Back in the days of Sister and me fighting over what to listen to on the way to school, we devised a brilliant plan:

One month, one mix CD.

Twenty songs, ten each.

Mine odd, hers even.

And thus The Month CDs were born. The rules were simple: Only one song per artist or album. No repeats from last month.

We still have a CD wallet dating back to 2006, and – embarrassingly and nostalgically – it  provides a monthly chronicle of our top ten musical obsessions. [We popped in the December 2006 one for fun – it featured Aly & AJ, Cascada, and the Rent film soundtrack, to name a few].

Now she lives on the Pacific, I on an island in the Atlantic, with our commuting hours occur at opposite times of day. And I don’t even own a CD player anymore. But digitally, the tradition continues.

Here’s my half of September 2013.

• Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys) | JAY Z | My summer culminated in a whirlwind city visit, mostly to see friends, but also to say hello to Broadway, my childhood heaven.
• Roar | Katy Perry | Since Warped Tour 2008, Katy Perry = summer. [PS Her VMA performance is bold adorable.]
• When Can I See You Again? | Owl City | Wreck-It Ralph, already perfect, culminated in an adorable Owl City song. Love Owl City.
• A Mountain We Love | Theme Park | I like mountains. And theme parks. This song makes me smile.
• Into the Open Air | Julie Fowlis | Current track on the Brave soundtrack obsession rotation.
• Seattle | News of Your Departure | Because I’m newly in love with Seattle, and this artist. EP on repeat for my bedtime playlist.
• Oxford Comma | Vampire Weekend | I adore this song, although I happen to care very much about an Oxford comma, contrary to the song’s indifference to grammar, alas.
• Paradise | Coldplay | Magic and wanderlust.
• Follow Me | Maia Vidal | The first frame of this music video was special. The second frame had sheep in it. Probably the video that best captures the fantasy world in which I live.
• Starlight | Taylor Swift | RED was released in October. I’m still listening constantly. And any song about stars and dreams by one of my favourite artists will surely end up on this playlist.

Off to search for October’s top ten! Tweet me recommendations pretty please?

P.S. My favourite singer, ever, and how I celebrate her.