Music: Top-20 Favorite Songs: 2010-2014 (1st 1/2 of the decade)

[MoreOrr]

My two primary reasons for making this thread are: To see your lists, and to post mine after having worked on it.

As usual, I personally stick by a few rules:
1) At least 1 song per year but that's with a decade of songs, so here it's at least 2 songs per year, just looking at 1/2 a decade.
2) Edited, due to difficulty that some posters are having: With all the artists out there, no artist represented by more than 2 songs. (Unless someone has a solo, but then there's another song, from a separate CD, which is a collaboration of that artist with another independently established artist then that's Ok.)
3) No more than 5 songs from any one year. But damn, even I had to break this one... So Ok, no more than 6 songs from any one year...
(I could've made at least half the from 2011; what a great year.)

1. Snow Patrol - Called Out In The Dark_2011
2. Dirty Vegas - Let The Night_2014
3. Edward Maya - This Is My Life_2013
4. The National - Conversation 16_2010
5. Timbaland - Nelly Furtado & Soshy - Morning After Dark_2010
6. X Ambassadors & Jamie N Commons - Jungle_2014
7. Pitbull & Marc Anthony - Rain Over Me_2011
8. John Legend - Magnetic Man - Getting Nowhere_2010
9. Ms Mr - Bones_2013
10. Active Child - Johnny Belinda_2011
11. Sia - David Guetta - Titanium_2011
12. The War On Drugs - Under the Pressure_2014
13. Plumb - Drifting_2012
14. Saint Motel - Ace In The Hole_2014
15. OneRepublic - Love Runs Out_2014
16. Adam Lambert - Runnin_2012
17. Gotye - Easy Way Out_2011
18. Diamond Rings - Something Else_2010
19. Bush - The Sound Of Winter_2011
20. Wye Oak - Glory_2014

I found my list to be quite surprising for me personally. No Bruce Cockburn, no Depeche Mode, no Moby, no Enigma, no Leonard Cohen, no Kate Bush, no Enya. Although some of those have dropped off over the last decade or so, the fact that none are there is surprising. Only 'The National' would be on any previous list of mine. This decade is like a changing of the guard with respect to artists who produce songs I like.

Songs that just missed the cut at #20 (alphabetically by artist):
Adele - Rolling in the Deep (another 2011)
Broken Bells - Holding On For Life
Carrie Underwood - Two Black Cadillacs
Christina Novelli - Gareth Emery - Concrete Angel
Dan Tyminski - Avicii - Hey Brother
Destroyer - Kaputt (another 2011)
Dido - End Of Night
Fitz & The Tantrums - The Walker
Flo Rida - Good Feeling (another 2011)
Hercules & Love Affair - Painted Eyes (another 2011)
Neil Young - Hitchhiker
Nicki Minaj - David Guetta - Turn Me On (another 2011)
Trevor Guthrie - R3hab - SoundWave
Robert Randolph & The Family Band - If I Had My Way
The Killers - Shot At The Night
Train - Angel In Blue Jeans


Hey, I know my tastes are kind of odd on this Board, but I am interested to see what songs the rest of you would have on your top-20 lists from 2010-2014.


A couple added notes if I may...
The top-6 on that list was almost like a role of the dice as to the order.
And #20, because I couldn't add any more 2011s, was really difficult to choose a song that satisfied me to make the top-20 list.

EDITED: Song added into the Top-20 and one removed.

Click to read more...

 

[Xelebes]

Austra - Future (2011) [CA]
Sons of Nut - Suns of Not (2013) [BE]
Lucy - Milgram Experiment (2012) [DE]
The Wet Secrets - Maybe We'll Make A Plan (2013) [CA]

This is a work in progress.

 

[plank]

1. "Teenage Wasteland" by Wussy(2014)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0jNr6_sS8Y
2. "Penitentiary" by Houndmouth(2013)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hws_N4St0BU
3. "Songs That She Sang in the Shower" by Jason Isbell(2013)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSAJU1hJ9gw
4. "Turtles All the Way Down" by Sturgill Simpson(2014)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWx6csgGkg4
5. "Nothing was Stolen" by Phosphorescent(2010)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdMwZpwAAJ8
6. "The Oil Rigs at Night" by The Delines(2014)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW3zEkWfjkw
7. "Only for You" by The Heartless ********(2012)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8wqmh3KybI
8. "Myer Canyon" by Israel Nash(2013)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g33DMj0x1IQ
9. "San Antone Meat House" by Jay Farrar(2012)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0XY6S4cKl0
10. "Depression" By Ryan Bingham(2010)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na5bIffd_R0
11. "Midnight in Harlem" by Tedeschi Trucks Band(2011)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GkdCiqsFUI
12. "Head" by Lydia Loveless(2014)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfk_Q-xP348
13. "Nothing is the News" by Damien Jurado(2012)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyhKQKtPLl4
14. "Lost in the Trees" by Richmond Fontaine(2011)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mBWHXCPoGg
15. "I Can't Return" by Immigrant Union(2014)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2IMTB9B4XM
16. "Miles from the Lightning" by Jeffrey Foucault(2011)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a7ZG7ZlWfs
17. "Ready" by Doc Feldman(2013)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG84E4FBjyw
18. "Firebug" by JD McPherson(2010)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKBmHEtpg5E
19. "Shut In" by Strand of Oaks(2014)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSqqBAXIRXw
20. "Beg Steal or Borrow" by Ray LaMontagne(2010)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhz_MYkxIXw

 

[Shareefruck]

You might want to consider including the word 'song' in your title

 

[MoreOrr]

You might want to consider including the word 'song' in your title

Yeah,... I think that was my original thought but then I just neglected to write it. Thanks.

Austra - Future (2011) [CA]
Sons of Nut - Suns of Not (2013) [BE]
Lucy - Milgram Experiment (2012) [DE]
The Wet Secrets - Maybe We'll Make A Plan (2013) [CA]

This is a work in progress.

Understandable. It's not as though most people just have a ready-made list to post.

 

[plank]

Honorable mentions, by year:

2010
"Bloodbuzz Ohio" by The National
"Electrocution" by Nada Surf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdzUi4IeMXw

2011
"One Sunday Morning" by Wilco
"Moonlight Mile" by Cowboy Junkies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq-aF7_Qq5w

2012
"I Ain't the Same" by Alabama Shakes
"Alone" by Trampled by Turtles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejfMrZQU3Eo

2014
"Forgiven/Forgotten by Angel Olsen
"Morning" by Beck
"Eyes to the Wind" by The War on Drugs
"Everything but the Truth" by Lucinda Williams
"Down to the Well" by Hard Working Americans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0yWTr2mGUk

 

[Ben Grimm]

1 "Party Rock Anthem" LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock
2 "Uptown Funk" Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
3 "We Found Love" Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris
4 "Somebody That I Used to Know" Gotye featuring Kimbra
5 "Rolling in the Deep" Adele
6 "Call Me Maybe" Carly Rae Jepsen
7 "Blurred Lines" Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams
8 "Royals" Lorde
9 "All About That Bass" Meghan Trainor
10 "Moves Like Jagger" Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera
"See You Again" Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth
"Happy" Pharrell Williams
"Hello" Adele
"One Dance" Drake featuring WizKid and Kyla
"Tik Tok" Kesha
"One More Night" Maroon 5
"Work" Rihanna featuring Drake
"California Gurls", Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg
"Rolling in the Deep", Adele

 

[plank]

1 "Party Rock Anthem" LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock
2 "Uptown Funk" Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
3 "We Found Love" Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris
4 "Somebody That I Used to Know" Gotye featuring Kimbra
5 "Rolling in the Deep" Adele
6 "Call Me Maybe" Carly Rae Jepsen
7 "Blurred Lines" Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams
8 "Royals" Lorde
9 "All About That Bass" Meghan Trainor
10 "Moves Like Jagger" Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera
"See You Again" Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth
"Happy" Pharrell Williams
"Hello" Adele
"One Dance" Drake featuring WizKid and Kyla
"Tik Tok" Kesha
"One More Night" Maroon 5
"Work" Rihanna featuring Drake
"California Gurls", Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg
"Rolling in the Deep", Adele

Those are some odd choices from a rock and blues guy.

 

[Ben Grimm]

Those are some odd choices from a rock and blues guy.

Agreed, but I like to listen to new stuff my son likes and I haven't really listened to any new Rock or Blues songs since 2009. You always have great taste in your posts.

 

[Acadmus]

Not sure I can even do this, don't listen to many post-2000 artists. But I'll see how much of a top-20 I can get following your rules.

11. 2013 - Depeche Mode - Should be Higher (I'm kinda reaching on this one, it wasn't a great album but I'm running out of songs because of the one per artist rule)
10. 2011 - Gotye feat. Kimbra - Somebody That I Used to Know (couldn't find anything else in 2011 except from artists already listed)
9. 2013 - Franz Ferdinand - Right Action
8. 2010 - Bad Religion - The Devil in Stitches
7. 2016 - The Monkees - Me & Magdelena
6. 2012 - Imagine Dragons - Radioactive
5. 2012 - Muse - Madness
4. 2016 - Jesus Jones - Fall
3. 2016 - Grant-Lee Phillips - Rolling Pin
2. 2014 - OK Go - The Writing's On the Wall
1. 2012 - Keane - Sovereign Light Café

11 was the best I could do, and it was a stretch. Couldn't represent 2015. And I see I somehow missed the topic only goes from 2010-2014 until after I made my list

 

[kook10]

Agreed, but I like to listen to new stuff my son likes and I haven't really listened to any new Rock or Blues songs since 2009. You always have great taste in your posts.

I'm in the same boat with my 7 year old daughter. Most people who knew the younger me would be surprised at what current stuff I listen to. Whatever makes her sing and dance makes me happy, but I think I definitely like the some contemporary country more than the pop stuff though in general - moreso the female stuff and not the Himbo country. There isn't enough good new rock for me and/or I don't dig as deep as I used to but still I enjoy a random smattering of rock/alternative. Left to my own devices though, I listen to 90%+ old stuff though. Here is a cross section of 2010-2014 though. (not including radio disney stuff )

Lady Antebellum - Need You Now or Compass
Miranda Lambert - Automatic
Shotgun Rider - Tim McGraw / Taylor Swift
Just Breathe - Willie Nelson
Tame Impala - Elephant
Deerhunter - Desire Lines
MIA - Born Free
Vetiver - Wonder Why
Jeff The Brotherhood - Sixpack

 

[MoreOrr]

11 was the best I could do, and it was a stretch. Couldn't represent 2015. And I see I somehow missed the topic only goes from 2010-2014 until after I made my list

We all screw up every now and then, Acadmus. Personally, with typos I always make more than I have fingers, then go back editing. I end up editing almost half the posts I make.

 

[Mikeaveli]

1. Death Grips - Hacker [2012]
2. Kendrick Lamar featuring Jay Rock - Money Trees [2012]
3. Run the Jewels - Oh My Darling Don't Cry [2014]
4. Swans - A Little God in My Hands [2013]
5. Flying Lotus - Zodiac **** [2010]
6. Kanye West - POWER [2010]
7. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Thuggin' [2014]
8. Mr. Mutha****in eXquire featuring Despot, Das Racist, Danny Brown & El-P - Huzzah! (Remix) [2011]
9. Shabazz Palaces - Swerve... the reeping of all that is worthwhile (Noir not withstanding) [2011]
10. Pusha T featuring Kendrick Lamar - Nosetalgia [2013]
11. El-P - Request Denied [2012]
12. Gorillaz - On Melancholy Hill [2010]
13. La Dispute - King Park [2011]
14. Captain Murphy featuring Viktor Vaughn, Earl Sweatshirt & Thundercat - Between Villains [2013]
15. Joey Bada$$ featuring Captial STEEZ - Survival Tactics [2012]
16. Danny Brown - 30 [2011]
17. clipping. - Intro (CLPPNG) [2014]
18. Killer Mike - Don't Die [2012]
19. Closure in Moscow - Pink Lemonade [2014]
20. PRhyme featuring Dwele - You Should Know [2014]

Songs I would probably include if not for the restrictions:
Death Grips - The Fever (Aye Aye)
Kendrick Lamar - Sing About Me/I'm Dying of Thirst
Pusha T - Numbers on the Boards
Swans - Oxygen
Flying Lotus - Do the Astral Plane

I've been listening to more genres outside hip-hop recently but apparently none of that music has been from the 2010's lol

 

[aufheben]

I'm bad at keeping up with contemporary music, my 20 would just be the first 2 Tame Impala albums lol

 

[Howe Elbows 9]

Never Gonna Love Again (or No Rest for the Wicked) by Lykke Li would probably be near the top of my list, along with Conversation 16.

 

[bathroomSTAAL]

I couldn't keep it to 1 per artist.

1. Arcade Fire - Afterlife (2013)
2. Arcade Fire - Here Comes the Night Time (2013)
3. Conor Oberst - Desert Island Questionnaire (2014)
4. The National - England (2010)
5. Vampire Weekend - Step (2013)
6. Titus Andronicus - The Battle of Hampton Roads (2010)
7. Grimes - Oblivion (2012)
8. Robyn - Call Your Girlfriend (2010)
9. Arcade Fire - Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) (2010)
10. Conor Oberst - Common Knowledge (2014)
11. Handsome Furs - Repatriated (2011)
12. M83 - Outro (2011)
13. Titus Andronicus - Four Score and Seven (2010)
14. Vampire Weekend - Giving Up the Gun (2010)
15. Father John Misty - Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings (2012)
16. Spoon - Let Me Be Mine (2014)
17. St. Vincent - Prince Johnny (2014)
18. Chvrches - Tether (2013)
19. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - Hand Covers Bruise (2010)
20. Tim Kasher - Strays (2010)

 

[Acadmus]

I'm bad at keeping up with contemporary music, my 20 would just be the first 2 Tame Impala albums lol

If I could break the one song per artist rule I'd be able to make a top 20 easily.

 

[MoreOrr]

I'm bad at keeping up with contemporary music, my 20 would just be the first 2 Tame Impala albums lol

I couldn't keep it to 1 per artist.

If I could break the one song per artist rule I'd be able to make a top 20 easily.

To everyone participating so far, or thinking to participate, I appreciate the fact that you're doing that, and also that you're trying to stay within my personal rules for the list. However, those were never meant as rules that you all had to stick by; only if you wanted to try to do so. But with the effort that some of you are making, and the difficulty you're having, I've modified those "rules" in the OP just a bit. Still though, it's as you wish.

 

[Acadmus]

To everyone participating so far, or thinking to participate, I appreciate the fact that you're doing that, and also that you're trying to stay within my personal rules for the list. However, those were never meant as rules that you all had to stick by; only if you wanted to try to do so. But with the effort that some of you are making, and the difficulty you're having, I've modified those "rules" in the OP just a bit. Still though, it's as you wish.

Well, two won't do it, but if you're being flexible, I'll make a top 20, attempting to stick to the revised rules but breaking them if I have to (and I likely will). Plus I forgot one band, I knew I was...

1. Sovereign Light Café - Keane (2012)
2. On the Road - Keane (2012)
3. Where You Stand - Travis (2013)
4. The Writing's On the Wall - OK Go (2014)
5. I Won't Let You Down - OK Go (2014)
6. Madness - Muse (2012)
7. Silenced By the Night - Keane (2012)
8. The Starting Line - Keane (2012)
9. Strangeland - Keane (2012)
10. Warning Sign - Travis (2013)
11. This Too Shall Pass - OK Go (2010)
12. The Devil in Stitches - Bad Religion (2010)
13. Upside Down & Inside Out - OK Go (2014)
14. Right Action - Franz Ferdinand (2013)
15. Follow Me - Muse (2012)
16. Radioactive - Imagine Dragons (2012)
17. Buffalo Heart - Grant-Lee Phillips (2012)
18. Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye feat. Kimbra (2011)
19. Should Be Higher - Depeche Mode (2013)
20. Buttercups - Fran Healy (2010)

Not making the final cut:
Demons - Imagine Dragons (2012)
F*** You - Bad Religion (2013)
Soothe My Soul - Depeche Mode (2013)

Did my best - obviously broke the per-artist limit, but to my tastes, Keane's Strangeland was the best album in the last 20 years. I've also taken quite a liking to OK Go's music in the past couple years, and was shocked to find out that #4 entry wasn't a New Order tribute, since it could easily have been a New Order song. Travis' Where You Stand has a lot of good tracks too, but not quite as impressive as those other two bands. This period unfortunately bridges Grant-Lee Phillips' excellent Little Moon in 2009 and his move to a more country sound (and physical move with his family to Nashville) with this year's The Narrows, which has a number of solid tracks as well. In between was the crowd-funded Walking In the Green Corn which was ok, but not great. With Muse, I'd have much preferred to put Undisclosed Desires, which would have ranked in the top 5, but it was released as a single in November 2009 and didn't quite make it. Similarly with Franz Ferdinand I preferred earlier songs, and also The Killers released an album in this period I haven't heard at all - they had a couple tracks a couple years before 2010 that would have gone quite high in this list as well. But for me, the start of this decade didn't have a lot to offer.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Human Sadness - Julian Casablancas + The Voidz (2014).

 

[Ceremony]

Counterpoint - Delphic
The Loneliness and the Scream - Frightened Rabbit
The Wrong Car - The Twilight Sad
Hurt With Me - The Xcerts

Hours - Evaline
Walk - Foo Fighters
**** This Place - Frightened Rabbit
Boy in the Backseat - We Were Promised Jetpacks

Follow Me - Muse
Nil - The Twilight Sad
In Came the Flood - Wintersleep

Stingin' Belle - Biffy Clyro
Acts of Man - Frightened Rabbit
Backyard Skulls - Frightened Rabbit
Holy - Frightened Rabbit
The Woodpile - Frightened Rabbit
The Oil Slick - Frightened Rabbit
Last Hope - Paramore
Getaway - Pearl Jam
In Here Somewhere - Three Blind Wolves
Big TV - White Lies

Choose You - Manchester Orchestra
Every Stone - Manchester Orchestra
Cold Creeps - Owl John
Last January - The Twilight Sad
It Never Was the Same - The Twilight Sad
Live Like This - The Xcerts

It seems I can't play by your rules

Ed - I took some out but it's still not you want but meh

 

[kmad]

This is impossible!

edit: **** it, let's try. no order:

Kendrick Lamar - ADHD
Death Grips - Get Got
Aesop Rock - Take Me To The Basement
LCD Soundsystem - I Can Change
Grimes - Oblivion
Chvrches - The Mother We Share
Flying Lotus - Never Catch Me
Run The Jewels - Blockbuster Night Part 1
Frank Ocean - Sweet Life
Gorillaz - Empire Ants
Das Racist - You Oughta Know
Childish Gambino - 3005
The Neighborhood - Sweater Weather
Future Islands - Seasons
Kavinsky - Nightcall
Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know
Sleigh Bells - Crown on the Ground
The Black Keys - Everlasting Light
Mumford and Sons - Hopeless Wanderer
Of Monsters And Men - Little Talks
Tallest Man On Earth - The Gardener
Chance the Rapper - Juice
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes - Home
Grouplove - Ways To Go
M83 - Midnight City

 

[MoreOrr]

It seems I can't play by your rules

Ed - I took some out but it's still not you want but meh

It looks like you came pretty close:

Counterpoint - Delphic
Hurt With Me - The Xcerts

Hours - Evaline
Walk - Foo Fighters
Boy in the Backseat - We Were Promised Jetpacks

Follow Me - Muse
In Came the Flood - Wintersleep

Stingin' Belle - Biffy Clyro
Last Hope - Paramore
Getaway - Pearl Jam
In Here Somewhere - Three Blind Wolves
Big TV - White Lies

Choose You - Manchester Orchestra
Every Stone - Manchester Orchestra
Cold Creeps - Owl John
Live Like This - The Xcerts

Plus...
Frightened Rabbit x2
The Twilight Sad x2

That's 20 songs, no more than 2 per artist, and I assume at least 2 per year, and potentially no more than 6 for any year. But again, no matter.

 

[BonMorrison]

I sorted my iTunes by year and listed off my favorites songs from each year and it ended up being like 200 songs. No way I can break that down into 20.

 

[Ceremony]

It looks like you came pretty close:

Counterpoint - Delphic
Hurt With Me - The Xcerts

Hours - Evaline
Walk - Foo Fighters
Boy in the Backseat - We Were Promised Jetpacks

Follow Me - Muse
In Came the Flood - Wintersleep

Stingin' Belle - Biffy Clyro
Last Hope - Paramore
Getaway - Pearl Jam
In Here Somewhere - Three Blind Wolves
Big TV - White Lies

Choose You - Manchester Orchestra
Every Stone - Manchester Orchestra
Cold Creeps - Owl John
Live Like This - The Xcerts

Plus...
Frightened Rabbit x2
The Twilight Sad x2

That's 20 songs, no more than 2 per artist, and I assume at least 2 per year, and potentially no more than 6 for any year. But again, no matter.

Yeah but you kept all the wrong ones

The Wrong Car - The Twilight Sad
Hurt With Me - The Xcerts

Hours - Evaline
Walk - Foo Fighters
**** This Place - Frightened Rabbit
Boy in the Backseat - We Were Promised Jetpacks

Follow Me - Muse
Nil - The Twilight Sad
In Came the Flood - Wintersleep

Stingin' Belle - Biffy Clyro
Acts of Man - Frightened Rabbit
Last Hope - Paramore
Getaway - Pearl Jam
In Here Somewhere - Three Blind Wolves
Big TV - White Lies

Choose You - Manchester Orchestra
Every Stone - Manchester Orchestra
Last January - The Twilight Sad
Live Like This - The Xcerts

Best I can do