Showdown Leaderboard

(Or, Let Us Look Upon Popular Opinion!)

All songs start with a rating of 1600 which rises or falls according to how they fare against other songs in matchups. Only songs that have been in at least ten completed matchups appear in the leaderboard and factor into album averages.

33873 matchups have been voted on so far. Every vote counts!

Average Song Rating by Album

RankAlbumAverage Song Rating
1Carrie & Lowell (2015)2034
2The Age of Adz (2010)1923
3Seven Swans (2004)1842
4Michigan (2003)1834
5Illinois (2005)1804
6All Delighted People EP (2010)1785
7Chicago (Demo) (Single) (2016)1703
8Exploding Whale (2015)1681
9The Avalanche (2006)1675
10Blue Bucket of Gold (Remix) (Single) (2015)1628
11Gloria: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VI (2012)1537
12Peace: Songs for Christmas, Vol. V (2006)1530
13Ding! Dong!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. III (2006)1509
14Christmas Unicorn: Songs for Christmas, Vol. X (2012)1507
15Christmas Infinity Voyage: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VIII (2012)1502
 Noel: Songs for Christmas, Vol. I (2006)1502
16Joy: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IV (2006)1489
17A Sun Came (2004)1481
18Hark!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. II (2006)1479
19Let It Snow: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IX (2012)1410
20I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII (2012)1377
21The BQE (2009)1353
22Enjoy Your Rabbit (2002)1308

Top Songs

RankSongScore% Won
1“Casimir Pulaski Day”
from Illinois		217194%
2“The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!”
from Illinois		216095%
3“Impossible Soul”
from The Age of Adz		213393%
4“Come On! Feel the Illinoise! (Part I: The World's Columbian Exposition - Part II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me in a Dream)”
from Illinois		212892%
5“Death with Dignity”
from Carrie & Lowell		210192%
6“Eugene”
from Carrie & Lowell		208991%
7“Chicago”
from Illinois		208191%
8“John Wayne Gacy, Jr.”
from Illinois		207188%
9“Should Have Known Better”
from Carrie & Lowell		206790%
10“The Only Thing”
from Carrie & Lowell		206391%
11“Futile Devices”
from The Age of Adz		205590%
12“John My Beloved”
from Carrie & Lowell		205389%
13“Fourth of July”
from Carrie & Lowell		204587%
14“Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois”
from Illinois		204189%
15“No Shade In The Shadow Of The Cross”
from Carrie & Lowell		203587%
16“Age of Adz”
from The Age of Adz		203082%
17“I Want To Be Well”
from The Age of Adz		202788%
18“To Be Alone with You”
from Seven Swans		200685%
19“Romulus”
from Michigan		200589%
20“All Of Me Wants All Of You”
from Carrie & Lowell		200385%
21“Vito's Ordination Song”
from Michigan		199980%
22“All Delighted People (Original Version)”
from All Delighted People EP		199783%
23“Carrie & Lowell”
from Carrie & Lowell		199188%
24“For the Widows in Paradise, For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti”
from Michigan		198584%
25“Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother!”
from Illinois		197885%
26“Holland”
from Michigan		197579%
 “Seven Swans”
from Seven Swans		197587%
27“Drawn to the Blood”
from Carrie & Lowell		197082%
28“The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders (Part I: The Great Frontier - Part II: Come to Me Only with Playthings Now)”
from Illinois		196380%
29“Blue Bucket of Gold”
from Carrie & Lowell		195584%
30“Vesuvius”
from The Age of Adz		194786%
31“The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts”
from Illinois		194375%
32“Jacksonville”
from Illinois		194079%
33“All for Myself”
from The Age of Adz		192480%
34“The Upper Peninsula”
from Michigan		192369%
35“Chicago (acoustic version)”
from The Avalanche		191372%
36“All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands”
from Seven Swans		189774%
37“The Transfiguration”
from Seven Swans		189376%
38“The Dress Looks Nice on You”
from Seven Swans		188475%
39“Flint (For the Unemployed and Underpaid)”
from Michigan		187675%
40“Say Yes! to M!ch!gan!”
from Michigan		186972%
 “They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!”
from Illinois		186977%
41“Too Much”
from The Age of Adz		186878%
42“Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head! (Rebuild! Restore! Reconsider!)”
from Michigan		186372%
43“The Seer's Tower”
from Illinois		185573%
44“The Avalanche”
from The Avalanche		184168%
45“The Mistress Witch from McClure (or, The Mind That Knows Itself)”
from The Avalanche		183973%
46“Chicago (adult contemporary easy listening version)”
from The Avalanche		183065%
47“In the Devil's Territory”
from Seven Swans		182972%
48“Now That I'm Older”
from The Age of Adz		182177%
49“Sister”
from Seven Swans		181676%
 “I Walked”
from The Age of Adz		181676%
50“Enchanting Ghost”
from All Delighted People EP		181277%
51“All Delighted People (Classic Rock Version)”
from All Delighted People EP		180967%
52“All Good Naysayers, Speak Up! Or Forever Hold Your Peace!”
from Michigan		180865%
 “Sister Winter”
from Peace: Songs for Christmas, Vol. V		180873%
53“Oh God, Where Are You Now? (In Pickeral Lake? Pigeon? Marquette? Mackinaw?)”
from Michigan		180667%
54“Djohariah”
from All Delighted People EP		180580%
55“Get Real Get Right”
from The Age of Adz		180178%
56“Pittsfield”
from The Avalanche		180069%
57“The Owl And The Tanager”
from All Delighted People EP		179879%
58“Sleeping Bear, Sault Saint Marie”
from Michigan		179667%
59“He Woke Me Up Again”
from Seven Swans		179371%
60“Springfield, or Bobby Got a Shadfly Caught in his Hair”
from The Avalanche		179160%
61“Redford (For Yia-Yia & Pappou)”
from Michigan		178971%
62“A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
from Seven Swans		178072%
63“Size Too Small”
from Seven Swans		177269%
64“Exploding Whale”
from Exploding Whale		175962%
65“Abraham”
from Seven Swans		175465%
 “Did I Make You Cry on Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved It!)”
from Joy: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IV		175462%
66“Adlai Stevenson”
from The Avalanche		173960%
67“The Black Hawk War, or, How to Demolish an Entire Civilization and Still Feel Good About Yourself in the Morning, or, We Apologize for the Inconvenience but You're Going to Have to Leave Now, or, 'I Have Fought the Big Knives and Will Continue to Fight Them Until They Are Off Our Lands!'”
from Illinois		172857%
68“Bad Communication”
from The Age of Adz		172163%
69“A Sun Came”
from A Sun Came		171848%
70“From The Mouth Of Gabriel”
from All Delighted People EP		171368%
71“Dear Mr Supercomputer”
from The Avalanche		170859%
72“Chicago (Demo)”
from Chicago (Demo) (Single)		170360%
73“Barcarola (You Must Be A Christmas Tree)”
from Gloria: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VI		170256%
74“Christmas Unicorn”
from Christmas Unicorn: Songs for Christmas, Vol. X		169865%
75“Lumberjack Christmas / No One Can Save You From Christmases Past”
from Gloria: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VI		169754%
76“We Won't Need Legs to Stand”
from Seven Swans		169663%
77“Out of Egypt, into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I Shake the Dirt from My Sandals as I Run”
from Illinois		169558%
78“No Man's Land”
from The Avalanche		169359%
79“The Henney Buggy Band”
from The Avalanche		168662%
80“Heirloom”
from All Delighted People EP		168268%
81“That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!”
from Ding! Dong!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. III		165968%
82“Arnika”
from All Delighted People EP		165765%
83“The Perpetual Self, or "What Would Saul Alinsky Do?"”
from The Avalanche		165250%
84“O Come, O Come Emmanuel”
from Ding! Dong!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. III		164346%
85“The Pick-up”
from The Avalanche		163947%
86“Happy Birthday”
from A Sun Came		163749%
 “They Also Mourn Who Do Not Wear Black (For the Homeless in Muskegon)”
from Michigan		163753%
87“Saul Bellow”
from The Avalanche		163246%
88“Star of Wonder”
from Peace: Songs for Christmas, Vol. V		162953%
89“Blue Bucket of Gold (Remix)”
from Blue Bucket of Gold (Remix) (Single)		162865%
90“Christmas In The Room”
from Christmas Infinity Voyage: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VIII		162762%
91“We Are What You Say”
from A Sun Came		162442%
92“Come Thou Font Of Every Blessing”
from Hark!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. II		161447%
93“In This Temple as in the Hearts of Man for Whom He Saved the Earth”
from Illinois		161350%
94“O Come, O Come Emmanuel”
from Peace: Songs for Christmas, Vol. V		160942%
95“Fourth of July (PPD Remix)”
from Exploding Whale		160242%
96“Tahquamenon Falls”
from Michigan		160052%
97“The Child With The Star On His Head”
from Christmas Infinity Voyage: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VIII		159640%
98“Chicago (Multiple Personality Disorder version)”
from The Avalanche		159253%
99“The Vivian Girls Are Visited In the Night by Saint Dargarius and his Squadron of Benevolent Butterflies”
from The Avalanche		158437%
 “Justice Delivers Its Death”
from Christmas Unicorn: Songs for Christmas, Vol. X		158447%
100“A Loverless Bed (Without Remission)”
from A Sun Came		158047%
101“Alanson, Crooked River”
from Michigan		157548%
102“The Palm Sunday Tornado Hits Crystal Lake”
from The Avalanche		157144%
 “Christmas in July”
from Peace: Songs for Christmas, Vol. V		157140%
103“Angels We Have Heard On High”
from Christmas Infinity Voyage: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VIII		156837%
104“Carlyle Lake”
from The Avalanche		156738%
105“The Undivided Self (for Eppie and Popo)”
from The Avalanche		156640%
106“To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region, I Have an Idea Concerning Your Predicament”
from Illinois		156247%
107“Rake”
from A Sun Came		156145%
108“Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming”
from Noel: Songs for Christmas, Vol. I		155833%
109“What Child Is This Anyway?”
from Hark!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. II		155531%
110“Joy To The World”
from Christmas Infinity Voyage: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VIII		154939%
111“Silent Night”
from Gloria: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VI		154741%
112“Joy To The World”
from Joy: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IV		154639%
 “Carol of St. Benjamin The Bearded One”
from Gloria: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VI		154637%
113“Kill”
from A Sun Came		154433%
114“For Clyde Tombaugh”
from The Avalanche		154237%
115“You Are the Rake”
from A Sun Came		154150%
 “O Holy Night”
from Ding! Dong!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. III		154135%
116“Dumb I Sound”
from A Sun Came		153849%
117“Jason”
from A Sun Came		153334%
118“Holy, Holy, Holy”
from Peace: Songs for Christmas, Vol. V		153035%
119“O Come O Come Emmanuel”
from Noel: Songs for Christmas, Vol. I		152838%
120“We Three Kings”
from Ding! Dong!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. III		152530%
121“A Winner Needs a Wand”
from A Sun Came		152437%
 “Prairie Fire That Wanders About”
from Illinois		152450%
 “It's Christmas! Let's Be Glad!”
from Noel: Songs for Christmas, Vol. I		152428%
 “Do You Hear What I Hear?”
from Christmas Infinity Voyage: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VIII		152434%
122“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
from Christmas Unicorn: Songs for Christmas, Vol. X		152243%
123“Only At Christmas Time”
from Hark!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. II		152037%
124“A Conjunction of Drones Simulating the Way in Which Sufjan Stevens Has an Existential Crisis in the Great Godfrey Maze”
from Illinois		151639%
125“I Saw Three Ships”
from Hark!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. II		151534%
126“Coventry Carol”
from Gloria: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VI		151427%
127“A Short Reprise for Mary Todd, Who Went Insane, but for Very Good Reasons”
from Illinois		151042%
128“Put The Lights On The Tree”
from Hark!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. II		150838%
129“It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”
from Christmas Infinity Voyage: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VIII		150531%
130“Kaskaskia River”
from The Avalanche		150438%
 “The Winter Solstice”
from Peace: Songs for Christmas, Vol. V		150437%
131“Silent Night”
from Noel: Songs for Christmas, Vol. I		150332%
132“It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”
from Christmas Unicorn: Songs for Christmas, Vol. X		149130%
133“The Midnight Clear”
from Gloria: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VI		148537%
134“Away In A Manger”
from Joy: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IV		148028%
 “Get Behind Me, Santa!”
from Peace: Songs for Christmas, Vol. V		148035%
 “We Three Kings”
from Christmas Unicorn: Songs for Christmas, Vol. X		148027%
135“Jupiter Winter”
from Peace: Songs for Christmas, Vol. V		147841%
136“Holly Jolly Christmas”
from Let It Snow: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IX		147728%
 “Angels We Have Heard On High”
from Christmas Unicorn: Songs for Christmas, Vol. X		147730%
137“Inaugural Pop Music for Jane Margaret Byrne”
from The Avalanche		147435%
138“Once In Royal David's City”
from Peace: Songs for Christmas, Vol. V		146927%
139“Ah Holy Jesus (a capella)”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		146726%
140“One Last 'Whoo-Hoo!' for the Pullman”
from Illinois		146636%
141“Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time!”
from Joy: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IV		146131%
142“The Friendly Beasts”
from Ding! Dong!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. III		146025%
 “I'll Be Home For Christmas”
from Let It Snow: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IX		146036%
143“Up On The Housetop”
from Christmas Unicorn: Songs for Christmas, Vol. X		145931%
144“We Need A Little Christmas”
from Christmas Unicorn: Songs for Christmas, Vol. X		145833%
145“Happy Family Christmas”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		145623%
146“Wordsworth's Ridge”
from A Sun Came		145536%
 “Once In David's Royal City”
from Hark!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. II		145530%
147“Come on! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance!”
from Ding! Dong!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. III		145442%
148“We're Goin' To the Country”
from Noel: Songs for Christmas, Vol. I		145122%
149“Let's Hear That String Part Again, Because I Don't Think They Heard It All the Way Out in Bushnell”
from Illinois		145038%
150“Amazing Grace”
from Noel: Songs for Christmas, Vol. I		144832%
 “Ding-a-ling-a-ring-a-ling”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		144822%
151“Joy! Joy! Joy!”
from A Sun Came		144329%
152“All the King's Horns”
from Ding! Dong!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. III		143930%
153“Good King Wenceslas”
from Christmas Infinity Voyage: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VIII		143823%
154“The Little Drummer Boy”
from Joy: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IV		143726%
155“Demetrius”
from A Sun Came		143031%
156“Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”
from Let It Snow: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IX		142927%
157“Ave Maria”
from Let It Snow: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IX		142725%
158“Lo! How A Rose E'er Blooming”
from Peace: Songs for Christmas, Vol. V		142630%
159“The Oracle Said Wander”
from A Sun Came		142522%
 “Ah Holy Jesus (with reed organ)”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		142524%
160“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		142422%
161“Morning (Sacred Harp)”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		142320%
162“Ah Holy Jesus”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		142221%
163“Auld Lang Syne”
from Gloria: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VI		141434%
164“Jingle Bells”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		141327%
165“Riffs and Variations on a Single Note for Jelly Roll, Earl Hines, Louis Armstrong, Baby Dodds, and the King of Swing, to Name a Few”
from Illinois		141241%
166“Angels We Have Heard On High”
from Hark!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. II		141124%
167“Alphabet St.”
from Christmas Infinity Voyage: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VIII		140725%
168“Christmas Face”
from Let It Snow: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IX		139823%
169“Movement VII (Finale) - The Emperor of Centrifuge”
from The BQE		139733%
170“Mr. Frosty Man”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		139523%
171“Year of the Ox”
from Enjoy Your Rabbit		139433%
172“Even the Earth Will Perish and the Universe Give Way”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		139023%
 “Happy Karma Christmas”
from Christmas Unicorn: Songs for Christmas, Vol. X		139025%
173“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!”
from Hark!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. II		138923%
 “The Incarnation”
from Joy: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IV		138931%
 “X-mas Spirit Catcher”
from Let It Snow: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IX		138931%
174“Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”
from Let It Snow: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IX		138823%
175“Movement I - In the Countenance of Kings”
from The BQE		138427%
 “Go Nightly Cares”
from Gloria: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VI		138420%
 “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		138424%
176“Super Sexy Woman”
from A Sun Came		138339%
177“Christmas Woman”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		138032%
178“Movement VI - Isorhythmic Night Dance with Interchanges”
from The BQE		137927%
179“Movement V - Self-Organizing Emergent Patterns”
from The BQE		137628%
 “Mysteries of the Christmas Mist”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		137621%
180“Sleigh Ride”
from Let It Snow: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IX		137524%
181“Prelude on the Esplanade”
from The BQE		137126%
 “Interlude I - Dream Sequence in Subi Circumnavigation”
from The BQE		137126%
182“Year of the Rooster”
from Enjoy Your Rabbit		136823%
183“Introductory Fanfare for the Hooper Heroes”
from The BQE		136726%
184“Idumea (Sacred Harp)”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		135817%
185“Postlude - Critical Mass”
from The BQE		135622%
 “I Am Santa's Helper”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		135619%
186“Year of the Rat”
from Enjoy Your Rabbit		135527%
 “Christ the Lord is Born”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		135520%
187“The First Noel”
from Joy: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IV		135220%
188“Movement III - Linear Tableau with Intersecting Surprise”
from The BQE		135026%
189“Year of the Horse”
from Enjoy Your Rabbit		134822%
 “Ding! Dong!”
from Ding! Dong!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. III		134818%
 “Movement IV - Traffic Shock”
from The BQE		134827%
190“Enjoy Your Rabbit”
from Enjoy Your Rabbit		134625%
 “Movement II - Sleeping Invader”
from The BQE		134623%
191“Lift Up Your Heads Ye Mighty Gates”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		134522%
192“Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella”
from Hark!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. II		134320%
 “The Sleigh In The Moon”
from Let It Snow: Songs for Christmas, Vol. IX		134317%
193“Ya Leil”
from A Sun Came		133221%
194“Jingle Bells”
from Peace: Songs for Christmas, Vol. V		132523%
 “Behold the Birth of Man, the Face of Glory”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		132518%
195“How Shall I Fitly Meet Thee?”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		132117%
196“Year of Our Lord”
from Enjoy Your Rabbit		131932%
197“Year of the Tiger”
from Enjoy Your Rabbit		131823%
198“Year of the Snake”
from Enjoy Your Rabbit		131523%
199“Eternal Happiness Or Woe”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		131420%
200“Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages)”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		131317%
201“Make Haste To See the Baby”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		131116%
202“Year of the Dog”
from Enjoy Your Rabbit		130522%
203“Particle Physics”
from Christmas Infinity Voyage: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VIII		129916%
204“Year of the Dragon”
from Enjoy Your Rabbit		129724%
205“Interlude III - Invisible Accidents”
from The BQE		127419%
206“Interlude II - Subi Power Waltz”
from The BQE		125821%
207“Break Forth O Beauteous Heavenly Light”
from I Am Santa's Helper: Songs for Christmas, Vol. VII		125714%
208“Year of the Asthmatic Cat”
from Enjoy Your Rabbit		125422%
209“Year of the Boar”
from Enjoy Your Rabbit		124416%
210“Year of the Sheep”
from Enjoy Your Rabbit		123118%
211“Year of the Monkey”
from Enjoy Your Rabbit		121714%
212“Rice Pudding”
from A Sun Came		120414%
213“Satan's Saxophones”
from A Sun Came		117610%