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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 26, 2010 16:45:45 GMT 1
028 The National 'Bloodbuzz Ohio' 35-30-22-13-07-04- 03-06-07-10-12-12-15-18-23-30 (16 weeks) *debut*The lead single off my third favourite album of the year, 'Bloodbuzz Ohio' is classic National. Matt's vocals are as excellent as ever, and it has a typically excellent chorus027 Muse 'Resistance' 23-13-07- 03-05-10-14-18-22-28-36 (11 weeks) *6th hit*History: 'Time Is Running Out' (#46, 2003) 'Hysteria' (#24, 2003) 'Butterflies and Hurricanes' ( #06, 2004) 'Supermassive Black Hole' (#60, 2006) 'Uprising' (#29, 2009) The title track off their 2009 album, this was the final single released from it at the beginning of the year. It was my highlight from the album as soon as I listened to it for the first time, a typical stadium anthem from Muse with an introduction reminding me very much of the Pet Shop Boys026 Beach House 'Love of Mine' 30-26-27-10-08-03- 02-04-10-12-16-18-20-28-38 (15 weeks) *3rd hit* *peak*History: 'Norway' (#69, 2010) 'Zebra' (#46, 2010) Confirming my opinion that although 'Teen Dream' is my album of the year, its there because of sheer consistancy rather than because it has any particular standout songs on it. This is my favourite song on the album and it's not in my top 25 singles of the year, a wonderfully delicate vocal from Victoria on a more upbeat song for Beach House, it was an anthem of the summer.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 26, 2010 17:01:28 GMT 1
025 Caribou 'Odessa' 28-17-08-05-05-02- 01- 01-03-05-09-17-24-32 (14 weeks) *debut*This was the first song I ever heard by Caribou, and I found it completely mesmerising, at over 5 minutes long it's a fantastic piece of electronic music to get lost in with an ever so subtle vocal.024 Example 'Kickstarts' 23-09- 01- 01- 01-03-06-11-15-16-20-31 (12 weeks) *debut*His first two singles had been OK, with me preferring 'Watch the Sun Come Up', but nothing particularly brilliant. Then this came out, it's probably a bit more generic but it was a brilliant song for the summer, so uplifting and catchy, it's a fantastic party tune and ranks as my third favourite mainstream smash of the year.023 Plan B 'Love Goes Down' 26-18-09- 03* (4 weeks) *3rd hit* *peak*History: 'Stay Too Long' (#81, 2010) 'She Said' (#40, 2010) The 5th single off his album, it's the only one that's done next to nothing chartwise, but it's always been my highlight of an impressive album. Love songs aren't my thing at all, but this wonderful soulful tale is excellent and sets up the story that the rest of 'The Defamation of Strickland Banks' continues.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 26, 2010 17:20:05 GMT 1
022 Janelle Monae ft Big Boi 'Tightrope' 27-17-10- 06- 06-07-08-13-18-26-39 (11 weeks) *2nd hit* / *debut*History (Janelle Monae): 'Cold War' (#78) Released in the summer, this should've been huge, it's everything that the British public seem to lap up at the moment but a hell of a lot better. Featuring a guest rap from Outkast's Big Boi, this had everything to make it appeal to the masses. But perhaps something like this is too classy, it's wondefully written with a superb lyric. If she can continue to write songs like this she's undboubtably a future star. This only reached number 6 in my personal chart but even at the time I wish it could've got higher, of the two weeks it peaked it was behind four songs which are still to come (one next) and 'Little Girl'.021 LCD Soundsystem 'I Can Change' 24-17-07- 04- 04-05-06-07-12-14-18-26-33-38-40 (15 weeks) *4th hit*'All My Friends' (#45, 2007) 'North American Scum' (#19, 2007) 'Someone Great' ( #06,, 2007) After the damp squib that was 'Drunk Girls', James Murphy's next single was much more on the ball and is classic LCD Soundsystem, 6 minutes of beautiful electronica with a great vocal singing some rather heartfelt lyrics.020 Delorean 'Stay Close' 37-16-10-08-06- 03-05-06-08-10-11-15-19-24-32 (15 weeks) *debut*Reading that Delorean's album 'Subiza' was reminiscent of 'Merriwether Post Pavillion' (my album of 2009) I was always going to be interested. The opening track and then single 'Stay Close' was the perfect place to start, and there are hints of Animal Collective in here, only it's more dance orientated, but with this much going on and still being so delightfully subtle it's impossible not to love.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 26, 2010 17:44:59 GMT 1
019 Stereophonics 'Could You Be The One?' 26-12- 02-03-06-08-14-21-36 (9 weeks) *7th hit*History: 'Vegas Two Times' (#23, 2002) 'Madame Helga' (#22, 2003) 'Rewind' (#57, 2005) 'Superman' (#24, 2005) 'Dakota' ( #07, 2005) 'Innocent' (#72, 2009) Maybe they aren't past it afterall! Stereophonics were my favourite act of my pre-teen years, with 'Word Gets Around' and 'Performance & Cocktails' both still ranking amongst my favourite albums ever. However since the turn of the century they'd lost their way a bit. They temporarily found it again for 'Dakota' and half of its parent album but the decline for album #6 was sharp. Then late last year their 7th album was released, and whilst it didn't get close to their early efforts, it was their most consistant album since the 1990s. The best song on it by a mile though was this, 'Could You Be the One', ballads have not really been their strength for me, although they've often been amongst their best selling, but this is utterly beautiful and easily the best song of its type they've ever released.018 Fang Island 'Daisy' 25-15-07- 03-05-07-10-14-19-22-28-39 (12 weeks) *debut*I love this because it's so completely random and mad. I've no idea what the lyrics are but it's so wonderfully joyous and uplifting and never fails to put a smile on my face when I listen to it. This is the highest placed song not to have peaked in my top 2, the top 17 all being Personal Chart top 2 hits.017 I Blame Coco ft. Robyn 'Caesar' 18-07-04- 01- 01- 01-03-02-03-06-09-11-13-15-21-25-30-36 (18 weeks) *2nd hit* *peak* / *8th hit*History (I Blame Coco): 'Splash' (ft. Sub Focus') (#45, 2010) History (Robyn): 'Handle Me' (#95, 2007) 'WITH EVERY HEARTBEAT' ( #01, 2007) 'Dream On' (ft. Christan Falk) (#80, 2008) 'Be Mine' (#64, 2008) 'The Girl and the Robot' (ft. Royksopp) ( #07, 2009) 'Indestructible' (#56, 2010) 'Hang With Me' (#36, 2010) Released in January, this became the first 2010 song to top my personal chart in mid-February, and was my first introduction to the daughter of Sting, I Blame Coco. I do feel that without Robyn on the chorus this wouldn't be anywhere near as good, but either way this is easily Coco's best song.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 26, 2010 17:57:42 GMT 1
016 The Golden Filter 'Hide Me' 24-10-07-06-06-04- 02- 02- 02-03-05-09-13-18-19-23-33 (17 weeks) *debut*2009's 'Solid Gold' was OK, a solid enough little pop song, but the next I heard of them, 'Hide Me' was a whole lot better. It kept growing on me for ages and the beat on it is infectious.015 Vampire Weekend 'Giving Up the Gun' 24-13-05-02- 01- 01-03-05-07-11-16-21-25-31-38 (15 weeks) *5th hit*History: 'Oxford Comma' (#84. 2008) 'A-Punk' (#13, 2008) 'Cousins' (#70, 2009) 'White Sky' (#70, 2010) The standout track from their album 'Contra', the second single off it is typical of Vampire Weekend's sound. I first thought it could be a song that annoys me after repeated listens but it just never gets anything close to annoying, the more I listen, the more charming it becomes.014 Cee-Lo Green 'F*ck You' 12- 01- 01- 01- 01-03-04-05-09-13-21-27-33-39 (14 weeks) *2nd hit* *peak* History: 'Lil' Star' (ft. Kelis) (#47, 2007) One of the greatest successes of the 2010, Cee-Lo's 'f*** You' has been something of a monster hit that's been unavoidable the past three months. For once, something so unavoidable is magnificant. I've seen it described as the link between 'Hey Ya!' and 'Crazy' and I can't say I'd disagree. It's a wonderful party anthem that's fully deserved its success, even the radio edit sounds great.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 26, 2010 18:12:40 GMT 1
013 Wild Nothing 'Summer Holiday' 27-12-09- 01- 01- 01-02-03-04-06-07-09-13-16-20-25-30-33-38 (19 weeks) *debut*I downloaded this by chance after coming across a blog which described it as the best song of the first 6 months of the year. Any praise like that and something is worth checking out at least. I was very glad I did, as it's wonderful shoegaze dreamyness was a brilliant listen to soundtrack my second half of the year.012 Codeine Velvet Club 'Hollywood' 40-26-09-04- 02- 02-04-08-15-27-39 (11 weeks) *debut*Released in the first week of the year, this has something I've adored throughout the course of the last twelve months. A superb retro feel mixed with modern styles, it allows Jon Lawler to shine like he never did in the Fratellis. A fantastic vocal from both him and Lou, Codeine Velvet Club are definitely one of the best discoveries I've made this year, as they could so easily have slipped under the radar.011 Foals 'Spanish Sahara' 30-17-08-03- 02- 02-03- 02-04-09-15-24-35 (13 weeks) *5th hit* *peak*History: 'Mathletics' (#40, 2007) 'Cassius' (#56, 2008) 'This Orient' (#91, 2010) 'Blue Blood' (#51, 2010) When I first heard this I was completely taken aback. Was this really Foals? It was so different, and so good. Better than anything I'd heard them produce before and far better than anything I thought they would ever produce. I thought that they would just fall off the radar fairly quickly but you have to give bands a chance sometimes and Foals defintiely proved it with this song. So much darker and so much more emotive than anything they've released before, this is 7 minutes of music that makes me stop and listen.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 26, 2010 18:16:09 GMT 1
40 Plan B 'She Said' 39 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart 'Heart in Your Heartbreak' 38 Bombay Bicycle Club 'Rinse Me Down' 37 The Maccabees ft. Roots Manuva 'Empty Vessels' 36 Robyn 'Hang With Me' 35 Chew Lips 'Slick' 34 Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse ft. Julian Casablancas 'Little Girl' 33 Sleigh Bells 'Tell 'Em' 32 The Drums 'Forever and Ever Amen' 31 School of Seven Bells 'Heart is Strange'
30 Katy B 'Katy on a Mission' 29 The Naked and Famous 'Punching in a Dream' 28 The National 'Bloodbuzz Ohio' 27 Muse 'Resistance' 26 Beach House 'Lover of Mine' 25 Caribou 'Odessa' 24 Example 'Kickstarts' 23 Plan B 'Love Goes Down' 22 Janelle Monae ft. Big Boi 'Tightrope' 21 LCD Soundsystem 'I Can Change'
20 Delorean 'Stay Close' 19 Stereophonics 'Could You Be The One?' 18 Fang Island 'Daisy' 17 I Blame Coco ft. Robyn 'Caesar' 16 The Golden Filter 'Hide Me' 15 Vampire Weekend 'Giving Up the Gun' 14 Cee-Lo 'f*** You' 13 Wild Nothing 'Summer Holiday' 12 Codeine Velvet Club 'Hollywood' 11 Foals 'Spanish Sahara'
I shall post 10-3 tomorrow and reveal my top 20 on Wednesday. One act is still to appear twice, and all of the acts bar one have appeared in the top 200 already. My previous 8 end of year top 10s have only had a combined 5 duets, 2010 alone has 4, and all of them are completely different.
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Post by Earl Purple on Dec 26, 2010 18:19:34 GMT 1
I can't recall Fang Island - Daisy but know it was promoted on GRMBITC this year because I saw it among the links.
I never bought the second Fratellis album having bought the first but maybe because I hardly buy any albums now. Got the Gogol Bordello and Belle & Sebastian albums this year and then hardly listened to them. However there were good singles from it, particularly Look Out Sunshine, and I don't know why they fell so out of favour. I didn't like Mistress Mabel but that was about all.
Hollywood did get to #2 in my chart too though. Cee-Lo Green got to #8 in my chart with "Lil' Star" having got to #3 in 2007, and was my favourite UK #1 of the year.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 27, 2010 17:21:56 GMT 1
010 Crystal Castles 'Celestica' 33-28-23-17-14-09-03-02-02-03-02-04-06-11-15-23-30-37-39 (19 weeks) *3rd hit* *peak*
History: 'Courtship Dating' (#40, 2008) 'Baptism' (#98, 2010)
I wasn't really a fan of Crystal Castles when they released their debut, so I wasn't overly bothered about their second album this year. It had received masses of praise so I decided to take a listen to the first single off it, 'Celestica'. It was beautiful, so much better than anything I'd heard from them before. Alice's vocals are simply stunning, so subtle and incredibly gorgeous. It's an electronic dance act making a pop song and it works so well. After getting the album this was still easily my favourite Crystal Castles song, at least until November....
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 27, 2010 17:27:23 GMT 1
009 Magnetic Man ft. Katy B 'Perfect Stranger' 27-06-03-01-03-04-02-02-05-08-10-14-16* (13 weeks) *2nd hit* *peak* / *3rd hit* / *peak*
History (Magnetic Man): 'I Need Air' (ft. Angela Hunte) (#63, 2010)
History (Katy B): 'Lights On' (ft. Ms. Dynamite) (#59, 2010) 'Katy on a Mission' (#30, 2010)
I'd just begun to love 'I Need Air' when I discovered a couple more Magnetic Man songs, one with John Legend which was fairly average, and this with Katy B, which was simply mesmerising. It was like a mix between 'I Need Air' and 'Katy on a Mission' and it works so well, Katy's vocals once again fantastic and well delivered. I'm sure dubstep will become far bigger in 2011, if what hits the mainstream is half as good as this it'll be decent.
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Post by raliverpool on Dec 27, 2010 17:39:13 GMT 1
Mark,
The following made by Personal Chart (* in my Y/E Top 125) this Year:
* 197 I Am Arrows 'Green Grass' 194 M.I.A. 'XXXO' 193 Four Tet 'Love Cry' 192 Los Campesinos! 'Romance is Boring' 191 Roll Deep 'Green Light' * 190 Arcade Fire 'Ready to Start' 188 Vampire Weekend 'Holiday' * 187 Marina and the Diamonds 'Hollywood' 184 The Count and Sinden ft. Mystery Jets 'After Dark' 183 Band of Horses 'Factory' 182 Gorillaz ft. Daley 'Doncamatic (All Played Out)' 181 These New Puritans 'Attack Music'
180 The National 'Anyone's Ghost' * 179 Beach House '10 Mile Stereo' 178 Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip 'Get Better' * 176 Lady GaGa 'Alejandro' 174 Plan B 'The Recluse' 173 I am Kloot 'Fingerprints' * 171 Kelis 'Acapella' 170 Ellie Goulding 'Starry Eyed' * 169 Fyfe Dangerfield 'She Needs Me' 168 Yeasayer 'O.N.E.' * 165 Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg 'California Gurls' * 164 Ellie Goulding 'Your Song' 162 Swedish House Mafia vs. Tinie Tempah 'Miami 2 Ibiza'
* 158 Plan B 'Prayin' * 157 The Pipettes 'Stop the Music' * 156 The Like 'He's Not a Boy' 154 Cut Copy 'Take Me Over' 153 Chemical Brothers 'Another World' 149 Two Door Cinema Club 'Something Good Can Work' 146 The Temper Trap 'Fader' 144 The Courteeners 'Scratch Your Name Around My Lips' * 143 I Blame Coco ft. Fyfe Dangerfield 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart'
* 133 The Temper Trap 'Love Lost' 132 Jonsi 'Go Do' * 130 Example 'Last Ones Standing' 129 Broken Bells 'The High Road' 122 Detroit Social Club 'Prophecy' 121 Villagers 'That Day'
119 One Night Only 'Say You Don't Want It' 118 Hurts 'Wonderful Life' 117 Arctic Monkeys 'My Propellor' 114 Roll Deep 'Good Times' 112 Maps 'Die Happy, Die Smiling' 111 Groove Armada 'Paper Romance' 107 The XX 'VCR' * 106 Sleigh Bells 'Infinity Guitars' 105 Detroit Social Club 'Kiss the Sun' * 104 Gorillaz 'On Melancholy Hill' 103 I Am Kloot 'Proof' * 102 Belle and Sebastian 'Write About Love'
100 Biffy Clyro 'Many of Horror' 99 The Naked and Famous 'Young Blood' 98 Crystal Castles 'Baptism' 96 Katy Perry 'Firework' * 92 Marina and the Diamonds 'Shampain' 90 Jonsi 'Animal Arithmetic' 89 HEALTH 'USA Boys' 88 Gorillaz 'Stylo' 85 Yeasayer 'Madder Red' * 83 Arcade Fire 'The Suburbs' 82 These New Puritans 'We Want War' 81 Plan B 'Stay Too Long'
* 80 Delphic 'Doubt' 79 Two Door Cinema Club 'Undercover Martyn' * 78 Janelle Monae 'Cold War' * 77 Broken Bells 'The Ghost Inside' 76 Mumford and Sons 'Roll Away Your Stone' 70 Vampire Weekend 'White Sky' * 69 Beach House 'Norway' 68 Doves 'Andalucia' 67 The Futureheads 'Heartbeat Song' 65 Gorillaz 'Superfast Jellyfish' 64 Owen Pallett 'Lewis Takes Off His Shirt'
59 Katy B ft. Ms. Dynamite 'Lights On' * 58 Arcade Fire 'We Used to Wait' * 56 Robyn 'Indestuctible' 54 Delphic 'Halcyon' 52 Two Door Cinema Club 'I Can Talk' 51 Foals 'Blue Blood' 49 Liam Frost ft. Martha Wainwright 'Your Hand in Mine' * 46 Beach House 'Zebra' 41 Yeasayer 'Ambling Alp'
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 27, 2010 17:39:50 GMT 1
008 Kanye West ft. Pusha T 'Runaway' 23-17-08-05-05-03-02-02-02-02* (10 weeks) *8th hit* *peak* / *debut*
History (Kanye West): 'Through the Wire' (#76, 2004) 'Jesus Walks' (#35, 2004) 'Number One' (ft. John Legend) (#70, 2005) 'Gold Digger' (ft. Jamie Foxx) (#27, 2005) 'Touch the Sky' (ft. Lupe Fiasco) (#33, 2006) 'Homecoming' (#72, 2008) 'American Boy' (ft. Estelle) (#32, 2008)
I've always quite liked Kanye West but he's not hit the high notes with his work in the last three years or so. 'Power' was alright but I didn't like enough to be in my top 200 of the year, I thought he'd officially gone downhill. Then I heard his next single, it took about 15 seconds before I loved it. The introduction, those piano notes, are simply stunning. The rest of the song is equally as good, the beat continues throughout the song and there's some great rapping and great singning too. A cameo for Pusha T is excellent too, and he definitely adds to the song. I can't believe this missed the UK top 40, taste here really has hit a new low. Four weeks at number two in my personal chart, it could stay there for longer and thus become the longest running ever, but it's unlikely to climb higer due to being stuck behind a song that's not going to appear quite yet.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 27, 2010 17:53:04 GMT 1
007 Robyn 'Dancing On My Own' 31-19-06-01-01-01-01-02-04-05-05-07-10-13-15-17-21-25-26-28-30-35-39 (23 weeks) 8th hit*
History (Robyn): 'Handle Me' (#95, 2007) 'WITH EVERY HEARTBEAT' (#01, 2007) 'Dream On' (ft. Christan Falk) (#80, 2008) 'Be Mine' (#64, 2008) 'The Girl and the Robot' (ft. Royksopp) (#07, 2009) 'Indestructible' (#56, 2010) 'Hang With Me' (#36, 2010) 'Caesar' (ft. I Blame Coco) (#16, 2010)
In the first 8 years of doing an End of Year chart Robyn was one of 10 acts to have reached the top 10 twice, so firstly I'll congratulate her being the first to reach a third. Her collaboration with Royksopp last year was something which when I heard thought could easily be in contention for my song of the year. It did well but fell short and could only reach number 7. I feel exactly the same about 'Dancing On My Own' this year. It's simply stunning and I fell in love with it straight away, it's a like an updated 'With Every Heartbeat', insanely gorgeous, delivered with a brilliant vocal and excellent use of strings. It's utter brilliance from my by far my favourite and the most consistant pop act around, but for once she hasn't produced the best pure pop single of the year.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 27, 2010 18:07:26 GMT 1
006 The Pians of Being Pure at Heart 'Say No to Love' 32-22-16-10-03-01-01-02-02-03-03-06-07-11-15-18-21-25-29-31-34-37-38-40 (24 weeks) *5th hit*
History: 'Come Saturday' (#69, 2009) 'Higher Than the Stars' (#24, 2009) 'Young Adult Friction' (#06, 2009) 'Heart in Your Heartbreak' (#39, 2010)
I think this is a sign of just how brilliant the best music has been this year, that songs as good as this and 'Dancing on My Own' aren't in the top 5. I love this more than I ever did 'Young Adult Friction' which was my #6 of last year, and I'd say that both songs would've been top 5 in any other year. 'The Pains of Being Pure at Heart' was one of my favourite albums of 2009, it was fun of shoegaze; a summery joy which sounded distinctive amongst everything else out at the time. I didn't expect them to return so soon but return they did, with 'Say No to Love', a song somehow even better than their 2009 output. It's very similar to what was on their debut album, but it shows they've also progressed too. It's different enough to know it'd be from a different era as they polish their own style, it seems more produced and maybe less edgy than some of their previous material but that works in its favour, it's so elegant and Kip's vocals are so dreamy. It's not often I massively anticipate future albums but I cannot wait for 'Belong' to come out, I may even want it more than I want the new Elbow album.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 27, 2010 18:18:14 GMT 1
005 The Big Pink 'Velvet' 27-05-02-01-01-01-01-03-05-08-11-15-17-25-35-39-39-40 (18 weeks) *debut*
Released in 2009, The Big Pink managed to pass me by, I never even heard 'Dominos' despite it making the top 40 on the back of being on an advert which was apparently everywhere. So I was a bit late with these, however I saw the back half of the re-issued 'Velvet' on TV at the beginning of February. I was utterly mesmerised, it was brilliant and the first thing I did was switch on my laptop to download it. For 6 weeks or so I was obsessed, it bordered on being an unhealthy one if I'm honest, I played it as much as I'd ever played anything before in such a short period and as a result it ends the year as my most played track of 2010. But it's not quite the best song released this year. It almost seems like the song is in slow motion, the delivery of the vocals, the backing 'Aahhh's, the instumentation, even the video, a wonderful tale of how love can come no matter how reluctant you are to it.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 27, 2010 18:22:36 GMT 1
I'm going to go out for dinner now, so I shall post my top four some point around 9:30ish. I'm going to be honest and say that I never thought a top 4 of mine would contain folk music, a smash hit featuring two of the biggest pop stars around, something incredibly dark and a cover by an 80s band who look like this: But that is what's made the top 4....
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 27, 2010 22:20:22 GMT 1
004 Mumford and Sons 'The Cave' 24-13-07-04-02-02-02-02-04-06-06-06-09-10-14-18-21-25-33-34-34-37 (22 weeks) *3rd hit*
History: 'Winter Winds' (#26, 2009) 'Roll Away Your Stone' (#76, 2010)
Despite having my Christmas number one in 2009 it wasn't until early February that I really started to take proper notice to Mumford and Sons excellent debut album 'Sigh No More' which has pretty much soundtracked my 2010 and they've become my post played act of the year as a result. 'The Cave' is the standout track on it, a brilliant folk inspired 3 1/2 minute pop song. It's wonderful, I love the way it builds up, from the intro and first verse backed only by an acoustic guitar, before more and more instruments join in to make a folk inspired sing-a-long. Truly wonderful. It only peaked at number two, but was there for four weeks, kept off in half of them by 'Velvet' and then half by a song still to come.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 27, 2010 22:31:42 GMT 1
003 Crystal Castles ft. Robert Smith 'Not in Love' 29-15-04-02-01-01-01-01* (8 weeks) *4th hit* *peak* / *debut*
History (Crystal Castles): 'Courtship Dating' (#40, 2008) 'Baptism' (#98, 2010) 'Celestica' (#10, 2010)
'Not in Love' is a cover of Canadian rock band Platinum Blonde's 1984 song, and appeared solely as a Crystal Castles song on their album. However in late October a new version of the song was released to the internet and radio, featuring Robert Smith, of another 1980s band The Cure. It works so much better, his vocals are so suited to dance music. I love how they've turned a song into something completely different, it's everything a cover version should be, giving a typical Crystal Castles feel to it, screechy electronics which get louder over the chorus, it's incredibly catchy and really should've been much more than a #52 hit.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 27, 2010 22:44:49 GMT 1
002 The National 'Conversation 16' 10-04-01-01-01-01-01-03-03-05-07* (11 weeks) *2nd hit* *peak*
History: 'Bloodbuzz Ohio' (#28, 2010)
This was the hardest decision I've ever had to make to decide an End of Year number one, I wish I could've made it a joint position, I almost wish thaty 6 Music didn't promote this as a single then I wouldn't have had to make the decision. This song is perfect, stunning, elegant, beautiful, dark, emotive, haunting, pick any superlative you want and it probably fits. The National have always been a good band, and their album 'High Violet' is fantastic, but it's not until you get to track 9 that you reach its high point; 'Conversation 16'. Who knew a song about a dull and monotonous life could be so beautiful, a tale of being stuck with the same person for life and how it can turn you into a zombie; "I was afraid, I'd eat your brains, cos I'm evil". I don't think I've ever come across a song before that makes me stop and listen quite like this does, without a doubt this will be a song that remains close to me for the rest of my life. I've no doubt that this is a better song than the song above it, it's just not my favourite of the two....
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Post by Maximo Mark on Dec 27, 2010 23:24:42 GMT 1
001 Lady GaGa and Beyonce 'Telephone' 39-30-26-01-01-01-01-02-03-04-07-09-10-11-16-19-23-28-34-37-36 (21 weeks) *5th hit* *peak* / *3rd hit* *peak*
History (Lady GaGa): 'Paparazzi' (#77, 2009) 'Just Dance' (#74, 2009) 'Bad Romance' (#40, 2009) 'Poker Face' (#25, 2009)
History (Beyonce): 'Irreplaceble' (#68, 2006) 'Beautiful Liar' (ft. Shakira) (#46, 2007)
Oh the shame! For the second time, a UK number one single tops my End of Year chart. First it was Robyn, now it's Lady GaGa and Beyonce - what have I become?! Late last year I downloaded the 'Monster' addition to 'The Fame' and thought it was an improvement, but that 'Bad Romance' was the standout and 'Telephone' was simply one of the better songs on it. This opinion continued for quite a while, an early chart run of 39-30-26 hardly showed signs of love for a song that I'd known for three months. Then, the day we'd all been waiting for, the much anticipated video was released...
I can't say I've ever got why people say video's help them like a song but I watched a wonderful piece of art and it just clicked immediately. This wasn't a good pop song, this was a great pop song. A four week stay atop my personal chart immediately followed as it took over from 'Velvet' as my obsession of the time. I listened to it loads, it kept growing and growing, I never got bored. Pop songs don't do that to me. I listen to them a lot and in four to six weeks I'm fed up with them, but not with this. It's perfect, the intro, the harp, the bridge, the hook, the delivery, the way that they both complement each other so well, Lady GaGa even manages to look attractive in the video, and then Beyonce appears.... I find my love for this unusual. I've never felt this way about a pop song before. I wouldn't say this is the *best* song in my top 10, neither would I say it was the *best* pop song of all time, but is there one I'd rather listen to? Simply no, this is easily my favourite song of its type of all time, nothing can come remotely close. To these ears, it's a masterpiece. 'Telephone' truly is my Song of 2010.
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