LISTomania (Part 5)

20. Outkast - "B.O.B." (2000)

In 2000, the notion of Baghdad being bombed seemed so 8 years ago. Hmmmm....

19. Modest Mouse - "Float On" (2004)

The song was played so much in 2004 AND the years that ensued, that I'm fairly certain all band members can retire and live off the royalties alone. The American Idol and video game treatment couldn't have possibly hurt their wallets.

18. Vampire Weekend - "A-Punk" (2008)

2010 will be a make or break year for these Columbia nerds. Sold out dates at various NYC venues and an excellent first single lead me to believe it will be the former.

17. The Postal Service - "We Will Become Silhouettes" (2003)

"Such Great Heights" would be the logical selection for this fleeting side project, but UPS has been using it as a theme song for way too long.

16. Passion Pit - "To Kingdom Come" (2009)

I know. Very unconservative to list two songs by a recent breakout band. I've been listening to this album on repeat for the past couple months, so the iPod counts win out this time around.

15. The National - "Fake Empire" (2008)

If you haven't already noticed, songs that are relevant to the decade have been getting bumped up this chart. If you could throw ten or so songs in a time capsule that best describe the signs of the times, "Fake Empire" would be an essential.

14. The Hold Steady - "Stuck Between Stations" (2006)

Last year, I declared Boys & Girls In America the best album of the decade. I still stand by the decision despite this song's relatively low ranking.

13. Sigur Rós - "Untitled #4 ("Njosnavelin")" (2002)

This mostly instrumental tune is played in the background during the most heartbreaking scene of my favorite film. I can't think of another song that better evokes a simultaneous balance of happiness and sadness.

12. The Shins - "New Slang" (2001)

Originally released on their debut album three years prior, The Shins can thank Zach Braff for including their signature song AND giving them a showcase in "Garden State" back in 2004. Sometimes all it takes is some love from Natalie Portman.

11. Sufjan Stevens - "Chicago" (2005)

If you can't get enough of Sufjan's dedication to the Windy City, pick yourself up a copy of the Illinois b-side album The Avalanche, which contains, like, three other versions of the song that are as meticulously arranged and equally as brilliant.

10. Sun Kil Moon - "Lost Verses" (2008)

Like my Hold Steady pick for album of the decade, this too is a controversial top ten pick. I will always stick my neck out for Mark Kozelek, and this is the dude at his best. Clocking in at over 9 minutes, "Lost Verses" is a smoldering adventure that builds up and gets shredded apart during the last couple of minutes. Bonus points if you can recognize the Ben Gibbard backing vocals.

9. Phoenix - "1901" (2009)

A band that has been getting unanimous props from critics this year. Four albums into their career, it's about time.

8. Arcade Fire - "Rebellion ("Lies")" (2004)

This was the fourth single from the band's debut. It remains the most complete song they've ever penned.

7. TV On The Radio - "Wolf Like Me" (2005)

The second Twilight movie would have been respectable if they somehow incorporated this song into one of the wolf-morphing scenes. Yes, I saw the movie and I am talking about it on this blog. FML.

6. White Stripes - "Seven Nation Army" (2003)

This song will forever live on in the annals of college sports. The legendary bass hook has become a rallying cry for a host of D1 football teams.

5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Maps" (2003)

The best love song written in the past ten years.

4. Outkast - "Hey Ya" (2003)

As we can all remember vividly, this single's music video features Andre 3000 performing in front of a Beatlemania-like crowd. I guess he had a premonition all along that this song would launch this hip-hop duo into super stardom. Too bad he wasn't as clairvoyant with Idlewild.

3. Wilco - "Jesus, Etc." (2002)

2002's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is the most well-rounded album of the decade. I say this because you can pretty much take any song and throw it in a top-ten spot. I select fan-favorite "Jesus, Etc." only because this was the song that introduced me to the brilliance that was this record. YHF will surely be recognized as the decade's definitive "classic rock" album.

2. The Strokes - "Last Nite" (2001)

Nirvana was the game-changing band of the 90's -- stealing the rock crown from hair metal. The Strokes were this decade's godsend -- similarly taking the spotlight away from nu-metal bands along the likes of Linkin Park, Korn, Limp Bizkit, and any other shitty band that had spelling problems. The Strokes paved the way for most of the better bands that have emerged in the past ten years.

1. Radiohead - "Everything In Its Right Place" (2000)

In 2000, everything did appear in its right place. Well, karma is a bitch, and it looks like Thom Yorke was warning us all along about the ten-year rough patch we were about to endure. That being said, Radiohead enters the studio next month. Brace yourselves.