5:52: Who is Sasha Gradiva, why is she wearing guns, and …why is she wearing guns?!

5:55: Rebecca Black is at the Grammys. Arcade Fire who?

5:59: Former Kanye West piece of arm candy Amber Rose is dating Wiz Khalifa. That is like, the biggest downgrade in the history of mankind.

6:27: Nicki Minaj just arrived in some sort of Red Riding Hood-goes-Nun dress, along with the pope. Or something. What.

7:02: And we’re off! Bruce Springsteen giving an opening performance. Bit of a snoozer if we’re being honest. Yes, he’s important, but not exactly the bang-bang-bang opening performance that we’re used to.

7:05: LL Cool J is hosting. I had no idea. Opens with a prayer for his “fallen sister” Whitney Houston. So heartfelt.

7:10: LL Cool J calls Paul McCartney Sir OG. I am never referring to him as anything else other than Sir OG again.

7:08: They show a clip of Whitney performing “I Will Always Love You.” What. A. Voice. A standing ovation.

7:12: Bruno Mars is performing a song that I haven’t heard before. Hopefully Janelle Monae shows up.

7:14: Bruno Mars just swore on national television. I hope there’s a huge fake controversy like with M.I.A..

7:21: Bonnie Raitt and Alicia Keys take the stage. They both look stunning. They perform an Etta James tribute, singing “A Sunday Kind of Love.” Bonnie Raitt is absolutely sublime; Alicia started off shaky but has settled in nicely.

7:24: Adele wins her first Grammy of the show for “Someone Like You” for Pop Vocal Performance. SNL captured the effect of that song best in their skit.

7:26: Chris Brown is performing, and I would just like to remind everyone that he is a woman beater who should not be on the stage.

7:27: I have never heard this song. Chris Brown should be banned from the Grammys for life. The end. Uh. The stage is cool?

7:28: BREAKING: Chris Brown’s stupid dance thing lasted longer than the tribute to Etta James. That is disgusting, Grammys.

7:30: Oh, it’s Beautiful People. I have heard this song. PS: Chris Brown is a woman beater.

7:36: After commercial, Fergie and Marc Anthony present Best Rap Performance to OTIS BY KANYE AND JAY-Z, who aren’t there, because if you didn’t hear Beyonce just had a baby named Blue Ivy Carter.

7:37: REBA MCENTIRE TAKES THE STAGE! Apparently only to introduce Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, who sing their duet, Don’t You Wanna Stay.

7:40: I’m a Jason Aldean fan, but he doesn’t sound too great. Kelly sounds good, but then again, she did win a live singing competition, so it’s expected. Also, this duet is pretty average in terms of power country duets. Remind Me by Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley is better. Also I’m pretty sure Aldean’s mic just cut out. WHAT. Good work, Grammys.

7:48: Jack Black introduces Foo Fighters, makes fun of Bon Iver. Foo Fighters play, my television is muted.

7:52: AND IT GOES STRAIGHT TO COMMERCIAL AFTER THAT? Thanks for nothing, Grammys.

7:57: Rihanna and Coldplay perform together. She starts with a little acoustic We Found Love. And then the beat drops and it is really awesome and where did all these dancers come from?!

7:59: STILL NO COLDPLAY.

8:01: They played all of We Found Love before going into Princess of China. Chris Martin is playing guitar. Uh oh. Sit down, Chris Martin. At a piano or something. You’re so funny in motion.

8:02: Where is the rest of Coldplay?

8:03: Oh there they are! And Chris Martin is singing Paradise. And sitting at a piano. Much better.

8:12: NY Giants (and Super Bowl champs) Victor Cruz, Mario Manningham, and that stupid Zooey-lite girl from NCIS come out to present Best Rock Performance. Cruz salsas, of course. The coolest part of this category was finding out that The Decemberists were nominated for a Grammy! Foo Fighters win, of course. Instant mute!

8:16: Another SNAFU, as the voiceover lady introduces Ryan Seacrest while Foo Fighters are still giving a speech. Good work. Seacrest introduces The Beach Boys, who are performing with Maroon 5 and Foster the People.

8:18: This is pretty awful, Maroon 5. They’re singing Little Surfer Girl but I can only hear the backup singers.

8:20: They toss it over to Foster the People. The frontman looks terrified but he sounds good.

8:22: And now the Beach Boys actually sing. They are so old. They’re playing Good Vibrations, and this is my chance to reference Lost.

8:23: Seriously, Grammy sound people, TURN THE LEAD MIC UP.

8:24: Adam Levine isn’t even bothering singing into his mic anymore. That was a pretty… weird tribute. Maroon 5 sounded awful. Beach Boys sounded better and they’re like… 80 years old. Get it together, Adam Levine. Also poor Foster the People guy, nobody is gonna talk about how average you were because everyone is in shock that Adam Levine sucked.

8:31: Something about Trustees Awards. Steve Jobs gets a posthumous one.

8:31: Stevie Wonder is on stage, and he gets an instant standing O. He mentions Whitney. And he plays a Beatles song on the harmonica. And it is totally awesome. He then sings through his intro for Paul McCartney. You know, Sir OG. And Diana Krall and Joe Walsh too.

8:33: Sir OG looks remarkably like a parakeet. And sings something about a valentine. He sounds great.

8:36: Common and Taraji P. Henson (who looks incredible) salute Gil Scott-Heron and then present Best R&B Album. Please let it go to anyone but Chris Brown.

8:38: NO IT WENT TO CHRIS BROWN WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS WOMAN BEATER ON STAGE

8:39: The Civil Wars introduce Taylor Swift. And I enjoy it way more than I will enjoy Taylor Swift’s performance.

8:41: Taylor Swift has to realize the irony of performing Mean in front of the Grammys when they literally give her every award ever, right? They aren’t your critics, honey.

8:44: Taylor Swift has to have the biggest victim-complex in the history of mankind. Paging Kanye West.

8:51: Neil Patrick Harris comes on to present Song of the Year. The funniest part is how fast the voiceover lady has to read all the nominees. To no one’s surprise, Adele wins for Rolling in the Deep. Adele is still really cute. Can’t wait for her performance.

8:53: Apparently every movie LL Cool J had Kate Beckinsale in it. So he didn’t see any of the Oscar nominees. They introduce Katy Perry. Who performs E.T.. Which is not her current single. So uh. I don’t know why she’s doing it either.

8:54: And then in the middle of the performance “everything goes wrong” and Katy Perry goes into a ballad. That is probably about how she just got a divorce. She’s actually never sounded better.

8:56: I’m gonna assume she’s lip syncing, cause I am actually enjoying this a lot.

8:57: And Miranda Lambert, my favorite spunky country start comes out with Dierks Bentley. She’s married to one of the nominees (Blake Shelton). Taylor Swift didn’t win! I predicted the spoiler right! Thank goodness for Lady Antebellum!

8:59: Where is your surprised face now, Taylor?

9:05: Goop Queen Gwyneth Paltrow introduces Adele in her FIRST PERFORMANCE SINCE SURGERY. I might cry.

9:07: She’s performing Rolling in the Deep and she sounds amazing. Predictably so, but I’m thanking her doctors too right now.

9:10: At this point she’s just showing off. Best performance of the night so far. Raucous standing ovation, and a deserved one of that.

9:16: Taylor Swift is back to introduce the tribute to Glen Campbell, country legend. But ADELE.

9:18: The Band Perry is up first, and I am in a constant state of being upset that their most famous song is so bad, but the band are so good. Check out Independence if you consider yourself a country fan.

9:20: Blake Shelton performs too. This is all pretty great.

9:22: And now Glen Campbell is on for “Rhinestone Cowboy.” This is a pretty amazing performance for someone who just got diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. I can’t help but be a little sad at that. This is a great way to say goodbye before your retirement, though. Paul McCartney is enjoying it, too.

9:31: Tony Bennett and Carrie Underwood perform “It Had to Be You”. Someone mention Amy Winehouse for goodness’ sake. Body and Soul was SO GOOD. And I miss Amy. I miss her a lot.

9:34: Bon Iver win Best Artist. After all the things he said this week about the Grammys, I’m surprised Justin Vernon is even there. Paging Carles of Hipster Runoff. He gives a pretty good acceptance speech but it’s generally awkward. Also “sweet hookup” is the best way to describe getting a Grammy ever.

9:36: Oh good, the President of the Grammys. The most boring part of the Grammys (other than Foo Fighters).

9:40: And now the In Memoriam segment. Oh, Amy. Oh, Etta. Oh, Whitney. Oh, Heavy D. Steve Jobs. Clarence Clemons. Wow.

9:43: And Jennifer Hudson is on to sing I Will Always Love You for Whitney. Tears will be coming pretty fast now.

9:46: Flawfree. RIP Whitney. We truly will always love you, and your voice.

9:49: Uh, did they leave Etta James and Don Cornelius out of the In Memoriam video? That’s just unacceptable.

9:51: I’m actually really pissed off that they’re going from a flawless Whitney Houston tribute to CHRIS BROWN.

9:53: That is the worst scheduling in the history of awards shows. Lil Wayne and Foo Fighters and Deadmau5 and David Guetta dance thing? Whatever.

9:55: Who in the world wants Foo Fighters more than once?

9:57: This is longer than the Whitney Houston tribute. This is longer than the Etta James tribute. This is longer than the NONEXISTENT Amy Winehouse tribute. Also it’s weird that they didn’t get Skrillex for this cause uh, he actually won Grammys tonight.

10:05: Drake introduces Nicki Minaj, whose performance we are apparently going to be talking about tomorrow. She’s in a confessional booth doing the beginning of Roman’s Revenge. And it just said The Exorcism of Roman. What?

10:07: I think I will be talking about this tomorrow, actually. She’s trying to outGaga Gaga. Also is this a new song? Props for that, I guess?

10:09: Nicki needs to just stick to her really fast and clever rap thing. Her verse on Monster is legendary, but this is… sort of strange.

10:11: Last year’s winners Lady Antebellum get on stage to present Record of the Year to Queen Adele.

10:19: Diana Ross, Lifetime Achievement Winner, comes onstage to present Album of the Year. And it goes to Adele, for 21. Of course. She should have stayed on the stage. 2011 was truly the Year of Adele.

10:24: And Paul McCartney, Sir OG, closes the show. Would it really have been too much to ask for another Adele performance?

10:26: Overall, I feel like Adele and Jennifer Hudson were flawless vocally, and that was about it. Pretty bad show overall. But at least Adele is back.

Song of the Year

The Song of the Year award goes to the songwriter, and the songwriter alone.

Nominated this year are “Rolling in the Deep” (Adele), “Holocene” (Bon Iver), “Grenade” (Bruno Mars), “The Cave” (Mumford and Sons) and “All of the Lights” (Kanye West). Adele, who has spent 19 weeks atop the album charts, seems like she will dominate these awards. “Rolling in the Deep” was everywhere this year, and the songwriting is solid and catchy. I suppose Bruno Mars could be a spoiler here, but Adele is unstoppable.

Favorite: “Rolling in the Deep”
Spoiler: “Grenade”
Should have been nominated: “Countdown” by Beyoncé

Record of the Year

Nominated this year are “Rolling in the Deep” (Adele), “Holocene” (Bon Iver), “Grenade” (Bruno Mars), “Firework” (Katy Perry) and “The Cave” (Mumford and Sons).

Though this list is almost identical to the one above, the Record of the Year award actually goes to the producers and the artist. Once again, “Rolling in the Deep” looks like it was too big of a hit to ignore. The production is subtle, if unspectacular. If “Rolling in the Deep” somehow loses, “Firework” was a pretty big hit, and Katy Perry just got a divorce. Sympathy vote? The biggest surprise is a complete snub of the impeccable production of Kanye’s song.

Favorite: “Rolling in the Deep”
Spoiler: “Firework”
Should have been nominated: “All of the Lights” by Kanye West

Best New Artist

Nominated this year are The Band Perry, Bon Iver, J. Cole, Nicki Minaj and Skrillex. As per usual, the general public knew almost every single one of these artists before the Grammys recognized them as “new.” It seems like either Bon Iver or Nicki Minaj (who has industry support and powerful allies) should win. But last year, the Grammys threw conventional wisdom to the wind and chose unknown Esperanza Spalding over Justin Bieber and Florence + the Machine, each of whom deserved the award for different reasons. So, who knows? Maybe Skrillex will win.

Favorite: Tossup between Bon Iver and Nicki Minaj
Spoiler: The Band Perry
Should have been nominated: The Weeknd

Album of the Year

Nominated are “21” (Adele), “Doo-Wops & Hooligans” (Bruno Mars), “Wasting Light” (Foo Fighters), “Born This Way” (Lady Gaga) and “Loud” (Rihanna). Yet again, Adele looks to triumph. “21” sold the most copies (and consistently still tops the charts, almost a year after its release). In addition, critics respected it. “Born This Way” had a stellar debut but fizzled out, and it hasn’t received nearly as much radio play as Lady Gaga’s previous efforts. The most curious nomination is Rihanna, who is more known for her singles than for her actual album. And who even knew Foo Fighters put out another album?

There are several albums that deserved nominations more than most of this category, such as Beyoncé’s “4” and Kanye’s “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”—both daring and career-best efforts from two of America’s best modern artists. However, it is a pleasant surprise that Taylor Swift’s “Speak Now” was not nominated.

Favorite: “21” by Adele
Spoiler: “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga
Should have been nominated: “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” by Kanye West

Rap Album

Nominated are “Watch the Throne” (Jay-Z & Kanye West), “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” (Kanye West), “Tha Carter IV” (Lil Wayne), “Lasers” (Lupe Fiasco) and “Pink Friday” (Nicki Minaj). It’s Kanye-on-Kanye action, and I hope it doesn’t lead to him being snubbed for both his career-best work on “MBDTF” and one of the greatest rap collaboration albums of all time (“Watch the Throne”). Kanye’s nomination for Song of the Year for “All of the Lights” points to a little more support for that effort, so it is the de facto “favorite” in another tossup.

Favorite: Kanye
Spoiler: Anyone who isn’t Kanye.
Should have been nominated: If there was a way for all 5 slots to belong to Kanye, he would deserve all of them.

Country Album

Nominated are “Red River Blue” (Blake Shelton), “Here for a Good Time” (George Strait), “My Kinda Party” (Jason Aldean), “Own the Night” (Lady Antebellum) and “Speak Now” (Taylor Swift). Taylor Swift is always unstoppable at the Grammys. She’s like Meryl Streep if Meryl Streep won for every nomination. And if Meryl Streep acted extremely surprised when she won. And if Meryl Streep was awful. Basically, Taylor Swift for the win in this category. Nothing else could happen. Lady Antebellum won a lot of Grammys for “Need You Now,” though, so maybe they can pull off an upset.

Favorite: “Speak Now” by Taylor Swift
Spoiler: “Own the Night” by Lady Antebellum
Should have been nominated: Is “Not Taylor Swift” an option?

For fans of

The Script, Snow Patrol, OneRepublic

Singles to download

“Heartbeat,” “The Fighter,” “Run for Your Life,” “1961”

Denver-based pop-rock band The Fray is known for its massive choruses, catchy hooks and lead singer Isaac Slade’s heart-wrenching vocals. With the release of The Fray’s third album, “Scars and Stories,” it seems that not much has changed. The band, popular for chart toppers like “Over My Head (Cable Car),” “You Found Me” and everyone’s favorite sing-along “How to Save a Life,” doesn’t deviate much from the formula for its latest offering. This results in a solid, if slightly tedious, album.

The best song on the album is the first track, “Heartbeat,” which is also the first single. Although this may be because it sounds so similar to the band’s previous hits, this doesn’t lessen the fact that it is catchy and passionate. It’s a bit of a shame, as the rest of the LP never quite manages to live up to the uplifting emotionality of its first song. In fact, the album seems to gradually decline in quality, with the majority of the best songs lumped towards the beginning. For example, second track “The Fighter” is a powerfully written song with lilting melodies, a soaring chorus and expressive lyrics following the narrative of a boxer and his lover. The songwriting on this album is impressive, with many songs taking on a story, like the fast-paced anthem “1961.” However, as the album progresses, it begins to fall into rather safe and boring territory, with ballads that never really lift off the ground, such as “I Can Barely Say” and “Be Still.” It is a rather disappointing finish for such a strongly started album.

Certainly, The Fray’s particular brand of piano-driven pop-rock is always palatable and catchy. But as the album stretches on, the songs begin to merge into undifferentiated, albeit pleasant, mush. Die-hard fans and casual listeners should be happy with “Scars and Stories,” but it is merely a step in the same direction for The Fray.

Courtesy of Gym Class Heroes

Rap-rock band Gym Class Heroes (above) will be headlining this year’s WUStock.

Though Gym Class Heroes first joined together in upstate New York in the late ’90s, it wasn’t until 2004 that the band found its current form. Now, the rap-rock group consists of McCoy, McGinley, lead guitarist Disashi Lumumba–Kasongo and bass guitarist Eric Roberts. Gym Class Heroes consistently break genre barriers by combining hip-hop, R&B, rap and funk into one cohesive sound.

Gym Class Heroes released their first major-label album, “The Papercut Chronicles,” in 2005. After two more studio releases, the band decided to take a break, allowing McCoy to pursue a solo career. After a few top-notch collaborations with stars like Bruno Mars on “Billionaire,” McCoy rejoined his band in 2011. They released hit “Stereo Hearts” with Adam Levine last summer and dropped their most recent album, “The Papercut Chronicles II,” in October of 2011.

CS40 uses a somewhat complicated method to decide whom to bring to WUStock. Sophomore Bailey Breems, CS40 Swamp Committee chair, described the process: The committee “narrowed it down to 10 [bands], based on availability, budget, and reviews of the bands.” After that, the [Swamp] Committee narrowed it down to five choices, which were then offered in a student vote.

The students came out strong for Gym Class Heroes, who won the vote by more than five percentage points.

Last year, CS40 brought in indie duo Matt & Kim as the headliners, and the event was a huge success. Will this year’s event have such a good turnout?

“We do hope that WUStock will continue to grow every year,” Breems said. “It’s a relatively new event.”

Whether or not 2012’s WUStock will top last year’s show, Gym Class Heroes will bring amazing energy to the Swamp when they come to visit. Student bands will also perform at WUStock, and the full lineup will be revealed in the coming weeks.

The unorthodox beats she creates and the lyrics she writes aren’t even the most fascinating thing about M.I.A. She was born to political refugees of Sri Lanka’s civil war, and her father was absent for most of her life. She feuded with a writer for The New York Times over truffle fries. She was denied a work visa to the United States once. And yet, she’s overcome all of that to become a Grammy and Oscar nominee and a mother to son Ihkyd. While her story isn’t exactly a rags-to-riches tale, her career path is rich with material to draw from. The daughter of a seamstress and a rebel became one of the world’s biggest female rap stars, and now she is engaged to an heir of a powerful Jewish family. That is more compelling than almost every other current top-ten artist’s story combined.

The album, currently untitled, will be her fourth, after two critically acclaimed efforts (“Arular” and “Kala”) and an underrated, complex and sometimes-incomprehensible third album, “Maya.” The “Maya” era was perhaps the most tumultuous in her career, as everyone wanted another “Paper Planes,” and she gave them some of the most radio-unfriendly music she had ever made. One of her music videos, “Born Free,” was banned from YouTube, and she gave an interview that made her look awful, privileged and desperate. In late 2010, she released a mixtape, “Vicki Leekx,” which sounded similar to both “Maya” and “Kala” and was viewed as a welcome return.

The new album is due out sometime in the summer. The lead single, “Bad Girls,” had already been released as a song on “Vicki Leekx,” but the production has been refined and the lyrics improved for the new album. It has a sublime hook: “Live fast, die young / Bad girls do it well.” The music video, released on Feb. 3rd, by French director Romain Gavras has attracted more buzz on the Internet than her collaboration with Madonna and Nicki Minaj. The video is set in a Middle Eastern country and features some amazing car stunts, including one in which M.I.A. sits on the door of a car driving on only two wheels, filing her nails. If Romain Gavras ever directs a “Fast and Furious” movie, I will be first in line for that ticket. M.I.A. was also featured on Madonna’s new song “Give Me All Your Luvin’,” which will get more radio play than “Bad Girls,” a fact inexplicable to anyone with ears. She gets nothing more than a short verse on the song, but it is the highlight, with a welcome callback to “Paper Planes.” It’s been almost three years since it seemed like M.I.A. was everywhere with that song. Perhaps that is a good omen of things to come this year.

Many reviews of Lana Del Rey’s “Born to Die” have been released already, and they seem to focus on whether or not she’s a true indie songstress or a just label-created pop product. I, however, think she can be a fusion of the two, as not all pop has to be dance-y Britney beats and ballads. Lana Del Rey’s brand of pop instead recalls earlier times. She also has the backing of a major label, so, in that sense, she isn’t indie.

All of Del Rey’s songs have the right mix of her sultry voice, decadent lyrics and wonderful production. “Born to Die” is a decidedly American celebration of excess; Del Rey is a sort of Daisy Buchanan-incarnate. Many have unfairly criticized her lyrics for their shallow, material desire, yet albums from rappers like Kanye West and Drake escape this criticism, despite similar content. I’m not ready to call this sexism, but I will call it unwarranted. Some have called her lyrics clichéd, but when she references the Hamptons or Bacardi, it’s refreshing to hear declarations of wealth that don’t inspire a quick Google search.

The tracks released on the Internet before the album dropped still rank among her best, but the new ones are worth a spin (or several) as well. Special edition bonus track “Lucky Ones” sounds almost like a slowed-down riff on Lily Allen’s “Chinese,” with a dash of dreary. Her catchiest song is “National Anthem,” designed for summer drives to the beach while blaring out lyrics like “Money is the anthem…God you’re so handsome.” A swaying beat and Del Rey’s breathy voice makes “Million Dollar Man” sound more like a cover of a Patsy Cline standard than a song from 2011. Best in show is “Dark Paradise,” which might sound like the titular “Born to Die,” but the song’s theme of fear of loss gives it an extra dimension. The album isn’t perfect, but almost every song grows on you, regardless of the first impression—and really, isn’t that how music should be?

1. “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” John Lennon and Yoko Ono & the Plastic Ono Band: It’s an emblematic Christmas song with a good message so it makes you feel good about yourself and the holiday.

2. “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” Burl Ives: This is such a playful song that you can’t help but get into the holiday spirit.

3. “White Christmas,” Bing Crosby: Released in 1949, this is a classic that has stood the test of time. Crosby paints the ideal image of Christmas – what person wouldn’t dream of such a whimsical holiday?

4. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” Brenda Lee: This song is upbeat and bound to bring out your holiday spirit. I have to say, however, that Miley Cyrus’ version is enjoyable as well, adding a bit of a rock-and-roll to this classic.

5. “All I Want For Christmas,” Mariah Carey: This has to be my favorite Christmas song of all time. While alternate versions are enjoyable, Carey’s still reigns supreme.

6. “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” Jackson 5: This version perfectly marries pop and holiday music. For a rock-and-roll quality version, turn to Bruce Springsteen’s rendition.

7. “The Hanukkah Song,” Adam Sandler: Not to forget about Hanukkah, this song employs a humorous tone to educate people about the Jewish winter holiday. Sandler, himself Jewish, lists some Jews such as Kirk Douglas, James Caan, Harrison Ford (he’s ¼ Jewish) and Goldie Hawn (she’s ½ Jewish). He introduced a Jewish song in the face of the countless Christmas ditties.

8. “Step Into Christmas,” Elton John: This song is a perfect burst of energy to any Christmas playlist.

9. “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You),” Nat King Cole: This is another classic that deserves inclusion on any playlist.

10. “Last Christmas,” Taylor Swift: Taylor Swift can do no wrong. Off her Christmas album, “Last Christmas” exemplifies her ability to take a classic and make it her own with great success.

11. “Frosty the Snowman” and “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”: No matter which rendition, these songs are bound to invoke childhood memories of the holidays. Let’s face it: we love these figures and it’s hard not to get in the holiday spirit and smile as we hear these songs.

12. “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)”: This song is cute and amusing.  However, I wouldn’t recommend having this song on repeat, as I’m sure the squeaky chipmunk voices can get quite irksome.

Chill Playlist
Super stressed about an exam or paper? Put on this playlist. It’s designed to calm you down and provides pleasant background noise that’s not too overwhelming.
1. Colbie Caillat: “What If”
2. Sara Bareilles: “Uncharted” or “King of Anything”
3. Taylor Swift: Honestly, you can’t go wrong with any Taylor Swift song, so take your pick or add multiple. I know I’m content just listening to T-Swift as I study sometimes.
4. Adele: “Someone Like You”
5. Rascal Flatts and Natasha Bedingfield: “Easy”
6. Kelly Clarkson: “Mr. Know It All”
7. Parachute: “She (For Liz)”

Energy-infused Playlist
Need motivation to keep studying for hours on end? This is basically your Top 40 playlist, designed to keep you energized and pump you up. Or if this one doesn’t work, just find Barney’s pump-up mix from “How I Met Your Mother.” One will surely do the trick.
1. Katy Perry: “The One That Got Away” or “Hummingbird Heartbeat”
2. Lady Gaga: “The Edge of Glory”
3. Rihanna (feat. Calvin Harris): “We Found Love”
4. Nicki Minaj: “Super Bass”
5. David Guetta and Usher: “Without You”
6. Maroon 5 (feat. Christina Aguilera): “Moves Like Jagger”
7. Selena Gomez: “Love You Like a Love Song”
8. Beyonce: “Love on Top”
9. Gym Class Heroes (feat. Adam Levine): “Stereo Heart”
10. Dev: “In the Dark”

Lyric-less Playlist
This playlist is ideal for those who prefer instrumentals or are distracted by song lyrics when studying.
1. Classical music: Choose your favorite aria.
2. Movie scores: For this playlist, I recommend picking your favorite movies and looking up their scores. For example, I often listen to the “Love Actually” score when I’m studying but don’t want the distraction of lyrics. Plus, by picking a favorite movie’s score, you’ll be reminded of moments in the movie, which is bound to put a smile on your face, or at least put you in a happy state of mind.
3. Instrumentals of your favorite songs: Great choices, if you can find them. Don’t spend too much time searching, though.
4. Music in another language: You can have lyrics, but you won’t actually understand them. Therefore, they can’t be distracting!

Christmas Playlist
Hoping to pass the time by getting in the Christmas spirit? Then this playlist is for you.
1. Mariah Carey: “All I Want for Christmas Is You”
2. Glee: “Extraordinary Merry Christmas”
3. Taylor Swift: “Christmas Must Be Something More”
4. Jackson 5: “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”
5. Celine Dion: “O Holy Night”
6. Justin Bieber: “Mistletoe”
7. Britney Spears: “My Only Wish (This Year)”

Soundtrack Playlist
Feeling sentimental or need words of encouragement? Then showtunes will probably be your best bet. Here are some of my favorite songs from musicals and movies.
1. Wicked: “Defying Gravity”
2. Disney: There are so many quality Disney songs to choose from that are guaranteed to put you in a positive state of mind. They’re fun and bring back childhood memories. A good choice to make you less stressed and more cheerful as you plod through all the studying. For extra cheer, find that wonderful “Mulan” tune.
3. Rent: “Seasons of Love”
4. Hairspray: “You Can’t Stop The Beat”
5. Les Miserables: “On My Own” is a great song to listen to when you’re locked in the library at 3:55 a.m., essentially alone. Going solo all the way.
6. Simon and Garfunkel: “Mrs. Robinson”
7. The theme song from “Friends”: “I’ll Be There For You”
8. The theme song from “Cheers”: “Where Everybody Knows Your Name.” While you may not have watched “Cheers,” this song is very comforting and thus made the list.
9. Glee’s version of “Don’t Stop Believin’”: Don’t stop believing that you can and will make it through finals. What better than “Glee” to inspire you to go the extra mile and achieve the best grade you can?

Aubrey Drake Graham, more commonly known as Drake, has now almost become rap royalty. Many major hip-hop and R&B artists have collaborated with him, and his debut album, “Thank Me Later,” sold a million and a half copies with only one top 10 single. His new album, “Take Care,” has already spawned two hit singles: “Headlines” and “Make Me Proud,” which features Nicki Minaj.

As a whole, the album just seems very “Drake.” The rapper is introspective, dark and vulnerable as he explores his newfound fame and his past relationships. “Take Care” is creative, but it also stays in what has become Drake’s lane of rapping and singing his deepest emotions. The rapper has said that this album was less about creating radio hits and more about telling stories, and there’s no doubt that he delivered on his word. Songs like “Marvins Room,” “Look What You’ve Done” and “Over My Dead Body” display Drake’s uncanny ability to lay a story out in front of his listeners.

On the other hand, his album isn’t without its catchy moments. One of the best songs on the album, the title track “Take Care,” features an all-too-catchy hook from his “What’s My Name” collaborator, Rihanna. Far from the only guest, Rihanna is also joined on the album by Lil Wayne, André 3000, Kendrick Lamar, Birdman, Nicki Minaj and R&B newbie The Weeknd—who appears on five songs. The Weeknd is featured on another one of the better songs, “Crew Love,” which blends the singer’s musical style with Drake’s. While “Thank Me Later” was great, “Take Care” is even better as Drake expands the storytelling abilities that we have come to love.

Not one to leave its old music alone, Chicago heavy metal band Disturbed just released “The Lost Children” while on hiatus. The album, featuring B-sides and covers, fits into Disturbed’s recognizable style: riffs are aggressive and groovy, and the vocalist employs a percussive singing style that goes along with the beat. This makes the band’s music very arena-friendly and good for working out to as well. The album, however, is nothing more than what it is: a collection of B-sides, or songs that are not remarkable enough to be included on Disturbed’s other albums. This means that virtually none of the songs stand out much from the crowd.

Listening to this album, you will get a good idea of why these songs were rejected. The album opener, “Hell,” is a typical Disturbed song. It is aggressive, macho and groovy, with a soaring melodic chorus, but it’s the same formula that worked for many Disturbed hits like “Ten Thousand Fists” and “Indestructible.” “Old Friend” is a song that is pleasant to listen to, with an empowering message and a good chorus. Overall, though, it is quite difficult to find inspiring and outstanding songs on this album, because if they were that good, they would’ve been on the regular albums. If you are a fan and can’t get enough of Disturbed, this is your album. If not, look away.