My dad often teases me about Song of the Week. Common questions are "Are you going to make money?", "Will I see you in the news?", "How many people read it?"
Am I going to make money? No.
Will you see me in the news? No.
How many people read it? I'm not sure. I estimate twenty people at most. If I'm lucky.
Then why do I do it?
The concept of finding new music is enthralling to me. I love broadening my knowledge in modern music and then telling others about what I find. I enjoy reading other critical reviews of the current CD or artist, even (maybe especially) if I disagree with them. Also, writing my opinions on such an indefinite subject is gives me an outlet: this is something that I do for myself, amidst the monotony of daily life.
And so, I present to you my way too long "Song of The Week: Year 1" summary. It holds more information about music from October 2006 – October 2007 than you will ever want to know. Believe me.
Section 1: Counting Down To Number One
The first section is every week in my preference order – from the merely good songs to the "best" songs of the year. I put it in a countdown order because it builds tension – Who will be in the Top Ten? Gasp! Not to mention, this is based on my opinion, and you might disagree, which always leads to interesting conversations.
52. Pointed Sticks – "Part Of The Noise"
[Week 12]
[Genres: powerpop, punk, pop punk]
[Other recommended songs: "Perfect Youth"]
51. The Ladybug Transistor – "Always On The Telephone"
[Week 36]
[Genres: indie, pop]
50. Money Mark – "Pick Up The Pieces"
[Week 22]
[Original song: "Brand New By Tomorrow"]
[Genres: indie, pop, electronica]
49. The Evens – "Cut From The Cloth"
[Week 6]
[Genre: indie]
48. From Autumn To Ashes – "Daylight Slavings"
[Week 28]
[Original song: "Love It Or Left It"]
[Genres: hardcore, metal, rock]
47. Eisley – "Come Clean"
[Week 46]
[Genres: indie, rock, pop]
46. Uncle Earl – "Bony on the Isle of St. Helena"
[Week 24]
[Original song: "One True"]
[Genres: bluegrass, acoustic, country]
45. David Gilmour – "On An Island"
[Week 9]
[Genres: progressive, psychedelic, rock]
44. Elis – "Show Me The Way"
[Week 16]
[Genres: metal, gothic, rock]
[Other recommended songs: "Der letzte Tag"]
43. Ferraby Lionheart – "A Bell And Tumble"
[Week 49]
[Genres: indie, folk, pop]
[Other recommended songs: "Small Planet"]
42. Sarah McLachlan – "River"
[Week 14]
[Original song: "Happy Xmas"]
[Genre: pop]
41. The Apples In Stereo – "Same Old Drag"
[Week 19]
[Genres: indie, powerpop, psychedelic]
[Other recommended songs: "Energy"]
40. The Click Five – "Jenny"
[Week 39]
[Genres: pop, powerpop, rock]
39. 1990s – "See You At The Lights"
[Week 44]
[Genres: indie, rock]
38. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – "Weapon Of Choice"
[Week 31]
[Genre: indie]
37. John Legend – "Show Me"
[Week 4]
[Genre: R&B]
36. Interpol – "The Heinrich Maneuver"
[Week 41]
[Genres: indie, alternative, rock]
35. Megadeth – "A Tout Le Monde"
[Week 33]
[Genres: thrash, metal]
34. VietNam – "Step On Inside":
[Week 17]
[Genres: rock, soul, blues]
[Other recommended songs: "Priest, Poet and the Pig"]
33. The Pierces – "Secret"
[Week 25]
[Genres: psychedelic, alternative, folk]
32. Sara Bareilles – "Love Song"
[Week 40]
[Genres: soul, pop, funk]
31. Moonbabies – "War On Sound"
[Week 35]
[Genres: rock, pop, alternative]
30. Killswitch Engage – "Daylight Dies"
[Week 8]
[Original song: "For You"]
[Genres: metal, hardcore]
[Other recommended songs: "This Is Absolution", "Eye of the Storm"]
29. The New Pornographers – "Myriad Harbour"
[Week 47]
[Genres: indie, rock, powerpop]
[Other recommended songs: "Twin Cinema"]
28. Lady Sovereign – "Love Me or Hate Me"
[Week 5]
[Genres: hip hop, garage]
[Other recommended songs: "Random", "9 to 5"]
27. Anais Mitchell – "Your Fonder Heart"
[Week 20]
[Genres: indie, acoustic, alternative]
26. Erin McKeown – "Melody"
[Week 15]
[Genres: indie, pop, rock]
[Other recommended songs: "Slung-Lo", "How To Be A Lady", "Fast As I Can", "Better Wife"]
25. Stars – "Personal"
[Week 52]
[Genres: "melodramatic popular song", indie, pop, rock]
[Other recommended songs: "The Night Starts Here", "In Our Bedroom After The War", "Life 2: The Unhappy Ending"]
24. The Go! Team – "Grip Like A Vice"
[Week 50]
[Genres: pop, indie, hip hop]
[Other recommended songs: "My World"]
23. Dntel – "Roll On"
[Week 30]
[Genres: electronica, indie]
22. Of Montreal – "Du Og Meg"
[Week 32]
[Genre: pop]
[Other recommended songs: "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse", "Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games"]
21. Atreyu – "When Two Are One"
[Week 48]
[Genres: metal, rock]
20. The Rocket Summer – "So Much Love"
[Week 42]
[Genres: rock, pop, soul]
[Other recommended songs: "Do You Feel", "Save", "Colors"]
19. Carla Bruni – "Those Dancing Days Are Gone"
[Week 45]
[Genre: folk]
[Other recommended songs: "Promises Like Pie Crust", "Le plus beau du quartier", "Quelqu'un m'a dit"]
18. Relient K – "The Best Thing"
[Week 23]
[Original song: "Faking My Own Suicide"]
[Genres: rock, pop punk, house]
[Other recommended songs: "Must Have Done Something Right", "Maintain Consciousness", "Falling Out"]
17. Dosh – "Um, Circles and Squares"
[Week 3]
[Genres: electronica, experimental, folk rock]
[Other recommended songs: "Naoise"]
16. Mika – "Love Today"
[Week 26]
[Genres: pop, rock, powerpop]
[Other recommended songs: "Grace Kelly", "Lollipop"]
15. The Young Knives – "The Decision"
[Week 21]
[Genres: indie, pop punk, classic rock]
14. Switchfoot – "Oh Gravity"
[Week 13]
[Original song: "Dirty Second Hands"]
[Genre: rock]
[Other recommended songs: "American Dream", "Happy Is A Yuppie Word", "Daisy"]
13. Schoolyard Heroes – "Dude, Where's My Skin?"
[Week 51]
[Genres: rock, punk, alternative]
[Other recommended songs: "The Mechanical Man vs. The Robot", "Plastic Surgery Hall Of Fame", "Curse Of The Werewolf", "They Live"]
12. Damien Rice - "The Animals Were Gone"
[Week 7]
[Original song: "9 Crimes"]
[Genres: acoustic, folk, indie]
11. The Bravery – "The Ocean"
[Week 34]
[Original song: "Bad Sun"]
[Genres: indie, rock, electronica]
[Other recommended songs: "Believe"]
10. Cold War Kids – "Hang Me Up To Dry"
[Week 2]
[Genres: rock, blues, soul]
[Other recommended songs: "Hospital Beds", "We Used To Vacation", "Robbers"]
9. Okkervil River – "Plus Ones"
[Week 10]
[Original song: "The President's Dead"]
[Genres: folk, indie, rock]
[Other recommended songs: "Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe", "For Real"]
8. Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. – "Call Me Ishmael"
[Week 27]
[Genres: acoustic, electronica, indie]
[Other recommended songs: "The Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager", "I Spy"]
7. Lily Allen – "LDN"
[Week 18]
[Original song: "Knock 'Em Out"]
[Genres: pop, hyphy, ska]
[Other recommended songs: "Everything's Just Wonderful", "Not Big", "Friday Night", "Littlest Things"]
6. The Lovely Feathers – "Orchids"
[Week 11]
[Genres: "healing & easy listening", indie, rock]
[Other recommended songs: "Frantic"]
5. Skillet – "Rebirthing"
[Week 1]
[Genres: rock, alternative]
[Other recommended songs: "Comatose", "Whispers in the Dark", anything from their Collide CD]
4. Noisettes – "Don't Give Up"
[Week 29]
[Genre: indie]
[Other recommended songs: "Sister Rosetta (Capture the Spirit)"]
3. Tegan and Sara – "Back In Your Head"
[Week 43]
[Genres: indie, pop, alternative]
[Other recommended songs: "The Con", "Burn Your Life Down", "Are You Ten Years Ago", "Walking With A Ghost", "I Know I Know I Know"]
2. Fair To Midland – "Dance Of The Manatee"
[Week 37]
[Genres: progressive, folk, metal]
[Other recommended songs: "Tall Tales Taste Like Sour Grapes", "Walls Of Jericho", "Aprils Fools And Eggmen", "The Wife, The Kids, And The White Picket Fence"]
1. The White Stripes – "Icky Thump"
[Week 38]
[Genres: blues, rock, garage]
[Other recommended songs: "Conquest"]
Section 2: In Chronological Order
I think the title is pretty self-explanatory. This section is less extensive, since the focus is on when each artist was highlighted, as opposed to how they compare to each other.
Week 1: Skillet – "Rebirthing"
Week 2: Cold War Kids – "Hang Me Up To Dry"
Week 3: Dosh – "Um, Circles and Squares"
Week 4: John Legend – "Show Me"
Week 5: Lady Sovereign – "Love Me or Hate Me"
Week 6: The Evens – "Cut From The Cloth"
Week 7: Damien Rice – "9 Crimes"
Week 8: Killswitch Engage – "For You"
Week 9: David Gilmour – "On An Island"
Week 10: Okkervil River – "The President's Dead"
Week 11: The Lovely Feathers – "Orchids"
Week 12: Pointed Sticks – "Part Of The Noise"
Week 13: Switchfoot – "Dirty Second Hands:
Week 14: Sarah McLachlan – "Happy Xmas"
Week 15: Erin McKeown – "Melody"
Week 16: Elis – "Show Me The Way"
Week 17: VietNam – "Step On Inside:
Week 18: Lily Allen – "Knock 'Em Out"
Week 19: The Apples In Stereo – "Same Old Drag"
Week 20: Anais Mitchell – "Your Fonder Heart"
Week 21: The Young Knives – "The Decision"
Week 22: Money Mark – "Brand New By Tomorrow"
Week 23: Relient K – "Faking My Own Suicide"
Week 24: Uncle Earl – "One True"
Week 25: The Pierces – "Secret"
Week 26: Mika – "Love Today"
Week 27: Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. – "Call Me Ishmael"
Week 28: From Autumn To Ashes – "Love It Or Left It"
Week 29: Noisettes – "Don't Give Up"
Week 30: Dntel – "Roll On"
Week 31: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – "Weapon Of Choice"
Week 32: Of Montreal – "Du Og Meg"
Week 33: Megadeth – "A Tout Le Monde"
Week 34: The Bravery – "Bad Sun"
Week 35: Moonbabies – "War On Sound"
Week 36: The Ladybug Transistor – "Always On The Telephone"
Week 37: Fair To Midland – "Dance Of The Manatee"
Week 38: The White Stripes – "Icky Thump"
Week 39: The Click Five – "Jenny"
Week 40: Sara Bareilles – "Love Song"
Week 41: Interpol – "The Heinrich Maneuver"
Week 42: The Rocket Summer – "So Much Love"
Week 43: Tegan And Sara – "Back In Your Head"
Week 44: 1990s – "See You At The Lights"
Week 45: Carla Bruni – "Those Dancing Days Are Gone"
Week 46: Eisley – "Come Clean"
Week 47: The New Pornographers – "Myriad Harbour"
Week 48: Atreyu – "When Two Are One"
Week 49: Ferraby Lionheart – "A Bell And Tumble"
Week 50: The Go! Team – "Grip Like A Vice"
Week 51: Schoolyard Heroes – "Dude, Where's My Skin?"
Week 52: Stars – "Personal"
Section 3: Trivia
Yay for random statistics!
There were 32 genres included in Song of The Week.
The Top Ten were:
Rock – 24
Indie – 23
Pop – 16
Alternative – 7
Folk – 6
Metal – 6
Electronica – 5
Powerpop – 5
Acoustic – 4
Soul – 4
There wasn't a single rap artist highlighted in Song of The Week. [I'm not sure if this is a good thing, or a bad thing.]
Popularity:
Most Well Known:
Atreyu – 11,532,587 views
Relient K – 9,193,967 views
Mika – 7,722,430 views
Lily Allen – 7,258,703 views
Killswitch Engage – 5,955,050 views
Tegan and Sara – 5,577,858 views
Switchfoot – 5,133,298 views
John Legend – 4,753,966 views
Lady Sovereign – 4,463,602 views
The White Stripes – 3,752,233 views
Who? :
Anais Mitchell – 53,641 views
The Evens – 48,212 views
The Ladybug Transistor – 36,449 views
Money Mark – 11,213 views
Pointed Sticks – 9,420 views
Artists with male vocals: 27
Artists with female vocals: 16
Artists with both male and female vocals: 8
Artists with no vocals: 1
Section 4: Honorary Song of the Week Artists
These are ten artists that I liked a lot, yet somehow didn't end up as song of the week. This could be due to the major competition that week, or bad judgment on my part at the time. Some of these artists are amazing, some are just fun. Here are the artists with my original write up on them. In alphabetical order:
Andrew Bird – "Heretics" [if you like: Sufjan Stevens, genius music.]
Art Brut – "Nag Nag Nag Nag" [So basically, I checked out this band on Thursday and they had their whole album up…and I loved three of the songs. But then I went back today and they were gone…so. Sorry. The three awesome songs are "St. Pauli" and "Blame it on the Trains" and "Sound Of Summer". "Nag Nag Nag Nag" isn't bad, but I liked the other ones more. ANYWAY. You'll like this band if you like: smart lyrics, British accents, indie bands, and possibly Franz Ferdinand? Maybe.]
Dropkick Murphys – "The State Of Massachusetts" [I'm not quite sure why this song didn't get song of the week, since they have intense instrumental talent, and although they have reached considerable popularity, they are still a roots band. I suppose their greatest strength is also their greatest weakness, since the Celtic punk feel is amazing, but also sounds like every other song they did. And the punk vocals are pretty much just yelling, which wouldn't work for any other band, except for Flogging Molly of course. If you like: Flogging Molly, real punk.]
Iron and Wine – "Boy With A Coin" [Iron and Wine actually got more critical acclaim than Stars did, and that partly makes me feel guilty for not choosing him. When I first heard his sound, I wasn't exactly enthralled; it sounded too swampy for my taste. In other words, I mistook the layers for clutter. [This song specifically is more focused than the first track I heard, "Pagan, Angel, And A Borrowed Car", and thusly is more accessible.] The lyrics are parallel to the music in a sense – the density is amazing and multifaceted, sometimes frustratingly so. When I read the lyrics, I actually felt the need to interpret them, not unlike the poetry analysis we have become familiar with in school. Based on the lyrics, I can only hypothesize that this song is about the loss of innocence [both figuratively and literally, based on the second stanza about the girl] and the lack of God in difficult situations. Sometimes the story is only half told, and has to be taken at face value. It might take some getting used to, but when one gets into the mindset, there is intricate beauty to be found.
If you like: complex lyrics, whispered vocals, mysterious broken magnificence, pure genius…and beards.
Other Highlights: "Resurrection Fern", "Flightless Bird, American Mouth".]
Juliette and the Licks – "Sticky Honey" and "Get Up" [reason they are so amazing: "Sticky Honey" pretty much puts party-rock and grunge in its place. The beat is infectious and the vibe is perfect. "Get Up" shows off Juliette's vocals, which were made for Joan Jett's little sister. The whole song ties up the pros of classic rock without any flaws.]
JUNIOR SENIOR – "Can I Get Get Get" [if you like: music that can make you smile/dance, a weird combination of rock, hip hop and pop, maybe.]
Motion City Soundtrack – "This Is For Real" [Come on, we all love pop/punk, even if we claim that we don't. I could compare this band to the likes of Fall Out Boy and Cute Is What We Aim For, but I'm not sure if people would yell at me, since the liking of fad bands such as these is highly schizophrenic. Speaking of schizophrenic, Motion City Soundtrack has mastered the art of making happy, bouncy music with depressing lyrics. I don't know how they do it, but I'll sing along anyway. If you like: super catchy pop/punk.]
Rufus Wainwright - "Going To a Town" [if you like: political music that can be classy at the same time, classy music that can be political at the same time.]
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – "BombRepeatBomb 1954" [if you like: The Clash, originality, political activism.]
YACHT – "So Post All 'Em" [if you like: listening to incredibly awesome music that you've never heard anything like before. I'm not joking. It's happy and it plays with your mind.]
Conclusion:
So there you have it folks. If you read most of this, you deserve a prize. If you read all of this, you were probably bored out of your skull beforehand. Thanks for taking the time, now go read a book. =)