top ten for december...

It's been a while since I've done a top ten post, so let's get it on and poppin'.  (I did just say that.  It's my subtle homage to my new hero, Schmidt from The New Girl.  Also, happy 30th birthday to my sweet friend, Amy!  Love you!

10. Billie Jean/Poison - Straight No Chaser (Does it get more '80s-tastic?)

 

9. The Motto - Drake (feat. Lil' Wayne) (My current jam with my sister. The parents probably would not be pleased.)

 

8. The Walk - Mayer Hawthorne  (For all you Oldies lovers, meet the second coming.  A warning, though... one f-bomb here.)

7.  Country Must Be Countrywide - Brantley Gilbert  (Just good country.)

6. Only If for a Night - Florence + the Machine  (I've shared this on here before, but I just love it.  So much.)

5.  Princess of China - Coldplay (feat. Rihanna)  (An unstoppable combo.)

4. We Found Love - Boyce Avenue  (Yes, it's the Rihanna song, but I love this acoustic version just as much!)

3. International Love - Pitbull (feat. Chris Brown)  (This one's for Molly.  She loves her some CB.)

2. Marry the Night - Lady Gaga  (It's a RIDICULOUSLY weird video and also 13 minutes long.  So, I'm posting a shorter one.  But, if you don't dance, you have no pulse.)

1. Heartbeat - The Fray  (I listen to this song on replay.  Over.  And over.  And over.  It's just amazing and also kind of cruel since their new album doesn't come out until February.)

So there you go!  Happy, happy Friday!  I have one week of work left!

top ten

It's been a while since I've done my top ten songs of the month!  I actually went on a big Christian music kick this month, because I realized I was waaaay behind on all the good stuff that's come out recently, so enjoy some of that!

10. Revelation - Third Day

9. Hosanna - Selah

8. Atlas Hands - Benjamin Francis Leftwich (Yes, that is actually his name.  Yes, this was a free download on iTunes.)

7. Fight For You - Jason Derulo  (Fine.  It's a shameless ripoff of Toto.  I still love it.)

6. Angel at My Door - Needtobreathe (Let's just continue the hit parade, shall we?)

5. Modern Love - Matt Nathanson  (A good beat that you can dance to.  I don't really know what else you're looking for.)

4.  Move - MercyMe  (Remarkably dance-worthy, too!)

3. You and Me - Ben Rector  (More stunning lyrics from Mr. Rector.)

2. Without You - Usher & David Guetta   (HELLO dance party in the car.)

1. The Reckoning - Needtobreathe  (No one is surprised.)

So that's it for this month!  Hope you enjoy!

top eight

I've actually been putting off posting my favorite songs this month because I've had other things to talk about / Embedding all those videos is actually more of a chore than you would think, but I just can't put it off any longer... we need a jam sesh.

So, without further ado, my top eight for this month!  I would post ten, but the other two would be from the same artists, so really, you should just look up the ones you like.  Be adventurous.

8. I Got You - Leona Lewis (I couldn't bring myself to post the big ball of cheese that is the actual music video, so I'm posting the dance from SYTYCD that got me hooked on the song in the first place.)

7. Wonderland - Natalia Kills (How is this girl not on the radio yet? Warning: this video is super weird and a little creeps. And actually, her song, "Zombie", is even better, but it's older.)

6. Room @ the End of the World - Matt Nathanson (Heading to his concert in a month! SO excited!)

5. Tailgate Blues - Luke Bryan (His teeth could not get any whiter.)

4. Helena Beat - Foster the People (Their song, "Pumped Up Kicks", is really popular right now, but I actually prefer this one! And I heard their actual video was really creepy, so you get this fun geometric shape thing.)

3. Drive All Night - Needtobreathe (Their new album is going to be BEAUTIFUL. I'm already hooked on all the songs they've released so far.)

2. Slumber - Needtobreathe (Like I said. Already hooked.)

1. Long Way Home - Michael Warren (This guy isn't super famous, but I find his songs ridiculously catchy and just country enough. Check him out on iTunes for the more polished version.)

Happy listening! (On another note, I definitely felt an aftershock as I was writing this, and for reasons I still haven't figured out, I cried a little. Maybe I'm just tired, but I think I just realized how freaky that was for everyone who actually felt it yesterday.  Apparently it was a 4.5 this time...)

top 8 for july

This may shock everyone, but I actually couldn't come up with ten songs I loved enough to post this month!  But,  I did find eight that I love quite a bit, so maybe that makes up for liking ten just an average amount?  Anyway, here they are!

8. When I'm Alone - Lissie (This song isn't super popular yet, but VH1 loves to play it all the time!)




7. Something in the Water - Brooke Fraser (This song has been out for a little while, but I still love it just as much as I did when I heard it the first time. And the entire video looks like it was shot in Anthropologie.)




6. Shadow - Colbie Caillat (Her new album JUST came out on Tuesday, and I love it!)




5. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall - Coldplay (New Coldplay is always a good idea. And this video is genius.)




4. Mercy - Matt Nathanson (This song was a free download on iTunes a couple weeks ago, and I can't stop playing it!)




3. Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 (feat. Christina Aguilera) (I dare you not to dance to this song. I DARE YOU.)




2. Best Thing I Never Had - Beyonce (Her new album is also baller. But then, what has Beyonce ever done that wasn't?)




1. Hello - Martin Solveig & Dragonette (The idea to use real tennis players in this video is brilliant, and I can't help but dance to this song, either. It's a blast!)




And that's it for this month! Happy listening!

happy birthday, bekah! / top ten (on the thirteenth?)

First of all, a BIGGGG happy birthday to my best friend/sister from another mister/fellow blonde, Bekah!

It's not easy for us to be constantly separated by a couple hundred miles, but snaps for us for staying in touch as much as we do!  She's one of the warmest, most dedicated, and most beautiful people I know, and I'm just super glad she's such a huge part of my life!  I love you, dear!  (Here's a little peek at the e-card I sent her this morning...)

That's one bad '80s song.  But, to keep the party going, here are my top ten favorite songs this month!

10. Hair - Lady Gaga  (This song makes me want to whip my hair around more than Willow Smith.)




9. Mary Was the Marrying Kind - Kip Moore  (I don't implicitly trust people who don't like country music.)

8. Louder - Charice  (Shameless pop.)




7. Paper Airplane - Alison Krauss & Union Station  (I would like to live inside this video, please.)




6. On My Mind - Cody Simpson  (Alright, so he's the Australian Justin Bieber. But this song is so darn catchy!)




5. Super Bass - Nicki Minaj (Confession: I love the actual music video. But I gotta keep it clean for the blog.)




4. Philadelphia - Parachute  (Just. So. Beautiful.)




3. Not Over You - Gavin DeGraw  (I've never been a rabid fan of his, but this song might make me one.)




2. What I Know - Parachute  (Um, yes. They're on here twice. They earned it.)




1. Everyday (Coolin') - Swizz Beatz  (I actually fell in love with this song on So You Think You Can Dance this week, so I'm putting up the performance video in an effort to get you to love the song AND the show.)

top eleven on the eleventh

Well, it's that day!  That day when this page loads extra slowly because I posted a whole bunch of videos to it that you may or may not watch.  Those of you who are extra hip judge me for taking so long to latch onto certain songs, and others of you judge me for liking Ke$ha a little too much.  But either way, you get a little peek at my iPod.  Yay April!

11. Sweet Disposition - Temper Trap (Heard in every commercial on TV right now. You probably already know it.)




10. What You Know - Two Door Cinema Club (If this music video doesn't make you want to dance, well... fine.)




9. Blow - Ke$ha (Some people party with unicorns and have conversations about Muenster cheese with James Van der Beek in their music videos. DBJ.)




8. Numbers - Jason Michael Carroll (I just downloaded this song on Saturday, but I already love it!)




7. Do It Like a Dude - Jessie J (My sister finally sent me this song after I had been in love with it for a month. This girl is six feet of pure attitude, so I can't post the real video on here in good conscience.)




6. Don't Come Easy - Matt Wertz (I mean, he can't write a bad song.)




5. You Lie - The Band Perry (Best line: "Never liked the taste of crow, but baby I ate it.")




4. No Sleep - Wiz Khalifa (I'm pretty addicted to this song. Sometimes I dance in the metro.)




3. Next 2 You - Chris Brown feat. Justin Bieber (Chris Brown AND THE BIEBS?!? Hoooooooly dance party.)




2. Then I Did - Rascal Flatts (I'm pretty embarrassed that it took me so long to fall in love with this song, but I pretty much scream it in the car. People stare.)




1. Science & Faith - The Script (I really, really can't get enough of this album. Of course, they'll be in DC while I'm on vacation. GRRRR.)

happy birthday, amanda! / top ten on the tenth

Today, my sweet Amanda turns 24!  Happy Birthday, love!!!  It hope it's as fabulous as you!

Ok, so now for my favorite songs of the month!

10. Stuttering - Fefe Dobson  (Pop Princess Central right here.)




9. Do the John Wall - Troop 41  (I actually loathe John Wall. More than you can imagine. But this song is super catchy, and he plays for the Wizards, so...)




8. Life in Letters - Lucy Schwartz  (This girl just turned 20 and already has a super impressive resume. Seriously, Wikipedia her.)




7. He Won't Go - Adele  (Just more genius from her. Her album should probably just take up the whole top ten this month.)




6. This = Love - The Script  (Molly has had their whole album on repeat all week, and I'm falling for it more and more everyday. Brilliant.)




5. Roll Away Your Stone - Mumford and Sons  (Not only have these guys made bluegrass cool again, in their own European way, but the Scripture behind some of their songs is really solid.)




4. Stuck in the Moment - Justin Bieber  (This month was all about The Biebs. I can't even lie. And this is one of the song Molly had on her iPod that I did not. Shameful.  Also shameful that I have ranked him above Mumford.  But it's my countdown.)




3. Hit the Lights - Jay Sean  (Fun. Pure and simple.)




2. More - Usher  (OMG. This song always makes dance and sing super loud. April 30 will be no different.)



1. Set Fire to the Rain - Adele  (Just listen. This girl is only further proof of how much God loves us I think.)



So there it is! Happy listening!

top ten on the tenth

So... we won't talk about that game last night.  It wasn't a blowout.  That's all I'll say.

And, we'll also pretend I didn't accidentally on purpose forget to do my top ten in January... I just had so much to blog about!  But it's back.

10. Carolina - Matt Wertz  (I'm pretty sure this song is too old for me to just have become aware of it two months ago, but it's just one more reason to be thankful for Molly.)




9. Poison & Wine - The Civil Wars  (Remember that post I did last week on The Civil Wars?  Well, they have more than one amazing song.)




8. Fast Car - Boyce Avenue  (ok, this is a cover.  But I think it's better than the original.)



7. Battle Cry - Shontelle (You'll have to try real hard not to get addicted to this song.)




6. If You Ever Come Back - The Script (For the First Time is probably the best song on the album, but this one is also a current favorite!)




5. What the Hell - Avril Lavigne (I'm sorry. Homegirl comes out with a new song so infrequently that you know it's bound to be catchy.)




4. A Little Bit Stronger - Sara Evans (I think you Country Strong fans will recognize this one. But Sara's better at it.)




3. Colder Weather - Zac Brown Band (More credit to Molly on this one. IT. IS. BEAUTIFUL.)




2. Bills, Bills, Bills - Glee Version (Alright, I know it's an insult to Destiny's Child to post this version, but I think several million post-Super Bowl viewers can't be wrong.)



1. Rolling in the Deep - Adele (This is easily one of my favorite songs of all time. I could write a thousand words about how good it is, but simply put, I sing it as loud as possible every time I hear it. Her new album drops on February 22, and it can't come soon enough!)




And that's it for February! If you have a new favorite song this month, please share! I might need a 12-step program for my music downloading habits.

top ten on the tenth (christmas style!)

Who doesn't love Christmas music?!?  I mean, iTunes even gives out free holiday music at the end of every year!  Plus, I haven't downloaded that much music recently (shame on me/end-of-the-year slump?  Come on, all you auto-tune operators out there, I'm getting antsy...).  So, here are my top ten favorite (and somewhat nontraditional) Christmas songs!

Honorable Mention:  The Chanukah Song - Adam Sandler (um, hello?  No one dislikes this song.  Honorable Mention because I'm not actually Jewish, but it's still fun-ukkah.)

10. The New Year - Parachute

9. Another Christmas Song - Stephen Colbert (Yes, he's a comedian, and not necessarily a singer.  Click play anyway.)

8. This is the New Year - Ian Axel feat. Chad Vaccarino  (Another gem of a free download.  And an adorable video!  Get on this gravy train.)

7. A Baby Changes Everything - Faith Hill  (Goosebumps.)




6. Carolina Christmas - Squirrel Nut Zippers  (My mom, sister, and I used to listen to this and just laugh and laugh!)

5. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - Selah  (Absolutely, 100% my favorite Christmas hymn.  And this version is amazing!)

4. Carol of the Bells - The Bird and the Bee  (Kind of haunting and kind of awesome.)

3. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Josh Groban  (The gospel choir just makes this song.  It.  Is.  Brilliant.  This is just a sample version, but it's worth listening to the whole thing!)

2. Winter Wonderland - Jason Mraz  (It's just SO happy!)

1. Star of Wonder (We Three Kings) - JJ Heller  (This girl has the most beautiful voice probably ever.  And her take on this hymn is such a testament to her faith.)  Unfortunately, no video for this song, but you can go here and listen to it!

Merry Christmas and Happy Friday!

top twelve on the twelfth

Sorry guys, I couldn't keep it to ten this month!  You can ask Molly and Bekah... I download music like it might actually all disappear tomorrow, but it's so much fun to have new music to listen to on the way to work!  And they love it because I've burned half of my iTunes collection for Molly and I send Bekah music emails every month, so... no complaints yet!

Anyway, here are my top twelve this month:

12. This is the Thing - Fink (this song was in the movie, Dear John, and it came out quite a while ago, but I still love, love, love it.)




11. We R Who We R - Ke$ha (does this girl ever not end up on my top ten list?  shameful, but I don't even care.)




10. How Did I Know - Priscilla Townsend (this girl is currently a student at UNC and already has a recording contract!  amazing!  visit her site here.




9. Independence - The Band Perry (you may have seen these three on the CMA Awards Wednesday night... definitely a band to watch.)




8. Strip Me - Natasha Bedingfield (this song has been used in the trailer for the new movie, Morning Glory.  Love it!)




7. Hear Me Now - Boyce Avenue (I have to give my sister a lot of credit for the songs she sends me... she knows how to pick 'em!)




6. This - Darius Rucker (more country!)




5. Life - Beckah Shae (this song was actually a free download on iTunes several months ago, and I just forgot to post it!  I'm really surprised this song hasn't gotten any airplay... she's pretty much a Christian Rihanna!  definitely a fantastic workout song!)




4. Passion Play - William Fitzsimmons (I feel a little bit like I should be sitting in a rocking chair when I listen to this song...)




3. Just a Feeling - Maroon 5 (how did I miss the brilliance of this album for the first several months that it was out?!?  Molly saved me!)




2. Teenage Dream - Glee (when my friend, Jeremy, posted this on my facebook wall last Sunday, I freaked out, did a little jumping up and down, posted it to Molly's wall, then ran downstairs and jumped up and down with her.  it's our song, and now it's almost better than the original.)




1. Maybe - Josiah Leming (again, props to Leanna for tracking this one down... it's on repeat a LOT.  p.s. this kid got kicked off American Idol.  kinda sounds like he didn't need it.)



Happy Friday and happy downloading!

top ten on the tenth

I know, I know it's the eleventh.  But in order to really give myself a break, I don't update on the weekends.  But I'm seriously, seriously in love with all the songs I posted this month, so I hope you love them, too!  I know some of you probably can't watch videos at work, but come back when you're home... I don't think you'll be disappointed!

10. And the Birds Sing - Tyrone Wells (if you're sick/tired/it's raining/your bank account is empty/you stepped in dog poo/the world is actually ending, just play this song.  Not even kidding.)



9. Just a Dream - Nelly (your hip-hop for the month.)



8. Light Outside - Wakey!Wakey!  (This song reminds me of how my dad used to tell me to keep playing violin because it was used in popular music more often than I thought.  I didn't, but he was right!)



7. Telephone - Glee Version (y'all know I love Lady Gaga, but Charice and Lea Michele are SO GOOD in this version!  Plus, I almost fell out of my chair when Sue walked in at the end.)



6. E.T. - Katy Perry (music video's not out on this one, but I see a So You Think You Can Dance hip-hop routine in its future!)



5. Oh My Sweet Carolina - Zac Brown Band (this is a brilliant cover of a Ryan Adams song, and it's on their most recent album. I don't have to tell you why I love it.)  :)



4. White Blank Page - Mumford & Sons (if you haven't heard of Mumford & Sons yet, go stand in the corner until I tell you to come out.  :)  You may have heard this on Grey's Anatomy, but if you love bluegrass, give it about a minute to build up and you're bound to fall in love.)



3. Solsbury Hill - Ingram Hill  (this song was, obviously, originally recorded by Peter Gabriel, but Ingram Hill is my favorite band of all time, and their cover is just perfection, even if this video isn't.  If you have iTunes, check out their new album here!



2. The Lucky Ones - Brendan James (y'all, his concert was INCREDIBLE.  Check out my post on it here!  This song is featured in the trailer for the new movie, How Do You Know?, with Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, and Paul Rudd.  So amazing!)



1. Runaway Baby - Bruno Mars (just downloaded this song yesterday, and I'm already in love with it!  Just try not to dance.  I double dog dare you.)



Until November... happy downloading!

top ten on the tenth

I wish my life were exciting enough to have a new adventure to share with you all everyday, but, funny enough, work actually eats up a lot of my time!  Sometimes I need a post that has little to nothing to do with what I've been up to so I can stock up on things to share next week. 

A couple weeks ago, Molly suggested that since I'm such a lyrics police and there are few things I'd rather do than sing and dance in the car, I should try to predict the Top 40 songs every month.  Well, there are two things wrong with that:  1) Half of the current Top 40 will still be there next month, so that's kind of cheating, and 2) Some of the music I like is pretty weird and would never get radio time.  And I want you guys to love what I love, so I just decided that on the tenth of every month, I'll post my top ten favorite songs right now!  I'll admit (somewhat ashamedly), some of the songs I like have to be bleeped out a little on the radio, so I'm going to try to keep it as clean as possible for the internet.  Those of you who know me probably already know which songs those are anyway. ;)  Oh, and you may have to bear with some short commercials if I post the official music video.

So, here is my first Top Ten on the Tenth!  Stay with me all the way to the end, because my favorite is at the bottom.

10.  Stuck Like Glue - Sugarland




9. Come and Get It - Eli Reed  (the Washington Post loved this one, and if you love oldies, you will, too!)




8. Still Your Song - Goo Goo Dolls




7. Be My Thrill - The Weepies




6. Bottoms Up - Trey Songz  (your hip-hop for the month.)




5. Teenage Dream - Katy Perry (I'm posting this video because the real one is not one I really want on my blog...)




4. Mine - Taylor Swift




3. Take It Off - Ke$ha




2. You - Michael Warren




...and #1 is...

Nothing for Granted - Brendan James (he was a Clef Hanger at UNC, and his new album just came out on Tuesday!  Go get it!)




Happy Friday!