maybe shake a tambourine or when I sing, you sing harmonies

It's my birthday. Twenty songs that defined my year. Last year's here. 

Rumor - Lee Brice

Put Attention on Me - Alana Johnston

She's Kerosene - The Interrupters

I'm a Good Person - CEG soundtrack

If I Had Words - Babe soundtrack

Rebel Girl - Bikini Kill

I Remember You - Skid Row

Big Mouth - The Muffs

Mele Kaliki Maka - Elvis

I Think I'm OKAY - Machine Gun Kelly

The Man - Taylor Swift

Totally F*cked - Spring Awakening soundtrack

Old Town Road - Lil Nas

Despacito - Beibs

Pretty Girl - Maggie Lindeman

A Strange Loop - A Strange Loop soundtrack

First - Cold War Kids

Twin Size Mattress - The Front Bottoms

Ridin' Solo - Jason Derulo

Chap Stick, and Chapped Lips, and Things Like Chemistry - Relient K

Many of these were important driving + radio jams, some of them were significant to the movie I worked on or the set of that movie. I would play the Spring Awakening on my walk from the flat to the theatre every night in Edinburgh. It pushed out all my anger and anxiety and got me in the mood to sing and dance my little buns off. So many good memories of showing my badge, skipping backstage, getting my button-up from the intern who ironed laundry, and kicking on my show shoes. A spritz of refresher post-show. I first heard at least two of these from TikTok. One of these I put on repeat while I wrote my new pilot. Some Hawaii memories. Specifically it's cute that I'll always associate a country song with the island because the uke performer outside our balcony played it every day. The Jason Derulo I inexplicably listen to a lot these days, alone on walks, alone writing, less alone when you call it "solo."

20 songs of 29

Black Magic - Little Mix
long hot trains to Evanston, visiting bunnies in the pet shop

We Belong - Pat Benatar
girl's tri
p to the beach and late night improv for the masses

Seize the Day - Newsies
teaching nuggets to sing and dance all summer

How Far I'll Go - Moana
recovering from depression, finding the stone

Everybody Knows - Jukebox the Ghost
crushing my third season of IA

Here Comes My Baby - Cat Stevens
pressing send on my Comedy Central packet and letting it go

It Ain't Me - Selena Gomez
I was broke, but at least I got abs

Thinking of You - Ke$ha
moody muddy Mississippi

Girl All the Bad Guys Want - Bowling for Soup
reevaluating my goals and wolfing after new ones

What a Feeling - Flashdance
risks

Creature Comfort - Arcade Fire
Halloween concert, my turquoise jacket

Ring of Keys - Fun Home
teaching hella theatre classes all year

Why Should I Worry - Oliver & Co
freefalling into the absurdity of my stupidest improv

I Think I Love You - Less Than Jake
tribute to my favorite film, new tatt, a highlight of the cold season

Chip On My Shoulder - Legally Blonde
writing, writing, writing my brains out

What's Left of Me - Nick LaShay
winter nostalgia as I clean for new nightstands

Your Song - Rita Ora
weights & love & shower soundtrack

Power - Little Mix
running like a boss, HT's JuniOr Prom performance

Sunset Boulevard - Sunset Boulevard
driving in LA, learning da biz

Harvard - Diet Cig
learning to open

20 Songs of the Past Year

As tradition goes--the 20 important songs of my past year alive:

Love Yourself - Justin Bieber
Sang this a lot in empty elevators on the cruise ship
Really Don't Care - Post-Modern Jukebox & Demi Lovato
Ran to it every day in Maine
Beirut - LLW
The silliest German number from the musical I was in this fall
Fire Escape - Andrew McMahon
Fall walks to work
Love and Great Buildings - Andrew McMahon
Getting over winter in March, sitting outside waiting for the concert
Song 2 - Blur
The pre-show music for the long-running show I joined this year
Dreams - The Cranberries
Transition music from my solo show
Stuck in America - Sugarcult
Bows for my solo show
I Took a Pill in Ibiza - Mike Posner
Bittersweet end to my cruise contract
My House - Flo Rida
Getting ground in August Chicago
My Boyfriend's Back - The Angels
Getting stoked for 5Bs at i_
If My Friends Could See Me Now - Sweet Charity
Joyful writing packets
Somebody to You - The Vamps
Showersong 2K16
Crimson & Clover - Evil Stig
Thoughtful winter, 9 PM shows, bows for _____ Co
Goodbye Saigon - Billy Joel
Perspective in February
There's Your Trouble - Dixie Chicks
When spring arrived
Play It Again - Luke Bryan
Before the world exploded, things were semi-nice
Mine - Taylor Swift
Fallin' more in love with Puhg
Monster - Acoustic Eminem Cover
Writing, writing, writing at night
Better Man - Pearl Jam
Getting everything I ever wanted

Is Love Alive?

20 Important Songs of the Past Year

Mine - Phoebe Ryan
Happy summer strolls to work, to rehearsal, slipping into bed at night to watch Scream and eat crackers.
Nine People's Favorite Thing - title of show
The reminder to keep making the stuff I want to make.
Fight Song - Rachel Platten
A buck up number when notes get me down.
Geronimo - Sheppard
The best song in Step class!
Fire and Rain - James Taylor
Anthem for a fall camp reunion in Michigan.
Give it to Me I'm Worth It - Fifth Harmony
Getting the class excited to learn about grammar!
The Schuyler Sisters - Hamilton soundtrack
I mean.
Peace - O.A.R.
Figuring out my place in this big fat world!
Rock It 'Til You Drop It - Fefe Dobson
Getting pumped on the train ever Saturday night, heading to the theatre.
Hey Leonardo - Blessid Union of Souls
Chicago nostalgia. Creeping through my past.
Love the Way You Lie - Eminem, Rihanna
Important angry run music.
I Wanna Dance with Somebody - Whitney Houston
Important happy clean the apartment music.
Hit or Miss - Newfound Glory
Watching people as they pass, as they pass.
My Life Would Suck Wihtout You - Kelly Clarkson
Coreography in The sketchshow I wrote this year.
Winter Song - Sara Bareilles
Practicing the splits in the coldest of cold days.
Hold Up - Beyonce
Jamming in my tiny cabin, being transformed by pure passionate art.
Everywhere - Michelle Branch
Dang, I get to be a loved woman.
Waking Up in Vegas - Katy Perry
Running around the Carribean happy as a clam.
Pogues - SC material
The finale of our show that I love dearly.
Sweet Home Chicago - Blues Brothers
Our "get into places" music for our mainstage show on the ship.

Last year's list.