While writing this post up, I went down a rabbit hole of 2000s music that I had completely forgotten about but made me really happy! So enjoy some random honorable mentions before we start:
Day 14 – A song you like that uses an unconventional instrument
Berryz工房 – あなたなしでは生きてゆけない
I read this prompt and immediately though of the weird wind instrument-y riff from this song! I swear I listen to Japanese pop that’s not super corny, I swear!
(Oh my God, I’m re-watching this video now and I feel really icky about it! I swear, I am their age! I was also, like, 12 years old when I was listening! I can’t speak for everyone else! God, listening to idol music make me feel like such a creep now!)
Honorable mentions: I really couldn’t think of another one! Every time, I think about this prompt, I start thinking about this riff again. Gah!
Day 16 – A song that’s fun to scream along to
Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
I’m pretty sure I already spent half of my freshman year of college singing this song at the top of my lungs. I was so obsessed with this song that my roommate even gave me one of my favorite birthday presents ever: these business cards!
Honorable mentions: Say Anything – Every Man Has a Molly (I know I used this one already, but I couldn’t resist! I have screamed along to this song, and it’s fun!)
Day 19 – A song you’d play for your haters
Kacey Musgraves – High Horse
Do I have a specific person in mind whenever I listen to this song? OF COURSE I DO.
(I’m not a fan of this music video though, which is a shame!)
Honorable mentions: Lily Allen – Smile (apparently I love a white girl diss track – who knew?)
Day 20 – A song everyone loves but you can’t stand
Doja Cat – Say So
I learned that Dr. Luke produced this song before listening to it for the first time, so now I can’t bring myself to enjoy it!
This is really complicated, because I can still listen to Kesha’s older stuff (Ke$ha-era, if you will) and Kim Petras and haven’t even done my research to see who else should be “tainted” in the same way. I even heard about and really enjoyed Doja Cat’s song “Go To Town” and don’t feel weird about listening to that song. But now that I know about Dr. Luke and “Say So”, I can’t listen to any of her other songs! It sucks because this song has all the makings of a song that I should LOVE, too!
There’s a lot for me to unpack there – maybe that’s fodder for another post?
Honorable mentions: I’m sure there are more, but it’s been a long time since I’ve been around other humans that I’m not even sure what they like anymore??? The only thing I could think of was a similar example of a song that I still enjoy while still acknowledging that the artist is a bad person and not allowing myself to enjoy to any of their newer music: Chris Brown – Yo (Excuse Me Miss)
Day 23 – A song you love that’s an opening track on an album
Ariana Grande – Honeymoon Avenue
I once heard another woman perform this song with perfect enunciation and, wow, it feels like a completely different song when the words are clear! (And yes, I do sing “HANEYMOO” when I sing along to this… by myself…)
I love a dramatic, romantic ballad, and that first couple of seconds is the chef’s kiss of album openers. I’m pretty bummed that Ariana isn’t a huge fan of her first two albums – I understand that they’re not the type of music she wants to make now, but they’re still bangers!
Honorable mentions: Maroon 5 – Harder to Breathe (tell me that those opening drum hits don’t get you hyped up!), Franz Ferdinand – Jacqueline (another that I’ve already used but couldn’t resist – I used to own this CD and have fond memories of seeing this CD start spinning and hearing Alex Kaparanos croon “Jacqueline was seventeen, working at a desk, when Iver…“), Carly Rae Jepsen – Run Away With Me (I love this song so much but didn’t realize it was the opening track of EMOTION until it was trending the other day! WHAT!)
Trisha Serquina 
Hi Trisha! Thanks a lot for following Thoughts of SheryL!
You have a great blog! 🙂