Will Jonmc's head asplode?
August 19, 2009 12:22 AM Subscribe
Grab your John Deere hat and your Asian girlfriend! Metafilter's most hated music website is telling you what the 500 best songs of the 21st century are!
500-201
200-101
100-51
50-1 coming later this week
The winner? I'm guessing something by Radiohead.
500-201
200-101
100-51
50-1 coming later this week
The winner? I'm guessing something by Radiohead.
I am, at the moment, wholly convinced this is a definitive, infallible, scientific listing of the best music of the last ten years. If, however, some jaded genius were to appear herein to point out that all X Best lists are arbitrary, biased and glaringly lacking in genre W, song Y and band Z, and that the site making the list either used to be a trustworthy authority prior to 200X or was never anything but a poseur, my mind would be summarily blown. I might come to worship the possessor of such towering wisdom like a god.
My train of thought would, in sum, be as follows: My favourite band sucks? Really? I hadn't realized. Thank you, Internet Genius! Are you - are you, uh, busy later? . . . No, it's just, I mean someone should be basking in the coruscating light of your gaze . . .
Sure hope someone comes along . . .
Seriously, as these things go? A pretty solid decade-in-review from what I've browsed so far.
posted by gompa at 12:44 AM on August 19, 2009 [5 favorites]
My train of thought would, in sum, be as follows: My favourite band sucks? Really? I hadn't realized. Thank you, Internet Genius! Are you - are you, uh, busy later? . . . No, it's just, I mean someone should be basking in the coruscating light of your gaze . . .
Sure hope someone comes along . . .
Seriously, as these things go? A pretty solid decade-in-review from what I've browsed so far.
posted by gompa at 12:44 AM on August 19, 2009 [5 favorites]
The winner? I'm guessing something by Radiohead.
My money's on Wake Up by the Arcade Fire.
posted by sparkletone at 12:48 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
My money's on Wake Up by the Arcade Fire.
posted by sparkletone at 12:48 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
"Wake Up" is an awesome song (and I love the version in the trailer(s) for Where The Wild Things Are), but really - this is Pitchfork. If it's not something off In Rainbows (probably "Nude"), I'll be quite surprised....
posted by benzo8 at 12:52 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by benzo8 at 12:52 AM on August 19, 2009
Could you have at least waited until the whole thing was published? Now I'm going to have to bookmark this so I can completely forget about it, remember in a couple months, have a nice snarky comment about Radiohead/Arcade Fire/Kanye/etc., and then not be able to post it because the comments here are closed.
Jerk.
posted by clorox at 12:59 AM on August 19, 2009 [4 favorites]
Jerk.
posted by clorox at 12:59 AM on August 19, 2009 [4 favorites]
Only the top 500. Ridiculous, surely they could list the top 10 000 songs.
posted by sien at 1:00 AM on August 19, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by sien at 1:00 AM on August 19, 2009 [3 favorites]
I agree with clorox, there aren't enough opportunities to say "your favorite #1 sucks" when their first list isn't even completely posted yet.
posted by palidor at 1:05 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by palidor at 1:05 AM on August 19, 2009
I think Radiohead is too obvious for #1. I would think Dylan's Mississippi might take a surprisingly high placement. I didn't see anything from Mendoza Line, which I think they'll turn to for a sleeper pick near the top. Probably throw in something off All Hail West Texas and the ultimate the top spot will go to Outkast's Hey Ya. It doesn't seem hard to predict these things, which is probably more fun than actually reading them.
posted by allen.spaulding at 1:07 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by allen.spaulding at 1:07 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
I thought I'd be depressed when I got to that point in my life where I only recognized 5 or 6 names from a list like "100-51", but I actually find it oddly satisfying.
posted by RavinDave at 1:08 AM on August 19, 2009 [6 favorites]
posted by RavinDave at 1:08 AM on August 19, 2009 [6 favorites]
Not because that would make this list anymore usable or interesting, but because I would once again be able to do a smug little "I've got Spotify" dance and thumb my nose at the Americas.
Whatever, dude. We've got hulu.
posted by Netzapper at 1:17 AM on August 19, 2009
Whatever, dude. We've got hulu.
posted by Netzapper at 1:17 AM on August 19, 2009
I can definitely remember hearing "Groovejet (If this Ain't Love)" by Spiller (feat. Sophie Ellis Bextor) for the first time and thinking to myself - "Yep, that song's a 486 if ever I heard one."
But really - how the fuck do you separate the 486th best song from the 487th best song? What was the miracle ingredient that nudged 486 up one place ahead of 487? Was it dress she wore in the video clip? The strings? The robotic guitar part? Lord I hope there's an explanation - enquiring minds want to know!
posted by awfurby at 1:18 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
But really - how the fuck do you separate the 486th best song from the 487th best song? What was the miracle ingredient that nudged 486 up one place ahead of 487? Was it dress she wore in the video clip? The strings? The robotic guitar part? Lord I hope there's an explanation - enquiring minds want to know!
posted by awfurby at 1:18 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
This needs to be hooked up to Spotify.
Is that the same Spotify that appears to be ripping off artists?
posted by awfurby at 1:23 AM on August 19, 2009
Is that the same Spotify that appears to be ripping off artists?
posted by awfurby at 1:23 AM on August 19, 2009
I looked through 100-91 and didn't see any Scandinavian metal. Thus, this entire list is worthless and Pitchfork should be ashamed. The magazine itself should achieve sentience as an entity and commit suicide by self-immolation. My Internet rage will form a deity from the ether, one that even atheists shall acknowledge as valid, and it shall smite all who accept the validity of anything related to this list in the least.
My opinion MATTERS. It's on the INTERNET.
posted by Saydur at 1:38 AM on August 19, 2009 [3 favorites]
My opinion MATTERS. It's on the INTERNET.
posted by Saydur at 1:38 AM on August 19, 2009 [3 favorites]
"Hey Ya" is a definite contender. I actually think PFM does a great job of covering new music, but they do have some annoying habits. Picking a black artist as number one to show how post-racial they think they are wouldn't surprise me at all.
Then again, "Hey Ya" is a great track. But it's arguably kind of a novelty as well.
LCD Soundsystem's "Losing My Edge" will definitely be way up there.
The Walkmen also have a great song entitled "Wake Up." And The Walkmen will have at least one track in the top 20.
posted by bardic at 1:46 AM on August 19, 2009
Then again, "Hey Ya" is a great track. But it's arguably kind of a novelty as well.
LCD Soundsystem's "Losing My Edge" will definitely be way up there.
The Walkmen also have a great song entitled "Wake Up." And The Walkmen will have at least one track in the top 20.
posted by bardic at 1:46 AM on August 19, 2009
Grab your John Deere hat and your Asian girlfriend!
HA HA. That's funny because all hipsters have gross Asian fetishes and as Asian women are all submissive and have no autonomy in deciding who they date. GOOD ONE!
posted by afu at 1:48 AM on August 19, 2009 [8 favorites]
HA HA. That's funny because all hipsters have gross Asian fetishes and as Asian women are all submissive and have no autonomy in deciding who they date. GOOD ONE!
posted by afu at 1:48 AM on August 19, 2009 [8 favorites]
Nah man, I have a friend who works at P4k, so I've got the scoop on the top songs.
***SPOILERRR***
5. Radiohead - Treefingers (DFA Remix)
4. BrokeNCYDE - Freaxxx
3. Asher Roth - I Love College (Sufjan Stevens cover)
2. Panda Bear - 1 Second of Noah Lennox Farting, Looped for 10 Minutes
1. Soulja Boy - Crank Dat
posted by naju at 1:58 AM on August 19, 2009 [16 favorites]
***SPOILERRR***
5. Radiohead - Treefingers (DFA Remix)
4. BrokeNCYDE - Freaxxx
3. Asher Roth - I Love College (Sufjan Stevens cover)
2. Panda Bear - 1 Second of Noah Lennox Farting, Looped for 10 Minutes
1. Soulja Boy - Crank Dat
posted by naju at 1:58 AM on August 19, 2009 [16 favorites]
HA HA. That's funny because all hipsters have gross Asian fetishes and as Asian women are all submissive and have no autonomy in deciding who they date. GOOD ONE!
Wow. Some people go looking for reasons to get offended. Lighten the fuck up.
posted by Mayor Curley at 1:59 AM on August 19, 2009 [23 favorites]
Wow. Some people go looking for reasons to get offended. Lighten the fuck up.
posted by Mayor Curley at 1:59 AM on August 19, 2009 [23 favorites]
Did somebody pee in your PBR?
posted by bardic at 2:00 AM on August 19, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by bardic at 2:00 AM on August 19, 2009 [3 favorites]
First 300 here on Spotify -
http://open.spotify.com/user/jrisgod/playlist/7K4gKC0gMk7ZsSYWERY96a
posted by brilliantmistake at 2:02 AM on August 19, 2009
http://open.spotify.com/user/jrisgod/playlist/7K4gKC0gMk7ZsSYWERY96a
posted by brilliantmistake at 2:02 AM on August 19, 2009
dammit, too early in the morning
Spotify link
posted by brilliantmistake at 2:03 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
Spotify link
posted by brilliantmistake at 2:03 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
your favorite cultural backlash sucks
posted by EatTheWeek at 2:06 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by EatTheWeek at 2:06 AM on August 19, 2009
Grab your John Deere hat and your Asian girlfriend!
HA HA. That's funny because all hipsters have gross Tractor fetishes and as Tractors are all fixies and useless for going up hills. GOOD ONE!
I own a John Deere hat. Bbbutit'saplainblackoneandIneverwearitindoorssocanIstillbeyourfriend?...
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 2:07 AM on August 19, 2009
HA HA. That's funny because all hipsters have gross Tractor fetishes and as Tractors are all fixies and useless for going up hills. GOOD ONE!
I own a John Deere hat. Bbbutit'saplainblackoneandIneverwearitindoorssocanIstillbeyourfriend?...
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 2:07 AM on August 19, 2009
"brought to you by Haagen Daaz"?!?!
Now that lends it an even greater air of credibility.
posted by i_cola at 2:17 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
Now that lends it an even greater air of credibility.
posted by i_cola at 2:17 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
MetaFilter: Best of the Web... coming later this week.
posted by crossoverman at 2:22 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by crossoverman at 2:22 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
I know what a John Deere hat is, but what's an Asian girlfriend? Some kind of mixed drink?
posted by orthogonality at 2:25 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by orthogonality at 2:25 AM on August 19, 2009
Did somebody pee in your PBR?
No, somebody compared my Asian wife to a fashion accessory.
posted by afu at 2:25 AM on August 19, 2009 [18 favorites]
No, somebody compared my Asian wife to a fashion accessory.
posted by afu at 2:25 AM on August 19, 2009 [18 favorites]
Did somebody pee in your PBR?
Not that anyone could tell...
posted by clearly at 2:31 AM on August 19, 2009 [28 favorites]
Not that anyone could tell...
posted by clearly at 2:31 AM on August 19, 2009 [28 favorites]
Remember when everyone was partying like it was 1999 because it was, in fact, 1999? That was 10 years ago. Yes, the first decade of the 21st century-- "The Aughts"-- is coming to a close,
Of course, the first decade of the 21st century doesn't end until January 2011, not having started until January 2001 (2000 was the 100th year of the 20th century.)
Oh man, I was only 14 in late 1999/early 2000 so I totally missed out on a great opportunity for pedantry last time around. Thanks Pitchfork for giving me another chance!
posted by atrazine at 2:36 AM on August 19, 2009
Of course, the first decade of the 21st century doesn't end until January 2011, not having started until January 2001 (2000 was the 100th year of the 20th century.)
Oh man, I was only 14 in late 1999/early 2000 so I totally missed out on a great opportunity for pedantry last time around. Thanks Pitchfork for giving me another chance!
posted by atrazine at 2:36 AM on August 19, 2009
100-51 on Spotify. Couple missing, couple of alt. versions thrown in. Combined with brilliantmistake's list, that's most of them. Someone else can do the ones that are missing.
posted by Leon at 2:36 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Leon at 2:36 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
how the fuck do you separate the 486th best song from the 487th best song
By votes, maybe?
And I applaude bardic for creating an FPP that doesn't have an automatic 18 hour self destruct built in. If only there were more time-less posts like these, I wouldn't feel the need to put the internet spike into my vein every half hour hon the half hour...
posted by abc123xyzinfinity at 2:37 AM on August 19, 2009
By votes, maybe?
And I applaude bardic for creating an FPP that doesn't have an automatic 18 hour self destruct built in. If only there were more time-less posts like these, I wouldn't feel the need to put the internet spike into my vein every half hour hon the half hour...
posted by abc123xyzinfinity at 2:37 AM on August 19, 2009
Oh man, I was only 14 in late 1999/early 2000 so I totally missed out on a great opportunity for pedantry last time around. Thanks Pitchfork for giving me another chance!
It's okay, my friend.
I was 16 in 2000, and I was plenty pedantic about it for both of us.
posted by Netzapper at 2:40 AM on August 19, 2009
It's okay, my friend.
I was 16 in 2000, and I was plenty pedantic about it for both of us.
posted by Netzapper at 2:40 AM on August 19, 2009
Hate to derail, but the "new millennium" began whenever we decided it began, because the people who wrote the books back then are not in charge of you and me now. Let's not be silly here. BC 1 = AD 0, and the pedants can go home.
posted by abc123xyzinfinity at 2:45 AM on August 19, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by abc123xyzinfinity at 2:45 AM on August 19, 2009 [3 favorites]
oh shit i bet when we get to number 1 we'll click on the link and it will be a picture of a mirror and the answer will be all like 'you are the best song of the 21st century' and we'll all feel both happy that our efforts have been recognized and let down at the lazy out
posted by robocop is bleeding at 2:59 AM on August 19, 2009 [8 favorites]
posted by robocop is bleeding at 2:59 AM on August 19, 2009 [8 favorites]
Is that the same Spotify that appears to be ripping off artists?
Your link doesn't work - can you repost it? (I love Spotify, and I know they pay the record companies, but would be interested to see complaints that artists weren't getting paid).
I love music. I listen to a lot of music. And still there's no fucking way I could list 500 song from the last decade, let alone my favorite 500 songs.
Me either, but I guess if you do it as a vote by a whole bunch of writers, you can get 500. Thanks for the link bardic...there's some new stuff here for me to check out.
posted by Infinite Jest at 3:00 AM on August 19, 2009
Your link doesn't work - can you repost it? (I love Spotify, and I know they pay the record companies, but would be interested to see complaints that artists weren't getting paid).
I love music. I listen to a lot of music. And still there's no fucking way I could list 500 song from the last decade, let alone my favorite 500 songs.
Me either, but I guess if you do it as a vote by a whole bunch of writers, you can get 500. Thanks for the link bardic...there's some new stuff here for me to check out.
posted by Infinite Jest at 3:00 AM on August 19, 2009
how the fuck do you separate the 486th best song from the 487th best song
From the 100 Best Tracks of 2008 list:
posted by clearly at 3:09 AM on August 19, 2009 [5 favorites]
From the 100 Best Tracks of 2008 list:
Each of our staff writers was invited to participate in a two-part process to determine our staff's favorite songs of the year, first helping to craft a shortlist and from there determining the final order of the final top 100.I'm imagining that "crafting a shortlist and determining the final order of the top songs" for this decade spanning list among these folks would be akin to twenty plus methamphetamine fueled cannibalistic velociraptors locked in a conference room. Really, we shouldn't be debating whether these top songs are worthy of their acclaim, but rather why this selection process is not on pay-per-view. Among the piles of discarded coffee cups and pizza boxes in this apocalyptic board room, friendships will be lost, hopes will be dashed, and a little ditty played by some unnamed and unsigned experimental electro grunge band will play them off Thursday night into a street of broken dreams.
posted by clearly at 3:09 AM on August 19, 2009 [5 favorites]
We're not yet finished with 2009.
This means that there's not even a 10% chance they're right.
Assuming we'd like better-than-even odds, you should have waited another forty years before posting this.
posted by Malor at 3:11 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
This means that there's not even a 10% chance they're right.
Assuming we'd like better-than-even odds, you should have waited another forty years before posting this.
posted by Malor at 3:11 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
Shit, this is better than a drunken all ages Ska show at the anticlub in 1990.
*dives in*
posted by loquacious at 3:17 AM on August 19, 2009
*dives in*
posted by loquacious at 3:17 AM on August 19, 2009
Ugh. God. I hate music.
posted by sexyrobot at 3:26 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by sexyrobot at 3:26 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
Malor: "We're not yet finished with 2009.
This means that there's not even a 10% chance they're right."
It's only the OP who talks about the "21st Century". The article is actually "P2K: The Decade In Music", and it's talking about the 2000s, to differentiate from the 1990s, or the 2010s...
posted by benzo8 at 3:29 AM on August 19, 2009
This means that there's not even a 10% chance they're right."
It's only the OP who talks about the "21st Century". The article is actually "P2K: The Decade In Music", and it's talking about the 2000s, to differentiate from the 1990s, or the 2010s...
posted by benzo8 at 3:29 AM on August 19, 2009
Your link doesn't work - can you repost it?
Sorry - the Spotify story is here.
posted by awfurby at 3:29 AM on August 19, 2009
Sorry - the Spotify story is here.
posted by awfurby at 3:29 AM on August 19, 2009
Did somebody PBR in your pee?
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 4:21 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 4:21 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
It's pretty much been official for the last 9 years, we can all start counting up from zero now.
about time too.
posted by wobh at 4:24 AM on August 19, 2009
about time too.
posted by wobh at 4:24 AM on August 19, 2009
I keep forgetting that Kid A and Amnesiac are from this decade. They seem so late 90s, it's almost not fair to include them on the list.
Also, since I don't have ten fucking hours to go page by page through their goddamned list, I'm going to assume they don't have Amon Tobin's Supermodified on it, which makes me sad.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:40 AM on August 19, 2009
Also, since I don't have ten fucking hours to go page by page through their goddamned list, I'm going to assume they don't have Amon Tobin's Supermodified on it, which makes me sad.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:40 AM on August 19, 2009
"There is Light That Never Goes Out" is the best song of every century.
posted by Stylus Happenstance at 4:40 AM on August 19, 2009 [5 favorites]
posted by Stylus Happenstance at 4:40 AM on August 19, 2009 [5 favorites]
Also...
My money's on Wake Up by the Arcade Fire.
Rebellion (Lies) and Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) are better songs. Says I.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:44 AM on August 19, 2009 [3 favorites]
My money's on Wake Up by the Arcade Fire.
Rebellion (Lies) and Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) are better songs. Says I.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:44 AM on August 19, 2009 [3 favorites]
Fuck it, it's a subjective list from a Pitchfork point of view, but it's also a considered and broad survey of a lot of great songs, and there's some good writing in there too. I'm sure I'll hate nine out of the top ten but I'll end up finding something new-to-me from the preceding 490, and seeing a bracketed timeline of music that seems in turns more recent and much older than it is.
I've returned in the last year to nerding the fuck out about new and new-to-me music, really enjoying hunting it down and listening with intent, after a few years of stepping back due to a combination of life stuff and being a bit alienated by how excited people were getting about drone/post-rock/psychedelia/prog/sludge, genres that totally leave me cold. The pleasure of bedroom-listening, headphone-listening, mix tapes, release dates and seeing how the EP unfolds into the first album, and reading lists so you can try to out-nerd some other nerd by making pseudo-objective arguments for the merits of something so delightfully subjective? It's no small thing, and poring over this list makes me realise how much there is in the last nine years to enjoy, even if they put 'Hate It or Love It' way, way lower than I would have. tl;dr: Suck it, haters.
Weirdly, the first two-thirds of Bandslam play quite a sweet homage to music fan dorkery, more explicitly than Juno or Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, before going full-tilt Disney.
posted by carbide at 4:46 AM on August 19, 2009 [8 favorites]
I've returned in the last year to nerding the fuck out about new and new-to-me music, really enjoying hunting it down and listening with intent, after a few years of stepping back due to a combination of life stuff and being a bit alienated by how excited people were getting about drone/post-rock/psychedelia/prog/sludge, genres that totally leave me cold. The pleasure of bedroom-listening, headphone-listening, mix tapes, release dates and seeing how the EP unfolds into the first album, and reading lists so you can try to out-nerd some other nerd by making pseudo-objective arguments for the merits of something so delightfully subjective? It's no small thing, and poring over this list makes me realise how much there is in the last nine years to enjoy, even if they put 'Hate It or Love It' way, way lower than I would have. tl;dr: Suck it, haters.
Weirdly, the first two-thirds of Bandslam play quite a sweet homage to music fan dorkery, more explicitly than Juno or Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, before going full-tilt Disney.
posted by carbide at 4:46 AM on August 19, 2009 [8 favorites]
Thanks to briliantmistake & Leon for the Spoitfy links. Nice & civilised way to check out some interesting stuff and I'm happy to let Iggy Pop attempt to sell me car insurance & be reminded to donate blood once in a while.
posted by i_cola at 4:56 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by i_cola at 4:56 AM on August 19, 2009
"Wake Up" is an awesome song (and I love the version in the trailer(s) for Where The Wild Things Are), but really - this is Pitchfork. If it's not something off In Rainbows (probably "Nude"), I'll be quite surprised....
Yeah, Pitchfork! Which gave Arcade Fire's first LP a 10 outta 10 and regularly takes credit for launching the band's career. They'd never pick an Arcade Fire song.
I'm guessing they'll pick something by Neutral Milk Hotel and just claim Mangum/Magnum was ahead of his time so it's really a song from post-2000.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 5:01 AM on August 19, 2009
Yeah, Pitchfork! Which gave Arcade Fire's first LP a 10 outta 10 and regularly takes credit for launching the band's career. They'd never pick an Arcade Fire song.
I'm guessing they'll pick something by Neutral Milk Hotel and just claim Mangum/Magnum was ahead of his time so it's really a song from post-2000.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 5:01 AM on August 19, 2009
RavinDave: "I thought I'd be depressed when I got to that point in my life where I only recognized 5 or 6 names from a list like "100-51", but I actually find it oddly satisfying."
Hah, I was all excited that I'd actually heard 5 or 6 of them. I even own one or two. That's way higher than I expected.
posted by octothorpe at 5:06 AM on August 19, 2009
Hah, I was all excited that I'd actually heard 5 or 6 of them. I even own one or two. That's way higher than I expected.
posted by octothorpe at 5:06 AM on August 19, 2009
This is one big ad for La La, isn't it?
posted by anotherpanacea at 5:19 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by anotherpanacea at 5:19 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
This is too many songs. Can someone play them all at the same time and record it for me?
posted by orme at 5:36 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by orme at 5:36 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
I don't think it's going to be something so obscure. i.e. of songs that are great and also PF-approved, I'd wager that 'Hey Ya' by Outkast and 'Seven Nation Army' by the White Stripes will be right up at the top.
posted by Flashman at 5:40 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by Flashman at 5:40 AM on August 19, 2009
"All My Friends" (LCD Soundsystem) has my pick for song of the decade.
posted by LSK at 5:43 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by LSK at 5:43 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
Oops, I meant to link to the 7 minute version of La Ritournelle not the radio edit.
posted by dydecker at 5:48 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by dydecker at 5:48 AM on August 19, 2009
Wow. Now I know how my parents felt when I was growing up and listening to music they'd never heard by artists they never heard of.
posted by tommasz at 5:55 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by tommasz at 5:55 AM on August 19, 2009
clearly: "how the fuck do you separate the 486th best song from the 487th best song
From the 100 Best Tracks of 2008 list:
...
So it starts as all classic art analysis does. By answering a want ad.
posted by vapidave at 5:57 AM on August 19, 2009
From the 100 Best Tracks of 2008 list:
Each of our staff writers was invited to participate in a two-part process to determine our staff's favorite songs of the year, first helping to craft a shortlist and from there determining the final order of the final top 100.
...
So it starts as all classic art analysis does. By answering a want ad.
posted by vapidave at 5:57 AM on August 19, 2009
I'm all out of Asian girlfriends. Can I grab yours?
*spritzes Binaca in mouth*
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 6:13 AM on August 19, 2009
*spritzes Binaca in mouth*
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 6:13 AM on August 19, 2009
I would think Dylan's Mississippi might take a surprisingly high placement.
Number 426, actually. Surprising if you had it pegged at 427 though!
posted by haveanicesummer at 6:13 AM on August 19, 2009
Number 426, actually. Surprising if you had it pegged at 427 though!
posted by haveanicesummer at 6:13 AM on August 19, 2009
spritzes Binaca in mouth
Do they still make Binaca? That takes me back.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 6:18 AM on August 19, 2009
Do they still make Binaca? That takes me back.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 6:18 AM on August 19, 2009
Oh man. I just looked over clearly's post of the 2008 list. Someone picked "Becky" by Be Your Own Pet (at, like, number ten, but sure fine whatever), which I think actually is the best song of 2008, and like...do any of the rest of these fucking songs even have guitars in them? Blah.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 6:27 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by kittens for breakfast at 6:27 AM on August 19, 2009
Given the usual level of outrage in Metafilter, I am surprised that only one person has pointed out the sexist racism in the joke equaling Asian girlfriends to a fashion trend, and that a solid two or three have mocked that person.
I am with afu -- I don't think that it is acceptable, or even remotely necessary.
posted by TheyCallItPeace at 6:28 AM on August 19, 2009
I am with afu -- I don't think that it is acceptable, or even remotely necessary.
posted by TheyCallItPeace at 6:28 AM on August 19, 2009
Civil_Disobedient: "Binaca "
Haha! Believe it or not I did research that because when I wrote it, I felt like I was 100 years old. Here.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 6:34 AM on August 19, 2009
Haha! Believe it or not I did research that because when I wrote it, I felt like I was 100 years old. Here.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 6:34 AM on August 19, 2009
...the joke equaling Asian girlfriends to a fashion trend...
No, the joke equates having an Asian girlfriend as a fashion statement (as distinct from the many valid and non-sexist reasons why one might have an Asian girlfriend) with being a reader of Pitchfork. Which is probably why a lot of people didn't consider the joke itself to be, of itself, racist, but rather Pitchforkist.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 6:36 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
No, the joke equates having an Asian girlfriend as a fashion statement (as distinct from the many valid and non-sexist reasons why one might have an Asian girlfriend) with being a reader of Pitchfork. Which is probably why a lot of people didn't consider the joke itself to be, of itself, racist, but rather Pitchforkist.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 6:36 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
Uh Pitchfork readers don't have girlfriends
posted by dydecker at 6:40 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by dydecker at 6:40 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
"There is Light That Never Goes Out" is the best song of every century.
You're in luck! Schneider TM remade it in 2000, and I rather like the effort.
posted by filthy light thief at 6:44 AM on August 19, 2009 [3 favorites]
You're in luck! Schneider TM remade it in 2000, and I rather like the effort.
posted by filthy light thief at 6:44 AM on August 19, 2009 [3 favorites]
Given the usual level of outrage in Metafilter, I am surprised that only one person has pointed out the sexist racism in the joke equaling Asian girlfriends to a fashion trend, and that a solid two or three have mocked that person.
Yeah, I'm not sure how I feel about that; I thought that at least it would be worth a discussion. But on the other hand --
Wow. Some people go looking for reasons to get offended. Lighten the fuck up.
Oh, right. So that's how the tone of the conversation is supposed to go. Um . . . how about you deepen the fuck up. Am I doing it right? Did I strike the right tone to ensure that anyone who disagrees with me will be instantly irritated and not want to engage in discourse?
posted by Frobenius Twist at 6:47 AM on August 19, 2009 [11 favorites]
Yeah, I'm not sure how I feel about that; I thought that at least it would be worth a discussion. But on the other hand --
Wow. Some people go looking for reasons to get offended. Lighten the fuck up.
Oh, right. So that's how the tone of the conversation is supposed to go. Um . . . how about you deepen the fuck up. Am I doing it right? Did I strike the right tone to ensure that anyone who disagrees with me will be instantly irritated and not want to engage in discourse?
posted by Frobenius Twist at 6:47 AM on August 19, 2009 [11 favorites]
I can't wait until they do the 3000 best songs of all time. Finally Ode to Joy can face off against Chinese opera and Hey Jude. Then they can do the 10000 best noises including songs. How will a baby's laughter stack up against the sound of Pat Sajak getting punched in the face. I can hardly wait.
posted by I Foody at 6:57 AM on August 19, 2009 [12 favorites]
posted by I Foody at 6:57 AM on August 19, 2009 [12 favorites]
I thought the joke was about hipsters as I had never heard about Pitchfork before.
I lost my faith in this kind of list after downloading a top 1000 of all ages torrent which in a later review I found out it had a lot of rock of some eastern european country and no Michael Jackson at all.
posted by Memo at 6:57 AM on August 19, 2009
I lost my faith in this kind of list after downloading a top 1000 of all ages torrent which in a later review I found out it had a lot of rock of some eastern european country and no Michael Jackson at all.
posted by Memo at 6:57 AM on August 19, 2009
I never heard of Pitchfork either (but I confess I read Buddyhead from time to time...). The only thing it occurs to me to say is this: people, and especially magazine editors, just love lists. They generally require no reporting and they write themselves.
posted by MarshallPoe at 6:59 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by MarshallPoe at 6:59 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
Bardic mentioned Asian girlfriend, not wife. Girlfriend implies trendiness, wife implies committment. Rest assured, such committment doesn't fall under racist fashion trend, afu, and your lifestyle choices are not being mocked.
posted by Ghidorah at 7:14 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by Ghidorah at 7:14 AM on August 19, 2009
le morte de bea arthur: No, the joke equates having an Asian girlfriend as a fashion statement (as distinct from the many valid and non-sexist reasons why one might have an Asian girlfriend) with being a reader of Pitchfork.
Does it really matter whether he's poured into skinny jeans or not? Frankly the back-of-the-mind kneejerk joke/assumption that the only reason any man would be interested in an Asian woman would be to go after oriental poontang is old, tired, and douchey in any context. The hipster angle's just distraction. Do we make jungle fever jokes when we see a black woman with a white guy? No? Then these sly insinuations are bullshit.
posted by twins named Lugubrious and Salubrious at 7:18 AM on August 19, 2009 [5 favorites]
Does it really matter whether he's poured into skinny jeans or not? Frankly the back-of-the-mind kneejerk joke/assumption that the only reason any man would be interested in an Asian woman would be to go after oriental poontang is old, tired, and douchey in any context. The hipster angle's just distraction. Do we make jungle fever jokes when we see a black woman with a white guy? No? Then these sly insinuations are bullshit.
posted by twins named Lugubrious and Salubrious at 7:18 AM on August 19, 2009 [5 favorites]
such committment doesn't fall under racist fashion trend, afu, and your lifestyle choices are not being mocked.
As I read afu's statement, s/he was objecting to the objectification of Asian women in the post title, not feeling personally picked on. Whole different ball of wax. I'm kind of with le morte de bea on the generous reading of the intentions behind the joke, but I don't think the tagline deserves a pass on questioning, either. "Grab a John Deere hat and [a PBR, your fixie, skinny jeans] would've gotten the point across, too, without effectively equating Asian women to accessories.
posted by EvaDestruction at 7:24 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
As I read afu's statement, s/he was objecting to the objectification of Asian women in the post title, not feeling personally picked on. Whole different ball of wax. I'm kind of with le morte de bea on the generous reading of the intentions behind the joke, but I don't think the tagline deserves a pass on questioning, either. "Grab a John Deere hat and [a PBR, your fixie, skinny jeans] would've gotten the point across, too, without effectively equating Asian women to accessories.
posted by EvaDestruction at 7:24 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
Dude no one said you can't ENJOY a mid life crisis. Just listen to Mick sing 19th Nervous Breakdown. Enjoying all that stuff can be so liberating. Realizing you are halfway-to-dead sucks. Self medication is called for. Angry rock is called for. Flirting, catch and release or bedding those few young Asian women who actually dig older men is called for. Seek them out. Your early 40's are your last chance to be genuinely attractive to Asian 20 somethings unless you are exceptional. Just try to avoid the divorce we all ended up having as a result. Be smarter than the average Asian black bear. FWIW my crisis lasted about 8 years in fact I may still be having it. Did the red car. Did the black car. Did the Jaguar. Went to Taos with a 23 year old Asian at 42 and fell hard in love and made the most unbelievable Asian love. Such an insanely horny Asian chick and she was so ASIANLY into me. Don't miss that Asian shit. Telling guys in a bar she was Asian and throwing huge PDA's for me. (and yes she left me for a younger man and made me suicidal...) loooking back IM SO GLAD I DID ALL OF IT. It usually hits at 42. Candidate for judgemental thread of the month btw non-Asian ladies.. Rock dude. Rock. ASIAN
posted by Optimus Chyme at 7:28 AM on August 19, 2009 [12 favorites]
posted by Optimus Chyme at 7:28 AM on August 19, 2009 [12 favorites]
I...?
posted by kittens for breakfast at 7:29 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by kittens for breakfast at 7:29 AM on August 19, 2009
uh . . . umm . . . hmm
posted by Think_Long at 7:36 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by Think_Long at 7:36 AM on August 19, 2009
I don't know about jonmc, but my head just asploded.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 7:37 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 7:37 AM on August 19, 2009
It's just the dance remix of this comment.
posted by hermitosis at 7:45 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by hermitosis at 7:45 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
There's been some solid contenders for #1 in this thread, but based on prior Pitchfork lists, I don't think it'll be a "rock" song--whatever the hell "rock song" means in 2009--but rather a hip-hop or R&B track, and one that was popular in the mainstream, to preemptively defend themselves from accusations of rockism or elitism. Let's see, it'll probably be something from Jay-Z, maybe "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)"?
Actually, with that in mind, those of you saying "Hey Ya" might have it. It's not exactly rock, it was a huge hit, and it was made by non-honkies. We might have a lock here.
There's the outside chance it could be R. Kelly's "Ignition (remix)," but I don't see them giving the #1 spot to Kelly. The song is one of my absolute favorites, but good grief, what would that say about the last ten years?
And that's sort of a good point, actually: whatever they choose as number one, they're gonna make the (bullshit?) case that it's not just the best song of the decade, it's also somehow representative of the entire decade. So maybe the #1 spot will go to someone who represents the diversification of the music scene over the last ten years and it'll go to MIA ("Paper Planes," probably.)
And, actually, "All My Friends" is a good fit for the "not just the best song, but representative of the decade itself" slot: it's explicitly about the aging of aging of alternative culture, it has the dance-punk influence that mattered so much this decade, and, hell, it was a previous Pitchfork #1. And even without those considerations, it's also probably the actual best song of the decade.
*
Of course, the best scenario would be if, after #2, the page said CLICK HERE FOR #1...and it was just a rickroll.
TOP TIP: If this is like previous years, there should be a torrent of all 500 songs popping up in a week or so.
posted by Ian A.T. at 7:53 AM on August 19, 2009 [4 favorites]
Actually, with that in mind, those of you saying "Hey Ya" might have it. It's not exactly rock, it was a huge hit, and it was made by non-honkies. We might have a lock here.
There's the outside chance it could be R. Kelly's "Ignition (remix)," but I don't see them giving the #1 spot to Kelly. The song is one of my absolute favorites, but good grief, what would that say about the last ten years?
And that's sort of a good point, actually: whatever they choose as number one, they're gonna make the (bullshit?) case that it's not just the best song of the decade, it's also somehow representative of the entire decade. So maybe the #1 spot will go to someone who represents the diversification of the music scene over the last ten years and it'll go to MIA ("Paper Planes," probably.)
And, actually, "All My Friends" is a good fit for the "not just the best song, but representative of the decade itself" slot: it's explicitly about the aging of aging of alternative culture, it has the dance-punk influence that mattered so much this decade, and, hell, it was a previous Pitchfork #1. And even without those considerations, it's also probably the actual best song of the decade.
*
Of course, the best scenario would be if, after #2, the page said CLICK HERE FOR #1...and it was just a rickroll.
TOP TIP: If this is like previous years, there should be a torrent of all 500 songs popping up in a week or so.
posted by Ian A.T. at 7:53 AM on August 19, 2009 [4 favorites]
It's just the dance remix of this comment.
You know what you want to do with that, right? Put a bangin' donk on it.
posted by EvaDestruction at 7:54 AM on August 19, 2009
You know what you want to do with that, right? Put a bangin' donk on it.
posted by EvaDestruction at 7:54 AM on August 19, 2009
I sort of get what you're saying, 23skidoo, but Twins is right to note that people in interracial relationships have historically experienced enough bullshit that you're kinda walking on thin ice with a joke like that and...well...maybe it's just not worth it to make a joke like that unless it's both (a) obviously meant to be inoffensive and (b) just so screamingly fucking hilarious you can't believe it. This joke was neither. I think a joke like this can only be a if it's actually meant to mock racists themselves (by parodying a racist attitude and thus exposing said attitude as ugly, stupid, etc.), which isn't what this joke is doing at all.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 7:57 AM on August 19, 2009 [5 favorites]
posted by kittens for breakfast at 7:57 AM on August 19, 2009 [5 favorites]
twins named Lugubrious and Salubrious, that wasn't really the point I was making. I read the title to be a joke at the expense of a certain stereotype (the 'hipster'). Part of that stereotype is that such a person might wish to have an Asian girlfriend because of some sleazy (and racist) notion about exoticism and the social cachet that he would thereby gain in his circle of (similarly sleazy) friends.
If I were to make a derogatory joke about a certain type of old-fashioned racist comedian, would I be reinforcing the ideas on which that comedian bases his act? I don't think I would, at least not to any reasonable audience. I would argue that it's a staple of modern, non-racist comedy to ridicule such people.
I was trying to make the point that the characterisation of an individual as subscribing a particular stereotype is not automatically an endorsement of that stereotype. Of course, making that joke, for whatever reason, inevitably raises the tired old slur of the Asian woman as fashion accessory. But it's really ok to mention such stereotypes as long as we aren't advocating those stereotypes, isn't it? You yourself mentioned 'jungle fever' jokes; simply by doing so you've briefly raised a negative stereotype of black women in my mind. Should I therefore call you racist?
Or what 23skidoo said in about a tenth of the words.
Can we get back on the rails now? I remember the UK magazine Uncut doing an article where they looked back at all the 'best of 200x' albums from their previous lists and how many of the bands then proceeded to disappear without a trace. I think if Pitchfork could get over itself a little, a little self-mockery like that would be quite refreshing.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 7:58 AM on August 19, 2009
If I were to make a derogatory joke about a certain type of old-fashioned racist comedian, would I be reinforcing the ideas on which that comedian bases his act? I don't think I would, at least not to any reasonable audience. I would argue that it's a staple of modern, non-racist comedy to ridicule such people.
I was trying to make the point that the characterisation of an individual as subscribing a particular stereotype is not automatically an endorsement of that stereotype. Of course, making that joke, for whatever reason, inevitably raises the tired old slur of the Asian woman as fashion accessory. But it's really ok to mention such stereotypes as long as we aren't advocating those stereotypes, isn't it? You yourself mentioned 'jungle fever' jokes; simply by doing so you've briefly raised a negative stereotype of black women in my mind. Should I therefore call you racist?
Or what 23skidoo said in about a tenth of the words.
Can we get back on the rails now? I remember the UK magazine Uncut doing an article where they looked back at all the 'best of 200x' albums from their previous lists and how many of the bands then proceeded to disappear without a trace. I think if Pitchfork could get over itself a little, a little self-mockery like that would be quite refreshing.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 7:58 AM on August 19, 2009
I'm also kind of in agreement with kittens for breakfast that the joke was, in balance, probably better off not made.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 8:00 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 8:00 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
Previous Pitchfork Top Tracks of the Year:
2008: Hercules and Love Affair • "Blind"
2007: LCD Soundsystem • "All My Friends"
2006: Justin Timberlake [ft. T.I.] • "My Love"
2005: Antony & the Johnsons • "Hope There's Someone"
2004: Annie • "My Heartbeat"
2003: Outkast • "Hey Ya!"
2000-2004: Outkast • "Hey Ya!" / Outkast "B.O.B."
posted by Ian A.T. at 8:02 AM on August 19, 2009
2008: Hercules and Love Affair • "Blind"
2007: LCD Soundsystem • "All My Friends"
2006: Justin Timberlake [ft. T.I.] • "My Love"
2005: Antony & the Johnsons • "Hope There's Someone"
2004: Annie • "My Heartbeat"
2003: Outkast • "Hey Ya!"
2000-2004: Outkast • "Hey Ya!" / Outkast "B.O.B."
posted by Ian A.T. at 8:02 AM on August 19, 2009
> (as distinct from the many valid and non-sexist reasons why one might have an Asian girlfriend)
Balls. If it were non-sexist it'd be an Asian boyfriend.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 8:06 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
Balls. If it were non-sexist it'd be an Asian boyfriend.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 8:06 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
orme: "This is too many songs. Can someone play them all at the same time and record it for me?"
Ask me again in a week.
posted by flatluigi at 8:08 AM on August 19, 2009
Ask me again in a week.
posted by flatluigi at 8:08 AM on August 19, 2009
I wish Metafilter had an alternate site where one could discuss issues not directly related to the post.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 8:15 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 8:15 AM on August 19, 2009
It's ok, we can have a new post when we get the top 50.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 8:16 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 8:16 AM on August 19, 2009
so, uh, i actually work for john deere and have a half-asian girlfriend. what do i win?
posted by TrialByMedia at 8:21 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by TrialByMedia at 8:21 AM on August 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
Considering that there were only 506 songs released in the 21st century so far, this list isn't much of a stretch.
*echoing earlier comment as well, that I'm very surprised I recognized a lot of these bands. I feel younger already.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 8:24 AM on August 19, 2009
*echoing earlier comment as well, that I'm very surprised I recognized a lot of these bands. I feel younger already.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 8:24 AM on August 19, 2009
All the hipsters I know have moved on from Asian girlfriends to Dutch girlfriends. I mean, the only person I know with an Asian girlfriend is my kinda dorky little brother, and he's got two (and an Asian wife!) so it's pretty uncool.
Plus, with a Dutch girlfriend, you don't have to pay for her dinner.
posted by klangklangston at 8:27 AM on August 19, 2009 [3 favorites]
Plus, with a Dutch girlfriend, you don't have to pay for her dinner.
posted by klangklangston at 8:27 AM on August 19, 2009 [3 favorites]
"Do we make jungle fever jokes when we see a black woman with a white guy? No?"
No, I make Zebrahead and Michael Rapaport jokes. Jungle Fever's about a black guy with an Italian woman, for which Wesley Snipes jokes are appropriate.
posted by klangklangston at 8:36 AM on August 19, 2009
No, I make Zebrahead and Michael Rapaport jokes. Jungle Fever's about a black guy with an Italian woman, for which Wesley Snipes jokes are appropriate.
posted by klangklangston at 8:36 AM on August 19, 2009
Sorry for the Asian girlfriend joke. I should probably move to Korea as penance or something.
posted by bardic at 8:50 AM on August 19, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by bardic at 8:50 AM on August 19, 2009 [3 favorites]
The best song of the last decade is: Five. Five dollar. Five dollar footlong. Same as in town.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:56 AM on August 19, 2009 [5 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:56 AM on August 19, 2009 [5 favorites]
I've got as far as about 420 and it's a lot of fun. A couple of excellent discoveries (e.g. pantha du prince) and overall a wide range of western popular styles represented. Interesting that 75% of the stuff I'm saving to my own Spotify playlist is European.
posted by i_cola at 9:13 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by i_cola at 9:13 AM on August 19, 2009
Too soon?
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 9:29 AM on August 19, 2009
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 9:29 AM on August 19, 2009
Top 500 of the 21st century? Holy shit!
Just imagine what this list will be like in the 25th century!
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 9:29 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
Just imagine what this list will be like in the 25th century!
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 9:29 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
Rebellion (Lies) and Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) are better songs. Says I.
Rebellion (Lies) is already on the list. I'd pick "Intervention" or "No Cars Go" as #1.
posted by mike3k at 9:51 AM on August 19, 2009
Rebellion (Lies) is already on the list. I'd pick "Intervention" or "No Cars Go" as #1.
posted by mike3k at 9:51 AM on August 19, 2009
All the hipsters I know have moved on from Asian girlfriends to Dutch girlfriends.
Asian Girlfriend ... Dutch Girlfriend
posted by clearly at 11:57 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
Asian Girlfriend ... Dutch Girlfriend
posted by clearly at 11:57 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
Well this list pretty much means I won't be doing any original songwriting for the next week.
posted by daHIFI at 12:00 PM on August 19, 2009
posted by daHIFI at 12:00 PM on August 19, 2009
Miho Hitori is angry at this thread.
posted by sleslie at 12:09 PM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by sleslie at 12:09 PM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]
iamkimiam, Greg Nog was talking about hermitosis pointing out Muirwylde's comment buffalo buffalo buffalo. Buffalo buffalo? Buffalo buffalo.
posted by Pronoiac at 12:32 PM on August 19, 2009
posted by Pronoiac at 12:32 PM on August 19, 2009
I'm looking forward to when the whole list is released, and someone compiles the songs as mp3s in one playlist, and I can download the torrent of said playlist.
Link? I'd prefer a direct hosted zip/rar rather than a torrent, please?
posted by mrgrimm at 2:23 PM on August 19, 2009
Link? I'd prefer a direct hosted zip/rar rather than a torrent, please?
posted by mrgrimm at 2:23 PM on August 19, 2009
Also, #1 will be Race You To My Bedroom/Spirit Rise by Fuck Buttons.
posted by mrgrimm at 2:55 PM on August 19, 2009
posted by mrgrimm at 2:55 PM on August 19, 2009
I read through 100-51, listened to the ones I didn't know (slightly less than half). Overall I'd say that portion of the list felt pretty spot-on. They were all extremely strong songs from the past decade and I can probably think of about 25 likely contenders for the top fifty, which means Pitchfork can think of 50.
I'm not sure what to say - I tend to sneer at Pitchfork, but this list looks as close to 'correct' as is possible within a completely subjective framework.
...this must be what it feels like to have someone watch you read their doctoral thesis over the course of 4-5 hours and then when you finish you look up at them and say, "Well, yeah" in agreement but you can't really think of anything else to say.
posted by Ryvar at 7:18 PM on August 19, 2009
I'm not sure what to say - I tend to sneer at Pitchfork, but this list looks as close to 'correct' as is possible within a completely subjective framework.
...this must be what it feels like to have someone watch you read their doctoral thesis over the course of 4-5 hours and then when you finish you look up at them and say, "Well, yeah" in agreement but you can't really think of anything else to say.
posted by Ryvar at 7:18 PM on August 19, 2009
Sufjan is getting lots of love. I can respect that.
#42 "Atlas" by Battles is a fantastic track. Cool album too.
But uh-oh. Kelly Clarkson's "Since You Been Gone" at #21? Better than White Stripes' "7 Nation Army" or Spoon's "The Way We Get By"?
That's pretty fucked up.
posted by bardic at 12:40 AM on August 20, 2009
#42 "Atlas" by Battles is a fantastic track. Cool album too.
But uh-oh. Kelly Clarkson's "Since You Been Gone" at #21? Better than White Stripes' "7 Nation Army" or Spoon's "The Way We Get By"?
That's pretty fucked up.
posted by bardic at 12:40 AM on August 20, 2009
I'm not saying I agree or even think it's possible to determine if "Since U Been Gone" is better than those wonderful songs, but in many ways I think it's more important. Both of those other songs are fantastic songs by fantastic bands, whereas "Since U Been Gone" is a miraculously good song that somehow came out of an American Idol winner on a major label completely in the Top 40 pop mainstream. I know it's a popular song for mp3bloggers or indie fans or whatever to like but that's not because we all want to like what other people like but because it's REALLY GOOD.
So maybe it's more important to place a song like that highly on a list from a publication like Pitchfork than a song like "The Way We Get By" because no one should need convincing that Spoon is amazing, but I'm sure some people right now are reading this and thinking "UGHH, KELLY CLARKSON!?"
posted by haveanicesummer at 5:22 AM on August 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
So maybe it's more important to place a song like that highly on a list from a publication like Pitchfork than a song like "The Way We Get By" because no one should need convincing that Spoon is amazing, but I'm sure some people right now are reading this and thinking "UGHH, KELLY CLARKSON!?"
posted by haveanicesummer at 5:22 AM on August 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
The problem with lists of top songs is that the system of putting them in a total ordering is inherently flawed. What we really need is a _partial ordering_, and thus have a Top 500 Poset. (Partially Ordered Set, for those of you who didn't make it past arithmetic.) In a poset, you can't compare any two songs - one is relieved of the duty of deciding whether a particular track by your favorite band is better than the sound generated by flies swarming on a pile of warm shit. However, relations are transitive (just like in a total ordering), so if I know that Flies on Shit is better than The Sound of Two Eyes Gouging, and Eye Gouging is better than your favorite song, then I can still infer that your favorite song sucks ass.
The main problem with using a general poset is that you could end up with a large number of worst songs, as opposed to just one. So we should probably use a lattice (a special kind of poset, with an element that is less than every other element in the poset), so we can have the satisfaction of seeing your favorite track solidly at the bottom.
FWIW, I actually like Pitchfork; I've heard a lot of cool stuff by watching their 'best new albums' feature over the years.
posted by kaibutsu at 9:39 AM on August 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
The main problem with using a general poset is that you could end up with a large number of worst songs, as opposed to just one. So we should probably use a lattice (a special kind of poset, with an element that is less than every other element in the poset), so we can have the satisfaction of seeing your favorite track solidly at the bottom.
FWIW, I actually like Pitchfork; I've heard a lot of cool stuff by watching their 'best new albums' feature over the years.
posted by kaibutsu at 9:39 AM on August 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
the last of them are up.
20. The Walkmen - The Rat
19. R. Kelly - Ignition (Remix)
18. Hercules and Love Affair - Blind
17. Annie - Heartbeat
16. The Rapture - House of Jealous Lovers
15. The Knife - Heartbeats
14. Jay-Z - 99 Problems
13. LCD Soundsystem - Losing My Edge
12. OutKast - Hey Ya!
11. Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
10. Arcade Fire - Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels)
9. Animal Collective - My Girls
8. Radiohead - Idioteque
7. Missy Elliott - Get Ur Freak On
6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
5. Daft Punk - One More Time
4. Beyonce ft Jay-Z - Crazy in Love
3. M.I.A. ft Bun B and Rich Boy - Paper Planes (Diplo Remix)
2. LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends
1. OutKast - B.O.B
posted by heeeraldo at 10:55 PM on August 20, 2009
20. The Walkmen - The Rat
19. R. Kelly - Ignition (Remix)
18. Hercules and Love Affair - Blind
17. Annie - Heartbeat
16. The Rapture - House of Jealous Lovers
15. The Knife - Heartbeats
14. Jay-Z - 99 Problems
13. LCD Soundsystem - Losing My Edge
12. OutKast - Hey Ya!
11. Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
10. Arcade Fire - Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels)
9. Animal Collective - My Girls
8. Radiohead - Idioteque
7. Missy Elliott - Get Ur Freak On
6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
5. Daft Punk - One More Time
4. Beyonce ft Jay-Z - Crazy in Love
3. M.I.A. ft Bun B and Rich Boy - Paper Planes (Diplo Remix)
2. LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends
1. OutKast - B.O.B
posted by heeeraldo at 10:55 PM on August 20, 2009
Walkmen with a track in the top 20. LCD Soundsystem with two including "Losing My Edge."
Can't believe I didn't think of "Paper Planes."
I'm happy it was "B.O.B." instead of "Hey Ya," if only because the video is cooler.
posted by bardic at 2:09 AM on August 21, 2009
Can't believe I didn't think of "Paper Planes."
I'm happy it was "B.O.B." instead of "Hey Ya," if only because the video is cooler.
posted by bardic at 2:09 AM on August 21, 2009
But really, do we have any other choice? "B.O.B." is not just the song of the decade-- it is the decade.
Well, if you put it like that, I agree. America has certainly spent a great portion of the decade muddling around in the Middle East. However, if there was a song that captured what occurred in November 2008, and what will inevitably become of far greater historical significance, I surely haven't heard it... after all, "Signed, sealed, delivered" wasn't recorded in the 2000's.
I commend Pitchfork's efforts. The list pointed me towards some new music, and confirmed that I wasn't listening to critically rejected crap, which may be a pseudo pat on the back, but I'll take it nonetheless.
As with any list, every entry is debatable, but in this one, Pitchfork captured a decade of great diversity in music. In no other decade could you find a Jay-Z mentioned on the same page as an LCD Soundsystem, or the Knife... or Hercules and Love Affair mentioned along with Eminem and MOP. There is a fantastic range in the music available to us these days, an unprecedented variation in styles, and while all styles may not appeal to everyone, one can surely appreciate this collection and the creativity behind its inspiration.
posted by clearly at 3:36 AM on August 21, 2009
Well, if you put it like that, I agree. America has certainly spent a great portion of the decade muddling around in the Middle East. However, if there was a song that captured what occurred in November 2008, and what will inevitably become of far greater historical significance, I surely haven't heard it... after all, "Signed, sealed, delivered" wasn't recorded in the 2000's.
I commend Pitchfork's efforts. The list pointed me towards some new music, and confirmed that I wasn't listening to critically rejected crap, which may be a pseudo pat on the back, but I'll take it nonetheless.
As with any list, every entry is debatable, but in this one, Pitchfork captured a decade of great diversity in music. In no other decade could you find a Jay-Z mentioned on the same page as an LCD Soundsystem, or the Knife... or Hercules and Love Affair mentioned along with Eminem and MOP. There is a fantastic range in the music available to us these days, an unprecedented variation in styles, and while all styles may not appeal to everyone, one can surely appreciate this collection and the creativity behind its inspiration.
posted by clearly at 3:36 AM on August 21, 2009
Good guess from everyone who suggested All My Friends. So close!
I could have sworn last night that it would be In the Flowers from MPP ... nope.
posted by mrgrimm at 6:42 AM on August 21, 2009
I could have sworn last night that it would be In the Flowers from MPP ... nope.
posted by mrgrimm at 6:42 AM on August 21, 2009
A few years ago they did a mid-decade chart and had B.O.B. on top. I pretty much figured that this list would either have B.O.B. on top or off it entirely (our of embarrassment). Good thing they stuck to their, um, guns.
My two complaints, in the end, are "Idioteque" -- out of four albums, you think THIS is the best Radiohead song of the 2000s? Really? Really? -- and Animal Collective, which they and other Brooklyn hipsters are obsessed with but seem destined to be forgettable.
But otherwise, the top 20 is solid.
posted by dw at 8:01 AM on August 21, 2009
My two complaints, in the end, are "Idioteque" -- out of four albums, you think THIS is the best Radiohead song of the 2000s? Really? Really? -- and Animal Collective, which they and other Brooklyn hipsters are obsessed with but seem destined to be forgettable.
But otherwise, the top 20 is solid.
posted by dw at 8:01 AM on August 21, 2009
and Animal Collective, which they and other Brooklyn hipsters are obsessed with but seem destined to be forgettable.
Animal Collective have released 8 albums in the past 9 years, plus several EPs. They've achieved newfound crossover success with their latest album, but they're hardly a flash in the pan.
And I thought the blurb for Idioteque did a fine job justifying its inclusion.
posted by ludwig_van at 9:39 AM on August 21, 2009
Animal Collective have released 8 albums in the past 9 years, plus several EPs. They've achieved newfound crossover success with their latest album, but they're hardly a flash in the pan.
And I thought the blurb for Idioteque did a fine job justifying its inclusion.
posted by ludwig_van at 9:39 AM on August 21, 2009
Aye; I've been listening to Animal Collective since 'Here Comes the Indian.' They're a freaking incredible group (though, admittedly, one wouldn't have known it from 'Here Comes the Indian'). If Radiohead is our Beatles, then Animal Collective is our Beach Boys.
posted by kaibutsu at 11:36 AM on August 21, 2009
posted by kaibutsu at 11:36 AM on August 21, 2009
"Bodysnatchers" is way too obvious, but at the same time the Radiohead track I would have put into the top 20. Angry and muddy at the same time.
Still don't grock "Since You Been Gone" ahead of so many other great songs.
Ryan Schreiber still sees himself getting an editor position at Rolling Stone? Maybe.
posted by bardic at 1:09 PM on August 21, 2009
Still don't grock "Since You Been Gone" ahead of so many other great songs.
Ryan Schreiber still sees himself getting an editor position at Rolling Stone? Maybe.
posted by bardic at 1:09 PM on August 21, 2009
Animal Collective have released 8 albums in the past 9 years, plus several EPs. They've achieved newfound crossover success with their latest album, but they're hardly a flash in the pan.
I agree they're more than their last two albums. Not to be all Your Favorite Band Sucks, though, but I haven't really figured out what's so great about them.
If Radiohead is our Beatles, then Animal Collective is our Beach Boys.
Er. I don't know about that assertion. The Beach Boys were about a mad genius trapped in a surf band. And it look a lot of pop before we got to Pet Sounds, with "Don't Worry Baby" along the way. I'm not just not hearing it in Animal Collective. Sorry. Maybe I'm just old and you need to get off my lawn.
And I thought the blurb for Idioteque did a fine job justifying its inclusion.
I guess... but I felt like it stuck out too much on Kid A, like it was the last gasp of the alt-pop stylings they were leaving behind. I know what they're saying there, but I do think "Nude" would have been a better choice -- it was less a song and more a collective art piece.
Still don't grock "Since You Been Gone" ahead of so many other great songs.
Because once in a great while the stars align and you get a vocalist in top form singing a song by a songwriter in top form backed by musicians in top form and an engineer in top form and they produce a Perfect Pop Song. And this a Perfect Pop Song.
Should it be ahead of "My Love?" Maybe not. But you can't listen to "Since U Been Gone" and not tell me it doesn't belong here. It's the single redeeming thing that's come out of American Idol.
posted by dw at 4:17 PM on August 21, 2009
I agree they're more than their last two albums. Not to be all Your Favorite Band Sucks, though, but I haven't really figured out what's so great about them.
If Radiohead is our Beatles, then Animal Collective is our Beach Boys.
Er. I don't know about that assertion. The Beach Boys were about a mad genius trapped in a surf band. And it look a lot of pop before we got to Pet Sounds, with "Don't Worry Baby" along the way. I'm not just not hearing it in Animal Collective. Sorry. Maybe I'm just old and you need to get off my lawn.
And I thought the blurb for Idioteque did a fine job justifying its inclusion.
I guess... but I felt like it stuck out too much on Kid A, like it was the last gasp of the alt-pop stylings they were leaving behind. I know what they're saying there, but I do think "Nude" would have been a better choice -- it was less a song and more a collective art piece.
Still don't grock "Since You Been Gone" ahead of so many other great songs.
Because once in a great while the stars align and you get a vocalist in top form singing a song by a songwriter in top form backed by musicians in top form and an engineer in top form and they produce a Perfect Pop Song. And this a Perfect Pop Song.
Should it be ahead of "My Love?" Maybe not. But you can't listen to "Since U Been Gone" and not tell me it doesn't belong here. It's the single redeeming thing that's come out of American Idol.
posted by dw at 4:17 PM on August 21, 2009
Impossible; there has not been any good music since the turn of the century.
posted by Eideteker at 7:43 PM on August 21, 2009
posted by Eideteker at 7:43 PM on August 21, 2009
but I'm sure some people right now are reading this and thinking "UGHH, KELLY CLARKSON!?"
Yes, yes we are.
"B.O.B." is cool, but it isn't this decade incarnate. "Jimmy Carter" by Electric Six is, with "2+2=5" right behind it.
posted by spaltavian at 9:06 PM on August 21, 2009
Yes, yes we are.
"B.O.B." is cool, but it isn't this decade incarnate. "Jimmy Carter" by Electric Six is, with "2+2=5" right behind it.
posted by spaltavian at 9:06 PM on August 21, 2009
We all know "Fuck the Pain Away" should have been number one.
posted by bardic at 1:01 AM on August 22, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by bardic at 1:01 AM on August 22, 2009 [1 favorite]
Any notable exceptions? I'm surprised at a few.
No Prefuse 73, Architecture in Helsinki, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Passion Pit, Akron/Family, Clouddead, Why?.
And not too shocking, but no Eluvium or Max Richter (though Stars of the Lid and Fennesz make appearances).
"Lisztomania" isn't there at all, but 3 other Phoenix songs are. Too new, I guess?
posted by naju at 11:56 AM on August 22, 2009
No Prefuse 73, Architecture in Helsinki, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Passion Pit, Akron/Family, Clouddead, Why?.
And not too shocking, but no Eluvium or Max Richter (though Stars of the Lid and Fennesz make appearances).
"Lisztomania" isn't there at all, but 3 other Phoenix songs are. Too new, I guess?
posted by naju at 11:56 AM on August 22, 2009
I just noticed there's nothing from (the) Gossip aside from 'Standing in the Way of Control', and, yeah, absolutely nothing from Peaches. I think I might be expecting the 400-500 to contain about 500 songs, like remote storage for the higher part of the list.
The one thing that's really super-baffling to me, after a few days' reflection (and a conclusion that I have mostly enjoyed the hell out of this list, even if Radiohead and Animal Collective leave me cold, and 'B.O.B.' isn't even my top Outkast song of the 2000s), is the Annie inclusion: what am I missing about 'Heartbeat' that makes it so notable if 'Chewing Gum' (which I could almost go Words and Music about) doesn't even make the list? Its entry is written by Tom Ewing, who's one of the good contributors, so I'm inclined to conclude it was more important in the carbideverse and hinterlands than the Pitchfork one.
posted by carbide at 4:08 PM on August 23, 2009 [1 favorite]
The one thing that's really super-baffling to me, after a few days' reflection (and a conclusion that I have mostly enjoyed the hell out of this list, even if Radiohead and Animal Collective leave me cold, and 'B.O.B.' isn't even my top Outkast song of the 2000s), is the Annie inclusion: what am I missing about 'Heartbeat' that makes it so notable if 'Chewing Gum' (which I could almost go Words and Music about) doesn't even make the list? Its entry is written by Tom Ewing, who's one of the good contributors, so I'm inclined to conclude it was more important in the carbideverse and hinterlands than the Pitchfork one.
posted by carbide at 4:08 PM on August 23, 2009 [1 favorite]
Okay, some number crunching:
Number of songs by years / average ranking of all songs from a year:
2000 -- 59 songs, 241.0 avg. rank
2001 -- 52 songs, 225.8 avg. rank
2002 -- 60 songs, 253.7 avg. rank
2003 -- 63 songs, 253.3 avg. rank
2004 -- 51 songs, 269.7 avg. rank
2005 -- 61 songs, 233.7 avg. rank
2006 -- 58 songs, 268.6 avg. rank
2007 -- 48 songs, 216.6 avg. rank
2008 -- 33 songs, 280.6 avg. rank
2009 -- 15 songs, 324.5 avg. rank
Most appearances:
4 times: Animal Collective, Jay-Z, Radiohead
3 times: Arcade Fire, Belle and Sebastian, Cat Power, Clipse, Daft Punk, Eminem, Grizzly Bear, Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem, M.I.A., Missy Elliott, OutKast, Phoenix, Sigur Rós, Spoon, Sufjan Stevens, The Strokes, Kanye West, The White Stripes, Wilco, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
(76 bands/artists appear twice; featured artists are not counted here, otherwise Jay-Z's count would be significantly higher; solo artists are counted separately from the bands which made them famous (as per Beyonce/Destiny's Child or Jarvis Cocker/Pulp))
----------------
Two things jump out at me:
1) The evenness of the number of songs and average ranking of those songs in a given year makes me think that this was by design. The statistics don't address one non-random trend: some years had a lot more hip-hop/R&B than others. I get the impression that a conscious attempt was made to smooth the songs per year for everything except 2008/2009, where a case may have been made that a few more years of hindsight were necessary to digest the musical output.
2) Everyone has their own lists of outrages (mine would be the inclusions of: a) the Jay Z. remix of Panjabi MC's "Mundian to Bach Ke" instead of the original version, b) "Such Great Heights" by the Postal Service, and c) "Take Me Out" by Franz Ferdinand). What struck me about the list was that the editors made a much greater attempt to skip the the most notable songs of some, but not all, of the groups/artists. So, no "No Cars Go" by Arcade Fire, no "Clint Eastwood" by Gorillaz, no "PDA" by Interpol, no "Ghosts" by Ladytron, no "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse. Sure, there's "Maps" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Fell In Love With a Girl" by The White Stripes, "Float On" by Modest Mouse, and "Mistaken by Strangers" by The National, to name a few, but the inclusion of the biggest hits seems to be less than 50%.
This is fine and good, I guess, but it just doesn't seem that the same is true of the Hip-Hop and R&B groups. Here I'm hobbled by my relative ignorance, but if you threw out most of the higher profile names, I'd be able to guess one of the songs chosen. 50 Cent? In Da Club, check. Beyonce? All the Single Ladies, not there. Dr. Dre? Forgot About Dre, check. Eminem? The Real Slim Shady, check. Gnarls Barkley? Crazy, check. Jay-Z? 99 Problems, check. Missy Elliott? Get Ur Freak On, check. OutKast? Hey Ya!, check. Kanye West? That song where he talks about Jesus walking with him, check. Okay, 8 for 9, not bad.
I have no idea what any of this means (and I suppose that this could just be me and my strange ideas of what the most famous songs of certain artists are; feel free to MeFi mail me for the spreadsheet if you want to take a look). On thing is undeniable: Pitchfork has a real hard-on for Jay-Z, who appears in 10 of the tracks and really doesn't need to be encouraged to appear in (and ruin) perfectly fine songs like "Mundian to Bach Ke" and "Rehab".
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 9:14 PM on August 23, 2009 [3 favorites]
Number of songs by years / average ranking of all songs from a year:
2000 -- 59 songs, 241.0 avg. rank
2001 -- 52 songs, 225.8 avg. rank
2002 -- 60 songs, 253.7 avg. rank
2003 -- 63 songs, 253.3 avg. rank
2004 -- 51 songs, 269.7 avg. rank
2005 -- 61 songs, 233.7 avg. rank
2006 -- 58 songs, 268.6 avg. rank
2007 -- 48 songs, 216.6 avg. rank
2008 -- 33 songs, 280.6 avg. rank
2009 -- 15 songs, 324.5 avg. rank
Most appearances:
4 times: Animal Collective, Jay-Z, Radiohead
3 times: Arcade Fire, Belle and Sebastian, Cat Power, Clipse, Daft Punk, Eminem, Grizzly Bear, Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem, M.I.A., Missy Elliott, OutKast, Phoenix, Sigur Rós, Spoon, Sufjan Stevens, The Strokes, Kanye West, The White Stripes, Wilco, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
(76 bands/artists appear twice; featured artists are not counted here, otherwise Jay-Z's count would be significantly higher; solo artists are counted separately from the bands which made them famous (as per Beyonce/Destiny's Child or Jarvis Cocker/Pulp))
----------------
Two things jump out at me:
1) The evenness of the number of songs and average ranking of those songs in a given year makes me think that this was by design. The statistics don't address one non-random trend: some years had a lot more hip-hop/R&B than others. I get the impression that a conscious attempt was made to smooth the songs per year for everything except 2008/2009, where a case may have been made that a few more years of hindsight were necessary to digest the musical output.
2) Everyone has their own lists of outrages (mine would be the inclusions of: a) the Jay Z. remix of Panjabi MC's "Mundian to Bach Ke" instead of the original version, b) "Such Great Heights" by the Postal Service, and c) "Take Me Out" by Franz Ferdinand). What struck me about the list was that the editors made a much greater attempt to skip the the most notable songs of some, but not all, of the groups/artists. So, no "No Cars Go" by Arcade Fire, no "Clint Eastwood" by Gorillaz, no "PDA" by Interpol, no "Ghosts" by Ladytron, no "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse. Sure, there's "Maps" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Fell In Love With a Girl" by The White Stripes, "Float On" by Modest Mouse, and "Mistaken by Strangers" by The National, to name a few, but the inclusion of the biggest hits seems to be less than 50%.
This is fine and good, I guess, but it just doesn't seem that the same is true of the Hip-Hop and R&B groups. Here I'm hobbled by my relative ignorance, but if you threw out most of the higher profile names, I'd be able to guess one of the songs chosen. 50 Cent? In Da Club, check. Beyonce? All the Single Ladies, not there. Dr. Dre? Forgot About Dre, check. Eminem? The Real Slim Shady, check. Gnarls Barkley? Crazy, check. Jay-Z? 99 Problems, check. Missy Elliott? Get Ur Freak On, check. OutKast? Hey Ya!, check. Kanye West? That song where he talks about Jesus walking with him, check. Okay, 8 for 9, not bad.
I have no idea what any of this means (and I suppose that this could just be me and my strange ideas of what the most famous songs of certain artists are; feel free to MeFi mail me for the spreadsheet if you want to take a look). On thing is undeniable: Pitchfork has a real hard-on for Jay-Z, who appears in 10 of the tracks and really doesn't need to be encouraged to appear in (and ruin) perfectly fine songs like "Mundian to Bach Ke" and "Rehab".
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 9:14 PM on August 23, 2009 [3 favorites]
Interesting number crunching. I think your last point is off the mark, though. And I certainly wouldn't peg "No Cars Go" as Arcade Fire's most notable song.
posted by ludwig_van at 9:52 PM on August 23, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by ludwig_van at 9:52 PM on August 23, 2009 [1 favorite]
ludwig_van>Interesting number crunching.
Thanks.
I think your last point is off the mark, though.
I don't know -- do you think that Jay-Z adds anything to songs like "Umbrella", "Mundian to Bach Ke", or "Rehab"? I think that Jay-Z might just go down as the most prolific song-ruiner of the past decade.
And I certainly wouldn't peg "No Cars Go" as Arcade Fire's most notable song.
Well, okay, I admit that my idea of what the most notable song by a given artist might be idiosyncratic, so here's another method:
1) Name the artist to a friend who hasn't seen the list and ask what the best song (or their favorite song) by them is. If they name something from the 90's, ask them to pick their 2nd, 3rd, etc. favorite until they get one in the 00's.
2) If they don't know who the artist is, go to iTunes and do a search and sort by "Popularity". See which song comes out on top and see if it's on the list.
For hip-hop, you will run into the [ft.] problem, and for some artists who are massive sellers, such as Beyonce, Jay-Z, and Kanye West, method 2 won't work. Still, my guess is that your hit rate will be much better with hip-hop/R&B than for alternative rock.
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 10:14 PM on August 23, 2009
Thanks.
I think your last point is off the mark, though.
I don't know -- do you think that Jay-Z adds anything to songs like "Umbrella", "Mundian to Bach Ke", or "Rehab"? I think that Jay-Z might just go down as the most prolific song-ruiner of the past decade.
And I certainly wouldn't peg "No Cars Go" as Arcade Fire's most notable song.
Well, okay, I admit that my idea of what the most notable song by a given artist might be idiosyncratic, so here's another method:
1) Name the artist to a friend who hasn't seen the list and ask what the best song (or their favorite song) by them is. If they name something from the 90's, ask them to pick their 2nd, 3rd, etc. favorite until they get one in the 00's.
2) If they don't know who the artist is, go to iTunes and do a search and sort by "Popularity". See which song comes out on top and see if it's on the list.
For hip-hop, you will run into the [ft.] problem, and for some artists who are massive sellers, such as Beyonce, Jay-Z, and Kanye West, method 2 won't work. Still, my guess is that your hit rate will be much better with hip-hop/R&B than for alternative rock.
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 10:14 PM on August 23, 2009
Some other numbers that I didn't include in the last 2 posts:
-- 12 remixes
-- 17 collaborations (in other words, [ft.] was in the artist name), all but one of which was a hip-hop/R&B track.
-- 3 mashups (and nothing from the Gray album)
This one isn't as definitive, as I went by the artist and song titles in making these determinations, and I may well have missed some in each of these categories.
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 10:20 PM on August 23, 2009
-- 12 remixes
-- 17 collaborations (in other words, [ft.] was in the artist name), all but one of which was a hip-hop/R&B track.
-- 3 mashups (and nothing from the Gray album)
This one isn't as definitive, as I went by the artist and song titles in making these determinations, and I may well have missed some in each of these categories.
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 10:20 PM on August 23, 2009
-- 17 collaborations (in other words, [ft.] was in the artist name), all but one of which was a hip-hop/R&B track.
Okay, this might be wrong -- most are hip-hop/R&B, but it might be more like 3 to 4 which are not.
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 12:48 AM on August 24, 2009
Okay, this might be wrong -- most are hip-hop/R&B, but it might be more like 3 to 4 which are not.
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 12:48 AM on August 24, 2009
I don't know -- do you think that Jay-Z adds anything to songs like "Umbrella", "Mundian to Bach Ke", or "Rehab"? I think that Jay-Z might just go down as the most prolific song-ruiner of the past decade.
Sorry, I meant your paragraph about this:
What struck me about the list was that the editors made a much greater attempt to skip the the most notable songs of some, but not all, of the groups/artists.
I don't think there's a pattern of this at all, and it seems like you demonstrated as much yourself in the same comment.
posted by ludwig_van at 8:55 AM on August 24, 2009
Sorry, I meant your paragraph about this:
What struck me about the list was that the editors made a much greater attempt to skip the the most notable songs of some, but not all, of the groups/artists.
I don't think there's a pattern of this at all, and it seems like you demonstrated as much yourself in the same comment.
posted by ludwig_van at 8:55 AM on August 24, 2009
A Portrait of The Top 200 as a New Torrent. (warning: Evony ads.)
posted by Pronoiac at 2:22 PM on August 25, 2009
posted by Pronoiac at 2:22 PM on August 25, 2009
NO TORRENTS. DIRECT LINKS PLEASE. ;)
I think USR (great name, btw) hits the nail on the head. For indie rock, Pitchfork makes interesting, if debatable choices. For hip-hop/R&B/pop, the selections are mostly mainstream and boring.
Either Black Mirror or 2+2=5 would have been much better choices for the 2000s than B.O.B. I don't understand the big hardon every critical list has for B.O.B. It's one of my least favorite songs on that album.
posted by mrgrimm at 11:32 AM on August 26, 2009
I think USR (great name, btw) hits the nail on the head. For indie rock, Pitchfork makes interesting, if debatable choices. For hip-hop/R&B/pop, the selections are mostly mainstream and boring.
Either Black Mirror or 2+2=5 would have been much better choices for the 2000s than B.O.B. I don't understand the big hardon every critical list has for B.O.B. It's one of my least favorite songs on that album.
posted by mrgrimm at 11:32 AM on August 26, 2009
Thanks for the link to the torrent, Pronoiac. If anyone stumbles across one for all 500, holla.
posted by Ian A.T. at 6:44 AM on August 28, 2009
posted by Ian A.T. at 6:44 AM on August 28, 2009
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This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
Not because that would make this list anymore usable or interesting, but because I would once again be able to do a smug little "I've got Spotify" dance and thumb my nose at the Americas.
Mine is a life of tiny, vulgar little victories.
posted by Jofus at 12:34 AM on August 19, 2009 [1 favorite]