This blog is technically called Music and Medicine (a line from one of my favorite bands, Neutral Milk Hotel) so once in a while I like to throw down a little music blogging for fun. There were a lot of tracks this year that I loved, but seeing as though it’s very fashionable this time of year to write a Top 10 list, I’ve compiled my favorite songs that came out in 2007. In no particular order, here they are!

1. Chromeo - “Bonafied Lovin’ (Tough Guys)”: My best friend Nick turned me on to this band last summer, and it became my feel-good dancing around album for months. “Bonafied Lovin’” is good track to get you going in the morning.

2. MIKA - “Love Today”: I saw MIKA for the first time at South by Southwest in Austin, and I was blown away by his energy and upbeat songs. This is my favorite track off of the album Life in Cartoon Motion.

3. The Arcade Fire - “Intervention”: Yes, I know that it’s very typical to have The Arcade Fire on a list like this, but c’mon! Neon Bible is an amazing album. A lot of the tracks on this album had a very Bruce Springsteen feel to them, and “Intervention” just takes epic to a new level. See them live. Seriously, do it.

4. Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova - “When Your Mind’s Made Up”: This track from The Swell Season album (also found on the soundtrack to the amazing film Once) blew me away. Most of the accolades have gone to “Falling Slowly,” which was a huge track in the U.K., but this one really sinks in for me.

5. The Mother Hips - “Time We Had”: OK, I’ll admit it: I discovered this band on Rock Band. This group from Chico, CA, has a that great alt-country/folk rock vibe that’s so popular with the kids these days.

6. Kanye West - “Stronger”: I don’t listen to a lot of rap music (judging from this list, that’s painfully apparent) but I do love Graduation. Way to cross genre bridges and bring the people together! Also, Daft Punk sampling is always OK in my book. As Kanye says, “me likey.”

7. The Cinematics - “A Strange Education”: This is one of those songs that I listen to over and over and over until until I realize that Last.fm is recording all of my listens, and that people are going to think there’s something wrong with me (or that I left iTunes in repeat mode by accident).

8. Bat for Lashes - “What’s a Girl to Do?”: This album is dark and cute in all the right places, and this is perfect song to listen to after you dump someone:

We walked arm in arm
But I didn’t feel his touch
A desire I’d first tried to hide,
That tingling inside was gone
And when he asked me:
‘do you still love me?’
I had to look away
I didn’t want to tell him
That my heart grows colder with each day

Ouch!

9. Shout Out Louds - “Tonight I Have To Leave It”: Yes, they kind of sound like The Cure (and maybe even Stellastarr*) but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, right? I only recently discovered this band, and the album has stayed in pretty heavy rotation.

10. Jonathan Coulton - “Still Alive”: The final song from the fantastic video game Portal is the icing on the cake… sorry, it’s obligatory when writing about Portal to make a cake reference. The song perfectly exemplifies the quirkiness and fun of the game, and Coulton is a masterful lyricist.

There you have it! I now return you to your regularly scheduled top 10 list-free viewing. Let me know what you would have put on your list!