What Are You Listening To? Winter 2010/11

What kind of music listener are you? Are you up on the newest tracks from your favorite artists, or do you prefer to listen to nothing but oldies? Do you listen to rock, rap, country, or something else? Do your listening habits change from time to time or do you pretty much stick to your usual stuff? We all have our own habits for listening to the music we enjoy, and the variety of music that's out there is so vast that no two people have the same exact musical tastes or preferences.

One of my favorite things about having an iPod is the ability to organize your music into folders, or playlists (check out Creating Customized Playlists on iTunes and Creating Smart Playlists on iTunes ). With this feature, it's so easy to put songs together that will suit the way you listen to music. Some of the playlists that I keep in my iTunes library include titles such as "Party Songs", "Sad Songs" and "All Time Faves", etc. One of the most listened to playlists in my iTunes library is a folder that I like to call "Current".

"Current" is the folder where I keep the music that I like to listen to the most. It is the one playlist in iTunes that I'm most often changing, and is the purpose for this series. Music is as fluid as anything, and I enjoy adding great new stuff to my music collection. I keep all of my new stuff in the "Current" folder, as well as some favorites from the past year or so. My passion for music motivates me to want to share some of the good music I listen to with other music lovers who share my tastes.

Without further adieu, I present some offerings from my "Current" playlist this winter, as well as some stuff in another folder I've been deferring to these days. They're the songs I listen to on a daily basis during my commute to and from work or in the house while I'm doing some house cleaning. Hopefully you'll find something new to get excited about.

Sad Stuff

Along with the playlists of my favorite artists and my "Current" stuff, I keep other playlists on my iPod organized by such titles as "All Time Favorites" or "80's New Wave." One such playlist that I've been listening to a lot this winter is one that I call "Favorite Slow Jams." This folder contains mostly ballads, ones which I listen to for comfort in times of sorrow. Since my most recent relationship ended in December, I've found myself tuning into these songs as we sometimes do when we're a little down. I've added new tunes to this folder as I've rediscovered older songs that carry a new meaning for me. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Each Tear - Mary J. Blige

"In each tear
There's a lesson, makes you wiser than before
Makes you stronger than you know
In each tear
Brings you closer to your dreams
No mistake, no heartbreak
Can take away what you're meant to be"

This is a beautiful and inspiring song with a fantastic message. It's comes off of Mary J. Blige's latest album "Stronger with Each Tear" and it certainly soothes a weary soul. Check out the video for "Each Tear" right here.

Make You Feel My Love - Adele

This remake of a classic Bob Dylan song is so heartrending and the singer's soulful voice gives a whole new authenticity to Dylan's lyrics. Take a look and a listen here.

No Ordinary Morning - Chicane

This is a song from British electronic producer Chicane from his 2000 album "Behind the Sun." I've known the song since it first came out and have always listened to it in times of sorrow. Over the past couple of months I revisited the song and found new meaning in its lyrics, and found that I was still captivated by its melancholic beauty. Take a listen to "No Ordinary Morning" here.

These are but a small sampling of the songs I've been listening to these past couple of months during those moments when I'm feeling down. Other great companions for my mood have included "Glitter in the Air" by Pink, "Back to Black" by Amy Winehouse, "Indestructible" by Robyn, and "He Wasn't There" by Lily Allen.

Current Singles

Born This Way - Lady GaGa

No matter what people are saying about Lady GaGa, I still say she makes great music. Regardless of the comparisons to Madonna's "Express Yourself", this one's still a quality, highly danceable tune! Check out the video for "Born This Way" here.

Waka Waka - Shakira

"Waka Waka" by Shakira was the official theme song to last year's World Cup tournament held in South Africa and it's a very pleasant song with a great chorus and fun beats. I discovered it just recently and I think it's great fun! Enjoy it here.

Hello - Martin Solveig & Dragonette

This is another fun song that reminds me of some of the stuff Fatboy Slim used to do back in the late 1990's/early 2000's. Can anybody say "Rockafeller Skank?" Check out "Hello" here.

Who's That Chick - David Guetta, featuring Rihanna

This collaboration between hot producer David Guetta and pop superstar Rihanna is pure dancing fun, done in similar fashion to Guetta's celebrated works with the likes of Kelly Rowland, Estelle, Fergie, Akon and more. Watch the video for "Who's That Chick" here.

Bulletproof - La Roux

It took me awhile to find them, but I'm certainly happy I did. La Roux is a band that has a distinctive 80's sound and this single off of their highly successful eponymous debut is simply masterful! Check them out right here.

Albums

Katy Perry - Teenage Dream

Okay, okay, so I don't actually own this whole album, but I think maybe that I should. I've already downloaded 4 of the tunes off of this one and all but one ("California Gurls") are in my "Current" folder. Of course, the two recent singles "Teenage Dream" and "Firework" are simply awesome, and a third song I've recently discovered is a fun non-single (so far!) called "Peacock." Though there's no video by Ms. Perry for this one, there is a hysterically amusing amateur video by a fellow named Ryan James Yezak on YouTube. You can see it right here. (*Warning - This one's not suitable for all ages!)

Adele - "19" and "21"

I recently did a piece on the awesomely talented British singer whom I've only discovered recently. Her most recent album, "21", just came out a couple of weeks ago and I'm still learning it, but so far I can attest to the fact that this is one great CD, as is her debut, "19." Check out two of her latest: "Rolling in the Deep" and "Someone Like You." I guarantee you'll absolutely love them!

Black Eyed Peas - The Beginning

In the last issue of this series I mentioned a couple of songs off of this one that I absolutely loved ("Light Up the Night" and "Love You Long Time"), and since that time I've been listening and learning the rest of the album. Two newer songs that stand out are the inspirational "Own It" and the fun-filled party tune "Don't Stop the Party." The Peas are certainly earning their way into my grouping of all time favorites with this one!

Rihanna - Loud

This one made the list in the last issue and thanks to her continuing release of quality singles it remains in my "Current" folder. New favorites off the CD include "S&M" and "Cheers (I'll Drink to That)."

Well, these are the songs I've been spending my music-loving life listening to these days. I hope that somewhere within these pages you'll find something that tickles your fancy, either for heartrending sad songs or good, quality dance stuff. Until next time, thanks for reading!

For past issues in this series please see:

What are you listening to? Summer 2010

What are you listening to? Fall 2010

Other pieces relating to music in this article:

Who is Adele and Why Should We Be Excited About "21"?

Rihanna's "Loud": A Review

Robyn's "Body Talk" Trilogy Scores with Fans and Critics Alike

Madonna's Influence on GaGa's "Born This Way" Causes Intergenerational Rift

Robyn at Radio City Music Hall: Pure Energy, Great Music and Lots of Fun

Soundtrack of a Relationship