’ll take what I can get.

Purity Ring – “Obedear”

What an unusual, catchy little song. It’s electronic, but the keyboard part reminds me of something borrowed from old school rap like Run DMC. I don’t know what it is, but I like it.

Which is a good way to sum up my listening style, and my year in music. “I don’t know what it is, but I like it!” I’ve been introduced to a lot of new stuff this year. and I’ll be forever thankful for breaths of fresh air such as these.

Thanks for reading this, and for putting up with my newb blogger self. 🙂