14 Songs I Found on a Burned CD from 2007

Before streaming took over, you had a few options for listening to your favorite songs: waiting for the song to play on the radio, trying to catch the music video on TV or paying $15 for a CD that might have only one good track. As a child, I fantasized about owning a CD that magically played all my favorite songs. Unfortunately, this seemed like a fairy tale until Napster and Limewire disrupted the music industry, allowing users to download virtually any song for free--albeit illegally.

This was still pre-streaming, so it wasn't a perfect system. Downloading one song over dial-up could take hours, and I didn't have an iPod, so I had to download songs onto a blank disc (we called this "burning a CD") and listen to them on my off-brand Walkman. Still, my childhood fantasy had finally come true. Instead of spending my birthday money on CDs, I could grab singles, rare tracks and entire albums without spending a dime.

Now that I have Spotify, I haven't bought a CD or downloaded music in years. However, I still have a collection of old CDs in my childhood bedroom at my parents' house. I also have an ancient laptop with a CD/DVD drive, and browsing those old CDs seemed like the perfect way to revisit my youth and see what I'd been listening to in the mid-2000s.

As far as I can recall, this is the first CD that I compiled. It's not dated, but the most recent tracks on this disc came out in 2007, so it's safe to assume that I was still in junior high. I was dealing with stress, hormones and preteen angst at the time--but, on the upside, I'd also discovered some pretty great music. If you want to accompany me on this journey, let's dive into a world of illegal downloads that eventually became an unintentional time capsule.

1. The Art Of Losing by American Hi-Fi

"The Art Of Losing" comes from American Hi-Fi's 2003 album of the same name, which reached 80 on the Billboard 200 chart--not bad for an alternative rock band. During my research, I was surprised to learn that frontman Stacy Jones went on to become Miley Cyrus' music director. Jones stated that "The Climb" is his favorite Miley Cyrus song to play live, and whether he's working with pop or alternative rock, his impact on pop culture is undeniable.

2. Everything's Magic by Angels & Airwaves

I bought Angels & Airwaves' first album, We Don't Need To Whisper, when it came out in 2006. Evidently, I discovered Limewire not long after, because a couple of singles from 2007's I-Empire ended up on this disc. With the band's sci-fi aesthetic, maybe Tom DeLonge's mission to prove that aliens exist shouldn't have come as a surprise. In any case, "Everything's Magic" has an irresistibly catchy chorus that highlights DeLonge's strengths as a songwriter.

3. Secret Crowds by Angels & Airwaves

"Secret Crowds," the sixth track on I-Empire, taught me about the risks of downloading music from Limewire. For some reason, I didn't listen to this track before I placed it on the disc, and I ended up with a low-quality version that sounds like the band recorded it through a metal tube. I guess it could've been worse: I could've ended up with a virus, a porn clip or one of the various fake songs floating around on the web.

4. The Bright Lights of America by Anti-Flag

Anti-Flag has been around since the 90s, but I didn't discover them until they started getting major radio play in the 2000s. "The Bright Lights of America," which comes from their 2008 record of the same name, might've been my first introduction to politically charged music. I didn't quite understand it at the time, but I appreciated the catchy hooks--and as an adult, I've realized that bands like Anti-Flag and Green Day were right all along.

5. Like A Stone by Audioslave

I've never been a huge Soundgarden or Audioslave fan, but I did enjoy "Like A Stone" when I happened to catch the music video on TV. I don't remember the exact channel, but it was probably Fuse or IMF (does anybody else remember IMF?) This single comes from Audioslave's 2002 self-titled album, which also contains the classic "I Am The Highway." Tragically, Chris Cornell took his life in 2017, but his music left an impact on people around the world--even a shy junior high student like me.

6. Afterlife by Avenged Sevenfold

While "Bat Country" was my introduction to Avenged Sevenfold, "Afterlife" has a catchy, melodic chorus that inspired me to add it to this disc. This 2007 track probably shook up the local radio stations, adding a dose of heavy metal to playlists loaded with Creed, Nickelback and Puddle of Mudd. Avenged Sevenfold might not be topping the charts anymore, but they're still at it, touring with Good Charlotte and releasing an electronic EP called Statica.

7. Gone by The Bouncing Souls

Local DJs weren't my only source of new music (if they were, this playlist would be loaded with Nirvana and Crossfade.) In junior high, my parents had SiriusXM included in their satellite package, which allowed me to listen to stations on TV. I'm pretty sure I heard "Gone" on the Faction Punk station, and while I didn't understand the punk mindset at the time, I thought this was a fun, exhilarating song with a bombastic chorus. As the album closer for 2001's How I Spent My Summer Vacation, it's also the oldest track on this list.

8. Lean On Sheena by The Bouncing Souls

For years, I thought "Lean On Sheena" was a Bouncing Souls original. Turns out, it's a cover of an Avoid One Thing song, which gave me flashbacks to the time that I learned Bowling for Soup's hit "1985" was actually an SR-71 cover. Whatever the case, I'm pretty sure that I also discovered this 2006 track on Faction Punk, and it's so catchy that I can still recall the melody all these years later. I guess The Bouncing Souls really made it their own.

9. Well Enough Alone by Chevelle

I don't think anyone would call Chevelle an emo band, but something about "Well Enough Alone" seemed to give my preteen angst a voice--and it wasn't a phase, either. I still listen to Chevelle regularly, and as an adult, I have a newfound appreciation for their sleek, polished sound and Pete Loeffler's powerful vocals. Watching the music video now, maybe they were leaning into the emo aesthetic. It was 2007, after all!

10. The Scientist by Coldplay

Coldplay is a punchline today, but I'll argue that their earlier albums still hold up, and "The Scientist" is a genuinely moving song with an impressive music video. A Rush Of Blood To The Head is probably one of the best albums of 2002, and it makes me wonder what they could've achieved if they stuck to this sound. Then again, I can't fault them for experimenting instead of recording the same album over and over. They're rich too care what I think, anyway.

11. Viva La Vida by Coldplay

Six years later, Coldplay made another splash with 2008's Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends. "Viva La Vida" is a bright, colorful track that's bursting with personality, although the music video is more subdued. It's funny how, growing up, six years seemed like an eternity. Now, I was surprised to learn that Coldplay had multiple smash hits in less than a decade. Say what you will about this group, but they're too talented and hardworking for me to dismiss them as a guilty pleasure.

12. Thick as Thieves by Dashboard Confessional

Dashboard Confessional released a lot of emo kid classics: "Vindicated," "Don't Wait," "Screaming Infidelities." However, none of those tracks appeared on this CD. Instead, I'd chosen to download "Thick of Thieves," which comes from 2007's The Shade Of Poison Trees. This song is only two minutes long, but it has a swaying, feverish vibe that sounds like the soundtrack to a doomed love affair. If you're new to 2000s emo, listen to this track for a quick introduction.

13. The State of Massachusetts by Dropkick Murphys

While "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" made Dropkick Murphys a household name, "The State of Massachusetts" was my first introduction to the band when it entered SiriusXM's daily rotation. This track, which comes from 2007's The Meanest Of Times, tells the story of a woman losing her children to the Department of Social Services. It's a hard subject for an alternative rock band to tackle, and as you listen to the song, it's clear that the narrator doesn't have much sympathy.

14. Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors by Editors

A semi-obscure indie track might seem like a strange album closer, but "Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors" showed me that music can be intense, passionate and spellbinding, even when it lacked the hooks that I associated with pop and alternative rock. Today, this 2007 track lives on one of my nostalgia playlists, but I'll never forget the way Editors blew my mind when I first heard this song on SiriusXM. I've discovered plenty of great music since, but there's something special about the first song that makes a music video play in your head.

What did you think about these tracks? What did you listen to in junior high? Let me know in the comments.