Everyone has a list of their top songs for the year, and like all lists, there’s always something to question about it. How can an emo song even make it to someone’s top 10? Can an electronically distorted tune be even considered music and thus be part a list of songs? Why the hell would anyone include a song by a band that could call themselves Cueshé in any positive list? And so I’m coming up with my own countdown, something no one can nitpick: in_sneaker’s Top 15 Songs That Made Me Happy This 2006—because for obvious reasons, it is only I who could know which tracks (not necessarily current) made me feel good while listening to them this year.

15. Beautiful Dreamer by Mates of State – The (two-person) band and one of its songs that made me rekindle my fondness for bands with female vocalists. Yes, I’m not too keen on girl bands. Don’t ask. Just listen and be happy.

14. Take Your Carriage Clock and Shove It by Belle and Sebastian – I love this song because of the virtually sad sound of strings. And that’s more than enough for me.

13. The Funeral by Band of Horses – Never mind that it starts almost real slow, but I love it when they go “wooooh” and that part towards the end (4.31) when the guitars and drums play at full volume and you can feel that the guitarist and the drummer’s really giving it their all. I was so delighted when I saw them on Letterman (playing this song!) on one of the rare instances that I chanced upon the show.

The rest of the list here!