To complete this project, I looked first at the songs that were “most played” out of my iTunes library. This produced the following four songs.
- Absolute by The Fray
https://youtu.be/CdbNnus8w6o 2,686 plays
- If You Ever Come Back by The Script
https://youtu.be/aJIUmzQlXDM 2,431 plays
- The Great Escape by Boys Like Girls
https://youtu.be/JGPgxoIPY6Q 1,888 plays
- Pictures of You by The Last Goodnight
https://youtu.be/f7QWZBiNTMc 1,784 plays
I haven’t listened to these songs for a year and a half I think they reflect the time in my life where I was stuck in this tweeny, high-school-y, hopelessly romantic period in my social development for two and a half years. This is kinda personal to just put out there, but I was just longing after this girl whose attention I could just never win. It hurt me in the long run, but these were the songs that I listened to so that I could keep myself going. I think everybody experiences this sort of heartbreak. I guess it’s just part of life, but it is important to share these feelings. “Absolute” likely has so many plays because it was one of the first songs I had when I first got my iPod back in May 2012. I was really into The Fray then.
I transitioned out of The Fray and into The Script as a sophomore in high school. I listened to their Science & Faith album a good deal. “If You Ever Come Back” is about waiting for someone and missing them.
“The Great Escape” is a rock-ier, visionary song. Again, as a song, it encourages that endless-possibilities, keep-hoping mentality.
“Pictures of You” has a sound that is unique among these other tunes. The piano plays a more important role in this song than any of the others. I just like the piano part in this. This song, as well, is about reminiscing and maybe over savoring good times.
I think that understanding my music history is probably most transparent way to know me emotionally. Because music isn’t just noise. It is more than simply music. Music is emotion. I think this project has helped me understand that.
The last songs I want to share are from some of my more recent tastes. As I started work and became a regular driver during the final semester of high school, I listened to more radio. Initially, It was all just “Alternative Radio” – until that station got disbanded. Then my best friend’s boyfriend introduced me to the Columbus indie radio (CD 102.5). I found that I appreciated the clarity of the distinct instruments across all the songs played as an instrumentalist, myself. Not to say that all of the music is acoustic, I just find that I appreciate the indie style more because I feel that it has more emotional depth than a lot of other styles of songs.
In college, I just search for what songs I like out of what pops up on Pandora. Occasionally I’ll pick out an artist that I want to hear more of. I recently really enjoyed listening to Weezer, so I’ll include them. Really all of Weezer is just gold, so this choice is just random from them.
- Jacked Up by Weezer
https://youtu.be/vWhShRS74fo Piano importance is awesome.
- Wasted Love by City and Colour
https://youtu.be/8kKx8PneuR8 This is such a kicking song. I just love how clean it feels. It is straightforward in its sound.
- HeavyDirtySoul by twenty one pilots
https://youtu.be/hts6PzULHSY All of TÆP is a must-listen for me. They’re a local band. This song is from their most recent album. I got to see them in concert in the fall. I will have you know that it redefined “thebomb.com.” It was so awesome that “thebomb.com” had to go find a new domain name because the concert just blew it out of the water.
- Worry by Jack Garratt
https://youtu.be/hFP3qh1x1Zo This song is just chill. I appreciate this just out of the blue. I find that my taste also braches into some more electronic branches of music. Maybe I enjoy this musical faction as it focuses on rhythm, which would appeal to my nature as a drummer. I have no idea. I just think it sounds good.
- Nonsense (feat. Mark Foster) by Madeon
https://youtu.be/5e1DBLXnjeQ Just a kickin’ tune that I love.