By Nancy Scrofano

Stand Up – One Direction Okay, I should start out by being honest. The whole One Direction album Up All Night has been on repeat, not just this one song. But this one has been played a bit more than the others. Why? It’s simple. When Harry sings, “You can call me a thief,” it makes me melt/swoon/smile, and I’m much older than the target demographic of this type of music. Just the way he sings it. I love it. I’m a huge fan of boy bands, and my love for them will be thoroughly addressed in a separate post. Or posts. Because you can never say too much about boy bands, right? Stay tuned…

We Are Young – Fun. I was first introduced to this song when I saw the music video on Teen Nick. Yes, I watch Teen Nick. (Not too big of a surprise given my love for the Disney Channel.) I know this list of songs and the networks I watch could be considered embarrassing to some. But not me. I embrace the fact that my taste in music and television is still that of a sixteen year old. Whatever. Anyway, this song is just so catchy and a total anthem for teens/young adults. Oh, and the lead singer looks just like Mark Wahlberg. It’s like a throwback to Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. Well, not exactly.

Coming Up Strong – Karmin Here’s another group that I first saw on Teen Nick. You’re probably thinking I’m like fifteen, but I’m not. I promise. After I really enjoyed Karmin’s single Crash Your Party, I did what anyone who wants updates from a band would do… I “liked” them on Facebook. Eventually, their EP Hello was released, and I immediately fell in love with Coming Up Strong. Number one reason: Nick sings by himself! Wait, let me explain. If you don’t know, Karmin is a duo: Amy and Nick (they're engaged!). Amy is the lead singer, and every song I had heard thus far featured Amy mostly and Nick just singing background vocals. Amy is fantastic, but I’m glad Nick finally got a chance to shine too.

Everybody Talks – Neon Trees I just heard this on the radio a few days ago. And no, it wasn’t on Radio Disney! It was on the local rock/alternative station, and I knew I had to have it on my iPod asap. It has kind of a retro vibe, and the music videotakes place at a drive-in. Right up my alley.

Good Girl – Carrie Underwood I’ve been a huge fan of Carrie Underwood since she won American Idol. Her singing is flawless. Every time I see her perform, I’m in awe. What a voice! I wish I could sing like her. (Side note: I actually can sing pretty decently, and I was in a girl group with two of my friends when I was a teenager. We wanted to open for ‘N Sync someday. Sadly, that didn’t happen. We got as far as playing one “gig” at a Holiday Inn and then disbanded. But that’s a story for another post…) As soon as I heard Good Girl, I knew it would be a hit. Carrie definitely knows how to pick great songs.

What are you listening to this week?

Nancy Scrofano is the editor of Good Humor Girl and the author of True Love Way. She is also the editor of The Chick Lit Bee, a book blog that promotes and celebrates women’s fiction, and she writes book reviews for a prestigious book review magazine. Nancy is at work on her next novel. For more information, please visit www.nancyscrofano.com.