Best Songs of 2007
In January 2008, for my still-growing mix CD club, I compiled a special 40-track, 2-CD mix of my favorite songs of 2007. Ten years later, I’ve reshuffled that original mix, added 60 new tracks, and put it, not on CD(s), but on a streaming service for all to hear.
The contrast between delivery methods is a great reminder that—in human terms, at least—ten years is actually a long time, despite the fact that I can remember quite well the life I lived a decade ago. Ten years is enough for music to move back from permanent to ephemeral as it also moves from physical to digital.
This is one of the first lists of mine where a handful of these songs weren’t just discovered via digital means, but never even appeared on physical media. I wonder if ten years from the time I write this, in 2017, whether that could be said of most music. I would be sad if that were true, but I certainly would not be surprised.
For these year-end lists, I like to undertake the seemingly impossibly task of creating an hours-long mix. The order you see below represents that effort, which you can listen to via Spotify. Sadly all 100 tracks aren't available, but you get the general idea. Track notes to come eventually or maybe never.
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Ice Cream
Muscles
Guns Babes Lemonade
Modular
via Meaghan Massoth library: 6/29/2008 -
Int’l Player’s Anthem (I Choose You)
UGK featuring Outkast
UGK (Underground Kingz)
Jive
via TK library: 7/9/2008 -
Umbrella
Rihanna featuring Jay Z
Good Girl Gone Bad
Def Jam
via the ether library: 12/8/2007 -
Give It to Me
Timbaland featuring Justin Timberlake & Nelly Furtado
Shock Value
Blackground
via past experience library: 9/25/2007 -
Champion
Kanye West
Graduation
Roc-A-Fella
via past experience library: 9/11/2007 -
Do U
Gabriel Teodros
Lovework
MassLine
via KEXP library: 3/29/2007 -
Be Easy
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
100 Days, 100 Nights
Daptone
via past experience library: 10/11/2007 -
Welfare Bread
King Khan & The Shrines
What Is ?!
Vice
via KEXP library: 12/30/2007 -
You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb
Spoon
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Merge
via past experience library: 7/10/2007 -
What We Had
Handsome Furs
Plague Park
Sub Pop
via KEXP library: 4/5/2008 -
Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn
The White Stripes
Icky Thump
Third Man
via past experience library: 6/21/2007 -
No Bad News
Patty Griffin
Children Running Through
ATO
via past experience library: 6/26/2007 -
Four Winds
Bright Eyes
Cassadaga
Saddle Creek
via past experience library: 6/10/2007 -
Dancing on Our Graves
The Cave Singers
Invitation Songs
Matador
via KEXP library: 9/25/2007 -
Flood
The Acorn
Glory Hope Mountain
Paper Bag
via KEXP library: 3/30/2008 -
Nothin’ No
David Vandervelde
The Moonstation House Band
Secretly Canadian
via Kate Jackson library: 9/29/2007 -
Wild Mountain Nation
Blitzen Trapper
Wild Mountain Nation
Sub Pop
via KEXP library: 1/21/2008 -
The Hand That Held Me Down
Two Gallants
Two Gallants
Saddle Creek
via Meaghan Massoth / Bumbershoot 2008 library: 9/4/2008 -
Hate It Here
Wilco
Sky Blue Sky
Nonesuch
via past experience library: 11/14/2007 -
Unless It’s Kicks
Okkervil River
The Stage Names
Jagjaguwar
via past experience library: 8/15/2007 -
Down in the Valley
The Broken West
I Can’t Go On I’ll Go On
Merge
via TK / eMusic library: 3/29/2007 -
Nine Ships
The Voom Blooms
Nine Ships
Fabtone
via past experience library: 3/18/2008 -
To Be Surprised
Sondre Lerche
Dan in Real Life
Virgin
via past experience library: 10/24/2007 -
Pregnant Pause
Cass McCombs
Dropping the Writ
Domino
via past/future experience, Fluxblog library: 7/12/2012 -
The Trouble With River Cities
Pela
Anytown Graffiti
Great Society
via John Richards on KEXP library: 12/23/2007 -
Take Me to the Ballroom
Moonbabies
Moonbabies at the Ballroom
Hidden Agenda
via TK / eMusic library: 5/28/2007 -
Carrying a Stone
Loney, Dear
Loney, Noir
Sub Pop
via Kevin Cole on KEXP library: 2/6/2007 -
Elephant Gun
Beirut
Lon Gisland
Ba Da Bing!
via past experience library: 2/25/2007 -
Open Your Heart
Lavender Diamond
Imagine Our Love
Matador
via TK / eMusic library: 9/25/2007 -
You! Me! Dancing!
Los Campesinos!
Sticking Fingers Into Sockets
Arts and Crafts
via TK library: 2/24/2007 -
Princess
Datarock
Datarock Datarock
Nettwerk
via TK / eMusic library: 6/26/20072005 Norway release
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Waiting 4 U
Chromeo
Fancy Footwork
Vice
via TK library: 1/27/2008 -
Out of Control (State of Emotion)
Kenna
Make Sure They See My Face
Interscope
via past experience library: 9/4/2007 -
D.A.N.C.E.
Justice
†
Ed Banger
via TK library: 9/29/2007 -
I’m a Flirt (Shoreline)
The Hood Internet
The Mixtape Volume One
self-released
via Meaghan Massoth & Kiah Patzkowsky library: 6/29/2008Digital-only release
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I Feel It All
Feist
The Reminder
Interscope
via past experience library: 5/3/2007 -
Sun Is Out
The Apples in Stereo
New Magnetic Wonder
Yep Roc
via TK library: 4/26/2007 -
Amy
Mark Ronson featuring Kenna
Version
RCA
via TK library: 8/21/2008 -
Archangel
Burial
Untrue
Hyperdub
via TK library: 12/23/2007 -
Soon the New Day
Talib Kweli featuring Norah Jones
Eardrum
Blacksmith Music
via past experience library: 12/4/2010 -
The People
Common
Finding Forever
G.O.O.D.
via past experience library: 8/1/2007 -
The White Flash
Modeselektor featuring Thom Yorke
Happy Birthday
Bpitch Control
via TK / eMusic library: 2/9/2009German-only physical release
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Herculean
The Good, The Bad and The Queen
The Good, The Bad and The Queen
Virgin
via KEXP library: 1/22/2007 -
2080
Yeasayer
All Hour Cymbals
We Are Free
via KEXP library: 3/30/2008 -
Neck Escaper
No Age
Weirdo Rippers
Fatcat
via TK / eMusic library: 12/23/2007 -
Timebomb
Beck
Timebomb
Interscope
via past experience library: 8/22/2007 -
Florida
Modest Mouse
We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Epic
via past experience library: 3/20/2007 -
Patty Lee
Les Savy Fav
Let’s Stay Friends
Frenchkiss
via TK / eMusic library: 12/23/2007 -
The Sons of Cain
Ted Leo and The Pharmacists
Living With the Living
Touch & Go
via TK library: 2/24/2007 -
Middle Management
Bishop Allen
The Broken String
Dead Oceans
via Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008) library: 10/6/2008 -
The Plot
White Rabbits
Fort Nightly
Say Hey
via TK library: 12/23/2007 -
Moving to New York
The Wombats
A Guide to Love, Loss and Desperation
14th Floor
via Meaghan Massoth library: 10/21/2008 -
Lake Michigan
Rogue Wave
Asleep at Heaven’s Gate
Brushfire
via past experience library: 9/18/2007 -
Is There a Ghost
Band of Horses
Cease to Begin
Sub Pop
via past experience library: 10/10/2007 -
McFearless
Kings of Leon
Because of the Times
RCA
via past experience library: 4/4/2007 -
It Makes No Difference
My Morning Jacket
Endless Highway: The Music of The Band
429 Records
via past experience library: 1/31/2007 -
Lover
Devendra Banhart
Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
XL Recordings
via past experience library: 9/26/2007 -
Put It on Me
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
Lifeline
Virgin
via past experience library: 9/11/2007 -
Boy With a Coin
Iron & Wine
The Shepherd’s Dog
Sub Pop
via past experience library: 9/25/2007 -
The Ghost of Old Bull Lee
Arthur & Yu
In Camera
Hardly Art
via KEXP library: 9/29/2007 -
Marine Life
Oakley Hall
I’ll Follow You
Merge
via Kiah Patzkowsky library: 1/21/2008 -
London Bridges
Josh Rouse
Country Mouse, City House
Bedroom Classics
via past experience library: 6/8/2007 -
You’re a Wolf
Sea Wolf
Leaves in the River
Dangerbird
via KEXP library: 4/1/2008 -
Shaker
Tulsa
I Was Submerged
Park the Van
via John Richards on KEXP library: 2/11/2008 -
Timeflies
Peter and The Wolf
Fireflies
self-released
via Mark Baker library: 2/12/2009 -
I Won’t Look Back
Port O’Brien
The Wind and the Swell
American Dust
via TK / eMusic library: 2/3/2008 -
While You Were Sleeping
Elvis Perkins
Ash Wednesday
XL Recordings
via TK / eMusic library: 3/29/2007 -
Here Come the Water Now
Tom Brosseau
Grand Forks
Loveless
via TK / eMusic library: 10/27/2007 -
From This Moment On
Mark Mulcahy
Guilt By Association
Engine Room
via past experience (Miracle Legion, Polaris) library: 11/29/2007 -
Whatever (Folk Song in C)
Elliott Smith
New Moon
Kill Rock Stars
via past experience library: 5/29/2007 -
Teardrop
José González
In Our Nature
Mute
via past experience library: 9/25/2007 -
Rise & Shine
Guster
Satellite EP
Reprise
via past experience library: 4/10/2007 -
Hungry
Ben Lee
Ripe
New West
via past experience library: 9/18/2007 -
You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere
The Swell Season
I’m Not There
Sony
via TK library: 11/2/2007 -
Peg and Awl
Freedy Johnston
Song of America
31 Tigers
via past experience library: 10/27/2007 -
Hard Sun
Eddie Vedder
Into the Wild
J Records
via past experience library: 9/18/2007 -
We’re Not Alone
Dinosaur Jr.
Beyond
Fat Possum
via past experience library: 5/28/2007 -
Precious One
Joseph Arthur & The Lonely Astronauts
Let’s Just Be
Lonely Astronaut
via past experience library: 4/26/2007 -
Straight Up
Luna
Guilt by Assocation
Engine Room
via past experience library: 11/2/2007 -
Good to Sea
Pinback
Autumn of the Seraphs
Touch & Go
via TK library: 10/24/2007 -
Someone Great
LCD Soundsystem
Sound of Silver
DFA
via KEXP library: 12/26/2007 -
The Daydream
Tycho
The Daydream
self-released
via ISO50 / Scott Hansen library: 7/2/2011 -
Now, Now
St. Vincent
Marry Me
Beggars Banquet
via TK / eMusic library: 7/11/2007 -
Start a War
The National
Boxer
Beggars Banquet
via past experience library: 7/28/2007 -
On
Bloc Party
A Weekend in the City
Vice
via past experience library: 4/2/2016 -
Reckoner
Radiohead
In Rainbows
self-released/XL Recordings
via past experience library: 10/10/2007 -
No Cars Go
Arcade Fire
Neon Bible
Merge
via past experience library: 1/26/2007 -
Wet and Rusing
Menomena
Friend and Foe
Barsuk
via KEXP library: 1/16/2007 -
Plasticities
Andrew Bird
Armchair Apocrypha
Fat Possum
via TK / eMusic library: 9/9/2007 -
Challengers
The New Pornographers
Challengers
Matador
via past experience library: 8/24/2007 -
Phantom Limb
The Shins
Wincing the Night Away
Sub Pop
via past experience library: 1/23/2007 -
Young Folks
Peter Bjorn and John
Writer’s Block
Almost Gold
via KEXP library: 4/21/2007 -
Back in Your Head
Tegan and Sara
The Con
Sire
via past experience / KEXP library: 8/15/2007 -
West Coast
Coconut Records
Nighttiming
Young Baby
via past experience (Phantom Planet) library: 12/23/2007 -
Lazy Girls
Jill Cunniff
City Beach
Militia Group
via past experience (Luscious Jackson) library: 5/28/2007 -
The Wheel
Bill Callahan
Woke on a Whaleheart
Drag City
via past/future experience library: 9/23/2013 -
White Winter Hymnal
Fleet Foxes
Mountaineers
self-released
via Kate Jackson library: 9/5/2007Digital- and Demo-only release
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The Weight of Lies
The Avett Brothers
Emotionalism
Ramseur
via TK / eMusic library: 4/20/2008 -
I Taught Myself How to Grow Old
Ryan Adams
Easy Tiger
Lost Highway
via past experience library: 6/26/2007 -
Rise Above
Dirty Projectors
Rise Above
Dead Oceans
via TK / eMusic library: 1/21/2008