Middleclass Haunt's Best Songs of 2008

It looks like the divide between singles artists and album artists continues to widen. To me, the top crop of the best songs of the year were put out on inconsistent and altogether weak albums, but the pattern makes sense. The alternative crowd pledges allegiance to the album format and the world digests music in three and a half minute increments. Lil Wayne, as usual, seems to be the anomoly who's been able to win over both the masses and the indie kids, delivering globe conquering singles in addition to well-received albums and mixtapes.

The competition for the top spot was a two horse race between "Love In This Club" and "Single Ladies," but I had to give the edge to Usher because "Love" succeeds as an R&B slow burner and a club banger at the same time, effortlessly and completely. The beat was apparently created on GarageBand as well, so bonus points have to be awarded there. Off we go.

The Top 10 Songs of 2008

1. Love in this Club (feat. Young Jeezy) - Usher

2. Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) - Beyonce

3. A Milli - Lil Wayne

4. Kim & Jessie - M83

5. Saro - Sam Amidon

6. Let The Beat Build - Lil Wayne

7. Halfway Home - TV on the Radio

8. Alabama - Paper Route Gangstaz

9. Fatalist Palmistry - Why?


10. Watchout (Remix) - Immortal Technique

Middleclass Haunt's Best Albums of 2008

There was a lot of grumbling all around that this was one of the worst years of the decade, but I don't see that. There were gems released this past year -- they just came from slightly more obscure places than we're all used to seeing. Radiohead, Arcade Fire & M.I.A. all had the year off, so it was up to the young and the hungry to make an impression in 2008. I believe that they did.

The Top 20 Albums of 2008

1. Saturdays = Youth - M83 (Mute)

Listen: "Graveyard Girl" (YouTube), "We Own the Sky" (YouTube)
Read: AV Club
Explore: http://www.ilovem83.com/

2. All Is Well - Sam Amidon (Bedroom Community)

Listen: "Saro" (YouTube), "Wedding Dress" (YouTube)
Read: Lost At Sea
Explore: http://www.samamidon.com/

3. Microcastle - Deerhunter (Kranky)

Listen: "Nothing Ever Happened" (YouTube), "Agoraphobia" (YouTube)
Read: Pitchfork Media
Explore: http://deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com/

4. Dear Science - TV on the Radio (Interscope)

Listen: "Halfway Home" (YouTube), "Crying" (YouTube)
Read: Popmatters
Explore: http://www.tvontheradio.com/

5. The Chemistry of Common Life - Fucked Up (Matador)

Listen: "No Epiphany" (MP3), "Twice Born" (MP3)
Read: Prefix Magazine
Explore: http://lookingforgold.blogspot.com/

6. Uproot - DJ /rupture (The Agriculture)

Listen: "Reef" (YouTube)
Read: Pitchfork Media
Explore: http://www.negrophonic.com/
Download: The Gold Teeth Thief Mix

7. The Mixtape About Nothing - Wale (10 Deep)

Listen: "The Feature Heavy Song (feat. Bun B & Pusha T)" (YouTube), "The Star" (YouTube)
Read: Popmatters
Explore: http://www.walemusic.com/
Download: The Mixtape About Nothing (via 10 Deep)

8. Los Angeles - Flying Lotus (Warp)

Listen: "Riot" (YouTube), "Roberta Flack (feat. Dolly)" (YouTube)
Read: Drowned In Sound
Explore: http://www.flying-lotus.com/destroy/

9. Feed the Animals - Girl Talk (Illegal Art)

Listen: "What It's All About" (YouTube), "Here's The Thing" (YouTube)
Read: Lost At Sea
Explore: http://www.myspace.com/girltalk
Download: Feed the Animals (via Illegal Art)

10. Alopecia - Why? (anticon.)

Listen: "The Hollows" (YouTube), "The Vowels Pt. 2" (YouTube)
Read: Lost At Sea
Explore: http://www.myspace.com/whyanticon

11. Tha Carter III - Lil’ Wayne (Cash Money)

Listen: "Mr. Carter (feat. Jay-Z)" (YouTube), "Got Money (feat. T-Pain)" (YouTube)
Read: Lost At Sea
Explore: http://www.cashmoney-records.com/

12. Adage of Known - JDSY (Ghostly International)

Listen: "Smoke and Mirrors" (YouTube), "Else2" (Moodgadget)
Read: Lost At Sea
Explore: http://ghostly.com/artists/jdsy

13. Fear and Loathing in HuntsVegas - Paper Route Gangstaz (Paper Route Records)

Listen: "Stuntastic" (YouTube), "Wood Grain" (iMEEM)
Read: Pitchfork Media
Explore: http://www.myspace.com/paperrouteenterprise
Download: Fear and Loathing in HuntsVegas (via Mad Decent)

14. The 3rd World - Immortal Technique (Viper)

Listen: "Golpe De Estado (feat. Veneno y Temperamento)" (YouTube), "Mistakes" (YouTube)
Read: Lost At Sea
Explore: http://immortal-technique.com/

15. Songs In A&E - Spiritualized (Spaceman/Fontana)

Listen: "Sweet Talk" (YouTube), "Soul on Fire" (YouTube)
Read: Lost At Sea
Explore: http://www.spiritualized.com/

16. Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel - Atlas Sound (Kranky)

Listen: "Recent Bedroom" (YouTube), "River Card" (YouTube)
Read: Pitchfork Media
Explore: http://deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com/

17. Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust - Sigur Rós (XL)
Listen: "Inní mér syngur vitleysingur" (YouTube), "Ara Batur" (YouTube)
Read: The Music Magazine
Explore: http://www.sigurros.com/

18. Johnson & Jonson - Johnson & Jonson (Tres)

Listen: "Bout It Bout It" (YouTube), "Up All Night" (YouTube)
Read: Prefix Magazine
Explore: http://www.myspace.com/jandjbabyproducts

19. The Hawk Is Howling - Mogwai (Matador)

Listen: "I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead" (YouTube), "Batcat" (YouTube)
Read: Lost At Sea
Explore: http://brightlight.youngteam.co.uk/

20. Road To Till The Casket Drops - Clipse (Re-Up Gang Records/Play Coths)
Listen: "S.L.U. (feat. Ab-Liva)" (YouTube), "Addiction" (YouTube)
Read: Pitchfork Media
Explore: http://www.myspace.com/clipse
Download: Road To Till The Casket Drops (via Complex)