Well here it finally is. The top 15 songs of last year. It’s what, March? Took me long enough – sorry. But this list just had to be finished, as it is still my go-to playlist on my iPod.
Look for some actual 2010 content coming soon (so many new albums to talk about!), and enjoy the excellent and long-awaited conclusion:
15. Owl City – “Fireflies”
Favorite radio song of the year
14. Discovery – “Orange Shirt” Ra Ra Riot + Vampire Weekend =
13. Julian Casablancas – “11th Dimension”
Makes me look forward to anything and everything by TheStrokes
12. Chiddy Bang – “The Opposite Of Adults (KIDS)”
Best sample of another song this year
11. Animal Collective – “My Girls”
An almost 6 minute sprawling epic. Like the Return of the King (of songs)
10. Owl City – “Hello Seattle” Postal Service ripoff? Maybe. Excellent song? Definitely
9. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – “Home”
Out of nowhere band/song that resonates with me for whatever reason and shot up the list
8. Swimming With Dolphins – “Everything’s A Miracle”
The type of song I would make if I had any talent
7. Kid Cudi – “Pursuit Of Happiness”
Best collaboration of the year with MGMT and Ratatat
6. Passion Pit – “Sleepyhead”
Song I’ve listened to the most this year…not surprising
5. Matt And Kim – “Daylight”
So infectious and catchy – even more so in person
4. Phoenix – “Lisztomania”
Best French import since the Statue of Liberty; Phoenix is legit
3. Grizzly Bear – “Two Weeks”
About as perfect a song as can be written
2. fun. – “At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)”
Best played live song I saw this year; fantastically sung by Nate
1. Passion Pit – “The Reeling”
Not the best song I’ve seen live or the best sung or the best from a purely musical standpoint. Feel like it has a little bit of everything making it stand out as my favorite song of the year
We all really want to finish this list out for a number of reasons (time to move on in earnest to 2010, several of you have told me need to find out what’s next, etc.), but I thought posting the final 55 songs all at once was too much. Look for the final posting later this week.
Enjoy the rest of the Top 115 list/playlist, and now you have more new stuff to listen to at work!
55. The Asteroids Galaxy Tour – “Around The Bend”
Best song used in an Apple commercial
54. Regina Spektor – “The Calculation”
Distinct voice makes for refreshingly good songs
53. Karen O And The Kids – “All Is Love”
Sweetest song of the year
52. Kid Cudi – “Dat New New (Viking Remix)”
Random song not on the album, but found it on Hypem.com
51. Swimming With Dolphins – “Sunset, 1989”
Synthesizer? Check. Autotune? Check. Still awesome.
50. The Very Best – “Warm Heart Of Africa”
Basically a Vampire Weekend song on someone else’s album
49. Thao And The Get Down Stay Down – “Cool Yourself”
High school friend continues blow up – great live show
48. Miley Cyrus – “Party In The USA”
Guilty pleasure of the year. Don’t hate.
47. Cobra Starship – “Good Girls Go Bad”
Soft spot for both Gabe and Leighton
46. Chiddy Bang – “Truth”
Anything featuring Passion Pit is bound to be catchy
45. La Roux – “Bulletproof (Redial Remix)”
Excellent beat somehow improved by the remix makes this a fun listen
44. Camera Obscura – “French Navy”
Late on the bandwagon, but recently shot up my list. Lead singer’s voice reminds me of Zooey D.
43. Discovery – “Osaka Loop Line”
Best duo side project song of the year
42. Flight Of The Conchords – “Hurt Feelings”
Funny, yet sad…hence, sad clown song of the year
41. The Lonely Island – “Motherlovers”
Could not get enough of this song – Justin and Andy need their own album.
40. The Hood Internet – “Good Ol Fashion Rump Shaker”
Favorite mashup of the year….and I like my mashups
39. Florence And The Machine – “Kiss With A Fist”
Shortest song on the list, but sure does pack a punch (haha…get it?)
38. Ingrid Michaelson – “Everybody”
With respect to Karen O, Regina, and others – Ingrid is my indie sweetheart of the year
37. Metric – “Sick Muse”
Sound a little like Stars. They more than hold their own, however.
36. Passion Pit – “Little Secrets”
Could have put the entire Manners album on here (and I almost do – keep reading)
35. Snob Scrilla – “Chasing Ghosts”
Sweet drums, good rapping in this random one
34. Weezer – “I Want You To”
While Weezer has gone downhill, they’re still catchy and I still like this song
33. Matt And Kim – “Good Ol Fashion Nightmare”
Biggest, Longest Continuous Smile Award goes to…Kim
32. fun. – “All The Pretty Girls”
Ex-Format member, Nate Ruess, excels with his new band
31. Vampire Weekend – “Horchata”
If the new songs are any indication their sophomore effort coming out in January that came out in January will live up to the large expectations
30. Passion Pit – “Moth’s Wings”
Hello again Passion Pit. Sit down, stay awhile.
29. Chromeo – “Night By Night”
More Canadians on the list make some electrofunk magic with this one
28. Kid Cudi – “Day N Nite”
My most played rap song this year
27. Empire Of The Sun – “Standing On The Shore (Dirty Disco Youth Remix)”
Favorite remix of the year – which is saying something
26. Animal Collective – “Summertime Clothes”
Second best song on the album still beats most everything else
25. Phoenix – “1901”
Ditto
24. Thao And The Get Down Stay Down – “Know Better Learn Faster”
Maybe I’m biased, but song is undeniably good. Expect big things.
23. The Lonely Island – “I’m On A Boat”
Funniest song of the year. Hands down. Previously never thought I would want to own a nautical themed pashmina afghan
Between my vacation for the last 10 days, and the fact that we didn’t really get our shit together until the last week of December, I’m still playing catch up a bit. If you know me, or if you’ve been reading WJM for a bit, I’m sure this doesn’t surprise you.
Below is Tripp’s Top 10 Albums of 2009. We have some obvious overlap here, but there’s also some really great stuff here that I didn’t list…and he wrote a lot more than I did haha.
Note: I didn’t link to songs directly this time, but a quick search for any of these artists on hypem.com will lead you to what you’re looking for.
Enjoy:
10) jj – jj n° 2
Light, breezy, and intoxicatingly beautiful, jj have created an album that brings to mind a warm, sunlit spring day where the listener has no cares in the world. Yet throughout the nine short songs of Swedish band jj’s first full-length release, a feeling emerges that there is a weight, a gravity to this album that is not reflected by a quick glance or a brief snippet of vocals and instrumentation. Listening to the album in its entirety, focusing on the lyrics (especially in lead songs “things will never be the same again” and “from africa to malaga”) and the technical proficiency (with the Lil Wayne-inspired “ecstasy” leading the way) gives one the full view of an astonishingly complex, brilliant, and simply beautiful work of art.
9) Drummer – Feel Good Together
The most consistent album on this list also doubles as the album least likely to appear on most end-of-year lists. A collection of drummers from other bands (led by Patrick Carney from The Black Keys), Drummer was formed in early 2009 and put out this collection of rock songs which ironically focuses very little on the drums. Instead, guitar hooks and synth backing lead to a set of songs which powers through from start to finish, at no point holding back or letting up. “Mature Fantasy,” the best song on the album, showcases how the drummers-turned-band can change tempo, volume, and emotion on the fly without losing a beat, something they do on every song with remarkable skill.
8 ) Matt & Kim – Grand
The high energy. The slightly off-kilter drumming. The staccato pacing. While not the best album of the year, Grand stands out as the defining sound of 2009. The album that produced the song that produced the Bacardi ad that introduced the world to Matt & Kim goes down as one of the best albums of the year thanks to its recognizable yet entirely unique sound.
7) Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
The hipster band of the year put out the hipster song of the year (“Stillness is the Move”), and as a result I’ve never wanted to be a hipster more. The sound of this album is unlike anything I’ve heard before, and is fairly well indescribable for someone so new to the hipster scene, so I’ll just say that I love it and leave it at that.
6) fun. – Aim and Ignite
A sweeping, epic pop album that features two of the best songs of the year (“Barlights” and “At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used to Be)”). The first of four straight albums I saw performed live this year; this concert was the most fun of the four. Something about fun.’s music just makes the listener smile; the band’s music lives up to the band’s name.
5) Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Home to two of the most popular songs of the year (“1901” and “Lisztomania”), Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix may be the surprise hit album of the year. Perhaps more than any other indie album, this album crossed over into the popular consciousness and got the buzz it deserved among mainstream listeners and critics. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is full of powerful songs that, upon hearing them, won’t be leaving your head anytime soon.
4) Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz
Of all the albums on this list, It’s Blitz contains the most songs that could easily be seen as radio singles. Led by Karen O’s amazing voice (which, if you’ve seen her live, is but a part of her awesome stage presence), the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have crafted an album that, pure and simple, rocks from start to finish. While “Zero” was the lead single and has been named the Song of the Year by multiple sources, there are nine other songs which could be considered the album’s best (Hint: there are only nine other songs on the album).
3) Passion Pit – Manners
The most anticipated album of the year for the list-makers here at WJM, and it certainly did not disappoint. Just as good live as it is on your iPod (based on the two times I saw them this year, at least), Manners places the most tracks of any album in my Top 40 Song list with three (“Little Secrets”, “Moth’s Wings”, and “Sleepyhead,” which was accidentally left off the list submitted to WJ). It could easily have been more.
2) Sunset Rubdown – Dragonslayer Dragonslayer is an album not likely to be seen on many end-of-year lists, but this album was above all others for me this summer. Over a short 9-track playlist, haunting piano play combines with beautiful drumming and lyrics to make an absolutely astonishing album. There can be no doubt, though, that my love for this album is based mostly on my love of one song: “Dragon’s Lair”, the ten-plus minute long, somewhat-titular track that ends the album. While it’s not the most beautiful song of the year (“Stillness is the Move”) or the most impressive (“My Girls”), “Dragon’s Lair” is the song I most want to introduce to the public consciousness. It reads like a novel in the way it builds to a climax, and is a perfect capper to an album that tells an amazing story. Give the lyrics a listen and be inspired.
1) Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Obviously. On January 5th, less than a week into 2009, Stereogum asked if MPP was the best album of 2009. 51 weeks later, there can be no doubt that the answer is still yes. The most technically proficient, yet beautiful and moving album of the year, MPP redefined music and its possibilities in the future. The construct of “My Girls” is an absolutely amazing feat: a few basic lines, and a few basic hooks, layered on top of each other at different points in the song, shows exactly what music can and should be, from the lyrics to the instrumentation. MPP is clearly the album of the year.
Why don’t we start the new decade by recapping 09? Here are the Weird Jim Top 10 Albums of 2009. You’ll see some stuff that I have talked about previously, as well as some new stuff that is just now making its way onto the site.
Additionally, keep an eye out over the next few weeks for some more top 2009 (and 2010!) lists from Galkin and Tripp, as well as some increased activity in 2010 as they help me keep WJM a little more active! Now without further adieu:
10) White Lies – To Lose My Life
Heard about these guys in a 2009 albums to watch, and they are awesome. They talk about death and emo-y stuff like that a little too much for my taste, but they usually keep it upbeat and fun – so it’s acceptable, right?
White Lies – To Lose My Life
9) Miike Snow – Miike Snow
Heard “Burial,” loved the song. Heard “Animal,” convinced of his talent. Great album – can’t wait until he comes to DC.
Miike Snow – Animal
8 ) Harlem Shakes – Technicolor Health
The upbeat and uplifting song “Strictly Game” got me through some tough times (at work haha) earlier in the year, and I’m so glad I got to see them live before they broke up…
Harlem Shakes – Strictly Game
7) Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King
One of his best albums ever (that’s right, I said it), although sometimes gets a bit heavy on the electronic guitar for me. I tend to love Dave for the jazziness of the group, especially his live stuff, but this album is still just really great.
Dave Matthews Band – Shake Me Like a Monkey
6) Matt and Kim – Grand
The most exciting music I’ve ever heard made by just two people on a keyboard and drum set. Amazing. Seeing them live from 10 feet away was one of the most fun concerts I’ve been too. Julie, if you’re reading this, I still need those damn pictures.
Matt and Kim – Good Ol’ Fashioned Nightmare
5) Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
First album was good, second album is freaking great. Unfortunately missed seeing them when they came to DC, but apparently it was pretty awesome. I love this album, and I love how they’re on a Cadillac (I think that’s the right ad?) commercial now.
Phoenix – 1901
4) Discovery – LP
I routinely go to this album immediately upon turning on my iPod. Usually (as it’s an unfortunately-short 30 minutes long) I listen to the whole thing before finding something else. I especially love how their cover of Jackson 5 came out nearly-instantly after MJ died. Loved seeing this LP for sale at the Ra Ra Riot concert.
Discovery – Swing Tree
3) Passion Pit – Manners
If I don’t go to Discovery upon turning on my iPod, I usually end up on Passion Pit’s Manners. Almost every song on this album is amazing, and like Harlem Shakes they got me through some tough times earlier this year. And some tough commutes nowadays! Love how they’re now on a Palm ad. And I know that I’m sounding like a broken record at this point, but seeing them in DC from 20 feet away was simply incredible. Tripp saw them at ACL, but I’m sure it just didn’t compare to The Black Cat.
Passion Pit – Little Secrets
2) Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
I’m not bitter that Tripp bailed on our seeing the Dirty Projectors in DC. No really, I’m not, I promise. Even though we had tickets to the sold out show and everything. The music on this album is just incredible. The girls’ singing is amazing, the songs are new and different, and I can’t get enough.
Dirty Projectors – Stillness Is The Move
1) Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
This album came out a year ago (literally), and it was sort of the beginning of a musically-experimental trend for me. I listened to MPP, and I liked a couple of songs. After 5 or 10 more listens though, I was in love with this album. And that was in January 2009. Every time I put this on, I get giddy haha.
All that, and the amount of times I’ve listened to this…and I just noticed a few days ago that the album cover is an optical illusion. Fitting…I think every time I listen to this album I hear something new, and that’s why this is easily my album of the year.
Animal Collective – My Girls
Happy New Year everyone. Hopefully everyone had a great 2009, fun holidays, and here’s to a sweet 2010.
I do not own any of the music here, and I do not claim to. All music and images belong to their respective bands. All music here is for promotion and sampling use only.
If you are the owner of a song, or any other content posted here, and would like it removed, contact me and I will immediately remove it from the site.
Posted by Weird Jim 
