A Year in Music with Kerin: 2011 (Part 1)

I will forever remember 2011 as the year I discovered Spotify, the equally beautiful gift and curse given to music lovers by the internet. Using this wonderful program I made playlist after playlist that I jammed out to all year. Here are some of my favorites that got put on repeat that I hope you'll check out for yourselves (It's really easy. With Spotify. I've even linked all of the songs to Spotify for you. TRY IT.)

So, in no particular order...

5 Songs I Found in 2011 That I Shamelessly Played on Repeat Because They Are Perfect In Every Way

• "I Wish" - Eisley.  The DuPree Sisters use their hauntingly beautiful voices to create unreal harmonies. If honey made sounds and had a broken heart, this is what it would sound like.

• "You Sleep Alone" - Hellogoodbye.  Gone are the days of techno-pop and autotune, thank god. Their album this year easily made my Top 10 as they transitioned (seemingly effortlessly) into folky pop. This song is upbeat and has hints of ska with a killer bassline.

• "If I Die Young" - The Band Perry.  This song was all over radio this year, but that was the crappy pop-turned-country edit. Listen to the original if you like The Dixie Chicks or Taylor Swift.

• "Pumped Up Kicks" - Foster The People. If you haven't heard this song you've been living under a rock. Peek your head out and fall in love with that bass line. Hot damn.

• "You & I" - Lady Gaga. I worship the ground Gaga lays for all other pop artists walks on and this song is astonishing. Since you've probably already heard this one, check out her solo-piano version on Youtube: