http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/7868/2011js.jpg

 

Hello! Welcome to my first recap of the year posted on BuzzJack (despite me being a poster here for over 3 years).

 

Before I start the chart rundown (which is calculated using a exponential decay formula applied to chart runs on my weekly personal chart), I will present a few stats and facts about the chart this year. There are obviously massive disadvantages to using a points based chart - needless to say the year-end cut off point disadvantage and the fact that some songs I haven't charted at all are now amongst my favourites of the year - but this is the easiest way for me to collate and present the singles I've enjoyed the most in the year, with the caveat that it is not definitive.

 

The #1s of 2011: 21 (2010: 20, 2009: 20, 2008: 22)

 

02-01-11 Crystal Castles ft. Robert Smith "Not In Love" (+ 4 weeks in December 2010)

09-01-11 Crystal Castles ft. Robert Smith "Not In Love"

16-01-11 Crystal Castles ft. Robert Smith "Not In Love"

23-01-11 The Joy Formidable "Austere"

30-01-11 Adele "Rolling In The Deep"

06-02-11 Adele "Rolling In The Deep"

13-02-11 Adele "Rolling In The Deep"

20-02-11 Yuck "Holing Out"

27-02-11 Yuck "Holing Out"

06-03-11 James Blake "The Wilhelm Scream"

13-03-11 James Blake "The Wilhelm Scream"

20-03-11 James Blake "The Wilhelm Scream"

27-03-11 James Blake "The Wilhelm Scream"

03-04-11 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart "Belong"

10-04-11 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart "Belong"

17-04-11 Cut Copy "Need You Now"

24-04-11 Cut Copy "Need You Now"

01-05-11 The Joy Formidable "Whirring"

08-05-11 The Joy Formidable "Whirring"

15-05-11 The Joy Formidable "Whirring"

22-05-11 Gang Gang Dance "MindKilla"

29-05-11 Gang Gang Dance "MindKilla"

05-06-11 Cults "Abducted"

12-06-11 Cults "Abducted"

19-06-11 Cults "Abducted"

26-06-11 Cults "Abducted"

03-07-11 Bon Iver "Calgary"

10-07-11 Foster The People "Pumped Up Kicks"

17-07-11 Foster The People "Pumped Up Kicks"

24-07-11 The Horrors "Still Life"

31-07-11 Bombay Bicycle Club "Shuffle"

07-08-11 Bombay Bicycle Club "Shuffle"

14-08-11 Bombay Bicycle Club "Shuffle"

21-08-11 M83 "Midnight City"

28-08-11 M83 "Midnight City"

04-09-11 The Drums "Money"

11-09-11 The Drums "Money"

18-09-11 Bon Iver "Holocene"

25-09-11 Bon Iver "Holocene"

02-10-11 Bon Iver "Holocene"

09-10-11 Bon Iver "Holocene"

16-10-11 Bon Iver "Holocene"

23-10-11 Lana Del Rey "Video Games / Blue Jeans"

30-10-11 Apparat "Song of Los"

06-11-11 Apparat "Song of Los"

13-11-11 WU LYF "We Bros"

20-11-11 WU LYF "We Bros"

27-11-11 Arctic Monkeys "Suck It And See"

04-12-11 WU LYF "We Bros"

11-12-11 Charli XCX "Nuclear Seasons"

18-12-11 Charli XCX "Nuclear Seasons"

25-12-11 Charli XCX "Nuclear Seasons" *CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE*

 

Longest Run at No.1: 5 weeks - Bon Iver "Holocene" (18.09.11 - 16.10.11) (2010: 7 weeks ["Not In Love"], 2009: 5 weeks ["Crying Lightning"], 2008: 5 weeks ["L.E.S. Artistes" / "Kids"])

 

Highest first-week debuts

 

Date / Debut position / Artist / "Song"

 

26.06.11 18 Niki & The Dove "The Fox"

11.09.11 24 Joe Goddard ft. Valentina "Gabriel"

18.12.11 26 Smith & Burrows "When The Thames Froze"

02.10.11 27 Florence + The Machine "Shake It Out"

02.01.11 28 Adele "Rolling In The Deep"

 

Biggest Climbs

 

Date / Climb (No. of places) / Artist / "Song"

 

31.07.11 49-23 (26 places) M83 "Midnight City"

02.01.11 39-17 (22 places) Rihanna ft. Drake "What's My Name?"

25.09.11 42-20 (22 places) Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs "Garden"

23.10.11 40-18 (22 places) Wu Lyf "We Bros"

20.05.11 45-25 (20 places) Bon Iver "Calgary"

 

Biggest Jumps To No.1

 

Date / Climb to No.1 / Artist / "Song"

 

17.04.11 7-1 Cut Copy "Need You Now"

01.05.11 5-1 The Joy Formidable "Whirring"

21.08.11 4-1 M83 "Midnight City"

30.10.11 4-1 Apparat "Song Of Los"

30.01.11 3-1 Adele "Rolling In The Deep"

 

[/statsgeek]

 

OK, Top 100 follows later...

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#100 Jamie Woon “Night Air” (444)

 

Chart Run: 35-18-12-08-05-05-07-09-13-18-24-29-34-40-47 (15 weeks)

 

http://img576.imageshack.us/img576/3975/0b2f.png

#099 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart “The Body” (445)

 

Chart Run: 37-28-21-15-08-13-21-28-41 (9 weeks)

 

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#098 Chase & Status ft. Liam Bailey “Blind Faith” (446)

 

Chart Run: 36-24-14-09-11-15-21-35-49 (9 weeks)

 

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/7439/c4cb.png

#097 Wild Beasts “Reach a Bit Further” (447*)

 

Chart Run: 46-33-22-12-08-04-06-12* (8 weeks)

 

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/3355/fd41.png

#096 Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris “We Found Love” (455*)

 

Chart Run: 48-35-27-21-16-15-20-28-36-40* (10 weeks)

 

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/9100/4371.png

#095 Alpines “Cocoon” (463)

 

Chart Run: 44-31-22-19-11-14-21-30-40-47 (10 weeks)

 

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#094 Justice “Civilization” (469)

 

Chart Run: 48-31-19-14-10-13-21-31-39-47 (10 weeks)

 

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#093 Adele “Someone Like You” (472)

 

Chart Run: 37-27-18-13-10-16-26-33-40-46 (10 weeks)

 

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#092 Cocknbullkid “Asthma Attack” (473)

 

Chart Run: 34-22-12-08-07-12-17-27-43 (9 weeks)

 

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#091 Florence + The Machine “What The Water Gave Me” (479)

 

Chart Run: 47-33-16-09-09-13-20-30-39-49 (10 weeks)

 

 

Kicking off the 100 is British singer/songwriter Jamie Woon and the first of two hit singles taken from his debut album Mirrorwriting - "Night Air" was released in late 2010 and therefore suffers on the points chart from having the first 6 weeks accredited to the previous year, nevertheless it still makes an impressive showing and is to date still his biggest hit on my chart, having peaked at #5 at Christmas in 2010. Prolific hit-makers, New York's The Pains of Being Pure At Heart make their first of 3 appearances with "The Body" at 99, and the biggest selling single in the UK in 2011, Adele's "Someone Like You" (over 1.2 million copies sold) makes a more subdued appearance here at 93. The pop highlight of Q4, "We Found Love" finds it's way to 96 despite only peaking at No15 - impressive longevity aiding its cause, a feat that "Cocoon" (No95) also shares having also not reached the Top 10. Florence Welch and her bands 'buzz single' closes this set - it had a rapid rise to No9 but then stalled as the first single proper made a massive debut - how has that one charted... find out later>>>

 

#096 Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris "We Found Love"

Edited December 27, 201113 yr by Doctor Blind

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#090 Caro Emerald “A Night Like This” (482)

 

Chart Run: 49-36-23-13-11-11-14-22-34-44 (10 weeks)

 

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#089 Washed Out “Amor Fati” (484)

 

Chart Run: 32-24-17-13-10-15-23-27-39-50 (10 weeks)

 

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#088 Katy B “Broken Record” (486)

 

Chart Run: 46-29-19-13-09-12-18-24-34-47 (10 weeks)

 

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#087 Jessie Ware & Sampha “Valentine” (489)

 

Chart Run: 48-36-26-19-11-15-21-31-39-45-47 (11 weeks)

 

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#086 The Joy Formidable “A Heavy Abacus” (490)

 

Chart Run: 45-31-19-09-06-10-16-28-43-48 (10 weeks)

 

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#085 Kate Bush “Wild Man” (495*)

 

Chart Run: 43-31-15-09-06-10-15-27-44-49* (10 weeks)

 

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#084 Clock Opera “Lesson No. 7” (501*)

 

Chart Run: 37-24-16-10-04-06-11-18-29* (9 weeks)

 

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#083 Jamie Woon “Lady Luck” (501)

 

Chart Run: 43-24-14-08-06-11-18-28-37-50 (10 weeks)

 

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#082 Foster The People “Helena Beat” (503)

 

Chart Run: 42-26-16-11-07-08-15-26-36-47 (10 weeks)

 

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#081 Trophy Wife “Wolf” (509*)

 

Chart Run: 47-29-17-13-11-09-12-17-28-37* (10 weeks)

 

>>One of the worst positions to peak at is No11, two songs that did that however manage to out-chart several big Top 10 hits. Despite being originally released in 2010, it took until the summer of 2011 for Caro Emerald's "A Night Like This" to chart and it makes 90 in the EOY chart. Jessie Ware featured on SBTRKTs album along with Sampha, and their beautiful collaboration at 87 - "Valentine" - was a big favourite of mine at the start of the year managing to hang around for the best part of 3 months. Three current hits feature in this set; Kate Bush's lead single from her first new album for 6 years 50 Words for Snow - "Wild Man" is at 85, London producer Guy Connelly otherwise known as Clock Opera is at 84 with the frenetic "Lesson No 7" - the video of which takes its inspiration from the London summer riots; and finally Trophy Wife make their debut at 81 with "Wolf" which is taken from their debut EP Bruxism and was produced by Foals' frontman Yannis Philippakis. Wales' Joy Formidable make their first of 3 appearances in the 100 with "A Heavy Abacus" at 86, and Foster The People make their first of two with "Helena Beat" making 82. Find out where each acts biggest hits of the year fall later.

 

#087 Jessie Ware & Sampha “Valentine”

You have some great #1s in 2011, I actually found two tracks as great discoveries one of those was Cults Abducted and the other was M83 Midnight City on the back of them I bought their albums. Hopefully Abducted is featured somewhere in the top 10 :D its just a great song, and probably the best track on the album along with Go Outside, the album is absolutely brilliant.

 

Crystal Castles Not In Love was featured very heavily in my personal chart for the first 3 months of 2011, which I charted at the end of 2010 last year, and the track never gets old, still like it now.

^Cheers Martin. Both "Abducted" and "Midnight City" are very high in this chart.. you'll find out where before New Year's Eve.

 

In the meantime, here is 80 through to 71.

 

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#080 Bombay Bicycle Club “Lights Out, Words Gone” (510)

 

Chart Run: 40-24-16-12-07-10-14-21-34-42 (10 weeks)

 

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#079 Ed Sheeran “You Need Me, I Don't Need You” (511)

 

Chart Run: 45-34-24-16-11-15-23-25-31-35 (11 weeks)

 

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#078 Holy Ghost! “Wait and See” (511)

 

Chart Run: 43-32-23-22-17-14-16-21-28-36-48 (11 weeks)

 

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#077 Friends “I'm His Girl” (517*)

 

Chart Run: 37-22-12-06-05-03-02-05* (8 weeks)

 

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#076 The Strokes “Under Cover Of Darkness” (518)

 

Chart Run: 32-20-14-09-05-08-16-27-39-48 (10 weeks)

 

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#075 Zola Jesus “Vessel” (531)

 

Chart Run: 37-26-14-10-10-07-10-17-26-37 (10 weeks)

 

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#074 The Go! Team “Buy Nothing Day” (532)

 

Chart Run: 38-22-10-09-12-18-23-28-35-39-45 (11 weeks)

 

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#073 Jay-Z and Kanye West “Otis” (532)

 

Chart Run: 33-20-12-07-06-09-15-22-32-41 (10 weeks)

 

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#072 PJ Harvey “The Glorious Land” (533)

 

Chart Run: 41-28-21-19-17-15-11-15-24-33-47 (11 weeks)

 

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#071 Friendly Fires “Live Those Days Tonight” (542)

 

Chart Run: 37-25-20-16-14-09-13-19-28-36-45 (11 weeks)

 

>>At 80 it's London's Bombay Bicycle Club who released their third studio album A Different Kind of Fix this year; although they had previously reached my Top 10 with "Evening/Morning" in 2010 and "Magnet" in 2009 - it was only this year that they became huge on my chart, 2nd single "Lights Out, Words Gone" followed "Shuffle" into the Top 10 and gave them their 5th Top 10 hit. Friends shot into the chart in November with "I'm His Girl" (No77) and jumped all the way to No2 just before Christmas after I discovered the song on Mark's chart - Friends are yet another New York band who have come up with something different and intersting, and I am very much looking forward to hearing a full length album - "Friend Crush" (DNC) is also well worth a listen, but sadly completely passed me by at the time. The Go! Team's brilliant "Buy Nothing Day" really should have done much better but got lost in the new year rush somewhat and ends up at 74 here. There are also the first of many entries for Friendly Fires who started their great year with "Live Those Days Tonight" (No71) which despite being their lowest peaking single on my chart still managed to just about scrape into the Top 10 back in June.

 

#074 The Go! Team “Buy Nothing Day”

Not even 1 bad track so far, the best track from the latest batch has to be Holy Ghost!, I even charted it in my own personal chart I think I found it on Mark's chart. The Otis track I can take it or leave it though.

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#070 Tyler, The Creator “Yonkers” (542)

 

Chart Run: 33-23-15-06-05-07-11-18-30-43 (10 weeks)

 

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#069 The Big Pink “Stay Gold” (545)

 

Chart Run: 36-25-18-14-11-09-12-17-31-40-49 (11 weeks)

 

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#068 Elbow “Neat Little Rows” (545)

 

Chart Run: 48-31-16-10-08-09-13-20-27-37-49 (11 weeks)

 

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#067 Rihanna ft. Drake “What's My Name?” (545)

 

Chart Run: 39-17-10-07-05-08-12-18-28-42 (10 weeks)

 

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#066 Emeli Sandé “Heaven” (546)

 

Chart Run: 49-40-28-22-18-14-10-19-26-33-43-48 (12 weeks)

 

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#065 Charli XCX “Nuclear Seasons” (550*)

 

Chart Run: 29-18-05-02-01-01-01* (7 weeks)

 

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#064 Kanye West “Runaway” (554)

 

Chart Run: 43-24-13-11-08-06-04-02-02-04-05-07-08-11-17-23-29-34-38-45-49 (21 weeks)

 

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#063 Death Cab For Cutie “You Are A Tourist” (556)

 

Chart Run: 40-32-22-19-14-10-08-11-20-29-41 (11 weeks)

 

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#062 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart “Heart In Your Heartbreak” (563)

 

Chart Run: 40-27-17-11-06-04-03-03-04-05-08-12-19-24-30-36-43 (17 weeks)

 

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#061 Patrick Wolf “The City” (571)

 

Chart Run: 38-25-13-07-03-03-08-14-24-39 (10 weeks)

 

The next set features the current #1 single, Christmas #1 and debut hit from 19 year-old Charli XCX ("Nuclear Seasons" at 65) which just simply runs out of time to rank any higher, becoming the lowest ranking #1 of all 21 eligible chart toppers from 2011 and understandably so given it has only been on the charts for 7 weeks so far! There are also big debuts for Scottish singer/songwriter Emeli Sandé with "Heaven" at 66 and Tyler, The Creator with "Yonkers" at 70, all making their chart debuts this year. Some 2010 holdovers make this set, these being “Heart In Your Heartbreak” from The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (at 62) and Kanye West's "Runaway" (at 64), both of which stalled for a few weeks behind the juggernaut that was "Not In Love" and failed to make the Top 40 of 2010, therefore becoming eligible for this years chart - they aren't the biggest 2010 hits to feature, more on this later... Death Cab For Cutie returned this year with the patchy Codes and Keys , lead single from it, the irresistibly catchy "You Are A Tourist" got them another Top 10 hit and a No63 position in the chart of the year.

 

#063 Death Cab For Cutie “You Are A Tourist”

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#060 Los Campesinos! “By Your Hand” (578)

 

Chart Run: 30-20-12-10-05-07-11-19-26-41-49 (11 weeks)

 

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#059 Ben Howard “The Wolves” (578)

 

Chart Run: 41-29-19-11-07-05-08-13-21-32-45 (11 weeks)

 

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#058 Delilah “Go” (587)

 

Chart Run: 41-31-17-11-07-04-07-12-22-30-42 (11 weeks)

 

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#057 Wild Beasts “Albatross” (599)

 

Chart Run: 40-27-12-09-09-08-12-20-28-35-40-46 (12 weeks)

 

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#056 Noah and the Whale “L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.” (605)

 

Chart Run: 40-28-20-14-09-07-11-15-20-27-36-47 (12 weeks)

 

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#055 MNDR “Fade To Black / I Go Away” (610)

 

Chart Run: 31-20-12-06-04-06-09-13-23-29-43 (11 weeks)

 

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#054 SBTRKT “Wildfire” (616)

 

Chart Run: 42-22-14-09-06-07-10-13-19-26-40-47 (12 weeks)

 

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#053 Elbow “Lippy Kids” (617)

 

Chart Run: 43-31-21-15-09-06-08-10-18-26-35-42 (12 weeks)

 

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#052 Arctic Monkeys “Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair” (618)

 

Chart Run: 46-31-19-11-07-09-09-12-18-24-33-41 (12 weeks)

 

http://img848.imageshack.us/img848/2039/dcac.png

#051 Arctic Monkeys “The Hellcat Spangled 'Shalalala'” (646)

 

Chart Run: 38-22-14-07-04-04-07-13-21-30-38-48 (12 weeks)

 

>>The closest two songs in the 100 kick of this bunch with only 0.03pts separating 60 and 59 with Ben Howard just about leading Los Campesinos! 578.15 to 578.12. It doesn't get much closer than that! Ben Howard followed up the fantastic "The Wolves" with two further Top 20 hits; "Keep Your Head Up" (#13 in September), and "The Fear" (#8 in December) but neither made enough impact to make the Top 100. Singer/songwriter Delilah is at 58 with her debut single "Go", I love the instrumentation on the single and though the lyrics are just heavily referencing Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody" it just manages to work. Hopefully the record company wise up and decided to release "Breathe" soon (one of her better demos!) The wonderful "Albatross" gives Wild Beasts their biggest hit of the year at 57 and the inescapable "L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N." makes it to 56 for Noah and the Whale who last made my year-end in 2009 with "Blue Skies" (No50 in 2009). The bottom of the 50s are rounded out by two Arctic Monkeys singles, "The Hellcat Spangled 'Shalalala'" just about inching above "Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair". The title track which recently gave them a #1 features higher>>

 

#059 Ben Howard "The Wolves"

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#050 Burial “Street Halo” (659)

 

Chart Run: 34-20-13-08-05-05-06-10-16-25-35-47 (12 weeks)

 

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#049 Givers “Up Up Up” (666)

 

Chart Run: 33-18-11-07-05-03-05-10-18-28-41-50 (12 weeks)

 

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#048 Patrick Wolf “Time Of My Life” (666)

 

Chart Run: 36-24-10-05-03-03-02-02-03-03-07-10-15-20-27-34-39-44-50 (19 weeks)

 

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#047 The Naked & Famous “Girls Like You” (678)

 

Chart Run: 50-36-25-31-23-14-09-08-11-14-20-29-38-49 (14 weeks)

 

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#046 Laura Marling “Sophia” (688)

 

Chart Run: 44-32-22-13-06-04-05-07-13-21-28-38-46 (13 weeks)

 

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#045 Friendly Fires “Hurting” (697*)

 

Chart Run: 33-21-15-10-06-04-04-08-10-14-21-31* (12 weeks)

 

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#044 The Rapture “How Deep Is Your Love?” (700)

 

Chart Run: 45-33-17-07-05-03-06-09-14-19-27-39-47 (13 weeks)

 

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#043 The Horrors “I Can See Through You” (706*)

 

Chart Run: 39-25-19-12-08-06-08-10-15-24-31-40-45-47* (14 weeks)

 

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#042 James Blake “Limit To Your Love” (713)

 

Chart Run: 33-17-13-07-06-04-02-04-04-06-08-14-18-24-28-38-43 (17 weeks)

 

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#041 Warpaint “Shadows [Neon Lights Remix]” (719)

 

Chart Run: 44-33-23-12-07-05-04-06-09-13-18-25-39 (13 weeks)

 

>>Burial's "Street Halo" (at 50) is probably the least commercial song in my 100 of 2011, but it's one of the most played tracks of the year (despite the fact that last.fm tells me I only listened to it 13 times!) It's difficult to describe but there are so many interesting parts to the song, each as addictive and engaging as the last, it is over 6 minutes 40 seconds long but it doesn't feel like it - I was blown away by Untrue when I finally discovered it in 2008 and this new EP was no different. Patrick Wolf's "Time of My Life" should have been a #1 and but for a bit of bad luck had to settle with 6 consecutive weeks in the Top 3 at the end of 2010 without making it - he has charted to #1 twice though (both in 2007 with "The Magic Position" and "Bluebells"). The Naked & Famous got off to a slow start, but eventually got their first Top 10 hit on my chart with "Girls Like You" (after "Young Blood" stalled at No12 in 2010), becoming the 2nd biggest #8 hit of the year - the biggest is in the Top 30! Current hits by Friendly Fires and The Horrors ("Hurting" at 45 and "I Can See Through You" at 43) both suffer slightly from the year running out on them but both have much bigger hits to come later; as does James Blake, who's Feist cover from 2010, scored a solitary week at No 2 in January and managed to rack up a decent chart run. The 40s are closed out by the Neon Lights remix to Warpaints' "Shadows" released to promote the Sound of 2011 nominated band back in January.

 

#041 Warpaint "Shadows [Neon Lights Remix]"

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#040 The Vaccines “If You Wanna” (722)

 

Chart Run: 44-28-13-06-05-02-03-07-15-23-30-39-50 (13 weeks)

 

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#039 Yuck “Get Away” (734)

 

Chart Run: 37-20-11-06-04-04-06-08-13-16-23-31-45 (13 weeks)

 

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#038 Robyn “Call Your Girlfriend” (752)

 

Chart Run: 48-30-15-08-05-04-04-06-12-16-24-33-41-50 (14 weeks)

 

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#037 Crystal Fighters “At Home” (767)

 

Chart Run: 36-24-16-10-04-03-02-04-08-12-19-29-42 (13 weeks)

 

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#036 Steve Mason “All Come Down” (768)

 

Chart Run: 36-27-18-13-10-04-04-05-07-12-18-27-39-48 (14 weeks)

 

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#035 Arctic Monkeys “Suck It And See” (768*)

 

Chart Run: 46-33-21-16-11-05-02-01-03-05-08-09* (12 weeks)

 

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#034 Aloe Blacc “I Need A Dollar” (780)

 

Chart Run: 48-42-34-28-22-16-12-07-06-06-07-11-18-28-42 (15 weeks)

 

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#033 Joe Goddard ft. Valentina “Gabriel” (788)

 

Chart Run: 24-10-06-02-02-03-05-09-13-19-25-36-43 (13 weeks)

 

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#032 Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx “I'll Take Care Of U” (808)

 

Chart Run: 43-30-15-08-05-06-10-14-19-21-19-22-30-38-48-48 (16 weeks)

 

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#031 Marina & The Diamonds “Radioactive” (809)

 

Chart Run: 40-28-19-12-08-04-03-05-09-14-19-24-33-39-50 (15 weeks)

 

The Vaccines managed to rack up 4 Top 10 hits in 2011, but only 1 of these had enough staying power to make the chart of the year, but it more than makes up for it by cracking the Top 40. "If You Wanna" is one of the best/catchiest indie tunes of the year - sadly the public didn't agree and it limped into the UK chart at #53. Daniel Blumberg had prior Top 10 success with Cajun Dance Party on my chart in 2008, but it wasn't until this year as part of Yuck that he reached the Top 5. "Get Away" was Yuck's second successive Top 10 in 2011 and makes for a very rock orientated start to the Top 40 - that changes immediately at 38 as Robyn charts with the amazing "Call Your Girlfriend" which gave her a 4th Top 5 from 4 Body Talk releases and rounded out yet another very successful era for the Swedish singer. Steve Mason (formerly of The Beta Band fame) released the sublime "All Come Down" back in late 2009 but with amongst other things I missed it entirely, so it was with relief that he decide to re-release it earlier this year - it then promptly shot into my Top 5 in June. At 35, it is the current single by Arctic Monkeys the title track from their 4th studio album Suck It And See, again expect this to continue charting well into 2012 but because it has made the Top 40 in 2011 it will be ineligible for next years chart. Aloe Blacc's "I Need A Dollar" was a slow burner, taking 9 weeks to peak.. despite only getting to No6 it manages 34th in the chart of the year, thanks in part to it's slow climb. Joe Goddard's solo single "Gabriel" made a big debut in September (the 2nd highest of the year) and was soon in contention for #1, missing out solely because of the absolutely huge song currently residing at the top at the time (still to come...) Jamie xx has produced some of the best singles of the year, unfortunately "Far Nearer" misses out here, but his remix of Gil Scott-Heron "I'll Take Care Of U" easily makes the cut having spent 4 months on the chart in the Spring/early Summer. Finally, at 31 is my 2nd favourite pop single of the year - initially I did hate this, but it found its way under my skin and I couldn't stop playing it on repeat by October (when it climbed to No3). Really looking forward to the album!

 

#032 Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx "I'll Take Care Of U"

I didn't think much of the Marina and The Diamonds track, it was in my personal chart but it failed to hit the top 10, it just got stuck at #11 for a few weeks. I wouldn't call it her best, I hope there are better tracks on her new album, Starring Role sounds a hell lot better.

 

There is a lot of tracks I like that is already featured, when you have the whole list at the end, I can comment a lot further.

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#030 Gotye ft. Kimbra “Somebody That I Used To Know” (811)

 

Chart Run: 38-19-14-12-08-08-08-10-15-18-23-31-34-38-40-46 (16 weeks)

 

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#029 Elbow “Open Arms” (813)

 

Chart Run: 40-25-15-07-05-03-02-04-07-10-18-25-34-47 (14 weeks)

 

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#028 Niki & The Dove “The Fox” (841)

 

Chart Run: 18-05-02-02-04-04-04-06-11-20-29-36-46-49 (14 weeks)

 

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#027 WU LYF “We Bros” (844*)

 

Chart Run: 40-18-08-03-01-01-02-01-02-03-06* (11 weeks)

 

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#026 Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs “Garden” (873*)

 

Chart Run: 42-20-14-10-06-02-05-07-07-09-13-16-20-25-32* (15 weeks)

 

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#025 Cults “Go Outside” (884)

 

Chart Run: 34-19-10-05-03-02-02-04-07-12-18-25-32-38-46 (15 weeks)

 

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#024 Florence + The Machine “Shake It Out” (891*)

 

Chart Run: 27-15-11-06-02-02-02-03-03-04-07-10-15* (13 weeks)

 

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#023 Apparat “Song of Los” (931*)

 

Chart Run: 37-22-16-09-04-01-01-03-05-07-07-09-12-16* (14 weeks)

 

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#022 Kanye West “All Of The Lights” (941)

 

Chart Run: 39-25-18-12-05-04-04-06-06-05-08-15-24-29-35-39-50 (17 weeks)

 

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#021 The Joy Formidable “Austere” (965)

 

Chart Run: 48-28-12-05-02-01-02-04-06-09-10-15-21-28-37-45 (16 weeks)

 

The collaboration of the year "Somebody That I Used To Know" is next at 30. Gotye teamed up with the equally little known New Zealand singer/songwriter Kimbra and then propelled themselves into the stratosphere with the single which went on to spend 8 weeks at No1 in Australia and 6 at No1 in New Zealand - hopefully it will do the same here! On my chart, it stalled at No8 but had excellent staying power, meaning it is the highest charting non-Top 5 song of 2011 and biggest No8 since Cut Copy's "Lights & Music" in 2008 (also Australian!) Elbow's biggest hit of the year is Build A Rocket Boys! highlight "Open Arms" which shot to No2 in May. Another No2 hit came from absolutely nowhere in July when Niki & The Dove's (Malin Dahlström and Gustaf Karlöf) "The Fox" became the biggest debut of the year in at 18 - it ended up stalled for 2 weeks behind Foster The People's "Pumped Up Kicks" but held up well. WU LYF's fantastic "We Bros" became the first single for over 10 years to reclaim the #1, and despite it's rapid rise up the chart can only make it to 27.. The very addictive and fun "Garden" by Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs became their breakout hit this year, I'm very much looking forward to hearing more. At 25 it is the first of two Cults singles in the chart, at 24 the powerful "Shake It Out" which is one of the unluckiest No2 of the year, having spent 3 weeks in the runners up slot. German music producer Sascha Ring scored the surprise #1 of the year when the beautiful "Song of Los" jumped 4-1 in late October, that's at 23. Kanye West and a whole host of guest vocalists (notably: Elly Jackson [La Roux], Charlie Wilson, and Elton John!) took the fantastic "All Of The Lights" to the top tier of the chart in March. Finally at 21 we have the first new #1 of 2011, "Austere" is an adjective meaning severe or strict in manner, attitude - and that's exactly what this song feels like when the guitars kick in around the 1:14 mark - glorious!

 

#023 Apparat "Song Of Los"

Edited December 30, 201113 yr by Doctor Blind

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#020 PJ Harvey “The Words That Maketh Murder” (975)

 

Chart Run: 38-25-16-09-05-02-02-03-06-08-09-13-21-27-35-44-50 (17 weeks)

 

The now twice winning Mercury Prize winner Polly Jean Harvey took this jaunty sing-a-long to the No2 in February and by rights should have been a #1 really, needless to say she out-charts some of the songs that did get to #1. Taken from a brilliant album, this gives PJ Harvey her biggest hit to date on my chart!

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#019 Friendly Fires “Hawaiian Air” (983)

 

Chart Run: 30-13-09-06-03-03-02-03-05-09-17-22-25-28-38-44-49 (17 weeks)

 

The finest track off of slightly disappointing second album Pala was the summery sounding "Hawaiian Air", maligning the woes of plane travel both the video and song are really just a bit of fun. The St. Albans' boys have recently been on tour in the UK ( I saw them in November!) and this provided the nights finale encore. Needless to say the place exploded in lights and frantic dancing.

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#018 Cut Copy “Need You Now” (1,023)

 

Chart Run: 36-19-07-01-01-02-02-04-06-08-09-13-19-27-35-45 (16 weeks)

 

Zonoscope kicks off with "Need You Now", the perfect warm-up for what is a great little dance-pop album, it takes around 5 minutes to build up to the glorious chorus which Dan Whitford sings "I know we're running baby, but I need you now... tonight". This provided the Australian band with their first #1 on my chart, and was also the biggest jump to the top of the year, climbing as it did 7-1 back in April.

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#017 Fixers “Here Comes 2001 So Let's All Head For The Sun EP” (1,042)

 

Chart Run: 35-24-15-09-04-02-03-02-02-04-07-10-12-19-27-35-45 (17 weeks)

 

"Uriel" was the track that I ended up playing the most from this, the bands debut EP - which managed 3 non-consecutive weeks in the runners-up slot in late Spring. A lot of people have compared them to Animal Collective, which is probably more to do with the debut single (charted at No13 here) "Iron Deer Dream" which does sound almost exactly like "Brother Sport", but I'd say they remind me more the Beach Boys or the Drums. No bad thing!

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#016 Lykke Li “I Follow Rivers” (1,047)

 

Chart Run: 37-22-15-08-06-04-04-02-03-04-06-10-15-21-28-37-44-44 (18 weeks)

 

I've not heard the Magician Mix of this (which made it a hit all over Europe), and I hate with a passion the Glee cover version (sorry Glee fans). For me the original is just perfect and its chart run suggests that it was an enduring hit which managed to improve on its position once in the Top 10 for several consecutive weeks - I wasn't blown away by the album though.

 

It is the highest placed song to not reach #1! :(

Edited December 30, 201113 yr by Doctor Blind

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#015 Yuck “Holing Out” (1,058)

 

Chart Run: 33-15-07-03-01-01-02-05-07-07-10-14-21-26-30-36-45 (17 weeks)

 

I was without the internet in January and much of February so was listening more than usual to 6Music in a sort of attempt to try and keep up-to-date with the latest music, anyway I caught the end of this on Steve Lamacq's show, loved it - bought the album from just that one listen in an effort to get my hands on this and was very impressed. Needless to say the album limped in at #62 on the UK Albums chart. Bad UK public!!

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#014 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart “Belong” (1,061)

 

Chart Run: 32-18-11-05-03-01-01-03-03-06-09-11-17-24-31-39-50 (17 weeks)

 

They'd already had a number 1 in 2009 with "Higher Than The Stars" which is still very :wub: and listened to on occasion. They came back with a heavier sound for the lead-off single from the album of the same name and "Belong" duly went on to give them a 2nd number 1 back in April. The album is a really good listen as well, I thought they would struggle to follow-up their self-titled debut, but they didn't disappoint at all.

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#013 Gang Gang Dance “MindKilla” (1,135)

 

Chart Run: 38-21-09-03-02-01-01-02-03-04-06-09-15-22-27-36-45-50 (18 weeks)

 

This song is a bit of an anomaly - it's something that I wouldn't normally like at all but there's just something about it which keeps me coming back to it. When this song starts, the drum beats are almost hypnotic, signalling the start of what is a totally bonkers track sounding like the Knife crossed with M.I.A. and maybe a bit of Kate Bush. Thrilling!