The Best SONGS of 2011 – Pt. 2 (July-Dec)
Songs are pretty amazing things. It’s magical that such a small thing can be so powerful. In the blink of an eye a song can make you smile, dance, cry, think, laugh, etc. These are the ones that did all those things for me the second half of 2011.Â
♫ = Click to play & right-click to download
25. ♫ The Lisps – Try / A late addition in the year but after it became a family anthem during the holidays it solidified it’s greatness. A paerfect song to kick of 2012 with!
24. ♫ Washington – How To Tame Lions / Easy to dismiss on first listen. Impossible to on your 19th.
23. ♫ Handsome Furs – Repatriated / A massive recording and even bigger live. If you aren’t moving now you are dead. Or hate rock music. Same thing, really.
22. ♫ Swiss Lips – U Got The Power / I hope you tidied your head cause this one moves in and hangs posters. And it doesn’t abide by noise curfews.
21. ♫ Jelly Jells – Beautiful / Raw, from the heart, and incredibly catchy. An anthem for all of us.
20. ♫ Butcher Blades – Jigsaw Limbs / Still one of the most innovative and original bands in the game. Harsh sounds and tender vocals married in blissful harmony.
19. ♫ DWNTWN – Hungry Hearts / The fact that this track hasn’t risen up from the internets and taken over the world is astounding.
18. ♫ Heems – WOMYN aka HITCH / Women need the praise and men need the advice. And I need more Heems rhymes. Shampoo!
17. ♫ Brown Shoe – Late Nights / Lyrics that probably resonate with everyone that has heard it. Plus the music stops me in my tracks every time I hear it.
16. ♫ I Am In Love – Call Me An Animal / Be cautious listening to this jam while operating motor vehicles. Dangerous speeds may occur.
15. ♫ M83 – Midnight City / The song that spawed a million remixes was pretty damn good to begin with.
14. ♫ Pictureplane – Post Physical / An odd title because all this song makes me want to do is get physical and steam up some windows.
13. ♫ Urban Cone – Urban Photograph / The Swedes know catchy, bouncy, indie pop. It must be in the water.
12. ♫ Capital Cities – Safe and Sound / How did “Pumped Up Kicks” become the summer anthem for a second year instead of this jam coming out of every 4th of July boombox?
11. ♫ Yalls – Germs / Can I coin the term gurgle-pop? It’s gonna be big in 2012.
10. ♫ Christopher Norman – Maps / It’s only a gentle mist of a song but on sometimes that’s all you need.
9. ♫ tUnE-YarDs – Gangsta / White chicks singing about being gangsta has never been a good idea until now.
8. ♫ Walk The Moon – I Can Lift a Car / Harmony of the year. I dare you not to sing along. So damn good.
7. ♫ Shabazz Places – Swerve… The reeping of all that is worthwhile (Noir not withstanding) / Creeping and crunching with authority, this jam is equal parts weird and amazing. Plus: mad flow.
6. ♫ Y Luv – All Night / Stadium sized rock is not dead.
5. ♫ Azealia Banks – 212 / Massive dirty dance music with more twists than a Dan Brown novel.
4. ♫ Mammal Club – Otter / Angular British indie rock at it’s grandest.
3. ♫ Bombay Bicycle Club – Shuffle / Piano! Drums! Guitar! Vocals! Bass! Handclaps! Everything is too much fun!
2. ♫ Drake – Marvins Room / I know Drake doesn’t want people saying they “feel” him but on this jam I feel him. I feel his weight. Like it or not, he conveys it all so well one can’t help it.
1. ♫ Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra) / Because the song is good. Because then it gets great. Because just when you think it’s one man’s woes, we get the other side. Because at 3:01 I get shivers down my spine. Because we all have somebody that we used to know.
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What a good list, love Walk The Moon and the album is brilliant!
What a good list, love Walk The Moon and the album is brilliant!
urban photograph isn’t 2011…
That is very, very true. To be further confirmed in the best albums list.
If it hit my ears in 2011 the it’s 2011. Thems the rules.
Brandon, in many many years I have never come across a Best of List that had so many songs that I didn’t know but fell instantly in love with. Thank you for sharing.
Awesome list!
my favorite “best songs of 2011” list…
Mine too! Haha. Thanks Maureen!
Some great songs here. I wanted to include Walk the Moon on my Best-of-2011 list (for their song “Anna Sun”) but alas it came out in November 2010.
Somebody That I Used to Know was HU-UUUGE here in Australia (number one for a ridiculous amount of weeks) but still hasn’t broken into a big international market. Also nice to see Megan Washington getting some love, although that song was released in 2009..? Oh well. Love it.
Thanks Jason, thats great to hear! I expect to be seeing more of you around these parts then!
Thanks Alex
Yeah but it hit my radar in 2011 and made it to the Bes Songs Part 1 list. Peep that one!
Yeah, I heard that Gotye blew the hell up down under. “Somebody” did get pretty big here. My mom knew it from “Dancing With The Stars” So thats something.
I know Washington’s jams have been in your headphones for a few years but she just landed here this year so I count it 2011 for me.
Thanks!
This list made my day..sitting at work :) Makes the day fly by. Brilliant B..just brilliant.
Nice! That is the perfect function of TBE!
This mix is pure sex. Thanks, Brandon!
Thats what I like to hear! haha