PictureSufjan Stevens
Any musician who ambitiously announces plans to make an album for each of the 50 US States, is worth listening to… Sufjan Stevens topped just about everybody's list in 2005 with regards to “best artist” and “best album.” I must confess that I had read a great deal about Stevens, but had not heard his music until a friend gave me a copy of Come on Feel the Illinoise (a tongue-in-cheek name-check of the Slade hit: “Cum on Feel the Noise”). After a few listens I was convinced that even if he wasn't contender for artist or CD of the year, Sufjan was definitely trying to do something more than your average pop singer — and that's always a good thing… Therefore the Happy Medium Song of the Day is “Chicago” by Sufjan Stevens.