2007 Sounds A Lot Like 1997

This entry was posted by on Wednesday, 9 January, 2008 at

As you all probably do not recall, I used to pick a “best song” from the previous year. When I became a Christian, I got it into my head that I should only listen to Christian music. I rather forgot about choosing best songs as I gradually began driving with the radio off more and more often, and eventually stopped listening to music altogether.

Last spring, it finally hit me that (with a few exceptions) I had been listening to music that I don’t even like for about four years. So I went back to the old modern rock stations, and was surprised to discover that I recognized roughly five out of every six songs played. Has there been no new music in the last four years? Where are all these bands that, being on a college campus, I had heard of but was unfamiliar with? Where were the Killers, Modest Mouse, and the Decemberists? Heck, where was Coldplay (coming to popularity back when I tuned out) for that matter? Why all this music from high school?

So I tried other things: classical, “playing what we want”, and even country.

Anyway, back to the best song of 2007. First some runners-up:

Made To Love This is a Christian song, but it’s a good Christian song, by TobyMac, whom you may or may not know as the good one from the former D.C. Talk. I’m a little uncertain as to its eligibility though, because my research indicates that while the album was released in 2007, the single was actually released back in 2006.

Vague This is a rather biased choice, as I know one of the guys in the band, Mustard Seed. But they have a legitimate cd that you can actually buy on iTunes, and you should. (As it turns out, they also do a cover version of “Made to Love.” Two for one there.)

How Far We’ve Come I first heard this song last week, and was amazed. Finally some fresh new talent? Why, oh! It’s my old friends Matchbox Twenty… and they’re interesting again! But last week was not exactly 2007, now was it?

…And the Best Song of 2007 is:

I Told You So This song is by Keith Urban, who we know is, as recently came up in conversation, Australian. (What was I supposed to say? I didn’t want to spoil the surprise…) This song, quite simply, kicks ass. Perhaps I was drawn in because it has a similar rhythm to one of my own songs that I never quite finished. I want to say that this song is like a man’s version of “I Will Survive,” but I think that probably says something more about me than it does about the song. (Besides Cake already literally did a man’s version of “I Will Survive.”)


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