Most people seem partial to the World Cup idea, so that's the format we go with. A group stage followed by the top two advancing to single-elimination.
Number of songs depends on turnout. I want to get it up to at least 32 but no more than 64. I'll leave the nominating period open all month and see how fast we get to that number.
Edit: 64 songs reached. The nominating period is over. Voting starts Thursday!
There are only two rules. No songs listed on AM or from Albums listed on AM, INCLUDING bubbling under. If you're not sure, check the "artist" or "song" tabs on the main page.
Also, this should be implied, but to make it super-duper fair, nothing too new for the last update. In other words, nothing from the past 365 days.
Alright, now that that's clear, we can begin!
Nominees
1) Santa Esmeralda-Don't Let me be Misunderstood http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-hwiCkU73NA
2) Verlaines-Joed Out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EJEm4QYndw
3) Gorillaz and Daley-Doncamatic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwKcXfUmLkk
4) Frank Zappa-Watermelon in Easter Hay http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUja5B8ei2U
5) Radiohead-Talk Show Host http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU7sUENatUU
6) Neil Young-Transformer Man http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eblFQppJfyg
7) Game Theory-Mammoth Gardens http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6e2XSSqW_Y
8) Dan Mangan-Road Regrets http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hviiGCkVMiY
9) Kobiety-Marcello http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RShT_fT-WY
10) Fred Wesley and the JB's-Doin' it To Death http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TRc3DG4ydc
11) Rusted Root-Send me on my Way http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuV2agQPgps
12) Rivers Cuomo-Longtime Sunshine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMQUBFzxduw
13) The National-Exile Vilify http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-Vg2YS-sFE
14) Max Berlin-Elle et Moi http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-elQDdfZQOM
15) Django Reinhardt & Stéphane Grappelli-Minor Swing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpmOTGungnA
16) Aesop Rock-9-5er's Anthem http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWOQHj_o6eo
17) Todd Rundgren-No World Order http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1EUir4qTCE
18) Tantra-Hills of Katmandu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_l_Q70I-u4
19) Metallica-Am I Evil? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u-HCHCuHMg
20) Edu Lobo-Kyrie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x25rfzbN5pI
21) Anais Mitchell-Why We Build the Wall http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAgiK07Py9M
22) Owen Pallett-The CN Tower Belongs to the Dead http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuzEoIuGNX4
23) Lady Lamb the Beekeeper-Bird Balloons http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaWmWTTIF9Y
24) Hymie's Basement-21st Century Pop Song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpTz8r5OMdg
25) Roy Harper-I Hate the White Man http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjSEVSvDkhw
26) Irma Thomas-Ruler of my Heart http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFTG0W6a6VI
27) White Denim-Some Wild Going Outward http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfMhL_u10wo
28) Gotye-Heart's a Mess http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnXFJOXvL_A
29) Ricky B-Shake it fo ya Hood http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcFy_nF5qrg
30) Kashiwa Daisuke-Stella http://youtu.be/NHjHQoxq9O0
31) Astor Piazzola & Roberto Goyeneche - Vuelvo al sur http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDpgHNoWASM
32) Weeping Willows-Blue and Alone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY-h-sGn2XM
33) Tammi Terrell-All I do is Think about You http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqbvX_sYoN0
34) Temper Trap-Fader http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPPdetZTOx0
35) Eddie Kendricks-Eddie's Love http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFzdmvtxFvg
36) Walk the Moon-Anna Sun http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlIeCJWevCI
37) American Football-Never Meant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NfnXdXpjL0
38) Capital Cities-Safe and Sound http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIXt2xpc9Cw
39) Box Tops-I Shall be Released https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLz985ozQ3M
40) New Radicals - Mother We Just Can't Get Enough http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Lbf7inJoec
41) Mayer Hawthorne-A Long Time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZZUfn9jJnA
42) Passion Pit - Carried Away http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZQ5aNrwYcM
43) Gnarls Barkley-Who's gonna Save my Soul? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOz0rxmeWD4
44) Chris Knox - Not Given Lightly http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqqYomcsHAc
45) Nino Rota - O Venezia, Venaga, Venusia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DGGVwtzxpg
46) Jean-Jacques Perrey - E.V.A. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXTGN_St-ho
47) Sia-Buttons http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6xyoou3hs4
48) The Tallest Man on Earth - The Gardener http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIjbuVvAX9Q
49) R.E.M. - Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv4nuD7q2uQ
50) The Triffids - Red Pony http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxbGh9P_LxY
51) The Nits - In the Dutch Mountains http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_hHzd5Uo1o
52) Games-Strawberry Skies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5scYXIvAr7w
53) Lord Invader, Macbeth the Great, and the Duke of Iron-Calypso Warrior http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7QDcfx32Q4
54) Pointer Sisters-Going down Slowly http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wovz9dKG7JE
55) Henri Salvador - Dans mon île http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRNBxEbK0U0
56) Erik Satie - Gymnopédie 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-Xm7s9eGxU
57) Leon Russell-Stranger in a Strange Land http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQbk2C4ZmsE
58) Gorillaz, Andre 3000, and James Murphy-DoyaThing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36DCuT1KxM4
59) Enrique Morente & Lagartija Nick - Omega http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-rWCgj5BZg
60) Jun Togawa - 諦念プシガンガ [Teinen Pushiganga] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV-qCcjxtlg
61) Wilhelmina Wiggins Fernandez-La Wally Aria http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTLF9TIx6lE
62) Van Morrison-Wonderful Remark http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhUDmBXuS4s
63) Modest Mouse-Baby Blue Sedan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JAzZYxHvEg
64) The Clean-Tally Ho! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVkC8W_-a-8