The Music I Listen To

 "Music is the literature of the heart; it commences where speech ends." 

~ Alphonse de Lamartine

I can't play any musical instruments and certainly cannot sing 😖. I no longer attend concerts and music isn't continuously in my ears, but I have dedicated over sixteen years to customizing my iTunes Library for my listening pleasure. I currently have enough music (over 4,200 songs) that I can listen for twelve days and not hear the same song twice. I had a few albums and a plethora of 45s as a teenager. The one artist that had a truly positive effect on a home life filled with disharmony was Tom Jones. I didn't start finding my musical saviors until I was 20 years old. That's when I allowed myself to listen and let the music influence my positive energy. That's also when I met my friend, Beth, who helped me tune my musical personality. I occasionally listen by the artist, but I generally prefer the element of surprise in my huge multi-genre playlists.

My grandmother attempted to teach me to play the piano very briefly when I was quite young (7? 8?), but she must have determined me a lost cause because I probably had only a handful of lessons before she called it quits. That was the extent of my musical guidance. 🙄

Fortunately, my daughter grew up wanting to learn "everything," including music. At ten years of age she started playing the clarinet. At eleven years she started piano lessons, and soon after she began teaching herself guitar. In 8th grade she enrolled in choir and began singing in school shows. With the addition of a PlayStation into our home came the rhythm game, RockBand. Then much singing, guitar playing, and learning the drums ensued. The extent of my involvement came with singing two songs: Just Breathe by Pearl Jam and Miss Independent by Kelly Clarkson. I wouldn't inflict that unpleasantness on her very often, let me tell you, but I surely loved watching and listening to my sweet girl perform. 🥰

My musical daughter (11-14 years) | © All Rights Reserved

Although I enjoyed each and every concert I was lucky enough to attend, I feel a real concert deficit in my life. At this stage of my life, I think I would be totally up to seeing a much loved musical artist at a small outdoor venue; but I don't see that happening. The concerts I was extremely blessed to attend were:

• Kenny Loggins (1980 in Santa Barbara with my friend, Beth)
• Rod Stewart (1984 in San Diego with my sister, Margaret)
  
• Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band (1985 at the L.A. Coliseum with my friend, John)
• Roy Orbison (late '80s at the S.D. Zoo Safari Park with my sister, Margaret) 
• Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show (late '80s at the S.D. Zoo Safari Park with my sister, Margaret)
  
• Tom Jones (1991 at Humphreys by the Bay with my best friend, Deborah, & my sister, Margaret)
  
• Bruce Springsteen (1992 in San Diego with my best friend, Deborah)
  
• Joe Cocker (*see My Favorite Live Album below)
  

My favorite genres are alternative rock, classic rock, rock, pop rock, and rhythm & blues. I have quite a few motion picture soundtracks, a little country, some easy listening (smooth jazz and piano), and a teeny-tiny number of classical songs.

I have three or more songs by the following artists

AC/DC, Adele, Aerosmith, Alanis Morissette, Alex Clare, Alexandre Desplat, The All-American Rejects, Amanda Marshall, Ambrosia, Arctic Monkeys, Aretha Franklin, Ashlee Simpson, Asia, Audioslave, Avril Lavigne, AWOLNATION 

The B-52's, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Bad Company, Badly Drawn Boy, Band of Skulls, The Beatles, Beyoncé, Billy Joel, Billy Squier, The Black Crowes, The Black Keys, Blondie, Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band, Bonnie Raitt, Boston, Boz Scaggs, Broken Bells, Brooks & Dunn, Bruce Hornsby, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Buena Vista Social Club, Bryan Adams 

Carly Simon, Carolina Liar, Carrie Underwood, The Cars, Carter Burwell, Celine Dion, Chaka Khan, Cheap Trick, Civil Twilight, The Civil Wars, Colbie Caillat, Cold War Kids, Coldplay, Corey Hart, Corinne Bailey Rae, Counting Crows, Crash Kings, Creed, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Cyndi Lauper 

Dan Auerbach, Dashboard Confessional, Daughtry, David Bowie, David Cook, The Dead Weather, The Decemberists, Def Leppard, Dolly Parton, Don Henley, Duran Duran

The Eagles, Ed Sheeran, Eddie Money, Electric Light Orchestra, Elton John, Elvis Presley, Eric Clapton, Eurythmics, Evanescence 

Faith Hill, A Fine Frenzy, Five for Fighting, Fleetwood Mac, Florence + The Machine, Foo Fighters, Foreigner, The Fray, Fun. 

Garth Brooks, Gary Clark Jr., Gary Wright, Gavin DeGraw, Gavin Rossdale, George Benson, George Harrison, George Michael, Golden Earring, The Goo Goo Dolls, Gordon Lightfoot, Gotye, Grand Funk Railroad, Green Day, Griffin Peterson 

Hall & Oates, Harry Styles, Heart, The Heavy, Howard Shore, Howie Day, Hozier 

Imagine Dragons, INXS 

J. Geils Band, Jack White, Jackson Browne, James Blunt, Jane's Addiction, Jason Walker, Jeff Buckley, The Jeff Healey Band, Jefferson Airplane/Starship, Jewel, Jim Brickman, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Joe Cocker, John Berry, John Denver, John Fogerty, John Mayer, John Mellencamp, John Waite, Journey 

KALEO, Kansas, Katy Perry, Keane, Keaton Simons, Kelly Clarkson, Kenny G, Kenny Loggins, The Killers, Kings of Leon, KT Tunstall 

Lady Gaga, Lana Del Rey, Layup, Lewis Capaldi, Lifehouse, Linkin Park, Little River Band, Loggins & Messina, Lorde, Loverboy, The Lumineers 

Macy Gray, Maroon 5, Marvin Gaye, Melissa Etheridge, Mumford & Sons, Muse 

Neon Trees, NO, Norah Jones, Nothing But Thieves 

OneRepublic 

P!nk, Paper Tongues, Pat Benatar, Pat Monahan, Patti Scialfa, Pearl Jam, Peter Frampton, The Police, Prince & the Revolution

Queen 

R.E.M., The Raconteurs, Radiohead, Rag 'n' Bone Man, Rascal Flatts, Ray LaMontagne, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ringo Starr, Rob Thomas, Robbie Williams, Robert Plant, Rod Stewart, The Rolling Stones, Roy Orbison 

Sam Smith, Santana, Sara Bareilles, Sarah McLachlan, The Script, Seal, Shania Twain, Sheryl Crow, Shinedown, Sly & the Family Stone, Smash Mouth, Snow Patrol, Soundgarden, Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Supertramp, Switchfoot 

Taylor Swift, Temple of the Dog, Third Eye Blind, Three Dog Night, Thriving Ivory, Tina Turner, Tom Jones, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Tracy Chapman, Train, The Traveling Wilburys 

U2 

Van Morrison 

X Ambassadors 

You+Me, Younger Brother 

ZZ Top 

30 Seconds to Mars, .38 Special

 

How do you enjoy your music? Radio? Videos (YouTube)? Satellite stations? Streaming? Your own physical (vinyl, CDs) or digital music library? I went from being a child of radio with 8-track tapes to a teenager of radio with vinyl to an adult with cassettes followed by CDs and occasional concerts to a mature listener with solely a digital library. When I had a vehicle music was always playing. When I'm alone I listen via the speakers in my iPhone or laptop. If I'm with others I'll use my EarPods. I pretty much find out about "new" music from movies, shows, and books. I'm truly curious about how you find, organize, and enjoy your music. 

My modern day music players 😊

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In the Spotlight

The music in my library that I feel the most uplifted by

Favorite Studio Albums (links open in their Wikipedia pages)

• Brothers (Genre: Rock) - The Black Keys
• Chariot (Genre: Pop Rock) - Gavin DeGraw
• Dreaming Out Loud (Deluxe) (Genre: Pop Rock) - OneRepublic
• The End of the Innocence (Genre: Rock) - Don Henley
• Faces (Genre: Country) - John Berry (A recommendation from my dear friend, Roberta 💔)
  
• Hozier (Genre: Alternative) - Hozier
• Human Touch (Genre: Rock) - Bruce Springsteen
• Lucky Town (Genre: Rock) - Bruce Springsteen
• 4 (Genre: Rock) - Foreigner (I always skipped the song, Luanne, on the cassette and the CD!)
  
• 21 (Genre: Pop) - Adele

The criteria for this list is based wholly on my enjoying all of the songs on the album. I made an exception for Foreigner's 4 album because I freaking LOVE nine of the ten songs too much to leave it out!

Even though I generally listen by my large multi-genre playlists, these are the albums I switch to when one of the songs isn't enough. Five of the albums were purchased in their entirety from iTunes and the other five were ripped from CDs I had eons ago. 

 

My Favorite Studio Albums

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Favorite Compilation Albums (links open in their Wikipedia or All Music pages)

• Rocket Man: The Definitive Hits (Genre: Pop Rock) - Elton John (my favorite artist in high school)
  
• Time Pieces: The Best of Eric Clapton (Genre: Rock) - Eric Clapton
  
• Greatest Hits (Genre: Rock) - Fleetwood Mac (I love my mood while listening to Fleetwood Mac)
  
• Greatest Hits (Genre: Rock) - Little River Band (ahh, LRB always has me happily "reminiscing")
  
• All Fired Up: The Very Best of Pat Benatar (Genre: Rock) - Pat Benatar (she literally rocks my world)
  
• Greatest Hits (Genre: Rock) - Queen (Love 'em all but my favorite introduced me to Queen)
  
• Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks (Genre: Rock) - Stevie Nicks
  
• Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection (Genre: R&B) - Stevie Wonder (A Wonderful collection!)
  
• All the Best: The Hits (Genres: R&B/Pop Rock) - Tina Turner (Tina will always be the most dynamic performer to me)
  
• Greatest Hits (Genre: Rock) - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

The criteria for my choosing these compilation (greatest hits) albums as my favorites is that I kept every single song from each album in my iTunes Library. That means I liked them all enough to listen to them over and over for many years. 

My Favorite Compilation Albums

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Favorite Live Album (links open in their Wikipedia pages)

• Joe Cocker Live (1990)

 

My Favorite Live Album

Apparently I'm not a fan of LIVE recordings because I only have five entire albums (although the four others are multi-album/disc sets). They are:

1. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Live/1975-1985
   
2. Eagles Live
3. Frampton Comes Alive 
4. Joe Cocker Live 
5. Journey Time³ (a mix of studio and live music)
   

Of the artists above I was extremely fortunate to see two live in concert. Joe Cocker being the last. It was 19 Feb 1995 at Symphony Hall in San Diego, which was an extremely elegant venue. I planned the entire evening as a celebration for an anniversary, but because my partner considered this weeknight concert to be on a "school night" (work night, in actuality) they complained a great deal. I must have been insistent because I did not go alone. (I totally would have though because...JOE COCKER at SYMPHONY HALL! 😱) I was blown away by the entire presentation. There were cocktails and mingling in the lobby prior and super plush seating in the absolutely stunning hall. What I mostly remember about that night was how marvelous I felt. I was dressed to the nines and so happy to be there (my partner less so, even though they too loved Joe's music). I was (and still am) in awe of Joe Cocker's sound. Much of the crowd was made up of gentlemen much older than me. In fact, if memory serves, I was one of the few "youngsters" in attendance. 😊 The music and vital performance pushed me beyond my usual self-consciousness and I found myself standing, singing aloud, and even dancing in the aisle! I still can't believe I did that all these years later. I certainly hadn't danced at any of the other concerts I attended! This album has always inspired me to dance about though (which sure made my beloved doggies happy). After all of this, how could it not be my favorite live album by far? I just LOVE it so much! 🥰

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Favorite Songs by Genre

 

I'm somewhat skeptical about the accuracy of the following singles. I mean, my starter list had many more artists and songs in the first four genres, but to be reasonable I had to be ruthless. To get the lists down to the top ten artists in each genre I had to rely mostly on extremely personal and sentimental factors. That didn't leave room for a lot songs that have given me great joy over the years. 

Ugh, this genre thing is really absurd! Some artists/albums/songs are classified in like 3, 4, or 5 different genres! 🙄 I try to keep the number of distinct genres under control in my library. When I purchase new music with super specialized genres I'll end up deciding which of my standard genres they best fit into.

Also, my favorite songs are often (usually?) not the artist's more well known or popular songs. How to explain why my favorites songs are not the expected ones? I think ultimately the songs below just really set off a positive flood of feel-good emotions when I hear them. Most of them are immediately familiar when they pop up in my huge playlists. I smile instantly, start moving, and attempt to sing along. (As I've gotten older my mind just cannot remember most lyrics, but with these old friends...some of the lyrics have stayed with me.) 

I have absolutely no technical knowledge of music. I just know what I like. And since I don't know the intricacies of music, I am extremely curious why these particular songs grab and hold my attention and regard. What musical commonality do they all share? Or is my devotion really just based on unidentified personal and sentimental reasons?

 

All of the song links below open videos in the official YouTube channels of the artists or record companies. (That way they'll be the best quality and always remain available. 😊) Now that I've done the difficult part by choosing the songs...I made myself a playlist in my iTunes library, but I also made a public YouTube playlist. If you're interested, you may find it here: My Favorite Songs Playlist.

 

CLASSIC ROCK

• Billy Squier - The Stroke
• Eagles - Dirty Laundry
• Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is
• Joe Cocker - You Can Leave Your Hat On
• Journey - Faithfully
• Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot
• The Pretenders - Brass in Pocket
• Queen - Another One Bites the Dust
• Red Rider - Lunatic Fringe
• Roy Orbison - Oh, Pretty Woman

ROCK

• AC/DC - Big Balls
• The Black Crowes - Hard to Handle
• The Black Keys - Strange Times
• Bruce Springsteen - Souls of the Departed
• Bryan Adams - (I Wanna Be) Your Underwear
• Elvis Costello - Complicated Shadows
• The Heavy - What Makes a Good Man
• The Jeff Healey Band - (3-way tie) Cruel Little Number; Confidence Man; Someday, Someway
• The Proclaimers - I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) 
• Santana - Winning

ALTERNATIVE

• Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know?
• Band of Skulls - Light of the Morning
• Florence + The Machine - (2-way tie) Dog Days are Over, Heavy in Your Arms
• Goo Goo Dolls - Iris
• Hozier - Take Me to Church
• Ima Robot - Greenback Boogie
• Imagine Dragons - Radioactive
• KALEO - Way Down We Go
• Muse - Supermassive Black Hole
• Pearl Jam - Just Breathe

POP/POP ROCK

• Adele - (2-way tie) Rolling in the Deep, Rumour Has It
• Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy
• Gavin DeGraw - Sweeter
• James Bay - Us
• Kelly Clarkson - Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)
• KT Tunstall - Suddenly I See
• Looking Glass - Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)
• Matthew West - Family Tree
• OneRepublic - Everybody Loves Me
• Orleans - Still the One 

R&B/SOUL

• Aretha Franklin - (2-way tie) Respect, Chain of Fools
• Beyoncé - Crazy in Love
• Chaka Khan - Tell Me Something Good
• Dobie Gray - Drift Away
• George Benson - Give Me the Night
• Macy Grey - I Try
• Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through the Grapevine
• Prince - When Doves Cry
• Stevie Wonder - Superstition
• Tina Turner (2-way tie) What's Love Got to Do With It, Better Be Good to Me

FAVORITE VOICES (links open in their Wikipedia pages)

• Adele
• Chris Cornell
• Dolly Parton
• Hozier
• Joe Cocker
• Kelly Clarkson
• Pat Benatar
• Robert Plant
• Steve Perry
• Tina Turner
• Tom Jones

What does music mean to you? How do your favorites compare to mine? Is your music collection physical or digital? How and when do you listen to your music? I'm open to discussion and recommendations. Thank you!

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Related Items

• Last.fm Profile (my listening history and stats)
  
• All of My Music Entries (new music and meme posts)

Music Resources

• AZ Lyrics 
• Concert Archives 
  
• Songfacts 
  

 

(rev. 07/22/2023)

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