For some reason lately, I’ve been on a real retro kick when it comes to my iPod. Looking back at my most ‘recently played’ list, every song comes from 1985 and before….and I wasn’t even born then. What can I say? I guess the combo of my recent break up and finals season makes me nostalgic.

Which brings us to this week’s pick….which may be a bit, uh, obvious? I mean, who doesn’t love The Beatles? Or, now that they’re on iTunes, not already have their entire catalog on their iPod?

Whatever. I figured this could be my opportunity to not only share my favorite Beatles album with you all, but also my favorite album of all time: Rubber Soul

About the Band: This category just seems silly for this band, so instead of giving you the usual rundown on John, Paul, George and Ringo, I thought I’d share some fun trivia. Did you know that while Paul was known as the lefty of the group, Ringo was left handed as well? When he joined the band, though, they only had a right handed set, so he just adapted.

Top 3 Tracks:

Norwegian Wood

Michelle

In My Life

Why You Should Listen to It:
There’s a reason the Beatles are known as the greatest band ever, and it’s because they were musical geniuses. Like all of their albums, Rubber Soul has a song for every mood, but mainly, this is my go-to album whenever I want to just chill out and relax. The best thing about it, though: you can sing along to every song on here, which is what we all need after a long day of studying, after a killer exam or when we’re packing up our things to go home at the end of another long and memorable school year.

Want more awesome iPod suggestions?

Last week was kind of dull, and this week isn’t much better I’m sorry to say. Personally, I was okay with another quiet week since it’s midterm time, and I got the chance to keep up with my studies and happy hour specials. Knowing those crazy celebrities, the shizz will all hit the fan next week at the same time.

42″ HD Flatscreen with HBO package

1. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s brother, “Burning Dan” Gordon-Levitt, passed away this week at the age of 36. He taught what is known as flow arts, which is a combination of dance, yoga, meditation, and preforming arts. Dan even started a school in Los Angeles for flow arts. The cause of death is still not known. This is so sad and our thoughts are with his friends and family.

2. Juliette Lewis’ car was totalled in a hit-and-run accident this week! She was hospitalized, and thankfully, she’s okay and was released. Police found a suspect car and impounded it. No more information has been released. We’re glad Juliette is alright!

3. The supposed other woman in the Ashton Kutcher scandal claims him and Demi have an open marriage! She said that Demi was mad because she wasn’t involved. According to Brittney Jones, Ashton can sleep with other women as long as it’s a threesome with Demi. Um, what? Sounds like crazy talk to me.

4. Everyone knows the pop tart, Justin Bieber. But do you know the man, Justin Bieber? There is a 35-year-old Florida man whose real name is Justin Bieber, he’s been bombarded with phone calls and fan mail. He even got kicked off Facebook for using a fake name. Poor guy!

5. The Glee cast topped the Beatles record for most charted songs for a group! The Beatles held the record at 71 songs, but those Gleeks have bumped them into second place with 75 songs and counting! The cast has sold nearly three million albums, and their fabulousness continues every week. Keep it up Gleeks!

9″ Old TV with VCR

1. Wilmer Valderrama, aka Fez, will star in a comedy for ABC that includes a “musical component”. Hmm, interesting!

2. Chelsea Handler and 50 Cent? Maybe, maybe not. The funny lady denied claims that she’s dating Fiddy, but sources saw them canoodling this week. We shall see!

3. Eva Longoria is set to host the MTV Europe Music Awards in Madrid on November 7th! Awesome!

4. Mark Zuckerberg took his Facebook staff to see The Social Network! Ha!

5. Check out these sexy Harry Potter posters for Part 1 of the Deathly Hallows!

We all place a large emphasis on our dorm room decor. And we should; how we live says a lot about us to everyone who passes through. And what’s sending the biggest message? The poster. People can learn a lot about you from what you hang on the wall and college students know it, which explains the abundance of poster sales that invade the student center every season.

Are you a refined pearl-wearing girl like Audrey, or super stoner like the Bob Marley?
Maybe the ever-classic Animal House poster is more your style (if your style includes a beer bong and five year plan).

Pay attention and you’ll notice the same rotation of prints appearing on dorm doors and scuffed white walls all over campus.  What?  You thought that motivational poster was unique?  Yeah, good luck defining your undergrad identity one Abbey Road poster at a time…

You wanna stand out this Fall? Avoid hanging one of these 10 cliche posters over your bunk bed.

initiating the gallery...

Normally for the Weekly 10, I find myself counting down things that piss me off. You know, like phrases that suck and uninspired Halloween costumes. So I’ve decided to give you a mix tape for putting up with me airing my grievances Letterman-style.

However, this mixtape is extra mixy. I present to you: my top ten favorite mashups. Wikipedia defines a mashup as, “a song or composition created by blending two or more songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the music track of another.”  Basically smushing two songs together to make an even cooler one.

Yeah, I was inspired by last week’s episode of Glee; how could you not be? That show is so. damn. good.

Let me know if I missed any other greatness.

10. “Womanizer” Britney Spears & Lily Allen
Even if she “retired from music,” I still  heart Lily Allen and Britney will always have a special place in my heart. Mixing a little Lily with a lot of Womanizer lyrics? Spice Girls have nothing on fierce duo.

9. “Bittersweet Dirt Off Your Shoulder” Jay-Z & The Verve
Cruel Intentions finale song plus my fave, Jay? I’ll take it.

8. “Live Your Life, Punk” T.I., Rihanna & Vampire Weekend (Mixed by Party Ben)
Vampire Weekend and T.I.? Please tour together. I’d go. And I’d be very, very happy.

7.“Love LockDown Day N’ Nite” Kanye West & Kid Cudi
For the conflicted scenester/rapper in all of us.

6. “Halo and Walking on Sunshine” Performed by the cast of Glee.
The very song that inspired me to spend 6 hours searching for other mashups online and create this splendid list.

5. “Every Car You Chase” The Police & Snow Patrol (Mixed by Party Ben)
Unexpectedly amazing.

4. “Hotel Room Game” Lady Gaga & Pitbull
Yes, Lady Gaga is a crazy biatch. We love her anyway. We also love Pitbull. And he loves us back. Two super catchy pop songs, one even catchier mash-up.

3. Anything off the Grey album
Black Album (Jay-Z) + White Album (The Beatles) = Incredible. I guess that’s what happens when you put two music legends together. I love the song, “What More Can I Say” with “As My Guitar Gently Weeps,” but the whole album is simply amazing. Gotta love Dangermouse.

2. Girl Talk
Every song rules, can’t pick just one; Gregg Gillis is all kinds of brilliant.

1 and a half. “Stand Up and Ring My Doorbell” White Stripes and Ludacris (Mashed by DJ Riko)
Because I couldn’t narrow it down to just ten, especially when Ludacris is involved. Sick beat.

1. “Can I Get Get Low” Lil’ Jon and Junior Senior
Okay, so I may be a little biased because “Get Low” might be my song if I were to do a wedding “Forever” style. Kidding. Sorta. But seriously, blend this throwback Lil Jon with the bouncy Junior Senior and you get perfection. Not to mention it makes Lil Jon slightly more tolerable for people who don’t understand his artistic genius.

Wait. Hugh Hefner was married?!

Is that what they teach at Catholic colleges?

The Real Housewives of Atlanta put Ellen in the middle.

The best workout tool ever? We think so.

Simon Cowell is too good for The Beatles.

Who dares cross Tyra Banks!?

We’re back with another edition of G.W.W…

…well, sort of.

I’ve got a healthy libido and a short attention span, so my celeb crush turnover rate is pretty high. But every once in a blue moon, my ever-wandering eye is caught by someone so despicable, so nasty, my sexual drive is dashed in an instant.  This week, let’s talk about a G.W.D.W.E. (Guy We Don’t Wanna Eff)–Phil Spector.

Phil’s career as a music producer is perhaps as illustrious as they come–he’s worked with The Ramones, The Righteous Brothers, and The Beatles.  But just last month, he was sentenced to 19 years to life for the murder of  Lana Clarkson.  Witnesses at his trial said he had a ghoulish habit of “bullying” women with guns.  Great songwriter? Maybe. Soulless, gun-wielding psycho? Definitely.

But the pièce de résistance of Spector’s uneffable resume is his God-awful  puffball hairdo. Seriously? Look at this thing! It looks like someone stuck his pecker in a socket and transplanted his putrid pubes onto his head. Looking at this photo for more than three consecutive seconds triggers my vom-in-my-mouth reflex. Yuck! And worst of all, the ‘do is a wig! Spector has been known over the years to fancy all sorts of alternative hairstyles, but this one takes the fashion-disaster cake. Who voluntarily chooses to look like that?

Philly, shame on you for your nasty updo. Double shame on you for murdering an innocent woman. Triple shame on you for wasting your legendary talent. Don’t expect any conjugal visits from me.

You know how pretzels are really good on their own, but they are so much better when paired with frosting? (No? Well you are missing out, ladies.) Or how SoCo is delish, but oh so much easier to get down with a little lime juice? Or how you absolutely love breadsticks, but you love them for ever and ever when you can dip ‘em in some ranch?

Like peanut butter and honey, TV and DVR, booze and 80′s music, there are just some things in life that are better together.

Like Rock Band and, oh I don’t know, The Beatles?!

I know – life changing, right? Well, it’s happening. The still-living members of the legendary band sat down with MTV and Harmonix to create the special Beatles Rock Band (although I am sure the actual game will have a more catchy name) that will be released next year.

The game will be 100% Beatles music in addition to some other sweet Beatles features. The band hopes to bring a whole new generation into the Beatles fan club and sorta change the way we experience their music. I know that I spend many a car ride belting out my favorite jams (Lady Madonna, anyone?), so actually getting to play the songs is going to be sa.weet.

Goodbye National Honor Society and helloooooo Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club.

Sometimes we all need a little pick-me-up. Sometimes we want to know that rockstars are also experiencing excessive amounts of stress. Sometimes we feel like our head might expload, but we find comfort in the thought of Dolly Parton working “9-5!”

So here are some tunes, work related, lamenting about said work, fueling your fire and giving you that extra boost to make it through the day. You can do it! God speed!

1. 9 to 5- Dolly Parton

2. Workin’ Day and Night- Michael Jackson

3. Work It- Missy Elliott

4. If Work Permits- The Format

5. A Hard Day’s Night- The Beatles

6. She Works Hard for the Money- Donna Summer

7. Work is a 4 letter Word- The Smiths

8. Workingman’s Blues #2- Bob Dylan

9. I Can’t Get No Satisfaction- The Rolling Stones

10. The Distance- Cake

11. Manic Monday- The Bangles

12. Everybody wants to rule the world- Tears For Fears

13. Light&Day- The Polyphonic Spree

14. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go- Wham!

That’s right, I included George Michael…what about it?!

[Got any work inspired tunes?? Let us know!]

So, I’m going to bring you MY version of the good stuff, old school style, spanning several decades. Holla!

1. She’s Got A Way and Piano Man- Billy Joel

Ok, if you really want to go there….just buy a Greatest Hits album, so worth it.

2. Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves- Cher

Yeah, Cher. And no, I’m not a gay man.

3. I Have Nothing- Whitney Houston

Whitney would MURDER any of those American Idol b*tches.

4. Bennie and The Jets and Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word- Elton John

Elton John should be my father. I want to be his adopted baby.

5. Shower The People and Sweet Baby James- James Taylor

What better message is there than all of the worlds problems could be healed if we, “Showered the people you love with love…”

6. Go Your Own Way- Fleetwood Mac

Stevie Nicks is basically my fashion muse.

7. Dream On- Aerosmith

Don’t worry, you’re not the only one who wants to make out with Steven Tyler, I’m totally on board.

8. Gimmee Shelter- The Rolling Stones

Whoa….Steven Tyler and Mick Jagger in a three person kiss? Can you even imagine?! Holy. lips.

9. Hey Jude and Well…..everything they’ve ever done?- The Beatles

I feel spiritually connected to The Beatles. I’m truly a flower child. Am I alone?

10. Earth Song and Man In The Mirror- Michael Jackson

No “One Hit Wonder” here, though fame maybe…just maybe…drove him a little crazy.

11. Open Your Heart- Madonna

Next: Madonna runs for president.

12. Separate Lives- Phil Collins

His great songs often get overshadowed by “True Colors” and that damn Lion King song, wait- was that him?

13. Fields Of Gold- Sting

SUCH A FAN.

14. Bloody Sunday- U2

Before Bono was off saving the world, he was a badass musician…

15. Again and I Get Lonely- Janet Jackson

AND….in closing, I give you, God:

16. Prince- I don’t even need to give you a song, he’s a one word, one symbol…all-encompassing entity.

[Any other Best Of songs to add?]

Music is a powerful thing. This is a fact. Attitude is also a powerful thing. I won’t dare to tread the ‘Marilyn Manson causes teens ridden with angst to hang themselves ‘ waters, but I will go as far as to say that music certainly can alter my attitude — at least my immediate attitude.

Sure, it’s fun to play hateful music when you’re so angry that you want to punch a wall. Or kick a puppy. But when I’m just feeling kind of ‘blah’, there’s a certain playlist that always does the trick with kicking me into good mood gear.

[Note: Works best within thirty minutes of waking]

Positivity Playlist

“Can You Hear The Sun” ACTION REACTION

“Plenty of Paper” EISLEY

“10 A.M. Automatic” THE BLACK KEYS

“Intergalactic” BEASTIE BOYS

“Come Together” THE BEATLES

“Lover’s Spit” BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE

“Spitshine” DREDG

“Purple Haze” JIMI HENDRIX

“Supermassive Black Hole” MUSE