Top 20 Albums of the 00s

Allow me, on behalf of the two of us at NMTM, to introduce the final installment of our own listomania. For the past couple of weeks, we've been taking a break from the usual reporting on our blog, I.E. music news, new releases, gossip, and above all, recaps of the radio show itself. Instead, we've been putting lists of our favorites (songs, albums) of 2009 and the decade as a whole. Lists are a lot of fun. Who doesn't like a list? Well this is it. Here are our 20 albums of the decade.

I want to make a controversial statement before I begin. In modern times, the album is a difficult thing to achieve. And I'm not saying that artists don't put out full-length LPs anymore, because they certainly do; but a true album, enjoyable from start to finish, is a rare breed. CDs will continue to exist for a while, but the album, now that's tough to come by. This list indeed ties into my decade's top song's list from last week. I also feel the need to reiterate that these are my favorite records of the decade; not saying these are the greatest records of all time, but all were ones that I was highly interested in and took control of me. Seriously, I listened to these albums so much it drove me to insanity (kind of, but not really).

2005 was year one for me, it's when I started to get serious about music. And since then, I've been moving in two directions in consideration to my music fan-hood: one venturing back to the roots of rock music in the early 00s and the other blazing into the future. I hope you enjoy the list. The final list.

Mike Pop's Top 20 Albums of the 00s:

20. Blink 182 – Blink 182 (2003)

Suggested Tracks: Not Now, Violence, Asthenia, and Always

19. Pinback – Blue Screen Life (2001)

Suggested Tracks: Offline P.K., Concrete Seconds, Penelope, and Seville

18. Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006)

Suggested Tracks: I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor, Fake Tales Of San Francisco, Mardy Bum, and When The Sun Goes Down

17. Sonic Youth – Murray Street (2002)

Suggested Tracks: The Empty Page, Disconnection Notice, Rain On Tin, and Karen Revisited

16. Big D & The Kids Table – Strictly Rude (2007)

Suggested Tracks: Steady Riot, Noise Complaint, Shining On, and She Knows Her Way

15. Tokyo Police Club – Elephant Shell (2008)

Suggested Tracks: In A Cave, Tessellate, Sixties Remake, and Your English Is Good

14. The Killers – Hot Fuss (2004)

Suggested Tracks: Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine, Mr. Brightside, Smile Like You Mean It, and All These Things That I've Done

13. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend (2008)

Suggested Tracks: Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, M79, One (Blake's Got A New Face), and The Kids Don't Stand A Chance

12. Bright Eyes – I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (2005)

Suggested Tracks: At The Bottom Of Everything, We Are Nowhere, And It's Now, Lua, and First Day Of My Life

11. Say Anything – …Is A Real Boy (2004)

Suggested Tracks: Belt, Woe, An Orgy Of Critics, and Admit It!!!

10. Death Cab For Cutie – Plans (2005)

Suggested Tracks: Marching Bands Of Manhattan, Your Heart Is An Empty Room, Crooked Teeth, and What Sarah Said

9. Interpol – Antics (2004)

Suggested Tracks: Evil, Narc, Take You On A Cruise, and C'mere

8. Motion City Soundtrack – Commit This To Memory (2005)

Suggested Tracks: Everything Is Alright, Feel Like Rain, Time Turned Fragile, and Monsters Invisible

7. The Strokes – Room On Fire (2003)

Suggested Tracks: Reptilia, Automatic Stop, 12:51, and The End Has No End

6. Coheed & Cambria – In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth: 3 (2003)

Suggested Tracks: In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth: 3, Three Evils (Embodied In Love & Shadow), Blood Red Summer, and The Velourium Camper I: Faint Of Hearts

5. Daft Punk – Discovery (2001)

Suggested Tracks: One More Time, Digital Love, Something About Us, and Voyager

4. The Postal Service – Give Up (2003)

Suggested Tracks: The District Sleeps Alone Tonight, Sleeping In, We Will Become Silhouettes, and Brand New Colony

3. Bloc Party – Silent Alarm (2005)

Suggested Tracks: Helicopter, Blue Light, This Modern Love, and The Pioneers

2. Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004)

Suggested Tracks: Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels), Neighborhood #2 (Laika), Wake Up, and Rebellion (Lies)

1. Radiohead – Kid A (2000)

Suggested Tracks: Everything In Its Right Place, Kid A, Optimistic, and Idioteque

Who’s ready for the next decade?

Bloc Party - "The Pioneers"


Arcade Fire - "Rebellion (Lies)"


Reflections On Kid A (Thom Yorke)

Top 30 Songs of the 00s (Part 2)

Ten years is a long time. At the beginning of this decade I was 11 years old, still living in the great city of Philadelphia, and probably listening to a lot of Foo Fighters. Now I'm 21, live outside the city, and listen to much better music. I also have a beard. One thing that is important to note about every song on this list is that at one point or another, I was obsessed with every one of them. Every one of these songs became the only songs I would listen to for days on end, as I dissected the meaning, searched for live videos, and imagined myself in the band (I am a nerd).

The order in which these songs are listen is a bit strange. I'm not necessarily saying #7 is better than #9, or that #21 has less worth than #20, but this is the order that just seemed natural to me, and it's my list so I will do whatever I want. Also worth noting, all songs had to be released between 2000-2009, this explains the absence of my number one song of 2009, since it doesn't get full release until 2010. I let it slide on that list, but not on this one. Enjoy, and zip file coming soon.

Jim Adair's Top 30 Songs of the 00s:

30. Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova – Falling Slowly

29. Delta Spirit – People, Turn Around

28. The Antlers – Bear

27. Felice Brothers – Frankie's Gun

26. Tegan & Sara – The Con

25. The Shins – New Slang

24. Cold War Kids – Hospital Beds

23. The Mountain Goats – This Year

22. Wilco – I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

21. Beirut – A Sunday Smile

20. The Hold Steady – Killer Parties

19. Radiohead – Everything In Its Right Place

18. Fionn Regan – Put A Penny In The Slot

17. Iron & Wine – Jezebel

16. Rilo Kiley – Does He Love You?

15. Josh Ritter – The Temptation Of Adam

14. The Good Life – Album Of The Year

13. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Maps

12. Bon Iver – The Wolves (Act I & II)

11. The Avett Brothers – If Its The Beaches

10. Pela – Waiting On The Stairs

9. The Roots – The Seed 2.0

8. Death Cab For Cutie – Transatlanticism

7. Elliott Smith – In The Lost And Found

6. Colour Revolt – Mattresses Underwater

5. Sigur Rós – Hoppipolla

4. Ryan Adams – Oh My Sweet Carolina

3. Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)

2. The National – All The Wine

1. Sufjan Stevens – Majesty, Snowbird

Top 30 Songs of the 00s

The decade is coming to an end and it's time to unveil the list of my favorite songs of the past ten years. Trying to capture the essence and meaning of the 00s in a single paragraph will simply not work. Nor am I willing to write a complete, year-by-year recap of my life and times and how they correlate with my music selection. The decade was what it was. I've changed so much as a person since Y2K and still to this day. I mean, I pretty much grew up; I was an adolescent, teenager, and now, I'm a young adult. With those changes came a much needed, personal revolution in music taste. Trying to explain my predilection of songs in the early-goings of this decade is another thing that simply won’t work, so you’ll just have to take my word for it that each one of them holds a special place in my past. All these songs were carefully chosen and placed in this order. They have all meant something important to me, from my years in middle school, high school, and college; spanning the events in my life from experiences, relationships, and even athletics (and also faith, friendships, death, and other essentials of growing up). And let's not forget pop culture, including TV and film. That's pretty important.

However, I will elaborate just a bit on one choice. I feel I owe it to the reader. My number one selection was a clear choice. I heard that song in the summer of 2005 and it changed how I felt about music. From there on out, I discovered bands and sounds I had never heard of and they completely changed my outlook on the world. Music began to mold me; it still does and most likely always will. That's why I so passionately want to make a career out of my love for music. From a TRL fed novice, to a late Sunday night Subterranean addict, and finally to a college radio disc jockey and blogger, this is me and my decade list, for what it's worth. Enjoy.

Mike Pop's Top 30 Songs of the 00s:

*Note. Here are MY rules: Can't repeat a band or artist and all songs must have been released either on CD, as singles, or as free downloads from 2000-2009.

30. Matt Pond PA – Closest (Look Out)
29. Tegan & Sara – Nineteen
28. Cold War Kids – Hang Me Up To Dry
27. Wolfmother – Joker & The Thief
26. Tokyo Police Club – Your English Is Good
25. Coldplay – Speed Of Sound
24. Bright Eyes – First Day Of My Life
23. Arctic Monkeys – I Bet That You Look Good On The Dance Floor
22. Tool – Schism
21. dios (malos) – I Want It All
20. Pinback – Penelope
19. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Californication
18. The Killers – Smile Like You Mean It
17. The Postal Service – The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
16. Frou Frou – Let Go
15. Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #2 (Laika)
14. Blink 182 – Always
13. The Strokes – 12:51
12. Pearl Jam – Life Wasted
11. Modest Mouse – We've Got Everything
10. Bruce Springsteen – Life Itself
9. Coheed & Cambria – The Velourium Camper I: Faint Of Hearts
8. Secret Machines – Lightning Blue Eyes
7. Interpol – C'mere
6. Motion City Soundtrack – Time Turned Fragile
5. Death Cab For Cutie – A Movie Script Ending
4. Big D & The Kids Table – LAX
3. Radiohead – Videotape
2. Daft Punk – Digital Love
1. Bloc Party – Always New Depths

Albums of the 00s come next week.

Top 10 Albums of 2009 (Part 2)

2009 was a big music year for me. On top of attending a few concerts and our radio show being nominated for an award, I reached a personal milestone this year: 25,000 songs in iTunes. As ridiculous as it may seem, I'm a bit of a collector, and I hope to hit 30,000 soon. But here are my top ten records of the year. One was recommended by a friend of my brother, one was sitting at the top spot for months before being unseated, and one involves an MTV Best Kiss Award Winner.

Jim Adair's Top Ten Albums of 2009

10. Dead Man's Bones – Dead Man's Bones

On top a spectacular live show, and the ambience of the album, the gothic doo wop of Ryan Gosling and Zach Snyder is hard to ignore. At times sounding like the zombified Temptations and a baby Tom Waits, his album was easily the biggest surprise of the year for me. The group's self-titled debut spent a lot of time being hummed and whistled around my apartment. The children's choir adds an amazing extra layer to the music and the songwriting, though often simple, never sounds forced or stale.

Recommended Tracks: Pa Pa Power, Paper Ships, My Body's A Zombie For You, Dead Hearts

9. The Mountain Goats – The Life Of The World To Come

John Darnielle may just be the world's best living songwriter, and he proved it once again with this record. I spent a good chunk of this year listening to Mountain Goats live bootlegs, and falling in love with much of their earlier stuff, but the music John is putting out now is no less realized or beautiful.

Recommended Tracks: Psalms 40:2, Ezekiel 7 And The Permanent Efficacy Of Grace, Romans 10:9, Genesis 3:23

8. The Thermals – Now We Can See

Following up their spectacular 2006 record The Body, The Blood, The Machine couldn't be an easy task for Hutch and Kathy, but they have proved themselves now to the some of the most consistent musicians around. "The world has ended and the Thermals have the soundtrack to your post-apocalyptic kegger," I wrote down in a notebook on first hearing this record, and the words still hold true all these months later.

Recommended Tracks: Now We Can See, I Let It Go, We Were Sick, When We Were Alive, When I Died

7. Discovery – LP

One of only two crossovers from Mike's list and mine, this album is one of the most heard ones on my list. The standard, go-to party soundtrack of the semester, the Ra Ra Riot/Vampire Weekend collaboration definitely worked some magic. Starting with a mid tempo synth-jam, following with more of the same, hitting a guest vocal from Dirty Projectors' Angel Dreadoorian, and one from VW's Ezra Koening, and even tackling a Jackson 5 cover, "LP" keeps variety in mood and theme while not doing so in sound.

Recommended Tracks: Orange Shirt, Swing Tree, Osaka Loop Line, I Want You Back (In Discovery)

6. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca

One of the only albums in a while where I can say I really haven't heard anything else like it this year. There really is no other band like the Dirty Projectors, and the success they have achieved this year was well deserved. Even having a song covered by Solange Knowles couldn't ruin their momentum (it would've crushed mine). They also released an EP and played a brand new song of Jimmy Fallon (one of my favorites of the year).

Recommended Tracks: No Intention, Cannibal Resource, Stillness Is The Move, Remade Horizon

5. Passion Pit – Manners

Probably the biggest explosion of the year, Passion Pit's rise from blog sweethearts to mainstream success happened overnight for some people, but to those who had Manners early on, we could see it coming. Hailing from Boston, (not Brooklyn) the band put together a collection of jams both slow and fast, but almost completely infectious. This is a band who's future I will be watching closely, and I doubt this is the last we've heard from them.

Recommended Tracks: Eyes As Candles, The Reeling, To Kingdom Come, Little Secrets

4. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

I don't care who you are or what song you topped your end of year lists with, 1901 was undeniable THE JAM of the year. Without question, 1901 and Lisztomania were a 1-2 punch the caliber of which very few albums or artists had this year. Sounding just as good on record as live, the Parisian group's sudden rise to success after years of toiling away in the indiesphere was well earned. Also as a side note: it's "Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold iiiiit"

Recommended Tracks: 1901, Lisztomania, Rome, Love Like a Sunset, Fences

3. Bat For Lashes – Two Suns

The beautiful, Björk like music on Natasha Khan's second release hit me early on in the year, and Daniel sat as song of the year until two weeks ago. Even without understanding the overarching storyline or theme or whatever, the music is just good. And in a year filled with low-fi, no-fi, and all other shitty bullshit genres, Natasha Khan was unafraid of effects, layering, production, and singing out.

Recommended Tracks: Daniel, Moon And Moon, Good Love, Sleep Alone, Two Planets

2. St. Vincent – Actor

Annie Clark, my love, how you were able to top your debut Marry Me is beyond me, but you did it. The songs on Actor are layered, loud, and beautiful. From the sting accompanied The Bed to the raucous Actor Out Of Work, Annie Clark was able to craft an album that is both raw and refined. This album sat in the number one spot from the first listen until September, when it was dethroned.

Recommended Tracks: The Bed, The Party, The Neighbors, Laughing With A Mouth Of Blood, The Strangers

1. The Antlers – Hospice

From the first time I heard this record, I knew it was something special, but it wasn't until after a few months that I even considered it for the top spot. An overall theme of hospital life carries throughout the record (morgues, abortions, cancer wards) that keeps it human. The album is both heartbreaking and beautiful, fragile and powerful, mystical and tangible. Lyrically, this is the best record on this list, vocally it is in the Top 3, and musically it is number one by a mile. This is the only album from this year that has a chance at making the top ten of the decade list coming up next week. Do yourself a favor, no matter how you listen to music, put some headphones on, close your eyes, sit in the dark, and listen to this record from beginning to end, you will not regret it.

Recommended Tracks: Wake, Bear, Sylvia, Two, Kettering, Shiva, Atrophy

Honorable Mention: Bon Iver – Blood Bank, Various Artists – Dark Was The Night, Strand Of Oaks – Leave Ruin, Cursive – Mama, I'm Swollen, Jamie T – Kings And Queens, Leonard Cohen – Live In London, and The Avett Brothers – I And Love And You

Top 10 Albums of 2009

2009 was a surprisingly awesome year for music. And not just for alternative rock and music created by independent artists, but even some of the biggest bands in rock put out albums this year that cemented their legacy. Also, we're all witness to how pop music is acquiring more experimental, electronic and dance backgrounds. I like to think the biggest surprise of 2009 was music generated out of Brooklyn, NY, a music-scene that exploded early in the year and propelled young bands into the mainstream, thanks to the TV, film, and the hipster army. With all of this happening in 2009, I’m very much looking forward to the next year and the decade to come. Here are my favorite albums put out this year:

Mike Pop's Top 10 Album of 2009:

10. M. Ward – Hold Time
M. Ward’s songwriting, in my opinion, is like a knowledgeable elder retelling stories to young people and his voice is cordial and soulful. Hold Time is his follow up to 2006’s breakthrough Post-War. And though he commonly works along side Zooey Deschanel in indie folk duo She & Him, it’s great to hear him go it alone (even if Mrs. Zooey Deschanel Gibbard did contribute on two songs; it’s good to have friends).

Suggested Tracks: For Beginners (AKA Mt. Zion), Jailbird, Rave On (Feat. Zooey Deschanel), and Epistemology

9. The xx – xx
Pitchfork media nailed the band’s gimmick on the head when staffer Andrew Gaerig wrote of the band's debut record, "The xx are four 20-year-olds from South London who make predominantly slow, furtive pop music, mostly about sex". This band is young and brilliantly basic, as silence becomes the band's 5th instrument. Though they lost keyboardist-guitarist Baria Qureshiduring during the demanding fall tour, I'd say The xx had one of the best debuts of the year.

Suggested Tracks: VCR, Crystalised, Basic Space, and Night Time

8. Matt & Kim – Grand
A lot can be said for the sound a duo can put out in the 2000s. I like to think it began with The White Stripes and ends with Matt & Kim. If the torch was indeed passed, then Matt & Kim truly elevated the assumption that two musicians using infectious keyboard beats, sing-a-long chants, and a steady percussion section, can turn out a great record. The lead single may have risen to fame due to a recent hip-hop mash-up, but I’ll remember Grand, as a whole, as one of the most likable albums of the year.

Suggested Tracks: Daylight, Cutdown, Lessons Learned, and Don’t Slow Down

7. Discovery – LP
Mark my words, with the critical acclaim this indietronic collaboration of Rostam Batmanglij from Vampire Weekend and Wes Miles from Ra Ra Riot received this year, the duo will put out another record before long. Things seemed to click for these two on LP: the songs are catchy, fun to move to, and haven't been ruined by the media (yet). I think Jim would agree that this album is addicting and quickly becomes the life of any party once cued up.

Suggested Tracks: Osaka Loop Line, So Insane, Swing Tree, and Carby (Feat. Ezra Koening)

6. Arctic Monkeys – Humbug
Once hailed as England’s next big thing, this alternative rock band took a dark turn in 2009. Not for any particular reason other than perhaps reflecting on growing up hopelessly hopeful and in love, in Sheffield during the late 90s and early 00s. The songs on Humbug are more personal, deeper, and sulkier than in any past effort, but it works well for the quartet. Some would say a band’s third album is a make-or-break release, but I believe the Arctic Monkeys already made it to the big times with their first album in 2006.

Suggested Tracks: My Propeller, Crying Lightning, Cornerstone, and Pretty Visitors

5. Big D & The Kids Table – Fluent In Stroll
One of many bands that appear on this list that I witnessed live this year, Big D & The Kids Table took on the subject of love and relationships with the summer’s coolest ska record. I usually enjoy my ska tunes focusing around topics like binge-drinking or attending the hippest party on the east coast, but I am not fighting the direction of this album. Picking up a dub style and female-backing vocals, while dropping the in-your-face punk rock edge, gives us an intimidate take from Boston’s finest.

Suggested Tracks: Doped Up Dollies On A One Way Ticket To Blood, Not Fucking Around, A Kiss A Week, and I,I,I

4. Sonic Youth – The Eternal
Sonic Youth is a band that is eligible for The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and without a shadow of a doubt, I know they'll get in one day. What the band does for alternative music, as well as guitar rock and sound distortion, will be praised further in the future. They've been putting out records since the early 80s, and in the late 00s, they’ve definitely proven a point: if a band can somehow stay true to a form that’s worked in the past and can channel creativity through experience, then an older band can compete with any young guns on the scene today.

Suggested Tracks: Sacred Trickster, Antenna, Malibu Gas Station, and No Way

3. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
Dirty Projectors had the biggest breakout of the year and I claim this for many reasons. One is the band's connections. I think David Byrne sees a lot of early Talking Heads in this group and that’s why he’s so compelled to work with them. Another is the band’s stage presence. They've hit up all major late night shows and wow the audience every time with their uncanny vocal stylings. Lastly is the 2009 record that brought the band undeniable success at the mainstream indie rock level and should prompt respect from every other band making music today.

Suggested Tracks: Cannibal Resource, Temecula Sunrise, Stillness Is The Move, and Useful Chamber

2. Bruce Springsteen – Working On A Dream
How could you not hop on The Boss's train this year? The Working On A Dream tour will go down, in many fans' hearts, as one of the best tours in recent history. The later 00s finds Bruce Springsteen reflecting on a simpler life. It’s glorified, but reasonable. The man and his band have done it all in the world of rock and continue to silence doubters. I will forever kick myself for not seeing him when I had the chance. I just hope to God that their will be another tour, to coincide with another brilliant Boss record, in the years to come.

Suggested Tracks: Working On A Dream, What Love Can Do, Life Itself, and The Wrestler

1. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
The tiny, red-headed songstress put out her 2009 record in March and solidified her reign as queen of alternative-country rock. In a year where country music's spotlight shined on female vocalists, Neko Case added the most powerful voice to the obscure genre all year. Her album is an easy-listen, from start to finish, released in a year and time when most people could benefit from a deep breath. Her tunes are conversations, reflections, poems, and prose. She can do all of this on her own and once again, I kick myself for getting hooked onto this record late and not seeing her live at All Points West in August. Middle Cyclone is a concentrated record that hits deep and leaves you floating. And that's why it’s my album of the year.

Suggested Tracks: This Tornado Loves You, People Got A Lotta Nerve, I'm An Animal, and Red Tide

Close Calls:

Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King
Jay Reatard – Watch Me Fall
Pearl Jam – Backspacer
Wilco – Wilco (The Album)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It's Blitz!

Wish I Heard More...:

Japandroids, Grizzly Bear, Major Lazer, Passion Pit, and Tegan & Sara

Next Week: Top 30 Songs of the Decade

Top 30 Songs of 2009

It's finally time for NMTM to jump on the bandwagon. All the other music blog sites in the known universe have posted their "Best Of" lists and now it's our turn. 2009 was a great year of breakout artists, return-to-forms, and indie anthems that will be debated on and praised for years to come (here's looking at you, Animal Collective). Low and behold our favorites. We'll have a new list every Monday until January 4th. This week, it's our Top 30 Songs of the year. Let us know your thoughts; do you agree of disagree? Enjoy:

Mike Pop's Top 30 Songs of 2009:

*Note: Here are MY rules: Can't repeat a band or artist and all songs must have been released either on CD, as singles, or as free downloads in 2009. Jim's list is coming shorty.

30. Julian Casablancas – 11th Dimension
29. Discovery – Swing Tree
28. The xx – Crystalised
27. M. Ward – Epistemology
26. The Books (Feat. José González) – Cello Song (Nick Drake Cover)
25. Echo & The Bunnymen – Do You Know Who I Am?
24. Major Lazer (Feat. Mr. Lex & Santigold) – Hold The Line
23. Franz Ferdinand – No You Girls
22. The Drums – Let's Go Surfing
21. Editors – Papillon
20. Bon Iver – Brackett, WI
19. Matt & Kim – Lessons Learned
18. Sonic Youth – Antenna
17. Dirty Projectors – Cannibal Resource
16. Animal Collective – My Girls
15. Death Cab For Cutie – Meet Me On The Equinox
14. Big D & The Kids Table – Not Fucking Around
13. Dave Matthews Band – Why I Am
12. Pearl Jam – The Fixer
11. Silversun Pickups – Substitution
10. Vampire Weekend – Horchata
9. Imogen Heap – First Train Home
8. Jenny Lewis – See Fernando
7. Phoenix – 1901
6. Wilco – Wilco (The Song)
5. Neko Case – This Tornado Loves You
4. The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition
3. Arctic Monkeys – My Propeller
2. Coldplay – Life In Technicolor II
1. Bruce Springsteen – Life Itself

Jim Adair's Top 30 of 2009:

*Note. Same rules as Mike.

30. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll
29. Asobi Seksu – Familiar Light
28. A.A. Bondy – I Can See The Pines Are Dancing
27. Say Hi – Hallie And Henry
26. Strand Of Oaks – End In Flames
25. The National – So Far Around The Bend
24. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Young Adult Friction
23. The Thermals – When I Died
22. Discovery – So Insane
21. Justin Townes Earle – Can't Hardly Wait (The Replacements Cover)
20. Grizzly Bear – While You Wait For The Others
19. Dead Man's Bones – My Body's A Zombie For You
18. Wale (Feat. Lady GaGa ) – Chillin
17. Wild Light – California On My Mind
16. St. Vincent – The Strangers
15. The Mountain Goats – Psalms 40:2
14. Morrissey – Something Is Squeezing My Skull
13. Bon Iver – Blood Bank
12. Wilco – Wilco (The Song)
11. Dirty Projectors (Feat. David Byrne) – Knotty Pine
10. Cursive – From The Hips
9. Company Of Thieves – Oscar Wilde
8. Passion Pit – To Kingdom Come
7. Phoenix – 1901
6. Beirut – My Night With A Prostitute From Marseilles
5. Jamie T. – Sticks N Stones
4. Pela – Juarez
3. The Antlers – Bear
2. Bat For Lashes – Daniel
1. Yeasayer – Ambling Alp

The Clash Tops RXP's First Major Countdown

Check it out, people: New York's Rock Experience, 101.9 RXP, conducted a list over Labor Day weekend consisting of the definitive 1,019 tracks that stand the test of time in rock 'n' roll history. Essentially, a best-of-the-bests kind of thing. The countdown was arranged by the combined efforts of both listener and RXP staff vote submissions. 1,019 songs - that's a pretty extensive list, but let me assure you, it was quite enjoyable to tune into the station throughout the weekend and catch up on the Definitive 1,019 List. Here's the Top 10:

10. The Ramones - "I Wanna Be Sedated"
9. Elvis Costello - "(What’s So Funny About)…"
8. The Rolling Stones - "Gimme Shelter"
7. Tom Petty - "American Girl"
6. Led Zeppelin - "Ramble On"
5. The Beatles - "A Day In The Life"
4. Bruce Springsteen - "Thunder Road"
3. The Smiths - "How Soon Is Now?"
2. The Who - "Won't Get Fooled Again"
1. The Clash - "London Calling"

Is this what you expected? RXP favorites Costello, Petty, and The Boss all make the cut in the Top 10. Legendary 80's indie band, The Smiths, capture 3rd place. And the late Joe Strummer and Co. claim numero uno. Keep in mind, the fans had most of the say on what went down. I, for one, agree with the Rock Republic and applaud 101.9 RXP on a job well done.

The Smiths - "How Soon Is Now?"


The Who - "Won't Get Fooled Again"


Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl, Elvis Costello, & Steve Van Standt - "London Calling"


Click here for the entire list, courtesy of DJ Steve Craig and 101.9 RXP.

Pitchfork: Top 50 Videos Of The 00's

Pitchfork's P2K series is nearing the halfway mark on all fronts: it's countdowns, it's lists, it's essays, it's insanity. It recently hit the The Top 50 Music Videos of the 2000's landmark and we've got the list for you, right here, without all their silly rants. Only my silly rants. But, they are short. And they are only for the one's I've actually sat down and watched patiently. And that's all there is to it:

50. Flying Lotus - "Parisian Goldfish"
Tim Heidecker at his best. Other than when he's doing the Awesome Show.

49. Escort - "All Through The Night"

48. N.A.S.A. (Feat. Amanda Blank, Sizzla, & Lovefoxx) - "A Volta"

47. M83 - "Kim & Jesse"
80's throwback. In sound and visual. I Facebook like this.

46. Röyksopp - "Remind Me"

45. The Dead Weather - "Treat Me Like Your Mother"

44. Fever Ray - "If I Had A Heart"

43. Gnarls Barkley - "Who's Gonna Save My Soul?"
For love of Christ, please win a Video Music Award this year...

42. Fionn Regan - "Be Good Or Be Gone"

41. The Tough Alliance - "Silly Crimes"

40. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Maps"
A.k.a.:" MAAAAaaaaAAAAaaaaAAAAaaaaAAAAaaaaps"

39. Boards Of Canada - "Dayvan Cowboys"

38. MGMT - "Time To Pretend"
Was your head blown the first time you witnessed this 2008 psychedelic mind-freak of a video?

37. Vitalic - "Pony (Part 1)"

36. Cat Power - "Lived In Bars"
Relieved that one of the most underrated female artists of the decade made it onto the list with such a great video. Salute.

35. The Shins - "New Slang"
One of the most peaceful tunes of the decade.

34. Girl Talk - "Feed The Animals"

33. Junior Senior - "Move Your Feet"
Um - why isn't this closer to the Top 20?

32. Battles - "Atlas"
All hail the percussion overlord from beyond the stars.

31. LCD Soundsystem - "Someone Great"

30. Kanye West - "Can't Tell Me Nothing"
This one made it over "Touch The Sky"? Fail. Oh wait, the Zach Galifianakis version? Win.

29. Rock-A-Fire Explosion - "Pop Lock And Drop It (Remix)"

28. The Chemical Brothers - "Star Guitar"

27. The Rapture - "House Of Jealous Lovers"
Enjoy one of the coolest videos of all time or die.

26. Grizzly Bear - "Knife"

25. Radiohead - "House Of Cards"
Despite negative comments on discussion boards from hipster jerks, I think this was the most experimental video of the entire decade and it deserves praise for being different.

24. Basement Jaxx - "Where's Your Head At?"
This song reminds me, and the entire world, of one thing and one thing only: Pringles.

23. Elton John - "This Train Doesn't Stop There Anymore"
...Elton?

22. Dinosaur Jr. - "Over It"
Very impressed by the band's ability to still be able to skate and do tricks (and beef). If, of course, there aren't stunt doubles.

21. Björk - "Wanderlust"
Now I understand what students in the visual arts majors at this college hope to do once they graduate. Masterful.

20. Arcade Fire - "My Body Is A Cage"
I thought the Fire swore off music videos because of "what MTV had done to them". Oh, it's unofficial.

19. The Avalanches - "Frontier Psychiatrist"

18. Justice - "Stress"

17. Sigur Rós - "Vaka (Untitled #1)"

16. Depeche Mode/Liars - "Wrong"/"Plaster Casts Of Everything"
I guess Pitchfork can do this.

15. Kanye West - "Flashing Lights"
Hot chick music video - with a dramatic twist, of course. Still doesn't beat out hottest chick video of the decade; that belongs to The Virgins - "Rich Girls".

14. Kylie Minogue - "Come Into My World"

13. Andy Samberg & Justin Timberlake - "Dick In A Box"
I've lost respect for Pitchfork. Wow.

12. The Chemical Brothers - "Believe"

11. Björk - "Triumph Of The Heart"

10. OK Go - "Here It Goes Again"
I wish this could've started the fitness craze all over again, just like Olivia Newton John did in the 80's. Sadly, it didn't. Instead it promoted more laziness, as people watched it millions of times on YouTube.

9. Fatboy Slim - "Weapon Of Choice"
Dance, Walken, dance!

8. Justice - "D.A.N.C.E."
Coming soon: T-Shirts that will actually express your emotions... through animation.

7. Bat For Lashes - "What's A Girl To Do"
Never have I ever wanted to join a cooler bike gang. Saw this one in an American Eagle. Shame, shame, shame on me.

6. Pulp - "Bad Cover Version"

5. Feist - "1234"
iPods did nothing but promote a great music video when Apply took this one into an advertisement with them.

4. The Avalanches - "Since I Left You"

3. Weezer - "Pork And Beans"
This is one of the best music videos of the decade because it sums up what we've all become as a viewing audience member: a viral video-addicted anybody hoping to become a somebody. Overall: awesome.

2. R. Kelly - "Trapped In The Closet"
I see Pitchfork's got a funny bone.

1. The White Stripes - "Fell In Love With A Girl"
See, I remember this one when I was wee tike (age 14). I loved it. The lego-inspired video, the promise of a stellar band with a garage rock-revival sound, and the fact that it was only two people making the music. It's short, but oh so sweet, and it should suffice for the decade's best.

My thoughts: This list, as a whole, proves a lot about our music and art culture in the 00's. We're very far from the 90's and 80's in direction now. We were driven by animations - fusing together reality and fiction into one masterpiece of a video. Directors like Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry worked with artists and made their visions (and ours) come to life on the screen. I also see how Björk, Justice, Chemical Brothers, and The Avalanches, among other international acts, stole the show, proving that American music videos have some catching up to do. Stories were told, lessons were learned, and the landscape of music changed through these videos. We're a web society now and these videos are appealing to our time and our way of thinking. I think the list does a decent job. I give it a 7/10. Now, if only there was a place to see music videos on TV...

Just because I'm like this, I'll leave you with a few music videos that I believe deserve a place on the list over others. I'm sure we all have our own opinions, and here are mine.

dios (malos) - "I Want It All"

Daft Punk - "One More Time"

The Like - "What I Say And What I Mean"

Pitchfork Concludes Decade Countdown

So Pitchfork finally filled us in on their picks for the 500 Greatest Songs of the 00's (isn't the decade still going on?). The countdown is complete and I have to say, people who commented on other blogs were pretty accurate. Their guesses were right. Here's the page with all the info your dying to find out about. And to save time, I'll just post the Top 20. Deal?

20. The Walkman - "The Rat" (2004)
19. R. Kelly - "Ignition (Remix)"
 (2002)
18. Hercules And Love Affair - "Blind" (2008)
17. Annie -"Heartbeat" (2004)
16. The Rapture - "House Of Jealous Lovers" (2002)
15. The Knife - "Heartbeats" (2002)
14. Jay-Z - "99 Problems" (2003)
13. LCD Soundsystem - "Losing My Edge" (2002)
12. OutKast - "Hey Ya!" (2003)
11. Gnarls Barkley - "Crazy" (2005)
10. Arcade Fire - "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" (2004)
9. Animal Collective - "My Girls" (2009)
8. Radiohead - "Idioteque" (2000)
7. Missy Elliott - "Get Ur Freak On" (2001)
6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Maps" (2003)
5. Daft Punk - "One More Time" (2000)
4. Beyoncé (Feat. Jay-Z) - "Crazy in Love" (2003)
3. M.I.A. (Feat. Bun B and Rich Boy) - "Paper Planes (Diplo Remix)" (2007)
2. LCD Soundsystem - "All My Friends" (2007)
1. OutKast - "B.O.B." (2000)

I see a lot of hip/hop, R&B, and electronic music here. That has to be expected. They were very much apart of the decade. And whoa, a remix? I don't think I've ever heard the original "Ignition". Good to see Gnarls Barkley, Arcade Fire, Radiohead, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Daft Punk ranking high. But OutKast gets number one? I think Daft Punk deserved it over them.

What are your thoughts? Did Pitchfork do justice to this awkward decade? In my opinion - yes. But hey, we still have a few months to go in the decade. Anything can happen.

COME ON! (Pitchfork's 500 Tracks of the 2000's)

Who doesn't love lists? I sure do. VH1 pretty much bases 50% of their lineup on lists (the other 50% is dedicated to STDs). But even I have to ask if Pitchfork's Best 500 Tracks of the Decade is too soon. Whenever I put together a best of the year list, I try to wait until January to start it. Songs from November and December deserve just as much weight, but need time to settle.

Granted, we are mostly through the decade, but we're less than 2/3 of the way through 2009. So the potential number one song of 2009 may not even make the best of the decade. Nevertheless, this is purely for entertainment on P4k's part (don't tell me it's for journalistic value). They are unrolling a whole best of the decade slew of lists and articles, capping it off with the Top 200 Albums of the 2000-2009 era. That list however comes later. Right now they are jumping into the Top 500 Tracks of the 2000's. So far they've unveiled numbers 500-101, although they are pretty much consolation prizes. The real meat is in the Top 100, and knowing Pitchfork as any common reader does, I have what I think will be there Top 3 in my head. I'll wait until they get to the Top 100 to let that be known, but right now the list has been pretty solid. The only thing I noticed is two songs I thought would be easily Top 100, if not Top 50 are in 500-201:

#388: Sigur Ros - "Hopipolla"

This may be a bit biased since this is one of my favorite songs of all time (and I say this as Sugar Ray comes on my iTunes shuffle...shame). But let's be honest here. This is one of the most amazing and epic and beautiful songs of all time. I have it set as my alarm clock so I can wake up everyday knowing there is beauty in the world. To quote one of my favorite TV characters of all time: "COME ON".

#142 The Flaming Lips - "Do You Realize??"

For this song, I'm shocked not only because it's a great song, but also because, knowing P4k, I expected this to be Top 50 easy. This threw my whole guesses for the list out of whack. And I know there will be more of Wayne Coyne and Co. on this list, but COME ON.

And as a side note:

Kudos Pitchfork, for including what I consider one of the most underrated Elliott Smith songs at #236, "A Distorted Reality Is Now A Necessity To Be Free (7" Version)". Although I prefer the album version, there is hope for this list yet.

Last.FM Top 50's: Part 1

I've been becoming obsessed with my last.fm charts lately, as I near the 50,000 listens mark. So I figured I'd post up some of my charts. First up? Top 50 Artists.

Now this is just music listened to on my laptop; CDs and iPod listens aren't counted. Looking at this has all been very interesting (especially Top Albums, coming later) but for now, here's my Top 50 most listened to artists.

1. Elliott Smith
2. Bloc Party
3. Brand New
4. Sufjan Stevens
5. Rilo Kiley
6. Bright Eyes
7. Radiohead
8. The Smiths
9. Iron & Wine
10. Coheed And Cambria
11. The Good Life
12. The National
13. The Elected
14. Death Cab For Cutie
15. Bruce Springsteen
16. Morrissey
17. Jimmy Eat World
18. Weezer
19. Cursive
20. Neutral Milk Hotel
21. Wilco
22. Arcade Fire
23. Pela
24. Head Automatica
25. Foo Fighters
26. R.E.M.
27. The Shins
28. Glassjaw
29. Fionn Regan
30. Ben Gibbard
31. Tegan And Sara
32. Regina Spektor
33. Tokyo Police Club
34. Modest Mouse
35. The Decemberists
36. Say Anything
37. Sunny Day Real Estate
38. Jeff Tweedy
39. Muse
40. Ryan Adams
41. Jose Gonzalez
42. Jenny Lewis
43. Queens Of The Stone Age
44. Motion City Soundtrack
45. Stars
46. Zero 7
47. Afghan Whigs
48. Straylight Run
49. The Postal Service
50. The Thermals

Points Of Interest:

*Bon Iver just barely missed the cut

*Elliott Smith clocks in at 6,320 listens. Bloc Party, right behind Elliott, comes in with 1,603.

*The National are a surprise since I only listen to two albums of theirs.

*Pela, with one album, are at an amazing spot.

*Numbers 1-7 all have over 1,000 listens.

More coming later with Top 50 Albums, and Top 50 Tracks, both of which should be very interesting.