This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wisconsin chapter.

Have you ever been really jealous of a friend’s taste in music? And when I say ‘jealous’… I mean each time he or she plays a new song, do you find yourself trying to anxiously Shazam it before it’s over or when the unrecognizable instrumental part starts and takes over the entire last minute of the song?

Or for the less tech-savvy people, do you tend to open up the notes app on your iPhone to ferociously type out as many lyrics as you can possibly understand (for a critical Google search at a later time, of course)?

Well, to be honest, it is completely natural. I’m no music connoisseur, but I do have a little something-something to help you through your times of music desperation. It’s called The Hype Machine.

The Hype Machine is an MP3 online blog started by Anthony Volodkin that tracks various songs that music bloggers write about. Started in 2005, The Hype Machine is an independent company based in Brooklyn, New York. Their goal is to spread “culturally rich music” to the mobs (aka musically-challenged people like us), hoping to open our eyes to venture past the iTunes Top 100 or selective radio “hits” that seem to invade our ears, TV’s, and party playlists (think: Katy Perry or Pitbull…eh).

By posting songs from music blogs around the Internet, you are able to bookmark, or “love” your favorites. By “loving” a song, it creates your own simplified playlist for easier access to your discovered jams (strawberry or blackberry… you take your pick). You can also search for your friend’s music profiles, too! This gives you the ability to take all the credit for songs they have found, giving you the sly opportunity to play them at a party or pregame (let’s be honest… this is going to happen and afterwards you will get hit on).

The Hype Machine also has an app for iPhones. Although it’s not free, trust me… it’s worth it. Just think: you could be the “cool, hip, music friend”. Never in a million years did I think I’d be the one holding the AUX cord in the car, rocking away and ridin’ dirty (kidding, I’m never quick enough to call shotgun). But, I am now… and it’s safe to say… it’s all because of The Hype Machine (and my amazing, awesome, interesting—I think you get it—taste in music). I mean, to be completely honest, my best friend did show me The Hype Machine but who doesn’t want to be buddies with people with great tastes in music. Nobody. Absolutely nobody.

Below are a few of my favorite songs. Listen and be amazed (or else):

1. Bloodsport by Raleigh Ritchie

2. Don’t Wait by Mapei

3. All We Do by Kayranada feat. JMSN

4. Cavalier by James Vincent McMorrow

5. Party by Beyoncé feat. J. Cole