The Complete List of Songs I Fell in Love With: 2015

Right before 2015 began, I decided to do something I'd never done before as a year-long project. Since I'm constantly searching for more music to love that fits my weird, eclectic taste, I decided to record each and every song I totally fell in love with in 2015 in the order that I became obsessed with them (not necessarily the order of discovery). I thought it would be fun to see how many songs I fall in love with on average in a year and how many different genres are included, but I also knew that when I looked at different sections of the list, I'd see different sections of the year, of my life. Additionally, I made myself a little survey to highlight the best of the best, which I listed before the list of 145 wonderful songs I became addicted to this year.

Nightwish and Grimes
(for those who have not discovered their respective works of genius)

MUSIC DISCOVERED IN 2015 SURVEY
*I cannot repeat any songs in these categories*
Best Artist: Grimes
Best Album: Visions by Grimes, Art Angels by Grimes
Best Song: “The Greatest Show on Earth” - Nightwish & “Genesis” - Grimes

Coincidentally, the two best songs I discovered out of all 145 happen to be the best representation of what I listen to. These two songs are completely opposite. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is a massive symphonic metal track - it's twenty-four minutes long, the instrumentation is enormous and bombastic, it's complicated. "Genesis," on the other hand is a four-minute electronic track that's more ballad-like than anything. While "The Greatest Show on Earth" is much darker and describes the gorgeous planet we live on, "Genesis" describes the lightness your heart experiences during perfect happiness. While Floor's voice has a darker tone, Grimes has a girly tone.

Best Symphonic Metal: “Shudder Before the Beautiful” – Nightwish
Best Metal (Non-Symphonic): “While We Sleep” – Insomnium
Best Classical or Film Score: “Mea Culpa” – After Forever
Best Rock: “Moaning Lisa Smile” – Wolf Alice
Best Indie: “Blue Pool” – Vanessa Carlton
Best Alternative: “What Kind of Man” – Florence and the Machine
Best Electronic: “Nightmusic” – Grimes
Best Trip-Hop: “Bullet Boy” – Massive Attack
Best Rap/Hip-Hop: “Bad Girls” – MIA
Best Pop: “Flesh Without Blood” – Grimes
Best Ballad: “My Sister Says the Saddest Things by Grimes
Best Throwback Discovery: “He Loves You Not” – Dream
Best Cover: “Skinny Love” – Birdy (originally performed by Bon Iver)
Best Song from an Artist I Don’t Usually Listen to: “Perfect Life” – Steven Wilson
Song That Depresses Me: “Only in Dreams” – Weezer
Song That Somehow Sounds Substantially Better When Played VERY LOUDLY: “Superstition” by The Birthday Massacre
Most Impressive Vocals: “In Remembrance” – Xandria

SONGS DISCOVERED IN 2015: 145
1. “Shake it Out” – Florence + the Machine
2. “Only If For a Night” – Florence + the Machine
3. “Big Eyes” – Lana Del Rey
4. “West Coast” – Lana Del Rey
5. “Brooklyn Baby” – Lana Del Rey
6. “Fair Game” – Sia
7. “Fire Meet Gasoline” – Sia
8. “Cellophane” – Sia
9. “Bones” – In This Moment
10. “Everytime” – Broods
11. “Andare” – Ludovico Einaudi
12. “Girl I Love You” – Massive Attack
13. “Amaranthine” – Amaranthe
14. “Black Lake” – Bjork
15. “Farewell to Dobby” – Alexandre Desplat
16. “Stardust” – Xandria
17. “Stonemilker” – Bjork
18. “Sagan” – Nightwish
19. “Arcadia” – Leah
20. “Zero Gravity” – Of Verona
21. “Outside” – Calvin Harris ft. Ellie Goulding
22. “Élan” – Nightwish
23. “Buddy Holly” – Weezer
24. “Cruel World” – Lana Del Rey
25. “Pretty When You Cry” – Lana Del Rey
26. “Burning For You” – Shiny Toy Guns
27. “Shudder Before the Beautiful” – Nightwish
28. “Perfect Life” – Steven Wilson
29. “What Kind of Man” – Florence + the Machine
30. “Uma Thurman” – Fall Out Boy
31. “The Eyes of Sharbat Gula” – Nightwish
32. “The Greatest Show On Earth” – Nightwish
33. “Yours is An Empty Hope” – Nightwish
34. “Failure” – Breaking Benjamin
35. “My Walden” – Nightwish
36. “Endless Forms Most Beautiful” – Nightwish
37. “Weak Fantasy” – Nightwish
38. “Mea Culpa” – After Forever
39. “Our Decades in the Sun” – Nightwish
40. “Alepenglow” – Nightwish
41. “Get the Devil Out of Me” – Delain
42. “Jenny” – Nothing More
43. “Army of Dolls” – Delain
44. “Mother Machine” – Delain
45. “Scarlet” – Delain
46. “Electricity” – Delain
47. “I Want You to Know” – Zedd ft. Selena Gomez
48. “American Beauty/American Psycho” – Fall Out Boy
49. “Black Beauty” – Lana Del Rey
50. “Moaning Lisa Smile” – Wolf Alice
51. “Here Come the Vultures” – Delain
52. “I’m a Disaster” – Wolf Alice
53. “American Oxygen” – Rhianna
54. “He Loves You Not” – Dream
55. “Supermodel” – Jill Sobule
56. “Tell Me, Mechanist” – Delain
57. “Tragedy of the Commons” – Delain ft. Alissa White-Gluz
58. “White Leather” – Wolf Alice
59. “Giant Peach” – Wolf Alice
60. “California Dreaming” – Sia
61. “Go Away” – Delain
62. “Nightmusic” – Grimes ft. Majical Cloudz
63. “Circumambient” – Grimes
64. “Go” – Grimes ft. Blood Diamonds
65. “Genesis” – Grimes
66. “REALiTi” – Grimes
67. “Oblivion” – Grimes
68. “Etude Op. 25 No. 12 (Ocean)” – Frederic Chopin
69. “Black Sun” – Death Cab For Cutie
70. “AM 180” – Grandaddy
71. “With(Out)” – Cheyenne Mize
72. “Dark” – Breaking Benjamin
73. “Save the World” – Leah
74. “Scorn” – Portishead
75. “Good for You” – Selena Gomez ft. A$AP Rocky
76. “Leave Everything Behind” – Amaranthe
77. “1,000,000 Lightyears” – Amaranthe
78. “Various Storms and Saints” – Florence + the Machine
79. “Queen of Peace” – Florence + the Machine
80. “Which Witch” – Florence + the Machine
81. “Only in Dreams” – Weezer
82. “Silk” – Wolf Alice
83. “Enter the Highlands” – Leah
84. “Saturday Come Slow” – Massive Attack
85. “Renegades” – X Ambassadors
86. “Remnant” – Leah
87. “In Remembrance” – Xandria
88. “Unembraced” – Xandria
89. “Don’t Say a Word” – Xandria (Sonata Artica cover)
90. “Man Next Door” – Massive Attack
91. “Superstition” – The Birthday Massacre
92. “High by the Beach” – Lana Del Rey
93. “Colour of Moonlight (Antiochus)” – Grimes ft. Doldrums
94. “Visiting Statue” – Grimes
95. “Be a Body (侘寂)” – Grimes
96. “Blue Pool” – Vanessa Carlton
97. “Jekyll and Hyde” – Five Finger Death Punch
98. “Bad Girls” – MIA
99. “Siúil a Rún (Acoustic)” – Leah (traditional Irish cover)
100. “Operator” – Vanessa Carlton
101. “Nothing Where Something Used to Be” – Vanessa Carlton
102. “Bullet Boy” – Massive Attack
103. “Danny the Dog” – Massive Attack
104. “Skin” – Grimes
105. “Theme from To Kill a Dead Man” – Portishead
106. “Origins” – Eluveitie
107. “Carousel” – Melanie Martinez
108. “God Knows I Tried” – Lana Del Rey
109. “Art Deco” – Lana Del Rey
110. “David” – Grimes
111. “Vowels = Time and Space” – Grimes
112. “My Sister Says the Saddest Things” – Grimes
113. “I Fail” – Scala and Kolacny Brothers
114. “Vanessa” – Grimes
115. “Hollow” – Breaking Benjamin
116. “All of the Stars” – Jackie Evancho (Ed Sheeran cover)
117. “Wings” – Birdy
118. “Doing the Right Thing” – Daughter
119. “Skinny Love” – Birdy (Bon Iver cover)
120. “Blinded by Hatred” – UnSun
121. “Flesh Without Blood” – Grimes
122. “Life in the Vivid Dream” – Grimes
123. “It’s a Fire” – Amy Lee (Portishead cover)
124. “Laughing and Not Being Normal” – Grimes
125. “Kill V. Maim” – Grimes
126. “Belly of the Beat” - Grimes
127. “Venus Fly” – Grimes ft. Janelle Monáe
128. “World Princess, Part II” – Grimes
129. “California” – Grimes
130. “Sparks” – Hilary Duff
131. “With or Without You” – Amy Lee (U2 cover)
132. “Talia’s Theme” – Two Steps from Hell
133. “Intro” – Ellie Goulding
134. “Soap” – Melanie Martinez
135. “Pin” – Grimes
136. “While We Sleep” – Insomnium
137. “Could’ve Been” – Two Steps from Hell
138. “Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing” – Amy Lee (Chris Isaak cover)
139. “Artangels” – Grimes
140. “Butterfly” – Grimes
141. “What the Water Gave Me” – Florence + the Machine
142. “Thriller” – Within Temptation (Michael Jackson cover, only performed live at Black Christmas concerts)
143. “There Are Worse Games to Play/Deep in the Meadow” – James Newton Howard ft. Jennifer Lawrence
144. “Science/Visions” – Chvrches
145. “Ship to Wreck” – Florence + the Machine


I hope 2015 brought you all a multitude of favorite songs as well. Cheers to 2016!

Top 30 Singles of 2015 Countdown: Part 2

Click here for Part 1 if you missed it.

15

"All of the Stars" - Jackie Evancho
Some may remember Jackie Evancho's brother Jacob, who she performed a duet with on an occasion or two. Well, this year Jacob debuted as Juliet, and Jackie showed her support for her sister (and transgender individuals in general) through a heart-warming cover of Ed Sheeran's "All of the Stars." The song and video are bound to give the warm-fuzzy effect. It seems like everything this girl does makes me even more proud to be a fan.

14

"Black Sun" - Death Cab for Cutie
I generally have not paid too much attention to Death Cab for Cutie. While I can say that I think many of their songs are 'nice,' "Black Sun" is the only one that has truly stood out to me so far. The repetitive guitar part is so soothing and the lyrics are quite exceptional: "How could something so fair be so cruel / When this black sun revolved around you." However, I must admit I'm a bit impartial to this one as I found it at a time where I could really relate to it. I suppose I could enjoy their other songs more if I found them at the perfect moment, but I really think "Black Sun" is special somehow.

13

"Jenny" - Nothing More
One of the few songs I've discovered through the radio this year. Nothing More wasn't able to capture my attention with their other singles, but "Jenny" stood out even beyond the tough lyrical topics. Musically, this heavier track may be one of the best things to happen to mainstream rock radio in a while with its damn near perfect chorus and middle eight. While the entire song stands out, the chorus is an especially good combination of catchy and moving: "Maybe you should just fall / And leave the world and lose it all..."

12

"Endless Forms Most Beautiful" - Nightwish
Nightwish's first album with Floor Jansen was a creative success. It's heavier and more cinematic than their past few albums, and the high-energy title single "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" provides an intriguing glimpse. While the fun guitar line is prominent throughout the song and Floor Jansen does a lovely job handling both the soft and louder moments, what really stands out is the middle eight. The band and the orchestra are basically battling, and as they combine with a soaring choir they reach an unforgettable climax.

11

"Queen of Peace" - Florence + the Machine
Florence + the Machine knocked me flat with the album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. It was big, kinda blue, and definitely beautiful - "Queen of Peace" is one of my favorites from that batch of songs. Only Florence + the Machine would be able to combine alternative with a prominent orchestra this well. It has been stuck in my head many a time in 2015 and I cannot complain. I love it.

10

"Doing the Right Thing" - Daughter
Daughter makes some of the best indie music that ever was, and they released "Doing the Right Thing" to promote their upcoming album Not to Disappear. Much like anything else they've written, "Doing the Right Thing" is incredibly soothing and incredibly sad-sounding. The guitar parts are gorgeous and subtle, and only Elena Tonra's voice could properly complement them. It's about dementia, so I'm sure many who have seen loved ones go through this will relate.

9

"It’s a Fire" - Amy Lee
This piano ballad is my favorite of Amy Lee's covers. Both instrumentally and vocally, it's much more accessible to my tastes compared to the Portishead original. I can see why Amy would have liked this song so much with those gorgeous, empowering lyrics, and I think her version is going to move her fans the same way the original moved her: "'Cause this life is a farce / I can't breathe through this mask, like a fool / So breathe on, sister, breathe on." But let's be honest - this woman's' voice could even make the "Happy Birthday" song sound beautiful.

8

"Good for You" - Selena Gomez ft. A$AP Rocky
I've liked quite a few of Selena Gomez's singles over the year, but "Good for You" might be my favorite. I could have lived without A$AP Rocky being featured on the middle eight, but I ultimately can't complain too much. Gomez doesn't try too hard vocally, she just lets herself flow over the sexy, subdued instrumental... I ultimately just feel sassy whenever I hear this. I haven't listened to her new album yet, but this song has my expectations set much higher than they would have been otherwise.

7

"What Kind of Man" - Florence + the Machine
Oh, sweet Jesus, THIS SONG. THIS ANTHEM. Florence + the Machine slayed me with "What Kind of Man." Florence Welch's attitude is fierce - she's pissed, and I was pissed with her... It an experience, okay? She put a ton of soul into this track and I felt it in my soul. "What Kind of Man" is a bit more rock-oriented than the norm for Florence + the Machine and I totally appreciate that. The overall sound just works.

6

"REALiTi" - Grimes
The story of "REALiTi" is a prime example that Grimes loves her fans. The electronic mastermind released this song and video in the first half of the year, telling fans that she'd never officially release it because she didn't like it much... Well, everybody loved it (although it took me a little while to really appreciate it) and we all cried hard enough that she 'fixed' this demo version and put a shiny new one (which is produced fabulously) on her album Art Angels. (She's such a sweetheart!) I still love this demo though. It's relaxing, retro, and dreamy (even more so compared to the new Art Angels version).

5

"Blue Pool" - Vanessa Carlton
Just before the release of Liberman, Carlton teased fans with the Blue Pool EP from which this single was extracted (although it's also on Liberman). I have enjoyed a pretty decent chunk of this woman's discography throughout the years, but "Blue Pool" is probably my favorite now. It's so pretty. The instrumentation is light but leaves a substantial impression (much like Carlton's voice), and the piano outro is just golden. I command everyone to listen to it right now - this girl deserves way more fans than she has.

4

"Flesh without Blood" - Grimes
Art Angels lead single "Flesh without Blood" wasn't what most fans were expecting. Grimes' electronic music is usually really dark and bizarre, but "Flesh without Blood" is an optimistic, guitar-driven anthem. Even as someone who loves the darkness of most of her music, I adore "Flesh without Blood." It had the power to make me feel better during times I felt like shit with its carefree atmosphere and liberating lyrics, like "I don't see the light I saw in you before / And oh, I don't...I don't care anymore," "If you don't need me, just let me go," etc. Plus, her production skills have improved loads! But I will love Grimes forever, no matter the production style.

3

"Black Lake" - Björk
Björk has always been able to convey emotion better than almost everybody. (It's the most noticeable thing Amy Lee seems to have learned from her.) It's almost difficult to listen to "Black Lake" because it's one of the most emotionally-drenched tracks she's ever made - it's the most honest cry of brokenness I've ever heard, but it's so beautiful. The prominent string line makes it reminiscent of some sort of excellent film score. Some of the intense/loud notes that the orchestra just holds without changing magnifies empty moments, and the lyrics are pure poetry: "I am a glowing shiny rocket / Returning home / As I enter the atmosphere / I burn off layer by layer." This woman deserves a golden monument.

2

"Digital World" - Amaranthe
Amaranthe has a lot of good songs, but "Digital World" may be the best of them all. The blend of synths and heavy guitars is at its best, and all the vocalists fit in so perfectly. But that chorus: "You don't ever have to cry 'cause the future is sold / You can never die and you never grow old / And everything surrounding you is digital." I don't care what anyone says about the ear-catching nature of Top 40 hits - those artists would kill to come up with a vocal line like this.

1

"Perfect Life" - Steven Wilson
An unexpected pick, but I knew right when I first heard it that it would belong on the #1 spot on this countdown, and my love for it hasn't wavered one bit. I didn't even know who Steven Wilson was until I read a positive review of Hand. Cannot. Erase. on The Metal Pigeon. "Perfect Life" is the only one I like, and it's one of the most beautiful pieces of art I've ever found. Although repetitive in nature, it's a song that builds, and each new element tugs at my heart harder and harder. The first half of the song is narrated, and Wilson sings "we have got the perfect life" over and over again in the second half. I'm rarely this moved by a piece... The whole atmosphere mimics real life so well.

Top 30 Singles of 2015 Countdown: Part 1

Now that 2015's coming to an end, it's time to talk about the best singles I've encountered this year. It seems that everyone can agree that 2015 was an epic year for music, from metal fans to pop fans and everyone in between. Hence, my list is a lot bigger than usual. I had to split the countdown in half. But, as per usual, I listen to a pretty interesting variety of music so don't be surprised if it seems like this list was compiled by about five different people (it wasn't), and I'm sure most will find a song of interest on this list (sorry, country fans). 

30

"On My Mind" - Ellie Goulding
When it comes to Ellie Goulding's music, I either really love it or really hate it. I wasn't a fan of the overplayed "Love Me Like You Do," but I can't resist "On My Mind." Goulding's semi-raspy voice is a great fit for the guitar-meets-electronics instrumental. It's choppy in a way that's flowy and it stands out among the typical Top 40 material because of that.

29

"Trini Dem Girls" - Nicki Minaj ft. LunchMoney Lewis
LET ME EXPLAIN HOW CONFUSED I AM. I have never liked Nicki Minaj's material. Ever. Then one day my BFF had me listen to "Trini Dem Girls" and alas, 2015 became the year I liked a Nicki song. I can't blame myself - this instrumental is a banger perfect for any and all club settings... But lyrically? I have no idea what's going on. That's hardly the point though: It's a fun, catchy-as-hell song that I can dance to. Funny how music we least expect to leave an impression can end up on a list of favorites in the end.

28

"Failure" - Breaking Benjamin
2015 also marked the long-awaited return of Breaking Benjamin with four all-new members. While their album Dark Before Dawn didn't impress me much overall and they admittedly don't have a ton of variety in their music, their songs are usually full of emotion and easy to appreciate. "Failure" stuck out to me for some reason. It reminds me a bit of Phobia, my favorite of their albums. But even though it's not too different from anything they've done, the fact of the matter is that this song is too likable to turn away from: Ben's voice is pure gorgeousness as usual, the chord progression is great, and the lyrics describe a special kind of exhaustion and frustration: "Tired of feeling lost / Tired of letting go...Tired of wasted breath / Tired of nothing left."

27

"Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing" - Amy Lee
Evanescence frontwoman Amy Lee has been doing some solo work scoring indie films during the past couple years, but this year she created a YouTube channel and uploaded kickass covers. Personally I have never heard the Chris Isaak tune "Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing" before this cover (and I was a little too annoyed with it to listen to that original the entire way through) but Amy made it awesome. It's the most upbeat of all her covers as it's a great combination of electronic and rock elements. This cover proves once again that I love Amy's musicianship - with or without Evanescence behind her.

26
"SCREAM" - Grimes ft. Aristophanes
(Is this technically a promo single? Well, it's obviously on the list anyway so I don't care.) This track may be little but it's a monster. It's mind-blowing. It's scary. Plus, it's difficult to tell what's going on for a multitude of reasons: Aristophanes isn't rapping in English, the translations are rather explicit, Aristophanes makes scary noises, and the only part that Grimes has in this song is the screaming. It's... kind of wonderful. The instrumental sounds like it could have been used in one of the Underworld films, and the guitars thicken a great deal by the time the second chorus hits.

25

"Stonemilker" - Björk 
When you have a musical career as long and as innovative as Björk's, I imagine it would be kind of scary - what if future releases can never top the classics? Well, the Icelandic legend apprantly doens't have to worry about something like that because released some of the best work of her entire career this year. "Stonemilker" is a string-led piece that has the power to instantly soothe. Even once the percussion comes in, it's light and echoey. It may in fact be one of the prettiest songs she's made - even those who cannot get past her unique voice can at acknowledge the instrumental beauty. Björk certainly knows how to create a whole atmosphere with her songs, and it's usually one I want to come back to. 

24

"Uma Thurman" - Fall Out Boy
Leave it to Fall Out Boy to make one of the most fun-sounding singles of the year. I wasn't crazy about "Uma Thurman" when I first heard it (much like "American Beauty/American Psycho," which I became crazy about long after I compiled last year's singles list) but it eventually grew on me. It's easy to dance and be crazy to... And it puts some kind of odd curse on me once in a while and I can't stop singing it. It makes me want to dance like Uma Thurman and I can't get it out of my head.

23

"Sparks" -  Hilary Duff
Early 2000-era Disney fans, 2015 was a Code Red Emergency: Hilary Duff made new music! Just in time to get us ready for her presidential election! I wasn't initially impressed with her single "Sparks" but then it just hit me like a ton of bricks in the second half of the year. But, I mean, it's  Hilary Duff, so it was only a matter of time before it grew on me. The melody of the chorus kind of reminds me of Rihanna's "Only Girl in the World," but I like this better. Everything from those whistles to the fun vocal line is purely infectious.

22

"Operator" - Vanessa Carlton
Vanessa Carlton finally released some new material this year. While I haven't listened to the entirety of Liberman yet, the singles are making me fall in love with her all over again. "Operator" is the perfect mixture of a soothing piano line and a hint of adventure that only Carlton can deliver. It's a piano-led song about running away - who doesn't love one of those? Indie fans will devour it - in a way, she was indie before indie even existed.

21

"True" - Amaranthe
Amaranthe is known for fusing electronic elements with metal, thus creating a catalog of high-energy tracks shared by their three unique vocalists. However, their latest single, "True," is a bit different. While it's still heavy and band-oriented, is one of the most melodic of their songs. A light piano line cascades atop the rest of the instruments throughout the track and only clean vocals are featured. It's ultimately quite pretty, and it has a nice message: "And if my dreams set everything on fire / Then I would still belong to you."

20

"I Want You to Know" - Zedd ft. Selena Gomez
Sometimes even the most potentially-energizing pop/electronic tracks can get boring since they follow similar patterns, but as long as there's an interesting chord progression I tend to be on board. Furthermore, I'm happy with most things Selena Gomez is a part of, and I most definitely approve of this Zedd track she's featured on. The two apparently make a good pair. This catchy, melodic electronic track boosts my energy level every time I hear it. It's one of those songs perfect for both clubbing and late night driving.

19

"High by the Beach" - Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey's unique fusion of indie, R&B, and electronic elements is epitomized in the Honeymoon lead single "High by the Beach." The electronics are subtle and Lana's voice is soothing as ever. The chorus can become one of the most annoying things in existence when stuck in your head, but that's just because it's catchy as all get out. Between the lead and backing vocals, I can't tell which is more entrancing.

18

"Giant Peach" - Wolf Alice
Wolf Alice was a lovely surprise in 2015. This new grungy/alt band from Britain impressed me immediately with their single "Moaning Lisa Smile," and eventually I stumbled into "Giant Peach" and loved it about as much. While not every song on their album My Love is Cool throws back to grunge, "Giant Peach" certainly does a little bit and seems to also mix it with a little classic rock with its too-cool riffs. The vocals are a great combination of soft and sassy. Altogether, it's just so damn enjoyable for the ears!

17

"Soap" - Melanie Martinez
Melanie Martinez's dark pop music and her odd correlations to childhood are intriguing. My closest friends fells in love with her music just as her debut album, Cry Baby, was released, and the whole Internet seemed to be falling in love with her as well. She takes huge risks with her music, and this is so evident in "Soap." The drop consists of bubbles popping. Bubbles, people - this is genius! The whole song has a great atmosphere - light enough not to be depressing, but dark and interesting enough to be attention-grabbing.

16

"American Oxygen" - Rihanna
Rihanna's made some pretty awesome singles throughout the her career despite a bit of a semi-recent dry spell. However, the keyboard-led "American Oxygen" is probably the best of them all. This song paints a picture of the American Dream and the tough reality of actually achieving it: "We sweat for a nickel and a dime, turn it into an empire." The fact that someone who's from a foreign country is performing this song makes even more special, contrary to what some conservatives might say.

Favorite Music Videos: Part 1

Today I'm going to dive into a subject I rarely ever mention on this blog despite having such a prominent place in my life: Music videos. The spectrum of them is enormous, and I feel as though I'm probably picky about music videos. I tend to not like those that try to convey a whole plot since I just don’t think it works in such small time slots. (This is why I'm not a fan of short stories unless they're from authors like Katherine Mansfield, who tell a story of psychology rather than of extrinsic plot.) Instead, I prefer the abstract. I prefer metaphors – they can say so much without a big plot. I prefer great cinematography over chaos. I have a collection of favorites that will only keep growing, so I've decided to make this a little series of posts for me to work on off and on. For now, here's the first part, containing only five of my favorite music videos.

"Oceania" - Bjork
To be honest, when I think of my favorite music videos, Bjork's "Oceania" is often the first to come to mind (along with another that I'll discuss in another post). This also happens to be my favorite Bjork song, and fortunately, the video matches the song's oceanic beauty. Bjork is covered in sparkles as she sings from the perspective of Mother Oceania as though addressing humanity, her children. So, the video consists of underwater shots of plant life, jellyfish, and fish. It's colorful without having too many colors. Really, it's a shame that we don't really have an HD version of this stunning visual aid, but this will just have to do for now.

"The Islander" - Nightwish
"The Islander" is one of the most Finnish-sounding Nightwish songs, and in my opinion, it is their prettiest and most subtle music video. "A lone man by a seashore at the end of day" is not sailing his ship, but carrying it across dry lands, and he is haunted by ghosts as he keeps trekking. I also really love the shots of the band (which even foreshadow pipe player Troy Donockley's membership): They're sitting in a circle of fire under the moon as they revel in their  pretty acoustic music. (We can't get more old school Nightwish than that, can we?)



"Call Me When You're Sober" - Evanescence
I love a lot of Evanescence videos, so don't be shocked when half of them make an appearance in these posts as I continue this little series. However, I must note that "Call Me When You're Sober" has the only video that increases my love for the song. The band plays with the Red Riding Hood theme (with actual wolves and a figurative one), so there's a lot of red imagery, and Amy Lee is at her most badass. The video ends with her stomping across a table as the plates, food, and chairs, fly away from her feet. If that doesn't say "I'm pissed and I've had enough," I don't know what does.



"Perfect Life" - Steven Wilson
I recently discovered this beautiful song and video through The Metal Pigeon, a fantastic metal review blog (despite Wilson's music not being metal). The imagery in this perfectly-shot video is quite beautiful as it was made amid open fields. All this video consists of are shots of nature and two actresses (which, based on the narration, play the role of foster sisters who have long been separated). It's a very simple visual aid that takes its time, which suits the song very well. Everytime I watch it I can practically smell the summer air.



"There Goes Our Love Again" - White Lies
I figured I'd end this post on a more fun and peppy note with the British alternative band White Lies' infectious song and video, "There Goes Our Love Again." It's more of a performance video as White Lies remain on stage the whole time, but the most exciting performance is that of the energetic dancers, led by a tiny lady in gold. It's so much fun to watch; I dare you to view it and not feel happy.