Posts Tagged With: Drake

#BeachHouse2016: Dauphin Island

Today is our last full day at Dauphin Island, and it’s already making me sad.
It’s been such a good week here. IMG_6511
The only stresser being whether or not we were actually going to make it back to the shore with our paddle-boards (we did make it, for the record, with only minor injuries).
To be totally honest, I was a little apprehensive about coming to Dauphin Island, because normally we go to North Carolina every year, and I wasn’t real excited to change that. I was afraid we were coming to an island with absolutely nothing, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. The water is warmer and clearer here, and there is a pizza place that serves the best pizza, so really I’ve got all I need.

Plus my best friends are here, too.
(Now if only I could get Clark to make a 12 hour trip in the car.) IMG_6539

I’ve spent a lot of time by the water that last few days (the red hue of my skin will vouch for that) and this is a small sample of what I’ve been listening to:

  1. Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake – Single From DreamWorks TROLLS
    “I got that sunshine in my pocket. Got that good song in my feet. I feel that hot blood in my body when it drops. I can’t take my eyes up off it, moving so phenomenally.” 
  2. Heartbeat – Mat Kearney – Just Kids
    “I feel your heart beat, beat, beat beating right next to me. The heat, heat, heat got me feeling like I believe in all the things, baby, that we could be.”
  3. Cake by the Ocean – DNCE – Swway EP
    “You should be rolling with me, you should be rolling with me. You’re a real life fantasy, you’re a real life fantasy. But you’re moving so carefully; let’s start living dangerously.”
  4. Giants – Matt Nathanson – Show Me Your Fangs
    “I’m done trying to fit in, and be half forgiven for things that I never did. We’re more than what scares us, we’re final and fearless.”
  5. Rock Bottom – Hailee Steinfeld – Haiz
    “You hate me now and I feel the same way. You love me now and I feel the same way. We scream and we shout and make up the same day, same day.”
  6. New Orleans – Parachute – Wide Awake
    “We’re runnin’ by the river, the city lights are blazing. She looks like she could fly off, like gravity is failing.”
  7. We Don’t Talk Anymore – Charlie Puth feat. Selena Gomez – Nine Track Mind
    “Every now and then I think you might want me to come show up at your door. But I’m just too afraid that I’ll be wrong.”
  8. Peppermint Ice Cream – Brett Taylor – Highway Jetliner
    “When life gets to moving too fast we kiss and it slows down. We might not know what it’s about, we’re too young to have it figured out.”
  9. The Sound – The 1975 – I Love It When You Sleep…
    “I don’t regret it but I’m glad that we’re through. So don’t you tell me that you ‘just don’t get it’ cause I know you do.”
  10. Dancing in The Dark – Bruce Springsteen – Born in the U.S.A.
    “You sit around getting older, there’s a joke here somewhere and it’s on me. ‘ll shake this world off my shoulders, come on baby this laugh’s on me.”
  11. Love Me Like That – The Knocks feat. Carly Rae Jepsen – 55
    “I hear thunder in the distance, and it hits me in an instant. Crashing through my heart and I’m blown apart, you don’t love me like that.”
  12. Unexpected Love – Matt Wertz – Gun Shy
    “Sun 
    shinin’ in the morning’, midnight, you’re the moon. You’re the tide in the ocean pullin’ me right into you.” 
  13. Blank Space – Taylor Swift – 1989
    “‘Cause we’re young and we’re reckless, we’ll take this way too far. It’ll leave you breathless or with a nasty scar.”
  14. I’m Yours – Alessia Cara – Know-It-All
    “Oh, how rude of you to ruin my miserable, and tell me I’m beautiful. ‘Cause I wasn’t looking for love, no.”
  15. Talk Too Much – COIN – Single
    “Silence is golden, and you’ve got my hopes up. We talk too much. No hesitation, what are we waiting for? We talk too much.”
  16. Something in the Way You Move – Ellie Goulding – Delirium
    “There’s not one thing I can do to change your ways, but I can’t sit back and take the lonely days. When our eyes meet, I can only see the end.”
  17. Get the Girl Back – Hanson – Anthem
    “Tell her she’s your moon and sun. Tell her that she’s always been the one. You’ve gotta say it from the heart ‘cause she will know a fake right from the start.”
  18. One Dance – Drake feat WizKid & Kyle – Views
    “You know you gotta stick by me. Soon as you see the text, reply me. I don’t wanna spend time fighting. We’ve got no time.”
  19. No – Meghan Trainer – Thank You
    “I was in my zone, before you came along, don’t want you to take this personal. Blah, blah, blah, I be like nah to the ah to the no, no, no.”
  20. Don’t Mess With My Girl – Jon McLaughlin – Like Us
    “If you mess with my girl…you leave me with no choice. Imma have to raise my voice get all up in your face. And put you right in your place.”
  21. Bullet – Chelsea Lankes – Chelsea Lankes – EP
    “And I played my favorite song. Turned up the volume and I danced. I didn’t care anymore. I’m better than I’ve ever looked. And boy, I never felt this good.”
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When it’s 70 degrees in February

When it’s warm outside in February, there is no other option but to make a playlist you can listen to while your dog drags you around the park (I should really get a wagon or sled or something for him to pull me in, w’d both have more fun that way).  IMG_5736

All You Had To Do Was Stay – Taylor Swift – 1989
“People like you always want back, the love they pushed aside, but people like me are gone forever when you say goodbye.” 

Wild – Troye Sivan – Wild EP
“You make my heart shake, bend, and break. But I can’t turn away and it’s driving me wild.”

Without You – Parachute – Wide Awake
“Doesn’t matter where I go. Doesn’t matter if I run. We were always gonna get too close. We were always gonna fall in love.”

Remedy – Adele – 25
“When the world seems so cruel, and your heart makes you feel like a fool. I promise you will see that I will be your remedy.”

Don’t – Ed Sheeran – X
“And I wasn’t looking for a promise or 
commitment, but this was never just fun and I thought you were different.”

Same Old Love – Selena Gomez – Revival
“Take away your things and go, you can’t take back what you said. I know I’ve heard it all before at least a million times, I’m not one to forget, you know.”

Ordinary Words – Hanson – Members Only EP 2010
“Well, give it to me straight, so I can feel your pain. Nothing lasts forever, life don’t work that way. I know you’d love to hate me, but it’s too late for that.”

Say You’re Mine – Kate Voegele – Gravity Happens
“I bit my tongue for too long. My patience gets a bit thin. I gotta tell you the way that it is. I think you know this is something different we’ve started. We’re more than ordinary.”

Disappear – Matt Nathanson – Show Me Your Fangs
“For my greatest trick, the one everyone cheers. You’re deep in love, and I’m not even here.”

Should’ve Been Us – Tori Kelly – Unbreakable Smile
“Dressed up, got my heart messed up. You got yours and I got mine. It’s unfair that I still care and I wonder where you are tonight.”

Alone Again – Betty Who – Take Me When You Go
“Get away. Anywhere but here. I’m gonna give you a break. Drive until you disappear. And maybe then you’ll say ‘don’t ever leave me alone again’.”

Sorry – Justin Bieber – Purpose
“I know you know that I made those mistakes maybe once or twice. And by once or twice I mean maybe a couple a hundred times.”

Out Of the Woods – Taylor Swift – 1989
“Remember when we couldn’t take the heat? I walked out and said, ‘I’m settin’ you free,’ but the monsters turned out to be just trees. And when the sun came up you were looking at me.” 

We Don’t Talk Anymore – Charlie Puth Feat Selena Gomez – 9 Track Mind
“Every now and then I think you might want me to come show up at your door. But I’m just too afraid that I’ll be wrong.”

Shameless – The Weeknd – Beauty Behind The Madness
“You want me to fix you but it’s never enough. That’s why you always call me cause you’re scared to be loved.”

Holes Inside – Joe Brooks – A Reason To Swim
“If you hold tight, shadows will be lost in the light. Because sometimes, fate and your dreams will collide. So don’t walk away from me.” 

Energy – Drake – If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late
“I got girls askin’ me about the code for the Wi-Fi. So they can talk about they timeline and show me pictures of they friends, just to tell me they ain’t really friends.”

Catch Me – Demi Lovato – Here We Go Again
“Before I fall too fast, kiss me quick but make it last. So I can see how badly this will hurt me when you say goodbye.”

Perfect – One Direction – Made in the A.M.
“If you like cameras flashing every time we go out…”

Jinx – DANC – Swway EP
“Fingers cross when I kiss you. Knocking on wood when I miss you. Acting like a teenage fool when you are with me.” 

Sun is Shining – Axwell ^ Ingrosso – Sun is Shining (Single)
“And we’re gonna be alright. Dry your tears and hold tight. Can’t you tell I got news for you. Sun is shining and so are you.”

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Grammy “Predictions”

Each year I try to predict how the Academy will choose it’s winner, but the is year I’m 26 and have discovered that there is literally no predicting anything. Not the weather, and definitely not the Academy.

So this year I’m just going to to go with my heart and choose who I want to win the awards. (and you can pretty much assume if T. Swift is nominated, I want her to win.) I didn’t choose for the awards of music I didn’t listen to…obviously. Some of the awards I have attached reasons I want them to win…some of them I didn’t.

Record Of The Year
• Really Love — D’Angelo And The Vanguard
• Uptown Funk — Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
• Thinking Out Loud — Ed Sheeran
• Blank Space — Taylor Swift
• Can’t Feel My Face — The Weeknd

If we give them a Grammy will the song go away? I like it (not as much as I liked the bottom three nominees), and it was good the first 400 billion times I heard it, but now I find myself switching stations when it comes on. But, the fact that I’ve hear it upwards of 400 billion times has got to count for something. 

Album Of The Year
• Sound & Color —  Alabama Shakes
• To Pimp A Butterfly — Kendrick Lamar
• Traveller —  Chris Stapleton
• 1989 — Taylor Swift
• Beauty Behind The Madness — The Weeknd

The Academy is so random when they choose their winners. I can’t actually decide how they choose? Commercial success? Critical success? Relevancy? I’m actually convinced they just put all the names in a hat and draw from it. Yes, all of the albums are good, but none of them had the selling power of 1989, nor did any of the rest of them produce as many singles as 1989.

Song Of The Year
• Alright —  Kendrick Duckworth, Mark Anthony Spears & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
• Blank Space — Max Martin, Shellback & Taylor Swift, songwriters
(Taylor Swift)
• Girl Crush — Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna & Liz Rose, songwriters
(Little Big Town)
• See You Again — Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charles Puth & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth)
• Thinking Out Loud — Ed Sheeran & Amy Wadge, songwriters
(Ed Sheeran)

I love Ed Sheeran, and I loved See You Again…but Blank Space is one of the best written, most clever, and creative songs to be written in a long time.

Best New Artist
• Courtney Barnett
• James Bay
• Sam Hunt
• Tori Kelly
• Meghan Trainor

This one, for me, is kind of a toss up between Megan Trainer and Tori Kelly. Megan Trainer writes some pretty catchy songs, but Tori Kelly is a pretty much undiscovered powerhouse.

Best Pop Solo Performance
• Heartbeat Song — Kelly Clarkson
• Love Me Like You Do — Ellie Goulding
• Thinking Out Loud — Ed Sheeran
• Blank Space — Taylor Swift
• Can’t Feel My Face — The Weeknd

Be still my heart.

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
• Ship To Wreck — Florence + The Machine
• Sugar — Maroon 5
• Uptown Funk — Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
• Bad Blood — Taylor Swift Featuring Kendrick Lamar
• See You Again — Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth

I actually like the Taylor Swift not featuring Kendrick Lamar version better. And this is my favorite Maroon 5 song since their Hands All Over album. 

Best Pop Vocal Album
• Piece By Piece — Kelly Clarkson
• How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful — Florence + The Machine
• Uptown Special — Mark Ronson
 • 1989 — Taylor Swift
• Before This World — James Taylor

Best Dance Recording
• We’re All We Need — Above & Beyond Featuring Zoë Johnston
• Go — The Chemical Brothers
• Never Catch Me —  Flying Lotus Featuring Kendrick Lamar
• Runaway (U & I) — Galantis
• Where Are Ü Now — Skrillex And Diplo With Justin Bieber

Give the Biebs a Grammy!

Best Rap Performance
• Apparently —  J. Cole
• Back To Back — Drake
• Trap Queen — Fetty Wap
• Alright — Kendrick Lamar
• Truffle Butter —  Nicki Minaj Featuring Drake & Lil Wayne
• All Day — Kanye West Featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney

Full disclosure: I only listen to Drake.

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
• One Man Can Change The World — Big Sean Featuring Kanye West & John Legend
• Glory —  Common & John Legend
• Classic Man — Jidenna Featuring Roman GianArthur
• These Walls — Kendrick Lamar Featuring Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat
• Only —  Nicki Minaj Featuring Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown

This song made it onto my ultimate summer 2015 playlist

Best Rap Song
• All Day — Ernest Brown, Tyler Bryant, Sean Combs, Mike Dean, Rennard East, Noah Goldstein, Malik Yusef Jones, Karim Kharbouch, Allan Kyariga, Kendrick Lamar, Paul McCartney, Victor Mensah, Charles Njapa, Che Pope, Patrick Reynolds, Allen Ritter, Kanye West, Mario Winans & Cydel Young, songwriters
(Kanye West Featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney)
• Alright — Kendrick Duckworth, Mark Anthony Spears & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
• Energy — Richard Dorfmeister, A. Graham, Markus Kienzl, M. O’Brien, M. Samuels & Phillip Thomas, songwriters
(Drake)
• Glory — Lonnie Lynn, Che Smith & John Stephens, songwriters
(Common & John Legend)
• Trap Queen — Tony Fadd & Willie J. Maxwell, songwriters
(Fetty Wap)

Side note: WHY DO YOU NEED NINETEEN SONGWRITERS FOR ONE SONG! If it takes that many people to make it work…you should just give it up!

Best Rap Album
• 2014 Forest Hills Drive —  J. Cole
• Compton —  Dr. Dre
• If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late — Drake
• To Pimp A Butterfly — Kendrick Lamar
• The Pinkprint — Nicki Minaj

Best Country Solo Performance
• Burning House — Cam
• Traveller — Chris Stapleton
• Little Toy Guns — Carrie Underwood
• John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16 — Keith Urban
• Chances Are — Lee Ann Womack

Best Country Duo/Group Performance
• Stay A Little Longer — Brothers Osborne
• If I Needed You — Joey+Rory
• The Driver — Charles Kelley, Dierks Bentley & Eric Paslay
• Girl Crush — Little Big Town
• Lonely Tonight — Blake Shelton Featuring Ashley Monroe

Boy can Charles Kelly sing.

Best Country Song
• Chances Are — Hayes Carll, songwriter
(Lee Ann Womack)
• Diamond Rings And Old Barstools — Barry Dean, Luke Laird & Jonathan Singleton, songwriters (Tim McGraw)
• Girl Crush — Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna & Liz Rose, songwriters
(Little Big Town)
• Hold My Hand — Brandy Clark & Mark Stephen Jones, songwriters
(Brandy Clark)
• Traveller — Chris Stapleton, songwriter
(Chris Stapleton)

Pretty clever. 

Best Country Album
• Montevallo — Sam Hunt
• Pain Killer — Little Big Town
• The Blade — Ashley Monroe
• Pageant Material — Kacey Musgraves
• Traveller — Chris Stapleton

Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media
• Empire: Season 1
• Fifty Shades Of Grey
• Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me
• Pitch Perfect 2
• Selma

They incorporated Mmmbop, how can I not choose them?

Best Song Written For Visual Media
• Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey) — Ahmad Balshe, Stephan Moccio, Jason Quenneville & Abel Tesfaye, songwriters (The Weeknd)
• Glory — Lonnie Lynn, Che Smith & John Stephens, songwriters (Common & John Legend)
• Love Me Like You Do — Savan Kotecha, Max Martin, Tove Nilsson, Ali Payami & Ilya Salmanzadeh, songwriters (Ellie Goulding)
• See You Again — Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charles Puth & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth)
• Til It Happens To You — Lady Gaga & Diane Warren, songwriters (Lady Gaga)

I did not cry in the back of the theater of AN ACTION MOVIE or nothing.

Best Music Video
• LSD — ASAP Rocky
• I Feel Love (Every Million Miles) — The Dead Weather
• Alright — Kendrick Lamar
• Bad Blood — Taylor Swift Featuring Kendrick Lamar
• Freedom — Pharrell Williams

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The Moment I Knew

So recently I have been “talking” to this boy (who will remain nameless for his own protection). Which, in and of itself is a problem (for obvious reasons..I mean, I am 25-years-old). Mostly because when I say recently, I mean off and on for like a year. It’s not that I am 100% against “talking,” but when you can’t nail something down in a YEARS time, I think it’s time to move on. Be friends, don’t be friends, but definitely stop “talking.” Because prolonged “talking” is the hardest part of a relationship. “Talking” is when we are more concerned with who has the upper hand than actually attempting to fall in love. “Talking” causes more insecurities than are already present in everything but the most committed of relationships. “Talking” is the worst.

So please, take my advice.worth

You are worth more. I’m not just talking to girls here. Guys, you are worth more. Each of us, God-made human beings are worth more than “talking.” You are worth spending time with. You are worth phone calls. You are worth the most inconsequential of text messages, or Snapchats. You are worth reassuring. You are worth commitment. You are worth being made a priority. You are worth showing off, and meeting their friends and their family. You are worth bike rides, and road trips. You are worth day trips to the zoo, and museums. You are worth homemade dinners, and nights watching Netflix. You are worth so much more than you realize, and if the person you’re “talking” to doesn’t realize that, that is not your fault. It may not be anyone’s fault, but that doesn’t make it okay.

It will be hard, but you have to re-evaluate.

I tried every way in the world to convince someone that I was worth it, but you should never have to convince someone of your worth. And the moment I realized he wasn’t getting it, I made this play list. (Sorry for the Debbie-Dower post, but I had to make a public declaration, or I will fall into the same old cycle.)

1. The Moment I Knew — Taylor Swift  Red

“What do you say when tears are streaming down your face in front of everyone you know? And what do you do when the one who means the most to you is the one who didn’t show?”

2. All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye — John Mayer  Battle Studies

“I love you more than songs can say, but I can’t keep running after yesterday.”

3. One Too Many — Bryan Greenberg  We Don’t Have Forever

“Ok, I’m here. I’m ready to talk. Sacred to hear my own voice. Try to listen to my broken heart. Drown out the noise.”

4. Forever and Almost Always — Kate Voegele  A Fine Mess

“You’ll be mine forever and almost always. It ain’t right to just love me when you can. I won’t wait patiently or wake up everyday just hoping that you’ll still care.”

5. The Hardest Part — Coldplay  X & Y

“And the hardest part was letting go, not taking part. You really broke my heart.”

6. World of Chances — Demi Lovato  Here We Go Again

“Maybe you’ll call me someday. Hear the operator say the number’s no good, and that she had a world of chances for you.”

7. Sooner Than Later — Drake  So Far Gone

“I forgot to call to you on your birthday. You swear you’re the last thing on my mind. There is nothing I can do to fix it,  all you ever asked me for was time.”

8. My Myself and I — Hanson  Shout It Out

“I’m not gonna try to forget. Maybe happiness is worth the chance of a bitter end?”

9. Hurricane — Parachute  Overnight

“Oh I knew, that even if I kept you in the dark it would never do, because it only takes a spark.”

10. White Horse — Taylor Swift  Fearless

“I was a dreamer before you went and let me down.”

11. It’s Beginning To Get To Me — Snow Patrol  Eyes Open

“And it’s beginning to get to me, that I know more of the stars and sea, than I do of what’s in your head.”

12. Beg You To Fall — Kate Voegele Gravity Happens

“And I don’t wanna stand here and beg you to fall. ‘Cause one day you’ll see, I was worth it all.”

13. Kept — Matt Nathanson  Modern Love

“And I should have kept my hands; I should have kept my arms inside. I believe it now. I should have kept my head. I should have kept my heart, my heart.”

14. I Almost Do — Taylor Swift  Red

“And I just wanna tell you it takes everything in me not to call you. And I wish I could run to you and I hope you know that every time I don’t I almost do.”

15. Make You Feel My Love — Adele  19

“When the rain is blowing in your face, and the whole world is on your case, 

I could offer you a warm embrace to make you feel my love.”

Listen to the playlist here.

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Warmer Weather

THE DAYS ARE GETTING WARMER!

One time, in Malibu, I wanted it to be warmer. And it just would not cooperate. So I just faked it.

One time, in Malibu, I wanted it to be warmer. And it just would not cooperate. So I just faked it.

Winter is finally going (see what I did there?).

And with winter going, that means summer is coming. And with summer coming, that means that my days are getting happier. And with my days getting happier, that means I need some music that I can play in my car with my windows down. And that, my friends, calls for a new playlist.

1. Happy — Pharrell Williams G I R L

“It might seem crazy what I’m about to say. Sunshine, she’s here, you can take a break.”

2. Best of Times — Hanson Sound of Light     ***My bfffff, Tara and I sing back up on this song!***

“Making it up as we go along. Three chords and the truth, we can make a song.”

3. Something Right — Chelsea Lankes (Feat. Will Anderson) Ringing Bell

“We play pretend, keeping all our feelings in. Somehow I knew, it’s always been you.”

4. Sway — The Perishers Let There Be Morning

“I’ve always been a dreamer, I’ve had my head among the clouds. Now that I’m coming down, would you be my solid ground?”

5. It’s Always the Quiet Ones — Paris Carney (Single)

“I thought you knew this game was hard. You can’t get points ’til you get scars.”

6. Drive You Home — Parachute Overnight

“Staring at the ceiling but I just can’t sleep, wonderin’ what you’re going when it comes to me.”

7. Same Girl — Jack Johnson Sleep Through the Static

“How can you be so calm when the truth is that sometimes we live in the eye of the storm?”

8. Not a Bad Thing — Justin Timberlake The 20/20 Experience Part 2

“Said all I want from you is to see tomorrow, and every tomorrow, maybe you’ll let me borrow your heart.”

9. Barely Breathing — Glee (Single) (say what you will, but Darren Criss can sing to me allll day.)

“I know what you’re doing, I see it all too clear. I only taste the saline, when I kiss away your tears.”

10. Enough for Always — Kate Voegele Gravity Happens

“You’re stubborn and I’m worse, you know. But your smile is like that country road in Virginia.”

11. Even the Stars Fall 4 U — Keith Urban Fuse

“Yeah, those fireflies in the field, they gotta know the way I feel.”

12. Little Bit — Drake (Feat. Lykke Li) So Far Gone

“Both hearts beat like a metronome. Both in sync like a Justin song.”

13. Treacherous — Taylor Swift Red

“And all we are is skin and bone, trained to get along. Forever going with the flow, but you’re friction.”

14. Heart Starts — Matt Nathanson Last of the Great Pretenders

“All I know is the world is filled with broken things. All I know, with these walls I built, I can’t get to what you need.”

15. Hercules — Sara Bareilles The Blessed Unrest

“I’m on the hunt for who I’ve not yet become. But I’d settle for a little equilibrium.”

16. Tell Her About It — Billy Joel The Essential Billy Joel

“Though you may not have done anything, will that be a consolation when she’s gone?”

17. Wildflowers — Joe Brooks (Single)

“You belong among the wildflowers. You belong somewhere close to me.”

18. Parallel — Heffron Drive (Single)

“What if the one who was meant for you was all along right in front of you?”

19. Can I Have This Dance — Zac Efron & Vanessa Hudgens High School Musical 3: Senior Year

“It’s like catching lightning the chances of finding someone like you. It’s one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do.

20. Gold — Owl City The Midsummer Station

“Shout out to the dreams you’ll chase. Shout out to the hearts you’ll break.”

You can listen to the entire playlist here (because the play below randomly leaves out 5 songs).

 

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2014 Grammy Predictions

Each year I struggle with whether I am more excited for the Grammys or for the Superbowl. This year there is not contest. I care very, very little about the Superbowl this year. [As a Chiefs fan, that is my prerogative. Current AFC West rivals Denver vs. former AFC West rivals Seattle (any ACF West team current or former is considered a rival, obviously). It’s lose-lose for me. For the record I’ll be cheering for Seattle, because there is nothing in this world that could bring me to cheer on Denver.] But I care very, very much about the Grammys (as much as someone who has no actual investment in the show or music industry can care).

I feel like this year, they might have done a fairly decent job with the nominations (minus the fact that JT wasn’t present on the list for Album of the Year). I think they manage to not choose the most obscure stuff possible, which is the norm for the Recording Academy. If you watch the show, and you keep up with music in any sense, you will most likely recognized 3/4 of the people, which is a fantastic concept!

I always like to make my picks prior to the actual give aways…because who doesn’t like to do that? Below you fill find the list of people I think will go home with the award, and people I want to/should take home the gramophone (of course you will notice I only choose winner for the awards I have interest in…because I don’t want to get involved in 0ver 80 awards). 

******I will be live-tweeting this event. You can follow me here: @mistydawnclay******

RECORD OF THE YEAR (goes to the performer)

  • Get Lucky -Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams
  • Radioactive-Imagine Dragons
  • Royals-Lorde
  • Locked Out Of Heaven-Bruno Mars
  • Blurred LinesRobin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell

There is no way that “Blurred Lines” shouldn’t go home with this award. IT WAS THE MOST PLAYED SONG IN THE HISTORY OF EVER. And I’m hoping the academy recognizes this.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

  • The Blessed Unrest -Sara Bareilles
  • Random Access Memories -Daft Punk
  • Good Kid, M.A.A.D City -Kendrick Lamar
  • The Heist -Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
  • Red -Taylor Swift

I think that The Heist is a safe Grammy bet. I mean, it was independently released and has a “message.” It’s Grammy bait. But I think Taylor Swift should be the victor here. I mean, seriously. Did any of the rest of the nominees sell over ONE MILLION albums in a week? And did any of the other nominees have an album with more diversity? The answer is no.

SONG OF THE YEAR (goes to the writer)

  • Just Give Me A Reason -Jeff Bhasker, Pink & Nate Ruess, songwriters (Pink Featuring Nate Ruess)
  • Locked Out Of Heaven -Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine & Bruno Mars, songwriters (Bruno Mars)
  • Roar -Lukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee, Katy Perry & Henry Walter, songwriters (Katy Perry)
  • Royals -Joel Little & Ella Yelich O’Connor, songwriters (Lorde)
  • Same Love -Ben Haggerty, Mary Lambert & Ryan Lewis, songwriters (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis)

“Royals” should have this in the bag. It’s easily the most unique song and the cleverest. Which I’m pretty sure is what this award is about. I’m just fearful that the Academy will once again side with the message of “Same Love”.

BEST NEW ARTIST

  • James Blake
  • Kendrick Lamar
  • Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
  • Kacey Musgraves
  • Ed Sheeran

I want Ed Sheeran to win. Because he is the bomb, and clearly the best artist out of this bunch, but I just don’t think it’s fair. He’s not really a new artist. Last year “A Team” was nominated for Song of the Year, and I feel like the fact that he’s been nominated before should disqualify him. With him out the running, I think Kacey Musgraves should win, but I think Macklemore & Ryan Lewis will sweep.

BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE

  • Brave -Sara Bareilles
  • Royals -Lorde
  • When I Was Your Man -Bruno Mars
  • Roar -Katy Perry
  • Mirrors -Justin Timberlake

Quick fact: I want JT to win everything he’s ever nominated for.

BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE

  • Get Lucky -Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams
  • Just Give Me A Reason -Pink Featuring Nate Ruess
  • Stay -Rihanna Featuring Mikky Ekko
  • Blurred Lines -Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell
  • Suit & Tie -Justin Timberlake & Jay Z

BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM

  • Paradise -Lana Del Rey
  • Pure Heroine -Lorde
  • Unorthodox Jukebox -Bruno Mars
  • Blurred Lines -Robin Thicke
  • The 20/20 Experience The Complete Experience Justin Timberlake

This is the best they can do after snubbing him in for Album of the Year. Give JT’s comeback album some real love.

BEST DANCE/ELECTRONICA ALBUM

  • Random Access MemoriesDaft Punk
  • Settle -Disclosure
  • 18 Months -Calvin Harris
  • Atmosphere -Kaskade
  • A Color Map Of The Sun -Pretty Lights

To be totally honest, I only recognize Daft Punk and Calvin Harris. And out of those two I like Daft Punk more.

BEST ROCK ALBUM

  • 13 Black Sabbath
  • The Next Day -David Bowie
  • Mechanical Bull -Kings Of Leon
  • Celebration Day -Led Zeppelin
  • …Like Clockwork -Queens Of The Stone Age
  • Psychedelic Pill -Neil Young With Crazy Horse

So many old guys in one category. But I think no one is more true, real rock than Black Sabbath. The Kings of Leon don’t even deserve to be nominated with Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin.

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM

  • The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You -Neko Case
  • Trouble Will Find Me -The National
  • Hesitation Marks -Nine Inch Nails
  • Lonerism -Tame Impala
  • Modern Vampires Of The City -Vampire Weekend

I’m seeing a nostalgia win in this category. But I like Vampire Weekend more.

BEST R&B SONG

  • Best Of Me -Anthony Hamilton & Jairus Mozee, songwriters (Anthony Hamilton)
  • Love And War -Tamar Braxton, Darhyl Camper, Jr., LaShawn Daniels & Makeba Riddick, songwriters (Tamar Braxton)
  • Only One -PJ Morton, songwriter (PJ Morton Featuring Stevie Wonder)
  • Pusher Love Girl -James Fauntleroy, Jerome Harmon, Timothy Mosley & Justin Timberlake, songwriters (Justin Timberlake)
  • Without Me -Fantasia Barrino, Missy Elliott, Al Sherrod Lambert, Harmony Samuels & Kyle Stewart, songwriters (Fantasia Featuring Kelly Rowland & Missy Elliot)

The truth is I have no idea who the Academy will choose, since I know none of these songs, but I do know who Stevie Wonder is, and I think his name will/should pull some votes. But once again, I ALWAYS want JT to win.

BEST R&B ALBUM

  • R&B Divas -Faith Evans
  • Girl On Fire -Alicia Keys
  • Love In The Future -John Legend
  • Better -Chrisette Michele
  • Three Kings -TGT

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE

  • Started From The Bottom -Drake
  • Berzerk -Eminem
  • Tom Ford -Jay Z
  • Swimming Pools (Drank) -Kendrick Lamar
  • Thrift Shop -Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz

Just so we are all clear, I know little to nothing about rap music. I know that I like Drake, because he seems to have feelings and in general is less offensive to me, not to mention he is incredibly attractive and also sings. But that is where my knowledge ends. I know who all of these people are, but I can’t tell you a single thing about what makes a rap song good. I do know that Jay-Z and Eminem seem to be crazy respected though…so there’s that. I’m calling it a toss up between them.

BEST RAP/SUNG COLLABORATION

  • Power Trip -J. Cole Featuring Miguel
  • Part II (On The Run) -Jay Z Featuring Beyoncé
  • Holy Grail -Jay Z Featuring Justin Timberlake
  • Now Or Never -Kendrick Lamar Featuring Mary J. Blige
  • Remember You -Wiz Khalifa Featuring The Weeknd

Oh look, it’s Jay-Z vs. Jay-Z. Side note: Maybe it’s just me, but aren’t alllllll rap songs collaborations???

BEST RAP SONG

  • F***in’ Problems -Tauheed Epps, Aubrey Graham, Kendrick Lamar, Rakim Mayers & Noah Shebib, songwriters (ASAP Rocky Featuring Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar)
  • Holy Grail -Shawn Carter, Terius Nash, J. Harmon, Timothy Mosley, Justin Timberlake & Ernest Wilson, songwriters (Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl & Krist Novoselic, songwriters) (Jay Z Featuring Justin Timberlake)
  • New Slaves -Christopher Breaux, Ben Bronfman, Mike Dean, Louis Johnson, Malik Jones, Elon Rutberg, Sakiya Sandifer, Che Smith, Kanye West & Cydell Young, songwriters (Anna Adamis & Gabor Presser, songwriters)
    (Kanye West)
  • Started From The Bottom -W. Coleman, Aubrey Graham & Noah Shebib, songwriters (Bruno Sanfilippo, songwriter) (Drake)
  • Thrift Shop -Ben Haggerty & Ryan Lewis, songwriters (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz)

BEST RAP ALBUM

  • Nothing Was The Same -Drake
  • Magna Carta…Holy Grail -Jay Z
  • Good Kid, M.A.A.D City -Kendrick Lamar
  • The Heist -Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
  • Yeezus -Kanye West

Personally I find Kanye West to be incredibly offensive. But I also recognize that everyone sees him as kind of a crazy genius. 

BEST COUNTRY SOLO PERFORMANCE

  • I Drive Your Truck -Lee Brice
  • I Want Crazy -Hunter Hayes
  • Mama’s Broken Heart -Miranda Lambert
  • Wagon Wheel -Darius Rucker
  • Mine Would Be You -Blake Shelton

“I Drive Your Truck” is the sentimental favorite. And I feel like “Wagon Wheel” shouldn’t be allowed because it’s not an original song. This year feel like all of the country nominees are pretty dead even this year. That’s the beauty of country music, it’s all good. These are the hardest categories for me to choose, because not only do I like them all, but I also see them all as equally likely to win.

BEST COUNTRY DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE

  • From This Valley -The Civil Wars
  • Don’t Rush -Kelly Clarkson Featuring Vince Gill
  • Your Side Of The Bed -Little Big Town
  • Highway Don’t Care -Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift & Keith Urban
  • You Can’t Make Old Friends –Kenny Rogers With Dolly Parton

“Your Side of the Bed” is hands down the best song in this category. Buuuuut, Vince Gill has 20 Grammys, so they obviously like him.

BEST COUNTRY SONG

  • Begin AgainTaylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)
  • I Drive Your Truck -Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington & Jimmy Yeary, songwriters (Lee Brice)
  • Mama’s Broken Heart -Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally & Kacey Musgraves, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)
  • Merry Go ‘Round -Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)
  • Mine Would Be You -Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington & Deric Ruttan, songwriters (Blake Shelton)

The Academy likes Taylor, and for good reason. She embodies everything that they promote. Regardless of whether you like her or not, you can’t really deny her song writing ability (which is what this award recognizes). Also, she is the only one single writer nominated, so that should count for something. She is possibly the best writer of my generation. Also, I am partial to this song because it’s rumored to be about the love of my life, one Will Anderson.

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM

  • Night Train –Jason Aldean
  • Two Lanes Of Freedom –Tim McGraw
  • Same Trailer Different Park –Kacey Musgraves
  • Based On A True Story –Blake Shelton
  • Red –Taylor Swift

Anyone who knows me knows that I adore Taylor Swift, but “Red” is not a country album. Yes, it has a few country songs on it, but in general, it’s a pretty pop album. The fact that my bffff Tara likes it is all the verification I need. Other than “Red” I think this is a solid batch of country albums, it could go to anyone, but I think the Academy is going to send Kacey Musgraves home with the award.

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