As a quick follow-up post to the top albums, I thought I’d list my favorite 10 15 songs of the year, based on a similar set of arbitrary criteria used to determine my top albums:

1.) Total plays on my iTunes library and iPod
2.) How much I talk about the band/artist, album, or song
3.) Coldplay factor (will I live with myself if I put a big, lumbering band on my traditionally indie list?)
4.) Blindfold myself, spin around, and point to a song

Anyway, the lady friend and I had settled on the idea to do a top 10. So, I started with 30 clear choices and worked my way down to 20 and to 15. I then realized that 11-15 all fall nearly in line with 9 and 10, so then I figured I should just list my top 15. Here they are:

15.) “Abandon,” The French Kicks
14.) “Live Your Life,” T.I. (best of luck in prison, big boy)
13.) “Go Easy,” Ryan Adams and the Cardinals
12.) “The Deathbridge in Lethbridge,” The Rural Alberta Advantage
11.) “Sex on Fire,” Kings of Leon (would have made the top 10 albums if the rest of it weren’t average to below average)
10.) “Slapped Actress,” The Hold Steady
9.) “Death and All His Friends,” Coldplay (this would have been top 3 if the second half of the song weren’t kind of boring. the first half? incredible)
8.) “Run My Mouth,” Ra Ra Riot
7.) “Gossip in the Grain,” Ray LaMontagne (going in to 2008 I thought this might be my favorite album, but alas, it wasn’t close).
6.) “We Own the Sky,” M83
5.) “The Twist,” Frightened Rabbit
4.) “Furr,” Blitzen Trapper (i have the lady friend to thank for this one. she’ll say, “you’re welcome for that.”)
3.) “Crimewave,” Crystal Castles vs. Health
2.) “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance,” Vampire Weekend
1.) “Smokin from Shootin,” My Morning Jacket (incredible. perhaps their best song)

So, there is my ultimate 2008 playlist. What’s on yours?