It’s that time of year again! The one that we all slave for all year, make endless plans for, save up oodles of money for, and usually end up sleeping off instead. Well, at least I do.
To celebrate the end of finals and the start of a fantastic summer, the amazing authors and the bloggers of the YA community have put together a great list of the songs they’re obsessed with right now, the songs that they think you should be listening to, and the songs that define summer for them!
So go charge your iPods and your Zunes – it’s time for a very YA summer!
1. Mario Kart Love Song – Sam Hart
“I think “best. song. ever.” sums it up pretty well. This song is so perfect and adorable it can’t even be explained in words.”
– From Jordyn of Ten Cent Notes
2. Help Me Please – Hard-Fi
“nothing better than a tortured romantic soul”
– From Vania of Reverie Book Reviews
3. Eyes Like Stars – Faulter
(on repeat) because it ties into my book title. *L*
– From Lisa Mantchev, author of EYES LIKE STARS (out July 7)
4. Waiting on the World To Change – John Mayer
I picked this song because of the amazing-ness of it. It also has a great meaning to it. Plus his voice and the tune is to die for.
– From Kelsey of Reading Keeps You Sane
5. Boys With Girlfriends – Meiko
THE NAUGHTY LIST is about a group of girls who investigate cheating boyfriends..so what better advice than from the song “I know better than to be friends with boys with girlfriends.”
– From Suzanne Young, author of THE NAUGHTY LIST (out in 2010)
6. Lost In You – Olivia Broadfield
Sweet, simplistic, saddening and sheer spectacular.
– From Yan of Books By Their Cover
7. My Heart Belongs to You – Westbound Train
Ska has a big role in My Way or the Highway & Westbound Train is one of my favorite bands. Also, that song is significant. Why? Can’t tell.
– From Trish Doller, author of MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY (due out in 2010, if the bloggers have anything to say about it!)
8. LoveGame – Lady Gaga OR Fragile – Melanie C
Well, I picked LoveGame because it’s seriously my current favorite song and I picked Fragile just because of how beautiful it is and how amazing Melanie C sounds in the song. Plus, who wouldn’t love a song that uses the word “concubine” in it?!
– From James of Book Chic
9. California Stars – Wilco
Hopeful, yet lingering hints of sadness, yet complete. And, California!
– From Sarah Ockler, author of the newly released TWENTY BOY SUMMER
10. Jump Rope – Blue October
Jump Rope is pretty much my theme song. Life goes up and comes down but it always goes back up again. Plus, the kids singing are cute.
– From Harmony of Harmony Book Reviews
11. Working Full Time – The Constantines
I LOVE the Canadian band Constantines. Their songs are literary without being pretentious & I just love distorted guitars and loud drums. Plus, the video is weird/awesome.
– From Josh Berk, author of THE DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN (out Feb 2010)
12. Jager Yoga by CSS
CSS always gets my heart pumping at the gym, but Jager Yoga has a great girl power message behind it that leaves me empowered.
– From Shesten of I Heart Monster
13. Red Stars – The Birthday Massacre
The Birthday Massacre is similar in style to the band in my WIP, The C-Side Tales.
– From Tara Kelly, author of HARMONIC FEEDBACK (out 2010)
14. Torn – Natalie Imbruglia
I have just always loved that song. I used to belt it in the car and shower when I was younger. It has held a place in my heart.
– From Korianne of Korianne Speaks
15. Halfway Home – TV on the Radio
The lyrics are deliciously eerie, vivid, and disquieting; the beat is extraordinary; and the melody is hypnotic.
– From Diana Peterfreund, author of the SECRET SOCIETY GIRL Series and the upcoming release RAMPANT
16. Rehab – Glee Cast OR A Walk Through Hell – Say Anything
If you haven’t seen Glee, you have to at least listen to the music. While most people prefer Don’t Stop Believin from Glee, I like [Rehab] just a smidge better. It is so musical-y and awesome.
I am a huge Say Anything fangirl, and [A Walk Through Hell] is one of my favorites. It’s slower and less crude than their other songs, but still completely awesome. The lyrics are loverly. <3
– From Khyrinthia of Frenetic Reader
17. Don’t Tell Mama & Cabaret – Sally Bowles (from the musical “Cabaret”)
They just make me feel feisty take-on-world.
– From Cindy Pon, author of SILVER PHOENIX
18. Nara – E.S. Posthumus
I picked Nara because it’s got this steady, dark rhythm that’s the undercurrent to all my books, dangerous but also adventurous. I listen to it (and other E.S. Posthumus songs) a lot for atmosphere.
– From Anna Jarzab, author of ALL UNQUIET THINGS (out in 2010)
19. Little Babies – Sleater-Kinney OR Collarbone – Fujiya and Miyagi
Little Babies: My characters listen to this song on the way to a party. Collar Bone: I just like this one & hope other people will too!
– From Sydney Salter, author of MY BIG NOSE AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS
20. June Afternoon – Roxette
It’s quotable, picturesque, nostalgic, and representative of all things summer. It’s always been My Song.
– From Steph aka Reviewer X
21. Feels Like Rain – Josh Schicker
This is a bittersweet song and it reminds me of Janie and how she struggles to make the best of things. Plus I love Schicker’s edgy, sexy voice. I listened to this song while writing GONE (which comes out in February).
– From Lisa McMann, author of WAKE, FADE, and the upcoming GONE
22. Jai Ho – A.R. Rahman (OST Slumdog Millionaire)
I’ve always loved energizing music with a Bollywood/Indian feel. I absolutely love both Slumdog Millionaire the movie and the soundtrack, and in particular I listen to this song whenever I need a pump-up!
– From Steph Su of Steph Su Reads
23. Summertime – DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince
The first official ’summer’ song of my teen years. Takes me back to the days of tossing my book bag in the back of my closest and spending tons of time with my buds. Total bliss..
– From Keri Mikulski, author of the sporty YA series SCREWBALL
24. Leave Out All The Rest – Linkin Park
That song has this quality to lift my mood up even when im at my lowest.& its not just the lyrics its mostly the music, the instruments,the vocals and everything come together in perfect harmony to create a masterpiece.
– From Mitali of Alley of Books
Well there they are! 24 (and then some) picks from 24 awesome celebrities of the YA world. Thank you a million times over to everyone who played along!!! I had a blast putting this together (10 points if you can tell where I squealed really hard), and my Zune is now happily loaded with some fantastic music!
Also, sorry about any broken/wrong links – let me know about it and I’ll fix it asap! If you sent me a song and I didn’t put it up, there was probably no quote to go with it! =( BUT…
I’ll be doing another one soon, if this is well-received… so if you were missed out this time, email me at “mya{dot}rooney{at}gmail{dot}com” with your pick and tell me why you picked it!
So what are you waiting for? Start buying and downloading! =) And don’t forget to tell me what you love/what you think I should download next!
ETA: LAST MINUTE ADDITION!!!
25. Fell On Black Days – Soundgarden
I love Soundgarden – one of the greatest bands of all time. I write poetry & if you listen to the lyrics, they’re brilliant.
– From Kami Garcia, co-author of the upcoming release BEAUTIFUL CREATURES
AAAAAAND IT’S MELISSA WALKER, LADIES AND GENTS (I probably shouldn’t have rushed this post, methinks)
26. Waterloo Sunset – The Kinks
Whenever I make a sad, wallowy mix, which is my favorite kind, I try to cap it with this song. It’s bittersweet, but also somehow dancey and happy at the same time. I love it!
– From Melissa Walker, author of The Violet Series and Lovestruck Summer
And, last but far from least…
27. Live Before You Die – Social Distortion
It’s such a gritty, and yet upbeat, song, and because my life follows the school calendar, the line “stop contemplatin’… start celebratin’ – you gotta live before you die,” always resonates with me at the end of the spring semester. It’s like, “Okay, let’s put away the textbooks for awhile and LIVE! We’re not here forever!”
– From Beth Fantaskey, author of Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side
So there you have it! Enjoy, and tell me what you would’ve picked had you been on the list! =D
Filed under: Refined Carbs
such great songs!!!! thanks for including me!
Woo hoo! Awesome idea. This is a great playlist. Shall download that which I don’t already have!
Yay! That was so quick! thanks for including me in this!
Oh my gosh. Such great songs everyone
) Loving them. Going to mimic the playlist on my berry and see how it does at the gym!
Thanks for asking me to participate! Such great fun
Great idea for a post!
My ipod desperately needs new songs, so I’ll be checking some of these out!
Bahahaha this is so much fun! Will listen to all these songs when I have steadier internet… but thanks for letting me participate in this!
Celebrities of the YA world? Me?
*laughs*
Thanks for including me though – and I feel so special to be first!
I actually bought Boys With Girlfriends just the other day. LOVE this song. “I know better than to be friends with boys with girlfriends.” Such a sad song.
Great lis and thanks for the invite!!
I’m downloading right now to update my playlist.
Great selection, I’ll have to check out the ones I haven’t heard. I LOVE Meiko!!!
This is such a great list. Thanks for putting this together. I need to download these now.
This is so awesome! I’m a huge music person, so I was thrilled to see this. I’ve already put together the playlist for my iPod and linked to this post on my blog