Some people look back on past years with newspapers, photographs, Super Bowls, trophies, and bank statements. But songs are my memories; and this best-of playlist is how I will refer to 2008 (minus all those Katy Perry hits...). It was a dreadful time to make money off selling music, but a profoundly exciting time to be a fan of music. Look around, there are lots of lights shining if you look down the right alleyways. Here are 100 signs of proof, all of which I am particularly sure will glow on in my head for years more to come. If these songs are any indication, the future is a bright one. Hope you got sunglasses for it.

1. The Gaslight Anthem - '59 Sound
2. Ben Sollee - A Change Is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke cover)
3. The Fireman - Sing The Changes
4. Bon Iver - Flume (Daytrotter Sessions version)
5. Radiohead - Reckoner
6. AC/DC - Runaway Train
7. Death Cab For Cutie - Grapevine Fires
8. Coldplay - Lost!
9. Bob Dylan - Someday Baby (Alt version from Bootleg Series Vol. 8)
10. M83 - Kim & Jessie
11. JJ Grey & Mofro - Everything Good Is Bad
12. Glassjaw - You Think You're F!cking John Lennon
13. Sam Sparro - Black & Gold
14. Republic Tigers - Buildings & Mountains
15. My Morning Jacket - Touch Me Or I'm Going To Scream Part II
16. Oasis - Shock of the Lightning
17. Kings of Leon - Sex On Fire
18. Dustin Kensrue - Fairytale of New York (The Pogues cover)
19. Wilco & Fleet Foxes - I Shall Be Released (The Band cover, live performance)
20. John Mayer - Freefallin' (Tom Petty cover, live acoustic performance)
21. Bon Iver - Re: Stacks
22. Weezer - Pork & Beans
23. Conor Oberst - Moab
24. Guns 'N Roses - If The World
25. Fleet Foxes - Oliver James
26. Kanye West - Love Lockdown
27. Ryan Adams - Times Like These (Foo Fighters cover, live acoustic performance)
28. Thrice - Come All You Weary
29. The Heavy - Dignity
30. Kaiser Chiefs - Never Miss A Beat
31. The Roots feat. Wale & Chrisette Michele - Rising Up
32. Rise Against - Hero Of War
33. Good Old War - Tell Me
34. Pop Levi - Dita Dimone
35. Northstar - Chesterfield King (Jawbreaker cover)
36. One Day As A Lion - One Day As A Lion
37. Colour Revolt - What Will Come Of Us
38. Ben Sollee & Jim James - Only A Song
39. Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
40. Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
41. Cold War Kids - Something Is Not Right With Me
42. David Byrne & Brian Eno - I Feel My Stuff
43. The Decemberists - Raincoat Song
44. Dead Confederates - The Rat
45. Sun Kil Moon - Lost Verses
46. Nada Surf - Beautiful Beat
47. Butch Walker - Going Back/Going Home
48. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
49. Cat Power - It Ain't Fair (Aretha Franklin cover)
50. The Airbourne Toxic Event - Sometime Around Midnight
51. The Killers - This Is Your Life
52. She & Him - You Really Got A Hold On Me (The Miracles cover)
53. Kings Of Leon - Cold Desert
54. The Raconteurs - Salute Your Salution
55. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cobwebs
56. LCD Soundsystem - Big Ideas
57. Busta Rhymes - Don't Touch Me (Throw Da Water On 'Em)
58. Magnetic Fields - Drive On, Driver
59. Mugison - Jesus Is A Good Name To Moan
60. War On Drugs - Arms Like Boulders
61. Coldplay - Death Will Never Conquer (Live from Brixton Academy)
62. The Academy Is... - About A Girl
63. Miniature Tigers - Cannibal Queen
64. Mobius Band - I'll Keep It With Mine (Bob Dylan cover)
65. Monahans - I Run To You
66. Fratellis - A Heady Tale
67. Vampire Weekend - A-Punk
68. Santogold - L.E.S. Artist
69. Otis Redding - I've Been Loving You Too Long (Live in Paris)
70. The Black Keys - Lies
71. The Postelles - Stella
72. Santogold & Diplo - Icarus
73. Colour Revolt - Moses of the South (Daytrotter Session)
74. Cat Power - New York (cover)
75. John Mayer - Gravity (Live from Where The Light Is)
76. Rihanna - Disturbia
77. The Raveonettes - Aly, Walk With Me
78. Mercury Rev - Senses On Fire
79. The Rapture - No Sex For Ben
80. Twin Cats - The River
81. Tom Gabel - Random Hearts
82. Ben Folds - The Bitch Went Nuts (fake leak version)
83. Black Diamond Heavies - Smoothe It Out
84. Elliott Brood - Miss You Now
85. Fall Out Boy - What A Catch, Donnie
86. United Nations - Say Goodbye To General Figment Of The USS Imagination
87. Jenny Lewis - The Next Messiah
88. Estelle feat. Kanye West - American Boy
89. Jakob Dylan - Evil Is Alive And Well
90. Panic At The Disco - Nine In The Afternoon
91. Air Traffic - Come On
92. REM - Living Well Is The Best Revenge
93. Murder By Death - Fuego!
94. The Subways - Alright
95. The Ting Tings - Shut Up And Let Me Go
96. Story Of The Year - Welcome to Our New War
97. The Kooks - One Last Time
98. Minus The Bear - Ice Monster (acoustic)
99. InnerPartySystem - Last Night In Brooklyn
100. Shiny Toy Guns - Richochet

You can find many of these songs for sampling or purchasing at:
Hype Machine / eMusic / Amazon