So I've come up with a list of my favourite singles of the year. Despite it being my game, I'm still confused by the rules – but I think that all of these have been released in the UK as singles. Clearly this rule eliminates a lot of my favourite songs of the year – album tracks like Sigur Ros's peerless Ára bátur and obviously a load of the year's Icelandic output is also ruled out like Sprengjuhöllin's brilliant brilliant brilliant Konkordia. At the same time of course, it saves me from even trickier decision making.
So, for what it's worth here's my list of 50 awesome UK singles from 2008, in reverse order to raise the tension…!
50 The B-52's – Funplex
49 Alphabeat – Fascination
48 Scouting for Girls – Heartbeat
47 Does It Offend You, Yeah? – Epic Last Song
46 Biffy Clyro – Mountains
45 R.E.M. – Supernatural Superserious
44 Hot Chip – Ready for the Floor
43 Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip – Letter To God From Man
42 Angels & Airwaves – Secret Crowds
41 Portishead – Machine Gun
40 Los Campesinos! – Death to Los Campesinos!
39 Dizzee Rascal – Dance Wiv Me (feat. Calvin Harris & Chrome)
38 The Jesse Rose Trip – Forever and a Day
37 James – Waterfall
36 Black Kids – Look At Me (When I Rock Wichoo)
35 Vampire Weekend – One (Blake's Got A New Face)
34 Sons and Daughters – Darling
33 Ida Maria – Oh My God
32 Björk – The Dull Flame Of Desire
31 The Verve – Love Is Noise
30 Bloc Party – Talons
29 Friendly Fires – Jump In the Pool
28 Chairlift – Bruises
27 Little Boots – Meddle
26 Keane – Spiralling
25 The Teenagers – Love No
24 MGMT – Time To Pretend
23 Los Campesinos! – My Year In Lists
22 Weezer – Pork and Beans
21 Estelle – American Boy
20 Johnny Foreigner – Eyes Wide Terrified
19 Bloc Party – Mercury
18 Black Kids – Hurricane Jane
17 Björk – Declare Independence
16 The Killers – Human
15 Ladyhawke – Paris Is Burning
14 Kanye West – Homecoming
13 Kings Of Leon – Sex On Fire
12 The Gaslight Anthem – Old White Lincoln
11 Coldplay – Viva La Vida
10 Black Kids – I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You
9 Akala – Comedy Tragedy History
8 Vampire Weekend – Oxford Comma
7 Late of the Pier – Heartbeat (Cenzo Townshend Version)
6 MGMT – Kids
5 Santogold – L.E.S. Artistes
4 M.I.A. – Paper Planes
3 Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly – Find the Time
2 Kings Of Leon – Use Somebody
1 Sigur Rós – Inní mér syngur vitleysingur
Yeah yeah, some of them ain't great (hello Scouting For Girls) but they've all got into my head and made some sort of impression, and that's what you want from a proper good single. Of course, I've changed my mind already about the list and it's order, but that's the way with these things. Don't judge me. And Happy Christmas!