Favorite Songs of 2011 (10 - 1)

There are a lot of firsts in this years Top Songs countdown. I have never allowed a band to have more than one song in the top ten, but this year, not only one, but two bands have multiple songs in the top ten.

More records that have been broken this year:

* The first Christmas song has made my ten favorite songs of the year.
* The first country song has made the top ten.
* The most songs by any artist, on any yearly countdown ever (Chase Rice, 5 songs)
* One band has done the unheard of, any landed the one AND two spot on the countdown.
* That same band has had the number one spot TWO YEARS IN A ROW.

Without further adieu, my top ten songs of 2011.....


10. The Cowboys' Christmas Ball by The Killers - There is no way of telling whether I love this Christmas song because it is The Killers, or because I simply love the song for what it is. I admire Brandon Flowers and The Killers so much that I am pretty sure they will never release a song again that will not make my top ten songs of the year. "The Cowboys' Christmas Ball" is The Killers sixth annual Christmas song in which ALL PROCEEDS go directly to Project Red, which helps the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Not only are these guys talented musicians (massive understatement), but they are also great guys who use their popularity to help a great cause. I am pretty sure I was one of the first people in the entire world to buy this song on Itunes because I knew the release date and kept refreshing my Itunes until I saw the song. I then put it on repeat and when I woke up in the morning I somehow knew every word to the song. The video was released a few days later and made a great song even better.

9. These Days by Foo Fighters - "These Days" is the second of three Foo Fighters songs to make this years list, but I am very confident that if they released any other song from their latest album, Wasting Light, it would have made the countdown as well. But, this is not about how epic Wasting Light is, it is about how incredibly awesome "These Days" is. Just by reading the lyrics you can tell how brilliant Dave Grohl is.

These Days Lyrics
One of these days the ground
will drop out from beneath
your feet

One of these days your heart
will stop and play its final
beat

One of these days the clocks
will stop and time won't
mean a thing

One of these days their bombs
will drop and silence
everything

But it's alright
Yet it's alright
I said it's alright

Easy for you to say
Your heart has never been
broken Your pride has never been stolen
Not yet not yet

One of these days
I bet your heart'll be broken
I bet your pride'll be stolen I'll bet I'll bet I'll bet I'll bet

One of these days
One of these days

One of these days your eyes
will close and pain will
disappear

One of these days you will
forget to hope and learn to
fear

But it's alright
Yet it's alright
I said it's alright

Easy for you to say
Your heart has never been
broken
Your pride has never been
stolen
Not yet not yet

One of these days
I bet your heart'll be broken
I bet your pride'll be stolen
I'll bet I'll bet I'll bet I'll bet

One of these days One of these days

But it's alright
Yet it's alright
I said it's alright
Yes it's alright
Don't say it's alright
Don't say it's alright
Don't say it's alright

One of these days your heart
will stop and play it's final
beat
But it's alright


Easy for you to say
Your heart has never been
broken
Your pride has never been
stolen
Not yet not yet

One of these days
I bet your heart will be
broken
I bet your pride will be stolen
I'll bet I'll bet I'll bet I'll bet

One of these days
One of these days
One of these days


Dave Grohl has made the VERY bold statement that "These Days" is his favorite song he has ever written. Ever. I have to admit, I almost agree with him. If you have never heard this song, please give it a listen below. If you are not blown away by how amazing it is, I will refund 100% of your money.

This is seriously one of the coolest/best performances I have ever seen. If you watch this and still do not think Dave Grohl is one of the greatest musicians of all time, then you are a complete F^*@^&@ moron.



8. Roll Away Your Stone by Mumford & Sons - In the past year and a half Mumford & Sons have made millions of Americans fall in love with not only them, but an entire genre of music. Folk Rock has never been bigger and Mumford & Sons are the leaders of the pack. "Roll Away Your Stone" picks up right where Mumford & Sons left us in 2010 (with "Little Lion Man" and "The Cave".) It is a perfect blend of folk rock with a dash of alternative rock mixed in. That combination is clearly a key to success. Because of the wildly popular album Sigh No More Mumford & Son's next album is one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2012.

The amount of energy that Mumford & Sons puts into every performance is uncanny. Watch this performance of "Roll Away Your Stone" and tell me you would not have fainted half way through the song if you were any of the band mates.

McGraw's 1994 Not a Moment Too Soon released in 1994 was one of the first CD's I ever owned. The past few years, however, I have only been to one or two country music concerts, and stopped watching CMT altogether. Chase Rice has single handedly revived my love for country music and, even though he has not yet released a full studio album, has landed 5 songs on my yearly countdown. Chase Rice is not only my favorite artist of 2011, but quite possibly my favorite country artist of all time. "Buzz Back" is a song that can be appreciated by anyone, regardless if you are a country music fan. If you have ever lived in a college dorm, or been to Cancun Mexico, or simply had a crazy weekend, you will be able to relate to "Buzz Back." Who hasn't woken up with a hangover and realized that the best way to alleviate your symptoms would be to start drinking again? It doesn't matter if you are a rock fan or a country fan, a guy or a girl, a college kid, or a Wall St. businessman, "Buzz Back" will be blaring inside your pounding head the next time you are hungover and obligated to have a few drinks again the very next day.

6. Heaven by O.A.R. - As much as I love "Heaven" I always feel bad about signing along. I always have to say "Just kidding, God" after the song ends because I don't want him to think that I don't care if I go to Heaven or not.
"Everybody's got a problem with the way I live, I don't wanna go to Heaven if I can't get in." Those are the lyrics that make me feel like a terrible person every time I sing along. The song is just too damn catchy to not sing along with though, and it is just about impossible for me to not agree with the "whatever happens, happens" mentality of O.A.R. while the song is playing. Maybe I should make a playlist in which every time "Heaven" is on, and I inevitably sing along, the next song either "How Great is Our God" or "Amazing Grace." That way I will not have to apologize to God every time I sing along with this incredible track.

"I do want to go to Heaven, God, and I would like it if O.A.R. could get in as well. They seem like really fun and nice guys and I would love to be able to spend eternity with them. Thanks. Love, Ryan"

That is pretty much what I say out loud every time this song ends, which is quite often because I usually listen to it on repeat about 20 times in a row.



5. Walk by Foo Fighters - Let me start off by saying this; the top 14 or 15 songs are so close that they are almost interchangeable. Do I REALLY like "Walk" better than "These Days"? A VERY little bit. My point is, that once the countdown gets to the end I love every song so much that it is not extremely important where it ends up on the countdown. With that being said, "Walk" is perfect and could very well have been even higher on the list. I am sure you are sick of hearing how much I love Dave Grohl and The Foo Fighters, but if you don't agree with me by now about how incredible the latest Foo Fighters album is, then we simply have extremely different musical taste.
After really thinking about it, I came to the conclusion that Foo Fighters actually beat out themselves. I had SO much love for the Foo Fighters this year with their 3 released songs that I think I may have spread out that love equally between the three songs. If "Rope", "Walk", or "These Days" were the only song released by Foo Fighters this year, then I am pretty confident that it would have been my number one song of the year. I was not even over "Walk" yet when they released "These Days" and shifted by focus on that.
Regardless, I have never loved Foo Fighters more than I do right now and, even though they were already VERY high on my "Favorite Bands of All Time" list, this year has pushed them up even higher. You will find out exactly how high they have been pushed up sometime in the very near future.

4. Colours by Grouplove - I have already stated in my "Top Albums of 2011" countdown that Grouplove's "Never Trust a Happy Song" was my favorite album of 2011. "Colours" is the song that made me buy the album, therefore, I owe the song a tremendous amount of gratitude. This is a song that you can fall in love with instantly. Many people find it difficult to sing along with the "I am a man, man, man, man, up, up, in the air. And I run around round round round this town town and act like I don't care" part because it is fast and kind of a tongue twister. I have perfected the entire song, so I love signing it in front of people because they often get jealous that I can sign along and they cannot. Even my students get amazed when I sing along to the song when it comes on the radio in class. This usually ends up amazing me. I teach them everything they need to know about Math (division, multiplication, fractions, etc.), Science (earth science, physical science, life science), Social Studies (history, geography, economics, world cultures), Reading and Writing, and they are most impressed that I can sing along with a silly rock song. That is precisely why I love them as much as I do.

3. Cough Syrup by Young. the Giant - If I was not so obsessed with the band that has the number one and two songs on this years countdown then this would have been my favorite song of the year. Nobody really knows for sure what the song is about. It could simply be about cough syrup, of course, but it could also be a metaphor for another drug, or even for something totally unrelated to drugs, such as a coping with a difficult situation.
I like to pretend that Young the Giant is talking about a specific "cough syrup" that I enjoy myself, Nyquil. After I take my nightly dosage of Nyquil I usually sing this song while I wait for the effects to hit my body. "Cough Syrup" is a perfect example of why I love modern rock and could not be happier with the music that is on Alternative Rock stations today. How can you not love this song?

2. Everybody Talks by Neon Trees - I started making this countdown on December 21st and "Everybody Talks" was released on Itunes on December 20th. It was a very difficult decision to place this on the 2011 countdown, but I am extremely hopeful that Neon Trees will release a new album in 2012 and they will once again have a single or two for the 2012 countdown. I listened to "Everybody Talks" roughly 100 times in just three days so there was no way I could not place it at the very top of the countdown. The only single I liked "better" in 2011 was another Neon Trees song. It was "Everybody Talks" though, that solidified Neon Trees as a top 5 favorite band of all time, and quite possibly higher than number 5. You'll find out when I release my Favorite Bands of All Time list in the coming weeks.

Animated Video

Learn the "Everybody Talks" dance. All the cool kids are doing it.

Besides my two nephews, this is my favorite kid of all time. Plus, I have that same shirt. Hahahahahhahaha. I love him.

Will you be my best friend?



1. Your Surrender by Neon Trees - I have gone against everything I have ever known and/or believed and I placed Neon Trees at number one AND two this year. For most of you (that may not know Neon Trees) I can imagine this is as bad as playing 3 songs in a row by the same artist on a jukebox in a bar. I decided, however, that the countdown would not be accurate if I did not do this. I have loved "Your Surrender" before it was even released as a single. If I placed this, or "Everybody Talks" any lower than 1 & 2 I would have been flat out lying. "Your Surrender" could quite possibly be not only my favorite song of the year, but has a very decent chance at being very, very high on my Top 1000 Songs of all time. The last minute of the song literally gives me chills every single time I hear it. I DVR'd an episode of Jay Leno in which Neon Trees were the musical guests and they performed "Your Surrender." The performance blew me away, and I watch it just about every day. I even have the occasional nightmare that I accidentally delete it from my DVR when I have taken a little too much Nyquil and do not know what I am doing.
I have only truly even been obsessed with 2 bands in my life (Third Eye Blind and The Killers) and I am here to officially announce that I am 100% obsessed with Neon Trees.

I just stumbled upon this video from 2010 of Neon Trees in a restaurant in Detroit MI. I have never hated people more in my entire life as much as I hate the people in the background of this video carrying about their lives as if one of the greatest rock bands in modern day rock are not belting out this epic unforgettable performance. Tyler Glenn's voice is impeccable and this proves Neon Trees do not need any studio to make them sound good. Watch out Brandon Flowers, it looks like you have some real stiff competition for my favorite person of all time. (mortal person, God, favorite MORTAL person of all time.)


It looks like all the stars in the universe may align this year and we may get new albums from Neon Trees, The Killers, Third Eye Blind, and Mumford & Sons. Combine that with the possibility of some more tracks from Foo Fighter's Wasting Light, and 2012 is sure to be my favorite year in music of all time, and my "Top Songs of 2012" countdown will be more anticipated than finding out if the Mayan's prediction is true.

Favorite Songs of 2011 (20-11)

20. The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie by Red Hot Chili Peppers - While I think the name of the song is completely ridiculous, the song itself is my favorite Chili Peppers song in a while. The Red Hot Chili Peppers have been a central part of my music collection for my entire life. They are one of, if not the only band in which I have tapes, CD's, Vinyls, and digital downloads. After twenty plus years of hit after hit "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" is further proof that The Red Hot Chili Peppers are one of the greatest bands of my generation.

19. Miss K by Deer Tick - I know that there are many different musical tastes out there, but I would be shocked to hear that there was anyone out there that does not enjoy this Deer Tick track. While I agree that it may take a certain appreciation for Indie-Folk Rock to enjoy many Deer Tick songs, there is no effort needed to appreciate "Miss K" for the beauty of a track that it is. Simply said - "Miss K" can make even the most miserable, up-tight person tap his foot and enjoy life.

18. Summer of '89 by Butch Walker & the Black Widows - I have absolutely no clue who the Black Widows are, but I couldn't care any less because Butch Walker could form a band with the Muppet Babies and I would probably buy the album. I am sure many of you are not familiar with Butch Walker, but in my opinion he is one of the greatest musicians (recording artist/songwriter/record producer) of the past few decades. He is the former lead singer of the band Marvelous 3 (which I am sure about 2 of you remember.) He then went on his own and released two insanely good albums (Sycamore Meadows and Left of Self Centered.) Walker then released the album The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the Lets Go Out Tonites as Butch Walker and the Let's Go Out Tonites. Finally, this year brought us Butch Walker & the Black Widows and this gem of a song. "Summer of 89" is one of Walker's best tracks to date. I wanted to be friends with Butch Walker back in the 90's when I was a teenager, and I want to be friends with Walker even more now that I am a 32 year old man. What does that say about him................. and me. 

If you truly care about me, you will watch this video. Then you will tell me about how much you love it either through oral communication, written expression, or any other mode of interaction that you deem appropriate.

Also, for all of you too lazy to look up Butch Walkers band Marvelous 3 (from the 90's) here is a video of their biggest hit, "Freak of the Week."

17. Not Your Fault by Awolnation - If I had only listened to this song this summer when it was handed to me by my co-bartender, Erin, it may have made it even higher than number 17. It turns out, however, that I didn't hear (and actually pay attention to it) until late November, just a few short weeks prior to making the countdown. I have since bought the Awolnation album and am blown away by how amazing it is. EVERY song is so unique and distinct that every time I listen to the album I am mesmerized. I almost did not give "Not Your Fault" a chance because I don't love the first 45 seconds of the song, but the chorus is my favorite chorus of 2011 and smacks me in the face every time. If you do not listen to this song then it is definitely NOT NOT your fault, meaning it is 100% your fault and you should be ashamed of yourself.

***** I understand the first 45 seconds may be a little odd, but you must stick with it to :47 and I promise you will not be disappointed************* 

16. We Are Young by Fun. - I heard of Fun. for the very first time in November and "We Are Young" was a surprise hit at the end of the year. Throughout the past few weeks I have seen many people post this video on their Facebook page and tell the world how much they love it (I am pretty sure the song was featured on some TV show). I have refrained from commenting because I did not want to spoil the surprise of how much I, too, love it. I am ashamed to say that I have not got around to purchasing the Fun. album yet, but I plan on doing so in the next few days. Also, the band is coming to Rhode Island in March and I will surely be in attendance. The concert is sure to be a ton of F.U.N.

15. Under the Cover of Darkness by The Strokes - I was never a huge fan of The Strokes until Julian Casablancas came out with his solo album. I became totally obsessed with the guy and now I am in love with The Strokes as well. I have issues, I know. Anyway, "Under the Cover of Darkness" is a complete blast (possibly even my favorite Strokes song of all time) and yet another reason why Julian Casablancas should run away should I ever be lucky enough to meet him in person. 

Here is a very special performance of Julian Casablancas "Out of the Blue" which made my top ten songs of 2011. 

14. My Body by Young the Giant - Once again I have shocked myself at how low a song appears on my own countdown. 

My Body is perfect. There is nothing wrong with My Body at all. EVERYONE loves My Body. My Body was a huge hit this past summer. Young and Old all love My Body. I love My Body.

The song is also pretty great and one of my favorite songs of the year, I simply (apparently) like 13 songs  a little, little, little bit more. Don't feel too bad for Young the Giant though, they are not through with this countdown just yet!

13. Blame it On the Beer by Chase Rice - I don't think I listened to, or quoted a song more than "Blame it On the Beer" this year. I am not going to rant and rave about Chase Rice because I have already done that for his first THREE songs that have already made the countdown. "Blame It on the Beer" makes me want to be friends with Chase Rice more than any song in the history of music has made me want to be friends with anyone. I would trade every friend I have ever made in my life just to be friends with Chase Rice. I hope that doesn't offend anybody. If you know me, you know how much I exaggerate. (Although, in this case I am not exaggerating at all.) I would drop you all like a bad habit if Chase Rice wanted to be my friend.

Here are some of the lyrics from "Blame it on the Beer" that are so beautiful they bring a tear to my eye...

"Drink after drink my nights come alive, the more I think about it, how the hell have I survived. And all the things I've done over the years, I ain't takin' the blame on this one, let's blame it on the beers."

".... I call my best friend, he says you did it again, man we really gotta talk. You gotta calm your ass down, lay off the Crown, this is getting out of hand. I said I'm Sorry Dude, don't mean to be rude, can't say no to a free keg stand."

".... when I get my rum, I have so much fun Sweet Tea just won't suffice."

See, how can you NOT want to be best friends with him? I would give my blessing to any of my friends that had to ditch me in order to be friends with Chase.

Shockingly, Chase still has one more song make an appearance on the countdown. A record FIVE songs  - the most impressive feat in the history of Ryan's Countdowns?????

***** For some reason I can not find "Blame it on the Beer" on youtube, so go buy it yourself on itunes. It is worth way more than $0.99 so don't be a cheap bastard. I will, however, include this unreleased little ditty from Chase called "Kiss My Ass." You can bet your bottom dollar that if this song is on Chase's first full length album (which hopefully will be released some time in 2012) then you will surely be reading about it on next years countdown.

12. Sydney (I'll Come Running) by Brett Dennen - Chase Rice and Brett Dennen have been in a heated battle all 2011 for the title of favorite male solo artist. Chase has a song in the top ten, while Brett falls just short of the top ten with "Sydney (I'll Come Running.) Like Chase Rice I have already went on and on about how much I love Brett Dennen so there is no need to elaborate any further. "Sydney (I'll Come Running)" could come on at a funeral and I would probably start dancing and singing along. I don't think I have the self control needed to not be happy when this song is on. If Brett Dennen ran for US President I would probably drop my entire life and become his campaign manager. How about Dennen/Rice 2012?

I suppose that would be funny if I was not 100% serious. 

11. Bulletproof Heart by My Chemical Romance - I love just about everything My Chemical Romance does, but I did not expect "Bulletproof Heart" to be this high. As I rank the songs, however, I am listening to them to help me make my final decisions. I kept trying to place "Bulletproof Heart" a little lower than 11, but I simply could not do it. I am not sure what it is about My Chemical Romance, but I find their music always gets me pumped up, and I find almost all their songs epic. I think "Bulletproof Heart" is nowhere near as epic as, say, "Welcome to the Black Parade", but I still find it epic nonetheless. Every album MCR releases I am more dumbfounded that the group of kids that released "I'm Not OKAY, (I Promise)" back in 2004 are still one of my favorite bands, 8 years later. I find that insane. 

"Bulletproof Heart"

Top Ten Coming Soon!



Favorite Songs of 2011 (30-21)

30. Changing by Airborne Toxic Event - I have to admit that after "Sometime Around Midnight" I was pretty convinced that Airborne Toxic Event was going to be one hit wonders, and I am here to say that I was completely wrong. Not only was their entire album a joy to listen to, they come back two years later and are as strong as ever. The first time I heard "Changing" I knew that it would make this countdown. "Changing" proves that Airborne Toxic Event are a diverse and talented band that are way more than one hit wonders.

29. Time Spent in Los Angeles by Dawes - I have already expressed my regret for ignoring every song on the Dawes album other than "Time Spent in L.A." The song is the first track on the album and I enjoyed listening to it so much that I kept replaying it; never even giving the other songs a chance. I even went as far as to say the rest of the album was not good. Well, the past is in the past, and the album is pretty much all I have been listening to for the past month. "Time Spent in Los Angeles" will forever remind me of bartending on the beach and drinking in the sun, and therefore will always make me happy.

28. Gotta Be Wrong Sometimes by O.A.R. - O.A.R. surprised me more than any other band this year. I have been a O.A.R. fan for years, but I usually like about three songs on each album, and i'll be obsessed with one song per album. Their latest album, King, has many tracks that I thoroughly enjoy, and two that I am obsessed with. "Gotta Be Wrong Sometimes" is one of those obsessions. The song is very near and dear to me because I very, very, seldom make mistakes. In fact, in my nine years of teaching, countless clumsy students have asked me if they could borrow my "White-Out." My response every time is "Sorry, I don't have any. I don't make mistakes."
O.A.R.'s "Gotta Be Wrong Sometimes" forces me to accept the fact that even I may make an occasional blunder every now and then, and that is OK. Thanks O.A.R.

27. Shake it Out by Florence and the Machine - Last year I caught a lot of slack for placing "The Dogs Days Are Over" at number 30, which many people considered to be "so low." While "Dog Days Are Over" was and is a great song, I feel confident that 30 was an accurate ranking. This year I actually like "Shake it Out" even more and placed it at number 27. Wouldn't you know, I have received slack for this too, with people saying that it may be placed a little "too high." I can't win when it comes to Flo. (If you are wondering who has been fortunate enough to get a sneak peek at my list, maybe if you are a little nicer to me this coming year, you too, will get a sneak peek next December.) Fine, it was my brother.

Anyway, I love "Shake it Out" more and more every time I listen to it. A funny story about the song is that just yesterday I was running VERY late for work. I usually allow myself a minute or two extra in case a great song comes on the radio while I am preparing to enter work. That way, I would have enough time to sit in the parking lot and finish listening to it before I had to slug into the building. Well, wouldn't you know about 30 seconds before I parked the car "Shake it Out" came on the radio. I did not have a minute to spare, so I was not able to listen to the entire song. As you can imagine I was pretty bummed. I had the song stuck in my head all day, almost as if it was on pause in my head. Well, six and a half LONG hours later I returned to my car, turned it on, and what is on the radio? You guessed it, "Shake it Out" in almost the exact same spot where I left it. I couldn't believe my ears. I may have even screamed "Oh My God!" which would explain all the weird looks I was getting from my co-workers in neighboring cars.

26. Around My Head by Cage, the Elephant -  "Around My Head" is the third and final Cage, the Elephant song to make this years countdown. An interesting fact about Cage is that they have made my top 50 Songs of the Year Countdown the past three years, ever since their first song, "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked." They have a very impressive track record here at Ryan's Countdown's.
I pretty much think I love this song simply because of all the "ohhh ohhhh ohhhh ohhh, ahhhh ahhhh ahhhhh ahhhh" parts and the "I. Don't. Think. It's. Veeery. Nice. To." parts. If you have never heard this song and have no idea what I am talking about then please listen to this song and love it with me.

25. Rope by Foo Fighters - If January 2011 Ryan, would have told January 2012 Ryan that "Rope" would not make the top TEN songs of the year I would have laughed at myself and then probably punched myself in the face. I was very confident that "Rope" would be in contention for song of the year. Not only did it not even make my top 20, but it is my THIRD favorite Foo Fighters song of the year. My placement of "Rope" at number 25 proves to me how many great songs were released in 2011. Foo Fighters will forever be one of my favorite bands of all time, and "Rope" is just one example of how modern and ageless these guys are.

24. Listen to Your Love by Mona - "Listen to Your Love" is one of the rare gems that I first heard in mid December while doing research for the countdown. I instantly fell in love with it and it wasn't long before it was one of my favorite songs of the year. I have not had time to listen to any other songs by Mona, but now that the crazy weeks of late December and early January are over I will be sure to check them out and give them a proper listen. If all their songs are anywhere near this good, you can expect to be hearing a lot more about Mona in future countdowns.

I look forward to getting to know Mona much more in the coming months.




23. Darling Buds of May by Viva Brother - Like the previous band, Mona, I had no idea who these guys were until I heard the DJ announce that they were about to play Viva Brother for the first time in the stations history. I was instantly hooked. I bought their album, saw them in concert, and even had a beer with one of the guys. If you read my Top Albums of 2011 countdown you know how much I love these guys. Their release, "The Darling Buds of May" is catchy as hell, but one of my least favorite songs on the album. It is what it is.  ( I hate that term more than anything, and would NEVER seriously use it, but it is the main line of the song, so I had to throw it in somewhere.)

22. Comeback Kid by Brett Dennen -  Not many people in New England know Brett Dennen because for some unknown reason that gets me really mad, no radio stations play his music (at least not in RI anyway.) Brett Dennen is a musical mastermind and must be shared with the world. If I was ten years younger or thirty years older, I would quit my job and be a volunteer promoter for Brett Dennen. He is that good, and so is this song.

21. If There Ever Was a Time by Third Eye Blind - I know what you are thinking. How can a Third Eye Blind song be as low as number 21. Well, I will say that 21 is my favorite number ever. Coincidence? Anyway, Stephan Jenkins is very, very political and decided to write this song in accordance with the Occupy Wall Street protests. He released it for free and just wanted to show his support for the movement. He is very opinionated and extremely intelligent and obviously very gifted. In 15 years I have never disliked anything Third Eye Blind has done; not one single song in 15 years. This is no exception. It took me a few listens to begin to really appreciate it and was very difficult to rank on the countdown seeing as I am quite bias towards Third Eye Blind. With that being said, they will more than likely release a new CD in 2012 (along with The Killers AND Neon Trees.) 2012 has a huge potential to be my favorite music year of all time. If all three bands actually get their CD's out, the 2012 countdowns here at Ryan's Countdown's will be one for the ages.

Favorite Songs of 2011 (40-31)

40. The Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga - As I have said in the past, there are a few Lady Gaga songs that I used to be quite embarrassed about liking, this, however, is not one of them. "The Edge of Glory" is a true rock song and since the first time I heard it I have felt no shame in singing along with Gaga. It was only recently that I found out that the song is actually about the death of her beloved grandfather back in 2010. I found this quote from her about the song on wikipedia.....

"The song was about how when my grandma was standing over my grandfather while he was dying. There was this moment where I felt like he had sort of looked at her and reckoned that he had won in life. Like, ‘I’m a champion. We won. Our love made us a winner.’ They were married 60 years. I thought about that idea, that the glorious moment of your life is when you decide that it’s okay to go, you don’t have any more words to say, more business, more mountains to climb. You’re on the cliff, you tip your hat to yourself and you go. That’s what it was for me in that moment when I witnessed it."

—Gaga talking to Jon Pareles of The New York Times about the song.

If that doesn't make you want to die, I don't know what will.



I learned many valuable lessons in 2011, but one of the biggest lessons learned was that there is no need for me to be ashmaed that I enjoy some of Lady Gaga's tunes. "The Edge of Glory" is an epic, 80's style rock, dance track masterpiece and I, Ryan Jacobson, love it!

I am pretty sure I watched this American Idol performance about 12 times in a row.

The official video for the track. I have said the joke before, and I will say it again. If she is not careful she might find herself falling off that "edge of glory all the way to the cement below."



39. Let's All Go to the Bar by Deer Tick - I loved this song before I ever even heard it. It could have been 3 minutes of static and I would probably still place it in my top 50 songs of the year simply for its title. I know Deer Tick has been around for a while, but I just started loving them with their new album, Divine Providence. "Let's All Go to the Bar" is an instant classic drinking song and will be played on bar jukeboxes for decades to come (more than likely by me.)

38. Lonely Boy by Black Keys - "Lonely Boy" may be my favorite Black Keys song of all time. I just got their new album for Christmas, but have not had a chance to listen to it yet. As far as "Lonely Boy" goes I enjoy it much more than their big hit from last year, "Tighten Up" because for some reason I never seem to get tired of hearing "Lonely Boy" while "Tighten Up" started to drive me crazy by October of last year. Either way, Black Keys are two very talented guys and I can't wait to hear what other gems await on "El Camino" when I start listening to it tomorrow.

This may be the cheapest video in the history of music videos to produce. How much does a bottle of Jack Daniels go for these days?


37. People Say by Portugal. The Man - This may be the biggest error in the history of Ryan's Countdowns. I have to admit, however, that this error is not my fault. Apparently "People Say" was officially released a long time ago. YEARS. Here is a little breakdown of "People Say."

* June 1st, 2009 - Portugal. The Man released the song as an official single. It was available as a free download on the bands official site.Yes. 2009!
* July 21, 2009 - The band releases the album The Satanic Satanist (which includes "People Say") and the band also releases the album  The Majestic Majesty which has an acoustic version of "People Say."
* October 1, 2010 - Portugal. The Man released the video for the song. Well over a year after it was originally released. Very Bizarre.
* Winter/Spring/Summer of 2011 - "People Say" is in heavy rotation on 95.5 WBRU as well as Sirius Radio.
* December 21, 2011 - "People Say" is included on WBRU's list of options to vote for as song of the year for 2011.
* January 4, 2012 - In its biggest achievement to date, "People Say" lands at number 37 on Ryan's Countdowns.

I am so confused about "People Say" but regardless of its release and relevance in 2011 I love the song, and feel as though placing it in this years countdown is acceptable, although there will forever be a little doubt in the back of my mind as to its qualifications on this years list.

36. Going Out in Style by Dropkick Murphys - I am starting to get to the point in the countdown that I can't believe that the songs are this low, but I loved so much music this year that I suppose #36 is not too bad of a placement. I am really beginning to question weather Dropkick Murphys will ever release a track that does not make me run to my computer or CD insert and learn every single word of the song. There are not many bands that I can think of that puts out more songs that are as fun to sing along with as Dropkick Murphys. I have seen these guys live many times and just when I think I have seen all they can do they drop a song on me like "Going Out in Style" and make me need to see them all over again.

I think I just decided on my New Years resolution. I will be going to Boston every single weekend until I somehow make my way into their circle of friends. Also, if Kevin Youkilis is in one more Dropkick video that may be all it will take for him to move up into my top ten favorite athletes of all time.




35. Up All Night by Blink 182 - "Up All Night" is Blink 182's answer to critics asking the question, "Can they still be as good as they once were?" The answer is a resounding, "Yes."  I stated earlier, the world has seen Blink 182 grow up from crazy, naked, party animal teenagers, to crazy, semi-naked, fathers and husbands. "Up All Night" is their best song in years and I think it is safe to say that if Mark, Tom, and Travis can get along with each other, Blink 182 will still be rocking hard as old, (hopefully fully-dressed) grandfathers.

34. The Pole Song by Chase Rice - I know many of you are probably sick and tired of me ranting and raving about Chase Rice, but I can't help but love everything this guy does. "The Pole Song" was released as part of the "Bring on Summer" EP (along with "Comin' Home with Me, #43 on the countdown.) Every song that Chase Rice releases makes me want to be friends with him even more, and "The Pole Song" shows just how hilarious he can be. The song is about how a man holds his pole while fishing, and all the ways you can handle it, and reel it. After making the countdown more than any other artist this year, it is clear that I would let Chase Rice hold my [fishing] pole any time (mostly because all I do when fishing is pound beers anyway.) He can have the damn thing.

33. Sunset in July by 311 - My favorite type of songs are songs written about the joys of summer. Working as a bartender on a beach during the summer, I see many sunsets in July, and they are all pretty breathtaking. 311, to me, is a summertime band, but as much as I love "Sunset in July" it is quite difficult to fully enjoy when it is 9 degrees outside and about 49 degrees in my house. The song does, however, help me to have hope that July will soon be here and the dog days of summer are just around the corner. I think if I could be in any band it would be 311 because they seem to be quite carefree, as if there don't have a worry in the world. Listen to the song and tell me that these guys have any stress in their lives whatsoever.

32. This is Why We Fight by The Decemberists - This song is dedicated to all my Windjammer co-workers down here at the beach. This summer we must have heard this song over 200 times, and to be honest, I am still not tired of it. As anyone who has worked in a bar/restaurant knows, tensions can be high at times between staff members. After a long day of work "This is Why we Fight" would always bring us back together as one big, happy, loving family. (The 15 beers each probably didn't hurt either.)

31. Many of Horror by Biffy Clyro - I get so upset that Biffy Clyro is not more popular than they are. In my opinion, they may be the most underrated band of the past ten years. The are so unique from any other band out there and people should be counting down the days until their next album is released. Unfortunately, however, many people still have not discovered Biffy Clyro and it's an absolute shame. "Many of Horror" was released just over a year ago, but did get some play on WBRU at the beginning of 2011. While "Many of Horror" is not as good as "Living is a Problem Because Everything Dies" from their previous album, it is still a very solid track and deserves to be shared with the world. Drop whatever you are doing, and listen to Biffy Clyro, you will thank me later.

Just about every Biffy Clyro song is an experience in itself. "Many of Horror" is no exception. They are brilliant.