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In case you haven’t heard, the album is dead. Not the CD, that poor thing died ages ago. But the album as a format. Apparently listening to a sequence of songs in the order designated by the artist doesn’t happen anymore. In fact, digital downloads have made purchasing more than one song from a single album passé, like standing up at a dinner table when a woman leaves. Or so “They” say. I won’t pretend that many listeners haven’t abandoned the album as a format thanks to digital retail. Yet, I’d hardly say that’s the consensus based on the music fans I know and the audiences I see at shows, both in arenas and in dingy clubs. The album is alive and well.
So why am I celebrating the album when we’re here for a list of 2009’s best songs? Well, because this was a year that saw some great songwriting. The songs on this list stand alone based solely on their instant aural pleasure and on a technical level. (I’m looking at you, “Stillness Is the Move”.) But put in the context of an album, these songs take on a new life. Do they continue a literal story, as with The Decemberists’ work, or do they show another aspect of the artist’s talent, as with Animal Collective? Or are they just another song in a series of awesome tunes, like Passion Pit’s entries? Pulled out of context, these songs are all kinds of awesome, but it’s a different awesome than the one found on record. And people aren’t only concerned with the singles pushed to them through TV, radio, or even iPod ads.
Think about it this way: When you saw the video for “Summertime Clothes”, was it the first time you heard the song? Or had you heard it when it was released six months earlier or leaked last year and the music community collectively got in the fetal position because their mortal bodies couldn’t handle the power of Panda Bear? I’m guessing the song wasn’t new to you and you watched the clip on Youtube, not TRL.
While we end this decade and begin the next, we can probably look forward to the concept of singles as a primary marketing tool to die and for quality songs to be given their due. When Grizzly Bear can land a top 10 album on the Billboard charts, it’s fair to say that people are finding the music they want without the ancient PR push of the 1990s. The need for a hit single won’t be as high as it once was and you’ll have artists like Andrew Bird releasing a song such as “Anonanimal” as a single because he can, not because he has to, and ultimately he’ll score the most successful record of his career. This year, he did both of those things… and all without a Timbaland collaboration.
We’re nine years past Kid A, which more than one critic has deemed the last true Album with a capital A. (Pun not intended, though fully welcome.) That album had no conventional singles, but when I saw the band play last year, people sure as hell knew the opening beeps of “Idioteque”. And just as many knew the opening notes of “Jigsaw Falling Into Place”. Forget the album; the next decade will be all about how we view the song and its place in an artist’s repertoire. At least until Radiohead or Animal Collective decide to redefine how we define a “song” and take us into a musical world that would confuse even John Cage. But we’ll cross that avant-garde bridge when we get to it.
-Anthony Balderrama, CoS Senior Staff Writer
50-26
25-1
Note: We’ve included streams for each of our 50 choices. But, there’s a catch — you’ll have to register at Lala. Don’t fret, it only takes 20 seconds. Then, the rest is on us.
TAGGED AS: The Top 50 Songs of 2009, Top 50 Songs of 2009, Year-End Report 2009
comments (11)
i love how, even through all the lists, people are always making references toward Kid A or some other radiohead album. i see this a testament that, love them or hate them, these guys are doing something right. because, obviously, they are good enough to use as reference toward whatever political or atrtistic direction progressive rock may or may not be heading. if you’ve ever seen them live, you know they are about artistic integrity, and that is proven further by every “best of’ list that makes reference to them. i am so glad they heading back to the studio in january!!!
“Let’s be real for a second. Who the hell listened to Strawberry Jam and actually enjoyed the music? Okay, so four out of ten.”
The first half of that album is amazing, and I’m really sick of people being like, Animal Collective came out of NOWHERE, their music now is so different than before. It’s not. At all. “Fireworks” is still the best song they’ve ever written.
Outside of my little rant on Animal Collective, I think this is the best list I’ve seen by any website or publication all year for album lists or song lists. The only qualm I have about this list is the fact that “Crying Lightning” by Arctic Monkeys was not on it. But no worries, no one else seemed to have it anywhere either.
Nice work.
Muse was underrated until they appeared on Guitar Hero. Now, given how terrible their newest album is, they are extremely OVERRATED. Crazy how quickly that happened.
I am a fan of the the traditional album format, and it would really pain me for it to die. I mean singles are fun, but I would not enjoy music if artists randomly released individual songs every once in awhile as a means of promoting music. I prefer for the singles to promote the album so I can have an incentive to buy that wonderful collection of 12 songs. That being said, I am more than welcome to any change that would kill the stranglehold that record companies have had over the artists and the music-buying public that they have abused all too well post-Kurt Cobain. On another note, you didn’t put Muse’s Uprising on your list, 13 weeks at #1 on the Alternative Charts, really good song, very underrated band state-side, you know what I’m sayin’…
Good list. Phoenix put out some damn good music this year, but how on Earth did you miss the song Curse Your Branches by David Bazan, anything off Mandala by Rx Bandits, anything from Ursa Major by Third Eye Blind, or Circles by Thrice?
Also, you need to get hip to a band called Toe. They’re from Japan, and their new record For Long Tomorrow is absolutely stunning. You’d be doing yourselves a disservice by not checking it out.Nice job. Maybe would have switched “Sleepyhead” with “Moth Wings,” though.
Drunk, White Kids in College Killed the Music Industry December 22, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Kudos to you for not falling into the “one song per band near the top of the list” trap.
I feel like you picked the wrong Little Boots song (“Remedy” is tops), but I’m glad you chose one at all.
Circle of Light — Almighty Defenders — Best of ‘09
i actually heard ain’t no rest for the wicked 2 years ago so that wouldn’t work in my estimation. i like that meddle was placed so high. i would have picked a couple different songs for some of the artists like gunman instead of new fang or get me some instead of if you’re wondering if i want you maybe even bad romance over pokerface. fun list though i’m enjoying all the end of year and decade lists
All I can say is fantastic list, great job. This list really encompasses the “best” pop, indie, alt, rap, and rock music of 2009.
All The King’s Men, Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked, Bourgeois Shangri-La, Day N’ Night, Cavemen, and either “Good Ol’ Fashioned Nightmare” or” Daylight” are my complaints…and “King Rat” if that technically counts.
Loved the upper half of the list thought, couple questions in the bottom. Loved the respect being given to The Hazards of Love and the Dead Weather choice.
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