40 From 40: 2008

For latecomers, this is the eleventh in our sequence of forty tracks to represent (as through our eyes at least) each of the pop years 1970 to 2009. So far we've covered 1972, 1976, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1994, 1999, 2002 and 2005. And now... 2008 was the year, as we wrote at the time, when the decade realised it had got past its mid-section without a mammoth sea change and decided to coast it instead. Methods of delivery changed dramatically, the way we consumed music evolved as downloading came into its own and the high street (and major distribution company Pinnacle) fell into the credit crunch chasm, the major labels committed their slow collapse into the hands of investment fund managers, but everything else lurched into stasis. What that of course meant was squeezing the customer dry as deluxe editions and priority ticketing held sway, but it turned out that was how people wanted it. Everything old was current again and the safety-first mechanism was kicking in. Basshunter had five weeks at number one. Scooter became a number one album act. Duffy was the big noise of the year, surely seeing off her supposed rival Adele for good. Guns'n'Roses' Chinese Democracy finally came out and failed to justify itself by being forgettably middling. A promising underground talent called Skepta made an electro record, Rolex Sweep, with its own dance and Timmy Mallett to demonstrate it in the video - it peaked at 86, so we'd never hear from him or the compromised integrity of grime again. If 2008 was the year of anything it was Autotune, the long tail, 'wonky pop', the Mighty Boosh having their own festival, Disney pop and Hallelujah. Everything around looked like it was downsizing. Amid all that the UK underground made its last big push with the LC!/JoFo charabanc, the London nu-folk scene coalesced, grizzled tender-sided roughhouses Elbow became beloved national entertainers, and these things happened (again with one we really wanted to keep in despite not being on Spotify)....




The Lovely Eggs - Have You Ever Heard A Digital Accordion?
Los Campesinos! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
Titus Andronicus - Titus Andronicus
Johnny Foreigner - Salt, Peppa And Spinderella
Dananananaykroyd - Pink Sabbath
Three Trapped Tigers - 1
Zombie-Zombie - Driving This Road Until Death Sets You Free
David Holmes - I Heard Wonders
TV On The Radio - Dancing Choose
Vampire Weekend - Walcott
Micachu & The Shapes - Golden Phone
The Chap - Fun And Interesting
Fujiya & Miyagi - Knickerbocker
Fuck Buttons - Bright Tomorrow
Wiley - Wearing My Rolex
WHY? - Song Of The Sad Assassin
Meursault - The Furnace
Florence & The Machine - Dog Days Are Over
The Walkmen - In The New Year
A Classic Education - Stay, Son
Elbow - Mirrorball
Warpaint - Billie Holiday
Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Possess Your Heart
British Sea Power - Canvey Island
dEUS - Slow
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - We Call Upon The Author
Mystery Jets feat. Laura Marling - Young Love
Parenthetical Girls - A Song For Ellie Greenwich
Lykke Li - Little Bit
Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
Wild Beasts - The Devil's Crayon
Foals - Red Socks Pugie
Hello Saferide - Anna
The Wave Pictures - Instant Coffee Baby
Kat Flint - Go Faster Stripes
Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
Johnny Flynn - Wayne Rooney
Portishead - The Rip
Maybeshewill - He Films The Clouds Pt. 2
Her Name Is Calla - New England