It is not pretty around here. I’ve had deadlines pressing from every angle this week, and between that and taking MY BABY to kindergarten round-up, I’ve been a weepy mess for days now. I can’t remember the last time I cooked a meal, and I’m pretty sure the clothes in the washer have been there for 48 hours.

So let’s avoid all that crazy for a few minutes and talk music.

One of my favorite apps is Shazam. You guys know I’m not cool. I don’t have an iPhone, I don’t use a ton of flashy apps or play a bunch of games, and one peek at my Instagram profile will show you the limitations of my phone’s camera. But Shazam, an app that identifies songs playing on the radio (or anything) for you? I’m all over that.

It’s a free app and not really life-altering or world-changing. But it is so fun! If you hear a song playing and don’t recognize it (or don’t remember who sang it), just pull up the app, click “tag now” and wait for the buzz. Next thing you know, your phone will be telling you the name of the song and who sings it.

I find this especially helpful for naming that obscure 80s or 90s tune that I LOVE and KNOW EVERY WORD TO but couldn’t for the life of me tell you who sings it. Or new songs. It’s good for that, too.

[And you know what new songs are good for? Finally curing me of the earworm that is Scream and Shout. I mean, really. HOW MANY DAYS must I walk around singing (in a weird Madonna accent) about bringing the action and rocking with will.i.am. and Britney (b!&@%)?!?]

Recently, I started getting emails from Shazam, reminding me of my most recent tags. Which is good, because until then, I hadn’t been sure if my tags were kept in a what’s-that-song vault somewhere or if they were lost forever. I should’ve known; the internet never forgets anything.

When I glanced through my most recent emailed list, I thought three things. 1) Based on The Power by Snap! and The Globe by Big Audio Dynamite, 90s music was weird. AND AWESOME. 2) I only tag songs I really like. and 3) Aside from random retro music, I tag the best songs (aka, the songs most likely to be overplayed in T-30 days). I’m not sure what that actually says about my taste, but I’m going to assume it’s something good. And not common at all.

But you can judge my taste yourself. Here are my 10 most recent tags (and a playlist):

• Troublemaker (Olly Murs Feat. Flo Rida): In my dream world this is the song Justin Timberlake sang for his comeback instead of that bizarre (and filthy) song supposedly about suits and ties. Actually, when I first heard this song, I thought for a minute that perhaps the Backstreet Boys were back (all right!). It has a boy band sound with a modern-y edge. And I like it a lot.
• Forever (Aaron Lewis): Okay, before I lose all you people who hate country music, you should know that this singer was the former lead of Staind. So even though he’s singing over a good ol’ backdrop of steel guitars and whatnot, Aaron Lewis’s voice still has the gravelly sound of hard rock.
• Gone, Gone, Gone (Phillip Phillips): Man, I like this guy! Fingers crossed he doesn’t sell this one to every other commercial filmed over the next three months, so we can keep on loving this song without getting sick of it.
• Sing Loud (Alpha Rev): I’ve only heard this song once, but I really liked it. (I still liked it when I looked it up tonight.) It sounds like a contemporary Christian song (in music, not lyrics) or maybe something kind of folky. But Wikipedia simply categorizes Alpha Rev as “alternative rock.” I don’t know anything about the band or the song, really. I just think it’s pretty.
• Put The Gun Down (ZZ Ward): Do you like sassy Adele? or Amy Winehouse? Or Grace Potter or Tristan Prettyman? Yeah, me, too. This song kind of has the same vibe with something-something that makes my snap my fingers, make a duck face and jab my chin back and forth. Yeah, I got attitude. What about it?
• Can’t Shake You (Gloriana): It’s country, it’s full of fun harmonies, and I like it.
• Carry On (Fun.): Just as sing-along-able as the band’s other songs, I’m looking forward to hearing this one on repeat right up until that moment I’ve heard it Too.Much.
• Mama’s Broken Heart (Miranda Lambert): Brace yourselves, because I’ve got an entire post brewing on this one. With lyrics like, “Hide your crazy and start acting like a lady,” how could I not??
• Devil’s Been Talkin’ (Needtobreathe): I don’t think this is a new song, but I like it and it was new to me. I still haven’t gotten over hearing Needtobreathe live at the Orange Conference two years ago. I love their sound.
• Highway Don’t Care (Tim McGraw feat. Taylor Swift & Keith Urban): Okay, look. The lyrics to this song are pretty dumb. But as one on side of “I like her, just leave me alone” in the Taylor Swift debate, I think it’s pretty cool that a girl whose debut song (THAT SHE WROTE) was about Tim McGraw is now SINGING WITH Tim McGraw. Good for you, T-Swift. Good for you. (But for the record, you CAN live without the man you’re singing about. Every time.)

So those are the songs I’ve been loving lately. If you want to take a listen, here’s a playlist I made. (All except that last one. If you want to listen to Tim McGraw’s song, you’ll have to head to YouTube. For some reason, Grooveshark doesn’t have it.)

So, those are the songs I’m channel surfing for these days. I’m sure at least half of them will wear out their welcome soon enough, but for now, I’m enjoying the heck out of my new favorite songs.

What’s your new favorite song right now?

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