My Favorite Tunes From The Last Year

One of the best things about working in the creative part of my company is the freedom to share and play music with my coworkers. For the most part my boss and coworkers have really good tastes in music and there are several times a week where my ears perk up and I discover something new. 

Today I want to dive in and share some of my favorite songs that I have discovered, several of them are hits that surely you are aware of, some may have slipped past you.

In no particular order.

Ke$ha "Die Young" Just kidding.

Mumford and Sons "I Will Wait." I would argue that no band has a collection of songs that sound the exact same more than Mumford, but I'm not complaining.

M83 "Midnight City." What a hook! Can we please get a WWE superstar to use this song?

Atlas Genius "Trojans." A late entrant in 2012, this song is going to have some real life in the first quarter of 2013.

Of Monsters and Men "Mountain Sound." You are probably more familiar with their hit "Little Talks", but that was 2012's second most overplayed song behind Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know." It is weird living in a world where an obese Icelandic folk singer can have a hit record. Good for him.

Muse "Madness." Every single person I know raves about it so you got to give it its due.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band "Death To My Hometown." Bruce doing what Bruce does best. I am a complete homer, but I agree with Rolling Stone naming "Wrecking Ball" the album of the year.

Passion Pit "Take A Walk." Hard not to love this infectious hit.

Calvin Harris "Feel So Close." I do not see how this song could not put you in a great mood.

Bloc Party "Octopus." Comeback album of the year with "Four."

Frank Ocean "Thinking About You." channel Orange, best R&B album since...since....??? A must download.

Alabama Shakes "I Ain't the Same." I just love the soul this band brings. They are true throwbacks whose debut album never gets old.

The Gaslight Anthem "45." Somehow these guys just keep getting better and better. Sky is the limit.

Beach House "Myth." Fun fact: You can even enjoy Beach House when you are sober.

The Lumineers "Ho Hey." Ever heard it?

John Mayer "Queen of California." Maybe the days of top five singles on the radio are behind him. Doesn't mean he still cannot write or play the guitar really well.

Dr. John "Revolution." Produced by the Black Keys' frontman Dan Auerbach, the O.G. of the New Orleans Jazz-Rock sound brings it on this track.

Gary Clark Jr. "Ain't Messin' Round." Like Dr. John, this is a great cut for dirty rockers. Clark might be the best guitarist to emerge in years blending Rock, Blues and R&B. Guitar lovers need to jump on his stuff immediately. Performed with Eric Clapton and The Rollings Stones this year. 

Jack White "Sixteen Saltines." iTunes named this the song of the year for a reason.

The Killers "Runaways." For a band that tries to make their next song bigger and more grandiose than the last these Mormon's from Las Vegas outdid themselves on the first single of their new album.

The Shins "Simple Song." A truly under appreciated band, The Shins suddenly seem like the grandparents of Alternative Rock. But like fine wine they get better with age.

Lana del Rey "Cola." I love her while many despise her. "Cola" is awesomely inappropriate.

Norah Jones "Happy Pills." What happens when you combine the forces of a supremely talented multi-winning Grammy performer and the best producer in the businees, Danger Mouse? This.

Walk the Moon "Tightrope." I am beyond jacked to see these boys from Cincinnati at the Fine Line on Jan. 18th. Sold out, natch.

The xx "Angels." This British trio is two albums in and have yet not to make a great song.

What do you think? I would love some feedback on this one.