Top 30 Tunes of 2012

My Top 30 Tunes of 2012

As I mentioned in one of my award posts, music is a close second to movies as my favorite thing. This year I decided to compile my Top 30 or so tunes, based on iTunes’ play count. Since January 1, 2012, I’ve given all of the following songs more than 30 plays, and in some cases, more than 50. There were a few surprises…I like a good hook I guess. So sue me…

These are in no particular order. Click through to listen, or maybe even download legally and for free! Yep, I hate YouTube ads too, but someone’s got to pay for all this.

• “Tongue Tied” — Grouplove Probably my favorite song of the year.
• “Video Games” and “Born to Die” — Lana Del Rey Exact same number of plays. Even before i saw this clip for The Smiths/Lana mashup “This Charming Video Game,” her vocal style reminded me of Morrissey.
• “At Home” – Crystal Fighters It’s just awesome. 
• “To Win Your Love” – Dominique Pruitt Winner of the 2012 “Every Breath You Take” Stalker Award. Sample lyric: “I know you don’t realize / How much you love me too / So open up your eyes and see that / You’ll be mine before I’m through.” This one was a late entry, I think I first heard it in September or October, but it’s just as much of an earworm as “Call Me Maybe” or “At Home.” And it is not country. It’s Americana. I swear.

• “Punching in a Dream” and “Girls Like You” – The Naked and Famous They’re from New Zealand, these songs are approximately two years old, and they rock.
• “Let’s Go” – Matt & Kim Perfect for a Monday or a Friday.
• “Midnight City” – M83 Pure bliss
• “Lights” (Bassnectar Remix) – Ellie Goulding I’ve been a fan of Goulding’s for a year or so, on account of she was on some chat show with Tom Hardy.
• “Hold On” – Alabama Shakes  Actually I highly recommend the whole album this comes from, it’s called Boys & Girls, and if you like ’60s soul, it’s a must. $7.99 on iTunes until Jan. 7. No one is paying me to say that.
• “Loca People (What the F*ck)” – Sak Noel What can I say…it’s good to work out to. And who among us hasn’t wondered about their fellow human beings?

• “I’m Always In Love” – Wilco Yes, this little slice of pop heaven came out in 1999 on the album Summerteeth, but I never appreciated it properly until this year. It sounds just as fresh.
• “Madness” – Muse The only Muse song I like. It’s sort of operatic, like a lost Queen track.
• “Come Home” – CHAPPO I’m not yelling, that’s how they write it. This song is actually 2 years old and it’s like the first day of spring.
• “Most Wanted” “Go Outside” “You Know What I Mean” – Cults This band does sweet finger-snapping Sixties bubblegum pop with a darker undertone via the lyrics and minor chords.

http://vimeo.com/9658516

• “Little Secrets” – Passion Pit I’m still not sure what it’s really about but it is a little mood-elevating wonder.
• “Myth” – Beach House If you can’t mellow out to Beach House, you may have a serious problem. The whole album, Bloom, reminds me of Grey Gardens (the original film) for some reason.
• “Crazy Crazy” — Guinevere This one has the perfect BPM for a power walk warmup. Especially with the, um, crazy remix.
• “Where The Kids Are” – Blondfire From the band formerly known as Astaire, a “little anthem reminding everyone that youth is fleeting. You have to live it up to the fullest and enjoy life before it passes you by.”
• “Call Me Maybe” – Carly Rae Jepsen  It’s good to work out to. Don’t hate, appreciate the Carly Rae/Jimmy Fallon/Roots version and the super-sweet remixes and mashups.
• “I Will Wait” – Mumford & Sons So much emotions. It’s like The Pogues sobered up and found true love. They have some nice typography on their site too. Just saying.
  
• “Skyfall” – Adele This is a welcome throwback for the Bond series and great to sing along to.

• “Everybody Talks” – Neon Trees Seriously, this will drill itself into your brain. All you can do is submit. Another Morrissey-influenced act. Great video as well.
• “Simple Song” – The Shins This song starts slowly but it builds into a sweet little hook. “Remember walking a mile to your house / A glow in the dark…”
• “I Want Your Love” – Chromatics I can’t describe it. I just love it.
• “Marooned (Lassi Remix)” – Adventure Galley Peppy little rock tune remixed into something else; I love both. Their 2010 EP The Right Place To Be is good too.
• “Deadlights” – Myths Another song I can’t really describe accurately. Check out this remix of another of their tracks, “Horizon.”

Most listened-to albums
Coexist – The xx If you want some cheap thrills, watch a silent movie and put this on in the background. Just try it.
Days – Real Estate
Boys & Girls – Alabama Shakes
Star of Love – Crystal Fighters
Passive Me, Aggressive You – The Naked and Famous
Cults – Cults

I know I missed some other good music this year…what were your favorites?