Best Of 2005: Songs
100 Favorite Songs Of 2005 1. THE GAME FEATURING 50 CENT, TONY YAYO, YOUNG BUCK & LLOYD BANKS � Hate It Or Love It (G-Unit Remix)
I pretty much hate 50 Cent. I state this not to invite the wrath of the G-Unit posse but merely to illustrate just how amazing a song 50 is associated with has to be in order for me to deem it the very best song of the year. "Hate It Or Love It," all smooth bravado and flow over a perfectly nicked Trammps sample (a Trammple?), charmed in a way that no other song did in 2005. 2. KELLY CLARKSON � Since U Been Gone
Here's the thing. 3. DOVES � Black And White Town
Dusk on a late October evening. The moment you hit the club on Friday night and the joint's just starting to jump. That moment when you just don't know what to do with yourself. There are so many things that can be read into "Black And White Town," so many times and places it can evoke. But ultimately, the lyrics insist on it as a song about that moment when it's all starting to happen, or when you wish it would. The old tension and release never sounded so good. This from a band that I'd nearly given up on�and I still haven't picked up the album yet. 4. BRENDAN BENSON � Cold Hands (Warm Heart)
Oh yeah, "taking a break" from the relationship; that always works. 5. ELECTRIC SIX � Future Is In The Future
The most danceable track of 2005 also had the best lyric: "I'm a man, not a disco ball." To say nothing of the "We'll karaoke all night long/we'll Macarena till the break of dawn" chorus. Oops, just did. 6. JOHN LEGEND � Ordinary People
Ordinary people generally make for uninteresting songwriting fodder, unless they're being skewered a la "A Well Respected Man." The one timeless track on Mr. Legend's debut album is the exception that proves the rule, with a stripped-down arrangement for solo piano and voice that gives the words�none of which are of the $10 variety�precedence. One of the best ballads Stevie Wonder never wrote. 7. MANHEAD � Birth, School, Work, Death
Dark, danceable electro-take on The Godfathers' classic nihilist anthem. Come on, get happy! 8. LOUIS XIV � Finding Out True Love Is Blind
Glam-grunge crunch: like a rock & roll granola bar, hold the granola. 9. DAVE�S TRUE STORY � Blue Nile
Won't you let me take you on a sea cruise. 10. LCD SOUNDSYSTEM � Tribulations
Possibly ephemeral but nonetheless temporarily perfect dance floor angst/bliss.
This year, the other 90 best songs speak for themselves...
11. KATE BUSH - Nocturn
12. KATE BUSH - Aerial
13. KENNEDY - Your Mama
14. FEIST � Inside And Out
15. ELECTRIC SIX � Dance Epidemic
16. ELKLAND � I Need You Tonight
17. GORILLAZ � Feel Good Inc.
18. KANYE WEST - We Major
19. PITTY SING - Anyway
20. GROUP SOUNDS - Things Fall Apart 21. SAINT ETIENNE � Stars Above Us
22. ANNIE LENNOX - Why (Live at Live8)
23. CAM'RON FEATURING KANYE WEST & SYLEENA JOHNSON - Down And Out
24. MY MORNING JACKET - Wordless Chorus
25. STARS � Ageless Beauty
26. LES BREASTFEEDERS � Ostrogoth-a-gogo
27. COMMON � Be (Intro)
28. ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS - For Today I Am A Boy
29. KYLIE MINOGUE - Lovin' You
30. LITTLE BARRIE � Move On So Easy 31. TSAR - Wrong
32. ART BRUT � Emily Kane
33. M83 - Don't Save Us From The Flames
34. SUFJAN STEVENS � Decatur
35. M.I.A. - $10
36. MAXIMO PARK � Apply Some Pressure
37. THE PILLCRUSHERS � All Of The Time
38. BLOC PARTY - So Here We Are
39. THE JESSICA FLETCHERS � Summer Holiday & Me
40. PITTY SING � Bleeding Hearts 41. SHOUT OUT LOUDS � The Comeback (Big Slippa Mix By Ratatat)
42. COMMON - Go!
43. FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE � Maureen
44. THE TEARS � Refugees
45. KANYE WEST FEATURING LUPE FIASCO - Touch The Sky
46. IVY - Thinking About You
47. PERNICE BROTHERS � There Goes The Sun
48. HUMA - I Can't Sleep In Silence
49. HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS - Cherry Hi-Way
50. CASIONAUTS - Up On Colours 51. THE MOTHER HIPS � Red Tandy
52. DEEP DISH FEATURING STEVIE NICKS - Dreams
53. THE HOLD STEADY - Banging Camp
54. TIM BURGESS � Say Yes
55. THE BRAVERY � The Ring Song
56. CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH � Heavy Metal
57. MATES OF STATE - Goods
58. MADONNA � Hung Up
59. MY MORNING JACKET � Anytime
60. BLOC PARTY - Helicopter 61. OCEAN COLOUR SCENE � Free My Name
62. LYRICS BORN FEATURING E-40 AND CASUAL � Callin' Out (Remix)
63. LIZ PHAIR - Lazy Dreamer
64. BRENDAN BENSON � Alternative To Love
65. LADYTRON � Destroy Everything You Touch
66. PITTY SING - Telephone
67. PITTY SING - CTWYL
68. BECK � Girl
69. LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - Daft Punk Is Playing At My House
70. RENO�S MEN � Phantom Power 71. FRANZ FERDINAND � This Boy
72. METRIC � Handshakes
73. SUFJAN STEVENS - John Wayne Gacy, Jr.
74. FEEDER - Pushing The Senses
75. LIL' KIM - Lighters Up
76. GWEN STEFANI - Hollaback Girl (DJ Zax "Word Up" Remix)
77. IDLEWILD - As If I Hadn't Slept
78. BAUMER - How The West 1
79. FIONA APPLE - Tymps (The Sick In The Head Song)
80. LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - Never As Tired As When I'm Waking Up 81. ART BRUT - My Little Brother
82. RODNEY CROWELL - Beautiful Despair
83. NEIL DIAMOND - Delirious Love
84. THE GIRAFFES � Wage Earner
85. M.I.A. - Bucky Done Gone
86. ROYKSOPP � Go Away
87. THE TEARS - Lovers
88. SHELBY � The Golden Boy
89. IVY � Keep Moving
90. THE CAPITOL YEARS - Mounds Of Money 91. MARJORIE FAIR � Waves
92. TOM VEK � I Ain't Saying My Goodbyes
93. THE WHITE STRIPES � My Doorbell
94. THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES � Bigtime
95. NEW ORDER � Krafty
96. THE PONYS � Get Black
97. GOLDFRAPP � Number 1
98. JUNIOR SENIOR - Itch U Can't Skratch
99. TED LEO/PHARMACISTS - Suspect Device
100. THE CRIBS - Hey Scenesters!
More lists: albums � reissues � live shows
|
