BBBD Best Mainstream Independent Tracks of 2007

I thoroughly enjoyed writing up my list of the best "undiscovered" tracks of 2007. It was tough widdling the list down to a mere twenty-five -- there were many more I wanted to add and many more, I'm sure, that I just simply forgot about! -- but I think it gives a good oversight of the more obscure and unknown music I was listening to and promoting over the course of the year.

Now, on the last day of 2007, I present you all with a new mix (and my final for this year!): the Best Mainstream Independent Tracks of 2007.

Whereas the last list was a compendium of allegedly "unknown" tunes, this one is (1) in order (#1 is my favorite, #25 is my least favorite of the bunch) and (2) one featuring only artists of "mainstream independent" standing artists. So while Rihanna (ugh), for example, won't be on the list (not an "indie" artist), LCD Soundsystem will be since it's a "mainstream" independent artist. Even if this doesn't make a whole lot of sense, I hope you all enjoy the thing!

Download the ZIP file here. Read some notes on the selection after the jump.

(1) Spoon - You Got Yr Cherry Bomb
(2) M.I.A. - Paper Planes
(3) LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends
(4) Justice - Phantom Pt. II
(5) Deerhoof - +81
(6) Klaxons - Golden Skans
(7) Arcade Fire - Black Wave/Bad Vibrations
(8) Panda Bear - Comfy In Nautica
(9) Babyshambles - Delivery
(10)Digitalism - I Want I Want
(11)the Go! Team - Fake ID
(12)Cut Copy - Hearts On Fire
(13)the Raveonettes - The Best Dies
(14)New Young Pony Club - Ice Cream
(15)Simian Mobile Disco - Sleep Deprivation
(16)Enon - Dr. Freeze
(17)Hot Chip - Ready For the Floor
(18)Bonde Do Role - Office Boy
(19)No Age - Everybody's Down
(20)Battles - Race In
(21)Animal Collective - For Reverend Green
(22)Calvin Harris - Acceptable In the 80s
(23)Bumblebeez - Dr. Love
(24)Shout Out Louds - Impossible
(25)Arctic Monkeys - Fluorescent Adolescent

Where's Jens? Where's the National? Where's Beirut? Where's a whole slew of people, for that matter?
I just didn't like 'em as much. These twenty-five songs are my favorites, my anthems, my sing-alongs, my recommendations.

More importantly, perhaps, why is "Delivery" in the Top Ten? Why is Cut Copy's single on this, when there's no album to compliment it? And why the heck is Spoon's "You Got Yr Cherry Bomb" #1? I don't really know ... enjoy it for what it is.

This was the year of solid, matured, intriguing comebacks (Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire); the year of New Rave's rise and inevitable, necessary fall (Klaxons); the year that at least some segment of the population learned what good, smart dance music is all about (Simian Mobile Disco); the year we embraced the international music community (Bonde Do Role); the year we finally ironically embraced the irony with which we originally embraced the 1980s (Calvin Harris); they year we finally heard from Cut Copy ... I'd say it was a pretty damn good year.

The twenty-five songs I've listed out seem to me to not only be the catchiest of the lot this year, but also the most significant and important. May we remember them for decades to come.