Last year I released Good Tunes For Two Bucks, a compilation of 12 songs from 12 Chicago artists. Due to time, budgets, and schedule constraints, I am not releasing a mixtape for 2011. But who cares? Here are 21 artists I had the pleasure of meeting/interviewing/working with/listening to in 2011, mostly Chicago artists along with some non-Chicagoans I covered.

These are not necessarily songs that were released this year, (though most are) but rather songs (and some artists) that I discovered in 2011. Happy New Year! Be safe, have fun, share champagne.

Akasha — “Ooh U Got Me”

My interviews with lead singer Cosmos Ray (March 2011, August 2011)

Ashley Good feat. Jason Gatz — “The Good The Bad”

Interviews with Ashley Good (August 2010) and Jason Gatz (February 2009)

Blink feat. Prince Jericho — “Spark It Up”

Interview with Blink (May 2011)

The Boy Illinois feat. Mike Classic, Young General, G.o.D. Jewels, & Asia Monique — “New Years Day”

Interview with The Boy Illinois (June 2011)

Chicago Blues: A Living History

Interview with album producer Larry Skoller (July 2011)

Digital Tape Machine — “X Tasty”

Interview with guitarist Marcus Rezak (November 2011)

E-Train — “Glow So Hard”

Interview with E-Train (February 2007/July 2010)

Go Long Mule — “Mean Old Dog”

Interview with lead singer Ryan Anderson (May 2011)

Gyasi Kamau — “The Reader”

Interview coming 2012

JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound — “Everything Will Be Fine”

Interview with JC Brooks (April 2011)

Loyal Divide — “Vision Vision”

Interview with singer/producer Adam Johnson (January 2011)

Mikkey Halsted feat. Freddie Gibbs — “Field Nigga Blues”

Interview with Mikkey Halsted (July 2010)

Mississippi Gabe Carter — “Black Woman”

Mississippi Gabe Carter plays live on Milwaukee Ave. (November 2011)

The Nocturnals — “A Song”

Interview with MC Rota (August 2011)

PALEFACE — “The Show is On the Road”

Interview with PF (December 2010) and Mo (October 2010)

Psalm One — “I’m My Favorite”

Interviews with Psalm One (July 2010, August 2011)

Rubblebucket — “Came Out of a Lady”

This was my favorite new song I heard this year. Outstanding in studio and live — I saw them at Double Door in January. Interview with lead singer Kalmia Traver (January 2011)

The Shams Band — “We’ve Never Met”

Interview with band member Donnie Biggins (January 2011)

Tell Your Friends — “La Quinta”

Interview with the band (May 2011)

Terrible Spaceship — Invaders 1938 (listen here)

Interview coming 2012

Young General — “No Justice, No Peace”

Interviews with Young General (February 2009, March 2011)

Jack M Silverstein is an oral historian covering music in Chicago. Say hey @ReadJack.