Pitchfork Top 500 Tracks of the 2000's

[The DARK]

Wow. Not a single other MMJ song so far? I don't have faith for them to make the top 20.

Also, I understand "Since You Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson is a nice pop song, but it's exactly what a pop song should be - run of the mill. In fact, the very definition of "pop" in that sense is that it's supposed to be a 'good' song if nothing else - and if it does that, it's not really doing anything out of the ordinary to warrant further attention.

So, as a result, I'm hurt that Someone Great by LCD soundsystem loses to Kelly Clarkson.

Take heart... All My Friends (my non-MMJ song of the decade) hasn't been picked yet, and that song was #1 the year that Someone Great was #6. I say its a damn fine contender for the top 5.

Not sure how much more pop we're gonna see out of this list... I predict at least 1 Outkast and Lil Wayne song, but I don't think that Pitchfork has the nerve to put a purely pop song at #1. I predict another Radiohead song on there also (most likely How to Disappear Completely at #2 or 3).

[el_chode]

Wow. Not a single other MMJ song so far? I don't have faith for them to make the top 20.

Also, I understand "Since You Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson is a nice pop song, but it's exactly what a pop song should be - run of the mill. In fact, the very definition of "pop" in that sense is that it's supposed to be a 'good' song if nothing else - and if it does that, it's not really doing anything out of the ordinary to warrant further attention.

So, as a result, I'm hurt that Someone Great by LCD soundsystem loses to Kelly Clarkson.

Take heart... All My Friends (my non-MMJ song of the decade) hasn't been picked yet, and that song was #1 the year that Someone Great was #6. I say its a damn fine contender for the top 5.

Not sure how much more pop we're gonna see out of this list... I predict at least 1 Outkast and Lil Wayne song, but I don't think that Pitchfork has the nerve to put a purely pop song at #1. I predict another Radiohead song on there also (most likely How to Disappear Completely at #2 or 3).

Very good point. All My Friends has such an awesome sublime aspect to it...the song feels so frustrated. Someone Great is one of those songs that I remember hearing it on Sirius and saying "I NEED THIS SONG" as soon as I heard it. Not many songs pull that off these days.

Lil Wayne is gonna be on there, for sure. So will Kanye, maybe Jay-Z, and probably another Missy song as far as that stuff goes. I expect Sexy Back for another pop reference, and maybe an Outkast song.

As far as indie/alternative rock goes, I'm at a loss though. They seemed to miss too many obvious songs to have them all fit in the final 20 when the final 20 can't be all indie/alt. The Flaming Lips should be on there with something off Yoshimi besides "Do You Realize". And Wilco really broke ground with YHF that it would seem more belong off that album.

I really don't have any guesses for #1 besides being Radiohead or maybe a TVotR song just to stir up the pot.

[Shepardspy]

I think we'll see Outkast's "Hey Ya" at #1.  

As someone who's more into full albums I'm more interested in their top albums list.  I can see Pitchfork ranking Z in the top 25.  It won't be in their top 10.  No matter how much love Pitchfork shows to MMJ they tend to turn right back around and knock them down a peg.  I feel like they know many people consider them rock gods and they aren't willing to accept it; at least not yet.  

I think their top album will either be Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot or Modest Mouse's The Moon and Antarctica.  Both kick ass albums.    

[ManNamedTruth]

this takes sooooooo long to load every page. maybe it work better on firefox than safari.

[capt. scotty]

I think we'll see Outkast's "Hey Ya" at #1.  
   

you stole the words right out of my keyboard.

Hey Ya is a top 10 shoe-in...I wouldnt be surprised i The Way You Move or Sorry Ms. Jackson make it either.

And Jay-Z will definitely be on it for 99 Problems

[The DARK]

I think we'll see Outkast's "Hey Ya" at #1.  
   

you stole the words right out of my keyboard.

Hey Ya is a top 10 shoe-in...I wouldnt be surprised i The Way You Move or Sorry Ms. Jackson make it either.

And Jay-Z will definitely be on it for 99 Problems

Close... only #13 for that song, though they did take the #1 spot.

For me personally, All My Friends at 2 makes up for it. That song is a slice of rapture in a bottle.

[Shepardspy]

ahh #1 is still a good choice. All good singles in there top 25.  I'll have to give LCD Soundsystem a shot.  I've always heard of them but never gave it a listen.  

[el_chode]

I think we'll see Outkast's "Hey Ya" at #1.  
   

you stole the words right out of my keyboard.

Hey Ya is a top 10 shoe-in...I wouldnt be surprised i The Way You Move or Sorry Ms. Jackson make it either.

And Jay-Z will definitely be on it for 99 Problems

Good call on the Jay Z. I'm surprised that was the choice but not surprised, either. I thought Hey Ya might have been on it earlier, but I knew that or Way you Move would have to be on there. I forgot about Crazy entirely too.

[el_chode]

ahh #1 is still a good choice. All good singles in there top 25.  I'll have to give LCD Soundsystem a shot.  I've always heard of them but never gave it a listen.  

I was surprised to see two LCD songs in the top group actually. Still, they're all good choices and if you like them, I know James Murphy from the band is working on a more organic rock project as we speak which should be interesting.

I thought their inclusion in GTA IV was perfect for the game

[capt. scotty]

I only just looked at the top 100 now, but....

I remembered Gnarls Barkley's Crazy a little after I made that post last night. IMO, that and Hey Ya should have both easily been top 5. They werent criminally low (although Animal Collective and a couple other headscratchers were ahead of them), but both were extremely innovative and dominated the airwaves for 6 months+. You could hear either on any radio station that wasnt classic rock or country. Unlike most songs that reach their height, these are truly that good and will be timeless.

I was surprised Wolf Like Me wasnt top 30 or so, and another TVOTR song was actually ahead of it.

Kind of like what I said in the landmark album thread, I dont think you can rank some bands songs in the Top 20-30 unless they have a reasonably sized fanbase. Not saying you have to be Radiohead or anything, but thats basically the Top 3 songs of every year, so I think its hard to substantiate some of those songs. How good is a song if not many people have heard it?

And after thinking about it, Seven Nation Army I think should be #1 on this list. I dont think it would be tough to argue The White Stripes as the defining band of the 00's, so they have that in their favor. SNArmy specifically though you still hear quite often today, the bassline is unmistakable and unforgettable, and in the sports world, its become an anthem that rivals Queen's We Will Rock You or any other song for that matter that you hear in college stadiums and other arenas across the world.

[songdiver]

I don't use the internet too much these days, so i don't know if this is obvious to all of you, but if you really take this shit seriously, then you have not been updated on the current affairs of the world.  Harsh criticism of the arts is a trademark of any respectable fascist regime.  Anyone who accepts money to rate, grade, judge or to ridicule another human being's expression should be immediately examined for severe mental illness.  A voice doesn't get much prettier than Jim's and the songs are always brilliant, so stop paying attention to critics, listen to the PEOPLE, stop buying those shitty magazines and stop looking at the negativity on the internet, My Morning Jacket are the next Beatles, but this time the revolution will actually turn out in favor of the good peoples of this globe.  Immediately remove the word pitchfork from your memory bank...it is obsolete.  

[DaFunkyPrecedent]

I don't use the internet too much these days, so i don't know if this is obvious to all of you, but if you really take this shit seriously, then you have not been updated on the current affairs of the world.  Harsh criticism of the arts is a trademark of any respectable fascist regime.  Anyone who accepts money to rate, grade, judge or to ridicule another human being's expression should be immediately examined for severe mental illness.  A voice doesn't get much prettier than Jim's and the songs are always brilliant, so stop paying attention to critics, listen to the PEOPLE, stop buying those shitty magazines and stop looking at the negativity on the internet, My Morning Jacket are the next Beatles, but this time the revolution will actually turn out in favor of the good peoples of this globe.  Immediately remove the word pitchfork from your memory bank...it is obsolete.  

DEAR MR. CRITIC,

Aren't you, right now -in your words - being a critic yourself?  Listen to the words of the people?  Who the fuck do you think people who work at pitchfork are?  They're people! They are people who all have a similar taste and expectation for what "good" music is.  Some people agree with what they have to say and some people don't...but regardless, reading they're reviews and listening to they're recommendations and comparing their choices to yours, is FUN! Please don't be the FUN POLICE.  

thanks,
me

PS: your wrong...MMJ is not the next Beatles...no is and no one will be.

[songdiver]

Wow, apparently you are living in la la land still.  tell me what is so fun about completely disrespecting someone's artistic expression?   You coming at me like that makes you look like a supporter of oppressive governments.  And yes, the government and the corporations are in charge of the mainstream media outlet, and so garbage like Pitchfork is encouraged.  For Fucks sake, it's called pitchfork they are immediately implying that the first task is to brutalize the piece of art.  I was supporting My Morning Jacket, and you took defense to my comments, which means you favor that particular opinion over mine...mine being that every MMJ song should be in the top whatever.  

[kydiddle]

Anyone who accepts money to rate, grade, judge or to ridicule another human being's expression should be immediately examined for severe mental illness.

I posted the original link to get everyone's attention and see if they would agree or disagree with the Pitchfork list. It's not, by any means, THE definitive list of songs for the decade. It's simply a fun starting point for discussing and comparing opinions. Nothing more, nothing less.

I spent four years critiquing works of art for my undergraduate degree and discovered varying opinions among my professors who were paid by the university to lead the discussions and provide us with information about endless artists and movements. Some of them actually *gasp* preferred some artists over others. In one particular modern art class we discussed Merda d'artista by Piero Manzoni. This literally translates to "Artist's Shit" and he sold these under the belief that he shit in the can and called it art. After learning about his methods and history as an artist the entire thing fascinated me and my professor told us she lobbied for our campus museum to buy a can if it ever came up at auction. The curators didn't.

Should my professor be examined for mental illness because she loved Artist's Shit and also told us Thomas Kinkade was a hack? Should the curator's be examined because they didn't acquire any "Shock Art" in their collection?

All art is subjective. I love critiquing music and reading what other people think. It's fun and it opens my heart to all kinds of music I would never have found on my own (let alone my crappy local radio stations) and it helps me weed out the bad. But one person's trash is another person's treasure.

And as a side note, I have openly admitted to people (non-Canadians even) that I like Bryan Adams. I can't help it. His sappy love songs make me feel all warm and fuzzy. 9/10 people I say this to tell me I'm lame and his music sucks. I've never been bothered by it and I don't think any of them should be committed.

Geesh.

P.S. Nickelback makes TERRIBLE music.

[el_chode]

Its rare to see a troll on a band's message board like that. I do it better out in the real internets though. I've gotten hate mail I'm so good at it.

Try harder next time.

[Penny Lane]

wow! they should get off LCD soundsystem and Hot Chip's N*TS!!! they're good but they don't deserve all that. just sayin. Outkast YES---that's a WEIRD list.

[Ghosts_on_TV]

wow! they should get off LCD soundsystem and Hot Chip's N*TS!!! they're good but they don't deserve all that. just sayin. Outkast YES---that's a WEIRD list.

Hot Chip kicks ass though.

[DaFunkyPrecedent]

Wow, apparently you are living in la la land still.  tell me what is so fun about completely disrespecting someone's artistic expression?   You coming at me like that makes you look like a supporter of oppressive governments.  And yes, the government and the corporations are in charge of the mainstream media outlet, and so garbage like Pitchfork is encouraged.  For Fucks sake, it's called pitchfork they are immediately implying that the first task is to brutalize the piece of art.  I was supporting My Morning Jacket, and you took defense to my comments, which means you favor that particular opinion over mine...mine being that every MMJ song should be in the top whatever.  

you my friend are crazy....

it's just Pitchfork and they're just rating they're top songs of the 2000's...it's not controlled by the government, it's not oppressive, it's not hurting any one, in fact pitchfork helps underground artists sell albums, it makes viewers like me and many others very very happy and they spend quality time and energy reviewing and exposing new and interesting music.  

I mean fuck, if pitchfork tomorrow were for some reason disappear I wouldn't give 2 shits, but while it's here, I'm gonna have fun listening to what they have to say...because it's FUN.  

[xmascriminal]

Wow, apparently you are living in la la land still.  tell me what is so fun about completely disrespecting someone's artistic expression?   You coming at me like that makes you look like a supporter of oppressive governments.  And yes, the government and the corporations are in charge of the mainstream media outlet, and so garbage like Pitchfork is encouraged.  For Fucks sake, it's called pitchfork they are immediately implying that the first task is to brutalize the piece of art.  I was supporting My Morning Jacket, and you took defense to my comments, which means you favor that particular opinion over mine...mine being that every MMJ song should be in the top whatever.  

You are completely absurd. The last sentence alone is incredibly, mindblowingly ridiculous. But then again, they all are.  :-?

[AMightyCaporal]

The thing about art, in my opinion as an Art Major undergraduate and as an Art Education graduate student is this-  Art, of any sort, is always going to be critiqued or criticized by someone.  humans have opinions- about politics, about books, about visual art, about music, about life.  It is natural to judge. Good artists know that their work wont be accepted by everyone.  True artists look at the criticism constructively, "do the critics have a point?" "can I take what they are saying, use it, but still keep what I am trying to do in tact, stay true to myself and to my fans?"  or "The critics have nothing to contribute to what I am trying to create, I am going to make/design/compose/write whatever I want, too bad they don't/won't get it.

I too have a difficult time with critics, I think that there is good and bad in them. (as in everything)

here is a great quote from the movie Ratatouille

"In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face is that, in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. ...

Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere. .... "

-- Anton Ego, a fictional critic in Ratatouille (2007)