And here is the cream of 2008… in my very humble opinion.

5. Dance, Dance, Dance – Lykke Li

The young and beautiful Lykke Li released her debut album Youth Novels early in 2008, which was met with great fanfare through the blogosphere, which had been primed with the early release of Dance, Dance, Dance. In the song Lykke Li claims that her dancing hips lie and she is actually terribly shy. I love how wonderfully unique, catchy and adorable this tune is.

4. Sleepy Head – Passion Pit

I wrote about this track as one of those fabulous crooked trees, those fabulous tracks that are both strange and wonderful. Passion Pit independently released Sleepy Head early in the year, which resulted in multiple labels vying for the artist to sign with them. In the end, Frenchkiss Records won out, and the album Chunk of Change was released in mid September.

3. Walking on a Dream – Empire of the Sun

The Empire of the Sun are a diversely talented pair from Australia. I posted about their haunting track Country earlier this year, but neglected to tell you about their ridiculously catchy, soon to be pop classic Walking on a Dream (I wouldn’t doubt that you heard about it anyways!). It took a couple of listens for this track to sink into my psyche, but it didn’t take long before I was searching through the tracks on my mp3 player so that I could hear this gem again.

2. Electric Feel – MGMT

The young pair from Brooklyn dropped an amazing album on the scene with help from The Flaming Lips producer, Dave Fridmann. Oracular Spectacular contains several stand out tracks that made MGMT one of the top bands of 2008. While I adore the majority of the album, Electric Feel is the stand out track that I listen to over and over. Sadly, I didn’t get around to posting about MGMT this year, but I’m excited to post about their future offerings.

1. Day ‘N’ Nite (Crookers Remix) – Kid Cudi

This song isn’t even officially out yet, it’s set to hit the shelves January 13th, 2009. But, I have the satisfaction in knowing that I posted about it 8 months ago. This killer track earns my top spot in this year’s best of list with the fresh, thick sound that The Crookers bring to the up and coming rapper Kid Cudi, aka. The Man on the Moon.

8. A-Punk – Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend hit the scene hard this year. The blogosphere was all over them early this year, then the rest of the world caught on as their became Rolling Stone’s newest sweethearts. Even I listed their catch tune, Campus, as one of my Top 10 Tracks ever. The blending of Western and African influences gives Vampire Weekend a unique style that is hard to ignore.  Their self-titled debut album has so many great tracks that it’s difficult to choose one as the best.  A-Punk is an upbeat and fun, with lyrics worthy of analysis. Move over Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon, the new breed African fusion has arrived!

7. Dreamer – Jenn Grant

I have given Jenn Grant quite a lot of attention here on the Road 2 Nowhere this year. While I love her entire album Orchestra for the Moon from start to finish, Dreamer remains my favourtie track on the record. Its  stunningly beautiful instrumentations and Jenn’s flawless vocals, singing such scrumptious lyrics as:

On a date by a chocolate lake
Down by the rotary
Past town at the edge
Looking down at butterflies

Makes Dreamer one of my Top 10 Tracks of 2008.

6. Great DJ – The Ting Tings

The Ting Tings got a mention on the Road 2 Nowhere with reference to their catchy pop tune Shut Up and Let Me Go being featured on an iPod commercial. After releasing several singles, the band finally released their first full length album, We Started Nothing, in May 2008. Great DJ holds the spot as my favourtive track on the record. It has everything that a great pop tune should have, while maintaining the requisite level of hipness, making it one of the most catchy and lovable tunes of 2008.

11. I’m Not Going to Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You – Black Kids

After the flurry of attention these 5 musicians from Florida received from their appearance at the Athens Popfest in 2007, the Black Kids released their debut album in early April 2008 with the upbeat, fun, and slightly gender bending track I’m Not Going to Teach Him How to Dance with You as the first single. The band is touring through Australia in January and in the UK with the Kaiser Chiefs in February and early March 2009. Let me know about the show if you get the change to go.

10. Shinny Love – Bon Iver

Bon Iver got a mention in my Mustache post earlier this year. The creation of the album, For Emma, Forever Ago, is an example of how much one person can complete on their own, specially today with the wide range of technology the average person has available. Justin Vernon spent 3 months in a remote cabin in northern Wisconsin writing and recording this album. He later self-released the record, which lead to the label Jagjaguwar signing the artist and re-releasing the album in late February 2008. Bon Iver has a new EP, called Blood Bank, set to be released in less that 2 weeks, which is on my “Must Check Out” list for sure!

9. Strawberry Swing – Coldplay

I wrote about Coldplay earlier this year when I finally broke down and bought their new album Vida La Vida.  Strawberry Swing remains my favourite track from the beautiful album. From its oriental sounding beginning to the souring sounds of Coldplay’s brilliant interplay of soft rhythms and guitar to Chris Martin singing “Its such a perfect day” in a way that makes you look around and recognize that in fact today is actually a perfect day.

14. Hometown Glory (Pocketknife‘s Family Faces Remix) – Adele

Adele, the soulful British singer, songwriter released her first full length release, 19, early this year, which was met with critical acclaim and strong sales. The track Hometown Glory was remixed several times; this Poketknife remix is my favourite. Pocketknife’s treatment of the beautiful tune brings it a stronger beat that amplifies the rebellious British pride of the song.

13. No One Does It Like You – Department of Eagles

The NPR introduced me to this great New York band late this year. I love the thumping rhythms of their catch No One Does it Like You. The pair skillfully combine folk and electronic music in such a way that makes me want to go out to explore all of their 6 previous releases (2 EPs, 4 LPs). The pair has tour dates set through the USA, check out their site for more details.

12. Crooked Legs – The Acorn

Ok.. yes, I’m cheating a little with this track as The Acorn’s album Glory Hope Mountain came out in late 2007. I’m going to justify the placement of their wonderful track, Crooked Legs, in my Top Track of 2008 by the release of the creative video in December of 2008. If I were writing a Top Music Videos of 2008, this one would be at the top, thus, I include it here.

17. I Woke Up Today – Port O’Brien

The duo from California, Van Pierszalowski and Cambria Goodwin, are not unfamiliar with hard work! Much of the creative efforts behind the pairs two album career started while he worked as a commercial salmon fisherman off the coast of Alaska, and she worked as a Head Baker on land at Larsen Bay, Alaska. Their music reflects the both the hard work experienced by the pair up north, but also the appreciation for the beauty and power of the nature that surrounded them. The track I Woke Up Today appears on both of Port O’Brien’s full length releases, Wind And The Swell and All We Could Do Was Sing. The upbeat track makes it on my Top Tracks of 2008 list because of its fun rhythm stemmed from its fold roots that is peppered with pop fun.

16. A & E – Goldfrapp

Goldfrapp captured my heart back in 2006 with the release of Supernature and the many remixes that the album inspired. This year the band released a calmer and more sensual offering. The track A & E highlights Allison Goldfrapp’s beautiful vocals over Will Gregory’s thoughtful electronic arrangements. The album, Seventh Tree is a worthy contribution to Goldfrapp’s growing catalog.

15. American Boy – Estelle with Kayne West

The collaboration between the British Hip Hop diva Estelle and the American mega-star Kanye West became one of the years most loved tracks. The sassy interplay of American flash and Brittish style is so delightful that the blatent egotistim comes off as lovable. The track is both funky and fresh, and fun and soulful, earning props from both the cool kids and Top 40 radio this year.