!!!: When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Karazzee The perfect complement to “Me & Giuliani”. The pause in the middle before the breakdown slays me every time.

Air: Universal Traveler. Gorgeous. Just gorgeous. Oh, I’m sorry; did I just soak you with my copious tears?

Ambulance Ltd: Primitive (The Way I Treat You) Not my favorite song on their album, but an obvious first single. Well done, fellows.

Annie: Heartbeat What is it about Nordic musicians that they could fart and it would sound gorgeous? [For the record, I listed this before I read Pitchfork's list and saw it at #1. How many Hipster Cool points do I get for that?]

David Byrne: Tiny Apocalypse Grown Backwards was a sprawling, uneven and at times irritating album, but it did offer a few diamonds in the rough. This is the by far the shiniest diamond, and it’s damn near blinding.

Cardigans: For What It’s Worth An improbably sad song from an improbably sad album from a famously upbeat band.

Channels: To Mt. Wilson From The Magpie Cage Holy fuck. That’s all.

cLOUDDEAD: Pop Song No song was better at giving me a dose of perspective during my morning commute, staring at the comatose faces of my fellow travelers.

Cornershop: Topknot Infectious, irresistable, indecipherable: all the things for which we’ve come to love these guys. Now where’s the full-length?

Elbow: Fugitive Motel I loved the shit out of every song on Cast Of Thousands, but I guess if I had to pick an actual released single, it would be this one.

Fennesz: Transit Bonus points for featuring David Sylvian.

Iron & Wine: Naked As We Came Another song about death. That’s just great.

Junior Boys: Bellona Another group I probably would have discovered sooner if I still frequented gay clubs.

Lamb: Angelica A trip-hop version reworking of “Claire de Lune” is so obvious, I’m surprised no one did it sooner. But I still fell for it.

M.I.A./Diplo: Galang Um, mash-up! Uh, crunk! Eski! Grimecore! See? I’m hip! I’m with it!

Macha: Smash & Grab Thank god Macha came back. I was worried.

Travis Morrison: Represent I know, I know. Still, though.

Mouse On Mars: Mine Is In Yours Who knew that, by creating a concise album with pop-song structures and lyrics and titles with real English words, Mouse On Mars would break through in the U.S.? I did. I knew that.

RJD2: Through The Walls The 20-year anniversary of a year as musically seminal as 1984 means that it’s now critically acceptable, and in fact right honorable, to re-appropriate 80s music. And if you team up with Ric Ocasek, I think there’s a medal in it for you.

Jürgen Paape: So Weit Wie Noch Nie I’m not sure this is a 2004 release, but it got more exposure this year when Erlend Øye featured it on his DJ Kicks album. Plus, it’s delicious. Those Germans really do everything better, eventually.

The Scissor Sisters: Mary Yeah, I know I’ve been pimping them pretty hard lately, so I’ll back off. SCISSOR SISTERS 2004! YEAH!

The Streets: Blinded By The Light It was tough, wading through this year’s sea of singles from hip-hop/garage concept albums by white British guys. Somehow, I managed to find my favorite.

Sufjan Stevens: Sister If you listen to one Christian-folk troubador from Detroit this year, make it Sufjan Stevens.

Superpitcher: The Long Way Try listening to this song while walking home late one summer night, then get back to me.

Tears For Fears: Everybody Loves A Happy Ending Still got it!

Tortoise: It’s All Around You Try listening to this song while walking along North Ave Beach on a chilly Sunday afternoon in April, then get back to me.

TV On The Radio: Dreams You could’ve thrown a dart at the Young Liars map and hit my favorite TVotR song. Unfortunately, that EP was released last year. Fortunately, the same is true of DYBB.

John Vanderslice: Heated Pool And Bar If you listen to one upbeat song this year about torturing prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, make it this one.

Rufus Wainwright: Old Whore’s Diet Too long and too weird to really be considered a single. I don’t care. Fuck off.