I know all my music wasn’t captured in 2011, because I synced my iPod less, and when I did the sheer volume of songs was too much for the last.fm scrobbler, I think. So I have adjusted this list (unfairly weighted toward F+TM and against the Decemberists) to reflect what the year really sounded like. So, according to last.fm and my own memory, these were the most-played songs in my world in 2011. (You can play most of these songs if you right-click and open them in a new tab. But also please buy them and support these artists. Because they do amazing things.)

1. Imogen Heap –Wait It Out This is one of those songs that you find when you’re in that particular place that no one, ever, could possibly understand. Not even with the gentlest or most emphatic of explanations, you’re alone in this feeling forever. And then there’s a song, and that song is exactly what you feel, and suddenly the world is not so foreign-seeming. It’s about waiting for things to feel right again, and how sometimes all the things you have feel meaningless when they’re not the thing you want. Fave Lyric: Everybody says that times heals everything. But what of the wretched hollow? The endless in-between?
2. Florence + the Machine – No Light, No Light This year there was a new F+TM album. I didn’t think I could love it as much as the last one. I love it just as much, maybe more in some ways. She has the most spectacular, delicious pain. It’s like she’s doing you a favor by feeling it for you. Fave Lyric: You can’t choose what stays and what fades away.
3. William Fitzsimmons – I Don’t Feel It Anymore I’ve loved this song for a few years now, but this year it found its way onto all my playlists. It’s about things ending, and the ending being right, and it hurting anyway. Also, he’s coming to the Firebird in the spring, and if you’re in StL you should go. Fave Lyric: I want back the years that you took when I was young.
4. Florence + the Machine – Shake It Out This is a song about being happy anyway. Learning to be happy as a grim, determined, joyful choice. Fave Lyric: It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back, so shake him off. Also: I am done with my graceless heart, so tonight I’m gonna cut it out and then restart.
5. Griffin House – Better Than Love Sometimes you just want a love song, don’t you? A reminder that once in the world someone loved someone else, and it lasted at least as long as it took to write and record a song. It’s all well and good to recognize pain, but sometimes you have to recognize gentleness and beauty, too, even if you don’t really believe in it. Fave Lyric: You turned my life around. You made it okay to let you down.
6. The Decemberists – Down By The Water I don’t actually remember listening to this song that much, but I think I must have done it just because I love the way my voice sounds on that first “down by the water” line. Growly and real. I don’t know, it’s just not fucking around, this song. It’s straightforward. Maybe I needed that. And the way those words rub together, they’re amazing.
7. The Decemberists –Don’t Carry It All This is a song about community, and being a decent fucking human among other decent fucking humans. Another thing for which I hungered this year. Fave Lyric: So raise a glass to turnings of the season. And watch it as it arcs towards the sun. And you must bear your neighbor’s burden within reason. And your labors will be borne when all is done
8. Florence + the Machine – What The Water Gave Me Big and hollow and beautiful. All Virginia Woolf and the peace of giving up, and what you find in that place. Morbid, if you think if it that way. Which I don’t. Fave Lyric: And oh poor Atlas, it was a beast of a burden.
9. Griffin House –The Guy That Says Goodbye To You Again, Griffin House has these beautiful love songs. I thought this one was pretty and well written, but when I went to see him in Nashville and he played this, I straight up bawled like a calf. I guess sometimes we all really need to hear that we’re amazing and we’re worthy of love, and just because someone else doesn’t think so doesn’t mean they’re right.
10. The Decemberists – Won’t Want for Love – This is some intense rock ballad kick ass voice cracking joy driving music right here. The things I can make my voice do along with this song give me endorphin rushes. Fave Lyric: And I may swoon from all this swelling, but I won’t want for love.
11. Laura Veirs – Wide-Eyed, Legless I fell in love with this song in the spring and never stopped listening to it. To me this song is about being alone and being clear-eyed. But there are so many other layers here, of nostalgia and just plain beautiful sound and skillfull use of words. Goddamn, listening to it again now and loving it again. Fave Lyric: No more looking back, looking back, looking back, faded epitaphs.
12. The Decemberists – Rise To Me This song takes all your uncertainty away. Everything is forever, and it’s all going to be okay. Fave Lyric: I am gonna stand my ground. You rise to me and I’ll blow you down.
13. The Ting Tings – We Walk The Ting Tings. So happy! So necessary this year. This song is about running your own shit and making your own options. Fave Lyric: We got the choice if it all goes wrong. We walk.
14. The Decemberists – Calamity Song This song is like the Decemberists in disguise as REM back when I loved REM. This song is all happy nonsense and driving around and I just like to listen to it.
15. The Decemberists – Dear Avery This song is about reaching out to someone who doesn’t necessarily want to be reached out to. Maybe it’s also about reaching out to yourself. Sweet and sad. Fave Lyric: There are times life will rattle your bones and will bend your limbs.
16. Florence + the Machine – Lover To Lover This song is about trying to find yourself, or find something else, or maybe not even knowing what the fuck you’re looking for. And that being okay, since the journey is the thing. It always reminds me of my friend Kristen. Kristen you should buy this album. Have you bought this album?
17. Dr. Dre – Let Me Ride I went through a phase this summer in which I would only listen to Dr. Dre. Sometimes you’re just pissed off, you know?
18. Jim Croce –One Less Set Of Footsteps I rediscovered this album this fall. So many memories here, I always listened to this as a child with my mom. Love this whole greatest hits album, and this song in particular. This one is about taking the fuck off, and by the way, fuck you. When I was young I never understood the line about the jeans on the door. Like, who hung their jeans on the door? And really, still. Who hangs their jeans on the door? Anyway. Fave Lyric: If that’s the way that you want it, well it’s the way I want it more.
19. Tom T. Hall –That’s How I Got To Memphis So sad. This song is so sad. And hopeful. And also sad. Goddamn I love Tom T. Hall. So much. That line at the beginning “If you love somebody enough…” Indeed. If you do.
20. Themselves – Good People Check This is another one I listened to a lot this summer. Angry, fuck you music. About people who are full of crap. Fave Lyric: You can tell a lot about a man from the sound of his music. Yours is hollow sounding.

Those are the top 20, and here are a few I couldn’t leave out.

Jeremy Messersmith Dead End Job. Just pure heartbreak about doing anything you can for someone who won’t do shit for you. If you’re not listening to Jeremy Messersmith, you really should be.

Public Image Limited – The Order of Death. A good reminder, always, of the difference between what you want and what you end up with. And that you’re by far not the only person that’s happened to. So be angry, but get over it.

And that’s it! That’s what 2011 sounded like, here in my world.  A good year. Well done, music. You got me through like you always do.

So, here’s what 2010 sounded like up in my piece:

1. Spinnerette – Ghetto Love – This song reflected more how I wanted to feel. This song feels like it has a purpose, it’s strong. It’s getting somewhere. It’s kind of hopeless in a “fuck it” way. Favorite line “You never know when you love what you’ll manifest.” or maybe “I’m just a girl out looking for love.” or maybe “I’m gonna win, I’ll never give in.” All of them. OK, I just love the lyrics.
2. Spinnerette – All Babes Are Wolves – Again, more about how I wanted to feel. This song is another one that’s both strong and hopeless. Maybe… just resigned? I really love this woman’s voice, too. Favorite line “I was born on the wrong side of everything.”
3. Joshua James – The New Love Song – I saw Joshua James live this year at Blueberry Hill, and the show was breathtaking. Normally I might scoff at such a raw display of emotion from a performer. Lots of times that can make me uncomfortable. But the venue and crowd were small and it felt intimate, and as such the raw emotion transported me rather than making me feel edgy and uncomfortable. This song is about not being so fucking shallow.
4. Joshua James – Weeds –  This song is about not being such a fucking asshole. Well, about how we are all so terrible to each other, and our society really reinforces that as a way to be. No favorite line, but the lyrics are here if you’re interested.
5. Laura Veirs – Don’t Lose Yourself I saw Laura Veirs live this year too, at Off Broadway. This was a good year for live music, I guess. She’s so wee and winsome, I love her. This song is about, well, not losing yourself. Or, our tendency to do things that are beautiful and all-consuming and maybe not so healthy as they should be. And how enchanting that can be, being voluntarily blind to things. Favorite line “We see less and less all the time, dear. Just look at this mess we are in.“
6. Rasputina – Holocaust of Giants – I listened to a TON of Rasputina this year. I also saw them in concert at The Old Rock House. It was a fantastic (if very sweaty) show. This song from their newest album is ridiculous and sad, and typifies the best things about Rasputina, weirdo lyrics and music that demands you sing along lest your stomach feel funny. Favorite lyric “But they slaughtered one another in a meaningless war, thank your lucky stars that we don’t do that anymore.”
7. New Young Pony Club – Ice Cream – This is a fun song, one that reminds me of being out drinking on nights when it was fun. It’s about the promise of meaning something to someone else.
8. The Watson Twins – Just Like Heaven – I love this cover. It’s on the True Blood soundtrack and it makes me so melancholy. It’s a wonderful twist on a song that I already knew and loved, then got to know and love in a different way. I wrote a short story about it. I got to see The Watson Twins play with Laura Veirs, and I felt very lucky. This really was a good year for live music.
9. Rasputina – High on Life – don’t have an mp3 of this one to link to, but here it is on YouTube. Another great song from Frustration Plantation. The lyrics aren’t the thing with this one, really. The sound is the thing with this one. Wonderful to drive to, I defy you not to rock out.
10. Lady Gaga – Beautiful, Dirty, Rich – I think that I just wanted to feel like this. Brainless, idiotic, worried about things like not being able to party hard enough or be fabulous enough. Truly a brain-dead song if there ever was one, hence its appeal.
11. Fever Ray –Triangle Walks – I really enjoy Fever Ray. This song is so god-damned lonely that I am sure it exists only in black and white. There is no color version of this song. There is a line “Can I come over? I need to rest.” that really resonates with me. Sometimes you cannot be in your own space and be calm, even if you love your own space. Sometimes you want to go be in someone else’s space, and then you can relax finally. Is hard to explain, but is still true.
12. Rasputina – This, My Porcelain Life – Another melancholy tune but I truly love it. This was probably my favorite song of 2010. To me it’s about communication. Loneliness that you have with other people. Missed chances, conflicting personalities, things you don’t say. Favorite line “I wrote you this letter, I’ll send it/when this foul weather is gone.”
13. Rasputina – 1816, The Year Without A Summer – This one is just interesting, and based on a true story. Look it up! It’s facts! Anyway I just like how ridiculous it is, and like to sing it in the car.
14. Le Tigre – Deceptacon – I wanted to feel as bouncy and carefree as this song does. I didn’t, but when I listened to it, I pretended I did.
15. This Mortal Coil – Another Day – Another song about missed opportunities. Things lost. Or maybe more about letting things be what they are, even if they’re not what you want them to be. I think that’s been the key lesson of this year for me. Learning, or at least trying, to accept the way things are. Accept that some things are lost and gone forever, and some things you want you will never have. Even if they seem right there, they’re nonetheless out of reach. “And across the room, inside a tomb, a chance has waxed and wanes.”
16. New Young Pony Club – The Bomb – Fun song! About connecting in a good way, I think. “You really have to display information/to discover relativity”
17. Faderhead – Electrosluts Extraordinaire – This song is fun and stompy and really only about hating on other people because they are giant fucking idiots.
18. Fever Ray –If I Had A Heart – This song is a kind of magical thing you should listen to while laying on the floor in the dark. It’s about being emotionally broken. And it’s got this fantastic deep Native American sounding beat. I love it. “If I had a heart I could love you, if I had a voice I would sing.”
19. Santigold – You’ll Find A Way – This song feels like being inside someone else’s drug-addled brain, in parts. I do not know what she intended the lyrics to mean, but to me it’s kinda “fuck you” sounding, so I like it. “No way, not me/what you got, it’s not for me.”
20. Florence + the Machine – Drumming Song – And another year with F+TM in my top 20. Still love this song. I am not going to explain why, because if you don’t feel it when you listen, you will not understand it anyway.

So that’s my year in sound. 2010 has been a sad, sad year. I have felt by turns lonely, hostile, defiant and numb. There has been happy too, and moments of quiet joy—but that’s not been the default state at all. I don’t expect to be running around with the hills being alive with the sound of fracking music all the time, but for fuck’s sake if the world takes anything else away from me this year I am going to refuse to posses any more things to lose.

• jeniburns @superbadgirl I FINALLY HAVE ONE!! Harder To Breathe by Maroon5 @#wednesdayplaylist
• superbadgirl – I am submitting Queen’s “Under Pressure” #wednesdayPlaylist
• Grave_Danger – @superbadgirl Metric “Monster Hospital”
• cbellers – @superbadgirl “99 problems” by Jay-Z #wednesdayplaylist
• El_Dickman – @superbadgirl “I lost on Jeopardy” by Weird Al. #wednesdayPlaylist
• p_tea – @superbadgirl Anthem to the Estranged by Metal Church @wednesdayplaylist
• jeniburns – also, if anyone submits “Crazy” by Ms. Spears to @superbadgirl ‘s #wednesdayplaylist, you’re not only not trying, but you’re grounded.
• Lorizs_tweets – @superbadgirl Embryo by Pink Floyd #wednesdayplaylist
• hipntrendy – Billy Joel’s “Pressure” for #wednesdayplaylist
• cvbarnhart – @superbadgirl Justice – Stress. Bonus: it has an awesome video: http://bit.ly/4bn9xV #wednesdayplaylist
• CDCyr – @superbadgirl Megadeath “Sweating Bullets”
• ZSB3 – Mo Money, Mo Problems by Notorious BIG

agingdragqueen – @superbadgirl Pearl Jam’s version of Last Kiss.

superbadgirl - I think everyone already knows that for me this is Journey. With a side dish of Macarena. (also, thx @zsb3 for the topic) #wednesdayplaylist

ieincognito – @superbadgirl So many! “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” is a fucking anathema, as is anything that can be considered a jam band. #wednesdayplaylist

Grave_Danger – @superbadgirl Creed. They are the suckiest sucks that ever sucked a suck. Times 4.

katatomiclabs – @superbadgirl Santana. Every time.

_bunny_ – @superbadgirl Good topic! Alanis Morissette, 4 Non-Blondes, Limp Bizkit, Jimmy Buffett, Hole, Coldplay, Pearl Jam #wednesdayplaylist

H_Wallbanger – @superbadgirl Too many to list on this one. 140 characters? I could name 140 bands in this category.

El_Dickman – @superbadgirl Any songs I think paid to be on my pandora stations. Such as: Jennifer Lopez, Miley Cyrus, Nickelback, etc.

ZSB3 – @superbadgirl Yay–I pick good topics! Mine are: Mambo #5, Nirvana, Gnarls Barkley, John Mayer, probably others.

Lorizs_tweets – David.Lee.Roth #wednesdayplaylist

stevodarkly – @superbadgirl “Switching to Glide” by The Kings. Annoying song from the ’80s. #wednesdayplaylist.

drew_w – @superbadgirl Lady Gaga, Chumbawumba, Soulja Boy.

trmink – @superbadgirl Classic Rock ballads, in particular, Love Hurts – Aerosmith and Journey -Don’t Stop Believin’ #wednesdayplaylist

Guaca_molly – @superbadgirl Deep Blue Something – Breakfast at Tiffany’s, this song makes me want to die. #wednesdayplaylist

ZSB3 – @superbadgirl Any Shane Co. ad will make me change the station, as will most country songs. #wednesdayplaylist

ZSB3 – And I hate to say it, but Melissa Ethridge songs make the #wednesdayplaylist too.

soupy – @superbadgirl 93.7 The Bull. #wednesdayplaylist

sub_english – @superbadgirl “Green Eyed Lady” and “Black Magic Woman” both make me want to stab things. #wednesdayplaylist

_bunny_ @superbadgirl Poe – Angry Johnny. I will dash my own brains out rather than endure this song. #wednesdayplaylist

laurabean – @superbadgirl where to start? Sixpence whatever’s kiss me. It played constantly when I worked at schnucks. #wednesdayplaylist

laurabean – @superbadgirl actually this #wednesdayplaylist is difficult because I rarely listen to the radio. Oh! Bruce Springsteen. Hate him.

hipntrendy – @superbadgirl I’ll go with Soulja Boy for #wednesdayplaylist

butterflyfish_ – @superbadgirl Spirit in the Sky by whoever it’s by. bawwitdabawbangdabangdabangdidididi (or w/etf it’s called) – Kid Rock . Also, plz tell @trmink that godawful Love Hurts song is SO not by Aerosmith. It’s by… *googles* Nazareth …and I would shut it off, too. Bleh. #wednesdayplaylist

violentecstasy – @superbadgirl Combichrist “Intruder Alert”; Stromkern “Armageddon” #wednesdayplaylist

cbellers – @superbadgirl David Bowie “Im Afraid of Americans” #wednesdayplaylist

jamietoonart – @superbadgirl DICEGRINDER – DICEGRINDER #wednesdayplaylist

UnclePilot – @superbadgirl Fumblestealth – J. G. Thirlwell http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRBIJU60AL8 #wednesdayplaylist

agingdragqueen – @superbadgirl perhaps too obvious, but Muse’s Knights Of Cydonia always makes me want to kick ass http://youtu.be/G_sBOsh-vyI

superbadgirl – Rage Against the Machine “Killing in the Name Of” #wednesdayplaylist

Grave_Danger – @superbadgirl “Ready To Die” Andrew W.K.; “Dirt Off Your Shoulders” Jay-Z

_bunny_ – @superbadgirl “Freewheel Burning” by Judas Priest. Also, “Sun and Steel” by Iron Maiden. #wednesdayplaylist

jeniburns – @superbadgirl “Caboose” by Snapcase #wednesdayplaylist

cvbarnhart – @superbadgirl Powerglove – Omnislash (We’re Gonna Need A Bigger Sword) http://bit.ly/9LW5Sh #wednesdayplaylist

soupy – Hans Zimmer “He’s a Pirate” for all your swashbuckling needs. Rage against the Machine’s “Killing in the name of” for all else #wedsplaylist also: The Commodores’ “Too Hot to Trot” if you want to disco boogie all over your opponents’ face. #wednesdayplaylist

trmink – @superbadgirl Bloody Hammer – Roky Erickson and the Aliens #wednesdayplaylist

Schweinhundt – I Want to be in the Calvary by Corb Lund #wednesdayplaylist

ZSB3 - An odd dichotomy: “O, Fortuna” by Carl Orff; “Wait and Bleed” by Slipknot. #wednesdayplaylist

superbadgirl – I don’t know if this is technically an earworm, but if I am not listening to other music, I will automatically start humming the Doris Day version of “Que Sera Sera.” #wednesdayplaylist

cbellers – @superbadgirl humptey dance, digital underground. #wednesdayplaylist

_bunny_ – @cbellers See, and now that’s playing in my head. Could be worse, I suppose. #wednesdayplaylist

cvbarnhart – @superbadgirl Lesley Gore – Sunshine Lollipops and Rainbows; Andy Griffith – The Fishin’ Hole; mc chris – Smackababy. Also, The Turtles – Happy Together #wednesdayplaylist

p_tea - @superbadgirl I heard this song once and it was stuck in my head for days: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwE-SLnLkqY #wednesdayplaylist

Lorizs_tweets – Stopwatch Hearts by Delerium #wednesdayplaylist

stevodarkly – @superbadgirl Lately my earworms are 2 songs by The Urge – “Jump Right In” and “Brainless.” #wednesdayplaylist

Joule - @superbadgirl For the last month or more, I’ve had Elton John’s “Rocket Man” in my head. This morning, Rasputina’s cover of “Barracuda”.

Moondust - @superbadgirl The girl from Iponema,movie themes that involve trumpets (I’m looking @soupy) LET IT BE, #wednesdayplaylist

bengoldman – @superbadgirl The “Looks like a pump, feels like a sneaker” song from that commercial. #wednesdayplaylist

thatcesareguy – @superbadgirl the theme to “Sanford & Son”. “Some Like It Hot.” “Eye of the Tiger.” “Blame it on the Rain”- worst one ever.

cbellers - @superbadgirl Shut Up Woman Get On My Horse still gets stuck in my head for hours. #wednesdayplaylist

k_del – @superbadgirl Thanks to @jamietoonart @CDCyr #wednesdayplaylist

trmink - @superbadgirl “…follows madness and death” Highway to Hell – AC / DC

ZSB3 – @superbadgirl My #wednesdayplaylist:

SgtHotpants – @superbadgirl I was just reminded of this. Now the song is my submission: http://bit.ly/d56zEk

violentecstasy – @superbadgirl Lady Gaga’s Poker Face. The Ramones’ I Wanna Be Sedated. #wednesdayplaylist

Grave_Danger – @superbadgirl “Islands in the Stream”.

ZSB3 – Also for #wednesdayplaylist: Four Leaf Clover by Abra Moore.

soupy – That one song that I can’t remember the name of. Or the lyrics. #wednesdayplaylist

_bunny_ – @superbadgirl Too late? Just remembered, because there it is again, my default earworm: Alley Oop #wednesdayplaylist

Hope I got everyone, I didn’t keep perfect track of this yesterday. If I left you out and you’d like me to post your submission, lemme know!

• cbellers – @superbadgirl Bangles – Hazy Shade of Winter, Lemonheads – Mrs Robinson, GnR – Live and Let Die
• H_Wallbanger – @superbadgirl It’s All Over Now Baby Blue: Link Wray & Put A Little Love in Your Heart: Circle Jerks
• cvbarnhart -@superbadgirl Lovage – Sex (I’m A); Siouxsie And The Banshees – Trust In Me #wednesdayplaylist
• p_tea – @Superbadgirl Green Manalishi-Judas Priest#wedsnesdayplaylist
• jeniburns – @superbadgirl Gary Jules – Mad World, Tori Amos – Angie
• jamietoonart – @superbadgirl Stripped – Rammstein; PPPLMGWIW, Deftones; #wednesdayplaylist
• trmink – @superbadgirl She Said, She Said – Black Keys (Beatles) + Born Under a Bad Sign – Melvin Taylor & Slack Band (Albert King)
• superbadgirl – Disturbed, Land of Confusion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6KXgjLqSTg #wednesdayplaylist
• superbadgirl – I am also very partial to Placebo’s cover of “Running Up That Hill” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBlAdApfK9U #wednesdayplaylist
• cbellers – @superbadgirl Alien Ant Farm – Smooth Criminal #wednesdayplaylist
• stevodarkly – @superbadgirl – Unto Ashes, “Don’t Fear the Reaper.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck4kyZQkSKs (Ignore images.) #wednesdayplaylist
• cbellers – @superbadgirl Sad Kermit singing Hurt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcERe5pd8yI Will also go with Cash’s version. still better than NIN.
• drew_w – @superbadgirl revolting cocks-do ya think I’m sexy; sting-little wing
• trmink – The Gourds – Gin and Juice (Snoop Dog) http://youtu.be/SunrKwykK_Y
• Lorizs_tweets – Wasted Years by Damone #wednesdayplaylist
• cbellers – @superbadgirl Major Tom – Shiny Toy Guns #wednesdayplaylist
• hipntrendy – Love Spit Love’s version of ‘How Soon is Now’ #wednesdayplaylist Smith fans are cursing me I’m sure
• ZSB3 – @superbadgirl Come on Eileen by Save Ferris #wednesdayplaylist
• p_tea – @superbadgirl Thought of another cover that may be better than the original- Black Steel by Tricky #wednesdayplaylist
• Grave_Danger – @superbadgirl Ministry’s cover of “Lay Lady Lay”
• drew_w – @superbadgirl darling nikki by foo fighters?
• bengoldman – @superbadgirl Shaolyn – Face Down, Grendel – Zombie Nation, NIN – Get Down Make Love. #wednesdayplaylist
• bengoldman - @superbadgirl Not on that list: Sisters of Mercy – Jolene #wednesdayplaylist
• _bunny_ – @superbadgirl I’m fond of Johnny Cash’s version of Rusty Cage (Soundgarden). #wednesdayplaylist #imgonnabreak #imgonnabreakmy
• H_Wallbanger – @superbadgirl more songs: Joey Ramone’s What A Wonderful World, The Pogues Honky Tonk Woman & Justin Townes Earl’s Can’t Hardly Wait.
• _bunny_ – @superbadgirl Also, always thought Frente!’s version of Bizarre Love Triangle suited the lyrics better than the original. #wednesdayplaylist
• Grave_Danger – @superbadgirl Late submission, Love is all around you (mary tyler moore song) by Joan Jett

and my own top favorite cover of any song ever in the history of anything:

City-Wide Open Studios is a week-long event dedicated to the community of working artists in St. Louis. Free and open to the public, this event offers a unique opportunity to explore these creative spaces and enjoy one of the most exciting aspects of contemporary art—the chance to discuss art with the artists themselves.

http://openstudiosonline.org/

superbadgirl - You guys know it’s Open Studios this Sat., right? So for #wednesdayplaylist what music gets you in your creative groove? (topic via @narcise)

Grave_Danger – @Superbadgirl Define “creative groove”.

superbadgirl – When I sit down to write or make artz for an extended period, I usually turn to Loreena McKennit’s “The Book of Secrets” #wednesdayplaylist

El_Dickman – @superbadgirl “The Passion” by Peter Gabriel. #wednesdayplaylist

superbadgirl – To clarify for @Grave_Danger and others, any music that makes you feel inspired to do whatever thing you do best = creative groove. :-)

H_Wallbanger – @superbadgirl Miles Davis: Kind of Blue album works pretty well.

H_Wallbanger – @superbadgirl OH wait…I was thinking more work-related. Thing I do best? I don’t think I wanna answer that.

jamietoonart – @superbadgirl Combichrist, Ladytron, Aphex Twin #Wednesdayplaylist

superbadgirl – @H_Wallbanger Someone believes way too much of his own hype.

narcise – Studio music has been all about Fugazi lately. End Hits, Repeater, and The Argument have been in VERY regular rotation. #wednesdayplaylist

Grave_Danger – @superbadgirl I always liked having classical music in the embalming room. It was a must.

cbellers – @superbadgirl Zero 7, Shostakovich, Mozart. #wednesdayplaylist

bengoldman – @superbadgirl Depends a lot on what mood I want the art to have. Pretty much anything in my library can work. #wednesdayplaylist #lameanswer

violentecstasy – @superbadgirl Usually if I’m sewing or cooking (as close as I get to artifying), I’m listening to audiobooks. #lame #nerd #wednesdayplaylist

communique – @superbadgirl air’s “moon safari”

trmink – @superbadgirl Shake Yourself Loose by Vickie Winans. http://iLike.com/s/44kQ

jamesblackwood -@superbadgirl Pell Mell, something about the guitar kicks my brain in gear.

_bunny_ – @superbadgirl Trent Reznor’s Quake soundtrack. #wednesdayplaylist

Hope I got everyone, doesn’t seem like a lot of responses. If I missed you out, let me know or leave your info in the comments.!

superbadgirl – I listened obsessively to my Mom’s 8-track with the Shangri-La’s “Leader of the Pack” on it. #iMetHimAtTheCandyStore

jeniburns – @superbadgirl The one that sticks out the most for me is Carly Simon’s Comin’ Around

H_Wallbanger – @superbadgirl Well, I did listen to Puff The Magic Dragon even before I figured out it was about weed.

El_Dickman – @superbadgirl “Tuesday Afternoon” by the Moody Blues. Yeah, they were hippies. I love the ethereal feel to it. #wednesdayplaylist

narcise – Wild World -Cat Stevens #wednesdayplaylist

H_Wallbanger – @superbadgirl Also, anything by Buddy Holly since my dad both had those glasses and listened to him.

cvbarnhart – @superbadgirl John Denver – Take Me Home, Country Roads #wednesdayplaylist

ieincognito – @superbadgirl My parents had a 60′s folk tape we listened to constantly on trips. Pete Seeger did the “Little Houses” song on there.

Lorizs_tweets – Wild World -Cat Stevens It is the only song I remember my Dad singing along to, still hear his voice when I listen to it #wednesdayplaylist

cbellers – @superbadgirl blondie – Rapture #wednesdayplaylist

The_Cyr – @superbadgirl Locomotive Breath by Jethro Tull.

p_tea – @superbadgirl “Sunshine on My Shoulders” by Bob Denver #wednesdayplaylist #momlovedthatsong

sDonoho – @superbadgirl Johnny Paycheck – Take This Job and Shove It

UnclePilot – @superbadgirl Meat Loaf – “Paradise By The Dashboard Light” #wednesdayplaylist

Grave_Danger – @Superbadgirl “A Fifth of Beethoven” from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack let me know my parents were going to party.

_bunny_ -@superbadgirl Harry Nilsson – Coconut. My dad’s LP (the cover reflected his style perfectly). Endless interpretive dance. #wednesdayplaylist

communique – @superbadgirl queen of hearts by juice newton #wednesdayplaylist

agingdragqueen – @superbadgirl Moody Blues – Tuesday Afternoon #wednesdayplaylist

thatcesareguy – @superbadgirl Anything off of “Magical Mystery Tour” for dad, as it was the sole 8-track that still worked. Anything by The Cars for mom.

jamesblackwood – @superbadgirl “Mountain Music” Alabama, “Ocean Front Property” George Strait, and anything by the Oak Ridge Boys #wednesdayplaylist

k_del – @superbadgirl Rock Island Line- Johnny Cash (grandpa was a engineer) #wednesdayplaylist

stevodarkly – I remember listening to “A Taste of Honey” by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass on my parent’s 3-ton cabinet stero. #wednesdayplaylist … Eventually this led to me buying the “Whipped Cream etc.” CD as an adult. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP7EzJtXWQM

Joule – @superbadgirl My dad’s obsession with Graceland led to my obsession with Graceland, so I’ll go with the title track. #wedplaylist

jamietoonart – @superbadgirl “Hotel California” and “Nights in White Satin” via my parents, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” via KHTR

hipntrendy – I had a fixation for my mom’s Glenn Miller, I Got a Gal in Kalamazoo for #wednesdayplaylist

_bunny_ – @superbadgirl Also, the companion song to my previous (in *my* mind anyway) James Taylor – Gorilla. From my mom’s rekkids. #wednesdayplaylist

ZSB3 - @superbadgirl “I Love a Rainy Night” by Eddie Rabbitt. My dad and I used to sit on the patio and watch storms roll in.

violentecstasy – @superbadgirl Sam Kinison’s Wild Thing immediately popped to mind, though I can’t explain exactly why. #wednesdayplaylist

_bunny_ – @superbadgirl Motorhead – In the Black #wednesdayplaylist It’s actually a love song. . . of sorts.

cvbarnhart – @superbadgirl Muse – Invincible #wednesdayplaylist

El_Dickman – @superbadgirl “Weird Science” by Oingo Boingo and “She Blinded me with Science” by Thomas Dolby.

H_Wallbanger – @superbadgirl Romantic? I’ll Throw out Rainy Night in Soho by the Pogues just ’cause I think it’s pretty much the most romantic song ever.

jamietoonart – @superbadgirl It’s The End of the World As We Know It – R.E.M., Miracles – I.C.P. #wednesdayplaylist, #onlysmartasssongsbyacronyms

The_Cyr – @superbadgirl Slow Ride by Foghat. Love Gun by KISS. Also, Beth by Kiss and Good Hearted Woman by Willie Nelson

_bunny_ – @superbadgirl Family Ties theme “Without Us” by Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams. #wednesdayplaylist #shalalala

cbellers – @superbadgirl I’m mad no one has offered November Rain by GnR . :D

k_del – @superbadgirl Late as usual..and unusually sappy: THe Way You Look Tonight- Frank Sinatra

cbellers – @k_del @superbadgirl Thats cool, I was going with Sinatra doing They Cant Take That Away From Me.

UnclePilot – @superbadgirl Anything by Otis Redding. #wednesdayplaylist

zsb3 - A little late, but: Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin #wednesdayplaylist