2011年 01月 1日 土曜日 12:33

I felt like making a little review of my 2010 charts and decided to use the same format as I did two years ago.

OVERVIEW

Most promising new finds: Lonely China Day (寂寞.夏.日), Ametsup, くるり, Fleet Foxes, Joose Keskitalo, Valravn, The Villagers
Knew before but started listening more: The Beatles, Moby, Ulver
Best gigs: Muse, Turisas@Ruisrock, Ismo Alanko@Ruisrock
Best albums bought: Moby - Play, The National - High Violet
Worst moments: Christmas shopping music
Best moments: Muse with headphones on a late bus in Helsinki, Ultra Bra - Kirjoituksia on a strange morning, the moment when I understood the lyrics for For What It's Worth
Most listened genres: the usual, with some more Japanse (rock) music from new friends and towards the end of the year, more metal and finnish rock for homesickness
Biggest influences: Nobu, Taka, Martin, Yawer
Underepresented on my Last.fm charts: CMX, Ultra Bra (listened on Youtube), Chinese pop and rock (listened on douban.fm), 寂寞.夏.日 (because it I scrobbled with three different artist name tags (9_9))

CHARTS!

The first number is the rank this year, and the number in paranthesis is the rank in my all-time charts at the end of 2010.

ARTISTS

1. (12) Moby

A fell in love with Moby somewhere halfway through last year and still haven't gotten bored of him. No particular album or song stands out in the charts, as I have a lot of favourites, but what hooked me originally were Raining Again and Slipping Away, both from Hotel.

2. (45) The National

Most of this is due to the album High Violet (also #10 on Last.fm's overall top 40 for the year *), which antivuo introduced to me. Parts of the album still remind me of his kitchen. I listened to The National a lot especially during the summer, during the time I was waiting and preparing for the adventure of the year and saying good-bye to friends.

3. (32) Scandinavian Music Group

This artist is a long-time favourite of mine, revived this year by the discovery of the album Hölmö rakkaus ylpeä sydän in the spring, and especially to particular tracks from the album. It's also been one of the artists - along with CMX and Zen Café - I listen to when I just want to hear something in Finnish.

4. (2) Porcupine Tree
5. (7) Yann Tiersen
6. (44) Infected Mushroom
7. (35) PJ Harvey
8. (1) The Smashing Pumpkins
9. (48) Cirque du Soleil
10. (90) The Beatles (awesomeness of which I unexpectedly discovered this spring)

ALBUMS

1. (115) Muse - The Resistance

The rank of this album is almost entirely due to one single track - Undisclosed Desires, my uncontested #1 track of the year. The rest of the album has its moments as well, but as a whole I like other Muse albums more. This one got some additional listens because I attended a great Muse live show in the summer, which of course added some good memories bias to the rest of the tracks as well.

2. (125) Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

Fleet Foxes is one of those artists that you fall in love with only to discover that they have only released one single full-length album. This one was recommended to me by MrFossey and I shall be forever grateful because it is thoroughly awesome and beautiful.

3. (55) Scandinavian Music Group - Hölmö rakkaus ylpeä sydän

The title of this album roughly translates to "Foolish love proud heart". Especially two tracks from it, Ilman sinua olen lyijyä and Solmu, became some kinds of theme songs for a love affair I experienced this year which could be characterized by the album title. I like the rest of the album too, and it contains some favourites from earlier years as well.

4. (89) Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
4. (28) Infected Mushroom - Converting Vegetarians
6. (178) Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
7. (41) Zen Café - Jättiläinen
8. (183) The National - High Violet
9. (105) The National - Boxer
10. (3) Katatonia - The Great Cold Distance

TRACKS

1. (287) Muse - Undisclosed Desires

With ten listens more than the next song, this is by far the most listened song of the year for me. I went to see Muse live in the summer more or less just to hear this song, and got what I wanted (and more! :). It's somewhat different from Muse in general as well as the rest of the album, but in my opinion a perfect track. I think Muse should make more music like this.

2. (450) Scandinavian Music Group - Ilman sinua olen lyijyä
3. (-) Scandinavian Music Group - Solmu

Two beautiful soothing love songs that I have always liked but listened a lot this year because they got connected to equally beautiful personal experiences.

4. (147) Procupine Tree - Drown With Me
4. (147) The Cranberries - Animal Instinct
6. (226) The Cardigans - For What It's Worth
6. (-) Scandinavian Music Group - Joisin viskin ja nousisin
6. (-) Mumford & Sons - The Cave
9. (1) Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence
9. (11) Ultra Bra - Poika vuoden takaa
9. (-) I Am Kloot - Avenue of Hope
9. (-) 5 of 6 - What Ants Do on Rainy Days
9. (-) Scandinavian Music Group - Vieläkö soitan banjoa?