Showing posts with label Best Songs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Best Songs. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

The Peter Bjorn and John Award for Catchiest Indie-Pop Song of the Summer of 2012


A couple days I heard some people discussing what the song of the summer was and depressingly they came up with Call Me Maybe and really there was not much of a debate. But that got me thinking about last summer when I made an off comment that The Naked and Famous would have won the Peter Bjorn and John Award for catchiest indie-pop song of the summer if it were not for Foster the People. Since the actually songs of the summer list would be boring, I thought I would make the Peter Bjorn and John Award (who may not invented catchy indie-pop, but certainly perfected it with Young Folks) a real thing. So without further ado, here are the top five catchiest indie-pop songs of the summer, some bonus picks, along with the official inaugural winner of The Peter Bjorn and John Award.

Honorable Mention: Call Me Maybe – The Roots, Jimmy Fallon, and Carly Rae Jepsen: Yeah, I just said I was disappointed that the original version is everything that was wrong about the summer of 2012 (severe droughts are what happens when you let a Canadian rule pop culture), but The Roots, along with some children toys, can make anything awesome. If you have not seen The Roots version, which is the only version worth listening to, check it out below:


Legacy Artist: Don't Leave Me (Ne me quitte pas) – Regina Spektor: No one does indie-pop better than Regina Specktor who dusted off one of her older songs and managed to make it weirder and better at the same time. Who else could make Paris the rain sound fun?

5. Bottom of the River– Delta Rae: A big year for folk this year with three songs on this list that could also be categorized in the genre. This song is just handclapping and footstompingly awesome.

4. Tongue Tied – Grouplove: Nothing like a good shout along chorus to get you in consideration for this award. Bonus points for the weird backwards video that went along with the song.

3. Warrior – Kimbra, Mark Foster and A-Trak: Yeah the chick from the Gotye song (which is not on the list because it was more of a winter / spring song and it is not really peppy enough) released her own album this year while you were trying to teach yourself the xylophone solo, this is the catchiest song from it with a little help from last year’s unofficial winner of the Peter Bjorn and John Award.

2. Little Talks – Of Monsters and Men: Whenever you encourage shouting, you are destined for this list. And music does not get more awesomely weird then when it comes from Iceland, where this sextet hails from. Horns are also a plus too.

1. Ho Hey – The Lumineers: But when it comes to shouting during the summer of 2012, no one will make you go hoarse faster than The Lumineers. The trio took a hip-hop phrase mainstay (I want to ignorantly believe this song was inspired by Naughty by Nature) and essentially turned into the percussion for the song. I dare you to try and listen to this song and not put it on repeat for the next hour or two.




Sunday, January 15, 2012

Lyrics Quiz: Best of 2002


Every January I like to look back ten years at my playlist of the best songs from that year and present them as a lyrics quiz. Now with Spotify, click to follow me, I am slowly added all my previous lists for everyone to listen and I recently added my Best of 2010 list to go along with my first (1996) and latest (2011). You may have to wait a little while until I upload my Best of 2002 list so until them you can try to guess the list by their lyrics below. As always leave your guesses, both artist and song title, in the comment section or e-mail me. If you are correct I will un-bold the lyric and give you credit. Please keep in mind the lyrics quiz is for entertainment purposes only so please only use your own meandering mind to guess them.

1. Red hair with a curl, mellow roll for the flavor and the eyes for peeping.
2. It’s just the thought of you in love with someone else. It breaks my heart to see you hanging from a shelf.
3. “Welcome to the real world,” she said to me condescendingly. Take a seat take your life, plot it out in black and white.
4. Tell me just what you want me to be. One kids and boom, you’re the only one for me.
5. It’s always times likes these when I think of you and I wonder if you ever think of me. ‘Cause everything is so wrong and I don’t belong living in your precious memory.
6. Honey now if I’m honest, I still don’t know what love is. Another mirage folds into the hazy time recalled. And now the floodgates cannot hold all my sorrow, all my rage.
7. Broken heart again, another lesson learned. Better know your friend or else you will get burned. Gotta count on me ‘cause I can guarantee that I’ll be fine.
8. Something about the way the hair falls in your face. I love the shape you take when crawling towards the pillow case.
9. Thinking of a master plan, you know, anything you need, baby ask your man. He was there from half a gram and now kilos and C-notes and high fusion brands.
10. Hey, don’t write yourself off yet. It’s only in your head where you feel left out or looked down on. Just do your best, do everything you can and don’t you worry what the bitter hearts are gonna say.
11. I always thought are love was so right, I guess I was wrong. Always thought you’d be by my side papa, and now you’re gone.
12. Left the house this morning. Bells were ringing filled the air. I was wearing the cross of my calling on wheels of fire I come rolling down here.
13. I will never bother you, I will never promise too. I will never follow you. I will never bother you.
14. I you want to, I can save you. I can take you away from here. So lonely inside. So busy out there.
15. Maybe she thinks I know something, maybe, maybe she thinks it’s fine. Maybe she knows something I don’t. I’m so, I’m so tired, I’m tired of trying.
16. He said, “Take my hand. Live while can. Don’t you see your dreams lie right in the palm of your hand?”
17. It hurts to want everything and nothing at the same time. I want what’s yours and I want what’s mine. I want you but I’m not giving in this time.
18. If you can hear a piano fall you can hear me coming down the hall. If I could just hear your pretty voice I don’t think I’d need to see at all.
19. Mama, love you but this trailer got to go. I cannot grow old in Salam’s Lot. So here I go, it my shot. Feet fail me not. Maybe this is the only opportunity I got.
20. Well I’ve been watching while you been coughing. I’ve been drinking life while you been nauseous. And so I drink to health while you kill yourself.
21. Doo what I please, gonna spread the disease because I wanna. Gonna call all the shots for the No’s and the Nots because I wanna.
22. I’d like to ask you from the start if you could pull me out the dark or if our love could fall apart like cookies crumble.
23. So many things I’m going through, so much that I wanna do. It starting to become so clear to me tomorrow ain’t really guaranteed.
24. you don't wanna wake up getting told that ya kids trapped at school. When the time’s right, I’mma put this nine right to the left side of ya head, push ya mind right.
25. When I saw the break of day, I wished that I could fly away. 'Stead of kneeling in the sand catching teardrops in my hand.


Friday, December 30, 2011

The 100 Best Songs of 2011


1. Barton Hollow - The Civil Wars

2. Otis - Jay-Z & Kanye West featuring Otis Redding

3. Someone Like You - Adele

4. Good Man - Raphael Saadiq

5. Rolling in the Deep - Adele

6. Helplessness Blues - Fleet Foxes

7. Young Blood - The Naked and Famous

8. Poison & Wine - The Civil Wars

9. Pumped Up Kicks - Foster The People

10. Colder Weather - Zac Brown Band

11. Lonely Boy - The Black Keys

12. My Ugly Mouth - Meg & Dia

13. Black - Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi featuring Norah Jones

14. Rumour Has It - Adele

15. Brighter Than the Sun - Colbie Caillat

16. Bring It On - The Gaslight Anthem

17. Children - V V Brown

18. Lost In My Mind - The Head and the Heart

19. L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. - Noah and the Whale

20. Make Some Noise - Beastie Boys

21. Back Down South - Kings of Leon

22. Comeback Kid (That's My Dog) - Brett Dennen

23. Oh My Heart - R.E.M.

24. Tree By the River - Iron & Wine

25. Freak Out - Tapes 'n Tapes

26. Stay Young, Go Dancing - Death Cab For Cutie

27. Windows Are Rolled Down - Amos Lee

28. Just a Kiss - Lady Antebellum

29. The Show Goes On - Lupe Fiasco

30. I Need a Doctor - Dr. Dre featuring Eminem and Skylar Grey

31. Lucky Now - Ryan Adams

32. Battery Kinzie - Fleet Foxes

33. My Body - Young The Giant

34. Freaks and Geeks - Childish Gambino

35. Faster - Matt Nathanson

36. Nylons In a Rip - Nikka Costa

37. (Expletive Deleted) in Paris - Jay-Z & Kanye West

38. Up Up Up - Givers

39. Love the Way You Walk Away - Blitzen Trapper

40. Single Girls - Laura Jansen

41. Gonna Get Over You - Sara Bareilles

42. Ours - Taylor Swift

43. All of the Lights - Kanye West

44. The Lazy Song - Bruno Mars

45. Let the Rain - Sara Bareilles

46. Go Outside - Cults

47. Our Hearts Are Wrong - Jessica Lea Mayfield

48. Mean - Taylor Swift

49. When I'm Alone - Lissie

50. Stone Rollin' - Raphael Saadiq

51. Paradise - Coldplay

52. Hey Mama - Mat Kearney

53. Thinking About You - Frank Ocean

54. Time Spent in Los Angeles - Dawes

55. The Broken Ones - Dia Frampton

56. Hell On Heels - Pistol Annies

57. The Shrine / An Argument - Fleet Foxes

58. You Are a Tourist - Death Cab for Cutie

59. Flower - Amos Lee

60. Holdin On to Black Metal - My Morning Jacket

61. How Come You Never Go There - Feist

62. Bonfire - Childish Gambino

63. Back to December - Taylor Swift

64. Inventing Shadows - Dia Frampton

65. 'Til the End of Time - Timothy Bloom featuring V

66. ÜBerlin - R.E.M.

67. We Found Love - Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris

68. Lorelai - Fleet Foxes

69. Call Your Girlfriend - Robyn

70. The Story of Us - Taylor Swift

71. Invisible - Skylar Grey

72. Movin' Down the Line - Raphael Saadiq

73. Don't Kick the Chair - Dia Frampton featuring Kid Cudi

74. You've Got the Love - Florence + the Machine

75. Roll Away Your Stone - Mumford & Sons

76. Best Thing I Never Had - Beyoncé

77. Red Solo Cup - Toby Keith

78. Two Against One - Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi featuring Jack Black

79. Get Some - Lykke Li

80. We All Go Back to Where We Belong - R.E.M.

81. Change The Sheets - Kathleen Edwards

82. Nasty - Nas

83. From the Clouds - Jack Johnson

84. Shanghai Cigarettes - Caitlin Rose

85. Radio Message - R. Kelly

86. Who Says - Selena Gomez & the Scene

87. Smarter - Eisley

88. Monster - Kanye West, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj and Bon Iver

89. Howlin' for You - The Black Keys

90. KMAG YOYO - Hayes Carll

91. If I Die Young - The Band Perry

92. Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera

93. Make My - The Roots featuring Big K.R.I.T. & Dice Raw

94. Masquerade - Lelia Broussard

95. Calamity Song - The Decemberists

96. Little Lie - Lindi Ortega

97. Shake It Out - Florence + the Machine

98. The Scientist - Willie Nelson

99. Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall - Coldplay

100. Radio - Raphael Saadiq




Thursday, December 30, 2010

The 100 Best Songs of 2010


1. Tighten Up - The Black Keys

2. (Expletive Deleted) You - Cee-Lo

3. The High Road - Broken Bells

4. Power - Kanye West

5. Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons

6. King of Anything - Sara Bareilles

7. Runaway - Kanye West and Pusha T

8. The Cave - Mumford & Sons

9. Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise - The Avett Brothers

10. Radioactive - Kings of Leon

11. Rolling In the Deep - Adele

12. Airplanes - B.o.B. featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore

13. Breakeven (Falling to Pieces) - The Script

14. Mine - Taylor Swift

15. In Sleep - Lissie

16. Kandi - One EskimO

17. Next Girl - The Black Keys

18. Do-Wah-Doo - Kate Nash

19. Beg Steal or Borrow - Ray Lamontange and the Pariah Dogs

20. 40 Dogs (Like Romeo and Juliet) - Bob Schneider

21. Wake Up Everybody - John Legend & The Roots featuring Common & Melanie Fiona

22. No One's Gonna Love You - Cee-Lo Green

23. Tightrope - Janelle Monáe featuring Big Boi

24. Release Me - The Like

25. Ain't No Grave (Gonna Hold This Body Down) - Johnny Cash

26. Thinking 'Bout Somethin' - Hanson

27. American Slang - The Gaslight Anthem

28. Got Nuffin - Spoon

29. I Should Have Known It - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

30. Valentino - Diane Birch

31. The Catalyst - Linkin Park

32. In the Sun - She & Him

33. On to the Next One - Jay-Z featuring Swizz Beatz

34. Laredo - Band of Horses

35. Everlasting Light - The Black Keys

36. Dog Days Are Over - Florence + the Machine

37. Rewind - Diane Birch

38. At or With Me - Jack Johnson

39. Young Blood - Norah Jones

40. Horchata - Vampire Weekend

41. Need You Now - Lady Antebellum

42. Gimme Sympathy - Metric

43. I Know What I Am - Band of Skulls

44. Animal - Neon Trees

45. Home - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

46. Giving Up the Gun - Vampire Weekend

47. Every Subway Car - Barenaked Ladies featuring Erin McCarley

48. You and Your Heart - Jack Johnson

49. Half of My Heart - John Mayer featuring Taylor Swift

50. I Never Told You - Colbie Caillat

51. Bang Bang Bang - Mark Ronson featuring Q-Tip & MNDR

52. Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare) - Kid Cudi featuring MGMT and Ratatat

53. Love the Way You Lie - Eminem featuring Rihanna

54. If You Let Me - JP, Chrissie & the Fairground Boys

55. Wavin' Flag – K’naan

56. Hey, Soul Sister - Train

57. The Sound Of Sunshine - Michael Franti & Spearhead

58. Howlin' for You - The Black Keys

59. All Summer - Kid Cudi, Best Coast and Rostam of Vampire Weekend

60. Back to December - Taylor Swift

61. When a Woman Loves - R. Kelly

62. The Ghost Who Walks - Karen Elson

63. He's Not a Boy - The Like

64. It's Gonna Be - Norah Jones

65. Misery - Maroon 5

66. Dear God 2.0 - The Roots and Jim James of Monsters of Folk

67. Kush - Dr Dre featuring Snoop Dogg and Akon

68. Infinity Guitars - Sleigh Bells

69. Opposite of Adults - Chiddy Bang

70. Erase Me - Kid Cudi and Kanye West

71. Stylo - Gorillaz featuring Mos Def & Bobby Womack

72. Run Back to Your Side - Eric Clapton

73. Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin' - Mayer Hawthorne

74. Forgiveness - Sarah McLachlan

75. Soundtrack 2 My Life - Kid Cudi

76. Naturally - Selena Gomez & the Scene

77. Bright Lights Bigger City - Cee-Lo Green

78. Undo It - Carrie Underwood

79. Fearless - Taylor Swift

80. Written In Reverse - Spoon

81. Gypsy - Shakira

82. Paris (Ooh La La) - Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

83. Hey World - Michael Franti & Spearhead

84. Pyro - Kings of Leon

85. This (Expletive Deleted) Job - Drive-By Truckers

86. Not Afraid - Eminem

87. Hard Times - John Legend & The Roots featuring Black Thought

88. Maybe - Sick Puppies

89. Do You Love Me - Guster

90. People Say - Portugal the Man

91. Alice - Avril Lavigne

92. Too Late for Lovers - Gin Wigmore

93. Amazing - One EskimO

94. Come and Get It - Eli "Paperboy" Reed

95. Next Best Thing - Nikki & Rich

96. Playing God - Paramore

97. Had It All - Katharine McPhee

98. Heaven and Earth - Blitzen Trapper

99. Unthought Known - Pearl Jam

100. Stop for a Minute - Keane featuring K’Naan



Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Breaking Down the Best Songs of the Year


At the end of every year since 1996, I have gathered up my favorite songs from that year for a countdown of my favorite. I was interested in seeing who were the artist that appeared most on those list over the past decade and here are the top 25 (well since there was a tie there are actually 31). I counted any song of which they were listed as a featured artist, not just when they were the lead artist. Also keep in mind this list has nothing to do with my upcoming Greatest Songs of the 00’s which I promise to release before the next decade ends. I also included a list of the number 1’s of the past twelve years as well as Mr. Irrelevant (the song that was last that year).  For the full list for the past five years, click the Best Songs label at the bottom of the post.

1. Kanye West - 25

2. Alicia Keys – 15

John Mayer – 15 (Solo, 14 and John Mayer Trio, 1)

4. U2 - 14

5. Jay-Z - 13

6. Carrie Underwood – 11

Coldplay – 11

8. Nelly Furtado – 10

9. Beyoncé – 9 (Solo, 6 and Destiny’s Child, 3)

Dave Matthews – 9 (solo, 1 and Dave Matthews Band, 8)

Eminem – 9

The Killers – 9

Michelle Branch – 9 (solo, 6 and The Wreckers, 3)

Nas – 9

Ryan Adams – 9

Snoop Dogg – 9

Snow Patrol – 9

3 Doors Down - 9

19. Christina Aguilera – 8

Jack Johnson – 8

Jack White - 8 (The Raconteurs, 2 and The White Stripes, 6)

Lily Allen – 8

Maroon 5 – 8

Santana - 8

25. Common – 7

Death Cab for Cutie – 7

Jimmy Eat World – 7

Rihanna – 7

The Roots – 7

Taylor Swift – 7

Weezer - 7


Most Top Ten Songs

7 - John Mayer

Kanye West

4 - Michelle Branch (solo, 2 and The Wreckers, 2)

Santana

3 - Coldplay

David Gray

Death Cab for Cutie

Jay-Z

The Killers

Ryan Adams

U2


Shortest Song: Fell in Love with a Girl – The White Stripes (1:50)

Longest Song: I Will Possess Your Heart – Death Cab for Cutie (8:36)

Longest Break Between Charting: 10 Years (Ben Harper, Steal My Kisses in 2000; Fly One Time in 2009)

Number One Songs by Year

2000: Maria, Maria – Santana featuring the Product G&B

2001: Everywhere – Michelle Branch

2002: Fell in Love with a Girl – The White Stripes

2003: The Seed (2.0) – The Roots featuring Cody ChestnuTT

2004: All Falls Down – Kanye West

2005: Landed – Ben Folds

2006: Crazy – Gnarls Barkley

2007: Drivin’ Me Wild – Common featuring Lily Allen

2008: I’m Yours – Jason Mraz

2009: Use Somebody – Kings of Leon


Mr. Irrelevant

2000: The Bad Touch – The Bloodhound Gang

2001: Standing Still – Jewel

2002: Friends and Family – Trik Turner

2003: Make Me a Song – Kiley Dean

2004: Some Girls – Rachel Stevens

2005: Give a Little Bit – Goo Goo Dolls

2006: Lithium – Evanescence

2007: This Ain’t a Scene, it’s an Arms Race – Fall Out Boy

2008: Stuck to You – Nikka Costa

2009: Let’s Take a Walk – Raphael Saadiq

Friday, January 15, 2010

Lyrics Quiz: Best Songs of 2000


Long before the 9th Green ever existed, I was making lists of the year just for fun. Here is the list of the best songs I made a decade ago (I dutifully note that my 2000 self may not have had the best taste of music). As always leave your guesses, both artist and song title, in the comment section or e-mail me. If you are correct I will un-bold the lyric. Please keep in mind the lyrics quiz is for entertainment purposes only so please only use your own meandering mind to guess them. Now onto the lyric quiz:

1. She reminds me of a West Side Story. Growing up in Spanish Harlem. She’s living the life just like a movie star.  (Maria Maria - Santana featuring the Product G&B;  guessed by Taylor Blue)
2. You know the song by Phil Collins, In the Air of the Night about that guy who could have saved that other guy from drowning but didn’t then Phil saw it all and then at his show he found him?  (Stan - Eminem;  guessed by Doug)
3. ‘Cause there is a monster livening under my bed, whispering in my ear. And there is an angel with her hand on my head; she says I have nothing to fear.  (Put Your Lights On - Santana featuring Everlast;  guessed by Taylor Blue)
4. You love this town even if that doesn’t ring true. You’ve been all over and it’s been all over you.  (Beautiful Day - U2;  guessed by Anonymous)
5. Saturday I’m running wild and all the lights are changing red to green. Moving through the crowds I’m pushing, chemicals rushing through my bloodstream.  (Babylon - David Gray;  guessed by Rebekah)
6. I part with nothing. Y’all be frontin’. Me give my heart to a woman? Not for nothing, never happen, I’ll be forever mackin’.  (Big Pimpin' - Jay-Z featuring UGK;  guessed by Anonymous)
7. You (expletive deleted) remind me of a strip club, cause every time you come around it’s like, what, I just gotta get my (expletive deleted) sucked.  (Party Up (Up in Here) - DMX;  guessed bt Rebekah)
8. Just close your eyes each loving day and know this feeling won’t go away.  (This I Promise You - *NSYNC;  guessed by Dawn)
9. Love to think you couldn’t love another. Share a toothbrush; you’re my kind of man.  (Bathwater - No Doubt;  guessed by Doug)
10. I dream of love as time runs through my hand. I dream of fire, those dreams are tied to a horse that will never tire.  (Desert Rose - Sting;  guessed by Rebekah)
11. I bet you’re hard to get over. I bet the moon just won’t shine. I bet my hands I can stay here, and I bet you mean more than you mind.  (When You're Gone - Matchbox Twenty;  guessed by Doug)
12. If I could grant you one wish I wish you could see the way you kiss. (The Way You Love Me - Faith Hill; guessed by Anonymous)
13. It’s the perfect time of day to throw all your cares away. Put the sprinkler on the lawn and run thru with my gym shorts on.  (Pinch Me - Barenaked Ladies;  guessed by Doug)
14. Now I knocking like Jehovah: let me in now: Bill Gates, Donald Trump let me in now.  (Country Grammar (Hot...) - Nelly;  guessed by Anonymous)
15. Cookie: I met her at an ice cream parlor. Tonya, Diane, Lori and Carla, Marina, Selena, Katrina, Sabrina, about three Kim’s.
16. Come back, get back. That’s the part of success. If you believe in the X, you’ll be relievin’ your stress.
17. Just the other night baby, I saw you hanging, you were with your crew, I was with mine too.
18. So you can sit me here next to Britany Spears? Christina Aguilera better switch me chairs so I can sit next to Cason Daily and Fed Durst.  (The Real Slim Shady - Eminem;  guessed by Taylor Blue)
19. Down to the Earth I fell with dripping wings; heavy things won’t fly. And the sky might catch on fire and burn the axis of the world.
20. I just had to find a way I could meet her cause I’ve been dying for the chance just to treat her like the ripe little peach she is.
21. Monday night I feel so low, count the hours they go so slow. I know the sound of your voice can save my soul. (Be with You - Enrique Iglesias; guessed by Anonymous)
22. I'm not just talking about your sexuality but I can't help myself when you put your hands on me.  (Come on Over Baby (All I Want Is You) - Christina Aguilera;  guessed by Taylor Blue)
23. I wanna look at the horizon and not see a building standing tall.  (Cowboy Take Me Away - Dixie Chicks;  guessed by Taylor Blue)
24. …Like the open mouth of a grave. Not to stare up at me like a calf down on its knees.  (Don't Tell Me -Madonna;  guessed by Rebekah)
25. In my last years with him there were bruises on my face. In my dawn and new day I finally got away. But my head's all messed up and he knows.  (Still - Macy Gray;  guessed by Taylor Blue)