My Favorite Songs of 2011
Here's my personal list of favorite songs for the year in order by artist or group.
I restricted the list to 24 songs and, like last year, to only one per recording, which was difficult at times though I felt like I didn't listen to - or was as engaged with - as many recordings in 2011 as prior years.
The List:
* Adele - Rumour Has It [Since this was deservedly the year of Adele, I felt I needed a song for the list and this is the one I grew to like best.]
* Beirut - Santa Fe
* The Black Keys - Lonely Boy
* Bon Iver - Wash. [Though Holocene seemed to get the most play, I liked this song and Minnesota, WI more.]
* The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow
* Coldplay - Paradise
* Cults - Go Outside
* Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi (with Norah Jones) - Black [I chose this over Two Against One because it was so effectively used at the end of the awesome Breaking Bad season finale, but both songs are great. Season's Trees is also a fine song from the Rome recording.]
* The Decemberists - June Hymn [This was easily my favorite recording of the year so lots of choices but this was my favorite over Rox in the Box and This Is Why We Fight.]
* Drake (with Rihanna) - Take Care [Headlines is a pretty damn good song too.]
* Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean
* Florence + The Machine - Lover to Lover
* Foster the People - Helena Beat [I liked this song as well as Call It What You Want more than the much bigger hit Pumped Up Kicks but they're all infectiously good.]
* The Head and the Heart - Lost in My Mind
* Iron & Wine - Tree by the River
* M83 - Midnight City
* Metronomy - The Look [I enjoyed The Bay a lot as well.]
* My Morning Jacket - Holding on to Black Metal
* PJ Harvey - Let England Shake [I know PJ Harvey has been recording for a while now but I really feel like I don't listen to her enough and this song rocks.]
* The Roots - The Other Side [Lighthouse is another really fine song from this recording.]
* Scars on 45 - Give Me Something
* Tom Waits - Bad as Me [He sure hasn't lost his mojo.]
* Trombone Shorty - Buckjump
* Wilco - I Might
By the way, Kathleen Edwards (a big favorite of mine) put out Change the Sheets as an advance of her soon to be released recording and, while I think it is a great song, I'll consider it as part of my 2012 picks rather than here.
