Favorite 31 Songs by US Artists According to a Bunch of Middle-Aged Dummies (8 Viewers)

[MAC_32]

My new-to-me favorites of the #18s:

Bernadette - that bass line
My Autumn's Done Come - deliciously off-kilter and haunting
Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) - rocked my face off (and also had the best title)

I have to say, I am very pleasantly surprised by that last one. I wasn't sure if Deftones would click for people if they haven't heard them before AND especially if they don't typically gravitate to the genre.

Unlike most of the rest of the genre they're actually...y'know - good.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I know I am a broken record, but I can't stress enough how much a great pair of headphones have changed my music listening. My old ones broke, and I stepped up to the Sony 1000Xs because I stumbled on a great deal for them. It makes me hear things in songs I hadn't heard before, even if it's the 100th+ time I've heard it. It's also made me like hip hop and electronic music a bit more too.

A recent example was I think @krista4 's Dobie Gray pick yesterday. I ended up listening to it at least a half a dozen times in a row. Awesome.

They do not, however, make country music any more tolerable.

 

[KarmaPolice]

My new-to-me favorites of the #18s:

Bernadette - that bass line
My Autumn's Done Come - deliciously off-kilter and haunting
Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) - rocked my face off (and also had the best title)

I have to say, I am very pleasantly surprised by that last one. I wasn't sure if Deftones would click for people if they haven't heard them before AND especially if they don't typically gravitate to the genre.

Unlike most of the rest of the genre they're actually...y'know - good.

Them be fightin' words!!! My draw to a lot of music is drums. More often than not, it's a reason I prefer some bands over others. Metal was always ripe for me as far as a "HTF are they doing that??" sort of reaction in that department. Not really what draws me to Deftones, so not sure where I am going with this. I guess just more of reason I fell for the genre, but don't go out of my way to defend it a ton minus a few choice bands that I think are good musicians too.

I purposely stayed away from the genre for this, as I usually prefer leaning towards songs I love AND I think others will enjoy too, and I know there are a ton who like the genre in here. I do have my 2nd favorite metal band of the last couple decades still to come, though.

 

[MAC_32]

My shuffle is littered with hard core and alt metal, but I know a decent portion of it is objectively not good is all My Own Summer and some Corey Taylor made its way to my bubble, but don't think anything else did.

 

[KarmaPolice]

My shuffle is littered with hard core and alt metal, but I know a decent portion of it is objectively not good is all My Own Summer and some Corey Taylor made its way to my bubble, but don't think anything else did.

I will be interested if you know/like my #10 when it comes up. If I had the talent to pick up the drum set, that is the drummer that I would probably want to play like the most.

You listed Deftones and Taylor - do you gravitate more to the vocals?

 

[MAC_32]

My shuffle is littered with hard core and alt metal, but I know a decent portion of it is objectively not good is all My Own Summer and some Corey Taylor made its way to my bubble, but don't think anything else did.

I will be interested if you know/like my #10 when it comes up. If I had the talent to pick up the drum set, that is the drummer that I would probably want to play like the most.

You listed Deftones and Taylor - do you gravitate more to the vocals?

...sorta. To me, vocals are like another instrument. I'm a sound first, second, and third with lyrics a distant last. Not all vocal performances by Deftones and Corey do it for me, but their highs are really ****ing high.

 

[falguy]

version 1.4.1.0b of the spreadsheet posted.

Enhancements in this release:
corrections to some data causing invalid calculations. (It's you, not me
new sheet to show the total points for each artist. (this one will definitely be a bit off for the songs that are "Feat", "ft" some "&"'s "with" etc. makes totaling difficult but these are not likely heavy hitters. I already group all Tom Petty... together , for example. )

Also, the spreadsheet is not locked but be aware when I update I'll blow away any edits you make so best to let me know what you're changing so i can correct my Master.

Pleas God, let it be close to correct

 

[krista4]

version 1.4.1.0b of the spreadsheet posted.

Enhancements in this release:
corrections to some data causing invalid calculations. (It's you, not me
new sheet to show the total points for each artist. (this one will definitely be a bit off for the songs that are "Feat", "ft" some "&"'s "with" etc. makes totaling difficult but these are not likely heavy hitters. I already group all Tom Petty... together , for example. )

Also, the spreadsheet is not locked but be aware when I update I'll blow away any edits you make so best to let me know what you're changing so i can correct my Master.

Pleas God, let it be close to correct

Maybe best just to lock it and have people send you any edits? (I realize I'm the one who originally asked for it to be unlocked, but I've changed my mind.)

ANNOUNCE: Starting with tomorrow's post, I'm going to start marking the list to indicate (1) song repeats, and (2) artist (but not song) repeats. That way falguy can more easily collate his information as we move forward.

 

[krista4]

Tomorrow has a somewhat surprising double-up.

 

[rockaction]

Vampire Weekend and Unbelievers was a huge miss for me, love the song

I also missed this, big time. It's in my first nineteen out because I remembered after I sent k4 my list. That whole album is just inspired.

 

[rockaction]

I thought by genre that MAC_32 meant nü metal rather than just metal. The subset makes a big difference if you ask a music critic.

Like, I'm all about a metal song or two, but start throwing a ton of nü metal in there, and I'm likely not to have that great a time at the listening party.

And I say that guessing I'm one of the few in this world -- even among former nü metal aficionados -- that gets Korn songs running through my head on occasion.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Tomorrow has a somewhat surprising double-up.

Two Billy Joels and one of them is Uruk because he was trolling us this whole time?

 

[KarmaPolice]

Tomorrow has a somewhat surprising double-up.

****. Somebody else took Vanilla Ice??!

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

I thought by genre that MAC_32 meant nü metal rather than just metal.

Me... I wonder what nu metal is?

I'm one of the few in this world -- even among former nü metal aficionados -- that gets Korn songs running through my head on occasion.

Me... Oh. NVM

 

[KarmaPolice]

I thought by genre that MAC_32 meant nü metal rather than just metal. The subset makes a big difference if you ask a music critic.

Like, I'm all about a metal song or two, but start throwing a ton of nü metal in there, and I'm likely not to have that great a time at the listening party.

And I say that guessing I'm one of the few in this world -- even among former nü metal aficionados -- that gets Korn songs running through my head on occasion.

Oh, I didn't pick up on that if it's what he meant. Nu metal for sure changes my conversation and that is not a subgenre I will go to bat much for. I think I was just a tick too old for it to grab ahold of me. I wouldn't have thought they qualify as Nu Metal at first mental run through, but I do like Slipknot, Deftones, and System of a Down. Hard pass on the Limp Bizkit and Likin Park type bands.

 

[rockaction]

Lee Hazlewood was a national treasure. He wrote and produced many of Nancy Sinatra's and Duane Eddy's hit songs but his true genius was in his own albums-----country, lounge, pop, spoken word, country-rock. Sometimes kitschy? For sure. But some great albums from the early 60s to the mid 70s.

Duuuuuuuuuuude.

Total hipster alert. You can get the Nancy & Lee collaboration on re-released cassette.

That means you have to go out of your way to find it and play it. Very intentional. Heh.

Their duet of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" sounds like major quaaludes have been ingested or, more directly, snorted right into the bloodstream.

eta* Just to be complete about that thought, I'm now listening to it. I can definitely see its appeal. I'm waiting for "Greenwich Village Folk Song Salesman."

eta2* I meant that in the best way. I'm just amused by the re-release and the formats within which it was released. Sand-colored deluxe vinyl for eighty bucks! Cassette! Maybe only I'm amused by these things.

 

[krista4]

Tomorrow has a somewhat surprising double-up.

Two Billy Joels and one of them is Uruk because he was trolling us this whole time?

I said somewhat surprising.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Tomorrow has a somewhat surprising double-up.

Two Billy Joels and one of them is Uruk because he was trolling us this whole time?

I said somewhat surprising.

On the other end of the spectrum, presumably it's not me and Binky both picking Todd Rundgren.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Reelin' in the Years -- Steely Dan (Binky, Shuke and Zegras11)

So maybe there would be a bit of an audience if I ever did a Steely Dan countdown.

(Said audience would not include Krista.)

 

[simey]

Lee Hazlewood was a national treasure. He wrote and produced many of Nancy Sinatra's and Duane Eddy's hit songs but his true genius was in his own albums-----country, lounge, pop, spoken word, country-rock. Sometimes kitschy? For sure. But some great albums from the early 60s to the mid 70s.

Duuuuuuuuuuude.

Total hipster alert. You can get the Nancy & Lee collaboration on re-released cassette.

That means you have to go out of your way to find it and play it. Very intentional. Heh.

Their duet of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" sounds like major quaaludes have been ingested or, more directly, snorted right into the bloodstream.

eta* Just to be complete about that thought, I'm now listening to it. I can definitely see its appeal. I'm waiting for "Greenwich Village Folk Song Salesman."

I said I wouldn't say it, but "Summer Wine" is my favorite.

 

[Doug B]

Doug B:

Love Alive - Heart

Yet another album track that I have heard once before thanks to my aforementioned Heart binge. It has a similar vibe to Mistral Wind despite being from a different album.

I am a big sucker for songs that start off nice and easy … and then just floor it halfway through. My Zebra selection a few rounds back is the same way.

 

[rockaction]

I had no idea that "Greenwich Village Folk Song Salesman" would be pronounced GREEN-wich nor that it would be a rollickin' joint.

(Lee) I got songs about Detroit
And VIetnam
And a new one about the Economic Opportunity Program

(Nancy) I can't even pronounce that

 

[MAC_32]

I thought by genre that MAC_32 meant nü metal rather than just metal. The subset makes a big difference if you ask a music critic.

Like, I'm all about a metal song or two, but start throwing a ton of nü metal in there, and I'm likely not to have that great a time at the listening party.

And I say that guessing I'm one of the few in this world -- even among former nü metal aficionados -- that gets Korn songs running through my head on occasion.

Oh, I didn't pick up on that if it's what he meant. Nu metal for sure changes my conversation and that is not a subgenre I will go to bat much for. I think I was just a tick too old for it to grab ahold of me. I wouldn't have thought they qualify as Nu Metal at first mental run through, but I do like Slipknot, Deftones, and System of a Down. Hard pass on the Limp Bizkit and Likin Park type bands.

I was...and I wasn't. A lot of late 90's/aughts bands consider nu metal an insult - rightfully so. Artistically there is a HUUUGE difference between a band like system compared to limp.

 

[rockaction]

A different thought -- What's Going On might be the song of the century

 

[krista4]

A different thought -- What's Going On might be the song of the century

wikkid would agree with you.

 

[rockaction]

Bernadette was probably the jam of the year 1999 or 2000 for me even though it came out before I was born. I loved this song. Still do. Four on the floor all the way through. I can vividly remember sitting in my apartment in D.C., late night off a beer and marijuana haze, loving this track.

 

[rockaction]

wikkid would agree with you

Figured he might. He loved the songs off of the What's Going On album, at least. I don't know how he felt about the full album, but "What's Going On" was maybe his favorite pop track -- probably even in a historical context. I remember him posting that song once when one of the threads was asking us to name one song for posterity.

 

[krista4]

Tomorrow has a somewhat surprising double-up.

I was just going through and marking everything as "new artist," "new song" or "duplicate" for purposes of my new and improved post tomorrow, and tomorrow looks like a weird day. You'd think by now we'd be settling into a lot of duplicates, but not yet!

Tomorrow we will have:
- 22 new artists, including one that has the sole double-up of the round
- 12 new songs by artists previously selected
- only two duplicates of previously selected songs, each getting its second vote so far

 

[Pip's Invitation]

- 22 new artists, including one that has the sole double-up of the round

I'm surprised we haven't seen Chicago yet. Is tomorrow the day?

 

[shuke]

My new-to-me favorites of the #18s:

Bernadette

Shtick

 

[krista4]

I'm surprised we haven't seen Chicago yet. Is tomorrow the day?

If I didn't know what was coming each day, I think I'd be most surprised that we haven't had any Otis Redding. We've had Otis, though - Shuggie Otis.

 

[shuke]

Reelin' in the Years -- Steely Dan (Binky, Shuke and Zegras11)

So maybe there would be a bit of an audience if I ever did a Steely Dan countdown.

(Said audience would not include Krista.)

Reelin is a big favorite of mine. I not only love the song on it's own but it has a nostalgia play. It was the background/bumper music for a syndicated radio show in the 80's I always listened to, where they would choose one year from the 60's or 70's and play a lot of songs from that year and had news, stories, etc.

Here's a clip

With that said, I'm not a huge Steely Dan fan. Yes I enjoy the jazz fusion and find them remarkably talented. But, they just kind of bore me.

 

[jwb]

I know I am a broken record, but I can't stress enough how much a great pair of headphones have changed my music listening. My old ones broke, and I stepped up to the Sony 1000Xs because I stumbled on a great deal for them. It makes me hear things in songs I hadn't heard before, even if it's the 100th+ time I've heard it. It's also made me like hip hop and electronic music a bit more too.

A recent example was I think @krista4 's Dobie Gray pick yesterday. I ended up listening to it at least a half a dozen times in a row. Awesome.

They do not, however, make country music any more tolerable.

+1 on the country.

I like headphones but I like speakers a little better - headphones become uncomfortable to me after awhile. I agree hearing new details in songs is cool, and good gear does help you enjoy different stuff more.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

I added a few tabs to the spreadsheet for some advanced stats. These are a bit of a work in progress. If you see anything wrong let me know. The data can be tricky - spaces before or after songs and artists can cause me grief as can differences in spellings . I'm trying to clean these up as I go. Hopefully by the end it'll be correct

Wait- there's a spreadsheet? I had no idea. Mr R is now showing me his link to it. Oh, goody.

Thanks - I think.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

My new-to-me favorites of the #18s:


My Autumn's Done Come - deliciously off-kilter and haunting

Lee Hazlewood was a national treasure. He wrote and produced many of Nancy Sinatra's and Duane Eddy's hit songs but his true genius was in his own albums-----country, lounge, pop, spoken word, country-rock. Sometimes kitschy? For sure. But some great albums from the early 60s to the mid 70s.

Why are people inflicting this awfulness on us? This stuff was bad in the 60's (I remember when it came out). It hasn't improved with age. Are we being punked?

Oof.

 

[Val Rannous]

the Nancy & Lee collaboration on re-released cassette

Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[krista4]

The links to the spreadsheet and all sorts of other goodies are in the first post.

 

[Zegras11]

In honor of Wikkid, I quit.

 

[Yankee23Fan]

Tomorrow has a somewhat surprising double-up.

****. Somebody else took Vanilla Ice??!

He did tell us to collaborate....

 

[Yankee23Fan]

If I remember my list correctly, my song upcoming in the next post by krista is, to me, the most beautiful performance of any song, of all time. Literal, beauty. The meaning of the song to me only makes it that much more powerful. And beyond that, the instrumental is just as beautiful as the singing. I hope the link used is the live link I am thinking of because beyond my opinion on its beauty, you can tell the audience believes the same - and they should know.

 

[Manster]

I thought by genre that MAC_32 meant nü metal rather than just metal. The subset makes a big difference if you ask a music critic.

Like, I'm all about a metal song or two, but start throwing a ton of nü metal in there, and I'm likely not to have that great a time at the listening party.

And I say that guessing I'm one of the few in this world -- even among former nü metal aficionados -- that gets Korn songs running through my head on occasion.

Oh, I didn't pick up on that if it's what he meant. Nu metal for sure changes my conversation and that is not a subgenre I will go to bat much for. I think I was just a tick too old for it to grab ahold of me. I wouldn't have thought they qualify as Nu Metal at first mental run through, but I do like Slipknot, Deftones, and System of a Down. Hard pass on the Limp Bizkit and Likin Park type bands.

Isn't Tool considered nu metal? Tool always seemed to me to be uncategorizable. Never could get into slipknot, or Deftones too much, but I love System! Toxicity is one of my favorite albums.

As for the metal genre, I've sort of gravitated to the doomy, proggy stuff. In fact, iirc, my selection for today is an example.

 

[simey]

Number 18:

Val Rannous:

Crazy on You - Heart

This wasn't in my Top 5 favorites yesterday, but it could have been. I love the intro, and Ann's vocals are always great.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I thought by genre that MAC_32 meant nü metal rather than just metal. The subset makes a big difference if you ask a music critic.

Like, I'm all about a metal song or two, but start throwing a ton of nü metal in there, and I'm likely not to have that great a time at the listening party.

And I say that guessing I'm one of the few in this world -- even among former nü metal aficionados -- that gets Korn songs running through my head on occasion.

Oh, I didn't pick up on that if it's what he meant. Nu metal for sure changes my conversation and that is not a subgenre I will go to bat much for. I think I was just a tick too old for it to grab ahold of me. I wouldn't have thought they qualify as Nu Metal at first mental run through, but I do like Slipknot, Deftones, and System of a Down. Hard pass on the Limp Bizkit and Likin Park type bands.

Isn't Tool considered nu metal?

They emerged a few years before the bands we think of as "nu metal" did, but I don't know what the precise definition of "nu metal" is.

 

[MAC_32]

They emerged a few years before the bands we think of as "nu metal" did, but I don't know what the precise definition of "nu metal" is.

Hollow rap metal

 

[Pip's Invitation]

They emerged a few years before the bands we think of as "nu metal" did, but I don't know what the precise definition of "nu metal" is.

Hollow rap metal

That is certainly not Tool.

 

[DrIanMalcolm]

They emerged a few years before the bands we think of as "nu metal" did, but I don't know what the precise definition of "nu metal" is.

Hollow rap metal

That is certainly not Tool.

Yeah, agreed. They naturally didn't fit into the grunge category despite showing up at Lollapalooza III (yes, I was there), and aren't really nu-metal in that they aren't a rap-metal hybrid (and they also don't suck hard). They fit more with bands that came out a few years down the line. I'm not sophisticated enough about music to describe it well enough.

 

[krista4]

ANNOUNCE!!!111 NEW!!!111

Each list I post moving forward will indicate one of three possibilities in a parenthetical after the song/artist name:

• “new artist” means this artist has not previously received votes for any song
• “new song” means this artist has previously received votes, but not for this song
• “duplicate” means that the artist and song have previously received votes, and I will indicate how many total votes the song has now received including this vote

Number 17:


krista4:

Down in the Valley – Otis Redding
(new artist)


Just Win Baby:

Respect (1965), from I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You - Aretha Franklin
(new song)


simey:

If I Needed You - Townes Van Zandt
(new artist)


scorchy:

Freak Scene – Dinosaur Jr.
(new artist, but being doubled-up today)


neal cassady:

Lover, You Should’ve Come Over - Jeff Buckley
(new artist)


Uruk-Hai:

Hold On I'm Comin' - Sam and Dave
(new artist)


Yankee23Fan:

How Great Thou Art - Carrie Underwood & Vince Gill
(new artist)


Manster:

Burning - King Buffalo
(new artist)


shuke:

Cats Under the Stars - Jerry Garcia Band
(new artist)


rockaction:

I Second That Emotion - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
(new song)


Mrs. Rannous:

Longview - Green Day
(duplicate – second vote)


New Binky the Doormat:

Incense and Peppermints – Strawberry Alarm Clock
(new artist)


Pip’s Invitation:

Everyday People - Sly and the Family Stone
(new song)


Dr. Octopus:

The Underdog – Spoon
(new artist)


Val Rannous:

Candyman - Christina Aguilera
(new artist)


Chaz McNulty:

Lose Yourself – Eminem
(duplicate – second vote)


Don Quixote:

So What - Miles Davis (feat. John Coltrane)
(new artist – Miles Davis; new song - John Coltrane)


Sullie:

Glorified G - Pearl Jam
(new song)


jwb:

Late in the Evening – Paul Simon
(new song)


DrIanMalcolm:

Someone to Watch Over Me, Ella Fitzgerald
(new song)


Hawks64:

Black Smoke Rising - Greta Van Fleet
(new artist)


MAC_32:

I Am The Highway – Audioslave
(new artist)


falguy:

Tennessee Whisky - Chris Stapleton
(new artist)


simsarge:

Love Will Keep Us Together - Captain & Tennille
(new artist)


worrierking:

Radio Free Europe – R.E.M.
(new song)


Eephus:

Intro / Sweet Jane (Live version) - Lou Reed
(new artist)


Hov34:

Sabotage - Beastie Boys
(new song)


ditkaburgers:

Man in the Box - Alice in Chains
(new song)


AAABatteries:

Superstition - Stevie Wonder
(new song)


landryshat:

Nights Like These – Lucero
(new artist)


Zegras11:

Just What I Needed – The Cars
(new song)


Ilov80s:

Runaway - Del Shannon
(new artist)


Oliver Humanzee:

Everyday - Buddy Holly and the Crickets
(new artist)


The Dreaded Marco:

All My Happiness Is Gone - Purple Mountains
(new artist)


Doug B:

Miuzi Weighs A Ton - Public Enemy
(new artist)


KarmaPolice:

Pieces - Dinosaur Jr.
(new song by artist selected for the first time above)

 

[krista4]

Hawks64, clearly worried about simey taking his job, requested the songs yesterday and sent me the playlist in advance.

 

[krista4]

If I remember my list correctly, my song upcoming in the next post by krista is, to me, the most beautiful performance of any song, of all time. Literal, beauty. The meaning of the song to me only makes it that much more powerful. And beyond that, the instrumental is just as beautiful as the singing. I hope the link used is the live link I am thinking of because beyond my opinion on its beauty, you can tell the audience believes the same - and they should know.

Now this kind of love for a song is why we're here!

As for the link, as I mentioned previously, if people didn't send me links, they get whatever comes up first on YouTube. Hopefully it will be one you like (I didn't watch), but if not please just post one!

 

[krista4]

- 22 new artists, including one that has the sole double-up of the round

I'm surprised we haven't seen Chicago yet. Is tomorrow the day?

No.