My Top 25 Most Played on iTunes

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What is your favorite song? This is my least favorite question to answer. I have a new favorite song every day depending on how I feel, what I’ve been listening to lately, whether or not I want to trigger a memory through auditory means, or if it would be beneficial in a business sense. I can appreciate a catchy, well-produced teen pop song just as much as a classic standard that has lasted generations. It’s an open-mindedness quality that I receive a lot of criticism for, but it has really given me a new perspective on music as a business and as a whole. Though I always appreciate and point out the technical production of a song (which is necessary in the business), it’s usually the lyrics and final product that personally attracts me most.

Because I refuse to ever answer the titled question, I’m presenting my Top 25 Most Played Songs of 2008. A lot of the songs on my list are from unpopular bands/artists, so I encourage everyone to check them out and let me know what you really like. Listening to music at my desk for about 10 hours every weekday, iTunes will be able to answer the question that I despise for me:

25. “Ooh La” – The Kooks

The Kooks were my summer anthem and if you know me, any song with the chorus including the phrase, “Ooh La,” is totally my style. I also have an affinity for foreign rockers.

http://www.myspace.com/thekooks

24. “The Takeover” – Honor Society

I met Honor Society this year by booking them at The National Underground. They quickly grew too big for the usual downtown NYC venues, and were soon packing The Knitting Factory. In the past few months, they signed a music publishing deal with Sony/ATV, and opened several arena shows for The Jonas Brothers. I bet millions that they will be a household name within the next year. I was close to the guys during their recording process and appreciate their fresh R&B/pop/rock fusion sound that is reflected in this song. Well done, boys.

http://www.myspace.com/honorsociety

23. “Low Man” – Alberta Cross

Alberta Cross is a band that is currently pretty unknown in the US. They’re from the UK and this song, “Low Man,” is one to listen to when you’re tired and relaxing. Goes great with a bottle of red and a comfy couch.

http://www.myspace.com/albertacross

22. “The Black Hole” – Rachel Goodrich

I booked Rachel Goodrich at The National Underground in early 2008, and was blown away by her show. She’s one of my favorite female singer/songwriters right now and the lyrics of “The Black Hole” are very clever, especially combined with the xylophone and clapping that lingers in the arrangement. Warning – this song will be stuck in your head for days.

http://www.myspace.com/rachelgoodrich

21. “Manhattan” – Kings Of Leon

Titled after the city that holds my heart, sung by one of my favorite bands, with lyrics that describe almost every one of my Friday nights that I never want to forget, this is one of my all-time favorite songs. Can I move it to #1? I’m going to listen to it on repeat for a week so that my first post in 2010 will have this as #1. Is that cheating? I would break both of my arms and suffer from pink eye to see them in a couple weeks at Madison Square Garden.

http://www.myspace.com/kingsofleon

20. “Throw Me To The Dogs” – Cherry Ghost

Since working in music publishing I’ve grown this immense appreciation for thoughtful lyrics that can move me in some way. Almost every single one of Cherry Ghost’s songs does that to me, and “Throw Me To The Dogs” is one of my favorites. PS – My dog is a fat miniature beagle and I would love to be thrown to him. He would lick me and wag his tail.

http://www.myspace.com/cherryghostband

19. “That’s Not My Name” – The Ting Tings

I’m surprised this isn’t higher on my most-played list, because in my opinion, this is one of the best songs of the year. I feel like I’m in a jungle with little children mocking each other. There hasn’t been one time I’ve listened to this song without dancing. I can’t even dance – I do an embarrassing shoulder shimmy thing, and to do that in public when I hear this song means a lot in itself.

http://www.myspace.com/thetingtings

18. “Moth” – Sonny Moore

A friend once sent me this guy’s Myspace link saying he is the next Trent Reznor. At first I hated it until I tore it apart and saw the amazing production and vocals of this post-hardcore-rock-frontman-turned-adorably-weird-solo-artist. It made this list not because I particularly loved it, but because of the many times I needed to listen to it before I could decide if I liked it or not.

www.myspace.com/sonny

17. “Told You In A Whispered Song” – Serena Ryder

The same friend as #18 turned me onto Serena Ryder, a Canadian singer-songwriter signed in the US by Atlantic Records. She has an insane voice that I can’t get enough of. “Told You In A Whispered Song” is just so honest and deep, and reflected a past relationship that I thought a lot about this past year. http://www.myspace.com/serenaryder

16. “A Shelter” – Rhesus

There’s nothing like a French band’s romantic, cheesy, indie-rock song written in English. Please, everyone listen to Rhesus (like a rhesus monkey) at www.myspace.com/rhesusmusic and let me know what you think! Their whole album, The Fortune Teller Said is in English and any foreign rock lover will love them. I’d wager a Kings Of Leon MSG ticket on it (if I had one…damn).

15. “Sleep” – Meiko

Perez Hilton sure pimped out this Hotel Café frequenter this year. Hearing about Meiko gave him more credibility in my book. “Sleep” makes my heartbeat irregularly. Listen to it, you’ll understand. It should be the soundtrack to almost every chick flick where a guy breaks up with the girl and she’s restless, eats chocolate, and throws the chocolate and the chick flick playing on TV that she’s watching on her bed with furry, pink pillows.

http://www.myspace.com/meiko

14. “I’m Yours” – Jason Mraz

My guilty pleasure.

13. “Moving To New York City” – Tyler James

Piano rock, next to french fries and deep V’s, is my weakness. Like #21, this is obviously written about moving to my favorite city that I call home, only it’s a little less sexy and a little more thoughtful/beautiful.

http://www.myspace.com/tylerjames

12. “Rooftops” – The Urgency

Not as good as #7, but I was really into The Urgency earlier this year after I saw a little industry showcase at Arlene’s Grocery. Honestly, there are better songs that I should’ve listened to enough times to beat out this one on my Top 25. It snuck onto a playlist that I had on repeat… oops.

http://www.myspace.com/theurgency

11. “Lucy Rider” – Alberta Cross

This one does belong and everyone should buy it on iTunes right now. Enough said.

http://www.myspace.com/albertacross

10. Same as # 22… that’s cheap!

Can I change this to Rufus Wainwright’s “Hallelujah” ? The best song ever written, and Rufus’s version makes me shiver.

9. “FM Radio” – Joshua James

Saw this guy The Living Room during CMJ ’07. He’s from Nebraska and looks/sounds extremely similar to Conor Oberst. Simple and acoustic, this song stood out with its deep, almost disturbing lyrics. I haven’t discovered many artists with a voice so “raw.” http://www.myspace.com/joshuajamesmusic

8. “Why Didn’t I?” – Honor Society

They deserve everything that’s coming to them.

7. “Fingertips” – The Urgency

There’s something about sexy rock songs that I highly enjoy. Rawr. Check out their video (via Universal Republic/YouTube): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08CNWituV1I

6. “She Moves In Her Own Way” – The Kooks

Sigh. This is my favorite song by one of my favorite bands. During their show at the Central Park Summer Stage this past summer, this was the soundtrack to one of the most hilarious concert scenarios of my short life. As I was ringing in my 22^nd birthday as a lucky gal with new close friends who share my love for music, we laughed until we cried at an immobile drunk girl and her friend who was trying to drop ‘bows. Had to be there, but I will always giggle and think of the amazing summer ’08 when I hear this song.

http://www.myspace.com/thekooks

5. “Stop This Train” – John Mayer

Mr. Mayer, in my opinion, is a modern day master songwriter. I hope that years to come he’s noticed in the same light as his predecessors such as Lennon, McCartney, Leonard Cohen, etc. I hear “Stop This Train” as a reflection of innocence and the beauty of youth that we come to appreciate in time. Deep. A Myspace link isn’t even necessary.

4. “O Shot” – The Gay Blades

Winner of my favorite guitar riffs of the year. I was recommended to them by a friend and caught one of their CMJ shows. The Gay Blades is only made up of two Brooklyn hipster-esque guys, which is surprising due to their insane amounts of screaming and obvious energy swooned into their recordings. Listen to this song if you’re ever in a bad mood because I promise it will instantly make you want to jump around and throw your fist in the air (like a rock ‘n roll fist, not a bridge and tunnel fist).

http://www.myspace.com/gayblades

3. “Maybe In A Year” – Carlotta

This was the anthem to my most recent breakup, hence the fact it’s number three and was probably on repeat for the month that the relationship. It deserves its place regardless of the relatable lyrics, however, because this little pop rock band from LA is full of untapped talent. “Maybe in a Year” is Carlotta’s piano-driven pop ballad about someone moving away and an ending relationship with a gleam of hope for the future. They’re very entertaining live, mostly due to their front man’s hipster attire, flamboyant dancing, and surprising vocals, which doesn’t seem to match their musical style. I was lucky enough to catch their CMJ ’08 show and look forward to seeing them again. www.myspace.com/carlotta

2. “Let Me In” – MrNorth

Before I made playlists which I replayed a million times over, this was #1. The band is full of Irishmen with a front man, Colin Smith, who melts my heart every time I see him perform. If you’re in Manhattan, you can catch him play solo originals and classic covers at The Village Lantern (Bleecker and Sullivan). FYI If you’re female – Colin is very easy on the eyes. I’ve wanted to shout this song into the ears of many men, with the gender references reversed of course.

www.myspace.com/mrnorthmusic

1. “Charmer” – Kings Of Leon

Caleb screams his way into my number one spot. When I saw Kings of Leon last year at Radio City for the first time (without really knowing much about their music), this song blew me away. “Charmer” is my personal therapy for all strong feelings. Because I live in a busy city, and have no access to a soundproof space of any kind, I believe the cops would be coming to get me if I ever screamed like Caleb. Instead, I can listen to him scream and that in itself is a release of emotions. Any song that has that power deserves to be #1.

http://www.myspace.com/kingsofleon

So, One Love readers, I feel like I’ve just disclosed a lot about myself. I’d love to know what everyone else has in their Top 25 and if you enjoyed any of the links I posted!

-M