Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Personal: What is my New Year's Resolution?

Hey there!
Since 2014 is just around the corner, I thought I would tell you my new year's resolution.
This year, I will be doing something called my JAR OF POSITIVITY. I got the idea off of a Facebook post that I found while helping my Mom sell our old toys on her account.

Taken from Facebook.

As you can tell, my new year's resolution is to fill my jar with something positive every single day of 2014. I think it will be a great way to reflect on how lucky I really am. 
I thought I would start my Jar of Positivity today with a quote I found while searching Google. It truly is the perfect note of happiness to start a new year!



So, what is your new year's resolution? Is it to be healthier? Find the joy in the journey? Maybe, love life a little more? Please comment below, because I would love to hear what you want to achieve this upcoming new year!

Thank you for the love and happiness I received from all of you in 2013! I appreciate each and every one of you readers, and I love you all so much!


 2014, Here We Come!

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Album Review: Salute by Little Mix. How do Little Mix convey "girl power"? Also, the reasons behind why I love Salute...

Girl power:  "(Informal) an assertiveness and self-confidence shown by girls and young women". - Collins English Dictionary.

What is the first image that comes to mind when you read the definition for "girl power"? Is it possibly your mother, grandmother, best friend or maybe even yourself? Did you imagine a certain celebrity or song? Personally, the first image that came to my mind, is the girl-band who are known for their empowering songs and ballads, their colorful and wild hair and smart English accents. Little Mix. 





For those of you who are unaware of this bubbly group, Little Mix is a girl-group made up of 4 English girls, their ages ranging from youthful 20 to a little less youthful, 22. They joined as a group during the 2011 version of the popular competition show, The X Factor UK. They were the first girl-group to ever win the show, and with their triumph came love from teen girls (Little Mixers), spunky-ness and some doubt from the haters.
Their first album, DNA, was released in November of 2012. Their second album, Salute, was released in November 2013, and is an ultimate show of great pop, R&B and hip-hop influenced sounds. It also includes a heavy load of catchy beats and well, LOTS of girl power. The members of Little Mix are confident, smart, pretty and extremely unique. They aren't the type to sing about broken hearts and betraying boys. Just you wait.
I'll be taking you through Little Mix's Salute, and going through the album track-by-track.


1. Salute
Girl anthem to the max! For those of you who are prepared to swing your hair and let it all out, this dance song will no doubt get you out of your chair and dancing. Salute shows the hip-hop influence that Little Mix's album is aimed towards. Watch out world, Little Mix is here!



2. Move
Move has a strong beat and is the album's true party anthem. This song is extremely repetitive, though, if you're interested in a Christina Aguilera influenced vocal arrangement, and a good excersize jam, Move is the perfect song.



3. Little Me
Little Me is a MUST LISTEN! Its message is beautiful, and all woman of all ages can relate to this song in some way. It tells of speaking up and standing up for yourself; a reflection of a song, and not  slow enough so that it is considered a ballad.



4. Nothing Feels Like You
Nothing Feels Like You is another dance song filled with harmonious melodies and is a true example of Little Mix's sound and confidence. If you're looking for a traditional girl group sound, Nothing Feels Like You is the bee's knees. And if you aren't dancing by now...well, that's just wrong.



5. Towers
After 4 songs of dancing and sweat, slow down the beat and listen to Towers. This ballad is one of the songs that Little Mix have on their album that is worth a slow-dance. Ironically, if you listen to the lyrics, Towers proves to be quite a depressing song. Even though this stands, it is still one of my favorite tracks. I guess that's just how I roll.



6. Competition
Competition shows Little Mix's more competitive side. You can't tell by the name. This song is another dance-worthy melody but wait! There are MANY more to come.



7. These Four Walls
These Four Walls is the most graceful and intimate song in all of Salute. It's the kind of song that blows the entire album to #1, and makes you want to lock yourself in your room and cry. This song is a definite representation of the 4 girl's amazing vocals. Listening to this song, you will, if not already, understand why they won The X Factor.





Little Mix receives the happy news that they won the X Factor.


8. About the Boy
With a catchy beginning and a disco kick-off, About the Boy get you onto your feet and ready to do the Dougie. Pierre also demonstrates her kick-butt vocals and ends it with a content "ah."



9. Boy
The start of Boy is a capella and to my disappointment, adds music and mouth beat-boxing as it continues. Regardless of this, Boy is plenty catchy and the a capella beginning is worth the entire listen.



10. Good Enough
When listening to this song full of pained vocals and a piano accompaniment, it makes me think of the poor children of tiger-mothers. Good Enough asks the depressing question of "Am I still not good enough?" Little Mix's powerful ballads are consistently good and balance out their other songs that feature club-worthy beats.



11. Mr Loverboy
Ignoring the fact that the title of this song is Mr Loverboy, the chorus vocals vaguely remind me of older music. Does anyone else hear, The Jackson 5, too?





12. A Different Beat
Little Mix is visibly going back to its first album, DNA. Fans of the first album can be reassured that this group hasn't changed their sound too much after listening to A Different Beat. With flowing vocals, parade sounds and a chipper beat, this song reflects their beginning vision.

Little Mix's first album, DNA.


13. See Me Now
In another song of reflection, Little Mix sing about where they are now, their haters and their doubts about Little Mix's music. With the classical lyrics of, "They said I couldn't, told me I wouldn't! But if they could see me now!..." this group rejoices about their luck and happiness of their own success.

Little Mix at the Brit Awards.


14. They Don't Know You
Little Mix demonstrate rebellion and ignore the doubt about their love.

Little Mix's Pierre Edwards and her fiance, otherwise known as One Direction's Zayn Malik.


15. Stand Down
The second-to-last song of the album, Stand Down, is the perfect end song. It has a strong message of confidence and empowerment, because of course, you have to love the party anthems that end great albums.



16.  Little Me (Unplugged)
Little Me is the final song of Little Mix's second album is undoubtedly, the best song on the entire album. The wait is long though enjoyable, and this acoustic version of Little Me is even more delicate than the original, and is completely worth the listening power of the 15 previous songs. Topping off the album, Little Me is only available of the deluxe version of Salute and so if I were you, I'd spend the few extra bucks.

OVERALL THOUGHTS:
Salute is a fully enjoyable album full of anthems, ballads and songs that should find their place on your 2013 playlist. Little Mix is a group made of EXTREMELY talented young ladies, and the album was not only worth the wait, but also very consistent and it truly demonstrates the 4 girls' powerful and astounding vocals.

OVERALL RATING: 
4 and a half stars.







*All pictures courtesy of Google.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

End of the Year Post: The Best and Worse of 2013

Hey there!

I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday! This Christmas, my family and I ate a lot of wonderful food and hung-out on the couch, opening gifts and watching Netflix.

Since the end of the year is near, this post will be on my opinions of the best and worst of 2013. I hope you enjoy and possibly agree with some of my thoughts!


********

People
Best Celebrity: 
Jennifer Lawrence-- Confident, independent, funny and talented; there is really no telling where Lawrence will go in 2014.  


Wost Celebrity(s):  
Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber-- Cyrus is "twerking" and licking hammers; Bieber is smoking, cursing, scratching and peeing in buckets and at pictures of previous U.S. presidents. These were just some of these celebrity's highlights of 2013. This one has to be pretty self-explanatory.




Best Author(s):
John Green and Cassandra Clare-- The Fault in Our Stars and Clockwork Princess blew fans away with their superb and unique writing styles in 2013.

 

Worst Author:  
James Patterson-- Did you read Angel?!
  
Best Recording Artist:
Hunter Hayes-- He always manages to put on his best performance even when suffering from voice loss. Hayes is cute, very talented and a potential big star. 2013 was a great years for Hayes.

 

Worst Recording Artist:
Ke$ha-- Just, no. Ugh. Sorry, Erin.

 

Best YouTube Personality:
Jacksgap-- Although somewhat inconsistent, Jacksgap is always a load of laughs and adventure. Viewers are sure to be tuning into some very exciting episodes of The Rickshaw Run.

 

Worst YouTube Personality (Well, kinda.):
officialpsy-- Do I even have to explain why I don't enjoy Gangnam Style or Gentleman?

TV/Movies 
Best TV Series:
Sherlock-- There are no words how effortlessly perfect this BBC TV drama is. Casting includes Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch (Yes this is his real name), and Martin Freeman (No, not the one with the nice voice. That's Morgan.)

 

Worst TV Series(s'):
Keeping Up With the Kardashians and Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo-- If I was the owner of the stations that broadcast these two overrated television shows, someone would have lost their job by now. 

 

Best Overall Movie:
The Blind Side-- I know that this movie wasn't released in 2013, but it was the first time that I watched it. The Blind Side was hands down, my favorite movie of 2013.

 

Worst Overall Movie:
Mary Poppins-- Again not released in 2013, but too horrible to leave off.

Music
Best Single:
I Want Crazy by Hunter Hayes-- One of my many summer anthems of 2013.



Worst Single: 
We Can't Stop by Miley Cyrus-- What a turning point in "Milers" career. For better or worse, it will always be remembered.


Best Album: 
Encore and To Be Loved + others-- Encore by Hunter Hayes and To Be Loved by Michael Buble were probably the 2 most continuesly listened to albums in our home this year.

Worst Album: 
-----

Best Music Video: 
Story of My Life, Same Love and 3000 Miles (lyric video)-- Story of My Life got my Mom crying. Same Love is just amazing, and 3000 Miles had a very creative concept. All of these videos were well performed and were enjoyed by our whole family.


 

Worst Music Video:
NA. Too many this year. UGH.

 ********

I hope you enjoyed my end of the year post! Do you agree or disagree with any of these? Don't be shy to comment at the bottom of this post.

Until later!
 

Monday, December 23, 2013

Staying informed: Tumblr

Hello there everyone!

Recently I had an interesting conversation on "staying informed" when it comes to the internet. One of the things that was spoken about, was that I look at websites called Tumblrs. I'm sure you've heard of them, and even though I don't have one, I still tend to enjoy looking through people's Tumblrs only some including Connor Franta and Harry Crowder.

After this lecture/speech I received, I decided to prove that not all Tumblr's are bad and full of crap. I will be posting all of the Tumblr's that I enjoy browsing occasionally when I go online. Many of these Tumblr's belong to YouTubers and so they contain gifs and pictures referring back to their many videos.

Like YouTube videos, the content depends on whose you choose to look at.

Enjoy!

Connor Franta
Finn Harries
Harry Crowder
Jacksgap
Joe Sugg
Joey Graceffa
Louis Cole
Marcus Butler
JC Caylen
Ricky Dillon
Romain Laurent
Keaton Stromberg
Tyler Oakley
Kian Lawley
Sam Pottorff
Zoella





Sunday, December 15, 2013

Music Review: Not a Fan of Country Music? Let Me Try to Covince You Otherwise...

Look, I really don't blame you. Some country music can be a pain in the butt. Often, all it seems like country artists sing about are trucks, bare-feet, and chugging drinks. 
So, if you're tired of listening to overly-twangy and obnoxious country sounds, than take a break, and listen to some less-country, less-twangy and more catchy country tunes. Most of these artists are new to the music business, and have already receiving a large amount of air-play and the big $$$'s. They are considered country-pop, and have either been featured or included in Powered By Country, which is one of my weekend joys--well, kinda.
Hope you enjoy!


***********************


Carolina - Parmalee

Song for the 'homesick' listener.



"She feels like Carolina (feels like Carolina)
Looks like California (looks like California)
Shining like those New York lights on Broadway
When she looks back I'm behind her
I'll always be there for her
She makes me feel like home's not so far away
She feels like Carolina."


 


See You Tonight - Scotty McCreery

Song for the 'obsessively-in-love' listener.



"So I'm coming over, I hope it's alright
Listen for me pulling into your drive
Look out your window—you'll see my lights
Baby girl, I gotta see you tonight
The way the breeze is blowing, blowing
Got me wishing I was holding, holding
Holding you so tight under that porch light
But girl, I gotta see you tonight, tonight, tonight
Girl, I gotta see you tonight, tonight, tonight."





19 You and Me - Dan and Shay

Song for the 'nostalgic' listener.


 "Watchin' that blonde hair swing
To every song I'd sing
You were California beautiful
I was playin' everything but cool
I can still hear that sound
Of every wave crashin' down
Like the tears we cried
That day we had to leave
It was everything we wanted it to be
The summer of
19 you and me."






The Heart of Dixie - Danielle Bradbery

Song for the 'dreaming and driven' listener.



"She went driving so far away nobody's gonna find her
Flying just fast enough, to leave it all behind her
But she didn't know till she hit the road, deep in her soul
She's got the fire and the fight of a gypsy
Ain't nothing stronger than the heart of Dixie
The heart of Dixie."






Slip On By - Austin Webb

Song for the 'wise' listener.



 "We're only here for a little while
And God gives us only so much precious time
Don't let it slip on
Don't let it slip on
Don't let it slip on by
Mmmmmm, slip on by."






If You Ever Get Lonely - Love and Theft

Song for the 'lonely' listener.



"But if you ever get lonely
And you miss me
If you need someone to listen
Even if it's only
The sound of someone's voice who loves you
That you need to hear
You know where to find me
If you ever get lonely."






I Want Crazy - Hunter Hayes

Song for the 'crazy' listener.



"But I don't want "good" and I don't want "good enough"
I want "can't sleep, can't breathe without your love"
Front porch and one more kiss, it doesn't make sense to anybody else
Who cares if you're all I think about,
I've searched the world and I know now,
It ain't right if you ain't lost your mind
Yeah, I don't want easy, I want crazy
Are you with me baby? Let's be crazy."






Stay -  Florida Georgia Lines

Song for the 'desperate' listener.



 "But if I told you I loved you, would it make you want to stay?
I'm sorry for the way I hurt you and making you walk away.
(I should have took the time to tell you)
And if I wrote you a love song and sang it to you every day, would it ever be enough to make you wanna come back home and stay?
(I can't go another day without you)
Would it make you, make you, wanna stay?
(Girl you gotta know I love you)."




Sunday, December 8, 2013

Musically-Inclined Opinon: Billboards Hottest 21 Under 21 of 2013

This year has been a great year for music. It seemed as though almost every minute, a new artist was emerging into the buzzing industry, and then automatically moving to the top of the music charts. I thought it would be interesting to go through the list of the 21 new artists of Billboard, and give my opinion on the list. 2013's list includes familiar names including One Direction, Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus.
I hope you enjoy and possibly agree with my opinions on these potential and for some, already successful artists. I will also be including the opinions of my mom and dad who know a little bit about the current music scene.
In case you aren't familiar with this yearly list, go to Billboard to read all about it. There are a few artists that I did leave out due to my limited knowledge on their music and careers.

1. One Direction
One Direction is a British boy-band consisting of 1 Irish and 4 English boys. Their hit songs include What Makes You Beautiful, Kiss You, Story of My Life and several others. I honestly think that One Direction is a great band. I'm not just saying this because they are handsome and have English accents, (though that is admittedly, one factor to my Directioner spirit...) but I also believe that they are quite down-to-earth.
Sure, 4 of the 5 members have tattoos they'll one day regret, but they haven't been peeing in buckets and cursing at the paparazzi, either. Even with their success throughout the globe, there have hardly been any news of bad decisions or stupid mistakes from the boys.
"For being in the spotlight and having as much fame and money as they have, they seem to be pretty level-headed." My mom, Gaylene, comments.  "I love their new song [Story of My Life], and that they sing about and honor their past and where they came from--I think it's touching." And indeed, One Direction's new single, Story of My Life is quite a difference in their previous pop-tuned songs.
Overall, I think that One Direction is still going to be showing up constantly on the charts in the 2014 year.



2. Justin Bieber
I have several mixed feelings about young, Mr. Bieber. Here's what I think. I think, that Justin Bieber has a lot of raw talent. He has a pretty incredible voice and I admire how he does play the guitar but, he seems to lack parental guidance.
I have been very unimpressed with his immature, inappropriate, and reckless behavior, and I do believe that even though his mother says she is there for him, she isn't. I hope that with the amount of young followers that Bieber has, he will recognize how stupid his actions are and how they may be negatively effecting his young fans. 
"Oh, gosh." This was the first thing that came out of my mom's mouth when I asked for her comments on Bieber. "Train wreck. I think that he is just headed in a really wrong direction. His music may be fine, though I don't care for his person."
I completely agree with my mom's opinion of Bieber and I desperately hope he cleans up his act before his reputation is ruined forever.



3. Miley Cyrus
I'm going to make this short and blunt. I really dislike Miley. I get what she's trying to say, and even though she's getting a lot of attention from it, I really think that it is completely unnecessary.
I also hate the word "twerk" too, especially considering how inappropriate Cyrus makes the move, and how it is pushed towards a young audience of followers.
"I think that Miley Cyrus is trying to break away from her Hannah Montana image." My dad says about Cyrus. " I think that she is trying to establish herself as an independent artist. I think that she is trying to do everything she can to stay in the spotlight, and it may or may not help her in the long-run. It's not leaving the right impression."
I do agree with my dad on everything he says about Cyrus though, either way, I don't think I'll ever be or become a fan of her person. I don't mind her song, Wrecking Ball, though I do mind the way that she is taking the attention of the press, and making it into things like Draco Malfoy hair and "twerking".

Then and now.


4. Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande is literally one of the prettiest celebrities out there today. She has big, pretty eyes, nice lips and teeth, and flawless hair. She has experienced a large amount of haters about her body image and so I hate to hate on her about anything.
 My opinions of Ariana Grande is that she is very talented but in a way she seems to be so fake. Have you seen her selfies?


Regardless of this, Grande has an amazing voice though she seems to be trying a bit too hard to sound like the legendary, Mariah Carey. Regardless, I do enjoy listening to her The Way and Popular Song.
"She has a nice voice, but she's just a little too pop for me..." My dad comments on hearing the 2 songs.
Even with the negativity she gets from people like me, I believe that Grande will keep her balance and hopefully do nothing too over-the-top. She has a great load of talent and her fans seem amazingly loyal and supportive of her music and actions.



5. Earl Sweatshirt
--


6. Lorde
Lorde's Royals is undeniably the most overplayed song on popular radio. Even though this may be the hard truth, my whole family is still a huge fan of her alternative tune.
From the start, I was extremely impressed with her unique voice and the fact that she is only 16.
Recently, I heard that Selena Gomez isn't the biggest fan of Lorde, and my initial reaction was,"Lay of Selena!" Don't get me wrong. I love Selena though, let's just say this, vocal wise, I enjoy Lorde more.
"In comparison to Ariana Grande, there is something unique about her presentation and music. With Ariana Grande, she has an excellent voice, but there is nothing new or original." My dad says about Lorde.

She has such raw talent that Royals is getting recognized world-wide. This past weekend she was nominted for 4 Grammy's and it came to her with very positive feedback from the fans and audience.
"I like it, I like her voice." My mom comments on Royals. You can find my mom singing off-tune to Lorde's hit on a regular basis.



7. Austin Mahone
When my mom first heard Austin Mahone's version of What About Love she said it sounded like "A car alarm is going off". This may seem like a negative way to start my introduction of one of my favorite artists, though the truth is, Mahone's music features funky, pop sounds and youthful melodies.
I do dislike how people automatically think that Mahone will be another Justin Bieber just because he has long hair. Mahone hasn't done anything stupid yet that widened people's eyes, and his music isn't as boring and R&B as Bieber's.
"Oh, he's cute." Was my mom's first words when I showed her a picture of Mahone.
"He looks like he's in 1D [One Direction]." Was my dad's.


Sure, Mahone may be a little bit of a pretty-boy but he has a voice that perfectly fits the definition of a current pop-artist. 
I do hope that Mahone's music will be more recognized in the future.



8. Scotty McCreery
I am a big fan of Scotty McCreery! I think he has absolutley the sweetest love songs and he has a voice that you wouldn't expect to come out of a 20-year-old kid.
His songs may be country, but they are extremely catchy and well-written. Already, McCreery has released 3 albums, 1 of them being a holiday collection. His first single was entitled Water Tower Town and talked about his hometown of Garner, North Carolina. He also released the single, The Trouble With Girls and he has been nominated and then continued on to win an American Country Music Award for Artist of the Year: New Artist, a Academy of Country Music Award for Best New Artist, and a CMT Music Award for USA Breakthrough Video of the Year. He has also been nominated for 2 Billboard Music Awards, 1 Music Row Award, and 2 Teen Choice Awards.
"I like him--I like his voice, I like his person hood, I think he's genuine. He seems to be a REALLY down-to-earth person--someone I'd probably like." My mom comments on McCreery.
McCreery's current single, See You Tonight, is already receiving constant praise and play on country radio, and I won't be surprised if he continues having popular singles in the future.
Plus, he's the cutest guy. Just sayin'.




9. Cody Simpson
Cody Simpson is another good-looking, perfect haired, pop-singer.  I am normally a fan of these sort of singers because I am a teenage girl, but when it comes to Simpson, I wouldn't really call myself a fan.
Simpson's sound is a little bit too high and beachy for me. His songs are too stereo-typical of an Australian teen, and his music is boring and not my favorite.
I do have to praise Simpson for staying very down-to-earth though, and of course the fact that he can play an instrument.
I honestly, don't have a lot to say about Simpson, and although I do have 2 of his songs on my iPod, I'm not a fan of his true music which consistis of lots of high-pitched vocals, smooth sounds, and beachy flavors.
Who knows--maybe you'll be a fan.




10. Emblem3
 Emblem3 is currently one of my favorite musical bands. This group consists of 3 guys--2 brothers and 1 childhood friend.
Emblem3 has a very unique sound. They often describe themselves as reggae/R&B/ pop/ rap. As you can tell, that's quite a large mix of sounds, but their fans truly enjoy their unique musical vision.
They have always wanted to people to look at their band as "not a boyband," and they were always very opinionated about their label as a one. Currently though, Emblem3 says, "We're just going to chill and do our thing."Regardless of the labeling, I'm not a big fan of people labeling Emblem3 as a boy band even though they may be.
Old fans also say that Emblem3 has been straying too far away from their original roots in their debut album, Nothing to Lose, that was released earlier this year. Again, I absolutely LOVE their album and where they are with their music. They are completely unique and different than some of the common, modern-day pop music.
I hope with all of my pride of the band, that they will achieve several more hit singles in their upcoming career.





11. Cher Lloyd
Cher Lloyd looks like a bit of a brat when you first see her. Ironically, her fans are called "brats".



Lloyd's first single was entitled Want U Back and was labeled as the "pooping song" by a few close friends and me.
"UGHHH! It's the constipation song." My sister Lauren exclaims as I ask for the beginning explanation of the song.
Indeed, if you listen to Want U Back you will hear lots of loud and slightly obnoxious grunting for LLoyd, followed by strange lyrics and whiny vocals.
I have listened to her album and let's just say, she could've chosen a lot better of a single then the "pooping song."
LLoyd isn't the best singer, though as long as she continues releasing catchy but obnoxious music, we probably aren't done seeing her face.



12. Chief Keef
--

13. Bridgit Mendler
The first word that pops into my head when I think of Bridgit Mendler is "sweet". Coincidentally, her first single, Ready of Not was everything sweet and cutesy.
I love Bridigit Mendler. I think that she is extremely talented, has a lot of potential, and down-to-earth. He music is plenty catchy and her voice has a lovely bite of vibrato. Many times, I think of Mendler as a young Demi Lovato. She is exceptionally pretty, and her voice is amazing.
You may be familiar with Mendler from the hit show, Good Luck Charlie where she stars as the humorous oldest sister, Teddy Duncan.


I hope that Mendler continues to work hard on her vocals, because just from her debut album you can tell she has a lot of future potential.




14. Miguelito
--

15. JoeyBada--
--

16. Tori Kelly
--

17. Martin Garrix
--

18. Mindless Behavior
--

19. Matty B.
--

20. Lee Hi
--

21.  Fifth Harmony
Last but not least is Fifth Harmony. Fifth Harmony is made up of 5 very sweet, and very pretty girls. Don't be fooled by their innocent faces though, because these 5 gals have killer vocals.
Fifth Harmony was formed during the 2nd Season of the American X Factor by singer Demi Lovato.
"They're really hyper when they're together." She told Ryan Seacrest during a radio interview by phone. If you want girl-power then jam Fifth Harmony, because this band is a true replica of "girl-power."
I think that Fifth Harmony is a very talented group of girls. They definitely have potential and I do hope that they won't get lost in the talented people founded by Simon Cowell.




Themed Post: Home for the Holidays.

Happy holidays! Since Christmas is only a few weeks away, I will be blogging about my families favorite Christmas music. In this post, I will feature our favorite artists and their holiday tunes that we enjoy when we're home for the holidays. Enjoy!

  • Michael Buble
  • The Carpenters
  • Straight No Chaser
  • Glee
  • Mannheim Steamroller
  • Trans Siberian Orchestra
Michael Buble is an all-time family favorite. Buble has an beautiful voice that I think sounds like rich, smooth, silky butter. It has somewhat of a Sinatra sound to it; therefor Buble's voice is the perfect sound to get you into the season of Christmas. My mom's favorite Michael Buble Christmas tune is his rendition of Ave Maria.


Carpenters is a group that my mom and Lauren and I grew up listening to. Their music is truly a classic sound, and to this day, whenever I hear one of their Christmas songs, I automatically think of my home during the chilly month of December. My mom's favorite Carpenter's Christmas tunes are (There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays and Merry Christmas Darling.


Straight No Chaser is one of my recent, personal favorites. This group is an a capella group consisting of ten, relatively young men. You may have heard their creative rendition of The 12 Days of Christmas that currently has over 16 million views on YouTube. My personal favorite songs that Straight No Chaser cover are The Nutcracker and of course, The 12 Days of Christmas.

 
As many of you may know, I have always been a fan of Glee. Particularly, the music though not the show itself. Currently, Glee has released 4 Christmas albums, all consisting of classic Christmas carols; some well-done, others not so much. My personal favorite Glee covers include Jingle Bells, I'll Be Home for Christmas, and any songs with Darren Criss.


Mannheim Steamroller is still a family favorite even after several years of faithful listening. Our entire family enjoys listening to instrumental Christmas cheer, and that will probably never alter. I remember dancing around our Christmas tree as a 7-year-old to Mannheim Steamroller. Like the Carpenters, these Christmas songs remind me of younger days (for me that was only a few years ago. Hahah!).


Last but not least, the Trans Siberian Orchestra. Lauren, in particular, enjoys their style of Christmas music because, "It's like rock Christmas--it's cool!" This Orchestra has amazing sounds and a unique musical style. Lauren's doesn't have any particular favorite song from this orchestra, but you can bet that they are high-up on her favorite Christmas music list.



I hope you enjoyed this list of Christmas music favorites! Do you have any music that reminds you of childhood memories? Do you have any Christmas music that you just simply enjoy?

Have an awesome weekend! Stay warm!

Christmas of '07

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