My Year in Music, 2006 .:. grubbykid.com

My Year in Music, 2006

Tom, Shawn & Peter (from Norfolk & Western), originally uploaded by plemeljr

Using the charts at Last.fm, here is a list of what it says are my favorite artists of 2006, with total tracks listened to in parenthesis:

Sufjan Stevens (392)
John Lennon (341)
The Arcade Fire (279)
TV on the Radio (209)
Metallica (195)
Red Hot Chili Peppers (165)
The Kleptones (147)
Led Zeppelin (103)
Clint Mansell (84)
Interpol (81)
Franz Ferdinand (80)
The Beatles (73)
The Police (69)
The Who (65)
Neil Young (62)
N.W.A (58)
The Rolling Stones (57)
R.E.M. (53)
Eric Clapton (51)
The Decemberists (50)

In the Top 20 Tracks of 2006, the top 10 were all from the same artist:

1-10. Arcade Fire
11. John Lennon – Imagine
12. John Lennon – Jealous Guy
12. Sufjan Stevens – The Seer's Tower (tie)
Sufjan Stevens – The Predatory Wasp of the Pali (tie)
15. Sufjan Stevens – Chicago
15. TV on the Radio – Poppy (tie)
15. The Decemberists – Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then) (tie)
15. TV on the Radio – Ambulance (tie)
19. TV on the Radio – Don't Love You (tie)
19. Sufjan Stevens – The Tallest Man, the Broadest (tie)

So the Top 20 Tracks of 2006 comprised of only five artists. I knew I tended to replay bands I really like, but that is pretty insane.

Although this list is skewed, since for some reason Last.fm doesn't like my home computer's setup when it pings the server. This list does not count DeVotchKa (shown above), Smashing Pumpkins and a total lack of Country music which I feel I listen to more at home.

Please compare the above list to the top ten total artists since I began tracking with Last.fm (then AudioScrobbler) on 10 Feb 2003 (over 45,131 tracks recorded):

Johnny Cash (2,198 - 4.87%)
Dave Matthews Band (2,191 4.85%)
U2 (1,860 - 4.12%)
John Denver (1,607 - 3.56%)
The Kleptones (1,514 - 3.35%)
Modest Mouse (1,151 - 2.55%)
Interpol (1,045 - 2.32%)
Radiohead (1,038 - 2.30%)
The Who (1,017 - 2.25%)
Death Cab for Cutie (918 - 2.03%)

Conclusion: I always joke that my musical tastes suck, and I really can't argue with numbers. What I really need is more breadth of musical acts.

Does anyone have any suggestions about bands I might like?

Comments

Arno says:

New Bands or albums that might be worth a go?? I 'heard' the new (leaked) Shins album is good. (real good) Midlake, Dirty on Purpose, Clap Your Hands, French Kicks, Spoon and Ted Leo + The Pharmacists are some of my standard fare music. For hip hop give Aesop Rock, Mr Lif etc a go or shoot Jeff an email? Maybe hit up some jazz? Or Bob Dylan? Jimi Hendrix (yes Mr Snipes, I can hear Jimi)or maybe seek out some blue grass? I hear a blue grass band will be doing a few sundays at the PF starting around the end of the month? Quite the treat!

Posted by: Arno at January 1, 2007 11:22 PM #

sweetchuck says:

Ditto to all of Arno's. Also suggest +/-, the New Pornographers, Stellastarr*, Band of Horses, Cold War Kids, Doves, the National.

Posted by: sweetchuck at January 2, 2007 11:43 AM #

sweetchuck says:

Oh, I've also heard good things about the Hold Steady, and the new Bob Dylan is good. And Travis and Wilco. Or go into some of the older but good, the Kinks, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Muddy Waters, Taj Mahal, Booker T and the MG's.

Posted by: sweetchuck at January 2, 2007 11:59 AM #

Jeff says:

On the hip hop front, Jedi Mind Tricks and Army of the Pharoahs top my 2006 list. Essentially the same people, but they released two excellent albums with great production values and smart lyrics in the last year.

Otherwise Lif, Aesop Rock, El-P, & Atmosphere are always good for nerdy white boys, Talib Kweli is overdue for a new LP but consistently a good listen, and Cool Calm Pete/Babbletron are the most promising up-and-coming artists yet to release their "classic" album.