This year was short on great albums, but big on great singles. In order to be fair, I'm including one song from each artist that, in my world, deserves recognition. There are a few repeaters at the end to get me to 30. The list is in general order of song rank within those parameters.

1. The Funeral - Band of Horses
2. If You Could Read My Mind - Johnny Cash
3. Pompeii Am Gotterdammerung - The Flaming Lips
4. Hours - TV On The Radio:
5. The Other Side Of Mt. Heart Attack - Liars
6. Knife - Grizzly Bear
7. Harrowdown Hill - Thom Yorke
8. Pass The Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind - Yo La Tengo
9. Goin' Against Your Mind - Built To Spill
10. A Place In Displacement - South

11. Welcome To The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance
12. At Last - Neko Case
13. This Is How It Always Starts - Grandaddy
14. Woke Up New - The Mountain Goats
15. Rough Gem - Islands
16. I Win - Starflyer 59
17. Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken - Camera Obscura
18. Or - Sonic Youth
19. Cheated Hearts - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
20. Another One Goes By - The Walkmen

21. Ambush - Figurines
22. Jakov's Suite - Tapes 'n Tapes
23. Head Home - Midlake
24. Messes Of Men - mewithoutyou
25. The Perpetual Self, or "What Would Saul Alinsky Do?" - Sufjan Stevens
26. Marker In The Sand - Pearl Jam

(repeaters)
27. Monsters - Band of Horses
28. Conventional Wisdom - Built To Spill
29. Wolf Like Me - TV On The Radio
30. I Should Have Known Better - Yo La Tengo

"Wolf Like Me" is going to run away with this by 465768721412 points. I guess it's good they won't be ranked.

Well, I'm brand new, but I just had to post my favorite songs list for 2006...here goes:


1. Grizzly Bear - On a Neck, On a Spit
2. Band of Horses - The Funeral
3. Xiu Xiu - Boy Soprano
4. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
5. Thom Yorke - Black Swan
6. Grizzly Bear - Little Brother
7. Sunset Rubdown - Stadiums & Shrines II
8. Islands - Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby
9. Xiu Xiu - Buzz Saw
10. Man Man - Black Mission Goggles
11. Sunset Rubdown - Us Ones In Between
12. TV On the Radio - Hours
13. Man Man - Engwish Bwudd
14. Rock Plaza Central - My Children, Be Joyful
15. Beirut - Mount Wroclai (Idle Days)
16. Scissor Sisters - I Don't Feel Like Dancing
17. Grizzly Bear - Knife
18. Ghostface Killah - Shakey Dog
19. The Decemberists - The Island-Come & See/The Landlord’s Daughter/You’ll Not Feel The Drowning
20. Danielson - Did I Step On Your Trumpet?
21. Beck - Think I'm In Love
22. Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor
23. Destroyer - European Oils
24. The Strokes - You Only Live Once
25. Grizzly Bear- Colorado
26. Grizzly Bear - Central and Remote
27. The Decemberists - Yankee Bayonet (I will be home then)
28. Rock Plaza Central - When We Go, How We Go (Part II)
29. Regina Spektor - Fidelity
30. Ghostface Killah - Kilo (feat. Raekwon)

*

Agonized over this some...This is as close as it's gonna get.

I updated the master list. What was a pretty tight race between "Wolf Like Me" and "Crazy", now shows Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" kicking ass and taking names. BOH's "The Funeral" also snuck up on "Wolf Like Me".

I'm most surprised by the high placement of Junior Boys' "In the Morning". I didn't seem to hear a lot of people talking about that track throughout the year, but it is indeed a great song.

quote:

Originally posted by ericg75:
I updated the master list. What was a pretty tight race between "Wolf Like Me" and "Crazy", now shows Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" kicking ass and taking names. BOH's "The Funeral" also snuck up on "Wolf Like Me".

I'm most surprised by the high placement of Junior Boys' "In the Morning". I didn't seem to hear a lot of people talking about that track throughout the year, but it is indeed a great song.

I'm not going to do a top singles of the year list because I would get to OCD and never finish, but the Junior Boys' "So This Is Goodbye" would be my number two song of the year (with the Knife's "Forest Families" being my number one). I'm not sure about "In The Morning" either as a top song candidate.

Timebomb - The Format
Dirtywhirl - TV On The Radio
Postcards From Italy - Beirut
Lloyd I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken - Camera Obscura
Want You - Bertine Zetlitz
Low Happening - Howling Bells
Kick Push - Lupe Fiasco
Hang Me Up To Dry - Cold War Kids
Yankee Bayonet - Decemberists
Young Folks - Peter, Bjorn and John
Doctor Blind - Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton
Set The Fire To The Third Bar - Snow Patrol/Martha Wainwright
We're From Barcelona - I'm From Barcelona
When You Were Young - The Killers
After The Garden - Neil Young
Last Request - Paulo Nutini
Charmaine - Plan B
Oh Mandy - The Spinto Band
The Illiad - Tapes n Tapes
Kink - Archie Bronson Outfit
White Collar Boy - Belle & Sebastian
Steady As She Goes - Raconteurs
Roll Wid Us - Akala
Lived In Bars - Cat Power
Cup Of Tea - Shack
Raoul - The Automatic
Futures - Zero 7
Liar - Built To Spill
Rubber & Soul - Ane Brun
I Used To Dance With My Daddy - Datarock

Here's my lovely list, in alphabetical order:

1. The Arctic Monkeys – A Certain Romance
2. Band of Horses – The Funeral
3. Band of Horses – Wicked Gil
4. Beirut – Postcards From Italy
5. Belle and Sebastian – We Are the Sleepyheads
6. Belle and Sebastian – The Blues are Still Blue
7. Camera Obscura – Lloyd, I’m Ready to be Heartbroken
8. Cat Power – The Greatest
9. Danielson – Did I Step On Your Trumpet?
10. The Decemberists – The Island…
11. Destroyer – Painter in Your Pocket
12. Gnarls Barkley – Crazy
13. The Hold Steady – Chips Ahoy!
14. The Hold Steady – Stuck Between Stations
15. Hot Chip – Boy From School
16. Islands – Rough Gem
17. Joanna Newsom – Cosmia
18. Joanna Newsom – Sawdust and Diamonds
19. Junior Boys – In the Morning
20. The Knife – We Share Our Mother’s Health
21. Liars – The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack
22. Mew – Zookeeper’s Boy
23. Muse – Starlight
24. Neko Case – Star Witness
25. Neko Case – Hold On, Hold On
26. Peter, Bjorn and John – Young Folks
27. Tapes n’ Tapes – Insistor
28. The Thermals – A Pillar of Salt
29. TV on the Radio – Wolf Like Me
30. Voxtrot – Mothers, Sisters, Daughters and Wives

I had made a list about twice this size quite awhile ago, and just needed to cut it down - which was more difficult than I thought it would be. I was surprised to see that my list was so similar to the tallied list; there's obviously some sort of mind control going on. (Any guesses as to who the controller is..?)

I like that list.

===BEST SONGS OF 2006===

It's a Mo'Fu**in' Countdown!


30. Built to Spill: Saturday
29. The Rapture: Don Gon Do It
28. The Fray: How to Save a Life
27. The Decemberists: O, Valencia!
26. Asobi Seksu: Thursday
25. Pretty Girls Make Graves: Bullet Charm
24. Tim McGraw: When Stars Go Blue
23. Lupe Fiasco: Kick, Push
22. Peter Bjorn and John: Young Folks
21. The Hold Steady: Stuck Between Stations
20. Midlake: Roscoe
19. Sufjan Stevens: The Mistress Witch from McClure
18. Destroyer: Rubies
17. TV on the Radio: I Was a Lover
16. Neko Case: Star Witness
15. Junior Boys: In the Morning
14. Yo La Tengo: Beanbag Chair
13. Band of Horses: The Great Salt Lake
12. Oxford Collapse: Please Visit Your National Parks
11. Dixie Chicks: Taking the Long Way
10. Liars: The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack
09. Rascal Flatts: What Hurts the Most
08. Peter Bjorn and John: Objects of My Affection
07. Band of Horses: The Funeral
06. The Knife: Silent Shout
05. Justin Timberlake, T.I.: My Love
04. TV on the Radio: Wolf Like Me
03. Beyonce: Irreplaceable
02. Gnarls Barkley: Crazy
01. The Hold Steady: The First Night


Explanations:

30. Built to Spill: Saturday
(This is a slow, brooding love song, and quite a change of pace for Built to Spill. Great lyrics: "And I hope you're not like us, and by us, I mean everyone in the world that isn't you.)
29. The Rapture: Don Gon Do It
(This song begins with echoing lyrics until the danciest song off their new album finally begins: the chorus really is 'rapturous')
28. The Fray: How to Save a Life
(A radio hit about seeing a friend slip away due to a drug addiction. The emotion is moving.)
27. The Decemberists: O, Valencia!
(The greatest pop single off their new album, and in classic Decemberists form, it tells a Shakespearesque story about star-crossed lovers.)
26. Asobi Seksu: Thursday
(This band takes shoe-gazing in a interesting direction, by pairing beautiful noise with the beautiful vocals of a female singer.)
25. Pretty Girls Make Graves: Bullet Charm
(The last song off their weary-sounding album. After sounding tired and defeated, they muster the strength for one last first-pumping anthem, with incredible drumming.)
24. Tim McGraw: When Stars Go Blue
(Tim McGraw covers Ryan Adams' slow-burning love song and brings it to new levels with this gentlemanly croon. This is a song befitting of Tim's gorgeous wife.)
23. Lupe Fiasco: Kick, Push
(Lupe's new kid on-the-block swagger with tight beats make this song about skatin' with the homies the best track off the Kanye protege's album)
22. Peter Bjorn and John: Young Folks
(The whistling makes the song)
21. The Hold Steady: Stuck Between Stations
(Probably the most Springsteen sounding of their new album, it gets you excited right off the bat with kick-ass guitar and Craig Finn's always excellent poetry.)
20. Midlake: Roscoe
(Midlake's album is good, but this track is great. The delivery is excellent, in evoking a sense of nostalgia for simpler times.
19. Sufjan Stevens: The Mistress Witch from McClure
(Once again, Sufjan's delivery make this song excellent: it tells a supposedly true story of a father's scandalous affair.)
18. Destroyer: Rubies
(Dan Bejar's music can be hard to follow, but one must at least admire his song-writing and compositional skill, in creating this Bowie-esque epic song.
17. TV on the Radio: I Was a Lover
(Tunde has the most soulful voice in Indie Rock, but the production makes this song special; it is overflowing with gorgeous noise on top of keyboards on top of electric...)
16. Neko Case: Star Witness
(The songwriting is cryptic yet intelligent, the voice immaculate, and this can be said of all the album. The fact that Neko comes unbridled with passion makes it a joy to hear.)
15. Junior Boys: In the Morning
(Junior Boys' new album is full of these gorgeous songs, full of rhythm and melody if not necessarily energy.)
14. Yo La Tengo: Beanbag Chair
(Some jazzy piano and trumpets paired with the light, breezy voices of a male and female could only be another Yo La Tengo classic.)
13. Band of Horses: The Great Salt Lake
(Exhibit A: "Why 'Everything All the Time is Better than Z'". OK, blasting this song as I drove past BYU at Provo on the way to the Salt Lake helped make this song memorable too.
12. Oxford Collapse: Please Visit Your National Parks
(This song is nothing but a simple repetitive chorus. REM-like vocals + smokin electric makes this song the anthem of the year.
11. Dixie Chicks: The Long Way Around
(Less confrontational than their mega-hit "Not Ready to Make Nice", this song is just as unapologetic, and sounds more real: Dixie Chicks tell us that they are going to reclaim their country thrones honestly, without compromising one bit)
10. Liars: The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack
(This song is only perfect in context, a heartwarming counterpoint to the often chilling "Drum's Not Dead")
9. Rascal Flatts: What Hurts the Most
(This song is typical fare for country's greatest voice; but it is unusual in it's perception. Instead of wallowing in loneliness, the tragedy of this song is more immediately relatable - it is missed opportunity, wasted time. And have you heard that voice?!)
8. Peter Bjorn and John: Objects of My Affection
(Somewhat ignored in favor of the single, this song is the real crown jewel of "Writer's Block", the powerful brit-pop album of the year.
7. Band of Horses: The Funeral
(Exhibit B: "Why 'Everything All the Time' is greater than 'Z'". This song is their 'Gideon')
6. The Knife: Silent Shout
(How these ghostly male/female lyrics paired with beats that sound like a dancier Kraftwerk make such a perfect club single is beyond me. But it works.)
5. Justin Timberlake, T.I.: My Love
(But the lyrics?! JT still retains his boyish persona with childish lyrics, but Timbaland's PHAT beats scream SEX.)
4. TV on the Radio: Wolf Like Me
(This song is the centerpiece of the most critically acclaimed album of the year, and will make a believer of anyone. The vocal efforts from Blonde Redhead's singer add a perfect addition.)
3. Beyonce: Irreplaceable
(Beyonce is nothing if not today's hottest queen of pop. The "No Thugz" message paired with her smooth-as-cream voice make this song so freakin sexy.)
2. Gnarls Barkley: Crazy
(I've heard it described as this year's "Hey Ya". Yes, this is 2006's biggest hit - but instead of the booty shaking creative schizophrenia of 'Hey Ya', Crazy's kicks come from the soulful groove and slightly maniacal delivery.)
1. The Hold Steady: First Night
(In 2006, The Hold Steady gave me my song of the year AND my album of the year. After being only mildly interested in "Separation Sunday", I played this album and knew that it was certainly a change for the band - by the time "The First Night" came on, with the dramatic new keyboards, eventually bursting into the ecstatic hollering of "Boys and Girls of America!!!" - I knew that this was possibly the best thing I had heard all year. And it was.)

I gladly Welcome 2007, and the threat of more amazing albums than I can possibly consume in one year. But if anything, I will remember 2006 most of all for it's songs - some good enough, I'd say - to rival any year.
P.S. I think my "Best Albums" list won't be done until a week from today...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BContrat,

quote:

Originally posted by BContrat:

12. Oxford Collapse: Please Visit Your National Parks
12. Oxford Collapse: Please Visit Your National Parks
(This song is nothing but a simple repetitive chorus. REM-like vocals + smokin electric makes this song the anthem of the year.

This is the only list I have seen this on. It's a great track and it will show up on mine as well.

1. A Certain Romance – Arctic Monkeys
2. Wicked Gil – Band of Horses
3. The Funeral – Band of Horses
4. Master Of None – Beach House
5. Prenzlauerberg – Beirut
6. We Are The Sleepyheads – Belle and Sebastian
7. Pink and Sour – Califone
8. Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken – Camera Obscura
9. Bloodbook on the Half Shell – Danielson
10. The Island… - The Decemberists
11. Painter in Your Pocket – Destroyer
12. Collarbone – Fujiya and Miyagi
13. On a Neck, On a Spit – Grizzly Bear
14. Knife – Grizzly Bear
15. Boy From School – Hot Chip
16. Rough Gem – Islands
17. Jogging Gorgeous Summer – Islands
18. Silent Shout – The Knife
19. Let’s Not Wrestle Mt. Heart Attack – Liars
20. The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack – Liars
21. Engwish Bwudd – Man Man
22. Rally – Phoenix
23. Free Stress Test – Professor Murder
24. Insistor – Tapes ‘n Tapes
25. And It Rained All Night – Thom Yorke
26. A Method – TV on the Radio
27. Playhouses – TV on the Radio
28. Wolf Like Me – TV on the Radio
29. Mothers, Sisters, daughters and Wives – Voxtrot
30. Young Folks – Peter Bjorn and John

These are in alphabetical order (or close to it) so they don't really need numbers. Cutting songs is always hard, and the Hold Steady's "Same Kooks" and Herbert's "Movers and Shakers" were the last ones I cut so I guess that they're my honorable mentions. I thought about cutting down the TVOTR to two, but I just couldn't bring myself to do that...choosing three from that album is hard enough.

quote:

3. Band of Horses – Wicked Gil

/
CoCo, have you heard the slower version of Wicked Gil, it's even better. Was one of my top 10 songs of the year.

quote:

3. Band of Horses – Wicked Gil

quote:

Wicked Gil – Band of Horses

Has anyone heard the slower version of this song? Much better than the album version.

quote:

Originally posted by joji:
I like that list.

I second that, that is a good list CoCoCo.

ah why did i have to wait until the week of the deadline to join?

dont worry, ill have my 30 posts before the dealine. lol.

im so excited about getting my top 30 songs of this year up.

rating songs has been a overwhelming hobby of mine to say the least.

i have over 8800 songs on my itunes as of this morning and i individually rate exah and every one of them.

not quite done yet but im probably somewhere in the 6000's by now. (i hope,lol)

quote:

Originally posted by thomyorkeisgod:
ah why did i have to wait until the week of the deadline to join?

dont worry, ill have my 30 posts before the dealine. lol.

Godspeed. If you get close to 30, I'll probably cave in and count it. I mainly didn't want to count the people who post once or twice and never come back.

ha, i understand.

i have been a regular visitor of this site since maycbe may. i am talking about two or three times a week. but i never noticed there was a forum until i was checking out the top 10 albumbs of the year.

im stupid.

quote:

Originally posted by Besttasteinmusicever:

quote:

3. Band of Horses – Wicked Gil

/
CoCo, have you heard the slower version of Wicked Gil, it's even better. Was one of my top 10 songs of the year.

No, unfortunately I haven't. Is it a live version or a studio? If you know of a link where I could find it that would be awesome.

The Great Salt Lake is a great song!

I didn't really have the energy to put in a ton of thought for this list, but oh well. I also only chose one song per artist so I could list more bands. These are in no order

"When You Wasn't Famous" - The Streets
"The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song" - Flaming Lips
"Sukie In The Graveyard" - Belle & Sebastian
"Hard To Beat" - Hard-Fi
"Hold On" - Neko Case
"Summer Lawn" - Aloha
"Can't Lose" - We Are Scientists
"Trains to Brazil" - The Guillemots
"Real Time" - Stars Of Track & Field
"Please Visit Your National Parks" - Oxford Collapse
"De La Souls" - P.O.S.
"Nashville Parthenon" - Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
"Jogging Gorgeous Summer" - Islands
"Ticket To Immortality" - The Dears
"Pillar of Salt" - Thermals
"On The Radio" - Regina Spektor
"My Favorite Mutiny" - The Coup
"Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secure" - Arctic Monkeys
"This Harness Can't Ride Anything" - Chin Up Chin Up
"And I Was A Boy From School" - Hot Chip
"A Tale of Apes, Pt. 1" - Subtle
"Cherry Lips" - Archie Bronson Outfit
"Seventies Western Crime Scene, Pt. 1" - Subtitle
"We Used To Vacation" - Cold War Kids
"Ain't No Other Man" - Christina Aguilera
"Hand Me Downs" - Soul Position
"Wind It Up" - Gwen Steffani
"Futuresex/Lovesounds" - Justin Timberlake
"Hoodie" - Lady Sovereign
"Painted By Numbers" - The Sounds