After much deliberation…
1. Radioactive – Kings of Leon
To me, this song is what going fast on a boat would sound like if it was translated to music! Add the references to family and “the water where you came from,” and it basically plays over a photo montage of my childhood in my head.
2. Strip Me – Natasha Bedingfield
3. Rolling In The Deep – Adele
This was the most covered song of 2011 for a reason. Despite the overexposure, I’m still not tired of it. I loved the video too.
4. Take Me Or Leave Me – Glee Cast
I’ve performed this in the car (and the shower) countless times.
5. Die Alone – Ingrid Michaelson
Yeah. I can relate.
6. Animal – Neon Trees
7. Why Do You Let Me Stay Here – She & Him
I dedicate this to the single men of Memphis.
8. Bright Lights Bigger City – Cee-Lo Green
This song must have subliminal messages, because it makes me feel carefree and like a million bucks. I heard it in many dressing rooms this year, so I doubt I’m the only one who responds to it. If anyone ever needed me to model, they could play this (and hand me these shoes) and I could OWN IT all the way down the runway.
9. Super Bass – Nicki Minaj
I cannot explain my love for this song. It just makes me happy.
10. Ready to Start – Arcade Fire
11. Machine Gun – Sara Bareilles
Sara wrote this about one of her critics, and I often listened to it with my own everyday critics in mind.
12. Good Life – OneRepublic
On one of my many drives to Nashville, this song came on the radio and really defined my jet-setting summer.
13. Why Don’t We Just Dance – Josh Turner
Josh Turner is dreamy. We do a dance to this at line dancing that’s my current favorite dance. It’s really swingy.
14. Pumped Up Kicks – Foster The People
People seem to either love or hate this song. Well, I love it. I read that Mark Foster purposely wrote it to combine gangsta rap-esque lyrics with a mellow melody. Weird juxtapositions are irresistible to me.
15. Captive – Sarah Harmer
My most-played from the brilliant album Oh Little Fire. It was hard to pick just one!
16. Momma’s Boy – Elizabeth & The Catapult
E & the C (as they’re known on Twitter) opened for Sara Bareilles on her Kaleidoscope Heart tour. I liked them right away.
17. Baggage Claim – Miranda Lambert
Like many Miranda tunes, this makes me smile uncontrollably and thank God for, uh, lost luggage. It’s already on my mental karaoke short list.
18. Hurts Like Heaven – Coldplay
Again, almost impossible to choose just one from Mylo Xyloto, but I keep coming back to this. Use your heart as a weapon!
19. Valley of Tomorrow – Needtobreathe
I first heard of Needtobreathe in May. A few months later, I owned all of their albums. They’re amazing. 2011 has been a year of soul-searching and re-direction for me, and I like the final song of my soundtrack to summarize the old year AND set a tone for the new one. This pretty much does it.
If you have Spotify, you can listen to this playlist there!
Have you heard the rumor of what #14 is about? I heard it’s about the Columbine shootings. I sorta liked it a little less after learning that. Even if it wasn’t about that, it now reminds me of that day, thus I cannot be as happy listening to it. BUT the little lady I nanny for LOVES it, and can’t get enough of it.
As for the rest of these cuts…some I have heard, but I definitely need to hear a few of them still. And I need to figure this Spotify stuff out. Just jumped the Twitter bandwagon. No more internet obsessions for a while. ;)
Great list! I’ve heard a lot of these songs, but not all of them. I look forward to hearing the ones that are new to me :)
I want a disc! :D
I’ve always thought it would be cool to have a soundtrack of my life … to narrow it down by the year, is a great idea. I didn’t know people actually did this sort of thing! I love it.
Love this list. A lot of great songs. One Republic is one of my favorite groups.
I look forward to seeing your list every year! Thanks for posting it!
Love your list every year :-) Is there any way to download it for people not on Spotify?