So…2011. What was that all about? Here’s the songs that wormed their way into earworm‘s ears this year. Which songs soundtracked your year?

10.  Beady Eye – Bring The Light
Goodness gracious! It’s a Jerry Lee Lewis rip-off from ex-Oasis singer Liam Gallagher’s new band. Oasis were never original either and this belter is still better than anything on older brother Noel’s boring sedate first solo album. The perfect getting ready to go out for a night on the town (and tiles) song.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfdYY1Iundo[/youtube]

9.  Gotye featuring Kimba – Somebody That I Used To Know 
The all-conquering Australian song of the year. Sure we’re all a little over it now but it’ll be fondly replayed in years to come. A classic already.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY[/youtube]

8.  Death Cab For Cutie – You Are A Tourist
For all those who found themselves to be the villain in the story they have written in 2011. Here’s to some redemption in 2012.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkk5wViJo-I[/youtube]

7.  Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris – We Found Love
Undeniable pop brilliance. Now…get orrrrf my land….!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg00YEETFzg&ob=av2e[/youtube]

6.  The Black Keys – Lonely Boy
The sound of the summer? Got them start-stop-start garage rock blues. Again.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD64ruAb8vs[/youtube]

5.  S.C.U.M. – Whitechapel
Sure, S.C.U.M.’s debut album was a disappointment but stand-out track Whitechapel‘s drums and bass-driven thumping gloom-laden yet uplifting majesty was magnificient.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa5zL8Rzlrw[/youtube]

4.  Real Estate – It’s Real
A shimmering slice of lilting guitar indie pop. The kind of the thing The Shins at their best also do so well. It’s real.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HWcViTXdYc&ob=av3e[/youtube]

3.  Black Lips – Modern Art
With The Hives on hiatus it was left to the Black Lips to fly the garage rock freak flag in 2011. And they did.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChuYpoajar0[/youtube]

2.  PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
The title track of PJ Harvey’s Mercury Prize winning album. A song about wartime deaths has never sounded so…jaunty. This live version debuted to an audience of then British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in 2010 is also glorious.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tFBo1QunlA&ob=av2n[/youtube]

1.  The Horrors – Still Life
Let’s party like it’s – um – 1983. The Horrors are a throwback to all those English goth(y) bands – think The Cure and Depeche Mode – that bizarrely ended up conquering the USA via their songs being included on John Hughes movie soundtracks. Still Life soars and ebbs in all the right places. Back to the future.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJQk0jDZx8o&ob=av2e[/youtube]