Shannon

So, a couple of years ago, I posted this entry with some random Last.fm stats so I thought I would post an updated one. At first, I was going to do both my milestones and my monthly artists/tracks but the website with the monthly stats has apparently closed so I could only do my milestones. It was weird, though, because the first seven or so tracks remained the same while the others all changed. The only reason I can think of for this has to do with deleting songs from my library. Sometimes I delete stuff if I end up noticing it's got some sort of typo so it makes sense that if they're deleted from the library it messes with all of the other songs. Anyway, it doesn't really matter. Some of the replacements are better than the songs that were originally there so I don't really care. Random comments added wherever I feel like making them.

( LONG LIST AHEAD )

And now I am going to link to the website where I can get these stats because every freaking time I want to use it I forget what it is and then have to go on a wild Google goose chase for it.

Go to your charts, and find your overall top 20 Last.fm albums. Now list your favorite and least favorite track from each album. (And least favorite in most of these albums' cases means "still pretty awesome", just for the record.)

1. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
Best track: "This Tornado Loves You"
Worst track: "Don't Forget Me"

2. Lydia – This December; It's One More and I'm Free
Best track: "A Story for Supper"
Worst track: "...When the Ghosts Make Love Again" but since that's an instrumental which I often forget even exists and therefore doesn't seem like a fair choice, "Fools and Luxury"

3. Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue
Best track: "Bad Man's World"
Worst track: "Sing a Song for Them" (I would say "Carpetbaggers" but it's actually a great song minus Elvis Costello)

4. 1997 – Notes From Underground
Best track: "#3"
Worst track: "Candle"

5. Grammatics – Grammatics
Best track: "Polar Swelling"
Worst track: "Rosa Flood"

6. Copeland – You Are My Sunshine
Best track: "The Day I Lost My Voice (The Suitcase Song)"
Worst track: "Strange and Unprepared"

7. Jeniferever – Spring Tides
Best track: "St. Gallen"
Worst track: "Lives Apart"

7. Stars – Set Yourself on Fire
Best track: "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead"
Worst track: "He Lied About Death"

9. 1997 – A Better View of the Rising Moon
Best track: "Droppin' Dimes" (though I'm partial to "In Your Car" at this specific moment in time)
Worst track: "Lovelikepoetry"

10. Now It's Overhead – Now It's Overhead
Best track: "A Skeleton on Display"
Worst track: "6th Grade Roller" (I love you, Andy, but WTF is this mess?)

11. The Anniversary – Designing a Nervous Breakdown
Best track: "Till We Earned a Holiday"
Worst track: "Hart Crane"

12. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It's Blitz!
Best track: "Runaway"
Worst track: "Shame and Fortune"

13. The Decemberists – The Hazards of Love
Best track: "The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid"
Worst track: "Isn't It a Lovely Night?"

14. Mandy Moore – Amanda Leigh
Best track: "Nothing Everything"
Worst track: "Everblue"

15. Asobi Seksu – Citrus
Best track: "Nefi+Girly"
Worst track: "Pink Cloud Tracing Paper" (I really dislike James Hanna's voice)

16. Los Campesinos! – We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
Best track: "You'll Need Those Fingers for Crossing"
Worst track: "The End of the Asterisk" (far less superior retread of "My Year in Lists", IMO)

17. Stars – In Our Bedroom After the War
Best track: "Take Me to the Riot"
Worst track: "The Ghost of Genova Heights" (I despise this song, to be quite honest)

18. Lydia – Illuminate
Best track: MMMmmmmmm.... "Stay Awake" though I really love most of the album equally
Worst track: "A Fine Evening for a Rogue"

19. Now It's Overhead – Fall Back Open
Best track: "Reverse"
Worst track: "Profile"

19. No Doubt – Return of Saturn
Best track: "Too Late"
Worst track: "Magic's in the Makeup" or "Marry Me", both are pretty gag-worthy

I would elaborate more on my choices because it is almost physically painful for me to list things without explaining myself but I'm tired and need to go to bed. Also, this list seems really skewed to albums that were released this year but Last.fm's album charts have always been pretty fucked up anyway.

Real quickly, two more music-related notes:

WHERE HAS BEACH HOUSE BEEN ALL MY LIFE?!? OR, MORE ACCURATELY, WHERE HAD MY GOOD PAIR OF EARS DISAPPEARED TO WHEN LISTENING TO THEM IN THE PAST?!? SPECIFICALLY DEVOTION. (I will stop with the caps now.) Because, within the span of a week at most, it has seriously become one of my favorite albums ever. So fucking perfect and beautiful and... gah. I'm in love. I have a tag on Last.fm titled "i want to marry this voice" and there is no voice that more perfectly encompasses that statement than Victoria Legrand's.

Also, I've spent the night simultaneously squeeing and marveling over this video. (Shut up, I will link to my other pointless journal instead of Youtube if I want to!) IT IS SO BADASS! Also, he is the most fucking adorable little thing. I just want to squish him or put him in my pocket or both. So cute.

This made me laugh. A lot.


I don't even pay attention to American Idol but I like Adam a lot. He is funny. And adorable. Even with the guyliner and black nail polish. And has a good voice. Even if he uses the high, screechy side of it slightly too much. Anyway. Yes.

We went shopping today. I bought the new Mandy Moore CD as I said I was going to. I realized the other night while listening to the leak I had downloaded that it was really shitty quality. The actual CD sounds much better and now I love the songs a billion times more. I also bought It's Blitz!; it hasn't really been long enough since my last complaint to definitively say that it's never going to come in the mail but I was tired of waiting. And what the hell, I'll just have two copies if it does so whatever. Anyway, I opened it up and was amused by the art on the CD itself. It's the YYYs' faces photoshopped onto a pizza, hahaha. Like, what the fuck? How did they even think up this idea in the first place? Those crazy kids.

Also, the Mandy Moore CD reminded me of something I hate: when the booklet is glued to the cardboard if it's a digipak. That's so annoying. I want to be able to take it out and look at the lyrics without having the whole damn package attached to it. How retarded. Who even thinks this is a good idea? I think the new Metric CD is like this too. And a couple others I can't remember right now. It's so frustrating.

And another thing. WTF is up with this?!?



I swear, the only time I remember listening to Tori in the past six months is the new album a couple times with some of the songs a few extra times. HOW DO I MANAGE TO LISTEN TO HER SO MUCH?!? She is almost in the top ten on my overalls, for crying out loud! I mean, I do love (old) Tori but I just can't comprehend these numbers. I must listen to her subconsciously or something. In other news, the rest of those artists are hot.

I am a stats freak. I found a bunch of neat-o Last.fm applications that calculate random statistics for you. Here are some of the best ones just 'cause.

First of all. I am apparently not underground at all. Now I'm going to go cry emo tears because my music tastes aren't freakishly obscure. Or not.

1. Lydia (53292 listeners)
2. Rilo Kiley (549848 listeners)
3. Stars (529911 listeners)
4. Los Campesinos! (202014 listeners)
5. Now It's Overhead (31895 listeners)
6. Mates of State (275600 listeners)
7. The Dresden Dolls (325329 listeners)
8. Tilly and the Wall (228229 listeners)
9. The Anniversary (37114 listeners)
10. Neko Case (221632 listeners)

Total: 2454864
You are 0% underground.
You are 10% mainstream.

And now, my top artists and tracks for every month since I've reset my charts. Interesting.

Sep. 2007: St. Vincent (23 plays)
Oct. 2007: Stars (158 plays)
Nov. 2007: Stars (209 plays)
Dec. 2007: Mates of State (121 plays)
Jan. 2008: Sleater-Kinney (156 plays)
Feb. 2008: She & Him (97 plays)
Mar. 2008: The Hush Sound (182 plays)
Apr. 2008: Lydia (227 plays)
May. 2008: Lydia (293 plays)
Jun. 2008: The Anniversary (261 plays)
Jul. 2008: Now It's Overhead (275 plays)
Aug. 2008: Rilo Kiley (143 plays)
Sep. 2008: Jenny Lewis (209 plays)
Oct. 2008: Okkervil River (300 plays)
Nov. 2008: No Doubt (121 plays)
Dec. 2008: No Doubt (184 plays)
Jan. 2009: Margot & the Nuclear So and So's (97 plays)
Feb. 2009: Neko Case (282 plays)
Mar. 2009: The Decemberists (347 plays)

Sep. 2007: Grand Ole Party - Insane (3 plays)
Oct. 2007: Stars - Your Ex-Lover Is Dead (25 plays)
Nov. 2007: Stars - Tonight (13 plays)
Dec. 2007: Blonde Redhead - Elephant Woman (20 plays)
Jan. 2008: Los Campesinos! - Death to Los Campesinos! (25 plays)
Feb. 2008: She & Him - Change Is Hard (18 plays)
Mar. 2008: Tilly and the Wall - Cacophony (20 plays)
Apr. 2008: The Dresden Dolls - Night Reconnaissance (21 plays)
May. 2008: Lydia - A Story For Supper (28 plays)
Jun. 2008: Tilly and the Wall - Chandelier Lake (27 plays)
Jul. 2008: Now It's Overhead - Let Up (51 plays)
Aug. 2008: Amanda Palmer - Runs in the Family (19 plays)
Sep. 2008: Jenny Lewis - Black Sand (24 plays)
Oct. 2008: Copeland - On The Safest Ledge (28 plays)
Nov. 2008: Okkervil River - On Tour With Zykos (31 plays)
Dec. 2008: No Doubt - Too Late (28 plays)
Jan. 2009: A Camp - Golden Teeth and Silver Medals (14 plays)
Feb. 2009: Stephen Malkmus & The Million Dollar Bashers - Ballad of a Thin Man (31 plays)
Mar. 2009: The Decemberists - The Engine Driver (52 plays)

The plays in September '07 are so low because I reset at the end of the month. And I didn't include this month's because they're totally wrong! And the month isn't over yet. Anyway, these are not very surprising. They track my obsessions over the months pretty well.

And for the grand finale... every thousandth track! I've always wanted to keep track of these but didn't want to put in the effort myself so a site that will do it for me? Brilliant! Unfortunately, the results are kind of disappointing. Let's see how so...

1000: Death Cab for Cutie - The Sound of Settling (I don't even like Death Cab that much. Lame-o start.)
2000: Rilo Kiley - Capturing Moods (This one's okay.)
3000: Emma Pollock - Paper and Glue (Listened to her for about a month. Could care less if I ever hear her again.)
4000: Camera Obscura - Happy New Year (Lame.)
5000: Sleater-Kinney - Words and Guitar (These aren't even my favorite songs by these artists. I mean, I guess this is proof that I don't make it so that a certain track plays for a certain milestone though.)
6000: Kate Bush - There Goes a Tenner (So campy, so amazing... still, far from one of my favorites.)
7000: Rainer Maria - Situation: Relation (This song is boring!)
8000: S - Another X-Mas Without You (Stupid.)
9000: Los Campesinos! - ...And We Exhale and Roll Our Eyes in Unison (Least fave song on the album! FAIL.)
10000: Mates of State - Ha Ha (Okay, this is an awesome song. Finally!)
11000: Lydia - Your Taste Is My Attention (And another! Yay!)
12000: Tilly and the Wall - Alligator Skin (This song's alright, I guess.)
13000: Now It's Overhead - Type A (Least fave song on the album, again. But I'll take it. Any NIO is good NIO.)
14000: Orenda Fink - Bloodline (Sweeeeet. Love this song.)
15000: Howling Bells - Blessed Night (Dumb.)
16000: Stars - Your Ex-Lover Is Dead (I will never get sick of this one.)
17000: Stars - Counting Stars on the Ceiling (What? I don't even know what this sounds like. It's on Nightsongs, right? I like about three songs on there.)
18000: The Anniversary - Vasil & Bluey (Okay song from a good band.)
19000: Johnny Foreigner - Yr All Just Jealous (I'm over them. But this song's alright.)
20000: Okkervil River - Stand Ins, Two (LAME THIRTY SECOND INSTRUMENTAL!)
21000: Eux Autres - Molly (I'm over them too.)
22000: Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton - The Maid Needs A Maid (Eh... there are better songs on this album.)
23000: Kate Bush - Moments of Pleasure (More Kate! I actually love this song. Even though it's cheesy as hell.)
24000: No Doubt - Ex-Girlfriend (Awesome! This song is so over-the-top and ridiculous but I adore it!)
25000: Sarah Slean - Weight (Alright. Far from my fave Sarah.)
26000: Okkervil River - Plus Ones (Good song.)
27000: Margot & the Nuclear So and So's - The Shivers (I've Got 'Em) (Good... and very violent. Have you listened to the lyrics?!?)
28000: Tori Amos - i i e e e (Eh. Not my fave Tori. Though I can't garner much enthusiasm towards her at all these days.)
29000: Rilo Kiley - American Wife (Sweet song.)
30000: Maria Taylor - Small Part of Me (Not my fave but good.)
31000: Joanna Newsom - Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie (AWESOME. I am currently obsessed with this song. Which explains why it takes up the most current milestone spot.)

Okay, so it's like half amazing songs, half okay songs. Anyway, that's all.

This is as of... around midnight today. I know it's still a day until the new year but I figured my charts wouldn't be changing much within that time frame so I just said to hell with it and copied them all down now. So because I am a maniac here is basically every incarnation of my Last.fm chart I could come up with:

( Top 50 Artists )

( Top 50 Songs )

( Top 50 Songs (with only one appearance per artist) )

And fuck. This is JUST FUCKING FANTASTIC. I hate my life.

To take my mind off this monstrosity of a fuck-up (and the fact that I should be doing more productive things), here are some Sims pictures. If you want to see them all, just go to the gallery. I'm way too lazy to upload everything there and then post every single picture to this and I bet no one besides me looks at them anyway, so, yeah, it doesn't matter.

( The Thompsons: A (Very) Brief History )

( College begins... NOW! )

One more thing. This is fantastic:

I love Zooey. Why is that girl so amazing?