#26: "The hunted becomes the huntress/The hunter becomes the prey..."

#26.


The Album: At Mount Zoomer
The Artist: Wolf Parade

All relationships should work this well between two polarizing figures. This album bounces back between Spencer Krug and Dan Broeckner as they each deliver songs in their own distinct style; one caterwalling and manic, the other collected and driven. Each of them can (and have) made brilliant records on their own, but when they come together... it's something special.







The Single: Conquista (Conquest)
The Artist: The White Stripes


Taking an old song and turning into something new and exciting is nothing new for Jack White, and hear he follows the same formula; find the most emotional part of the song, and destroy it all to holy hell with percussion and fuzz (and, in this case, trumpets).

#27: "I just want your kiss, boy..."

#27.



The Album: The Stand Ins
The Artist: Okkervil River

The "sequel" to last year's delightful The Stage Names finds Okkervil River returning to smart wordplay and pop gems. Singer Will Sheff's wistful tenor brings an angelic quality to these songs they probably don't deserve, but they make the light nature of some of these tunes even more beautiful.






The Single: Pumpkin Soup
The Artist: Kate Nash

Last years fantastic single, "Foundations", found English songstress Kate Nash coming to terms with the end of a relationship she really didn't want to be in. "Pumpkin Soup", by contrast, shows us all of the conflict that occurs when one of two friends wants something more... and wants it desperately.

#27

#28: "How's it feel to wake up and be the shit and the urine?"

#28.




The Album: Microcastle
The Artist: Deerhunter

A wonderful mix of rock and weird alternative ambience, Bradford Cox and his fantastic band of minstrels provide us an album full of wonderful songs. A fantastic, confusing, almost-brilliant album.





The Single: Swagga Like Us
The Artist: T.I., featuring Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Lil Wayne

With every rapper being on their best and a fantastic sample (M.I.A.), 4 of the best rappers around bring a fantastic mish-mash of styles. Surprisingly, it's T.I. who rings the strongest verse, and it's awesome.

#29: "I don't know who you think I am..."

#29.






The Album: The '59 Sound
The Artist: The Gaslight Anthem

Like an odd cross between Bruce Springsteen and Brandon Flowers, The Gaslight Anthem deliver an album which is positively midwestern in its' sincerity. Every track is covered with shattered hopes and broken dreams and reminiscing back to ways days were younger and times were simpler. The songs are heartbreaking and rocking, and it'll make you feel like you're born to run again... only more modern.






The Single: Breakin' Dishes
The Artist: Rihanna

Lesson from this song: Do not fuck with Rihanna, or she will fuck you up. Granted, she'll do it with a fantastic beat, but things will not end well for you.

#30: "Baby you remember when/Fireworks on Lake Michigan..."

#30.




The Album: Rising Down
The Artist: The Roots

There's something impressive about the newest album from the new house band for Jimmy Fallon. On Rising Down, rapper Black Thought and musical guru ?uestlove seem to have re-found the urgency that has been lost in some of the group's recent and sloppier efforts. Perhaps the election lead to a renaissance for this group... whatever happened, it worked.





The Single: Homecoming
The Artist: Kanye West featuring Chris Martin

Kanye West is the master of taking celebrity and making it feel absolutely relatable and commonplace. Unlike most rappers, whose bragadoccio is solely used to impress the ladies, West uses "Homecoming" as a scribe to show the conflict between ambition and family.

#31: "And you cry and you cry and you cry and you cry..."

#31.



The Single: Supernatural Superserious
The Artist: R.E.M.

Michael Stipe grab a nice 70's AM radio hook and ride out one of their best songs in a decade.

#32: "Gonna find it hard to sleep through it all..."

#32.




The Single: Darling
The Artist: Sons & Daughters

A slick, bouncy rocker with a massive guitar riff.

#33: "Give us your vote if you know what's good for you..."

#33.




The Single: Your English Is Good
The Artist: Tokyo Police Club




Snotty pop-punks make finger-snapping wonderful melodies.

#34: "Clutching pictures of past lovers at his side..."

#34.



The Single: Ghost
The Artist: Laura Marling

From across the pond comes one of the most interesting and introspective singer/songwriters, who brings us a tale of what happens when you just can't let go.

#35: "I invented you and I will destroy you!"

#35.



The Single: Death To Los Campesinos!
The Artist: Los Campesinos!

Twee pop at it's most manic and fun. Stupid song.... great song.

#36: "You come like a dog when I ring your bell..."

#36.



The Single: The Greatest Man That Ever Lived
The Artist: Weezer

Any other band attempting to perform this would fail horribly. It takes a real nerd like Rivers Cuomo to jump back and forth in the most complex song of 2008.

#37: "And that is all I will show you..."

#37.



The Single: See/Saw
The Artist: Jay Reatard

I don't really know what to say about this fuzz-guitar banger, other then it's fantastic and fun and something to get your toes tapping and feet moving.

#38: "Your friends, they're jerks. When you act like them, just know it hurts."

#38.


The Single: 7 Things
The Artist: Miley Cyrus

Disney-pop teen sings about her achy-breaky heart, only to realize that the guy who drives her crazy also drives her crazy... in the good way. Formulaic and predictable, but also a hoot and realy fun. Bubblegum is back... just don't tell The Jonas Brothers.

#39: "In bar light, she looked all right/In the daylight, she looked desperate..."

#39.
(no official video)




The Single: Sequestered In Memphis
The Artist: The Hold Steady

Craig Finn brings us another tale of sex with women who hate themselves, and the cities that crush people's spirits. Everyone who listened to Hold Steady records would be killing themselves if these songs didn't rock (and by rock, I kinda mean RAWK!) so well.

#40: "I think her head needed medication..."

#40.



The Single: I Told Her On Alderaan
The Artist: Neon Neon

One point awarded for fantastic Star Wars title. One point awarded for fantastic 80's-theme vibe. About 100 points awarded for incredible keyboard-driven power-pop.

#41: "I don't know why nobody's told you/Man's not supposed to cry..."

#41.



(no official video)
The Single: The Heart Gently Weeps
The Artist: The Wu-Tang Clan

Every sad song made by Wu-Tang is always assumed by people to be a song about Ol' Dirty Bastard. This song, while dealing strongly with death, is not. But it is introspective and different from most of the hip-hop which has come out this year.

Okay, so I'm aware that I'm seriously behind on this. But I'm going to try to kick it into turbo mode to finish before the new year. So, shorter blurbs, but whatever. Here we go...

#42: "Bet you got it all planned right..."

#42.






The Single: Don't You Evah
The Artist: Spoon

Britt Daniel and his merry minstrels in Spoon lay out an exciting, bouncy little jam. The bass line grooves, the percussion is fun, and Daniel's guitar solo is stupid happy. Not nearly as good as last year's "The Underdog", but still a wonderful song.

#43: "Scream, cry, pray confess/God will do the rest..."

#43.




The Single: Run To Your Grave
The Artist: The Mae Shi


The happiest song about the evils of religion and higher powers. It's creepy, buy fun.

#44: "Cause your heart was dying fast, and you didn't know what to do..."

#44.



The Single: Cath
The Artist: Death Cab For Cutie

I'd never seen the video for this before... it's kind of creepy. The second single from Death Cab For Cutie's second album finds bride Cath getting married to a man she doesn't love (or probably even like). But like most of the protagonists in Ben Gibbard's world, doing something they don't want to do doesn't make them stronger... it just makes them sadder.

#45: "Don't be mad that you see that he want it..."

#45.


The Single: Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
The Artist: Beyonce

From the handclaps, to the "oh-oh-oh" chorus, this song sticks in your head like it was covered in bubblegum, which it kinda is. And while Beyonce is spouting a rather odd form of feminism, the song has you bouncing around the room. Pop music at it's most danciest.

#46: "We like the same things and I like your style..."

#46.



The Single: Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?
The Artist: She & Him

The unusual pairing of Zooey Deschanel and indie rocker M. Ward has produced a beautiful and unusual gem. It's a song with kind of a timeless feel. Part of that is Deschanel's voice, which feels like it could be vamping in the 1950's. The piano and simple guitar give this song the bounce it needs to be staying in your head all day.

#47: "Once I start I cannot help myself..."

#47:
(no official video)


The Single: Discipline
The Artist: Nine Inch Nails

Trent Reznor has had a pretty good last couple of years. You wouldn't know it, however, from this track; a 5-minutes assault about angst, fear of success and indulgence, and the fear of how far you'll go once you give in just a little.

#48: "Is it so wrong to break from your kiss to turn up a pop song?"

#48.


The Single: Pump Up The Volume
The Artist: Art Brut

There is nothing more nerdy (and kind of awesome) than writing a song about wanting to stop making out with someone because you love the song on the radio. It's what makes Eddie Argos and his band, Art Brut, kind of sad (but also kind of awesome); their inability to experience life without a kick-ass soundtrack.

#49: "And the sun will set for you..."

#49.


The Single: Shadow Of The Day
The Artist: Linkin Park

What the fuck is going on with Linkin Park? This is a band I downright loathed, and I mean loathed. But with a strong single last year and the follow-up this year, this band proves that when you get rid of that rapping douchebag and stop complaining about pain, they can actually write interesting, meaningful pop songs. Much like this song, it kind of makes me hopeful knowing that a band can accomplish something interesting.

#50: "So I'll say something that I should have said long ago..."

#50.





The Single: You Don't Know Me
The Artist: Ben Folds (featuring Regina Spektor)

Ben Folds is one of the masters of sad clown. Pay attention to these lyrics, and you'll hear one of the saddest relationships ever: a couple, who has lived with each other for a long time without ever really understanding the other... and probably realizing it will be this way forever. But with Regina Spektor's lovely caterwall, Folds creates a pop window for us to look into... and the song isn't just pleasant, it's enjoyable to watch. That's disturbing... but it's also kind of cool.

#51: "Dig yourself back into that hole..."

#51.



The Single: Dig, Lazarus, Dig
The Artist: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

No one does grime and crime like Nick Cave. As his Bad Seeds loom over thick, frightening keyboards and strange percussion, Cave lays the primary focus, "I don't know what it is, but there's definitely something going on upstairs."

#52: "Now I'm no madman, but that's insanity..."

#52.




The Single: Dancing Choose
The Artist: TV On The Radio

Songs like this are great wonderful chaotic clusterfucks that take you at least 5 listens to get used to. It takes a few listens to catch all of the words, or to notice that there's a horn section. It's crazy and nauseating and kind of beautiful.

#53: "Do you really wanna know how I was dancing on the floor?"

#53.




The Single: A & E
The Artist: Goldfrapp

Allison Goldfrapp has always been one to let her emotions drip from her sleeve. This track is no exception, only that the music is more ethereal than some of her other work. And, it's good on her. She should take trips out to the forest more often.

#54: "Be my mirror, my sword, my shield..."

#54.





The Single: Viva La Vida
The Artist: Coldplay

Hating Coldplay is easy, especially since listening to them in now universally how someone knows you're gay. But there's an interesting change of direction on this song, as it feels like orchestration has just been pulled out of them by producer Brian Eno. Sure, these guys are still asshats, but this song is addictive.