Sweet Escape -Gwen Stefani.
Confession time: I first heard it on…-I know I’m not the only one-- her performance on American Idol.
Irresistible hook, catchy -and smart- lyrics, youtubed the video and then IPODed the song and it never fails to disappoint.
Don’t want this to dissolve into a guilty pleasure thread but this song rocked the first time I heard it and I herewith proclaim to the world that it continues to do so today.
“Letter from an Occupant” by the New Pornographers.
Insanely poppy rock with lead vocals by Neko Case and lyrics like “the tune you’ll be humming forever, all the words are replaced and wrong.” It was like someone took a sneak peak at my brain’s pleasure centers and crafted a song designed to press every YAY button at once.
Best thing: most of their songs are almost as good.
I think that’s the best song they’ve ever done. So good.
For me, it’s Great Ghosts by The Microphones (now called Mount Eerie). I had never given the guy a fair chance before and I unfairly wrote him off as a lo-fi stoner weirdo, but when I heard this naked live recording it was instantly one of the most beautiful things I’d ever heard. Still is, and I’m a fan for life.
Lately? “Grey in LA” and “Daughter,” by Loudon Wainwright III, both off the soundtrack to Knocked Up.
The whole Back In Black album by AC/DC. The DJ on a local radio station played the album without interruption the second he had it in his hands. I still remember he stopped a song that was playing at the time and all he said was "This is the new AC/DC album, enjoy. Up to that point all that had been heard was the single of “For Those About To Rock”. I bought my copy the next morning.
oh, so many, but most recently?
I’ll go with “Rehab” (Amy Winehouse). The first time I heard it, bam, hooked, singing along within one verse. Really unique voice, and goddamn that’s a catchy hook.
Most recently: “Lolita” by Elefant
This one escaped my notice until New Years when a station I used to listen to played it in part of their year-end count down. Oh my God, is that ever a catchy song. I love love love the guitars in this song. I’m just a little puzzled as to why they call it “Lolita” when the lyrics clearly as “Lola” instead - though it seems to be about a Lolita.
“I don’t feel like dancing” by Scissor Sisters. It’s darn near impossible to sit still during that song.
ooh! ooh! me too!!
I went out and bought the whole album just for that one song… luckily, it was awesome, but it took me a good 3 days to get past that first track 
Most recently? O Mio Babbino Caro by East Village Opera Company.
When I first heard it, I wanted to listen to it over and over and over again. I drove people nuts by recommending it to them.
Coin-Operated Boy by the Dresden Dolls. They performed at the True Colors concert last night in DC/Baltimore, and having NEVER heard them before, I absolutely fell in love with this song. And, I think, Amanda. Which is disturbing for a lifelong queerboy…
My favorite song of all time, is Van Morrison’s “Sweet Thing.” I heard it for the first time in a friend’s room one late night in college. Didn’t remember much of that evening except hearing that most excellently beautiful song. I went to her room the next day and borrowed Astral Weeks. Totally blew me away and still does.
Bullitts Dominae by Pure Reason Revolution which can be heard here.
Up All Night by the Counting Crows.
And thus started my days as a crow . . .
Neko Case’s song Hold On, Hold On is what finally got me into her music. I had heard a couple songs before but this is the first one I loved right off the bat. Now she is the most listened to artist in my iTunes library.
I only heard a short clip the first time, and I carried it around for days. That’s one catchy-ass song. Love it.
Eriatarka - The Mars Volta… since then everything I hear by them I fall in love with immediately, but that song started it all. I am so hooked on this band… how the hell did it take me this long to hear them for the first time!!! (It’s been a few months, but still, they aren’t new)
Love that song. For me though, the song of hers that hooked me instantly was “You Know I’m No Good”. I actually heard the version with Ghostface Killa rhyming on the track first, and fell in love with it. But I like the original Winehouse version too.
“When my boy walks down the street” by Magnetic Fields bears repeated listening.
re: “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse:
Seconded. Though lately it’s been edged aside by “Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games” by Of Montreal. I found it on the latest “Favorite YouTube Videos” thread and have watched it so many times that I now mentally replace the words of the Outback Steakhouse jingle with “Let’s pretend we don’t exist…”