As I type this on Tuesday morning [9/22], I’m carbo-loading for tomorrow’s Yom Kippur fast. The Glauber family has a longstanding tradition of fasting in between meals to uphold, so I’ll likely cave before noon…

This morning, Howard Stern played Chris Cornell’s acoustic version of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” which Chris recorded last week at SiriusXM. There’s nothing quite like hearing one of the greatest voices in rock sing one of the most heart-wrenching songs ever written. Last week, in fact, I posted a question on Facebook: “Today, list up to 15 songs that bring you to your knees.” There were hundreds of responses from friends who, like me, tend to synthesize our feelings via the music and lyrics of others.

There’s a constant soundtrack running through my head, always in search of the perfect song for that moment. The “most played” songs in my head could be compiled into an album called More Songs About Longing (cue The Replacements’ “Unsatisfied”). It isn’t always just about the lyrics. I’d be hard-pressed to sing the lyrics to either Beach House’s “PPP” or Glass Animals’ “Black Mambo,” but both songs still give me the chills.

The most impactful songs express a common feeling (“longing” is a perennial #1) in a new way: Gotye’s “Someone that I Used to Know,” Hozier’s “Take Me to Church,” X Ambassadors’ “Unsteady,” Florence + the Machines’ “What Kind of Man,” and the new Chris Cornell single “Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart” immediately come to mind. There are muscular songs that shake you to your core, like The Dead Weathers’ “I Feel Love (Every Million Miles),” Cold War Kids’ “First,” Tame Impala’s entire catalog and The Bohicas’ “Where You At.” Where is the swagger and (pun intended) “edge” on Modern Rock radio these days?...

Think about it—what was the last song you heard that made you feel like a knife was going through your heart (in a good way)? Not that you asked, but here’s my list (or “mixtape”) of 15 songs that never fail to slay: Arcade Fire “Afterlife,” Burt Bacharach & Elvis Costello “God Give Me Strength,” Big Star “The Ballad of El Goodo,” The Blue Nile “Let’s Go Out Tonight,” Jeff Buckley “Last Goodbye” Glen Campbell “Wichita Lineman,” Daryl Hall “Why Was it So Easy,” Gram Parsons “$1000 Wedding,” The Replacements “Unsatisfied,” Todd Rundgren “Hope I’m Around,” Split Enz “Message to My Girl,” Spoon “Black Like Me,” Dusty Springfield “No Easy Way Down,” Tame Impala “Apocalypse Dreams” and The Zombies “This Will Be Our Year.” For the record, “Wichita Lineman” was the most-cited song among the respondents, many of whom are acclaimed songwriters in their own right…

Here’s another conversation starter, even more popular than Cards Against Humanity: Define yourself in five artists. These are not necessarily your favorite artists—it’s like a personality test—what would I know about you by your choices? I picked Big Star, Todd Rundgren, Patti Smith, Spoon and Television. Tell me who defines you… We’re very excited to report that our dear friend Bill Carroll has reunited with Joe Greenwald and Dave Barbis with his new gig at C3. Bill will be initiated into the team with an onstage performance of Houndmouth’s “Sedona” at next week’s ACL in Austin. Oh, I wasn’t supposed to reveal that yet?...

Big props to Rob Goldklang and Heather Luke for being Most Added this week on JR JR’s “Gone.” I’m sure Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a fan of this song, even after the band’s recent name change… Chvrches’ “Leave a Trace” is a career-defining record. The girls know…

The first time I heard El Vy’s “Return to the Moon,” I thought it sounded more like The The (a compliment of the highest order) than The National. I love this song. Also Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s “Multi-Love” just won the 2015 APRA Silver Scroll Award for “Excellence in New Zealand Songwriting,” besting Lorde, among others. This is the country that brought us Neil Finn, so they take their songwriting very seriously. Ask Hannah Carlen for a copy…

“And I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time…”