Best songs of the 2000's

20.Jenny Lewis-Rabbit Fur Coat
A simple folk song with some great imagery.

19.Josh Ritter-Here At The Right Time
The rare Josh Ritter song that is pretty light on the metaphors, this piano ballad is one of the more honest songs I've ever heard.

18.My Morning Jacket-Dondante
The beginning of this song always has me picturing a scene of a movie where some kind of forbidden seduction is somehow involved. It's mysterious, sensual, and seems a little creepy.

17.Rocky Votolato-Makers
Such warm music, such pessimistic lyrics. Such a good combination.

16.The National-Green Gloves
A simply beautiful song that keeps with The National's tradition of seeming low key while doing things that most other bands could only dream of.

15.Pedro The Lion-Options
Never before had I heard such brutal honesty from a lyricist. When he sings "So I told her I loved her and she told me she loved me and I mostly believed her and she mostly believed me", it makes me want to cry. Every damn time.

14.The Honorary Title-Dilute
Just a simple acoustic number featuring great vocals.

13.Great Lake Swimmers-Stealing Tomorrow
An exercise in minimalism musically, but really hefty in terms of emotional substance.

12.Coldplay-We Never Change
For some reason, this song really epitomizes my perceptions of England. Not really sure why, but I think of all the cliche English things when I hear this song. Basically, it makes me feel like I'm walking down a foggy town street with thatched cottages all around.

11.The Postal Service-Nothing Better
More of a play script than song lyrics, this song kicks my butt every time I hear it.

10.Ben Kweller-Lizzy
Such a simple song with some really nice guitar playing. It's a straight forward love song that doesn't make me want to throw up.

9.Ryan Adams-Oh My Sweet Carolina
A fairly straight-forward country song featuring none other than Emmylou Harris. She hasn't sounded this good since she was singing with Gram Parsons. Actually, I think she even sounds a little better singing with Ryan. Sorry Gram.

8.Feist-Now At Last
Proof that I'm a major sucker for old-fashioned sounding ballads that sound like they come from another era. This song would have been right at home on the "When Harry Met Sally" soundtrack, right along Harry Connick Jr. playing old jazz tunes.

7.Iron And Wine-Resurrection Fern
Sam Beam was born to write songs like this. This is the type of song that guys put on their mixed tapes when they're trying to show the recipient that they can be "sensitive".

6.The Shins-New Slang
No, it didn't change my life. Yes, I really like it.

5.The Decemberists-Grace Cathedral Hill
This song has some major sentimental value for me, as I went on a second honeymoon of sorts to San Francisco earlier this year, and visited many of the areas mentioned in the song. Oh, and it's a good song too.

4.Wilco-Reservations
A perfect way to wrap up a perfect album (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot). The refrain "I have reservations about so many things, but not about you", is so simple, yet sung with such conviction, it's impossible not to believe the words.

3.Bright Eyes-Lua
Conor Oberst has written many amazing songs, but I think this one perfectly captures a feeling of loneliness and isolation.

2.Straylight Run-Buttoned Down
Nick Hornby once described a certain song as something that could make him believe in a higher power. I think this song gives me insight into what he might mean by that.

1.Radiohead-How To Disappear Completely
This song has been destined to be top on this list since I first heard it during my senior year of high school. It floats by like an iceburg, and appropriately, I think it's impossible to feel warm while listening to it.