Top 10 mp3 blogs, in alphabetical order:

• And Before The First Kiss
• All That Ever Mattered
• Filles Sourires
• Heaven is Above Your Head
• I’m Not Always So Stupid
• Indie MP3
• Skatterbrain
• Stereo
• The Blues Are Still Blue
• Tullycraft’s blog

In 2007, I mostly let circumstances decide what I listened too. Circumstances were that I spent more than half my days (and nights) away from home; I don’t think I’ll ever be able to listen to France Gall or Die Fünf Freunde again without being reminded of those long first weeks in Oxfordshire, when I was wondering where life had taken me and what it all was leading to. It was mostly mp3s, downloaded from the aformentioned blogs –and, of course, a dozen others, as well as some great blogs for inspiration– that took me through the nights spent alone. The idea of being unable to listen to new songs when I first saw them being blogged about didn’t sound very exciting, but it worked out well: I never was at a loss of things to listen to really and neither was I really overwhelmed about the amount of things I could have listened to.

I saw seven gigs in 2007 if I counted well –more than in 2006– of which The First Division in Exeter back in April stands out, mostly because it was our gig after all. But the best moment was when Rose Melberg played Cast Away The Clouds, in Oxford in August. In case I’ll reread this in 25 years, when writing my autobiography, I should mention the pretty good perfomances of Sodastream, Electrophönvintage and Los Campesinos! as well.

As for albums, I listened to fewer than in fifteen years. I could probably write a lot of blah blah about why albums are so twentieth century and songs are the new thing, but it just happened to be this way for me, right now. One or two really good songs just was enough, most of the time. I did hear a few good ones though, like Tullycraft, Trembling Blue Stars, A Smile And A Ribbon, Club 8, Eux Autres and that Filles Fragiles compilation. But when I’m 75, and thinking back of the autumn of 2007, I hope I still remember how I completely and utterly fell in love with The Lucksmiths. And that it’ll still mean as much to me.

Music didn’t play as big a role as in my life as it used to, but it still means a whole lot to me. Even more, perhaps.

It’s been a good year.