This is all you had to say. I must seek out this song now.
"Bloom" is wonderful, as is "Gotta Have It". I'm trying to decide whether or not to just put together a YouTube playlist of all of the songs I haven't listened to on this list. We'll see.
This is all you had to say. I must seek out this song now.
"Bloom" is wonderful, as is "Gotta Have It". I'm trying to decide whether or not to just put together a YouTube playlist of all of the songs I haven't listened to on this list. We'll see.
Do it! I won't guarantee that you'll like all the songs, but I'm sure you'll find more stuff that you enjoy than don't. ALso, if you have Spotify I'm updating my playlist after each update to include that day's songs.
I'll post a new update today, but before I do, here's a recap of songs 100-81:
100 The Strokes "Machu Piccu"
99 Ganglians "Things To Know"
98 Dreamers Of The Ghetto "Connection"
97 Active Child "Hanging On"
96 Real Estate "Out Of Tune"
95 Matthew Herbert "December"
94 Frank Ocean "Novacane"
93 Unknown Mortal Orchestra "FFunny FFriends"
92 Butcher Boy "Imperial"
91 The Kills "Future Starts Slow"
90 Cults "Rave On"
89 Release The Sunbird "No Light"
88 Penguin Prison "Don't **** With My Money"
87 Forest Fire "They Pray Execution Style"
86 Waters "San Francisco"
85 Little Dragon "Ritual Union"
84 Future Islands "Balance"
83 Radiohead "Bloom"
82 Jay-Z & Kanye West "Gotta Have It"
81 Blood Orange "Sutphin Boulevard"
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For today, expect to see two of the biggest pop stars in the world, a Grammy winning producer teaming up with an artist with one of the most successful debut albums of all time, and a two piece rock band just now hitting their stride.
No female pop star was more polarizing in 2011 than Lady GaGa. The first single off her second full length LP, "Born This Way" broke every record imaginable. Sure, the song sounds like the cousin of "Express Yourself" but if she's going to take from other artists, shouldn't she take from the best? In a huge year for Gay Rights, this song soundtracked the movement.
79 Adele "Set Fire To The Rain"
Adele reigned supreme in 2011, and this, the third single off her breakthrough album 21, is one of her best. The passion and anger felt in her vocals resonated with listeners from 12 to 70 years old.
78 Mara Carlyle "Weird Girl"
This sounds like the perfect song for a romantic stroll in Paris ... that is until you listen to the lyrics. As she sings "You said, nobody else would love me" you think that this is going to be another Kelly Clarkson-type revenge song, but when she follows that up with "...and you were right" Carlyle shows us some vulnerability that only Adele surpassed this calendar year.
77 Nerves Junior "Swimmer's Ear" "Swimmer's Ear" on Soundcloud
Nerves Junior most certainly do not sound like they are from Kentucky. In fact, they share more similarities with Muse and Radiohead than any U.S. band. This track, the standout from their 2011 album As Bright As Your Night Light, features heavy distortion, some sinister beats and more energy than a 5 Hour Energy shot.
76 The Black Keys "Little Black Submarines"
Brothers gave The Black Keys much deserved recognition, and for El Camino, the band made their most pop record to date. This track, however, is fully indebted to 1970s rock and roll, starting off with Dan Auerbach singing along with an acoustic guitar, with the song sharing similarites to Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven." As the electric guitar comes in, one recalls "Mary Jane's Last Dance" by Tom Petty. It's arguable their best song since "Babylon." Good thing success didn't get to these guys' heads.
75 Atlas Sound "Flagstaff"
Bradford Cox went solo in 2011, taking time away from Deerhunter to record this album under the name Atlas Sound. "Flagstaff" features everything you would expect from Bradford Cox, simple acoustic guitar plucking, airy synths, and those beautiful vocals. Halfway through, the song turns the most ambient breakdown of 2011. Simply beautiful.
74 Wild Beasts "Bed Of Nails"
Wild Beasts may just be the best least appreciated band in the world right now. "Bed Of Nails" shows signs of R&B thanks to some amazing vocals from Hayden Thorpe. And the lyrics here are some of the best of 2011, as he croons "I want our lips to blister when we kiss" and his allusion to Ophelia from Hamlet is right on point. Just as the titular character in that Shakespeare work, Thorpe sounds full of sorrow and desperation and confusion.
73 Cant "The Edge"
Cant is the work of of Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor, and Twin Shadow, whose album Forget Taylor produced in 2010. The two clearly work well together, and this song is a slinky slow jam all about how "saying you love me" is not at all the same as actually being in love.
72 Neon Indian "Future Sick"
A great indie pop record, "Future Sick" is everyone you would want from Neon Indian. It sounds like MGMT, if MGMT laid off the X and coke for a while.
For Rome, Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi enlisted the help of two of the more distinct and successful singers of the 21st century, Jack White and Norah Jones. On "Problem Queen," Jones takes the reigns of the vocals, and, together with Danger Mouse's lush production and Daniel Luppi's amazing string arrangement, the three appear to be in perfect harmony. Having the song handpicked to close out the fourth season of Breaking Bad didn't hurt, either.