April 20: Year-End Countdown

1. (25) Snatches of Pink - Ones With the Black - Send in the Clowns 1987
2. (21) R.E.M. - These Days - Lifes Rich Pageant 1986
3. (19) The Fall - Pacifying Joint - Fall Heads Roll 2005
4. (13) Liliput - A silver key can open an iron lock somewhere - Some Songs 1983
5. (13) The Cure - In Between Days - The Head on the Door 1985
6. (12) Depeche Mode - A Question of Time - Black Celebration 1984
7. (12) Bad Religion - Automatic Man - No Control 1989
8. (12) Guided by Voices - A Visit to the Creep Doctor - Sandbox 1987
9. (11) Throwing Muses - Cry Baby Cry - Chains Changed EP 1987
10. (11) Volcano Suns - Soft Hit - Thing of Beauty 1989
11. (10) XTC - All You Pretty Girls - The Big Express 1984
12. (9) X - Burning House of Love - Ain't Love Grand 1985
13. (9) They Might Be Giants - Shoehorn With Teeth - Lincoln 1988
14. (9) Pixies - Levitate Me - Come on Pilgrim EP 1987
15. (9) Soft Boys - I Wanna Destroy You - Underwater Moonlight 1980
16. (8) Dead Milkmen - Violent School - Big Lizard in My Back Yard 1985
17. (8) Martha and the Muffins - Boys in the Bushes - Danseparc 1983
18. (8) Blake Babies - Loose - Earwig 1989
19. (7) Echo and the Bunnymen - The Cutter - Ocean Rain 1983
20. (7) Big Black - Kerosene - Atomizer 1986
21. (7) Big Dipper - Hey! Mr. Lincoln - Craps 1988
22. (7) The Clash - Guns on the Roof - Give 'em Enough Rope 1978
23. (7) Naked Raygun - Rat Patrol - Throb Throb 1985
24. (6) Mission of Burma - That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate - Vs. 1982
25. (6) Camper Van Beethoven - O Death - Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart 1988
26. (6) Love and Rockets - Mirror People - Earth Sun Moon 1987
27. (6) Pop Art - Really Blind Faith - Long Walk to Nowhere 1986
28. (6) Cindy Lee Berryhill - Whatever Works - Who's Gonna Save the World? 1987

Using the magic of Microsoft Word, and the lesser magic of Microsoft Excel, I made a spreadsheet of all 798 songs played in all 28 shows this year, organized by artist. There were 31 played more than 5 times, and I devoted this week's show to a reverse countdown, starting with the band played the most often (because they were played at the beginning of every show, unless the turntables were down). All songs I'd heard or played before, all songs proven to be the best available, for the last show of the semester.

Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of times played this year (starting August 29, 2005). Most were tied.

Also tied for 24th were the Blue Aeroplanes, Gruppo Sportivo, and King Missile, whom I deemed slightly less worthy.