2008: The year that kinda wasn't in music

So I'm still in love with the music from 2007. It was a cultural onslaught unlike any year of music and film I've experienced. So much good, so much to be excited about. Unfortunately, this year has been a bit more stale. I've only gotten excited about a handful of music and as a result I went back to stuff I had missed. This was the year that I discovered My Morning Jacket and The Hold Steady despite their best albums being made in 2005. They both had records come out this year and I like them both. But nowhere as good as Z and Boys and Girls in America. So here are two lists...first what I actually listened to the most this year courtesy of Last.fm and followed by what i thought were the "best" records of this year.

Last.fm List
1. tie (Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago, Minus the Bear: They Make Beer Commercials Like This in Heaven)

2.The Album Leaf: In a Safe Place

3. Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes

4. mewithoutYou: Brother, Sister

5. Tie (Sufjan Stevens: Illinois, Pedro the Lion: Control, Headlights: Some Racing, Some Stopping)

6. Owen: At Home With Owen

7. Marvin Gaye: #1's

8. The Swell Season: The Swell Season

9. Explosions in the Sky: The Earth is not a Cold, Dead Place

10. My Morning Jacket: Z

I'm surprised at how many times i listened to minus the bear but that ep really is damn good. Some of these I swear I just left the computer running while I went out for the day...lame I know. Anyway, here's my personal list.

1. Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago
2. Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes
3. M83: Saturday = Youth
4. Broken Social Scene Presents Brendan Canning: Something for all of us
5. Deerhunter: Microcastle
6. Headlights: Some Racing, Some Stopping
7. Paper Route: Are we all Forgotten EP
8. Old Crow Medicine Show: Tennessee Pusher
9. The Notwist: The Devil + You and Me
10. Stars: Sad Robots EP

i think i'm a big believer in the ep as this list attests. honestly, the only music i got really excited about was the first two although m83 has been coming on stronger with each listen.

Honorable Mention: MGMT, Colour Revolt, Sigur Ros