Best of 2011

[dotinthesky]

Most popular artists in my music library in 2011:

1. The Smiths
2. Morrissey
3. The Magnetic Fields
4. Suede
5. Madonna
6. Scritti Politti
7. Erasure
8. The Cure
9. Lady Gaga
10. Pet Shop Boys
11. Veronica Falls
12. Arcade Fire
13. Belle and Sebastian
14. Kronos Quartet
15. Siouxsie and the Banshees

Aren't I predictable?  The same old people in my top fifteen chart again. There are only two newbies - Scritti Politti, who grabbed me by the neck at the start of 2011 with this song, thanks to millionreasons including it in a mix CD, and Veronica Falls, who I discovered at a Dum Dum Girls gig not too long ago. I've downloaded Scritti Politti's Best Of album and love it - in particular "Absolute" because its music video includes someone I once worked with.  Veronica Falls' eponymous debut is very good and will always make me think of gray, depressing Vauxhall.  Arcade Fire's The Suburbs album was a thing of beauty that took me by surprise and will always remind me of going to Saint Yves with loveinsuburbia at the start of the year.  Madonna is far higher in the charts this year which can only mean one thing: I cleaned the house more often than 2010.

Most popular tracks in my music library in 2011:

1. Pet Shop Boys – West End Girls
2. Beth Ditto – Open Heart Surgery
3. Propaganda – Duel
4. Veronica Falls – Beachy Head
5. Arcade Fire – Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
6. Lady Gaga – Born This Way
7. Lady Gaga – Judas
8. The Smiths – Hand in Glove
9. Japan – Gentlemen Take Polaroids
10. a-ha – Take On Me
11. Scritti Politti – Perfect Way
12. Veronica Falls – Found Love in a Graveyard
13. Frank (just Frank) – Cœur Hanté
14. Scritti Politti – Hypnotize (Short Version)
15. Scritti Politti – Absolute

Yes, I'm still very much stuck in the 80s. Beth Ditto did a brilliant performance at Lovebox this summer, though, and I just had to get her EP that features "Open Heart Surgery" - such a great track.  Come back soon to London, Beth!  I don't care what the haterz say about Lady Gaga - I thought Born This Way was a great, fun album. I also downloaded Japan's "Gentlemen Take Polaroids"  from 1980 this year, which has been remastered and is a perfect chilly New Romantic album I can't stop listening to.  Frank (just Frank) are french and armed with guitars that simulate early New Order and The Cure.  Love them.

My top tracks and artists for:
2009
2010

Comments

[rockingthemike.livejournal.com]

i wouldn't even be able to tell you what my top twenty five tracks is; i regularly clear out that playlist on itunes out of obsessive compulsion. perhaps i'll post what it looks like as of today.

i'm kicking myself for not seeing arcade fire in montreal this past september. i'll get over before, since i managed to see them before they hit it really big.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Do you use Last.Fm? That's where I get the stats from - it's connected to my iTunes and Spotify, so everytime I listen to music it gathers the info over there. Then, at the end of the year, it's just a matter of looking at the stats for the past 12 months.

I saw Arcade Fire once, when they first played London. It was an unforgettable gig, at a small venue that doesn't exist anymore. Now they play big arenas here and I just don't feel the same pull to see them live...

[rockingthemike.livejournal.com]

ooh, i didn't realize that last.fm connected to itunes; i thought it was for streaming music only. i'll have to look into that for next year!

i saw arcade fire open for u2 way back in 2005. it was an arena show, and i can say they are just as epic in a large venue; the sound carries in such an amazing way!

[ascendant.livejournal.com]

beth ditto is pretty amazing. and born this way was a great album.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Imagine Beth Ditto doing a collaboration with Lady Gaga?!