Klap4music's Top 30 Songs Of '09
It?s a nearly impossible feat to choose thirty songs over so
many awesome albums, especially in
year as good as 2009 was. But after a few months of fine-
tuning and multiple switches, below
are my top songs of the year. A few notes: I made it a rule to
only allow one song per artist,
and I?m definitely not spoiling my best-of-albums list, as only
twelve of those albums are
represented here. Comments/thoughts/replacements
encouraged! |
| 1 |  | Phoenix
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
"Rome" - People's favorite songs are the ones that always speak to them, the kind of songs that recall a
particular moment or emotion so perfectly it becomes nearly impossible to dissociate the song from
the
feeling. "Rome" is that kind of song, except for me it symbolized the entire past summer and the
rollercoaster of a ride it was. Thomas Mars' metaphor of the collapse of Rome for a broken relationship
is
heartrending, and the track's climax is absolutely stunning, a waterfall of sparkling guitars that My
Bloody
Valentine would be proud of. |
| 2 |  | Manchester Orchestra
Mean Everything To Nothing
"I Can Feel A Hot One" - A heartbreaking song of loss and redemption narrated in cracked vocals that
practically drip with regret, it's the highlight of a great album. Whether it's the poignant melody or the
climactic buildup, this is a meticulously crafted song that is impossible not to feel for. |
| 3 |  | Florence and the Machine
Lungs
"Between Two Lungs" - Perhaps no track showcases Florence Welch's powerful, versatile voice any
better
than this one, where the tastefully slow burn of the first few minutes rewards the listener with a
triumphantly dynamite ending. |
| 4 | | Yeah Yeah Yeahs
It's Blitz!
"Hysteric" - It's hard to write a seriously good love song that isn't hopelessly sappy, but the Yeah Yeah
Yeahs one-up "Maps" with "Hysteric," a shimmery, hypnotic ode so direct it's impossible not to
empathize. |
| 5 |  | Miley Cyrus
The Time of our Lives
"Party in the U.S.A." - The pop song of the year announced itself via a scandalous video and a worthless
record, but it's relentless hook and jovial chorus is guaranteed to start a sing-a-long no matter where
you
are, and that universality is what makes a good pop song classic. Plus the Notorious B.I.G. remix rules. |
| 6 |  | Cymbals Eat Guitars
Why There Are Mountains
"Wind Phoenix (Proper Name)" - The quintessential indie rock tune, nonsense lyrics filling a fantastic
multifaceted melody and leading to a furious buildup. The biggest grower on this list. |
| 7 |  | Neko Case
Middle Cyclone
"This Tornado Loves You" - No song here paints a sonic picture better than this opening track off
[i]Middle
Cyclone[/i], a swirling dervish of guitars and shuffling drums framing Case's whirlwind of a voice and
clever
metaphors. |
| 8 |  | Regina Spektor
Far
"Human of the Year" - Tough to choose one song amidst so many great ones, but "Human of the Year"
stands out for its epic choruses and the magnificent, grandiose buildup in the bridge that might be
Regina?s
best moment yet. |
| 9 |  | Camera Obscura
My Maudlin Career
"French Navy" - Another year, another flawless Camera Obscura song. Tracyanne Campbell has never
sounded more confident, and the band has never sounded more buoyant. |
| 10 |  | The Decemberists
The Hazards of Love
"The Wanting Comes in Waves / Repaid" - The most fully formed song on the Decemberists' epic rock
opera and also the ultimate microcosm of what they were trying to accomplish. |
| 11 |  | Animal Collective
Merriweather Post Pavilion
"Summertime Clothes" - Maybe the only Animal Collective song I can honestly say I love. Can't decide
whether it was the reverb-drenched hooks or the simple, affecting lyrics, though. |
| 12 | | Annie
Don't Stop
"Heaven and Hell" - A fitting summation to a near-perfect electro-pop record. |
| 13 |  | Japandroids
Post-Nothing
"Wet Hair" - Balls-out twenty-something love and lust all tightly wound into a poorly mixed guitar
frenzy
that doesn't give a shit what anyone else thinks about it. |
| 14 |  | Passion Pit
Manners
"Make Light" - Tough to choose just what Passion Pit song deserved to be on here, but I'm going to go
with this opener, which has a chorus that's nearly impossible not to air-drum along with. |
| 15 |  | Metric
Fantasies
"Gimme Sympathy" - The kind of hook that doesn't quit, and the kind of song that I'm going to
remember
listening to driving around the summer years later. |
| 16 |  | MSTRKRFT
Fist of God
"Bounce ft. N.O.R.E. & Isis" - "All I do is party, ha ha ha / so bounce low, bounce low / bounce high,
bounce high." Song does what it promises. |
| 17 | | Lily Allen
It's Not Me, It's You
"Chinese" - A gentle declaration of long-distance love that is all the more shocking and beautiful
coming
after all the sly kiss-offs and rants that precede it. |
| 18 |  | Brendan Benson
My Old, Familiar Friend
"A Whole Lot Better" - If Benson could ever find his way onto the radio, songs like this power-pop
masterpiece would make him a millionaire overnight. |
| 19 |  | Wilco
Wilco (The Album)
"Bull Black Nova" - "Via Chicago 2.0" reminds everyone who listened to Wilco's latest that they?re still
dark,
twisted murderers at heart. |
| 20 | | The Fiery Furnaces
I'm Going Away
"Drive to Dallas" - A typical breakup song, until the wildly ridiculous guitar solo flies in and obscures
everything in a blaze of feedback . . . twice! |
| 21 |  | Major Lazer
Guns Dont Kill People... Lazers Do
"Hold The Line ft. Mr. Lex & Santigold" - Spaghetti westerns, surf-rock guitar, Jamaican dancehall, and
killer cyborgs sure make for an interesting combination. |
| 22 |  | Miike Snow
Miike Snow
"Black & Blue" - The dirtiest synths this side of Ibiza. |
| 23 |  | fun.
Aim and Ignite
"Walking The Dog" - I'm not quite sure what raised this above all the other superb power pop songs on
fun.'s debut, but this was the first song to really connect with me, and the touching bridge sealed the
deal. |
| 24 |  | Wale
Attention Deficit
"90210" - Wale outdoes Kanye on this typical socialite-addicted-to-society cautionary tale. |
| 25 |  | The Raveonettes
In and Out of Control
"Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed)" - The title says it all, but it's the fuzzy guitar solo that
makes
this song. |
| 26 |  | Weezer
Raditude
"(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To" - For three-and-a-half minutes, I thought
Weezer
had just made a serious comeback. They hadn't, but this was easily their best single in years. |
| 27 |  | Kelly Clarkson
All I Ever Wanted
"My Life Would Suck Without You" - The best kind of pop songs are always the ones that need to be
turned
up to 11 for maximum fist-pumping glory. |
| 28 |  | Grizzly Bear
Veckatimest
"Two Weeks" - Veckatimest was disappointing, but this song's perfect harmonies and rollicking drum
work
almost made up for it. |
| 29 |  | David Guetta
One Love
"Sexy Bitch ft. Akon" - The club jam of the year, awesome not only for its pulsating beat but also for the
blatantly misogynistic lyrics. |
| 30 |  | Mos Def
The Ecstatic
"Casa Bey" - Effortless flow and a typically understated beat close out Def's latest album in vintage style. |
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