*2000′s* Which Song Sums Up The Decade For You?

NPR’s Monitor Mix Blog’s Question of The Day was this: Which Song Sums Up The Decade For You?

{omg. we’re gonna start a new decade!!}

I can’t just choose one. My life has always revolved around music, especially in the early 2000′s when I interned at Virgin Records and a local radio station. I was in college when this decade began, holy crap!

Here’s a list I’ve compiled of the top songs that will always make me think of the 2000′s. These aren’t necessarily the top hits of the decade; these are songs that are reflective of the memories I had and the life I lived from 2000-2009. In no particular order, here are the songs that sum up the 2000′s for me:

*OKAY* I still love John Mayer—”Battle Studies” Review

This is the first CD I’ve purchased in years. I bought “Try!” through iTunes and that doesn’t really count (as you can tell by my Sharpie-fied burnt CD above).

The last actual Mayer CD I bought was “Continuum” and that was purchased at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum back in 2006. It was the a great soundtrack to a solo road trip across Middle America. I loved it instantly. Maybe it was because of my circumstances (being away from home, not wanting to be away from home, driving alone across Ohio, listening to lyrics like Stop this train, I want to get off and go home again that seemed to match the ache in my heart). Maybe because I already knew some of the songs from Trio. Maybe because it was better.

Mayer’s latest, “Battle Studies,” will probably grow on me. I can’t say that I love it, but my landscape is definitely different—after work today, I drove to Target, bought the CD and listened to a couple songs while stuck in traffic. Definitely not the romantic lonely road trip I had three years ago.

The lyrics didn’t stick, either. Unlike “Continuum,” “Battle Studies” doesn’t seem to have the heavy thought and weight of songs like “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” nor does it have anything as simplistically genius as “Gravity.” Some of the best art comes from pain, so maybe Mayer’s been a bit happier and a little less nervous about his “stupid mouth” these days? Nothing wrong with that.

Despite the lack of instant love, hearing a Mayer song I’ve never heard before is always a treat. He incorporates very familiar-sounding guitar riffs (are they called riffs?) into his songs that kind of make the songs sound like classic Mayer while still sounding different. Here’s a quick breakdown of my thoughts on the songs of “Battle Studies”:

Heartbreak Warfare Sounds like U2′s “Pride (In the Name of Love).”

All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye Beatle-ish. Like it belongs in the “Across the Universe” soundtrack. Those chords actually sound very “Across the Universe”-ish to me.

Half Of My Heart Love this song. I’m a sucker for Mayer’s poppy pop songs, and this one of the poppier songs on the album. Reminiscent of “Only Heart” from “Heavier Things.” I’m also a sucker for anything twang-y. Good choice with Taylor Swift. That guitar part makes me think of Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer.”

Who Says Makes me think of “Stop This Train.” I like the quiet percussion.

Perfectly Lonely Love this song, too, for the same reasons I like “Half Of My Heart.”

Assassin Eh. Are those xylophones? Xylophones make me think of Grey’s Anatomy (or any Sia- or Feist-type song that could be on the Grey’s soundtrack).

Crossroads I know this is a cover of a cover and I’m wondering why the cover isn’t of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.”

War Of My Life This is very Bonnie Raitt “Nick of Time” for me.

Edge Of Desire I think this will grow on me. I’m not into it right now, but I’m sure I’ll love it.

Do You Know Me The guitar picking/plucking sound and the notes he uses sound very Asian to me. I think of bamboo, raindrops and subdued cool mornings.

Friends, Lovers Or Nothing I don’t think I’ve ever been a superfan of any of Mayer’s final songs.

Conclusion: For all the immature, weird and blatantly obnoxious tweets he posts, Mayer’s “Battle Studies” has an uncomplicated, un-complex maturity about it. But, in his more immature years, with lyrics about the confusion and anxieties of life, growing up and moving away, his music had more depth and maybe that’s why I liked his earlier albums more. Knowing that you could relate to the fears of John Mayer equaled a great album.

I’m pretty sure I’ll grow to love this album so don’t hold me to my “almost three stars” rating. I’m almost 100% we’ll be hearing “Half Of My Heart” and “Perfectly Lonely” at Barnes and Noble and airports within the next few years.