I set out to create a playlist of songs that represented my time on this mortal coil. And this is the result.
As I proceeded through the list (keeping track of everything and every song considered as I went), I found some things that were obvious and some that were entirely surprising. Here is a bit of analysis of where I landed.
- This will come a zero surprise to exactly everyone, but R.E.M. had the most songs that I considered (and picking and fitting one within the framework was very tough)
- All told, there were 43 artists with appearances on the list, with some decisions and oddities of counting detailed further here
- Radiohead and the National were the next two most listed artists. The prevalence of Radiohead somewhat surprised me, as I always thought I was relatively late warming up to them
- Right behind those two, are Echo & the Bunnymen with six appearances. But, when you consider that Electrafixion is basically the same band (Ian McCulloch an Will Seargent), you add two more, which brings the combined total of those gents’ appearances right behind R.E.M. at eight spots
- Bob Mould also falls into a similar category when you count Hüsker Dü, Sugar (how did they not feature?!), and his solo work for a total of eight songs
- The artists that received the most consideration without having a song actually featured surprised me in a few ways. The New Pornographers has been ubiquitous for me since the early 2000s, and while I really like them, I’m not too put out they didn’t make a final cut
- Then we have The Charlatans and The Feelies with five songs considered over the years. I’m a bit abashed that I couldn’t make room for The Charlatans at least, as I’d count them up there with R.E.M. and Echo as among my favorite bands
- The same goes for Blur at four songs considered. Other artists with that number: Bruce Springsteen (surprising), Camper van Beethoven (not at all surprising), Death Cab for Cutie (ditto), Destroyer/Dan Bejar (a little surprising), Dum Dum Girls (very surprising), Elf Power (also a bit of surprise), and Elvis Costello (no surprise at all)
- A few bands had a song from each of their prominent releases: The Clash, Pulp, Sleater Kinney, and The Duke Spirit (wow)
- Finally, amidst the others detailed above, here are bands or artists I wish I’d be able to make room for: Spoon, Robyn Hitchcock, Beirut, Broken Social Scene, Ted Leo, and Lucero
- I wish there were more hip-hop, especially living in Altanta, but I was late to that scene. But c’mon, OutKast! The South’s got something to say
- Finally, I am rueful I couldn’t find room for Elephant or Maps, as they may be some of the best songs all told of the millennium