(Version 2!) Artists I Like

One of my favorite sites in the world is Last.fm, which tracks what music you listen to and how often. I started using it back in the tail end of '06, and although it hasn't quite captured everything I've listened to since then, it does show (as of right now) 66,720 track plays.

It also says that I've got 5,037 artists in my library. However, I listen to a lot of stuff just to check it out, and I decided a while back that it was only when an artist hit 20 plays in my library that I was really willing to say that I was a fan -- or at very least, that they had a song that I liked.

Right now, that comes out to 633 artists. I think I'm going to write them later individually. But in the meantime, here's the list, arranged in what Excel claims is alphabetical order.


10,000 Maniacs
4 Strings
50 Foot Wave
808 State
A Flock of Seagulls
A Place to Bury Strangers
A Trillion Barnacle Lapse
AB+
ABBA
ABC
Ace of Base
Adam Plack
Adie
Aeroplane, 1929
After the Fire
Al Stewart
Alan Maralung
Alcian Blue
All Saints
Aly & AJ
Amanda Marshall
Amatue
Amber G.
America
Anastacia
Andean Nation
Andrew W.K.
Ann Winsborn
AnnaGrace
Annbjorg Lien
Antonin Dvorak
Antonio Vivaldi
Anúna
Aphex Twin
Arcade Fire
Arlen L. Card
Art Garfunkel
Arvo Part
Ashley Jade
Ashley MacIsaac
Asia
Aurora
Aztec Camera
Bad Lieutenant
Badfinger
Bananarama
Barenaked Ladies
Basically the Best Band Ever
Bauhaus
Beck
Becky Baeling
Bela Bartok
Belanova
Belinda Carlisle
Belle and Sebastian
Bernie Smith
Beth Orton
Better Than Ezra
Big Audio
Big Audio Dynamite II
Big Star
Bill Monroe
Bjork
Blank & Jones
Blossom
Blues Traveler
Blur
Bob Dylan
Bobby Negri Trio
Bond
Bonny Morgan
Boredoms
Boston
Boy Krazy
Bradley G. Smith
Brett Raymond
Brian Eno
BYU Singers
Cake
Camel
Camille Saint-Saëns
Can
Canopy
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Carl Orff
Carrie Akre
Carter Wood
Cascada
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
Cassandra Syndrome
Cat Stevens
Catatonia
Ceremony
Charlie Musselwhite
Charlie Parker
Chelsea Staub
Cherie Call
Chicago
Chris Isaak
Chumbawamba
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Coldplay
Collective Soul
Colors
Cornershop
Counting Crows
Crack Stuntman
Cream
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Crowded House
Crystal Castles
Cub
D.H.T.
Da Brat
Da Buzz
Daft Punk
Daphne & Celeste
Darlene Zschech
Darling Nikki
Dave Brubeck
Dave Gahan
David Bowie
David Lanz
dBA
Debbie Gibson
Deep Blue Something
Denim Samurai
Dennis McCarthy
Depeche Mode
Desi Slava/Деси Слава
Devo
Dexys Midnight Runners
Diana DeGarmo
Diana Fox
Dick Dale
Dick Dale & the Del-Tones
Dido
Dimana/Димана
Dire Straits
Disney Orchestra & Choir
DjksiezniczQa
DNA
Doe Deere
Don Williams
Donna Lewis
Doom Loop
Dordán
Double Thumb
Doves
Down to the Bone
Dr. Hook
Droom
Duran Duran
Dusty Springfield
Dyce
Eduard Tubin
Eiffel 65
Einstürzende Neubauten
Eisley
Electric Light Orchestra
Electronic
Elena Gheorghe
Elijah Wyman
Elvis Presley
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
EMF
Emma Bunton
Enya
Epica
Erasure
Eric Clapton
Erika Jo
Everclear
Fahtiem
Fairport Convention
Fantasy Twins
Felicia Sorensen
Fever Ray
Finn Brothers
Fisher
Fleetwood Mac
Formal Thought Disorder
Fragma
Frank Zappa
Franz Joseph Haydn
Freddy Cannon
Frente!
Future Imperfect
Garbage
Gary Numan
Gene Loves Jezebel
Gene Vincent
Genesis
Geordie Shapiera
Georg Friedrich Handel
Georges Bizet
Gergana/Гергана
Geri Halliwell
Gerry Rafferty
Gin Blossoms
Gina G
Girls Aloud
Giuseppe Verdi
Go Sailor
Gordon Lightfoot
Graaf
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
Groove Armada
Gustav Mahler
Hada to Hada
Haddaway
Hadise
Hannah Eddington
Happy Mondays
Havalina Rail Co.
Heaven 17
Heidi Montag
Helicopter Girl
Hello Saferide
Hilary Duff
Hildegard Von Bingen
Homestar Runner
Ian Van Dahl
Ifihadahifi
Igor Stravinsky
In This Moment
Indicia
Indigo Girls
Infernal
Interpol
Iron & Wine
Ivana/Ивана
Jack Jezioro
James Taylor
Jandek
Jars of Clay
Jayne Mansfield
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Paige
Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins
Jenny Wilson
Jens Lekman
Jentina
Jessica Andrews
Jessica Simpson
Jessy
Jet
Jewel
Jimmy Sturr
Jo Dee Messina
Joanna Newsom
Johann Sebastian Bach
John Arpin & Catherine Wilson
John Coltrane
John McEuen
John Prine
Johnny Cash
Johnny Marr + The Healers
Jon Secada
Jose Gonzalez
Joy Division
Joy Electric
Joydrop
Julie de Azevedo
Kaiser Chiefs
Kalomoira/Καλομοίρα
Kandystand
Kansas
Karyl Chase
Kasey Chambers
Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson
Kate Ryan
Kate Somerset How
Kavin Hoo
Kelly Clarkson
Kerli
Kerli & Locatellis
Kerwin So
Kid Songs
Kings of Convenience
Kish Mauve
Komputer
Kory Kunz, etc.
Kraftwerk
KT Tunstall
Kurt Bestor
Kylie Minogue
La Bouche
La Camilla
La Roux
Lacuna Coil
Lady Phoenix
Ladyhawke
Ladytron
Lagwagon
Lara Fabian
Las Ketchup
Lasgo
Lazy
LCD Soundsystem
Leahy
Leaves' Eyes
Led Zeppelin
Leiahdorus
Lena
Leonard Cohen
Leslie Hall
Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs
Lex de Azevedo
Liam Finn
Liars
Lillix
Limozeen
Linkin Park
Liquid Factor
Little Boots
Live
Looptron
Lucky Twice
Ludwig van Beethoven
Luscious Jackson
M2M
Madison Park
Madonna
Maire Brennan
Mandy Moore
Mariah Carey
Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
Mates of State
Mediæval Bæbes
Melanie C
Men Without Hats
Merrill Jenson
Mew
Mezdeke
MGMT
Michael Dowdle
Michael Jackson
Michael McLean
Michael W. Smith
Michelle Branch
Midnight Oil
Mike Oldfield
Miles Davis
Milk Inc.
Mimi Rossi
Miranda Cosgrove
MissMatch
Moby
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky
Moloko
Monaco
Monty Python
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Morrissey
Moving Heroes
Muse
My Bloody Valentine
Nadia Kobelak
Natalia Borisova
Natalia Nazarova
Natalie Imbruglia
Natasha Bedingfield
Neil Young
Neko Case
Nelly Furtado
Nelly Makdessi
Nena
New Order
Nick Drake
Nina - Goddess of Dance
Nirvana
No Doubt
Noisettes
Norah Jones
Nu Virgos
Oasis
Obey the Toaster
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Oscar Brand
P!nk
Paola & Chiara
Paolo Nutini
Paranoid State
Paris Hilton
Patrick Bernhardt
Patsy Cline
Patty Griffin
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney & Wings
Paul Revere & The Raiders
Paul Simon
Paula Seling
Paula Seling & Ovi
Pay TV
Peggy Lee
Pet Shop Boys
Pete Yorn
Peter Bjorn and John
Peter Breinholt & Big Parade
Peter Warren & Matt Samolis
Petracovich
Petula Clark
Phillips, Craig & Dean
Pink Floyd
Pixelh8
Plummet
Pluto
Point of Grace
Pony Up!
Portishead
Preslava/Преслава
Primal Scream
Provision
Psykick Girl
Public Image Ltd.
Puffy Amiyumi
R.E.M.
Rachael Sage
Rachel Buchman
Rachel de Azevedo Coleman
Rachel Panay
Radiohead
Raina/Райна
Ralph Vaughn Williams
Ray Charles
Real McCoy
Rebecca St. James
Rebel Coyne
Republica
Rhonda Vincent & The Rage
Rilo Kiley
Rob Taylor
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Robyn
Rollergirl
Ronnie Neuhauser
Rose Elinor Dougall
Roxy Music
Royksopp
Rush
Russ Barenberg
Rusted Root
S Club
Sade
Saint Etienne
Sally Oldfield
Sally Shapiro
Salme Dahlstrom
Sam Cardon
Sam Eddington
Samantha Fox
Sandy Asirvatham
Santana
Sara Evans
Sarah Cracknell
Savage Garden
School of Seven Bells
Screen Vinyl Image
Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
Selena Gomez & The Scene
September
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Shampoo
SHeDaisy
Sherrie Lea
Shonen Knife/少年ナイフ
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Sir Edward Elgar
Sixpence None the Richer
sloshy
Snow Patrol
Soda Club
Sol Skugga
Soldfrapp
Sonia
Sonic Dream Collective
Sonic Youth
Sorrow
Spice Girls
Spike Jones & His City Slickers
Split Enz
Spongebob Squarepants
Spooky Tooth
Starship
Steave Earle
Steely Dan
Stereolab
Stero MC's
Sting
Strawberry Switchblade
Strawbs
Strong Bad
Styx
Sufjan Stevens
Sugarland
Supertramp
Svetlana Loboda
Swirl 360
Switchblade Symphony
Syd Barrett
Sylver
Talking Heads
Taylor Dayne
Tears for Fears
Technotronic
Terri Clark
that dog.
The Brian Setzer Orchestra
The Absence of Matter
The American Analog Set
The Andrews Sisters
The Atari Star
The B-52's
The Baltimore Consort
The Bangles
The Beatles
The Blind Boys of Alabama
The Bobby Fuller Four
The Bravery
The Buddhacrush
The Buggles
The Bulgarian State Radio & Television Female Choir
The Byrds
The Cheetah Girls
The Chipmunks
The Church
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Clash
The Corrs
The Cranberries
The Cult
The Cure
The Dixie Hummingbirds
The Doobie Brothers
The Doorknobs
The Echoing Green
The Everly Brothers
The Flaming Lips
The Gentle Waves
The Getaway People
The Go! Team
The Go-Go's
The Guess Who
The Guild
The Hives
The Hollies
The Human League
The Immortals
The Jealous Type
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Killers
The Knife
The Left Banke
The Lisa Marr Experiment
The Mavericks
The Moody Blues
The Mountain Goats
The Move
The Nazz
The New Pornographers
The Orb
The Other Two
The Pipettes
The Pointer Sisters
The Police
The Polyphonic Spree
The Postal Service
The Red Tie Affair
The Residents
The Shaggs
The Smiths
The Sundays
The Triffids
The Ventures
The Veronicas
The Verve
The Verve Pipe
The Von Bondies
The White Stripes
The Wreckers
They Might Be Elders
They Might Be Giants
Thompson Twins
Three Dog Night
Tiktak
Tish Hinojosa
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Tokyo Police Club
Tommy James & The Shondells
Tonica
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Trio
Trish Thuy Trang
Tubeway Army
Twelve Girls Band
Twisted Sister
Ultramarine
Uncle Tupelo
Vampire Weekend
Van Craven
Van Morrison
Vanessa Amorosi
Vanessa Carlton
Vasen
VeggieTales
Velvet
Vertical Horizon
Victoria Beckham
Victoria Silvstedt
Vince Guaraldi Trio
Vista
Vogue
Warren Zevon
Weather Report
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Whigfield
William Orbit
Witness UK
Wolf Parade
Xamxen
Xymox
Yazoo
Yes
Yo La Tengo
Yoko Ono
Young M.C.
Zebda
Zoltan Kodaly

Depeche Mode: The Singles 81>85

I saw Depeche Mode on the 86>98 tour, despite the fact that I'd never been a fan of the band. But my friend Mitch was going, and my friend Zanna was going, and they were bouncing off the walls at the prospect, so I invented some enthusiasm and went along. (As a side note, I bought my tickets the same day that I went to attend an Asian music festival in Hermann Park, which is why I ended up walking all the way back home from there to the University of Houston dorms.)

Much later, Zanna and Mitch got engaged, but broke it off before the wedding. Maybe that's what happens when you go to see Depeche Mode, as opposed to, say, The Captain & Tennille.

The show ended up being the beginning of a very real interest in the group, one that continues more than a decade later. And 81>85 is one I've come back to often. As a synth player, I love the squiggly keyboards of "Dreaming of Me" and the Some Bizarre version of "Photographic." "Somebody," on the other hand, brings back the memories of discussing with my friend πρ whether or not the final line, "in a case like this, I'll get away with it," meant that the whole song was in fact an expression of a deep and bitter sarcasm, which would make the fact that many girls we knew thought it was the BEST. LOVE SONG. EVER. pleasurably ironic.

Release year: 1998
Acquired in: 1999?
Favorite tracks: Dreaming of Me, Photographic [Some Bizarre Version], Just Can't Get Enough.

Primal Scream, Screamadelica

Before I was 14 or so (which would be 1994), I didn't listen to anything except oldies radio and classical, spiced with the occasional country cut when my mom was in that sort of mood. As such, I don't have any "at the time" memories of music before that, and so I can only explain coming upon it later.

Screamadelica was one of those records that by 2004 or so I eventually felt like I had to buy -- I love dance and dance-rock, and this album is widely regarded as a seminal dance-rock album. That said, while I admire Primal Scream's work on this one, it's never really caught my ear, and I rarely listen to any of it outside of "Movin' on Up" and sometimes "Loaded." It's historically important, and I'm happy to have it in my collection for that reason if nothing else, but that in and of itself doesn't bring it to the front of my queue very often.

Release year: 1991
Purchased in: 2004?
Favorite tracks: Movin' on Up

That Obligatory Post o' Introduction

The whole reason I'm writing this blog, I suppose, is that I'm both a music fan and (at least in the technical sense of the word) a writer. Among my projects was writing album reviews for Superstarcastic, and I really enjoy working in that format. But lately, I've been having a hard time writing, and generally just not feeling very inspired. I'm hoping that a new project based on something I love might help break me out of my rut.

So, in this space, I've decided to try and write a brief piece about each disc in my CD collection. (Yes, I still buy CDs -- I never listen to them after I upload them to my computer and iPod, but I do like how they look on my shelves.) The goal is for me not to just write a review of the album, but to talk a little about how I found it, where I got it, and what it's meant to me (which is sometimes everything, and sometimes almost nothing). In order to keep things at least somewhat varied, I'm using a random number generator to determine what order the albums will go in.

I have no idea whether this project will be of any interest to anyone but me, but if you somehow find this blog and find it of value to you, feel free to comment, or look me up at my last.fm page.