Music.

The one common language.

They often say that to aliens, music sounds like a way of putting sounds together. Why, they would ask. What evolutionary purpose? Pleasure perhaps, their scientists say. But we don’t croon songs to each other to find mates (especially those tone-deaf of us like me). And yet to me, it’s sticky.

In high school, I didn’t know what music was. Having grown up with KOIT 96.5, I only know soft sounds. Contemporary music. And pop music. Then shamefully, boy bands. Only in college did I start building a music taste—first it was techno, then emo, then finally indie twee pop. And with music, I often was enamored by the lyrics. As I started blogging and journaling, the lyrics would say what I couldn’t say.

This list may not represent the music I recommend, but it represents the influencers. Whether it’s shamelessly bad. Or just shamelessly good. These were the songs through lyrics and tones…that influenced some of the things I have done in the past 10 years.

10. Metric – Combat Baby

When I first saw Emily Haines on stage at Riottt in 2006, I knew.

9. Rikki – Suteki Da Ne (Isn’t it wonderful?)

This was the reason I was obsessed with Final Fantasy in college. But I never even played the game. I loved the visuals. And the music even though I spent hours upon hours searching for translation. Back then, the videos were passed around like jokes and this was one I kept.

8. 2gether = U + Me = Calculus

This is how I learned what a parody was. Although I loved the idea of the cute one. He passed away 2 years later.

7. Jimmy Eat World – Lucky Denver Mint

Jimmy Eat World was an excuse for me to enter the world of indie rock. A boy of course was the impetus. Did I even like J.E.W.? I don’t know, but I saw them twice in concert.

6. New Order – Bizzare Love Triangle

I know, not a band of the 2000s. But it was a song that defined moments. I chose it as karaoke so often. It is about a tryst. It is about a triangle. And if I get married, this will be somehow interwoven in.

5. Tai Mai Shu – Freestyle

My sister memorized the words and could recite them in a moment’s notice. I didn’t know what it was back then, but it was my first exposure to a viral video.

4. ‘Po Girl – Long Way Home
Listen
Listening to them was a way that inspired my writing. Especially inspiring my lacking lyric writing. I can’t make things rhyme.

3. Kiss – Because I am girl

One of the first songs on my blog

2. Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)

1. Muse – Starlight

Honorary Mention: Stars – Your Ex-Lover is Dead