Hello, you! Now then, you might think that the good folk at MK News were being a little hopeful in asking me to name as many as 10 songs I actually liked, but I did hear some corkers this year. However, there’s a catch. Only one of the songs that made it on my list troubled the Top 75, which means that either I’m horrendously out of touch with what “the kids” are buying these days or I’m broad-minded enough to listen to anything. If it’s alright with you, I’m going to go with the latter because that way I feel like I know what I’m doing. Here they are then, starting with…

HOT SAUCE COMMITTEE PART TWO

Beastie Boys (The best album)

Bursting with original ideas, gloriously unpredictable and packed with far too many highlights to mention, this is not the sort of album that you’d normally expect from a group that have been together for a quarter of a century. This really is an incredibly good album.

MIDNIGHT CITY

M83 (The best song)

Any song that can feature a saxophone and not end up with me throwing the device responsible for playing said tune out of the nearest window has to be good, and this is excellent. As if a saxophone wasn’t enough of a test, it’s even got howling noises during the chorus… and it’s STILL amazing. That’s talent, that is.

LOVE DON'T DANCE HERE ANYMORE

Tiga (The one that possibly shouldn't count)

Although the single was released at the end of 2010, I reviewed it in the first week of 2011 so I say it counts. For two minutes, it’s a piano ballad, for another two minutes it’s a decent disco number, but then comes the bit that makes it so good. At the point where other songs fade out, this one keeps going and as it continues it gets better and better, finally ending after ten and a half minutes.

DON'T SIT DOWN 'CAUSE I'VE MOVED YOUR CHAIR

Arctic Monkeys (The one that got into the charts)

There’s nothing wrong with creating a song that sounds deadly serious, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with slapping totally nonsensical lyrics over the top of a song that’s supposed to sound like it should be about the singer lamenting the loss of a loved one / his job / his car keys instead. So what if the title’s a dead giveaway? This is wonderful. By the way, in case you’re wondering, it got to No.28 in April. I’d say it deserved far better, but quite honestly that applies to the entire list.

KNOTS

Lisa Hannigan (The one I didn't actually review when it was released)

I don’t usually go for folk-type stuff, but this was a good one and no mistake. It starts off fairly twee and filled with the joys of spring, and in fairness it finishes that way too, but along the way it builds itself up until by the end even I was in a good mood. That’s praise indeed, that is.

Other Great Songs That Nobody Bought

SHAKE

Little Boots

PLANETARY (GO!)

My Chemical Romance

SPOCK

VCMG

JACK SPARROW

The Lonely Island featuring Michael Bolton

PROPELLER SEEDS

Imogen Heap

CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT

Foster The People

I’ve lumped these songs together, but they’re all fine examples in their own right, so if you get an iTunes voucher for Christmas, you could do a lot worse than this little selection. Anyway, that’s me done for a couple of weeks, so next time out I’ll have more things to say about the songs of 2011. Merry Christmas!