I grew up listening to lite rock. NOT by choice. Let’s make that clear.

It was just that my mom happened to be a suburban 30-something-year-old woman whose preferred method of transportation was a Dodge minivan with Lite fm 93.9 firmly holding its spot on radio preset button #1.

She also wore shirts adorned with masterfully self-applied puffy paint and iron-on decals. You know the type. And if you grew up in the 80s/90s that type was probably your mom also.

It wasn’t until I reached my tween years that I discovered there were other kinds of music out there besides synthesized pop and the strained crooning produced by the vocal chords of Kenny Loggins and the like.

That’s when I swore off lite rock and began storing my Michael Bolton tape in the back of my sock drawer.

But then a funny thing happened.

I’m a station surfer when I drive, so whenever a bad song comes on, I hit the seek button until I find something I like. A few years ago, I noticed an alarming pattern associated with this behavior.

Inexplicably, I found myself pausing upon hearing the familiar chords of a Chicago or REO Speedwagon song.

What?!? Why?!? I don’t even LIKE that music!

Or do I…?

Ok, ok, I DO. But only in small doses.

I don’t know if I actually enjoy the music or if it’s just the nostalgia of hearing the soundtrack to my childhood (I’m inclined the believe the latter), but I will publicly admit that I don’t completely dislike lite rock.

So since I posted a list of my favorite oldies to welcome summer a few months back, I decided to compile a list of my favorite lite rock songs to welcome fall. Even though lite rock really has nothing to do with fall. As previous posts have indicated, I clearly have no qualms about making extremely loose connections and exploiting them on this blog.

So here’s the list:

1. Soldier of Love – Donny Osmond
2. The Heart of the Matter – Don Henley
3. Sara Smile – Hall & Oates
4. Keep On Loving You – REO Speedwagon
5. You’re the Inspiration – Chicago
6. The Longest Time – Billy Joel
7. Missing You – John Waite
8. Against All Odds – Phil Collins
9. At This Moment – Billy Vera & The Beaters
10. I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues – Elton John
11. Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone) – Glass Tiger
12. Stuck With You – Huey Lewis & The News
13. No One Is To Blame – Howard Jones
14. Walking on Broken Glass – Annie Lennox
15.  Higher Love – Steve Winwood

What are YOUR favorites? And don’t act like you’re too cool for lite rock…