These songs should be on your 2008 playlist

"W e're no strangers to love/You know the rules and so do I/A full commit-ment's what I'm thinking of/You wouldn't get this from any other guy/ I just want to tell you how I'm feeling/Gotta make you understand/Never gonna give you up/Never gonna let you down…"

Oh, c'mon… no serious 2008 end-of-the-year music article would be complete without some Rickrolling. You know what I'm talking about—that Internet fad where you click a link expecting to find that long-rumored Michelle Obama "I hate whitey" video or some other unbelievable clip—and instead get Rick Astley's 1987 hit "Never Gonna Give You Up." Jon Stewart, Carson Daly, even the New York Mets were all Rickrolled in 2008. Astley even showed up to Rickroll the Macy's Day Parade last month.

That's it. There's no better choice for "Song of the Year" than "Never Gonna Give You Up."

So let's move on to the songs that actually came out this year and make a playlist. As I've done the past two years, I've compiled a mix of 15 of my favorite songs of the year, arranged in an unranked mix-tape order for your maximum listening pleasure.

There are three piano ballads on this playlist, and a severe lack of hip-hop (Lil' Wayne? Robo-Kanye? Pass.) but hey, it's my list.

1. The Mountain Goats, "Sax Rohmer #1." John Darnielle does his damndest to place the listener smack in the middle of a Sax Rohmer—you know, the dude who created "Fu Manchu"—pulp novel. Chinese spies, fog-filled harbors, capsized ships, it's all there. The song builds on a simple acoustic melody, hinting at greater things to come (really, what better way to kick off any playlist?). The pay off is Darnielle's furious hook, really about the pro-tagonist getting home to a loved one, "if it's the last thing that I do."

2. The Gaslight Anthem, "Great Expectations." Remember when Bruce Springsteen kicked off "Thunder Road"—easily my favorite Boss track—with a girl named Mary dancing to the radio? "Great Expectations" may as well be the punk rock sequel, opening with lead singer Brian Fallon complaining "Mary the station is playing every sad song." "Great Expectations" might not have "Thunder Road's" lyrical scope, but it's nearly as powerful. Besides, that's what's so wonderful about Jersey-based The Gaslight Anthem. They're not afraid to wear their influences as tattoo sleeves, from Bruce to Tom Petty and the best of Garden State punk.

3. We Are Scientists, "After Hours." The title's a reference to the 1985 all-night Martin Scorsese flick; this song was featured in this year's indie-rock version of said movie, "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist." I didn't bother to see "Nick and Norah." This song tells me everything I need to know: it's an all night adventure of living in the moment. The rounds keep coming, "time means nothing" and the possi-bility (probability?) of love is in the air.

4. Beyoncé, "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)." Am I even allowed to like this song? Because I do and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I could write that I'm including this because I fell over laughing at the homoerotic Justin Timberlake/Paul Rudd send-up of this track on Saturday Night Live. But that's only partially true—I liked this song before that, and I'm not even an R&B fan. The beat's infectious, the hook's solid and Beyoncé (or are we supposed to call her Sasha Fierce now?) sounds great.

5. Vampire Weekend, "A Punk." Peel away all the hype and Vampire Week-end's eponymous debut sounds like a bunch of Ivy League grads trying to impress their sociology professor. That's not to begrudge this former-Columbia University quartet—their album is a solid first effort with a couple moments of brilliance, including this number. "A Punk" is a detached break up song, a short blast of Afro-pop, clocking in at just over two minutes. Hit repeat—go back and catch all the textured instruments and lyrics you missed the first time around.

6. The Hold Steady, "Sequestered in Memphis." Craig Finn's a storyteller, not a singer. Factor in a group of accomplished, riff-happy musicians, The Hold Steady have been called "the best band in America." "Sequestered in Memphis" follows a guy on trial after a bar room bathroom tryst. This isn't a paint-by-numbers John Grisham tale. Finn peppers the story with dialog ("She said 'I know I look tired/but every-thing's fried here in Memphis'") and observation ("In bar light she looked all right/In daylight she looked desperate/that's all right I looked desperate too"), all building toward an arena-ready, sing-along chorus. Seriously.

7. Ben Folds, "Cologne." 2008's "Way To Normal" was billed as a return to form for the wise-cracking piano man after 2005's sad sack "Songs For Silverman." The joke's on us: as great as some of "Normal's" rockers may be ("Effington" was a runner up for this slot), the best track is a break-up ballad. "Cologne" displays Folds' knack for simplicity and emotional under-statement. It's about letting someone go, not wanting to get off the phone (counting down "4, 3, 2, 1" and hanging up together), or just imagining a discussion about a news item, a discussion thrice-divorced Folds knows he can't have. Factor in layers of multiple pianos and some clever string work on the piano's interior (see if you can track down the alternate take for the outro with the choir) and you've got a song that stands among Folds' best.

8. The Decemberists, "Valerie Plame." The first of six digital singles released as a stopgap before 2009's rock opera "Hazards of Love," "Valerie Plame" is exactly what it sounds like: an ode to the outed CIA agent. Forget the "Hey Jude"-cribbed outro and focus on what works: "Valerie Plame" is a silly love song with a strong hook, "Valerie Plame/If that really is your name/I would shout the same/to the world." It's also got everything you'd want in a good Decemberists song: lyrical wit, tight arrangements and a playful knowledge of history.

9. Dodos, "Fools." I like the idea of freak-rock in theory, but I can't bring myself to listen to bands like Animal Collective without getting bored. Dodos edit out the meandering excesses, putting the songwriting front and center, while still giving into their indulgences from time to time. That's what I love about "Fools," probably my favorite song of the year: Logan Kroeber and Meric Long play fast and loose, but never forget the power of a hook or melody. It's subdued, infectious and best of all, instantly accessible.

10. Tilly and the Wall, "Beat Control." This song, a big departure for Omaha-based tap-dancing pop rockers Tilly and the Wall, left me cold at first. Remember when Eminem threw all his hard-earned cred out the window with the silly dance single "Just Lose It?" That's "Beat Control," a straight-up dance number with nonsense lyrics like, "Let that beat control your body baby." But here's the thing: After a disap-pointed first listen, I found myself going back for more. Soaring harmonies, a solid (if stupid) hook, my relationship with "Beat Control" went from hate, to guilty pleasure to love. "Beat Control" was left off Tilly's 2008 album. I understand the omission, but in hindsight, sometimes a departure works better than formula.

11. Noah and the Whale, "5 Years Time." News & Messenger editor Katie Dolac might have an ulcer if I leave this song off the playlist. I'll oblige—you'd have to be pretty heartless to hate this song, even if you can't stand to see Noah and the Whale shil-ling for Saturn. Forget that, forget the whistling and ukulele, just focus on the story, a guy having "fun, fun, fun" in a relationship, speculating where he'll be in "Five Years Time." Noah and the Whale might sound a bit too whimsical, but there's nothing wrong with wishing your song was a Wes Anderson movie.

12. Parts & Labor, "Nowheres Nigh." Buried beneath the distortion and guitar textures is a gem of a song. Remember how I can't get into some of the excesses of freak rock? Same thing for noise rock. (Have you heard the latest incarnation of The Smashing Pumpkins? Yeesh.) But like Dodos, Parts & Labor understand the importance of a melody. "Nowheres Nigh" is an anthem in the best sense of the term. It's not as obtuse as some other recent Parts & Labor tracks, playing a bit like a jacked-up version of R.E.M. I almost wish Michael Stipe would scrape away all the distortion and noise and do his thing on this song—but the good news is this is a great song, easy enough to enjoy on its own terms.

13. Jack's Mannequin, "Caves." It took a while for Jack's Manne-quin's latest, "The Glass Passenger," to grow on me. It's a challenging, mature album from Andrew McMahon, a guy best known for his previous band, Something Corpo-rate. But "The Glass Passenger" isn't exactly a picnic, detailing McMa-hon's struggle with leukemia. "Caves" is as close as McMahon gets to spelling out exactly what it's like to have needles in his body and doctors telling him he might die. It's also an eight-minute epic, starting with a simple piano melody, building to an angry, passionate declaration for life. Pretty heady stuff for a guy who just turned 26.

14. Amanda Palmer, "The Point Of It All." I'm not entirely sure what this song is about. A drug-addict friend? An Alzheimer's patient? Palmer's solo outing isn't for everyone (then again, neither is her day job with The Dresden Dolls), but even if you don't care for her gothic cabaret theatrics, "The Point Of It All" is about as captivating as a piano ballad can be. It's gorgeous, it's haunting. Like The Dresden Doll's best work, you'll stop whatever you're doing and listen.

15. Counting Crows, "Come Around." Counting Crows front man hasn't found closure as this song ends his high concept "Saturday Nights, Sunday Mornings." His girl dumped him, but he seems to understand it's for the best. He can finally move on with his life. Then again, he might be singing to his band and fans. Either way, it's probably the most hopeful break-up song I've ever heard. I can't think of a better note with which to end a year—and start a new one.

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