Monday, September 27, 2010

Favorite Songs of the last Decade

My love of music and creating lists has made me want to create a list of my favorite songs of the last decade. The factors are obviously how much I enjoy the song as well as some kind of personal connection, story behind the song, concept, and of course replay value.

In no particular order...

1. Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
Funeral is probably one of my favorite albums of the last decade. Power Out is my favorite track on the LP. The song is so energetic and powerful, it completely engulfs you as you listen. Fantastic.





2. The Knife - Heartbeats
This is one of those infectious songs that I can listen to all the time, any time of the day or night. It has an amazing sound that combines pop, synth electronica and island steel-drums. The minimalist vocals deliver dense lyrics of a cryptic narrative.



3. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
Fever to Tell is about 30 minutes of pure pissed off rock and roll but ends with Maps (almost ends, Maps being the second to last track). It really is a beautiful little song about love, wanting to be loved and relationships. The following is an acoustic version although the LP version is legendary as well.






4. Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
The self-titled debut album of Franz Ferdinand is amazing from start to finish and has excellent replay value. But Take Me Out is an amazing track that starts off slow and poppy then gradually switches to an in your face rock song. One of my best friends got us tickets to see Franz Ferdinand at the Aragon Ballroom and it was one of the best shows I've seen.







5. Phoenix - 1901
This is newer song that got stuck in my head the first time I heard it. Phoenix has been around for half the decade but this track is the one that won't go away. It is power-pop rock at its finest.





6. Cannibal Ox - Iron Galaxy
Much like Company Flow's Funcrusher Plus, Cannibal Ox's The Cold Vein changed hip-hop for me.



7. Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks




8. MGMT - Time to Pretend





9. M.I.A. - Paper Planes (Diplo Remix)




10. El-P - Tasmanian Pain Coaster





11. Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass




12. The Roots - The Seed





13. Radiohead - National Anthem






14. The Flaming Lips - Fight Test
The Flaming Lips are one of those band that I didn't find out about until She Don't Use Jelly in the early 90's. I really fell in love with their music when the Soft Bulletin came out. They cemented themselves as one of my favorite bands of all time with the concept album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. My wife and I saw them live a few years ago for my birthday. It was at the Aragon Ballroom in Uptown. It was one of the most amazing live performances I've ever seen and Fight Test is one of those songs that just hits you.




15. TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me




16. Broken Social Scene - Fire Eye'd Boy





17. The Island - Where There's a Will There's a Whalebone




18. Kanye West - The Good Life






19. Feist - 1234






20. Lily Allen - Smile





21. El-P - Poisenville Kids No Wins



22. Jay-Z - 99 Problems




23. The Strokes - Last Night





24. Modest Mouse - Float On






25. De La Soul - He Comes





26. Radio Dept. - Your Father




27. The Boy Least Likely To - Be Gentle With Me




28. The Avalanches - Since I Met You






29. Hot Chip - Keep Fallin'





30. Belle and Sebastian - For the Price of a Cup of Tea





31. The Futureheads - Hounds of Love




32. Dead Prez - Hip-Hop




33. Postal Service - Such Great Heights




34. Common - The Light





35. Styles of Beyond - Be Your Dog




36. Kid Cudi - The Prayer




37. Talib Kweli - Get By





38. Arcade Fire - Wake Up




39. The Roots - Atonement


40. Nas - Made You Look




41. Johnny Cash - Hurt




42. Flunk - Six Seven Times




43. Cat Power - The Greatest




44. The National - Fake Empire




45. Eminem - The Way I Am




46. Weezer - Beverly Hills





47. Interpol - Slow Hands




48. The Go! Team - The Power is On



49. Von Bondies - C'Mon C'Mon




50. Dizzee Rascal - I Luv U



...and there you have it. For some reason or another...my favorite songs of the last 10 years. I'm sure there are more but isn't 50 enough?

What are your favorite songs?

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