If the past two weeks haven’t made it clear, we are officially headlong into list season! Nothing says “holidays” quite like the internet’s month-long quest to quantify standards of taste. And while a lot of magazines and websites are telling you all about their selections for 2012′s Bests — us included — it’s nice to get a rundown of the best as championed by the vox populi, where that populi is voxed by a self-selecting set of culturally attuned and forward thinking art-synthesists. So without further ado, welcome to the 2012 Gummy Awards, the only lists on the internt created by the Stereogum & Videogum voting public. Today we look at your Top 20 Tracks of 2012.
As for this year’s #1: Those of you who helped us find a Song Of The Summer apparently found in that song a track to typify your entire 2012. The next 19 include only one other track from that Song Of Summer shortlist over a diverse spread of artists, any of whom would be a good contender for an Artist Of The Year Gummy. Below, your Top 20 tracks of 2012, with listen links for posterity, or in case this is your first time turning on a computer this year. You already know these songs, you love them, they’re great! Here we go:
20. Chromatics – “Kill For Love”
19. Kendrick Lamar – “Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst”
18. Death Grips – “I’ve Seen Footage”
17. Jessie Ware – “Wildest Moments”
16. Purity Ring – “Fineshrine”
15. Major Lazer (Feat. Amber Coffman) – “Get Free”
14. Spiritualized – “Hey Jane”
13. Solange – “Losing You”
12. Fiona Apple – “Every Single Night”
11. Dirty Projectors – “Gun Has No Trigger”
10. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe”
09. Twin Shadow – “Five Seconds”
08. Cloud Nothings – “Wasted Days”
07. Bat For Lashes – “Laura”
06. Beach House – “Myth”
05. Grimes – “Oblivion”
04. Tame Impala – “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards”
03. Frank Ocean – “Pyramids”
02. Grizzly Bear – “Yet Again”
01. Japandroids – “The House That Heaven Built”
And here it is in copy/paste-able format…
20. Chromatics – “Kill For Love”
19. Kendrick Lamar – “Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst”
18. Death Grips – “I’ve Seen Footage”
17. Jessie Ware – “Wildest Moments”
16. Purity Ring – “Fineshrine”
15. Major Lazer (Feat. Amber Coffman) – “Get Free”
14. Spiritualized – “Hey Jane”
13. Solange – “Losing You”
12. Fiona Apple – “Every Single Night”
11. Dirty Projectors – “Gun Has No Trigger”
10. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe”
09. Twin Shadow – “Five Seconds”
08. Cloud Nothings – “Wasted Days”
07. Bat For Lashes – “Laura”
06. Beach House – “Myth”
05. Grimes – “Oblivion”
04. Tame Impala – “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards”
03. Frank Ocean – “Pyramids”
02. Grizzly Bear – “Yet Again”
01. Japandroids – “The House That Heaven Built”
UPDATE: Here are the results in all categories:
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FIONIRST?!
bands that had a bunch of good songs on their album were at a disadvantage, their votes got divided
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Oh my god, I agreed with everyone for once on the #1 song! WE ARE ONE.
Who the hell is pushing “Call Me Maybe”?
Corban probably got 100 votes or something.
Call Me Maybe rules, just give in to its power.
It’s like asking “who voted for Bush?” to a room full of people, he won yet no hands go up.
It’s been a long time since a song has made me want to slam an oven door shut on my balls
Diane, remind me to tape down that oven door as a precaution.
I for one think that Every Single NIght is catchier than Call Me Maybe, to those who believe a song’s worth is valued on said “catchiness”.
So really what does Carly Rae Jepsen have on Fiona…
About 50 lbs.?
I did, sorry guys.
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Find myself agreeing with every call here (Call Me Maybe still rules) and the order too, more-or-less. Good work guys. And hon the ‘droids.
Ya rules the short list of most irritating songs of the 2000′s
Someone explain to me the appeal of this
It’s cheap fun pop music. Meant to be taken in with copious amounts of alcohol and good friends, maybe some dancing. There’s a time and a place for all genres, and pop’s is for when you want some fun music that doesn’t try to be anything more than it is.
BRB gonna blast some Black Eyed Peas because I’m so two thousand and late
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Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one, and it’s weird to imply that yours is better than anyone else’s.
not always.
Opinions are like assholes, they get really heated when talking about Radiohead
…What?
I’m inclined to agree. I’ve seen ‘em live twice though and both were great times had, though. Anyway, Screaming Females released the best rock album this year, no doubt.
Screaming Females also absolutely destroy live
I couldn’t decided where I wanted to put my “though” so I covered all my bases.
really? I saw Japandroids live a few weeks ago and it honestly the most disappointing show I’ve ever seen. (Celebration Rock is still a great album- but I haven’t listened to it since the show because I know I’ll just be reminded and get sad)
i tried to upvote you and it gave you a minus 1. inexplicable.
You probably upvoted him at precisely the same time that two other people were downvoting him, so the net result was a -1.
^ Hey, you guys missed one. What’s wrong, is that one not good enough for you to mindlessly downvote? Aren’t you downvoting ALL of my comments in this thread? Well? ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Oh, I didn’t realize that BOTH lines would trail off the page like that. Basically I made a scathingly sarcastic remark about me being downvoted, then ended with a Gladiator quote in all caps, all of which in no way makes me look any more level-headed than I have so far.
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The fact that you’re badmouthing Pavement renders your entire argument invalid.
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Can’t argue with that airtight logic. Except I happen to find their music to be very high quality. Now I don’t know what to do…
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Here’s the thing about the objective/subjective split. True subjectivity is non-controversial, you can say that someing is not to your liking, and no one will argue with that. The trouble lies when you attempt to switch your subjective opinion to an objective fact. True objectivity is a myth, the best we can do is a to gather different subjective observances and estimations into the best consensus available. This is what gives us what we call truth, from “grass is green”, to “dog shit tastes bad”, to “Slanted and Enchanted is a kick ass record.” Now, just because your subjective opinion contradicts this, doesn’t make it less true to you. But maybe you should be careful about treating your minority subjective view as an objective fact, as in Pavement is bad. Because people tend to look at you funny when you run around yelling about how tasty dog shit is, no matter how much you may think it’s true.
Here here!
Japandroids was mos def immediate, liked them for a while though. Totally agree about pavement.
a.j.howard09: I’ll grant you that my sentence about Pavement was written in an objective-fact style, since there’s no “I think Pavement is…” to introduce my sentiment there. But I think I did a good job of stressing the subjectivity of my response to Japandroids in the earlier sentences. But still, fair point on your part.
I mainly took issue with HartfordTheWhale’s remark on my lack of airtight logic, when his statement about my argument being invalid wasn’t really any better logic on his part, although I suppose that was his point. But I have begun to question my initial vehemence now that I find myself in opposition to someone named HartfordTheWhale, which is such a loveable name that I can’t help but think I’ve become the bad guy in this fight that I’ve started for just no damn reason at all (it also doesn’t help that I have a “tron” at the end of my own name). And having successfully gotten through my powerpoint presentation for my class today, un-stressed-out me is a bit abashed to acknowledge that I told the Japandroids song to go to hell, which was just an unnecessary provocation regarding a song that’s really not bad. I just don’t care for it, is what I meant to say. And I can’t be mad at someone who was merely offended by a remark that I made about a band that I know a lot of people love. Your response was only what I should have expected, considering my initial polarizing remarks. [extends robot-crab claw towards HartfordTheWhale's fin as a cross-species "hand"shake/apology straight from my crabtron heart].
Hopefully I’ve at least made partial amends for my comments in this thread. I don’t want to become this week’s copy paster cat, who made some nigh-unforgivable remarks about Chromatics last week. No need to dig my own grave any deeper here.
nothing better to do on a monday night but tell everyone how aweful and wrong they are?
mr_axed: Yes, I have nothing “better” to do on a MONDAY night, and no I’m no longer telling people they’re wrong, if you read my last comment. Except I’m telling you you’re wrong now, I guess. But I’m not even sure if you’re responding to me or someone else, so if not then never mind/ fuck it.
No worries old chap (crabtron). I enjoy a nice bout of muzak debate. These things are really all subjective, and it’s hard to start every damn thing with “well *I* think, and please do not consider this a statement of fact but merely an opinion based on my experiences.” You should see the way my brother and I debate about music and art and stuff. If he says something I don’t agree with I usually say (tongue in cheek) “you’re an idiot” and then tell him why. It never changes his mind, but it’s fun to have these discussions, else why would we be on here?
pavement is integral to our countries interstate system
I’m with ya Rahbrrt. They’re just another pop punk band styled the same way as so many other bands from the late 90s and early 2000s that dominated Tony Hawk Pro Skater soundtracks. And Scruffy, if opinions are like assholes, then this page is a giant gathering of assholes so welcome to the club.
They’re nothing like those bands you’re referring to. If anything they’re closer to bands like The Replacements and Archers of Loaf. I can take the previous Pavement association (though disagree with the posters opinion on the band) but “pop punk” like Sum-41, Japandroids are definitely not.
Spot on with the Archers of Loaf reference. I’ve been looking for that. I don’t know why it makes perfect sense to me, it just does.
I’d contend that the Mats and Archers of Loaf show a hell of a lot more range than Japandroids. But that’s just like, my asshole, man. By which I mean my opinion.
They certainly show more range, but I don’t think there’s any other band at the moment that has perfected one specific sound quite like Japandroids have.
Pavement blow away Japandroids. Most over-rated band of the year!
Yea man, quit being such an opinion.
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Bummed not to see Climax on here.
The absence of climax is usually a bummer in any situation. :/
Adorn – Miguel
I’m really into “Do You…” at the moment.
I think Kaleidoscope Dream came out to late in the year for everyone to digest it. Even though “Adorn” has been around all year…
Well, what do you like Rahbrrt? If you’re going to blow up the public with your vitriol, at least have an argument to back up your claim.
Personally, I favor Burial’s “Kindred” as my TOTY, but I’m glad to see Stereogum is allowing people to a. post their own opinions and b. help people discover sounds that they haven’t heard before. Hear hear!
Wait, did you just “hear, hear” yourself? That’s like the 19th century equivalent of the masturtweet
Well said though. Huzzah.
Am I the only one who thinks “Younger Us” kicks about 400 times more ass than “THTHB?” I get bored with that one halfway through
Might be true but Younger Us came out in 2011 as a single.
Fair enough. I’d still rather listen to adrenaline nightshift, continuous thunder or wine and roses
Actually, it was a 2010 single, believe it or not.
i love Japandroids and “Celebration Rock,” but I can’t be the only one a little concerned that it only really had six new songs on it, right? As we know “Younger Us” was from 2010 and “For the Love of Ivy” is a cover.
I like brevity, especially in music similar to Japandroids, but is Brian running out of songs and/or ideas? In three years he was essentially only capable of seven album-worthy songs. Will this band even put out another record at this pace?
For me, half the songs on Celebration Rock could be my Track of the Year.
“Night of Wine and Roses” is my jam. LOVE THAT SONG. Doesn’t get nearly enough love on these year-end lists.
10. Carly Rae Jepson – “Call Me Maybe”
Damn, guys.
Although, I did vote for “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst”, so I’m glad that made it. Death Grips’ “The Cage” was a close second.
Wasted Days made it! Yes!
I woudl’ve guessed Stay Useless, but Cloud Nothings all the same
This is a question to which someone will probably answer “dude, yeah.” (espcially having just said that)
BUT
Am I the only person in the world who thinks “The Nights of Wine and Roses” is the best song on Celebration Rock?
You are not alone.
I am here with you
though we’re far apart?
I’m an Adrenaline Nightshift guy.
I’m glad I’ve seen some similar comments and that I’m not the only one. I keep seeing “The House That Heaven Built” pop up on these lists. It’s a cool track, to be sure. But in all honestly, it’s probably my 5th favorite track on that album.
For me, it goes:
1. The Nights of Wine and Roses
2. Fire’s Highway
3. Younger Us
4. Adrenaline Nightshift
5. The House that Heaven Built
Every track on that album is great, don’t get me wrong, including THTHB. It’s just that I think a lot of the other songs are even better.
I agree 100% with that order.
Twin Shadow beat out Carly Something. That is awesome.
And whoever got “Hey Jane” into the Top 20, I wanna hug you!
Dude, yes. Huh? didn’t get enough love this list season. NEITHER DID THEESATISFACTION.
I hate people, man.
Sweet Heart Sweet Light, man. (Sorry)
Fuck that, I call it Huh? because it sound funny when you say, “Hey man, did you get Huh?”
I do that too, except I give it my best Kanye “HUH?”
Plus with that album cover? What else would we call it :)
Actually, in interviews J. Spaceman has said that he wanted to call the album Huh? and hopes it’s eventually referred to by that title, so, way to do your part, Wesley Morgan Paraham.
I’ve been duped.
i wanted Huh? to be better than it is. it just left me longing for the days of LAGWAFIS.
Hey, some bands never make a magnum opus. Let alone two.
Just go listen to old Spiritualized! Lord knows I do. It’s still the best. Bet the new album is also the best. Because J. Spaceman is the best.
This list confirms my suspicions that Stereogum readers like some stuff and don’t like some other stuff.
Seriously though this is a good list with a great song on top. As for Call Me Maybe, I’m not even mad, it’s just funny.
Slightly bummed Climax and Adorn aren’t in there, but there are also a couple of tracks I’m glad made it that I didn’t think would (Hey, I just met you…).
Also “Constant Conversations”, it was a great year for slow R&B jams.
The lack of Usher & Miguel in this list leads me to believe Stereogum commenters are severely under laid.
I know I am
I got 60% laid today and I was spinning The Money Store.
Can’t go wrong with a Frank Ocean pick, but “Pyramids” is like my seventh favorite song on that album. Still great, but “Pink Matter,” “Forrest Gump,” “Thinkin Bout You” and “Super Rich Kids” were my favorites.
“Lost” should be a classic, and maybe it will be. And “Bad Religion” is the single most heart-wrenching three minutes released this year. Yet neither seem to get enough love.
Bad Religion IMO was the best choice
Man, song we’ve talked about all year and no Usher? Is this list an anti-climax or what!? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Sharon Van Etten – Serpents
So people really preferred the long album tracks to the single material this year? People really think that “Pyramids” and “Wasted Days” are the best songs on those albums? Still a pretty good list though.
Pyramids is without a doubt my favorite song on Channel Orange. I was really surprised to see Wasted Days though. I don’t dislike it by any means, but its my least favorite track on the album.
Yeah definitely a surprise especially since I thought Stay Useless would be a lock for this list
Yeah. I think “Cut You” is better. Whole album is solid, though.
No T-Swift’s “We Are Never Getting Back Together”? Screw this list.
I think we filled our “semi-ironic pop song” quotient with “Call Me Maybe”. Although I’d probably throw that T. Swift song in there somewhere as well.
Yeah. I didn’t hear either of those songs until November, but I found the Swift way more catchy and well-crafted than the Jepsen.
It would have been higher. But people entered too many “ever ever ever”s into the song name. So she has a lot of votes but spread out amongst multiple different names for the same song.
Pretty solid list, but I’m surprised at the dominance of electronic-influenced tracks. What about the more traditional artists ie: Sharon Van Etten, Father John Misty, Andrew Bird, etc.? Or maybe you’re all a bunch of dubious young roustabouts and I’m showing my age?
Pour me another drink
And punch me in the face
You can call me Nancy
That’s the one I would’ve gone with. Or Only son of the ladies man.
This is Sally Hatchet is a fantastic song, as well.
Only in My Dreams was my number one pick, I don’t know why but I played that track over and over. Anyone with me?
“Dreams” – Taken by Trees
Only in my dreams was among the catchiest of the year, but i think it’s novelty wore off since July
what’s novel about it?
i’m with you!
Pretty solid list. Although, I’m kinda surprised Disparate Youth by Santigold didn’t make it.
If I could add a few more songs:
Perfume Genius – Hood
Electric Guest – This Head I Hold
The Neighbourhood – Sweater Weather
Of Monsters and Men – Dirty Paws
Nick Waterhouse – Say I Wanna Know
Those additions are somewhat similar to my taste in music and therefore this comment is correct! But seriously, that Neighbourhood song is a jam.
I would listen to this playlist, minus 1 Jepsen.
It’s pointless commenting this far down.
Sometimes I come to this site just for heartwarming commenting stories like thomasbrownester’s. Other times I come here for other things.
It’s weird how people largely only vote for the singles. Sun in your Eyes is far superior to Yet Again which I love, but it’s got nothing on that track. As for the top track, I don’t get it but don’t begrudge them the top spot. Interesting to see where the readers diverge from the staff. Love seeing “Get Free” up there too…
Sun in Your Eyes is the best song on Shields, but Yet Again works much better standing alone.
While I love the hell out of that Grizzly Bear album, I think “A Simple Answer” is my favorite. The saxes and the end bridge and the melody and…I LOVE IT.
TOP5 Shields songs: 5. Yet Again, 4. Sun in Your Eyes, 3. Speak in Rounds, 2. What’s Wrong, 1. Sleeping Ute
Yet Again felt like a friend’s warm arm on my shoulder, but Sleeping Ute was totally orgasmic! My favourite song of this year.
I like your ‘what’s wrong’ love. That shit grows on your like crazy
I actually like every single song on this list but the top one. Nice one readers!
Man, I love these songs lists. The albums lists are fun too, but we tend to listen to the same thing. There are’nt usually a ton of surprises. But it’s interesting to see what individual tracks get spotlighted, especially if you, like me, tend to consume music in album-size chunks. It’s also nice to see what tracks out of your usual wheelhouse you missed through the course of the year. I know last year, I had an embarassingly late obsession with “Superbass” after not hearing it until late December. Same thing with “Poker Face” and “Bad Romance” in 2009, and “Umbrella” in 2007.
For me, the initial standout track from Channel Orange was “Super Rich Kids.” Also, if Ihad voted in time (was an hour late), “R.A.P. Music” would have been in my top three and “Under the Westway” would have been in my top ten. Glad to see Spiritualized though, and looking forward to hearing what I missed though.
Thumbs down for double though’s at the end. I know if seems harsh, but it’s the only way you’ll learn.
Fair enough. Well deserved. Proof reading is for posers, though.
*hopes plb doesn’t see my earlier comment*
I don’t think any more lists have to be made now, this one’s pretty much perfect
Replace Call me Maybe with Head in the Ceiling Fan by Title Fight and this list is spot on.
Floral Green was a hell of a record, and HITCF was a great track. I’d have to choose Frown over it though.
the part in do you when it goes into “what about matinee movies…” shits good pop structure
so glad chromatics made it!! <3
do you…? by miguel
where the hell is climax????
i could use a little sharon van etten too.
i tried to like call me maybe, & i’m usually open to pop stuff like that but that song is awful
Nicely done guys
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In my opinion, while I love Sleeping Ute, there are probably 6 tracks on Shields that are better.
But of course, everyone’s entitled to their own opinions.
Half Gate
No Torche, Dino JR., or Passion Pit?!? Shocking.
and Stereogum’s year-end theme of one McRib among Filet Mignons continues
One last note. I’m not sure if “Laura” is the best song of the year, but it’s certainly the loveliest. It’s like if side A of Hunky Dory and side B of After the Gold Rush decided to have a baby and got Joni Mitchell’s “River” to be the surrogate mother.
Sort of a weak year for singles?
A great year for those of us not single though.
No love for “The Full Retard”?
You guys pumped that shit right? The song explicitly states you must pump that shit
Like they do in the future? Most definitely/
anyone else think sleeping ute kind of sounds like jeff buckley’s grace??
No.
i’m sorry, i meant penn badgley’s cover of jeff buckley’s grace
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have you seen the video, even further proves your point
too bad spotify doesn’t work outside of the US…
It does though?
Depends where outside the US you are.
The list itself doesn’t do much for me either way, so I’ll just weigh in on the Celebration Rock thing. I think the three best songs are the three in a row of “Adrenaline Nightshift” – “THTHB.” The latter may be the weakest just because it runs a bit long, but those are the 3 main ones I dig.
“Pyramids” is definitely at least one of the best songs off the Ocean album, one of the few that really stuck with me.
I still get a rush of adrenaline from “The House That Heaven Built”, and really all of “Celebration Rock”. A couple of 90′s bands released some fine singles this year as well. Superchunk’s “This Summer” and The Afghan Whigs cover of Frank Ocean’s “Lovecrimes” have held up well after repeated plays in the second half of 2012.
Sorry – I guess I’m in the minority here but I’ve tried to listen to ‘Celebration Rock’ several times at home and really? What do you guys hear in this band? Boring, trite bar band music that’s been done way, way better by a gazillion bands over the last 40 years. You’re kidding right! Tuneless drivel if you ask me. It really speaks to the fact that 2012 wasn’t that great of a year in music at all. I’ve been a music fanatic since the 70′s so I should know. The Walkmen and The Black Keys and several other American bands blow these guys away and I’m a Canadian! In fact they kind of suck IMO. Sorry as ya all posted it as your number one track. But the people really deserve better. Just look at all of the Frank Ocean worshipping going around. Yikes! Wake me when it’s over!!
Purity Ring suck too! And they’re from the same city as I am!
and when this year is over can you all come to realize that frank ocean isn’t really that good.
Very surprised “Heaven” from The Walkmen didn’t make it. That song still absolutely rules.
for me it was the second best song behind “yet again”…
Love that song and The Walkmen, it’d have been nice to see them get some recognition. Personally, I’d probably have gone with “We Can’t Be Beat” or “Love is Luck,” but the whole album is great.
songs that scratched my itch…
“Watch the Corners,” Dinosaur Jr
“Pre-Language,” Disappears
“Open Your Heart,” The Men
“Strangers,” Lotus Plaza
and Ty Segall… but I’m having trouble picking which one. If he had picked the best songs from those three albums and just released one it would be album of the year in my book.
“Oh Mary.”
The Kendrick Lamar love is very spiriting — though I probably would have gone with one of the other songs on the album. I was only just recently encouraged to check him out by reading this article about his unorthodox treatment of masculinity compared to what you expect in hip-hop.
Very interesting read: http://ahorizontalmyth.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/the-man-and-the-m-a-a-d-city-deconstructing-masculinity-with-kendrick-lamar/
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agree on almost all of the above
Thanks! It looks like you are the only one really with all those downvotes…
The Birthday – Hospitality
Ruin – Cat Power
Sidewalk Safari/Guilty as Charged – Chairlift
Doused – Diiv
Baby Get Worse – Divine Fits
Can’t Leave You – Doe Paoro (Seriously with Bat for Lashes over this?)
The Fall – Frankie Rose
Jesus Shot Me in the Head – Hiss Golden Messenger
Adorn – Miguel
Tessellate – Alt-J
Heartbreaker – The Walkmen
Only Son of the Ladies Man – Father John Misty
40 Mark Strausse – Shins
Obedear – Purity Ring
And thats just off the top of my head….these lists, oh these lists
dude, you should totally start a blog.
Couldn’t agree more about Doe Paoro
I didn’t think Laura was going to make it when I gave it my vote, so I’m happy to see it make the top 10. I think this is a great list, but I would’ve tried to find a spot for Dinosaur Jr.’s I know it so Well (maybe the best rock song of the year).
Bobby Womack—Please Forgive My Heart
Tanlines—Brothers
Mac Demarco—My Kind of Woman
lower dens / brains !!!!!!
beautiful list! every song is good (except Call Me Maybe!)
What a refreshing list
The Stereogum readers are as bad at making lists as the Stereogum listmakers are at making lists. You’ve taught us well, Stereogum.
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“Smart people buy the smart things really.”
Exactly why I will avoid your site.
Damn…this looks A LOT like my list of best songs of 2012. I hope it doesn’t look like I’m plagiarizing when I finally get around to posting. .
I’m curious about something. Would the people arguing FOR Carly Rae Jepson’s inclusion on a list like this also be arguing for C&C Music Factory’s inclusion on a list in 1990 alongside something like Stone Roses’ self-titled debut, or Debbie Gibson in the 1988 alongside Public Enemy’s It Takes A Nation of Millions? Because that’s what Carly Rae is in comparison to some of the artists on this list.
Look, I’m not saying you shouldn’t like fluff pop. I’m saying that it doesn’t warrant critical attention because it’s a now fad that isn’t going to be remembered beyond kitsch ’12 nostalgia. In fact, I suspect that was it’s intended purpose — kitsch. Probably marketing, more likely, but no one seems to care when a song that would be a radio jingle a decade ago is now considered a pop song anymore.
Guys, sometimes earworms are just earworms and shouldn’t be looked at as anything beyond that.
Have you seen The Guardian’s best tracks of teh year list? Yes, it’s totally crazy and out of control now. I can’t see why, say, The Ketchup Song or Dragostea Din Tei or godamn Vengaboys back in the 1999 didn’t end up on end-of-year lists of acclaimed publications. Those songs are disposable, kitsch, fluff pop duds as Call Me Maybe and Gangnam Style or that Taylor Swift tune. Wait until Pitchfork will put Call Me Maybe in Top 10, it’s safe to say they will now. I totally can’t understand it.
Don’t think that I’m some indie contrarian dumb-ass, in fact almos tall I listen to is popular and mellow stuf (not Top 40 turd, Kate Bush-Bjork-style plus soul, funk, rnb and jazz) but there should be a line and some T A S T E.
Everything works in cycles. Sincerity is hot now but there will be a backlash against the idea of top 40 artists being given positive critical attention in a few years, and people will start mocking the past few years for the type of stuff we’ve been praising. But I obviously agree with your point. I think what it comes down to is that it’s much easier to manipulate music journalists today. The top-40-pop-as-legitimate argument has as much to do with record labels’ marketing machine as it does any writers legitimately thinking Taylor Swift or Carly Rae Jepsen is good. Marketing and journalism are interchangeable today, so a Pitchfork can slip in some copy for a new Rhianna single without anyone knowing. But there’s a very clear difference between what Rhianna does as a pop star and what someone like Kate Bush did as a pop star. I would argue that none of what Rhianna does has ever really been musically adventurous as she’s more the type of person to co-opt R&B and underground EDM trends just as (or just before) they’re taking off.
…and don’t feel bad about your grammar. English is my native language and I just realized that this paragraph has atrocious use of grammar.
TYPOS…. and grammar. Sorry, English is not my native language.
I know old people are weird and they smell funny but Walk Like a Giant was easily one of the best songs of the year.
I’ve scrolled all the way to the bottom of the comments, my life feels strangely empty now..
On an entirely random note, great list.
Carlie Rae Jepsen is atrocious! Jenn Grant and Serena Ryder are considerably more talented Canadian singer/songwriters and criminally overlooked compared to the disposable trash of Beiber and Jepsen!
And sorry but there were some individual songs from the Quantic and Alice Russell, Melody’s Echo Chamber and Amadou & Mariam albums that trumped every single song on this list. Just my opinion but if others are spouting off so can I. Can’t stay quiet anymore when so much boring drivel is championed!