Review of the Year 2004

Review of the Year 2004

This was released on CD, but for the first time the MP3 tracks are also available to download.

MP3 downloads

If you have any other digital music player, want to hear the files direct from this site, or want to burn the tracks to CD, use these MP3 links instead by either downloading or playing direct from this page.

January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | Ending

Results

10. The Rasmus - In the shadows

I can't but help think that despite having one of the most catchy rock/pop tracks of the whole year, that ultimately 'In the shadows' suffered from overkill, and I personally suspect that we won't ever hear from our Finnish friends again, as their follow up single 'Guilty' and their album 'Dead Letters' were not big sellers.

The Rasmus are though, at number ten.

9. Hoobastank - The Reason

Hooba-who? I hear you say!

Indeed, despite being formed in 1994 this LA four piece rock outfit eventually came to mainstream prominence this year, with this the second release from the album of the same name.

8. Outkast - Hey ya

It was a hit in 2003, and 2004, and I'm quite sure that The Box and MTV have still got it on their playlist rotation at least once a week so that we can watch Andre Benjamin and co. strut their stuff in those shiny green riding suits.

7. Maroon 5 - This love

There's probably not much more that can be written about Maroon 5 that hasn't already been said over the last few months. 2004 was a massive success for them, with their multi-million selling album 'Songs about Jane' spawning four hit singles, 'This Love' made number 3 in charts back in May of 2004.

6. Embrace - Gravity

Written by Coldplay's Chris Martin, this melancholy anthemic ballad sounds droney to some, but a musical masterpiece to others.

It brought Embrace back to the big time after a three year absence away from the music scene.

5. Snow Patrol - Run

Snow Patrol are a relatively new four piece from Northern Ireland who hit the headlines when 'Run' became one of the biggest selling singles of last year, and their debut album 'Final Straw' drew much acclaim. Personally, I actually thought that they would not be that much of a success and a possible one hit wonder. As you'll see from below, I got that one spectacularly wrong!

4. Green Day - Boulevard of broken dreams

Is it me, or is there a distinct lack of power-puff pop in this years final big top ten? Not a manufactured band in sight, and Green Day happily echo that sentiment being about the furthest from pop-idol'd vote that you could possibly imagine. This tune comes from what I count as being their eight studio released album 'American Idiot', and there's probably still a few more to come.

3. Franz Ferdinand - Take me out

2004 was the year for FF, who almost suffered also from everyone wanting to like them too much and have a piece of action. Nominated in five categories in the recent Brit Awards, they deservedly walked away with two - best rock act and best british group.

2. Snow Patrol - How to be dead

"They'll be a one hit wonder", I said to my friends when 'Run' was a hit earlier in the year. Four hits later, and 'How to be dead' actually ended up as my overall favourite song from 2004.

"It's spine tinglingly good" wrote another voter, and it's hard to disagree. An awesome record, and only just pipped to the post by ...

1. Keane - Somewhere only we know

Personally, I'm a little disappointed about this, not that I don't think that it's a good song, but just because I think that 'Bedshaped' and definitely 'Changes' are better songs than this, but this seem to be the one that stuck out in everyone's mind from all the Keane hits last year. A fantasic album too, so more of the same please boys - and soon!