Our favourite songs. One per year.

Side A
(curated by Jon)

9. T.I. – "Whatever You Like"

The genius of "Whatever You Like" is that it is a parody of itself. Whether T.I. is in on the joke or the joke is on him, however, is unclear.

For a conciliatory love song, the lyrics are hyper unromantic —

I want your body / Need your body

Brain so good coulda swore you went to college

The thang get so wet / It hit so right
Let me put this big boy in your life

— but he sings them earnestly.

Similarly, the video blends sweet moments between him and his girl with tacky conceptions of romantic gestures, like

paying for a diamond necklace by emptying a bag full of cash on a jeweler's desk

and surprising an inamorata with a Bentley wrapped with a giant bow.

T.I. is either Andy Kaufman or Truman Burbank.

Side B
(curated by DJ Ben)

9. MGMT – "Time to Pretend"

Even though it came out in 2006, it was officially released in 2008. Whatever.

No album has grown on me like Oracular Spectacular, which culminated in seeing MGMT at Bonnaroo in 2009 and my mind being blown. "Time to Pretend" is a nearly perfect pop song, and I can't wait for their next album.

Jon: I'm partial to "Kids."

Side A
1. Radiohead – "The National Anthem"
2. Finch – "What It Is to Burn (Demo)"
3. Spoon – "Stay Don't Go"
4. The Mars Volta – "Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt"
5. Ratatat – "Seventeen Years"
6. The Mountain Goats – "This Year"
7. DragonForce – "Through the Fire and Flames"
8. Frank Turner – "The Real Damage"
9. T.I. – "Whatever You Like"
10. 2009

Side B
1. Outkast – "B.O.B."
2. Gob – "I Hear You Calling"
3. Justin Timberlake – "Cry Me a River"
4. The White Stripes – "Seven Nation Army"
5. Franz Ferdinand – "Take Me Out"
6. R. Kelly – "Trapped in the Closet"
7. TV on the Radio – "Wolf Like Me"
8. UGK feat. Outkast – "Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)"
9. MGMT – "Time to Pretend"
10. 2009

Our songs of the year will be revealed next week, along with our annual mixtape.

#decademixtape