(Art: J. Di Gioia)

It’s time for another look back at the year that was, this time focusing on the individual songs that peppered the QBiM playlist in 2008, and shake-shake-shimmy-shaked their way into our brains.  Last week’s list of 20 albums was a tough one to put together, and this list was no different.  Although some artists appear on both lists, it’s clear that our favourite songs of 2008 tend to be a bit more conservative than some of our album choices.  It all comes down to the fact that it’s harder to hook your listener with experimentation in a three to four minute song than it is over the course of a whole album.  It also doesn’t hurt that I’m a sucker for a great pop song.

In keeping with something started last year, this year’s favourite songs list is forgoing any real in-depth analysis of what makes the song great in favour of a quick, short six word description that hopefully encapsulates the spirit of song and artist.  So without further ado, here’s QBiM’s 20 favourite (note: favourite, not best) songs of 2008.  As always, your reactions, thoughts and opinions are welcomed in the comments to this post.

Beck “Gamma Ray” from Modern Guilt (Interscope) “Go-go dance and indie rock sandwich” MP3: Beck “Gamma Ray (Jay Reatard version)” Video: Beck “Gamma Ray”

Bloc Party “Ion Square” from Intimacy (Vice/Wichita) “Makes ‘Mercury’ seem like a bad dream” Video: Bloc Party “Ion Square (live at Le Live De La Sema)”

Born Ruffians “Hummingbird” from Red Yellow and Blue (Warp) “Frantic, frenetic, full of pop goodness” MP3: Born Ruffians “Hummingbird” Video: Born Ruffians “Hummingbird”

The Charlatans “Oh! Vanity” from You Cross My Path (self-released) “Indie Godfathers still have the goods.” MP3: The Charlatans “Oh! Vanity” Video: The Charlatans “Oh! Vanity”

Coldplay “Lovers in Japan” from Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends (Parlophone) “Guilty pleasure highlight from over-hyped album?” Video: Coldplay “Lovers In Japan”

Constantines + Feist “Islands in the Stream” from Islands in the Stream 7″ (Arts & Crafts) “Indie and country swap lovers’ spit” Stream: Constantines + Feist “Islands in the Stream”

Crystal Castles “Vanished” from Crystal Castles (Last Gang) “Pure electro-pop brings life to death”

Cut Copy “Hearts On Fire” from In Ghost Colours (Modular) “Classic electro-pop for a new generation” MP3: Cut Copy “Hearts On Fire” Video: Cut Copy “Hearts On Fire”

Luke Doucet and the White Falcon “The Comandante” from Blood’s Too Rich (Six Shooter) “Horns from heaven signal rising star” Video: Luke Doucet “The Comandante (live at the Starlight)”

Elbow “One Day Like This” from The Seldom Seen Kid (Geffen) “Lighters aloft anthem dispels the darkness” Video: Elbow “One Day Like This”

The Futureheads “The Beginning of the Twist” from This is Not the World (Nul) “Post punk power pop pulverizes peers” Video: The Futureheads “The Beginning of the Twist”

Goldfrapp “A&E” from Seventh Tree (Mute) “Downtempo techno gets pastoral and pretty” Video: Goldfrapp “A&E”

James “Waterfall” from Hey Ma (Mercury) “Can’t kep the old masters down” Video: James “Waterfall (live on Later with Jools Hooland)”“

M83 “Graveyard Girl” from Saturdays=Youth (Mute) “What Smiths on ecstasy sound like” Video: M83 “Graveyard Girl”

Moscow Olympics “Second Trace” from Cut The World (Lavender) “New shoegaze order buzzes with delight” MP3: Moscow Olympics “Second Trace” Video: Moscow Olympics “Second Trace (fan-made)”

Sigur Rós “Inní mér syngur vitleysingur” from Me∂ su∂ í eyrum vi∂ spilum endalaust (XL) “Arctic pop alchemy transcending language barriers” Video: Sigur Rós “Inní mér syngur vitleysingur”

Sons & Daughters “Gilt Complex” from This Gift (Domino) “Dirty sexy gritty pop ditty heaven” Video: Sons & Daughters “Gilt Complex”

The Stills “Being Here” from Oceans Will Rise (Arts & Crafts) “Rock poses mixed with smart pop” MP3: The Stills “Being Here” Video: The Stills “Being Here”

Tokyo Police Club “Tessellate” from Modern Elephant Shell (Saddle Creek) “Short, sharp, sticky, sweet clap-along” Video: Tokyo Police Club “Tessellate”

The Wedding Present “Spider-Man on Hollywood” from El Rey (Manifesto) “Hell, why fix what isn’t broken?” Video: The Wedding Present “Spider-Man on Hollywood”