20-THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART-Young Adult Friction (Slumberland/Fortuna Pop)

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30-GRIZZLY BEAR-Cheerleader (Warp)

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40-THE BIG PINK-Velvet (4AD)

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90-GANGLIANS-Valient Brave (Woodsist)

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101-PORTISHEAD-Chase The Tear (Amnesty International)

The main reason to be optimistic in 2009 has been the return of the song. After a long period in which not many good ones were released, often sacrificed in favor of catchy gimmicks, experimental sounds or arty concepts; this year songsmiths have been working overtime, generating a considerable amount of memorable tunes. An outcome that was to be expected after the digital world has made clear individual tracks will prevail over full albums.

A new generation of bands from Brooklyn and Scandinavia kept on revisiting old genres –garage rock; psychedelia; DIY electronica; Balearic house; shoegaze- expanding the basics for a distinctive sound that often combines elements of many of them to rather original effect. The wealth of new names among our Top 100 songs makes us raise our expectations about what popular music may be offering over the next decade. Meanwhile, Dubstep confirmed itself as the main engine for leftfield electronica and dance music was showing other flashing signs of recovery; with new subgenres coming from all parts of the globe –electro cumbia; Arabic techno; Latin minimal- to help it getting its long time gone health back. Read the rest of this entry »