your music's bad and you should feel bad.

In an effort to a) disprove my brother, who claims that I only listen to progressive rock, and b) please my inner OCD child, here are my favourite albums of 2007 (in order of absolutely no preference, because I hate numbering things):

The Go! Team - Proof of Youth
The gig they did at Way Out West was one of the best shows I went to this year; the audience, of course, seemed to consist of only Death From Above 1979-fans and other dance-hungry indie kids.
Favourite track: Keys to the City

Radiohead - In Rainbows
Never leave me, Thom Yorke.
Favourite track: House of Cards

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
At the risk of sounding like every music critic in the northern hemisphere (well, considering the list so far, I already do), but this album is really surprisingly good. Both hilarious and sadly true (North American Scum), and still excellent dance-punk (Us v Them).
Favourite track: North American Scum

New Young Pony Club - Fantastic Playroom
Like a funnier, electric version of Le Tigre (who I never could love properly, anyway).
Favourite track: Ice Cream

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
A little Springsteen (or, as in the case of (Antichrist Television Blues), a lot of Springsteen), bells, and a lot of hype that they somehow lived up to.
Favourite track: Keep the Car Running

The White Stripes - Icky Thump
Comments are redundant, I believe.
Favourite track: I'm Slowly Turning Into You

Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
I don't know how, but they've managed to become a better band with every album.
Favourite track: Knocked Up

Mark Ronson - Version
I didn't believe the hype. Then I bought his second album and decided that he was a man who really knows how to arrange horns. (Translation: I love everything on this record.)
Favourite track: Valerie

I've also listened a lot to (and liked) The Flying Club Cup by Beirut; Miss Li's God Put a Rainbow in the Sky and Architecture in Helsinki's Places Like This, as well as a few albums from 2006: Amy Winehouse's Back to Black; Alright, Still by Lily Allen and The Pipettes' début, We Are The Pipettes. Oh, and Robyn's self-titled record. Other than that, this was the year of Bob Dylan; I have a long-standing obsession with Fourth Time Around.

baby, you're a rich man.

According to The Sun (that trustworthy tabloid!), James Blunt's You're Beautiful has surpassed Angels by Robbie Williams as the most popular wedding song in the UK. That's both hilarious and terrifying.

What's more terrifying, though, is that my mum thinks it's a lovely song. If you're interested in sentimental crap, why not have it be old school sentimental crap?