30
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One Republic - Stop And Stare
Proving that they don't need to rely on a Timbaland remix to have a hit, One Republic scored themselves another top five single with this, their second single. Pitching their sound somewhere between The Fray and Coldplay (they should have just called themselves ColdFray and be done with it) Stop and Stare is a wall of swirling guitars, thumping drums and anguished vocals rallying against the disillusionment of growing up and the disaffection of a normal life - it's like a less angry, more resigned emo for people with mortgages. But didn't their mothers ever tell them that it's rude to stare?
Greg B
No of votes: 9, Score:
55, Highest vote: 2nd
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29
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Madonna feat. Justin Timberlake - 4 Minutes
Love her or hate her - Madge is undoubtedly the Queen of Pop. And, this time, she's pulled JT. Nice one. My confession on the dancefloor is that I like the song more for him than her. Jealousy aside, they do make a nice couple. "The road to heaven is paved with good intentions..." Yes, I'll admit, it's cheesy. But, they manage to get away with it anyway (with Timbaland's help). It's a pure and simple hit, a crowd pleaser. In my case, it is my ultimate ipod 'running' song. It means that I have a half mile to go to save the world.
Jane B
No of votes: 9, Score:
56, Highest vote: 2nd
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28
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Adele - Chasing Pavements
2008 got off to a great start for the then 19-year-old Adele Laurie Blue Adkins when she was voted the Sound of 2008 in the BBC's annual poll of those in the know. Her soulful sound soon brought the inevitable "new Amy Winehouse" label, which was timely since the old Amy Winehouse had created a gap in the market by going AWOL somewhere in North London. The Winehouse comparisons didn't stop there however, because Adele is on record as saying this gorgeous slice of introspection was written after she was thrown out of a pub for punching her (now ex-) boyfriend. Only time will tell whether more Winehouse-like behaviour emerges, but let's hope (for our sakes, as well as hers) that she manages to keep herself well and truly on the rails and producing more music like this.
Greg B
No of votes: 10, Score:
36, Highest vote: 3rd
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27
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Beyonce - If I Were A Boy
As I start this review, I realise what influenced my votes this year. Bloody TV again. I caught this track on the World Music Awards first - which is must see TV for its mix of big name stars and "Best music act from Turkey" oddness. Needless to say Beyonce stole the show with this one, I particularly liked the loud guitars, they just work. The track probably got a bit more attention from her X Factor appearance, where B showed Britney how you really ought to perform. Don't mime, be gracious, and stroke some lucky punter's face in the front row. Bet he still hasn't washed it.
Dan Mc
No of votes: 10, Score:
61, Highest vote: 1st
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26
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Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You
Reading other reviews for this track (which I will call "Boyfriend" for brevity), there is much focus on: 1) the vocal similarity between lead singer Reggie Youngblood (great name!) and Robert Smith; 2) the fact that only 2 of Black Kids are actually black; 3) that this brilliant mish-mash of 80's inspired pop and indie rock will have the Klaxons quaking in their boots. Now, while these things might be partly true (except for point 2 which is totally true), they detract somewhat from the fact that this is just a brilliant, super-catchy, really fun piece of music. Even before Mr Butler got in on the act, producing the album "Partie Traumatic", "Boyfriend" was getting the Indie kids toe-tapping in their skinny jeans and high top sneakers when it appeared on their EP "Wizard of Ahhhs". (Say that in an American accent and you'll see what they did there). Anyhoo, I'm really glad this track made the Top 50 - it's darn beeeautiful and much happier than the melancholy Cure. And they released it on a 7" pink vinyl so who cares what the Klaxons think.
Milly H
No of votes: 11, Score:
41, Highest vote: 4th
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25
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Keane - Spiralling
Artist link: 7 16  31
You don't get many decent "woo"s in pop. Oh sure, we all know a song with "WOO-HOO" all the way through it, and myriad late 80s/early 90s dance tunes with sampled James Brown "Yeah! Woo!" all through them, but not many of your actual "Woo"s until 2008 other than a token effort by Kiss at the beginning of 'Crazy crazy nights'. Thank goodness then for the magnificent rabble rousing chorus of this song, which made seemingly everyone say how the band had 'gone 80s' (which they hadn't really) and how the song doesn't sound like their other stuff (which is a fair point) and which sounds great live thanks to Tom Chaplin seemingly remembering that singing and getting very pissed indeed are not simultaneously a very good idea unless you're playing Singstar. Keane, ladies and gentlemen - putting the "woo" back in music.
Andrew S
No of votes: 11, Score:
55, Highest vote: 2nd
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24
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Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma
Artist link: 23
If The Strokes had taken a gap year after college, gone on safari in Kenya, weaved baskets in Chad, done some voluntary work teaching children in a small Namibian village, climbed Kilimanjaro and then spent three weeks 'recovering' on a South African beach, this is what they would sound like.
The second great song of the year to feature the word 'ChapStick' it seems this is about Mr. Weekend finding fault with his girlfriend in a comma, or possibly vice versa. What is an Oxford Comma? What all the commas who ended up at Durham really wanted to be?
Danny G
No of votes: 11, Score:
58, Highest vote: 1st
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23
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Vampire Weekend - A-Punk
Artist link:24
Imbued with the potential to alienate with its cheerful bounce, the BBC upped the annoying-ante by twinning it with the equally polarising graffiti TV ads for BBC6 Music. I don't know if this is what Vampire Weekend do normally, or whether they picked up a ska compilation from a bargain bin sometime last year, but it certainly has plenty of vigour. Freakin' A!
P Shoo
No of votes: 11, Score:
71, Highest vote: 1st
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22
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Leona Lewis - Run
Artist link: 5
I urge you to seek out Leona Lewis singing this in Radio 1's 'Live Lounge'. You will cry. The studio version is the same arrangement, and comes close, but doesn't make the hairs on the back of your neck stand quite as erect. I was never a great fan of the rather turgid Snow Patrol original but Leona gives a beautiful, controlled performance - initially restrained and sad before building to a real emotional peak but noticeably still without over-doing the kind of vocal gymnastics that you'd expect from someone who's often been compared to Mariah Carey. I only hope this doesn't encourage Simon Cowell to take five steps back and turn her into a covers singer.
Danny G
No of votes: 11, Score:
73, Highest vote: 1st
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21
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MGMT - Kids
Artist link:3
It's been a bumper year for synth-based indie music, and one of the best exponents of this burgeoning genre are MGMT. "Kids" is their dancefloor filler - complete with stomping drums, monstrous analogue synths, squeaky keyboard riff and the occasional "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" sample thrown in just for the sheer hell of it. What comes as surprising to me is that they are only a 2 piece, as they make enough noise for a band of 5. Given the general upbeat nature of the tune, the lyrics though are apparently written about the late Andrew Wood, vocalist of Mother Love Bone (who after Wood died, disbanded with some members going on to form Pearl Jam). I for one, will take this as being a life-affirming celebration of the man, because a dirge this certainly ain't.
Jason M
No of votes: 11, Score:
78, Highest vote: 1st
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Thanks go to the following people for assisting with getting together our comprehensive aide-memoire: Greg B, Kat B, Dan Mc
A MASSIVE THANKS also to all those who slaved over a hot keyboard to produce the write ups: Danny G, Paul H, Paul M, Kat B, Andrew S, Isaac H, Milly H, P Shoo, Dan Mc, Greg B, Elliot H, John M, Jane B, Henry I-S, John C, Swiss T, Catherine Mc