A3 Music News

It's a very weird thing to be interviewing your mate. I don't like it really, we always get sidetracked. However, I have been following Fred's Bogeye "stuff" for a while and it has never really made sense to me.

So we’re at the very beginning of our new year, 2013, so I think it’s important to look back on what turned out to be such an exciting year (for me) in terms of Indie music.

Someone wrote on Facebook last night – The Internet killed HMV. This is factually as incorrect as saying guns kill people. WE, the people killed HMV, albeit in a series of unconscious but related acts.

Once again Summer is around the corner and with it comes a veritable feast of musical entertainment. In Kent we are rather spoilt to have a huge variety to choose from which caters to (nearly) every budget. Whether you are into pop, rock or even metal Kent has something for everyone!

2011 has proved an interesting year for music, often dividing critics and fans alike in their search for aural excellence. Throughout the last twelve months individuals have approached the year from completely conflicting angles; some claiming that 2011 has given us a selection of the best music across the board, while others arguing that the year has fallen flat compared to album releases in recent memory.

Here at A3 Music we believe that it is not really possible for a “bad year in music” to exist. For every REBECCA BLACK there has been a NICKI MINAJ, and for every HEART2HEART there has been a BON IVER or JAMES BLAKE or GIRLS... The list goes on. As a side-note, for those of you who may be unsure as to who exactly HEART2HEART are, we would urge you to type their “inspired” name into a well known video search website and experience the outcome for yourselves. With songs like ‘Facebook Official’ looming around the internet, it doesn’t half put the rest of the year’s music into perspective.

The following is a rundown of the 50 best songs of the year according to one music journalist at A3 Music. In order to be eligible for the list, these tracks were released either as a single or an album track (digital or hardcopy) in the last twelve months. The list covers a wide range of musical genres, helping to further indicate the wealth of quality bands putting their art into print throughout 2011. Running through these tracks also provides a handy way of looking back at some of the festival highlights, touring lowlights and albums that should not have been overlooked. Sit back, relax (but not too much; bear in mind you will have to read), and enjoy our look back through twelve months of exciting music. You will also find a handy Spotify playlist of 48 of the 50 songs here, should you wish it to accompany your reading: A3 Online Best of 2011.