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Sunday, April 17, 2011

Top 150 songs

The last time I sat down to make a top songs list, I was eating macaroni and cheese at Panera the weekend of Halloween. It was a Top 25 list.
I decided it was time to blow that list out of the water.

Thus, I present my very first Top 150 songs list.
This list is very easily subject to change and is no way set in stone (as music charts rarely are anyway). The top ten, for example, contain a Dr. Dog song, who I may still be a little high on after the Richmond concert, and a Keane song, fresh off what Curtis labelled "a Keane kind of day" yesterday.
So is this list completely objective?
...
OF COURSE NOT.
Is that even possible?

The list is organised based off two primary categories:
1. Musical quality. A complex song is given more consideration than a flat one. (But yes, "simple" songs can also be complex, if that is their aim.)
2. Personal attraction to the song. Bluntly, songs I like more are obviously going to have a higher ranking than songs I'm not too crazy about.

That being said, a song that might be a personal favourite of mine could easily be much lower ranked than expected, due to its lack of musicality. For example, Profanity Prayers is among my favourite songs by Beck, and is in fact my favourite off the album Modern Guilt, but there really isn't much to it, frankly, and so lands at # 102, and is the fourth of the songs off the album to appear.

The list:






# Artist Song Album Year
1 // Beck Cellphone's Dead The Information 2006
2 // The Black Keys Psychotic Girl Attack & Release 2008
3 // Cold War Kids Hospital Beds Robbers & Cowards 2007
4 // Keane Sunshine Hopes and Fears 2004
5 // Radiohead Reckoner In Rainbows 2007
6 // MGMT Of Moons, Birds & Monsters Oracular Spectacular 2007
7 // Dr. Dog The Girl We All Belong 2007
8 // Beck Lord Only Knows Odelay 1996
9 // Radiohead Lotus Flower The King of Limbs 2011
10 // Coldplay Fix You X&Y 2005
11 // The Shins Sea Legs Wincing the Night Away 2007
12 // Beck Broken Drum Guero 2005
13 // Cake Easy to Crash Showroom of Compassion 2011
14 // Islands Rough Gem Return to the Sea 2006
15 // Cold War Kids Saint John Robbers & Cowards 2007
16 // Broken Social Scene Romance to the Grave Forgiveness Rock Record 2011
17 // Beck Farewell Ride Guero 2005
18 // Radiohead Climbing Up the Walls OK Computer 1997
19 // MGMT Siberian Breaks Congratulations 2009
20 // Sun Airway Your Moon Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier 2010
21 // Beck Volcano Modern Guilt 2008
22 // Mumford & Sons The Cave Sigh No More 2009
23 // Cold War Kids We Used to Vacation Robbers & Cowards 2007
24 // Local Natives Wide Eyes Gorilla Manor 2009
25 // Two Door Cinema Club I Can Talk Tourist History 2010
26 // Cold War Kids Relief Loyalty to Loyalty 2008
27 // Dr. Dog Army of Ancients Fate 2008
28 // Small Black Hydra New Chain 2010
29 // Grizzly Bear Cheerleader Veckatimest 2009
30 // Ra Ra Riot Ghost Under Rocks The Rhumb Line 2008
31 // Keane She Has No Time Hopes and Fears 2004
32 // MGMT 4th Dimensional Transition Oracular Spectacular 2007
33 // Broken Social Scene World Sick Forgiveness Rock Record 2010
34 // Fleet Foxes Mykonos Mykonos - Single 2009
35 // Beck Chemtrails Modern Guilt 2008
36 // The Flaming Lips Watching the Planets Embryonic 2009
37 // Radiohead Jigsaw Falling Into Place In Rainbows 2007
38 // Bon Iver Flume For Emma, Forever Ago 2008
39 // The Black Keys Strange Times Attack & Release 2008
40 // The Shins Split Needles Wincing the Night Away 2007
41 // The Avett Brothers I And Love And You I And Love And You 2009
42 // Charlotte Gainsbourg IRM IRM 2009
43 // Band of Horses Is There a Ghost Cease to Begin 2007
44 // Beck Paper Tiger Sea Change 2002
45 // A Band of Bees These Are The Ghosts Free The Bees 2004
46 // Metric Satellite Mind Fantasies 2009
47 // Beck Strange Apparition The Information 2006
48 // Cake Dime Pressure Chief 2004
49 // Beck Blackhole Mellow Gold 1994
50 // Broken Bells The High Road Broken Bells 2010
51 // Radiohead Idioteque Kid A 2000
52 // Oasis Wonderwall (What's the Story) Morning Glory 1995
53 // Arcade Fire Rebellion (Lies) Funeral 2004
54 // Dr. Dog Worst Trip We All Belong 2007
55 // Vampire Weekend Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa Vampire Weekend 2010
56 // MGMT Flash Delirium Congratulations 2009
57 // Louis XIV God Killed the Queen The Best Little Secrets Are Kept 2005
58 // Keane Somewhere Only We Know Hopes and Fears 2004
59 // Beck Tropicalia Mutations 1996
60 // Twin Shadow Shooting Holes Forget 2010
61 // Islands On Foreigner Vapours 2009
62 // Aqueduct Hardcore Days & Softcore Nights I Sold Gold 2005
63 // Radiohead Give Up the Ghost The King of Limbs 2011
64 // Radiohead Karma Police OK Computer 1997
65 // Peter Bjorn and John Up Against the Wall Writer's Block 2007
66 // Fences Girl With Accents Fences 2010
67 // Death Cab for Cutie Cath… Narrow Stairs 2008
68 // Beck Go It Alone Guero 2005
69 // The Flaming Lips The W.A.N.D. At War with the Mystics 2006
70 // Keane Is It Any Wonder? Under the Iron Sea 2006
71 // Yeah Yeah Yeahs Gold Lion Show Your Bones 2006
72 // Foster the People Pumped Up Kicks Foster the People - EP 2011
73 // The Rosebuds Life Like Life Like 2008
74 // Vampire Weekend White Sky Contra 2010
75 // Muse Starlight Black Holes & Revelations 2006
76 // Rooney When Did Your Heart Go Missing? Calling the World 2007
77 // Spoon Black Like Me Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga 2007
78 // The Strokes Machu Picchu Angles 2011
79 // The Dodos Winter Visiter 2008
80 // The Postal Service This Place Is a Prison Give Up 2003
81 // Radiohead Last Flowers to the Hospital In Rainbows (Special Edition) 2007
82 // The Black Keys Tighten Up Brothers 2010
83 // Dr. Dog Shadow People Shame, Shame 2010
84 // Beck Vampire Voltage No. 6 Chemtrails - Single 2008
85 // Beck Jack-Ass Odelay 1996
86 // The Shins New Slang Oh, Inverted World 2001
87 // Charlotte Gainsbourg Greenwich Mean Time IRM 2009
88 // Wilco Solitaire Wilco (The Album) 2009
89 // MGMT We Don't Care Climbing to New Lows 2005
90 // Radiohead Paranoid Andriod OK Computer 1997
91 // Red Hot Chili Peppers Dani California Stadium Arcadium 2006
92 // Phoenix Lisztomania Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix 2009
93 // Beck Lost Cause Sea Change 2002
94 // Radiohead 15 Step In Rainbows 2007
95 // The xx Islands xx 2009
96 // A Band of Bees (This Is For The) Better Days Octopus 2007
97 // Passion Pit Make Light Manners 2009
98 // Sliversun Pickups Lazy Eye Carnavas 2006
99 // Rumspringa Shake 'Em Loose Tonight Rumspringa - EP 2008
100 // Black Kids Hit the Heartbrakes Partie Traumatic 2008
101 // Mason Proper Lock and Key Olly Oxen Free 2008
102 // Beck Profanity Prayers Modern Guilt 2008
103 // Coldplay Talk X&Y 2005
104 // Kurt Vile He's Alright Childish Prodigy 2009
105 // Mumford & Sons I Gave You All Sigh No More 2009
106 // Edward Sharp & TMZ 40 Day Dream Edward Sharp & The Magnetic Zeros 2009
107 // Spoon Deep Clean Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Bonus Track Version) 2007
108 // Radiohead Exit Music (For a Film) OK Computer 1997
109 // Florence and tM Dog Days are Over Lungs 2009
110 // The Black Keys Remember When (Side A) Attack & Release 2008
111 // Cake Short Skirt / Long Jacket Comfort Eagle 2001
112 // Cage the Elephant Back Against the Wall Cage the Elephant 2008
113 // Radiohead All I Need In Rainbows 2007
114 // Keane Unititled 1 Hopes and Fears 2004
115 // Beck Necessary Evil Modern Guilt (Extended Version) 2008
116 // Beck Black Tambourine Guero 2005
117 // Mumford & Sons Little Lion Man Sigh No More 2009
118 // Dr. Dog We All Belong We All Belong 2007
119 // The Black Keys Howlin' For You Brothers 2010
120 // MGMT The Youth Oracular Spectacular 2007
121 // Broken Social Scene Sweetest Kill Forgiveness Rock Record 2010
122 // Beck Soldier Jane The Information 2006
123 // Edward Sharp & TMZ Home Edward Sharp & The Magnetic Zeros 2009
124 // Cold War Kids God, Make Up Your Mind Robbers & Cowards 2007
125 // Beck Deadweight Odelay (Deluxe Edition) 1996
126 // Broken Social Scene Highway Slipper Jam Forgiveness Rock Record 2010
127 // Radiohead Separater The King of Limbs 2011
128 // Cake Sick of You Showroom of Compassion 2011
129 // MGMT Congratulations Congratulations 2009
130 // Beck Ramshackle Odelay 1996
131 // Coldplay Viva La Vida Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends 2008
132 // Islands Creeper Arm's Way 2008
133 // The Flaming Lips Do You Realize?? Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots 2003
134 // Sun Airway American West Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier 2010
135 // Radiohead Codex The King of Limbs 2011
136 // Peter Bjorn and John Amsterdam Writer's Block 2007
137 // Bon Iver Skinny Love For Emma, Forever Ago 2008
138 // The Killers All These Things That I've Done Hot Fuss 2004
139 // Julian Casablancas Out of the Blue Phrazes for the Young 2009
140 // Franz Ferdinand Take Me Out Franz Ferdinand 2004
141 // Cake The Distance Fashion Nugget 1996
142 // Death Cab for Cutie Soul Meets Body Plans 2005
143 // Kaiser Chiefs Oh My God Employment 2005
144 // The Strokes Reptilia Room on Fire 2003
145 // Beck Brother Stray Blues 2000
146 // Julian Casablancas Ludlow St. Phrazes for the Young 2009
147 // Fun. Walking the Dog Aim and Ignite 2009
148 // The Ting Tings We Walk We Started Nothing 2008
149 // La Roux Bulletproof La Roux 2009
150 // Michael Franti & S Say Hey (I Love You) All Rebel Rockers 2008

Honourable Mentions:
The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army, Elephant (2003)
The Streets - Fit But You Know It, A Grand Don't Come for Free (2004)
Dr. Dog - The Beach, Fate (2008)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Rolls, It's Blitz (2009)
The Von Bondies - C'mon C'mon, Pawn Shoppe Heart (2004)

4 comments:

meMonica said...

You should have posted them in descending order so that the first song we see is number 150.

I only know like a quarter of the songs ... I've only heard of like an eighth of the artists.

Pierce said...

yea, I thought about it.... but then I didn't like that the first three artists you'd see were Michael Franti & Spearhead, La Roux, and The Ting Tings. :P
But I didn't expect you to. Actually, I don't expect very many people to recognise many of the songs. It's just my style, I guess. :P

Caroline said...

I know 90 of these songs :) and did you realize you put Jigsaw falling into place twice? at 37 and 81. :P love the list. I will have to listen to all the ones I don't know. I think The Beach by Dr. Dog shoudve made the list, but thats just me :P lol

Pierce said...

ah! thanks for pointing that out... it was, in fact a, typo that has since been fixed. :P "Last Flowers to the Hospital" was supposed to be 81. And you inadvertently brought to my attention that I had misspelled "Climbing Up the Walls", which has now also been fixed. Any other mistakes in there? :P

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