Albums:
10. saturdays=youth, m83. The 80s are back, baby. This is the soundtrack to the best movie John Hughes never made.

9. The Midnight Organ Fight, Frightened Rabbit. I’ll admit I can’t understand half of what these Scots are saying, but I like the way they say it.

8. Furr, Blitzen Trapper. They had me with the song about the werewolf.

7. Hold On Now Youngster, Los Campesinos!. Great debut album from these indie hipsters.

6. XOXO, Her Space Holiday. Catchy, and with some unusual instrumentation.

5. Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend. I give. The hype is right.

4. Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, David Byrne and Brian Eno. As Josh Damon Williams rightly described it: “Comfort Food Music.” Although with disquieting lyrics (“I saw my neighbor’s car explode.”)

3. Oracular Spectacular, MGMT. From out of nowhere, this piece of musical crack. “Kids” is the single of the year.

2. We Started Nothing, The Ting Tings. A trifle, but sometimes baubles are what is needed, and this album was the sound of summer before everything went to hell. Listen and remember.

1. Re-arrange Us, Mates of State. Relentlessly tuneful, indie pop of the best kind. I loved this album from the first listen.

Honorable Mentions: Dear Science, TV on the Radio; The Stand Ins, Okkervil River; Day & Age, The Killers; Santogold, Santogold; Dig Out Your Soul, Oasis; Do You Like Rock Music?, British Sea Power; In Ghost Colours, Cut Copy; Feed the Animals, Girl Talk.

Songs:

“I Kissed a Girl,” Katy Perry; “Pork and Beans,” Weezer; “Kids,” MGMT; “Dog’s Life,” Eels; “All Summer Long,” Kid Rock. Yes, Kid Rock. You got a problem with that?