Hey, y'all! This is the fifth post in a 10-post series listing some of my favorite things. The first seven posts are lists of my current all-time favorites, while the last 3 posts include only favorites of 2015.
If you want to check out the other lists/posts in this series, you can check them out here:
This is the only list that is unranked. I've never attempted a favorite list for songs before because of how ridiculously impossible it is. Ranking bands or albums is a bit easier because there are less of them that you listen to on a daily basis, but there are so many songs that you know and love that it's hard to narrow it down at all. However, there are a few songs that are like the ULTIMATE faves, which I'll save for last. The rest of the songs are listed in alphabetical order.
Also, last thing before I jump into the list, this was originally going to be a top 10 list, but I just simply couldn't figure out what song to put in the 10th slot. Not that I didn't have a stack of about 20 songs lined up to consider- it's just that each of them was too this or too that, and none of them were ones I could make a definitive decision on. So in lieu of those slots, I have an honorable mentions list before jumping into the official top 9.
Honorable Mentions:
Stressed Out by Twenty One Pilots (love it, but too recent)
Lane Boy by Twenty One Pilots (again, love it but too recent)
Thrift Shop by Macklemore (love it but can't quite commit. Not sure why)
Playing God by Paramore (again, love it but can't commit for some reason)
Black Mamba by The Academy Is...
This has been my favorite song by The Academy Is... for quite a while, and I've counted it among my favorite songs for quite a while, but it wasn't until I narrowed down this list that I realized how much I really love this song. It was written in response to some negative reviews of TAI's debut EP and is essentially saying "who cares, I didn't write this music for you" and I love that about it. Here's To The Zeros by Marianas Trench
When I first heard this song, I liked it, but I didn't think it was anything special. But over the past year, it's grown on me like crazy. Right now, it's my ultimate jam song. Whenever I really want to just turn on a song and drive and sing along, this is the one that I go to. Is it super deep? Nah. But it's a great anthem and I love it.
Kiss Me Slowly by Parachute
Now, I'm not super sappy and don't really connect too much to the meaning behind the lyrics, but when the song begins to play and I hear those opening piano notes, my heart swells and I immediately fall in love with it all over again. I love the way that the music and lyrics sound together, but I don't necessarily care about the meaning behind the lyrics, if that makes sense. But don't allow that to downgrade my love of the song, because I do absolutely love it a lot.
Lies by McFly
This is super straight-forward. It's my favorite song by my favorite band. It's an awesome song, and I love everything about it. That's basically the long and short of it. It's great.
On My Way Home by Pentatonix
I'll never forget the first time I heard this song. It was a few days before PTX Vol. III was released, and I was trying to find leaked versions of the songs (I know, I'm awful, but I love PTX and I wanted to listen to it so badly and I'd already pre-ordered the EP so I didn't feel bad). And this was the one I came across. I started listening and was somewhere in between frozen enthrallment and heart-pumping excitement. I was obsessed. I fell completely in love with it. And I'm still in love with it. It's beautiful.
So Long Soldier by All Time Low
When I first listened to Don't Panic, this one was actually one of my least favorite songs on the album. And then I gave it some more chances and it grew on me. It quickly became my favorite song on the album, and one of my favorite songs of all time. It's got some awesome music combined with some awesome lines and I love it.
Ultimate Favorites
(Also in alphabetical order... I can't rank these)
Closer to the Edge by 30 Seconds to Mars
I've long called this one my second favorite song, but like I said, I really can't rank them at this point. I absolutely love the music and the lyrics and the way they combine into this beautiful, beautiful song, And I really like the music video too. This is another one that I just like to blast when driving.
In One Ear by Cage The Elephant
When I thought of making this list, this was the first song that came to mind. I wouldn't say that this is my favorite song, but it is definitely one of the ones that I think of the quickest when thinking of my favorite songs. I love the lyrics. A lot. The meaning behind them is super cool, and I love the pseudo rap style of it. And I love the big instrumental chunks as well. It's a really cool combo of sing-along-ability and more complex music.
Weightless by All Time Low
For the longest time, I called this my favorite song, but once again, I can no longer actually rank these. I love the music, and I love the lyrics, and I love the music video. It's another one that's great to blast and sing along to. I just really love it.
So, those are my top 9 favorite songs of all time. Let me know down in the comments what you think of the songs on this list, and what some of your all-time favorite songs are!
Thanks for reading! If you like my posts, I'd really appreciate if you'd subscribe/follow so that I know you're enjoying what I'm posting! See y'all soon!
Hey, y'all! This is the fourth post in a 10-post series listing some of my favorite things. The first seven posts are lists of my current all-time favorites, while the last 3 posts include only favorites of 2015.
If you want to check out the other lists/posts in this series, you can check them out here:
If this list looks familiar, it's probably because it is. Somehow, my list of my favorite albums didn't change over the past year, so I essentially copied and pasted my list from last year. I wish I had something to change here, but I really don't.
#10: The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance
I'm a big fan of concept albums, and this one is really great. Although there are a couple songs I'm not a huge fan of, the majority of them are really great, and overall it's just a really great and unique album.
#9: Hold on Tight by Hey Monday
Hey Monday's one and only full-length CD is most of the reason that I count it as one of my favorite bands-- they just barely missed out on my top 10. There are so many really great songs on this CD, and I just love Cassadee Pope's voice. I really wish the band had stayed together, because this is a really solid debut.
#8: Controversy Loves Company by The Audition
Another outstanding debut album! The Audition is another band with consistently good music, but this is the first and best of their CDs. Even my least favorite song on this CD is one of their better songs. This is just a really solid album, and I absolutely love it.
#7: Almost Here by The Academy Is...
Oh, look! Another awesome debut! There are a couple songs I don't love on here, but I still really enjoy them and love the CD overall. Some of The Academy Is..'s strongest songs are on this CD, and it's especially impressive because this CD was released when most of the band were under 20.
#6: American Idiot by Green Day
This one is kinda a given, right? It's a concept album, which is obviously a plus for me. It has some amazing songs on it, especially the full 10 minute long songs like Jesus of Suburbia. It has some of the strongest Green Day songs, and I could listen to it over and over and over and over. There's a reason why it's their most well-known album.
#5: Ever After by Marianas Trench
Hey, look! Another concept album! This CD is based around a fantasy story that Josh Ramsay wrote. It's one long seamless song, divided into several tracks. And it's fantastic. Just like with their first concept album, Masterpiece Theatre, the last song is a mashup that samples all of the previous songs on the album, and it's amazing. This CD is just too great.
#4: Losing Sleep by Parachute
Guess what? Another amazing debut! I love every single song on this CD. I used to fall asleep to this CD most nights (ironic, since it's called losing sleep) because it's just so chill. Parachute's whole vibe is just really awesome, and this CD is just the epitome of their vibe. It's so great.
#3: PTX, Vol. III by Pentatonix
This is the newest release on this list, as it was released only back in October. There are only 7 songs on this CD (technically EP, but whatever), but it's perfection. It's flawless. All of the songs are amazing, and there have been several times where I just listened to this EP over and over and over in one sitting and didn't get sick of it at all. Some of the songs on the EP are already among my top 25 most played. It's that good.
#2: Don't Panic by All Time Low
When this CD came out back in 2012, I don't think I stopped listening to it on repeat until halfway through 2013. This is one of the only albums I've ever listened to where I had to struggle to find a weak point. I'm usually really good at ranking songs from favorite to least favorite, but I found that impossible with this CD. It'll be a long-time fave for sure.
#1: Radio:ACTIVE by McFly
And, of course, my all-time favorite CD is by my all-time favorite band. This CD... it's just perfection. I've listened to it on repeat SO. MANY. TIMES. since its release in 2008, and I'm nowhere near tired of it. My list of favorite McFly songs is absolutely dominated by this CD. Up until I reset my iTunes, every single song on this CD was in my top 25 most played. That's 13/25. I love this CD.
So, those are my top 15 favorite TV shows of all time. Let me know down in the comments what you think of the shows on this list, and what some of your all-time favorite TV shows are!
Thanks for reading! If you like my posts, I'd really appreciate if you'd subscribe/follow so that I know you're enjoying what I'm posting! See y'all soon!
Hey, y'all! This is the third post in a 10-post series listing some of my favorite things. The first seven posts are lists of my current all-time favorites, while the last 3 posts include only favorites of 2015.
If you want to check out the other lists/posts in this series, you can check them out here:
Last year, my list of favorite bands was only 10 slots instead of 15, so a handful of the musicians on the list have been "top 15" favorites for a while but didn't make the list last year due to it being only 10 bands. In that case, I'll note it for that band, because there are a couple total newcomers to the list
#15: Hey Monday
[Not on the list last year]
Hey Monday has been a long-standing favorite of mine, and last time I made a top 15 list, they were actually somewhere around #11. They have fallen a little bit due to the fact that they only had one full CD and a couple EPs and have been on hiatus for 4 years (honestly, they've essentially broken up at this point), but I still really enjoy the music that they did make before they broke up.
Favorite songs: Josey, Set Off, and Obvious
#14: Cage The Elephant
[Not on the list last year]
I have an interesting relationship with Cage The Elephant. Sometimes, I'm really in the mood for their music, and sometimes I'm really not. Their song, In One Ear, is one of my absolute favorite songs ever. I'm a bit behind, though- I haven't even gotten their newest CD yet for some reason.
Favorite songs: In One Ear, Free Love, Ain't No Rest for the Wicked
#13: Green Day
[Not on the list last year]
Given that I'm a pop punk fan, it would be inconceivable for me to leave them off of this list. I'm pretty sure that I have almost all of their CDs, and I just really enjoy their music. American Idiot is definitely my favorite Green Day CD, but I also really love a lot of their other CDs.
Favorite songs: Minority, Jesus of Suburbia, and FOD
#12: Busted
[#10 last year]
I first discovered Busted because of their song, Year 3000, that the Jonas Brothers covered. I didn't fall in love with them immediately, but their music is just so much fun, so cheeky, and really clever. I've loved them even more since the creation of McBusted, but overall, Busted is just a really fun band and I'm excited that they're back and recording new music.
Favorite Songs: She Wants To Be Me, Meet You There, and Nerdy
#11: Sleeping With Sirens
[#9 last year]
I discovered Sleeping With Sirens in my freshman year of college, and I've been hooked ever since. Kellin Quinn's voice is just super unique, and it gives their music a really interesting sound.
Favorite Songs: Do It Now Remember It Later, Congratulations, and Kick Me
#10: Twenty One Pilots
[Not on the list last year]
I started listening to Twenty One Pilots back in August and absolutely fell in love. Their music is so interesting, and such a cool mix of genres, and weird in a beautiful way. I just think that their music is super cool and incredibly creative and I love the theatrical aspects that they add in with their music videos.
Favorite Songs: Lane Boy, Stressed Out, Car Radio, and Guns For Hands
#9: Andy Grammer
[Not on the list last year]
This list was changed from just my favorite bands to my favorite bands/musicians specifically because I wanted to include Andy Grammer on this list. I. LOVE. Andy Grammer. I'm pretty sure that I have all of his music, and I listen to a lot of it on a regular basis. His first album (self-titled) is still my fave, but his 2014 release, Magazines or Novels is also really great and gets a lot of play on my phone. And I recently got an alert that my most-played Pandora station of the year was my Andy Grammer station. I just really love him and his music.
Favorite Songs: Fine By Me, Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah), Honey I'm Good, and Crazy Beautiful
#8: Parachute
[#8 Last Year]
These guys used to be higher up on my list... like #3. Unfortunately, their 3rd album happened, and they wound up here. Their first CD is one of my all-time favorites (as you'll see later on this post), and their second CD was really great too. And then their third album went a bit too pop and I didn't like it much. I'm holding out hope that they'll have a better fourth CD, but until then, they get to chill at #8 and think about what they've done. I've grown to appreciate their 3rd album more over this past year (its vibe is kinda similar to Andy Grammer's music, which I've grown to appreciate), but it's still definitely my least favorite of their albums.
Favorite Songs: Kiss Me Slowly, Back Again, You & Me, and The New Year
#7: Paramore
[#7 Last Year]
Paramore was the first alternative band that I listened to, and they've been a consistent favorite. For a little while, they were my all-time favorite. They fell a bit during the 4.5 year span between their 3rd and 4th albums, but since their self-titled CD came out in 2013, they've moved right back up. They're consistently great! It's a bummer that Jeremy left the band, because he and Hayley were the last two founding members, but TBH it's kinda the Hayley show at this point, so it shouldn't make a huge difference.
Favorite Songs: Playing God, Brick By Boring Brick, Ain't It Fun, and Born For This
#6: The Academy Is...
[#6 Last Year]
For a really long time, The Academy Is... was my favorite band. I loved their podcast that they did (TAITV!), I loved all of the members, and I obviously loved their music. Their 3rd CD was slightly disappointing, but nowhere near as disappointing as when they announced their breakup in 2011. I'm still sad about that. I was really bummed that I couldn't make their Almost Here reunion stuff, but I keep holding out hope that they will reunite because I love them SO MUCH.
Favorite Songs: Black Mamba, We've Got A Big Mess On Our Hands, About a Girl, and The Phrase That Pays
#5: The Audition
[#5 Last Year]
I miss these guys. Officially they're not broken up, but they haven't done anything in a while, and even though Danny still has his Twitter handle as @auditiondanny, his Twitter bio says that he's the "Former Frontman of The Audition" so it doesn't sound good at all. There was something they posted last summer hinting at a new album, but I haven't heard anything else about that since then. The Audition is a fairly unknown band, but they're really great. Danny Stevens is a powerhouse vocalist and all of their CDs are really great. I really hope that new album happens, because I need more of The Audition in my life.
Favorite Songs: You've Made Us Conscious, You Ruined This, My Temperature's Rising, Make It Rain, and Don't Be So Hard
#4: Marianas Trench
I've completely fallen in love with Marianas Trench over the past few years. I started listening to them casually a couple years ago, but I didn't really get into them until 2014. And I'm completely in love. Their second and third albums were concept albums, and they're super cool. Their music is really unique and actually really complex and layered. I can't wait to hear what they come up with next, because I'm sure it'll be amazing.
Favorite Songs: Here's To The Zeros, Shake Tramp, No Place Like Home, Stutter, and Truth or Dare
#3: Pentatonix
These five are possibly the most talented musicians around right now. Each of them is so incredibly talented, from Avi's intense bass, to Kevin's beatboxing, to Mitch's 5 octave range. These five create the perfect combination of talent and vocal parts. They make amazing arrangements, and they just keep gaining momentum. They're perfection.
Favorite Songs: On My Way Home, Can't Hold Us, Aha!, Problem, and Sing
#2: All Time Low
These four... I love them. They were one of the first alternative bands that I discovered, and they've stuck around as a favorite ever since. They're just so consistently good. OK, Dirty Work wasn't amazing, but I won't hold that against them, because they released Don't Panic the next year. These four are just too great, and I'll be a fan 5EVER.
Favorite Songs: Weightless, So Long Soldier, Lost in Stereo, Poppin' Champagne, and Shameless
#1: McFly
These four are just perfect. I love my boys. Galaxy Defenders stay forever! They've made so much amazing music. I don't even know what all to say about them. I love them 5EVER and 5EVER. Perf.
Favorite Songs: Lies, Five Colours in Her Hair, Transylvania, The Last Song, and Love Is On the Radio
So, those are my top 15 favorite bands/musicians of all time. Let me know down in the comments what you think of the musicians on this list, and what some of your all-time favorite musicians are!
Thanks for reading! If you like my posts, I'd really appreciate if you'd subscribe/follow so that I know you're enjoying what I'm posting! See y'all soon!
Hey, y'all! It's time for me to talk about another CD on my shelf! As always, I put my iTunes on shuffle, and the CD containing the first song that played is the one I'll be talking about!
Release Date: September 29, 2009
Genre: Pop punk, Alternative
When I bought the CD: If I remember correctly, I got it when it came out.
Track Listing
Careful
Ignorance
Playing God
Brick by Boring Brick
Turn It Off
The Only Exception
Feeling Sorry
Looking Up
Where the Lines Overlap
Misguided Ghosts
All I Wanted
Paramore lineup on this CD:
Hayley Williams- vocals, keyboards
Josh Farro- lead guitar
Taylor York- rhythm guitar
Jeremy Davis- bass
Zac Farro- drums, percussion
L-R: Taylor, Josh, Hayley, Zac, and Jeremy
About Paramore:
Paramore has been a band since 2004. So far, they've released 4 CDs: All We Know Is Falling in 2005, Riot! in 2007, Brand New Eyes in 2009, and Paramore in 2013. The band has gone through several lineup changes. I mean seriously, their Wikipedia page has an actual TIMELINE showing the changes:
However, the timeline is partially inaccurate, because Hunter Lamb did NOT play on Riot!, and Taylor York didn't join Paramore until later, and I believe it was 2009. Josh Farro played all the guitar parts on Riot!, and Taylor was a touring member until just before Brand New Eyes.
My Opinion about Paramore:
Paramore was the first alternative band I got into, and they're actually what caused me to begin listening to alternative music. In the gap between Brand New Eyes and Paramore, I didn't listen to them quite as much and they fell down a bit on my list of favorite bands, but they've always been among my top 10 bands, and have been a staple in my ever-changing list of favorites.
About the CD:
This was the first Paramore CD with Taylor York, and the last one with the Farro brothers. Some of the songs were actually part of the reason that they left the band. Hayley and Josh had dated and broken up, causing Hayley to write songs about it as well as writing some songs that the brothers didn't really agree with. It caused a lot of tension, and with other factors, eventually caused them to leave. Which, as we know, was very traumatic to Paramore fans everywhere.
IMHO:
I don't think I'd call this one of my favorite Paramore CDs. It's one of those CDs with some really amazing songs, and then some songs that I've maybe listened to 5 times ever. If that. And pretty much every song on the CD falls into one of those two categories. As always, I'm going to give each song a rating out of 10 and then give a brief explanation of why it got that rating.
Careful- 7.5/10. This is one of the only songs that falls somewhere in the middle for me. I thought it was one of my least favorites on the CD, but as I listen to it again, I realize that it's pretty middle of the pack. It's not great, but not as forgettable as some other songs on this CD.
Ignorance- 10/10. First off, the music on this is just really awesome. Hayley's vocals are awesome as always, and the lyrics are really great too. It's just a really great combination of everything.
Playing God- 10/10. This is possibly my all-time favorite Paramore song. I haven't really thought too seriously about what my favorite Paramore song is, but I know that this would be in my top 5, if not right at #1. The lyrics in this song are so phenomenal. There are so many lines that I absolutely love.
Brick by Boring Brick- 10/10. Hayley's vocals are just really cool on this one. I really love the lyrics on this one as well, especially in the chorus. I don't often think about lyrics in a song (typical instrumentalist) but I've mentioned Hayley's lyrics 3 times already. Hayley writes great lyrics.
Turn It Off- 8/10. Honestly, Hayley's vocals and lyrics in the chorus are what I really like about this song. It's not my favorite on the CD, but it's better than most of them.
The Only Exception- 9/10. I think this song had a little too much hype as a single. Everyone seemed completely enthralled with it. I really enjoyed it too, but I felt like everyone made a bigger deal of it than they needed to. It's beautifully simple, and I really like that. And of course, Hayley's vocals and lyrics are on-point.
Feeling Sorry- 7/10. I get this one and Looking Up confused constantly. The entire song feels like it's going nowhere. It does have a nice high point, but the rest of the song seems pretty flat.
Looking Up- 7/10. I get this and Feeling Sorry confused, and they have the same problems as well. I just feel like most of this song is flat. Once again, there are a few seconds near the end that are nice, but overall, meh.
Where the Lines Overlap- 6/10. If I were to describe this song in one word, it would be boring. I can never remember how the song goes until I listen to it. It's forgettable and boring.
Misguided Ghosts- 6.5/10. Like with Where the Lines Overlap, I always forget what this song sounds like. I gave it a slightly higher rating because I like it better than Where the Lines Overlap, but they have basically the same problems.
All I Wanted- 10/10. Those lyrics. Those vocals. Wow. I have nothing else to say about this song. Just wow.
Favorite Songs: Playing God, All I Wanted, Brick by Boring Brick, Ignorance
Least Favorite Songs: Where the Lines Overlap and Misguided Ghosts
Video!
Playing God music video
All I Wanted video
Rating: 8.5/10. It makes me really sad that this CD has so many really amazing songs, but so many not-so-great songs mixed in with it.
Hope you liked my newest "The CDs on my Shelf" post! Have any questions? Do you like Paramore? Let me know in the comments!
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Hey, y'all! It's time for me to talk about another CD on my shelf! As always, I put my iTunes on shuffle, and the CD containing the first song that played is the one I'll be talking about!
Release Date: October 7, 2008
Genre: Alternative, Pop Punk
When I bought the CD: Sometime in the fall of 2008. When I saw that they were opening for The Academy Is... and We The Kings (two of my FAVORITE bands at that time), my interest was peaked and I wanted to see if they were any good. I listened to some music and fell in love.
Track Listing
Set Off
How You Love Me Now
Homecoming
Obvious
Candles
Run, Don't Walk
Josey
Hurricane Streets
Arizona
Should've Tried Harder
6 Months
(Also, side note- I just listed off the track listing perfectly without looking at my iTunes. Clearly, I've listened to this CD a lot)
Hey Monday lineup on this CD:
Cassadee Pope- vocals, guitar
Mike Gentile- guitar
Alex Lipshaw- guitar
Jersey Moriarty- bass
Elliot James- Drums
L-R: Alex, Elliot, Cassadee, Mike, Jersey
About Hey Monday:
Hey Monday formed in early 2008. Pete Wentz actually discovered one of their demos and that's how they really got their name out there. In fall of 2008, they were touring with well-known pop punk bands like The Academy Is..., We The Kings, and All Time Low. They only released one CD, followed by an EP called Beneath It All in 2010, and a Christmas EP in 2011. In their short history, they've had a few line-up changes. Elliot left the band in 2009, and Jersey left the following year. They've since been replaced with Chris Gentile on bass and Patrick McKenzie on drums. In 2011, Hey Monday announced that they were going on hiatus. Since then, Cassadee started a solo career. Now, she's best known for being the season 3 winner of The Voice, and is currently pursuing a solo career in country music. Although the band claims to not be broken up, unfortunately, I'm pretty sure we've seen the last of Hey Monday.
My Opinion about Hey Monday:
Although they only released one CD and a couple EPs, I count Hey Monday among my favorite bands. Hold On Tight is one of my favorite CDs, and I also really like their Beneath It All EP. I don't listen to them as much as I used to, but I do really enjoy their music. I really wish they would get back together and continue to make music, because I know I'd love it. About the CD:
As I said, it's their debut and only CD. Unlike a lot of these CDs, I don't really have much of a story about this CD. One tidbit of info that I do find interesting is that the lead single off the CD, Homecoming, was co-written by William Beckett, who at the time was the lead singer of The Academy Is... and is also one of my absolute favorite musicians.
IMHO:
I really love this CD. All of the songs are really good, and I think it's a really strong debut! As always, I'm going to give each song a rating out of 10 and then give a brief explanation of why it got that rating.
Set Off- 10/10. This is a really great CD opener. It's really fun and exciting, especially the chorus. I really like this one.
How You Love Me Now- 9/10. I really love Cassadee's vocals on the chorus. The music video is really funny too.
Homecoming- 10/10. This was the song that started my love of Hey Monday, and I still absolutely love this song. Once again, Cassadee's vocals in the chorus are what especially shine. But I also love the guitar hook.
Obvious- 9.5/10. I hate to talk about the same thing on all of these, but it's the standout- Cassadee on the chorus. Maybe it's just that Hey Monday is really good at awesome choruses. Who knows.
Candles- 9/10. We're talking about the original version here. Not the Glee version (ew) or the over-produced EP version. This original CD version is really pretty.
Run, Don't Walk- 8.5/10. As usual with Hey Monday, the chorus is really great. Although this time, it's the combination of the music and Cassadee's voice that makes it good.
Josey- 10/10. I absolutely love the guitar in this one. This is also one of the only songs written by just band members, and it's one of their strongest. The music and vocals are just spot on. It's one that I like to blast.
Hurricane Streets- 7.5/10. This one has always been my least favorite on the CD. I'm not quite sure why I don't like it as much, but it's just not as exciting for me for some reason.
Arizona- 8/10. This one has always been a pretty average Hey Monday song for me. I don't like the guitar part quite as much as on some of the other songs, and although the chorus is again the best part of the song, I don't like it as much as I do on other songs.
Should've Tried Harder- 8.5/10. I like the juxtaposition of the guitar and vocal parts, especially in the verses. This may be the only song where I like the verses better than the chorus.
6 Months- 10/10. I had a hard time figuring out what to give this one. This has always been one of my favorites and I really love it and think it's really sweet. But when I was dating my ex, I always associated this song with our relationship and since we broke up, I've never been able to love it as much as I used to. But it's a really great song and deserves all the stars.
Favorite Songs: Josey, Homecoming, Set Off, 6 Months, and Obvious.
Least Favorite Songs: Hurricane Streets, for sure.
Video!
Homecoming music video
How You Love Me Now music video
Rating: 9.5/10. I struggled with what to give this, but I decided that it wasn't quite good enough to get the full 10/10. Part of my reasoning was that I didn't give Motion in the Ocean a full 10/10, I couldn't give this one 10/10.
Hope you liked my newest "The CDs on my Shelf" post! Have any questions? What are your opinions on Hey Monda? Let me know in the comments. If you like my posts, I'd really appreciate if you'd subscribe/follow, because it lets me know y'all are liking them! Hope you enjoyed! Comment, comment, comment! I love feedback! Thanks for reading!
Hey, y'all! It's time for me to talk about another CD on my shelf! As always, I put my iTunes on shuffle, and the CD containing the first song that played is the one I'll be talking about!
Release Date: July 7, 2009
Genre: Alternative, Pop Punk
*New Section/ Info*- When I bought the CD: Funny story, actually! The night before its release, I was on iTunes, and for some reason decided to check on the store for the CD... and it was available for purchase! So I purchased it and it downloaded and less than 10 minutes later, it was unavailable again. So I got it like 2-3 hours before it was actually supposed to be released.
Track Listing
Weightless
Break Your Little Heart
Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)
Lost In Stereo
Stella
Sick Little Games
Hello Brooklyn
Walls
Too Much
Keep The Change, You Filthy Animal
A Party Song (The Walk of Shame)
Therapy
Poison (Bonus Track)
All Time Low is:
Alex Gaskarth- vocals, guitar
Jack Barakat- guitar
Zack Merrick- bass
Rian Dawson- drums/percussion
L-R: Rian, Alex, Jack, Zack
About All Time Low:
[Stolen from my post about their CD, Don't Panic]
All Time Low was formed in 2003 when all four guys were still in high school. One day, they were all just jamming together and decided to form a band. Their "first" CD, The Party Scene, came out in 2005, but it's not really considered most of the time when discussing All Time Low's discography. They then released Put Up or Shut Up, an EP, in 2006. They have released 4 more CDs: So Wrong, It's Right in 2007, Nothing Personal in 2009, Dirty Work in 2011, and Don't Panic in 2012. All four members of the band have been in the band from the beginning, which I think is pretty significant for a band that's already 11 years old.
My Opinion about All Time Low:
[Once again, stolen from my post about their CD, Don't Panic]
I talk a lot about how McFly is my favorite band... but I've failed to mention that I have two favorite bands... and clearly, All Time Low is the other one. If forced to choose between the two, I would choose McFly, but All Time Low definitely also holds the title of my favorite band. I've been listening to them since junior high, and they're the only band that has consistently been one of my top 3 bands since then. Even McFly can't say that. Alex Gaskarth is absolutely hilarious, and a total Harry Potter nerd, which I think is super awesome. He's definitely my favorite in the band just for that. And of course, everyone loves Jack. He's the crazy goofball, and no one can get enough of his hilarious antics. And the skunk hair. It will never die! Also, Rian Dawson and Cassadee Pope are actually the cutest couple ever. I approved immediately when I heard they were together. Adorable.
About the CD:
Of all of ATL's CDs, this is probably the one with the least exciting information about it. So Wrong It's Right was their first CD to really blow up and become popular, Dirty Work was their first (and only) major label release, and Don't Panic was released not long after they returned to their original label, after a disappointing release the year before. Nothing Personal was just kinda... released. The promos for the CD were cool, though. They would have a rude comment and then say "Nothing Personal" below it. My favorite was a poster of the guys holding up a blank white poster board (that the owner of the poster could fill in), with "Nothing Personal" at the bottom of the poster.
IMHO:
It's not my favorite All Time Low CD, but it's certainly not my least favorite. This CD has some of my absolute favorite All Time Low songs ever. There are a few songs that are duds, but overall, I really love this CD. As always, I'm going to give each song a rating out of 10 and then give a brief explanation of why it got that rating.
Weightless- 10/10. This is the song that I label as my "favorite song." I don't have a singular favorite, but when pressed, I choose this one. It's also my favorite All Time Low song. ATL fans who say this is their favorite get a lot of flack and get called "fake fans," which really bothers me. I fully understand that it's not their best song by any means. But it's my favorite because I love the lyrics and really relate to them.
Break Your Little Heart- 9.5/10. I love how snarky this song is. "I'm gonna break your little heart, watch you take the fall, laughing all the way to the hospital" I mean it's just so so snarky. Ugh just love.
Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)- 9.5/10. First off, this music video is hilarious. And the percussion on this is just really cool. I don't know why I like it so much, but it's really cool, especially in the verses. This one is just fun and catchy.
Lost In Stereo- 10/10. Another of my favorite All Time Low songs! I tried to pinpoint one thing about it that I really, really loved, whether it be the lyrics or the music or even a specific instrument, but it's just all of it. I have a list of songs that I just don't skip on my iTunes, and this is on it, for sure.
Stella- 7.5/10. Not my fave. It's grown on me a little recently (because it used to be my least favorite on the CD) but it's just not one that I love. And I don't really know what it is that I don't like about it, because the chorus is pretty cool, and the verses aren't bad, but I'm just not a huge fan. Maybe it's just because it pales in comparison to other, better songs on the CD...?
Sick Little Games- 8.5/10. I'm not sure if this song was meant to be a commentary on the mindset of humanity, but I think it ended up being a good- and humorous- commentary about how much everyone (everyone) craves fame. Everyone wants that little taste of the limelight, whether you personally want to be famous, or whether you want to be associated with someone famous.
Hello Brooklyn- 9.5/10. A lot of people don't like this one, but I really like it. Also, not sure if this was a nod to Cobra Starship (their song, Guilty Pleasure: "If the world is ending, I'm throwing the party; Hello Brooklyn: "Everybody knows there's a party at the end of the world." Obviously, the party at the end of the world concept is nothing new, but both are pop punk artists and know each other). Anyway, I just think it's a fun one. And I used to live somewhere called Frisco, which is mentioned in the shoutouts. It's supposed to reference San Francisco, but he said Frisco, so I'm gonna count it.
Walls- 9.5/10. Once again, this song is one that a lot of ATL fans criticize for being too pop-y, but I really like it. I don't think it's incredibly pop sounding, and I think that the electronic/guitar transitions are really cool.
Too Much- 6.5/10. I used to kinda like this song. Not so much. I think it's way too pop-y and repetitive. And Alex's voice is too edited and very obviously autotuned. I like Alex's voice just the way it is! There are barely any "real" instruments, and it's almost entirely electronic beats, which just takes it too far away from the territory of being All Time Low for me.
Keep The Change, You Filthy Animal- 8/10. I like the simplicity of parts of the song. The chorus is very All Time Low- pop punk and catchy. I also really like the percussion on this one. Overall, it's good, but it's not one of my favorites.
A Party Song (The Walk of Shame)- 10/10. This song is just too much fun. I feel like this song is really close to the epitome of All Time Low. The guitar is really heavy and pop punk, but it's just a really fun and catchy song. When I listen to this song, I picture Alex walking through a party, wearing sunglasses and parting the crowd because he's just that cool.
Therapy- 9/10. For a lot of people, this is their favorite All Time Low song because of the meaning to them. For me, it's just a good song. Generally, when bands that have a lot of fast songs decide to do a slow, softer one, I don't like it. But I really like Therapy. But I think I'd like almost anything All Time Low ever does. Because they're just too great.
Poison (Bonus Track)- 8/10. It's good. I like it. I just don't have a ton to say about this song because I don't think it's particularly intriguing. I've always just liked it. It's a good song.
Favorite Songs: Weightless, Lost In Stereo, and A Party Song (The Walk of Shame)
Least Favorite Songs: Too Much and Stella.
Video!
Weightless music video
Lost In Stereo music video
Rating: 9.5/10. It may not be my favorite All Time Low CD, but it is a really great All Time Low CD, and they're my favorite band. So this was a no-brainer. Such a great CD.
Hope you liked my newest "The CDs on my Shelf" post! Have any questions? What are your opinions on All Time Low? Let me know in the comments. If you like my posts, I'd really appreciate if you'd subscribe/follow, because it lets me know y'all are liking them! Hope you enjoyed! Comment, comment, comment! I love feedback! Thanks for reading!
Hey, y'all! It's once again time for a One Day Tumblr Challenge! Today, I'm doing the 20 Day Favorite Band challenge. This is going to be just a little different, because I have two favorite bands. So, what I'm going to do is to do it twice, once for each band. Let's get started!
McFly
1) Band basics
The guys in McFly are (from L-R in the picture): Dougie Poynter, Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, and Harry Judd. Danny is technically the front man although he and Tom are both considered to be the lead singers of the band. Danny and Tom also share guitar duties. Tom does the majority of the songwriting, although all three of the other guys (especially Danny) also write. Tom also does the piano/keyboards for the band. Dougie is the bassist and occasionally gets lead vocal parts. Harry plays the drums and any other percussion necessary. The band has been together since 2003 and has released 5 studio albums, as well as several compilations and live CDs. Their style has gone through many stages, from a Beach Boys-esque style, to some orchestral songs, to more rock, to more electronic pop.
2) First song you heard
Well, there are kinda two answers to this question. The first time I heard of them was when they were in the Lindsay Lohan movie, Just My Luck. So technically, the first song I heard by them was Five Colours In Her Hair. However, I didn't put this into my long-term memory at all and didn't even know they were a real band and I completely forgot about them.
Oddly enough, back in middle school, when I was obsessed with The Jonas Brothers, I watched an interview where they were asked what their favorite song was. Nick responded with Transylvania by McFly. Nick was my fave, so I went and checked out the song. At the time, I wasn't a fan. I thought it was a little weird and just didn't really like it. Now, it's one of my all-time favorite McFly songs. Anyway, at that point, I just didn't connect the dots between the two. When I actually started listening to the band (and I can't remember when that was), I finally connected all the dots upon rewatching Just My Luck and the Jonas Brothers interview. It was really interesting.
3) Your favorite song
There are so many. I'll just give you my top 5 so that I don't ramble forever: Lies, Sorry's Not Good Enough, Five Colours In Her Hair, That Girl, and Transylvania.
4) Your favorite album
Radio:ACTIVE, their 2008 CD, is just absolute perfection. I have trouble calling any song on this CD my "least favorite on the CD" because they're all so great.
5) Your favorite band member
Tom Fletcher! Honestly, he's my #1 celebrity crush ever. So many things about him are what I want in a guy. Not only is he an extremely talented musician, but he's also extremely intelligent. He's very mature- he was the first of the guys to settle down and start a family- but he's also basically just a big kid. He collects Disney toys, and has tons of action figures... he even has a Buzz Lightyear action figure on his nightstand. Oh, and he also named his son Buzz Michelangelo... after Buzz Lightyear and Michelangelo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I mean, just look at this picture...
He's basically just a big dork and I really love that. He's just so incredibly great. I love him. I hold so many guys to him as a standard.
6) Your favorite song title
Hmmm... Most of their titles are very straightforward, so it's hard to really pick a favorite. Maybe Silence Is A Scary Sound? Just because I definitely agree with that statement.
7) Your favorite album title
I really like that they named their greatest hits CD Memory Lane, not just because of the actual meaning of the phrase but because that's the name of one of the songs on their 2005 CD, Wonderland... So the title itself is even a throwback. I just think that was a great naming decision.
8) Your favorite lyrics
I'm not sure I can choose just one single lyric. There are just too many great lyrics to just choose one. So maybe I'll go with "Galaxy Defenders stay forever" from Star Girl. The McFly fanbase started to be called the Galaxy Defenders after that song was released, so it's taken on a meaning past what anyone planned it to be.
9) Your favorite photo of the band
Honestly, my favorite picture of the band is usually whatever picture is current where they all look good... which is why I chose the picture of them above all of these questions. So basically that picture is my current favorite of them.
10) Your favorite album cover
I've always really liked this cover... regardless of the feelings I have about the actual CD. It just looks so dynamic and I think it looks super cool and I love that Tom is the most prominent one rather than Danny. Above The Noise is also one of my favorite McFly album titles.
11) Best song-related memory
I'd probably have to go with a Christmas-time road trip where I first really fell in love with McFly. I'd had their music on my iPod, and they were in my top 10 bands, but on one road trip I listened to some of the songs I'd just skipped over before and really fell in love. After that, they quickly rose to become one of my favorites.
12) Worst song- related memory
When my Grandpa passed away, I spent the entire 8 hour car ride sitting in the car and just listening to McFly to try to make myself feel better. Usually, I spend road trips reading or watching a DVD, but I couldn't really do anything except for just sit and listen to McFly. It was a really upsetting time for me, but McFly really helped me feel better.
13) Best song
I think that technically speaking, their best song is She Falls Asleep (Both Parts 1 &2). It's so beautiful with the orchestra and Tom's vocals. I think it's just so beautiful.
14) Worst song
I don't think I could really name a "worst" song, because even the ones I don't like as much are still good songs. But the one I would say is probably my least favorite McFly song is Hypnotised from their debut (2004) CD, Room On The 3rd Floor. I just don't really listen to it or like it as much as some of their other songs.
15) Best album
Honestly, I think that Radio:ACTIVE is not only my favorite CD, but their best CD. It's really cohesive, but also has variety that keeps it interesting. It's just a great CD.
16) Worst album
Yep, their most recent studio album (how sad is it that 2010 is their newest?!) is the one that I think is their worst. It's just too overproduced. Even they said they weren't happy with the way the album was produced. I just hope that they rebound from this CD when they release their 6th album... whenever we finally get it.
17) Most-played song
On my iTunes, the most played McFly song is Lies. However, on my old iTunes, I think it was second to Five Colours In Her Hair. But either way, Lies is the most played song on my iTunes currently.
18) Least-played song
I went with just the ones on the studio albums, and of those, the least played is Party Girl from Above The Noise. I think on my old iTunes, the least played was The Ballad of Paul K from Wonderland, but I definitely like that song better than Party Girl.
19) Most popular song overall
I'm taking this as the most commercially popular song by McFly, which is definitely Five Colours In Her Hair. It was the song that launched their career, and it's definitely a fan favorite. Also, it turns 10 this year, which is just mind-boggling.
20) Why is this your favorite band?
I don't even know where to start with this. Obviously, I love their music, but I also really love all four of the guys (especially Tom). I feel like they're all great guys, but they're also extremely talented musicians. I love that they're all so incredibly committed to the band. They've stated that they'd never replace a member who left the band, and they each have stated that they wouldn't leave. I feel like they're one of those bands who will continue on for years and years and years. I just love them so, SO much. They hold such a special place in my heart.
All Time Low
1) Band basics
The All Time Low guys (from L-R in the picture) are: Rian Dawson, Alex Gaskarth, Jack Barakat, and Zack Merrick. Alex is the lead singer and guitarist, Jack is lead guitarist, Zack is the bassist, and Rian is the drummer. Their parts in the band are much more defined than in McFly. Alex is the only one who ever sings (except when they have a guest vocalist). Alex does the vast majority of the lyrics writing, and often writes the entire song, but the rest of the guys also write the music as well. The band came together in 2003, when they were all still in high school. To date, they've released five studio albums, as well as an EP and an extended version of one of their CDs. Although they have released five CDs, their first CD, The Party Scene, is often overlooked as part of their discography. It's not even on iTunes. I tend to not even include it when talking about All Time Low's CDs, and often call So Wrong It's Right their first CD.
2) First song you heard
There are a few songs that come to mind when I think about what my first All Time Low song was. I'm not sure what the exact song was, but I'm sure that Coffee Shop Soundtrack, Six Feet Under The Stars, and Dear Maria Count Me In were the first few. I'm sure that Poppin' Champagne was also up there in the first few that I listened to.
3) Your favorite song
It's really hard for me to choose a favorite, and unlike McFly, I haven't ever actually sat down and ranked all of All Time Low's songs from favorite to least favorite. (I know, I'm weird). I've always said that Weightless is my favorite song, not just from All Time Low, but out of all songs. However, I'm not sure that's necessarily true anymore. But I do really love Weightless. I love Shameless, Poppin' Champagne, So Long Soldier, and Lost In Stereo. I'm not sure if those five are necessarily my top 5, but they're all definitely up there.
4) Your favorite album
I've already done a CDs On My Shelf post about this CD, which you can see by clicking HERE. This got the first 10/10 that I've ever given to a CD. For the longest time, So Wrong It's Right was my favorite All Time Low CD, but then in 2012, they released this CD and I fell head over heels in love. It was so much better than I could've ever hoped for, especially after how disappointed I was with their 2011 release. Much like with my favorite McFly CD, it's hard to say that any song on the CD is worse than any other. They're just all extremely great.
5) Your favorite band member
Alex Gaskarth! He seems like such a nice guy and is extremely hilarious and a really talented musician. He has some of the best, most epic tweets ever. Plus, to make things even better, he's a huge Harry Potter nerd, which is always a great trait! I don't have the same intense love for Alex that I have for Tom, but he definitely has a special place in my heart. I also really love Jack. He makes me laugh endlessly.
6) Your favorite song title
Definitely The Irony of Choking on a Lifesaver. It's really funny, and I really want to know how they chose that name, because although it evokes the theme of the song, it's never mentioned in the song.
7) Your favorite album title
It's not necessarily the title itself, but I really loved what they did with the advertising for Nothing Personal. They'd put funny insults on a poster and then put "Nothing Personal" below it. I thought it was really cool.
8) Your favorite lyrics
I really love all of the lyrics in Weightless, especially these two: "Turn a page, I'm a book, half unread" and "maybe it's not my weekend, but it's gonna be my year, and I'm so sick of watching while the minutes pass as I go nowhere."
9) Your favorite photo of the band
Once again, the photo I used at the beginning of this section of the post is the one that's probably my favorite picture of the band.
10) Your favorite album cover
I really love the red/black combo, which is why I have this as the album art on my iTunes even though I have the deluxe CD (which has a blue background rather than red). I just realized that this is a recurring theme- my favorite covers are the CDs I'm not as big of a fan of!
11) Best song-related memory
Honestly, just driving around and blasting Don't Panic. I love it.
12) Worst song- related memory
It's not necessarily bad, but it was pretty embarrassing and is a really funny story now. So, the day before Dirty Work was released (June 8, 2011), I got my first car. So going to get Dirty Work on the morning of the 8th was my first drive by myself in my car. I was being over-careful and following the drivers ed rules more than I'd ever followed them before, so when I got back into my car, I locked the car behind me (one of the first things drivers ed says to do when getting in the car) but I did it with my key remote. I wasn't aware that doing that would cause the car alarm to start blaring the second I tried putting my key in the ignition. I frantically pushed every button I could find, and finally realized I just had to unlock the car. So embarrassing. But at least I got to listen to the CD!
13) Best song
I'd say that their technically best song is Remembering Sunday. It's so raw and acoustic, and really great.
14) Worst song
Worst... Hmm. I don't think I have a single worst, but I'm not a huge fan of No Idea, Return The Favor, or Too Much
15) Best album
Once again, I honestly think that Don't Panic is their best CD. I think it really demonstrates how much they've grown over the years.
16) Worst album
My least favorite album is actually different than what I consider to be their worst CD. I definitely think that Dirty Work was their worst CD. It was really basic and poppy. However, that also makes it really easy to listen to and to enjoy, even though I think it's technically their worst CD. However, Put Up Or Shut Up, their 2006 EP is definitely the one I listen to the least. I don't think the songs on it are bad at all, but I just don't tend to want to listen to them as much.
17) Most-played song
So Long Soldier and The Irony of Choking On A Lifesaver both have the same number of plays. However, on my old iTunes, before I got my laptop, Weightless had more than 100 plays. If it wasn't the most played song on my iTunes, it was at least in the top 5. But on the current iTunes, the entire Don't Panic CD has more plays than any other songs do.
18) Least-played song
Of the studio albums, the song with the least plays is Holly (Would You Turn Me On?). That one is one of my least favorite songs by All Time Low, so it definitely makes sense that it has so few plays.
19) Most popular song overall
Commercially, I think that Dear Maria, Count Me In and Weightless are the two most popular songs. I have friends who aren't really All Time Low fans or even pop punk fans who enjoy Dear Maria.
20) Why is this your favorite band?
A lot of the same reasons that McFly is... again, obviously I love their music. The guys all seem like really great guys, and they're really funny and talented. They're all really devoted to the band, and once again, the fact that they've been a band for almost eleven years without a single lineup change really shows how committed they all are to the band. They're all best friends, and I think that if one member left the band, they would decide to call it quits rather than continuing on without an important part of their lineup.
So, there you go, my 20 Day Favorite Band Challenge! I hope you enjoyed learning about both of these bands, and if you haven't heard of them, I think you should definitely give them a listen, because they make some great music.
There are a lot of exciting things happening in the next couple weeks on From Kristen's Brain...! Tuesday, I'll be posting my series of the month post. Thursday, I'll be making an announcement about the project I'm doing this summer. I think that my April wrap-up that I discussed doing will be posted on May 8th, but I have both a Secret Lightning Scar chapter and a CDs On My Shelf post between now and then. If you want to keep up with my posts, I'd love it if you'd subscribe/follow, since it keeps you up-to-date and lets me know that you enjoy what I'm doing!
Thanks for reading! Hope to see you back here soon!
