Embarrassing Song: “Love Bug” by The Jonas Brothers
When I was 12, I played NSYNC’s No Strings Attached until Justin Timberlake’s smooth vocals turned into a choppy stutter — “B-b-b-Bye Bye Bye” just wasn’t quite as catchy. Now, nearly nine years later, I guess I can’t shake the boy band bug, because the Jonas Brothers take up space in my music library.

That sneaky trio just crept up on me, though. I was listening to the radio one day when this acoustic song wafted through my speakers:

“You’re beautiful but you don’t even try / modesty is just so hard to find,” the voice crooned over a simple melody.

No synthesized voices, no jaunty beats or lyrics written solely for the purpose of choreographing dance moves. It could surprise you, too.

Redeeming song: “Rock and Roll” — Remi Nicole
This song makes me wonder why I’m so embarrassed to listen to the Jonas Brothers. Not because this song is worse, but because its entire premise is that it doesn’t matter what people think.

Remi Nicole fills the upbeat song by explaining how she doesn’t care if she doesn’t live up to people’s expectations of her.

“People could try to poke me and mould me into something else, but I can only do what is honestly myself,” she said on her Web site.

And, as her lyrics show, the real “her” prefers rock and roll to r&b and skinny jeans to hot pants.

But don’t get her wrong — she can get down like any of those girls in rap videos.

—    Candace Braun, Editor-in-Chief

Embarrassing Song: “La Bomba” by Ricky Martin
I have Ricky Martin’s “La Bomba” on my mp3 player, and I’m not ashamed to say it.

At first listen, “La Bomba” may seem like another song that washed into the United States during the Latin Invasion of late 1990s. “La Bomba,” however, debuted on Ricky Martin’s CD Vuelve about a year before he made landfall in the United States with his hit “Livin’ la Vida Loca.”

Though I cannot fully understand the Spanish lyrics, the Latin drums and Martin’s smooth voice puts a skip in my step on my boring walks to class. I’d be surprised to find anyone who could resist dancing — even the slightest bit — when “La Bomba” plays.

Not only am I a fan of the song, I am also a huge fan of the artist. Martin is a phenomenal performer and a humanitarian. Martin has his own charity — the Ricky Martin Foundation — that advocates for the well being of children around the world with a focus in ending child trafficking. Martin is also a Goodwill Ambassador to UNICEF.

So whenever I hear that song, not only do my hips swing, but I know I’m supporting an artist who gives back to the community.

Redeeming Song: “Everyone Nose” by N.E.R.D.
Whenever I stand in line for the bathroom, I can hear N.E.R.D’s “Everyone Nose” in my head, even if I don’t have my MP3 player.

This song comes close to redeeming me from my obsession with Martin, but it doesn’t. In fact, no song — no matter how cool it is — could do that.

The upbeat tune and funky lyrics of “Everyone Nose” that outline drug use in clubs makes the song popular and catchy. From “all the girls standing in the line for the bathroom” to “a hundred dollar bills, look, achoo achoo,” the song makes light of cocaine abuse and makes me laugh.

Street cred or not, both songs accomplish one thing: They make me dance.

—    Amy Mariani, News Editor

Embarrassing Song: “You Are the Music in Me” by Ashley Tisdale and Zac Efron
I have defiled my iPod with tracks from the High School Musical soundtracks, both of them and once the third is released, probably all three of them. I watched the TV movies because the storylines and dialogue are so cheesy that the movie ends up being fun to watch.

The problem is when I heard the songs, they got into my head and I wanted to hear them again. And again. In the midst of my playlists full of broken-hearted rockers and scorned women, it is good to know there is a little bubbly happiness in the form of a Disney Channel song.

Redeeming Song: “Change is Hard” by She & Him
The two-person indie rock/folk group’s album is nothing like I have heard before. One of my favorite actress, Zooey Deschanel performs vocals, piano and banjo, while songwriter M. Ward plays the guitar and is in charge of production The song “Change is Hard,” has simple but beautiful lyrics like “I’m all outta luck but what else could I be? / I know he’s yours and he’ll never belong to me again. / I did him wrong. / So don’t brag / Keep it to yourself.” The melancholy melody of the song seems to be empathic to any heartbreak.

—    Candace Kaw, Montage Editor

Embarrassing Song :”Achy, Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus
Go ahead, you can laugh. There’s probably nothing you can say that I haven’t already heard. Is it embarrassing when I’m driving with my friends or having a party at my house and Billy Ray makes his way through the shuffle? A little. But, I’m not too worried about it.

In 1993 the song won the Grammy for Record of the Year. So, knowing I’m not the only one who got into the line-dancing craze helps me sleep a little better at night.

Redemption Song: “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi
It’s pretty obvious by this list that I have literally zero taste in music — I’ll admit that. But this song is just a classic. You may not know all the words, but whether you’re sitting in your car or hanging out at your favorite bar or club, you can shout “Livin’ on a Prayer” with the best of us. It’s also a karaoke classic, which is always clutch.

—    Joe Rienzi, Sports Editor

Embarrassing Song: “Foolish Game” by Jewel
The most “embarrassing” songs on my playlist consist of multiple Dido and Jewel CDs. Dido and Jewel have been around for a while, so they’re not as “hip” and “cool” as those new artists or whatever you kids are listening to these days. However, Jewel is a talented musician, singer and songwriter. She lived in a van for heaven’s sake — in Alaska! It doesn’t get any more hardcore than that.

When I listen to Dido, I feel like I’m from England or something. Her voice is very soothing and you can’t deny it — she has some catchy songs. She’s Eminem’s muse, so that must count for something.

Speaking of Eminem, I think I have one of his songs on my playlist, too.

Redemption Song: “Mrs. Officer,” by Lil Wayne
My redemption song, besides everything else on my play list — it could be a number of things — but we’ll go with “Mrs. Officer” by Lil Wayne because it doesn’t get much cooler or redeeming that Lil Weezy!

—    Kelsey Farrell, Graphic Art Manager

Embarrassing Song: “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!” by Cyndi Lauper
I have this song on my iPod because I threw an ’80s party once and we all know that no trip to the time of shoulder pads and big hair could be complete without Cyndi Lauper’s masterpiece “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Also, it’s basically true: girls just wanna have fun.

Redemption Song: “Land Down Under” by Men At Work
The music video is a classic. Who doesn’t love a man standing in a desert playing coke bottles? If you don’t love this song, then you’ve got no heart. Every time that tune is played, I put my dancing shoes one. And the answer is no, I don’t come from a land down under.

— Kerry Klecic, Staff Writer

Embarrassing Song: “Glory of Love” by Peter Cetera
My playlist has no shortage of sappy, mortifying pop songs, but I thought this would suffice for a representative. The theme song to the classic film, The Karate Kid Part II, “Glory of Love” has the epic, love-ballad/rock sound so popular in the decade as well as a heartfelt, cheesy line about a knight in shining armor. It’s a total classic, and I am a shameless fan.

Redemption Song: “Sympathy for the Devil” by The Rolling Stones
It’s the rock ‘n’ roll story of Lucifer, how could you go wrong? Peppered with intriguing historical references and smashing guitar riffs, this tune can take the edge off of the roughest day or bring a refreshing power chord to a dull one. It may also count as a shameful pick to some, however, as I do heretically prefer the Guns N’ Roses cover.

—    James Pinkard, Copy Chief

Embarrassing Song: “The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA” by Donna Fargo
The song has a tone of “skippity do da.” It has all the signs of a bad ’70s country love song — no serious message, it’s just about the “happiest girl” and her man.

Though the song may not seem manly, I would still roll down my window and turn the volume up.

Redemption Song: “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)” by Waylon Jennings, featuring Willie Nelson
This song was released in 1977 and rose to the top of the charts for more than a month shortly after its release. Waylon is a country-music master in his own right, but this song draws on the talents of both himself and another master — Willie Nelson.

Its message is as valid today as it was 30 years ago: “maybe it’s time we got back to the basics of love / Let’s go to Luckenbach, Texas with Waylon and Willie and the boys.”

—    Sean Reed, Online Editor

Embarrassing Song: “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” by George Strait
Ah, country music. Not much — if any — is played in Puerto Rico. I was introduced to this beautiful song after stealing someone’s car in the outskirts of San Fiero and consequently going on a shooting spree of cops, drug dealers and gang members who got in my way.

I was new to the Grand Theft Auto series and had no idea that I could just hit a button and change the station. So, I listened to this song over and over again. By time I figured out I could change it, though, I had grown to like it.

Redemption Song: “Battery” by Metallica
Moshing! Man, it’s been a while since I’ve done that. Yeah, “Battery” is the most awesome song to get whiplash from. I’m one of those Hispanics that would rather listen to Metallica and Iron Maiden than salsa.

— Cynthia Roldan, Opinion Editor