I got my current iPod in 2011, after my previous one fell and the screen broke, so these results don’t reflect my entire music history with an Apple product. I listen to a lot of music on the radio and CDs too, so this also doesn’t take those into account. To be honest, most of my top ten are stories and don’t necessarily mean that I love the song a million times over. A lot of them wouldn’t even be in my top ten favorite songs, but they’ve been played more than the 6,000 other songs on my iPod so that must mean something.

10. “Eyesore” by Maria Mena, played 59 times. I have approximately thirty or so songs that are about eating disorders, and this is one of them. It inspired one of my short stories, named after it in fact, and is actually beautifully written. This is such a heartbreaking song about a girl’s relationship with her body and anorexia, written by someone who has experienced those things. Maria Mena’s voice is gorgeous and this was what introduced me to her other works. It’s definitely worth a listen.
11. “Tomorrow Will Be Kinder” by The Secret Sisters, played 60 times. Most people will know this from its prominent placement on The Hunger Games soundtrack, but I’d actually heard this sad song before then. It’s what inspired and kept me going when I was writing my Harry Potter fan fiction, because it is that ‘sun will come out tomorrow’ mentality. The girls’ voices are lovely, the soft melody and tone bring that somber hope to it, and it automatically takes me back to all the hard work I put into that fan fiction.
12. “Smother” by Daughter, played 60 times. I’ve actually been a big Daughter fan for a while, and it is mostly because of her song “Landfill” but also “Smother.” This is another song that inspired a short story, also named after it. Her voice is just so full of yearning and the song really carries its message throughout. The album this is off of—Youth—is worth a million listens. She’s an artist I wish more people knew about, because she is a talented lyricist and singer of the Indie persuasion.
13. “Lonely Jaguar” by Charli XCX, played 62 times. This is the shortest song in the top ten at 1:51, but that’s because I downloaded this off the Internet when I heard it in the beautifully visual film Elfie Hopkins: Cannibal Hunter. So, yes, I can be a hipster when I say that I was listening to Charli XCX long before she was ‘cool’. It’s got such a cute, lullaby feel to it and it really shows off more to her as an artist other than the club-smashers she’s had out since. Another one of her songs “How Can I?” was also featured in the film, and is also worth a listen.
14. “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen, played 63 times. When your name is Karley, there aren’t a lot of musical artists with your name so you pay attention when someone does make it. Plus it helps that this song is super catchy and was very popular my senior year of high school. I will say that just because your name actually is Karley doesn’t mean writing your phone number and ‘call me maybe’ on a napkin and giving it to a cute waiter will work. Could just be me. Still, this is a fun, summertime song.
15. “The Rains of Castamere” by L’Orchestra Cinematique, played 64 times. Yes, I am a big Game of Thrones fan, and I couldn’t imagine how this song would sound when I was reading the books so hearing it on the show was an instant addiction. This is actually one version of three that I have on my iPod, but it’s my favorite. It’s slow, tense, and the deep vocals help give that somber tone that singing about a massacre should have. It’s really great to listen to in the rain. Every time this song comes on I’m transported to Westeros, staring at a golden lion on a flag waving in the wind.
16. “Safe and Sound” by Taylor Swift featuring The Civil Wars, played 70 times. I love Taylor Swift, and I love The Civil Wars, so when they released a collaboration for The Hunger Games soundtrack I was super happy. This is such a heartbreaking song, especially in context of the movie, but I made it more heartbreaking by making it my song choice for one of the saddest moments of my Harry Potter fan fiction. Like seriously, I was listening to this song while writing the scene and I cried for a few minutes after. It’s that powerful, and I think it’s a good example that not all of Taylor Swift’s songs are happy or about boys.
17. “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz, played 81 times. I first heard this song on my first trip to New Zealand in 2012 when my younger brother insisted I hear it. At first I was like, “What the hell is this?” and by the third time around I was in love. Thrift shops are some of my favorite places in the world, and this is their anthem. And, when I got a job at a thrift shop (which I’ll be returning to tomorrow) I played this song before every shift I started to get me pumped about selling secondhand stuff. It works, and this is definitely one of my top ten favorite songs as well.
18. “I Love It” by Icona Pop featuring Charli XCX, played 87 times. Thanks to my stepmother I was introduced to this catchy girl power anthem before it became huge. I listened to it a bunch of times on my first trip to NZ, and in the airport on the way home because I was sad about leaving and didn’t want to care. It’s such a powerful song and makes everything you do seem epic. Mopping? I love it! Walking? I don’t care! Shaving? I love it! Everything sounds great when listening to this song.
19. “My Skin” by Natalie Merchant, played 169 times. Now, I know that seems that a huge jump from 87 plays to that large number, but there’s a simple explanation. I used to listen to this song when I was sleeping as inspiration to lose weight. Yes, that’s both sad and silly, but it’s a slow, relaxing song about an eating disorder so it seemed like a good option at the time. Does it deserve its number one spot? Eh… It’s a wonderful song, but I don’t know if it deserves to be first place on my iPod. It’s also a wonder since it’s the longest song in the top ten at 5:33, but the piano and her vocals make it worth it. It’s slow, sad, and perfect to sleep to on occasion.

What are your most-played songs? Do they match up with your favorites or is there just a song that you once listened to on repeat and have never heard again?