via//chicago

np: "this boy is exhausted" - wrens

pretty accurate song title for how i'm feeling tonight, although completely unintentional. so i'm sure anyone who had ever read this blog with any regularity had begun to wonder what happened to it. well, the answer isn't very simple... in fact, a combination of factors led to the lack of any updates at all for over four months. the main one being a massive computer problem that resulted in the loss of my internet connection at home for over a month and a half. needless to say, that month and a half broke me of the desire to update this site on a regular basis so i didn't exactly dive right back in. throw in an overload at work and a lot going on in my personal life, and this blog just got delegated to last on my list of things to do. but have no fear loyal readers, i'm back and ready to tackle this thing again with gusto. and what better time to jump back in then right at year-end list time? yep, its that time of year and like any other semi-serious music geek i've compiled my own lists of what i thought was worthy of hearing in the year 2004. tonight i'll start with my list of Top 50 singles, to be followed tomorrow by my list of Top 50 albums and sometime before the new year and narrative wrap-up of the year that was 2004.

and so, without further ado....

Top 50 Singles of 2004
(please note that i use the term "single" a little loosely here, as not all of these may have been officially released as singles but i feel that they made a significant enough impact on 2004 to be included in my list)

50. "Bridging the Gap" - Nas f. Olu Dara
49. "I Luv the Valley OH" - Xiu Xiu
48. "Game Over (Flip)" - Lil Flip
47. "Over and Over" - Nelly f. Tim McGraw
46. "Goodies" - Ciara f. Petey Pablo
45. "Chewing Gum" - Annie
44. "Mosh" - Eminem
43. "Tipsy" - J-Kwon
42. "Michael" - Franz Ferdinand
41. "Yeah" - Usher f. Lil Jon & Ludacris
40. "1980" - Estelle
39. "High Come Down" - Junior Boys
38. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" - Green Day
37. "Stand Up Tall" - Dizzee Rascal
36. "Lean Back" - Fat Joe & Terror Squad
35. "Portland, Oregon" - Loretta Lynn & Jack White
34. "Irish Blood, English Heart" - Morrissey
33. "Lose My Breath" - Destiny's Child
32. "Take Your Mama Out" - Scissor Sisters
31. "Yeah (Pretentious Mix)" - LCD Soundsystem
30. "I Believe in You" - Kylie Minogue
29. "Can't Stand Me Now" - The Libertines
28. "American Idiot" - Green Day
27. "Galang" - M.I.A./Diplo
26. "Slow Hands" - Interpol
25. "Run" - Ghostface f. Jadakiss
24. "I Miss You" - Blink 182
23. "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" - The Arcade Fire
22. "Lua" - Bright Eyes
21. "I'm A Cuckoo" - Belle & Sebastian
20. "Matinee" - Franz Ferdinand
19. "Drop It Like It's Hot" - Snoop Dogg & Pharrell Williams
18. "The Rat" - The Walkmen
17. "iGeneration" - MC Lars
16. "This Love" - Maroon 5
15. "Mr. Brightside" - The Killers
14. "Breathe" - Fabolous
13. "Heartbeat" - Annie
12. "99 Problems" - Jay-Z
11. "Move Ya Body" - Nina Sky f. Jabba
10. "Burn" - Usher
9. "Crown of Love" - The Arcade Fire
8. "Me & Mia" - Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
7. "Jesus Walks" - Kanye West
6. "Dry Your Eyes" - The Streets
5. "Somebody Told Me" - The Killers
4. "Float On" - Modest Mouse
3. "Toxic" - Britney Spears
2. "The Show" - Girls Aloud
1. "Take Me Out" - Franz Ferdinand