Top 50 Songs of 2007

As each year I become more and more immersed in this hobby of mine, seeking out music far and wide, it becomes an increasingly daunting task to narrow down the finest of the fine, especially when it comes to songs. It's very difficult to write an entire album of amazing songs (and therefore easier to rank), but I believe that every musician has at least one incredible song in them. Therefore, there are literally hundreds of songs I've heard this year that I've given the 4-star treatment to, yet hardly any that I've awarded the coveted 5-star rating. Faced with this charge, I can assure you that each of these 50 songs could easily have been top 20 for me, had I not been exposed to so much this year. It was a banner 12 months of tunes here at linesthroughlines.

Further clarification: At first, I tried to find a balance between "the best songs" and "my favorite songs" before I realized that my favorite songs were all that mattered. So what if I don't have Panda Bear on my list. Likewise for blog-favorites LCD Soundsystem, M.I.A., or Kanye West. Sunset Rubdown doesn't do it for me, sorry everyone. Every person will agree or disagree with something about this list and that's the best part. Love music with everything you've got, but love it for a reason. Your tastes are your own. Revel in them.

50. Bottom of the Hudson - Rusty Zippers - "It's moments like these where we can see life in one hand, death in the other, and see how closely related they are. Moments where we can be thankful for each breath, every touch from the music and musicians we love, and cherish them always." [8.3]
49. Sam Sparro - Black and Gold - [mp3] - "He sweats in style, dripping from his chin onto tiny paper synthesizers. It brings them to life." [11.12]
48. Kings of Leon - Fans
47. Band of Horses - Is There a Ghost?
46. Menomena - My My - An early release that some people are forgetting about. I liked this track more than the also fantastic single "Wet and Rusting."
45. Rosie Thomas - Much Farther to Go
44. Joan As Policewoman - Save Me
43. Shearwater - Red Sea, Black Sea
42. Illinois - Alone Again
41. Lymbyc Systym - Love Your Abuser
40. Bill Coleman - Offer Up the Hope
39. Jeremy Warmsley - Dirty Blue Jeans
38. Georgie James - Need Your Needs
37. Des Ark - Lord of the Rings and His Fascist Timekeepers
36. Stars - Midnight Coward
35. Kate Nash - Merry Happy
34. Arcade Fire - Keep the Car Running
33. Jason Anderson - July 4, 2004
32. The Frames - Falling Slowly
31. Josh Ritter - Mind's Eye - [mp3]
30. Ryan Adams - Oh My God, Whatever, Etc
29. Sara Bareilles - Love Song
28. Cloud Cult - The Deaf Girl's Song
27. Spoon - Don't Make Me A Target
26. Air Traffic - No More Running Away
25. Paramore - That's What You Get
24. Fink - If Only
23. Fall Out Boy - The Takeover, The Break's Over
22. The House Floor - Sign My Caste
21. Andrew Bird - Heretics
20. Modest Mouse - We've Got Everything
19. Matt Pond PA - People Have a Way
18. The Acorn - Spring Thaw
17. Rooney - When Did Your Heart Go Missing - One of the catchiest guitar riffs of the year, hands down.
16. Beirut - Elephant Gun - Classic Zach Condon melody/composition.
15. Feist - One Two Three Four - Thank you Steve Jobs for propelling a deserving indie starlet into superstardom.
14. The Softlightes - Heart Made of Sound - [mp3] - The fantastic video got my attention, but the honest playfulness sold me.
13. Chris Merritt - The Palace Flophouse
12. Loney, Dear - Hard Days 1, 2, 3, 4 - [mp3] - "Swedish and sweetish...It's got huge dreams, big love, and you're going to feel good about it." [1.14]
11. Maritime - Love Has Given Up
10. Sunparlour Players - Talk It to Death - [mp3]- "I wish I could sit down on an upside-down apple basket, stomp up an audience of dust with my boot, and strum it like this." [10.28]
9. Grizzly Bear - Alligator (Choir Version)
8. Tigercity - Other Girls - "spouting synth and hi-hat-heavy dance karate like it's 1986. I feel like I'm 4 years old again!" [9.18]
7. The Most Serene Republic - The Men Who Live Upstairs - [mp3]
6. Bon Iver - Skinny Love - [mp3] - "transcendent" [12.10]
5. Radiohead - Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
4. The Shins - Australia - "...melody and harmony joined in perfect matrimony" [1.23]
3. Field Music - Give It Lose It Take It
2. Iron & Wine - Carousel - "If this isn't blasting over the speakers in heaven right now, I'm calling the man in charge." [9.23]
1. The National - Fake Empire - [mp3] - There's nothing that can be said here that hasn't been chewed and re-chewed elsewhere. Just because it's obvious doesn't mean it's wrong. An amazing song, period.

Top 20 Albums of 2007 coming tomorrow!