Having made my own 80s list and having perused the web for other 80s list, one confounding factor in the ordering of such lists appears to be the issue of whether a song was a really good song that happened to be made in the 80's versus whether or not the song exuded eightiesness, however one might choose to define eightiesness. I think there are at least three schools of how eightiesness can be archetyped. There's the 80's archetype of big hair pop metal bands like Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Ratt, etc. There's the 80's archetype of mid-80s MTV megastars like Madonna and Michael Jackson, and then there's the 80's archetype of early 80's MTV new wave bands. The latter category is probably the only one I find terribly interesting.
Though not explicitly defined as an 80s list, and though the #1 song is actually from the late 70s, I was impressed with this post on the 250 Greatest New Wave Songs. There are short comments on the first 45 songs on the list, most of which I thought were right on target. I wouldn't have put the Talking Heads in the top 5 myself. They would be in my no-wave top 5 [correction Apr 2013: that would have been wrong, but this is why I've always been confused], but this list quite reasonably views new wave a bit more broadly. I'd also have the Human League higher up than #22, probably in the top 5. Heaven 17 is missing from the list itself, but they're well represented by commenters.
I found Safety Dance at #6 affirming. There was a brief time that that was my very favorite song. In the short run, it did not stand the test of time well at all, but in the long run, it turns out that it may legitimately help define an era. The Smiths at #13 and The Violent Femmes at #16 are a bit questionable on account of them not being new-wavey enough to chart so high, but I'm surprisingly unbothered by The Clash at #17 with "Rocking the Casbah". I would have balked at earlier Clash songs making the list, but they were pretty indistinguishable from a new wave band by the time they were on MTV with "Rocking the Casbah".
Flock of Seagulls is way too low at #134. I realize it's a song list and not a fashion list, but their sound is synonymous with their new wave hairdos for me. David Bowie's "Let Dance", a top 10 contender in my opinion, is missing, but other songs from the album make the list, and I can't complain about lists that try to avoid oversaturation with individual albums. The Psychedelic Furs show up only once (at #49 with the wrong song), and Bauhaus and Siouxie and the Banshees are mysteriously absent. Cross-over to commercial radio may have been a bigger factor in the rankings than I would have made it. Martha and the Muffins are also missing from the list, but they show up in a couple of comments.
What do you think? If it's a new wave list as opposed to an eighties list, who moves up the chart the most? Who is borderline for making it as a new wave act?
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Top 200 Songs of the 1980s from Vinyl Surrender Voters
When I look at other sites with music lists, particularly best-of-the-decade or best-ever type lists, I mostly look at two things. I'm interested in the amount of overlap with my lists and I'm interested in their approach and the care they put into developing the lists. Recently, I was looking at a site called Vinyl Surrender, especially the Top 200 Songs of the 1980s compared to my list of the Top 500 Songs of the 1980s.
In terms of care and approach, this is a really excellent site. He's even got an FAQ, and the links to other music lists are quite handy. I gather that the top songs of the decades lists incorporate site member voting. That explains why some very, very popular songs are at the top, but it makes the oddities all the more difficult to explain. I'll say a bit more about that shortly.
In terms of the comparison, I think the Vinyl Surrender list is not static due to ongoing voting, so this could change after I post this, but for now here's how his top 10 stacks up against my overall list and visa versa.
At #1, #2, and #3 on the Vinyl Surrender chart, U2's "With or Without You", Guns'n'Roses "Sweet Child of Mine", and Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" did not make my list at all, but other songs by all 3 artists do appear on my list. At #4, inexplicably ranked among other megastar artists, the Stranglers make the Vinyl Surrender list with "Golden Brown". I had it at #239 on my list and I agree it's a great song, but I was startled to see it here so high. He's got Tom Petty and #5, and I apparently don't have any Tom Petty on my 80s list. That feels like a possible oversight on my part, but he is at least on my 70s list.
Rounding out the top 10, Vinyl Surrender (as of July 24, 2011) had The Cure, U2 (again), Michael Jackson, The Cure (again), and Phil Collins 1989 track "Another Day in Paradise". Phil Collins' "Something in the Air" just missed the cut on my top 500 list, but none of the dreck he made in the late 80s got any consideration on my list. Michael Jackson did make my list, but "Billie Jean" lost out due to my one-song-per-album restriction.
The Cure also makes my 80s list, but "Boys Don't Cry" (#6 on the Vinyl Surrender list) is not on my 80s list. It's a great song, so why isn't it on my 80s list? It's #94 on my 70s list! I guess it's an issue of US vs. UK release dates and/or 7-inch versus LP release dates. I had trouble with this issue for a number of tracks on my lists with turn-of-the-decade songs. At #11, we come to the first song on his list that made the top 100 on my 80s list (The Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams", which came it at #81 for me).
So let's see how the matches go when we turn it around the other way. As I noted in my interview, the best punk songs rose to the top of my list in head to head matchups with the best non-punk songs, and punk doesn't fare so well with the voters at Vinyl Surrender. From my top 10, Husker Du, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, and Mission of Burma (#1, 3, 5, and 8) don't have any representation at all on the Vinyl Surrender list. My #2 ("Love Will Tear Us Apart" from Joy Division) is #15 on the Vinyl Surrender list, which I believe gives it the highest combined ranking of any song on the two lists. My #4 (The Jam's "That's Entertainment") comes in at #124 on the other list, although The Jam makes the top 40 of both lists because "A Town Called Malice" is at #31 on the Vinyl Surrender list.
The Violent Femmes are in my top 10 and absent from Vinyl Surrender. R.E.M. and The The, part of my top 10, make the Vinyl Surrender list with different songs, other than those in my top 10. Skeleton Crew, far and away the most idiosyncratic choice in my top 10, is unsurprisingly absent from the Vinyl Surrender list.
I'm looking forward to doing this comparison with the other Vinyl Surrender lists another day. If you love music lists, this site is highly recommended.
In terms of care and approach, this is a really excellent site. He's even got an FAQ, and the links to other music lists are quite handy. I gather that the top songs of the decades lists incorporate site member voting. That explains why some very, very popular songs are at the top, but it makes the oddities all the more difficult to explain. I'll say a bit more about that shortly.
In terms of the comparison, I think the Vinyl Surrender list is not static due to ongoing voting, so this could change after I post this, but for now here's how his top 10 stacks up against my overall list and visa versa.
At #1, #2, and #3 on the Vinyl Surrender chart, U2's "With or Without You", Guns'n'Roses "Sweet Child of Mine", and Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" did not make my list at all, but other songs by all 3 artists do appear on my list. At #4, inexplicably ranked among other megastar artists, the Stranglers make the Vinyl Surrender list with "Golden Brown". I had it at #239 on my list and I agree it's a great song, but I was startled to see it here so high. He's got Tom Petty and #5, and I apparently don't have any Tom Petty on my 80s list. That feels like a possible oversight on my part, but he is at least on my 70s list.
Rounding out the top 10, Vinyl Surrender (as of July 24, 2011) had The Cure, U2 (again), Michael Jackson, The Cure (again), and Phil Collins 1989 track "Another Day in Paradise". Phil Collins' "Something in the Air" just missed the cut on my top 500 list, but none of the dreck he made in the late 80s got any consideration on my list. Michael Jackson did make my list, but "Billie Jean" lost out due to my one-song-per-album restriction.
The Cure also makes my 80s list, but "Boys Don't Cry" (#6 on the Vinyl Surrender list) is not on my 80s list. It's a great song, so why isn't it on my 80s list? It's #94 on my 70s list! I guess it's an issue of US vs. UK release dates and/or 7-inch versus LP release dates. I had trouble with this issue for a number of tracks on my lists with turn-of-the-decade songs. At #11, we come to the first song on his list that made the top 100 on my 80s list (The Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams", which came it at #81 for me).
So let's see how the matches go when we turn it around the other way. As I noted in my interview, the best punk songs rose to the top of my list in head to head matchups with the best non-punk songs, and punk doesn't fare so well with the voters at Vinyl Surrender. From my top 10, Husker Du, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, and Mission of Burma (#1, 3, 5, and 8) don't have any representation at all on the Vinyl Surrender list. My #2 ("Love Will Tear Us Apart" from Joy Division) is #15 on the Vinyl Surrender list, which I believe gives it the highest combined ranking of any song on the two lists. My #4 (The Jam's "That's Entertainment") comes in at #124 on the other list, although The Jam makes the top 40 of both lists because "A Town Called Malice" is at #31 on the Vinyl Surrender list.
The Violent Femmes are in my top 10 and absent from Vinyl Surrender. R.E.M. and The The, part of my top 10, make the Vinyl Surrender list with different songs, other than those in my top 10. Skeleton Crew, far and away the most idiosyncratic choice in my top 10, is unsurprisingly absent from the Vinyl Surrender list.
I'm looking forward to doing this comparison with the other Vinyl Surrender lists another day. If you love music lists, this site is highly recommended.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Top 300 Songs of the 2000s
This is the fourth decade list I'm posting here, but it was the first one I made. In blatant disregard for the end of 2009, I finished the list around October 2009. Like the 90s list, I posted it first on Amazon listmania. I also made a CD of the top 40 countdown for a small group of friends.
As with the other lists, the rules are no more than one song per album and no artist can appear in the top 40 twice. In all its subjective glory, here's the 00s countdown:
300 Art Brut - DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshake
299 Plus Ones - All The Boys
298 Kaiser Chiefs - I Predict A Riot
297 Minus The Bear - Memphis And 53rd
296 Built To Spill - In Your Mind
295 Cut Copy - Midnight Runner
294 Jets To Brazil - The Frequency
293 John Cunningham - Losing Myself Too
292 Luna - Malibu Love Nest
291 Frank Boscoes - Steel Cube Sculpture
290 Finn's Motel - Arizona Sandstorm
289 Fujiya & Miyagi - Ankle Injuries
288 Tapes 'n Tapes - Cowbell
287 The Octopus Project - Truck
286 Some Velvet Morning - The Madness of Crowds
285 Shearwater - Rooks
284 Spoon - My Little Japanese Cigarette Case
283 Wolf Parade - Grounds For Divorce
282 Gomez - Hamoa Beach
281 Panda Bear - Good Girl / Carrots
280 Rapture - Heaven
279 Aloe Blacc - Long Time Coming
278 Calexico - Black Heart
277 B-Sides - Two Beautiful Beaches
276 Tortoise - Seneca
275 Psapp - Rear Moth
274 M's - Banishment Of Love
273 Schlammpeitziger - Quietschquarklaute
272 Howe Gelb - But I Did Not
271 The Blue Meanies - All The Same
270 Tindersticks - People Keep Comin' Around
269 Antipop Consortium - Bubblz
268 Cursive - Sink To The Beat
267 White Stripes - You're Pretty Good Looking (For A Girl)
266 Kiosk - Agha! Nigah Dar
265 Belle & Sebastian - Act Of The Apostle
264 Okkervil River - Blanket And Crib
263 Luna - Renee Is Crying
262 Sam Prekop - Something
261 Carolyn Mark & The New Best Friends - Chantal And Leroy
260 Jeff Wave - Uptown Downtown
259 LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum
258 Tranzmitors - Why Don't Boys Cry
257 Milk Cult - Mystery Oasis.
256 The Mountain Goats - Pigs That Ran Straightaway Into The Water, Triumph Of
255 Devotchka - The Enemy Guns
254 Organ - Brother
253 The High Strung - Standing at the Door of Self Discovery
252 Secret Machines - Marconi's Radio
251 Tulsa - Mass
250 The Gaslight Anthem - Miles Davis & The Cool
249 Mystery Jets - Inside Four Walls
248 The Bad Plus - Tom Sawyer
247 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Tenure Itch
246 Ekstrak - Mass Dampers
245 Mushroom - I got blisters on my fingers
244 Sunset Rubdown - The Taming of the Hands That Came Back To Life
243 Clinic - Internal Wrangler
242 Padded Cell - Are You Anywhere ?
241 Neko Case - If You Knew
240 Citay - People Person
239 Yeasayer - Sunrise
238 Beach House - Master of None
237 Mates Of State - Ha Ha
236 Sloan - Gimme That
235 Komeda - Victory Lane
234 Red Snapper - Bussing
233 Department Of Eagles - Herring Bone
232 Calexico - Alone Again Or
231 Delgados - I Fought The Angels
230 The Submarines - Modern Inventions
229 Gui Boratto - Hera
228 Say Hi To Your Mom - These Fangs
227 Pluxus - Djurens kavalkad
226 Datarock - Computer Camp Love
225 St. Vincent - Apocalypse Song
224 The Boggs - Poor Audrey James
223 Shins - Know Your Onion!
222 Capitol Years - Jewelry Store
221 The Evens - Cut From The Cloth
220 The National - Fake Empire
219 Lonesome Organist - The Moon Fugue
218 Slowreader - I Like You Most
217 Japancakes - Far From Here
216 The 1900s - When I Say Go
215 Ultrababyfat - Bored In Paris
214 Futureheads - Favours For Favours
213 Old 97's - The Fool
212 Duotang - Rise And Fall Of The Gqbc
211 The Mountain Goats - San Bernardino
210 Nada Surf - The Way You Wear Your Head
209 Aavikko - Oxaca (Oriental Baby MCD)
208 Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - This Summers Been Good From The Start
207 The Format - Dog Problems
206 Dogs Die In Hot Cars - Godhopping
205 Woven Hand - Cripplegate (Standing On Glass)
204 The Black Keys - Things Ain't Like They Used to Be
203 The Heavy Blinkers - All That's Left Are Waves
202 Ryan Adams - Goodnight Rose
201 The Pipettes - It Hurts to See You Dance So Well
200 Quasi - Master & Dog
199 Tunng - Mother's Daughter
198 Phoenix - Consolation Prizes
197 Rex Aquarium - Rex Aquarium
196 Midlake - Roscoe
195 Gretchen Wilson - Redneck Woman
194 Bobby Conn - A Taste Of Luxury
193 Cold War Kids - We Used to Vacation
192 Brendan Benson - The Pledge
191 The Books - That Right Ain't Shit
190 Sloan - Too Many
189 Gazetteers - Twenty-Four Hour Ska Festival
188 Amor Belhom Duo - Introduction
187 The Starlight Mints - The Killer
186 Sleepy Jackson - This Day
185 Vigil - Silverstone
184 Prefuse 73 - Uprock And Invigorate
183 Citay - A Riot Of Color
182 Neko Case - Prison Girls
181 Smog - White Ribbon
180 Scissor Sisters - Lovers in the back seat
179 Son Volt - Medication
178 Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood
177 Tullycraft - Wild Bikini
176 Mexican Institute of Sound - El Microfono
175 Earl Zinger - Saturday Morning Rush
174 Monolith - Heart Like a Diamond
173 Crystal Stilts - Love Is a Wave
172 Dr. Dog - Alaska
171 Jett Brando - Well Well
170 Calexico - Fractured Air (Tornado Watch)
169 Ambulance LTD - New English
168 Peggy Honeywell - Green Mountain
167 Sam Roberts - The Gate
166 Mr. Scruff - Beyond
165 Santogold - Say Aha
164 Triangle - Political Song
163 Emma Pollock - If Silence Means That Much To You
162 Haiku D'Etat - Kats
161 Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)
160 Jurassic 5 - Swing Set
159 Amerie - 1 Thing
158 Jenny Lewis - The Next Messiah
157 Headlights - TV
156 M. Ward - Chinese Translation
155 My Brightest Diamond - Golden Star
154 The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad And The Queen
153 Iron & Wine - The Rooster Moans
152 Menomena - Running
151 The Knife - Forest Families
150 Beirut - Postcards from Italy
149 Strokes - Last Night
148 Maxïmo Park - Graffiti
147 The New Pornographers - The Bleeding Heart Show
146 Carolyn Mark And The Room-Mates - Country in the City
145 Jens Lekman - Black Cab
144 Waco Brothers - Walking on Hell's Roof Looking at the Flowers
143 King Geedorah - Monster Zero
142 The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age Of The Understatement
141 The Concretes - Song For The Songs
140 Field Music - You Can Decide
139 Colossal Yes - Just Like a Mademoiselle
138 Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You
137 Calexico - Letter To Bowie Knife
136 The Evens - All These Governors
135 Vampire Weekend - Ladies Of Cambridge
134 The Raconteurs - Steady, As She Goes
133 Blackalicious - Powers
132 Landslide - The Jupiter Effect
131 Cotton Jones Basket Ride - Gotta Cheer Up
130 Broadcast - Colour Me In
129 Jurassic 5 - What's Golden
128 Von Bondies - C'mon C'mon
127 Paul McCartney - Mr. Bellamy
126 Dismemberment Plan - Ellen and Ben
125 Arcade Fire - Keep the Car Running
124 Carey Ott - To Get Lost
123 Rilo Kiley - Does He Love You?
122 The Aislers Set - Emotional Levy
121 Yo La Tengo - Black Flowers
120 Zutons - Havana Gang Brawl
119 Pest - Chicken Spit
118 Spoon - Something To Look Forward To
117 Department Of Eagles - Noam Chomsky Spring Break 2002
116 Vert - Velocity
115 Sufjan Stevens - For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti
114 Mountain Goats - Oceanographer's Choice
113 Maroon 5 - This Love
112 Atari Logic produced by El Rasoul - Therapeutic
111 The Aliens - The Happy Song
110 Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - The Dap Dip
109 Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now
108 Pink Martini - Hang On Little Tomato
107 Groove Collective - Some People
106 Hawksley Workman - Jealous Of Your Cigarette
105 Let's Wrestle - I Won't Lie To You
104 Linda Hoyle / Gracious / Nirvana / Aphrodite's Child - Morning For One / Introduction / Modus Operandi / The Battle Of The Locusts
103 Josh Ritter - Girl in the War
102 Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
101 Kaiser Chiefs - The Angry Mob
100 Travis Morrison - My Two Front Teeth II & III
99 Luna - Astronaut
98 Blue Giant - Clean the Clock
97 Asa-Chang & Junray - Hana
96 Oranges Band - White Ride
95 Versus - You'll Be Sorry
94 Lindstrøm - Cane It For The Original Whities
93 Robbie Fulks - It's Always Raining Somewhere
92 Belle & Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress
91 Babyshambles - La Belle Et La Bête
90 Ha Ha Tonka - Up Nights
89 Franz Ferdinand - This Fire
88 Beulah - A Good Man Is Easy to Kill
87 Decemberists - 16 Military Wives
86 Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins - You Are What You Love
85 Calexico - Sonic Wind (instrumental mix)
84 Scott Miller - Absolution
83 Pinback - Fortress
82 Neko Case & Her Boyfriends - Mood To Burn Bridges
81 Up, Bustle & Out - Coffee Contamination
80 Elope - Pride Approaching
79 Incredible Moses Leroy - Beep Beep Love
78 Kid Koala + Dynomite D - Third World Lover (Kid Koala & Dynomite D)
77 Sloan - If It Feels Good Do It
76 Interpol - Obstacle 1
75 White Stripes - Fell In Love With A Girl
74 TV On The Radio - Hours
73 The Bees - Got To Let Go
72 Sprengjuhöllin - Worry 'til Spring
71 Yo La Tengo - Let's Save Tony Orlando's House
70 Pink Martini - Hey Eugene!
69 Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Miles Away
68 Chris Difford - Tight Rope
67 Jets To Brazil - Pale New Dawn
66 Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights
65 The Tallest Man On Earth - I Won't Be Found
64 The Bad Plus - Smells Like Teen Spirit
63 Outkast - Hey Ya!
62 The New Pornographers - Mass Romantic
61 Futureheads - Decent Days And Nights
60 King Changó - I Don't Care
59 Blackalicious - Do This My Way
58 Stephen Malkmus - The Hook
57 Love Is All - Turn The Radio Off
56 Giant Sand - The Beat Goes On
55 Evangelicals - Snowflakes
54 Camera Obscura - Dory Previn
53 The Coup - My Favorite Mutiny
52 Delgados - Coming In From The Cold
51 Kiosk - Afsoos
50 American Princes - TV Keeps Me Up
49 Handsome Hank And His Lonesome Boys - Black Hole Sun
48 Von Bondies - Shallow Grave
47 Great Lakes Myth Society - Midwest Main Street
46 Archer Prewitt - Tear Me All Away
45 Shins - Fighting In A Sack
44 The Mighty Underdogs - Victorious
43 Bright Eyes - Bowl Of Oranges
42 The Mountain Goats - Woke Up New
41 or, the whale - Call and Response
40 Beta Band - Lion Thief
39 Fleet Foxes - Mykonos
38 Maxïmo Park - Russian Literature
37 Peter Bjorn & John - Amsterdam
36 Noisettes - Scratch Your Name
35 Arctic Monkeys - Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured
34 Gotan Project - Una Música Brutal
33 Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - How Do I Let A Good Man Down?
32 Elope - Misbehaving In The Summernight
31 Hazeldine - Miss Ordinary
30 Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Over And Over Again (Lost And Found)
29 Josh Fix - Jethro
28 Sufjan Stevens - Chicago
27 Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
26 Blackalicious - 4000 Miles
25 Art Brut - Emily Kane
24 Amy Winehouse - Rehab
23 The Starlight Mints - Black Cat
22 Dr. Dog - The World May Never Know
21 Jens Lekman - You Are The Light (By Which I Travel Into This And That)
20 Calexico - Ballad of Cable Hogue
19 Spoon - Everything Hits At Once
18 The Mountain Goats - Dance Music
17 Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone?
16 The Hold Steady - Teenage Liberation
15 Go! Team - Bottle Rocket
14 The Push Kings - Runnin' From Something
13 Rilo Kiley - Go Ahead
12 Blomkrag - Aalwyne, Aalwurms En Aavoels
11 TV On The Radio - Satellite
10 Aqueduct - Growing Up With GNR
9 Ryan Adams - Gonna' Make You Love Me
8 Beachwood Sparks - Silver Morning After
7 Dengue Fever - Tiger Phone Card
6 The Bees - Punchbag
5 Old 97's - Up The Devil's Pay
4 The New Pornographers - The Laws Have Changed
3 The Delgados - Accused of Stealing
2 Elliott Smith - Son of Sam
1 Neko Case - Things That Scare Me
This is the list most in need of revision. It needs revision because I probably missed a lot more stuff in the 00s than the other decades due to being less plugged into the music scene. It also needs revision because there are a lot of great songs from the end of the decade that I didn't discover until after I made this list.
As with the other lists, the rules are no more than one song per album and no artist can appear in the top 40 twice. In all its subjective glory, here's the 00s countdown:
300 Art Brut - DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshake
299 Plus Ones - All The Boys
298 Kaiser Chiefs - I Predict A Riot
297 Minus The Bear - Memphis And 53rd
296 Built To Spill - In Your Mind
295 Cut Copy - Midnight Runner
294 Jets To Brazil - The Frequency
293 John Cunningham - Losing Myself Too
292 Luna - Malibu Love Nest
291 Frank Boscoes - Steel Cube Sculpture
290 Finn's Motel - Arizona Sandstorm
289 Fujiya & Miyagi - Ankle Injuries
288 Tapes 'n Tapes - Cowbell
287 The Octopus Project - Truck
286 Some Velvet Morning - The Madness of Crowds
285 Shearwater - Rooks
284 Spoon - My Little Japanese Cigarette Case
283 Wolf Parade - Grounds For Divorce
282 Gomez - Hamoa Beach
281 Panda Bear - Good Girl / Carrots
280 Rapture - Heaven
279 Aloe Blacc - Long Time Coming
278 Calexico - Black Heart
277 B-Sides - Two Beautiful Beaches
276 Tortoise - Seneca
275 Psapp - Rear Moth
274 M's - Banishment Of Love
273 Schlammpeitziger - Quietschquarklaute
272 Howe Gelb - But I Did Not
271 The Blue Meanies - All The Same
270 Tindersticks - People Keep Comin' Around
269 Antipop Consortium - Bubblz
268 Cursive - Sink To The Beat
267 White Stripes - You're Pretty Good Looking (For A Girl)
266 Kiosk - Agha! Nigah Dar
265 Belle & Sebastian - Act Of The Apostle
264 Okkervil River - Blanket And Crib
263 Luna - Renee Is Crying
262 Sam Prekop - Something
261 Carolyn Mark & The New Best Friends - Chantal And Leroy
260 Jeff Wave - Uptown Downtown
259 LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum
258 Tranzmitors - Why Don't Boys Cry
257 Milk Cult - Mystery Oasis.
256 The Mountain Goats - Pigs That Ran Straightaway Into The Water, Triumph Of
255 Devotchka - The Enemy Guns
254 Organ - Brother
253 The High Strung - Standing at the Door of Self Discovery
252 Secret Machines - Marconi's Radio
251 Tulsa - Mass
250 The Gaslight Anthem - Miles Davis & The Cool
249 Mystery Jets - Inside Four Walls
248 The Bad Plus - Tom Sawyer
247 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Tenure Itch
246 Ekstrak - Mass Dampers
245 Mushroom - I got blisters on my fingers
244 Sunset Rubdown - The Taming of the Hands That Came Back To Life
243 Clinic - Internal Wrangler
242 Padded Cell - Are You Anywhere ?
241 Neko Case - If You Knew
240 Citay - People Person
239 Yeasayer - Sunrise
238 Beach House - Master of None
237 Mates Of State - Ha Ha
236 Sloan - Gimme That
235 Komeda - Victory Lane
234 Red Snapper - Bussing
233 Department Of Eagles - Herring Bone
232 Calexico - Alone Again Or
231 Delgados - I Fought The Angels
230 The Submarines - Modern Inventions
229 Gui Boratto - Hera
228 Say Hi To Your Mom - These Fangs
227 Pluxus - Djurens kavalkad
226 Datarock - Computer Camp Love
225 St. Vincent - Apocalypse Song
224 The Boggs - Poor Audrey James
223 Shins - Know Your Onion!
222 Capitol Years - Jewelry Store
221 The Evens - Cut From The Cloth
220 The National - Fake Empire
219 Lonesome Organist - The Moon Fugue
218 Slowreader - I Like You Most
217 Japancakes - Far From Here
216 The 1900s - When I Say Go
215 Ultrababyfat - Bored In Paris
214 Futureheads - Favours For Favours
213 Old 97's - The Fool
212 Duotang - Rise And Fall Of The Gqbc
211 The Mountain Goats - San Bernardino
210 Nada Surf - The Way You Wear Your Head
209 Aavikko - Oxaca (Oriental Baby MCD)
208 Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - This Summers Been Good From The Start
207 The Format - Dog Problems
206 Dogs Die In Hot Cars - Godhopping
205 Woven Hand - Cripplegate (Standing On Glass)
204 The Black Keys - Things Ain't Like They Used to Be
203 The Heavy Blinkers - All That's Left Are Waves
202 Ryan Adams - Goodnight Rose
201 The Pipettes - It Hurts to See You Dance So Well
200 Quasi - Master & Dog
199 Tunng - Mother's Daughter
198 Phoenix - Consolation Prizes
197 Rex Aquarium - Rex Aquarium
196 Midlake - Roscoe
195 Gretchen Wilson - Redneck Woman
194 Bobby Conn - A Taste Of Luxury
193 Cold War Kids - We Used to Vacation
192 Brendan Benson - The Pledge
191 The Books - That Right Ain't Shit
190 Sloan - Too Many
189 Gazetteers - Twenty-Four Hour Ska Festival
188 Amor Belhom Duo - Introduction
187 The Starlight Mints - The Killer
186 Sleepy Jackson - This Day
185 Vigil - Silverstone
184 Prefuse 73 - Uprock And Invigorate
183 Citay - A Riot Of Color
182 Neko Case - Prison Girls
181 Smog - White Ribbon
180 Scissor Sisters - Lovers in the back seat
179 Son Volt - Medication
178 Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood
177 Tullycraft - Wild Bikini
176 Mexican Institute of Sound - El Microfono
175 Earl Zinger - Saturday Morning Rush
174 Monolith - Heart Like a Diamond
173 Crystal Stilts - Love Is a Wave
172 Dr. Dog - Alaska
171 Jett Brando - Well Well
170 Calexico - Fractured Air (Tornado Watch)
169 Ambulance LTD - New English
168 Peggy Honeywell - Green Mountain
167 Sam Roberts - The Gate
166 Mr. Scruff - Beyond
165 Santogold - Say Aha
164 Triangle - Political Song
163 Emma Pollock - If Silence Means That Much To You
162 Haiku D'Etat - Kats
161 Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)
160 Jurassic 5 - Swing Set
159 Amerie - 1 Thing
158 Jenny Lewis - The Next Messiah
157 Headlights - TV
156 M. Ward - Chinese Translation
155 My Brightest Diamond - Golden Star
154 The Good, The Bad & The Queen - The Good, The Bad And The Queen
153 Iron & Wine - The Rooster Moans
152 Menomena - Running
151 The Knife - Forest Families
150 Beirut - Postcards from Italy
149 Strokes - Last Night
148 Maxïmo Park - Graffiti
147 The New Pornographers - The Bleeding Heart Show
146 Carolyn Mark And The Room-Mates - Country in the City
145 Jens Lekman - Black Cab
144 Waco Brothers - Walking on Hell's Roof Looking at the Flowers
143 King Geedorah - Monster Zero
142 The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age Of The Understatement
141 The Concretes - Song For The Songs
140 Field Music - You Can Decide
139 Colossal Yes - Just Like a Mademoiselle
138 Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You
137 Calexico - Letter To Bowie Knife
136 The Evens - All These Governors
135 Vampire Weekend - Ladies Of Cambridge
134 The Raconteurs - Steady, As She Goes
133 Blackalicious - Powers
132 Landslide - The Jupiter Effect
131 Cotton Jones Basket Ride - Gotta Cheer Up
130 Broadcast - Colour Me In
129 Jurassic 5 - What's Golden
128 Von Bondies - C'mon C'mon
127 Paul McCartney - Mr. Bellamy
126 Dismemberment Plan - Ellen and Ben
125 Arcade Fire - Keep the Car Running
124 Carey Ott - To Get Lost
123 Rilo Kiley - Does He Love You?
122 The Aislers Set - Emotional Levy
121 Yo La Tengo - Black Flowers
120 Zutons - Havana Gang Brawl
119 Pest - Chicken Spit
118 Spoon - Something To Look Forward To
117 Department Of Eagles - Noam Chomsky Spring Break 2002
116 Vert - Velocity
115 Sufjan Stevens - For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti
114 Mountain Goats - Oceanographer's Choice
113 Maroon 5 - This Love
112 Atari Logic produced by El Rasoul - Therapeutic
111 The Aliens - The Happy Song
110 Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - The Dap Dip
109 Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now
108 Pink Martini - Hang On Little Tomato
107 Groove Collective - Some People
106 Hawksley Workman - Jealous Of Your Cigarette
105 Let's Wrestle - I Won't Lie To You
104 Linda Hoyle / Gracious / Nirvana / Aphrodite's Child - Morning For One / Introduction / Modus Operandi / The Battle Of The Locusts
103 Josh Ritter - Girl in the War
102 Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
101 Kaiser Chiefs - The Angry Mob
100 Travis Morrison - My Two Front Teeth II & III
99 Luna - Astronaut
98 Blue Giant - Clean the Clock
97 Asa-Chang & Junray - Hana
96 Oranges Band - White Ride
95 Versus - You'll Be Sorry
94 Lindstrøm - Cane It For The Original Whities
93 Robbie Fulks - It's Always Raining Somewhere
92 Belle & Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress
91 Babyshambles - La Belle Et La Bête
90 Ha Ha Tonka - Up Nights
89 Franz Ferdinand - This Fire
88 Beulah - A Good Man Is Easy to Kill
87 Decemberists - 16 Military Wives
86 Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins - You Are What You Love
85 Calexico - Sonic Wind (instrumental mix)
84 Scott Miller - Absolution
83 Pinback - Fortress
82 Neko Case & Her Boyfriends - Mood To Burn Bridges
81 Up, Bustle & Out - Coffee Contamination
80 Elope - Pride Approaching
79 Incredible Moses Leroy - Beep Beep Love
78 Kid Koala + Dynomite D - Third World Lover (Kid Koala & Dynomite D)
77 Sloan - If It Feels Good Do It
76 Interpol - Obstacle 1
75 White Stripes - Fell In Love With A Girl
74 TV On The Radio - Hours
73 The Bees - Got To Let Go
72 Sprengjuhöllin - Worry 'til Spring
71 Yo La Tengo - Let's Save Tony Orlando's House
70 Pink Martini - Hey Eugene!
69 Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Miles Away
68 Chris Difford - Tight Rope
67 Jets To Brazil - Pale New Dawn
66 Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights
65 The Tallest Man On Earth - I Won't Be Found
64 The Bad Plus - Smells Like Teen Spirit
63 Outkast - Hey Ya!
62 The New Pornographers - Mass Romantic
61 Futureheads - Decent Days And Nights
60 King Changó - I Don't Care
59 Blackalicious - Do This My Way
58 Stephen Malkmus - The Hook
57 Love Is All - Turn The Radio Off
56 Giant Sand - The Beat Goes On
55 Evangelicals - Snowflakes
54 Camera Obscura - Dory Previn
53 The Coup - My Favorite Mutiny
52 Delgados - Coming In From The Cold
51 Kiosk - Afsoos
50 American Princes - TV Keeps Me Up
49 Handsome Hank And His Lonesome Boys - Black Hole Sun
48 Von Bondies - Shallow Grave
47 Great Lakes Myth Society - Midwest Main Street
46 Archer Prewitt - Tear Me All Away
45 Shins - Fighting In A Sack
44 The Mighty Underdogs - Victorious
43 Bright Eyes - Bowl Of Oranges
42 The Mountain Goats - Woke Up New
41 or, the whale - Call and Response
40 Beta Band - Lion Thief
39 Fleet Foxes - Mykonos
38 Maxïmo Park - Russian Literature
37 Peter Bjorn & John - Amsterdam
36 Noisettes - Scratch Your Name
35 Arctic Monkeys - Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured
34 Gotan Project - Una Música Brutal
33 Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - How Do I Let A Good Man Down?
32 Elope - Misbehaving In The Summernight
31 Hazeldine - Miss Ordinary
30 Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Over And Over Again (Lost And Found)
29 Josh Fix - Jethro
28 Sufjan Stevens - Chicago
27 Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
26 Blackalicious - 4000 Miles
25 Art Brut - Emily Kane
24 Amy Winehouse - Rehab
23 The Starlight Mints - Black Cat
22 Dr. Dog - The World May Never Know
21 Jens Lekman - You Are The Light (By Which I Travel Into This And That)
20 Calexico - Ballad of Cable Hogue
19 Spoon - Everything Hits At Once
18 The Mountain Goats - Dance Music
17 Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone?
16 The Hold Steady - Teenage Liberation
15 Go! Team - Bottle Rocket
14 The Push Kings - Runnin' From Something
13 Rilo Kiley - Go Ahead
12 Blomkrag - Aalwyne, Aalwurms En Aavoels
11 TV On The Radio - Satellite
10 Aqueduct - Growing Up With GNR
9 Ryan Adams - Gonna' Make You Love Me
8 Beachwood Sparks - Silver Morning After
7 Dengue Fever - Tiger Phone Card
6 The Bees - Punchbag
5 Old 97's - Up The Devil's Pay
4 The New Pornographers - The Laws Have Changed
3 The Delgados - Accused of Stealing
2 Elliott Smith - Son of Sam
1 Neko Case - Things That Scare Me
This is the list most in need of revision. It needs revision because I probably missed a lot more stuff in the 00s than the other decades due to being less plugged into the music scene. It also needs revision because there are a lot of great songs from the end of the decade that I didn't discover until after I made this list.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
The Making of a Best-Songs-of-the-Decade List: An Interview (Part 4 of 4)
The conclusion of the interview:
Q) What sort of feedback have you received? With any list of this nature, I imagine that everyone has an opinion on rankings of songs and omissions.
Q) What sort of feedback have you received? With any list of this nature, I imagine that everyone has an opinion on rankings of songs and omissions.
A) I don’t know if this says something about the list or about the disadvantage of posting the list as a countdown on Facebook, but, far and away, the most feedback I’ve gotten has been on #500 to #481 on the 70s list, particularly Piano Man at #491. Billy Joel is an impressively polarizing artist, and that song may be his most polarizing. I think one of the things that makes my list unique is that I included it, but didn’t include it high on the list. In the spectrum of people who love or hate Billy Joel, I’m in that empty space in the middle feeling like he’s pretty OK.
More generally, people who have followed the whole lists have made a lot of comments along the lines of “oh my god, I totally forgot about that song – I used to love that song” or “wow – that takes me back”. I’ve gotten surprising little in the way of complaints about the tops of the lists. My sense is that people don’t necessarily agree with all the choices, but they respect the choices and see a lot more good than bad. A few good things that I left out have been pointed out to me, and I’m trying to keep a list of those. I actually hoped to hear more about omissions, because I’m always interested in discovering great music from any era.
Q) Speaking of omissions, songs must occur to you after the fact. Do you revise your lists?
A) I try to make a pretty strong “first draft” of the list at least a month or so before I begin making the list public. I use that month to think about songs that are missing, and I tend to download a whole lot of borderline guilty pleasures during that month as I’m evaluating whether there are any legitimate omissions. There have been a couple of times when I’ve recognized a key omission serendipitously at the same time that I recognized an erroneous inclusion (e.g. wrong decade or a violation of my one-song-per-record rule), so I’ve made a discreet behind-the-scenes swap. I don’t worry too much about exact placement on the countdown in those cases, as long as it’s close.
I have not yet done a proper revision of any of the lists, but I’m keeping track of songs I’d like to include if I did revise any of them. It’s hard to make small revisions without rethinking the whole thing and then it’s hard to know when to stop. It’s also hard to kick out a song that made the first cut, but I imagine I can think of a few I wouldn’t feel too bad jettisoning.
Q) Have you heard from any of the artists included in your lists?
A) I’ve heard from a couple. I think they found the Amazon listmania versions of the 2000s and 1990s lists. I haven’t posted the 80s or 70s lists on Amazon. I think there would probably be too many songs with no good links on the 80s list.
Q) Having gone through the process multiple times now, what wisdom can you impart to us on the nature of listmaking? What have you learned--about lists, music, or yourself?
A) I think gut feel is grossly underrated as a criterion. If you love music, you really love it, and you don’t have to justify that or explain it. To the extent that I did let critics’ voices get in my head I think it corrupted the rankings, and, to the extent, that I tried to make my criteria more objective, even the how-soon-do-I-want-to-hear-it-again criterion, I think that created imperfections in the rankings. At some level, you can put two songs side by side and you can say “yeah – this one, this one is the better one”. It’s a little bit like the optometrist. When they show you all those side-by-side images, it gets harder and harder to say which one is better, but you want to keep going and be done, so you pick one. Then the next choice is even harder and you pick again, and so it goes. Eventually you go home with new glasses or new contacts and hopefully you don’t spend the next year second-guessing whether you got it right or not.
Q) Are you currently plotting out your next list?
A) No. Not really. After such a deep dive into the 70s, I’ve been listening to too little new music in the past couple of months. I miss new music. If I only listened to new music, I would miss old music. I love variety and I love my weighted-random-play smart playlist I’ve developed on my iPod through half a decade of ranking and re-ranking songs. I want to go back to finding more new music and listening to everything for a while.
That's it for the interview. Look for more of my own lists and comments on other lists around the web in future posts. Thanks to Jack for suggesting the interview and posing the questions.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Top 300 Songs of the 1990s
I posted this a year or so ago on Amazon Listmania as a set of 15 lists of 20 songs each. I chose Amazon at the time because I liked the way I could link to pictures of the Albums and other Amazon users' reviews of those albums. Right now I'm boycotting Amazon because of the great efforts they're going to to avoid having their customers pay California sales tax, but that's a different story for a different sort of blog.
Like the 80s list, this is my own highly subjective list, but it follows the same basic rules (no more than one song per album, and no artist represented more than once in the top 40). I had another informal rule for the 90s list, which is that I allowed myself to include a couple of songs by my own band, but not any of the ones I wrote.
300 Crowded House - Chocolate Cake
299 Dj's Wally & Swingsett - Tell Me Something
298 Blood Oranges - Shady Grove
297 Guv'ner - Love The Lamp
296 Hominy - Sunny Days and Raisinets
295 RAD - Homegirls Cha Cha Network
294 Nine Iron - Girl From 911
293 Pavement - Rattled By The Rush
292 WCKR SPGT - Francis Mitterand
291 Lecture On Nothing - Truckload Of Bibles
290 Kiwi Lip Bomb - What To Wear
289 Public Works - Do you think it's an accident
288 Scrawl - Charles
287 Luna - Smile
286 Carney Hild Kramer - The Ballad Of Florida
285 Pudding & Fruit - Dick Clark's Hair
284 Ed's Redeeming Qualities - Calypso on the Beach
283 No Doubt - Just a Girl
282 Man Or Astro-man? - Destination Venus
281 Solex - Solex All Licketysplit
280 Robert Black - Failing: A Very Difficult Piece for String Bass
279 Extra Glenns - Going to Lubbock
278 Gary Lucas - Lydia, The Tattoed Lady
277 Guv'ner - Baby's Way Cruel
276 Timber - Bad Education
275 Pavement - Stereo
274 Guy Klucevsek - Samba D Hiccup
273 Karl Hendricks Trio - Some Girls Like Cigarettes
272 New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble - Comes Love
271 Liz Phair - 6'1"
270 Elvis Costello - So Like Candy
269 Love Camp 7 - And Sour Old Men
268 Money Mark - Hand In Your Head
267 Squirrels - Vincent Van Gogh
266 To Rococo Rot - Cars
265 Luna - California (All The Way)
264 Mouse On Mars - Albion Rose
263 Bogues - Mahalia Jackson
262 The Philistines Jr. - The Impossible Dream Of The Submarine
261 The Faint - Worked Up So Sexual
260 Radar Bros - Shoveling Sons
259 Morphine - Honey White
258 The Notorious B.I.G. - Hypnotize
257 David Thomas & Two Pale Boys - Planet Of Fools
256 Dieselhed - Tying Flies
255 Blast Off Country Style - Teenage Unicorn
254 Ed's Redeeming Qualities - Lawn Dart
253 Spaceways - Stravinsky & Butch
252 Cornelius - Thank You For The Music
251 Grifters - X-Ray Hip
250 Pere Ubu - Worlds In Collision
249 Orange Peels - I Don't Mind The Rain
248 Coax - Orchestra
247 Soul Coughing - Rolling
246 Port Vale - North By North
245 Suddenly Tammy - Plant Me
244 The Daktaris - Voodoo Soul Stew
243 Uncle Wiggly - Mandible Jackson
242 Planet Log - Your Bra and Star Trek
241 Cruel, Cruel Moon - I Don't Believe In Anything At All.
240 Damon & Naomi - Kinetoscope
239 Freakwater - Little Black Train
238 Only a Mother - Crosslegged And Amazed
237 Giant Step Nyc - Impresions (South Central Mix) - Giant Step NYC
236 Lyle Lovett - Church
235 Everybody's Creepy Neighbor - My Girl Says Yeah Yeah
234 Make-Up - Evidence Is Everywhere
233 My Dad Is Dead - Don't Burn Down The Bridge
232 Dr. Dre - Nuthin' but a "G" Thang
231 Uncle Wiggly - Eleanor's Pizza Party
230 Sea And Cake - The Biz
229 Public Enemy - 911 Is A Joke
228 Uncle Tupelo - No Depression
227 Tracy Bonham - Kisses
226 Defunkt - Salsa Negra
225 Beatnik Termites - Denise, Denise
224 Flop - Anne
223 Helium - Sunday
222 Pere Ubu - Folly Of Youth
221 Spacetime Continuum - The Ring
220 J Church - My Favorite Place
219 Dynamic Soundmakers - On The Run (Chase Theme)
218 Fifth Column - I Love You, But
217 David Byrne - Miss America
216 Cornershop - Brimful Of Asha
215 S. E. Rogie - Nor Weigh Me Lek Dat (Woman To Woman)
214 Richard Thompson - 1952 Vincent Black Lightning
213 Momus - MC Escher
212 Mercury Rev - Goddess On A Hiway
211 Only a Mother - Bucket Of Brains
210 Lunchbox - Up To You
209 Kleenex Girl Wonder - Long Live the Pelican Express Song 2
208 3D Picnic - Sunshine And Cockroaches
207 Radiohead - Creep
206 Cake - Jesus Wrote a Blank Check
205 Amy Rigby - Calling Professor Longhair
204 Curlew - Let's Sit Right Down / The Passing
203 Blue Hearts - Linda Linda
202 Eskimo - No Place
201 Missile Toe - Gloria
200 Sloan - Penpals
199 Eggs - The Government Administrator
198 Prolapse - Deanshanger
197 Richard Bryant - The Waltz Of The Blue Devils
196 Map Of Wyoming - Broken Sky
195 Combustible Edison - Cadillac
194 Death Cab For Cutie - Bend To Squares
193 Cake - Italian Leather Sofa
192 DJ Shadow - High Noon
191 Sleepyhead - Song For The Pied Piper
190 Curlew - As You Said
189 Pinetop Seven - Empty Hands And The Long Walk Home
188 Cannannes - Last 3 Weeks
187 Wimp Factor 14 - Role Model Glue
186 Gary Lucas - Glo-Worm
185 Danny Weizman - The Wet Dog Shakes
184 Ozomatli - Cut Chemist Suite
183 Los Amigos Invisibles - Otra Vez
182 Barbara Manning & Go-Luckys - Life/Luck
181 Linton Kwesi Johnson - Sense Outa Nansense
180 Slack Face - Time
179 Barenaked Ladies - One Week
178 Tindersticks - Travelling Light
177 Old 97's - Jagged
176 Skavoovie and the Epitones - Japanese Robot
175 Vulgar Boatmen - You Don't Love Me Yet
174 Silversun - Lava
173 Tone Dogs - Brave It
172 The C-60s - Virtues Of Concrete
171 Sisterhood Of Convoluted Thinkers - Pablo, Deepsea Aquanatics Mausoleum
170 Mommyheads - Annabelle Ann
169 Rasmus - Mass Hysteria
168 Naked City - Party Girl
167 Happy Family - Big Ass On Fire
166 Peter Blegvad - Just Woke Up
165 Olivia Tremor Control - The Opera House
164 Man or Astroman - The Powerful Fully Transistorized Dick Tracy Wrist Watch
163 Girl Trouble - Sister Mary Motorcycle
162 The Revelers - Detroit Bridge
161 Bevis Frond - Can't Stop Lyin'
160 Luna - Sideshow By The Seashore
159 Marah - Rain Delay
158 S.F. Seals - S.F. Sorrow
157 Sea And Cake - The Argument
156 Pavement - You Are A Light
155 Damien Jurado - Trampoline
154 Yo La Tengo - Be Thankful For What You Got
153 Neko Case & Her Boyfriends - Timber
152 Sparklehorse - Hundreds of Sparrows
151 Archer Prewitt - You Walk By
150 Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
149 Meg Hentges - This Kind Of Love Is
148 Vehicle Flips - Impressed Beyond Belief
147 Schramms - What I Knew Today
146 Marine Research - At The Lost And Found
145 Planet Log - Ooh, I Like Your Shoes
144 Mark (Capozzi Park) - Ash
143 Calexico - Wash
142 Flop - A Fixed Point
141 Apples In Stereo - Seems So
140 Archer Prewitt - White Sky
139 Nothing Painted Blue - Niacin
138 Mephiskapheles - Attack Of The Geniuses
137 A.T.S. - Blanche
136 Stuart Moxham - I Wonder Why
135 Framework - Twilights/Walking The Dogma
134 Zuzu's Petals - Cinderella's Daydream
133 Jean Caffeine - Hard Work and A Lot of Hairspray
132 Material - E-Pluribus-Unum
131 that dog - He's Kissing Christian
130 Unrest - Isabel
129 Radiohead - Karma Police
128 Bill Fox - Down To Babylon
127 Very Pleasant Neighbor - Boyfriend in France
126 Sonic Youth - Kool Thing
125 Those Bastard Souls - The Last Thing I Ever Wanted Was To Show Up and Blow Your Mind
124 Vehicle Flips - Diplomacy, Home and Abroad
123 Gilberto Gil & Caetano Veloso - Wait Until Tomorrow
122 Fugazi - Waiting Room
121 Ne Zhdali - Bossa 2000 Turbo
120 Fatboy Slim - Praise You
119 Add N To (X) - Skills
118 Apples In Stereo - Lucky Charm
117 The Minders - Hooray For Tuesday
116 Kamikaze Ground Grew - Diamonds Are Just Glass
115 Sex Clark Five - States Rights
114 Charlie Chesterman And The Legendary Motorbikes - Bread & Butter
113 Richard Davies - Main Street Electrical Parade
112 Pansy Division - Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond Of Each Other
111 The Orb - Little Fluffy Clouds
110 Push Kings - Lonely Times
109 Sahara Hotnights - Oh Darling!
108 Uncle Wiggly - Morphine & Ice Cream
107 Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
106 Sebadoh - The Freed Pig
105 Sean Lennon - Photosynthesis
104 Guided By Voices - Teenage FBI
103 Blur - Song 2
102 Incredible Force Of Junior - Sweet And Sour
101 S.F. Seals - Back Again
100 Robert Wyatt - Shrinkrap
99 Jurassic 5 - Lesson 6: The Lecture
98 Green Day - Basket Case
97 Matt Keating - Killjoy
96 Purple Penguin - Intro. Opening Question
95 Gary Lucas - Jericho
94 Andy Breckman - Don't Get Killed
93 Spot 1019 - Nothing But Good Things
92 Barbara Manning - Straw Man
91 Luscious Jackson - Don't Look Back
90 Farmers - Mars
89 Vehicle Flips - Expendable You
88 Sloan - The N.S.
87 Arrested Development - The Revolution Broadcst Live On 'da Airwaves
86 Bongwater - Folk Song
85 Chumbawamba - Cartrouble
84 The Hang Ups - Pretty BA
83 Bats - Dancing As The Boat Goes Down
82 Dauerfisch - Ride My Bike
81 Fridge - Ark
80 Sloan - Everything You've Done Wrong
79 Peace Orchestra - The Man Part 1
78 Chumbawamba - Look! No Strings!
77 Five Style - Mythical Numbers
76 Wimp Factor 14 - Botch
75 Revelers - Six Days (To Sunday)
74 Ben Folds - Underground
73 Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Very Rare
72 Tullycraft - Pop Songs Your New Boyfriend's Too Stupid To Know About
71 Mountain Goats - Golden Boy Peanuts
70 Paleface - Burn And Rob
69 Two Lone Swordsmen - The Big Clapper
68 Those Bastard Souls - The Top Ten Zen Offenders
67 Vehicle Flips - Graduation Party
66 Barbara Manning - My 1st Gun
65 Soul Coughing - Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago
64 The Lonesome Organist - King Of The Rail Model 1895 Trainset
63 Spaceheads - Black Mirror
62 Push Kings - Pop Phenomenon
61 Superchunk - Slack Motherfucker
60 Brian Woodbury's Popular Music Group - I Burn The Flag
59 Yo La Tengo - Moby Octopad
58 Five Style - Deep Marsh
57 Austin Lounge Lizards - Brain Damage
56 Wilco - Someday Soon
55 Robert Wyatt - Blues In Bob Minor
54 Adam Elk - Hay
53 Meredith Miller - Dreams About You And Elvis
52 The Minders - Almost Arms
51 DJ Matsuoka - Samba Nexusia
50 Tortoise - TNT
49 Elliott Smith - Waltz #2 (Xo)
48 Nothing Painted Blue - Epistemophilia
47 Barbara Manning - Patience Is Gone
46 Beta Band - Inner Meet Me
45 Pavement - Cut Your Hair
44 Vehicle Flips - Potomac
43 Yo La Tengo - Speeding Motorcycle
42 Sloan - Underwhelmed
41 Luna - Superfeaky Memories
40 Beulah - If We Can Land a Man on the Moon, Surely I Can Win Your Heart
39 Belle & Sebastian - The Stars Of Track And Field
38 DJ Spooky - Synchronic Disjecta
37 Man Or Astro-man? - Taxidermist Surf
36 Ex + Tom Cora - State Of Shock
35 Gem - Like This
34 The Push Kings - Memphis
33 Cat Power - Say
32 Olivia Tremor Control - A Peculiar Noise Called "Train Director"
31 Slapp Happy - Powerful Stuff
30 Sentridoh - Losercore
29 Neutral Milk Hotel - King Of Carrot Flowers Part 1
28 Son Volt - Ten Second News
27 Ed's Redeeming Qualities - King Of Calypso
26 Amy Rigby - 20 Questions
25 Red Snapper - The Sleepless
24 Kalahari Surfers - Plan for Peace
23 Barbara Manning - Blood Of Feeling
22 Calexico - Stray
21 Old 97's - Victoria
20 Built To Spill - You Were Right
19 Robbie Fulks - Roots Rock Weirdoes
18 (EC) Nudes - O Pastor
17 Telegenic - Guardian Angel
16 Spaceways - Better
15 Wilco - A Shot In The Arm
14 Pavement - Trigger Cut / Wounded-Kite At :17
13 Yo La Tengo - Demons
12 The Beta Band - Round The Bend
11 Bevis Frond - He'd Be a Diamond
10 Nothing Painted Blue - Swivelchair
9 Guv'ner - Break A Promise
8 Sebadoh - Ocean
7 Heavenly - C Is The Heavenly Option
6 Luna - Ihop
5 Mommyheads - Jaded
4 Sloan - Suppose They Close The Door
3 Vehicle Flips - Our Returning Champion
2 Peter Blegvad - King Strut
1 Komeda - It's Alright, Baby
As with the 70s and 80s list, comments and complaints are welcome.
Like the 80s list, this is my own highly subjective list, but it follows the same basic rules (no more than one song per album, and no artist represented more than once in the top 40). I had another informal rule for the 90s list, which is that I allowed myself to include a couple of songs by my own band, but not any of the ones I wrote.
300 Crowded House - Chocolate Cake
299 Dj's Wally & Swingsett - Tell Me Something
298 Blood Oranges - Shady Grove
297 Guv'ner - Love The Lamp
296 Hominy - Sunny Days and Raisinets
295 RAD - Homegirls Cha Cha Network
294 Nine Iron - Girl From 911
293 Pavement - Rattled By The Rush
292 WCKR SPGT - Francis Mitterand
291 Lecture On Nothing - Truckload Of Bibles
290 Kiwi Lip Bomb - What To Wear
289 Public Works - Do you think it's an accident
288 Scrawl - Charles
287 Luna - Smile
286 Carney Hild Kramer - The Ballad Of Florida
285 Pudding & Fruit - Dick Clark's Hair
284 Ed's Redeeming Qualities - Calypso on the Beach
283 No Doubt - Just a Girl
282 Man Or Astro-man? - Destination Venus
281 Solex - Solex All Licketysplit
280 Robert Black - Failing: A Very Difficult Piece for String Bass
279 Extra Glenns - Going to Lubbock
278 Gary Lucas - Lydia, The Tattoed Lady
277 Guv'ner - Baby's Way Cruel
276 Timber - Bad Education
275 Pavement - Stereo
274 Guy Klucevsek - Samba D Hiccup
273 Karl Hendricks Trio - Some Girls Like Cigarettes
272 New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble - Comes Love
271 Liz Phair - 6'1"
270 Elvis Costello - So Like Candy
269 Love Camp 7 - And Sour Old Men
268 Money Mark - Hand In Your Head
267 Squirrels - Vincent Van Gogh
266 To Rococo Rot - Cars
265 Luna - California (All The Way)
264 Mouse On Mars - Albion Rose
263 Bogues - Mahalia Jackson
262 The Philistines Jr. - The Impossible Dream Of The Submarine
261 The Faint - Worked Up So Sexual
260 Radar Bros - Shoveling Sons
259 Morphine - Honey White
258 The Notorious B.I.G. - Hypnotize
257 David Thomas & Two Pale Boys - Planet Of Fools
256 Dieselhed - Tying Flies
255 Blast Off Country Style - Teenage Unicorn
254 Ed's Redeeming Qualities - Lawn Dart
253 Spaceways - Stravinsky & Butch
252 Cornelius - Thank You For The Music
251 Grifters - X-Ray Hip
250 Pere Ubu - Worlds In Collision
249 Orange Peels - I Don't Mind The Rain
248 Coax - Orchestra
247 Soul Coughing - Rolling
246 Port Vale - North By North
245 Suddenly Tammy - Plant Me
244 The Daktaris - Voodoo Soul Stew
243 Uncle Wiggly - Mandible Jackson
242 Planet Log - Your Bra and Star Trek
241 Cruel, Cruel Moon - I Don't Believe In Anything At All.
240 Damon & Naomi - Kinetoscope
239 Freakwater - Little Black Train
238 Only a Mother - Crosslegged And Amazed
237 Giant Step Nyc - Impresions (South Central Mix) - Giant Step NYC
236 Lyle Lovett - Church
235 Everybody's Creepy Neighbor - My Girl Says Yeah Yeah
234 Make-Up - Evidence Is Everywhere
233 My Dad Is Dead - Don't Burn Down The Bridge
232 Dr. Dre - Nuthin' but a "G" Thang
231 Uncle Wiggly - Eleanor's Pizza Party
230 Sea And Cake - The Biz
229 Public Enemy - 911 Is A Joke
228 Uncle Tupelo - No Depression
227 Tracy Bonham - Kisses
226 Defunkt - Salsa Negra
225 Beatnik Termites - Denise, Denise
224 Flop - Anne
223 Helium - Sunday
222 Pere Ubu - Folly Of Youth
221 Spacetime Continuum - The Ring
220 J Church - My Favorite Place
219 Dynamic Soundmakers - On The Run (Chase Theme)
218 Fifth Column - I Love You, But
217 David Byrne - Miss America
216 Cornershop - Brimful Of Asha
215 S. E. Rogie - Nor Weigh Me Lek Dat (Woman To Woman)
214 Richard Thompson - 1952 Vincent Black Lightning
213 Momus - MC Escher
212 Mercury Rev - Goddess On A Hiway
211 Only a Mother - Bucket Of Brains
210 Lunchbox - Up To You
209 Kleenex Girl Wonder - Long Live the Pelican Express Song 2
208 3D Picnic - Sunshine And Cockroaches
207 Radiohead - Creep
206 Cake - Jesus Wrote a Blank Check
205 Amy Rigby - Calling Professor Longhair
204 Curlew - Let's Sit Right Down / The Passing
203 Blue Hearts - Linda Linda
202 Eskimo - No Place
201 Missile Toe - Gloria
200 Sloan - Penpals
199 Eggs - The Government Administrator
198 Prolapse - Deanshanger
197 Richard Bryant - The Waltz Of The Blue Devils
196 Map Of Wyoming - Broken Sky
195 Combustible Edison - Cadillac
194 Death Cab For Cutie - Bend To Squares
193 Cake - Italian Leather Sofa
192 DJ Shadow - High Noon
191 Sleepyhead - Song For The Pied Piper
190 Curlew - As You Said
189 Pinetop Seven - Empty Hands And The Long Walk Home
188 Cannannes - Last 3 Weeks
187 Wimp Factor 14 - Role Model Glue
186 Gary Lucas - Glo-Worm
185 Danny Weizman - The Wet Dog Shakes
184 Ozomatli - Cut Chemist Suite
183 Los Amigos Invisibles - Otra Vez
182 Barbara Manning & Go-Luckys - Life/Luck
181 Linton Kwesi Johnson - Sense Outa Nansense
180 Slack Face - Time
179 Barenaked Ladies - One Week
178 Tindersticks - Travelling Light
177 Old 97's - Jagged
176 Skavoovie and the Epitones - Japanese Robot
175 Vulgar Boatmen - You Don't Love Me Yet
174 Silversun - Lava
173 Tone Dogs - Brave It
172 The C-60s - Virtues Of Concrete
171 Sisterhood Of Convoluted Thinkers - Pablo, Deepsea Aquanatics Mausoleum
170 Mommyheads - Annabelle Ann
169 Rasmus - Mass Hysteria
168 Naked City - Party Girl
167 Happy Family - Big Ass On Fire
166 Peter Blegvad - Just Woke Up
165 Olivia Tremor Control - The Opera House
164 Man or Astroman - The Powerful Fully Transistorized Dick Tracy Wrist Watch
163 Girl Trouble - Sister Mary Motorcycle
162 The Revelers - Detroit Bridge
161 Bevis Frond - Can't Stop Lyin'
160 Luna - Sideshow By The Seashore
159 Marah - Rain Delay
158 S.F. Seals - S.F. Sorrow
157 Sea And Cake - The Argument
156 Pavement - You Are A Light
155 Damien Jurado - Trampoline
154 Yo La Tengo - Be Thankful For What You Got
153 Neko Case & Her Boyfriends - Timber
152 Sparklehorse - Hundreds of Sparrows
151 Archer Prewitt - You Walk By
150 Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
149 Meg Hentges - This Kind Of Love Is
148 Vehicle Flips - Impressed Beyond Belief
147 Schramms - What I Knew Today
146 Marine Research - At The Lost And Found
145 Planet Log - Ooh, I Like Your Shoes
144 Mark (Capozzi Park) - Ash
143 Calexico - Wash
142 Flop - A Fixed Point
141 Apples In Stereo - Seems So
140 Archer Prewitt - White Sky
139 Nothing Painted Blue - Niacin
138 Mephiskapheles - Attack Of The Geniuses
137 A.T.S. - Blanche
136 Stuart Moxham - I Wonder Why
135 Framework - Twilights/Walking The Dogma
134 Zuzu's Petals - Cinderella's Daydream
133 Jean Caffeine - Hard Work and A Lot of Hairspray
132 Material - E-Pluribus-Unum
131 that dog - He's Kissing Christian
130 Unrest - Isabel
129 Radiohead - Karma Police
128 Bill Fox - Down To Babylon
127 Very Pleasant Neighbor - Boyfriend in France
126 Sonic Youth - Kool Thing
125 Those Bastard Souls - The Last Thing I Ever Wanted Was To Show Up and Blow Your Mind
124 Vehicle Flips - Diplomacy, Home and Abroad
123 Gilberto Gil & Caetano Veloso - Wait Until Tomorrow
122 Fugazi - Waiting Room
121 Ne Zhdali - Bossa 2000 Turbo
120 Fatboy Slim - Praise You
119 Add N To (X) - Skills
118 Apples In Stereo - Lucky Charm
117 The Minders - Hooray For Tuesday
116 Kamikaze Ground Grew - Diamonds Are Just Glass
115 Sex Clark Five - States Rights
114 Charlie Chesterman And The Legendary Motorbikes - Bread & Butter
113 Richard Davies - Main Street Electrical Parade
112 Pansy Division - Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond Of Each Other
111 The Orb - Little Fluffy Clouds
110 Push Kings - Lonely Times
109 Sahara Hotnights - Oh Darling!
108 Uncle Wiggly - Morphine & Ice Cream
107 Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
106 Sebadoh - The Freed Pig
105 Sean Lennon - Photosynthesis
104 Guided By Voices - Teenage FBI
103 Blur - Song 2
102 Incredible Force Of Junior - Sweet And Sour
101 S.F. Seals - Back Again
100 Robert Wyatt - Shrinkrap
99 Jurassic 5 - Lesson 6: The Lecture
98 Green Day - Basket Case
97 Matt Keating - Killjoy
96 Purple Penguin - Intro. Opening Question
95 Gary Lucas - Jericho
94 Andy Breckman - Don't Get Killed
93 Spot 1019 - Nothing But Good Things
92 Barbara Manning - Straw Man
91 Luscious Jackson - Don't Look Back
90 Farmers - Mars
89 Vehicle Flips - Expendable You
88 Sloan - The N.S.
87 Arrested Development - The Revolution Broadcst Live On 'da Airwaves
86 Bongwater - Folk Song
85 Chumbawamba - Cartrouble
84 The Hang Ups - Pretty BA
83 Bats - Dancing As The Boat Goes Down
82 Dauerfisch - Ride My Bike
81 Fridge - Ark
80 Sloan - Everything You've Done Wrong
79 Peace Orchestra - The Man Part 1
78 Chumbawamba - Look! No Strings!
77 Five Style - Mythical Numbers
76 Wimp Factor 14 - Botch
75 Revelers - Six Days (To Sunday)
74 Ben Folds - Underground
73 Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Very Rare
72 Tullycraft - Pop Songs Your New Boyfriend's Too Stupid To Know About
71 Mountain Goats - Golden Boy Peanuts
70 Paleface - Burn And Rob
69 Two Lone Swordsmen - The Big Clapper
68 Those Bastard Souls - The Top Ten Zen Offenders
67 Vehicle Flips - Graduation Party
66 Barbara Manning - My 1st Gun
65 Soul Coughing - Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago
64 The Lonesome Organist - King Of The Rail Model 1895 Trainset
63 Spaceheads - Black Mirror
62 Push Kings - Pop Phenomenon
61 Superchunk - Slack Motherfucker
60 Brian Woodbury's Popular Music Group - I Burn The Flag
59 Yo La Tengo - Moby Octopad
58 Five Style - Deep Marsh
57 Austin Lounge Lizards - Brain Damage
56 Wilco - Someday Soon
55 Robert Wyatt - Blues In Bob Minor
54 Adam Elk - Hay
53 Meredith Miller - Dreams About You And Elvis
52 The Minders - Almost Arms
51 DJ Matsuoka - Samba Nexusia
50 Tortoise - TNT
49 Elliott Smith - Waltz #2 (Xo)
48 Nothing Painted Blue - Epistemophilia
47 Barbara Manning - Patience Is Gone
46 Beta Band - Inner Meet Me
45 Pavement - Cut Your Hair
44 Vehicle Flips - Potomac
43 Yo La Tengo - Speeding Motorcycle
42 Sloan - Underwhelmed
41 Luna - Superfeaky Memories
40 Beulah - If We Can Land a Man on the Moon, Surely I Can Win Your Heart
39 Belle & Sebastian - The Stars Of Track And Field
38 DJ Spooky - Synchronic Disjecta
37 Man Or Astro-man? - Taxidermist Surf
36 Ex + Tom Cora - State Of Shock
35 Gem - Like This
34 The Push Kings - Memphis
33 Cat Power - Say
32 Olivia Tremor Control - A Peculiar Noise Called "Train Director"
31 Slapp Happy - Powerful Stuff
30 Sentridoh - Losercore
29 Neutral Milk Hotel - King Of Carrot Flowers Part 1
28 Son Volt - Ten Second News
27 Ed's Redeeming Qualities - King Of Calypso
26 Amy Rigby - 20 Questions
25 Red Snapper - The Sleepless
24 Kalahari Surfers - Plan for Peace
23 Barbara Manning - Blood Of Feeling
22 Calexico - Stray
21 Old 97's - Victoria
20 Built To Spill - You Were Right
19 Robbie Fulks - Roots Rock Weirdoes
18 (EC) Nudes - O Pastor
17 Telegenic - Guardian Angel
16 Spaceways - Better
15 Wilco - A Shot In The Arm
14 Pavement - Trigger Cut / Wounded-Kite At :17
13 Yo La Tengo - Demons
12 The Beta Band - Round The Bend
11 Bevis Frond - He'd Be a Diamond
10 Nothing Painted Blue - Swivelchair
9 Guv'ner - Break A Promise
8 Sebadoh - Ocean
7 Heavenly - C Is The Heavenly Option
6 Luna - Ihop
5 Mommyheads - Jaded
4 Sloan - Suppose They Close The Door
3 Vehicle Flips - Our Returning Champion
2 Peter Blegvad - King Strut
1 Komeda - It's Alright, Baby
As with the 70s and 80s list, comments and complaints are welcome.
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