Great list Steve! And great write-ups on each one - that's harder to do than most would guess. Glad you went with VW at #1. It may not be the most original #1 pick ever but it clearly deserves it - way to avoid picking an obscure album just to prove your indie-ness. You should go back and give The National a few more shots. As with all their stuff, it's a grower. After initially being less than excited about it, I now enjoy it almost as much as High Violet. I too, love this time of the year - always fun to see what others are enjoying and what I've missed. I'm looking forward to checking out Chris Thile and Forest Swords. Always can use more "getting work done" music. Here's my top 10 albums: http://www.timcasteel.com/2013/12/top-10-albums-of-2013/ And Top 100 songs; http://www.timcasteel.com/2013/12/top-100-songs-of-2013/

Still shaping up but here's my Top 10 as of now: 1. Geographer – Myth 2. Grizzly Bear – Shields 3. Yeasayer – Fragrant World 4. POLIÇA – Give You the Ghost 5. Passion Pit – Gossamer 6. Purity Ring – Shrines 7. Ellie Goulding – Halcyon 8. Of Monsters and Men – My Head is an Animal 9. Beach House – Bloom 10. Lost in the Trees – A Church that Fits our Needs

Thanks for putting this together Steve - great list. Always enjoy reading your music picks. I added Joy Formidable and The Field to my Spotify lists of albums to listen to. Have you listened to St. Vincent and Lykke LI? Surprised not to see those on here (especially St. Vincent - so good). I'm not convinced on your #1 & #2 (though I know PJ Harvey is #1 - at least on many Brit lists). But #3-20 is a solid list. You've seen my list - but for anyone else who cares to check it out, here's my top 10 albums: http://www.timcasteel.com/2011/12/top-10-albums-of-2011/

Haha - yeah, I'm not sure Gaga, Beyonce and Britney deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, or even Adele. Besides Rolling Stone - seems like most indie lists are trying really hard to be super-indie. They feel a need to list the most obscure band you've ever heard of or at least the most challenging song from a known artist (like those that put Sufjan's 25 minute song "impossible soul" as best song of the 2010. Not a bad song - just a little indulgent).

Paste seems to be the best list of those - or at least the most similar to what my top 50 would look like. Look forward to reading your list when you post it.

Thanks for the recommendations. Always looking for new music to work to. I'm also a big fan of The Social Network Soundtrack. By far my favorite getting work done album. I like Max Richter. The Tron Legacy soundtrack is good (Daft Punk) -as well as the remixed version. Derek Webb's Feedback album is also good.

Thanks for sharing Bob! Do you have notes from the other class meetings? We might try this idea at our fall retreat this year. If we do, this will save me hours.

Brian- I just found your blog via Benson Hines (whom I also just found). I direct the Cru ministry at the University of Arkansas. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and best practices. Phenomenal posts. You've given me a ton of ideas for our ministry for the fall. Have you had any further thoughts about best ways to share innovative ideas within CCC? I am similarly passionate about how we could do a lot better at sharing best practices. There's no reason, within such a large ministry, that we shouldn't have thousands of (well-organized) resources at our fingertips (evangelism ideas, weekly meeting talks, publicity, staff meeting devotionals and resources). I think the upcoming CruPress site is a great step in the right direction. Have you found any other useful tools or had further ideas on the sharing of resources? Tim Casteel

Thanks for the list Steve. I'm a BIG fan of your Music Mondays. Here's my list of my Top 50 Songs (mostly) from 2009. Big caveat - these are songs I listen to with my young kids in the car. Which eliminates slow, heavy, or shady songs. It's minivan-indy-music-for-the-masses. Here's my list: http://tinyurl.com/yfqseea And most (40) of them are available to listen to on Lala.com: http://lala.com/znh8