The Soundtrack of My So-Called Life, ver. 2008

2008 is almost over and 2009 beckons! Before the year ends I thought I'd write a few posts about the year that's been, the first one being about the music that played on my iPod, my laptop, and for a while, my car stereo, over the past twelve months. As I said before, I like to share my love with my songs, which makes me think I would've made a lot of mix tapes had I lived in the 80's. But that's not the point I was making. My point, is that my memories are also largely held together by music - for instance, Atheneum's "What I Didn't Know" always reminds me of my pre-pubescent-angst years locked up in my bedroom sulking about...nothing really. Also, Kaskade's "Sweet Love" always reminds me of those IMC all-nighters, driving around the city with classmates meeting other classmates while cramming for presentations.

So before I say goodbye to 2008, let's rewind and replay the music (and musicians) that made my year.

Allow me to begin with my five artists of 2008 (and a few who almost made it to the list!):

The Virgins
Awesome awesome band from New York. I don't know much about them, except that their music is amazing, Donald Cumming's voice is perfect for it, and Wade Oates is insanely gorgeous. Their songs of crazy lives and wasted drunken nights and love being colder than death make for perfect music for jaded, "Generation Entitled" twenty-somethings.

Panic at the Disco
I missed the hype around Panic - and the exclamation point in their name - because back in 2006 I had brushed them aside as one of them "emo bands", whatever that meant, although I secretly played "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" over and over again in my iPod. I got to watch their concert this year (and was within, I would say, 5 feet of Brendon Urie's gorgeous-ness at The Podium) and I was just amazed. "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out" was probably the most overplayed album in my car this year, and when I say overplayed, I mean playing-every-song-every-freaking-day-the-whole-day-for-about-three-months overplayed. And Pretty Odd's "Northern Downpour" is just...*sigh*.

Katy Perry
I think Katy Perry's music is like drinking alcohol - you either like it or you don't, and people are often vocal about their choice either way. A lot of people hate her and give her crap about using "shock factor" to sell her songs, but I listened to her entire album and I actually liked it! It didn't hurt that I already thought "I Kissed a Girl" and "Ur So Gay" were pretty funny, and catchy. But the other songs in the album are way better than her two singles, and definitely worth a listen! I think her music is fun and high school-girly, and sometimes you just want happy bubbly songs, right? So go Katy!

Colbie Caillat
She's like a female Jason Mraz - what more can I say? I saw her perform in Glorietta (and was also within a few feet of her afterwards, right Sam?) and she was pretty great. Oh, and I love "Realize"! And "Magic" And "Little Things!" And stop me before I name all the songs in her album!

Jason Mraz
...in 2008, and until-hell-freezes-over forever and ever. He came out with "We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things" this year, and even though this meant that every girl in the known universe was swooning over his song "I'm Yours" (and every carinderia too! I was doing my sales stint and was somewhere random in the outskirts of Pampanga and they were playing the song!), which ultimately meant that "I'm Yours" was definitely not just mine anymore and already the world's, the dude deserves all the attention. And hey, if it helps him become this ambassador of comfort, I'm all for it.
(On a side note, Rissee emailed me this picture of him and said that it made her crave for...enchiladas? Nachos? Or was it guacamole? I forget, but it was pretty hilarious...and random!)

And those who almost made it to the list:
Foals
The Academy Is...
Kids in Glass Houses

Finally, here are my Top 20 Songs of 2008:

1. "Love is Colder than Death" (EP / demo version), The Virgins
2. "A Beautiful Mess", Jason Mraz
3. "Northern Downpour", Panic at the Disco
4. "Neighbors", The Academy Is...
5. "Thinking of You", Katy Perry
6. "Shameless", Kids in Glass Houses
7. "Realize", Colbie Caillat
8. "7 Minutes in Heaven (Atavan Halen)", Fall Out Boy
9. "Last Words", The Real Tuesday Weld
10. "Teddy Picker", Arctic Monkeys
11. "Love Song", Sara Bareilles
12. "Faithful", Brooke Fraser
13. "Single Ladies", Beyonce
14. "Red Sox Pugie", Foals
15. "Love Lockdown", Kanye West
16. "Motorcycle Driveby", Third Eye Blind
17. "Hero / Heroine", Boys Like Girls
18. "When it Rains", Paramore
19. "Almost Lover", A Fine Frenzy
20. "Noticed", Mutemath

Here's to more great music in 2009!