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[ATF487]

I got so burnt out on Sufjan that I can't listen to him outside of small doses nowadays. Hoping BQE can help out with that, but I'm not optimistic.

Though I'm not gonna lie, my favorite contemporary songwriter is Dan Bejar, and I'm sure he can get on just as many, if not more, people's nerves.

Definitely agree on Dan Bejar, I'm a huge Destroyer/New Pornographers fan

Also thumbs up to Phoenix, Swan Lake, Jason Lytle.

 

[Peru]

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

WHAT?

What, what? You may be distracted by her curly blonde hair and soft looks -- after all, those who always decry pop for being 'all image' or 'just about the looks' are, ironically, the ones who without exception judge books by their cover and discredit artists just for looking a certain way or choosing a certain aesthetic -- but the music is there, the songwriting craft and the storytelling, as I said in another thread, a unique mix of teenage honesty and retrospective wisdom. 'Fearless' is critically acclaimed and lauded by great writers around the world, but that may not be important to you because she's played by the wrong music channel or enjoyed by teenage girls. Superficial judgement still rules the day among most.

 

[Staccat0]

Yeah some of us tweeters are all a...twitter about this list. I thought they started strong, and the first 50 of the top 100 are pretty strong, but that top 10 is just sad. Should've been:

5) Idioteque
4) One More Time
3) Neighborhood #1
2) My Girls
1) Paper Planes

Is paper planes THAT good? Half the time when I hear it, I just want to listen to the Clash instead.

 

[KingDirk]

There's a rockist/popist divide? Interesting. I just like music, tbqh.

Both categories can be equally substantial. Like Nickelback or whoever isn't the epitome of rock, Katy Perry or whoever isn't the epitome of pop.

Or am I misunderstanding something?

I'm not exactly an expert, but rockists seem to appreciate 'authenticity' in their music, whereas popists/poptimists treat it as a nonissue. It's a difference of emphasis, and some artists straddle the line--Bowie was a big one, if I remember.

ATF: You check out the Bay of Pigs EP yet? The title track is phenomenal.

 

[Dabanton]

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is one of the best albums of the year, for sure.

I actually listened to it for the first time today and you're right it grabbed me on the first listen i let it play through twice more and it's fantastic.

The thing i love about Phoenix's albums is the little things you pick up on repeated listens i especially found this with Alphabetical.

But yeah cool album.

 

[Lambtron]

The list is fairly lol. I can't believe people are shocked how much LCD Soundsystem love there is in this list (someone saying they didn't get enough love? hahaha), hell DFA songs took up four or five of the top 20. LCD Soundsystem will probably be their album of the decade and I'll laugh so hard I die.

Anyway, what's with the hate on "Get Ur Freak On?" Missy is pretty wack on the mic but that beat goes hard as hell. One of the best beats ever, and if you can't recognize that then I dunno.

#1 on this list should've been "Int'l Players Anthem," and #2 should have been "Take Me Out."

 

[dallow_bg]

Losing my Edge............. LOVE THAT SONG (great non-album song)

Nice to see those two particular LCD Soundsystem tracks up there.

There's very little post-2000 music I listen to but those are excellent.

 

[DeathbyVolcano]

Is paper planes THAT good? Half the time when I hear it, I just want to listen to the Clash instead.

Yes, I believe it IS that good. It's immediately recognizable, incredibly jumpy, easy to mesh into a party mix, and has been used in countless Hollywood and commercial pieces. It's certainly I think the top track from this decade that I'll remember for years and years to come.

Especially Diplo's version.

 

[Futureman]

I've never even heard the #1 song. Was it a single? Never heard it.

I like scanning through the list and listening to the songs. I don't really care what people think about the rankings, I think it's a nice little tool to discover artists I've never listened to or even heard of.

 

[DeathbyVolcano]

I've never even heard the #1 song. Was it a single? Never heard it.

I like scanning through the list and listening to the songs. I don't really care what people think about the rankings, I think it's a nice little tool to discover artists I've never listened to or even heard of.

This. I got a bunch of new music through this, and that'll happen AGAIN with their album list as well.

 

[Staccat0]

Yes, I believe it IS that good. It's immediately recognizable, incredibly jumpy, easy to mesh into a party mix, and has been used in countless Hollywood and commercial pieces. It's certainly I think the top track from this decade that I'll remember for years and years to come.

Especially Diplo's version.

hmmm...
I'll have to agree to disagree, but kudos on having the balls to put up a list. I may do my own in a minute, but I'm bad with dates

I've never even heard the #1 song. Was it a single? Never heard it.

I like scanning through the list and listening to the songs. I don't really care what people think about the rankings, I think it's a nice little tool to discover artists I've never listened to or even heard of.

At the end of the day thats what its all about.
Lists are kind of anti-art anyway IMO

 

[Peru]

I've been plodding together a list of my 100 favorite tracks and 50 favorite albums of the year over the past 6-7 months. Mostly for my own enjoyment, trying to figure out what I feel has mattered and will matter in the long run* (*what sounds really, really good).

 

[dallow_bg]

What, what? You may be distracted by her curly blonde hair and soft looks -- after all, those who always decry pop for being 'all image' or 'just about the looks' are, ironically, the ones who without exception judge books by their cover and discredit artists just for looking a certain way or choosing a certain aesthetic -- but the music is there, the songwriting craft and the storytelling, as I said in another thread, a unique mix of teenage honesty and retrospective wisdom. 'Fearless' is critically acclaimed and lauded by great writers around the world, but that may not be important to you because she's played by the wrong music channel or enjoyed by teenage girls. Superficial judgement still rules the day among most.

The new Astrolad?

 

[Scribble]

I'm not exactly an expert, but rockists seem to appreciate 'authenticity' in their music, whereas popists/poptimists treat it as a nonissue. It's a difference of emphasis, and some artists straddle the line--Bowie was a big one, if I remember.

Heh, thanks. From what I can tell, it's a silly 'culture' (Perhaps elitist) thing. More to do with agendas than actual music.

I, myself, tend to judge musicians on individual merit.

 

[andymcc]

i called the #1 song as soon as they started posting this list. b.o.b. has such a predictive power to it, it's almost eerie. i don't agree with every entry on this list (who would?) but it is of course interesting and they make a very good case for all of their selections.

too bad it's probably going to be Kid A.

without question.

 

[KingDirk]

Y'know, for all my music nerdery re: older music about who influenced whom and the context in which the music I enjoy was produced, current music I really don't seem to expend much consideration of those factors. I feel like doing a personal best-of becomes disingenuous or overly convoluted when moving it beyond what I enjoyed most.

I understand why criticism sites shy away from ranking these based on these visceral reactions, but I just can't factor it into my own lists without feeling like I'm putting on airs.

EDIT: Scribble, I think it's less about pushing an agenda (only the supersnobs try to assert superiority of one over the other) than identifying characteristics of the music you do like, at least in my charitable view of it.

 

[Peru]

The new Astrolad?

Not sure what that means, I assume Astrolad was some sort of character. Well I'm not a character (I AM NOT AN ANIMAL), I like good music and refuse to accept people laughing at a really, really, REALLY good album being appreciated. I half expect it (if not accepting it) when talking about, say, t.A.T.u, but a genuinely praised, hailed artist such as Swift, whom you can't even throw tired, trite accusations at ('SHE DOESN'T WRITE HER OWN SONGS...wait..'), it boggles my mind the length some people go to make sure they nervously laugh away any chance of liking an artist that's commercially succesful.

 

[Sol..]

wow BOB?

That shit was something else for the time, but I never woulda expected someone to put it in the top 20..at least now. Maybe back when it came out...it really was on some other shit.

AND HOLY DOUBLE DONKEY SHIT AT ANNIE's Heartbeat.

Thats got to be the most random choice of song.

 

[ATF487]

I'm not exactly an expert, but rockists seem to appreciate 'authenticity' in their music, whereas popists/poptimists treat it as a nonissue. It's a difference of emphasis, and some artists straddle the line--Bowie was a big one, if I remember.

ATF: You check out the Bay of Pigs EP yet? The title track is phenomenal.

Yes! It was a nice rebound from the pedestrian, but still good Trouble In Dreams. Makes me want a new album, but given the recent release schedule it'll probably be sometime in 2010.

And the new Sunset Rubdown CD is good too, but it doesn't have the same majestic feeling as Random Spirit Lover. That record still floors me when I put it on.

 

[DieNgamers]

i never agree with this site.

i have bad taste in music, to be fair.

I don't know your taste but I also disagree with them on many levels. I just read the other lists...they almost represent the opposite of my musical taste, overall. :lol

 

[Staccat0]

Y'know, for all my music nerdery re: older music about who influenced whom and the context in which the music I enjoy was produced, current music I really don't seem to expend much consideration of those factors. I feel like doing a personal best-of becomes disingenuous or overly convoluted when moving it beyond what I enjoyed most.

I understand why criticism sites shy away from ranking these based on these visceral reactions, but I just can't factor it into my own lists without feeling like I'm putting on airs.

EDIT: Scribble, I think it's less about pushing an agenda (only the supersnobs try to assert superiority of one over the other) than identifying characteristics of the music you do like, at least in my charitable view of it.

Definitely see what you mean. Only place I start to get realy wishy washy is trying to guess how a song will hang with me in the future.
For example, when an album comes out, my favorite songs on that album are usually different than they are today. I've gotten better at being able to guess what songs have staying power for me, but then those songs are rarely the singles (smart artists understand this and you can tell by looking at the b-sides, but thats another thread) which these lists usually lean to.
A single's design is rarely to be interesting 10 years from now in my experience.

 

[DeathbyVolcano]

I hardly ever "know" where an album will be for me in the grand scheme of things when I try to make lists, it usually just all depends on how I'm feeling or what mood I'm in, musically. That said, this past year, Merriweather struck such a grand chord for me I can't help but say now, and I said it back then as well, that's it's probably in my top 10 albums ever. I know hardly anyone agrees with me, but it was a personal emotional experience for me, one I had never had before. It still remains that way for me.

I'll be upset if it's not in the top 10 albums of the decade.

 

[KingDirk]

Yes! It was a nice rebound from the pedestrian, but still good Trouble In Dreams. Makes me want a new album, but given the recent release schedule it'll probably be sometime in 2010.

And the new Sunset Rubdown CD is good too, but it doesn't have the same majestic feeling as Random Spirit Lover. That record still floors me when I put it on.

Man, Trouble in Dreams was like his first statement-less record. There were some really great tracks on it, but it doesn't stick the same way Your Blues, Rubies, Streethawk, or Thief does.

But yeah, I'd kill for a new Destroyer album. It'd be interesting to see him explore the styles presented on that EP.

EDIT: Brandnew, MPP is pretty good, but I still think Strawberry Jam is better. Last album that had that kind of impact on me was Los Campesinos! We are Beautiful, We are Doomed. Oddly enough, I think that album'll be overlooked in favor of its older sister, the also-great Hold on Now, Youngster...

 

[Alucard]

Y'know, for all my music nerdery re: older music about who influenced whom and the context in which the music I enjoy was produced, current music I really don't seem to expend much consideration of those factors. I feel like doing a personal best-of becomes disingenuous or overly convoluted when moving it beyond what I enjoyed most.

I understand why criticism sites shy away from ranking these based on these visceral reactions, but I just can't factor it into my own lists without feeling like I'm putting on airs.

EDIT: Scribble, I think it's less about pushing an agenda (only the supersnobs try to assert superiority of one over the other) than identifying characteristics of the music you do like, at least in my charitable view of it.

This is why I generally replace the word "best" with "favourite" when telling someone about the music I enjoy.

 

[dallow_bg]

Not sure what that means, I assume Astrolad was some sort of character. Well I'm not a character (I AM NOT AN ANIMAL), I like good music and refuse to accept people laughing at a really, really, REALLY good album being appreciated. I half expect it (if not accepting it) when talking about, say, t.A.T.u, but a genuinely praised, hailed artist such as Swift, whom you can't even throw tired, trite accusations at ('SHE DOESN'T WRITE HER OWN SONGS...wait..'), it boggles my mind the length some people go to make sure they nervously laugh away any chance of liking an artist that's commercially succesful.

I've only heard that famous single that's playing now, about liking the popular boy, etc.

I remember telling my lady friend, "This sounds nice enough, but why is such an older woman singing about silly high school drama".
To which she then informed me of her age, and it made sense.

She has a grown up voice but the lyrics, at least in that song, aren't anything special.
And I doubt that if I look into her other songs I'll find the even the beginnings of the next Cohen, Morrissey, or Davies.

(but I'll check anyway)

EDIT: Ah, it was that song "You Belong With Me" Yeah, nothing special.
I find this sentiment of wanting someone you can't have, someone taken better expressed in say Driving Your Girlfriend Home and others.

 

[Peru]

The SUBJECT of her songs are nothing different. The execution, both music wise and in the lyrics, are what's special, how her small twists and unexpected turns of words upend the cliches. I was a member of the local Morrissey fan club back in the days, but they're not really comparable artists are they? Different genres, different appeal, both likeable in wildly different ways. Morrissey hasn't done anything this decade to compete with 'Fearless'.

 

[dallow_bg]

The SUBJECT of her songs are nothing different. The execution, both music wise and in the lyrics, are what's special, how her small twists and unexpected turns of words upend the cliches. I was a member of the local Morrissey fan club back in the days, but they're not really comparable artists are they? Different genres, different appeal, both likeable in wildly different ways. Morrissey hasn't done anything this decade to compete with 'Fearless'.

It's all pop music to me.
I hope the rest of the album is better than that single "musically".

I'll go ahead and listen to it once since your name is Peru, and my family is from there.

 

[Peru]

Morrissey is pop music. The Smiths are pop music. I said what I'd do to people using 'pop' as a diss. (Oh I misread your post, sorry. Well as with all the best music the quality reveals itself over time, not at first listen)

 

[RiotOfTheBlood]

People have to learn to deal with others opinions, especially "professional" opinions. I have never seen the point of making "lists" to satisfy some sort of urge to have your preferences acknowledged or whatnot. I say let these institutions make their top lists, they're as important as you regard them to be. Fortunately the last time i read a pitchfork review was quite some time ago, it's easy to avoid them but every once in a while you run into the inevitable idiot preaching their bullshit. I remember when they made out arcade fire to be the hot shit, damn it got annoying so fast since they're just a "decent" band and not the new beatles in musicality nor popularity.

 

[thestopsign]

Damn, I've been playing "All My Friends" on repeat for the last 30min, great song.

 

[Kastro]

I agree with it all.

:lol get off pitchforks dick

 

[RiotOfTheBlood]

Damn, I've been playing "All My Friends" on repeat for the last 30min, great song.

I am listening to "Someone Great", really fantastic album.

 

[Shorty]

People have to learn to deal with others opinions, especially "professional" opinions. I have never seen the point of making "lists" to satisfy some sort of urge to have your preferences acknowledged or whatnot.

correct.

 

[Scribble]

EDIT: Scribble, I think it's less about pushing an agenda (only the supersnobs try to assert superiority of one over the other) than identifying characteristics of the music you do like, at least in my charitable view of it.

I've tried to look it up, but all I'm finding is people arguing about rockism arguments. :lol

Surely identifying characteristics of the music you like goes beyond pigeonholing everything into either 'rockism' or 'popism', which leads to the belief that music has to fit a certain framework in order to be considered 'valid'. I can appreciate the analysis of music, but that's not really what I'm finding here...unless someone wants to explain exactly what it is.

 

[Peru]

I've tried to look it up, but all I'm finding is people arguing about rockism arguments. :lol

Surely identifying characteristics of the music you like goes beyond pigeonholing everything into either 'rockism' or 'popism', which leads to the belief that music has to fit a certain framework in order to be considered 'valid'. I can appreciate the analysis of music, but that's not really what I'm finding here...unless someone wants to explain exactly what it is.

It's not as easy to frame as the names suggest. It's not about liking things either fitting in 'rock' or in 'pop' boxes, but that popists/poptimists feel that the rock canon and its founders have always underappreciated pop and disapproves of pop based on an aesthetic value set that's too narrow and mired in clouded, mostly superficial ideas of 'authenticity'.

Rockists, on the other hand, may suggest that this popist group hails commercial music just because it's commercial, and disregards every accepted idea of quality set down in stone. Which I don't agree with, but I won't identify myself with either camp. They're mostly good for igniting fairly interesting debates.

 

[KingDirk]

It's not as easy to frame as the names suggest. It's not about liking things either fitting in 'rock' or in 'pop' boxes, but that popists/poptimists feel that the rock canon and its founders have always underappreciated pop and disapproves of pop based on an aesthetic value set that's too narrow and mired in clouded, mostly superficial ideas of 'authenticity'.

Rockists, on the other hand, may suggest that this popist group hails commercial music just because it's commercial, and disregards every accepted idea of quality set down in stone. Which I don't agree with, but I won't identify myself with either camp. They're mostly good for igniting fairly interesting debates.

Thanks for that, Peru. My only real exposure to it was my brief dalliance on the i love music board. I always took it as halfway analogous to some people prefer comedies, some people prefer older films, etc, but it seems like a lot of people were treating it as more contentious than that.

That said, I am often annoyed at the supposed 'canon' of great music, mainly because of things like 'classic rock' more-or-less meaning 'stuff boomers liked,' etc, etc.

 

[Scribble]

Mhm. It's interesting.

 

[Forkball]

I always thought Pitchfork hated Daft Punk's post-Homework stuff.

 

[DeathbyVolcano]

I always thought Pitchfork hated Daft Punk's post-Homework stuff.

How could anyone hate Discovery? The fuck

 

[andymcc]

How could anyone hate Discovery? The fuck

they didn't give discovery a good review when it came out.

 

[cory]

What if some amazing song comes out next month?
It is not possible to hate Discovery.

 

[mattiewheels]

paper planes? it's a good use of a clash riff, gunshots are cute, but terrible lyrics and performance and this is still like the best shit ever this decade?

and godDAMN I hate numbered lists of anything that expects you to believe that they know what the fuck they're talking about.

 

[Scribble]

I'm actually curious as to how you would go about constructing a Top 500 list. What's the difference between song 376 and song 382?

Seems pretty daunting :lol

 

[KingDirk]

What if some amazing song comes out next month?
It is not possible to hate Discovery.

While having a soul suggests this should be true, P4k actually did have a pretty negative initial review of Discovery. Their stance has softened (perhaps with new blood, perhaps because everybody else who enjoys feeling pure joy likes Discovery), with several singles off of the album making their best-of for the year and I think the album itself got put on a year or half-decade best-of. Still, the original review for Discovery compared "One More Time" to brainwashing in a less-than-complementary fashion.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and they actually complained about the lyrics on "Digital Love," which is one of the most mind-boggling examples of missing the point evah.

 

[Meliorism]

The list is fairly lol. I can't believe people are shocked how much LCD Soundsystem love there is in this list (someone saying they didn't get enough love? hahaha), hell DFA songs took up four or five of the top 20. LCD Soundsystem will probably be their album of the decade and I'll laugh so hard I die.

Anyway, what's with the hate on "Get Ur Freak On?" Missy is pretty wack on the mic but that beat goes hard as hell. One of the best beats ever, and if you can't recognize that then I dunno.

#1 on this list should've been "Int'l Players Anthem," and #2 should have been "Take Me Out."

Sound of Silver is good stuff, bro. The Missy Elliott song isn't bad. I'm all for your UGK love..good stuff. But lol at #1. Take Me Out is definitely memorable.

That's how I feel about something like Paper Planes, too. They were played so often on the radio. With the way they were going about their list, I half expected something with enormous amounts of radio play to be #1.


Anyway, I think it's a safe assumption to say the following things:

1) Sound of Silver, Kid A, Merriweather Post Pavilion, The Blueprint, Stankonia, Turn on the Bright Lights WILL BE in the top 10.

2) All Radiohead albums post-2000 will show up on the list.

 

[Papa]

Wow, what a horrible list. Just goes to show how bad music of the '00s has been (or how craptastic Pitchfork's taste is).

Paper Planes? Really? Really?

 

[Fidelis Hodie]

Wow, what a horrible list. Just goes to show how bad music of the '00s has been (or how craptastic Pitchfork's taste is).

Paper Planes? Really? Really?

Yes, really. Really.

You guys sure are edgy for hating on a pitchfork list. I'm sure glad you had elitism and aren't being elitist for your own tastes!

Paper Planes is a fantastic song.

 

[Owed T'Alex]

Pitchfork's dick-riding really sucks the fun out of music.

Any music criticism that goes beyond variations of "I like this song" or "I don't like this song" should be treated as the joke that it is. Maybe it's just me.

 

[Baron Doggystyle von Woof]

actually not that bad of a list. It's pretty varied.

 

[Mt Heart Attack]

Wow 2000s are over and I didn't know that?

Anyway, that list is baaad. I mean, really bad. Beyonce? Really?
My top five would be something like Neighborhood # 1, The other side of Mt Heart Attack, Mississipi and something from The National and GYBE!, in random order.