We are fast approaching the end of this decade.  How did that happen?  It seems only yesterday that I was permanently wearing plaid shirts and banging on about how Beck was a visionary, Oasis were mince and Mick Foley was “more than just a wrassler”… Oh wait, that was yesterday.

I’ve never really been fashionable and the term “early adopter” is as contrary to my musical taste as “no claims bonus” is to Tiger Woods’ car insurance.  That being said I have sought out and discovered (albeit six months after everyone else) a wealth of music that I have grown to love, cherish, identify with, be protective of and be inspired by.

So taking a leaf out of Nick Hornby’s book and following on from NPR’s All Songs Considered excellent 50 Most Important Recordings of the Decade series I have put together a Best ‘o the Noughties playlist.  I’ve limited myself to 12 tracks and these songs represent either a great album or one of my favourite artists from the last decade. I could ramble on about the merits of each track but I’m sure you have better things to do…

  1. The Shy Retirer by The Arab Strap (from Monday at the Hug and Pint)
  2. Harder Better Faster Stronger by Daft Punk (from the Discovery album)
  3. Old Old Fashioned by Frightened Rabbit (from The Midnight Organ Fight)
  4. There’s None of That by King Creosote (from the Bombshell album)
  5. Late by Ben Folds (from Songs from Silverman album)
  6. Little Drop of Poison by Tom Waits (from the Orphans collection)
  7. O Valencia! by The Decemberists (from The Crane Wife album)
  8. He Lays in the Reins by Calexico and Irons & Wine (from the In the Reins EP)
  9. Romulus by Sufjan Stevens (from the Michigan album)
  10. Sugar and Pie by Abigail Washburn (and the Sparrow Quartet)
  11. B.O.B. by OutKast (from the Stankonia album)
  12. I’m the Man Who Loves You by Wilco (from the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album)

Click here to listen to the playlist on Spotify.  If you can’t access this and would like an invite to join Spotify then please drop me a note as I have a few going spare.

I would love to hear what your choices would be so please send me your playlists.  One thing becomes clear about these picks.  I have lost the notion to RAWK!  I’m sure there were some balls-out rock songs I have enjoyed over the decade but for the life of me I can’t recall what they were.  I’ll look forward to your suggestions.