Artwork by the talented and generous Adam Sarpalius.
The final list is here. We have been working on this Absolute (sarcasm) Best Songs of 2009 list all year, updating it at the end of every quarter. I was only going to have PMA’s Top 50 of the year listen, but I couldn’t narrow it down beyond the top 75. This list will represent and acknowledge some of the artists I felt had to be left out of our Best Albums of 2009 list.
As always, I upheld only one rule while making this list: a song cannot be on this list, unless it was released as a single. As a reminder, here is my definition of the word “single” — 1) A song that has been given away for free to promote an upcoming album (known as a promotional single). 2) A song that has been played on TV or the radio (two of the largest mediums of discovering new music). 3) A song with its own music video and/or EP. 4) Loophole: an album-track that has attracted enormous amounts of attention that it’s become that artist’s “calling card” of sorts.
I want to thank everyone who takes the time to leave a comment, even if its obvious that you came here through Google (PMA pops up when you google “Best Songs of 2009″). As always, don’t be shy to share your personal favorites of the year. Trust me when I tell you I didn’t go out of my way to list all of your favorite songs of the year, so if you want those songs represented, list them yourselves in the comments. I also want to thank the wonderful contributors this site has for helping me with this list. And finally, Adam Sarpalius, whose work as graced this list since July.
Now, onto the Top 75:
75. Drake – Best I Ever Had
Drake dazzled audiences on a national level this summer with his perfectly sun-kissed and jaunty “Best I Ever Had”, with absolutely no backing from a label. At least that’s how the story goes.
74. jj – Ecstasy
On “Ecstasy” jj samples Lil’ Wayne’s “Lollipop” and drags it through a lethargic yet compelling haze, shifting it’s signature hip hop lilt into something more subversive, yet equally brash in its own manner. -Jason Oberholtzer
73. Sleigh Bells – Crown on the Ground
After a string of energetic shows at this year’s CMJ Marathon, Sleigh Bells were catapulted to the indie blogosphere spotlight, with a handful of demos to prove themselves. All they ever needed was “Crown on the Ground”.
72. Little Dragon – Runabout
Elegant percussion flourishes abound, the bass-line hits that unobtrusive-yet-omnipresent spot all good bass-lines strive for, and Yukimi Nagano’s light-as-a-feather voice repeating “Runabout… runabout the streets…” sounds like a prescription for fun. -Daniel S
71. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Zero
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs came back as strong as ever with “Zero”. They promised us a album that was more dance influenced, so we didn’t know what to expect. They released “Zero” not only calming our nerves, but rocking our bodies, making us want to dance. -Will Oliver
70. Girls – Lust For Life
With a beach-punk attitude, Girls longingly depict the perfect summer scenario, in a starry-eyed, out-of-reach manner that almost convinces you that you too are “crazy and fucked in the head” without a beach house, a boyfriend, and a sun tan.
69. The Sound of Arrows – Into The Clouds
Nothing can stop us if we stick together chant The Sound of Arrows over lush synth-pop that’s sunnier than their American brethren, MGMT. With an emphasis on positivity and staying away from the fast life, “Into The Clouds” just might be the best pick-me-up in 2009.
68. The Decemberists – The Rake’s Song
Like any Decemberists song, “The Rake’s Song” is grossly violent and creepy; but throughout the humble narrator’s recounting his children’s deaths, Colin Meloy never loses an ounce of charm, or our attention for that matter.
67. Matt & Kim – Lessons Learned
The song’s hilariously explicit music video might have overshadowed its merits, but unlike Matt & Kim’s clothes, they are definitely there. “Lessons Learned” follows indie-pop structure fine, but Matt & Kim perform with an honesty and energy that make up for the lack of artistry.
66. Neon Indian – Deadbeat Summer
The perfect summer anthem to just not doing not too much at all, “Deadbeat Summer” has the feeling that it would have just stopped if it weren’t pulled along by those brilliantly pulsating waves of synths. Simultaneously, Neon Indian effortlessly set the benchmark for the inevitable wave of electronic experimentalism. The most lazy of trend-setters. -Phil Gwyn
65. Sunset Rubdown – Idiot Heart
On “Idiot Heart” Sunset Rubdown really hit their groove. “Idiot Heart” has a melody that is instantly memorable, seemingly already familiar on first listen. It’s like meeting an old friend who you don’t really remember – but they’re so cool that of course you were friends! -Chris Barth
64. Neko Case – People Got A Lotta Nerve
It’s hard not to stop what you’re doing and tap your toes to Neko Case’s maneating anthem, when it comes on. This is Neko Case giving her most alt-country accessible performance of her career, claiming new fans left and right.
63. Janelle Monae – Come Alive (The War of the Roses)
I don’t think anyone expected this gritty girl power energy from Janelle Monae after last year’s Neo-Urban oprah, and I’m positive no expected that excruciating high note at the end there. It goes to show that Janelle Monae is one of the post unpredictable artists we’ve come across.
62. Yes Giantess – Tuff ‘n’ Stuff
Boston’s Yes Giantess inject Grade A pop magic into their signature sugary-sweet synthesized love song “Tuff ‘n’ Stuff”. With simple lyrics and a smooth time signature, Yes Giantess have opted to create short-and-sweet pop tunes full of youthful vim and refrain from over-exerting themselves, a lesson a lot of bands should learn.
61. Hockey – Too Fake
As soon as the LCD Soundsystem blips introduce “Too Fake”, your toe is tapping. You might even catch a few James Murphy vocal cues before roaring Strokes-like guitar riffs. But Hockey don’t sound like their New York godfathers, instead they’ve created a jam that will appeal to fans of the DFA-set and the Strokes-set.
60. Washed Out – Feel It All Around
“Feel It All Around” is an appropriate title for a song that sounds like partying all night in a dark, sweaty room and waking up on a beach at dawn next to someone you like, cold sand in your hair. It doesn’t sound like dance music or party music or techno music – it is a sensuous electronic whirlwind, but that isn’t really a genre, is it? -Genevieve Oliver
59. Discovery – Orange Shirt
Discovery is Ra Ra Riot’s Wes Miles and Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij, and instead of churning out lovely orchestral pop, they churn out… jams. “Orange Shirt” is one of these Z100-style club-banger jams, with autotune and fuzzy synth and lyrics like “google yourself when you get home.” Jams of the caliber of “Single Ladies” or “Yeah!”-era Usher, and not just for the indie kids. -Genevieve Oliver
58. Japandroids – Wet Hair
Though I wasn’t listening to many other songs on Japandroid’s Post-Nothing in the beginning, I always had some fascination with “Wet Hair,” which happily prevented me from writing off Post-Nothing as just another loud, albeit fun, album. For those of us who crave strong and heartfelt melody with their noise, “Wet Hair,” really might be the best place to start. -Ricky Schweitzer
57. Röyksopp – The Girl and the Robot (feat. Robyn)
Inspired by the marriage of melody and technology, masters of their craft, Royksopp worked with Scandinavian songstress Robyn on the icy “The Girl and the Robot”. Robyn tells the story of living with a robot; an absent, workaholic lover, with a fiery passion that cuts through the immense electro backdrops presented by Royksopp with one of the biggest hooks I have heard all year.
56. Beach House – Norway
Although it’s unmistakably a Beach House track, “Norway” suggests that they might have built upon their signature languid tone on their Teen Dream. It seems less dreamy than their previous work, and Victoria Legrand’s warm, full-bodied tone gives weight to the track’s heartfelt and picturesque restraint. It is as she sings: “We were sleeping ‘til you came along” – and now, Beach House has woken up. -Elle Hunt
55. Tiesto – Feel It In My Bones (feat. Tegan and Sera)
The collaboration between Tegan and Sara and Dutch trance DJ Tiesto was an unexpected one. On “Feel It In My Bones”, Tegan and Sara are undoubtedly out of their element, but somehow it works, it works surprisingly well. The sisters’ light-as-air vocals float through the waves of Tiesto’s grainy synths, so effortlessly and so skillfully that you begin to wonder if Tegan and Sara have found their true calling.
54. Simian Mobile Disco – Audacity of Huge (feat. Chris Keating)
Huge was this name-dropping, Kanye ego-sized, gloating summer anthem, paired with a bodacious mother-of-all bass-lines and none other than Chris Keating, lead singer to the equally-trippy art-rocking Yeasayer, on the mic. While “Audacity of Huge” was a step towards the Chemical Brothers and away from Attack Decay Sustain Release, it held dance floors and iPods in a headlock for months this summer.
53. Free Energy – Dream City
“Dream like there’s nothing to scream about” sing Philly’s absurdly-named Free Energy on one of this summer’s best feel-good tunes. We owe most of the magic that surrounds Free Energy to James Murphy, who has produced the band’s debut long player and signed them to DFA. “Dream City” is an infectious anthem, a beach fire sing-along, an ode to wholesome city fun, and a mainstay in summer night soundtracks.
52. Miike Snow – Animal
In their polarizing debut single “Animal”, the mask-wielding Miike Snow raked in unexpected and often laughable comparisons, like Daft Punk meets The Empire of the Sun, or my favorite, Animal Collective meets Phoenix. As crazy as it sounds, that last suggestion of the marriage of experimental freak-folk and French indie-rock seems to fit Miike Snow and “Animal” nicely.
51. YACHT – Psychic City (Voodoo City)
I’m convinced 2009 was the year of the summer song. At least it was for me. I don’t think anyone expected “Psychic City” from YACHT. I didn’t think they had a pop song this joyous and wonderful in them. While the song is self-indulgently showered in bubble-gum pop bliss, we never forget that this is YACHT we’re listening to. Throughout the song we are treated to rubbery, light but finely tuned electronic flourishes that have definitely made DFA proud.
Tags: Animal Collective, Atlas Sound, Basement Jaxx, Bat For Lashes, Beyonce, Bon Iver, David Byrne, Diamond Rings, Dirty Projectors, Discovery, Dragonette, Eminem, Fever Ray, Fleet Foxes, Franz Ferdinand, Free Energy, Gang Gang Dance, Gotye, Green Day, Grizzly Bear, Harlem Shakes, Hockey, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, La Roux, Lady Gaga, Lily Allen, Little Boots, Matt & Kim, Miike Snow, Mos Def, Music Go Music, N.A.S.A., Neko Case, Panda Bear, Passion Pit, Pet Shop Boys, Peter Bjorn and John, Phoenix, Robyn, Röyksopp, Shakira, Simian Mobile Disco, Solange, St. Vincent, Sufjan Stevens, Sunset Rubdown, Taylor Swift, The Antlers, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, The Big Pink, The Decemberists, the dodos, The Golden Filter, The Gossip, The Killers, The Maccabees, The Sound of Arrows, The Sounds, The XX, Tiësto, Volcano Choir, VV Brown, Washed Out, White Rabbits, Yacht, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, yelle, Yes Giantess, Zomby
everyone of those songs is gay or unheard of. dumbass
shit
this is shit.. there are so many better songs this year…
wooow. i’ve heard of ONE of these songs. this is the stupidest thing ever!
yeah, “my girls” by animal rocks, but you’ve got 4 of top 11 in the collective camp. Variety much in your ears?
WTF !!!!!!!