Song · The xx
“Crystalised” by The xx
From the album xx (2009)
“Crystalised” by The xx appears on 17 radio countdowns from 11 stations between 2009 and 2025. It was first released in 2009 on the album xx. Its best result is #6 on the WEQX Top 102.7 of 2010. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #103 alternative song of 2010, #3,905 alternative song of all time and #396 of the '10s.
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"Crystalised" was the first single from the xx, released in April 2009 ahead of their self-titled debut album xx, and it announced a band that could make near-silence sound like a confession. Robert Christgau heard it built on a hooky repeating riff dressed with a few subtle effects, leading into Oliver Sim's exaggerated drawl and the warmer croon of Romy Madley Croft.
The two trade lead vocals back and forth, which NPR's Rachel Kowal likened to the duets on Stars' Set Yourself on Fire without the bitterness between ex-lovers. Like most of the album, it grew from an imagined romance: Sim wrote the first verse wondering what a fling might be like. Jamie xx produced it, programmed the drum machine and mixed it with Rodaidh McDonald, while Baria Qureshi added keyboards and vocals.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
RockLists rankings
Alternative & Modern Rock
Indie & Adult Alternative
All Rock Formats
Year-end countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 12 | The Current Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN | The Current Top 89 Songs of 2009 | 89 |
| 2009 | 66 | WRNR 103.1 Annapolis, MD | WRNR Top 104 Songs of 2009 | 104 |
| 2010 | 12 | WFNX Boston, MA | WFNX Top 101 Songs of 2010 | 101 |
| 2010 | 90 | CD101 Columbus, OH | CD101 Top 101 Songs of 2010 | 101 |
| 2010 | 29 | KSLG Eureka (Humboldt County), CA | KSLG Top 94 Slugtunez of 2010 | 94 |
| 2010 | 6 | 102.7 WEQX Southern Vermont and the Capital District of New York (Albany) | WEQX Top 102.7 of 2010 | 103 |
| 2010 | 45 | WBRU Providence, RI | WBRU Top 95 Songs of 2010 | 95 |
| 2011 | 85 | 90.5 WERG Erie, PA | WERG Top 90 of 2011 | 90 |
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1261 | CD101 | CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) | 2011 |
| 2013 | 1223 | CD101 | CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) | 2012 |
| 2014 | 1226 | CD101 | CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) | 2013 |
| 2019 | 61 | 102.7 WEQX | WEQX Top 102.7 of the 2010's Decade | 103 |
| 2020 | 101 | 107.7 The End | The End Top 107 Songs of Last Decade (2010s) | 107 |
| 2022 | 72 | 90.9 The Bridge | 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the 2000s | 907 |
| 2024 | 434 | The Colorado Sound | The Colorado Sound Top 1055 Songs of the 21st Century | 1055 |
| 2025 | 591 | 90.9 The Bridge | 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the 21st Century | 909 |
| 2025 | 677 | The Current | 893 Essential Songs of The Current: 2005 to Now | 893 |
Also listed as: Crystallized; Crystalized.
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