Hitlist.

[icebluenothing]

2004 was a wonderful year for pop music -- the first year I can remember in a long while when I actually enjoyed most of what I heard on the radio. I also saw more bands in concert this year than I did in, like, any other year ever, seems like. All kinds of good stuff out there.

Here are my top eleven favorite songs of 2004. (No, I couldn't narrow it down to ten. What, you want your money back?) This is based on nothing so much as trying to recall what songs made me reach out to crank up the volume knob whenever I heard them.

11. Keane: Somewhere Only We Know
Arguably a little too saccharine, but ultimately, I just thought this plea to talk over a failing relationship was a sweet, charming little song, especially after I heard it live. The singer seems so sincere! It's so cute!

10. Morrissey: Irish Blood, English Heart
Moz is back, and it's like he'd never been away, except he seems to be transitioning nicely from enfant terrible to bitter old man. I'd probably like this even better if I understood the politics involved, but I'm not bothered.

9. Interpol: Evil
I had a weird reaction to Interpol; namely, I love every song of theirs I've ever heard, but nothing ever stood out for me -- it all blurred together. This is the song that finally distinguished itself. I'm not sure what's going on in this song, but it certainly seems heartfelt.

8. Franz Ferdinand: Take Me Out
I had a hard time picking which FF song was going on this list -- the whole album is so tight -- but I have to go with the first one I ever heard. Many people argue that FF aren't doing anything musically that hasn't been done before, and sure, I'll grant you that -- it's just that they're doing it so well. I don't adore this band quite as much as windbourne does, but they're way up there. Also, seeing this performed live at Deck the Hall Ball, and seeing the audience reaction -- that's one of my best music moments ever, let alone in 2004.

7. Jem: They
Hearing this is always going to remind me of dancing to it with dreadangel at Norwescon -- she was dressed as Pris from Blade Runner, and her movements were intentionally unnatural and jerky, and that seemed exactly right. This is the sound of a music-box for broken clockwork dolls, and there's nothing else I can compare it to.

6. The Killers: Somebody Told Me
When saheeb138 first heard this on the radio, he called me and told me, "I just heard a song you're going to love." It's a little embarrassing to be so transparent and predictable, but he was totally right. This song rocks and just doesn't stop rocking until it's over.

5. The Cure: The End of the World
From my favorite band ever comes the best break-up song ever. (Right when I needed it, too, dammit.) Bitterness, regret, anger, and lingering love and fondness, all of it tied together with the best production values The Cure has ever had. The band hasn't sounded this gritty, edgy, and real since the Pornography album.

4. Green Day vs. Oasis: Boulevard of Broken Songs
San Francisco producer/remixer Party Ben finally proved to me that mash-ups can be more than just novelty songs. This one's an essential. I can't hear either Boulevard of Broken Dreams or Wonderwall without mentally supplying the missing half, now. (If you haven't heard this, you can download it from Party Ben's website.)

3. Modest Mouse: Float On
I'm not a huge Modest Mouse fan; I wasn't heartbroken to leave during their set at Deck the Hall Ball. But this song -- this just nailed it for me. It's happy, bouncy, dreamy, floaty, and it just flat out makes me feel better every time I hear it. It makes me feel like everything is, in fact, going to be okay. And it never hurts to hear that.

2. U2: Vertigo
Oh. My. God. This rocks so much. I cranked my poor little radio to maximum volume whenever this came on when I was alone in my truck. I like this even more than anything on Achtung Baby, and it's nice to see this kind of return to form after the good but slightly wussy All That You Can't Leave Behind. "Just give me what I want and no one gets hurt," indeed.

1. Green Day: American Idiot
This also consistently got the maximum-volume-wish-it-went-to-eleven treatment. It rocks just as hard as Vertigo, but its content brings it to number one: all the anger and frustration of a disenfranchised blue electorate is boiled down like purified molten lead and distilled into one perfect bullet.

Comments

[lawst.livejournal.com]

"I'm not sure what's going on in this song, but it certainly seems heartfelt."

I feel the same way when I watch a game of cricket.

[ginkgo.livejournal.com]

I really loved waking Kickaha up with Somebody Told Me. I bounced around him on the bed, singing along. The first time, he couldn't help but wake up from trying to understand the lyrics. ;) I love that song.

[wire-mother.livejournal.com]

this is an excellent list, though i would also add the Bill Shatner, Joe Jackson, Ben Folds cover of Pulp's "Common People", which has much more power and magnificence than i expected.

re: "Vertigo": "Hello. Hello." "¡Hola!" sheer brilliance. wierd, coming from U2, a band i haven't had any fondness for in years.

i have the same reaction as you about Interpol, though i still am not sure which song i would pick. "Evil" is certainly fine.

[rev-blacky.livejournal.com]

I just realised that I have you listed as a friend, but you don't have me... /cries