This is basically just a list of my 20 most played songs of all time, with a bit on why I love each. All the links are to the music videos if they exist. Otherwise, it's just to a random YouTube video of the song. Also, here's a Spotify playlist with all songs except Can't Stop & Viðrar vel til loftárása. Also, I thought I'd note that Viðrar vel til loftárása and Protection have particularly awesome music videos.
- The Postal Service - Such Great Heights: I love the beat, I love the verses, I love the chorus. Hell, I just love everything about this song.
- Michael Buble - Everything: It doesn't sound like anything special on first listen, but Everything gets my vote for the best song of all time. Every bit of it is just perfect melodically. That "I'm gonna sing with a lisp because it's cute" thing is just embarrassing though.
- Coldplay - Viva la Vida: The verses are great and the chorus is even better. Everything about this song is fucking epic. When this song is performed live, the drummer ditches his drum kit to whale on a set of timpanis and a bell, because, well, any less could not possibly do this song justice.
- U2 - Beautiful Day: The song has a humble warmth and joy, and it explodes beautifully when the chorus hits. Bono's voice strains more and has more grit than it did when he was younger, but it actually makes the song more affecting, especially in the second half the the chorus when he sings "touch me/take me to that other place."
- Bloc Party - I Still Remember: The track is not flashy, but, like all great pop tracks, it perfectly complement the real star of the show: the song, and boy what song it is. It is easily Kele's best. The melody soars and the lyrics are the most detailed and personal he's ever written.
- Justin Timberlake - My Love: The greatest beat of all time. Timbaland and Danja throw everything at this track: hard hitting drums, futuristic synch lines, beat boxing, and a maniacal, high pitched laugh, and somehow it all works.
- Bloc Party - Sunday: The guitar solo at the end of this track is probably my favorite moment in all of music. The understated singing and personal lyrics are perfectly juxtaposed with the stately, powerful drums and the soaring guitar. It makes the song humble and personal at the same time it is grand and universal.
- Radiohead- Fake Plastic Trees: I can count on one hand the songs I know all the words to. This is one of them. I sang this in the shower for at least an entire month. I love lyrics, I love the melody, and I love the way the song builds up to the electric guitar entrance at a bit past the 2:30 mark.
- The National - Fake Empire: I love the simplicity of the first half of the song. Just a voice and a syncopated piano line. The best part is the horn fanfare at then end, which perfectly completes the song.
- The National - Apartment Story: The melodies in this song are just brilliant throughout, and I the tense drumming is is some of Bryan Devendorf's finest
- The National - Slow Show: The odd strumming rhythm on the acoustic guitar that anchors the track gives it a rather drunk feel that fits perfectly with the subject matter. On paper, the lyrics seem particularly embarrassing ("standing at the punch table swallowing punch," for example), but they work great in context, as many of Berninger's lyrics have a way of doing. The best part of the song is the coda, when the piano comes in and Berninger reappropriates the lyrics from "29 Years" off their self-titled debut album to great effect.
- Savage Garden - Crash & Burn: This is just a great pop song, through and through. There's nothing particularly special lyrically or instrumentally; it's just brilliant melodically from beginning to end.
- Sigur Ros - Hoppípolla: There is a great hopefulness of this song. I have no idea what the song is about, but it just listening to this song makes me believe that everything will be OK.
- Nicki Minaj - Super Bass: Nicki Minaj tones down her theatrics and puts in two perfect, rapid-fire verses. The real star of the show is that chorus though. It's so good either half would have been enough to make the song a hit. Easily the best song I've heard since coming to college.
- Lupe Fiasco - Fighters: The beat to this song is something special. It is nothing but a few drum sounds and a guitar playing some arpeggios, but that's all it needs. The empty space just leaves more room for the stunning chorus. Lupe is impressive as usual, but he doesn't even come close to matching the greatness of the beat and the chorus.
- Red Hot Chili Peppers - Can't Stop: This is easily my favorite song by the Peppers. Keidis basically spouts gibberish for the whole song, but it doesn't matter because the riff that carries the track is best they've ever come up with. It perfectly combines the melodicism of their later work and the funkiness of their earlier output. The high harmonies Frusciante lays down over the verses are also a nice touch.
- Sigur Ros - Viðrar vel til loftárása: This is the longest song in my iTunes library. I usually don't like long songs, since it always feels like they drag on and on. However, this song feels like it needs every second of its ten minute-plus run time. It never gets boring because song is always going somewhere, building slowly and deliberately to the peak at about 10 minutes in.
- New Order - Crystal: It's hard to believe New Order almost gave away this song, the best they've ever written. The lyrics are clumsy and stupid, as New Order's lyrics usually are, but the melody is gorgeous throughout. Also, the combination of real and programmed drums works extremely well.
- Massive Attack - Protection: Unfinished Sympathy might get more respect, and Teardrop might be more famous, but this will always be my favorite Massive Attack song. The track is very sparse and straightforward, leaving plenty of room for the pure, stately, and restrained vocal performance.
- Ratatat - Seventeen Years: This is the song that got me into electronic music. The layered guitars are incredibly catchy, and the whole track has a verve and a funkiness too often missing in electronic music
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