2011 in music
This year’s been a funny one, it barely seems to have happened and suddenly it’s over. And yet so much has happened. Unemployment, employment, four festivals, being made a best man, travelling the country every other weekend, breakups, new partners, more breakups, my sister moving out… Hectic really!
This is a list of the songs, in no particular order, that made the soundtrack to some of the most memorable moments of my year, or that just are the sound of this year for whatever reason.
Song titles are links to the song on Grooveshark or YouTube. Links in the text are to music videos that “explain” it, live versions, or previous blog posts.
If you’re ready for an epic post, then read on!
If you just want to listen to all the songs though, 99% of them are here.
Coldplay – Every Teardrop is a Waterfall:
This year I saw Coldplay live for the first time (and the second for that matter…) – they were one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen. They closed their set at Glastonbury with this one, but because it was a new one, once the festival was over I kinda forgot about it – it was just another part of an epic set. Then one day this came on someone’s radio, and even though I didn’t recognise it to start with, it brought back all those festival feelings, and it may have made me so happy that I burst into tears…
Coldplay – Paradise:
When I first heard this song on the radio I really didn’t like it – it sounded too repetitive, too hip-hop/pop/r’n’b/whatever-ish, basically not much like Coldplay. Then I found this video, and I fell in love with it. And then I listened to the lyrics properly, past the over-repetitive chorus, and the occasionally irritating sound, and it made sense, and it was right.
Duckworth Lewis Method – Test Match Special
After the Ashes, I’ve been quite into proper test cricket, and this summer was made of incredible cricket!
Jimmy Eat World – 23
Glastonbury this year threated to be a muddy wasteland of a washout. Thursday and Friday had soaked me through, so when the sky started to clear on Saturday it was one of the greatest feeling ever. I was watching this band, with the sun on my back, the wind blowing hair and smoke around, and then they played this. I was kinda sad that they didn’t play it on the weekend of my actual 23rd birthday at Reading, but in the end, I’m glad they didn’t, because they could never have recreated that moment.
blink-182 – After Midnight
I caught this song on the radio, having completely forgotten that they were releasing a new album. I will always have a soft spot for blink, and for their ability to capture the essence of being a stereotypical slightly delinquent teenager. And guess what? It made me cry XD
Alistair Griffin – Just Drive
This doesn’t need much explaining… Beautiful song, beautiful video.
Kasabian – Goodbye Kiss
I always hear “no more laughs” as “no more laps”… I think that says it all really! It’s an incredible song to pick for this video. It may have taken a couple of listens for it to sink in as the awesome song that it is, but that’s mainly because I didn’t think that Just Drive could be beaten.
U2 – Beautiful Day
Another Glastonbury one. Because if you’re going to introduce a song, a message from the ISS is quite possibly the coolest way to do it!
Panic! At The Disco – The Calendar
Sometimes you find a song, and almost every line fits what’s going on at that time. This was one of those songs.
Panic! At The Disco – I Wanna Be Free
Another brilliant song from this brilliant album – thank you so much to this band for not being awful anymore. Hurricane alsogets an honourable mention, for being the song I heard live at Reading that convinced me to give said brilliant new album a try.
Lifehouse – Had Enough
And sometimes you find those songs a few months too late, but when you do hear them, it’s catharsis and it’s closure. This is one of those.
Lifehouse – All In and Falling In
These were perfect when I heard them, and were the sound of the spring and summer, of practically skipping home in the mornings, of having something that was perfect. There are I think two lines that weren’t right, but that couldn’t stop these both being such brilliant happy songs.
In fact, this whole album played out songs that were right. All That I’m Asking For sounds too much like Embrace, and music-wise I’m not a fan, but the lyrics are beautiful. The same thing goes for By Your Side.
Two Door Cinema Club – What You Know
I found this band by accident, playing the main stage, as I was just walking past. They are the perfect summer sunshine sound to me, and finding a band like this, completely serendipitously, is one of the many reasons I festival in the first place.
The other two contenders from this album were This Is The Life and Undercover Martyn. Partially ‘cos all their songs sound so similar, but hey!
Deathcab For Cutie – You Are A Tourist
I heard this in a record store whilst browsing for vinyls, and fell in love. Beyond that, I can’t explain this one. It just rocks, and it’s this year.
Elbow – One Day Like This
It may have been Glastonbury’s song last year, but I saw it this year. It was the one properly glorious day, I was sunburnt and muddy at the same time, the band were muddy to their knees, and people wouldn’t stop singing Glastonbury’s unofficial anthem even after they left the stage.
Elbow – Mirrorball
I cannot describe how perfect the atmosphere was when they played this. At the time, the song was true too, and whilst it isn’t anymore, it’s still one of the most beautiful songs ever written.
Train – Parachute
Another song that was just right, and another album which will forever be 2011. If It’s Love is the other one that ran for most appropriate track, and Half Moon Bay was on repeat for a few weeks.
My Chemical Romance – Planetary [GO!]
The moment I heard this song I knew I would love the sound of the new album, and I knew that it would be brilliant live. It was one of the best parts of their set at Reading, which just so happened to be on my birthday. I could stick this on repeat for a few hours and it would sound no less amazing.
Also on the album Summertime and The Kids From Yesterday get a mention for being the type of song that changes its mood according to yours, for sounding so wonderfully bittersweet, and for having some stunning lyrics.
Owl City – Kamikaze
And we end with the most recent addition to the list – this is the sound of my sister coming back home from uni for the first time, and the madness that it entails!
And if you read this far, congratulations!
