I Should Be Famous

A friend of mine asked me to compile a list of my favorite songs and send the list to her so she could update her iTunes library. I was tempted to simply list all the tracks from Muse's Absolution and Black Holes and Revelations and hit send, but I was intrigued by her request.

I spent the better half of a day pouring over my iPod, writing down songs and entire albums. I pondered over classics, indies, my entire Britney Spears collection, and my endless supply of musicals and soundtracks. At the end of the day, my list of You Must Own music totaled 28 albums plus an additional 83 songs - roughly $350 worth of iTunes gift cards.

My expansive list made me wonder if it were even possible to narrow it down to just my FAVORITES. As a girl who has a favorite-everything-in-the-whole-world, I knew my work was cut out for me. My favorite feature of the iTunes store is the "Celebrity Playlist" section, where celebrities list their absolutelyfavorite songs and tell us, the waiting-with-baited-breath public, why these are their favorites. Perfect.

Minus the Muppet Treasure Island, Mamma Mia, and High School Musical 3 soundtracks (all of which will forever be in my top 10 albums), here is my iTunes Celebrity Playlist.  

"Dakota" Stereophonics (Track 1): My favorite part of college was skipping class and laying on the pole vault pads on sunny days - this song reminds me so much of those days.  

"Grace Kelly" Mika (Track 2): His Freddy Mercury voice kills. Not to mention his crazy energy.  

"23" Jimmy Eat World (Track 3): Jim Adkins' lyrics are painfully brilliant. "You'll sit alone forever/If you wait for the right time/What are you hoping for?"  

"September" Earth, Wind & Fire (Track 4): This will be the Last Dance song at my wedding.  

"One Day Like This" Elbow (Track 5): Best music video. Best message. Best use of a strings section.  

"Pride" Syntax (Track 6): The build-up to the end of this song is amazing. The lyrics are fantastic as well.  

"Straight Lines" Silverchair (Track 7): I listened to this song on repeat for the duration of my flight to Vegas two summers ago. It's that addicting.  

"Bliss" Muse (Track 8): I really could have put any of several Muse songs, but this one encompasses the brillance that is Matt Bellamy. The arpeggios are the best.  

"Run" Snow Patrol (Track 9): I am legitametly in love with Gary Lightbody. His voice is perfect and this is the greatest love song ever written, even if it is about a break-up.

"Mama's Room" Under the Influence of Giants (Track 10): This band is awesome! Mama's Room is disco-y and so cool. This was my ringtone for two years.  

"Bedshaped" Keane (Track 11): Tom Chaplin sings this song with so much hope.  

"Ashes" Embrace (Track 12): This is the perfect I've-Been-Hurt-But-I'm-Better-Than-You song.  

"All These Things I've Done" The Killers (Track 13): How can you not love this song? It is PERFECT live.

"I Don't Feel Like Dancing" Scissor Sisters (Track 14): You will be dancing. All over the place.  

"Lauren and I" Keith Harkin (of Celtic Thunder) (Track 15): I probably should have just put both of their albums as my favorite songs, but this one is beautiful and pure and his voice gives me goosebumps.  

"Beautiful" Goldfrapp (Track 16): This is my "driving" song - always on when I'm in the car.  

"In The Air Tonight" Phil Collins (Track 17): The drums...and it's PHIL COLLINS.  

"Foreplay/Long Time" Boston (Track 18): My favorite song to play on My favorite song to play on Rock Band and I can't believe my parents didn't introduce this to me during their "oldies" phase.

And there you have it.