IF YOU JUST WANT THE MIX, GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST AND CLICK THE DOWNLOAD LINK. THIS POST IS LONG AS CRAP.
Before you download this let me give you a few caveats.
1. I don't listen to the radio or anything on the top 40. So there's no Adele, I hate Katy Perry, and I don't really like Gaga or Bruno Mars or Gym Class Heroes or any of that stuff. I'm not saying they're bad or untalented or overproduced or corporate ear candy, I'm just saying they're not what I'm into generally.
2. I don't listen to much hip-hop. So since I don't try to experience the gamut of hip-hop, I hesitate to comment on it by picking the best hip-hop of the year. So while the Kanye/Jay-Z album should probably be represented, I feel it better to just not show my ignorance.
3. This is my favorite music. This is what I like. I know you're not going to like it all. Or agree with my list. I don't want you to. I want you to be you. Because if you were another me, I would have to destroy you and absorb your powers like in that crappy movie The One starring Jet Li.
4. I have listened to literally thousands of songs released this year. 2433 if you want to be exact and look at the bottom of my iTunes. So while I may not be listening to the songs you like, I am surveying a giant portion of music to whittle it down to a mere 50.
5. Also, I'm not including multiple songs from an artist even though they deserve to be up here. In many cases, you should just check out that whole album.
5. One of my greatest secrets to finding great music is TYSON SCHENK. Click on his name and go to his blog. He puts up a blogmail mix every month. I would say at least 40 percent of the music on here was given to me by him or we were listening to at the same time.
Now I hope you find at least one song you like on here. Tracking down the links was too hard so I'm just going to leave you a link to download the whole mix. That means you're getting the whole sham bang but there's some rocking stuff, some danceable stuff and some just depressing beautiful indie gems.
I really wanted to have 50 best songs so I put down some of my favorite covers of the year as well. Enjoy.
MY FAVORITE MUSIC OF 2011
(in no particular order except countdowns look more exciting)
50. I Want You - Summer Camp
This was the feel bad jam of the summer. A totally tongue in cheek stalker song about a girl who wants to love a guy so bad she'll hurt him if she gets her mitts on him. One of Val's favorites. (She's very dark inside.)
49. East Harlem - Beirut
Could be my favorite song of the year. It's competing hardcore with another song on this list. The whole album is great. Buy or steal it.
48. Midnight City - M83
Their last album put them on my radar and made me stoked to hear some sophmore efforts. This song doesn't disappoint. The soft vibe of the lyrics against the space sound synthesizer is rad.
47. Truth - Alexander
If you didn't hear Alexander's other project Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, you missed the best song of the year. I love this song as well for different reasons. I have a music video in my head for it. It involves a man in a bunny costume and samurai swords.
46. Hold On - Alabama Shakes
A late addition to the mix but it gets me moving. And I hate not moving.
45. Tigers - Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
It's fricking Stephen Malkmus! Pavement! The Jicks! And a killer new album. Find your 90s roots.
44. Sleep Tight - Rollerskaters
I love their band name. I love this song. Tyson Schenk certified.
43. Blue Jeans - Lana Del Rey
If you're an indie music snob like me, then you couldn't help see this lady blow up everywhere on every indie blog. She released like 3 or 5 singles and this one is my favorite. Also a Valerie pick.
42. I Can't Make You Love Me(Bonnie Raitt Cover) - Bon Iver
I told you. I've got some covers on here. Because I flip-flappin' love well done covers. I love me some Bon Iver and I adore this cover. I'm already courting it to be my second wife.
41. How Can U Luv Me? - Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Tyson was hot on this band as soon as they dropped on Bandcamp. I heard it on Sirius XMU months and months later. Good call, Tyson. This is one man band awesomeness.
40. Old Flames - Jeremy Lee Givens
Another Tyson recommend to me. Never heard of him but he has this sort of 50s throwback/David Bowie/minimalist 90s jangle pop thing going and I like how it feels in my bones.
39. Hey Friend - Jeff the Brotherhood
The beginning of this song will throw you. Ride it out for about two minutes and then it descends into this post-Weezer heartfelt jam about a boy who just wants to be part of his friend's family. Deceivingly good.
38. Wilhelms Scream - James Blake
This song has me gripped in a sonic vise. It haunts me, saddens me, speaks to that depression that lives in deep pools somewhere down there. It's like finding someone who says, "Hey, let's hurt together."
37. I'm His Girl - Friends
I'm into beats this year. I got beats in my bones. And I like to dance. And I like to dance to this song.
36. The Scientist(Coldplay Cover) - Willie Nelson
Another cover. Coldplay is that band that my indie douchebag side likes to like ironically. But I love this song. And I love Willie Nelson putting it through the ol voicebox.
35. Polish Girl - Neon Indian
This was on everybody's list. Neon Indian is easily the best of the whole Chill Wave movement and this song is a flag saying, "Yeah, Chill Wave sucked but we're still here and we deserve to be."
34. Don't Try and Hide It - The Dodos
This band is like Spoon. All the songs kind of sound the same but I just can't get enough of them. The new album is good and this is my favorite song off of it.
33. Gangsta - tUnE-yarDs
Let's give it up for one man bands. And by one man, I mean one woman. You either love or hate her. But her mad music and looping skills are rad, bad, mad.
32. Can't Keep Johnny Down - They Might Be Giants
It's THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS. 'Nuff said.
31. Wildfire - SBTRKT
Unknownst to me. Hype Machine was all about him and this song is like maple syrup to your ear pancakes. (Shut up, I'm writing a lot of these. They can't all be good.)
30. Tamer Animals - Other Lives
My favorite song off this album. It makes me want to drive through Manhattan at 3 in the morning in a slushy snowstorm.
29. Getaway - Kent Odessa
Sometimes Tyson finds crap I never come across in my blogosphere searches. This Kent Odessa guy is one of them. This song makes me super happy. I'm putting into a pocket for a springtime drive to the Hamptons.
28. Nothing's The Matter - fthrsn (pronounced fatherson)
And then there's stuff I bet Tyson never runs across, too. This is one of them. This sort of crooning songster under some Nine Inch Nails heavy beats and funtime keyboards was a random find.
27. Ode to Janice Melt - Army Navy
The happiest song of the year? Could be. Pop heaven? Definitely. How can you not bounce your head from shoulder to shoulder? You can't help it. This song will control your neck.
26. I'm Losing Myself - Robin Pecknold
And I will follow that by one of the saddest songs of the year. It's a Fleet Foxes/Grizzly Bear team-up. How the crap can you not want that? It's beautiful and haunting. A dead girl of a song wandering the Irish moors.
25. Halfway - Milagres
This is one that just sort of blindsided me. I had it for a while and then one day just listened and loved it. I'm really into this 'crooner rock' as I keep calling it.
24. Wintersong - Blake Mills
Yep. I love this guy. And whatever girl finished up this song with a duet. One day, my friend Jon will finally introduce us so I can slap this dude some serious fives.
23. Tell Her No - Tennis
Just keep loving Tennis despite the ungooglable nature of their name.
22. The Suburbs (Arcade Fire Cover) - Little Jeans
I wanted to tell Tyson about this song as soon as I heard it and then he was already putting it on his blogmail mix. Go figure.
21. I Follow Rivers - Lykke Li
How can a song sound upbeat and downbeat at the same time? Oh wait. That totally describes the last decade of music. Maybe two. But I like it.
20. Money - The Drums
It's like the anthem for all starving students in love.
19. Jesus Fever - Kurt Vile
Another one on everybody's Best of List. It's just good, okay? I even listened to an interview with Tom Waits where they asked him if he liked Kurt Vile.
18. Revival - Deerhunter
The lead singer of Deerhunter is a big weirdo. Like he puts the woah in weirdo weird. But I will eat his music with a spoon.
17. After the Moment - Craft Spells
Don't know them. Never heard another song. Just like them. Summer breezy easy.
16. Calgary - Bon Iver
The new album is either good or great depending who you talk to. Still my favorite song off of it despite everyone's heavy leanings toward Michicant or Wash.
15. Would You Say Stop? - Acid House Kings
Have you never heard these guys?! Have you ever been happy?! Nothing much like these Swedes.
14. Lion's Share - Albatross
You're going to love this or curse me. I'm just into this guy's voice and the weird song patterns.
13. Cults - Abducted
This also might be my favorite song of the year.
12. Lotus Flower - Radiohead
Probably my least favorite Radiohead album but still that's a million times better than Katy Perry's best album.
11. Come On Come On - Oregon Bike Trails
I adore these guys. If they come to Brooklyn (if they're not already from here) they can stay on my couch. They can bounce my baby. They can watch my seasons of Community.
10. Africa (Toto Cover) - Low
This may be my favorite song of the year as well. That's right, original song writers. A cover might rule them all!
9. Grown Ocean - Fleet Foxes
This album is my favorite album of the year. I played it until I have Robin Pecknold's voice in my head forever like a radio station centered in my medulla oblangata.
8. Tom Tom - The Hundred in the Hands
Another Valerie pick. She was singing this the other day and I forgot how good this song was.
7. When My Time Comes - Dawes
Lyrics from this gem have been stuck in my head for months. Clever, beautiful, and paced impeccably. I'm a big fan. I'm a giant solar windmill for this song.
6. Land Majestic - Anni Rossi
Anni Rossi plays a violin/fiddle thing. She plucks it for your enjoyment. It's happy. Fun. It'll make a smile creep through your face muscles.
5. I Walked (Sufjan Stevens cover) - Fol Chen
Yep. I love Sufjan. And I love covers. And I adore this one by the clever and talented Fol Chen. Check out Sufjan's music and Fol Chen's song "Cable TV".
4. Nightlight - Little Dragon
What if Michael Jackson and Jamiroquai had a baby? Well, its cry would sound like this. One foot steppin jam machine.
3. I Want a House - Twin Sister
Another Chill Wave contender. They made it. And this song is wonderful von vunderful. Though I thought the lyric was "I want a house made of old ROOMS" which set my mind racing. But it's 'old WOOD'.
2. Skeletons - Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
Another of the punnier names this year for bands. This song has stayed with me all year. I love the lyrics.
1. America's Son - Air Review
My actual number one song of the year. Why do you like something more than other things? Who knows? I just do. I can't change that neural pathway. This song could be about me. It could be about you. You could think it sucks. I could think you do.
Download Mix Here:
JAMES'S MOST FAV MUSIC OF 2011 LINK
