Top Songs of 2008

All right, I've decided to make a list of my ten favorite songs of 2008. It was tough--I've been out of the music loop more than usual this year (got a shiny new iPod in August), and as I attempted to compile the list I kept having to delete songs from 2007. But here's what I came up with for you:

#10/Honorable Mention: "Paper Planes," M.I.A.

Technically a 2007 song, but revived M.I.A.'s career this summer. I decided to stick this one on the list anyway, since I didn't feel like I could rightfully exclude my ringtone of the past 6 months. (Surprisingly, it doesn't annoy me yet, and it actually generates compliments and head-bobbing from most people within earshot).

#9: "Johnny and June," Heidi Newfield

I do not know what it is about this song--the lyrics aren't great and she doesn't have a very good voice--but I fell in love with it over the summer. I'm going to stop trying to justify it and just deal with the fact that yes, I have a country song on my top 10.

#8: "Bleeding Love," Leona Lewis

Sorry about the video--Sony disables embedding. Anyway, it was between this and her cover of Snow Patrol's "Run," and I decided to go with the catchier single. "Run" is gorgeous, but I could not get this song out of my head.

#7: "Modern World," Anouk

Okay, part of the awesomeness of this song is the video. The song itself, though, is catchy as all hell, and I can never resist a bluesy stomp (see "Black Tongue," Yeah Yeah Yeahs).

#6: "Love Me Dead," Ludo

The local college radio station has gone all to hell in the past two years. This song was its saving grace this year--I always turned it up. Something about "silly + bitter" just appeals to me.

#5: "I Decided," Solange

This was so cute. I liked big sister Beyonce's "Single Ladies," too, but I always had to turn that one off after about a minute and a half (after the "oh-oh-ohs," I'm done). This one I can listen to the whole way through.

#4: "L'Incendie," Vanessa Paradis

Another dumb user video (I fart in Universal's general direction). Check out the real one; it's cute as hell. Again, catchy catchy catchy. A song has done its job when you catch yourself singing it even though you have no idea what the sounds coming out of your mouth actually mean.

#3: "American Boy," Estelle featuring Kanye West

Another homemade video, couldn't even find the real one. This song is amazing and it never failed to make me dance in my car.

#2: "Change is Hard," She & Him

Really, half the songs on this album would have worked, but this one is my personal favorite (though all the experts wet their pants over a different song, "This is Not a Test"). At any rate, who knew Zooey Deschanel was so multitalented? If I had to recommend one album this year, this is it. Of course, it's also the only 2008 album I bought.

#1: "Handlebars," Flobots

I WILL NEVER GET SICK OF THIS SONG. Ever.