100 songs clearly cover a number of bases. It’s fun seeing bands like Sic Alps on here, though it’s difficult to gauge what having the 90th best track of the year means. The songs in the upper decks (75-100) come off like miscellany — an understandable excuse to include dark horses. It doesn’t seem to start mattering much until you get significantly closer to 50. Still, miscellanies are often where the most interesting things happen, at least if you’re bored of lists with the same 40 bands on them, e.g. every list we’ve seen to this point. One complaint I’ll lodge: Where’s the metal? It was a good year for it, but not a single track shows up, not even by a pop-metal band like Torche. Then again, most of these lists seem to ignore that genre as much as they ignore country and (over) embrace hip-hop. But good to see Gang Gang Dance, Vivian Girls, Fuck Buttons, and the man pictured above. Fittingly — this is about single tracks — DFA makes a strong and repeat showing.
100 Girls – “Hellhole Ratrace”
99 Final Fantasy – “The Butcher”
98 The Magnetic Fields – “The Nun’s Litany”
97 Buraka Som Sistema (Feat. M.I.A. and DJ Znobia) – “Sound of Kuduro”
96 Empire of the Sun – “Walking on a Dream”
95 Friendly Fires (Feat. Au Revoir Simone) – “Paris (Aeroplane Remix)”
94 WHY? – “Fatalist Palmistry”
93 Atlas Sound – “River Card”
92 Born Ruffians – “I Need a Life (Four Tet Remix)”
91 Jamie Lidell – “All I Wanna Do”
90 Sic Alps – “Message From the Law”
89 Ponytail – “Celebrate the Body Electric (It Came From an Angel)”
88 Low Motion Disco – “Things Are Gonna Get Easier”
87 The Veronicas – “Untouched”
86 Los Campesinos! – “Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks”
85 Osborne – “16th Stage”
84 Beach House – “Gila”
83 Titus Andronicus – “Upon Viewing Brueghel’s ‘Landscape With the Fall of Icarus’”
82 Solange – “Sandcastle Disco”
81 Love Is All – “Wishing Well”
80 The Bug (Feat. Warrior Queen) – “Poison Dart”
79 Ida Maria – “Oh My God”
78 Frightened Rabbit – “The Modern Leper”
77 Telepathe – “I Can’t Stand It”
76 Justice – “DVNO (Radio Edit)”
75 Little Boots – “Stuck on Repeat”
74 Wale – “The Kramer”
73 Goldfrapp – “A&E”
72 Fleet Foxes – “Blue Ridge Mountains”
71 Sigur Rós – “Gobbledigook”
70 Rihanna – “Don’t Stop the Music”
69 Portishead – “The Rip”
68 Four Tet – “Ribbons”
67 Young Jeezy (Feat. Kanye West) – “Put On”
66 Lykke Li – “Dance, Dance, Dance”
65 Max Tundra – “Which Song”
64 The Whitest Boy Alive – “Golden Cage (Fred Falke Remix)”
63 The Very Best – “Kamphopo”
62 The Tough Alliance – “Lucky”
61 Q-Tip – “Gettin’ Up”
60 Crystal Castles – “Courtship Dating”
59 The Dodos – “Fools”
58 Annie – “I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me”
57 High Places – “From Stardust to Sentience”
56 Vampire Weekend – “Oxford Comma”
55 Usher (Feat. Young Jeezy) – “Love in This Club”
54 Lykke Li – “Little Bit”
53 Be Your Own Pet – “Becky”
52 Ricardo Villalobos – “Enfants (Chants)”
51 TV on the Radio – “Golden Age”
50 Invisible Conga People – “Cable Dazed”
49 Jay Reatard – “Always Wanting More”
48 Spiritualized – “Soul on Fire”
47 Alphabeat – “Fascination”
46 M83 – “Graveyard Girl”
45 Antony and the Johnsons – “Shake That Devil”
44 Hot Chip – “One Pure Thought”
43 Kelley Polar – “Entropy Reigns (In the Celestial City)”
42 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – “Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!”
41 No Age – “Sleeper Hold”
40 T.I. [ft. Rihanna] – “Live Your Life”
39 Kanye West – “Love Lockdown”
38 TV on the Radio – “DLZ”
37 Big Boi [ft. Raekwon and André 3000] – “Royal Flush”
36 Arthur Russell – “I Couldn’t Say It to Your Face”
35 Shearwater – “The Snow Leopard”
34 Fuck Buttons – “Sweet Love for Planet Earth”
33 Animal Collective – “Street Flash”
32 Crystal Castles – “Untrust Us”
31 Aeroplane [ft. Kathy Diamond] – “Whispers”
30 MGMT – “Time to Pretend”
29 Vampire Weekend – “M79″
28 No Age – “Eraser”
27 T.I. – “No Matter What”
26 The Walkmen – “In the New Year”
25 The Hold Steady – “Constructive Summer”
24 Gang Gang Dance – “House Jam”
23 Beyoncé – “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”
22 Santogold – “Lights Out”
21 Hercules and Love Affair – “Hercules’ Theme”
20 The Juan MacLean – “Happy House”
19 Vivian Girls – “Where Do You Run To”
18 Women – “Black Rice”
17 Wiley – “Wearing My Rolex”
16 The Mae Shi – “Run to Your Grave”
15 Amadou and Mariam – “Sabali”
14 Lil Wayne – “A Milli”
13 Kanye West – “Flashing Lights”
12 Cut Copy – “Out There on the Ice”
11 David Byrne and Brian Eno – “Strange Overtones”
10 Estelle [ft. Kanye West] – “American Boy”
09 Portishead – “Machine Gun”
08 Air France – “Collapsing at Your Doorstep”
07 Cut Copy – “Hearts on Fire”
06 Deerhunter – “Nothing Ever Happened”
05 M83 – “Kim & Jessie”
04 Santogold – “L.E.S. Artistes”
03 Hot Chip – “Ready for the Floor”
02 Fleet Foxes – “White Winter Hymnal”
01 Hercules and Love Affair – “Blind”
You can read the accompanying blurbs at P4K.
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A lot of Cut Copy in the top 20, not that it’s a bad thing. There are some sweet live videos of them on their Evri profile page.
http://www.evri.com/organization/cut-copy-0×23e03.html
Cut Copy will be in Pitchfork’s top 10 Albums.
Bank it..
About time this is working!
I have 47 out of the 100 in my personal library. Does that make me cool?
Sorry, tech problems. We’re back!
doubt it
shitty repetitive unimaginative list
It’s very nice to see the somewhat-overlooked Women place at #18. Well deserved.
Having one of the most un-Googleable band name out there doesn’t help.
what songs are eligible for this list? for instance, why is “flashing lights” on there? the parameters they set in the intro paragraph are confusing to me.
Well, it was a single this year… but some of them are definitively NOT singles. Who knows.
Wow, that list is bad, bad, bad. Very pretentious. Vampire Weekend’s M79 over the sheer pop confection A Punk? If you want real music to listen to and not just bands that will make you sound cool check out:
http://diggingfordays.blogspot.com
dude, for some reason i looked at said website, and it has the taste of a week old chunky bar. do me a favor and repay the two minutes i just lost.
Is all intelligent and thoughtfully composed music pretentious? You don’t have to like it, but if you’re going to be critical of something, at least have the knowledge to back it up. Was it pretentious because it overused some complicated musical structure, or is it just not as “fun” to listen to?
I’m totally fine with people liking whatever they want (I like plenty of crappy music), but if you’re going to complain that Pitchfork is pretentious, then some Nickelback fan has the right to criticize your taste in music on the basis that it doesn’t “rock enough” because in terms of substance, Nickelback and most of the bands on your list aren’t that different.
I looked at the list on that website as well.. What an unbelievable piece of shit!!! You owe everyone who checked that out a huge apology.. And For anyone who is wondering why I am so irate.. Here is that assholes top ten albums of the year…
Kings Of Leon
The Cab- Whisper Wars
Oasis
Panic At The Disco
Gavin Rossdale
Vampire Weekend
Cheryl Crow
Weezer
Coldplay
Reliant K
I hate you Kip! A lot!
Well, for our fellow prisoner Kyp this is “real music.” Poor sucker.
wow, i checked out your misguided blog too. first up, Pete Murray: “Think of him as a cross between Pete Yorn, John Mayer, and Jack Johnson.”
if that’s not enough to frighten someone off, i don’t know what is.
Time to Pretend by MGMT was #94 on LAST year’s list…now it’s on this list too? wtf?
I noticed that too. At this rate, “Time to Pretend” will be the number 1 jam of 2009.
Any list without “Lost Coastlines” by Okkervil River shouldn’t be payed any attention to.
Will pitchfork be offering a massive mp3 set like they did last year?
Wholly agree with 2 and 3. Number 1? Not so much.
really surprised to not see a single girl talk track on this list.
hey guys, why’s pitchfork’s list not identical to my own?
also wtf is with all the horrible dance music?
i like “blind” as no.1 even though i think “you belong” is the best song. congrats to hercules and love affair.
Surprised that they didn’t put any of the Department of Eagles songs on their list….they seemed to like it pretty well…
Department of Eagles have been so underrated in all of these blasted lists! It’s surprising to me. It’s one of the few albums I really loved this year. No place for Teenagers or No One Does it Like You? Bah.
#70 just made me vomit up my green machine.
this is a pretty bad list….
i can’t believe touch me i’m going to scream pt 2 is not on here….seriously wtf?!?!?!
seconded.
So when is someone gonna post a zip file with Pitchfork’s top 100!?
Here’s a zip
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=P4J6GSUH
Let’s all just graduate and realize that every list is bad. Lists are not accessible.
If it wasn’t bad, it wouldn’t be a list.
Or whatever; rabble some more.
oMg pItCHfoK sUckS sO hArd. Why Iz my favrt Band nOt oN it!!!1111!
seriously: very good list. the top 9 are awesome.
I think it’s more of the fact that there’s a hundred spots to showcase songs, and they completely neglected to mention bands like Okkervil River, Blitzen Trapper, Plants & Animals etc., even though they reviewed them well, and instead, included multiple songs from particular bands whose sound they’re trying to push.
They seem far more concerned with selling electronic music as culturally relevant than actually coming up with a list of their favorite songs from this year. It’s just kind of insulting to the bands that don’t happen to fit into the brand that they’re trying to be the champions of.
Blitzen Trapper will be on the albums list, don’t worry.
maybe, uh, this is a list of their favorite songs instead of things to ‘push”? Believe it or not, stuff like Okkervil River or Plants and Animals isn’t by some right the center of the musical universe, and alternatives to those aren’t agendas.
I agree with say what. Pitchfork is allowed to like albums without thinking any of the singles are amazing. They didn’t include any Flying Lotus tracks, and they loved that album, and that would have fit with the “agenda” you pretend they have. Take it for what it is, songs Pitchfork liked. They’re people, they could have forgotten things, been contradictory (it is a consensus of a bunch of people, contradictory is expected), or whatever.
Glad to see Spiritualized is getting recognized by SOMEONE, even if it was from Pitchfork…
c’mon Pitchfork, don’t overthink it: “A-Punk” really is the best song on that album.
but this really isn’t such a bad list. nice to see some Cut Copy love. that shit is addictive.
Almost all of these songs are pretty awesome. I predict Deerhunter, TV on the Radio, Fleet Foxes, Hercules and Love Affair, Cut Copy, Lil Wayne, M83, No Age, The Bug and Fuck Buttons in their top 10 albums. Others that have a chance: Portishead, The Walkmen, Jay Reatard, Atlas Sound and maybe Vampire Weekend (if they decide to start a backlash to the backlash).
I thinks its interesting to look back at the top ten from last year:
1. All My Friends
2. Atlas
3. Bros.
4. Paper Planes
5. Umbrella
6. Int’l Players Anthem
7. Someone Great
8. D.A.N.C.E.
9. Fireworks
10. Ignorant Shit
I think thats a pretty stellar top 10.
Maybe this year’s songs haven’t grown on me yet, maybe it’s just me, but looking at last year’s list makes me think that 2008 was a bad years for single tracks, if not albums.
Last year’s top ten definitely looks better, but I think P4K’s top ten this year is more indicative of the fact that the Fork doesn’t get it anymore. No Black Keys on this entire list? No MGMT’s “Kids”? “A Milli” as the lone choice from Tha Carter? No Girl Talk? My Morning Jacket? No Vampire Weekend in the top ten (not to mention no “Walcott” or “A-Punk”)? No Hold Steady in the top 25? No TV on the Radio OR No Age in the top 30? No Bon Iver OR Beck AT ALL??!?! SERIOUSLY!?!?
Pitchfork is either trying to be purposely weird as hell or they’ve all become serious cocaine addicts. That’s the only explanation.
No age still eats ass. I don’t care what you say Pitchfork.
Putting Animal Collective’s “Street Flash” on the list but omitting “Water Curses” is just silly.
absolutely agree.
street flash >> water curses
idk i actuaaly enjoyed cobwebs more than any other son on water cyrses
This is actually a really good list. I don’t agree with a lot of it, but it’s interesting, in a they-actually-know-what-they’re-talking-about kind of way. Love seeing “Blind” sitting at number one and “The Rip” (which would get my vote for best track of the year), but I’m shocked that El Guincho, Flying Lotus, Fucked Up and Stereolab didn’t make the cut. “Neon Beanbag” surely could have been given a spot over “DVNO” and “Flashing Lights”, both of which were on albums from last year.
I hope my boss doesn’t find out that this is all I did the last two days. Anyways, here’s Pitchfork’s Best 100 Tracks of 2008:
https://rcpt.yousendit.com/635041960/0d6f1a56cfe89902940d93634ba692a2
Great work. I’m giving you a fat raise.
I love you.
Merci!!!!!
ahhh, download limit reached!!
you’re still the best, though
Can you upload it on Megaupload where it won’t expire?
Monster-
Is there any chance that you will re-post the .zip?
Some of those bands, like Okkervil River and Plants & Animals, that people are complaining aren’t on the “best tracks” list, I fully expect to see on the best albums list. And electronic and dance music usually makes a good showing on their best tracks of the year list more than the album list just because, well, a group like Hercules and Love Affair is more about the single tracks than Plants and Animals, who put out a wonderful and wholely cohesive album.
There should have been some Crytal Stits, Crystal Antlers, Surf City, more Deerhunter, and that new Grizzly Bear song on the list.
It’s disappointing that Neon Neon didn’t get any props. Same with Fucked Up’s “Black Albino Bones” Also there should have been more TV on the Radio on there.
The Mae Shi definitely deserve their spot on this list. Great song and a criminally underrated album.
I’m so happy to see Shearwater and Women here. Both of their albums could have at least 2 or 3 more songs on this list, but I’m happy enough to finally see them getting any praise. The songs I liked most from 2008 not on the list (in case you’re curious [which you're probably not {but whatever}]), Plants and Animals – Bye bye bye, Dept of Eagles – No One Does it Like You (duh), and White Denim – Don’t Look That Way at It.
Those top 10 songs are super enjoyable though.
whoa, triple parenthetical score!
Wow there seems to be an abundance of aritsts who use autotuners….. I guess we know what their favorite “instrument” is.
Florence and the Machine????!!!
Wait too many remixes/dance songs in my opinion. There are artist with one single appearance that I think could have had better representation… pretty much all of them!
I wholeheartly back up the Okkervil River’s Lost Coastlines outrage! That song is one of my faves of the year.
To those counting the following artists made it twice: Fleet Foxes, Portishead, Lykke Li , Crystal Castles, Vampire Weekend, TV on the Radio, M83, Hot Chip, No Age, Rihanna (urg), Hercules and Love Affair, Cut Copy (both in the top 20) and Santogold
Artist with the most appearances: Kanye West with 4!
Finally, Mr. Byrne!
hey, why did they change the text to Nothing Ever Happened? The original one was so good…
Its a good list. I agree with most of it. Never got on the Hercules and Love Affair bandwagon though. My fav track of the year was M83’s Kim and Jesse, which is in the top 10. Some may consider pitchfork to be ‘pretentious’ which they sometimes are, but more often than not, I find them to be the best source of music news/opinion on the interweb.
Uhh, last I checked I was reading Stereogum, so who give’s a shit what Pitchfork thinks?
my guess is lots of people. pitchfork and stereogum share very similar music tastes and cover the same releases so it makes sense. my guess is that you want to distance yourself from pitchfork because its ‘too mainstream’ and that sterogum ‘keeps it real’, and you being the alternative thinker that you are are too good for that mainstream hooey and fancy yourself an unique snowflake. dont you think it would be easier to just accept that having more than one website report on the unique bands that you like and hence make you feel unique is indicative that lots of people like the same kind of music you do and perhaps you are not as unique as you once thought? Once you realize this you can let go of the need to define yourself by the music you listen to and by the websites you do and dont like. Then you can sleep easy knowing that pitchfork and stereogum are really not that different at all and your previously conceived differences between then are really all just in your head, much like your previously conceived notion of your music-based self identity.
no okkervil? no tallest man? if thye put time to pretend on both years I think they’re stupid. Is such thing as a complaint department on p4k?
I think the thing most of you are forgetting to ask of yourselves is: Why doesn’t Stereogum have a top 50 songs of the year list? That way you could make it as homogeneous as the top 50 albums list.
how about Bon Iver? Wolf Parade? Marnie Stern?
Anyone who tries to pick 100 songs as the best 100 songs in a given 12 month period, from ALL THE SONGS RELEASED in that period without some sort of fucking guidelines/criteria is either an idiot or wildly, unbelievably pretentious.
Then again, this is the website that just put out a comprehensive guide to the best 500 songs of the past three decades like no one has had an opinion on the subject before.
… and No Age is a shitty band. Deal with it.
Just because someone has had an opinion on something before means that it should never be talked about again? Cause then you should shut the hell up, I’ve heard your opinion before.
I think Kip is Pancake Repairman, anyone else?
Overall it is a decent list. Seeing as they are basically judging singles instead of their favorite tracks off the album, it isn’t as bad as it could be. However I did notice that many of my favorite (and sometimes their’s) artists were not on the list. Mainly artist like Bon Iver, Plants and Animals, Department of Eagles, and Blitzen Trapper did not make the list becuase their albums are better left together than seperated into singles. Also I think they counted Bon Iver as 2007, which is probably where he should be.
P.S. Lost Coastlines was an awsome song and deserves at least a spot in the top 25.
Pretentious drivel. No Bon Iver, no Gaslight Anthem but two by Kanye.
Am I the only one who doesn’t see anything new/interesting in Bon Iver? It wasn’t THAT good
I guess if you want your music to be “new and interesting” then you wouldn’t want to listen to an album like Bon Iver’s. I prefer pretty songs that I can remember to a so-called ‘freshness’ that people seem to be looking for. I think there’s something seriously stupid about dismissing art that isn’t innovative, and instead sticks to the tried and true methods of the past.
Wow. That’s absolutely the most depressing thing I’ve ever read. I hope to god you’re not an artist.
How about this for tried and true music?: Just listen to the original fucking music that this non-innovative band is ripping. Oh, I’m sorry, “inspired by.” If you ask me, there’s absolutely no need for *any* more soft spoken acoustic balladry in this world.
Oh forget it. Damn near every indie band in this list is a reference to an older, usually much better band. Indie rock has become as staunchly traditionalist as a square dance.
hey hazim here…again.
Solange Knowles? check.
2 songs from Santogold? check
Cut Copy in the top 20? check
surprise number one from Hercules and love affair? check.
this list is pretty good
Wiley? check
“Single Ladies” over Constructive Summer”? check.
Alphabeat “Fascination”? check. and very brave.
“Gobblediggook” over “Blue Ridge Mountains”? check.
this list sucks gorilla balls.
but it’s just a list, right? It’s JUST a list…..
I couldn’t find it listed on the website but did they include the individual staff lists like in past years? I’d be interested in seeing some of the individual lists from a couple of the pitchfork writers I prefer.
Nevermind, I found it-
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/148118-2008-tracks-of-the-year-individual-lists
David Bevan had the best list.
Gamma Ray was one of the (if not the) catchiest songs of the summer and it’s not even listed yet there are songs on here from last year…what a half assed list
where’s passion pit?
i am sorry, but i don’t really see why Deerhunter’s song is in the top ten. i guess it’s okay, but it doesn’t strike me as great in any way. it just kind of seems like a lot of other stuff i’ve been hearing. it doesn’t stand out to me at all. hmm.
Agreed. To me, Deerhunter seems like one of those bands whose albums are greater than the sum of their songs, but don’t contain any real stand-out singles. Also pretty hard to take a single from Girl Talk, so the absence of Girl Talk doesn’t surprise, despite P4K’s high review of the album.
What else sounds like Deerhunter? I would like to pick it up.
country? what’s that?
garbage
the list this year does seem pretty uninspired… and inaccurate by their own rules. Just a cursory glance, both that Sic Alps track and Cut Copy’s “Hearts on Fire” were 2007.
monster is the best thing since adam from madison, wi. merry xmas to you, sir/madam.
Where’s Rihanna’s “Disturbia”?
I hate Pitchfork.
I didn’t care much about the order of the list so much, I was just pretty happy that 2 un-hyped tracks made the list that paralleled my own personal listening experience: “Blue Ridge Mountains” by Fleet Foxes and “DLZ” by TVOTR. Made me smile a little on the inside, especially since I didn’t ever listen to like 90% of the rest of the stuff on all these lists. 2008 was a lazy, lazy year for me…
Please don’t judge Pete Murray by this fellow’s flawed description. He is worth a listen…
“Atom” by British Sea Power is a no-show? It’s a top-tenner for me this year. Lesson: Don’t release a record in January if you want to get on the shit-lists!
And I would’ve bet everything that P4K would have TI’s “Whatever You Like” in the top five, like “Umbrella” last year.
i’m totally on board with the 2008 doesnt seem to compare too well to 2007 when i look back on my favorite songs and albums of each year.
here’s to 2009 and better things!
pretty average I think.
“blind” is no way near the best song I heard this year. as soon as antony starts his best toni childs impression i want to shoot myself, and i hardly think the production makes it such a stand out song.
sidenote. pete murray does not ever deserve a listen. tawriffic you kiddin right?
My personal top 25 list included 2 Bon Iver tracks, but that’s my personal list. That album hit me between the eyes, but I can see why his songs wouldn’t make other people’s year-end lists. Plus, Pitchfork included Bon Iver’s album in last year’s top 50, because technically it came out last year.
I was surprised to see no Marnie Stern here, though. “Prime” slays me.
OMG so many good songs!
i hate the #1 though
Without thinking too hard about it…
1.”Vive Solo” Juana Molina – It’s the second song to the best one two punch album opener this side of “USSR”/ “Prudence”, Crosby and Stills unexpectly starts doing double dutch before all is said and done. Just iINSANE and beautiful. Genius lava lamp song structure.
2.”Strangeovertones” Byrne/Eno- All of a sudden I’m playing frisbee with the Huxtables.
3.”Family of Others” Deerhoof- Gabriel Genesis in “Smiley Smile” time.
4.Fleetfoxes…. My idea of a great old school Aside Bside would be White Winter and then “Heard them Stirring” on the flip.
In comparing the Pitchfork and Rolling Stone lists (it’s lunchtime and everyone is out): overall they had a whopping 10% overlap between their lists. The top three songs they had closest in equal love for were (by rank from Pitchfork, then RS)
1. Santogold- LES Artistes (4,2)
2. Estelle – American Boy (10,7)
3. T.I.- No Matter What (27,10)
The song that made both lists with the biggest gap in spots: M83’s ‘Kim & Jessie (5,85)
There were seventeen total artists who appeared on both lists with either the same or different songs. The closest non-match goes to Vampire Weekend with ‘M79′ (P’forks 29) and ‘One’ (RS’ 21).
The top three artists with the most songs on both lists:
1. Santogold = 4 (4,22 & 2,82)
2. Lyke Li (?!) = 3 (66,54 & 24)
3. Vampire Weekend = 3 (29,56 & 21)
Rolling Stone liked Friendly Fires’ actual songs (87) vs. Pitchfork’s love of their remix (95). The ‘fork prefers love for everyone (81) while RS likes theirs an instrument for humor (78).
The mighty (or not) Kanye West scored double love from the ‘fork to zi, nada, zilch from RS.
RS prefers more ‘the’ bands at 14 to Pitchfork’s 11
And lastly, the songs that barely sqeaked in at the 100 spot
Pitchfork: Girls- “Hellhole Ratrace”
RS- will.i.am- “Yes We Can”
Sorry- T.I , Hercules/Love Affiar and TV on the Radio all had three songs appearing on both lists as well
how pitchfork can be so elitist, snob and harsh to rock but at the same time be so indulgent, mainstream and nuts about r&b and mainstream rap?
stupid list.
It’s an OK list, but there seemed to be less universal songs this year, in comparison to 06 and 07, and that goes for albums too.
What are those albums that you keep seeing on lists – Dear Science, Fleet Foxes, Microcastle, PH’s 3, For Emma, Tha Carter III? All great albums, but can you honestly hold them up against Kid A, Stankonia, Is This It, Blueprint, Original Pirate Material, Yankee Hotel, TOTBL, YFIIP, Funeral, Arular, Cookie Mountain, Fishscale, Sound of Silver, etc etc etc. or whichever ‘new classic’ you want to name?
Same for singles… Is the mainstream only going to remember “American Boy” and “A Milli” from 2008? Two great singles, but they’re not “B.O.B.” or “Hey Ya”, “Losing My Edge” or “All My Friends”, “99 Problems” or “Fix Up Look Sharp”, or even “Since U Been Gone”. Shit, where’s “I Will Posess Your Heart” (or “59 Sound” which Pfork just gave a good review)? At least that song was stuck in my head for a few weeks.
I think when all is said and done and we look back at the whole decade (this time next year), 2008 might be the weakest music year of the decade…unless 2009 is worse.
i dont think 2009 will be worse. we are getting new grizzly bear, animal collective, andrew bird, akron/family etc. etc. etc.
All good (Merriweather will be a classic), but sounds too much like a continuation of the overindulgent quasi-folk music we got from Fleet Foxes, Dodos, Vampire Weekend, etc. this year. We need bands like Spoon, Modest Mouse, Interpol, etc. around to make some good old fashioned rock and roll
ooh, loving the carnage over those who would dare to recommend their own top 10 list. I’m in….http://thedumbingofamerica.wordpress.com/2008/12/12/best-albums-of-2008/
Hopefully I get points for including videos for all of the albums on the list and in most cases they are good quality live videos rather than the label-approved videos. The Duke Spirit is #1 on the list, so if that doesn’t intrigue you, don’t say you weren’t warned. Cheers!
my 2 cents: Evangelicals’ Skeleton Man; any Surf City tune; Destroyer’s Libby’s First Sunrise; Black Angels’ You In Color; that last track on The Week That Was and other stuff I canna remember right this sec. Oh, and I hate Hercules & Love Affair.
Wait now. Justin V. has a point. Poorly worded, but a point. They have no criteria. These aren’t singles. Why?s ‘Fatalist Palmistry’ is not a single. ‘The Hollows’ was a single. ‘Song of the Sad Assasin’ was a single. ‘A Sky for shoeing Horses Under’ had a video. If they’re just picking the 100 best songs of the entire year from the LITERALLY MILLIONS of songs released on every single album that dropped between January 1st and December 15th 2008 that’s completely absurd. All these lists are subjective, but a Top 50 albums list at least has some guidelines we can all imagine and follow.
How in god’s name were these songs picked?
Not by genre, not by popularity, not by sales, hype or exposure … So it’s a list of 100 songs the 15 people who write for Pitchfork liked this year? All jumbled up with no rhyme or reason?
Big deal. Any surviving record store could do the same thing by polling their employees. Any college radio station probably has a better list. Who are the Pitchfork writers that I should give a shit?
These lists only make sense when you can back them up with data. Otherwise it’sjust a bunch of people you wouldn’t give the time of day to in a bar telling a bunch of sheeplike kids they can’t decide for themselves.
Port O’Brien’s ‘I Woke Up Today’ was a pretty awesome song. The album sucked, but that song was awesome. Does anyone agree, disagree or care? Would you change your mind if I told you I’m the editor of Cokemachineglow? How about Pitchfork?
Ah yes, that soon-to-be timeless classic, “Blind” by Hercules And Love Affair. It was so ubiquitous this year, how could it NOT be the #1 song of 2008.
Pitchfork can eat a fat dick. “Single Ladies” is the song of the year.
I don’t think Alex gets it.
No, Alex gets it. I just think Pitchfork has bad taste in music.
monster, could you possibly resend that file? it exceeded its download limit. would really appreciate it, thanks for your work!
Who is Hercules and Love Affair?
Who is Hercules and Love Affair?
Funny how my publication’s year-end list is being hated on. You all read my webzine and buy/download the music we recommend. I shit on all of you.
Funny how my publication’s year-end list is being hated on. You all read my webzine and buy/download the music we recommend. I shit on all of you.
You know what? It doesn’t matter. I went to Philadelphia a month or so ago to visit my friends and I was checking my email and dicking around while the girls got ready. My friend Colleen walked by while I was on Pitchfork and went “Really? You still read that?” like it was Rolling Stone or Teenbeat or something.
Then I realized it basically is.
congrats to air france, absolutely brilliant, seismic lovechild of the avalanches get the credit they deserve, god knows if those cunts will ever cook up a proper album, still, ‘collapsing at your doorstep,’ undoubtedly one of the best tracks of the year
why isn’t anyone complaining that Lil Wayne is at #14? How is that godawful noise worthy of being on any top list of anything ever? Because it’s popular? Based on that criteria, there are many songs that are both popular and good, or at least better than “A Milli”. Why not “I Will Possess Your Heart”? The only reason I can think of that it was put on the list would be Pitchfork attempting to prove that they have a diverse taste in music and even like some songs normal everyday people like, not some niche website that only hypes bands no one’s ever heard of, which shows they are still way too concerned about their image
By definition, critics are pretentious. They are just people like you and me who just happen to work at a media outlet. That’s the only thing that makes their opinion “more important”.
When it comes down to it, Pitchfork is the best source for “indie” news and their tv site is pretty good too.
I rarely ever read reviews as it is and when I do it’s probably because I’ve already heard the album or don’t care either way. Sometimes they shell out good reviews (the ones that make a point for their scores), others sound like they’ve got a rocket up their asses.
I don’t let other people try to dictate what I should listen to. I’ve got the real world media to do that for me.
All in all, I don’t think anyone is truly qualified to put a “best of the year in the music on the entire planet!”. I have not even heard that Hercules and The Love Affair song, and a lot other songs on that list.
Looking back, I agree with 2008 not living up to 2007. There were a lot of albums that got “dropped” after a few months, not that they were bad, just lacked “staying power”. Do you truly believe people will be listening to Cut Copy by this time next year or in 5 years? I believe in 2009 because a lot of artist that put out great work in 2007 will be at it again.
That’s enough for my rant of the day!
No, I think I’ll be listening to Cut Copy ten years from now.
Go see No Age live. I hated them before. I love them now.
Concerning the list, I’m really upset that no Man Man or Of Montreal was on the list. Otherwise, it’s okay. I’m a somewhat big fan of Blind, and I must admit it’s a good song, but number 1? I dunno about that.
Okay, stop crapping on 2008 because it was a ‘bad year for music.’ It may have been a weak year for indie rock (maybe cuz none of it actually rocked this year), but it was a really good (not amazing) year for dance and electronic. and stop shitting on those genres, as if they’re by default forever not as good as guitar music. pfff… not everyone wants to listen to whiney dudes stumming their acoustic guitars and singing about fucking strawberries in summertime…
baaarfff… fleet fucking foxes bores the hell outta me and gives me gas.
cut copy, m83, hot chip, goldfrapp, flying lotus, and especially hercules & love affair all put out great albums this year. Their inclusions in this list are totally justified. (although, where the hell is flying lotus??) Blind is a very fresh sounding and catchy tune, that completely recontextualizes an already established and massively talented vocalist. I love that its at #1.
and for the love of friggin jeebus stop bashing Pitchfork. It’s a fucking resource for music and reviews, its not a fucking mentality. its not the ‘establishment’… we don’t need your indie-douche rage against the machine. don’t act like its not tabbed in your favorites right under stereogum. same music, same demo. get over it. move on. go eat fresh stawberries in fucking summer. lame.
I feel like “Fools” and The Dodos in general are placing undeservedly low on everybody’s list. Pitchfork isn’t even putting them in the top 50… I thought “Visiter” was one of the best of the year… where’s the love?
Yeah, I was surprised at no love for either of those bands. Dodos are definitely in my top 10, I was pleasantly surprised by their live performance too. Foals are just as exceptional in my opinion. I think from what I keep hearing is how unpredictable/uninspiring the music of 2008 — something I think neither of those two albums possess.
As a side note: To be honest, I thought 2008 was a exceptional year for music. Some would say there were no standouts, but I would say the contrary — I think there are too many standouts that made it incredibly difficult to differentiate the top, say five, albums from the crowd (something that seemed more simple in past years). Maybe this I’m taking the “half full” argument, but to each his own.
On a whole, I liked the pitchfork list. It is near impossible to do these sort of things (I am interested in their voting process to be honest) — so if they get the order wrong/have the wrong songs from the same band, it isn’t that big of an issue as including the right bands on the list, which I think they more than adequately did to sum up the year.
Why all the negativity towards Pitchfork? What did they do, fuck your sister or something?
i liked the list overall, but there are missing stuff, like any song from bon iver, young love by mistery jets, or gamma ray by beck. also, i think TVOTR deserved a better spot (family tree is really an awesome song). And P4K hated MMJ latest album, so no surprise for me in not seeing any tracks by them in this list, even though touch me i’m going to scream is amazing. another flaw: kim & jessie is by far the best song of the year, not the sixth.
anyone got the .zip or .rar?
Yeah, anyone got the .zip or .rar?
Damn, “A Milli” was probably the worst song on Tha Carter III. Either that or “La La”. No love for “Mr. Carter” or “Shoot Me Down”?
yeah, i would love a zip/rar file of these songs.
yes, i agree with michael, second that, and most of all myself two hours ago.
I’m about to post it again after it loads, but first I’m going to rant. Why is Gentleman Jesse & His Men not getting any love from anybody on any list? That album should have an instant classic with all those pop hooks, 70’s power pop stylings, and punk grit. The album got rave reviews from everybody including Pitchfork. I have had it in regular rotation with Deerhunter, Crystal stilts, No Age, Fucked Up, Cut Copy, and all the other stuff that seems to be getting recognition this year. It’s like nobody heard the album. Just about any song on the album could be on your top 100 tracks list. Everybody needs to give Gentleman Jesse and His Men a few spins. You don’t want to miss out on this one. Maybe it will be like when nobody gave Blood Visions a chance until way after it was released.
I completely agree about Gentleman Jesse. Really surprised by that album’s absence. It was one of my five favorite albums of the year, and Pitchfork reviewed it very positively, too. Tons of great songs worthy of places on this list, with the standout probably being “Highland Crawler.” (Happily I’m going to see Gentleman Jesse and his men play a Christmas show tomorrow night!)
I have 80 songs from the list…I’m kind of ashamed
They picked some good albums, but for some reason they picked some of the worst songs on the albums they chose…oh pitchfork!
Does anyone want me to hunt down the other 20 songs and make a .rar file?
Here it is again:
https://rcpt.yousendit.com/635734674/22349d2ada29ecd00e66aa53d9a88386
wow!!! thanks monster
thanks loads!!!
You’re the man, man.
Any chance of a re-re-up?
were a fairly new music blog, and we just posted our top 20 of 2008.
it’s pretty different then what i’ve see n so far. which is either really good or very bad on our part
come check it out if u have time
cheers!
burnthebowery.blogspot.com
Hey nice blog. Thought I would lend my support. I like the concise summaries on each album.
As a suggestion, I would change the dimensions on the youtube videos so they don’t run over your boundary.
Good luck to you!
Pitchfork has made it clear that they do not like MGMT, and I agree its music made for sixteen year olds and people who don’t listen to a lot of music, but think they do… Vampire Weekend, MMj, and Girl Talk were not standouts either by any means, well maybe Vampire Weekend… But they had at least 5 songs that lots of different people thought were their best.. I personally liked Cape Cod Kwassa the best by far..
In Closing.. Pitchfork isn’t run by seventeen year olds, so you’re not gonna see most of that shit you mentioned… The list is pretty much perfect except a milli should switch with white winter hymnal…
Thanks Monster! Christmas a few days early!
How about this for tried and true music?: Just listen to the original fucking music that this non-innovative band is ripping. Oh, I’m sorry, “inspired by.” — This doesn’t make any sense, care to try again?
Does anyone else here not think The Wild Beast’s album got overlooked? I think it contained some of the best writing and vocal performances this year. The Devils Crayon or Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants should of made this list. In fact I think both of them should of made it…
The Devil’s Crayon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Khm7bVSYa98
Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bW6USsmR70
devils crayon was one of my favrite rtracks this year tooo!
I second the props for Wild Beasts! Respect is due! They are definitely one of my favorites surprises this year. My choice tracks of theirs would be “His Grinning Soul” and the album opener “Vigil for Fuddy Duddy” Pitchfork even gave them a “8.2″
GOOD for Women #18! #1 underrrrrrated of 2008! what a shit year!