Everybody has different tongue, has different taste. Has different heart, has different nature..
But everybody likes music. Lyrics, rhythms, melodies, composed in a suavely structured harmony..
Personally, I like various kinds of music. Pop, rock, rap, hip-hop, jazz, folk, tehcno, screamo, even traditional...
Genre is not really a matter to me, I'm listening to pop then hardcore, rap then blues, reggae then grunge..
Genre is a character, not a limitation in music..
Within my point of view, musicians are as genius as scientists, and as inventive as cooks..

Below, there are 10 songs that I choose as the most influential ones. Why influential??
These songs are so inspiring, have contagious lyrics, and the ones that could bring me up when I was down..
I don't choose them based on genres, languages, and origins.
I chose them because I had liked it from the very first time I heard; then I listen and found up a very stirring lyrics; and until now, I still like to hear them anywhere anytime in any condition..
*the list is descending

10) Black Eyed Peas - Where Is The Love?



released: 2003
duration: 4:32
album: Elephunk

"It just ain't the same, always unchanged..
New days are strange, is the world insane???"

This song predominantly talks about what is happening in this chaotic world. Terrorism, discrimination, wars, animosities, and teenagers morality. First time I heard this song, I was attracted with the beat, and the music video. A catchy soul-hiphop song, plus the chorus sung by Fergie added its allurement..
The Black Eyed Peas are very clever to create such a cool song, with a great message..

9) Santana ft. Everlast - Put Your Lights On



released 1999
duration 4:45
album Supernatural

"And there's an angel with her hand on my head, she said I got nothing to fear..."

Perhaps not many people know and like this song, since its genre is kinda not usual. Yes, its alternative rock with Everlast's blues voices in most parts of the song sound rather absurd to those who are not used to listen to blues and rap songs..
The message of the song is quite religious, ask sinful human to realize, remorse, and forgive to The Almighty...
The lyrics is also eccentric, and the most unique part that I favor in this song is:
In the last part of the song, it mentions Laa ilaha illa Allah (there is no god but God in Arabic), the first sentence of Shahada, the Islamic profession of faith..

8) Dewa 19 - Air Mata



released 2002
duration 7:34
album Cintailah Cinta

"Penyesalan yang kini ada jadi tak berarti, karena waktu yang bengis terus pergi..
(this now regretting becomes futile, because hurtful time keeps leaving on..)"

A very popular song on 2002, Air Mata (tears) also brought Dewa 19 to its peak popularity in its era. Until now, this song is frequently played in television, particularly under sorrow theme, in Indonesia..
The lyric of the song is also touching...

7) Shoji Meguro - Never More



released 2008
duration 6:40
album OST Persona 4

"Itsu no ma ni ka wasureteta taisetsu na kotoba, samenai sekai no naka de, sagashimotomete..
(Those important words that I once believed in when I was young, in the world I cant wake up from I searched for them...)"

I found this song unintentionally when my sister made to finish the Persona 4 game in playstation. Yes, this song is from a game. Persona 4 itself is a role-playing video game, when the story midpoints in a group of hi-school students trying to solve mysterious incessant assassination. Instead, there are also superstitious monsters and supernatural powers involved.
This song particularly adumbrates a farewell. Mostly about how don't we ever forget beautiful memories that ever happened.. Friendship, love, and life..
But even it has sad meaning, it doesn't fully sound sorrowfully..
It comes more to a farewell with a hope..
Musically, I guess most people will like it in the first time they hear the song..
This one's a nice stuff.. ^^

6) Dream Theater - Octavarium



released 2005
duration 23:58
album Octavarium

"Innocent victims of merciless crimes, fall prey to some madmen's impulsive designs.."

Take a look at the duration of the song.. Wowww!! 24 minutes??? Like perhaps everybody will be, I was also surprised finding out there was a song with these minutes length..
The first time I tried to listen to the song, well, I got nothing at all(???)
but then I tried to listen again and again, this song was decent..
I tried to search the whole lyrics, found the melodic, then scrutinized part to part, this song was... legendarily amazing!!!
Dream Theater created this song with a philosophy "it ends where it begins", the song itself contains 8 parts, while each part has different characters and structures of melodies..
Many interesting things u can find out in the articles in the internet more about this song..
but I guess the most difficult thing is, how to be interested to listen to the song??? coz I see that many people already complaint about its duration... 24 minutes must be boring, then bla.bla.bla..
but trust me, when u get appealed to the song, u want to hear it more and more..
Don't judge a song by its duration..
This one is a masterpiece, literally...

5) t.A.t.u - Gomenasai



released 2006
duration 3:43
album Dangerous and Moving

"When I wanted to call you and ask you for help, I stopped myself..."

"Gomenasai" is Japanese for 'sorry'. I fell to the song in the first time I heard it..
This ballad tells about a relationship to someone very precious.. How someone made a mistake in the past, then tried to apologize for its happened..
I guess, the melody and the way tatu sing it can give much more meaning rather than the lyric itself..
try this one!! B-)

4) Linkin Park - Breaking The Habit



released 2004
duration 3:16
album Meteora

"I don't know what's worth fighting for or why I have to scream..."

One top single hits from Linkin Park, reaching #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks..
This song is about a desperation of someone that feels he has no more options left on him, also feels like the world is against him, and he can't even overcome himself..
Linkin Park themselves conceded that this song was inspired by one of their drug-addicted friends..

3) Fort Minor - Where'd You Go



released 2006
duration 3:51
album The Rising Tied

"Seems like it's been forever that you've been gone... please come back home..."

The song is from the perspective of the person left behind in, and is about the consequences of putting one's career before one's family..
While overall, this song describes how a person misses someone so much..
Simple song, combined with rap by Mike Shinoda, simple melody, but has enough compassion to touch those who listen to it..
A suave one..

2) Eminem - Beautiful



released 2009
duration 6:32
album Relapse

"I'm not looking for extra attention, I just want to be just like you..."

Even Eminem got much criticized with his Relapse album, this single launched to be the best one ever. Taking "Reaching Out" by Queen + Paul Rodgers as the part of the song, it encapsulates the introspective nature of "Relapse" but deviates from the shock tactics that dominate the album, adding that the song is as much a lighters-in-the-air, arena rock power ballad as it is a lyrical showcase.
The first verse tells how Eminem is freakin' depressed about how other people thought about him, after his relapsing from drug-addiction..
however, he ends up the verse compelling that he is 'one tough act to follow'..
In the following verses, he also tells about his story life, how he builds his career, and how he survives obstructions against him..
Stupendously, the chorus of the song that I guess is very inspiring..
to never really care about other people talk about us, because they are never in our shoes..
At last, the song gives message, that juz to be urself, and be proud of who u are..

1) Dewa 19 - Hadapi Dengan Senyuman



released 2004
duration 4:10
album Laskar Cinta

"Bila ketetapan Tuhan sudah ditetapkan, tetaplah sudah..
(If God's decision has been decided, it's the way it is..)"

Alrite, so this is the peak position!! yeahh,, Dewa 19 with Hadapi Dengan Senyuman..
Yes, I always listen to this song every time I feel depressed with life, thus to always face everything in life with smile..
Because problems must occur in life, and no problems that can't be solved..
that's the message of the song..
without much elaboration, I choose it as the most influential song in my life..
so far.. =)




So, that is the list I made based on my taste of music, my sense of hearing, and nature of art..
hahahha..
different people have different influential songs, if u have ones, offer me.. B-)
Music is not merely something that we listen to, songs are not merely tracks we'd like to hear..
Music can be a motivation, a loyal accompanist, and a great entertainer..
keep loving music, keep improving it..


-Addendum:
these are also kick-ass, cool, and influential tracks, that are excluded from the list:
Ahmad Dhani - Kuldesak
Avenged Sevenfold - Seize The Day
Bondan Prakoso & Fade 2 Black - Hidup Berawal Dari Mimpi
Bullet for My Valentine - Hearts Burst Into Fire
The Cranberries - Animal Instinct
Creed - My Sacrifice
Deep Purple - Soldier of Fortune
Eminem - Going Through Changes
Eminem - Mockingbird
Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc
Iwan Fals - Ibu
Kanye West - Diamonds From Sierra Leone
Keane - Everybody's Changing
Kings of Convenience - Cayman Island
Koil - Suaramu Merdu
Limp Bizkit - Sanitarium
Linkin Park - Leave Out The Rest
Muse - Hysteria
Muse - Sing For Absolution
My Chemical Romance - Cancer
Nikka Costa - My First Love
Nirvana - Heart Shaped Box
Owl City - To The Sky
PAS Band - Aku
POD - Goodbye For Now
POD - Youth Of The Nation
Scorpion - Dust In The Wind
Sheila On 7 - Sebuah Kisah Klasik
Tupac - Changes
White Lion - When The Children Cry