As for the 13 songs so far, I own all but one of them so good work (though I've never particularly liked 'Play', it is an excellent album)

 

My chart performance:

 

088 Sigur Rós "Brennisteinn" - DNC (though I did buy this)

089 iamamiwhoami "Play" - DNC

090 Magnetic Man "Perfect Stranger" - 01

 

091 Kanye West "All Of The Lights" - 01

092 Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs "Garden" - 06

093 Frank Ocean "Pyramids" - DNC

094 Autre Ne Veut "Play By Play" - DNC (as with 'Brennisteinn')

095 Friends "I'm His Girl" - 02

096 Django Django "Default" - 03

097 HAERTS "Wings" - 08

098 AlunaGeorge "Attracting Flies" - 23

099 Zola Jesus "Night" - DNC

100 The Drums "Let's Go Surfing" - 02

As for the 13 songs so far, I own all but one of them so good work (though I've never particularly liked 'Play', it is an excellent album)

 

Good news, I think out of everyone here you are the person I share the closest musical taste with Mark.

 

Anyway, on with #87 and it's one of those rare things a UK #1 hit that I love.

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7a/Cee_Lo_Green_-_F--k_You.jpg

 

087 Cee-Lo Green "Fuck You" (2010)

UK chart peak: #1

 

44-25-12-07-03-02-02-04-07-10-16-21-26-32-36-41-49 (17 weeks)

 

It's funny how sometimes certain songs remind you quite clearly of a period in your life and with this song that is when I when I spent a month up in Lossiemouth in late summer of 2010. I had no internet throughout that time so pretty much relied on Zane Lowe's Radio 1 show for new music and whatever was on Freeview - this song appeared in its radio-friendly format and I was immediately hooked by it. Bruno Mars provides the opening and distinctive piano riff that runs throughout, and then in come the soulful and distinctive vocals of Cee-Lo Green. The original version is the best one here (apparently the title aimed at the music industry itself), indeed for a long time it wasn't even considered to make a radio-friendly version, however since Cee-Lo drops 16 'fuck you's in just 3 1/2 minutes it was replaced with a PG-friendly 'forget you' and it went on to become a massive hit.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61Q0qXvfVCL._SL500_AA500_.jpg

 

086 The Joy Formidable "Austere" (2011) [965]

 

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

 

Welsh band, The Joy Formidable originally released their debut single "Austere" back in 2008 to little or no fanfare - but since 2009 had been on a strong ascendency with tracks like "Popinjay" and "I Don't Want To See You Like This" getting them greater recognition. They released their excellent debut The Big Roar (Katy Perry you were usurped on this one) in 2011 and the 2nd single from it was a re-release of this which climbed over Christmas and powered to #1 in the new year the week the album was released. It is a punchy record with an explosive chorus featuring the powerful vocals of Rhiannon "Ritzy" Bryan. The band cite influences from My Bloody Valentine, which are quite clear to see on this and much of the record. They also have another song to come from 2011 a lot higher on this countdown!

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61xaWX-KLOL._SL500_AA500_.jpg

 

085 Radiohead "The Daily Mail" (2012) [966]

UK chart peak: #71

 

42-30-14-05-03-01-01-03-05-08-13-20-26-32-39-45 (16 weeks)

 

Ah, The Daily Mail - for those not aware The Daily Mail is a British middle-market tabloid newspaper, which is a bête noire amongst left-wing circles due to its conservative editorial stance and its stories that are apparently intended to induce moral panic amongst its readers. Apparently during their October 8, 2012 show at London's O2 Arena, frontman Thom Yorke took an onstage potshot at the Daily Mail. Introducing this song, he jokingly told the crowd that the journal was a "quality newspaper" before being forced to stop the song and start again as he was chuckling so much. Anyway, enough about that awful paper, the song was kicking around in some form for at least 6 years but finally got recorded after the King of Limbs - From The Basement session and was released as a double A-side with "Staircase" at Christmas 2011, I preferred this side of the single which provided the band with their first #1 on my chart since 2008, a 4th in total.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51AN5D7ZO8L._SY500_.jpg

 

084 Lana Del Rey "Born To Die" (2012) [971]

UK chart peak: #9

 

50-35-23-10-01-01-02-03-06-09-15-22-29-35-38-44-50 (17 weeks)

 

Elizabeth Grant, aka Lana Del Rey, burst on to the music scene in a massive way back in summer '11 with the heartbreakingly beautiful "Video Games" (still to chart here), and she soon followed it up with the equally wonderful "Born To Die" - the title track from her debut LP, the reason being she felt that this song described and summed up the tone of the album quite well. She described the song as a "homage to true love and a tribute to living life on the wild side" and both this song and much of the rest of the Born to Die album reflect a quality of being sad without being unhappy. Del Rey told The Daily Telegraph: "There is a sense of loss underpinning things. I used to wonder if it was God's plan that I should be alone for so much of my life. But I found peace. I found happiness within people and the world. So there is a sad tone, but also real joy. It seemed like a mix of two beautiful worlds coming together."

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41spiLA0d6L._SL500_AA500_.jpg

 

083 PJ Harvey "The Words That Maketh Murder" (2011) [975]

 

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

 

The recently knighted PJ Harvey got her biggest hit on my chart in early 2011, with this bluesy meditation on the horrors of war - quite appropriate at the moment with the world pondering the morality of taking action over the civil war that is breaking out across Syria - was the lead single from her quite challenging 2011 album Let England Shake. The lyrics are a harrowing portrait of the obscenity of war and are awash with brutal scenes. "I've seen and done things I want to forget," Harvey sings, "I've seen soldiers fall like lumps of me-ee-eat." At the end of the song she and collaborator John Parish question, "What if I take my problem to the United Nations?".

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51HP8bt6q1L._SL500_AA500_.jpg

 

082 Friendly Fires "Hawaiian Air" (2011) [983]

 

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

 

The St. Albans band's only appearance on this chart is the 2nd single from their second LP Pala. After 3 consecutive #1s in 2008/2009 from their debut LP - the hits "Jump In The Pool", "Paris" and "Skeleton Boy" respectively, they haven't been able to get back to #1 since, though this is probably the closest they've been, blocked out of #1 by the massive Bombay Bicycle hit "Shuffle". The track is a fun and very catchy lament to plane travel (of course!) and was the highlight of what I thought was a relatively disappointing follow-up. Hopefully they will be stepping up things for album number 3.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51g8RYxTJML._SL500_AA500_.jpg

 

081 Dog Is Dead "Glockenspiel Song" (2012) [994]

43-27-15-08-05-02-01-01-03-05-09-12-18-27-37-49 (16 weeks)

 

Dog Is Dead are a five-piece indie pop band from West Bridgford, Nottingham. They got their big break when this track was used as the series finale for Skins in 2011 after the series producer saw them perform at Glastonbury the year before - the track seems to fit with the ethos of the show with the middle refrain "We are a mess. We are failures and we love it". For me, the 2010 original is the version that I know and love, but the 2012 re-release gave me an excuse to chart it. "Glockenspiel Song" is their debut and features both a sax solo and a children's choir, and yet still remains brilliant - not bad going! They don't seem to have crossed over to the mainstream yet however...

On the video the track only starts about 01:10 in.

 

Here is a re-cap of 90 through to 81

 

081 Dog Is Dead "Glockenspiel Song" 43-27-15-08-05-02-01-01-03-05-09-12-18-27-37-49 (16 weeks)

082 Friendly Fires "Hawaiian Air" 30-13-09-06-03-03-02-03-05-09-17-22-25-28-38-44-49 (17 weeks)

083 PJ Harvey "The Words That Maketh Murder" 38-25-16-09-05-02-02-03-06-08-09-13-21-27-35-44-50 (17 weeks)

084 Lana Del Rey "Born To Die" 50-35-23-10-01-01-02-03-06-09-15-22-29-35-38-44-50 (17 weeks)

085 Radiohead "The Daily Mail" 42-30-14-05-03-01-01-03-05-08-13-20-26-32-39-45 (16 weeks)

086 The Joy Formidable "Austere" 48-28-12-05-02-01-02-04-06-09-10-15-21-28-37-45 (16 weeks)

087 Cee-Lo Green "F**k You" 44-25-12-07-03-02-02-04-07-10-16-21-26-32-36-41-49 (17 weeks)

088 Sigur Rós "Brennisteinn" 50-34-19-11-08-06-04-04-06-10-16-22-28-32-30-26-36-42 (18 weeks)

089 iamamiwhoami "Play" 30-18-09-04-02-02-03-04-06-11-14-20-27-33-39-45 (16 weeks)

090 Magnetic Man ft. Katy B "Perfect Stranger" 39-18-10-05-05-05-04-04-07-10-14-15-15-16-26-38-48 (17 weeks)

Excellent list so far. Born to Die is such a pure song.

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm82/TheMagicPosition86/5b06_zps7020387e.png

 

080 Purity Ring "Fineshrine" (2012) [994]

46-30-19-15-11-09-06-07-05-03-06-10-13-16-21-30-40-47 (18 weeks)

 

Here is one of the slowest burners of the 2010s so far, taking 10 weeks to peak at #3 in September 2012, it took ages for this to grow on me but it eventually has become my favourite single from the Canadian electronic band. The track is bass heavy and quite upbeat, but juxtaposes the heavenly vocals from Megan James with some strikingly grotesque and violent lyrics such as "Cut open my sternum, and pull" and "I'll cut the soft pockets, let bleed". Debut LP Shrines was criticised for sounding all pretty similar, but when it sounds as good as "Fineshrine" it is hard not to love it.

Edited September 1, 201311 yr by Doctor Blind

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41d9LQE2VvL._SL500_AA500_.jpg

 

079 James Blake "Limit To Your Love" (2010) [999]

UK chart peak: #39

 

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

 

Cover versions - I have long hated them, especially when there are merely a dull re-tread of the original; however when you deconstruct the original and do something completely different with it and make the song something totally unrecognisable then that is when I am ON BOARD. James Blake's debut single then was exactly that, a brilliant re-interpretation of Feist and Chilly Gonzales's ballad of the same title, which was originally released on Feist's 2007 album The Reminder. Feist loved it, and so did the British public with it making the UK Top 40 at #39 - the bass in this really moves people, indeed Blake said of the track "It's a physical track, with the sub at a frequency that rattles you. I made it to be devastating in a club, on a huge sound system. You get a completely different experience if you listen to it on any other medium. But that's great. If all the elements are in place, you should get 80% of what a song has to offer no matter how you hear it, whether on headphones or on the radio."

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51d1BcLXE5L._SL500_AA500_.jpg

 

078 Arctic Monkeys "Suck It And See" (2011) [1,001]

 

46-33-21-16-11-05-02-01-03-05-08-09-11-17-26-38-46 (17 weeks)

 

The only Arctic Monkeys entry (so far) this decade is the wonderful self-titled track from their fourth LP Suck It And See. Alex Turner wrote this track around the same time as he was producing the soundtrack to the film Submarine, with its influences coming from the Beach Boys (which Turner had been listening a lot to at the time). The title (British slang meaning you should try something to find out what happens) and indeed lyrics of the track are full of British colloquialisms - something Turner heavily uses in his writing. He said: "A lot of people don't get that and don't realise what it is. Something I like the idea of is putting colloquialisms where they feel strange – especially in some of the other tunes like the fuzzy, heavier ones, it feels quite funny when you can drop in something very British next to 'Raw Power' guitars."

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51JEaeMxdmL._SL500_AA500_.jpg

 

077 Kindness "That's Alright" (2012) [1,003]

 

41-27-17-09-05-03-02-03-03-07-10-14-20-29-38-47-47-49 (18 weeks)

 

Kindness is the pseudonym for British recording artist Adam Bainbridge. The track "That's Alright" was entered into Unknown Pleasures around the time of its release and 6Music play and therefore readily ascended the chart into the Top 10 back in Autumn 2012. The song samples heavily from Trouble Funk 1985 classic "Still Smokin'" and to great effect creates this retro sounding modern classic "That's Alright" which has an amazing horn and synth section at the opening of the track. The video (above) sees Bainbridge playing with Trouble, of which he said "[it] will remain one of the most awe-inspiring experiences of my life. Bands like these are few and far between. I hope we manage to capture something of the musicality and vibrancy of the go-go scene, and cement a little more the legacy of the incredible players, song writers and talents who compose these bands—those still gigging, moving a crowd and finding that sweet ‘socket’ together."

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VgavMYHmL._SL500_AA500_.jpg

 

076 The Maccabees feat. Roots Manuva "Empty Vessels" (2010) [1,007]

 

46-28-15-06-01-01-02-04-06-07-13-16-21-29-37-43-49 (17 weeks)

 

Going back to the very start of the decade now and we have one of the most unexpected but wonderful collaborations of the 2010s. The Maccabees originally recorded "No Kind Words" in 2009 for their excellent 2nd LP Wall Of Arms. They persuaded South London rapper Roots Manuva to come on board on a reworked and re-titled version of their 2009 track "No Kind Words." and it transforms the track into a great hip-hop parable of someone getting what he deserves. Speaking about the collaboration front-man Orlando Wekks explained "He put his vocals over the track and we rearranged it and chopped it up a bit," guitarist Hugo White told The London Times January 29, 2010. "The moment he approved what we had done it felt like a success."

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51qd2DR9XiL._SL500_AA500_.jpg

 

075 Kate Boy "Northern Lights" (2013) [1,009]

 

44-29-17-07-03-02-01-01-02-04-07-11-20-29-39-49 (16 weeks)

 

Very little was known about Kate Boy until this year, all I could find about them on the web when this track appeared was that they are a Swedish electro-pop group - who certainly draw their influences from fellow Swedish band, The Knife. They are infact Hampus Nordgren Hemlin, Kate Akhurst, Markus Dextegen, and Oskar Sikow Engström, a four-piece who collaborate together and play together but created a fifth member "Kate Boy" as a fictional fifth member that reflects their egalitarian songwriting process. The production on this track is absolutely SPOT-ON, I mean listen to it! It's clear, sharp but yet it is also so gloriously understated. Whatever "reaching out for the northern lights" means, you totally just go with it.

Edited September 1, 201311 yr by Doctor Blind

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51T6Tay5yQL._SL500_AA500_.jpg

 

074 Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Sacrilege" (2013) [1,014]

 

35-22-13-07-03-02-02-02-04-07-10-14-19-25-33-39-46 (17 weeks)

 

Possibly the unluckiest #2 of the decade was "Sacrilege" which came along at the same time as one of my favourites of the decade was SLAYING ALL BASES at #1, and so it had to settle for a trio of weeks in the runners-up slot. The band have had plenty of #1 hits though, with "Zero" and "Heads Will Roll" both taking that honour in 2009 around the time of their 3rd LP It's Blitz. The track finishes with a 24-piece gospel choir, which takes the song to a spiritual climax, and there is certainty a religious theme around the song and video with Lily Cole staring as a promiscuous character who in reverse from her burning at the stake we find out has a number of affairs with local residents. Sacrilege!

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51P2MGj+eoL._SL500_AA500_.jpg

 

073 The Black Keys "Lonely Boy" (2012) [1,019]

UK chart peak: #80

 

43-33-18-12-07-05-03-01-03-04-08-13-17-27-35-39-45-49 (18 weeks)

 

This Ohio rock group optimise hard working rock bands, and it was somewhat inevitable (and hugely overdue) that they did eventually breakthrough and hit the mainstream last year - doing it with 2011's El Camino, their 7th studio album(!) Instrumental in that success was the brilliant lead single "Lonely Boy", its undeniably catchy drumbeat and its unmistakable riff. Of the track, Dan Auerbach said "It started with that riff and we just built it from the ground up and the vocals came at the end. We wrote this record from scratch in the studio, which isn't the norm for us. We were listening to old rock 'n' roll records, from the '50s. '60s, '70s, '80s. Music that was very simple and fun - drums, bass, guitars, organ and not a lot of bells and whistles on top." The music video features Derrick T. Tuggle dancing to the song in the lobby of a motel, and was filmed in one single take.

Edited September 3, 201311 yr by Doctor Blind

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61i5BFzZpIL._SL500_AA500_.jpg

 

072 Disclosure ft. Eliza Doolittle "You & Me" (2013) [1,020]

UK chart peak: #10

 

44-29-16-06-03-01-01-02-04-07-10-16-23-29-35-42-50 (17 weeks)

 

Surrey brothers' Guy and Howard Lawrence hadn't even had so much as a minor UK hit this time last year, but have in just 9 months already managed to rack up 2 UK Top 10 hits (after "Latch" stalled at #11 in late 2012) and a UK No. 1 album. Dance music is definitely back in a big way in 2013, and the brothers were at the forefront of this movement both underground and through the mainstream with their innovative mix of house, garage, and electropop. Howard selected British singer Eliza Doolittle to lay down the vocals for "You & Me" which was released in April and rapidly climbed to #1, surprisingly given I am not a massive fan of her solo output, her vocals on this track really work for me. They have TWO more singles to feature in this countdown!

Edited September 3, 201311 yr by Doctor Blind

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm82/TheMagicPosition86/fa0a_zpsaa834b74.png

 

071 Crystal Castles "Celestica" (2010) [1,022]

 

38-25-16-07-03-02-02-03-04-06-08-10-15-22-28-33-46 (17 weeks)

 

Some more Canadian electronic goodness here, with Toronto's Crystal Castles. They didn't really make a massive impact on me with their debut self-titled album if truth be told, however (II) was never off the iPod in the summer of 2010 because of songs like this. The first taste of that album was the beautiful "Celestica" of course, with Alice Glass's distorted vocals resonating over a twisted beat. The song is allegedly said to have some relation to the Canadian factory Celestica in which Ethan Kath said that one of the workers allegedly committed suicide by jumping into a tub of hot plastic and that they still used the plastic to make products.

 

Here is a re-cap from 80 through to 71

 

071 Crystal Castles "Celestica" 38-25-16-07-03-02-02-03-04-06-08-10-15-22-28-33-46 (17 weeks)

072 Disclosure ft. Eliza Doolittle "You & Me" 44-29-16-06-03-01-01-02-04-07-10-16-23-29-35-42-50 (17 weeks)

073 The Black Keys "Lonely Boy" 43-33-18-12-07-05-03-01-03-04-08-13-17-27-35-39-45-49 (18 weeks)

074 Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Sacrilege" 35-22-13-07-03-02-02-02-04-07-10-14-19-25-33-39-46 (17 weeks)

075 Kate Boy "Northern Lights" 44-29-17-07-03-02-01-01-02-04-07-11-20-29-39-49 (16 weeks)

076 The Maccabees feat. Roots Manuva "Empty Vessels" 46-28-15-06-01-01-02-04-06-07-13-16-21-29-37-43-49 (17 weeks)

077 Kindness "That's Alright" 41-27-17-09-05-03-02-03-03-07-10-14-20-29-38-47-47-49 (18 weeks)

078 Arctic Monkeys "Suck It And See" 46-33-21-16-11-05-02-01-03-05-08-09-11-17-26-38-46 (17 weeks)

079 James Blake "Limit To Your Love" 33-17-13-07-06-04-02-04-04-06-08-14-18-24-28-38-43 (17 weeks)

080 Purity Ring "Fineshrine" 46-30-19-15-11-09-06-07-05-03-06-10-13-16-21-30-40-47 (18 weeks)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/512NamHARVL._SL500_AA500_.jpg

 

070 Cut Copy "Need You Now" (2011) [1,023]

 

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

 

In Ghost Colours remains to-date one of my favourite dance albums of the 21st Century - the songs mix together so well, and it is good fun throughout with some amazing highlights (the bit 2 minutes in to "Lights & Music" where everything just goes RIGHT OFF!) - but one of the criticisms thrown at Aussie band Cut Copy was that they had simply too many ideas crammed into each song. An example being the opener from that album "Feel The Love" which is brilliant but could easily be cut down into ideas for about 4 different songs. "Need You Now" was the 2nd single from their 3rd studio LP Zonoscope - it's a 6 minute epic pop song which concentrates on just 1 hook and builds to it slowly through the song to great effect.