NPR Music Names "The Decade's 50 Most Important Albums"

Top row, left to right: Beyonce, Wilco; Second row: Thom Yorke of Radiohead, Sam Beam of Iron and Wine, Norah Jones; Bottom row: American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Jay Z.


It's the end of the year and the end of the decade and there's no shortage of top 10, top 50, and top 100 lists. NPR, who started the decade as a talk news outlet and ended it (for better or worse) as a music taste-maker has released their list of the most important 50 albums of the decade.

Whether this list makes you sad or furious or just plain confused (it made us all three) it's worth a read. Check out the full story here.

"Ones to Watch 2011" - Free Sampler Download from the 405

The 405 music blog released a list of bands to watch for 2011 - and released this great companion sampler album. Download it for free here: http://www.thefourohfive.com

1. 'Colours' - Grouplove
2. 'What Became of You and I' - Treefight For Sunlight
3. 'Fighting Smiles' - Jonquil
4. 'Vocal Chords' - Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
5. 'Ringerz' - Islet
6. 'Young' - Dog Is Dead
7. 'Endless Summer' - Still Corners
8. 'Coast' - Dry the River
9. 'Facelove' - PS I Love You
10. 'Microlite (Acoustic)' - Trophy Wife
11. 'Christmas Tree' - Fair Ohs
12. 'Chiaroscuro' - Einar Stray
13. 'Mighty' - Lord Huron
14. 'Hung Markets' - Seams
15. 'Treetops (Val-d'Isère Remix)' - Gold Fields
16. 'Chemistry' - Tall Ships
17. '7th Date' - Spectrals
18. 'Oh My God' - Cults

Download the 'Ones To Watch for 2011' album by clicking here!

Ghost Ghost Release Psychedelic New Christmas Song

Brooklyn indie rock collective Ghost Ghost release their most psychedelic song to date - it also happens to be a Christmas song. Listen for free to "Please Stay for Christmas Eve" and "Christmas Comes Whenever You Come Home" both released today as separate singles.

A Very Zombie Holiday

Happy Holidays from the Paddywhack Machine

"Kid A" Named Top Album of the last 25 Years

Radiohead's Kid A, was recently voted top album of the past 25 years by readers of Q magazine.

The 1997 album features the hits ‘Paranoid Android’ and ‘Karma Police’

Radiohead beat Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ which came second and Oasis took third and fourth place with ‘(What's The Story) Morning Glory?’ and ‘Definitely Maybe’.

‘‘Our readers see OK Computer as the benchmark against which all other albums continue to be judged," Paul Rees, Q's editor-in-chief said.


The top 10

OK Computer - Radiohead.
Nevermind - Nirvana.
(What's The Story) Morning Glory? - Oasis.
Definitely Maybe - Oasis.
Whatever People Say I Am - Arctic Monkeys.
The Joshua Tree - U2.
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses.
The Bends - Radiohead.
Achtung Baby - U2.
Black Holes And Revelations - Muse

Abbey Road Crossing to be Preserved

The BBC reported this morning that the black and white stripped road crossing made famous by the Beatles on the cover of their Abbey Road album has been added to a national list of protected historical sites.

full story

Paste Magazine announces 50 best songs of 2010

Paste Magazine released their top 50 songs of 2010 today. Each song is available for streaming on their website.

click here for the entire list.

25. Josh Ritter – “Change of Time”
24. Justin Townes Earle – “Harlem River Blues”
23. Lil Wayne – "6’7""
22. Mark Ronson & The Business International – “Bang Bang Bang”
21. Band of Horses – “Laredo”
20. Big Boi – “Shutterbug”
19. Florence & The Machine – “Dog Days Are Over”
18. Jónsi – “Go Do”
17. Arcade Fire – “Sprawl II”
16. Broken Bells – “The High Road”
15. Lissie – “Little Lovin’”
14. Robyn – “Dancing on My Own”
13. Caribou – “Odessa”
12. Phosphorescent – “It’s Hard to Be Humble (When You’re From Alabama)”
11. The Middle East – “Blood”
10. Kanye West – “Runaway”
9. Titus Andronicus – “A More Perfect Union”
8. Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Tom Waits – “Tootie Ma Is a Big Fine Thing”
7. The National – “Bloodbuzz Ohio”
6. LCD Soundsystem – “Dance Yrself Clean”
5. Frightened Rabbit – “Swim Until You Can’t See Land”
4. Sleigh Bells – “Tell ’Em”
3. Janelle Monae – “Tightrope”
2. Mumford & Sons – “Little Lion Man”
1. Cee Lo Green – “Fuck You”

Sufjan Stevens - Christmas EP

Sufjan Stevens - Gloria! Songs for Christmas, Vol. 6 by rawkblog

She & Him - "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

Beach House Performs on Conan

She Hates Wrapping (A Christmas Cover)

by She Makes War and I Hate Mornings

New Video: PJ Harvey - The Last Living Rose

Sneak Preview: Bright Eyes "The People's Key"

Damian Kulash Jr. (OK GO) on How to Make it Without a Record Label

In an article published in today's Wall Street Journal, Damian Kulash Jr. of OK GO talks about what it means to be a pop artist without a record label.

"We once relied on investment and support from a major label. Now we make a comparable living raising money directly from fans and through licensing and sponsorship."

Full article here.

Music Quote of the Day

There are more love songs than anything else. If songs could make you do something we'd all love one another." - Frank Zappa

Ghost Ghost - Time is Gravity (Official Video)

Jeff Tweedy covers "God"

Jeff Tweedy & Autumn Defense played homage to Plastic Ono Band with this cover of John Lennon's "God" on December 8, 2010 in Charlottesville, VA.

Ghost Ghost in The Studio at Webster Hall Saturday May 29th!

This Saturday, May 29th, Rethink Pop Music presents genre-bending trio Ghost Ghost live at the Studio @ Webster Hall with Heypenny, The Vanguard, True Womanhood, and The Sour Notes. Ghost Ghost will be joined onstage by the unstoppable Charlie Kemmerer on paints, the uneditable Tim Bartlett on live video and the unbelievable Mark Christensen on guitar. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 day of show. Presale tickets include free music downloads and are available here. Video teaser for the show here.

Ghost Ghost loves you so much that they're also offering their latest single, "Vassar Days," for FREE download here. Learn more about the rest of the album, No Clothes on Ragged Island: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay, on their website - they wrote and recorded the entire album in only one week!

Show starts at 8 pm with Ghost Ghost headlining. The Studio @ Webster Hall is located at 125 East 11th Street in New York City.