Best Songs of 2008

1. “Skinny Love,” Bon Iver- This acoustic ballad is one of the most brilliant, haunting songs you’ll ever hear. While I didn’t love Bon Iver’s complete album as much as everyone else does, this song is a stunner, and the best of the year.

2. “White Winter Hymnal,” Fleet Foxes- The Fleet Foxes did an excellent job of reviving old-school Beach Boys harmonies. This song has the perfect mix of fun catchiness and melancholy sadness. A sweet, quick little tune, but a memorable one.

3. “Walcott,” Vampire Weekend- Vampire Weekend’s anthem about getting the hell out of Cape Cod is also their best track, with violins, a sing-along chorus, a gradual build, an epic ending, and most of all, that piano chord that will always roll along in your head.

4. “Family Tree,” TV on the Radio- Another beautiful song with a little more production than “Skinny Love.” Gorgeous vocals, strings, and synths make TV on the Radio the unlikely creator of one of the best ballads of the year.

5. “Robocop,” Kanye West- Also unlikely is an epic, string-filled, Stephen King-referencing Kanye West track that cannot be defined by a genre. Kanye’s entire album is gold, but something about “Robocop” places it above all the rest- probably Kanye’s surprisingly strong vocals, which carry the tune throughout.

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