SWSL Top 20 Singles Of 2006

Or, rather, not.

You see, the problem is this. I don't listen to radio (not even Radio 6, though I know I should) and no longer read the music press (aside from the occasional copy of Plan B - which I must write about at some point) so I've completely lost touch with the singles charts, and with the concept of singles altogether. Most years I can say I bought a carrier-bag-full of singles, but this year it was little more than a handful.

Even though the internet (and MySpace sites in particular) mean that music is more readily available and easily accessible, even that of relatively obscure bands, I am ashamed to say I make little use of this fantastic resource at my disposal. In the main it's albums I read about online, so it's albums that take my fancy and are subsequently acquired.

All of which means that I don't feel at all qualified to pass serious comment on this year's single releases in the form of a list. This doesn't necessarily signal the end of the SWSL Top 20 Singles - it may be back next year - but, given my listening, reading and purchasing habits are unlikely to change dramatically in 2007, it's a distinct possibility.

Anyway, in lieu of a bona fide list, allow me some brief scattershot reflections on some of those singles I DID hear...

Were I to be persevering with a Top 20, Howling Bells would probably be this year's Arcade Fire, having released a string of consistently excellent singles (including, inevitably, 'Setting Sun' and its massive chorus) - though The Young Knives ran them close. Meanwhile, Graham Coxon's 'Standing On My Own Again' nearly repeated the trick of 2004's 'Freakin Out'.

Straight out of nowhere came Autons' 'Snakes', to which far more people should have been exposed. On the R'n'B front, only Rhiannon's 'SOS' really grabbed me, and that was mainly down to its inventive appropriation of 'Tainted Love'.

Had My Latest Novel's 'Sister Sneaker Sister Soul' been released this year, it would have probably walked it - and had I heard it last year it would certainly have grabbed a spot in the upper echelons of the Top 10.

Of the few 2006 singles to which I was exposed, two stood out.

The first was 'Weekend Without Makeup' from The Long Blondes, which demonstrates perfectly why the fivesome are Sheffield's answer to Franz Ferdinand and Blondie. Strident arty pop infused with sass, style and attitude. Their debut LP Someone To Drive You Home was very unfortunate to miss out on the SWSL Top 10 Albums Of 2006 (coming soon...).

The second was Semifinalists' extraordinary 'Show The Way', its twinkling and sparkling opening passage smashed to smithereens by a riff that appears from nowhere. More on the record on which it appears in the albums run-down...

But if we're talking the SWSL Song Of 2006 (rather than Single Of 2006), then there's only one winner: 'You Me Dancing!' by Los Campesinos!. Essentially their signature tune, this was the song that stirred up a blog frenzy early in the summer. An A&R scrum inevitably followed, the youthful Cardiff troupe eventually signing to Wichita. 'You Me Dancing!' is an unashamedly joyous celebration of legendary local indie disco Twisted By Design. I challenge you to hear it and not grin insanely.

Lest we forget (aka "back when it were all proper lists"...):

2002:
10. THE VON BONDIES - 'It Came From Japan'
9. INTERPOL - 'PDA'
8. THE DATSUNS - 'In Love'
7. THE ICARUS LINE - 'Feed A Cat To Your Cobra'
6. THE CORAL - 'Dreaming Of You'
5. THE WHITE STRIPES - 'Fell In Love With A Girl'
4. YEAH YEAH YEAHS - 'Master' EP
3. THE MARS VOLTA - 'Tremulant' EP
2. QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - 'No One Knows'
1. SUGABABES - 'Freak Like Me'

2003:
20. THE CORAL - 'Pass It On'
19. THE RAPTURE - 'House Of Jealous Lovers'
18. HOT HOT HEAT - 'Bandages'
17. RADIOHEAD - 'There There'
16. FRANZ FERDINAND - 'Darts Of Pleasure'
15. THE FUTUREHEADS - '1 2 3 Nul!' EP
14. THE STROKES - '12:51'
13. YEAH YEAH YEAHS - 'Date With The Night'
12. THE DARKNESS - 'Growing On Me'
11. INTERPOL - 'Say Hello To The Angels' / 'NYC'
10. OUTKAST - 'Hey Ya!'
9. THE WHITE STRIPES - 'Seven Nation Army'
8. MEW - 'Comforting Sounds'
7. JANE'S ADDICTION - 'Just Because'
6. ELECTRIC SIX - 'Gay Bar'
5. THE DELGADOS - 'All You Need Is Hate'
4. MICHAEL ANDREWS AND GARY JULES - 'Mad World'
3. BEYONCE FEAT JAY-Z - 'Crazy In Love'
2. THE RAVEONETTES - 'That Great Love Sound'
1. JOHNNY CASH - 'Hurt'

2004:
20. SCISSOR SISTERS - 'Comfortably Numb'
19. THE FUTUREHEADS - 'Decent Days And Nights'
18. FRANZ FERDINAND - 'Michael'
17. PJ HARVEY - 'The Letter'
16. THE STREETS - 'Blinded By The Lights'
15. THE LIBERTINES - 'Can't Stand Me Now'
14. KELIS - 'Milkshake'
13. NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS - 'Nature Boy'
12. THE FIERY FURNACES - 'Single Again'
11. THE WALKMEN - 'The Rat'
10. THE RADIO DEPT - 'Why Won't You Talk About It?'
9. GRAHAM COXON - 'Freakin Out'
8. RACHEL STEVENS - 'Some Girls'
7. INTERPOL - 'Slow Hands'
6. MORRISSEY - 'First Of The Gang To Die'
5. THE ICARUS LINE - 'Up Against The Wall Motherfuckers'
4. NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS - 'Breathless' / 'There She Goes, My Beautiful World'
3. KELIS - 'Trick Me'
2. BRITNEY SPEARS - 'Toxic'
1. FRANZ FERDINAND - 'Take Me Out'

2005:
20. NINE BLACK ALPS - 'Not Everyone'
19. SIGUR ROS - 'Hoppipolla'
18. EELS - 'Hey Man (Now You're Really Living)'
17. THE RAVEONETTES - 'Love In A Trashcan'
16. BLOC PARTY - 'Two More Years'
15. THE MAGIC NUMBERS - 'Love Me Like You'
14. THE DELGADOS - 'Girls Of Valour'
13. LOW - 'California'
12. MAXIMO PARK - 'Graffiti'
11. FRANZ FERDINAND - 'Do You Want To'
10. GOLDFRAPP - 'Ooh La La'
9. QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE - 'Little Sister'
8. INTERPOL - 'Evil'
7. SUGABABES - 'Push The Button'
6. THE ARCADE FIRE - 'Rebellion (Lies)'
5. MAXIMO PARK - 'Apply Some Pressure'
4. THE ARCADE FIRE - 'Wake Up'
3. THE ARCADE FIRE - 'The Power Out'
2. THE FUTUREHEADS - 'Hounds Of Love'
1. BLOC PARTY - 'So Here We Are'